Marmie's BEFORE & AFTER part 2

So as I had mentioned in part 1, Marmie and Pop Pop flew me up to the Great White North for a main floor re-design.  It was a fabulous weekend filled with food, decor, and coffee.  

Marmie's mountain house was once filled with small rooms and choppy walls.  Years ago, her and Pop had made the formal dining room and formal living room one large open-concept space.  Aside from some structural pillars, the room is really one big entertaining area.  One side has the stair case and fireplace, and the other side enters the kitchen, and has a formal dining area.  The family room and foyer, branch off of this main space.

For all my southerners reading this, welcome to the North.  Where ceilings are low to save on extravagant heating bills.  Where carpet is almost always your flooring of choice, lest your feet be turned into ice cubes.  Unless, of course, you have neuropathy, then you don't care what the floor is made of, because you can't feel it anyway. 

Southerners prefer high lofty ceilings that trap heat, way above their noggins.  And hard wood floors, where tanned bare toes can feel something cool in the heat of a Georgia July.  The architectural differences are extremely contrasting.

Marmie's wish list for this ginormous space?  Something beautiful and cohesive.  Where the rooms feel effortlessly together, yet separate all at once.  She had picked up many things she liked over the years, the difficult part for her, was putting it all together.

I find that soooo many of my clients have lots of beautiful pieces.  The problem is making it all 'work'.  That can be the tricky part.  

Well needless to say, Marmie's space more then 'works'.  I think it turned out quite elegant, wouldn't you agree?

But first.  Many of my readers asked for a picture of the mountain get-away I spoke of days ago.  So here's Marmie and Pop's back deck covered in snow:

And here is baby J playing in the snow.  Poor Georgia baby had never seen so much snow before!!!

And here are the BEFORE photos!

BEFORE-formal dining room

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

AND now I present, the AFTER tour!!!  ENJOY!  Thank you to Marmie and Pop Pop for allowing me to come up and decorate all weekend.  It was a wonderful weekend!

AFTER--The dining room got curtains!  They make everything feel so much more dreamy!

AFTER--The Dining room also got additional lighting with these mercury glass buffet lamps.  Marmie loves mercury glass!

AFTER--Pretty platters on the wall remind us that this is a fully functioning dining area.  Marmie's mid-century serving piece was quirky and fun, and she wanted it to stay in the room for extra dish storage.  We added a fun mirror over top to dress the space up a bit.

AFTER--A new centerpiece feels happy and  bright.

AFTER--Cheeseboards on the wall break up the formality.

AFTER

AFTER--Marmie had two extra dining chairs.  We pulled these to the open area behind the sectional to fake a southern style keeping room.  This room is directly off of the kitchen and is the space where everyone loves to sit, drink coffee, and watch Marmie bake.   

AFTER

AFTER--More mercury glass on the mid-century server keeps the glitz going in the dining area.

AFTER--The formal living room got a fresh new rug!  It anchors the space and helps define it.

AFTER--We used a special clock of Marmie's to re-do the fireplace mantle.  Her father's chair has a place as well.

AFTER--The old chest that used to be in the family room came to the living area.  It was smaller and works better in front of the smaller sectional.

AFTER--The keeping area deserved a fun sofa table and accessories.  A new custom photo wall shows off the family initial and enlarged photos of the grand babies.

AFTER

AFTER--Custom Birchwood Blog art in the form of a verse went over the credenza.  Along with some of Marmie's favorite accessories.

AFTER

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AFTER

Love y'all!  Thanks for enjoying!

Ashley

Marmie's BEFORE AND AFTER part 1

My husband's childhood home is situated in the mountains of upstate Pennsylvania.  The farmhouse and 80+ acres were sold to his father, by his grandfather.  For Drew's mom and dad, it was quite the quintessential place to raise 4 children.  Though I'm told, it didn't always look the way it does now.  The farmhouse is ancient, complete with secret hideaways and a fresh water stream flowing right through the old cellar.  Dead serious.  To this day, ice cold spring water flows right under the home.  It's that old.  

The rustic home is just that, situated in the mountains, hours from the shopping mall, or Target, or anything else this world deems necessary.  But the views are amazing, and you'll never see a prettier place.  You literally can't get cell service, but you also don't really care.  

Century-old mountain homes take a lifetime to revitalize, and that's exactly what Marmie and Pop have been up to.  For the entirety of their marriage.  Construction, bedroom additions, decks,  a detached garage, and 2 ponds later, the homeplace is nothing short of a Mountain Retreat.

So when Marmie booked me and baby J a ticket for an extended weekend to re-design her main floor, I was ecstatic.  A short 2 hour drive from the New York Airport, we arrived to white snow on the ground, a neighbors wood stove smoke-smell  in the air, and Marmie's famous cinnamon buns covered in gooey caramel sauce and pecans.  You see, Marmie is the best Italian cook I've ever met.  Praise the Lord for marrying up!  Her home is one of those homes, no matter what, you feel like a queen.  

In the north, you take your boots off at the back door, every time.  They're covered in snow and road salt, silly!  Two sock-covered-steps into the house, you smell black coffee, dessert of some sort, and whatever the heck is in the oven that is making you drool.  Her eggplant Parmesan has a 2 inch layer of mozzarella cheese on top, fresh basil sprigs are sunning themselves  in the window, and the inside of the fridge looks like an Italian New York deli on steroids.  There's never a shortage of food, Italian leather sofas, or silky sheets.  

Yep.  I married a keeper.  I married a whole family of keepers.  

So with Pop Pop's blessing, and two days of prep,  I set to work bringing y'all one of our largest square footage 'BEFORE and AFTER tours' of all time!  

And here it is.  Part 1.  The FAMILY ROOM BEFORE AND AFTER tour.

BEFORE-- The room lacks lighting.  Only one lonely table lamp sits too low at the end of the sofa.  The antique wooden chest is fabulous, but not large enough to accommodate all the family feet during football games.  Marmie verbalized that she wanted a new color scheme as well.

BEFORE--The bookshelves seemed too full.  The room again, feels too dark with no additional lighting.  

Marmie and Pop decided to replace the massive sectional before I arrived.  The 20+ year old burgundy leather was quite literally, shot.  Years of family movie nights and Super Bowl parties  had taken their toll.

Below, my loves, enjoy the 'AFTER' tour!

AFTER--we added 4 additional table lamps to bring the maximum amount of light into the room.  A tall sofa table allows the lamps to cast even more light into the room.

AFTER--the new color scheme included grey, silver, and blue.  Though the room seemed too dark for grey, and the couches too brown, grey was actually the perfect color selection.  The room is already masculine, there was no sense in hiding it.  Grey makes the brown leather feel more luxurious.  Silky grey and bright silver was a great contrast against all the dark rustic wood tones.  Making everything feel a bit more jazzy.

AFTER

AFTER-- three new mirrors are hung on the never-ending back wall to serve as a focal point.  They also reflect more light from the windows, helping the room feel less gloomy.

AFTER--These adorable matching antique dressers are the new end-tables.  They are taller then the original end-tables, which aids in casting soft lamp light into the room.  I found them in a spare bedroom, so they were a $0 addition! The room is big.  I layered a massive blanket-basket in front of the large dresser, and pulled a new arm chair and ottoman in close for a cozy conversational-feel.  Big rooms desire big pieces.  But remember, if you forget the small touches, you'll completely miss the homey-cozy feel.

