Living Beautifully in the Red Hills

Lovely to behold was the laughter and chatter as the days unfolded, and strangers became acquaintances, and acquaintances became friends.

I can't wait to see what happens next ~ both creatively and community-wise!

As you may have heard, this year marks Jane Austen’s 250th birthday (on December 16th to be exact).

Fun things in honor of her are happening all over the place, like outdoor cinema nights featuring movies of her novels at Chatsworth House.

Stepping through that door was like discovering my creative home. The cozy way the light played across the painted furniture, the artfully arranged displays, the sense of activity - so inspiring!

We then traipsed across the street, under drapes of Spanish moss, glasses of wine or sparkling water in hand, to the second lovely home, where we were welcomed into the cozy kitchen and admired artwork by the owner’s sister on the walls.

Time certainly does fly when you are having fun! We were six years old for all of the past year, and now... we are SEVEN (even beyond A.A. Milne's iconic poem)! We absolutely cannot believe this weekend marks seven years since we opened our door on Broad Street in Thomasville...

When I am asked my favorite places to shop in London, it's so hard to answer: There are the little shops in Belgravia, Chelsea, and Pimlico. There are the fancy arcades, and Old Bond Street, and Portobello Road. And so much more! But my very favorite store to explore is Liberty...

Last Sunday, Chris made me “the happiest creature in the world” by going with me to experience Pride and Prejudice on the big screen. It was nostalgic to be back in a movie theatre, from watching previews to indulging in a large popcorn...

We could not have asked for a better instructor for us as a Chalk Paint® stockist, and now we are thrilled to offer the same experience to you ~ right in the four walls of our beloved shop...

Both Wolf Hall and Lucy Worsley Investigates elevate what may have first been presented to you from a dusty history book to an art form that depicts the humanity, drama, and lesser-known influences behind some of the most-trodden episodes in history. Sometimes, truth is indeed stranger than fiction!

I wish I could run to my younger self, greet her at the coffee shop door, sit her down (I’m still trying to figure out what she’d order because coffee shops weren’t a “thing” in the 90s!), and tell her about her future shop in a beautiful, historic building in a beautiful, historic town.

Decades later, those lessons for routines, puttering, gathering inspiration, authenticity, and being creative have stayed with me. And decades later, in 2025, I’m returning to those roots by reading the updated version of Simple Abundance.

So, imagine my delight when I turned the page to February 2nd the topic was Beginning to See the Light, and the daily reading began with Candlemas and its meaning!

As I pause to take a breath this morning, I am remembering the cozy, lovely townhouse hotel we used as our "home from home" in London. Tucked into a side street in the leafy Pimlico neighborhood, which is a neighbor to both Belgravia and Chelsea, The Artist Residence was in the perfect location to walk in any direction to where we wanted to be!