This & That

Christmas Morning Table Setting

Another Perfect Holiday Cocktail … Raspberry Kir Royale Recipe

Snowberry is Decorated for the Holidays

Perfect Holiday Cocktail – Cranberry Tequila Punch Recipe

18 Holiday Gift Ideas … aka Snowberry Essentials

Cozy Thanksgiving Table for Four

Outdoor Patio Space Decorated for Fall

Easy Fall Outdoor Table

Snowberry’s Fall Porch Decor

"True peace is not merely the absence of tension;

"True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice." -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. #mlkquotes #martinlutherkingjr #mlkday

It's all in the details ... when we moved into Sno

It's all in the details ... when we moved into Snowberry nearly a year ago the house wasn't quite finished. Each time we've remodeled (or built) I've sworn we will NOT move in until every last thing is done and - more importantly - the dust has settled and been swept away. It's never happened.
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Back to the details ... all of the guest bath accessories from our Fidalgo Island house were sold with the house (along with all the furniture, most of the art, etc.) ... so I needed to start over in our tiny blue and white guest bath. With so many bigger issues to work through in the house, I didn't spend a lot of time with this little jewel box of a bathroom. A vanity tray and mirror from @target, hand soap and shampoo bottles from @etsy, a candle and navy blue towels did the trick. All the sources are on the Blue and White Bathroom Reveal post on the blog.

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#blueandwhitebathroom #bathroomrenovation #classicstylehome #mybhghome #moderncottage #cottagestyle #targetfinds #myhousebeautiful #housetohome #moderntraditional #bathroomreno #cottagesandbungalows #cottagecharm #cozycreativehome #styleathome #mytradhome #traditionalhome #traditionalhomedecor #thecottagejournal #makemineaspritzer
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Photo by @monicavargasphotos

On the blog ... my first room reveal. It's Snowber

On the blog ... my first room reveal. It's Snowberry's smallest room ... our blue and white guest bath. The post went up Friday, a few days late ... and I didn't have the heart to give it a shout out at the time.
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So far 2021 isn't off to the clean slate, fresh start, everything's-coming-up-roses scenario I'd planned.
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In addition to the shocking (and scary) events that took place in our nations capitol last week, Jim and I experienced two devastating losses. We're reeling.
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My former husband, and dear friend, succumbed to Covid. He'd been in ICU, on a ventilator, since before Christmas. He contracted Covid in a medical facility while rehabbing from an unrelated health issue. In other words, the skilled nursing facility that was charged with his well being killed him instead. How can this happen?
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If that wasn't enough, a good friend of Jim's died suddenly. Not Covid related.
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Losing friends and loved ones is devastating no matter the circumstances. Being unable to properly mourn by gathering with family and friends ... to honor them, celebrate them and share tales of happy times ... feels intolerable.
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The 23rd Psalm was my former husband's favorite. He wrote it out for me once when I was going through something and I've done the same for others in the decades since. It never fails to comfort me and perhaps you or someone you know can use a little comfort today.
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Psalms 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He taketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me;
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence of mine enemies:
Thou anointest my head with oil;
my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever.

Order has been restored. Happy New Year! . I'm not

Order has been restored. Happy New Year!
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I'm not a resolution maker, but I do like to set an intention at the beginning of a new year. This year my intention is in the form of a simple, inspirational quote by beloved author, Dr. Seuss.
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"You'll never get bored when you try something new. There's really no limit to what you can do."
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Bring it, 2021!

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Hutch: @arhaus
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#happynewyear2021 #classicstylehome #moderncottage #cottagestyle #myhousebeautiful #moderntraditional #cottagesandbungalows #cottagecharm #mypotterybarn #mytradhome #traditionalhome #traditionalhomedecor #casualmodernhome #thecottagejournal #livingroomdecor #mmmakelifebeautiful #livingroominspo #interiordesign #makemineaspritzer
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Photo by @monicavargasphotos

It was so much fun decorating Snowberry for her fi

It was so much fun decorating Snowberry for her first Christmas. As excited as I was to put the decorations up, it will feel good to take them down.
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When I was growing up our family spent Christmas breaks at my grandparents house in Washington. Grandma left her tree, and other decorations, up until we departed sometime after the New Year. We loved it, but I bet we weren't to the freeway before she started putting things away.
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I'll start putting ours away today and enjoy celebrating New Year's Eve ... and beginning the New Year with a clean slate.
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How about you? When will you take your decorations down?

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#christmasmantle #targetfinds #christmasfireplace #holidayhome #cottagestyle #christmascottage #brickfireplace #bhgchristmas #merryandbright #windowseats #bhghowiholiday #christmasdecor #cottagesandbungalows #mybhghome #snowberry #moderncottage #myhousebeautiful #holidayhomedecor #moderntraditional #cottagecharm #mytradhome #traditionalhome #traditionalhomedecor #makemineaspritzer
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Photo by @monicavargasphotos

Christmas Eve is here! . No matter how old I get,

Christmas Eve is here!
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No matter how old I get, I wake up on Christmas Eve with a sense of excitement and anticipation. Growing up, my family spent the Christmas holidays at my grandparents house in Washington. On Christmas Eve Grandpa Hank, packed up the gifts and off we went to my aunt and uncle's. Before dinner all the adults went across the street to a neighbors annual open house. My mother, who did not 'cocktail' found this as tedious as all the kids. Once my mom had dragged everyone back, we sat down for dinner and then arranged ourselves around the tree to open gifts. My grandparents. were very generous and the gift opening went on for hours.After midnight we packed up the cars again and headed back to grandma's house to get to bed and await Santa's arrival.
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Those were magical Christmas' and I treasure the memories.
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Here's the wide view of our coffee/cocoa station situation. The one I droned on about yesterday. I take my morning cocoa very seriously.

