christmas with antique farm house

 

🎄Welcome to the English Cottage Christmas event

 with Antique Farmhouse! 

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas here at my home, and with the help of Antique Farm House. I’ve created a very nostalgic and comfy look for my family. 

This is the perfect time to bring those same vintage, cozy vibes into your own home this holiday season.

Let’s create the most memorable Christmas together!

 

There are so many festive pieces featured in this English Cottage Christmas event, that I couldn’t fit them all in my reel.

There’s nothing quite like the wonder of Christmas morning. All the anticipation, excitement and joy! All the feelings you’ve had of Christmases past come rushing back!

 

Sentimental at times, but there is a sense of hope as well.

Nothing can match the sight of your glowing tree at sunrise, the smell of bacon emanating from the kitchen, tiny footsteps coming down the stairs, and the gasps and giggles heard at the sight of all the gifts under the tree…

 

all those dear early morning Christmas memories truly live in my heart!

🎄The inspiration for my tree was the beauty of nature done in a fanciful way. I imagined an enchanted forest where Father Christmas lives in a charming little stone cottage, definitely another time and place! 

I started with a new 6’ Noble fir from King of Christmas and added my own white lights. Owls, nesting birds, deer, little red toadstools, and lots of little pinecones. 

Of course, we have to bring in the sparkle with lots of vintage glass ornaments and baubles! This little tree is finished off with just a touch of old-fashioned tinsel for all the nostalgic reasons I can think of!

What a difference a month makes! Here’s our antique hutch all decked out for Christmas. 

Here’s my festive hot cocoa bar! This look is as simple as setting out some cute mugs, a cozy plaid throw and a fun little electric kettle! 

Add some instant hot chocolate mix, a few marshmallows and maybe a candy cane or two! No need to fuss. Keep it simple, my friends!

 

Here's a fun little plaid table that has all the vibrant holiday colors and textures I love!

So, friends, I’ll see you in my stories soon, where I’ll give you some up close and personal looks at some of my favorite items, and I’ll also be sharing a BONUS tablescape using so many ofthese same Antique Farmhouse pieces set up in a whole new way!

Happy Christmas! ♥️

ciao fabiana

 

For lots of fun extras, follow me on Instagram!

 

 

 

You can check out some of my favorites here at “Tablescaping Essentials”  

 

 

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links.

 

farmhouse style for fall

 

Country Sampler Farmhouse Style for Autumn has arrived! It’s filled with pages and pages of fabulous fall inspiration. That means my absolute favorite season kind-of unofficially starts in a few days when the calendar hits September.

 

Yes, it’s all about muted fall tones, crunchy autumn leaves, cozy throws and that all important pumpkin!

 

So today I’m sharing some of my favorite highlights and details about the projects I’ve contributed to this issue.

 

My fall mantel from a few years back is highlighted in an article called “Give you Fireplace More Style.”

 

You can see how we updated the stark brick look with the addition of shiplap. I love the warmth and texture it now adds to the room as the sole focal point of our large family room.

 

My friend and contractor George is wiz with these types of projects, and you can see how he prepped the space to enable attaching the shiplap.

 

After he was done, I finished off the mantel wall with a couple of coats of the same white paint as the mantel. The material we used was Windsor One which comes pre-primed to save time!

I absolutely love how it looks, especially with our special portrait of my husband's great-grandmother Nell.

 

Pumpkins are one of my absolute components of Autumn. They are just so darn cute and festive, and now-a-days they come in all sorts of beautiful colors and shapes.

 

I love getting inspiration for new decorating ideas for pumpkins and starting on page 84 with an article called “13 Pumpkins with Panache”, there are loads of new ideas!

 

My contribution is #6 with my white “Barnyard Silhouette” pumpkins. 

Originally, I was going to go for cats, bats, and owls for this look, but we decided to do farmyard critters, which I think is even more fun for this farmhouse style issue.

 

Rosemary Apricot Garlic Pork Tenderloin 

“Slow-Cooker Specialties” has all the right ingredients and recipes for cozy fall dining. My "Rosemary Apricot Garlic Pork Tenderloin" is a recipe I’ve been making for over 20 years, but recently just started cooking in my slow-cooker, or crock pot.

 

The blend of ingredients is magical when they’re all combined, and I just love the gravy that’s created in the mix that’s perfect for serving with rice or mashed potatoes.

