Christmas musings and tour 2015

I had grand plans.

I had grand plans...for a month of posts....with clever ideas...
yes. I. did.

Sunday Sentiments-Rainy day contentment

Things are busy around the house this weekend!

The weather literally changed overnight from 75 degrees to 40
and it feels like winter is in the air!

It is rainy and cold
but it feels cozy... 

to be home with a fire...

eating turkey leftovers...

and pecan pie for breakfast...

pulling out small bits of Christmas decorations 

while the hubby watches football.

Feeling grateful for a house full of family
and a husband who likes to put out Christmas lights!

{This is the earliest we have ever decorated for Christmas and it has been fun!}

"...for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am." Philippians 4:11
On days like today, this verse is not difficult to apply, and I am thankful.

Have a wonderful week - enjoy the transition into the holidays.

Thanksgiving heart

What is at the heart of Thanksgiving...?

There is food, family, and gratefulness...

But what else makes it truly special?

Grateful...for pumpkins on a hill....

Someone set pumpkins on the hill. 

How elegant they looked--poised against the dry, dead grass 

and leafless oaks of the field.

Sweet Savannah Curb Appeal

Historic Savannah--one of the oldest cities in America, 

and hands down one of the most beautiful.

My mom, daughter and I were able to spend a long weekend there this past month where we spent much of our time strolling the streets and parks...

Every doorway was enchanting...and each home beckoned us to come in...

 and hear the stories they had to tell...from the birth of our nation to its modern era.

Come see some of the beautiful entries for yourself...

Foyer Fall Decor

Everything has a new home in our new home.

The shutter buffet that was in my dining room in the last home,

now graces our entryway in our new home.  

Come on in...let's visit.

Simple Fall Mantle

 Sometimes less is more...

"Simplify" has continued to be a theme for us this year...

Spooky Fun!

It's been fun getting the new house ready for the Fall season.

Stops Along the Way:A Refreshing Scottsdale Remodel

One of the stops along the way as our family journeyed across the country,

was the home of my long time best friend, 

and (in my opinion), one of the most talented designers on the planet!

 Lisa Sanford co-owns Shutters Home Design and 

opened the doors of her beautiful home 

in Scottsdale to my family for a day and night of complete rest and renewal.

 She recently finished an extensive, loving remodel of the home

 she's lived in for 20 years 

and has turned it into a showpiece that is at once relaxing and refined.

 Enjoy these photos of her house tour.:)

Life in a box

where have my blogging posts gone?

...for the past three months I have been wrapping my head 

around the "beauty" of relocating an entire household.

I have somehow managed to pack up my creativity in one of the boxes.

Maybe its in this one...?

Here's my attempt at making cardboard look good...

To save a little on the extraordinary cost of a cross country move,  we are packing everything ourselves...and since DH is already in location,
 that means just me.
To make sure it was a task I could manage without getting overwhelmed,
I have been packing 2-3 boxes everyday since March
 and purging and selling things.
It has literally become a full time job!

So here's some fun "before" and afters....

Easter Greetings 2015!

Enjoy this beautiful postcard dated 1916!

I love the "note" on the back...

"I wis you a happy Ester

your gradma"

{DIY} Simple Crown Towel Rack

Have you ever noticed 

That the "standard" towel rack just does not "fit" scale-wise on the bathroom wall?

Simplify for 2015

sim·pli·fy
a :  to reduce to basic essentials

b :  to diminish in scope or complexity

----------------------------------------------------

A trend in blog-land is to find a word
to focus on throughout the year,
instead of making resolutions....

I love this idea....
A word for the year provides a simple way
to reference everything you do
and carries a wonderful intentional theme.
{click "Read More" for more on Simplify}

Refresh-Renew Top 10 Posts of 2014

Ten Fun highlights of Refresh-Renew 2014

Enjoy!

Statement Chairs

Scroll through for a quick link to the top posts of 2014.

Five tips for organizing Christmas decor

Like many of you, I spent this last week taking down Christmas.

It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.
And after twenty years of collecting my favorite Christmas things...

a few here...

and a few there...

one could say that I own a lot of "Christmas". :o)

The great thing about collecting items slowly over time is

 I don't spend much on decorating each year.