There is a plethora of blog posts and magazine articles about getting the “beach” look for the summer.  This time of year, the words summer and beach are synonymous.  However, I would imagine many people alternatively go to the mountains or lake instead of the beach. In Arizona, we are blessed with beautiful mountains within an easy driving distance and with the altitude comes cooler temperatures. So let’s head to the mountains and check out some mountain decor.

Adding some decor touches

When I go on vacation having a completely different decor/scenery helps with the “winding down and being on vacation” mode. Getting out of the daily grind and going on vacation means a slower pace, lowering my shoulders, spending time with family, being subdued and taking in the gorgeous scenery.

Any home can be decorated to feel like it belongs in the mountains with only a few of the right accessories.

My friend, Kristin, from White Arrows Home lives in a gorgeous mountain cabin in Wisconsin year round. She is the expert at decorating her log cabin, fondly known as Camp Paradise in a rustic style. Check out her blog here. She just opened a new store, too, so if you are looking for unique items, she does ship!

Utilize your space

What is a vacation getaway without a cozy place to read or nap?  I purchased this day bed years ago in a junk store.  At that time, the chippy paint style was not as popular and the frame is very white and very chippy.  I spray painted it a satin Moss Green from Rust-Oleum which is ideal for both indoor and outdoor use. Plus it blends in nicely with the colors of the forest.

The striped fabric seems fitting for a daybed in the screened-in porch. The bed actually slides out so the bottom cushions sit side by side~making a double size bed.  The pillows were my first attempt at sewing a welt on my own.  Don’t look too closely at my “rustic” mistakes!

Rustic Elements

In the same screened porch, we have a small table with 2 chairs and a vintage wicker lounge chair, perfect for a morning coffee.

Most of the furniture is cobbled together~leftover pieces from our home and garage sale finds.  But it all seems to work as cabin living here is casual and comfortable.

A Place to Gather

There is nothing better than family and friends gathering around a large table. This dining room set is a thrift store find and table leaves slide out to accommodate more seating.  The ladder-back chairs complement the mountains decor.

My friend, Linda Frederick, from Arcadia Design and Stitch made the seat cushions and pillows out of this sweet fabric.

Special Touches

Small accents like these old snowshoes are reminiscent of outdoor winter sports. Just a tip if you are looking for snowshoes~~they were much less expensive here in the Phoenix thrift stores than those in the mountains.

I love anything faux bois (French for false wood) which is the artistic imitation of wood or wood grains in various media. Since last year, I am consistently adding items with a Black forest motif to make the cabin feel more Scandinavian. To see my post about accomplishing that, click here.

This songbird arched mirror comes with a finish which lends to the rustic vibe of the cabin. You can find it here. Not only is it helpful to have a mirror in the front hall by the door, but it pairs nicely with the Black Forest bear and acorn shelf.

This simple, inexpensive bench was found at a junk store and I recovered it myself in cowhide. Situated right in front of the fireplace, it is the perfect place to warm up on a cold evening.

Find it in Nature

Being surrounded by beautiful Ponderosa pine trees, there is an abundance of natural material to use.  

We collect pine cones during our walks and they make the perfect centerpiece in an old dough bowl, or as a place card holder!

Accommodate the Weather

The temperature in the mountains can vary significantly. During the summer it is warm and toasty during the day, but the afternoon storm clouds move in and it can get chilly. As a result we have blankets and quilts scattered throughout the house. This vintage camp blanket was purchased one summer from Camps and Cottages during a trip to Laguna Beach, CA. 

One of my favorite shops in Laguna Beach, the owner, Molly English, is a talented designer. We became fast friends and I have all the books that she has written on camps and cottage decor.   Her latest book, Contemporary Cottages is filled with wonderful inspirational ideas and decor.

Show off your Collections

Collecting quilts over the years, provides each bed with a quilt. And each quilt has its own story.  

