I don’t know when exactly I started reading Nester’s blog. I want to say that it was five or six years ago, and when I got to meet her in person at a conference a couple of years after that, I remember thinking, Well. She is just as warm and funny and endearing as I thought she would be.
I love it when that happens.
Myquillyn (that is her real name, though personally I default to “Nester” just about every single time) has such a knack for creating spaces that breathe, for decorating rooms in ways that don’t feel stuffy or overwrought or unusable. I cannot even tell you how many times I’ve gone to her blog in search of inspiration, and a few years ago, when Sister was decorating her newly re-built first floor (it was wiped out in the 2010 Nashville flood), we talked about Nester and her ideas like she was an old friend who would’ve totally gone to all the Nashville-area Home Goods with us if only she hadn’t lived a couple of states away. What I remember more than anything is that Nester’s laid-back, easy, no-fuss approach to decorating made Sister feel less overwhelmed about getting her house back in order, and that, as my mama would say, was such a blessing. No joke.
Well.
This past Friday I spent most of the day trying to finish some writing that I started over a month ago, and by the time I got home late Friday afternoon, I was ready to put on my pajamas and crawl under some covers and watch TV. But then I noticed a cardboard box on the kitchen counter, and when I opened it, I found this little gem.
I told myself that I’d look at it sometime Saturday – but curiosity got the better of me, and I started to read. An hour later I was still sitting at the kitchen table (I hadn’t even changed into my pajamas yet), and I had to force myself to put down the book. Early Saturday morning I picked it up again, and except for about five minutes when I set it down so that I could hang a print in my foyer (the book inspired me to not put it off for one more second), I kept on reading until I finished.
And here’s the thing (I said this on FB yesterday, so forgive me if you’ve read that already and I’m repeating myself). I typically don’t read a lot of home decor books, mainly because I get intimidated and overwhelmed and my perfectionistic side just can’t take it. But Nester’s book is inspiring and honest and gorgeous and real. I actually felt a little sad when the book was over – but then I looked up at my own house and saw all sorts of totally imperfect possibilities. That made me smile.
So. Just because I love this book to pieces and want to share it, I’m giving away three copies of The Nesting Place: It Doesn’t Have To Be Perfect To Be Beautiful. Nobody asked me to do this; I just want to do it because Myquillyn has created something that’s unique and oh-so-special – and I really do think it’s going to be so meaningful to the people who read it. Since the book releases next Tuesday, I’m going to make this giveaway a pretty quick one so that you still have time to order for release day if you don’t win. If you’d like to enter, just leave a comment on this post and tell me your absolute favorite thing about the place where you live.
I’ll use random.org to draw for winners Wednesday night and notify them ASAP via email.
Y’all are going to love this book!
This giveaway is now closed. Winners will be notified via email.
I love where I live because we have no neighbors in the back and we have a beautiful view.
Shannon
I love that my island is red and my cabinets are white. It’s not what I would have picked out for myself but just makes my kitchen so happy!
I love that the walls in the main living spaces are a happy yellow color. It feels sunny even when it’s raining outside :)
My favorite thing about my home is the curtains. I feel like curtains make a room and I have ones I love in each room.
I love that my house is full of people: laughing, talking, sharing. It makes my heart super happy!
I love to spend time on my front porch. It’s a typical Southern porch and it’s wonderful to sit out there this time of year.
My favorite thing is the people in it! We are moving in about six weeks, so the inspiration would be perfectly timed. Thank you for the give-away!
I love our garden! It is so exciting to watch everything come back to life in the Spring!!
My double knockout rose bushes. They make me so happy.
I like that sound doesn’t travel too well in the house, so we can go about our business without disturbing others too much.
My favorite thing about my house is that our friends like to hang out there…I recently had a group of friends from MOPS (along with their children) and one of my friends described it as a “beautifully decorated house that is so relaxed”. I love, love, love that friends feel welcome and relaxed at our little home!
I love our front porch. It’s big, well lit and a great place to read or drink coffee!
I love the history in my old farm house. It will be 98 years old this July and I love to think about the lives lived and all that has happened within the walls.
I love that our home is in the middle of nowhere, that our closest neighbors are cows and that wildlife thinks we have an equal partnership.
I live in a turn of the century bungalow in a mill village. I can see the mill from my house. I love all the high ceilings an plastered covered walls even though they are not always straight. Old houses shift. And I love all the glass door knobs:)
There are lots of undesirable things about our house and the “neighborhood”/road/big-huge-field that we live in, but my favorite part about where we live is the view from the kitchen window above the sink. If you look out it just right, there is a gorgeous view of the treetops from the woods at the very back of our property, and in the summertime, it lets in beautiful golden hour light that makes everything in the kitchen prettier. Always a silver lining, hmm?
I love that after ten years of trying to make my front room function, now it does!
I love how open the living room is and all the natural light that floods in from the windows.
My favorite thing about my house is that these walls hold so many memories of my family gathering together for lots of laughs and fun.
