Still Woods Farmhouse

I am ready for the heat of summer to be over and the cool breezes of fall to head our way.  My sister called me the other day and said she wanted to pull out her autumn decorations and to that I say "Amen, Sista"! We both can't wait to say, "Happy Fall Ya'll"!! In the meantime, I need to update my fall door decor and have been looking for a few, fresh ideas.  Better Homes and Gardens had some wonderful fall wreath ideas.  I adore this unusual "wreath" made from a rake. Who said a wreath must be round? Etsy and Pinterest have an abundance of wreath ideas including several swags to use on your harvest door. Another cute idea from Better Homes and Gardens. It makes me think of  warm apple crisp topped with a dollop of whipped cream!   Yum!  Or how about those wonderfully apple scented candles?  Love those! Monograms are all the rage.  I think this would be a simple wreath to make.  Raise your hand if you like simple projects! Su...

"For the winter is past and the rain is over.  The flowers are springing up and the time of singing birds has come..."  Song of Solomon 2:11-12 I know my family and friends in Maine and Virginia are ready for the snow to disappear.  Have faith, spring is right around the corner.  Now is a great time to plan your spring door decor!  To give my winter weary friends a little inspiration, I put together a few cute ideas for your front door! We grow hydrangeas in our yard.  I think hydrangeas are heavenly! You can pick up a bundle of tulips at your local craft store and whip up this happy wreath in no time! This Southern Living radish wreath is one of my all time favorites.   What about this cute idea?  We have double doors off our front and back porches.  This is quite a lovely design from "Housepitality Designs" and would look wonderful at Still Woods. Pinterest abounds with terrific ideas like this happy display! ...

I don't know about you,  but I have already planned my Thanksgiving menu.  Do you need a little inspiration?  Look no further than this post!  It's that time of year again when Dillards, Southern Living, and McDonalds team up to create a cookbook to support Ronald McDonald Houses.   McDonald's does three things really well...coffee...french fries...and more importantly, their development and support of Ronald McDonald Houses around the world.  Ronald McDonald House charities offer families a home away from home while the family is dealing with a sick child.  RMH belief is that families should not worry about where they will lay their heads at night or where their next meal will come from while taking care of a sick child, often far from home.  They have helped families with ill children for the past 39 years.  What a blessing for families dealing with a child's medical crisis. Our youngest child was born over two months premature.  He ...

I have collected recipes and recipe books for as long as I can remember.  Some of my most treasured recipes include my grandmother's hand written sour cream pound cake recipe dotted with batter and spattered with dots of vanilla.  It has a place of honor in my recipe notebook which contains some of my family's favorite recipes.  When we built our home, I had a set of bookshelves built in the kitchen to hold my collection of recipe books as well as a collection of milk glass.  I love to cook while looking at some of my favorite things around me. Last night, I went to Dillards to do a little shopping.  As I checked out I noticed the annual Southern Living Cooking for Christmas cookbook at each register.  Only $10.00!  I snatched one up and added it to my items.  I love Southern Living cookbooks with their beautiful pictures and mouth watering recipes.  A bonus of this cookbook is that Dillards has once again teamed up with Southern Living to ...

I just love fall and everything about it.  Pumpkins, winter squash, beautiful fall foliage, candy corn mixed with peanuts, homemade apple pies, spice scented candles,  caramel apples, mulled cider, crisp mornings, pumpkins...wait, I think I said that already.  Yes, I do love pumpkins!  I didn't realize the enormous variety of pumpkins and squash until I visited a few pumpkin farms last year in Virginia.  Since a trip to Virginia is not in the works, a visit to Courtney Farms Market in Ocean Springs, MS did the trick.  How about this precious topiary of pumpkins and squash? I love the way they placed several varieties on top of each other and used moss and grapevine as filler.  Just beautiful! Before leaving Courtney Farms, I had a cart full of pumpkins and squash!  I couldn't resist the unusual varieties such as the Cinderella pumpkin pictured below.  I love the shape and color. Imagine a good fairy waving her wand and turning one of the...