Welcome to Life at Bella Terra! Thank you for being here today as I am excited to share Christmas in July inspiration with 16 other bloggers. If you are coming here for the first time, welcome. If you are a current subscriber, thank you so much for your support. We are blessed with having a historic property with lots of fireplaces. Long before central heating, most older homes only had access to a fireplace for warmth. Typically, the fireplace is the focal point of a room, therefore, it’s the first place I start when planning my holiday decorations.

If you don’t have a fireplace, no worries. Find a focal point in your room~a staircase, a set of windows, a beautiful bookcase or even a blank wall. The same techniques apply for your holiday attention. For example, our front hall doesn’t have a fireplace but the staircase is where I start the decorating and tie that into the theme of the front door and living room fireplace.

Choose a color

Christmas in July prompts me to think about what theme or color scheme I would like to use for the holidays. Since I like continuity, generally what I use on the front door will lead to similar colors on the bannister and mantels. That way, at least in the entry, there is some sense of consistency.

For example, I will try and use the same ribbon and similar greens~pine, cedar or magnolia. Adding color with artificial or real berries is another way to keep a color theme similar yet different. I do love red and green for Christmas as those colors are not really used for other holidays throughout the year.

Showcase a Collection

If you have any holiday collectibles, like me, it’s a fun time of year to showcase them. We have a snow globe and nutcracker collection. Every year I would bring these out and load up a mantel, however, in the past few years, especially with the children gone, I am decorating with less.

A beloved treasure from our trip to Russia is a collection of hand painted Matryoshka nesting dolls. During the year they are hidden inside the biggest one, but during the holidays I love taking out all of them and displaying the group as a whole.

Feature Holiday Art

Many years ago, I purchased holiday prints, painted them with an acrylic gel (to look like a real painting) and framed them. It’s fun to change out artwork and add a holiday focal point to the mantel.

Enhance Your Room’s Color

Our dining room, due to a large Oriental rug, has its own set of colors (pink, burgundy and green). For years I struggled with holiday decor here because red and green just didn’t work. When I finally decide to use the colors in the room, I now love my holiday decor here. Not many people think of pink for the holidays, but once I start to incorporate this color it really resonates Christmas.

Dusty pink, rose, and various shades of green bring this room to life. Don’t fear using a non-traditional color for the holidays. If it works for you, then do it! Quite honestly, I am surprised to find ornaments and bottle brush trees in shades of pink.

Make Your Own

It doesn’t take a big budget to make a mantel or focal point special. The mantel in our breakfast room is decorated with orange slices from our tree that I dried in the oven. Wooden house collection is from Target’s dollar section. Add a bit of faux garland and you have an attractive, affordable holiday mantel.

The bead and tassel garland is an easy DIY and you can see it here.

Use what You Have

My friend, Barbara, from Mantel and Table, searched my house for items to make this lovely mantel in my art room. Using artificial peonies, pinecone ornaments, gold berries, sheer ribbon and candles, she creates this very feminine swag.

Chloe, from Celebrate and Decorate finds a set of elk antlers and creates this gorgeous outdoor mantel. The rustic theme and elements are perfect with the rugged stacked stone fireplace.

Chas, from Chas’ Crazy Creations, takes coffee filters to make this frilly, lighted garland for our dark mahogany fireplace mantel in the library. See? It doesn’t take lots of cash to be creative.

Look to Nature

Tree clippings, pinecones, moss, dried flowers and other gifts from your own backyard are perfect elements for a beautiful mantel. Or ask a neighbor for some clippings. Be creative!

Size and Scope

Perhaps the biggest challenge for me is our living room fireplace. The mantel is deep AND long. Getting the scale right has always been a challenge. When my blogging friends visited in 2020, they were kind enough to tackle decorating some of the mantels. It was then that I learned about size and scope from Chloe (Celebrate and Decorate). Look at the gorgeous decorating job she did in the living room.

