I’m sitting at the dining table with the window open and spring breezes wafting in. Looking out, I see tiny violets jumping out of the grass ready to party with Mother Nature. I love this time of year. Another thing I’m quite fond of is beautiful homes, like the one we’re touring today. Tara’s house…
I was recently asked by Sargento® to create a recipe using a new product, and I’d like to share it with you. For weekday dinners, I like quick and easy recipes that are full of flavor. Lately I’ve been craving Mexican food with a mix of cheese, beans, tomatoes and avocados. I decided to add…
Farmhouse Friday comes a little early this month since the first day of the month fell on a Friday. Our farmhouse blogging group chose garden planters as the theme for April and I thought I’d share examples of garden planter ideas I’ve used around my house, along with a few other ideas for you. Take…
Gardening season officially started for me today! I dug up dandelion weeds and errant grass that had spread into my front flower bed. I planted some violas and a beautiful pericallis, both of which can tolerate temperatures plunging into the 30’s. Since I haven’t been gardening for months, I found myself a little sore in areas….
Today’s charming home tour takes us to a passionate DIY blogger’s house in a small town. Sara at Twelve on Main shares many do-it-yourself projects on her blog, and she loves the rural life. Her home is practical and beautiful all at once. Ready to take a peek inside? Step up onto the front porch…
After being sick for several days I was feeling rather blue. I don’t like being cooped up in the house for days on end. Where did that phrase come from, anyway? Feeling blue? I love the color blue and wish it wasn’t associated with feeling sad or depressed. At the end of this post you’ll learn…
The past 2 days I’ve been sick … the stay-in-bed-all-day kind of sick. I get horrific cabin fever when I can’t get out so when I started feeling better toward the end of the second day, I begged hubby to go for a walk down the forest preserve trail that our dead-end street empties into….
Do you love simple centerpieces that aren’t fussy but lend an air of prettiness to your table? I found a 6-pack container of spring hyacinth bulbs at the garden center and turned half of the pack into a spring bulb centerpiece. It was easy to make and didn’t require any artistic flower arranging skills. I…
Mother’s Day is a month away and I’m feeling a bit melancholic about it. My mother passed away earlier this year after struggling with Alzheimer’s disease. I know she wouldn’t want me to be sad, and rather than mourn losing her, I’d prefer to celebrate her life. I’ve created a Mother’s Day printable for you to download;…
Today’s charming home tour features a colorful cottage I found at Houzz. In fact, I found several homes over there that I want to showcase for you in the upcoming weeks, mixed in with some amazing blogger homes too! Houzz has a wonderful “embed” feature that allows you to share photos on your own site…
Our spring season was moving along so smoothly. I was enjoying every minute of the mild weather. But Old Man Winter likes to have the last word as he’s walkin’ out the door and had his say a few days ago with snow blowing so strongly it created white-out conditions. Then Sassy Spring chuckled her…
Do you remember sleeping under fluffy handmade quilts at your grandmother’s house? The thought of her hands sewing each stitch with needle and thread made you feel like she was holding you while you fell asleep. The tender care of crafting quilts make them such a treasured icon in the home. My personal belief is that every home…
Today I’m sharing a Northern neighbor’s charming home tour, which seems apropos since it actually snowed a bit yesterday. Luckily none of the white fluffy stuff stuck to the ground. Hopefully Christina up in Canada isn’t experiencing our temporary plunge in temperature. She blogs at The DIY Mommy and has such a pretty prairie-style home….
A few unseasonably warm spring days have graced our region and on one such day I took advantage of the balmy weather and created a front porch dining space using colorful and fun items from World Market. I love the color coordinating jewel tones I found throughout the store. And I’m super excited to say that…
Yum! Dessert! When we go out for dinner I’m always tempted to get desserts. I love sweets but I don’t like when restaurants only offer heavy desserts. After a nice meal, I don’t like to feel further weighted down. I’d rather have something light and satisfying like oh … creme brulee, flan, or Apple Pear Gratin! A…
Kitchens have evolved dramatically over the years, and large part of that is due to technological advancements like the creation of the stove and oven. Back in Colonial America, the kitchen was often a separate building behind the house. It wasn’t until the end of the 19th century when using gas for cooking became more…
