Last weekend, I packed up all of my fall decorations. Into the box went acorns, pinecones, dried corn, and pressed leaves. Just call me Fancy Pants. Or not. I definitely prefer natural and simple decorations in my home. The items are easy to gather, the look is relaxed, and the expense stays low. I can appreciate an elaborately decorated home, but I don't want to live in it. And it would be much harder for me to let my kids explore and enjoy the season without worrying about that priceless antique vase. It really is possible to achieve a warm, welcoming home, even one that changes with the seasons, without breaking the bank. Half of these Keep Reading

Simple Ways to Decorate for Christmas As many of you know, a couple of years ago we packed up our family of six and moved into an apartment. It was interesting figuring out how to put a 2400 square foot home into a 1200 square foot apartment, that's for sure. One of the more challenging parts of this epic squeeze was decorating for Christmas -- I couldn't possibly use all the goodies in my three giant Christmas tubs. Many of my Christmas decorations were too big for our smaller space. In addition to the space constraints, there was also the problem of my, well, lack of decorating ambition. I loved the idea of crafting up some new decorations, but Keep Reading

Christmas Decorating Ideas You know those sibling arguments that start with, "Moooommmmm! She's copying me! Make her stop!" and quickly go downhill from there? During those frequent episodes of my childhood, my mom always calmly answered, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." Ugh. Seriously, how do you argue with that one? Well, I continue to take those wise words to heart as an adult. When it comes to decorating, there is no shortage of inspiration out there. Pinterest, magazines, and blogs are packed with fun ideas to imitate in our own homes. I never feel like decorating is a competitive sport. My goal is to create a warm, welcoming Keep Reading