For the next 31 days, every. single. day. in October, I will be writing, sharing, going on and on about simple hospitality. About opening up our homes, pouring out ourselves, to serve and love friends and strangers.
Simple Hospitality. Honestly, this doesn't come easily to me. Simple is not my default setting. I stress. I complicate things. I iron tablecloths at 1am and worry about meaningless details.
But the more intentional I become about entertaining simply, the more I realize how much my micromanaging and my desire for glossy magazine inspired parties was really robbing me of an opportunity to connect.
Connection. Community. Sharing friendship, laughter and the occasional tear over good coffee. Who of us doesn't need a little of that?
Simple hospitality. Not haphazard, not without beautiful touches and careful planning, but intentioned, purposeful, simple gatherings. Because we don't want to feed people perfectly presented canapés if we aren't feeding their souls. Because we want communion with our friends and family and neighbours more than we want to impress people with our tablescapes and braised pork.
Because when it really comes down to it, we entertain because we know that we need one another. Deeply. I know I do.
So will you join me? For 31 days of exploring what it means to entertain simply? Will you let me dare you to step out of your comfort zone and invite people in? I'm excited!
Thanks so much for visiting The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking. Please take a moment to "like" me on facebook or sign up for my RSS feed.
Posts in this series so far:
Day 1- You're here!
Day 2- Perfect Is A Lie
Day 3- White Dishes
Day 4- Simple Invitations
Day 5- Nacho Supremo!
Day 6- Impromptu Hospitality
Day 7- A Scented Bathroom Trick
Day 8- Nine Great Board Games for Breaking the Ice
Day 9- Take-Out is Okay
Day 10 - 8 Ways to Simplify Kid's Birthday Parties
Day 11 - Use the Good China
Day 12 - Easy Bruschetta Appetizer
Day 13 - Fun, Simple, Elegant Napkin Folding Ideas
Day 14 - You are Enough
Day 15 - Simplest Holiday
YAY!! I am so excited for this!! While I don't often get company in my home, when I do I go crazy to make everything perfect. I need this. Thank you! I am SO excited!! (Have I mentioned that I am excited?)
ReplyDeleteSo glad to have you back! I'm very excited about this series! :)
ReplyDeletesuper excited! ive been told i was born in the wrong decade due to my love of at home dinner dates and such!
ReplyDeletelooking forward to the challenge!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited for this. I'm writing 31 Days of Missional Meals and I'm sure your posts will be inspiring in that endeavor.
ReplyDeleteso looking forward to the next 31 days - i've missed your writing!
ReplyDeleteAutumn
I love this topic! Can't wait to read more!
ReplyDeleteI am excited to the next 31 days. I stepped out of my comfort zone and joined a friendship dinner group. Now I have to entertain 3 other couples in November and really have no experience in this. Gonna have to get creative on how to fit 8 people around a table with only 6 places.
ReplyDeletehow fun Kelly!
ReplyDeleteHere's mine: Simple Living
http://www.ordinaryinspirations.blogspot.com/2013/09/31-days-of-simple-living.html
I'm so SO excited for your series!! So glad I found your blog! :)
ReplyDeleteKailey | living in the rain
www.kaileyrogers.com
I love this!! This series is timed perfectly with the holidays coming up!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you are back to blogging and am really looking forward to this series! I moved into a new apartment in July and I would love to be able to entertain my friends and family without stressing so much about things being perfect.
ReplyDelete<3
What a great series. I have gotten away from entertaining the people I love. I always wanted things to be perfect. My biggest hurtle is we had to move from our four bedroom house to an apartment. :( So I have it in my head that I am a bit ashamed to entertain here. I hope this helps me get more comfortable with my new start.
ReplyDeleteWhat a grand idea :) I love simplifying and the idea of hospitality as a family goal has been something my husband and I have been milling around. Thank you for your posts and encouragement!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back.... and sign me up sister!!! ;) I'm desperate to entertain in my home again!
ReplyDeleteLOVE!!!!!!!!!! the ribbon-streamer banner in the picture! So stealing that for something! So excited that after years? months? of begging on my knees, hubby has finally caved and is letting me have a giant yard sale and I'm tossing my toaster oven, hehehehe. I caved and let him keep the microwave and bedframe though. baby steps. Doing a happy dance that I got the tub toys down to 3 plus the foam alphabet letters.
I am so excited you are doing this series! You inspired me to start a 31 day series as well, totally last minute. I am looking forward to your new posts!
ReplyDeleteReally looking forward to this series
ReplyDeleteThis looks awesome! I can't wait to hear all the wonderful ideas. So glad that you are back. Your writing is so beautiful and inspiring.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kelly! This is so TIMELY. I was just saying to my husband the other day that I need to be more intentional about hospitality without stressing about all the details. Can't wait to be inspired!
ReplyDeleteJessica
What a beautiful idea!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!
ReplyDeleteLovely reminder! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea. I am looking forward to the encouragement. (and boy do I need it!)
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to following your series here!
ReplyDeleteHi! I've been thinking these same things. I'd love to join in blogging with you on my own site. Would that be ok with you? Excited! Glad you are feeling better. Been thinking about you
ReplyDeleteOh I also have a question about your table in the picture... Do you leave the table and chairs outside all the time? Or is it one your bring in/out? (Weird question... I know...) :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great topic. I actually love the way your entire blog looks. This will be such a great series.
ReplyDeleteWhat a true statement you made!! "Because we want communion with our friends and family and neighbors more than we want to impress people with our tablescapes and braised pork." Admire your way of thinking, words, and encouragement offered to others! Please keep on....
ReplyDeleteSuch a special surprise to see you in my inbox. missed you. hope you are feeling better. God Bless! Jennifer
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog through the 31 days linkup, and I'm so excited to follow along! I love the hospitality topic you picked. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so looking forward to following this.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, Kelly. Hope you're feeling better. And again, you've chosen a great topic for your 31 days.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for writing this series! I recently read Creating Community by Andy Stanley and really understanding how much we NEED community. I'm joining you in the commitment to be intentional and invite in!
ReplyDeleteThe crazy thing about Pinterest, is that even though I click on a pin of your yard sale tips, I am through the magic of the internet dropped into whatever your most recent posts are... Sounds horrid, but then God uses it to put something in front of me that I needed. :-) I just moved into a new house after drywalling and painting 4 rooms of it. I have SO much more that I would like to do to it, but money is an obstacle at the moment. I made a promise to myself though that unlike our previous dwelling, that we are going to make this one a home and part of that means inviting others that we love into it. I am not to allow outdated wood paneling or other imperfections isolate us from therest of the world. I will be reading the rest of this series for inspiration to embrace the true meaning of hospitality. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteKelly,
ReplyDeleteYou rock! I do not remember how I found this site, but always love what you post!! I am a single mother of 2 dogs and still have trouble getting my act together half the time. You have my full admiration for being a mom of 6, WOW, and doing all of these clever things. You go girl! Just don't forget to sleep! :)
So true... and beautiful photos! I look forward to reading through all these posts; feel like I need a bit of inspiration and lovliness :)
ReplyDeleteThe breakfast e-book looks amazing. I could you use some inspiration for new meals. kathy.woelk@usd373.org. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving this series. You make some really great points, I enjoy your style of writing, and you take some great pictures. My struggle seems to be more in finding the "right" group of friends that we "click" with. Hubby and I very much enjoy opening our home to friends. It just seems that many of our "friends" have no desire for soicalization; only communicating when they need a favor or are having a home sales party. Is there any chance that your series will include anything on how to broaden your social circle?
ReplyDelete