What I read

God of the Woods
I finished God of the Woods this week and thought it was good! I gave it a 3/5 on Goodreads, which for me means “I enjoyed it and would recommend” (a 4 means I really, really liked it, and 5 I try to reserve for my true favorites). It’s a mystery that keeps you reading, but I felt like there could have been a bit more character development to make you feel more emotionally attached to how things ended.

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What I saved

Tailgating recipes calling my name in September
College football is officially back — I would know, because my husband was watching Hawaii v. Stanford at 10pm last night despite us having zero affiliation to either team. Yay me.

I have mixed opinions about college football season. I love SEC football, but the buck pretty much stops there, and even that’s a new admiration I’ve only recently gained. One thing I’ve always been passionate about, though: the tailgate FOOD. In preparation for the first College Gameday, here are some of my favorite recipes —

• Pepperoni Rolls — This is the closest recipe I’ve found to what my mom made growing up (she omits the cheese). One thing we love is how easy they are to transport!

• Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip — I’ve always loved this recipe because it’s only 5 ingredients. If I have friends over, I just leave the crockpot plugged in on warm and it stays good for hours (but it never lasts that long).

• Baked Garlic and Herb Wings — These were inspired by my friend’s husband, who makes some of the best wings ever. I crave these on the reg, and this is the closest recipe to what he gave me. The only sub I make is brown sugar in place of honey! If you want to be outside, they’re great on the grill too.

• 5 Layer Bean Dip — To be honest, bean dip doesn’t get me salivating, but my husband said this is a must-include. It’s one of his favorites, so let’s call it an honorable mention!

What I celebrated

Launch of our Kiawah Puzzle Pre-order!

When my friend Anna approached me about making a watercolor map that she wanted to turn into a puzzle, I immediately hopped on board. The Fripp puzzle was so successful that we’re keeping the ball rolling and adding another one to the product line — Kiawah Island! Kiawah is one of my favorite places in the world, and I’ve grown up loving my visits there. This new puzzle highlights everything that makes Kiawah, Kiawah — from the bobcats to the oysters to the Ryder Cup trophy. Part of the fun is finding your favorite Kiawah motif on the map! Shop them here.

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What I Read/Watched

Yesteryear
I go back and forth between books and music while I paint, and lately I’ve been on a book kick. Finished Yesteryear last week — it’s getting a lot of hype, and honestly it’s not even close to my favorite of the year, but it was still good! The ending I did NOT see coming, and I thought the way it unfolded was so clever and kept me hooked till the last page.

Beef, Season 2
We never watched Season 1 and just jumped straight into Season 2. Five episodes in and I am addicted. It’s so funny, but also deeply twisted — dark comedy, I think is the technical term? (No film degree here). A win in every category. It’s on Netflix.

What I Made

Hairbrushes — y’all are going through these SO fast!
I am loving painting custom hairbrushes for your little ones. Hearing the requests come in and watching your kids’ personalities show up already at such a young age? Such a delight. Painting on new surfaces has been one of my favorite things about this year — up next is custom lampshades for a wedding and a step stool for my son (this one’s been requested a lot, turns out!).

Meal train for a friend — In my opinion, meal trains are better when they’re made up of a bunch of smaller grab and go items instead of one big dinner, i.e breakfast, lunch, and snacky things, in case you ever need the list too:

• Caprese Orzo Pasta Salad

• Pumpkin Almond Butter Mini Muffins

• No-Bake Lactation Bites

• Breakfast burritos — no recipe needed, just eggs, sausage, peppers, hashbrowns, and cheese!

What I Saved

Gabriella Moxey’s painted wreaths are so cute. I especially love the idea of getting one with my son’s name on it for his bedroom door, or this Halloween one for our back door.

The Inner Child is one of my favorite sources for eclectic home decor — their tulip candleholders are probably my most-asked-about piece I own. Their new (or new to me, at least) marbled lampshades are gorgeous, and I would love this one in my house.

Ahead this week: I’m starting to plan my Halloween arrivals (pre-order is here) and wrapping up the last of the Back to School orders trickling in. On Wednesday, I’m sending my favorite Etsy sources to paid subscribers — there’s a free trial if you want a sneak peek!

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My social feeds have fully moved to fall — pumpkin treats, Halloween decor, Nancy Meyers movie marathon checklists (I did save those). Admittedly, there are things I’m already buying for fall — I’ll get to that — but here’s what I’m doing to savor the last bits of summer first.

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What I’m doing to savor summer

• Post dinner walks, even better at the beach

  

  Getting the kids to the beach can be daunting, but in the evening the bar is way lower — we bring nothing with us (except maybe a change of clothes) and spend the time hunting for seashells and running from the waves.
  

• Buying the PEAK summer veggies and prepping and cooking them with the window open (but screen down because mosquitos)

  Eating a fresh summer veggie is one of my favorite ways to romanticize my life. I want to laugh at myself typing that, but don't we all want to romanticize our life a little?

• Squeezing boat days into weekends that are starting to feel jam-packed. We don't actually own a boat, but I recently realized renting one is so much less than I thought — I'd love to factor it into our monthly budget and do it once a month. Renting with my sister and her husband in two weekends, and I cannot wait.