AFTER--the bookshelves were too full.  I cleaned them up a bit and added touches of silver, our new color scheme.  What a pretty contrast!  Pop-pop's antique binocular case enjoys a view of the living room as well.

AFTER--I brought in the ottoman from the formal living room.  It seemed much happier in the family room space.

AFTER--Using a tray to house smaller accessories, helps the end-tables feel clean, and petite pieces don't seem lost.

AFTER

Stay tuned for part 2 of Marmie's main floor make over!  Love you Pop and Marmie!

Ashley

D's BEFORE AND AFTER

Once upon a time there was a sweet queen.  Her and her family decided to sell their spot of land and dwelling.  She sent word to myself asking I come hither.  She was pitchkettled at the thought of having to sell off her homestead.  Though her home was beauteous, she wanted everything to feel modern and fresh for the prospective buyers and agents.

Whewww.  Never mind.  Perchance thought I could write a whole post in Medieval jargon but it just isn't quite possible.  Sorry guys.  Back to English-bloggy writing.

My sweet client, we will call her 'D', is selling her home.  Y'all know, BEFORE and AFTER tours are my favorite, even if I do have to write down all the exciting details in normal old english.  Queen D has a gorgeous home.  It's spacious and kid friendly and cozy.  Their family leads an exciting life and they wanted some fun staging to "drama it up" a bit for the sale.

I present you with her BEFORE AND AFTER tour for your viewing pleasure. What a fun job.  Thank you sweet Queen D, we loved staging your home!

BEFORE:

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

ANNNNNDDDDDDD....

The AFTER TOUR.  Thanks Lady D for letting us re-design your space!  Bring on the offers!!

AFTER

AFTER

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AFTER

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AFTER

AFTER

AFTER

Y'all know our thoughts on the increasingly popular staging... It Really Works!  Staged homes statistically sell faster!  Drop us a line.  And you may love your home so much, you decide NOT to list it!  And even if you aren't selling your home, it's never too early (or too late) to spruce things up.  Invest in your biggest investment!  And love the space you're in.

Love Y'all!

Ashley

Centerpiece, oh centerpiece

So this blog goes out to all my friends who desire amazing centerpieces.  Show stoppers.  Not the type of centerpiece where you just drove down to the big box store and bought something already put-together.  No.  No, no no.  Remember, this is about using what you have to make something original and special.

Yep.  Today's blog is a freebie.  Because everyone probably has something in their house that can be brought to life again!

I love centerpieces because they can be very beautiful, functional, and whimsical.  My mom has literally called me to say that her small group leader had a drop-dead-gorgeous centerpiece.

 Yep.  If you think people aren't staring at what's in the center of your table/island/breakfast nook/coffee table, think again!

I'm going to go ahead and use this rule of thumb: WWMD?

What would Marilda (Cuthbert) do?  Well if you didn't watch Anne of Green Gables as a child, I'm very very sorry for your poor soul.  Because Anne's adoptive mother, Marilda, was absolutely brilliant when it came to centerpieces.

In WWMD, 'M' can also refer to my great-Grandmother Mary.  She had a knack for centerpieces too.  Whenever we'd travel to their small home in up-state New York, she'd have a fresh bowl of concord grapes in an antique glass dish placed in the center of the peninsula.  The next morning she'd have a tiny silver tray complete with sugar, cream, and home-made black raspberry jelly in the center of the breakfast cart.  Usually, the round dining table had a grouping of antique soup terrines on a lace tablecloth staring down at me.  Oh these centerpieces were usually functional too.  My Grandma Mary was all about function.  But she loved something elegant.  She'd do this sweet little gasp when she loved something.  She was pretty amazing.

Marilda reminds me of Grandma Mary.  If you watch the beloved movies, you can see clearly that Marilda has absolutely perfect taste.  Her kitchen was lined with crocks and her tea service sparkled.  She always had fresh flowers, polished silver spoons, and baked goods beneath iridescent cloches.

Alas, this is what we aspire to.  So...  Shall we?

First.  Start with a base.  If you start with a tray or cutting board or basket, this allows for easy movement.  For instance, when the kids gather around the table, or your friends come over for a game of cards, you can quickly scoop the center piece out of the way.   Another rule of thumb, contrast.  If your table is dark wood, don't use a wood tray.  Do something that contrasts your piece of furniture.  

Some examples.  A metal tray on a wood table, a wooden cutting board on a painted table, a rattan tray on a fabric ottoman.

Second, think color.  This can be fresh flowers, faux herbs, a colorful bowl of vegetables, or a photograph.  A small child's painting works well too.  Try a stack of fiesta-ware dessert plates!  Copper mugs, or a hand painted flower pot can be pretty as well.  My sister once had a pretty antique bowl full of onions on her kitchen counter top.  Onions?  Yes, onions.  Something simple and ALIVE can be just what you never knew you always needed.  Especially in the winter time!

Third, layer in something textural.  I like a stack of cloth napkins, a doily, or a folded dish towel.  Sometimes a bit of rust, or a rare patina on a trinket can function as texture.  If your sugar and creamer is tarnished silver, throw it in the mix anyway!  Perfectly polished silver belongs on "Downton Abbey".  Insert silent prayer asking God why you were not born in the early 1900's.  Oh it was good.  As Mary Crawley or Sybil Branson of course.

Finally, add in something functional: mug coasters, silverware bundles, bottled sparkling water, or a tasty treat.  My grade-school girlfriend lived on a huge farm.  Her mom always had this big glass bowl full of goldfish crackers on the island.  The bowl had a little tin lid.  I'll never forget digging my hand into that dome for the salty sea creatures.  Functional items, like Grandma Mary's concord grapes, usually spark a happy memory for guests.

Other options can include: a scented candle, a conversation piece, good books, or something unexpected.  Unexpected items could include a vintage camera, a victorian bust, or a favorite knick knack.  We all know how I love trinkets.   My mom called that day after small group to explain a very unique centerpiece.  Her girlfriend had displayed a vase full of summer's gardenias in a little child's suitcase.  Quite memorable!

Don't forget to think seasonally.  Spring commands a little nest or a tiny ceramic rabbit.  Summer begs strawberries or hydrangeas.   Fall asks for gourds or wheat.  Winter would be a perfect time for pine cones or to showcase a fresh bowl of cracking walnuts.  How festive?!

So you'll need:

A base

A color

Something textural

Something functional

Something unexpected

Done!

With this piece the base is the tool box because it has a handle and is easily moved out of the way.  The color is the sprig of greenery.  The texture is the contrast of the silver with the ceramic with the wood.  The function is the use of the silverware.  The toolbox itself is very unexpected on the breakfast nook.

With this island center piece, the base is the scale.  Though the scale is not easily moved, it does ground the piece.  The color is the fruit.  The texture is the rust contrasting the stainless tray.  The function is also represented in the apples.  The unexpected is the fact that this is a vintage postal scale in the middle of the kitchen.

This is a grouping on an entry table.  The base is the tree slice.  The color is represented in the wildflowers.  The texture is the clean glass bottles contrasting the rough disc of the tree bark.  The unexpected is the deer antler.  Please note that this piece has no real function.  However, the wood slice was given to me by a friend, and the antler was from a deer harvested by my dad many years ago.  So beauty and memory is sufficient for this centerpiece.

In this centerpiece, the base is the butcher's scale.  The color is the greenery and the pears.  The texture is the terra-cotta pot contrasting the wooden bowl contrasting the cotton scarf.  The function is the fruit bowl.  The unexpected is the fact that the scarf is just that, and not a true table runner.

