Mary Jane's Farm

I adore Mary Jane's Farm. Her motto is,

"It's Not Where You Live, It's How You Live."

(all photos from Mary Jane's Farm)

 

She has her own quaint Bed & Breakfast, along with a full line of bedding.  A couple of years ago I was shopping at Belk when the most charming bedding set caught my eye.

I purchased the mint green and floral bedding with birthday money and have loved it every day ever since.

 

So this week we are creating our own Bed & Breakfast getaway right here at home.  This is the third year we have done this.  I fully agree with the motto, "It's not where you live, it's how you live."  For me, this little project is about creating beauty in our lives.  It is fun to think about creating a pretty, relaxing space for us.

 

The boys like dreaming together about the fancy breakfasts we'll eat this weekend.  I like thinking about the freshly ground Butter Pecan coffee I'll be purchasing on Wednesday morning.

 

So, the first element in a well appointed Bed & Breakfast is a fantastic bed.  We needed a new bed but did not want to spend $1,000 plus on a mattress.  We found this 4 1/2 inch foam mattress topper on Overstock.  It.  Has.  Been.  Heaven.  Ever since we put it on our bed.  Now we have the most plush bed to sink into every night and it was under $200 to revitalize our existing bed.

 



We also purchased an inexpensive set of 1500 thread count sheets in Mint Green which have been equally luxurious.

It doesn't have to cost a fortune to breathe new life into your bedding and it is such a luxurious gift to give yourself.

(Linking up with Women Living Well  and Knick of Time)

Apple Scones & Devonshire Cream

What better way to enjoy an apple a day than when tucked happily inside a scone and topped with Devonshire Cream?

This is a simple recipe.  Takes under 15 minutes to whip up.

His & Hers

This in essence is a Hot Apple Cake topped with bubbly butter and sugar.  You cut the squares into scone shapes and top with the cream.

Apple Scones:
2 c flour
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
3 T butter
1/4 c sugar
1 c diced apple
1 egg
2/3 c milk
Garnish: 2 T butter, 2 T sugar

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.  Cut in butter; add sugar and apple.  Mix in egg and milk; stir until soft dough forms.  Knead until well blended.  Spread in a greased 8x8 pan.  Top with melted butter and sprinkle sugar on top of dough.

Bake at 450 for 25 minutes.  Cut in 2x2 squares.  Cut each square in half diagonally.

Serve warm with Jam and Devonshire Cream.

Devonshire Cream:
3 oz cream cheese
1 T sugar
pinch of salt
1 c heavy whipping cream
Cream together cream cheese, sugar and salt.  Beat in cream until stiff peaks form.  Chill until serving.

Biscuits

2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup Crisco
1 T sugar
3/4 cup milk
2-3 T melted butter

Preheat oven to 450.  Cut shortening into flour using a pastry blender (or criss-crossing 2 knives, or just use your hands) until mixture looks like fine crumbs.  Stir in milk until dough leaves side of bowl (dough will be soft and sticky)

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface.  Knead lightly 10 times.  Pat to 1/2 inch thick.  Using round biscuit cutter or top of glass cut biscuits.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.  Top each biscuit with melted butter.

Bake 10-12 minutes.  Serve hot.

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All I can say is these biscuits are delish!  If all you have is all-purpose flour add 3 t baking powder and 1 t salt.  Stir well before adding in shortening.  One time I didn't stir well and my boys said the biscuits tasted like poison...and they did.  You can have these on the pan by the time the oven is done pre-heating.  Such a quick breakfast or addition to dinner.

Spruced Up

Last week as I was browsing decorating pictures I came across one and they had put a small table in front of a window.  I immediately loved the look.  It was cozy and warm.  Anytime you can put a lamp against a wall so that the lamplight reflects up and down on the wall do it.  The light floods the wall and adds instant warmth to your room.

Do you see my fifty cent column peeking out from behind the lamp?  I painted it black and green and distressed it with paint.  I also spruced up the lamp shade with ribbon and fringe.  The custom look cost mere dollars to create.

The lamp below used to be a gold buffet lamp.  I spray painted it white and added a scalloped edge shade that I got from my Mamaw at our yard sale last year.  Also notice what the lamp is sitting on.  A nightstand from our bedroom suite.  Breaking up our bedroom furniture by moving it around in other rooms has really added to the look of our home.  It makes your home look layered instead of like you walked into the furniture showroom and said I'll take that set and that one.  The small table in front of the window is a small dining room table covered with a Waverly table cloth.  One chair of the set is at the table, two of the set are on either side of the table you see below and the fourth chair is in my bathroom at my vanity.

The best way you can spruce up your house is by shopping your house first.  Look around and see if you love how you've laid out your space.  See if you have a piece of furniture that may be fun somewhere else.

Living Room Charm

Charming.  Nice.  Lovely.  Pleasant.  Delightful.  Inviting.  To delight with beauty.  Do you know who has the most charming living room?  Shopgirl in You've Got Mail.  The feel of her apartment makes me smile.  This is Living Room week and I want mine to say Charming.  That means time to show a little extra love to the room where we kick of our shoes to relax.  Here is a little preview of some changes I made to my living room.  It was time to freshen up around here.  My glittery ice skate mantle got traded in for Robin's Egg Blue and White.

I know you are impressed at the pretty white flowers I grew and potted over the weekend.