Now, the fall stuff I'll admit I'm already doing. Most good things sell out, and you need to buy what you love when it launches or risk missing it — which is how I've ended up with some Christmas pre-orders already. Don't yell at me. There are boutiques that only do Christmas pre-orders, and somehow they still sell out. I don't know why.

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Buying ahead for fall

• My kids’ fall edit
  So much sells out fast in children's clothes, so my advice is: buy what you love when you love it, don't wait for cold weather to shop long sleeves and jackets. I learned this the hard way after spending hours hunting for cute long-sleeve tees for Walker last year.

  

  I've also gone ahead and bought a few things for the holidays. Matching Thanksgiving outfits through Hannah Kate — as of writing this, trunk shows are still happening, so reach out if you're new to the trunk show world and want guidance. You basically customize your outfits completely. It can be overwhelming, but also fun to play designer for a bit. For Christmas, I pre-ordered through Duck Duck Goose, one of my favorite children's shops — everything I got is Petit Bebe.

• Fall ribbon for the front door
  Charleston-specific, but I wouldn't be surprised if your local nursery is already prepping for fall too. Abide-a-While has the prettiest fall ribbon for a wreath, and they'll make it into a bow for you.

• Halloween napkins and cups are ordered!
  I'd be a bad business owner if I didn't mention how I'm prepping for fall in my own shop — Halloween cups and napkins have been ordered and arrive next week. Shop them here before they sell out — so far the Witch's Brew cups are the biggest hit.

For now, that's the balance. Once we're past Labor Day and College GameDay is back, I'll ease into fall for real — but for now, we're living up the last of our summer days. As always, thanks for reading and supporting me!

This year, quietly in the background (between having a child and running the day-to-day), I've been working on a rebrand. It went live this morning, and as I sat down to write about it, everything I came up with felt so uncharacteristically cheesy. After a few attempts, I've settled that maybe a little cheese is necessary for a reflection post. Or rather, an essay, if you will—so don't say you weren't warned.

Five years ago, this business was something I worked on after my remote tech job. Then it became something I worked on during nap times after my son was born. Now it’s whatever hours I can steal between raising two little kids.

Some seasons I’ve poured everything into it. Other seasons it’s had to take a backseat. The reality is that this business has just grown up alongside my life. What hasn’t changed, however, is the thing I’ve always wanted it to be about - not the products themselves but what the products do.

I’ve always been drawn to thoughtful details. Like the kind that make ordinary moments feel a little more intentional - handwritten place card. A birthday banner, even if it’s just your family eating pizza around the kitchen table. A lunchbox note that simply says, I’m proud of you. Wrapping a gift in paper that’s a little prettier than it needs to be. You know, just being a little ✨extra✨.

None of those things are necessary. That’s sort of why I love them. They subtly (or sometimes not so subtly) say, I thought about you.

For a long time I felt like I knew what I wanted this business to feel like, but I didn’t really know how to make it look that way. This year I finally decided it was time to change that, and I worked with Hello June Creative on a full visual rebrand.

One of my favorite parts of the process was talking through the emotions I wanted the brand to evoke. We kept coming back to the same words: whimsical. Warm. Thoughtful. Welcoming. Nostalgic. Celebratory. Those words ended up becoming a pretty good compass for every decision we made.

For my mark, we landed on two swans drawn by yours truly. And no, it’s not like I went into the process thinking, I've always dreamed of having swans represent my business. But the more we talked about it, the more they just felt right. They remind me of the kinds of illustrations you'd find in old children's books—a little Mother Goose-esque, with perhaps a side of sophistication. They mate for life, which wraps it all up rather perfectly, because so much of what I make is meant to live inside relationships: birthday parties, family dinners, Thanksgiving tables, and little traditions that become family traditions before you even realize it.

I’ve never really cared about making products just for the sake of making products. I’ve always hoped the things I create would become little pieces of someone’s memories, and that is still the goal.

The logo is different. The colors are different. The website is different. But none of those things feel like a new direction. They just feel more honest. More like the business I’ve been trying to build for the last five years.

If you’ve supported this little corner of the internet—whether you’ve bought a set of napkins, shared my work with a friend, or simply read these essays every now and then—thank you.

I’m really grateful you’re here, and I have a feeling the best part is still ahead. Check out my new site here!

Want to skip to the shopping? I rounded up lots of decor ideas here!

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The food

The Masters has a lot of unique recipes that are essential to bringing the Augusta National spirit to your home. In my opinion, it’s 100% worth splurging on the Taste of the Masters food kit which takes care of the bulk of your food (and drink if you buy the Azalea kit!). Other food and drink ideas for you:

• transfusions for a new twist

• Arnold Palmer for a classic

• peach ice cream sandwiches for dessert

The decor

Think greens and yellows here in stripes and gingham, and the most important rule: keep it casual! The Masters is no frills, so I’d hold off on using any silver and china if you really want things to feel authentic. I linked a bunch of paper napkins and deli wraps and plastic sandwich plates here.