So go for it!  Spruce up your table.  Dress up your peninsula!  And don't forget to share your pictures with us!  We all want to see!  Tag @thebirchwoodblog in your instagram posts!  I can't wait to see y'all go!

Love Y'all!

Ashley

The Lovely Lady L and her BEFORE AND AFTER

My wonderful client, we will call her Lady L, contacted me a few weeks back and was wanting some help with a re-design of her lovely home.  She had painted her main floor and was wanting a fresh set of eyes to put everything back together.  So fun!

L is very special to me, and she's a repeat customer.  So I was eager to get to her place and see the dilemma.  You see, L has the most gorgeous collection of family heirlooms you have EVER SEEN.  Not to mention, L is a wonderful historian.  She knows the precious stories behind each special unique piece.  She can date some of her heirlooms back over 500 years!

The sheer thrill of searching L's basement for pieces to tie into her rooms, gets me every time.  As we uncover each collectable, L tells me in detail, the story behind her treasures.  

One gorgeous silver pitcher catches my eye.  L explains.  Her Grandfather was a physician during the great depression.  A family brought a sick loved one to him, needing the doctor's care.  Having no money, families often paid with valuable items.  The silver pitcher was this family's only way to purchase his services.  The pitcher is inscribed with an 1800's date.  Oh the story!  Can you imagine? My inner history buff was squealing!  How amazing.  To have history like this in one's own home!   I truly appreciate all of these amazing stories.  

L brings me an old pharmaceutical scale that belonged to another loved one.  It's marbled top shows it's unique age.  One of her relatives was a pharmacist long long ago.  The scale measured delicate tablets and tinctures.  Aren't you just dying?  I'm in the coffin over all these epic stories!  And y'all know my love affair with antique scales.

Well.  Enough talky talky.  I'll let you all enjoy her before and after photos.  Keep in mind, my consult was after the paint job.

BEFORE 

BEFORE

Below is the after tour.  Thank you to Lady L for allowing us to post your beautiful home on the blog!  What a wonderful day I had.  Decorating with your treasures is such a joy for me!

AFTER

AFTER

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Love Y'all!  Ashley

I NEED a Snack

Need something gourmet for your guests in a JIFFY this weekend?  Drew and I tend to have really last minute get-togethers with friends.  You know, when you realize on friday night at 6:30 pm that you have no plans?

To avoid lameness, we whip up quick snacks and start bribing our friends to come over for games, coffee, and food.  They hear the options, and usually when food is mentioned, especially fun appetizers, they take the bait.  It's literally bait.  

So here is one of our favorite "last minute" food ideas for your rainy Friday night in, with close comrades. 

This Caprese salad is the best thing EVER!  My Italian husband can make some italian hors d'oeuvres and this is a go-to for maximum freshness!

So this is what you need:

1 garden fresh tomatoe

1 log of mozerella

6 basil leaves

1 bottle of balsamic glaze

Slice up your beautiful log of mozzarella.  Mmmm!  So good right?  Try not to just start eating the mozzarella log all by itself.  Now slice your tomato and stack on top of your basil wedges.  Top each little stack with basil leaves.  We grow these little guys in pots on the porch, so they were somewhat 'free' as well.  Lastly, make a pretty swirl on top with your balsamic glaze!  I tend to go arty-fartsy on this step and draw pictures with glaze, etc.  Just enjoy the fun!

TA-DA!  Look at you be fancy.

No tomato or basil?  No problem!  Another variation is Mozerella topped with a pear wedge and balsamic glaze.  We also love mozerella topped with  peach slices and balsamic glaze.  In the winter time, when fresh basil is hard to come by, we use a dab of pesto sauce that we keep on hand in the fridge.  Yummy!  My all time favorite store-bought pesto is Costco's Kirkland brand.  It's amazing.

These are pictured on a Pottery Barn tray, but feel free to also serve guests fun foods on wooden cutting boards, or even parchment paper on a wedge of tree stump!  So cute.  However, as soon as the picture was snapped, we ate them in 15 seconds flat!  So keep in mind they tend to go pretty quickly.

Happy Friday my LOVES!

The B house: BEFORE AND AFTER TOUR

I was blessed and honored when The Birchwood Blog was asked to re-style the "B" house!  I couldn't wait to get started on this beauty.  Feast your eyes below at their GORGEOUS home!

The B family needed me to use what they currently had to update their home.  You see, they're moving to Texas and want the home to sell quickly.  

Raising 5 kids in a house for decades can be pretty hard on any family's decor style.  And relocating quickly can make it difficult to get a home 'open-house-ready'.  I was excited to get started!  The B family wanted me to use what they had and showcase the home's amazing 5 star features.

So after 5 days, a few gallons of paint, and some fresh accessories, the job was complete!

Ladies and Gentleman: Bring on the offers!

BEFORE: Kitchen

BEFORE: kitchen

BEFORE: Kitchen 

BEFORE: Breakfast

BEFORE: Living room

BEFORE: Dining Room  

BEFORE: Entry Way

BEFORE: Master Bedroom 

BEFORE: Master Bathroom 

BEFORE: Master Bathroom 

So after some exciting days in the home, we were able to re-do their house just in time for the housing market!  

A Staging budget doesn't have to be expensive.  We used what the B family ALREADY had.  We bought no new furniture.  And we de-cluttered.  

After: The Kitchen

AFTER: The Kitchen

AFTER: The Breakfast Room

AFTER: The family Room 

AFTER: The Living Room 

AFTER: The Dining Room 

AFTER: The Entry Way

AFTER: The Master Bedroom 

AFTER: The Master Bathroom

A huge 'Thank you' to the "B Family" for allowing us to showcase your home and style it!  It was such a fun job!  

Are you having trouble selling your home? Staging works!  Contact us through the tab, let us know, we can help!

XOXO

Ashley

January Home Tour (how to survive after Christmas)

Hello my loves and welcome back.

Yes I am a lazy blogger.  I left y'all high and dry for almost two strait weeks.

Yes I ate a lot of high calorie food and spent a week in the Great White North.

Yes I missed y'all. 

Back to blogging.  And a sound resolution to be even more epic this year.

Holler.

So you pulled down all the Christmas decor.  Your house looks naked.  Naked.  Or if you're a southerner, you say "Necked".  Like neck-ed.  That's how you say it.

So this little photo shoot is to show y'all how I'm coping with the post-Christmas Neck-ed blues.  And it's the blues.

Now don't get me wrong, I was ready to rip down everything.  My live greens had long died.

We got off the plane from visiting family, walked in the house, and upon eyeing my spruce, knew it was over.  The poor thing was strait-up brown. 

Oh Lawd. 

More needles on the floor then on the tree.  Probably from Drew beating it to death on the night of installation (we found a snake skin in the tree).

Well we got the bright idea to take the tree down, start a bonfire, get baby J and the s'mores supplies, and make it a family event.  Burning the tree.  Quite sadistic I know.

Drew puts the tree on the stack of damp wood, lights one match, and KABOOOOOOOOM.  Without any gasoline, our poor spruce was nothing but ash in about 19 seconds.  Talk about eating on the run.  I barely had my marshmallow on the stick and I was running for my life.

All that to say. It's back to decorating.  But with what?

No elves, no greens.  NECK-ED HOUSE?!

Below my loves, you will see.  It's all my excuses to make the house look cute.  Even though it's January.

