Who couldn’t use more chocolate in their lives? January’s chilly days call for a little baking—while I’ve told you that I’m already excited to try the bread and cinnamon rolls from Bake from Scratch, I also couldn’t resist sharing a tried-and-true favorite with you. The latest issue of Bake from Scratch has a variety of winter baking delights. They’ve included …
Mardi Gras is February 9 and the editors of TeaTime have created a lovely Mardi Gras tea party to celebrate. Their menu includes the delicious creole and cajun flavors of Louisiana. I find that a tea party is an excellent, family-friendly way to enjoy this special winter holiday! TeaTime started their menu with a scones course of Brown Sugar and …
January has always been a month where simplifying and reorganizing is on my mind. I don’t know if I long for quiet, simple surroundings after the wonder and excitement of the holidays or if I realize my home is in need of its annual face lift. I read somewhere (wish I could recite the source) that a beautiful home is …
The Cottage Journal’s latest special edition, Southern Cottages, features a variety of beautiful homes. Among them is the home of cookbook author Gena Knox. With business owner and mom also among her credentials, Gena is already an inspiring woman. To see her home—with its warm touches and creative accents—only adds to her appeal. Gena’s love for the South is as …
I so enjoy a tea party. There’s nothing quite like it. The diminutive fare, each course specially crafted and then paired with a delicious tea—there’s so much to love. It’s an especially great way to teach children proper manners. The ceremony of tea captures their young imaginations and allows them to enjoy each step of the process. For those of …
The recent issue of Southern Lady features a special look into how interior design maven Phoebe Howard got her unexpected start in professional decorating. Among the rooms included in the magazine are a series of blue and white interiors that I absolutely love. Of course, you know my love for blue and white china. I so enjoyed seeing that aesthetic replicated …
Winter is my favorite time of the year. There is something enchanting about evergreens and snow, just a slight dusting will do. The fragrance of fires burning in the fireplace is wonderful. Winter is a calm season to me. The plants are asleep waiting on their spring entrance, but right now the world is quiet. The sunsets are brilliant in …
I love a good cup of coffee in the morning. It’s the perfect pick-me-up to start the day. Neal and I are especially fond of Community Coffee. I’ve written before about the first time I sampled their signature brew when we were visiting my daughter-in-law, Katie’s, parents in Louisiana before she and Eric were married. You have to love a …
Every few weeks my mailbox will be struck by an infiltration of new magazines. As issues arrive from the printer, they get delivered to our offices first and our mailboxes are among the early places that they land. I love taking the new volumes to my office and flipping through the pages to see the beautiful results of all our …
I must admit that I am traditional. That doesn’t mean that I don’t embrace and love new things, but my taste and desire is for tradition. I have to tell you a funny story. Neal and I were sitting in church several months ago, and a gentleman that we know came in and sat in front of us. He was …