For flowers, I think green or white hydrangeas, yellow tulips, and white roses are pretty but if you live in the South, I’d definitely lean into Azalea season and use your yard clippings for fun nod to the beautiful azaleas at Augusta National.

Lastly, one of my favorite decor “hacks” is using books and real items as decor. I do it for birthday parties, baby showers, etc. If you have a golfer in the house and have some golf coffee table books lying around (or if you don’t have any, I linked some here). I also love the idea of adding a basket of golf balls for table filler!

Everything I’ve linked and more is available here!

My husband is going to be on paternity leave during the Masters this year which I think he’s talked about more than the birth of our child (only joking of course, Clay). I’m excited for watching the tournament this year in the peak of newborn, postpartum snuggles!

Easter is less than a month away, and each of these items is a delight - a range of prices, a range of origins, and a range of material that will make decorating for Easter feel all the more special. Happy shopping!

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I was first introduced to the brand Liberty London only a few years ago. Not long after, I celebrated my 30th birthday in London with my husband and was completely in awe of how much joy this store—and the brand itself—brought me.

Fast forward a couple years, and I am now expecting my first daughter any day now! A baby girl in Liberty is just chefs kiss, and I have found myself going a bit crazy for her - I bought a Liberty crib sheet, shams, and sun hats, bloomers and bubbles…I can’t get enough!

If springy, bright florals inspires you too, I encourage you to check out the collection I put together.

For the home

• This picnic basket

• This napkin set

• Placemats here and here

• Powder bath towels

• Picnic blankets here and here

• This bath mat

• This lumbar pillow

For littles

• Crib sheet

• Bloomers

• Suitcase

• Kiddo party hats

• Stuffed bunny and another one!

• Bibs

• Paci-clips

• Bunny lovey

• Baby crown

• Sunhat

• Embroidered cushion

• headband

For her

• Scrunchie

• Collars here and here

• The cutest tote

• Summer PJs

• Silk scarf

• Toiletry bag

Hopefully there’s something in here that inspires and brings joy to you as well! Happy shopping!!

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Three St. Patty’s Day DIY’s (ranked from lowest to highest lift)

1. If you’re a mom who hasn’t tapped into the instant joy that sprinkles provide, now is your time to start. Whenever a holiday is coming up, I try to grab a set of sprinkles to match. Sprinkle them on some yogurt, popcorn, or whatever food your kid loves, and instantly you have a “themed and fun” breakfast/snack/etc. Even more fun: add them to a tube of sugar cookie dough for easy, festive cookies. For spring, I snagged these for St. Patty’s Day and these for Easter while I was at it.

   

2. Last year, I used green construction paper, some scissors, and staples to create a fun little garland to hang in my son’s playroom. He painted them beforehand for some added fun, and it was a great way to get him involved in the process. Will share this year’s garland on Instagram in a couple weeks!

   

3. On Saturday, I introduced my son to not one but two of life’s greatest joys — Lucky Charms and homemade Rice Krispie treats. I make these every year, and I think I’ve finally found my favorite recipe here. I did make one slight adjustment by reducing the Lucky Charms cereal by a cup and adding a cup of Rice Krispies instead. I cut them into small squares and wrapped them in Saran Wrap, then popped them in the fridge so they’ll last longer and stay fresh!

   

THE season for tulips (and a vase that I’ve been dreaming about for awhile)

Tulips are one of my favorite flowers. I love how wild and organic they feel, and the bright color always sparks so much joy. Because of this, I’ve always been intrigued by the tulipiere — a vase with multiple spouts to hold (most often) tulips. Perhaps this is the year I finally treat myself to one. These are an assortment of the ones that have caught my eye!

Shop the full collection here

Easter beginnings a.k.a. artisan-made Easter décor to order now so you have it in time for the season!

While I’m not decorating for Easter quite yet, I’m definitely starting to scheme how I want to do it. Below are a few finds you shouldn’t wait to snag because they either 1) take time to custom-make or 2) are small batch and likely to sell out. Early bird gets the worm!

These little name plates are soo cute to sew onto an Easter Basket. I actually recently bought some air dry clay to make them myself but Hannah McKenna is selling these adorable ones her mom makes! DM her on Instagram to order.

I ordered a nice Easter basket for my son this year but realized I needed something lighter for when he does his Easter egg hunts. These handmade woven egg bags are so cute and perfect for what he needs!

During the Christmas season, we decorate our home with our growing collection of German smokers and ornaments. Last year, I started a collection for the Easter season as well. Easiest to find is the Wendt and Kuhn figurines. I got a little boy last year and will be adding another boy (and a girl!) this year. I also love the little wooden rabbits that you can find on Etsy and Ebay. Use these keywords for your help searching!

• German wooden Easter figurines

• Erzgebirge Easter

• Vintage Erzgebirge ornaments

1. Tea Towels
   In my opinion, a tea towel is needed for every holiday. It’s such an easy, low-effort way to make the kitchen feel festive. I love these from Weezie—they’re really cute on their own, but also make the sweetest little teacher gifts tied around a bottle of wine or a loaf of cinnamon bread.

