Amanda Austin Interiors: Christmas in Williamsburg

You need to know that I have waited for a whole year to share these images. With Christmas right around the corner I thought it would be the perfect time to share and be inspired! I worked along side of Amanda of Amanda Austin Interiors to photograph her client’s home in Williamsburg, Virgina. Amanda decorated each room with her touches of beauty and splendor for the holiday season. This is a service thaat Amanda Austin Interiors offers to her clients. I must say as I entered the home it was warm and inviting. Everywhere I turned and looked there was a touch of Christmas. I would step back and take in all the colors in each room and how each one was cordinated with the Christmas decorations that Amanda chose. Amanda has a gift to see color combinations that pull a room together beautifully! I loved photographing each detail in each room she designed. I photographed all day long and then as the sunset the fire was lit and the lights sparkled. It was truly magically! Enjoy!!!

I started photographing in the dining roomThe foyer with touches of gold!The music room…bold pattern and a pop of color!

The sunroom…peaceful and light!

And then there was the family room…stocking hung, tree decorated, and lights twinkled!Loved the color cobinations!!I loved how photographs were included in the holiday decorating.Check out this amazing candelier!!!and then the sun set…

Amanda Austin Interiors

1020 S. Charles Street

Baltimore, Maryland

amandaustininteriors.com

443.759.6177

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stunning work! and beautiful photographs as always :)

WONDERS of His LOVE

Waiting. Waiting for a desire to be fulfilled. Waiting for an answer. Waiting for a dream to be fulfilled. Waiting for grief to leave. Waiting to understand why. Waiting is difficult and I am learning that waiting is meant for good.

This time of year marks another year passing. Another year of waiting. Another year desiring to become pregnant and for our family to grow.  I have shared how this desire has molded me and how it is part of my photography journey. This month marks three years of my miscarriage of our second child. My heart carries and feels the loss. I have moments of grieving its life, and sometimes my strong feelings surprise me still. Each month it is a roller coaster of hope and dreams that it might be the month being high and then lows realizing that it’s not going to happen this month. I think how can three year pass? I have seen midwives, taken hormones, blood work drawn, seen fertility specialist, been told that we are both normal, more blood work, been told it is called unexplainable infertility, other test, and  taken saliva testing for a hormone panels to list some. Looking back I think about how much time has passed, how this trial has changed me, and how life has moved forward. I wonder how that same desire to have another child be still so strong in me. Time does not take it away. I wait. We wait.

In the waiting I am learning more about who the Lord is. I am not alone and you are not alone. In the midst of feeling grief, sadness, and anger we are not alone. When holding onto hope of a dream we are not alone. Waiting for answers and wanting to understand why, we are not alone. The Lord is with you, he is with me in my darkest moments, with each feeling of grief, each dream, each desire, each high and low and each wrestling that happens in my heart as another month and year passes bye without an answer. The Lord does not change whether a desire or answer is given. He is always good, protecting, loving and anything he allows in our lives is also meant for our good and for His glory. I am prone to wander in my thoughts and need to be reminded of this truth often.

It is the Lord’s love that has sustained, held, and kept me over the last three years through this trial. It has not been on my own doing or strength to hold onto to him. It is his love that gives hope that there will be a day when there are no more tears. It is his love that reminds me that my joy is not in a fulfilled dream or desire. Nor can it ever be. It is his love that speaks truth to my wrestling heart. A heart that wants to understand why and yet knows he is working in me in ways I can not see. It is his love that protects and guides me. It is his love that gives peace in uncertainty.

And ultimately it is his love that sent Jesus into this world as a baby. The Lord knew that we needed to be rescued from our sinful state. He chose to send His only son so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. It’s this love that is everlasting and unchangeable. It is this love that gives joy, hope, and peace. It is this time of year that we look to celebrate Jesus’ birth I am amazed at the wonders of his love.

 

He rules the world with truth and grace

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, wonders, of His love.

(photo by Sara Lazio of Lazio Images)

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This post– it is so full of joy, Jamie– it was a delight to read. What better thing can there be than to know, without a doubt, that we are not alone? That we are loved? Like you, I don’t understand how God’s goodness fits with a dream deferred, with the frustrations that burden us, with the grief that follows us. But like you, I am striving to trust Him even without understanding.

And I will pray with you that this particular dream IS answered just as your heart desires.

Heather

God has grown me even in watching you from a distance. Thank you for sharing the hurt and the joy. I praise God for the grace I see at work in your life. He is so good! I love you and miss you!

tina

Love you so much, Jamie. Was just thinking of you this morning. Praying now for you & Lyndon. xo

Will continue keeping you guys in my prayers. Thanks for your example of trust in the Lord and his wondrous love despite disappointment!

