I love fall! After a summer of keeping kids entertained and feeling hot and sticky in my own house, I look forward to the promise of cooler days and getting back into my routines. I begin to crave some personal time and a more scheduled life. Soon it will be time once again for fun holiday parties and cozy nights by the fire.

September really is a good transitional month between seasons. It is still before the holidays but after the summer of vacations and laziness. It is the perfect month to re-establish… Read More

As a young girl I had dreams of running a bed & breakfast. I dreamed up cozy little guest rooms stocked with every imaginable comfort for visitors. I decorated them in my mind with fluffy comforters, fine linens and piles of books on bedside tables. I am a detail girl so no effort was too small.

As the likelihood of running a B&B became less of a reality, I still was intrigued with ways of showing care and friendship in the details of hospitality. Sometimes hospitality is hosting overnight guests or… Read More

Our oldest daughter is a packrat. She always has been. When she was little she would line up her used paper drinking cups and chewing gum on her windowsill. The very thought of throwing anything away was extremely traumatic for her. Fortunately she has mellowed out a bit over the years and become more reasonable about what she must keep. Good thing, too, because later this summer she will become a married woman. And the thought of packing up boxes of used bits of chewing gum and moldy Dixie cups would’ve been painful… Read More

In our home, the month of June brings visions of outdoor family fun. Through the years our kids would high five each other on the last day of school as we anticipated the lazy days of summer ahead. Sometime around Father’s Day my husband would put on his manly apron and fire up the backyard barbeque. The burgers would start flying and the pink lemonade would begin flowing through our multi-colored straws. Life was good. At least that is how summer started out.

We really did dream of lazy summer days… Read More

One of the most significant things we can do for our families (and ourselves) is to create positive and happy memories. I’m not talking about Disneyland experiences—I’m talking about the simple every day joys that form lasting impressions in our minds. Through our homes, we have an opportunity to design an environment that connects us to the blessings of life and provides positive reminders of special moments. We are building memories, not just homes. Home design takes on new meaning when we realize the potential of the process!

Colors, furnishings… Read More

There is just something about the arrival of spring that makes most of us want to fluff our nests! We’ve been sitting inside all winter feeling snug as a bug, when suddenly the sun shines through our dirty windows to reveal dust we didn’t even know we had! Yikes! Our little nests need some attention. Yes, my friends, it is time to start fluffing, so let’s get to it!

Here are ten creative ways that you can start fluffing your nest this Spring:

1. Start with your windows. You

Life is beautiful… Stop and smell the roses… Life is a bowl of cherries… Those are easy things to say when life is going your way. But what about when you are feeling the pressures or dark days of life? I’ve spoken to a few people recently that were going through really difficult times. Illnesses, relational strains, financial struggles, sorrows and other situations were weighing them down. Uncertainty and disappointments were taking the place of joy and creativity. Life in times of pain doesn’t look so beautiful. When the clouds are looming and the… Read More

I’ve always been a romantic at heart. Many years ago, with two young girls under foot, no money to spend and Valentine’s Day looming, I had to get creative in order to have my heart-shaped cake and eat it too. There would be no date night with my beloved out on the town—that was quite evident. So, being a determined young woman with a fanciful imagination, I rummaged around the house gathering up anything I could find that said ROMANCE. Picture the ambience I whipped up that night: Twinkling lights… Read More

It is that time of year again! Time for making those New Year’s Resolutions! I recently read that two of the top resolutions people make include reducing stress and starting to enjoy life. Because I am a big believer in our homes facilitating the life we really want to live, I think it is a perfect time to evaluate how well our homes are meeting our needs. Changing our behavior, attitude and habits sometimes begins with changing our environment.

I think we are all yearning for a little more peace and a little… Read More

From the gifts to the décor to the food to the mood, the pressure of holiday hospitality can be nerve-wracking. The expectations and obstacles can be enough to make us want to lock our doors and shut the front porch light off for good. We worry about our furniture, our housekeeping, our holiday decorations, our cooking, and all the flaws that keep us from feeling like our home is ready to welcome guests.

Even grand plans for holiday entertaining often fall apart somewhere along the way between our visit to Starbucks for a… Read More