Scandinavian ambiance has always attracted me, even back when I was a kid. Maybe it’s because I grew up in a Swedish town that had the most amazing and cozy Swedish gift shop that’s been in busy since 1947! My mother would take me there and buy her Christmas gnomes. One thing I love about…
Christmas is all around us and I’m trying to relish all of it because I know in the blink of an eye it will be over. I don’t know about you, but I actually enjoy the weeks leading up to Christmas more than I do Christmas Day itself. There’s just something about the anticipation of…
Welcome to my Christmas home that’s decorated with simple holiday vibes. It’s been a couple of years since I joined my friend Jennifer Rizzo’s Holiday Housewalk, but it’s good to be back. All week long, bloggers have shared their holiday homes and today is the last day – and I’m the last house. So I’m…
Get in touch with your inner feminine self when you embrace festive spirit with a pink Christmas. My daughter is obsessed with pink and each of these inspirational scenes is her idea of the perfect Christmas. A few years ago I gave her all of my pink holiday décor. I don’t think she’ll ever tire…
Garden centers across the country are stocked and ready to go for the holiday season. You might find you’re bombarded by tree and wreath ads from your local nursery. My favorite local greenhouse features the most amazing poinsettias that I like to purchase for inside my home. And of course, when it comes to the…
What a treat I have in store for you today! I think you’re going to love this modern glam Christmas home tour by Grace + Polish that’s decked out in soft colors and a bit of subtle sparkle. If you prefer a softer style Christmas in pastel tones, this home is right up your alley!…
I told myself I was going to wait a couple of weeks before sharing anything Christmas-related. But here I am, sharing inspiration for decorating a Christmas tree. There’s a reason why I decided to jump the gun – it’s because I’m having trouble deciding how to decorate my own tree. Each year I like to…
Merry Christmas Eve! Nothing like waiting until the last minute to share this year’s Old World style Christmas tree. But if you think about it, it’s the perfect time to share my tree because it’s customary in Germany (where the Christmas tree originated) to put up your tree on Christmas Eve. I don’t know of…
Welcome to Part Two of viewing historic holiday homes in Galena. I shared the first half of this tour on Monday. We celebrated our family Christmas in this historic town last weekend. Lucky for us, we got a light dusting of snow our first night there, which created a great backdrop for featuring some of…
Happy Tuesday, Friends! We’re nearing the Big Day!! I truly hope your holidays are happy or that you’re able to find some joy or peace if life is a struggle right now. Christmas Day is never perfect for anyone even though the movies might lead us to believe otherwise. To keep your spirits energized, my…
This past weekend was our annual family “Christmas in Galena” trip. This was our fifth year staying at the same VRBO home. We always gather together the weekend before Christmas for three nights in this little town located in the hilly, northwest corner of Illinois. I snapped some photos of the historic homes that I…
Kevin McAllister was the star character in the Home Alone movies, and he was obsessed with Christmas trees. I feel the same way about the holidays. The tree is my favorite decoration. There’s something magical about a tree lit up for the season. Today I’m sharing a collection of Christmas trees, along with a bit…
You have less than two weeks to prepare for Christmas! Are you ready? My final gift (to my hubby) arrives in the mail today and then I can officially say I’m ready once I’ve wrapped his present. It’s always good to get the shopping done so you can turn your attention to other things like…
What type of holiday decorator are you? Do you love lavishing your home with festive trinkets and arrangements? Or are you more the “bah humbug” type who grudgingly puts up your tree? Maybe like most people, you fall somewhere in between. Today I’ve got a collection of Christmas vignettes to help you create a cozy…
Have you ever dreamt of spending Christmas in Europe? It’s something I’ve always thought would be fun to do. The historic architecture, different customs, new holiday foods – all of it would create a magical holiday experience. If you can’t make it to Europe, perhaps Canada is a closer option to consider – specifically, enjoying…
Would you dine outside on a snowy day if the Christmas table was set with the most gorgeous red flowers you’d ever seen? I’m not the biggest fan of winter but even I could be lured outside to enjoy the decadent beauty of this frosty scene. Wouldn’t it be fun to rent a cabin…
