Advent Calendars, Ash Mazzina, Leeann Ford, Marie Antoinette and more on Weekend Meanderings.
WEEKEND MEANDERINGS
Good Saturday morning to you friends. It’s time for Weekend Meanderings with Kim and Juliet. Join us as we share all of the things that piqued our interests and caught our eye this week.
The weather has finally turned here, at least for the last few days. I haven’t slept with my windows open since last April and it is heavenly. The only down side is the early morning golf greenskeepers, cleaning and prepping for the day, sometimes they are a little noisy.
It is a 3 day weekend, what are your plans? Ours are up in the air, in the last two days we have had dinner with friends, went to a sardine festival and live at 5. This morning I am helping my brother with a few things and then maybe just a nice long walk or a drive to look at the leaves, they are changing slowly here.
Ok, enough about me, let’s meander.
One to Follow~Ash Mazzina
Do you enjoy DIY and house renovations? You will love Ash and Chad, Ash is my “new favorite” design crush. Two years ago he and Chad purchased a Victorian Terraced house in London and have been slowly brining it back to life. The dark, moody rooms and gardens are right up my alley.
You can follow Ash on Instagram or YouTube.
Round the Round~Leeanne Ford House
Leeanne Ford is an amazing designer and HGTV star and now you can stay in one of her beautifully designed houses and shop Round Top at the same time!
Round the Round, the name of the farm house is actually co-owned and designed by Leanne and her best friend Grace Mitchell.They traveled to Round Top to buy antiques and left with a house as well.
A charming house filled with vintage character and Round Top finds, including a gorgeous wood and glass cabinet in the kitchen, an Aga stove, a stone tub and beautiful stained glass windows. Watch the transformation video!
The house is available for short term rental, it has 3 bedrooms and sleeps 8. It would be a wonderful place for a girls weekend, a family vacation or even a bloggers or artists retreat.
Sweet Tooth~Broma Bakery
Do you have a sweet tooth? Me too! One of my favorite bloggers and bakers is Sarah Fennel from Broma Bakery. Sarah started her blog in 2011 as a homesick college student who missed her moms baking. Thousands of recipes, viral Tok Tok’s and Instagram reels later she now has a cookbook!
Sweet Tooth has 100 stunning, delicious, easy recipes for everyone who saves room for dessert!
This beautiful book would make a great Christmas gift. I ordered my copy this week and am looking forward to trying some new recipes.
V & A Marie Antoinette Style
Speaking of cake(which she actually never said), Maria Antoinette is back! Mark your 2025 calendar, the world renowned Victoria and Albert, V & A, have announced Marie Antoinette Style, sponsored by Manolo Blahnik. This exhibition will look at Marie Antoinette, the French queen who was sent to the guillotine in 1793 during the French Revolution. It will examine her impact on 250 years of fashion, design and culture, as well as ‘the origins and countless revivals of the style shaped by the most fashionable queen in history’.
Details: Marie Antoinette Style will run from 20 September 2025 until 22 March 2026 at the V&A South Kensington (Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL).
Advent Calendars
It is never too early to get ready for the holidays, in my opinion. Hear me out, if you start early and get all of your shopping and preparations done before December 1st you can spend the month soaking up the holidays.
There will be time for cookie exchanges, baking with the kids and the grands, seeing the Nutcracker or A Christmas Carol, taking a sleigh ride, having fun with family and friends instead of getting ready for the holidays.
Advent calendars, next to stockings, are my favorite holiday tradition. One of my favorite for kids( adults too) is to wrap 25 books to read all season long. Each night your children or grandchildren unwrap a book and you read it to or with them.
Of course Advent Calendars are not just for kids and there are a plethora of ones to choose from everything from beauty, to candles, to jams and jellies, tea and of course chocolate. This Fortnum and Mason calendar is one of my favorites as is this gingerbread house calendar.
Or your could make your own, there are lots of DIY Advent Calendar ideas. I realize books are expensive if you are making a calendar of 25 wrapped books but if you start now you could find them at thrift stores, library books sales or even wrap some of the ones your kids already have.
Advent Calendars
LINKS TO READ+WATCH+LISTEN
How to Build Endurance for a Stronger Heart and Muscles
Warm and Witty London Home with a Small Garden
Love English country houses? You will want to follow this new Instagram account.
The Best Books of 2024 so far.
Looking for pumpkin recipes to try this Fall? Check out this list Coco put together.
Classic Lasagna minus the hassle.
This looks like an interesting documentary.
This sweater is in my cart, anyone else?
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
The Hearth & Hand collection was released at Target. I love the collected, classic old fashioned feel to the trees, stockings and tabletop pieces. You can see my favorite picks here.
Pumpkin isn’t just for sweet treats, although that is my favorite way to eat them. This week I made Roasted Butternut Squash and pumpkin soup, it is easy and delicious.
A Noble Fir, English style Christmas tree has been on my Christmas wish list. This year I was gifted one by King of Christmas, you can read my review. Hint, I LOVE it.
Last but not least, Friday Favorites! Recipes like this salad, books fashion, decor, house tours and so much more.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
I hope that you enjoyed weekend meanderings. If you did please share the post on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter or Pinterest.
Have a great day and a wonderful weekend.
Don’t forget to pop over and visit my friends Kim and Juliet you can find the links below.
If you missed any of the previous Weekend Meandering posts you can find them all here.
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On My Radar
Hi Elizabeth! First of all, thank you for the wonderful account of Ash and Chad. Adored watching him and his beautiful home. The paint colors are beautiful! Ash is so charming too. Love his garden and pup. I am inspired to paint my home one of these colors.
I love Leanne’s rental. It’s so beautiful that table and the windows.
I love the advent calendars and I need to get one for Jackson’s girlfriend. She loves them! You find the best ones. I love the book a day and I wish I did that when my guys were small.
The Christmas tree is beautiful. It inspires me with the tartan tree skirt. I am popping over to that post as soon as I finish this. It’s so pretty on your brick and with the glass balls. Love it with your lovely tree view and the candles.
I need to try your soup as the weather is finally getting cool. It looks delicious.
Have a lovely weekend. xo
You are so sweet to include my pumpkin recipes in your list, Elizabeth, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. I’m excited you’ve been able to enjoy the fall weather. It’s such a beautiful season and I hope you’re able to make lots of extra special memories. I can’t wait to check out all your links. Between the dog shirt and the London shirt, I can tell I’ll be on the Boden site for a while 🙂 How much fun would it be to stay in LF’s house? It looks amazing! Big hugs and thank yous, CoCo