I hope this inspires even the dreariest of homes.

So I set the table.  It made me feel better.  Why not act like you're about to have a gorgeous brunch party?

So let's face it.  Color is the issue.  We all need color.  Our houses aren't red and green anymore.  Lemons did the trick here.  Citrus was traditionally given as a Christmas gift.  So I figured it wasn't too weird to use it as a pop of color in the winter time.  And a spray of tiny yellow flowers had to be added.  I had to y'all.  It's just too brown outside.

My formal dining room stayed ridiculously neutral.  I left the pheasant feathers in the cream pitcher on the lady's writing desk.  

A cluster of crocks got a greenery sprig as well.

Succulents seemed legal this time of year.  I was given a whole pot of them for Christmas by a dear friend.  Green color for the win!

The desk got a greenery, a weird little bust, and books.

My gigantic scale got low on the floor and a basket on top holds my Christmas gift: a Hudson Bay blanket.  Thank you to my sweet mother-in-law for a wonderful surprise!

Drew built my barn wood doors as an early Christmas gift.  I love them.  I left plaid on the couch because I'm still kickin' it with my plaid everything!  Cozy!

I changed it up and got frisky with my 3 tiered kitchen tray.  It took a non-traditional spin in the living room.  I filled it with reading material, a succulent, pine cones, and exra throw-blankets.

Thank you Tara! Your Christmas succulent gift inspired this whole search for color!

I scored these Turkish-towel-look-alikes at Ross for $3.  Use this time of year to freshen up with extremely in-expensive touches.  

Put a tray on your bed.  Go ahead and do it.  As a girl, I thought bed trays were absolutely dreamy.  Who can't love feeling like they live in a B&B?  Pears add color, teacups for fun, and the morning paper.

Back in the kitchen, a basket of herbs and my cute horse from Lancaster.

I even spruced it up in J's room.  She got my old living room lamps since I got new living room lamps as a Christmas gift.

Love y'all!

This recipe saves you $40 a month!

So this recipe is the bomb.dot.com.  Yep.  You can save $40 a month in grocery costs.  But more importantly, once you taste these babies, you'll never buy store-bought again.

Introducing your own home-made tortillas.

You will need.

tortilla press (link below to purchase)

Buy on Amazon

Water 1 cup

Flour 3 cups

olive oil 1/3 cup (or whatever cooking oil you prefer. We've also used coconut oil)

cumin/paprika/salt (a pinch of each)

So how are you saving that much money?  Let me just tell you.  My family loves Mexican.  It's on the menu at least once a week at our house.  We eat tortillas like candy.  We stack tortillas in Mexican lasagna, roll them in fresh dip, break them into pieces and eat them with guacamole.  And then of course there are fajitas, quesadillas, and anything else you can think of.  We have small group get-togethers and football parties that are themed Mexican food.  It's a big deal.

Of course, I wanted to always be purchasing the "healthy ones".  You know, only a few non-GMO ingredients, no fillers, fresh whole wheat flour?  Yeah.  Those specific tortillas are $4.99 for a package of 6-8 tortillas.  And we were buying at least 2 packs a week to support our Mexican addiction.  $10 a week, $40 a month, $480 a year?  That's the break down of what we were spending on nasty pre-packaged cold tortillas that still had quite a bunch of weird ingredients.  I don't think so kids.  I need maximum healthiness for minimal coins.

Well then we tasted these tortillas and realized we hadn't been just compromising budget, we had been compromising taste!  These puppies are warm and soft with a hint of smoke (the paprika) and sea salt.  And, so good for you, with a whopping THREE organic fresh ingredients.  One batch yields 14 medium sized tortillas!

Instructions:

Mix ingredients.  Form into round balls--about the size of golf balls.  Place dough balls, one by one,  in the middle of the hot press.  Spray press as needed with non-stick spray.  Press down hard and allow each tortilla about 5-12 seconds in the press before removing.  

Note.  You may want to read the basic instructions that come with the press.  My magic number is 8-10 seconds in the press because I like a really soft tortilla.

Done.

Boom.  You saved $40 a month and your whole family will be eating these by the dozen.

Mama's House

My childhood home since I was 5 years old, is still the dwelling place of my dear wonderful parents.  

"Mimi and Dee" are proud grandparents now, and their tiny ranch is still the coziest place on earth.  Every so-many-months, and especially during the holiday season, we climb aboard a craft and fly away into the Great White North.  Upon landing in the Philadelphia airport, we hail down "Santa's sleigh".  This is what we sisters affectionately call my parent's Volvo.  Shout out to all y'all out there in your 20's, 30's, and 40's who still get a full sized gift pile on Christmas morning.  The gleaming heap has a big tag on top that says 'Love, Santa'.  You trample your toddlers as you run out screaming with glee!

Amen.  Amen to my parents.  And Amen to Drew's parents too.  Shout out to Drew's Mom, Marmie, who is also quite the embodiment of St. Nick. 

Anyways, the Volvo nickname comes from her many travels 'to and fro' on the east coast, heavily laden with packages, gifts and surprises.  She's quite the sleigh y'all.  When I see her I get a nervous shiver just thinking about Christmas Morning.

We then drive the sleigh to Lancaster County.  We enter Mama's house, shut the door, and stand at the threshold and inhale.  The smell is a mingling of pinesol, leather animal hides and stove simmerings.  The floors are waxed, the sheets are the softest flannel plaid, and the food is abundant.  

"Head strait to the fridge like a boss YO.  Heck yea, Mama went to Costco".  Back home Ballers.  Our sister anthem.  Thank you SNL.  Even though you say bad words.

Anyway.  Mom and dad's home place.  She's a small little ranch cottage.  With the tiniest living room you've ever seen.  But cozy.  Cozy, cozy, cozy.

My sweet mama wanted some help making 'The Upper Valley' a little festive this year for our Thanksgiving family party.  So I came up with a Birchwood game plan before the plane wheels hit the tarmac.  It wasn't too tricky though.

You see.   My dear mom and dad's basement is like your very favoritist-bestest antique store.  On crack.  Not kidding.  The best stuff on earth can be uncovered in that musty cellar.  Family heirlooms, braided rugs, blue mason jars by the antique wooden crate!  Every type of amazing home-canned food you can think of.  A chest freezer full of deer jerky.  Every toy I've ever played with, every school-boy novel my dad ever read.  And everything else under the sun.  It's a dream.  So at first I was sort of overwhelmed.  But then I was like, "pull it together girl-we can make this stuff perfect."  And we started to cozy-up the cottage.

If you're ever overwhelmed, just clear the space out.  Put your items, piece by piece, in a separate room, and think.  Think: "What is this piece really great at doing?  What is this space really great at being?  What can I do with this piece that I haven't been doing with it before?"

Below is the BEFORE AND AFTER tour for y'alls enjoyment of how we changed it up at Mama's house.

BEFORE:

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

AFTER

We picked out a new couch with a washable slip cover.  Perfect for grandkids.  The lighting went behind the sofa on an antique table.  The space already feels brighter and more inviting.  A fat ottoman serves as extra seating and a squishy place for tired feet.

AFTER

Mom's antique North Carolina Tobacco basket is used as a large focal point on the wall.  

AFTER

Dad's antique sleigh bells fill a wooden dough bowl.

AFTER

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care.  I gifted mom with this antique fire screen many-a-Christmas ago.