Caitlin

Jamie, this is beautiful & something my heart needed to be reminded of this morning. Thank you. I am praying for you.

Amy Bollinger

Jamie this is so special–thank u for sharing! I have another friend who came to mind while I was reading this who is experiencing the same thing and I’m going to send this to her. Hope you guys have a great Christmas!!
PS–thanks again for the peppermint fudge—it took all I had to leave some for Ryan, it was delicious :)

One project

This was the advice I was given when I got engaged, or while I was dating Lyndon. O, I can not remember. Anyway, the advice was to work on one project together before you get married. It could be painting, reupholstering or refinishing furniture, tearing off wall paper; it could be any project that made you work together. I did not fully realize the wisdom in this advice at the time.

Lyndon and I worked together laying down a new floor in the mudroom closet in the home he grew up in. As I am remembering this, we were dating. I had very little hands on experience with remodeling, refinishing, or construction projects. Thankfully Lyndon grew up with remodeling projects, and working with his hands. I listened to Lyndon and how the new floor would be laid and the steps we would need to take to complete our project. I handed him a tool when asked and mostly kept him company by chatting. As the new floor was completed I mentally checked off the task of completing one project together before getting married. Little did I know that this was just the beginning. I am so thankful for this project as it was laid the foundation of our relationship of working together on projects; projects that I had never dreamt of building, remodeling, and completing.

The blog has been light this week as we are currently in the middle of (should I say) the last project of our old farm house! A full kitchen remodel! I do love being married to an amazing cabinet maker! We are on day seventeen. The kitchen is the last room of this home that has not been painted or remodeled nor were we planning on remodeling it. We have lived here seven years and I have loved every project we have done together. Honestly, I love it. Working together makes you communicate, share expectations, compromise, learn new skills, and spend hours together which is the best part! Sure there are disagreements about how the fireplace mantel should look, what is worth your saved penny, and that it takes me at least two times when choosing paint to get the color I like. All of it makes you grow as a couple. And I would say in the end that is what I want. So what project will you tackle before you get married? Or what project are you tackling now that you are married? Whatever it is enjoy the time you have with one another! Here are a few pictures from the remodel. ENJOY!

 

This project started because we spotted mold above the window.

I can never get a picture before something is torn into!Tearing out the refrig cabinet and old pantryEmpty all cabinets and set up a “kitchen” in the dining room, only including the toaster.Day one of the mold remediation. Tear out cabinets and get containment set up.

Berks Fire Water was the company that served us again (the first time is a whole other story of a mishap and chicken stock)!

Remediation was a four step process…I also learn the bleach does not kill mold, it only discolors it.Tearing up the floorsand tearing off the paneling

helping unload reclaim pine flooring!

After living in an old house I so appreciate sturdy and level floors!Laying the new flooringOne day and it was in!!

This was my first job on the project…sanding the floors and finishing them.Dry wall finishedCabinets are made…Lyndon set them (as the ceiling are so uneven and slanted) and then removed them to be finished.Hopefully next week finished cabinets will be installed and I can not wait!

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what a wonderful story — we did not remodel anything until 5 years into marriage and it was an ENTIRE house; all 2000 sq feet needed TLC and let’s just say, it almost broke our marriage were in not for welcoming our first child into our home.

thank you for sharing your story — and tip about bleach and mold; i will remember this for the next time i see some!!

That’s good advice, Jamie. And the kitchen is well on it’s way!

We’ve done countess projects together and I love it too, although I love the finished project more than the in-between due to the mess. The most memorable project was redoing our own kitchen while I was pregnant with the boys, complete with me helping hoist cabinets into place with a very large baby bump to boot! :)

Our most current projects are collaborating on Sophia’s Christmas present: a wooden stove. And also finishing all the details in our house that still need completion (shoe molding, etc.) so that we can actually hopefully sell it soon. As much as I love our little home, we’re busting at the seams!

Lindsey

You two are AMAZING! I can’t believe that all this has happened since we left….let alone some of it happened in only one day! It is going to be so beautiful, I’m sure. The floor alone is exciting to see.

For the friend who said, “We will never redo this kitchen.” you seem excited, and I am happy that you’ve taken this on (all because of mold!).

this is amazing! I love following along and living vicariously through this. I want to live in an old farmhouse and have a cabinet maker husband! :) can’t wait to see the finished product

Featured: Amy and Mitch

I get so excited for my couple’s wedding to be featured! All their time, thoughts, and details that go into planning their wedding now can be shared!

Thank you Charm City Wed for featuring their lovely fall wedding!!!

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