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The Handwritten Home

Handmade Home & Holidays

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Welcome Always

Hi! I’m Kristel! I’m so glad you’ve stopped by for a visit. Here I share my love for homemaking whether I’m cooking a favorite gluten-free recipe, decorating for the upcoming season, or sharing a fun DIY. I hope you stay awhile & feel inspired!

Read more about me here.

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Recent Posts

GLUTEN FREE SPICE CAKE
EASTER IDEAS FOR KIDS
EASTER EGG HUNT IDEAS
HOW TO CREATE THE MODERN FARMHOUSE STYLE
GLUTEN FREE CHEESECAKE PUFFS

—————— SHOP THE FEED ——————

Follow Along on Instagram

the.handwrittenhome

Turning cookie cutter Colonial → Modern Farmhouse
Tips & Tutorials to help makeover your home
Shop my home, find plans + GF recipes 👇🏻

Welcome to the weekend! Today I'm working on some

Welcome to the weekend!
Today I'm working on something big and I can't wait to share. So many exciting things have happened this week.
Until then I'm sharing my kitchen table centerpiece. I call this “The Stolen Look” This week I performed a covert operation to snag some beautiful blossoming branches from my neighbor's Crab Apple Trees.

Don't worry I got permission from one of them 😉

Want to know where it’s from? You can shop my home by following me on the LIKEtoKNOW.it shopping app. Click the link in my bio! @liketoknow.it @liketoknow.it.home #liketkit #liketoknowithome #LTKhome

#modernfarmhouse #farmhousestyle #interior123 #bhghome #antiquefarmhouse #homedecor #farmhouseinspired #farmhouseinspo #farmhousedecor #magnoliahome #neutraldecor #americanfarmhousestyle #prettylittleinteriors #fixerupper #countrylivingmagazine #mydecorvibe #currentdesignsituation #liketkit #modernfarmhouse #mybhg #diyhomedecor ##myhomestyle#neutraldecor #myneutralhome #neutralabode #interiorstyling #thedelightofdecor

This. took. forever. Ever have a project take WAY

This. took. forever.
Ever have a project take WAY longer than you thought it would? This little flip-down drawer took all day. All. Day. Let's just say there was a lot of stress eating going on before this shot was taken.
What should have been a short project ended up taking hours. I seriously considered not even finishing it, but I walked away and came back. Sometimes it's not about the pretty IG picture and simple steps. Sometimes it's about learning, failing, and not giving up.

What project have you learned most from? Share with me in the comments!

#progresspic #justgettingstarted #thisismywhy #woodsandwhites #diykitchen #benjaminmoore #whitewalls #whatisyourwhy #mywhy #thisisdiy #diyprogress #hometakestime #girlswithpowertools #womenwithpowertools #chickswithpowertools #baseboards #diykitchen #kitchenshelves #customcabinets #progressoverperfection #growthroughwhatyougothrough #growthmindset🌱 #learningeveryday #girlswhobuild #diyhomedecor #kitchenhacks #kitcheninspo

<Insert Feature Wall> We had this large blank can

<Insert Feature Wall>

We had this large blank canvas that needed major help. After a trip to our local @loweshomeimprovement, we went with a board and batten style to bring interest to the first room you see when you walk in.
Y'all were split 50/50 on the paint color so I went with BM Chelsea Grey, knowing down the road we could choose to darken it for added style. We couldn't be happier with this DIY!

Swipe to see the details on which trim pieces we used to create this feature wall!

#homeinspo #home #accentwall #featurewall #painting #homeaccents #virginiaisforlovers #yyz #picoftheday #love #fyp #accentwalls #featurewalls #statementwall #wainscoting #boardandbatten #hgtvdesign #hgt #southernliving #benjaminmoore #hgtvhome #benjaminmooreaura #diyhome #diyhomedecor

Secret to picking the best paint color? LRV. It's

Secret to picking the best paint color?

LRV. It's a game changer! Light Reflectance Value is how much light is reflected off the walls. Did you know this is what interior decorators use to determine how many lights + lamps need to be added to a room for proper light?
When I was choosing a lighter paint color for my office, I specifically looked for paint colors with an LRV of 60+ because I wanted to be sure the room was light + bright, especially with a dark accent wall.

