Let There Be Light at the Family Table!

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When we moved into our home several years ago, I was excited to finally have a dining room! For years we had a roomy, eat-in kitchen, which was great, but I was raised in a home with a dining room, by a mom who knew what to do with one! So there was excitement, but there was also a little intimidation. My dining room has a big, beautiful, gold chandelier, and when I saw it, I just thought, "That's not me." And it's really not, to this day, it's not. So while we still eat dinner in there, my chandelier was something I occasionally dusted off (when it got really gross, LOL) and otherwise tried not to think about. I thought about selling it, replacing it, painting it, but being the procrastinator that I am, and having way more important things to think about, I never got around to it! My family likes to eat in the dining room, and they are not nearly so picky as I am about how it looks. So we're good. :)


Trying on "Festive Shimmer in
Crimson Red"

ChandiCharms, however, have breathed new life into my 30+ year old chandi! It looks so adorable now decorated for fall (see the picture here), and it just looks more friendly. I actually like it now! And when we were eating together last Saturday night, all the kids commented on the pumpkins. It's true: people notice the details; they really do. And when it comes to loving on my family, and spending time together at that all-important family table, I want them to know that I care about the details--that it is important to me to do those little things for them that make a big difference. (After the pumpkins, I may go with the red for Christmas! So pretty!) Check out the tips below from my friend and the creator of ChandiCharms, Cherie Drennan.

GENEROUS LIGHTING FOR YOUR DINING ROOM:

1. Don't pick a chandelier that's too small! Cherie recommends you choose a chandi that is at least one-half the width of your table, but do not go over the full width of your table.
2. You need more than one source of light in your dining room. "Don't count on your chandelier as your only light source," Cherie advises. "Wall sconces, candles, and lamps can be used effectively as additional sources of light in the room." Cherie also recommends a dimmer switch for your chandelier. (My 16 yo son has assured me those are not difficult to install, so we will be looking into that!)
3. Hang your chandi between 30"-36" off the table. "Lighting affects the atmosphere at the family table," Cherie notes. "The family table is all about conversation, so you need the main light to be just high enough so that it is not casting shadows or causing an annoying glare."

GIVEAWAY: You can still enter for a chance to win a set of three Harvest Pumpkin ChandiCharms! Go HERE to leave your comment and enter by midnight tonight, Tuesday, October 26!

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GIVEAWAY! Celebrating Fall and Family with ChandiCharms

New to Mom Seriously? Welcome! You'll find tons of great parenting articles, homeschooling encouragement, and every day, a Mom's Tip of the Day. Enjoy!

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED**

 Now THIS is a great giveaway! :)

Cherie Drennan

My friend Cherie Drennan is a mom of five, a lighting designer, an entrepreneur, and an inventor--and I am thrilled to say that as I have watched both her family and her business grow, I've watched her faith grow right along too, in perfect sync with what God has choreographed for her life. So I'm excited today to introduce you to her, and hopefully to inspire you--wherever you are in your own journey!

It was while renovating her home (a farmhouse built in 1860) several years ago that Cherie’s interest in lighting began. When she tackled the job of restoring the dining room’s antique chandelier (including teaching herself to rewire it!), what began as a pastime grew into a passion. Soon there were chandeliers in every room of the farmhouse, all custom-designed by Cherie! Quite naturally, a home-based business was born, because Cherie says, "There was no way I was going to give up raising my children, and I didn't have to. When I took my business online, all the advantages of a global market became mine."

Today, Cherie has branched out from custom-designed chandeliers to the creation of ChandiCharms (patent pending): "removable, interchangeable charms [that] slip on in the time it takes to change a light bulb, accessorizing chandeliers and wall sconces with new depth, added dimension, and vibrant definition" (from the website).

Cherie is outfitting my dining room chandelier with these gorgeous
Harvest Pumpkin ChandiCharms! Welcome, Fall!

With 19 styles, Cherie found a way to give homeowners the power to design their own chandeliers by customizing them with gorgeous charms and ornaments--no rewiring, sanding, or painting necessary. Just like you change your tabletop with dishes and fabrics, now you can accessorize your chandelier!

Cherie has learned that motherhood and business can co-exist. But it took a while. “For so many years when I worked,” she explains, “I wanted to stay at home. While I was home, though, I still had a yearning to start a business.” She struggled with feeling guilty, believing that being a mom should be enough. “I told myself I shouldn’t want to do anything else,” she admits. “I felt so guilty about it, but after lots of prayer, I realized that God made me this way! God didn’t make us all to do the same thing. Even a stay-at-home mom can do other things.” Fortunately for Cherie and any other mom who feels called to work at a job alongside being a mom, the possibilities for working from home are limitless.

I love this Fleur-de-lis design!

“Beautiful lighting is like artwork for your ceiling,” says Cherie. “With ChandiCharms, anyone can upgrade, redesign, and recreate a chandelier. It totally transforms the look and feel of your home.”

Now, wouldn't you like to win some ChandiCharms?

In celebration of this season of fall, faith, family, and friends, I'm giving away a set of three Harvest Pumpkin ChandiCharms™ (retail value: $39.99)! These are so adorable for fall--I'm keeping mine on my chandelier all the way through Thanksgiving! ChandiCharms also fit candles and wall sconces (below)! So cute!

See how cute they are on candlesticks? Enter for your chance to win!

How do you ENTER?  Leave a comment on this post, and provide your email or link back to your blog so that I have a way to notify you. This contest runs through midnight Tuesday, October 26!

Be sure to browse Cherie's website, and "Like" her ChandiCharms FB page, which she just set up. :) Check back here tomorrow to learn more about Cherie, plus a few smart lighting tips and tricks!

Read more:

Let There Be Light at The Family Table



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The Answer to Your Middle Schooler's Afternoon Crunch? Kitchen Duty!

It’s the afternoon crunch: that time crunched between the end of the day and the beginning of the evening, when everything seems to be happening at once. Kids are getting home from school, many parents are transitioning from work to home, and it's time to get dinner ready. Plus, homework needs to be started, and extracurricular activities like dance lessons and sports practices are coming up later, with a precious few hours in between. How do you reel in the chaos that accompanies the crunch?