My Autumn Porch

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Well it is official autumn here in Indiana. It is already starting to cool down a bit but no worries, I LOVE the fall!! I can’t believe Halloween will be here soon then it will be time to start putting up Christmas decorations.

But let me slow down and focus on autumn. My husband and I went and picked up some giant pink mums from Costco. They were only $17! It was a steal! I love them on my porch. I really haven’t decorated a whole lot this year but that is okay. Just do what you can and make the most of your home.

I love my little pumpkin sticks. 
They are so easy and are great 
autumn decor items.

I love white and green pumpkins. It’s something different and they keep the decor looking fresh.

I love this giant cast iron pumpkins that I picked up at T.J. Maxx some years ago.
I just put a candle in them at night and they just glimmer.

I love my pink mums! 
photos via AHFE

The Scent of Home

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Last month I shared that I was reading a book called, “The French Beauty Solution“. I have shared a few ideas and solutions from the book (see here and here if you missed it). I have really enjoyed this book.

I am learning a lot about my skin and how to take care of it. The book discusses different creams that you should use at different stages in your life. She gives recipes on how to make your own facial scrubs and home scents.

Now I loved the paragraph about creating a relaxing spa atmosphere at home.  I wrote about some of my favorite home scents, see here if you missed it. The section about “scents” was wonderful. Here is what Mathilde discussed about scents……

“The easiest way to create a relaxing spa atmosphere at home is by stimulating the most potent of your senses. It’s all about scent. Burning a delectably fragranced candle is the quickest way to transport you out of the everyday. This has been proven by more than thirty years of studies undertaken by International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. (IFF), one of the largest suppliers of raw fragrances to perfumers in the world.

Find a scent or scents that evoke strong memories of something pleasurable or wonderful in your life. It would be a vanilla that reminds you of your grandmother’s sugar cookies. Or lavender-for that trip you took to the south of France where you wandered through acres of ripening plants waving gently in the wind. Or sandalwood- for the time you went to Chinatown in San Francisco and got caught in the rain only to discover that the little sandalwood fan you’d just bought smelled even more delicious when it was wet. I love lighting candles that smell like the vine flower- yes, it grows on grapevines!- because the scent reminds me of our vineyard in Bordeaux at the end of spring, when you can feel that summer is soon to arrive.”

Photo by Brigitte Tohm on Unsplash


text Mathilde Thomas 

The Art of Witty Comebacks ~Harper’s Bazaar

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I am so behind on my magazine reading. I mean I am months behind!! So while waiting for the Bloglovin website to come up I picked up the September issue of Harper’s Bazaar and being to read an article called The Art of the Retort.

There were some excellent points on how to master the witty comeback. My husband is a very witty man and sometimes when we are alone at home I ask him how he comes up with his responses. He always tells me that he has no idea. I guess some people are just naturals at being a “smarty pants”.

But Joan Juliet Buck explores the power of wit. He are some of her points:

One, wit is a response.  Two, wit must contain NO aggression.  Three, wit must be fresh.  Four, wit must be uttered with an innocent sincerity that turns reality on its head.



One: A witticism is a spontaneous reaction to a circumstance. A quip never refers to anything that is not happening right now, and cannot begin with “By the way…,” “The other day…,” “When I was a child…,” “or non sequiturs such as “I always thought dandelions were onions.” The quip must magnify the absurdity of the Here and Now, which requires some discipline, even training. There are shortcuts.

Two: There is nothing witty about expletives, aggression, or meanness. Action Theater, teaches you that the richest material comes from playing off a close observation of what the other person is doing or saying. Action Theater also teaches you to think not only on your feet but with your eyes, ears, hands and tips of your hair.

Three: Recycling will save the planet but is the death of wit. The best lines are best used once. Others can repeat your good lines, but you cannot. Quoting yourself is as bad as saying “I’m beautiful.”

The lonely wit must be sincere, unguarded, true. Anything really funny that is going to come out of your mouth won’t be the result of the calculation, research, product testing, rehearsal, dry runs. It will be the kiss of the flying spirit. 


Four. Don’t be too smart. Show-offs depress and irritate.


Photo by Taisiia Stupak on Unsplash
text by Joan Juliet Buck 

Elegance is Mystery

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I saw an interview recently with fashion icon Carolina Herrera and in that interview, she discussed the importance of mystery. She said, “that mystery is very important in life”. I found that quote to be very profound but honestly I should have not been surprised.

Carolina is known for being one of the most elegant women in the world and I don’t see her personal life smeared all over the news or magazines.

I love her new bridal collection but then again who doesn’t. Even the commercials are captivating. Here is a video from her new bridal collection and one of the chicest bridal commercials I have ever seen.

Photo by Charisse Kenion on Unsplash
(video via Youtube)

Table Settings with Rachel Ashwell

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The table setting is such a fun and wonderful way to add more decor to your home. I was watching a Youtube video of Rachel Ashwell this past week and was just inspired by her beautiful china.



I love Rachel’s style and wrote about her last year on my blog (see here). I adore her ultra-feminine designs and fabrics. Her style is sure to inspire any girly girl. Watch her gorgeous and fun video below. 


Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

video from Youtube

My Stylish French Girlfriends ~ An Inspiring Book

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Okay, so I have been hearing about this book for a couple of months now and I just received my copy last week. Let me tell you that I am already halfway through the book! I can’t put it down. It is just that fascinating to me!

I love reading all the stories about each girlfriend and how they accomplished their dreams. Sharon Santoni is the author if this charming book and the author of the blog My French Country Home. She talks about 20 of her stylish girlfriends. She goes and visits their grand chateau’s, parisian apartments and businesses. They are florists, painters, writers, wedding dress designers, and so on and so on. I am so inspired by these women.

Sharon deliberately sought out women from all over the country, reaching from Calais in the north to Provence in the south. Each girlfriend was chosen because she has a story to tell and a great lifestyle to portray.

You should definitely purchase a copy of this book. It is a wonderful example of women inspiring women.

Photo by Beyza Nur Kocaosmanoğlu on Unsplash
The book
Video of the photoshoot for the book 


Favorite Artist ~Claire Basler

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I have never really been interested in art but lately, I have been paying more attention to it. I don’t know why but I have been drawn to artwork lately. Maybe I am getting older or maybe my sense of style is changing. One of my good friends told me that every 10 years your personal style begins to change.

Well, it has been 10 years so maybe that is the reason why art has been on my brain. As some of you know I follow quite a few bloggers. One blog that I follow is This is Glamorous. The author Roseline, wrote an article about an artist named Claire Basler. 


I could not believe how beautiful her art was. The paintings just capture you. Claire is also one of the “stylish girlfriends” in Sharon Santoni’s new book My Stylish Girlfriends. Just look at her work below. My soul just sighs every time I look at it……

photo credit:  Dominique Bouteiller

photo credit: Mads Mogensen

To read the original article see here.