When to focus on LRV?
•if your home is shaded by trees
•if you live in a place without a lot of sunlight
•if you are looking to add more natural light
•if your home doesn't have many windows
•if your home doesn't get direct sunlight

B&B: BM Chelsea Grey
Walls: BM Pale Oak (LRV 70)
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Want to know where it’s from?
Shop my home by following me on the LIKEtoKNOW.it shopping app. Click the link in my bio! @liketoknow.it @liketoknow.it.home #liketkit #liketoknowithome #LTKhome
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#boardandbatten #familyroomdecor #studiomcgee #farmhouseinspo #rusticmodernmix #simplehomestyle #luxathome #cljsquad #mycrumbshome #neutralhome
#interiorstyling #interiors #homestyle #mixerofstyles #smmakelifebeautiful #myhousebeautiful #homedecorideas #modernfarmhousedecor #officemakeover #officedesign #livingroomdecor #livingroomstyle #styleithappy #myinteriorstyle #interiorstyled #diyhomedecor #studiomcgee

✨DIY Charcuterie Board with a spin✨ Enjoying

✨DIY Charcuterie Board with a spin✨

Enjoying some "Easter Sundaes" tonight with our movie night. Back in January, we started spending one night a week together playing a game or watching a movie, and it is my favorite night of the week. Most of the week we're running from DIY projects to dance to homeschool so to spend a few hours still, surrounded by my favorite people is priceless.

This week I've been working on a million projects including this DIY lazy susan charcuterie board. It took me a minute to find the 24-inch wood round, but I tracked her down! HL for the win 🙌🏻 All the other materials I grabbed from my local @loweshomeimprovement
So simple to put together and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out.

DIYs aside because tonight I'm putting up my feet, eating ice cream for dinner, and watching "A Week Away" 🎥
Have you seen this movie? SO GOOD!

#diyprojects #lovelydecorhomes #homeswithpurpose # #makehomeyours #finditstyleit #modernfarmhousestyle #charcuterieboard #dessertboard #easterdessert #easterdesserts #eastertable #bunnybait #springiscoming #lowesbuildandgrow #eastersunday #eastersundaybrunch #easterbunny #entertainingathome #farmhousestyle #farmhousedecor #farmhousedecorating #foodofinstagram #instagood #howiholiday #homesweethome #glutenfreedesserts #glutenfreemom #glutenfreelife

Yep, it tastes as good as it looks. Promise. I'll

Yep, it tastes as good as it looks. Promise.
I'll just be over here eating all the sweets and watching paint dry. Planning our Easter menu today in stories to include some of our family favorites.

Do you look forward to those once-a-year dishes like Grandma's Potato Salad or Pineapple Casserole? Or do you try new dishes for the Easter dinner?

This is Gluten Free Spice Cake recipe is a free download on the blog. Save this post to have your Easter dessert on hand!

#ltkhome #kitchensofinstagram #eastermeal #easterappetizer #easterfood #springappetizer #eastertablescape #tablesetting #easterdinner #glutenfreerecipes #healthyfood #feelgoodfood #foodgoals #foodsofinstagram #weekendeats #recipeinspo #glutenfreeoptions #glutenfreetreats #healthyrecipeshare #glutenfreemom #recipesshare #healthydinnerrecipes #easyrecipeideas #easyfamilyrecipes #sundaydinner #cottagekitchen #easterfeast #easterdinnerprep #easterdinnertable #applespicecake

I need your help!! This past weekend we spent our

I need your help!!

This past weekend we spent our time adding a feature wall to this long wall in our living room/office. The trim is up, holes are filled, and edges are caulked. Now it's time for paint!

Do we paint the whole room white? Do we paint the feature wall a moody grey and the other walls white? Help us decide!

#homereno #homedecorideas #liketoknowit.home #virginiaisforlovers #northernvirginia #handwriteyourhome #diyprojects #homesweethome #americanfarmhousestyle #modernfarmhousestyle
#renovationideas #buildersofinstagram #customhomedesign #homerenovations #officespace #officerenovation #wainscoting #featurewalls #womenwhobuildthings #girlsthatbuild #womenwhobuild #buildityourself #benjaminmoorepaints #myballardstyle #modernfarmhousedecor #thedecoratedcottage #myinteriorvibe

Vote for your favorite: Savory or Sweet? If you a

Vote for your favorite: Savory or Sweet?