2. Hand painted dinnerware
   I’ve been loving the look of a more casual, hand-painted dinnerware set. I’ve seen them a lot from Portuguese ceramicists specifically, and I think they’re the perfect plates for those in-between “don’t want to use fine china but want this fancier than everyday” moments.

3. Pink flatware
   These are the kinds of things I love because you don’t need a full set. A stack of four or five (depending on your family size) feels perfect for these pink cuties—great for family dinners, slow breakfasts, or when you’re hosting a small dinner party.

4. Spotted Carafe
   I have a spotted pitcher that’s blue and green from Target from an old DVF x Target collab, and I get a lot of use out of it. But I love how dainty this one is—and obviously, it’s pink. I think it’s perfect for juice.

5. Tablecloth
   I’ve kept this tablecloth on our kitchen table since Christmas. It washes well and somehow manages to make the table feel springy and cozy at the same time—if that’s even possible???

6. Hand painted bowls
   For these, I’d go for the cereal bowls. How nice would your oatmeal be in these in the morning? Or for serving berries. I also think they transition so beautifully to outdoor eating in the spring.

7. Espresso Cups
   I don’t have an espresso maker, which is a problem because I’m constantly finding espresso cups I’m in love with. Maybe 2026 is the year I finally make the switch.

8. Radicchio Serving Plate
   Okay, this plate is a little more purple than pink—I’ll admit it—but it’s another great transition piece for spring. I also feel like a plate of this size is so versatile. A whole chicken, cut up? A hummus plate? A panzanella salad? The list might be infinite.

9. Splatter Vase
   I love everything Sharland England makes, and this vase is no exception. I especially love the height—it’s perfect for an entry table or even a coffee table.

10. Short Tumblers
    I got these at Liberty London a couple of years ago and find them so versatile. The wonky shape is really fun, and they’re great for cocktails or even something simple like iced tea or lemonade.

11. Rose Coupes
    These are technically martini glasses and not coupes, but I have the blush coupes from Estelle and honestly don’t love them for drinks—I find them too shallow. I do use them for ice cream and other desserts. For cocktails and champagne, I think martini glasses are much more practical.

12. Salad Servers
    I’ve been dying for resin salad servers for a while now, but they always get deprioritized. These pink ones are so fun and cute. I like that they’re short but still chunky—they’d lay nicely in the bowl while still being big enough for practical use.

13. Candle Holder
    Is a blowing out a candle on Valentine’s Day tradition? No. Should it be? Yes.

14. Marbled Cachepot
    Technically, this is labeled as a marbled wastebasket, but I 100% want to buy it for an orchid. Therefore, I’m calling it a cachepot.

15. Taper Candles
    Now that I’m a mom, I’ll admit I associate Valentine’s Day with kid stuff first (sorry to my husband). It was never huge for us, but I remember my mom always making it so special for my sister and me. That said, we do like to do an at-home date night on Valentine’s Day (I’m not messing with reservations on the actual day), and these candles are so perfect for that.

16. Seat Cushions
    I just bought these for our kitchen nook and am loving them so much. The covers come off if you need to wash them, and they add exactly the softness a wooden chair needs.

17. Pajamas
    For kids, I’m a big Lake Pajamas fan. But I love these pajamas for yourself because they’re a little different than what you usually see. Also, for any nursing mom (about to be me!), the buttons are a must.

18. Needlepoint Door Hanger
    I have a vintage door hanger from my mom that I hang on the outside of our powder room during Valentine’s season. I love the simplicity of it, and this cross-stitched one on Etsy gives very similar vibes.

19. Printed Tissue Box
    Another leveled-up luxury that makes all the difference. Putting tissues in a box cover in the powder room or guest room instantly gives that bed-and-breakfast feel everyone wants in their home—or is it just me?

20. Ruffle Lumbar Pillow
    I love that this isn’t a cheesy Valentine’s Day pillow but something you could bring out seasonally. Personally, I change my mind about couch pillows all the time, and I’m starting to think I just need to rotate them by season (sigh… maybe one day).

If you want even more ideas, I’ve stocked my storefront with a few goodies this year in addition to my tags! Check them out here!

1. I think it’s absurd that we can only celebrate this wonderful holiday for 3–4 weeks a year, and

2. decorating for Christmas takes time, and I’m not interested in stressfully trying to get all my decorations up in one weekend.

Whether you’ve already started decorating and want more ideas, or you’re still looking to get inspired, here are 40 whimsical-inspired items to fill your home with this Christmas.

Want to skip ahead and shop the whole collection? Click here!

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To hang in your home

1. The entire Liberty x Meri Meri collection is something to swoon about. I especially love this DIY paper garland kit. Personally, I’ll be hanging my garland in my breakfast nook and in my living room this year. In the past, I’ve also done it along my mantel and in my dining room. The possibilities are endless!

2. One of my favorite paper companies is Cambridge Imprint. Their DIY paper chain kit looks like a delight. I have a ton of their larger paper sheets already and will be doing something with them - just can’t decide which direction to go yet!

3. This paper star garland would be so pretty over a smaller piece in your house - a china cabinet or secretary perhaps. I also love these woven into garland.

