And winter continues…white hot cocoa sounds great right now. It might be a wonderful time to make the delicious and adorable white hot cocoa with polar bears. Featured this week. Stay cozy!

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The Princess and I had some time at home this week due to some cold and snow…I’m ready for Spring…Am I the only one? Anyway, her choice of indoor activity? She wanted to get “comfy and cozy,” which meant time on the couch, under a throw, watching DVDs I never thought I would ever watch…Barbie was in quite a few. It was pleasant. It was a feeling I wanted to capture. I hope it is reflected somewhat in my living room winter decor. Everyone would benefit from more “comfy and cozy” in their lives!

A mantel features wooly lambs and a fluffy cotton wreath.

The red maple sap buckets are a favorite of mine. They work great in every season and in every room.

Natural elements like a boxwood wreath, pine cones and found items add contrast and take a room from holiday to winter. The woven baskets are from a trip to Kenya a long time ago.

And what is more cozy than a couch full of pillow and warm throws. Extra ones are stored in a vintage apple crate.

As you can see the Princess takes her “cozy” quite seriously.

Show and share. Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house. The scoop. Inspire me Tuesday. Make it pretty. Made by you. Metamorphosis. You’re the star. Tuesday with a twist. Let’s talk vintage. Wonderful Wednesday. Wow us. Talk Of The town. Keep in touch. Share your cup. Share your style. Home and garden. Thursday favorites. Waste not. Dagmar’s house. Style showcase. Vintage charm. Friday features. Home sweet Home. Feather nest. Friendship Friday. Funtastic Friday. Grace at home. Pit stop. Morning cup of joe. Home matterssweet inspiration. Best of the weekend. Create bake grow. 5 Things Friday. Fresh market. Sunday at our house. Share it. Snickerdoodle. Simple Saturday. Silver pennies. Create with joy. Inspiration Monday. DI&DI. Amaze me. Smell good Sunday. Count your blessings

A certain little Princess is ready for the snow and cold to end so she can fly around the block again on her new set of wheels.  Did anyone else have freezing temperatures and snow this week? Annapolis had enough to close school for a few days. I’m ready for Spring…anyone else?Enjoy the great features this week!

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I love the holidays. It is a magical time of year, however, it is exhausting. Once January arrives the Christmas decor I loved a few weeks ago begins to seem gaudy and overwhelming. My eyes long for a simple place to land…if this makes sense. I just wish undecorating was as fun as decorating. I like my winter decor to reflect a more scaled back, cleaner tone but I find if it is too austere, I get a nervous feeling…kind of like a hospital. I need some color. My kitchen was the first room to wear Christmas finery, and the first to be reverted to “normal but better”. It is also a great way to show off some new features of my newly updated kitchen!

Red berries that graced windows for Christmas, look perfectly wintry in an antique dough bowl.

The kitchen island just needs a few touches to go from Christmas to winter wonderland.

A new dish towel turned to pillow graces a kitchen chair.

Check out my new baking area! Everything I need is close by!

Our Princess loved the holiday season and had a few days to enjoy her favorite gift before the cold and snow hit us hard. Next week it looks more promising for a cruise around the neighborhood!

show and share. Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house. The scoop. Inspire me Tuesday. Make it pretty. Made by you. Metamorphosis. You’re the star. Tuesday with a twist. Let’s talk vintage. Wonderful Wednesday. Wow us. Talk Of The town. Keep in touch.Share your cup. Share your style. Home and garden. Thursday favorites. Waste not. Dagmar’s house. Style showcase. Vintage charm. Friday features. Home sweet home. Feather nest. Friendship Friday. Funtastic Friday. Grace at home. Pit stop. Morning cup of joe. Home matters. Sweet inspiration. Best of the weekend. Create bake grow. 5 Things Friday. Fresh market. Sunday at home. Share itcount your blessings. Snickerdoodle. Simple Saturday. Silver pennies. Create with joy. Inspiration Monday. DI&DI. Amaze me. Smell good Sunday.

What am I doing this week? Undecorating…I only wish it was as much fun as decorating. I am also taking some time out to make the yummy Chess Pie featured this week. After the rich and sweet treats of Christmas this pie looks so simple and light. Perfect for the snowy days of January!

 

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Maisy at Becoming Alice – FB | G+ | Pin

Sheree at Stage Presents – Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things – Pin

Penny at Penny’s Passion – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

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Oh, Come let us adore him

Oh, come let us adore him

Oh, Come let us adore him

Christ the Lord!