This sweet quilt in my daughter’s room was purchased many moons ago (before children) during a cross country trip. Hidden in a corner of an antique store, it was filthy and nearly black but I could tell that by the intricate stitching that it was a keeper.  Hauling it home, the quilt is placed in a bathtub filled with cold water and Ivory Snow. Miraculously, after a long soaking, the dirt floats away and the quilt came to life. You can imagine my delight when it was finally clean!

The maple four poster bed is mine from childhood.  I recall my mother stopping by the roadside and buying it for $2.50.  It was painted a bright red and she lovingly refinished it to its natural wood grain.

The quilt in my son’s room was made by his paternal grandmother.  It’s hard not to admire all the work that goes into these beauties. Does anyone know the name of this pattern?

A simple red and white checkered coverlet is in my other daughter’s room.  It pairs nicely with the Burberry fabric on her side chair and bedskirt.

The guest room has two twin beds and it is very difficult to find matching quilts.  However, a side trip to Bisbee, AZ many years ago yielded these yellow darlings.  The vintage fabric has some wear and tear but they are so sweet with the darker bed frames.

Whether summer means the beach or mountains to you, it is a time to enjoy your surroundings. Or maybe just adding some summery touches around your home is enough to make you feel like you are on vacation. The best part is to just enjoy it all~the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, as they seem to fly by so quickly.

Wishing you a summer filled with rest and relaxation!

I hope everyone enjoyed the nice, long holiday weekend. Each year we head to the mountains where the July 4th holiday is extra special. Everyone’s cabin and golf cart is adorned in red, white and blue and there is a strong sentiment of patriotism and love for our country. And, I do feel like I got some relaxing in! Welcome to this week’s Saturday Meanderings, where we just chat about all good things.

I am always amazed at the energy and creativity residents put into decorating their homes and participating in the parade. From highly decorated trucks and trailers to innovate dance routines, the Bull Frog Loop parade doesn’t disappoint. And I think this year’s parade is extra special after a year of lockdowns.

Hosting a Brunch

Since our cabin is on the parade route, we always host a pre-parade brunch. With about 30 guests, I did rely on the same menu that I do every year. My egg casserole (here) and a blueberry coffee cake (here). Since we have a large rectangular wooden surface, I made this fruit/croissant board. Mimosas and bloody Mary’s add to the festivities.

Bringing the Dogs

This trip we did bring Cooper and Sox up to the mountains, and of course, it takes a few days for them to adjust to all the activity. But as you can see, it didn’t take Cooper long to dominate the sofa.

Our pocket beagle, Sox did celebrate his 14th birthday. Our sweet old guy can’t hear as well and his eyes are getting cloudy with cataracts, but he still has puppy moments.

New Baby Birds

Last Saturday, I did share this picture of a nest found in one of the large geranium planters. It’s been hard not to peek but I just couldn’t resist and yes, the birds have arrived!

Each morning, I sit on the front deck with my coffee and watch the parent birds fly back and forth with food for their babies. The marvels of nature.

Using Puff Pastry

Pepperidge Farm puff pastry is a staple in my freezer as there are so many easy recipes you can whip up at the last minute. This week I did try a tomato tart from Twigg Studio. With caramelized onions, goat cheese, thyme and lots of lovely tomatoes in a puff pastry, isn’t this tart beautiful? Click here for the recipe.

Having an additional puff pastry sheet, I did use up the rest of the goat cheese, sweetened with honey, and ripe apricots for this tart. Drizzle a bit of honey on the top and bake. Since I did this on the fly, I didn’t measure anything but in retrospect, I would add more honey as the apricots are a bit tart. 400 degrees for 30 minutes (but note: this is high altitude cooking here).

Personal Gourmet

For many years I use the services of Personal Gourmet. Locally, Chef Jimmy Watters delivers restaurant grade protein to our home. This service has been a life saver with being able to have chicken, salmon, steaks, fish, meatballs, shrimp and similar proteins always on hand. Individually shrink wrapped and stored in the freezer, I cook up what we need and only have to make a salad or provide a vegetable side dish for a complete meal.