Here is when I learned about using Command Strips to wire your garland. Lots of garland, berries and simple candles and bells, make this just fabulous.

Make it Your Own

How you decorate reflects you, your home, your family and your vibe. I know we sometimes get caught up in what might be trendy. Sometimes just changing things up and moving traditions around can refresh your holiday decor.

If you happen to be in Phoenix on October 20, please join us for a Fall Styling Workshop. The goal of this is to gather like minded people together and learn how to transition your fall decor to the holidays, while achieving your own unique style. We will spend the day decorating mantels, stying a holiday table and sharing good food and conversation with new and old friends. To see more about this event, click here. We’d love for you to join us! Space is limited so send in your registration as soon as possible.

Christmas in July Blog Hop

Now it’s time to see more holiday inspiration from 16 other very talented bloggers. Many thanks to Rachel from The Ponds Farmhouse for organizing this event. If you came here from Robyn’s French Nest, I hope you enjoyed the 5 easy things to do now for to prepare for the holidays.

Join the Christmas In July Blog Hop for more holiday inspiration. To follow along, click the highlighted blog name.

The Ponds Farmhouse / Cottage on Bunker Hill / Chas Crazy Creations /

Design Morsels / The Tatter Pew / White Arrows Home

Midwest Life & Style / Bricks N Blooms / Simply 2 Moms /

Shiplap & Shells / Down Shiloh Road / Country Road 407

Celebrate & Decorate / WM Design House / Peacock Ridge Farm

/ Robyn’s French Nest / Life At Bella Terra

Don’t forget to check out Rachel at The Ponds Farmhouse at the top of this blog hop, if you haven’t been there yet. Thanks for joining me today!

Warmer weather equals more time outside with family and friends. Having a fabulous porch, terrace or deck that is welcoming and attractive is key to creating memories during lazy summer days.

I am excited to share 9 incredible ideas for porches and porch decor from talented bloggers all around the country. There is a wide range of styles, colors and suggestions with projects that are simple to a bit more challenging. And if you are anything like me, I love to see what others are doing with their homes and spaces. Today’s post has every home style imaginable~from mountain log cabin to farmhouse. A big hug and thank you to Rachel at The Pond’s Farmhouse for coordinating this porch roundup.

So let’s get started!

A Look at Our Back Terrace Refresh by Mary from Life at Bella Terra

If you are visiting Life at Bella Terra for the first time, thank you for stopping by and welcome! My name is Mary and we have a unique, historical property right in the middle of the Phoenix, Arizona. When most people think of the southwest, they think cactus and desert, but our property is lush and filled with gardens, an orchard and even chickens. I love to cook, paint, entertain, decorate, garden and have an occasional successful DIY! Today, I am happy to show you how we gave our back terrace an update and some love.

Here is a view of the entry to the back terrace through the rose garden. Our back terrace is a large, covered space with functional spaces that provide cooking, dining, and gathering. From lots of scrubbing to adding a new tile backsplash to the BBQ area, click here to see the detailed post on the complete back terrace update.

5 Summertime Porch Tips from Rachel at The Ponds Farmhouse

My sweet friend, Rachel is the epitome of Southern warmth and charm. She is a talented, busy gal and has an eclectic decorating style, mixing old and new, rustic and modern. Not only does she share her curated style, DIY, thrifting/vintage shopping adventures, decorating and entertaining ideas, Rachel is one of those people who just makes you feel good by reading her blog. Here is her post on 5 Summertime Porch Tips, I am sure you will enjoy it!

The Prettiest Thrift Flip Idea for the Front Porch by Stacy Ling

Stacy Ling, from Bricks ‘n Blooms, is near and dear to my heart for many reasons. We both love to garden and I get to enjoy her beautiful New Jersey garden when mine is burnt to a crisp here in the summer. Stacy and her husband recently purchased a lovely home and it is so fun to watch Stacy work her magic on this unique property. She is energetic, creative and you will learn so much from this talented person. If you love a bargain and repurposing things, check out her post on The Prettiest Thrift Flip Idea for the Front Porch here.

