Today is Thanksgiving in United States. But you don't have to live here to say thank you or to take a moment to be thankful for all that you have. Today, I'm thankful for so many things: this blog, my readers, the friends I have made here, and of course, my family and the multitude of blessings we have enjoyed this year. Here's to wishing … [Read more...]

I love recipes that are easy, delicious and freeze well - especially around the holidays. When you have family coming in for Thanksgiving or Christmas, or if you just want a special treat in the morning and you don't want to fuss, then these Apple Pumpkin Muffins are just the ticket for making ahead and freezing to serve when needed.   Of … [Read more...]

Remember my cute vintage wash tub?   She's all decked out for the holidays.   Yep.  I've started my Christmas decorating.   I didn't do anything fancy, but the bright pops of red and green and the fresh plants make me happy. It took just a few minutes to switch out my fall decor with a few simple winter plants and some … [Read more...]

The holiday boxes and bins are coming out of the attic this week. But, before I get started decking the halls I decided to check out my Pinterest boards for some new inspiration.  After all, I pin these great images all year long for decorating ideas, so it might be a good idea to actually look at them before I start decorating. … [Read more...]

If you've been reading my blog lately, you know that I love Thanksgiving. I love the focus on being grateful, I love the traditional food and most of all, I love the pies. In my opinion, Thanksgiving dinner just wouldn't be complete without pumpkin or pecan pies.   Today, I'm honored to be participating in a Virtual Progressive … [Read more...]

I like to approach one season at a time, but I have to admit, I'm really getting in the mood for Christmas decorating. I just got a sneak peek at the November/December issue of the online magazine, Celebrating Everyday Life with Jennifer Carroll and it is beautiful!  It is packed full of gorgeous pictures, beautiful ideas and loads of … [Read more...]

Confession:  I'm a Pottery Barn addict. I absolutely love how they pull together all of the displays and vignettes in their stores and catalogs.  They have a way of setting a table that is warm, cozy, rustic and welcoming.  Their style is casual, but elegant. They speak my decorating language. I tried to bring that … [Read more...]

I feel so blessed to have been a part of such a wonderful group of bloggers who shared their hearts, traditions and creativity last week.   … [Read more...]

I'm going to tell you a secret. I have what you might call a "super power." I know it might sound ridiculous and it's a bit of a joke between my husband and me. But, I have a really good sense of smell.  In fact, I can walk in to my house and smell immediately if something is amiss.  Like, if the dog left me a present upstairs in the … [Read more...]

I know I said this before, but with each passing day I believe it more and more.  My favorite part of the Thankful at Home tour is reading all of the wonderful stories, traditions and words of pure gratitude. It's a great reminder to us all that we need to be grateful for every simple thing each and every day.   I love seeing all of the … [Read more...]

When my friend Kelly and I first came up with the idea to organize a blog tour centered around Thanksgiving and being Thankful at Home, I really had no idea how rewarding it would be. The Inspired Room It's not just because we were lucky enough to assemble an amazingly talented group of bloggers... The Crafty Woman or because there are so … [Read more...]

Today, I am helping kick off a fantastic blog tour with 25 super-talented bloggers. Five bloggers each day will present projects, traditions, decor or recipes that focus on Thanksgiving and why we are Thankful at Home. I am so excited that you are here and I hope you will find some amazing inspiration throughout this week! I love that we are … [Read more...]

I don't think I'm alone when I say that certain scents evoke memories of special times and places. That's why I'm excited about this special blog tour that is devoted to the Scents of the Season. I'm teaming up with 11 bloggers to bring you recipes, hints and tips for getting your home to smell as wonderful as this cozy time of year. The tour … [Read more...]

If I did a quick poll, my guess is that most of you with kitchen islands (or any flat surface in your kitchen) would say that it is a magnet for collecting papers, keys, sunglasses and other odds and ends.  This is especially true if you have kids and they're bringing home stuff daily in their back packs, am I right? My island is the first place … [Read more...]

I love to sneak a peek in to people's homes, don't you? I promise,  I'm not a stalker, I just love to see how people decorate and how they live -- I think it's fun! Today I'm sharing my home tour over at What Meegan Makes. Please stop on in and take a look around.  You'll love her sweet style and her creativity! Happy Friday! … [Read more...]

As promised, I'm getting together with the lovely ladies of The Scoop for their weekly link party - yay! I'm joining: Anita from Cedar Hill Farmhouse Linsey from Farmhouse Porch, Debbie from Confessions of a Plate Addict, Anne from White Lace Cottage and Barb from The Everyday Home. Are you ready?? *** I'm Julie from the blog Lilacs … [Read more...]

Thank you all for all of your great comments and support for the Hometalk Thrift Benefit for Shelter Animals last week.   I am so happy to know so many caring bloggers and readers who truly love and support the needs of animals! Thank you to Hometalk for supporting our efforts and the cause of shelter animals! To learn more about … [Read more...]

When I introduced you to our new kitten, I mentioned that we adopted her from our local Humane Society. It was our first pet adoption through the Humane Society, but she is definitely not our first shelter animal.  In fact, she is the sixth animal my husband and I have adopted through local animal shelters and organizations over the years. … [Read more...]