This is such a convenient service, especially with our growing family or even now, just for the two of us. Before leaving for the cabin, I placed a large order with Jimmy and now I have both freezers filled with things to eat. Since I prefer to cook at home vs. going out to eat, I know we are getting high quality choices for lunch and dinner.

It appears that Personal Gourmet may be located in Californa, Texas and North Carolina, in addition to Arizona. For more information about this convenient and delicious service, contact Chef Watters at 602 -339-2059.

Finally Painting again

I haven’t picked up a paintbrush since my Christmas painting of our cat, Donovan. Yikes. For something that I enjoy doing, I cannot seem to be disciplined enough to make time for it. But, being at our cabin with a more relaxed schedule, I am able to start a new painting! This painting’s inspiration is actually an arrangement of wisteria and lilacs done by my friend, Barbara from Mantel and Table.

It is not done yet, but it does feel good to put brush to canvas.

Watercolor Tutorial

Danielle from Finding Silver Pennies is a talented artist and designer. In one of her latest blog posts, she has a tutorial on painting mini watercolor seascapes. The video is 6 minutes long, and it is a fun way to experiment with watercolor paints.

With limited supplies, I did Danielle’s video this week. I do not use watercolors very often but practicing with her guidance is a good start! See Danielle’s post and video here. Danielle and her son (a young and inspiring artist) sell their artwork and various items on the Finding Silver Pennies website. Check it out here.

If you are in need of a watercolor set, there is a nice selection here. It helps to paint on watercolor paper. And don’t forget watercolor paint brushes here. Happy painting!

Laughter Therapy

It’s fun to share a good laugh, but did you know it can actually improve your health? After a very long and challenging year, it’s more important than ever to laugh and be happy.

It is true: laughter is strong medicine. It draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert. It also helps you release anger and forgive sooner.

As children, we used to laugh hundreds of times a day, but as adults, life tends to be more serious and laughter more infrequent. But by seeking out more opportunities for humor and laughter, you can improve your emotional health, strengthen your relationships, find greater happiness—and even add years to your life.

So go out there and laugh! It will make your face look younger too!

Cheers to you from the White Mountains of Arizona! Have a wonderful rest of the weekend.

If you missed my blog posts this week, see them below.

As I am writing this I am in the mountains of Arizona and out of the insufferable Phoenix heat. The only downside to owning a second home is there is always some maintenance problem to tackle. But I’m not complaining, as it is cool, green and gorgeous here. So let’s get started on our chat about all good things this past week. Thank you for joining me for Saturday Meanderings on this July 4th holiday weekend.

Speaking of home maintenance..

Upon our return from our 10 day trip to Nantucket, the air-conditioning unit servicing the kitchen, mud room, and library died. Fortunately, our HVAC person is able to quickly respond and get us a new one. OMG! When did the price of air conditioners skyrocket? But after a full day of installation, the kitchen is now nice and cool.

Our cabin has decks made of wood. One of these days, I know we should go to the expense to replace them with a composite material, like Trex. But that too is expensive and anything to do with construction materials is difficult to get right now. Well, I just couldn’t stand the blistering surface of the top of the deck railing by the front door. So a couple of quick passes with a belt sander and a few coats of Behr’s Weatherproofing All-in-One stain and sealer, and it’s a temporary fix for now.

Isn’t Nature Interesting?

As you may recall, we bring our big pots of geraniums up to the mountains for the summer. They LOVE the cooler weather and occasional rains. One of the first things I do when I get to our cabin, is dead head the plants and water them.

However, yesterday, a bird did not appear happy that I was near the plant. It was chattering at me looking quite disturbed. Sure enough, look at the beautiful nest I found buried in all the foliage. But why 3 blue eggs and a speckled one?

Why is a cowbird egg in someone else’s nest?