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#cocoabar #coffeestation #christmastree #holidayhome #cottagestyle #christmascottage #bhgchristmas #merryandbright #bhghowiholiday #christmasdecor #cottagesandbungalows #mybhghome #moderncottage #myhousebeautiful #holidayhomedecor #snowberry #moderntraditional #cottagecharm #mytradhome #traditionalhome #traditionalhomedecor #makemineaspritzer
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Photo by @monicavargasphotos

Jim's coffee bar morphed into my Christmas cocoa s

Jim's coffee bar morphed into my Christmas cocoa station.
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Speaking of cocoa, I ran out of cocoa powder and my replenishment order is delayed due to the volume of UPS Christmas traffic. Quell horreur!
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At the beginning of lockdown our Starbuck's closed for a short period of time. This led to a renewed quest for an easy-to-use milk frother. Actually, it wasn't Starbuck's, but Jim's (early morning) golf game, that got me back on the hunt.
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He'd been making my morning cocoa with his fancy coffee machine. The milk frothing operation is nothing short of complicated and the possibility of hot milk spraying all over me, the walls and windows was less appealing than starting the day without cocoa.
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Anyway, one morning he left very early play golf and I found myself without Starbuck's or my at-home barista. It was time to renew my quest for a frother.
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Lo and behold, I found it on the first try. Breville's Hot Cocoa & Milk Frother is amazing. So amazing it made it onto my first-ever holiday gift guide (on the blog). I feel like I should buy a second one to put away just in case mine goes on the fritz and they discontinue it. This always happens with lipstick.
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Yes, I'm slightly paranoid ... add this to my overhead-bin and pool chair anxiety.

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#cocoabar #holidayhome #cottagestyle #cocoastation #christmascottage #bhgchristmas #merryandbright #bhghowiholiday #coffeevar #waechtersbach #christmasdecor #cottagesandbungalows #mybhghome #moderncottage #myhousebeautiful #holidayhomedecor #snowberry #moderntraditional #cottagecharm #mytradhome #traditionalhome #traditionalhomedecor #makemineaspritzer
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Photo by @monicavargasphotos

We’ve had our tree up since Thanksgiving.
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It’s a faux tree so no worries about losing freshness.
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It’s also pre-lit, which is everything in my opinion.
We had Thanksgiving dinner next to the twinkling lights of the tree. It was so nice, I think it will be our new tradition.
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In other new news ... I added a tree collar this year. A woven collar in a chestnut color from @balsamhill. I love it although storing it will be more of a challenge (space taker) than a tree skirt. But that's an issue for another day.

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#christmastablesetting #christmasmorningbreakfast #christmastree #holidaytable #holidayhome #cottagestyle #christmascottage #bhgchristmas #merryandbright #bhghowiholiday #christmasdecor #snowberry #cottagesandbungalows #mybhghome #moderncottage #myhousebeautiful #holidayhomedecor #moderntraditional #cottagecharm #mytradhome #traditionalhome #traditionalhomedecor #makemineaspritzer
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Photo by @monicavargasphotos

Today on the blog, Snowberry's Christmas Morning B

Today on the blog, Snowberry's Christmas Morning Breakfast Table! Using my mom’s @waechtersbachusa ceramic dinnerware. The fifth and final post of my Holiday-Palooza!
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Only four days until Christmas. I'm up and out early. First stop, the post office for holiday stamps (my holiday cards are scheduled to arrive on Wednesday), then UPS to ship out-of-town gifts, and back home to tackle wrapping.
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On Wednesday I'll morph into Santa's elf and door-drop gifts for my local friends and family.
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Many things may look different this Christmas, but my last minute rush to the finish looks very familiar.
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How are you doing?
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Merry, merry ... !!!

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#holidaytable #holidaytablescape #christmastablesetting #christmasmorningbreakfast #christmasbreakfast #holidayhome #cottagestyle #christmascottage #bhgchristmas #merryandbright #bhghowiholiday #christmasdecor #cottagesandbungalows #mybhghome #moderncottage #myhousebeautiful #holidayhomedecor #waechtersbach #snowberry #moderntraditional #cottagecharm #mytradhome #traditionalhome #traditionalhomedecor #targetchristmas #makemineaspritzer
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Photo by @monicavargasphotos

“I sincerely hope your Christmas...may abound in

“I sincerely hope your Christmas...may abound in the gaieties which the season generally brings…” ― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

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#snowberry #christmasdecorating #christmas2020 #holidayhome #cottagestyle #christmascottage #bhgchristmas #merryandbright #bhghowiholiday #christmasdecor #cottagesandbungalows #mybhghome #moderncottage #myhousebeautiful #holidayhomedecor#casualmodernhome #moderntraditional #cottagecharm #mytradhome #traditionalhome #traditionalhomedecor #makemineaspritzer
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Photo by @monicavargasphotos

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