Elisabeth Stubbs

4 Ways to Make Your Home Cozy and Inviting

BY ELISABETH STUBBS

We’ve come a long way since home was a damp cave with a fire. We crave a place that welcomes us and makes us feel secure and safe, especially when it is cold and dreary outside. Home. For most people, the word brings feelings of warmth and comfort. In the past couple of years, we have learned to appreciate our living space more as a personal refuge. And, in the winter, we spend much more time indoors. Here are some ways to make your refuge even more homey.

The Living Room

A comfy couch is essential, and it can make the whole room. Add texture with throws and a few plump pillows to elevate the comfort factor. Natural materials — wool, linen, cotton — enhance coziness.

If you have a fireplace mantel, decorate with some things that mean “home” to you. Candles, family pieces that spark memories, a small collection to display — just don’t make it too formulaic.

Books are an essential part of a cozy room, and, if you have a dedicated reading nook in your living room, that is the ultimate invitation to curl up and relax.

The Kitchen

Kitchens are functional spaces, and we spend a lot of time there. So, make your kitchen as relaxing and welcoming as it can be. Be sure to add plants or flowers, and attractive rugs to personalize the room, as well as seasonal decorations. Adding a lamp in the kitchen can make a huge difference in the feel of the space because lamps are much warmer and more comforting than overhead lights. The Entryway

Start at the front door, where you first welcome guests. Consider adding warm lighting and calming art, think blues, greens, grays. Create a place to sit and remove shoes, and a place to hang coats.

Throughout the Home

Spread some of these ideas into every room in the house. Natural textures such as wood, rattan and natural fibers enhance the homey feeling. Add family heirlooms — old quilts, doilies, photos — to contribute to the feeling of “home.”

A trendier item that adds warmth is fairy lights. Small, white twinkling lights are loved at Christmastime, and they can make any room more inviting all year. Mirrors reflect light and add dimension to a room, especially in interesting shapes and sizes. And area rugs feel wonderful underfoot and can function as a seasonal accent.

Candles capture the essence of warmth and comfort. Consider using artificial ones if you have children or pets. You probably have so many of these cozy components in your home, so pull them out, use them in different rooms, and warm up your space!

Elisabeth Stubbs is one of the owners of Enhance Floors & More, one of Atlanta’s toprated flooring dealers, located in Marietta.

AT A GLANCE

If getting organized is one of your New Year’s resolutions, this comprehensive calendar should help. We’ve included as many city festivals, community events and school breaks as we could find. Some of these dates and times might change, so keep a watch on our community calendars each month for additional details and activities. For more information on city and county events, check https://visitwoodstockga.com, www.cantonga.gov, www.woodstockparksandrec.com, https://cherokeechamber.com and www.crpa.net.

JANUARY

Jan. 1: Best for Bridal winners announced. Jan. 9: School resumes. Jan. 9-Feb. 8: Project Valentine, CRPA. Through Jan. 10: Woodstock Christmas Tree Chip and Dip, Rope Mill Park. Jan. 16: Martin Luther King Day. No school. Jan. 19: Cherokee Chamber annual meeting. Jan. 28: Service League Gala and Benefit, 6-9 p.m., Timbers on Etowah, Canton.

FEBRUARY

Feb. 11: CRPA’s Guns and Hoses 5K, Hobgood Park. Feb. 11: Chocolate Walk, Canton. Feb. 17: Arbor Day Celebration, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Woodstock. Feb. 20-24: Winter break. No school. Feb. 20-24: February Break Splish Splash Camp, Cherokee County Aquatic Center.

MARCH

March 1: Readers’ Choice nominations begin. March 1-April 4: Some Bunny Special, CRPA. March 11: CCEF Fundraising Gala. March 16: COED’s Cherokee Film Summit. March 18: Garland Mountain Trail Run. March 31: Readers’ Choice nominations end. April 1: Blankets Creek Dirty 15/30 Mountain Bike Race and Trail Run. April 3-7: Spring break. No school. April 3-7: Spring Break Splish Splash Camp, Cherokee County Aquatic Center. April 8: Eggs-traordinary Extravaganza, Cherokee County Aquatic Center. April 8: Flashlight Egg Hunt, CRPA. April 8: BBQ and Brews, Ball Ground. April 15: Lantern Series, 7:30-9:30 p.m. April 20: Upper Etowah River Alliance Annual Membership Meeting at the Rock Barn. April 21: Chamber’s Recycling Event, 1-4 p.m. April 22: Woodstock’s Citywide Yard Sale. April 22: Woodstock’s Recycling Event, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. April 26: Unwind Wednesdays, Veterans Park, 5:30-8 p.m., last Wednesdays through October. April 27: Taste of Canton. April 29: Lantern Series, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

MAY

May 4, 11, 18, 25: Brown Bag Concert Series, noon-1 p.m., Woodstock. May 5: Canton First Fridays begin, monthly through October. May 6: Kentucky Derby Day, Canton. May 6: Lantern Series, 7:30-9:30 p.m. May 13: Woodstock Summer Concert Series, 7:30 p.m. May 15: Readers’ Choice voting begins. May 25: Last day of school. Modified dismissal. May 25: i-Grad Virtual Academy graduation, 2 p.m. May 25: River Ridge graduation, 4 p.m. Cherokee High graduation, 8 p.m. May 26: Sequoyah High graduation, 4 p.m. Woodstock High graduation, 8 p.m. May 26: Therapeutic Recreation Talent Show, CRPA. May 27: Creekview High graduation, 9 a.m. Etowah High graduation, 1 p.m. May 27: Rope Mill Trail Run and Mountain Bike Rumble. May 29: Memorial Day ceremony, 10 a.m., Woodstock.

