Summer is my favorite season of the year and I relish sitting on our front porch enjoying the gentle breezes and listening to the birds sing. We have huge trees surrounding our home so the porch stays fairly cool and pleasant … unless it reaches a sweltering 90 degrees with buckets of humidity. This week I’m joining…
Nothing tugs on my heart strings like a charming farmhouse that exudes beauty through its simplicity. It is, and will always be, my favorite type of house. Utilitarian in nature for the type of life the farmer leads, you won’t find fancy and elegant things. But what you will find is a peaceful beauty in…
Our vegetable garden is off to a great start and this year I thought I would chronicle its stages throughout the season. We’ve made some simple changes to it this year but most importantly, hubby and I are committed to tackling the weeds more frequently than we have in the past. If you don’t keep up…
Here in the suburbs of Chicago, the farm to table movement is gaining in popularity. This also means that more people are interested in learning about farm life and we have a few working farms in the area that are open to the public. Primrose Farm is just a 10-minute drive from our house and we…
For the majority of my life I’ve loved older homes … the main reason being all the charm that’s built into them. No two seem to be alike and I love that. I once lived in a brand new home in a new subdivision and many of my neighbors had the same floor plan as…
Next week starts the Elements of Summer tour from the All Things Home group! All week, you’ll see oodles of summer inspiration as 30 bloggers come together to share summer decor, projects, and more. I’ll be sharing my summer inspiration with you on Monday to kick off the week long tour! But for now, here’s…
Today is the day of the final reveal of my porch glider update. Last week I mentioned that I’m joining 12 other bloggers in the “Inspire Me Challenge” for a simple DIY project. You can see all their projects too, listed at the end of this post. Are you ready to see my new and improved porch…
Can a cottage be elegant and charming all at the same time? Yes, it can if you’re Emily from The Wicker House! I think you’re going to enjoy this tour of Emily’s light and airy home that she’s lived in for just a little over a year now. She’s done a lot of creative work…
A couple weekends ago hubby and I attended the Main Street Market event in Rockford, Illinois. I knew some of the vendors that were going to be there so figured it’d be a fun outing. The weather was perfect and hubby was a good sport … especially since it was also his birthday! He’s a…
It all began with 2 lithograph prints by Swedish painter, Carl Larsson. I purchased them shortly after moving into the first home I ever bought … it was a Sears kit bungalow home and the prints fit beautifully in my dining room. Ever since, I’ve been drawn to Swedish interiors and have brought a bit…
Do you realize it’s less than 2 weeks away until the summer fresh month of June? We had a short bit of snow last week (can you believe it???) and tomorrow it’s supposed to be 80 degrees. That’s Illinois for you! But I’m going to try and forget about that freak of snow experience and…
You don’t need to be a professional florist to decorate with lilacs or any other type flower. Today’s floral arrangements are casual and fuss-free, allowing you to create simple bouquets without sweating the rules of formal flower centerpieces. Use flowers that are blooming in your garden, and you’ll have both economical and easy flower arrangements….
I love when two styles come together in perfect unison and Sally at Cottage Fix has brilliantly married cottage style with shabby chic. Her charming shabby cottage home style is simple and pretty … just how I like it! Lots of white, my favorite color, paired with soft textiles and great architectural details! First up…
Recently I was asked to join a group of bloggers for a simple “Inspire Me Challenge.” The idea is to tackle a simple DIY project that’s been sitting on the back burner for a while … and then share how we tackled the projects. Hopefully, all this will inspire you to do one of these…
When I was in junior high school I babysat for the family across the street. On Saturday mornings, the Mrs. would do her grocery shopping and run errands while her hubby was at work … he was the local undertaker (and yes, we used to wonder what he kept in the locked hallway closet). She…
Strawberry season quickly approaches and when these bright red berries are ripe and juicy, nothing could be sweeter! My sister Kathy has a farm in Michigan where they grow strawberries, blueberries, corn, apples, and more. I remember picking strawberries out of the patch and eating them right then and there in her field in Michigan. Heaven!…
