This time of year always gets me thinking about ways I can be more green. We all know it’s important to reduce, reuse and recycle. We know saving energy is a very good thing. But sometimes it can seem daunting or overwhelming and you might wonder where to start. And sometimes, it feels like no matter what efforts we make we’re somehow doing it wrong or not doing enough. I’m not perfectly green by any definition, but I’ve got 10 simple things everyone can do, no matter where they live, to make their home greener.  There are so many simple things to do to help conserve water on a daily bas ..read more

Embracing the season of spring? Well here’s a happy, easy project to bring a little sunshine and color into your day. These little twine wrapped planters are perfect for brightening your home. I like the idea of a collection of them on the coffee table, or perhaps lining a windowsill. And they would also be darling as party favors or anytime gifts. Another idea: I can picture these as place-setting holders — you could hang the name name cards from an extra length of twine. However you choose to use them, you’ll be glad you made this easy project! Let’s get to wrapping. Supplies: – various col ..read more

’m giving you another California home and sunny interview to warm us all up today. Meet Shira Gill, a sweet mom and wife who turned her 25 house moves into a thriving and much-needed business that edits pretty much an entire life. Are you hanging on tightly to too much? Do you dread opening your closet in the mornings, not to mention – shudder – your child’s over-crammed wardrobe? Do your afternoons careen into crazy town no matter how well you think you’ve prepared for the chaos? Call Shira. I bet she’s either experienced or seen and solved much worse! Hi there! My husband, Jordan, and I bot ..read more

This meal was designed for breakfast, but it’s substantial enough that it could easily work for dinner too! And before we jump into the recipe, please tell me I’m not the only who hasn’t tried baked eggs — and I’m not counting eggs as part of cake batter. I make them over easy, boiled, scrambled, poached. In frittatas and omelettes. Egg salad too! I consider myself an egg fan. How have I never made baked eggs? The secret to making this easy egg recipe into a spectacular breakfast? The greens. Cruciferous family members like broccoli and kale were made to be eaten with eggs. The earthiness of ..read more

Easter falls at the end of March this year. And I’ve got a bunch of good ideas for things you can do to get ready for this spring holiday. (Don’t celebrate Easter? Several projects are more Spring-focused than Easter-focused — like growing wheat grass, and a mini carrot-cake for two.) Here are 15 pretty ways to prepare for Easter. Take a look. Most of these are super simple.  Salt Dough Egg Ornaments Have you ever made an Easter Tree? It’s an easy tradition to start and it looks so pretty. And it’s not really a tree at all. Instead, you take bare branches (or blossoming branches if Sprin ..read more

Would you like to see the floor plans for the Tall House? Today is your lucky day. I’ve got four drawings for you — and the last one includes measurements (in meters) for those who are curious about dimensions. If you do check out the measurements, you’ll see that the house has lots of rooms, but they are fairly small rooms. In fact, the largest room in the house is actually in the attic. Let’s start with the ground floor. In the U.S., we would call this the First Floor (or the Ground Floor as I just mentioned). In France, they call this floor Rez de Chaussée — on drawings we might say RDC fo ..read more

Homemade Almond Berry Granola Bars anyone? They’re sweet and a little salty, crunchy, and chewy. And they’ll hit the spot when you’re looking for something to nosh on. This recipe is good for anyone with a sweet tooth, especially if you’re a fan of dried fruit. The best part is that these come together quickly and the hardest part is waiting for them to be ready to cut into bars. Ready to make something yummy? Here’s what we’ve used: pure maple syrup, a little honey, and brown sugar along with some butter to create a syrup that will help keep all these yummy ingredients together. You do need ..read more

I read this article in the Wall Street Journal about well-done steak shame and I laughed because I totally relate. I know, I know. It’s like a have the taste buds of a 5 year old, but I can’t help it; I much prefer the texture of well-done steak. I don’t like rare or medium rare at all. If that’s what I’m served (and getting the plate cooked further isn’t an option), I end up eating the browned parts around the edges and giving the rest to my husband or kids. I really don’t like rare meat. Even though I love steak, I often avoid ordering it because I know I’ll likely get some si ..read more

Do you have any Valentine Traditions with your kids? We keep Valentine’s Day pretty simple, but we do have one tradition: Valentine’s Day Breakfast. We’ve kept the tradition for many years! If it’s a school day, we get up early. If it’s the weekend, we sleep in and have more of a brunch. I set the table the night before: Red tablecloth, heart confetti, the nicest dishes and stemware we have, cloth napkins, that sort of thing. The menu changes depending on the day. It might be French Toast with fresh strawberries and whip cream — or it might be toaster waffles if we don’t have much time on a bu ..read more

Present your Valentine with a handmade felt box, complete with a custom design cut out made just for them. Simple construction with a sophisticated look that can hide any number of sweet treats and gifts inside. Make them for your kids, your honey, or even for classmates. These little gift boxes aren’t just limited to the heart-filled holidays. They can be modified and styled for any time you need to give a gift. Think birthdays, Mother’s and Father’s Day or a random Wednesday when you feel extra kind. The gift recipient of these will have so many reasons to love you. It’s a kind gesture, incl ..read more