Where Faith, Healing & Homemaking Meet
I have a confession to make.
This was just supposed to be a decorating blog, but it is quickly growing into something else, which tells me you, readers, are interested in something that quite surprises me. You are interested in my stories – what the goodness, gracious?!
Continue reading “Book Writing Progress – Update 1”
When I was a small girl, there were a couple of things I knew I wanted to do when I grew up. Of course, I knew I wanted to become a writer. I also knew I wanted to help people. When I grew up, my life has seemed to involve both of those things throughout college, my career, and now in my marriage. What I did not dare to hope, however, was that I would have a home of my own. Becoming a homeowner was something I considered an impossible dream until one day it actually happened.
Before I owned my own walls and floors, however, I apartment-hopped for several years, and throughout that time, I struggled with finding myself feeling settled and as if I really had a place I belonged. During that time, I sought to find ways to make my living situations more permanent. I read books, watched a lot of YouTubers, and looked to others who had established functioning, happy homes of their own. What I did not have, I tried to emulate, and I found it helped so much with grounding me!
This book list consists of authors who have helped me in establishing all things practical in my life! From homemaking, to cookbooks, to lifestyle, these books have brought me abundant inspiration. And my skills in several areas have increased due to several of these writers who have shared their own expertise within their own fields.
Continue reading “Homemaker’s Bookshelf | Homemaking, Cookbooks, & Lifestyle”
Who says Easter baskets are just for kids? There are so many wonderful types of Easter baskets you can make! There is nothing wrong with gifting a traditional, candy-filled basket (who doesn’t love receiving one of these?), but you can also create a gorgeous basket that your family and friends will want to feature in their home. If you want to step up your basket-making game this Easter season, I have some tips to helping you get started!
This season, I utilized Half Moon Baskets to create the perfect, hand-held Easter basket. The one thing about designing a basket is that there aren’t really any rules. You can use a basket, a vase, jars, or anything that will hold a pretty assortment of candy and flowers. Your basket is literally what you make of it, so let’s get crafting!
To help you get started, below I have listed the list of items I used to create my own baskets. My Half Moon Basket design was created primarily from Amazon products, and my Shop also has these items available!*
Continue reading “Creative Ideas for Making Easter Baskets”
This is not exactly news – my closer friends have been reading my writing for years and have known that my short stories would someday grow into an actual book. A nearly finished first draft of Legalism into Light sits on my desk. It terrifies me how easily this draft came together, almost by a divine force, to become the foundation of what is now forming into a second draft of a book that follows my journey from the dark world of legalism into the light.
Continue reading “Pivoting…into writing a book”
Back when I used to run a home décor store, I often would have people come up to me and say, “Can you help me? I really struggle making floral arrangements.”
To you, I offer 4 Easy Steps to Craft a Perfect Bouquet for your home! What I love about these steps is that it is economic-friendly, and you can use just about any floral you already have at home! Many of the items I use in my own home have been thrifted. And, whenever I want to update up my bouquet, it is easy to simply swap out a flower or two with the changing seasons!
Watch my video below for a step-by-step visual guide. I also list everything used in this video/post if you want to recreate my design. This specific look was made purely from Amazon products, which I have listed below for just you. My Shop has these items available as well, so go give it a visit!*
Also, remember to subscribe to Sanctuary Story so I can send you a newsletter every Tuesday with new content, guides, and shop items!
Continue reading “4 Easy Steps to Craft a Perfect Bouquet”
Do people even use bread boxes anymore? Apparently, yes! They are slowly making a comeback to kitchens. Until recently, I never had one myself. Bread, pastries, cookies, and other baked goods always have been hidden in the pantry, away from view.
My baked goods situation has become complicated. My family has moved toward natural, fresher bread, which means it goes stale more quickly than before, and it has become difficult to keep up with this change. Thus, I went searching for a bread box to help me solve my problem of maintaining fresh bread in my kitchen. Plus, I just needed to get my bread, muffins, and biscuits out of my pantry and onto my countertop, which provides more accessibility.
See my video on the Sunhoo box for a quick look of how you can use this versatile box in your kitchen!
Having tried several bread boxes (you can easily thrift one!), my Sunhoo Breadbox is, by far, my favorite item in my kitchen. I budgeted for and purchased this box, and it has been a great investment. This sturdy box is made of New Zealand solid pine, is aesthetically gorgeous, and I have found multiple ways to use it.
Continue reading “3 Simple Ways To Use a Bread Box”
There is an unspoken struggle I have long had whenever purchasing a new Bible, which is that a brand new, beautifully bound book does not feel like it belongs to me. This past week was the first time in over five years I have faced having to “break in” a new Bible. This requires a couple of steps—and it involves a bit more than buying a nice set of highlighters. When I buy a Bible, I like personalizing it, which gives me a deeper enjoyment of ownership.
Continue reading “Personalize Your Bible | A Step-by-Step Guide”
January 2026 is substantial in a number of ways. First, it is my husband’s and my very first wedding anniversary–HURRAH! Second, we are wrapping up a huge, several month project of renovating our first home together. We repainted the whole house, tore up old carpet, worked on countless repairs, and have begun trying to recover a lawn that was not cared for by the prior owner. It has been months of hard labor, but it has been greatly worth it. When I look over all my work, I feel a flourish of pride, and the words come to mind, “Look at that…I painted/fixed that thing.”
Continue reading “2026 – The Year of Health”