Real Home, Real Family, Real Life
From the category archives:
I’m spending lots of time with my hands in the dirt this summer. Trees, shrubs, perennials and a small garden. Since that wasn’t enough, a few weeks ago, I decided it was high time for a summer herb garden. I planted all the herbs in pots so that I can bring some of them indoors [...]
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Nothing brightens up my kitchen faster than a bouquet of fresh cut flowers. And if they happen to be hydrangeas cut from my front yard, then even better. The Annabelle Hydrangeas that I planted in our front beds 2 summers ago are getting big and they’re covered with beautiful white blooms. I really think that [...]
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I also win the Most Pointlessly Long Post Title Award. Neener neener. I summer-ized my fireplace hearth last week. I went the traditional fern-on-the-hearth route, but it wasn’t totally working for me. I think I like the Boston Ferns on the back porch instead of on the hearth. When I saw this beautiful Kimberly Queen [...]
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I think I’m the 284th blogger to write about strawberry freezer jam this week. There must be something in the air…or more accurately…in the farmer’s market. Strawberries. Lots and lots of sweet, beautiful, delicious strawberries. But this post is different! I like to think if it as the definitive writing on the hot debate between [...]
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What do you do with your fireplace during the summer? Not the mantle…that’s a post for another day…but the actual fireplace. During the fall and winter, it holds the promise of cracking fires and warm evenings. But in the summer, it just looks like a big empty box. I’ve taken the pretty traditional approach of [...]
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Summer officially begins for our family today. School is out and we’re looking forward to 3 months of sun, sprinklers, popcicles and lightning bugs. Here’s our 2010 Summer List. I shamelessly stole this idea from Meg at Whatever. Thanks Meg! You rock! This is our 2nd year for the Summer List. Here’s the 2009 version. [...]
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I love a well-decorated outdoor space. As soon as the weather gets warm, my attention heads outside and we spend as much time as possible out there. We had a beautiful front porch at our old house that I finally decorated when we were trying to sell the house. I could have kicked myself for [...]
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EEK! Did Mother’s Day creep up on you this year? It’s this weekend, you know. If you’re in a bind, I’ve put together a collection of do it yourself Mother’s Day gifts that you and/or your kiddos can make for their Grandma, Auntie, neighbor or teacher. One of the VERY first posts I wrote on [...]
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The windows are finally open and there is a spring breeze blowing through Casa Kimba this week. I’ve been inspired to do a little spring fluffing and the mantel is my normal first-target when I start moving things around. As much as I love our rustic stone fireplace, the mantel is always a bit of [...]
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Spray Painted Zombie Bunnies I have nothing interesting to say…nothing clever, wise or funny. Nothing inspiring, practical or spray painted. I do have approximately 53 projects in process because someone is coming to my house with a video crew. But that’s a story for another day (it’s not HGTV, but it will be fun). Thankfully, [...]
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Do you have a sentimental treasure that’s sitting in a box because it’s ugly? Meaningful…but ugly. I do too. My dear Granny made these crazy ceramic owls with her very own hands in 1968. I know this because it’s written on the bottom of each owl. When Granny was cleaning out her closets a few [...]
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I wanted to title this post “I Made the Cutest Thing Ever!” but that seemed a little much. But I do think this is the Cutest Thing Ever…or at least the Cutest Mossy Easter Basket ever. And it was easy. Messy, but easy. Here’s what you need: A basket with a handle A package of [...]
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I went to bed last night with an urn-full of sticks on my hearth. I like decorating with sticks. They’re easy. And free. And I woke up this morning to an urn-full of blooming sticks. Totally kidding. But they’re pretty good fakes, I think. And when your front yard looks like this, sometimes a girl [...]
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I don’t really decorate for Valentine’s Day. It’s a nice little holiday, but not really worth a big home decorating push…kind of like Arbor Day or Corn Dog Day (March 20th). But my son saw a heart shaped Christmas ornament hanging from a candle holder and asked if we could decorate for Valentine’s Day. That [...]
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DIY Day is still going strong! Scroll down or click here to see over 300 (!) projects! And link up your own for a shot at this weeks prize from YouCanMakeThis.com. After I took down my huge Christmas wreath, my front door looked totally nekked. And since I didn’t want to offend my neighbors with [...]
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How do you decorate your home after Christmas? It’s still a long way to Valentine’s Day and spring is about 100 years away. I’ve already done the Christmas Breakdown and I was in love with my clean (slightly bare) home. For exactly 5 minutes. Then I went hunting for a few winter-y things to foof [...]
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Not a nervous breakdown…the Christmas decoration breakdown. We’ve barely sung the last chorus of Jingle Bells when I get the itch to start un-Decking the Halls. Which is funny considering how eager I am to get the decorations up in November. I guess all the visual stimulation and activity becomes a little too much and [...]
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Every year, I feel a smidge of guilt when I throw away all of the beautiful Christmas cards that we receive. A few years ago, our family began a tradition that helps us to remember our friends and loved ones long into January. As the Christmas cards arrive, we keep them in a pretty basket [...]
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Are you hosting a get-together at your home over the next couple of weeks? Do you have something pretty for your table? Probably not, because you’ve been too busy cleaning, baking, shopping, wrapping, caroling, jingle-belling and all things Christmas-ing. Fear not! I have two quick ideas that will make your table (island, sideboard or changing [...]
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I didn’t plan to have a carnival of colored lights on my mantle this year. But our pre-lit, artificial tree had a major wardrobe malfunction and I had to change all the lights on the tree. ..To colored lights because all the white lights were sold out… At the beginning of December. Wha? I really [...]
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