Guest Room Essentials

Being a guest in someone else's home is always a treat. And as a homeowner, I want my guests to feel like they're in a comfortable bed & breakfast. (A four-star hotel would be nice too, but it's not in my budget!) Below are a few ideas to make a small bedroom feel warm and comfortable.

Guest Room Essentials by lgb321 featuring Diptyque

Hopefully the Polyvore set above will give you some stylish ideas. And while you'll need to remember practical items, such as crisp linens and comfortable pillows, there are several more ways to add to your guest's home-away-from-home experience. Special details can include:

A comfy reading nook

Interesting books and magazines

Scented candles or potpourri

A small vase of flowers

Great blankets, such as a faux fur throw

A bowl of mints 

And to make your guests feel less like intruders, add a few necessities that they might have forgotten. In plain sight on the bathroom counter keep a basket with a new toothbrush and paste, mouthwash, blowdryer, comb, cotton balls and Q-tips.

To picture how I want the rooms in my home to look, I love sketching them out. So one final suggestion would be to draw how you envision your guest room to look. You can draw on plain paper or go to a website such as Polyvore and use your imagination. A few great room designs can be found at Polyvore Top Home Sets - Nov. 29, 2014

So as the holidays begin, create a welcome retreat for family and friends with just a few special touches!

Aesthetically Pleasing, Tumblr

What Are You Thankful For?

We're all thankful for something. But if you had to pick one thing, what would it be? Think about it. Here's what a few creative people on Polvore picked...

So, what are you thankful for?

Creative Thanksgiving Tablescapes

A Thanksgiving tablescape can be as simple - or elaborate - as you want. You can keep it simple with flowers, or get a little more creative with special displays for family and friends.

Below are a few examples of interesting tablescapes that capture the beauty of the holiday.

(Source: Polyvore - Nautical Thanksgiving Tablescape ) - by Diane Mitchell

(Source: Polyvore - Rustic Thanksgiving Table) - by lgb321.polyvore.com)

(Source: Emmalee Design )

(Source: Martha Stewart )

(Source: Emmalee Design )

(Source: Trendy Thrifty Now )

(Source: Inspire Bohemia )

(Source: By Stephanie Lynn)

(Source: A Pumpkin and A Princess )

After one look at these tables, I thought, "a little glitter never hurts!" But truthfully, Thanksgiving is always a time to give thanks to God for our many blessings - with or without decorated tables!

Thanksgiving's "Facebook Wall"

One of my favorite commercials shows an elderly lady with her "Facebook wall" covered with printed photographs. She obviously doesn't "get" technology. And at one point says she's going to "unfriend" another lady who tells her "that's not how it really works."

While it's a funny example of how technology can be misunderstood, this commercial also makes me wonder about our "paperless" future. Instead of pouring over photo albums, like I used to do with my grandmother, our family records are being replaced with digital images on computers and smart phones. This method does quickly streamline and organize photos, but there's still something special about sharing our recorded history with printed photos.

Thanksgiving can be the perfect time to connect families through actual photographs. One of my nieces thought of a brilliant plan to make this happen! She's gathering printed photos from each family in the Baker clan. This should be a lot of photos from this large family, which includes my husband's mother, five siblings, their spouses, and 13 grandchildren (a Baker's dozen!) My niece plans to display a collage of these family photos on Thanksgiving day.
Gathering at our family's large cabin in the woods is a happy - and loud - holiday tradition. And this year, we'll enjoy reminiscing and laughing at past good times at the family's camp. We've all watched the property grow from a circle of tents to a large cabin surrounded by a pond, garden and orchard. And this Thanksgiving, we can also see how our children have grown and changed at this special retreat.
It's an easy tradition that you can also create. All you need is a few photos stuck on a fake "Facebook wall." Then enjoy the fun of sharing actual family photos over the Thanksgiving holidays!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

This Sunday's homily, or sermon, at my church was not as inspirational as usual. Despite the priest's best attempts, it was more like a long list of quotes by Catholic popes and Biblical leaders. When I got home from lunch, I thought of the saying "a picture is worth a thousand words."

So here's a few photos and inspirational quotes that mean a lot to me. Hope you enjoy!

And after a church service like the one this morning, I really need to remember the quote below. Maybe I should tape it to the fridge!

Layered Look

It feels like the weather has changed overnight in L.A. (Lower Alabama). We've gone from last week's sunny 70s to this week's hard freeze in the 20s at night. But bundled up for cold weather, I don't always feel stylish -- more like the Michelin man in puffy vests and jackets! Instead of dreading the cold, I'm trying to layer a few basic pieces. Warm is good; comfy is even better! 

This fall look, for example, includes popular items: an infinity scarf, black booties, marled knit sweater and a plaid check coat. This casual outfit is perfect for feeling comfortable - as well as fashionable!

Layered Look by lgb321 featuring a leather purse

Here are a few inexpensive items to add to your cold weather wardrobe:

Leopard Infinity Scarf, $11, from Wetseal.com

Black Booties, $44.99, from Target.com

Black & white toggle coat, $57.80, from Forever21.com

Denim-seamed Sweater, $37.99, from BlackFive.com

Of course, you can add or remove these layers depending on the day's forecast. 

So stay in style, no matter what the weather brings!

Pumpkin Bread

In the fall, there's nothing like coming home to the smell of baking bread in the oven. My husband and children especially love pumpkin bread. It's one of the best autumn treats! While searching for tasty and healthy recipes online, I came across this simple recipe on "Cooking with Cakes" baking blog. While the site's pumpkin bread is smothered with cream cheese frosting, I left my pumpkin bread plain and simple. No one in our house complained, because they didn't know it was an option! Moist and full of flavor, it's a great treat for breakfast and snacks. And it was a wonderful gift (recipe included) for our new neighbors. So get baking and welcome fall with this easy recipe!

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pumpkin Bread

INGREDIENTS --

• 15 oz Libby's Pure Pumpkin Filling
• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup White Sugar
• 1/2 cup Light or Dark Brown Sugar
• 5 Large Egg Whites
• 1/4 cup Canola Oil
• 1 1/2 tsps Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• Crisco to grease (Note: you can use Spray Pam)

DIRECTIONS --

1. In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients (flour, white sugar, baking soda, salt). In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients (pumpkin, egg whites, oil, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon), mixing thoroughly until smooth. (Note: make sure brown sugar is loose before combining with wet ingredients - it will be easier to combine and will avoid leaving clumps.) When ready, add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir thoroughly, utilizing an electric mixer if necessary to create a thick, smooth mixture. 
2. Pour pumpkin mix into well-greased loaf pan (mine was 9X5) and bake in oven middle rack at 350F for 60 - 70 minutes until cooked through. 
3. When finished, set aside and allow to cool.
4. When bread has cooled, carefully remove from loaf pan and place on wire rack. Immediately plate and serve. (Without the frosting, nutrition facts are -- Calories: 257 Fat: 8g, Carbs 40g Protein 6g)

You can find the complete recipe, including the frosting, at:

http://cookingwithcakes.com/brown-sugar-cinnamon-pumpkin-bread/