June 3: Canton Farmers Market’s opening day. June 10: Woodstock Summer Concert Series, 7:30 p.m. June 17: Lantern Series, 7:30-9:30 p.m. June 19-23: Water Safety Week, Cherokee County Aquatic Center. June 22: World’s Largest Swim Lesson, Cherokee County Aquatic Center. June 30: Readers’ Choice voting ends.

JULY

July 1: Back to the 80s, The Mill on Etowah. July 4: July Fourth Spectacular, 10 a.m., Woodstock. July 4: Canton’s July Fourth celebration (fireworks!). July 8: Woodstock Summer Concert Series, 7:30 p.m. July 22: Lantern Series, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

AUGUST

Aug. 1: First day of school. Aug. 1: Police Night Out, Woodstock. Aug. 1: Readers’ Choice winners announced. Aug. 10: Chamber’s SchmoozaPalooza, 4-7 p.m. Aug. 12: Woodstock Summer Concert Series, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 14: Chamber Classic Golf Tournament (tentative). Aug. 19: Chick-fil-A 5K. Aug. 22: Georgia Downtown Association Conference Big Bash, Canton.

SEPTEMBER

Sept. 4: Labor Day. No school. Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28: Brown Bag Concert Series, noon-1 p.m., Woodstock. Sept. 9: Woodstock Summer Concert Series, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 10: Paws in the Pool, Cherokee County Aquatic Center. Sept. 11: 9/11 Day of Remembrance service, 6 p.m., Woodstock. Sept. 16: Touch-A-Truck, CRPA. Sept. 18-22: Fall break. No school. Sept. 23-24: Riverfest, Etowah River Park. Sept. 30: Blankets Creek 3- and 6-Hour Race. Oct. 1: Scarecrow Invasion, Woodstock. Oct. 1: Best for Bridal voting begins. Oct. 7: Ball Ground Rocks. Oct. 9: Columbus Day. No school. Oct. 9: CCEF Golf, Tennis and Pickleball Classics. Oct. 15: Sunset Symphony, 7 p.m., Woodstock. Oct. 18: Chamber’s Women in Business. Oct. 21: Great Pumpkin Fest, CRPA. Oct. 28-29: Denim Fest, The Mill on Etowah. Oct. 31: Halloween Trail of Tricks and Treats, 5-9 p.m., Woodstock.

NOVEMBER

Nov. 1-Dec. 15: Hugs in a Blanket, CRPA. Nov. 7: Election Day. Remote learning day. Nov. 11: Rope Mill Dirty Duathlon and Trail Run. Nov. 11: Veterans Day ceremony, 7 p.m., Woodstock. Nov. 15: Best for Bridal voting ends. Nov. 15: Tree lighting, Canton. Nov. 18: Recycling and Paper Shredding Event, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Woodstock. Nov. 20-24: Thanksgiving break. No school. Nov. 21: Shopping by Lantern Light, Canton. Nov. 28-Dec. 13: Santa’s Mailbox in Woodstock.

DECEMBER

Dec. 2: Christmas Jubilee and Parade of Lights, 5:30 p.m., Woodstock. Dec. 2, 16: Visit With Santa, Canton. Dec. 7, 14: Mistletoe on Main, Canton. Dec. 8: Christmas in Canton. Dec. 9: Swim with the Grinch, Cherokee County Aquatic Center. Dec. 9: Merry Market and Parade, Canton. Dec. 21: Last day of the semester. Modified dismissal. Dec. 22-Jan. 5: Christmas break. No school. Dec. 26-Jan. 8: Christmas Tree Chip and Dip, Woodstock.

Macy in Whistler, Canada, on the fastest bobsled track in the world, before the start of the IBSF World Cup tour.

Woodstock Resident Vies for Spot in the WINTER OLYMPICS

After learning to bobsled in 2022, Macy Tarlton, daughter of Barry and Debbie Tarlton of Deer Run, earned a position on the National Women’s USA Bobsled team on Oct. 10. Tarlton competed as a USA Olympic weightlifter from 2018 to 2021, and that background provided the strength needed for a successful transition to bobsled.

In November, after completing training with her teammates at the Olympic Training Facility in Lake Placid, New York, Tarlton began the 2022-23 season with the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation World Cup tour in Canada, which included a tour to Utah, New York and Germany, as well as Australia and Latvia in February. Tarlton, who earned U.S. Top 5 placement in the National Push Championship and USA Bobsled Rookie of the Year in 2022, is competing to earn qualifying points to participate in the next Winter Olympics.

Tarlton attended Shiloh Hills Christian School in Kennesaw and earned a bachelor’s degree in forensic science from American Intercontinental University in Atlanta. When she’s not traveling the world or training in New York, Tarlton’s home base is Woodstock. She coached CrossFit at Cherokee Barbell and CrossFit Garage in Woodstock, as well as swimming at Chattahoochee Gold Swim on Arnold Mill Road.

Most people are amazed to discover that Team USA athletes are not totally government-funded. Although athletes train up to 50 hours each week, they are not paid a salary to compete in the Olympics or other qualifying competitions. Costs covered by the federation vary, depending on the medal history of the athlete and the location of the event. A rookie just starting out, like Tarlton, gets less funding than other teammates who have been to a prior Olympics and earned medals.

The federation paid for Tarlton’s training and room and board at Lake Placid, and part of the transportation expenses, but she bridges the gap and pays for medical insurance, plus all other expenses.

The athletes rely on donations to transport their 12-foot, 500-pound sled around the world, which costs approximately $30,000 per season. To help support Tarlton’s Olympic pursuit, visit https://gofund. me/8f046ebf or http://tee.pub/lic/yfr_X4mxNr0.