So last night I was crafting at 1:00 am again. I was working in the kitchen, balancing a glass cutting board on my lap, decoupaging with a foam brush...and trying not to get it on my pjs.

I used to think I crafted this way because my kids were small and there wasn't any other time during the day to get it done.

But now that they're in college that explanation doesn't really hold water. Nope. Turns out, I'm just crazy.

And a night owl.

Kindness isn't measured by the dollar, it's the thought that counts.

This week, as summer begins to wind down, our Ten on The Tenth posts resume. Our focus is Random Acts of Kindness for Under $10. 

I have to admit that when the topic came up, I thought it was truly worthwhile, but life's been a bit busy around here lately and I just wasn't sure if I'd have time to come up with a crafty and creative way to be kind for under ten bucks. 

So I declined. 

Whip up a sweet apple candle ring to dress your home for fall.

Lately, online, all I see is pumpkins. Orange, white, purple and green...they're very pretty, but it's hard to take them seriously when outside my window it's summer.

It's 90 hazy and humid degrees here, the flowers are blooming in a burst of bright colors. There's not a orange leaf in sight ~ and I suppose that's the way it should be since technically, it is still summer.

Am I the only one who cleans up and out in preparation for fall? I know, I know, spring is the time we're supposed to get organized, open the windows, clean out the cobwebs and vacuum behind stuff.

But honestly, I much prefer to do it as the chilly weather approaches. Who wants to be stuck inside on a warm May day after being cooped up for several months. When the sun shines and the mercury starts to rise, this girl wants to get outside.

So I go. I sit on the beach, I float in the pool, I plant flowers and hang out in the garden. Sure, the regular cleaning takes place on a daily basis, but there's no extraordinary effort expended or monumental purge.

Well...until fall.

This summer we rejuvenated our old concrete patio with paint and now it looks amazing. We should have done it years ago. 

When we first moved into our sweet beach cottage, the backyard was a blank slate, filled with trees and grass. While it was very picturesque, there was no place for a patio set or any seating for that matter. 

We knew things had to change.

This summer in between walks on the beach and dips in the pool I have been crafting...nothing big, just doing things that make me smile and feed my soul.

Last week, while I was sharing all the details about my new teeth and my summer of yes, some of you noticed a floral board and asked about it. What was I making? Where would it go? What would it be? 

Hello friends!

It's August, can you believe it? I certainly cannot. This summer has been flying by, as summers do, and I've been busy doing a myriad of things...most of which have kept me far away from the computer. While I generally try to stick to the DIY updates, I've received so many kind emails wondering where I've been, I decided to share.

I wish I could tell you that I've been off traveling the world or that I've been toiling away, making progress on the book I've always wanted to write, but the truth of the matter is, I've just been home.

Saying yes.

Summer is the perfect time to get a jump on my holiday crafting, especially when I can spend time on the beach, collecting shells for a beautiful coastal inspired Christmas ornament. 

Of course, I don't really need an excuse to hang out on the beach. It's my all time favorite place to be. 

It's actually the reason why I've been dodging all things computer and blog related. I'd much rather spend my days in the sunshine, staring at sand and sea, instead of a screen and I highly doubt I'm the only one. However, this craft was just so cute, I had to log on and share it.

I've always had a vision for the front of our home ~ charming, elegant, welcoming ~ but for some reason, I was never able to get it right. Until now...

Decorating has never been a challenge for me. From the minute I walked into this house, a little over fifteen years ago, I knew exactly what each room needed to get me from vision to reality...