Curb Appeal on a Budget ~ Robyn from Robyn’s French Nest

Robyn is a wife, mother and teacher to an incredibly talented and musical family. In spite of her busy schedule, she has time to write her blog, Robyn’s French Nest, which is filled with home decor, thrifting, Diy and design ideas. If you love a good before and after picture, you must see this post where she shares the budget friendly transformation of the front of her home. You will just want to sit here on a porch swing and visit with this talented blogger. See her post on this attractive sitting area here.

Life is Better on the Porch: The Joys of Porch Life by Wendy from WM Design House

I just discovered Wendy from WM Design House and her contagious smile makes you want to become friends. She is so innovative (can you turn an antique farm disc into a water feature?) and lives in an 1897 home. Her porch is full of colorful ideas and in this post, you can see how it looks through the seasons. And she has an adorable dog, so what’s not to like? I look forward to learning more from Wendy and you can too. See her beautiful home and welcoming front porch here.

Summer Porch Decor in Blue and White~Kristin from White Arrows Home

I first met Kristin in 2018 at a one day blogging conference and so admire everything she does. Kristin and her family (5 children) live in a gorgeous log cabin home on a lake in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. We all know how family life can keep you busy, but in addition to her blog, Kristin owns a store, hosts a podcast and a million other things. If you follow her, you can see all that she does and watch her home change from season to season. She is as genuine and as down to earth as can be. See her front porch and all its blue and white touches here.

Backyard Conversation Set and Fire Pit Patio Reveal by Dabbling and Decorating

Ann, from Dabbling and Decorating lives in Maine and therefore I feel like we are both New Englanders at heart (I was born and raised in Connecticut). I have fond memories of visiting Maine in the summer and just love this new addition to Ann’s gorgeous property. The view from this conversation area is just stunning. Ann owns both a home in Vermont and coastal Maine and I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed in her antique, vintage finds and DIY projects! Come and see this conversation area and fire pit here.

7 Simple Outdoor Summer Decorating Ideas by KariAnne at Thistlewood Farms

Perhaps the person most responsible for encouraging me to start a blog is KariAnne from Thistlewood Farms. KariAnne is so generous with her time, experience and guidance in helping other achieve their goals. Back in 2018, I attended a one-day blogging seminar at KariAnne’s beautiful old home in Dallas, Texas where I met so many wonderful people. Yes, I stood on this very porch! I left that day realizing how little I know about blogging, but have continued to be inspired to try to do my best. KariAnne is a powerhouse and here are her ideas on how to decorate outdoors for summer.

Beinvenue Summer Porch Tour ~ Amber from Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Amber owns an 1921 yellow brick home (hence her blog, Follow the Yellow Brick Home) so I feel like we are instantly connected by virtue of old home ownership. If you love a French Country Garden theme, then this is the place for you. Topiaries, vintage pots and lavender are all special elements on Amber’s front porch. Isn’t that hat just perfect for this time of year? An experienced music teacher and realtor, it would be such fun to sit and visit with Amber on her charming front porch. You can see it all here.

Thank you so much for joining me today and I hope you are inspired by everyone’s ideas and suggestions. How will you make your outdoor porch or terrace an extra special destination this summer?

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Today will be one of the cooler ones (high of 92 degrees) as this week was indeed a warm one, well over triple digits. I guess summer is officially here in the southwest. Fortunately, our neighborhood has one of the largest tree canopies and I truly believe we are 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the Valley…at least it feels like it. Yes, it is another Saturday and a time for Saturday Meanderings, where we chat about all good things.

Zucchini Harvesting

I think zucchini is one of the easiest things to grow….and does it produce! When I first planted this years ago, I had 6 plants that yielded over 85 zucchini. Friends and neighbors finally told me to stop donating it to them. This year I have 3 plants and a bumper crop of this squash. What to do with so much zucchini?