4. Another DIY activity for you is this Origami Star Garland Kit. I’d treat these like I do the paper star garland!

5. These gold stars are something I use all year round for birthday celebrations. I love these with garland over the mantel or entryway!

6. I weave these dried orange slices into my garland every year as well! It’s really pretty anywhere you have garland: down the stairs, entryways, your mantel, whatever works for your house!

7. I love the idea of adding something fun and hand painted for the kids’ rooms. This Christmas tree forest garland is so cute. The quality of this company is amazing too!

8. I just finished hanging these stars in my dining room. They are formed with magnets, which makes them super easy for flattening again when you need to store for next year!

9. If you have a window over your sink, I think a large paper star is the perfect addition. I love these marbled ones so much!

10. If vintage Christmas is something you want to lean into, I love this tinsel and bow garland.

11. I love putting brass bells at the end of my staircase where the garland ends. They also look really pretty inside your wreath on your door!

12. Another brass bell for you. I have a rope that has three tied together on it. I think it looks better to have more than one!

For the tree (ornaments are going quickly - I’ve already had to update the links a couple times!)

13. I really love the whimsical spirit of wooden German Christmas decor and the ornaments are no exception. I found this vintage set on Etsy filled with so much charm and character.

14. Not necessarily German, but this vintage set is so sweet as well.

15. Again, vintage is the theme here. I just love the eclectic vibe! These ornaments are so bright and fun.

16. Replacements.com is a great place to look for ornaments as well. I collect Reed & Barton sterling silver ornaments every year, but I also love their glass options like this pink one.

17. This is the mac daddy of Christmas tree stands. I received it as a gift from my parents the first year we owned a home. I love how sturdy it is (and I had a tree fall in an apartment once so I know the danger of a flimsy stand)!

18. We get our tree the weekend before Thanksgiving every year. It has never died and I attribute it to this automatic watering system we bought a few years ago!

19. My tried and true tinsel every year.

20. This is technically a tree skirt, so I’ll leave it in this section, but I will say that I think this will look great tied around the waist of a festive hostess.

21. I love anything with Liberty fabric, and the pleated border on this tree skirt is so pretty!

22. I don’t have the time to needlepoint a custom ornament but I do have the time to hit purchase on this little guy.

For furniture, shelves, and mantels

23. I’ve been working on a nutcracker and smoker collection for a few years now after inheriting some German nutcrackers from my husband’s grandfather. Around the same year, I discovered the glory of wooden German smokers and I’m even more obsessed. More to come on these guys but here are a few I love and have found online. Let’s start with this toymaker nutcracker.

24. This Santa smoker is a nice classic to start your collection, plus the kids will love.

25. Bavarian nutcrackers and smokers are actually considered the most traditional of the categories. We have this guy.

26. Candle Pyramids are true works of art (and the price tags usually show). I would love to own one of the really big ones, one day. We’re lucky to have one that my sister-in-law purchased for us at the German markets last year. This angel pyramid is a simple one to get the collection started.

27. Swedish ornaments and decor are another favorite of mine. We have this candle pyramid and love it with the authentic red Christmas candles!

28. I would love to add these brass candle chimes to my collection as a reusable advent calendar to light each Sunday during Advent!

29. Sweetmeadow Studio uses Italian paper to make these gorgeous Christmas trees.

30. We display a photo album on our coffee table every Christmas, engraved with “Hughes Family Christmas Cards”. Slowly, each year we will add our card to the collection and, one day, have an album filled with our cards of the past. Here’s a beautiful one!

31. More for the tabletop - we’ve been doing Christmas crackers for as long as I can remember. Another favorite from the Meri Meri x Liberty collection!

32. Most crackers have crowns in them, but if you’re skipping the cracker (or if you just want to elevate it even more), these block printed paper crowns are so unique and fun for Christmas dinners and celebrations.

For the kids

33. While I didn’t go into depth on nativity scenes for your home (ours is handed down from grandparents), I do have some felt ones that I love for the kids’ rooms and playrooms. I couldn’t find our exact ones but found some similar! Starting with this one.

34. Another sweet one with eyes, if that’s your preference.

35. Santa doesn’t wrap our presents. I think this sack is so cute for him to deliver them in!

36. I love that this Advent calendar is nativity themed. Any chance I can get, I love to combine the commercial side of Christmas with the religious side and this is a great example of that!

Wrapping

37. Beautiful wrapping paper sheets! I love the folksy/Nordic vibe.

38. Anything marbled is a win in my book.

39. I love that this ribbon is two-textured, plus the reversible gold side is so pretty with the velvet!

40. These brass Christmas trees are so pretty to add to a gift. I may even try a DIY of these on my own this year. We’ll have to wait and see how that goes.

More wrapping ideas to come with ribbon and wrapping pairing ideas!

To shop the whole collection, click here!

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While I’m not trying to yuck anyone’s yum (despite what the title of the post says), I want to offer some alternatives if Ralph Lauren Christmas isn’t for you — because spoiler: it’s definitely not for me, and here’s why:

1. I really don’t like a decorated Christmas tree that has any uniformity or theme to it.
   My ideal tree? A hodgepodge of ornaments collected from travels, estate sales, and flea markets — plus plenty homemade by kids in school. I want tinsel galore, so it sparkles at night. Last but certainly not least — it must be real. Nothing can replicate that smell!
   
