'Faux' Spring by Stephanie from Newlyweds:North

Coming to you today is one of my favorite bloggers, Stephanie from Newlyweds:North. She and her husband made a big move right after getting married (sound familiar?!) to a currently very snowy Maine town. I'm really enjoying following along with her adventures and always get a good laugh from her stories! Also, she's got a little one on the way and is totally giving me baby fever! Thanks for posting Stephanie!

Hey ya'll! I'm Stephanie and I blog over at Newlyweds:North. 

My husband and I moved from South Carolina to Maine the day we got home from our Honeymoon....and then I thought it might be fun to talk my husband into starting a family! So, here I am, under two feet of snow, 6 months pregnant and still a Newlywed. It's been a wild year, that's for sure!

I was super honored when Caitlyn asked me to guest post for her while she was gallivanting around Europe (jealous!). She and I started blogging around the same time and I am a big fan of Home Sweet Ruby. I know she and her number one guy are having a blast on their trip so I'll do my best to uphold my end of the bargain and entertain y'all while she's gone! 

When Cait told me that this post would hit her blog around the first day of Spring, I kinda groaned. Sadly, in Maine, we don't really have a Spring. We have something called Mud Season. It can snow in Maine as late as April and in fact, we're experiencing the coldest March in decades (with a few surprise snow storms dropping in on us on nights that should be too warm for snow). Anyways, once it warms up a bit, the snow starts to melt and things get messy. Muddy, dirty, slushy and messy. No cute spring bulbs popping up, no fresh green grass growing in our yard, no birds signing. By the time late May rolls around, we should see a Spring similar to what we are familiar with from our lives in the South. Hopefully.

So here's my plan: I'm going to create a faux Spring inside my home. It's amazing how teeny little things can make a major difference in the day to day vibe in your house. 

First up: flowers

Tulips on our wedding day

Tulips are my absolute spring favorite. If we were living in the South, I would have already snagged a few daffodils from our yard but I have a tough time paying for them in the grocery store! Instead, I'll invest in a bunch of gorgeous tulips in a bright color to add some Sping love to my kitchen and bedside tables. Those key areas will ensure I get the most bang for my buck out my $8 flower purchase.

Spring Cleaning: oooook, maybe not true Spring Cleaning but shortcuts that make it seem like I've been a good girl and knocked out a deep clean in our abode. My fave short cut: Febreeze. I will happily Febreeze the shit out of everything. Our rugs, sofas, curtains, shower curtain, the dog bed, the dog herself. If it's warm enough for me to crack a few windows during the Febreeze take over, then even better! Our house will smell like Faux Spring in no time! 

Spring Decor: Time to get rid of all of those thick winter blankets and fall colored throw pillows. I tend to switch out our big sofa throw pillows for red and white shams in the late fall - and it is so time to pull out the yellow and white pillow covers again! Such a quick change can make such a huge difference in our living room. 

Front porch sitting last Summer (yes, in jeans)

I'm also going to be bold and assume that the Winter gods are on my side and I'm taking our outdoor porch sofa back out onto our porch! That's right, I'm doing it. I may not get to sit there for months to come, but it deserves it's spot back on the porch. Plus I love the pop of color our pillows provide when you drive by our house. Those pillows makes me happy when I pull in the driveway! 

If y'all are experiencing a beautiful Spring day then love it something fierce. Roll down you windows and open your sunroof, if only for me! I'll be there with you in spirit, soaking up the sunshine! 

xo,

Stephanie