Cowbirds are brood parasites, which means females lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and let the other mother bird do all of the rearing.

The cowbird will wait for a resident bird to leave her nest and then will usually damage or remove one or more eggs and replace that one or more eggs with her own.

The foster parents unknowingly raise the young cowbirds. Who knew? Thanks to my son, Benjamin for sending me this information.

Update on Furniture damage

Thanks to many of you who shared their remedies for repairing the damage to the dining room table. I did try mayonnaise, but to no avail.

Once we return home, I may try a few more times, but in the meantime, are also seeking knowledgeable furniture repair specialists.

Grilling

It’s that time of year for lots of barbecuing and I cannot recommend these grill mats enough. Not only do they minimize clean up, but the grill marks still occur and the food tastes the same. Recently, we did grilled peaches and they were perfect!

I like the fact that you don’t have a messy grill when you are finished cooking. The mats clean up easily and are reusable. You can find them here.

My Garden

The high summer heat does fry many of the plants in the garden. Surprisingly some plants are actually blooming, like the Lady Slipper, a succulent that looks a bit prehistoric to me. The thin, lime green, leafless stems, create wavy, straight or arched clustered growth.

Right now, they are flowering with delicate pink blossoms that look like a lady’s slipper. Sorry the photo is a bit blurry.

Pumpkins in July? I just picked two pumpkins from the garden. One of these years, I am going to get the timing right. Last time I grew Fairytale pumpkins they were done by mid-June. But aren’t the stems wonderful?

Beautiful Pillows

One of the beautiful items I received in the May box from My Stylish French Box, is this gorgeous pillow sham. The colors are perfect for our master bedroom (see the master bedroom here). Not only is the quality very good, but I am able to order another one through the website. The second pillow sham arrived and don’t they look fabulous on our bed? Here is the link to the pillow sham.

Apparently the theme for the August box will be Un Weekend à Saint-Tropez. To learn more about this box, click here. These boxes make perfect gifts too.

Happy Independence Day!

Wishing you all an enjoyable, safe and happy holiday. Remember to celebrate the true meaning of July 4th~our freedom and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Thank you again for following me and sharing all your stories, inspirations, and recipes. I am so grateful to all of you!

If you missed any of my posts this week, you can find them below.

Another week has come and gone! And it is nearly February~this year is already flying by! It’s been an exciting weather week here. I am so happy you are joining me today for Saturday meanderings to chat about all things new and wonderful this week.

New Beverages

Nothing better than a cuppa tea when it’s chilly and rainy. My sweet friend, Gabie from Tea End blog is my go-to person when I am seeking a new tea. She recently featured this one, The Wellness Tea on one of her blog posts. Ordering online is very easy and here are some of the claims this 100% organic herbal blend does to boost your daily balance:

• Immune System
• Anti-inflammatory
• Ease digestion
• Control blood sugar level
• Calming
• Cleanse
• Heart Health
• Energy Boost
• Improve skin health

Every afternoon I make a cup and add a bit of honey of Crozier honey. The tea package holds 30 pyramid tea bags. There is no caffeine, artificial colors or additives. See Gabie’s post here (photo above from Tea End Blog). To shop The Wellness Tea click here.

Our orchard is bursting with delicious citrus fruit but we are specifically enjoying our fresh tangerines. This Sidecar cocktail is SO good. Not only are you getting lots of Vitamin C, but I also add fresh ginger to the simple syrup. The bourbon is warming on these chilly evenings too. We are loving this tasty cocktail. Recipe is below.

Time to Prune

January and February are gardening months here in Phoenix. It is time to prune your fruit trees, before the spring growth starts to bud. This year I decide to prune the apple, peach, apricot and fig trees myself as I haven’t been happy with how they look.

In doing so, I discovered that our apricot trees have a borer which is creating havoc. I am in the process of reading up how to deal with these nasty characters as we have previously lost a peach tree due to these invaders.