   Etsy is a great place for finding unique ornaments. I also love checking eBay like these and these. For tinsel, I’ve only ever used this brand.

   

2. I love colors beyond red and green at Christmas. Don’t get me wrong — I still think reds, greens, and golds are necessary, but also give me pops of pinks, blues, and purples. I love a paper chain garland that’s filled with pattern (I use scraps of old wrapping paper!) and pops of different colors on the Christmas table.
   
   The Libery x Meri Meri collab has a wonderful paper garland kit if you don’t have scraps of wrapping paper. I’m also a big chain of Cambridge Imprint which I found online on Oso and Me’s site! For stars, I found Cambridge’s kit on Etsy here.

3. Now, there’s one thing I do agree with the Ralph Lauren Christmas folks about: Christmas gifts should be wrapped in boxes. I’ve never been a fan of bags - they’re too quick to open! Plus, they’re just not as cute. All wrapping paper matching, though? No thank you. Personally, I like the paper to match the vibe of the recipient. If that’s too much, I think sticking with a big pattern, a small pattern, and a stripe or check is a good rule of thumb for mixing. I also love a marbled pattern as well.

   I don’t have any links for you today for wrapping paper — I’m working on some ideas that include ribbon to match, so you can shop in one swoop in a few weeks!
   

If it isn’t obvious by now, my Christmas aesthetic leans less traditional and more whimsical. There’s something about this look that fills me with joy and nostalgia — the perfect emotions to capture this time of year.

I am a “slowly pull the decorations out November 1” kinda gal and cannot wait to start decorating next week!

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This week’s topic - stocking the pantry.

I was talking to my sister the other day while in the middle of baking gingerbread skeleton cookies with my son. I read all the ingredients needed for royal icing out loud and told my son to go get them from the pantry to which my sister responded - “you have all that stuff?!” It made me reflect on something I do every fall without really ever thinking of it which is stock the pantry with (what I deem) baking essentials for the fall and holiday season. The last thing I want to do when I get the urge to bake something, which happens more often in the holiday season, is have to run out to the grocery store for 1 tsp of cinnamon. THE WORST. So here’s a list for you so that you can happily bake on a whim and enjoy fresh pumpkin bread, gingerbread cookies, whatever it is your heart desires this season!

I know this list is not exhaustive of everything you may want to bake this season, and there may be some items that aren’t necessary for you. Use this list as a starting point for your own pantry stock! You’ll be happy you have one less thing to worry about over the holidays.

I’ve always imagined decorating for my family members’ birthdays with whimsical, colorful touches—so this year, I decided it was time to create a legit birthday decor box. I keep everything stored together in the garage so it’s easy to grab, whether I’m hosting a full dinner or just decorating the breakfast nook for a birthday breakfast for my husband or son.

Here’s a breakdown of everything I’ve got in my box and how I use it:

Birthday banner

I don’t have the best spot for a banner in the dining room, but it makes such a sweet statement in the breakfast nook. This year I finally “invested” (using that term loosely—they’re only $18!) in a felt birthday banner. It’s so much easier to store than the paper ones and holds up much better over time.

Streamers

I used these two ways:

1. Hanging them in three points across the ceiling

2. Tying two colors together in knots and hanging them from the chandelier

It makes the whole space feel more full and festive. Just be careful about candle placement! I thought I was being smart by keeping tall candles to the side—until a draft blew the streamers into the flame and a couple caught fire. Everything was fine, but it was definitely a moment! Lesson learned: either keep them far away or stick with short tea lights.

Golden stars

I hang these alongside the ceiling streamers to add a little extra dimension and sparkle.

Balloons

I usually get about 12 balloons and let them float up into the corners of the room. It adds a light, playful touch—and tying one to the birthday person’s chair is always a hit. If there are kids at dinner, leaving a few loose balloons around is perfect entertainment once they’ve finished eating. Not linking any because I always just go to my local Party City.

Colorful flags

I only have one set of these right now, and it’s not quite long enough to span the whole dining room. So instead, I draped them from the ceiling to the chandelier and back again—and honestly, I kind of love the way it turned out. There’s something about flags that feels so nostalgic and joyful, like the best parts of a summer fair or a childhood birthday party.

Party hats

There are so many fun kinds of party hats! I usually go simple, but if you want something with a little more zhuzh, these ones from Meri Meri are adorable. I like to place one at every seat on the table—it instantly makes the setting feel festive.

Noisemakers

Because blowing something fun and loud while singing “Happy Birthday” makes it that much better. These pink and blue ones are a great mix, or you can go all-gold if you’re into a more neutral look. I place them at the top of each plate, next to the dessert spoon.

Do you have a birthday decor box or anything you reach to year after year? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear!

Admittedly, I include a lot of UK brands in these edits—it’s just where my style naturally gravitates. But with all the recent tariff news, I was inspired to focus this round-up on treasures from right here in the good ole U.S. of A.