AFTER

Mom's love of vintage busts comes through with this handsome hunk, nestled in the bookshelf.  Great Grandma Mary's wooden sugar bin peaks out from the greenery.  

AFTER

AFTER

AFTER

AFTER

AFTER

Under the tree we placed lots of grandbaby play toys.  They're adorable and it's a great place to stow treasured toys from years gone by.

Below are some additional rooms I helped decorate for Christmas at Mama's house.  She's got quite the talent (Where the heck do you think I learned everything from?)  Enjoy the rest of her spaces as a fun Christmas tour. 

AFTER

In the spare room, a wreath welcomes Christmas guests.  The Hudson Bay blanket is never forgotten on cold Pennsylvania Christmas Eves.  The bird-study was found at this year's "Country Living Fair" in Stone Mountain Georgia.

AFTER

AFTER

AFTER

The Kitchen is filled with Christmas cheer.

AFTER

Mom's home-made Christmas ball wreaths always sparkle under indirect lighting.  

AFTER

Pair together pewter and mercury glass.  It's gorgeous and festive!  Dad's pheasant feathers are happy memories of good hunting with the son-in-laws last January.

AFTER

AFTER

An old green seltzer bottle (also a Country Living Fair find I wouldn't let her leave without!) is the perfect hue of Yule Tide.

AFTER

Mama always wanted a kitchen tree.  This year we helped her reach that goal.  An old wooden potato crate makes this evergreen even taller!

AFTER

AFTER

AFTER

The very antique table Mama changed our diapers on, is now a side table for an evergreen.  We moved it to the living room because it's scale was good in contrast to the new sectional.

Love you Dad and Mama.  Thank you for instilling in all of us girls, your love of history and all things antique.

Ashley

L & A have a NEW place

Today I'm showcasing my beloved baby sister, L's new home!  She lives in the far away land of Delaware.  

Inhabiting the Eastern shore, raising a dog called Theo, and teaching high school English and Literature to a group of passionate teens is quite the quintessential life.  But beyond that is an adorable marriage and a very happily ever after.  A and L just bought this ranch style home near the seashore and I'm positively in love.  

They have spent the first years of their marriage in the time-honored apartment.  But now, their commencement of that era deems necessary a tour of my sister's exemplary taste.  I guess this is the month of home tours.  Perfect.   Now all y'all have a tiny collection of photos to inspire you!  For heaven's sake.  Her house was quite inspirational for me indeed!

L couldn't wait to give me the grande tour over Thanksgiving break and have me "help with some decor ideas".  Fiddle sticks and pish posh.

Well, my sweet sister-friend needed LITTLE TO NO help because her coastal cottage was practically perfect.

But we did, as sisters do.  And, after running around squealing, putting on slipper socks and drinking a pot of coffee, we set our hands to work finishing up some vignettes.  The next day we set off in wild fashion, thrifting and antiquing.  And once we got home, we sisters tore the place up.  All of my readers who have sisters are like: "Mmmmm hmmm.  Amen.  Preach."

So.  Below she has so sweetly consented to allowing me to showcase their home tour.  Annnndddd y'all are gonna love her.

Sweet L and Theo cuddle in the sitting room.  What's her best advice for making your new house a home? "One of the best ways to make a house feel like a home is to make it feel like you.  For my husband and I, that meant it had to be well-loved, eclectic, and of course a bit quirky." 

We think that sounds perfect!

This room deserved most of our focus.  We hung the antique baskets and scored this mid century chair in our morning thrift run.

L and A's bedroom is quite the haven.  She hand-painted all her furniture, Craig's List finds!  The bedding is a blend of West Elm and Pottery Barn.

Below the antique family blanket chest serves as a memory of days gone by.

L's entry way has a dumpster-dive mid-century mirror, boxwood garland and a Christmas trumpet for the season.

The living room is quite fetching with a collection of new and vintage velvet throw pillows and a massive chalk board wall.

The office boasts natural light.  Drew and I gifted them with our own first breakfast table from our newly wed days.  It became the perfect large desk for L's late night grading station.

L and A have a massive old wooden church table and pew as their dining set.

This tiny bar cart packs a punch in her spacious dining area.

This was originally supposed to be a tiny breakfast nook.  L would have no such nonsense.  She wanted big gatherings at the one and only big wooden table.  This room became a delightful coffee nook and southern style keeping room off of the kitchen.  

L used our grandparent's old chicken crate as a coffee table and added castors.

On top of the hoosier cabinet is a vintage hot peanuts dispenser.

Here they are.  

The savvy adorable couple.  Thank you my sweet loves for allowing us to showcase your beautiful home!  

We love it!

XOXOX

Ashley

M&M's Christmas Home Tour

My Loves!

Today I bring to you a SPECTACULAR Christmas tour.  My good friend M (and her hubby--also M) wanted some Christmas cheer at their home this year.  The Birchwood Blog was happy to oblige and honored to decorate their GORGEOUS historic home.  

Talk about a play day.  I mean, GLORY.  Take a gander below.  I was basically a 7 year old girl again, except it wasn't the Matel Barbie aisle at Toys R Us, it was crafting some Christmas at M&M's.

M wanted the home to feel comfortable and gorgeous.  She's a master gardener and loves live greens.  Her yard is beautiful and full of evergreens and century-old Magnolias.  Talk about perfect.  The inside of her home is full of cherished multi-generation antiques.  She wanted me to use what she had.  Well...it was basically Epic.

M&M, I hope you love your Christmas transformation.  I certainly am honored to share it today on the blog.

Feast your eyes my loves.

M&M's family room is a massive grand room with 20 foot ceilings.  

A green velvet chair near the tree invites Santa Claus to sit with a cookie, and is the perfect holiday hue.

We filled M&M's test tube vases with live sprigs and berries as well as some gold ting-ting.

The massive stair case begged for some festive jewelry.  Evergreen wreaths with gold and emerald ribbon fit the bill.

Antique spool chairs get home-made swags with evergreen and classic velvet bows.

M&M's heirloom silver candlesticks are showcased on the mantle.

Green beaded trees add some sparkle to an antique end table.

Live greens and felt holly sprigs fill two family heirloom picnic baskets

The kitchen is decked with simple charm

M&M's grande hood we dressed with live greens, little pears, antique silver dessert cups, and a massive wreath.

I obsessed over these English fine china plates featuring pheasants and grouse.

The breakfast chandelier is my favorite element in the entire design.  We covered this wrought iron beauty in evergreens and Christmas ornaments.  She was breath-taking.

M&M's masterful oeuvre below in the form of a delicate red flower.

Christmas Home TOUR 2015

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN!  Introducing our Christmas home tour for 2015 at Taylor's Wood house!  Please enjoy a collage of pictures to inspire your own CHRISTMAS decorating this year!  Coming up shortly on the BLOG:

My own sweet Mama's Christmas home tour in Pennsylvania

Our Outdoor Christmas display featuring Mr. Christmas (Drew) himself!

Other holiday home ideas

Christmas fun and food!

Let me be the first to officially tell y'all, "MERRY CHRISTMAS"

Entry Table Vignette: 

Formal Dining Room: 

Living Room:

Breakfast Nook:

Family Room:

Master Bedroom

Guest Bathroom:

Nursery Wall:

Ho, Ho, Ho!!!  Merry Christmas!

Love y'all!

