Preparing for Christmas

Yes, I know...it's early. I don't celebrate Halloween, folks, so this evening I was browsing Etsy while listening to a holiday play list. This handful of vintage and handmade beauties are a few I discovered. These really spark memories of tradition for me...click the images to visit the shops.

More to come...oh, and in case you weren't counting, you've got 57 shopping days left.

Design Inspiration: Keep It Cozy

Home is the most important place in the world. So sayeth IKEA, so sayeth I, so sayeth we all*.

our street, front steps, urn on porch

In many of the blogs I follow I enjoy looking into other people's lives. A big part of many people's lives is where they live...in their homes. Many of the bloggers I follow are at some point along their journey of home building, remodeling, decorating and designing.

entry hall, festive front door, dining area

For example, Fiona, of Cafe Cartolina, shares daily photos of home decor inspiration. A woman with wonderful taste (so similar to my own..*eh hem*). I always leave her a comment because I always see something I like. Liz, over at Mabel's House, frequently shares photos of her home. Simple and cozy with a slightly cottage style...plus her writing is engaging and full of amusing stories of life.

living room and office

So, today, for anyone that might have wondered, I am posting a few photos of OUR home. Like many of yours, it's always work in progress. We're very big on the cozy factor and try to incorporate as much of it into our 900 SF as we can. We used to be all beach-cottage style but are now slowly morphing into a modern-traditional look. Or, more simply translated = Pottery Barn on an IKEA budget.

snippets of kitchen, bedroom and bath

So, if you're following along and writing your own blog, be brave and show me where you live. Leave a comment to let me know when you've posted so I can come take a peek!

*Kudos to anyone who caught the BSG reference! ;-)