The best small investment I made was starting a collection of Fransiscan Desert Rose china. It fills my heart with joy! 🩷🩷

Desert Rose was first introduced in 1941 by Gladding, McBean & Company, known for producing casual dinnerware in the style of Mexican folk pottery. It was created by contract designer Annette Honeywell (1902-1959) of Los Angeles in a style considered to be typical of Asian- inspired Southern California décor of the early 20th century.

Franciscan’s pattern got a significant boost in popularity thanks to widescale advertising campaigns throughout the 1940s and 1950s that featured Hollywood celebrities such as Joan Crawford, Greer Garson and Dorothy Lamour. In 1964, the sixty millionth piece was produced and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy chose Franciscan Desert Rose for use in the White House.

I`m thankful to @ltolestatesales for helping me start my collection.

Info source @thebrooklynteacup ...

Trick or Treat?

Aldi did it again! I couldn`t resist this set of ghosts for my Halloween decor. It was Mr. Twist`s idea to have them peeking out the window! It is so easy to set up and comes in a great box to store for next year.

@Aldi #aldithing #aldifinds #aldifind ...

Get creative and add your personal touch to things you find at the store. Like this pumpkin metal yard art, I found @athomestores.

Very cute on its own, but I wanted to add more orange and hot pink. I found Patio Paint from @decoart @michaelsstores specifically for outdoor projects. Put the finishing touches with a gold paint pen and acrylic sealant and voila!

It turned out so cute, adding the perfect welcoming pop of color to my front porch! ...

I love curating the perfect gift for a newlywed. Something creative, engaging, and multiuse!

The charcuterie board from @countrylivingmag is magnetic to allow you to change its shape into a round, oblong, and heart!

The Cheese Board Deck from @ainttooproudtomeg was gifted to me by my daughter several Christmas`s ago, and I love it.

Finally, a set of acacia wood spreaders from Amazon.

Wrap it in cellophane, bow and go! Comment GIFT, and I`ll send you links to shop. Perfect for a wedding, housewarming, or holiday! ...

Isn`t it fun when you find the perfect thing you`ve been looking for? When I spotted this adorable shelf @ltolestatesales, I scooped it up.

With Mr. Twist`s help I hung it in my keeping room. I plan to put seasonal decor like my Halloween village from @mymindseyeinc. The shelf has grooves for plates, so I have lots of options on how I`ll use it.

Isn`t it fabulous!? ...

Retailers hit me in my weak spot this season with all the pink and orange Halloween. I started picking things out in August, and I`m glad I did because I think everyone else loves 🩷🧡, too!

I added some color to the black cat with a @wirrwarrwraps ribbon kit! Check my stories to see how these cute kits embellished my decor. ...

When I don`t have time to bake pumpkin bread from scratch, my go-to is @traderjoes Pumpkin Bread mix.

Do you like pumpkin bread plain or without things mixed in like nuts or chocolate? 👇 ...

Support Fort Worth`s newest small business @match_point_coffee. We enjoyed crafted coffees and yummy tacos from @tacos_y_rocky.

If you`re looking for a space to host a podcast or meet a client, you can book their conference room for a small fee.

Spacious seating, welcoming employees, chill vibes, and jigsaw puzzles.

They also regularly spotlight a charity partner to share insights about their mission and offer ways for you to get involved. Today`s partner was North Hi Mount PTA.

Go support local! ...

Hello October! Can we now agree it`s time to officially welcome all things pumpkin to the table. Hello, pumpkin spice! Here`s my @traderjoes haul:

🎃 Cold Brew pumpkin spice concentrate perfect to make an iced PSL
🎃 Pumpkin brownies perfect for a coffee date
🎃 Mini pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting
🎃 Pumpkin ultra moisturing hand cream OMG.
🎃 Overnight pumpkin oats
🎃 @nespresso pumpkin spice pods

What do you love about October? ...

🌸Here`s the scoop🌸 - Zinnias need sun, water, and constant cutting to enjoy inside.

Zinnias do best when you cut them, which is hard for me because I want people to enjoy the blooms as they walk by my front yard. But cutting them encourages new blooms.

We had a little aphid problem back in July but sprayed the Zinnias with Rose Shield, a product we found @archies_gardenland, and they rebounded.

Of course, this time of year, all flowers are enjoying the cooler days, so we will continue to enjoy the Zinnias through the first frost. You know who else loves Zinnias - hummingbirds, bees, and monarchs. Such a feast for our winged friends. ...

