From the Front Porch

Happy First Day of February from the front porch, you guys! Are you ready to tackle this month with gusto or do you feel more like a bear in hibernation?

We made great progress on our January goals so we would probably be in the gusto group.  We’re definitely excited about all the good things to come in February.  I think the biggest difference is that we’ve been crazy diligent about keeping our Sunday’s sacred and it has been a game changer in the way the entire week runs.

Speaking of games, are you guys ready for the Super Bowl this Sunday? The snacks and the commercials are always my favorite.  I feel like February has a lot of great food days in it so make sure you have these fun dates on your monthly menu plan…

• February 4 – Super Bowl Sunday
• February 13 – Fat Tuesday (Hello, give me all the gumbo and the King Cake)
• February 14 – Valentine’s Day
• February 27 – National Chocolate Cake Day (chocolate cake is my favorite food so I had to stick this one in…shrimp and grits come in at a close second though)

As I’ve been sharing over the past couple of Thursdays and on Instagram, I’m giving my office a little refresh so it’s been my main focus all week.  Nothing major or anything it’s mostly a better organization system for the inventory closet and I revamped my desk area a bit.  I’m trying SO hard to go through closets, baskets, bins and drawers little by little this year and cull some of my collections.

My mom came this week to help restyle a few of the shelves in my office.  She’s a pro at shelves and vignettes so I was really excited to have here out for a visit.

Here’s a peek at scenes from our week…

* I literally have THE sweetest family.  My only niece made this birthday present for me.  I’m not one to get weepy all that often but this just makes my heart happy every time I look at it.

* Total concentration while styling…on a side note, we can talk about the sparkle on those shoes for a sec?

* Sometimes decorating is not always pretty, it’s more like organized chaos.

* Speaking of which, the entry currently looks like this as these are just two of the pieces waiting to be painted.

* This magazine, Country Home, is always a good one! I picked this up on the newsstand this week and didn’t notice it was a “Back by Popular Demand” Reprint from 2017.  Thankfully, I didn’t have it already.

A few of our favorite posts from around the web this week…

DO NOT miss the kitchen in this home tour. It’s gorgeous, right?

This post on how to refresh your home with one simple change has totally doable tips no matter what style you love best.

9 Small Décor Items That Will Elevate Your Entire Home

Have you guys started decorating for Valentine’s Day yet? We’re loving this grain sack inspired garland.

Make your own pop-tarts, whaaa? Wait until you see how cute these are!

If red and hearts for Valentine’s Day is really not your jam, consider this elegant tablespace instead.

On the other hand, if you love all things romantic and you dream of one day having your own peony garden, you’ll love this post.

6 Alternative Things to Do on Valentine’s Day

This was an interesting post about which candles are the best to buy based on your personality

I finished Season 2 of The Crown and Victoria a few weeks ago and the Brits have melted my heart all over again! Here are a few crown inspired gift ideas from Amazon…(Affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. You can read our full disclosure policy here)

Mirror

Napkin Rings

Place Setting

Wall Art

Chandelier

Jam Jar

Horse Pillow

Toast Rack

If you’ve missed anything on the blog lately, here’s a peek at what we’ve been up to…

The Horse Farm Project: Guest Bedroom Makeover

The Horse Farm Project: Painted Dresser and Nightstand

6 Strategies for Reaching Your Goals in 2018

DIY Valentine Bath Bombs and Free Printables (from the archives)

I seriously can’t thank you guys enough for all of our kind words and encouragement on my video post this week.   Stepping out of my comfort zone is not always easy but you guys overwhelmed me with your sweet support!

I hope you have a peace filled and happy weekend.  We have a great week coming up next week with a nod to all things Valentine’s Day.  I swear that holiday sneaks up on me every year! I’m hoping to finish a few painting projects as we gear up for several furniture and room makeovers at Loblolly Manor in the coming weeks.  I’m also hoping we can sneak in brunch, a walk on the beach and a little shopping over the weekend as well.

Whatever you have planned I hope it’s something you’re excited about.  I can’t wait to see you back here on Monday.  Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Many blessings,

CoCo