make yourself at home!

Earlier this week, I was reading Essentially Lilly: A guide to colorful entertaining and loved reading this quote about how Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau entertains:

"The hallmark of Lilly's entertaining style is elegance, although not in the way one might normally describe the word. Lilly's elegance doesn't come from fancy china or heirloom silver (though she has plenty of both). Her elegance comes from her innate desire to see people enjoy themselves in her home, to have a delicious meal, to feel welcomed and cherished...

"Lilly is the consummate hostess. Yet when asked her secret for successful entertaining, she scoffs, 'Secret? There's no secret...just have fun. Don't worry about every last little thing. Somehow it always works out.' "

Reading this, it felt like the passage captures so much of what I aspire to, as I've been able to begin hosting friends for visits to my place in recent months. Is my apartment ever going to look perfect? No. Partly because I don't have the motivation to make it spotless. But mostly because what I care about more than spotless is comfortable. I want my friends to feel at home...to feel okay kicking their shoes off and lounging on the couch...to grab a plate and enjoy a home-cooked meal. Those are the details that matter to me as a hostess...to have guests feel less like guests, and more like a part of my home.

Where I am: home
What I'm reading: Mennonite in a Little Black Dressby Rhoda Janzen