Cleaning and Organizing Projects

There are no big or complicated projects on the horizon. But I am tackling smaller ones that take an hour or so each and every day. Does anyone hate cleaning out the freezer as much as I do? It would be embarrassing to show you the before picture, but here is what it looks like now. Hard to believe I threw out a lot of things.

Over 3 years ago, I converted a huge tv armoire to store our bedding and linens (see post here). It is finally messy enough for me to pull everything out and re-organize it all over again. Why can’t things stay perfect?

It feels good to get these things done as they are not overwhelming nor do they dominate my day.

More Antlers

Our sweet friends Sam and Kate, who provided us with the fabulous elk antler sheds (see post here), just sent us several deer antler sheds. I cannot wait to use them in different scenarios up at our cabin. Just a reminder that deer shed their antlers every year and no animal was hurt in the process.

Does anyone watch The Great British Baking Off? Well, we are watching the Masterclass episodes by Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry. They are addicting and the worst part, is that all I want to do is B.A.K.E. Recently I made cinnamon rolls with dried cherries, cranberries and walnuts with an orange glaze.

Then I had a hankering for brownies, but made these Black Bean and Avocado brownies instead. I know what you are thinking~black beans and avocado? Surprisingly, these brownies are rich and chocolatey. For this recipe I did add butterscotch chips vs. chocolate ones. Here is the link to Ambitious Kitchen for this healthier version.

Making Nut Milk

Several people find it surprising that I make my own nut milk. I cannot tell you how easy it is to make this. What I like most about it is that I get to control the ingredients. My fresh nut milk only lasts a week so I wonder what they put into commercially produced nut milk to lengthen the shelf life. The best and inexpensive helper to making nut milk, is a nut milk bag. You can find it here.

To see a post on how to make your own nut milk, click here.

iPhone Photos

A year ago I invested in an iPhone 11. There is probably still so much I do not know about it, but I do know that the camera function is excellent. Most of my photos are taken with this iPhone. Since improving my photography skills is ongoing, I take a lot of pictures. Here are some I took this week while walking the yard after the rain.

Our Weather

Since Phoenix has approximately 300 sunny days in Phoenix, we LOVE getting any weather that produces precipitation. With little rain this past year, it is so glorious to have all the rain (and snow) this week.

My friend, Louise, who lives in a more northern part of Phoenix, sent me this picture. Typically, her desert views are expansive but not only did it snow, but the visibility is nearly zero. Such a rare occurrence!

And we had 14 inches of snow at our cabin in the mountains!

Well, as we wrap up January 2021, I hope all is well with you and your family. So happy you are here today for Saturday Meanderings. Stay safe, healthy and warm!

When we purchased our cabin, the previous owner left a few pieces of furniture. I don’t consider them to be my style, yet it is nice to have furniture already there that doesn’t require moving. This plain, brown dresser is a large piece left behind that we moved into the family room. Placed under the flat screen television it houses all the television equipment and family games.

The Original Cabinet

A few years ago, my daughter and I painted it green, sanding the edges for a rustic effect. We left the top of the dresser the original brown. The drawers in the middle look like 8 individual small ones, but they are really 2 large drawers with 8 small pulls.

The Inspiration

As you know I am trying to add a more Scandinavian/European flair to the cabin (see that previous post here). Since I have never been in love with this piece, the decision to hand paint it made sense. Searching the internet for hand painted Swedish antiques, I am inspired by these photos.

The Plan

Starting with a rather rough sketch, the design and colors are developed.

The actual flower design is inspired by this photo.

Painting the Base

The blue and parchment paint choices for the base cabinet are historical colors from Benjamin Moore. Instead of getting full size quarts, I purchase these in sample sizes from Ace Hardware. The deep red is leftover paint from a previous project. The actual colors names are up at the cabin but if you need them, let me know.

Most of the cabinet is painted blue; the drawer faces are parchment, and the drawer detail is in red. I do need to put on two coats of paint to completely cover the previous green. The hardware appears dated to me and I am looking for drawer pulls that are less bulky and intrusive.

