decorate – Page 2

August 30, 2017 By Melinda 9 Comments

Apple Crisp And A Hello To Autumn

I am truly honored to be taking part in the “Tastes of the Season” series with some of my talented and inspirational blogging friends. We will be sharing some of our favorite seasonal recipes over the coming months. Each feature in the series will focus on a different recipe theme. Today, we are all sharing a favorite apple recipe. Let’s get started!

Doesn’t apple picking seem to always make its way onto your autumn “to-do list”? It usually falls somewhere in between hay rides, pumpkin picking, and bonfires. I know it does on mine!

Once autumn makes its entrance, apple picking is one of my favorite activities to do with our family. We have been embarking on this little “field trip” since our first child was born almost 14 years ago. I still look forward to this time of year and making our way out to the same orchard year after year filling our bags to the rim with fresh apples.

Now, what to do with all of those apples once we get them home always seems to be another story. There are only so many apples you can eat in a day!

When my husband and I were married in 2000 and I became a “Real McCoy”, one of my bridal shower gifts was the McCoy family cookbook. It may not look like much, but what it holds inside those now worn pages are family recipes passed down from generation to generation.

One of those recipes is Grandma Louise’s apple crisp. I love it because it is a family recipe that has been made throughout past autumn days. Another reason I enjoy it is that it only requires ingredients that I always seem to have on hand. Always a winner in my book!

I always feel a sense of joy when I see our children eating this special dish. Knowing that generations before gathered around the table at this same time of year and enjoyed the same dish is a special connection to the past. I hope you and your family enjoy it as well.

Grandma Louise’s Apple Crisp

Ingredients (8×8″ pan)

4 cups of sliced apples
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup butter

Method

Slice apples into 8×8″ pan.

In a small bowl mix the water, cinnamon, and salt together and pour over the apples.

In a separate bowl work together the sugar, flour, and butter until crumbly. Spread the crumb mixture over top the apples evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Tip: Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

Please be sure to visit my amazing friends, who are also joining me on this tour, for more autumn inspiration and delicious apple recipes.

{MORE APPLE TREATS FROM THE TASTE OF THE SEASONS SERIES}

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls by Ella Claire | Rustic Apple Cranberry Pie by Anderson and Grant |

Apple-Cranberry Slab Pie by Inspired by Charm | Apple Donuts by A Burst of Beautiful |

Caramel Apple Tart by Julie Blanner

Easy Apple Dumplings by Craftberry Bush | Apple Crisp by House 214 Design |

Apple Cider Scones by Everyday Occasions | Apple Fritter Skillet Bake by Nest of Posies |

Rustic Apple Tarte Tatin by Maison de Pax

Paleo Apple Crisp by Nesting with Grace | Crock Pot Applesauce by My Sweet Savannah |

Gluten Free Apple Crisp by City Farmhouse |

Baked Breakfast Apples with Oatmeal by French Country Cottage |

Apple Blossom with Salted Caramel Sauce by Nina Hendrick Design

No Churn Apple Pie Ice Cream by Boxwood Avenue | Bird’s Nest Apple Pie by Zevy Joy |

Apple Upside Down Spice Cake by Love Grows Wild

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June 7, 2017 By Melinda 5 Comments

A Touch of Summer

There is a feeling of ease when it comes to summer, isn’t there? Spring is a very busy season, with the welcoming return of light and warmth. In summer, nature slows down a bit and subtlety becomes the new path to take.

When April from House by Hoff and Krista from The Happy Housie asked me to join them and 25 other bloggers in The Seasonal Simplicity Home Tour, I couldn’t resist the invitation! I was so excited to share how I add a nod of summer to our home.

If you are joining the tour by way of my talented friend Abby from Just A Girl and Her Blog, welcome and thank you for joining us. Now, let’s get started!

I like to begin decorating for the seasons starting at our front door. It is the first moment you see when you visit our home and it sets the feeling for what is to come when you open it.

I decided to try my hand at making a wreath of my own using a wreath form, floral wire, and the most beautiful rosemary branches from Rose Bredl. In the winter season I place emerald green boxwood wreaths against my painted black door and I absolutely love the contrasting colors. I thought the rosemary branches would provide a similar effect. What do you think?