Ashley

90 minute Thanksgiving Dinner & DECOR tips to WOW guests

So.  This post is for all my procrastinators out there.  For all my gorgeous readers who need to host Thanksgiving this year and it NOT be a headache.   The readers who want to enjoy family and not live in the kitchen for three days.  Hey, let's get back to what Thanksgiving is really all about.  

I'll toast to that.

Cheers to Thanksgiving!  Cheers to family time ACTUALLY being family time.  Cheers to home-made and semi-home-made.  Cheers to me scoring one of the turkey legs.  Amen.  Oh, and healthy.  And happy.  My sweet mother-in-law and my brother-in-law came to visit us this past week and we decided to have a little mock Thanksgiving celebration.  We all pitched in and busted this meal out in 90 minutes.  We ate til we were stuffed and had tons of leftovers.  I was so inspired to share the recipes and menu with y'all so that everyone could have an easy Thanksgiving in 90 minutes OR LESS!

Happy happy Thanksgiving to y'all!

This dinner feeds 8 adults (boom!)

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

Smoked Turkey

Red garlic potatoes

Sweet Potato pecan casserole

Great Grandma Mary's Cranberry relish

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with balsamic blueberries

Carrot celery stuffing

Smoked Turkey:

We bought a smoked turkey because they're already cooked.  And if you haven't ever had the pleasure of sinking your teeth into one, they're to DIE for.   You literally might die. This is your 90 minute cook time so this bad-boy goes into the oven first.  We cooked the turkey on 350 for 70-90 minutes.  We sliced 3 carrots and 3 celery sticks and an onion.  We poured a half box of vegetable stock in the bottom of the pan and added a splash of red wine, some garlic powder and salt and pepper.  Lay the turkey right down into the broth and vegetable mixture, cover with foil, and pop it in the oven.

While the turkey cooks for 60-90 minutes---or as packaging states per your turkey's weight, you will prepare the rest of the dishes.

Red garlic potatoes:

Wash then boil 10-15 red potatoes.  Drain.  Blend with 1/2 stick of butter, a little garlic powder, salt and pepper and milk.  Set aside.

Sweet Potato Pecan Casserole:

Open 1 large can of sweet potatoes or yams.  Use a pastry masher to mix the drained sweet potatoes from the can, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and 1 egg.  Pour into a making dish and sprinkle 1/2 cup pecans on top with another 2 tablespoons of maple syrup drizzled on top.  Bake sweet potatoes 35 minutes at 350.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Blueberries:

Pour a bag of brussels sprouts onto a baking sheet.  Pour 1 cup of dried blueberries on the sheet with the sprouts.  On top of everything, drizzle balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of grape seed oil, a dash of salt and pepper.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  Add extra oil if needed.

Great-Grandma Mary's Cranberry Relish:

See earlier post and read about my LOVE AFFAIR with this dish and my sweet great-grandmother.  In the food processor, blend 1 entire orange (including peel), 1 apple, 1 cup pecans.  Place in a large bowl.  Process 1 bag of Ocean Spray Cranberries, add to the bowl.  Dump 1 can crushed pineapple into the bowl.  In a small bowl mix 1 box of raspberry jello powder with 1 cup of boiling water, then add directly to all of other ingredients.  Mix everything and chill in the fridge.

Stuffing:

Okay here's the cheat, boys and girls.  Prepare a box of stove-top stuffing according to the package instructions.  Sorry kids.  I know that this is not healthy or cute.  But this is, after all, a 90 minute Thanksgiving.  Thank you JESUS.  Hashtag Dont-check-the-ingredients.  Bake 30 minutes.

That's it on the food portion of my easy-peasy Thanksgiving.  So easy my loves.  Simple.  Time saving.

So.  Now you have tons of extra time.  Time to enjoy your family.  Time to pull out the Christmas bins early.  Eeeek!!!!   Time to watch "Arthur Christmas" for the first of many viewings this season.  Time to plot your midnight shopping extravaganza and make some hot chocolate.  Time to enjoy the grandkiddos.

 Below are some fun ideas for Transitional Decor on your special Thanksgiving week.

So let's be honest, your front-porch pumpkins aren't rotten just yet.  And we're going to eat pumpkin pie in just a few hours.  So those can't get chucked!

Okay and then there is the whole big controversy on Christmas decorating for Thanksgiving...

Behold, sweet reader, there is a little thing I like to call NoveMas.  Or Christember.  Actually.  All of these portmanteaus sound really creepy.  Never mind.  Forget those.

What I'm TRYING to say, is you can transition fall decor into Christmas decor without getting into too much trouble on Thanksgiving Week!  Thanksgiving is a perfect time to use some of those pretty pumpkins from October, and start blending in the cozys that say Christmas!

"Wow" your guests and straddle both of the world's BESTEST holiday seasons with these fun blends!  

But first, one more picture of the flippin' smoked turkey.  Oh Lawd.  So yummo.

Y'all.  Just put up your tree already!   But enjoy your Thanksgiving Chalk board art!  Guests will feel festive but remember it's still November.

Enjoy your neutral white pumpkins and some plaid fabrics.  If you don't have one, buy or build yourself a hook rack for your foyer this season!  Drew made me this puppy with a scrap piece of 1x8x12 and a scrap piece of molding.

Hooks are perfect for guest's blanket scarves and wool hats.  Pudgy pumpkins still say it's November, but fabrics show it's cozy and snuggly inside.  Hey.  I'm still cuddling that smoked turkey, remember!?

Sneak up a pretty Christmas door wreath but leave those soft gourds on the table.  Texture up the middle of the table with a tray and some comfy November flannel.

Pop some seasonal greens over your bookshelves.  Simple swags or wreaths make even ordinary spaces feel 'Holiday-special' to guests.

Antlers scream "November buck season".  Grab someone's old scarf out of the coat closet and throw it down as a table runner.  Put up your tree on Thanksgiving morning and let it illuminate your dining table backdrop.  Long needle pines and pine cones are perfect for tucking candlesticks down in.  The glow from the tree will make things feel downright romantic.

Well that's all my tips LOVES.  Hope all of these fun foods and decor ideas make your Thanksgiving special and AMAZING.  

And remember how blessed we are.  Blessed by our families, blessed by a Loving Savior, blessed to be free in this country.

Happy Thanksgiving my LOVES!  I am certainly thankful for all of YOU!

Love Y'all!

Ashley

5 Reasons why You NEED open shelving NOW

Want to know possibly one of the most reasonable upgrades you can do to your kitchen or dining area?  Open shelving.  They are the best.  I have a million reasons as to why I love open shelving now.  And why this is the perfect last minute project before your big Thanksgiving get-together...

5 Reasons why you NEED open shelving NOW

1.  Open shelving is practical.  Our Birchwood kitchen only had 3 upper cabinets by the time we were finished knocking out two walls.  We NEEDED open shelving if I wasn't going to pack up half of my dinnerware!  The concept also makes it so easy to grab dishes you wouldn't normally use.  HELLO kids, it's the HOLIDAYS!  This is perfect.  In my case, the pretty white dishes rarely were grabbed for use in day-to-day dining.  However, when displayed on easily-accessible shelves, you are more inclined to take a pretty plate and enjoy your meal!

2.  They are pretty.  Dishes are pretty!  Whether they're from Dollar Tree (yes I own and enjoy a gorgeous set of dishes from Dollar Tree) or from your great-grandmother, dishes are beautiful.  Glassware is pretty too.  Mugs and coffee accessories are cozy and comfortable.  Bar-ware and stemware say: "relax".  Your guests even feel a little more comfortable with the causality of open shelving.  Instead of rummaging through cupboards, open shelving says "let's entertain".  People make themselves at home.

