Blog - The Lilypad Cottage

February 4, 2020 By Kelly 24 Comments

My Parent’s Kitchen Makeover – Before

I’m still working away in my son’s bathroom, if you have been following along on Instagram I’m in the home stretch! In between coats of paint, I’ve been running over to my parent’s house across the lake to help my mom pick paint colors for a little kitchen refresh.

I thought I would show you some quick iPhone before shots today because I don’t think I have ever shared their kitchen here? My mom has been wanting to put a fresh coat of paint on her cabinets for a while now. They built this house the year I graduated high school, which yikes, was about 18 years ago now.

It’s hard to tell in photos but the cabinets are a very yellow/creamy color with an antique glaze/speckle situation happening. Unfortunately, they have started to peel and discolor in several spots.

This project got a little jumpstart when my mom came home this fall to find several inches of water awaiting her! Not the warm welcome home she was expecting. A pipe broke in their ceiling and their wood floors were completely destroyed. It’s hard to tell in these photos, but they are all buckled and the edges are curled up. It’s a little trippy walking in there right now, picture waves on a lake and that’s the state of their floor. You can kind of see it in the photo below. Since they have to replace all of the flooring, now seemed like a great time to freshen up the cabinets too!

The current floors were very warm toned, so she wanted to switch things up with a more neutral-toned floor similar to mine. You can see a sample in the photo below. Her honed black granite counters are still classic and work well in this space, so she decided a warm greige color would work well with the counters and new floors. The goal is to freshen up the cabinets with a bit cooler/less yellow tone and lose the antique look. We will also be swapping out the hardware for something more updated as well.

In the running for the cabinet color are Revere Pewter, Annapolis Gray, and Agreeable Gray. I painted a bunch of swatches for her and to be honest, I still don’t know what she is going to pick. They start painting this week so I’ll keep you posted!

The black cabinet pieces that function as their pantry in here will be staying black.

Her banquet seating area is getting a fresh coat of paint as well. I’ll be sure to share all the details when they finish up in the next few weeks, but it will be fun to see a fresh take on this space!

January 30, 2020 By Kelly 47 Comments

Boy’s Bathroom Update

Thank you SO much for all the great input on my bathroom wallpaper ideas last week!! I haven’t had a chance to answer you all back, because I’ve been completely covered in sawdust working on said bathroom. After all that wallpaper discussion and your valuable feedback, I’m throwing a big curveball at you all and nixing the wallpaper altogether! I know, I’m just as surprised by this little plot twist as you.

Last week I picked up all the tongue and groove pine planks I needed to get started on the bottom portion of the wall treatment. Well not all, it turns out I got about half of what I needed since my measuring skills are a bit rusty. Anyway, I bought 8 foot boards and was shocked when I got home that they actually ran all the way to the ceiling. Our whole basement has 9 foot ceilings, except I totally forgot about the drop-down to 8 foot in my son’s bathroom. There was a weird spot that needed to be lower because of ductwork so we decided to make the whole thing 8 ft.

This turned out to be a happy accident. Once I had a few boards lined up in there, I realized that I loved the idea of planking the whole thing. All of Instagram agreed with me – the vote registered at a resounding 93% to nix the wallpaper idea.

My thinking was I could hang fun nautical artwork that I could switch out as he ages rather than being stuck with wallpaper he changes his mind about. Plus, the vertical planking is so cottagey and charming all on its own.

I have been working away down in his bathroom and I’m almost to the finish line on the woodwork portion of this room. I will not divulge how many trips to Lowe’s I have taken in the past few days… I have half a wall to go and then I will add trim at the top, fill in all the holes and knots, prime, paint, hang artwork….

Ok, so there is a ways to go yet. Which explains my radio silence over here! I don’t’ remember how I managed to do all those DIY projects at our last house, blog about them, and keep my kids fed and alive! I guess I was younger and consumed more coffee. Either that or I didn’t spend half my day as a part-time uber driver when they were toddlers. Either way, I’m sorry the blog has been lacking lately – I promise there is fun content coming soon! I thought I would share a few quick wonky iPhone progress shots (I promise it’s going to look good these are just awful photos) to prove I’m not sitting on the couch watching Housewives and sipping mimosas.

Also, in case you are not seeing my vision on this one, here is the inspo shot from McGee and Co. that I found on Pinterest that kicked off my whole thought process on this. See how charming the planking is on its own? I’m super torn on whether to paint it a light gray tone like this or go really dark and dramatic. Either way, the vanity will be getting a new color too. I also think I’m going to take these lights down and use them across the street in the pool house and get something different in here that gives off better light. The Edison bulb situation is not great in a bathroom.

Ok, that’s all I got – I need to get back to the piles of sawdust in the basement. If you want to leave a comment below with whether you think light or dark paint, I promise I won’t completely go the opposite way and not paint at all. Paint will be happening! Pinky promise :)

January 22, 2020 By Kelly 40 Comments

Modern Nautical Inspired Wallpaper Ideas

I think I’ve finally decided on what is going to be my first major decor related project of the year. I have been talking about it since we moved in and it’s finally time to tackle my son’s blah bathroom. It has so much potential with a nice big window, and cute grey penny tile. The plain white walls just aren’t cutting it! Here’s what it looks like now.

I’m thinking wallpaper is going to add the perfect bit of pattern and whimsy to this small space (check out our tiny wallpapered powder room that I love so much!). The problem is my 8-year-old son has definite ideas about what he wants on his walls. His wish list – “not too babyish, only black or blue and not crazy patterns, but with boats or water and stuff” – in his words. Okaaaay here goes the wallpaper search for all of that! These are the final Modern Nautical Inspired Wallpaper options I’ve narrowed it down to –

Now if you personally know any 8-year-old boys, you may think I’m a little insane for thinking of putting wallpaper in any sort of toilet situation. I think I have a plan for this. – Side note this is my favorite consequence to deal out to my daughter –

“If you aren’t nice to your brother, I’m going to make you clean his bathroom!!”

“WHAT?!? Mom, no! Didn’t you say you would rather set his bathroom on fire vs clean it?”

“Yes, yes I did.” Maniacal laugh…

Then I enjoy the peaceful quietude that follows. ;)

Ok, back to the solution I think I’m going to do vertical planks 1/2 – 3/4 way up the wall with a chair rail on top. That will be much easier to scrub down and I won’t need to worry about the wallpaper being ruined. I’m still deciding on whether I want to paint that a dark color or white – lots of decisions to be made still! I’m hoping to narrow down the wallpaper situation with my little guy and get that ordered and then head to the hardware store for paneling this week! So stay tuned.

Also, I know some of you will wonder what happened to painting the wet bar cabinets first. I would love to tackle that project, but I don’t think I have the room to paint the cabinets unless I use the garage. With temps in the low 20’s out there lately, I think I will be waiting until spring unfortunately to tackle that one. On the bright side, his vanity is the same color I don’t like on the wet bar, so this will be a nice spot to take a new color for a test run in a smaller capacity.

Modern Nautical Inspired Wallpaper Ideas

January 17, 2020 By Kelly 20 Comments

Friday Feels – Fave Exercise Apps & Other Tips to Start Off the New Year

Welcome to another Friday Feels where I share what I’m feeling this week. This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.

Well now that it’s January and all the holiday fun is over, I’m trying to settle back into healthier habits… trying seems to be the operative word as it’s been a bit of a slow start. To kick off the new year right, I thought I would do a good old fashioned random Friday feels full of my fave finds lately (say that 10 times fast).

January and February are always hard gloomy months here in West Michigan where the sun doesn’t shine and everything is brown and gray. It really starts to affect my mood. Making sure I’m eating right and exercising seems to help combat that for me. I’ve been doing the whole intermittent fasting thing since the fall and that has really been working for me. If you don’t know what I’m talking about do your research as I’m definitely not a health professional or nutritionist! I follow the 16:8 intermittent fast schedule. Essentially I fast for 16 hours and then eat during the other 8. Typically for me, that means I fast from 7:30 pm – 11:30 am. I have coffee and water in the morning until I break my fast. One thing that has really helped me keep track of it is an app called Zero. Here are a few screenshots so you can see what it looks like.

