southern living idea house 2020

I have always wanted to walk thru one of Southern Living's Idea Houses and this year it was in Asheville which is a quick and easy ride from my home. My sister and I decided that touring the home in Asheville would make for a perfect fall, girl's day. The home was dressed for Christmas too which was an added bonus. We toured the home and then shopped and dined in Biltmore Village. 

The home was simply stunning. I took several photos of some details that I wanted to remember, but these pictures do not give a full tour and certainly do not do the home justice. If you live nearby, I highly recommend going. The home is open until mid December. 

               I fell in love with all of the doorknobs. They look so pretty with the olive toned doors. 

Designers in training:)

        *They took every precaution to make sure only a few people were in the home at a time and masks were required.

 Sanitizer stations  were placed throughout the home. 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving week! 

~Amber

tidings of comfort

If there was ever a year for gifts of comfort, this is the year! I have already started Christmas shopping and here are a few ideas that I think would be good for almost anyone.

I picked up a few beautiful glass bottles of hand soap at TJ Maxx the other day for under $7 each. This one is from Kohls and can be filled with any soap you would like. I really love this whole set from Kohls. Seriously, who doesn't need hand soap these days?:)

Glass soap dispenser

This joy tea gift set is perfect for anyone. 

Everyday joy gift set

 

I love a neck wrap. My kids always fight over mine too.  This one from Terrain is longer than most and I love the fabric. 

Neck wrap

This would be a great gift for someone who has a little more time at home these days. Painting can be so very therapeutic. 

Paint by number kit

A plant always brightens my mood and this little gift set comes with bath salts too. 

Spa gift set

Slippers are always a good idea. 

Slippers

This robe is a favorite of mine. I have had my Natori robe for a few years and it is the perfect weight. 

Natori brushed terry robe

                                                

                                                      Cute pajamas are always a good idea too. 

Waffle Pajamas

I hope this helps get your Christmas shopping wheels turning. Have a great day! 

~ Amber

making spirits bright

Who could not use something to brighten their spirits these days, am I right?  That's why I am posting a few lovely Christmas idea pictures. My little brain is already thinking about Christmas decorating and these are a few images that caught my eye recently. It always excites me to decorate for Christmas. I still try to separate Christmas and Thanksgiving, but so many people are already going ahead and decorating and I am loving all the inspiration. 

  I have always wanted to try my hand at a dried orange garland. Maybe this year is the year! 

I love the idea of no wrapping paper and using just beautiful boxes with a special garnish for gifts. 

This light socket wreath is so cool. I seriously want to make one of these and put it on our large chalkboard behind the kid's playset. 

Adirondack chairs are timeless and I really like the idea of dressing them up for Christmas, especially if you have a pair of them in your front yard. 

all images via Pinterest

Have a great weekend! 

~Amber

halloween ready

We are all ready for Halloween at our house. Things may look a little different this year, but we are still going to make it a fun night.

Our spooky night time front porch. I see someone peering through the window too:)

Shades of orange by the front door. 

Have a BOOtiful day and fun Halloween! 

touches of autumn at home

 Well hello first day of October! I feel like October officially kicks off the fall season. I have been adding a few more autumn touches around the house. I still have a few more pumpkins to buy for the front porch, but I may wait another week. The Carolinas tend to have plenty of very warm October days and in years past, my pumpkins are rotten and my mums are dead by the time Halloween rolls around. I did find this rich orange mum and could not pass it up. 

I always like when the leaves begin to change and I can just cut off a few branches to use on my mantel. The trees in our yard typically do not have bright vibrant reds, so I am the crazy lady that keeps scissors in her car this time of year and when I see a beautiful tree with branches I can reach, I pull over and collect some of nature's bounty:)

You can take all the pumpkin spice lattes, just give me all of your candy corn. Trust me, throw some peanuts in the mix. It is delicious and dangerous:)

Happy October! We made it to the 4th quarter! 

the colors of fall

image from southernliving.com

 

Are you seeing it? The foliage is starting to slowly change and I love it.  For me, seeing the season change provides a sense of normalcy. This image really highlights my favorite fall colors: red, orange, golden yellow, olive green and navy blue. I tend to be a slow seasonal decorator and add something each week. So far, I have purchased one small pumpkin and set out my faux wheat plant. As the temperature continues to grow cooler, I will begin adding more fall decor inside and outside our home.  I do love summer, but am happy to see the colors of fall grace us with it's presence. 

if i had a real office space...

Even before the world turned upside down, I mainly worked out of my car.  I did have a small office that I would pop into a few times a week, but since covid, I have been working at home a lot more just like the rest of the world. Currently, I am working in our dining room where I have been since March, but if I did ever have a true workspace, below is what I would set up in my home. 

I love this new desk from Studio McGee at Target. What a beauty with simple lines and those  drawers are so pretty. 

I am all about a comfy work chair and this one fits the budget and checks the comfort box for me. It really softens the workspace too. We have this chair in our bedroom and it currently is my husband's desk chair. He approves:)

I also would add some soothing artwork. This piece already comes in this lovely frame.

A good lamp is very important to me. This is another Studio McGee for Target item. It has a nice modern, yet warm feel to it. 

Any workspace I have ever had, I always bring in a real plant. It motivates me.  Hmmm I bet my current office plant is dead by now since I haven't watered it in months:) Anyway, I would absolutely have a real plant in my home office space. 

I love this pencil holder from World Market. I have even used cute mugs as pencil/pen holders. This one comes with a matching file holder which I might would add as well. Organization is key with any workspace, but especially when trying to separate work from home.  

Lastly, we all need a cute coffee mug! Or at least somewhere to put all that coffee that we need to make it thru each day! 

Have a wonderful, productive work week! Be sure to do something for yourself each day. Self-care is so important during this crazy time!