Gingerbread Man Garland Kit, from Paper-Source Tonight I’m prioritizing downtime and some quiet alone time. (Hopefully I can do this!) I had a couple of opportunities to go out and do things tonight, but I said “no thank you.” I know when I need to step back, even from very fun things, to give myself…
Adorable Felt Decorative Pumpkins, from Cost Plus World Market Monday mornings for me can be a total whirlwind of activity mixed with multiple interruptions. I’m always eager to start the workweek off, and frustrated when my work is interrupted. My phone rings multiple times for no reason, and my retired neighbor comes to the door…
“Make do and mend” was the British government’s slogan to encourage its citizens to ration carefully, re-use and not waste items during World War 2 and the difficult years following. Now that we’ve experienced what’s being called the Great Recession, I’m thinking a lot more about the items I already own and scratching things I…
Fall Foliage Cookies, from Eleni’s Bakery This weekend a few family members are flying and driving in to visit each other. We’ll go out to dinners and movies, get massages, browse at Pike Place Market, explore downtown Seattle, and catch up over coffee and tea. I’ll have to drive home a couple times during the…
A pillow I’m really tempted by at Crate & Barrel. Perfect for fall! Both of my “kids” just moved away to go to college in the fall. Their moving preparations and packing procedures brought chaos on our home, with boxes and sorting, extra meals needing to be cooked, and extra trash and recycling needing to…
A lovely bouquet of freesia from Trader Joe’s. It’s now adorning my kitchen. It’s summertime! Give yourself time (and permission) to lounge about a bit, enjoying sunshine and warm weather. QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY: Are you going out tonight? Lay out the outfit you plan to wear. Don’t forget colorful, fun summery earrings and…
A potted pink dahlia that I embellished with sequins as a birthday gift for a friend. She pronounced it very Bollywood! Sometimes I use little tricks to inspire myself to keep my home clean and well maintained. For example, I imagine I suddenly have to move and sell the house in a month. While this…
Sometimes a girl needs to treat herself to a new lipstick – so I did! This is “Calypso Glaze,” from Bobbi Brown’s “Metallic” lip shade collection. Let’s face it. Most of the time, mothering and homemaking is pretty much a thankless job. Even if you have the world’s most unselfish children, and a tender, communicative,…