 

I’ve even made this recipe with chicken before and it’s also equally yummy!

 

Sticky Toffee Pudding

 

Have you ever had “Sticky Toffee Pudding”? It’s actually a lot healthier than its sounds, as it contains dates as it’s main ingredient, not chocolate. Don't let that put you off, because dates add the most delicate sweetness to this cake.

 

It looks like a chocolate dessert, but it’s not. This is actually an old-fashioned English dessert, that can easily be made in your slow-cooker.

 

I have to honestly say, this is the MOST amazing dessert I’ve ever made. 

The depth of flavor with the addition of pumpkin pie spices and orange zest makes this perfect for fall, but also perfect for the Christmas holidays, when it’s traditionally served.

 

This simple corner table just struck me as simple beautiful! I love the rustic table and chairs, and the carefree way the sunflowers are displayed in these over-sized glass bottles.

 

An example of just one of the many beautiful farmhouse style homes included in this issue.

 

 

ciao! Fabiana

 

For lots of fun extras, follow me on instagram!

 

 

 

You can check out some of my favorites here at “Tablescaping Essentials”*. 

 

 

 

 

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links.

 

Liz Marie's "cozy white cottage" book

Blogger and designer Liz Marie Galvin’s new book’s out today! 

I was sent an advanced copy of “Cozy White Cottage: 100 Ways to Love the Feeling of Being at Home” to check out and review, and I must say, it’s just beautiful and so inspiring! 

Liz Marie has a great eye for style and she writes about some of my favorite reasons to love being home. In this book she covers every room of the house as well as the garden, porch and entryway.  

Within each room of the house, she covers “100 Ways to Love the Feeling of Being at Home”, which I absolutely just love! Some of my favorite subjects covered in the book are: 

№ 07 “Top Ten Items to Pick Up while Antiquing” 

№ 12 “Rug Placement Tips” 

№ 15 “Vintage Collections” 

№ 26 “Fireplace Focal Point” 

№ 29 “Shelf Styling 101”  

№ 46 “Coffee Bar” 

№ 50 “Adding the 5 Senses” 

№ 66 “Storing and Decluttering Home Décor"  

№ 67 “Ten-Minute Cozy Challenge” 

№ 78 “Outdoor Living Room” 

№ 89 “How to Make a Bedroom Soothing” 

№ 100 “Finding Contentment” 

And how about this cozy fall tablescape?  

It's so pretty for an autumn gathering. 

I just love the way Liz Marie curates her home and collections. The light and bright white walls with the contrasting vintage wood furniture has COZY written all over it!  

№96 “Fireplace” is just one example of the 100 inspirational tips to consider for our own homes. Doesn't the fireplace looks like it's been there for ages? 

Liz Marie and her husband built the whole thing themselves to look perfectly vintage, and the best thing of all, there's a tv hidden behind the two shiplap doors above the mantel.   

“I hope through this book and glimpse into our unfinished and imperfect life, people see that they can make their homes cozy no matter what their lives look like right now,” Liz Marie said. 

“Whether it’s on a sheep-filled farm, in a modern urban flat, or in a rented townhouse, adding comfort and warmth helps people create a sanctuary to gather in, live in, and love in." 

"It’s the best feeling to have a cozy corner of the world that people long to come home to.” 

When I received this book, I immediately read the whole thing cover-to-cover, and currently "Cozy White Cottage” is on my nightstand, so every night I read a few little chapters to remind me of how easy it is to add coziness to my own home. 

I do love the feeling of being home so much! 

ciao! fabiana 

A little about Liz Marie Galvan: Liz Marie is a blogger, interior designer, and co-owner of the vintage home décor boutique The Found Cottage in Hudsonville, Mich. Each month, hundreds of thousands of readers find design inspiration and DIY ideas at LizMarieBlog.com. Liz and her veteran husband, Jose, live on an 1800s farmhouse in Michigan with their dogs, cats, sheep, and rams. Learn more about their farmhouse renovations at LizMarieBlog.com. Liz has been featured in Better Homes & Gardens and Country Living, and has collaborated with Balsam Hill, Behr, Magnolia Home Paint, Home Depot, TJ Maxx/HomeGoods, and HGTV. 

Click here for a direct link to the book: