September Acres

~I just finished reading 'The One & Only' by Emily Giffin .  I've read all her books except her newest one ('First Comes Love') and I think 'The One & Only' is my favorite so far. I highly recommend it. I am excited to dig into 'First Comes Love' soon. ~Easter is Sunday and I know most of us are knee deep in preparation. *One of our family traditions is making these sticky buns for Easter morning.  I usually only make them on Christmas and Easter as they are pretty rich and I want them to be a treat.  Kind of how my Grandma made ebelskiver's for us when we were little - we wanted them everyday but she made them on rare occasion and everyone of her grandchildren remembers how special they were. If she had made them every time we asked (i e. every morning) they wouldn't have been special and we'd likely not remember them as fondly as we do. *I am forever looking for wreaths for our front door.  We have double doors  s...

I was lucky enough to be chosen to serve on the launch team for "Breaking Busy" by Alli Worthington.  I received my advanced copy of the book right around Thanksgiving - a little crazy but at the same time it was the perfect time to start reading a book about breaking busy since that is the time of the year that we all seem to be extra busy and maybe even take on more than we really want to. The very first chapter is called 'Capacity'.  Boy, that was eye opening.  Alli compared us to our cell phones, which have a battery that gets depleted after use and has a 'finite capacity for storage and functionality'.  When our phone battery falls to 10% there's a little warning that the battery is low and needs to be recharged.  Our bodies do the same but how often do we listen to the signs and take the time to recharge?  For most of us the answer to that is 'not enough'.  We think we are too busy to take that time to rest.  After reading th...

I spent last weekend at a friend's house having a garage sale.  It's not for the faint of heart, that's for sure.  It was fun hanging with friends and we each made a little money but I'm not sure it was really worth it financially.  We probably both ended up making way  less than minimum wage.  Are you thinking of doing a garage sale?  I'm no expert but if you're planning one soon let me pass on the things I've learned this time around. Books & DVD's aren't Huge Sellers.   I sold 3 DVD's and about 5 books.  I thought the kids' movies and books would sell but maybe with iPads and the like they just aren't relevant. I had a man offer me $5 for all of the books - there were probably 40-50 of them.  I declined but as I was loading them back into my car I was second guessing myself. I think you're better off donating them to a school or taking them to somewhere like Hastings for store credit. Furniture is a Big Draw . If I...

I joined my first book club this past August.  I did it for two reasons - my friend asked me and I thought it would be fun to read some books that are a little outside of my comfort zone.  Boy, did that happen.  I usually read books like 'Crazy Rich' (above) - interesting non-fiction types of books or easy reads like Elin Hilderbrand or Emily Giffin.   Our first book was 'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn which I read when it first came out (and the third reason I joined the book club - since I had already finished the book I would at least be guaranteed that I'd finish one!)  Our next book was this one: I liked this one even if it was a bit far-fetched (in my opinion).  It was a quick read and a bit of a page turner. We have also read this: Another good one.  So far I was 3 for 3 and getting really into this book club thing! And then we read this: I didn't even finish it. We then read ' The Book Thief ' which was a little rough s...

Book storage is a necessity for most of us. Over the years they pile up - from the first board book our first baby receives as a gift to the books we read in our book clubs as adults.  Where do you put them all?  There are so many options.  The run of the mill book case.  Built-ins.  Stacking them under coffee tables.  Floating shelves.  Endless options, really. Pottery Barn Get creative! (Source) Take Advantage of Vertical Space (Source) Stack your books by color  Books really show the personality of a household.  I've always felt that you can really tell a lot about a person by the books they display in their home.  Books make a home feel cozy and lived in.  They make your home unique - none of us have the exact same books in our home as someone else. What's your favorite way to display your books? If you've missed any of my 31 Days series you can find them here.

I recently joined my first book club EVER.  I have always wanted to join one but the time was never really right.  Our first book was 'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn.  When my friend told me that was our first book I said 'I'm in and I've already finished the book!' (I read it when it first came out). 'Gone Girl' was very different from books I usually read but I heard so many people say they liked it so I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and read it.  While I did like it, it was very dark and I didn't find any of the characters very likable.  It is a great book club book though because there are so many thought provoking questions and lots of 'what would I do in this situation' scenarios. This month our book is 'The Silver Star' by Jeannette Wells.  I haven't read any of her other books but I really enjoyed this, her first novel.  I am so excited that I finished this an entire week before our club meets (I'm a sl...

I am always looking for the newest personal finance book.  I pick them up at the library mostly - some of them are horrible & I stop reading soon after starting.  Some are really great and I end up buying them or checking them out numerous times.  Some of my favorites (in no particular order): I am a huge Dave Ramsey fan so I love this book.  I think he makes so much sense and what he advises us to do with money is really simple stuff - it's the discipline that's hard.  He shares success stories in this book which I find motivating.  He talks about his 'baby steps' for getting out of debt and offers forms to help with budgeting. Jean Chatzky has written many books but I like this one a lot.  This book talks about the difference between us and the financially successful - what they do that we don't.  It's good stuff. David Bach coined the phrase 'the latte factor' - that money we spend everyday without thinking - for lots of...

