The past few weeks I’ve been a bit frustrated. I haven’t been able to find the Christmas decor I want when shopping at local stores. First and foremost on my list are boxwood wreaths. Nobody’s got ’em. And I don’t want big, honkin’ ones either. They need to be sweet and petite to fit my…
This year I’ve vowed to keep it simple for Christmas. Our tree is smaller, I’m only using about half of my decorations, I don’t know if I’m even putting out my Santa collection. Instead, I’m focusing on greenery, vintage ornaments, and the philosophy that less is more. Using ordinary items around the house, an ironstone…
This Christmas season I’ve got a few decorating projects lined up (like who doesn’t, right?). Hopefully I’ll get to all of them but I’m not makin’ any promises. I’ll just do the best I can. First up are these little Christmas votive holders. Simple and sweet. At this time of year, I like anything that’s…
A little over a year ago, I found the wonderful world of blogging. I was amazed at how many fabulous home and decor blogs were out there. Two of my early faves were Mod Vintage Life and Aiken House and Gardens. From there I found others and was inspired to start my own blog. Blogging is a…
Do you have a favorite place in your home where you like to enjoy a cup of coffee, thumb through a good book or grab your laptop and feast on some blog eye candy? Here’s my little corner of the world where I reflect on the concerns of the day or chat with my hubby….
I must confess that after setting the first Thanksgiving tablescape (option one) about a week ago, I wasn’t very motivated to create a second one. But I did. Just for fun. I put one together … didn’t like it … ripped it apart and came up with something much simpler than what I originally had….
Last night was a Holiday Open House at Carter’s Cottage and while I was shopping, I saw these beautiful pink Christmas ornaments that immediately made me think of my eldest daughter, Stephanie. Her favorite color is pink and lately I’ve been feeling blue about her because she’s suffering from a wicked sprained ankle. So I…
I told myself I wasn’t going to post about Christmas until after Thanksgiving but I just can’t help myself. Christmas comes and goes so fast and what I enjoy most about Christmas is the weeks leading up to the big day. In fact, sometimes the big day is a little anticlimactic after all the frenzied planning. So…
Before I go to town on the kitchen, I thought I’d share the corner that’s getting a little work done. Keep in mind, this is a kitchen housed in an 1875 farmhouse. I have no idea what the original kitchen looked like, but I know for a fact in didn’t have these stock cabinets. (I…
When I was a child growing up, my mother always set a beautiful table for Thanksgiving dinner. She carefully selected a linen tablecloth, matching place settings, cloth napkins, coordinating stemware, and a beautiful centerpiece to make the meal special. Pop cans were never allowed at the table and I enforce that rule in my own…
No, I’m not mad. The only red I’m seeing is a few pieces of red in the house. In about a month we’ll all be seeing a lot more red with all the holiday decorations that will be flying around the blogosphere. And speaking of blogs, November 5th is my one year blogiversary! Anywho ……
After the trick or treaters have come and gone, how will you spend what’s left of your hallowed evening? For me, it’s going to be a relaxing, candlelit bubble bath. Lots of autumn candles scented with pumpkin and cinnamon. Makes me wanna just climb on in. A good book is a must when you want…
Our Fall colors here in Illinois peaked last weekend and now the color is fading and leaves are falling. So when I looked back through my photos of our recent trip to Galena, I enjoyed seeing the changing leaves on the trees. So without further adieu, here’s the remaining photos of the beautiful, historic homes…
Although the dining room is typically the room we use for formal dining like Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, I like to dress up the kitchen nook for special dinners with hubby. We have just enough room in this nook for a cozy table and chairs. The table has a leaf so we can actually seat…
You know, I like my kitchen for the most part but it needs a bit of a facelift … particularly on one side. I don’t have a lot of regular kitchen cabinets like most people. Instead, I have a large built-in cabinet and a few free-standing pieces. The built-in on the left is original to…
Fall is my favorite season! It’s so rich in color and the earth is just bursting with its harvest. There’s a magical feel in the air that stirs the soul on a crisp autumn night lit by a full moon. On recent walks I took some photos of the beauty of this earth and season,…