It has different settings and you can choose what type of fasting you want to try. Then it has an easy timer you hit to log when you are done eating for the night. You can set it to alert you when your fast is over. That way I don’t need to think about what time I ate the night before, etc. I know this isn’t for everyone, but it really works for me. There is a ton of interesting science and research behind it, but like I said do some digging for yourself on it. I typically follow this 6 days a week at least, sometimes Saturdays can be tricky to work out the timing.

While we are talking about health and fitness, let’s talk about exercise! Exercise really reduces my stress and anxiety. I used to run at least 15 miles a week, but I injured my left knee 2 years ago. Running more than 2 miles at a time is painful now. That injury combined with the Mr. breaking his foot while running this fall (we are basically falling apart over here, at least we still have all our own teeth…), prompted us to try a stationary bike for our cardio fix.

I’ve been dreaming about a Peloton, but the Mr. had his doubts about whether I would really enjoy cycling. He has always loved it (he participates in Triathlons all summer long), so he just wanted a regular stationary bike. Being the good husband he is, and his typical frugal financial planner self, he figured out a solution that worked for us both. Let me introduce you to our Poor-oton as we jokingly refer to it :) We bought this stationary bike from amazon (we snagged it on Black Friday for $389. It’s $589 right now, but compared to the Peloton $2500 price tag still a deal). It is basically the same bike, but without the fancy computer screen. I use a cadence gadget and an app called Wahoo. It shows you on your phone how fast you are pedaling on the bike essentially. Then I just use the Peloton app on my iPad or on our smart tv and I can take all the fun classes. It’s $12.99/month for the app, but that’s less expensive than a gym membership and they have all sorts of classes, not just cycling. The Mr. is a happy camper because he can boringly cycle along while reading documents for work. I’ve been trying to shake him up and blast some hip hop music for him, but he is not on board yet, ha!

The only downside is the actual Peloton bike shows you your cadence combined with the resistance on the bike and your output etc… This bike has the same resistance lever, but you have to keep track in your head where you are. One full rotation of the knob is a 10, 2 rotations – 20, 3 – 30 and so on. Most classes the instructor will call out a cadence/resistance goal to be riding at for example; a 60-75 cadence with a 40-50 resistance. You just need to remember what rotation level your resistance knob is at. After using it for a few months I have a feel for where I’m supposed to be. I’m surprised at how much I’ve been enjoying these classes and it doesn’t cause me knee pain which is great!

I try to do the Peloton classes 3 times a week and alternate the Tone it Up workout app that I still love (I talked about that in this post with my 5 tips to beat the winter blues) for strength training. That app also has awesome cardio, HIIT classes, yoga, and basically everything if your knees aren’t falling apart like mine :) This app is $80 a year. I’ve been pretty faithful to using it the last 3 years.

Along with my health kick, I’ve been trying to reduce our waste around here as much as possible and one thing I recently found to help out with that are these reusable silicone bags. I’m obsessed with these things! I just ordered them in all the other sizes. They are freezable, microwavable, dishwasher safe and so easy to use. You just fill them up and slide the slider over the top. They are great for leftovers (I made a huge pot of soup and froze half of it in the big one), or packing snacks. I’m saving on using SO many ziplock bags with these.

Ok and last, you all know I love fresh flowers and clippings from the yard in my home all year. Fresh clippings are not really in the cards right now (besides evergreens, which I will do on occasion), but I love to treat myself to flowers from Trader Joes every other week. It just cheers me up and brings some life to the house during the dead of winter. If I keep refreshing the water and cutting the stems back they really last a long time.

These tulips were from last Tuesday – I just added a couple of fresh roses in this week. Lilies seem to last forever for me too. Similarly, now seems to be the time where I pick up a new house plant or too as well. I just need that green to promise me that spring will eventually come even if it doesn’t show up until June.

You can find any of the products above by clicking the bold words or shop this post by clicking the images below.