Seasons Greetings from Amy, my hero and, of course, a very excited Princess with an  early Christmas surprise!

show and share. Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house. The scoop. Inspire me Tuesday. Make it pretty. Made by you. Metamorphosisyou’re the star. Tuesday with a twist let’s talk vintage. Wonderful Wednesdaywow us. Talk Of The town. Keep in touch. Share your cup. Share your style. Home and garden. Thursday favorites. Waste not. Dagmar’s house. Style showcase. Vintage charm. Friday features. Home sweet home. Feather nest. Friendship Friday. Funtastic Friday. Grace at home. Pit stop. Morning cup of joe. Home matters. Sweet inspiration. Best of the weekend. Create Bake Grow. 5 Things Friday. Fresh market. Sunday at Home. Share it. Snickerdoodle Simple Saturday. Silver pennies. Create with joy. Inspiration Monday. DI&DI. Amaze me. Smell good Sunday. Keep in touch

We wish you a Merry Christmas;

We wish you a Merry Christmas;

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin;

Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Show and share. Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house. The scoop. Inspire me Tuesday. Make it pretty. Made by you. Metamorphosesyou’re the star. Tuesday with a twist. Let’s talk vintage. Wonderful Wednesday. Wow us. Talk of the town. Share your cup. Share your style. Home and garden. Thursday favorite. Waste not. Dagmar’s house. Style showcase. Vintage charm. Friday features. Home sweet home. Feather nest. Friendship Friday. Funtastic Friday. Grace at home. Pit stop.. Sweet inspiration. Create bake grow. Fresh market Friday. Share it. Simple Saturday. Silver pennies. Create with joy. Inspiration Monday. DI&DI. Amaze me. joys of Decembercount my blessings. Keep in touch

There will be no talk of a certain football event that happened yesterday. We live in Annapolis after all. Anyway, just wait until 2018! Go Navy. Beat Army. Good thing it is so cheery in the house right now…holiday decor just has that effect on me. I hope it makes you smile as well.

A mantel display that urges us to just believe in the magic of the season…

…and a Korean step tansu display of the real reason for this holiday joy.

An antique candy display looks simply festive with greenery and Christmas balls…

A vintage Santa wishes glad tidings…

…and a certain little elf is caught red handed with the frosting!

Enjoy your holidays!

Show and share. Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house. The scoop. Inspire me Tuesday. Make it pretty. Made by you. Metamorphosis. You’re the Star. Tuesday with a twist. Let’s talk vintage. Wonderful Wednesday. Wow us. Talk of the town. Tuesday talk. Share your cup. Share your style. Home and gardeThursday favorites  waste not. Dagmar’s house.  Vintage charm. Friday features. Home sweet home. Feather nest. Friendship Friday. Funtastic Friday. Grace at home. Pit stop. home matters. Sweet inspiration. Best of the weekend create bake grow.  5 things Friday. Sunday at homeshare it. Snickerdoodle. Simple Saturday.Silver pennies. Create with joy. Inspiration Monday. DI&DI. Amaze me. Style showcasefresh market. Count your blessings. Keep in touch

My Sourdough Bread was popular and featured at these lovely blog parties!

Talk of the Town

Smell Good Sunday

About The Book

New edition of Catherine Marshall’s inspirational classic!

The train taking nineteen-year-old teacher Christy Huddleston from her home in Asheville, North Carolina, might as well be transporting her to another world. The Smoky Mountain community of Cutter Gap feels suspended in time, trapped by poverty, superstitions, and century-old traditions.

But as Christy struggles to find acceptance in her new home, some see her – and her one-room school – as a threat to their way of life. Her faith is challenged and her heart is torn between two strong men with conflicting views about how to care for the families of the Cove.

Yearning to make a difference, will Christy’s determination and devotion be enough?

Learn more, download a free map of Cutter Gap, and purchase a copy

My Review

It has been quite some time since I took this journey to Cutter Gap with new teacher Christy. As a teacher for many years, I finally picked up a copy after hearing how so many of my colleagues were positively influenced by this classic story. I agree, it is a marvelous accounting of turn of the century life and the struggles of the impoverished mountain folk. It would be so easy to leave the story in the past, a tale for an earlier time, if our society didn’t still mirror the struggles faced by the children and parents of Cutter Gap. It was refreshing to read it through new eyes opened by experience. I felt the same pity and despair, but I felt a new empowering, and humble need to care for the “Cutter Gap” people in my area. It is amazing that a tale from so long ago can still inspire hope and act at a catalyst for change. Let’s all learn along with Christy and apply the message of social awareness and apathy and see if we can make a change in the world for the better.