I love the fact that I live 6 miles west of the Atlantic Ocean and my town of Berlin, MD was just voted Coolest Small town in America! We are a small town that becomes a tourist mecca in the summer and a peaceful hometown the rest of the year.
I’m not a decorator or an excellent cook, but I love learning how to welcome people into our home and make them feel comfortable. That’s just my favorite.
I love that we have more deer than neighbors, views of trees and fields from any window, and absolute quiet!
I just love that it’s a peaceful place to go home to everyday after what I see at work to the people that are most important to me.
I love it that our rented apartment came with an orange wall that I have learned to love as I’ve used it as a jumping off place for art pieces. It caused me to be braver than I really am.
How funny you posted this – I never heard of Nester until I came across her blog this past weekend, and now this! My favorite part of my house is my little porch. My teens refer to it as “mom’s quiet place.”
I love looking at the back pasture where the cows are grazing.
I love finally living where we have neighbors with “refrigerator rights”. They walk in, pour coffee, get a snack — just like my Mama’s friends did when I was a child.
My favorite thing about my home is my family and the memories we’ve made here
From a decorating/design standpoint, I love the light all our windows let in and the huge built-in shelves in the living room.
I love my really big gardenia bush that I planted 17 years ago (gardenias are my fave!), about a year after I got married. It was “rooted” by my Nanny. I was sure it wasn’t going to live because I have the black thumb of death (yes, I can kill a cactus). But surprisingly, it lived! And it thrived. And it grew – really big. I almost expect it to say “Feed me!”, lol. but I do love it because it smells so good and reminds me of my Nanny.
I love that my house is where everybody who is important to me can be found, human and cat.
I love my home because it is where we raised our family and it is full of so many memories, and it is also the place that we all gather together.
I love my sweet family who lives here with me! But my other favorite thing is the bar + stools in my kitchen. BEST place to gather!
I love our backyard!
Simple – the
My favorite thing about our new (old) house is my ability to entertain. By putting two tables end to end we can feed 20 people together. I am amazed and so thankful!
My favorite thing is that we have done a lot ourselves and have a story behind a lot of the items in it. Also it well lived in!
I love the fireplace and the built ins that surround it. Though they hold lots of toddler toys and books right now, i just love that it’s something I can style and restyle over and over again.
I love the people I share my home with and the bright sunny spaces (even when the windows are dirty).
My windows…they are big and I love natural light. On a side note, I am a fan of Nester and I am now reading your book, which cracks me up, so I can see how one warm and funny personality would attract another’s (yours).
I love our master bedroom. Especially in the wee hours of the morning when the kids have snuck into bed with us. Sweet little stinkers!
I love being together with my family in our home….and I also love the horse farm and white fence across the road!
I too love the nester and the most recent thing we have added to our home is an outdoor fireplace–I don’t have an indoor one and while I just love my home to pieces the outdoor fireplace finds me sitting in front of it with the water views in the background every chance I get!
I love the back window in my bedroom because it looks out over pink azaleas, white dogwood trees, and purple redbud trees. I sit in that window many times a day and just enjoy God’s Spring creation.
I love that our home is cozy and comfy…where we became parents to our two wonderful boys, where dump trucks have torn out pieces of drywall around some corners (because boys will be boys), where we’ve been able to be all the family doing things that we love (watching movies, decorating for holidays, reading devotions, and so much more)!
Our home is tiny, but has a great country kitchen. So many memories of holidays shared, birthday parties, graduation parties, laughing so hard during family dinners, dying Easter eggs on kitchen table, carving pumpkins on kitchen table, working on science fair projects on kitchen table, etc. Love, love, love when my four grown children and their children come for visits and we make more memories.
My absolute favorite thing about my home is that the Lord blessed me and my family with it. Thank you so much for this chance to win Nesters book!!!
I love my open kitchen/family room. We can all gather and the room fills up with voices and laughing.
I love my brand new kitchen and how easy it is to entertain friends.
I love our living room wall of windows with a view of beautiful, ever changing Kansas crops as far as the eye can see. Not a building in sight!
I love that we have a big front and back yard for hosting people.
My absolute favorite part is my big front porch!!
I love that my house belonged to my grandparents years ago and my father was born in the bedroom I sleep in now.
Kim J
The morning light in our kitchen and family room is my absolute favorite thing about our house. Sometimes, I even get to watch the light reflect off of our neighbor’s pond…it takes my breath away every time! Thanks for encouraging us to read Nester’s book. It sounds as great as she is!;)
I love our life-time of accumulation~furniture, art, knick-knacks, dishes, lots and lots of photos, and especially the MEMORIES of the 30 years in our home.
I LOVE the town our home is in. The charm of both the historic buildings and it’s much younger residents just make it so quaint and wholesome!!
*its. I blame the iphone.
I live my house because its 2 blocks off the water on the MS Gulf Coast and walking distance
From just about anything you need! Location! Location! Location!
I love that we live less than a 5 minute drive from the beach!
I love the works of art created by my kids throughout our house. Sophie you and Melanie bring me SUCH JOY with your podcasts!
