How to Find the Best HVAC Contractor
Be very careful in vetting contractors as to why they are chosen over other companies. Remember, the more a contractor knows, the more available contracts they will get for your home. Their answers to questions you have are likely to be more helpful than the quality...
Gift Wrapping with Kraft Paper
I somehow discovered kraft paper at Home Depot when we repainted our first house. I was inspired to use it as gift wrap and was pleasantly surprised that I liked the way it looked with some fancy red ribbon I purchased through my nieces' school gift wrap sale. Years...
Rolled Sugar Cookies
Matt and I decided to create Homemade Sugar Cookies in a Jar for our family members this Christmas. And, being the responsible gift-givers that we are, we knew we should test the recipe before sending the cookies out. And I am happy to say we found a...
Homemade Sugar Cookie Mix in a Jar
Matt and I love to create a homemade gift for our family members each year, but I have been away at school during the week and so busy that I did not think we would be successful. But I was inspired by a gift they sell at Disney - a Mickey gingerbread kit, complete...
Laundry Room Organization
There were two aspects of our house that drew us to it: the first was that the original owners were the builders and they carefully customized it, taking great pride in its design and construction. The second was that the house was full of unexpected 45-degree...
6 Question to Ask Before You Start a DIY Renovation
Are you doing a home renovation project this year? Deciding between doing it yourself or hiring a contractor? Hiring a contractor is expensive compared to doing it yourself, and it’s not twice as expensive: it’s often three to five times more...
Mamma Mag’s Scotch Shortbread
Matt and I were able to visit my grandmother a week before she passed, and we had a fun hour talking with her about old times, new times, and our favorite shared interests. One thing we discussed was her famous Scotch Shortbread cookies. I was dying to know where...
Christmas Traditions: Swedish Kringler
Every family has special traditions over the holidays and I love learning about how other families celebrate. We had the opportunity to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah this year and we really enjoyed it. So I thought I would share one of our family’s Christmas...
Homemade S’mores Mix
Do you enjoy making gifts for friends and family? Are you looking for a last minute DIY gift that won’t take hours in the kitchen? I was inspired by a recent trip to Walt Disney World where I saw the cutest gingerbread cookie kit. It included a gingerbread mix (only...
Spruce Up Plain Garland
Matt and I found two nine-foot strands of plain garland in our holiday decor this year, and we wanted to spruce them up a little bit before hanging them. It will probably come as no surprise that I am fairly minimalist in my decor - I like to add a few curves and...
Create DIY Yard Dice
DIY Yard Dice are easy to make and a fun project to work on. They can be used for hours of family fun and make a wonderful, thoughtful gift. This tutorial is the start of a series on wood working. If you have done little to no wood working, I highly recommend...
Create an Advent Calendar
One of our favorite activities during the Christmas season is doing an Advent study. One way we keep track of our study is through an advent calendar that we created. It is easy to make your own advent calendar, and you can customize it to fit your style. Materials...
Three Table Themes for Thanksgiving
If you are hosting the Thanksgiving feast this year, you may find the idea of preparing the food and decorating the table overwhelming. We are hosting my family this year and I needed to save time and money on decor. I found that with our Four Entertaining Staples...
Four Entertaining Staples
One way to save money is to invest in multipurpose items that you will use for years to come while spending far less on items that will not last past a few seasons. When it comes to entertaining, there are four staples that can be used in countless ways - dressed up...
Create a Potted Christmas Tree Stand
As cat owners, we've long been frustrated with the traditional Christmas tree skirt. Our cats are frenzied beasts when the tree comes out, and they play extensively beneath the tree. The traditional skirt generally ends up 10 feet away from the tree at least once a...
How to Create Pressed Flower Art
My sister came home one day with a collection of pressed flowers and asked if I wanted them. Not wanting to turn down anything free that might come in handy, I said yes. When we were completing our living room renovation, I had the idea of turning the pressed...
The Anatomy of an Interior Wall
One of the most intimidating aspects of our renovation was the initial demolition. We modified our floor plan in only small ways, but we still had to tear out all of the drywall in our kitchen and modify a few of the studs. If you have limited experience...
Welcome to the Graceful Dwelling
Welcome to The Graceful Dwelling! My husband, Matt, and I have lived through two fairly major renovations and we want to pass on our newfound knowledge so others can learn from our accomplishments and our mistakes. This blog will take you through the three major...