This week I made Zucchini Pineapple Bread (here is the recipe) which is perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. If you have a favorite zucchini recipe, please share. I will be cooking with this vegetable ALOT!

P.S. The recipe picture show chunks of pineapple, which is a bit misleading as the recipe asks for crushed pineapple.

Peaches, Peaches and more peaches

Another abundant producer now is the peach tree. It is so full of fruit and daily I check to see which peaches are ripe enough to pick. The birds often beat me to it, but I suppose they have to eat too. And I don’t blame them, as these peaches are fuzzy, juicy and just plain old delicious!

Super Cute Blouse

For the life of me, I cannot recall where I first saw this blouse but it was a recommendation from someone. Nonetheless, I ordered a small in the pink and love how feminine (and inexpensive) it is. The sleeves are fun too. Just ordered the blue which should look good with white pants for the summer.

It can be worn tucked in (I tucked it in the front only) or worn outside. It is loosely casual and can be worn as a V-neck or the drawstrings can tie closed. For $27.98 you cannot go wrong. Find it in multiple colors on Amazon here.

Check out this Cake

I love finding unusual things on the Internet. This cake makes me want to have a book themed party.

Interesting Tidbits from the Internet

My friend, Kristen from White Arrows Home is such a source of terrific information. In addition to being a mother of five, she has her own podcast, store and successful blog about her fabulous mountain home in Wisconsin. Her post, How to Have a Great Morning Routine Waking Up at 5:00 a.m., is full of information about the benefits of waking up early.

Though my morning alarm goes off at 7:00 a.m., our hearing and seeing deficient beagle, Sox, is our barking canine alarm at 5:30 a.m. Does that count? One of Kristen’s tips I did adopt is drinking a full glass of water, with lemon and pink Himalayan sea salt as soon as I get up. Seems to help keep me better hydrated.

What time do you start and end your day?

Gardening 101

Through my blogging world I am very lucky to meet this talented woman who gardens frequently. My friend, Stacy Ling of Bricks ‘n Blooms has a very comprehensive guide to gardening. She is geared more toward flower gardening and you will enjoy the photos of her beautiful property.

Stacy lives in New Jersey so is in a different growing zone than here in Phoenix. So if you are taking the leap into getting a green thumb, check out her post here.

Rub-On Transfers

I have never used these rub-on transfers. But look at how Cindy from Reinvented Delaware transforms this sweet old piece of furniture from sad to fabulous. I have an old armoire in my basement that needs some love and maybe I will try this.

If you like to repaint or refurbish furniture, you may enjoy seeing more of Cindy’s website.

Speaking of DIYs

I am getting ready to re-paint the wicker/wood chairs in the pool house and will be recovering the cushions and lumbar pillow….hopefully this weekend. Can’t wait to share it when the refresh is complete.

Wishing you a relaxing weekend. Do you have anything fun planned?

With the onset of cooler weather, what better way to relax than to curl up with a great book and a blanket? Add a cup of tea and I’m in! Even though I read every night before bed, I long for lazy days where I can do so for hours on end. It has been too long since I have posted about reading and relaxing, so here is my latest list.

My son’s girlfriend is here for the Thanksgiving holiday and we are talking books. There are so many I love and so many that have fun stories attached. Today I want to share some of the new books I am read and ones that I would definitely read again.

Because the world is already filled with complicated nonsense, you won’t find me reading about anything political or socially divisive. My reads are ways to get lost in the chapters of a book that is pure entertainment with some knowledgeable tidbits built in.

Latest Reads

Once I find an author I like, I tend to read each and every book they have written. Elin Hilderbrand is an American writer who novels typically are set in or around Nantucket. She recently branched out with her trilogy set on the Caribbean island of St. John. If you are looking for an escape from reality, you will love these!