January 15, 2020 By Kelly 47 Comments

Good Books to Read

Heeeey! Wow, it’s been so long since I’ve opened up my computer I had an entire village of dust bunnies camped out under the hood! We had a great Christmas and a fun break visiting my parents down in Florida. We jumped waves in the ocean, read on the beach, watched NYE fireworks on the boat, and conquered Universal Studios as a family. Let’s just say re-entry to the real world has been a little rough. So, if you feel like everyone around you is off and running in the new decade, rest assured I’m still just trying to get my Christmas decorations put away and finish vacation laundry piles. good books to read

I haven’t had a chance to tackle any of the upcoming design projects on my list yet. So, I thought I would start with the tons of requests I’ve had for good books to read. Furiously finishing up the books I was reading to share with you all was a tough job, but someone had to do it… ;) I was going to share some of my kids’ fave books too, but this post got waaaaay too long. Look for that post coming soon! I guess I could talk about books all day long…

Also, I should note a lot of these books were based on your recommendations so thank you! I linked them all here for you (just click the image of the book). I loaded up my Kindle before we left. Even though you all know I love real books as evidenced by my overflowing library shelves above.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris – This book follows the life of Lale Sokolov and his time as the tattooist forced to mark his fellow prisoners at Auschwitz. He meets Gita and their love story throughout is full of hope and courage under horrific conditions. I could not put this heartbreaking book (or my box of tissues) down. It’s based on the real-life of Holocaust survivor Ludwig Sokolov. I highly recommend this one especially if you enjoy historical fiction.

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger – The review for this book over and over was “If you loved where the Crawdads Sing this is a must-read”. Well, I did, and it was! This is one of those books where you completely fall in love with the characters and don’t want their stories to end – a perfect escape at the end of a long day. Set in the Great Depression, four orphans flee terrible circumstances at their Minnesota school. They canoe down the river to make their escape and the story follows their journey, and the eclectic people who save them along the way.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo – I saw a review of this book on The Today Show and decided to give it a shot. It’s sort of a (very) grown-up Harry Potter meets Secret Society/Skull and Bones set at Yale. I’m not typically a fantasy reader so this took me a minute to get into. Eventually, I was completely sucked in and will definitely be reading the next one in the series. It follows unlikely Yale freshman Alex Stern who finds herself thrust into this powerful world of magic and secret societies. Think ghosts, raising people from the dead, and dark arts set on a college campus during current times. If you are squeamish about any of that, you may want to skip this one. I just found it so unique – a great mystery/thriller that kept me guessing until the end.

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate – This is another book set in the 1930s based on real-life events. I googled Georgia Tann after reading this book and wow, wow, wow, it was unbelievable. She was a child trafficker and director of an adoption agency where she basically stole children from disadvantaged families and sold them to wealthy families. While this book is based on those events, it is a fictional account. It jumps back and forth between the present and past. In the present, it follows Avery Stafford an attorney from a wealthy political family as she tries to unravel her family’s past. When it jumps to the past, it covers the story of Rill Foss and her siblings as they are separated from their parents. Ultimately their stories intertwine…another one I couldn’t put down.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah – Set in the 1930s once again, I told you I love historical fiction. I LOVED this book, hands down my fave I’ve read in a long time. This is set in France during the German occupation and follows the story of two sisters – Vianne and Isabelle. This portrayal of women during the war was so interesting to read. After her husband leaves to fight, Vianne is left behind to struggle daily under the Nazi’s with her young daughter. Her sister, Isabelle joins the resistance and takes unbelievable risks. Their experiences during the war are completely different, yet they are both heroes in their own ways. Another one where you will fall in love with the characters and need your Kleenex box ready.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah – I started this book immediately upon finishing The Nightingale because I just loved Kristin Hannah’s writing style and storytelling. We jump to the 1970s for this one and head to Alaska. Leni is a teenager subject to the whims of her struggling Vietnam vet dad and her mom who is just trying to keep the peace. Determined that Alaska is the solution, they set off to start a new life. As you can imagine attempting homesteading in Alaska doesn’t magically fix her dad’s struggles and they eventually come to a head. I found the landscape and the lifestyle in Alaska really fascinating to read about. I really enjoyed this one.

