Home Goods Happy

Those of you following me on Instagram know over the weekend I whined just a little about not having a Home Goods in my town. The nearest one is about an hour away, not too far and certainly doable in a day, but it would be much nicer to have one right down the road.

Last weekend, my husband and I got out for a bit by ourselves. We made the trip to Home Goods and a few other places, had lunch, and then headed home. So why would it be nice to have one in our town?

Here are my thoughts on that question...

When it's time to replace something in your kitchen, they've got you covered.

Need a wedding gift or a serving dish? There are lots of lovely of choices.

Ready to update a room or change things around for the upcoming season? There's not a better or more inexpensive way to do it than swapping out your pillows. As you can see, Home Goods can help.

And lamps...they have a great selection every time I'm in there.

Reasonable home furnishing pieces like accent tables, end tables, coffee tables, or bedside tables.

And last but not least, seasonal merchandise.

See what I mean? Home Goods would be a welcomed addition to our town. Who knows? Maybe all you local readers could email them like I did and asked them to come or perhaps they'll run across this post and be convinced. :-)

Do you have a favorite place to shop for home furnishings?

Kathryn

One more thing... My first year of blogging is coming to an end, and I would love to know what you think. I added a quick, short survey in my side bar to get a little feedback as I start to think about year two and my readers' interests. If you have time, will you vote? Or if you want to share other thoughts, email me at woodbanklane@gmail.com or you can always click on the comment link below. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Two tips for Tuesday...

Tip #1 -  Don't you love the feeling you get from a fresh, clean anything--especially your face? Me, too. Once or twice a week after I wash my face with my favorite Dove soap, I use this 7 Day Scrub Cream from Clinique. It's not too harsh, and my face feels smooth and youthful, and maybe it looks a little younger. (That's what I'm telling myself anyway.) It is easy to apply and it wipes off easily with a warm rag. The label says it's safe for all skin types.

7 Day Scrub Cream

Tip #2 -  Mascara and this eye firming cream from Mary Kay are probably the two beauty products I would want on a desert island, assuming there had been time to pack a bag before whatever disaster occurred that brought me ashore. I apply this cream around my eyes in the morning after my moisturizer, before my foundation, and again at night after my moisturizer. I never let myself run out of this one. It helps my crow's feet. I can tell a difference when I go without it.

Have any of you tried these? Do you have a product you would rather not live without?
By all means share below. I wouldn't want to miss out. :-) Check out two other tips here.

Kathryn

Red, white, gray, and Pinterest...

Today I'm sharing one of my favorite color combinations: red, gray, and white.  And, evidently, I'm not the only one who likes the combination. This is an outfit that I pinned over a year ago, then suddenly a few months back, lots of others started pinning it as well. There have been so many re-pins, that I got a notice from Pinterest saying I could now buy the Pin? I don't even know what that means, and I had no idea you could do that. Has that happened to any of you?

So, what is it about this look I like...

Image Source

...I'll tell you.

1. In my opinion, it's hard to go wrong with red. If you've known me for any amount of time, then you know red is my favorite. I'm drawn to it like a moth to a flame. It pairs well with many other colors and it looks good on most everyone. Even in today's neutral world of decorating, I still have a red dining room that I can't bring myself to paint--I feel I would miss it terribly.

2. I'm a teacher. Do you know a teacher who doesn't own at least one cardigan? I can honestly say I don't,  and most of us have one in every color of the rainbow thanks to Target and Old Navy.

3. A white layering piece is a staple. The added femininity of the ruffle and covered buttons makes me wish I owned this exact top.

4. The accessories are timeless. A classic, traditional handbag that can be carried until the zippers break and a simple watch that can be casual or dressy.

5. A clean cut basic shoe that you can mix and match with several looks is a great investment.

And there you have it...the breakdown of my most re-pinned pin.

Pinterest always comes through when I'm trying to create a new outfit from my old clothes. And who doesn't like a new look that's free? The next time we talk fashion, I'll show you one of my favorite Pinterest-created looks.

Have a fantastic Friday!!

Kathryn

Winter wedding inspiration...

One of the two weddings I've been mentioning from time to time over last several months took place this past weekend. It was the wedding of one of my dearest friend's daughter. Let me just say, beautiful is an understatement. The venue was so pretty and the sun illuminated the afternoon perfectly. I managed a few pictures on my phone and thought I'd share.

My first attempt at original art...

I hope you all are having a great start to 2016! We're having a super busy start. Two ballgames this week, a rehearsal dinner, and the wedding of the daughter of one of my closest friends--not much time for blogging. :-(

I returned to the classroom last week, and I was thrilled to see my students--just not sure they felt the same about me. My teenager slept late, 11 a.m. late, almost everyday of the break, so I know first hand most of them had alarm clock shock on those first few days back, but I think we're all into the swing of things now.

Do y'all remember me telling you soon I would be the oldest bridesmaid in history? It's almost time for the wedding and this past weekend we gathered to Kiss the Miss goodbye. The bridesmaids celebrated with an art outing and dinner. I had never done an art party before, and surprisingly, I enjoyed it. If you've thought about doing something like this yourself, you should! The cost was $25 and we were painting and snacking for about 3 1/2 hours. Great fun for a group of girlfriends!

And you get to wear an apron that makes you look like you know what you're doing.

The mannequin's new home reveal...

Last week I shared one of the most interesting gifts to rest under (next to) our tree. We are affectionately calling it "Manni"--short for mannequin. :-) Manni stayed in the corner of my room with a few necklaces until it was time for the Christmas morning debut.

It filled the empty corner nicely, and I hate Santa didn't think to bring one for me. Today I'm showing you the new corner where it now permanently resides.

Quick Crab Cakes

When packing up the holiday decorations, I came across this recipe for crab cakes in the bottom of a kitchen cabinet. At some point, I cut the recipe from the back of a Stove Top Stuffing box. I have no idea how long it had been hanging out down there or when I saved it, but it sounded really good. Here it is...

Ingredients:

1 cup of boiling water

1 package (6 oz) Stove Top Cornbread Stuffing Mix

3 eggs

2 cans (6 oz each) crab meat, drained, flaked

1/4 cup of butter or margarine

1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges

Directions:

Beat eggs in large bowl. Add crab meat and mix lightly.

A few first year favorites...

2015 is in the books and the anticipation of 2016 is filling the air! I hope you all have a wonderful, healthy year. I want to thank you so much for all the encouragement and kind comments about the blog. I'm enjoying sharing with you and I am looking forward to another year of life, recipes, and home. Who knows where the blog will take us this year?

Here are a few of your favorite posts from the first year of Woodbank Lane based on your comments and page views. If you are new to Woodbank Lane, this will give you an idea of what we talk about here or if you missed a few posts, you can catch up before we start a new year together...

1. Favorite Recipe

Chicken and Dumpling Casserole

2. Favorite Project

Homemade Chalk Paint, Accent Table Before and After

3. Favorite Tip

Making Make Up Last a Little Longer

4. Favorite Personal Post

A Story About My Students

5. Favorite Inspiration House

Country Farmhouse Style

Well, the Christmas and New Year's break is almost over. I'll be back in the classroom on Monday.
Enjoy your Saturday!!

Kathryn