May was a good month.  That’s a simple, but true way to say it.  I’ve loved the cool spring weather in Minnesota.  I enjoyed being out on walks in the mornings and sitting on the porch in the evenings.  And, while it’s been stressful at times, I have been loving work.  I am working on all sorts of new things…things that make me uncomfortable in a good way because they are vulnerable and pushing me into spaces where I’ve been scared to go.  But, I’ve been working diligently, pushing and praying through any fears that rear and any anxieties that taunt me.  And it feels good. I am launching one of my newest projects to my newsletter subscribers tomorrow (Friday, June 7), so if your curiosity is piqued, make sure you’re subscribed and you’ll hear all about it tomorrow.  You can subscribe HERE (and get the Personal Retreat Guide for

My word…April flew by!  I can’t believe it’s May already and the end of the school year is just weeks away.  Crazy.  I’m not sure if I’m ready for summer just yet!  Anyway, before we get ahead of ourselves, let me share some of my favorite things from April… Les Misérables on Masterpiece I’m pretty eager to like just about any period miniseries, but I have been eagerly anticipating Les Misérables on PBS for a while!  I was introduced to the story through the musical when I was 11.  It was actually the first CD I ever listened to!  Anyway, the story is so beautiful and I have enjoyed the miniseries so far.  It’s still playing on PBS and you can also watch it on the Masterpiece channel on Amazon Prime. New Notebook I think I have finally found the perfect notebook (and, believe me, I have certainly bought and

Wow!  I wasn’t expecting such a response to selling the postal sorter.  I can assure you, though, that I’ve bought and sold a lot of beautiful things over the years…things that were rare, unusual, and things that I loved.  But I’ve learned that I can love something for a while, as long as I have the perfect place for it and a use for it, and then I can let it go if ever that changes.  I find just as much joy sending the beloved item off to a new home.  And I haven’t regretted selling anything.  There are times when I remember a piece with fondness or I think about a piece I sold a few years ago that would now be perfect for this house.  But, if I kept everything I might have a spot for in a future house, I would have to rent a storage unit. 

I have to confess that I was a little too grouchy yesterday to write any kind of a blog post that would’ve been even marginally inspirational or interesting to read.  So, I saved you from that and left my writing for this morning when I had a fresh perspective!  And, I was having such a great morning that it got me in the perfect mood to share my favorites from December and January.  Those two ended up getting lumped together because of the holidays, so here you go… Montana Trip I went to Whitefish, Montana to tour the HGTV dream home in early December and it was such an enriching trip.  I didn’t know anyone attending the event, so it pulled me out of my typical sphere of home decor bloggers.  I got to hang out with an awesome group of creative, business-savvy women and it was a blast.  The location wasn’t too

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you had a wonderful holiday with your friends and family.  In the spirit of thanks, I need to take a quick minute to say thank you!  Whether you’re brand new, you just hop on here once in a while for a tutorial or specific information, or you’ve been following my journey for years, thank you for reading my blog and for joining me on this journey.  This blog would be just a very time-consuming journal without you! I am not a rabid black Friday shopper.  Maybe I should be.  Maybe I’m missing out. I might troll the internet to see if something I wanted to buy anyway is on sale, but I’m not going to wait in line for doors to open, so I can race to get the latest and greatest deal. For those who are like me and take Black Friday at

I didn’t write a September Favorites post, because I figured my posts about Paris and Italy sort of covered all of my favorites!  (And I still have more to share on that trip, in fact!) As I was putting this list together, I realized I did a poor job keeping track of some of my favorite things for October.  Usually, I keep a running list, so I don’t forget the things that sparked my interest when it comes time to share, but I neglected to do that this month.  It’s been a busy month that has completely run away from me.  I keep saying that next week I’ll be back into a routine, but that just hasn’t happened this month. Anyway, here are some of my favorites (that I can remember)… Portrait Painting We have entered into the portrait painting segment of the I’m attending and I have enjoyed it immensely.  At