Oh how much fun Christmas in July is! Though it is hot, hot, hot outside- gathering with twinkling trees feels festive and brings a whole lot of fun to those hot summer nights. We love to celebrate Christmas in July mainly because it is so much easier to get the whole family together during the summer than during the busy holiday season. So we plan a fun get together during summer- and a bonus is enjoying that holiday magic. Whether you are exchanging gifts or just getting together and enjoying making some memories – Christmas in July is always fun. Today, I am sharing the setting I put togeth ..read more

From family get-togethers to outdoor events, the summer season is full of busy and fun. However, with all the high energy of the season happening around us all -it is also important to find balance in our life and dedicate some time to slowing down and rejuvenating our energy so that we don’t burn out. And this is where summer slow living comes in.  Summer Slow Living We’ve talked about the benefits of slow living before, and it’s no different during the summer. Slow living is a lifestyle designed to help us live life at a slower pace with a deeper purpose. It is focused on living in the ..read more

It has been a minute since we chatted about our travels in France but today we are back in the French countryside for another stop. The village Saint-Cirq-Lapopie was on my saved list of places I wanted to visit. Since we were not staying too far from it- we mapped it and made our way over to it. It absolutely did not disappoint. Saint-Cirq-Lapopie Set in the French countryside, the picturesque village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is such a beauty. I have to also shout out the drive to get to the village- meandering through the countryside and groves of old trees- it was gorgeous. When you finally ..read more

Ahh summer… I love you. Sunshine filled days, warm evenings out under the stars and get togethers with friends and family. Though I have to admit- right now the heat wave is getting to be a bit much.  I am ready for a little less triple digits and a little more cooling down at night.  But even when it is Hot, hot hottttttt, summer always means lots of laughter and memory making- and delicious refreshing desserts. Like this summer berry rustic cake. Summer Berry Rustic Cake     Yes, I said the ‘Dessert’ word. And today I am sharing a simple and sweet berry rustic cake that ..read more

You know when you find something you love and you simply cannot bring it home fast enough? I will admit that it has happened to me many times. I tend to fall in love with all the things. Vintage misfit chairs, random tables, carved treasures, glass and china, loads of dainty linens, garden & patina covered everything and so on. Matter of fact, the things that I don’t fall in love with are… I am not sure I have too many to list. But I do have some things that I am always on the lookout for and for the past couple of years, I have been on the hunt for the perfect vintage English cottage flor ..read more

There is something about simple and sweet garden grown floral arrangements. With so many beautiful perfect arrangements out there – those simple and sweet mix and mingle bouquets feel ‘vintage’ and classic in style to me. I adore them- and the best part is no two are the same. Depending on what is blooming in the garden- each one looks a little different. Today I am sharing this beautiful gathered floral arrangement along with 3 tips for creating your own burst of beauty. Gathered Floral Arrangement Of course the first thing to suggest would be to pick up your basket and wander your garden to ..read more

It is an everything red, white & blue on repeat kind of week coming up in just a few days- and that includes 4th of July recipes that are colorful for your festivities. Whether you are venturing out for the holiday, gathering with friends and family or just staying home – this post is all about nibbles and treats you can make and enjoy this 4th of July- and these recipes are perfect any time you want to enjoy something simple and delicious in a snap. This summer it is all about entertaining ideas and table settings over here. We have some birthday parties, family gatherings and a Christm ..read more

Yesterday,  I woke up poured my coffee and then  looked at the calendar and realized it was almost July 1st.   As in… July 1st. Which means we are almost halfway through summer. Which then leads me to the question…      Where in the world did June go? And May? And April?  And basically the whole year so far? That summer home tour I had planned? Yeah… I may be able to pull it off yet but I am already looking at pumpkins and doing some fall planning. Oh and next week… it is Christmas All July. So a mingle of Christmas and summer is coming your way. And with a ..read more

Welcome to the Weekend View. This week is all about family, lots of fun with Enzo and welcoming his new baby sister. Baby Sophie We are so thrilled to welcome sweet Sophie to our family! Sophie is Enzo’s baby sister and she is an absolute doll and she is our 4th grand baby. We are all so in love with her already! Fun with Enzo While Enzo’s mom and dad were having baby sister- we moved on into their place for a couple of days to help with Enzo. We played with all the toys, watched his favorite show Coco several times, drove his car around the neighborhood and took walks to see the bulldozers a ..read more

It has been a bit of a whirlwind of a couple of busy weeks over here – but one thing we always seem to enjoy fitting in is doing a bit of treasure hunting and finding all those junking treasures. My brother and his family came to visit for a couple of days recently and my twin nieces had one request- they wanted to go junking and find some beautiful treasures to bring home with them. Say no more- we lined up 5 of our favorite thrifting stops for an afternoon of treasure hunting for junking treasures. Junking Treasures While we definitely don’t look for the same things while on a treasure hunt ..read more