This time of year means the local farmers markets are up and running. I love to visit the busy scene on the weekends, find inspiration, and stock up on local foods. There is just something about the sun shining on a beautiful day, seeing some of the familiar faces of my neighbors, and trying the goods of people who put a lot of care into their products.

On this particular visit local breads and eggs found their way into my basket at the market. I thought they would be a wonderful addition for a summer breakfast outside on the patio.

I gathered different “serving” pieces that I have collected over the years to hold the bread, eggs, and butter. It just makes the everyday feel a bit more special. Of course it is not something that I do all of the time, but I thought a nice summer weekend with my family was the perfect reason to use it.

I love to decorate my home in a way that just feels like me. If you have any interest in learning how to do the same I am teaching a FREE 5 day email course called, “Finally Decorate Your Home”.

If you doubt yourself when it comes to making decorating decisions for your home and/or you feel overwhelmed by all of the choices available in making those decisions this free course is for you.

In this free course you will be introduced to the step by step process I created that teaches you the right way to making decorating decisions for your home. It is a framework that will teach you how the feeling you want to create in your home (hint, it has a lot to do with your personality) has specific patterns, textures, colors, collections, finishes, etc., that will communicate it best. Making decorating decisions for your home becomes easier and something that you are happy with for a long time.

Okay, now it is time to sit back, relax, and enjoy our beautiful breakfast with my family. A simple summer morning that is made special with what might be little effort, but effort that can create some of life’s biggest moments.

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my home today. If you have any interest in learning the same process I use to make the decisions I do for my home please sign up for my free 5 day email course, “Finally Decorate Your Home”.

Please be sure to visit the next stop on the tour with Kristy from Robb Restyle. Also, don’t forget to check out all the home tours throughout the week!

Monday

House by Hoff / House of Wood / Refresh Restyle / Cassie Bustamante / That’s My Letter

Tuesday

The Happy Housie / Simplicity in the South / at HOME with the barkers / Sincerely, Sara D.

Wednesday

Nina Hendrick Design Co. / The Wicker House / A Burst of Beautiful / Paint Me Pink / Town and Country Living

Thursday

At Charlotte’s House / Just a Girl and Her Blog / House 214 Design / Robb Restyle

Friday

My Fabuless Life / The Turquoise Home / Erin Spain / Place of My Taste / Cherished Bliss

January 6, 2017 By Melinda 9 Comments

Winter Porch

I enjoy decorating for the holidays, and have found that I like to integrate the seasonal aspect within my holiday decorating. Once the holidays come to an end I take down the decorations, but keep up the more seasonal items. I now see a lot of the decor more as a winter scene, and am happy to enjoy the hard work put into it for a little while longer.

I am naturally drawn to a classic and timeless feeling with a hint of elegance. I see natural elements as the perfect way to depict these feelings in any season. Whether it is winter, spring, summer, or fall you can always find a bit of nature to represent the season.

We lived in the south for some time growing up. During the holiday season we would go on tours of old southern homes that were decorated in Christmas past. This meant a lot of fresh greens, fruits, and other natural elements incorporated in the decor. Often times during the tour you would be greeted with a beautiful fruit display located above the front door. I was always fascinated with the welcoming gesture and wanted to incorporate the decoration on my own front porch this winter season.

With the help of my husband, a video, and lots of apples the project was under way. I was so pleased with how it turned out. The best part is that once the apples are removed we can use the piece again next year and create an entirely different winter scene.

A quick tip… I love the look of boxwoods in urns, but sometimes don’t want to purchase a plant for the season. What I do instead is cut my own boxwood branches or buy cut pieces from my local nursery for a couple of dollars. I then place the stems in leftover dirt to create the look of a boxwood. Easy and a lot less expensive!

If you are visiting by way of Danielle, thank you for stopping by on the tour. I hope you all enjoyed the visit, and learned something that you can take with you.

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November 16, 2016 By Melinda Leave a Comment

“Feel Home” with my Friend: Sarah Gibson

I am starting a series of posts about a few of my friends and how they “feel home”. Some I have met in person and some only in the online world (hopefully that will change one day!). I want to show you how different types of people create different feelings in their homes by choosing design elements that communicate that feeling best.

The only criteria for my featured friends is to be a talented, willing to share their home, and willing to open up about who they are and how they feel home. Not too much to ask, right?!?! Let’s get started!