At this point, the parchment looks more yellow and I am hoping to add an antique glaze at the end to tone everything down a bit.

Adding the Detail

Next, I hand sketch the design on the larger drawers. Using my acrylic paints, I select the color combinations I want to use. Any mistakes I make I figure I can clean up later.

I paint the large drawers first (2 of them) and then continue with the smaller drawers (4 of them).

The Obstacles

So far I am happy with the results. And now I struggle with what to do with the two center drawers. I attempt to paint them in the same fashion as the larger drawers, but think it may be too busy. Do I leave them plain blue? So I sit and stare at my options for a few days.

I consult a few of my very artistic friends and ask their opinion. Whatever I do can be always painted over, right?

The new hardware finally arrives! These Restorers Classic Curved pull handles with rosettes are in antique brass. Their smaller profile will be less dominant than the existing ones. See the link here.

But the sizes are wrong for the smaller ones and I am two short on the larger drawers. What was I thinking when I ordered these? Here you can see the style of the new hardware vs. the old, but the pull is too long. So I wait another 2-3 weeks for the right size hardware.

Adding the Glaze

In the meantime, I decide to paint individual flowers on the 8 smaller drawer fronts and antique glaze the entire piece.

The Finished Piece

So here is the finished piece…..well, I think it’s finished. I am wondering if I should add a red border to the 8 smaller drawer faces? And I am thinking about painting the top blue vs. leaving it wood. Your thoughts?

Once I am certain it is “finished”, I will put a coat of satin polyurethane over the hand painting to protect it.

Now I just need to find a way to hide the television equipment. It is so ugly, right? I do miss those huge armoires where you could tuck it all away and out of sight.

These colors go nicely with the oriental rug in the family room and adds lots of color to the rather bland walls. And I am so happy to have another daunting project in the rearview mirror!

Happy Tuesday to everyone. We are experiencing the most glorious cooler mornings and beginning to have my cup of coffee outside……finally after the hottest summer on record. Yippee!

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.

Happy Saturday! My hope is that Saturday Meanderings is to have a conversation with you about odds and ends about the previous week. So pull up a chair and grab a cup of coffee and let’s chat.

Boy did this week fly by and it is a stressful one that I am happy to have behind me. Do you ever have one of those weeks that everything you touch doesn’t go smoothly? The planets feel a bit misaligned for me lately.

My goal of heading back to Phoenix this week from our cabin is delayed due to car trouble. Finding a big puddle of pink fluid under the car didn’t bode well and this creates a delay in my trip home. As I am writing this post, I am awaiting to hear the status. If I didn’t have a million things to do in the Valley, I’d love to stay here. But I cannot complain to have another few days in our beautiful mountain weather.

I did start a new project with hopes of sharing it with you today, but that too, did not go according to plan. Last month, I wrote a blog post indicating my desire to add more Scandinavian touches to our mountain cabin. (see blog post here). Well, the re-painting of this chest of drawers is my first real attempt to do so. Here is a sneak peak.

This cabinet has 8 drawers of varying sizes. I have 6 of the 8 painted as my dilemma seems to be the these two drawers that are different from all the others. The two center drawers looks like 8 smaller ones with 8 ring pulls. So long story short, I decided to wait for the new pulls to arrive before I determine what the painting design will be. And the pulls came in the wrong size and I was 2 pulls short.

So as of today, the project is stalled until the new hardware comes in….and for my next trip to the cabin.

Mindful Minute

Since this week held more stress than others, I am so grateful to have access to Mindful Minutes. If you aren’t familiar with this, I cannot recommend it enough. My friend, Chas (from Chas’ Crazy Creations) has daily exercises on Instagram to reduce stress and they are a minute long. But I can honestly say, the one minute of taking a break from the computer (or other chores) and doing her brief exercises and breathing techniques is a LIFE SAVER. Seriously, it is the best thing you can do for yourself every day.

