I should start by saying I rarely have professional photos taken. Since our wedding 27 years ago, we’ve only done studio or professional sessions three times — so I do get anxious about the “what to wear” question. I worry that the wrong outfit will ruin the photos, that I’ll hate the results, and that … Read more

Having recently started Shoot Fly Shoot’s photography course, I was thrilled to rediscover a helpful article I found on Pinterest about taking self-portraits. The original post by Karen at Chookooloonks offered practical, reassuring tips that made the whole idea feel achievable—if not exactly easy. Source: chookooloonks.com via Rita on Pinterest I’ve been meaning to update … Read more

Happy weekend, dear friends! I hope your week treated you well. I put together another edition of easy, breezy weekend reads — a short, pleasant collection of ideas and projects I discovered this week that are perfect for warm-weather living and for refreshing your home and routine. Over here, we’ve been sharing practical home tips … Read more

Want to create a welcoming, cozy home your guests will love? Learn how the five senses can guide your hospitality, enjoy the amusing story of my stovetop potpourri mishap, and discover a simple aroma trick that never burns dry. Years ago I attended a Ladies Sunday School series about hospitality led by one of the … Read more

My sister Susan has always had a knack for crafting and decorating. She was the first person who encouraged me to try my own small creative projects years ago, and her home is always thoughtfully styled. If she ever started a blog, she would be full of budget-friendly decorating ideas and clever DIYs. I wish … Read more

DIY Laptop Stand End Table: A Compact Living Room Storage Solution This DIY laptop stand end table began as a practical solution born out of necessity. After moving into our townhouse, we quickly realized storing everyone’s tech had become a daily challenge. I found myself tiptoeing through the living room to avoid stepping on laptops—much … Read more

I love Ikea’s small mirrors with wide wooden frames — they’re a simple, affordable base for quick makeovers. I used one of these mirrors before for a Beach Rock Mosaic Mirror project and recently revived a couple more thrift-store finds to fill empty space on a gallery wall. The results were an easy coastal update: … Read more

Small Entryway Table Refresh That Works All Year I’ve long admired the Fall Home Tours put together by some of my favorite bloggers, including Karrianne and Lucy. Their well-styled spaces always motivate me to finish projects more quickly, but life has a way of keeping a steady pace. Between time spent working in the camp … Read more

Update: This post was originally published on July 10, 2013. I recently recorded a podcast in which I talk about the Woodsman camp kitchen shown here and some treasured memories from that time. The episode—titled “Fireside Songs and Butterscotch Brownies”—captures a lot of the sights and sounds I describe below. In that episode I describe … Read more

This peanut butter fudge bars recipe combines cake mix and sweetened condensed milk to produce soft, fudgy bars that everyone will ask for again and again. If I had to pick my all-time favorite cookie bar, these Peanut Butter Fudge Bars would be at the top of the list. The recipe came to me from … Read more