I’ve still got a stack next to my bed that I’m working through, so I may try to do a quarterly book review if you guys like this? Let me know! Also here is another post with a list of books I loved last year (and a recipe for a yummy dip!)

good books to read

December 19, 2019 By Kelly 38 Comments

Merry Christmas and a Pool House Update

Hey everyone! Now that the halls are all decked and I have actual present filled boxes under my tree (as opposed to the fake ones I use for photos), it’s about that time where I check out on the blog for a few weeks! I figure you all are busy with your family and loved ones anyway, and don’t need my showing up in your inbox bugging you. :)

Not to mention I like to unplug a bit for myself and force my kiddos to hang out with me while they are off school. I’m actually taking the kids over the frozen tundra and through the palm trees to visit my parents down in Florida after Christmas (the Mr. will be joining us eventually too, but he can’t take the last week of the year off as it is a busy time for his firm). We all can’t wait to warm our freezing northerner selves up for a few days and swap out the snow boots for flip flops.

While I’m so ready for a break, I AM super excited to hit the ground running in January with all the DIY projects that got put on hold with the Christmas crazy. Just to entice you to come back in January, here’s a little list of what I’m working on –

Finishing up my daughter’s bedroom makeover.
Painting those basement wet bar cabinets! Ok and choosing an actual paint color.
Tackling my son’s bathroom. I’m thinking vertical paneling 3/4 up the wall and wallpaper…
Deciding on the next steps for the pool house.
More recipes, Friday Feels, and probably a new throw pillow or two…

I’m excited just thinking about all the fun projects coming soon! Speaking of the pool house, here is another little update photo I snapped last night. They have the railing up, the trim finished and it’s looking great!

And here is the little sketch that I had drawn up before we started. I say it looks pretty close! We had to stagger the windows a bit because I ordered a bigger door than we originally planned on.

I normally share my family Christmas card with you all in this little Merry Christmas post. As seems to be the theme for this entire holiday season of good enough over perfect, I never actually ordered them – ha! They are just sitting in my cart all designed and cute and I never hit “submit order.” At least I did manage to get our family photos snapped, so here are a few faves.

And this may be my fave shot I have shared on Instagram this year. We have had some amazing sunrises this winter, and the gorgeous sky with the Christmas tree makes me so happy.

Before I sign off for 2019, I just wanted to say thank you so much for hanging out with me here! I so appreciate all your sweet words, comments, and support over the years. I feel so blessed to have a job where I get to share fun things on the blog with fun people, while I also have the flexibility to be present with my kids too. Really, truly, I do not take it for granted, so thank you for showing up here! I’m praying you all have a wonderful holiday season and feel the joy and celebration of our Savior’s birth. Sending love and comfort to all of you who have a hard time this time of the year from missing loved ones or difficult memories.

I also just want to give you a little invite to my church (online or in-person!) if you need a place to spend Christmas. They have a great streaming service so you can watch right from home if you want to check it out.

Merry Merry Christmas!

December 13, 2019 By Kelly 7 Comments

Garlic Dill White Bean Dip

I haven’t shared a recipe in a while and with all the holiday parties coming up, it’s the perfect time to share one of my go-to easy 5-minute appetizers. This garlic dill white bean dip is a great addition to any charcuterie plate or appetizer spread. It’s the perfect little something to set out while you are prepping the rest of the meal. Not to mention, it’s healthy and fresh to offset some of the other goodies you may be indulging in this time of year.

It could not be easier to make. Just pop everything into a food processor and blend until smooth. I like to serve it with fresh veggies – carrots, cucumbers, and mini peppers are our family faves. I also slice pita bread into triangles and toast them for a few minutes under the broiler.

