art.

One thing I love the most, is my home, but in particular, who I share it with. Thearle Boy and I bought our apartment almost two years ago and we love it. It is bright, spacious, but most importantly, us.

We love finding things to put in it – to give it personality and life.

One great thing about owning your home is being able to drill holes in the wall (especially if you are the only couple in the world who cannot get those stupid 3M hooks to stick!). And the joy of that is because of the beautiful artwork to be displayed.

I received an incredible print for my birthday from my incredible husband by an incredibly talented illustrator, Lauren Merrick. I know Lauren’s family (and have met her a few times) and love stalking her cards, prints and other illustrations and adventures online as well as on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. You should too!

Our beautiful print, entitled 'Floating'. I also love a good reflection selfie!

She does these beautiful family portraits – I wish that I thought of it earlier, but I would have loved to get one of our wedding photos painted for our First Wedding Anniversary (which is traditionally gifted with paper). Maybe I’ll have to wait for our first child or something ;)

Thankfully, for now, I have this print, which goes brilliantly in our blue bedroom. Some of the blue in the water goes perfectly with the blue of our wall (the photos don't do it justice  – you'll have to come and see it!). I absolutely love it! I cannot think of a better artwork for the spot. I was so happy when I received it (and I still am) and I love the frame we chose to put it in. It really makes it pop!

It's a bit grainy, but it looks great with our homemade pendant lamps on. It adds to the moodiness of our room.

I can’t wait to show you more of our home. We really love it! But in the meantime, check out Lauren Merrick – she’s a goodie!

word.

I’m a ‘words of affirmation’ kind of girl.

Words, the right words, for me, bring life. No words, do not bring life.

I have been trying to decide if to write this blog or not. Trying to decide if to put my heart, my content, my being, my creations, my words, out there. It’s a scary thing. People think things. People don’t always say things.

Thearle Boy and I have been thinking a lot about encouragement lately. Sometimes life sucks courage, rather than giving courage. It can be disheartening. Encouragement is in short supply. Not saying the encouraging thing can be as bad as saying a negative thing. Silence is deafening. One of the most hurtful weapons a person has, is not nasty words, but silence – that doesn’t speak up when it could speak up.* I feel this deeply; he’s learning this (for me and for others). We want to be encouragers of people – he doesn’t need it, I crave it. But we both realise the importance of it. And instead of him not giving it because he doesn’t need it in return, and me not giving it because no many others are handing it out, we’re learning more than ever that we need to take the first step and encourage. Maybe then someone will encourage us. But we don’t want to worry about that; we want to give life.

Life cannot be given solely through words. For all of us, we need the Word to bring life. When we aren’t encouraged, we need to know what the Word thinks and says about us. Then our encouragement for others will flow freely. And what we need will become less about us, and more about him.

Words bring life. So use your words (and your likes and your comments) to bring life.

* We watched a Hillsong TV sermon by Brian Houston called 'I Feel Better Now'. Some of these thoughts are from his thoughts. Watch it for yourself here.