I know — puffy paint on pumpkins sounds questionable at first. I was skeptical too. But after John and I brainstormed ideas for this year’s pumpkins (we’d painted them last year), we decided to try something different: raised designs made with puffy paint. We’d also carved detailed designs in previous years, so we wanted another … Read more

Before we took down the holiday decorations, we decided to snap a few better-late-than-never seasonal photos — since this was likely the last time we’d get a picture like this in front of the tree. Kinda wild to think this was our last Christmas with just one little kid (well, two if you count Burger … Read more

Note: We’re still reeling from the terrible tragedy in Connecticut last Friday. Our hearts go out to everyone affected, and we’re holding Clara extra close. For anyone who wants to help, our friend Roo — who lives just a few towns from Sandy Hook and has three small children — shared some thoughtful ways to … Read more

And let’s just say I’m an eternal, unapologetic, annoyingly chipper optimist. We’re back to share the cozy collection of odd little finds we picked up with a $100 thrift-shopping budget during our end-of-winter beach trip to Rehoboth. Since we stayed at John’s parents’ beach house for free (I have the best in-laws), spending a hundred … Read more

We recently received several emails from readers asking for fun ideas and gifts for Valentine’s Day. The web is already full of suggestions, but we wanted to share a curated list of some of our favorite ways to celebrate the occasion. These ideas are simple, thoughtful, and easy to customize—happy Valentine’s Day! Use a heart-shaped … Read more

We finally had a reason to update the hardware on our front door — and the fact that the house would be on camera pushed us to get it done. A recent return to Lowe’s for some dead hydrangeas even refunded $80, which more than covered the roughly $50 cost of the new hardware. Here’s … Read more

I’m not obsessive about cleanliness so much as I am about organization. I believe everything needs a designated spot, or else you end up with piles of clutter scattered around the house. That’s why I favor storage solutions designed for specific tasks—like our rolling laundry caddy (you can see it in action in our home … Read more

Last weekend I rearranged Clara’s nursery—again—and several of you noticed and asked for an update, so here it is. It wasn’t a full renovation, just a few simple swaps, but for a while the room looked like it had been turned upside down: Clara was in there “helping Mommy dec-rate.” According to her, “decorate” has … Read more

It’s no secret we adore a large linen drum shade, so we were thrilled to discover Ashley’s step-by-step tutorial for a drum pendant she built from scratch—for just $18. Here’s her note: Okay, you have got to quit doing cute things in your house because I’m always wanting to do something else. My project list … Read more

Gravity plus paint became a lesson in humility when we tackled the den’s ceiling tiles. Those tiles were unusually absorbent and uneven, turning a straightforward paint job into a messy challenge. We’d been postponing this task for months, so one Friday night we finally decided to get it done. Armed with a contractor’s tip to … Read more