When guests come to my home for dinner during the holiday season, there are two things they are guaranteed to find: a meal made by someone – anyone– besides me and a table dressed in plaid. This time of year, I am firmly committed to never, ever cooking. And, to filling my life with as much plaid as … [Read more...]
Thoughts on Preparing for the Holidays
Ready or not, it's here … the holiday season. For most of us, the first step in making the holidays magical is dressing our homes for the season, from trimming a tree to decking the mantel to setting a table for parties and feasts. Before you crack open all those boxes marked Christmas Decorations … [Read more...]
The Power of Friendship
Nell Hill’s has brought so many great things into my life, including some of the best friends a girl could ever hope for. Among those is my dear friend Marsee. If you’ve been into the store, you might have seen Marsee zipping about like a hummingbird, creating amazing displays. If you’ve seen my … [Read more...]
All that Glitters: Embracing Nostalgia for the Holidays
What are some of your favorite memories of the holidays? For me, as a kid it was secretly unwrapping all my gifts, playing with them, then wrapping them back up and sneaking them back under the tree. As a teen, it was working at my parents’ clothing store, making bows for customers’ packages. As an … [Read more...]
Embrace Fall: 6 Ideas to Inspire
No one moves to the Midwest for the weather. In the heartland, we have hot summers and cold winters. But in the fall, there are a few days so perfect, I swear I’d never live anywhere else. The trees are ablaze, the sky is azure blue, and the air is crisp and cool, sweetened with the smell of falling … [Read more...]
Add a Touch of Fall with Bittersweet
Bittersweet reminds me of my childhood. In the fall, my friends’ families harvested strands of this woody vine, which grew naturally in the woods around our hometown. Their moms snipped bits from the vines, which were covered in dazzling orange berries, and used them to create beautiful fall … [Read more...]