If you answered "savory" you're in luck! Today is National Waffle Day and I'm excited to share with you my Savory Waffle Sandwich.
Ingredients:
1 1/3 C Bisquick GF Pancake Mix
1 1/4 C Milk
1 Egg
3 TBSP Oil
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Ground Pepper
1 TBSP Chopped Chives
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 C Shredded Mozerella Cheese

Directions:
1. Mix all together except for cheese. Then add cheese, stir well.
2. Pour about 1/2-3/4 cup of mix into a waffle maker. Use your waffle maker as directed.
3.While the waffle is cooking, fry an egg.
4. Use 2 wedges of your cooked waffle and sandwich your egg between!

*The Meat Eaters in our home say to add Bacon!

Love this idea? SAVE it! Use the bookmark tool to save this post to try this recipe later.
Be sure to check out the tag #ladyblogcirclerecipes for more National Waffle Day deliciousness!

@ladyblogcircle#internationalwaffleday #nationalwaffleday #wafflesfordays #instatasty #foodofinstagram #foodblogger #instafoodporn #glutenfreebreakfastideas #quickbreakfast #eggsforbreakfast #glutenfreefoods #glutenfreepancakes #glutenfreefoodshare #feelgoodfood #weekendbreakfast #easybreakfast #glutenfreebreakfast #virginiabloggers #virginiablogger #virginiamoms #momsofvirginia #northernvirginiamoms #foodallergylife #foodallergymom #glutenfreetreats #glutenfreerecipe #handwriteyourhome #thehandwrittenhome

"Can I help?" Come on you know we've all heard tha

"Can I help?" Come on you know we've all heard that from one of our children when we're working on something. Right?

It never fails whenever I'm painting my kids always ask to help and my inner perfectionist cringes. Kids love color. I mean like every color of the rainbow. So what do you do when you don't want to squish their creativity, but you still want your project to turn out as you envisioned it?

Choose the color palette! Show them inspiration pictures. Keep your ideas simple and let them WOW you.

After reading this new to us book The Easter Egg Artists, I knew I wanted to paint eggs with the kids, but I wanted them to mesh with the colors I already had out so I shared with them some inspirational pictures from @mscraftberrybush and choose their color palette and away they went. I'm blown away a what they created!

For more great ideas check out these other mamas and see what book/activity they chose.
@snyderfamilyco
@funfamacademy
@the.mini.crew
@the.handwrittenhome
@twolittletaylors

#bunnydecor #springhomedecor #farmhousestyling #tabletopdecor #easterdecorations #eastertablescape #setthetable #entertainingathome #virginiabloggers #styleonabudget #stylecollective #newblogger #virginiablogger #farmhousestyledecor #farmhousedecorating #hostesswiththemostest #liketoknowit #liketoknowitunder50 #liketoknowithome #liketoknowitfamily #bookishplay #easteractivitiesforkids #easterideasforkids #easteractivities #bhgstylemaker #placesettings #simpleseasonaldecor #peterrabbitparty #catchmyparty #diypartydecor

Holidays with allergies are hard, but toss in mult

Holidays with allergies are hard, but toss in multiple allergies and its almost impossible to find things in-store that we can all eat! No worries, today I'm sharing some of my favorite Gluten-free and Nut-free treats for a sweet dessert board!

Easter is around the corner! So go check out these other mamas to get your Easter Sweets inspo on🌸

@anotherdiymama @quynhshoneylavender
@lifewithmylittleone @the.handwrittenhome @mandymae.johnson
@allformylittles

#easterideasforkids #easterdecorideas #easterpartyideas #eastertradition #eastersweets #easterdesserts #chocolateeggs #easterbaking #eastertreats #eastercakes #bunnycookies #bakingseason #cookiefavors #cookielife #bakersspotlight #bakedwithlove #instabaking #homebakes #bakingfun #customdesserts #scratchbaking #sweettreats #damnthatsdelish

A quick look around what's the first thing you not

A quick look around what's the first thing you notice?
Can you tell what story inspired our Easter Tablescape for Kids?

We took the beloved classic Peter Rabbit and created fun child-friendly decor to be enjoyed by our littles. We made sure that the items in the centerpiece were not breakable and would pique interest. Adding real vegetables, such as cabbage, carrots, and kale to a wooden crate along with our stuffed bunny made for the perfect centerpiece resembling Peter Rabbit in Mr. McGregor's Garden. The kids even added our wooden play food from our play kitchen for the children to pretend to eat and cut while sitting at their table.

