Contact paper has been around forever and it's an awesome way to update, decorate, protect surfaces and organize in your home. But putting it down can be tough. Here's what it is and how to apply it with perfect results every time. Baking has become a huge pastime around here over the last several months. My daughter, bored and tired of the hours spent in her online classes, was looking for something fun to do and cupcakes seemed to be the answer. It's been wonderful having fresh baked treats, from cakes and cookies to fruit filled crepes, constantly at the ready. Especially since everything's been made from scratch. I've always been a boxed baker.

For some reason, January, and its fresh page on the calendar, seems to get everyone thinking about cleaning and organizing. Including me. As a matter of fact, I've been doing a lot of it lately.

Don't use your wood burning fireplace as much as you'd like? Tired of chopping wood and cleaning out ash? Why not turn that rarely used asset into a feature you'll use every day by converting it to gas. Here's what it involves and how it works.  The house we live in now, was not our first. Yes, we lived in this neighborhood, in another even tinier cottage, if you can believe it. But this love was not my first. The first was across the street.  Literally.

Looking for the easiest way to stencil a wooden sign without bleeding paint? Check out my secret to crisp stenciled lines and beautiful results even if you're a beginner. I love crafting during the holidays. There's something very comforting and festive about creating by the light of the tree. Seasonal music playing in the background. The fireplace crackling nearby. It brings me right back to the days when I was small, sticking pins and sequins into styrofoam ball ornaments. Am I dating myself, there? Maybe a bit.

Last year, I declared that I was done choosing a word for the year. This year, I reconsidered. For a bit. When I woke up this morning, I knew exactly what I was going to write. I had it all planned out. Hello folks , I was going to say, today is one of those never say never kind of days . Yup. Today, I'm going to do something that last year I said I was done with...