In addition, Chas is such a kind soul. She is the type of friend all of us need. Please get to know her. You will be so delighted that you did. Here is her link to Instagram; and her link to her blog.

Someone or something stole my pears

Last year, lo and behold, I discovered we have a pear tree at our cabin. This tree NEVER produced fruit before and was shockingly, full of pears. This year, the pear tree is also producing a great deal of fruit. Until this week. It has two pears left. The rest of the pears are GONE.

It’s a mystery as the pears are not on the ground. They have just vanished. Does anyone have any idea why this would happen? Is there a local pear thief? An animal?

Naturally I am so disappointed because last year I made the best pear dessert, A Pear and Caramel Pie (see recipe here) and pear preserves. Looks like I will just need to purchase some pears from the Farmers Market.

Rosary Beads

I recently received a payment for some work I was subpoenaed to do for a law firm who is suing the City. Long story, but lots of nastiness involved. Since the check felt like dirty money to me, I spent it on a set of rosary beads. If you have been following me from the beginning, you know I collect rosary beads (see post here).

Seraphym Designs, based out of Santa Fe, New Mexico makes the most gorgeous original heirloom rosary beads. Each design is carefully handcrafted in the United States and contains replicated devotional metals that date between the 14th and 19th centuries. In 2015, Seraphym Designs was commissioned to make an original St. Serra rosary for Pope Francis during his visit to the US.

Not only does the founder, Arasely Rios creates rosaries but she also makes beautiful jewelry. If you are looking for a unique one of a kind gift (they have a wedding rosary), I suggest you visit their website. And now I feel like I took bad money and spent it on something good.

Drone Video on my last Restoration

Recently I was contacted by the owner of my last restoration remodel asking if I would give permission for the before and after photos to be used for a virtual historical home tour. Looking back at previous projects is such fun, as I forget many of the details over time.

Here is a 2:33 minute drone video that was done after the completion of the Willetta Restoration. I truly think it is one of my best renovations. Video created by Austin Ely. To see more information on this 1922 Jeffersonian home, please click here.

Thank you for all the great advice

I hope you read the blog post this week on rejuvenating my fabric pumpkins. So many people offered solutions to the bug infestation (thank you, bay leaves) and alternative filling. Instead of rice or beans which tend to get bugs, readers suggested pebbles and cat litter. Such great ideas and I cannot wait to try them.

Always love getting feedback from you!If you missed this easy DIY post, click here.

Beginners Blogging Retreat

As you know, I started blogging to keep a living record of life here around our historic property/farm. And for the first few years, I happily dabbled in it. Last year I attended my first blogging seminar and realized just how much I don’t know.

I set my sights this year to learn more, because if you are always learning you are always growing, right? Well, there is SO much to learn about blogging and who knew? I certainly didn’t. But what I have learned is that what works for one person who has been blogging for 10 years, doesn’t necessarily work in today’s social media saturated world.

So, a group of talented friends are putting together a Beginner’s Blogging Retreat and we are holding it here at Bella Terra. If you are interested or have friends who are interested, please click here.

The seminar is for the person who either wants to start a blog or is in the beginning stages. It will be a fun day here at Bella Terra with good food, new friends, great information with lots of personal attention. Plus there is a discount for those who sign up before October 15.

We know that in light of COVID the world can change on a dime, but we are limiting the class to 10-12. It will be held on our back terrace, which is outdoors and has plenty of room to social distance. And it will be on November 12th when the weather is glorious.

If this is your jam, we hope you will consider attending! Also, feel free to reach out to me if you have questions or concerns.

That’s All Folks!

Well, that about wraps it up for this Saturday. Hoping your week went well. Thank you all for joining me!The official first day of fall is just around the corner! As soon as I get to Phoenix, fall planting begins! Stay safe and healthy out there!

If you enjoy this post, please feel free to share on Pinterest.