Please meet my friend Sarah. Sarah is a designer and the talent behind the blog Room for Tuesday. We met on a business trip that we were both asked to take part in with Polycor, a natural stone fabricator. The first time I saw Sarah, I noticed her friendly smile right away. I also quickly took note of how after a long day of travel, her appearance was still so very well put together. Me on the other hand, not so much. We started chatting right away and I knew the friendship would continue long after the trip came to an end.

Sarah and her husband have made their way to Utah where they are currently renovating a mid-century ranch style house. Prior to this move, they resided in a 1920 bungalow style home in Ohio, which is where the pictures in this post were taken from. The feeling of this house reminds me of my first impression of Sarah, friendly and put together.

Sarah describes her personality as decisive, nostalgic, and effervescent. All of these traits are evident in the feeling that she created in her home. They are characteristics that make up what I call the strong, welcoming, and fun feeling.

The animal hyde and natural wood elements seen on the dining chairs and blinds are all design elements that communicate a more welcoming feeling.

I asked Sarah how she wanted her home to feel and her response was the following. “I want my home to feel curated, balanced, interesting, inviting, and unusual. These are all things that are important to me, and I want my home to reflect these qualities. I suppose when designing my home and filling it with furniture, decor, and objects I love, my objective is to create a place that is unique to myself and my family. I love mixing classic, timeless design with unexpected vintage pieces to give my home personality”.

I love how Sarah placed a fun element in her hallway using this floral pattern wallpaper. The pattern is scattered and larger in scale, which makes it feel fun, but the color palette is more warm and muted which falls into the welcoming feel. She also kept the space welcoming by using a vintage runner which adds a sense of history and has a warmer tone as well.

The architectural elements of Sarah’s home fall more into the authentic feeling. She and her husband made some design decisions that complemented that type of feeling. The kitchen cabinetry, floors, and molding are all choices made to honor the roots of their 1920 bungalow style home.

In this space, the lines of the coat rack, bench, and light fixture contribute to a more edited strong feeling. We also see the welcoming feeling in the texture of the basket and a nod to nature seen in the pillow, art, and animal heads. The animal heads add a little bit of fun to the space as well.

I just love this image of Sarah’s dog. Perfection!

Sarah is such a kind person and I am grateful to have met her. She wanted to gift you with something, so she thought her grandmother’s recipe for “the best sugar cookies” would be perfect for this time of year. Sarah was also nice enough to share the story behind the recipe, which makes me eager to get in the kitchen, gather the ingredients, and start baking!

“My grandmother makes these every single holiday. She makes hundreds and sometimes even thousands of cookies! She passes them out to everyone. Family, friends, neighbors, fellow churchgoers, the mailman, and anyone who will accept her tin of cookies. The recipe is from her old elementary school teacher and she still has the original copy. She said she remembers her teacher making these and passing them out to everyone in the community and at the single room schoolhouse. They’re so popular, she always runs out! Every time I make these, they remind me of her compassion and generosity to others.”

If you would like to meet my friend Sarah and learn about her e-design services, no matter your location or the scale of the project, you can visit her here.

I hope you enjoyed this first piece in my new series, “Feel Home”. I can’t wait to introduce you to my next friend in the series and share with you how they feel home.

Take care,

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November 4, 2016 By Melinda Leave a Comment

“It’s Not About the Perfect Home”

Do you have a list of things that you hope to accomplish some day? Whether you have them in the back of your mind or actually have them written down, they are there, and little by little you work towards them in one way or another.

When I discovered Karen and Zandra from Little Yellow Couch I just knew I wanted to take part in what their philosophy was regarding the home. In their own words, ” It’s not about the perfect home. It’s about creating moments that delight you amidst your everyday life”.

Their past guest list includes Grace Bonney from Design Sponge, John and Sherry Petersik from Young House Love, and many many more. So, when I was asked to take part and be a guest on their podcast, Style Matters, I was beyond thrilled. To listen to the full episode, please see below.

Oh, and the icing on the cake was Karen and Zandra had asked to teach a segment on my new and live (that you take on your own schedule) course, Creating a Timeless Feeling Home. It really has been a wonderful and rewarding collaboration. The best kind in my mind!