You can also serve this on toasted crostini with a sprig of dill for a more formal cocktail party.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Save Print

Garlic Dill White Bean Dip

Recipe type: Appetizer

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Serves: 1 cup

Easy 5 minute white bean dip perfect for any cheese plate or party

Ingredients

1 14 oz can white northern beans or cannellini beans
1-2 cloves of garlic (I love garlic so I use 2 but for a milder flavor use 1)
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill (or rosemary, you can totally switch up the herbs)
juice of ½ lemon
⅛ tsp salt
⅛ tsp pepper
2-3 tbsp olive oil
More salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions

Rinse beans well. Add them to a food processor.
Add peeled garlic cloves, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Pulse until pureed.
Add olive oil slowly until mixture is smooth.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Drizzle with additional olive oil and garnish with herbs.
Serve with veggies, crackers, and toasted pita bread.

I’m still working on all of my holiday menus, but you check out this post here for my menus from last year, and the German potato salad I always serve on Christmas eve.

This tomato jam pesto burrata dip is also a favorite to serve this time of year!

Garlic Dill White Bean Dip

December 11, 2019 By Kelly 16 Comments

Pool House Update

I feel like it’s been all Christmas, Christmas, Christmas over here, and I’ve been holding out on you with the pool house progress! If you follow me on Instagram then you are in the loop already, but for those of you who don’t, here are a few fun updates!

Here is where we started to refresh your memory. This is the weird/scary picket fence bathroom of my nightmares, with a side of decrepit staircase for your viewing pleasure.

Tada! That’s all gone! Along with the disgusting pink toilet from the ’50s. It already looks a million times better here.

Here it is all framed out. Now the bathroom has real walls and the pool equipment will have its own room. The bathroom is on the left and the pool pump room is on the right.

Here is the other side of the room. I’m envisioning this space as a mudroom of sorts. I’m thinking some sort of built-ins to the right of the window for towels, sunscreen, storage etc…and maybe a bench under the window? There will be a new door with a half-light window to let more light into this space. We will put a door stopping hinge on the hinges so it won’t bang into the staircase. It’s definitely not a huge space in here but it’s really just an entry space.

The new staircase is actually safe to use, and we can move furniture, etc up there now. We decided to close off the opening to the two stall garage so that the staircase could extend along this wall. Bonus my messy garage won’t be on display for all to see!

Since we closed off the entrance here, they cut an opening on the other side of the garage for a service door where a window used to be. This wall is a mess from all the concrete dust, so I see some power washing in my future. We decided to go with straight siding over here to save some money and because this side of the house isn’t really visible from anywhere on our property. We also didn’t replace that lower window because there are shelves lining that part of the wall. This is definitely not the most attractive on this side, but we were going for practical. We are saving our money for the all the pretty stuff on the poolside.

Let me show you that side a minute. First, let’s go back to where we started, this is what it looked like when we first bought it.

After we painted it.

And now, here is where we are at with the new windows and french door in!

They started on the siding and little deck this week too, and it’s looking so nice! Everything (doors, shutters etc..) will get a new coat of paint in the spring.

I can’t believe what a difference the windows make! The balcony still needs some work and a railing. Of course, everything will look better when it’s fresh and green in the summer versus all the brown leaves. It’s funny how the paint doesn’t look like it matches the siding in this lighting, but in person, it looks great.

Here’s how it looks from the inside. Yay, look at all that light!

Ignore the leftover Christmas lights my kiddos strung up here. Those beams were used for storing stuff above them and will be coming down soon. I’m thinking of tucking a comfy chair in the corner by the staircase and maybe a game table on the left side?

We swapped out the 3 windows on this wall for 2 larger windows and plan on mounting a tv between the two windows. There will be some sort of seating area plus beds for a bunkhouse/guest space on this side.

He will be wrapping up the outside soon and then we will be at kind of the wait and see phase again. We are waiting on some quotes on the electrical and plumbing to decide what phase 2 looks like. In an ideal world where there was no budget involved, we would like to finish it all off before summer. More than likely we will leave the upstairs for a while and focus on getting the bathroom finished so we don’t have to run little kids back and forth across the street to use the bathroom.

Afterall the pool itself is sort of falling apart too and all the tile needs to be replaced this spring as well. The Mr. and I have lovingly started referring to this whole area over here as the money pit. But that was one of the appeals of this property – so much potential for fun projects. It’s just hard to figure out what part to tackle first. So, that’s my big ole pool house update for now!