• Winter in Paradise~link here
• What Happens in Paradise-link here
• Troubles in Paradise-link here

Another series ( 4 books) is Elin’s Winter Street Inn series. Set in Nantucket around the holidays, this is the perfect series to read this time of year. Since we will be visiting Nantucket in June 2021, I am enjoying this immensely.

• Winter Street~link here
• Winter Stroll~link here
• Winter Storms~link here
• I’ve yet to read Winter Solstice~link here

I love a good psychological crime thriller. Caroline Mitchell is a #1 International Best selling author. Her book, Silent Victim (which I haven’t read) has been #1 seller on Amazon. This set of 3 books is based on Detective Inspector Amy Winter and her sorted past.

• Truth and Lies~ link here
• The Secret Child~link here
• Left for Dead~link here
• Not published yet Flesh and Blood

Oldies but Goodies

If you love art and history, this is a must read. I read this book before we took a Baltic Sea cruise. When we toured St. Petersburg, Russia and went to the Hermitage, this book proved to be invaluable. Truly, one of my favorites. The Madonnas of Leningrad written by Debra Dean. Click here for the link.

A recent magazine of this next book is as follows: Perhaps the ultimate quarantine read . . . A Gentleman in Moscow is about the importance of community; the distance of a kind act; and resilience. It’s a manual for getting through the days to come. Old hotel, history, what’s not to love? A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. Link here.

I recently recommended this book to a friend and she is loving it. Probably the best page turner I’ve come across……ever. What makes this even more exciting is that this is the first novel this author, Karen Cleveland has written. The author is a former CIA analyst in counterterrorism and uses her knowledge in her books. Need to Know by Karen Cleveland. Link here.

Local Favorites

My sweet neighbor and friend, Barbara Hinske recently left the practice of law to pursue her career as a full-time novelist. Barbara lives in one of those gorgeous houses that inspired her Rosemont series. Not only is she a wonderful person, but she loves gardening, cooking, decorating and of course, writing.

I am currently reading the 7th book in the Rosemont series. Click here for the link. This series needs to be one on the Hallmark channel. Stunning old house, crime and mystery, friendships, love and loss, her novels have it all.

Guiding Emily is inspired when Barbara toured The Foundation for Blind Children, which is a state of the art facility here in Phoenix. Such a great story and the link is here.

Naturally this could be a much longer blog post as I love to read. My dear friend, Kristin from White Arrows Home posts her favorite books more frequently than me. To see more book recommendations from Kristin, click here.

What are you reading? Please do share! I wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving. With some hopefully planned down time, you will find me curled up and reading.

Well, Happy October! Whoosh and just like that September is in the rear view mirror. Hopefully as you are reading this we are up in the cool mountains of Arizona. The big goal this weekend is to finally gather pumpkins and gourds from Willis Family Farm in Snowflake. Maybe that will light a fire under me to start/complete Fall decorating. Thanks for joining me for Saturday Meanderings where we chat about everything good that is happening.

Decorating by Room

Finally after years of putting up the same decorations, I am now focusing on the colors of each room and integrating that into my seasonal decor. My biggest challenge is the dining room because it truly is the only room that the reds, oranges and browns just don’t work. During a recent trip to SAS Fabric Superstore, I did buy some copper, blush, pink and green velvets to make pumpkins.

This fabric store is a bit intimidating and the people working there tend to scare me a bit. Not a great deal of customer service goes on here and answers to questions seem more like barked responses. However, there is a huge selection of anything and everything related to fabrics and sewing. I will let you know how these new pumpkins turn out.

My Pathetic Hands

I am the WORST at taking care of my hands. Truly, I need to write an entire blog post on the benefits of pampering your hands as I must get motivated to do so. We are attending two weddings in October and it’s time to buckle down and improve my mitts.

It’s my own fault as I garden without gloves (I love the feel of the dirt); wash dishes without gloves (just plain lazy there) and with the increased hand washing and sanitizing, well dryness is hard to avoid.