Tommorow I'll show you how I took out and rearranged what I did not love in this space.  I will tell you my living room is making me all kinds of happy!  It is more simple and every single thing in the space makes me smile.  For today, if you want to get a jump start, put everything away in your living room and give it a quick dust, windex and vacuum.  Make a mental note as you work on the feel of your room.  You don't have to go spend one dime to change the feel.  Just look around and think about what words come to mind to describe your space.

On a Mission

I've been taking a good, long, hard look at how I've been decorating.  Last year I figured out that I love a Cottage feel.  I took a Style Quiz on Sproost and it told me Nantucket was my style.  And last year it was the style I was in love with.  But this is a new year now isn't it?!  The thing my house is missing is the florals, plaids and huge checks on fabrics that make me all kinds of happy.

When yard sale season gears up those big, ugly cheap lamps for sale aren't going to know what hit them when I sweep up and buy them for next to nothing.  Take a look at that picture.  The big lamps make a world of difference.  They are like buffet lamps on steroids and I need some.

I'm ripping off this last idea.  A table in front of a window with a lamp, frames and just a general feel of loveliness.

This is the kind of Friday dreams are made of.  My windows are open.  My washing machine is running.  The bathrooms are getting cleaned.  Pledge and Windex will fill the air.  The music is cranked up loud.  Things will be thrown away today.  We are having a Spring Yard Sale and the proceeds are going to lighter, brighter fabrics.

(all the lovely photos were taken from http://www.sproost.com/  hop over today to get some style inspiration)

Martha Stewart

I love me some Martha Stewart.  She has a fresh, clean, uncomplicated style.  This picture makes me think Martha.  As I'm cleaning and decluttering this is the look I am going for.  Sunny.  Simple.  Clean.  Bright.

Inspiration Bedroom

This week as you breeze through your Master Bedroom be thinking about how you want the room to feel.  Your little sanctuary in the world.  A well made bed is a beautiful starting point.  Click here to see how white paint tranformed my traditional bedroom into Shabby Chic room last year. 

Words like serene, peaceful and romantic describe the feel I want for my room.  Wedgewood Gray is our wall color.  It reads like the most perfect blue I've ever seen.  Black furniture and white furniture look equally beautiful against its backdrop.

Today I have some surface decluttering to do.  Yesterday I got sidetracked doing laundry.  The thing I like in the next picture is the lighting.  Good lamps will create a world of change in your home.  Think Good Will and flea markets when you need new lamps.  Don't go pay $100.  You can do much better than that.  Think $10 and under.  The Wal-Marts sell a can of white spray paint for  $ .97.  Or you can go high dollar and go to Home Depot and get Rustoleum Heirloom White (I recommend) for right under $4.00.

The white and sunshing pouring into this room are perfect.  It is so warm and inviting.  The perfect place to spend time reading or napping with a soft blanket.

Take away the clutter visible to the eye in your bedroom.

Feather dust it all.

Vacuum.

Light a candle.

Look around.  My school of thought is when you see something you don't love take it out.  Personally I'd rather see a blank space so I can be thinking about what I'd really love in that space.

Get a box or trash bag started in your garage marked GIVE AWAY or YARD SALE.

As you breeze through your home the next couple of weeks, when you see something you are done with in your home, get it out.

What words do YOU want to describe your bedroom?

Bed & Breakfast Get Away Take II

Do you remember last year when we did a Bed and Breakfast get away in our own homes?  Click here to see what we did.

Before I give details, let me just say that I promise if you'll come on board with me and do this you will be so blessed.

This is the best thing I did for my home last year.  Really and truly it was therapeutic and such a treat.  So here is the deal.  We're doing it again this year.  Starting TODAY.  First let me give you an overview of what I am talking about.  This is the time of year where we are in the middle of winter.  Spring is 50+ days away and the walls can start to feel like they are closing in.  This is the perfect time of year while we are held indoors to love our homes and get them ready.

Can you go grab your calender?  Search for a date mid-to late February where the calender is empty right now.  When you find your weekend write Bed and Breakfast Getaway on the Friday/Saturday/Sunday.  Our getaway is February 17, 18, 19 and 20th. 

Now that this weekend is reserved for you and your family let me explain what the next few weeks will entail.

A little elbow grease and dreaming.  We are going to take the next few weeks and whip our homes back into shape.  Your whipping into shape may look different than mine and that is OK.  On my blog I'll be sharing what I'm doing and hopefully that will get the wheels turning on what you can do to bless your house.

Today we are going to start in our Master Bedroom.  Spend your extra time and attention this week in the Master Bedroom.  Declutter the surfaces first.  After everything is in order on the surface you can think about tackling drawers/under the bed/deep cleaning.  But don't stress, today put everything away that is on the surface (top of dressers, floors, night stands, bookshelves) in its place.  If it does not have a place find one.  If you don't love it enough to find a place (this is a good thing) get it out of your house.

Here is how our journey is going to take a different turn this year.  See this lovely picture below?  My man and I stayed here in October.  A real, live bed and breakfast and our windows opened to the sound of waves.  I have the inside scoop on creating a pampered haven, right at home.  This is my inspiration.  Getting my home to a place of feeling serene and allowing me to feel pampered.  Guess what the good news is?  I created this exact feeling in my home last February and it did not even involve a plane ticket.  I am so excited to love on my house a little and get rid of some things so it can breathe easier.