December 5, 2019 By Kelly 41 Comments

Gray and White Christmas Front Porch

I finally made it outside to get my front porch and window boxes Christmas ready! I was hoping the weather was going to cooperate (one always hopes this actually, when one lives in Michigan) and give me a pretty new dusting of snow to make everything magical. Gray and White Christmas Front Porch

Alas, there was no new snow in sight. So, I did what any normal half crazy blogger does and I shoveled our yard for the last bits of snow to throw near the porch. Mainly because there were a ton of leaves there and somehow I reasoned in my head that covering them with shovels full of snow would be quicker/easier than just raking them and bagging them. I also inadvertently stepped in a Charlie “present” while shoveling the yard in my pajamas. So, you are welcome for that mental image… Thank goodness our street is pretty quiet in the winter as the choice words that rang out weren’t exactly spreading Christmas cheer for all to hear! :)

I stuck with my less is more simple approach this year out on the porch with a wreath and garland. I used a faux wreath and garland that I had in the garage and wove in some cedar clippings form a local nursery to freshen it up a bit. I hung it with a command hook rather than one of those wreath hangars. We have an extra tall door and I find that those don’t hang down far enough for me.

I added a gray velvet bow to tie in my striped gray lumbar pillows. Also, notice Charlie stalking me as usual through the window. He is very concerned as to why I am shoveling snow at the house.

For my window boxes, I took a little walk through the woods and collected some greens from the yard. I also bought these red-coated sticks at the nursery. This would be such an easy DIY with some spray paint and sticks too!

In the past, I have added ornaments or more “Christmasy” items into my window boxes and then I’m sort of stuck with them until the weather thaws. This year, I wanted to do something that would be good to go all winter long. I tossed a few shovels full of yard snow (dog poo free thankfully) at them to make them a little more festive. I can’t wait to see them coated with actual fresh snow too.

I bought these evergreen trees last year and planted them in these planters. They looked cute out by the pool all summer and the Mr. helped me drag them back over here for the winter. That’s it – my gray and white Christmas porch is complete!

If you have missed any of my other Christmas decor this year, you can check out our living room here and our kitchen here.

Gray and White Christmas Front Porch

December 4, 2019 By Kelly 18 Comments

Holiday Gift Guide for Her

I have had SO many messages and emails asking me if I was going to do a gift guide for myself again this year! I sort of forgot about it honestly. I’ve been so focused on shopping for the Mr. and the kids. BUT if the people demand that I spend the day shopping for myself, who am I to deny them?! ;)

So, without further ado! Here is a collection of things that I either:

A. Love and may have snagged for myself on Cyber Monday (a lot of them are still on sale!)

B. Things I’ve suggested to my mom that I would be happy to see in my stocking (yes she still gives me a stocking), or

C. I’m shamelessly putting it out there for the Mr. who is not the most adept at gift giving (he gave me a carwash kit for my birthday last year, “wrapped” in the Amazon box it came in…my daughter said “oh dad, no.” Bahaha).

Also, forgive my sloppy collages, but little man is still home with the flu and I’m rushing to get this out to you all before the end of the sales! Just click on the BOLD WORDS to shop for each product or double click the images at the very bottom of the post.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission on items purchased through these links at no additional cost to you.