3.  They aid in traffic jams.  HUH?  Yes.   I've hosted huge dinners with 40+ youth leaders in my home.  You need traffic control! When your dishes are gently tucked on the wall, it frees up counter space for the food and serving pieces and folks can kind-of make an assembly line of sorts.  

4.  They can be seasonal.  Pictured below are my beloved Birchwood dining room open shelves in the fall--how perfect.  I loved to throw in seasonal touches.  Food and seasons always go together.  We all have cherished pieces we pull out during the Christmas time.  Or maybe some adorable little Peter Rabbit pieces for spring time.  Whatever the holiday, use it as an excuse to festive-up your open shelves.

5.  They're kid proof.  If you are strategic, you'll place your open shelving at a good distance from your floor.  Especially if you have small children.  This is a great way get breakables out of your lower cabinets and up on to open shelving.

Behold my DIY open shelving from Birchwood:

We bought 3 boards and 8 corbels from Home Depot.  I painted everything white and we attached them into the drywall after locating the studs.

You'll need:

3 boards to the length of your space

2-4 corbels per board depending on how many dishes you plan to use

Screws

White paint

Paint your corbels and boards.  Allow to dry.  We did 2 coats.  Locate your studs.  Be sure to find studs as dishes can be heavy.  Make sure if you have little ones that the shelves are beyond the reach of your kiddos.  Attach your corbels to your boards as well as the wall where each stud was located.  Decorate and enjoy.

DIY, done.

Preach.

Actually.  Come to think of it, Drew and I need to get some of these babies put up at our new Taylor's Wood house.  I guess there will be pictures to come!  

Now go get that last minute project finished up before Thanksgiving.!

COMING UP ON THE BLOG!!

How to DECORATE for your Thanksgiving guests AND cook a delicious home-made meal in under 90 minutes.  Yup.  That's it kids.  Everything you need to know for Thanksgiving will be here on the blog.  

And after turkey day.  Our Christmas tour will be going LIVE!  You're gonna love it!

Happy Thursday my loves!

Ashley

Great Grandma Mary's Cranberry Relish

Oh my loves.

It is with great joy I bring y'all my Great Grandma Mary's cranberry relish recipe. 

She was one of those amazing people you never ever can replicate.  Her garden was vast, her guest rooms filled with missionaries.  Her heart filled with love for others.  She was always willing to serve.

When our car pulled into the snowy drive in Corning New York, she would run down the drive and whip the car door open.  She'd hug the snot out of you before you could even get the seat belt un-done.  She'd go on and on about how tall we were and her laugh would ring out in the freezing winter air.  She had a delicious laugh.

  She'd usher us all into the house, through the mud room and into her tiny kitchen.  The kitchen would be laden with gigantic brown sugar cookies.  In the fridge was an antique yellow-ware bowl full of carmel pudding.  The tiny peninsula had a small glass bowl full of the last of the autumn's concord grapes.  The hall closet was sure to have the old orchard box, subdued with wooden toys and old sewing spools, perfect for tiny hands to play with.  

The leather-bound guest book and jars full of mints sat on marble top table in the living room.  We'd read old posts and laugh and cry and Grandpa Ira would sneak us mints.  The next morning I'd eat my gigantic bowl of oatmeal while she would name the birds sitting at her wooden bird feeder.  Black-capped Chickadees, finches, Eastern Blue-jays, and winter wrens.  She'd read and read and believed you should never stop learning.

I could reminisce for days to y'all about the wonders of Great Grandma Mary and her house.  She's with Jesus now.  And I can't wait for my day in Glory when I get to introduce her to my Drew and my daughter.  She'll probably just hug the snot out of them.  

Great Grandma  Mary's Cranberry Relish.

1 apple 

1 orange with peel

1 can crushed pineapple

1 cup pecans

1 bag of cranberries

1 box red raspberry jello 

IN a food processor--pulse the apple, orange and pecans until coarsley chopped.  Place in a large bowl.  Add in pineapple.  Process cranberries and add those in as well.  In a separate bowl, add 1 cup boiling water to jello, stir and add immediately to the large bowl.  Stir and chill 24 hours covered.

Serve with your Thanksgiving Day favorites.

And remember.

Your influence can last a lifetime.  Your legacy can be remembered by the first, second, third and fourth generations.  So love with your whole heart.  Remember and tell the stories of others.  Use every holiday to share your heart and your home fiercely.  Life is about loving on others and caring for those sacred relationships.  And don't forget to hug the snot out of someone.

Love Y'all.

Ashley

stove top smells

Y'all.  This is the best little brew for your Monday...and your week.  We have lots of holidays in front of us...EEEEEK!!!! 

But with that, is the cleaning and preparing for the house guests.  Then there is the seasonal decor.  Oh wonderful wonderful seasonal decor.  And online shopping.  Amazon Prime, Thank you Jesus.  Preach.

So yes.  I have a toddler, and I'll be at home, a lot.  And cleaning all my corners.   And Amazon Prime, and decorating, and eating.  And the Home Alone soundtrack serenading me.  Let every amazing memory commence.  So let THIS season rest on all your senses.  And that includes the sense of smell.

Sometimes candles are just soooo expensive.  Especially my favorite WoodWick holiday scents.  Sometimes Fabreeze reminds you of a dirty bathroom.  Even if it is in "Colorado Balsam Fir"  Sometimes plug-ins just aren't what you're looking for.  Other times, you want something to smell warm and clean.  While you clean.  I love my essential oils.  But that precious nectar gets saved for when sweet baby toddler is sick.

Enter in, my favorite stove-top brew.  This aromatic brew will become your new FAVORITE THING.  It smells so warm and clean and fresh.  In the fall and winter, having something simmering on the stove is just cozy anyway.  It's perfect for kitchen bar-top online shopping, dorm room lazy days, and cozy afternoons when the sweet babies get home from school.

The scent mingles perfectly with food as well.  It will over power a peeled onion, a time-to-get-bleached trash can, and even my daughter's dirty cloth diapers.  Gasp.  That's a good strong brew. 

You will Need for this autumn brew:

3-6 fresh rosemary sprigs

1 lemon cut into wedges

3 tablespoons of vanilla extract

4 cups of water

Throw all items into a pot.  Squeeze in the lemon and then throw in the wedges.  Fill with about 4 cups of water, or just to the top.  Turn on high until brew starts to boil and bubble, then turn down to a good strong simmer.  

As long as the mixture is simmering, the house is smelling.  I usually refill the pot a second or third time with water before I turn it off.  

Perfect for an evening when everyone will be relaxing around the kitchen.  

Of course, never leave something on the stove unattended.

Happy smelling my friends!  In other news.  Last night was part one of Christmas Home Tour set-up.  We had the fire going, the Christmas carols on, and this brew a-brewing.

 Festive decor and inspiration coming, y'all.  I CANNOT WAIT to show you the tour.

Love Y'all!

Ashley

Pumpkin Soup for the soul

If you didn't know by now, I'm a happy long-time member of the pumpkin psycho craze.  Please see all earlier posts this fall.

I'm also scrambling to share all my pumpkin wonderfulness with y'all in time for the frenzy of fall foods in November.  Everything pumpkin is fine with me.  And my daughter seems to love pumpkin as well.  We eat it without anything on it, right out of the Libby's can.   Literally.  We shared a can this week.  