Making the table inviting with familiar items that children know they can touch and play with will entice them to stay longer at the table while YOU enjoy your meal!

On the blog today I'm sharing a few fun Easter ideas for kids!
https://thehandwrittenhome.com/easter-ideas-for-kids/

#bunnydecor #springhomedecor #farmhousestyling #tabletopdecor #easterdecorations #eastertablescape #setthetable #entertainingathome #virginiabloggers #styleonabudget #stylecollective #newblogger #virginiablogger #farmhousestyledecor #farmhousedecorating #hostesswiththemostest #liketoknowit #liketoknowitunder50 #liketoknowithome #liketoknowitfamily #bookishplay #easteractivitiesforkids #easterideasforkids #easteractivities #easterforkids #bhgstylemaker #placesettings #simpleseasonaldecor #tabletoptuesday #handwriteyourhome

Easter baskets have been a tradition in our family

Easter baskets have been a tradition in our family since the kids were babies. As they’ve gotten older it’s become harder to find goodies to fill their baskets with, but this year I’m pretty confident they’re gonna love what I picked out...oops! I meant what the Easter Bunny will bring 😉

Still searching for Easter baskets ideas for your littles? We’ve got you covered! Some friends and I have gotten together to share our Easter baskets this year.
Head to our stories for a more detailed look and see what we have inside ours!

Have you shopped for Easter baskets yet this year? Check out these amazing mamas below for some inspirations:

@chelbana
@the.handwrittenhome
@anotherdiymama
@hellolouisep
@rudyko.Taylor
@quynhshoneylavender

Is it really a holiday if you don't share a meal?

Is it really a holiday if you don't share a meal?

This time last year our world came to a stop. Our state was in lockdown and the pandemic had exploded overnight. For the first time ever, we celebrated a holiday alone. You have to understand, my kids, my husband and I, heck, even my parents had never celebrated a holiday alone. Growing up in the town your family started meant you always had someone to gather around the table, whether it be your grandparents or your 3rd cousin. It didn't feel like Easter. Yes, it was Easter and we watched church from home and had our egg hunt and the Bunny still delivered his eggs, but it didn't feel like Easter. It's peculiar how little things like a full kitchen can have such meaning to a holiday. This year I'm a little more thankful and a lot more excited to fill this table up again.

So, I'm planting my garden, hoping in tomorrow, and celebrating that this year I won't be making every dish that hits the table!

How do you holiday? Do you cook all the things or is your Easter dinner more of a potluck like ours?

#howdoyouholiday #plantshelfie #plantstyling #plantcollection #plantlover #plantdecor #springdecor #plantinspiration #vintagehomedecor #vintagecharm #homedecortips #homedecorideas #betterhomesandgardens #bhglivebetter #indoordecor #woodsandwhites #homedesignideas #seasonaldecor #inspireushomedecor #homedetails #farmhousehappy #myhomevibes #cottagesandbungalows #mycountryhome #vintagevignettes #vintagehappyhome #interiorstyling
#tablesetting #easterdecor

"Like a stained glass window, I want to feel your

"Like a stained glass window, I want to feel your light shine through." - Cochren & Co.

This spring air and light-filled space are breathing life into me this Friday. Thank you all for your prayers and sweet words. Friends it means so much to know that we've got prayers from all over going up to Him for my Dad.

Today I'm talking spring decorating in stories. Giving you some easy tips to decorate shelves for the holidays without overhauling your whole space.

Come join me!
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#cottagesandbungalows #cottagefarmhouse
#farmhousedecor #farmhousestyle
#farmhouseinspired #chippypaint
#Decorinspo #countrysamplermagazine
#happyfarmily #modernfarmhousestory #americanfarmhousestyle #designsponge
#mycuratedvibe #smploves
#housebeautifulhome

Yesterday my world was rocked. My Dad took a very

Yesterday my world was rocked. My Dad took a very long fall (15 ft. to be exact) off a ladder while trimming trees in their yard. He survived, but he's got a road to recovery which won't be easy for a man who always needs to be busy. Two broken wrists and a broken rib.