Rifle Paper Co. Mug – You all know I’m obsessed with their planners (I’ve shared them every year for the past 4 years), so when I saw they have cute initial mugs, I needed one of these for my collection!
Capri Blue Volcano Iridescent Jar Candle – These are my absolute favorite candles and I love the iridescent jar they have out for the holiday season.
1 For You, 2 For Me Mascara Set – This set contains two of my favorite mascaras, and I haven’t tried the 3rd, but it’s a great price for all three. Such a fun way to try out a new product. The perfect stocking stuffer!
Single Barbed Cuff – I have a variety of dainty gold bracelets that I like to stack. I think this one needs to be the latest in my collection. The barb design is so cool yet delicate in the gold.
Flash Watch – This watch is from the same brand as the bracelet and they show them paired together. I love the modern yet classic styling of this watch. It reminds me of one my grandpa used to wear when I was little and it’s on sale right now too.
Seedlings Journals, Set of 3 – I’m a paper and pen kind of girl (yet I am a blogger, welcome to the paradox that is me) and I’m constantly jotting down notes, thoughts, blog post ideas, etc… I always love to have cute notebooks or journals on hand and these are so pretty and a great price point for the set.
The Original MakeUp Eraser, Chic Black – Another great stocking stuffer! These things take all of your makeup right off.
Your Face & Eye Essentials Mini 5 Pc Travel Brush Set – I have a similar set of It Cosmetics makeup brushes and they are my favorite. This is a great set for travel, or I even like the smaller brushes for every day.
Birthstone Bar Necklace – This is such a fun twist on a birthstone necklace and I love the idea of a personalized gift. My birthday is in March (just reminding the Mr. ahem..) and the aquamarine one is beautiful.
Chloé Eau de Parfum – This is hands down my favorite perfume ever. I received a sample of it last year and it’s been my everyday scent since then. I always get compliments when I wear it.

11. Mockneck sweater in supersoft yarn – This sweater just came in the mail today, and it is legit the softest, coziest, thing I have ever put on my body. It comes in a million gorgeous colors and as of right now, it’s still 50% off. This will be one of those classic sweaters I will wear year after year.

12. Shawl Open-Front Cardigan – I’m constantly cold working from home, so I have a rotating cardigan sweater collection that I wear every day. I’m basically Mr. Rogers :) This one is the newest addition.

13. Pashmina Large Warm Blanket Solid Winter Shawl – Ok, this is an amazon find that has a million 5-star great reviews. I ordered it in two colors (it’s only $12!). I’ll keep you posted when they arrive, but I love big scarves like this for fall and winter. I always wear one when I travel too in case the airplane is cold.

14. The Medium Transport Tote – I love the quality of Madewell’s bags and their jeans are my favorite too. This bag is the perfect size for when you want your laptop, notebook etc… and it’s one of those classic pieces you will have forever. As of typing this, it’s still 40% off which is the best deal you will see all year at Madewell.

15. Suede shearling moccasin slippers – I love this style of slipper to wear around the house every day. If you follow me on Instagram you know I accidentally wore them to the grocery store last week too! These are a great under $20 gift for anyone.

16. Leather Chelsea boots – I have been on the hunt for the perfect every day Chelsea boot forever. These are perfection. I snagged them 1/2 off on black Friday, but there aren’t many sizes left. I linked my runner up (and also a little more budget-friendly) next as well.

17. Yale Chelsea Boot – I love these too and they come in a bunch of pretty colors. The snakeskin ones are so fun.

18. Boatneck Dolman Sweater – This sweater came in the mail today too (I’m starting to realize I did a little more black Friday shopping than I thought whoops!). It’s super soft and perfect with jeans or you could dress it up with winter white pants and a camel jacket too.

19. Women’s Cuffed Knit Beanie with Lining – I have spent a lot of time outside brainstorming in the pool house remodel (blog post coming soon), and this hat is keeping me cozy. Every time I wear it on Instagram, I’m flooded with DM’s about it. I love that it is fleece lined and under $15.

20. Wool-Blend Dad Coat – A little elf told me that my wonderful mother in law bought me this coat for Christmas and I can’t wait to get it. Again, another classic piece that I will have forever.

Phew! I think that’s everything. Happy shopping Mr.! Ahem, I mean ladies ;)

One quick note – Thursday I have a super fun giveaway exclusively for my email subscribers! If you are already subscribed to my emails be on the lookout for it. If not, you can enter your email above the subscribe button on my blog and get on the list for a chance to win!

My Parent’s Kitchen Makeover – Before

Boy’s Bathroom Update

Modern Nautical Inspired Wallpaper Ideas

Friday Feels – Fave Exercise Apps & Other Tips to Start Off the New Year

Good Books to Read

Merry Christmas and a Pool House Update

Garlic Dill White Bean Dip

Pool House Update

Gray and White Christmas Front Porch

Holiday Gift Guide for Her

Have The Lily Pad Cottage delivered right to your inbox

C'mon you know you want to...