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The food

I’m starting out with the most important part. If I’m not throwing a party and just celebrating with my family, this is where my focus would be. I think it’ll be fun especially with kids for them to think back on eating Masters food every Masters Sunday and all watch it together as a family. The recipes I love, in order of importance to me -

• peach ice cream sandwich

• pimento cheese sandwich

• Pulled pork sandwich

• egg salad sandwich

For more snacky foods, grab some potato chips and caramel corn or make some coleslaw. A lot of people like this with the pulled pork especially. I don’t so I don’t make it (sorry, Clay).

The drinks

The iconic cocktail at the Masters is called the Azalea (recipe here). For non-alcoholic options, there’s the Stand 12, a not-so-secret off menu drink that is a little bit of pink lemonade, blue powerade and club soda (does not sound good to me butttt I’ve never tried it so I can’t really judge accurately. Maybe I should make it this year so I can officially report back).

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The decor

Personally, I’m just going to be watching at home with my family this year and likely won’t do decor but if I was throwing a party, here are some things I’d look at -

• Green and white deli paper for your sandwiches

• Plastic fast food baskets

• Green gingham picnic tablecloth

• Pulling out golf-themed coffee table books like this one and this one

• Clipping azaleas in my backyard or grabbing some yellow tulips from Trader Joe’s

• House of Gleason coasters

• 19th hole bamboo skewers

I’m sure anything you do to celebrate small or big will be memorable for your loved ones. I hope this gives you some inspiration and excitement going into Masters week!

xo,

Leah

I know a lot of people—moms especially—feel overwhelmed by all the activities that come with every holiday season. There’s always something to buy, cookies to bake, and more to do on top of an already busy schedule. I want to make it clear that this post isn’t meant to add to that overwhelm but rather to inspire you. I’m someone who could easily let the season pass without doing much at all, but I’ve found that when I prioritize these little traditions, I feel happier overall. More than anything, I hope my son remembers our home as a place filled with creativity and magic.

If that’s your goal as well, read on for some fun activities to try this season!

• Hand paint wooden Easter eggs and decorate Easter tree
  Growing up, I loved decorating my mom’s Easter tree. This past Monday, while she was babysitting my son, he got to help decorate it too. I don’t have one yet, but I have my eye on a few! She’s been collecting her eggs from all over the world, and I plan to paint some myself to start my own collection.

  

• Dye real eggs with cool whip and food dye
  I recently saw someone joke that they were dyeing potatoes instead of eggs this year because of the high cost, which made me laugh. I’ll still be taking part, but I plan to try something new—Cool Whip-dyed eggs! Here’s the article I’m going to follow.

• Make spring planter that looks like a nest
  I can’t find a blog post covering this one very well but here are a few inspo pics. I bought this material from Michael’s and we’ll see how it goes.
  

• Papier-mâché bunny covered in moss
  I’m going for a look I love (pictured and linked below), but I don’t want to spend that kind of money. So, I’m going to try making my own papier-mâché bunny, glueing sheets of moss onto it, and planting ivy around it. No promises—but if it works out, I’ll definitely share!

  

• Sign up Walker for a local Easter egg hunt
  You can find some options by just googling “Easter egg hunt” and then your city at the end of the search. A lot where I live require tickets (or some are a couple weeks before Easter) so look ahead of time!

• Make Easter bunny cinnamon rolls

  These Easter bunny cinnamon rolls look really easy using store-bought dough. You simply reshape the outside layer into ears with your hands.

  

• Pull together Easter basket
  I love using holidays like Easter and Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to gift my kids things they actually need. My son needs a baseball hat, so I’ll include that, along with some new sunglasses, bubbles (since he’s going through them so fast), and maybe a new swimsuit. I haven’t bought anything yet (which is why it’s still on my to-do list!), or else I’d have links for you! I’ll also be adding another Bible book to his shelf—we already have this one and this one and he loves both.

• Decorate Easter cookies
  I bought this cookie cutter set about 5 years ago and love using it every year for cookies! I use it for Walker’s lunches as well to cut his sandwiches into fun shapes. Spending with Pennies is one of my most blogs for baking.

• Make front door arrangement
  I have a front door basket (linked here) that I use all spring and summer. In the spring, I love filling it with hydrangeas, and when they start to fade, I plant them in my yard—hoping they’ll come back in the summer! I much prefer this to a traditional wreath for the front door. Here’s some inspiration that I pulled.
  

I hope you found this list inspiring! I’ll share everything I do on on Instagram and share the more involved projects as posts here.

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Links to everything (except the candy which you can find at Whole Foods) are below:

Pink glitter nail polish

Elmo Tonie

Bracelets

Sponge

Pink Jelly Sandals

How Many Do I Love You? book

I love you, little pookie book

Heart Bath Bombs

Bashful Winter Puppy

Strawberry hair clips

Pink and white striped sweater

Red and white mittens

Heart markers

Fairy wand and crown

If I missed anything, comment below, I’m sure a another mom would appreciate!

What You’ll Need:

• Mirror: We used the scalloped mirror from Ballard Designs, which you can find here. The scalloped edges? Chef’s kiss.

• Paint: Gouache paint—I swear by Holbein brand, available here. It’s like butter but make it paint.