French Toast Casserole! My daughter requests this for every holiday breakfast - Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year`s Day. You can divide into two pans and take one to a friend.

Save this for the recipe below 👇

FOR THE FRENCH TOAST:
1 loaf crusty sourdough or French bread (After making this several times, an entire loaf of bread is more than you want, maybe just use 3/4 of the loaf)
8 whole eggs
2 c. whole milk
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
3/4 c. sugar
2 tbsp. vanilla extract

FOR THE TOPPING:
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. firmly-packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 pinch nutmeg (optional)
1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces
Fresh fruit (optional)
Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into
cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour
evenly over the bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge for several hours or
overnight.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add nutmeg if
desired. Add butter pieces and cut them into the dry mixture until the mixture
resembles fine pebbles. Store in a Ziploc in the fridge.
When you’re ready to bake the casserole, preheat the oven to 350° F. Remove
the casserole from the fridge and sprinkle the crumb mixture over the top. (If you’re
using fruit, sprinkle on before the crumb mixture.) Bake for 45 minutes for a
softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid
texture.
Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup. ...

Menopause much? I started HRT last January, and it`s been a lifesaver for my menopausal symptoms. Did you know there`s over 60 symptoms and side effects associated with menopause - including heart disease, bone weakening, memory, and brain fog.

I`m reading The New Menopause by @drmaryclaire, and I`ll be starting a series on my YouTube channel to discuss and share what I`ve learned.

Be your own advocate. Find a health care practitioner who will listen, hear, support, and acknowledge your needs. ...

A Pay Day bar. Easy snack. Just mix together salted peanuts, candy corn, and chocolate chips.

Fun fact - I bit the white tips off the candy corn to trick my mother into thinking I lost a tooth! 🤣🤣 ...

Upside Down Pizza - Here`s what`s for dinner tonight! It`s so good and is perfect for football weekends.

Be sure to screenshot the recipe or SAVE for later. ...

YOU ARE BRAVE! I hope this message reaches you on a day when you really need it.

Do the homework! Reach out to someone RIGHT NOW and tell them just these three words. YOU ARE BRAVE. Then message me back and tell me how it made them and you feel! ❤️ Thanks for following me! ...

Monthly ribbons kits from @houseofturnberry are the perfect way to switch out your season decor.

I hung my new faux mum wreath and added the Halloween ribbon kit. As a monthly subscriber, a kit is delivered every month. It`s super easy to just clip the ribbons on to whatever you want to embellish.

Comment KIT and I`ll send you link for the wreath and the ribbon kit.

Happy fall y`all 🎃🎃 ...

Keeping it reel folks. You know it`s love when your husband pulls off your pink compression sock for you! 🤣🤣 A Funknee Story continues.

On crutches until October 9, not what I hoped, but I`ll do anything to have a completely healthy knee again. Total knee reconstruction with repair to ACL, MCL & meniscus. Week two down. ...

Soft Ginger Cookies - Years ago, I, along with my daughter and God daughter, made 77 dozen of these cookies for their "Flour Girls" Baking for Change ministry at church. What a delight to witness the love our girls gave to this project.

We perfected the recipe, to a soft, flavorful ginger-filled cookie perfect with a cold glass of milk. Be sure to SAVE it for later.

Soft Ginger Cookies
Makes 3 dozen

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp ground Ginger
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 whole egg
1/4 cup Molasses

1/4 sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon for rolling dough

Combine flour, ginger, soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

Beat butter 30 seconds until soft.

Add sugar and beat until fluffy.

Add egg and molasses and beat well.

Add 1/2 the flour mixture and hand stir, then stir in the rest of the flour mixture.

The dough should be at a consistency that you can roll it with your hands into balls. You may have to a little more flour until you can easily roll the dough.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll the balls in sugar/cinnamon sugar.

Place cookies 2 inches apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake 12 minutes. Do not brown. The cookies should be almost underbaked. Sorinkle sugar over warm cookies if desired.

Let cool 2 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack. ...

I`m ready for it - everything fall offers! Pumpkins, sweaters, mums, changing leaves, cooler days, Halloween, and pumpkin spice everything.

What`s your favorite thing about fall! ...

Flowers from my garden, a stack of books, a fall-scented candle, and a delicious room spray. The simple pleasures to delight the senses.

What makes you happy? ...