From the Front Porch

Happy Friday from the front porch sweet friends and welcome to November. It’s great to have you here, thanks so much for making us a part of your day!

How has your week been?

We’ve had lots of fun things to celebrate this week starting with my nephew who is the cutest thing.

He was the last one to score in his high school football game and of course, my sister and I were crying in the stands like he had just kicked the game-winning field goal at the Super Bowl 😆

Every time I see him warm up my stomach is in knots.

I just wave and cheer like it’s no big deal though because if there is one teenager rule that you should never break it’s, “Thou shalt not do anything embarrassing.”

They’re undefeated right now and it’s been really exciting to watch the team work so hard to chase their dreams.

Fall Festival…

On Saturday, we drove back to our hometown for the Fall Festival at my aunt’s house.  

They had all sorts of activities from bobbing for apples to pumpkin carving.

It was the perfect night for a hayride and smores because the trees were totally spooky as the moon was coming up.

I had to grab a picture of this display because it was part of my aunt’s Fall door décor.

Everything was so fun and festive. We had a great time seeing each other.

Honestly, it’s one of the million reasons Fall is my favorite season of the entire year!

My Joan Collins Era…

I spent a few hours in my Joan Collins era on Monday.

The rhinestones…the hot rolled and backcombed hair…oh spooky season, I miss you already.

Prepping for the Holidays…

We spent the rest of the week watching the rocket launch, pulling out our cable knit sweaters, wrapping presents while enjoying You’ve Got Mail, planning for the holidays, and putting our tree up.

We’ve always been the family that has the dining room decorated for Thanksgiving while the rest of the house is decorated for Christmas.

We’ve mainly done it that way because our travel schedules are totally bananas this time of year.

While I get it’s not for everyone, it’s nice to enjoy the twinkling lights of the tree on the days we are actually in town and snuggled up at home.

My theme this year is “Champagne Wishes” and I’m hoping to keep the decorations super simple with lots of flocked trees, garlands, candles, and sparkly ornaments.

I was going to do actual champagne colors at first but they didn’t show up on the flocked tree very well at all.

So, I think I’m going to go with blush and champagne.

Whatever it winds up being it has to be something that is easy to put up and take down because we have no free weekends left for the rest of the year.

I’m thinking festive but uncomplicated!

Just a Reminder…

Remember to change your clocks back if you’re in the US and to check the batteries in your smoke, carbon monoxide, and security detectors too.

Also, a lot of department stores and big box craft supply stores are offering pre-Black Friday sales this week. Now is a great time to finalize your shopping list and to be on the lookout for sales and discounts at your favorite stores.

Thank you again for being here and for being a part of this community.

I’m so excited to head into the holiday season with each and every one of you and I hope your weekend is filled with all the good things November has to offer.

A Few of Our Favorite Things from Around the Web This Week…

Beautiful Home and Garden Tours:

• There are so many amazing things to love about this Dover Farmhouse and Barn by architect Patrick Ahearn from the silhouettes on the bookcase to the stone in the kitchen to the stunning horse barn.
• Have you seen this Vintage New Build with Lots of Arches shared on Emily Henderson’s blog yet? It’s so pretty.
• A Beautifully Curated Dream Home (via Lark & Linen) There is so much inspiration in this post.
• Everything in Tessa Foley’s portfolio is positively magical.
• This home tour via Atlanta Homes & Lifestyle Magazine is filled with shades of beautiful blues and sage colors. 

Seasonal Inspiration:

• These Leftover Halloween Candy Cookie Bars from Butternut Bakery look so good.
• Loved this post, A Plan for Gathering, by Heather Bullard. She’s such a talented lady.
• My friend Donna from An Organized Season also put together this post, Our Best Tips to Make Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner Easy and it’s filled with helpful tips and tricks.
• Have you seen Rachel’s post on How to Make Large Budget Friendly Ornaments From the Dollar Tree? They’re really creative and can be easily customized with your holiday colors.
• My friend Susan of Home with Grace and Joy put together this post, 110 Simple Things to Do to Prepare for Christmas and it is fabulous. I would have never even thought about half of these things!

Health and Wellness Inspiration:

• How to Live a Simple Life (This post via B Vintage Style is filled with pretty photos and helpful information)
• How to Overcome Financial Anxiety and Build Wealth (via Camille Styles)
• Your Gut Health and Your Mental Health Are Closely Linked – Here’s How to Boost Them Both (via Real Simple)

Style Inspiration:

• How Does the Color of Your Clothing Affect Your Mood? (This post via The Good Trade was really interesting and something I had never thought about)
• There are so many fun and festive pieces in Talbot’s new collection. I love the piping detail on these!
• This pink dog print from Old Navy sold out in my area but I wanted to share them just in case they might be available in your area – the print is super cute!

Simple Pleasures and Little Luxuries:

• These would make a fun Christmas gift for someone who loves to travel.
• This makes me wish we actually had a winter season in Florida.
• This would be so pretty if you have a holiday wedding or party coming up.  

If You’ve Missed Anything from the Blog or the Archives Recently, Here’s a Peek At What We’ve Been Up To…

12 Simple Ways to Ease Into the Holidays

Christmas Inspiration Mood Board Ideas (6 Different Mood Boards to Explore!)

2023 Our Best Holiday Gift Guides (224 Gift Ideas to Explore)

Vintage Inspired Gift Tags

You can find our Thanksgiving-inspired From the Front Porch post here if you missed it…

Organizing the Week Ahead…

Words to Live By:

Dates to Celebrate:

• 11/05 Daylight Savings Time Ends
• 11/07 Election Day (US)
• 11/11 Veterans Day (US)

Weekly Simplified and Organized Home Challenge Task:

• Create a Christmas Card Contact List, Choose and Mail Cards

3 Simple Ways to Celebrate the Season:

• Deep Clean and Prep for Holiday Guests
• Make a New Seasonal Side Dish
• Spray Lavender or Deep Sleep Mist on Your Pillow at Night

November Menu Ideas:

• November Menu Ideas

Sage and Neutral Inspired Finds We Spotted Online at Amazon This Week…

(Amazon affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. As an Amazon and Impact Media Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Any sales made through such links will support us with a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)

Cable Knit Dress * Garland * Napkins * Euro Shams

Wreath * Taper Holder * Glasses * Cardigan

Bows * Napkin Rings * Turtleneck * Dinner Plate

Rug * Pumps * Throw * Coatigan

As always, we appreciate you more than you could ever know, and we hope your weekend is peace-filled and relaxing.  We can’t wait to share even more with you next week!

Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.


Many blessings,

CoCo