• Brushes: Princeton Synthetic brushes, specifically a #4 round brush and a 0/5 spotter brush, available here.

• Varnish: Liquitex Satin Varnish for that perfect slight sheen, available here. Want something less shiny? Go for a matte varnish—but please, don’t skip the sealing step. Trust me.

• Optional Base Paint: If you want to paint the base of the mirror, hit up your local hardware store for some standard wall paint. Durable and affordable!

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The Process:

Let’s start with the mirror. She chose the scalloped mirror from Ballard Designs - the perfect shape for a little baby’s room. Since my friend’s walls were already pink (and we didn’t want to risk overdoing it), we left the mirror base white. But, if you want a pop of color, you can just use some basic wall paint. Don’t need to splurge on this one I don’t think. I think it would be better to spend the money on the gouache.

For the flowers, I grabbed my Holbein gouache paints. If you’re not familiar, the best way I can describe gouache is that it’s like half acrylic/half watercolor. The one I linked above is definitely a smaller palette and tbh I think any beginner should start with a small palette and learn about undertones and how to make colors with your basic primary colors, buttt there are other options out there if you’re looking for a wider palette.

Once the flowers were done and dry (and pro tip: if you mess up, you can immediately wipe it off with a wet paper towel and start again), I sealed the whole thing with Liquitex Satin Varnish. It gives the piece just the right amount of sheen without being too in-your-face. Prefer a matte finish? Just swap out the varnish. Either way, I personally think sealing is non-negotiable. I know I’ve had to clean my own baby’s mirror many times (I’ll spare you and won’t say why) and so sealing will really protect and potential scraping.

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A quick note on brushes. I used Princeton Synthetic brushes, specifically the #4 round brush for larger petals and the 0/5 spotter brush for the teeny-tiny details. They’re precise, easy to clean, and basically my ride-or-dies for projects like this.

And that’s it! I’m so happy with how it turned out. Whether you’re making this for yourself, a friend, or your own little one’s nursery, I hope this inspires you to get creative and add a touch of hand-painted charm to your space. Feel free to comment with any questions—you’ve got this!

P.S. If this is too daunting and you want me to paint something for your nursery, I’m taking commissions! Reach out here.

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When it comes to Valentine’s Day gifting, in my opinion, anything that’s red is fair game. I also like the idea of gifting your kids things that they actually need. For my son, that was new red Keds (no one warned me how fast feet grow) and, while I’m not buying this exact sweater, I am adding his name in red to a sweater he already has that he’s not getting much wear out of right now - hopefully we can bring new life to it. Here’s the full round up with all the links below!

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• Red and White Striped Bowl
  It’s hard to find a red and white stripe I don’t like. Perfect for fruit. Perfect for salads. Perfect for Christmas and Summer. Just perfect!

• Blue Scalloped Heart and Pink Scalloped Heart
  So I wrote this over the weekend and on Monday, I went to buy it and it was sold out! Not going to re-do my collage but the girl’s option is still available and I found a different vendor for the boy’s. It just looks slightly different!

• Personalized Candy Striped Pillows
  Highly considering this for my son’s room that I’m going to decorate this year. I think the yellow could go great with the blues and greens I’m thinking for his room.

• Shell Brass Candle Holder
  Admittedly these aren’t a January find. They’ve been bookmarked on my browser for some time now, if I could just think of the right spot for them in my house.

• Birthday Train
  1000000% going to be a breakfast morning birthday tradition that Walker wakes up to this train

• Lemon Candle
  I picked the lemon because it’s citrus season but all the food candles on the market are killing the game right now.

• Strawberry Scarf
  So pretty framed in a little girl’s nursery, which we do not have but maybe you do.

• Musician Embroidery Kit
  My son is obsesssssed with music. He’s been bobbing his head to the beat since he was like 9 months old. These would be so adorable for his room if I could manage to find the time to embroider them. I think it would be a sweet sentiment that it’s handmade by mom.

• Rainbow Splash Cup
  Do I need these cups? No, but how perfect are they for any color scheme. A chameleon cup if you will.

• Mushroom Candle Holder
  I think mushrooms are a great table object because they go well with springy rabbit garden vibes as well as pumpkin dirt Thanksgiving vibes. I love how unique these are.

• Ceramic Egg Cup
  For pretending we’re in Europe.

• Abby Ward’s Fabric Pinboard
  I’m all for a physical inspo board in your house. This one is perfectly neutral.

• Maresca Textiles Pillow
  Brown is still having a moment, and I love these pillows so much.

• Bird lemon squeezer
  I like the idea of these as a hostess gift. Perhaps with a mint plant or some other herb that pairs well with citrus (hint: most of them).

• Tomato vase
  I’ve talked about this before but an unexpected pop of red can change so much in a room.

• Shell box
  I’m still looking for objects to go on my bookstacks on my new shelves. This one is so pretty.

• Murano vase
  I’m picturing this on the coffee table with 30 of your favorite colored tulips (or whatever is in stock at Trader Joes).

• Door knocker
  I want a new door, and, when I buy one, I’ll want a new door knocker. Trying to find one that isn’t too themed but isn’t basic either. This is a good contender.