Easing into Christmas Decorating
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Easing into Christmas Decorating

Having the extra time between Thanksgiving and December has been such a gift.  I have been easing into holiday decorating, pulling out the easy stuff that doesn’t require 2 or 3 sets of hands. First stop, the bedrooms. My artistic daughter has such a beautiful bedroom.  There is an unusual combination of windows that face…

Setting the Thanksgiving Table
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Setting the Thanksgiving Table

Food seems to taste much better when served in a beautiful setting.  Even though I didn’t have an extravagant childhood, my mother always set a lovely table for the holidays, using her Franciscan Ware apple pattern. Are you setting a Thanksgiving table? If so, here are some of my tips and tricks to creating a…

Fall in Phoenix
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Fall Equals More Outdoor Living

I understand some of the country is having extremely cold weather.  But here in Phoenix, we are experiencing ideal fall temperatures.  The air conditioners are officially off and windows are open.  It’s time to remove the outdoor furniture covers and spend time outside for the next several months. One of the entertaining spaces at Bella…

Halloween Memories
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Halloween Memories

I know some people are not fond of Halloween, but I have such great childhood memories going trick or treating with my siblings in our small Connecticut town.  There was a cemetery across the street from our Dutch Colonial house. We would run by it really fast imagining all sorts of ghoulish things, squealing the…

A Bit of Fall Decorating
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A Bit of Fall Decorating

I love the longevity of fall decorating~~you can start in September, adjust it a bit for Halloween and keep it until Thanksgiving. With a few small touches, the house feels like autumn. It helps that we’ve been enjoying such gorgeous cool mornings and evenings. Don’t you just love the light lately? The yard looks so…