Turn an old plain glass vase into a show stopping conversation piece with this easy DIY. It's a quick and easy way to add a little whimsy to your decor and dress up a thrift store find. This weekend, my husband and I went out for a drive and ended up at the thrift store.  He's a very good sport.  We actually had a blast aimlessly poking around and even though we weren't looking for anything specific, we found a ton of fun items I can't wait to transform.  Among them was a .99 cent plain glass vase that I couldn't put down. My husband,  however,  did not see its appeal.  

Looking for an easy way to decorate your front door? Here is a collection of twelve wreaths, signs and unique front decor ideas to dress your home for every season and add curb appeal. There's one for every month of the year. One of the first decorating subjects I tackled when I started writing, was the importance of putting something on your front door. Way back when, I wrote a piece called Your House is Frowning and it chronicled all the reasons why I believed that a naked front door did not make a great first impression. Of course, now it's January and there is a still an evergreen wreath on my own front door. Hmmm.

When we bought our 1920s fixer upper we had a lot of work to do. The house was too small and needed some modern adjustments. Come peek at some of the before and after photos of our charming cottage style beach house renovation. Hello friends! I'm back with some more of everyone's favorites, those delicious before and after photos. Earlier this week, I shared pictures of the yard , before the pool and the patio. I also shared what the living room looked like when we moved in, complete with its wall to wall seafoam green carpet.

Take a peek at the before and afters of our 1920's beach cottage renovation. The house had a lot of charm, we just put our own touch on its classic style. When it comes to home decor, remodels and DIY, before and afters are always a huge hit. Everybody wants see that ugly duckling blossom into a beautiful swan. Unfortunately, when we renovated our 1920's cottage by the sea, I wasn't blogging. I was teaching preschool with two toddlers in tow, taking care of a new kitten and a one eyed cat, dealing with the contractors who framed the new kitchen , inspectors and delivery people on a daily basis. And washing the dinner dishes in the bathroom sink.

Whip up these delicious eggless Valentine cupcakes with an easy to make stencil and some powdered sugar. It's a super simple way to show your family a little bit of love that won't break the bank! Hello friends. Today, I'd like to share a little bit of love with you, some really sweet Valentine cupcakes. Yesterday I was certain that I would not be posting this week at all, but this morning when I woke up and the crowds were gone and the house was quiet ~ too quiet ~ I felt the need to be busy. I needed to do things to keep me from thinking too much and I needed something  to fill up the time I would normally be visiting my mom . So once again, it was crafting to the rescue .

I have always hated winter, but never as much as the day Mother Nature threw a bomb cyclone at us on the day my mother died. I hate winter. To be honest, I've always hated it. This is not a recent phenomenon. Not something I can blame on my advancing age or even the recent winters, which by the way, have been downright wicked. Nope. There's just always been something about me and winter that doesn't mesh.

Sometimes you need to put yourself first, even if it's uncomfortable and even if you're the mom. Here's why this year, I have decided to pick me. Well, at least some of the time. This past fall, someone asked me if choosing a word for the year was still a thing. I wasn't really sure, fads change so quickly in the online world, but it got me thinking about what my own word would be if I decided to play along. I have to say that without much contemplation, the word "Me" popped into my head. The fact that it came to me in less than ten seconds was a clear indication that it was right. Fitting. But it also sounded extremely selfish. And I wasn't sure I could say it out loud to the whole world. Let alone do it.