On that happy note, I'm bringing you a very good pumpkin soup recipe today.   I've actually been perfecting the recipe since we lived in Maryland.  And I'm happy to announce it's blog-ready, after 6 years.  The first time I made the soup, I received a lot of backlash.  Now, my family and friends can't seem to get enough!

Even the pickiest of eaters open their hearts during the holiday months to enjoy some savory foods that are different.  

My parents always taught us to try everything.  I'm happy to announce that three out of three kids in my family can literally eat anything, because of my parents consistent encouragment.  My sisters and I can pretty much scarf down any sort of food, any time, anywhere.

Encourage your kids to try different foods, y'all.  As they grow up, they'll learn to enjoy all types of flavors and textures.  You won't have to worry about them offending others by not wanting to enjoy what others have worked hard to prepared.  They won't starve on missions trips and oversea adventures where the cuisine is hardly sugar-laden and covered in salt.  Teach your kids that we eat to LIVE, we don't LIVE to eat.

Food is so important y'all.  Thanksgiving and November teach us a lot about food.  Not all who live in this world get very much to eat.  So we are thankful for our food.  And we eat so that God can fuel our bodies to serve others and work for His kingdom.

I hope all y'all, and your spawn, enjoy this very fun November delicacy!

Chunky Pumpkin Soup

4 large carrots chopped

4 celery sticks chopped

2 onions chopped

1/2 stick organic butter

1 teaspoon Thyme

1 teaspoon Rosemary

1 teaspoon All-spice

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons yellow curry

1 teaspoon parsley

1 teaspooon nutmeg

2-3 garlic cloves minced

1/4 cup white wine

1.5 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

1 large can pumpkin

1 box of stock (I used Vegetable but Chicken stock would be good as well)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dump all veggies into a stock pot with butter and all the spices.  When everything is tender, deglaze the pot with the wine.  Allow to simmer another 2-4 minutes and then add in stock, pumpkin, and heavy cream.  Bring to a boil.  Immediately turn back down to a simmer.  Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer another 5 minutes.

I served the soup with parmesan cheese and my one year old completely approves!

Coming up on the blog...

How to transition some of your October decor into November decor... hmmmmm

okay here is a hint: I'm mad about PLAID!

And...

Our CHRISTMAS tour featuring Mr. Christmas himself (Drew!)

Happy November my loves!

Painting Pumpkins: $5 Thursday

I really needed one last $50 FRIDAY for October.  The problem is, my cash was more like coins.  Oh and it's Thursday.  

Let's face it, we're all gearing up for the trick-or-treaters this weekend, and the holidays are right around the corner.  Needless to say,  most of us don't really have money to spend on decor right now.  

So before we get ready to say goodbye to pumpkins and hello to turkeys, let's do one last happy Friday-Eve project that costs less then $5.  Yep.  Take the '0' off the end of that number $50.

I scored some ugly damaged Styrofoam pumpkins at Walmart last year for $2  a piece.  They were pretty beat up, but hey, they live forever because they're Styrofoam!  All of last season, I sort of hid them to cover up their obvious flaws.  You know, nestled them in a pile of leaf-garlands in a front porch urn,  prayed no one saw the chipping paint.  You can get seriously judged for faux pumpkins.  Let alone the kind that have white Styrofoam sticking out.

This year, with some acrylic paint I already had on hand, they got a face lift.  I'll share the make-over with y'all!  Especially if you buy clearance pumpkins now at the end of the season!

You'll need for this project:

ugly Styrofoam pumpkins you regret purchasing

white acrylic paint

green acrylic paint

paint brushes

Here are my pumpkins BEFORE:

To start, I hand painted the pumpkins white.  I just brushed it on to avoid having to tape the stems and spray paint.  Plus, white spray paint usually takes about 4-6 coats to really cover something this bright in color (orange).

Then with a small brush, mix some white paint with your green paint.  Giving it a pale hue.  Use the small brush to follow the natural grooves of the pumpkin.  Go back over the lines with a wider brush, gently smearing some of the green stripes into the white.

Easy peasy!  Look how fun these look?

I nestled them right into my front porch decor with a small pile of real pumpkins, faux pumpkins, and deer antlers.  A big shout-out to my sweet gorgeous friend Kim for donating these beautiful harvested antlers to the blog!  They are so gorgeous!

Love Y'all!  Goodbye October and hello Turkey Month!

Ashley

Millionaire Bookshelves

So this post is a freebie.  That's right.  This is a zero dollar make over, if you want it to be.

Styling your book shelves or built-ins can be really tricky.  Because most of us don't have dozens of leather-bound books.  Most of us have a few nice hardcover books, a ton of paperback flimsy books, and a lot of fun trinkets.  

What would life be without TRINKETS?  

I love trinkets.  Like, I'm obsessed.  My sisters are obsessed too.  We love finding new or old trinkets anywhere.  

Keepsakes, family photos, souvenirs, antiques, heirlooms, spray painted stuff from the dollar store, etc.  These trinkets are the sort of wonderful things that you want all around you as you relax in your beautiful home.  The wooden music box Pop made, the old glass bottle your kids found at the ocean, the family Bible, a black and white of a precious year gone by.  When I sit on my sofa and my husband stares lovingly at the Cowboys Football game, I snuggle in my afghan and stare lovingly at my bookshelves while I sip my spiced herbal tea.  Or heavily sugared coffee.

Who wouldn't want a few attractive ideas on how to do book shelves?  

For this project You will need:

Lots of books from around the house

Favorite Picture frames

A medium-to large sized pile of Trinkets(!!)

A few faux plants

A dust rag and some furniture polish

Step 1.

Empty your bookshelves of everything.  Give them a great dusting with your furniture polish.  Start with a clean slate.  Put your various items in piles according to what they are.  Books in a pile, frames in a pile, trinkets in a pile, greenery and plants in a pile.

Step 2.

Styling and profiling.  A great rule of thumb is "the every other rule".  For instance, if your top shelf is books, make the next shelf a trinket.  Notice I said "A trinket".  Not trinkets.  Let's keep it clean, kids.  No one wants to look at a hot mess.

  With books I like to arrange them mostly with the spines against the shelf and the pages facing outward.  I just think things look more uniform that way.  

 In my case, I had quite a few vintage books, some of my great-grandmothers books, and some old hard-covers I had already read.  These all function very well for "page facing out" books because they're no longer something I need to locate immediately.  I actually keep functioning books that we are currently reading or referencing in a cabinet that I can locate quickly.  

Step 3.

 A touch of green.  I also love simple succulents or greens in my shelves.  Nothing too hairy.  Just something pretty and bright to make things feel alive.  I always do faux flowers in book shelves.  Shelves don't always get a lot of natural light and no one wants to be dumping water in small spaces, between shelves, and with so many precious books around.

Step 4.

Personal touches.  Family photos are always a great addition to book shelves.  Or framed maps, framed house plans, framed art from the kids.  Things that make you smile.  Keep these muted or black and white.  A lot of books and a lot of bright colors can tend to make things seem cluttered.  I have two bookshelves sandwiching my fireplace.  They are the highlight of my family room!  But show-stopping book shelves don't have to be filled with every color in the rainbow.

I hope this helps!  I will definitely have lots of seasonal bookshelf ideas coming y'alls way soon!  Below is a loving photo of our Birchwood bookcases seasonally decorated for fall.  I had to throw in something seasonal for y'all!

Love, Ashley