I love my home because it is where my family can be free to be who God created them to be. I also love it because I have my favorite things to see everyday…birds and tole trays â¤ï¸
We moved home to my husband’s family farm a year ago. My favorite thing is our dine in kitchen where yesterday four generations shared a wonderful Easter dinner!
My favorite part of my house is the people and dogs in it! I am in desperate need of some decorating! Thanks for the giveaway Boo Mama!
I love my screened in porch. Warm summer evenings sitting out there with my husband or friends. Now if it would just get warm enough so we can do that again!
I’m so excited to read this book!! My favorite thing about our home is the huge room we use as our home office – since my hubby and I both work from home, it was a deciding factor when we bought the house, and it has worked splendidly for us.
I love that we have space for our large family….but that also means more to decorate!
Home is where my favorite people are :)
Also, that I live on the river, which makes for some fabulous afternoon walks!
My two favorite things about where I live are the gradual making it ours moments we’ve had here and the neighborhood. Our house was a 70’s timewarp when we bought it and we’ve been working on it little bits at a time for the past three years. We still have a very long way to go, but I still love it because it’s ours. And our neighborhood is an older established one with big mature trees and birds and squirrels and beautiful sunlight. I looove it!
I live in an older neighborhood with these huge tall trees that provide lovely shade all summer long. Every time I turn onto my street I feel like I’m pulling into summer camp.
The most favorite part of my house is the kitchen full of windows. I love how the setting sun blazes into the eating area.
My favorite thing about my house is my dream kitchen!
My favorite thing about my home is the fact that it has three bedrooms. We live far away from my very large family so when they visit we have room for everyone to sleep!
My home is filled with black and white checks. They make me happy and remind me of my great Aunt Edith.
Thank you so much for the chance to win! I can’t wait to read it!
I’d say our DIY kitchen island (our kitchen has the best light!) or our front porch.
Being a retired military spouse I would have to say that every place we’ve lived has been my favorite. It never started out that way but by the time we had orders to another place there were roots to pull up, friends to say goodbye to, and memories to take with us. So, I guess the best part about where I live, wherever that is, is that its home.
My favorite thing about my tiny, very imperfect house is that my kids have grown up here. Most of my memories of their early childhood involves our cozy little house.
I love the layout and spaciousness that give me hope for filling it with many children someday! :)
I love that my people are there. Luckily that means that home is in many different locations!
I love our outdoors…there is room for kids to run and ivy growing up the brick. Just love it!
I love all of the windows in the living room. it feels so bright and airy and happy
My favorite thing about our home is the yard. And because I love the yard so much, the inside is a little bare.
My house perfectly matches where we are and provides the best footprint of space for our lives. Not too big, not too small…perfectly imperfect.
I love the street I live on. I’ve made a couple great friends & so have my older children. It’s a culdesac, so it’s not too bad with traffic for kids on bikes. I love that we have sidewalks nearby so I can take my babies for a stroller ride. I’ve been reading your blog & nester’s off & on for years, since back when she was showcasing her ole tassels & torn fabric scrap garlands…
I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where it is green and beautiful year round, but we pay with too much rain during this very season. I love my house, as it is exactly like the house I always dreamed of. However, it could use a makeover in the decor department! =D
well, the “place” I live is Alaska, and I couldn’t pick one favorite thing. but the garden in my backyard is filled with flowers all summer and it’s my quiet place after work each night.
I just made a little oasis in my backyard, complete with couch, chairs fire pit
My favorite thing about our new home is my SEWING room!!
I live on a quiet, dead-end street (the same one I grew up on!) without a lot of traffic or noise. I can hear birds singing and enjoy the sounds of the neighborhood.
I love that my home is a haven and that there is no place I would rather be.
I love that it is a low-slung, rambling ranch style house with cracks and frustrating challenges to maintain and beauty all wrapped into one.
I love that there is enough room in my kitchen to spend all day cooking without going crazy, and that it’s open enough to the rest of the house that I can still take part in whatever else is going on.
I love how much natural light our home gets!
I love the openness of the main living area!
My favorite place about my place is that this is where my little family lives. And that the mortgage will be paid off soon. :)
I love our windows that let in so much light and our land that is mostly woods.
First, thank you for the giveaway! I love our apartment patio as it’s cozy and quaint, perfect for dining al fresco or reading for hours.
I love my little studio – it is a place that I can leave messy or start on a project and get up and walk away. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
My house (the other rooms) I have to keep perfect for my perfectionist husband. I noticed today that he had actually taken my quilt rack and removed the quilts (I haven’t found them yet) and put the rack in the corner.
That is why my studio has Boyd’s Bears, hand painted birdhouses and Ty toys in baskets.
I love that my home is my sanctuary. No matter where I go or what happens I can come home and recharge and relax.
The living room…well because that’s where we live. But it’s also the fun place we change up from season to season.
The hardwood floors!
My favorite thing about my home…. The memories it has…..
I love our little house – the kitchen is my favorite room even 16 years after getting new cabinets; and we’re hoping to re-do the bathrooms this summer. There’s always something to look forward to working on.