"4 the seasons" cottage decor, DIY projects & recipes … from the cottage on the lake.
“What a playhouse is to a child, a potting shed is to a gardener”
~ Unknown
After days of colder-than-normal temperatures, the sunshine beckoned and it seemed like a good day to “go outside and play”…in the greenhouse. It was still chilly outside, but the temperature in the Cottage Greenhouse was 72 degrees…and a perfect day for dreaming of Spring flowers.
Continue reading “DIY Homemade Seed Packets: A Fun Gardening Project”One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
Setting a pretty tablescape after the Christmas decorations are put away can be challenging, but with 2 very special birthday celebrations this month, I wanted the table to glow and set about creating an enchanting woodland tablescape that would be fitting, “In the Bleak Midwinter.”
Continue reading “Winter Celebrations and Tablescape”
“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer.” Maya Angelou
Yesterday was a very special day in The United States of America…a holiday aptly named “Thanksgiving.” Thanksgiving is celebrated every year in America on the fourth Thursday in November. It’s the day we set aside to thank the Lord for all He has blessed us with and brought us through in the past year…a grand day celebrated with feasting, family, and friends!
Today, I’m going to show you how I decorated our Thanksgiving table and give you some tips that will help you style your own table beautifully for any occasion.
Continue reading “Thanksgiving Tablescape…Tips for Styling & Setting a Stunning Tablescape”
If you have been reading any magazines, ordering things on-line, or seeing ads on TV, you may have noticed a new term, “cottage core decorating” or “cottage core decorations.” You might have asked yourself, “What is cottage core?”
One description of cottage core decorating is…
“Decorating in such a way that evokes romance, whimsy or nostalgia using items or decorations that make you feel like you are in a cozy cottage.”
People are veering away from the stark, black and white, cookie cutter style of the Modern Farmhouse decorating trend and are wanting their homes to reflect more of their personality and charm.
Continue reading “Cottage Core Decorating Ideas for a Cozy Home”
Richard and I enjoy the nostalgia of browsing around in antique stores…traipsing up the aisles of flea markets…or making our way through overgrown grasses to barn and estate sales and looking at forgotten treasures. We never know what we’re going to find on our adventures and it’s always exhilarating whenever “our finds” are also wonderful bargains.
Continue reading “Antique and Flea Market Finds”I like adventures, and I going to find some. ~Louisa May Alcott
During these hot, summer months this garden project allows you to “get your hands in the dirt” without much exertion…and even if you don’t feel like you “have a green thumb” you’ll find making these succulent arrangements, easy and rewarding.
Continue reading “How to Make Succulent Arrangements…Summer Project in the Greenhouse”There’s something satisfying about getting your hands in the soil.”
~ E. A. Bucchianeri
Our kitchen nook glowed invitingly, with winter weather just a windowpane away…
Setting a cozy winter tablescape and decorating a mantle that brims with rustic charm and elegance is easy using a cozy plaid, a fir swag, and a variety of different sized candlesticks, silver pieces, and crystal.
Continue reading “Setting a Cozy Winter Tablescape and Decorating the Mantle”
While we were living in Germany, we had the unforgettable experience of visiting the medieval city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in the area of Bavaria in Germany. It was almost Christmas and while Richard and I were walking down the cobbled streets, fluffy snowflakes began to fall. It was enchanting!
Continue reading “How Far is it to Bethlehem?Christmas Decor and Manger Scene”
The other night Richard and I watched the classic movie from 1949 “The Bishop’s Wife.” Below is the stirring closing in that movie.
Continue reading “Christmas Eve – The Empty Stocking”
…Lighting the long, gold tapers that match the golden chains of the reindeer’s harness adds the last bit of enchantment to this sugar-plum scene.
Christmas magic abounds in this fun and simple tablescape with Santa and his reindeer prancing across the table.
Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!Continue reading “Create a Magical Christmas Tablescape”
On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donder and Blitzen!
~Clement C. Moore