On Instagram, I did see this advertisement for Olive and June for an entire nail kit with fall nail colors. So I ordered it and it arrived this week. Look at the cute packaging. I cannot wait to dig into this and try it. At least from everything that I’ve read, the polish lasts longer and they guide you through creating the perfect manicure.

Recently, I went to a public meeting and the women sitting on either side of me had beautiful nails. I literally saw theirs and then promptly sat on my hands. It’s embarrassing but I’m the only one to blame. Will try this new nail kit and will keep you posted. Wish me luck! Here is the link if you are interested.

Cleaning the Garage

This is a bit of a sore subject because I have cleaned our garage several times. But SOMEONE, whose name I will not mention, tends to mess it up. Finally we are more motivated to clean the garage as a location scout needs a place to film a commercial.

This is a great opportunity (in my opinion) to get rid of stuff. In the process of sorting and organizing, I discovered some quilts I started many, many moons ago and never finished. My recollection is that I took up quilting to heal from the grief of losing my first husband, but my memory of sewing these is such a blur.

Nonetheless, I do really want to complete these quilts. Perhaps this will be a new goal for 2022?

Old Age Inspiration

Last week, my husband and I went to the Eagles Hotel California concert at a huge arena in town. I had some reservations being inside with thousands of people, mostly because we haven’t done anything like that in a very long time. And even prior to the pandemic, I’ve never been a big crowd person.

The Eagles signed their first contract 50 years ago….it’s almost hard to believe they have been playing for that long. For 3 hours, Don Henley (age 74), Joe Walsh (age 73), Timothy Schmit (73) and Vince Gill (64) played like they were in their 20s again. All of the performers are in great shape and what an inspiration for anyone who thinks being in your 70s is old.

The band sounded as good as ever! I remembered most the lyrics and the thousands of people there were dancing, singing and just enjoying themselves. It was 3 hours of bliss and I am so happy we attended. At one point my husband said to me that it all felt so normal.

Naturally in order to get in, someone at the door checks for either a negative COVID test or a vaccination card and then you get searched for weapons, but beyond that, it was an amazing evening. Everyone was kind and generous and friendly and fun. We. So. Needed. That.

Speaking of age inspiration, isn’t this a lovely picture of the Queen of England? I love that color blue and the touch of orange (which are perfect fall decor colors). Queen Elizabeth II is 95 years old….what an amazing person. Age is a state of mind, right?

New Beverage

As much as I love a glass of wine or a fun cocktail, there are just some days that I do not want alcohol. I am not a soda drinker and I drink half my body weight in water ounces every day. So I recently tried this Noughty Dealcoholized Sparkling Rosé and it’s rather good. This alcohol-free organic vegan sparkling beverage, it’s low in calories too!

It’s festive and perfect to serve guests who do not drink. Here is the link to their website. You may have to google where to find it, but I purchased mine through Food 52 here. Apparently they have a sparkling white too.

Bloggers’ Best Fall Home Tour

If you like peeking into other people’s homes (like I do), you may enjoy this. Each day this week, six bloggers share how they are decorating their homes for the Fall. I know many of the bloggers who are participating, and it is fun to see some new names and faces. No, they didn’t ask me to participate, but maybe next year.

There is a variety of home styles from farmhouse to classic and it’s easy to gather new ideas from it. I do like the fact that it is spread over the course of the week so it doesn’t become overwhelming or too time consuming.

You can find it here.

Baking Bread Again

Now that summer has simmered down, I am beginning to make homemade sourdough bread again. During the cooler months, I tend to make fresh bread weekly, but it’s been months! I nearly forgot how to do it. But low and behold, two delicious loaves of cranberry and walnut bread are being happily devoured.

Well that’s a wrap up for this week’s edition of Saturday Meanderings. I will be traveling quite a bit in the first half of October. Hoping to be organized enough to get blog posts out but if not, I’ll be back in a few weeks.

Happy October, my sweet friends!