Oh winter. Here we are again, my friend. Or should I say my frenemy? I'll admit that I adore a few snowflakes on Christmas and maybe a bit of chill while viewing the lights in my neighborhood, with hot cocoa to warm my hands. However, once New Year's Day rolls around, I'm ready for summer. Unfortunately, the calendar and Mother Nature call the shots. So I try to make peace with the season, by wearing layers, cuddling up in front of the fireplace. And creating cozy decor. Of the snowy kind.

Well hello friends and Happy New Year! I hope your introduction to 2023 was a pleasant one. As I sat down at my computer today, ready to write my first post of the year, I was very well aware of that fresh calendar page. And what I was supposed to be sharing.  All that new year, new you stuff, as I've done in the past.

The end of the year is traditionally a time of reflection. It's a great opportunity to look back and take stock. To check in to see how the plans made in January turned out. And what popped up that hadn't been planned at all. The amount of renovations we accomplished during the last twelve months certainly fell into the latter category. At the start of the year, I was sure that I would finally, finally find a new sofa to replace my beloved, but well worn, floral couch. And I did.

December was a social month around here. This tiny cottage hosted several dinners, a couple of game nights and even one brunch with dear friends from far away. Lots of visitors were welcomed inside. Some were brand new to the place, others hadn't been here since before the renovations, so I was giving the {very quick} tour on a regular basis. And at some point I realized just how much we'd done this year. Between some very major renovations and all the DIYs and home decor crafts, it was a busy, busy twelve months. Much busier than I remembered.

Decorating with signs is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to add charm and personality to your home. Especially during the holidays. Best of all, you don't need any fancy machines or skills, well, not the way I do it, and you don't need to spend weeks to create one. With a few simple supplies you can whip up custom decor and look like a total pro in about an hour. Or less. And yes, yes, I know Christmas is over, but with all the sales going on right now, this is the best time to grab those holiday stencils, gift bags and wall decals so you're ready for next year. After all, there are only 363 more days left to prepare. Easy Wooden Christmas Signs Here are 14 ideas to get you started. Enjoy! 1. STENCILED MRS. CLAUS WOODEN SIGN Let's start with my most recent (and arguably most adorable) project,  Mrs. Claus . When people hear the word sign, they usually picture something small. A wall hanging or shelf sitter. But for this one, I used a very large stencil to cr

It's easy to get caught up in the holiday decor comparison game. There are a lot of gorgeous homes out there. But truth be told, the most beautiful Christmas decorations are yours. When I was little decorating for Christmas was always so much fun. On a random Saturday morning in December, my mother would gather up the troops and elect one of us to enter the small crawl space under the stairs to unearth all the boxes. Since I was number three out of four, and a full eleven years younger than my next eldest sibling, I was usually tapped go inside that teeny space and push. While that part wasn't really enjoyable, what came next was amazing.

We added a carpet runner to the basement stairs in our old house. They weren't a standard size and we started with the wrong tools, but we worked it out and we're sharing so you can avoid the pitfalls. Our family room renovation/ redecoration project began way back in January. And believe it or not, that space is still in process. What started with the {not so simple} desire to replace my old, worn out floral sofa , turned into a total gut job. Complete with a new paint on the walls and ceiling, a new window and laminate floor. Of course, when you start a project, others follow.