This man isn't my biological father, but he's my Dad in every sense of the word. He taught me to work hard, to build things with my own hands, and put all my faith in Him. I've seen this man overcome the largest of obstacles so I have no doubt that he, too will overcome this, but man did he scare the crap out of all of us.

Today I'm thanking God just a bit more for my Dad today. Don't just ask Him for things, but thank Him for the blessings He's put in your life.

Traditions. Years ago we started a tradition of an

Traditions. Years ago we started a tradition of an Egg Hunt at my in-laws for the littles. I never thought they would look forward to something so much when we first started it. That first year was one for the memory books! We didn't prep anything, no one had stuffed eggs. Heck! No one had even bought anything to stuff the eggs with. We had some old eggs and whatever we found in the pantry...since the family wasn’t used to having littles around, the pantry was scarce of kid-friendly treats and toys so we stuffed those first eggs with crackers, prune pieces, and quarters! Ha!

Our Egg Hunts have come a long way from those first days and as the kids have gotten older and grown in number, our fillers have had to be crowd-pleasers. We currently have 7 littles that "hunt" for eggs (Baby Brooks will join in the fun next year) with ages from 3-10! So you can imagine that stuffing enough eggs to make it exciting and having fillers that put smiles on all the faces can be a task. I've compiled our best fillers to date for you in case you, too have many littles with empty baskets. I've kept notes through the years of which fillers were big hits and the ones that I'd rather not repeat (like the year with prunes ). Many of these are things that can be used all through spring or will keep the littles busy while the adults linger around the table. Hope these help you as you prep for your big Easter Egg Hunts!

Be sure to save this post as a checklist & happy hunting friends!

We’ve got sunshine for the next week and I’m f

We’ve got sunshine for the next week and I’m feeling all the spring vibes today!

How cute are these colored jeans? I love the sage green color for St. Pat’s Day and it’s a cute way to make sure I don’t get pinched 😉

I’m not the only one wearing green today! Head over to my girl Jackie @jackiegblog to see her cute top!

Today I’m stories I’m sharing three ways to style these jeans for those early spring days!

Outfit details are linked in the FREE LIKEtoKNOW.it app! Make sure your following me The Holiday Shop to stay update-to-date 😉

Feeling a wee bit lucky over here today! The boys

Feeling a wee bit lucky over here today! The boys have headed out for a short ski trip and I get my mini for a girl’s weekend! I’m letting her run the show which means there will be lot’s of cuddles, walks in the sunshine and self care.

On another note, I shared my newest IGTV on how you can paint these magical cookies to level up your St.Pat’s Day ☘️

Hey there Monday, I’m ready for ya! In stories

Hey there Monday, I’m ready for ya!

In stories today I’m sharing some of last week’s top posts for some major inspiration!

In other news this guy is in major need of a haircut. Promptly scheduling a groomers appointment! I often get asked what breed we have. Macallan is a West Highland Terrier, or Westie ☺️ Most shy away from terriers because they tend to be short tempered and not well mannered around children. We were specific when we went looking for ours, and chose a breeder that breeds terriers as therapy dogs. He has been the best little addition to our family. I never considered myself a “little dog” family having grown up with labs, goldens, and wolf hybrids, but after Mac I don’t think I could go back!

What kind of dog do you have?

To the window - to the wall...slow down to see it

To the window - to the wall...slow down to see it all! *
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Who doesn’t love a good before and after? We are slowly refreshing each room in our house to be a more modern farmhouse feel. Our family room has always been slightly dark and I never knew it was in part to heavy drapes and dark decor. We swapped out our curtains and added more earth tones and glass to create “breathing” room. What a difference!

Swipe to see the before!
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If you like this look and want to see more, check out #targetNamazonDecorFinds ❤️Each week we share our favorite home finds from Target and Amazon! There are so many amazing home decor finds in so many different styles. We would love to see yours too! If you want to join us, DM one of the hosts: @mommylexiloves @carolinelimata @emma_grace_blog @raisingtwinboys to get details!

#targetNamazonDecorFindsWeekDOS
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#springlivingroominspo #coffeetabledecor #cottagestyle #woodandwhite #cozycreativehome #neutralfarmhouse #fireplacedecor #farmhouseinspired #homedecorating #styling #mantlestyling #myfarmhouse #simpledecorideas #designinspo #homesweethome #showmethevintage #springdecor #spring #livingroom #modernfarmhousestyle

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