There are so many cute advent calendars out there this year and if you're not careful you could end up spending a small fortune on one of them.  Before you do that, consider a fun DIY advent calendar.  There are many ideas and tutorials out there that are budget friendly and really fun to put together.  In no particular order here are 12 of my favorites - I'd  have them all in my home if I could! The Envelope Advent Calendar - I just love the idea of this because it's super easy and pretty inexpensive.  Most of us have envelopes on hand to make this happen.  This is the perfect type of calendar for 'experience' treats as opposed to toys or candy.  Things like: watch 'Elf' tonight, go sledding or make cookies with mom can be printed out on the computer on paper and tucked in the envelope for a fun activity.  This one from A Few Things From My Life is one of my favorites. A Few Things From My Life Muffin Tin Advent Calendar  ...

No matter the size of our homes or the rooms in it, most of us feel like we could use more space.  Going vertical is a good way to find some extra room. Use space over the door for storing special occasion serve ware. Source We can take bookshelves to the ceiling. Source Vertical space on the back of cupboard doors is perfect for storing items that you frequently use and want quick access to. Where have you been able to find extra space in your home? I'm joining The Nester & 1200 others in the 31 Days Challenge. All of my posts can be found here .

You don't have to look hard to find references & resources to help with your organization tasks.  It seems like every week someone is coming out with a new book to help us achieve harmony in our homes through organization.  Three books that I especially like and reference are: Organizing from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern - I have had this book for years and refer to it often.  It's been around for years but still has really good information in it. She takes you room by room to help you organize your home & office. Feeling at Home by Alexandra Stoddard - I'm not sure this is technically an organization book but more of a finding out who you are and how you want to live book.  It delves into the emotional part of how our homes are an extension of who we are.  This book helps you live in your home.  It helps you know how you want to feel at home apart from decorating, and partnered with organization it helps make that happen.  O...

This will be the first weekend we have been home in three weeks (four for my husband) and I couldn't be happier.  If you are looking for me I'll be here, reading this :  And when I tire of the heat I am headed to the office/craft room to work on that.  This room should be my highest priority but sadly, it's not.  Which surely explains why it's in the state it's in.  I have gotten some fun ideas for decorating from cutie pie Nate Berkus (wallpaper on the back of your bookcases anyone?) which I hope to get to sometime in the very near future (famous last words) but first I need to tackle the mess (aka clutter, a word I am growing tired of). Next week we will be in the last week of school.  LM is not happy about that.  I thought she was but she's not. This morning she asked if she could go to school all summer long... Have a wonderful weekend!

I think it's safe to say that 2011 wasn't a banner reading year for Debra.  I'm not sure why but I hope that I can read more in 2012 as I have a list of books I want to read.  I did read the following books, which really stood out as the best in my mind: The Help by Kathryn Stockett Who didn't read and love "The Help"?  If you didn't, you are missing out.     by Holly Chamberlin "The Summer of Us" was a quick, beachy-type read.  Entertaining for sure & my first book of Holly Chamberlin's.  She has others that I will put on my 2012 list.   One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp "One Thousand Gifts" was another book I think most of us read.  While I enjoyed the book I have to admit it took me a while to get through it - I found her writing style a bit difficult for me but there are post-it notes and highlights throughout the book reminding me of some of the phrases I really liked or paragraphs I want to look back on.  I th...

I feel that a lot of inspiration can be found in books.  I wanted to share three of my favorites with you.  The first one is an oldie but goodie.  First published in 1982, Entertaining by Martha Stewart is one of my favorites and one of my first entertaining books.  Twenty-nine years later it is still relevant.  One of the first chapters called Entertaining with Style covers everything from making guests comfortable and creating an ambiance to setting the table and making food look beautiful.  She has menus and ideas for a cocktail party, Thanksgiving for eight and much more.  I find this a lovely shower gift for the bride who wants to entertain. Frugal Luxuries by Tracey McBride is kind of like a manual for me.  I have post it notes on quite a few pages.  The idea of the book is that you can live and eat well without spending a fortune.  And this includes entertaining and hospitality.  One of my favorite sections is calle...

can be turned into really neat accessories.  I was at Restoration Hardware not too long ago and stumbled upon a really neat idea for old paperbacks.  I could have purchased the books for $29 but decided, like I often do, that  "I can do that for alot less." So I headed to a thrift store in town for some old books.  Jackpot! I tore the covers off (I actually had a hard time doing that, it seemed so wrong) and was left with just the insides.  I used kitchen twine (the same stuff I tie turkey's legs together with) to tie the book together - three in a stack. After I tied them together with the twine I 'dirtied' them up with some brown ink. And that's what I ended up with.  Remember they were $29 for a set of three at the store.  The twine was heavier but I had the kitchen twine so I decided to go with that.  And it was a really quick project. So, instead of $29 I spent $3!  Not too bad.  And I like the look alot.  Right no...

 I hear of so many people finding fabulous things at thrift stores.  All over blogland you will see these finds made over brilliantly.  I love the idea of taking something old and making it new and fresh.  Last week LM & I had to run some errands and she asked if we could go to the Hospice Re-sale store in town to find an outfit for under $10 (an idea she saw in her American Girl book "Just Mom and Me").  We stopped by to see what we could find.  I figured I might find some fun furniture or accessory to play with.  Well.... The clothing selection was really sparse, especially for kids.  The furniture/accessory selection wasn't much better and I felt like everything was really overpriced.  I know the funds go to a good cause so that may be why there weren't too many bargains to be found.  I did find some books for a project I am doing for $1 each.  All books, even hardbacks, were $1.  I think that might be a bit high for pa...