I know firsthand how a house can swoop in and rescue someone.  Mine sort of rescued me from some harsh life circumstances and that’s exactly why I’m so giddy over and proud of it to this day.  Stories about homes and how they have enveloped a home owner are stories that I love to read.
The Bee Cottage Story and How I Made a Muddle of Things and Decorated My Way Back to Happiness is certainly a title that I could have penned myself.
Journalist, author, and TV personality Frances Shultz is a Southern girl (from North Carolina) like I am and this book is inspired by her popular House Beautiful magazine series on the makeover of her house, The Bee Cottage. Â In fact, I did a Feature Friday on Bee Cottage back in 2011 and thought it was such a fun transformation of a cottage in East Hampton.
I have just started reading the book and can’t wait to get into it further. Â I absolutely love the way that Frances decorated this house, so feminine and classic at the same time. Â I know this book will just dive in deeper than the magazine series did and I can’t wait to read it all.
Of course, with my love of green, this picture just takes my breath away.
After a broken engagement, cancer, and a series of devastating losses left her struggling, Frances started to rebuild her life in this cozy cottage called Bee Cottage and really got to know herself. The renovation of Bee Cottage became a metaphor and a means of healing and personal discovery for Frances and she unravels the question of how a mature, intelligent, successful woman could have made such a mess of her personal life.
Oh, how I can relate to that! Â And I totally can see how a house can come along and capture a heart and change a life.
From the book: Â Part memoir, part home decorating guide, The Bee Cottage Story has 125 beautiful full-color photos to illustrate Schultz’s journey and to inspire readers traipsing through their own “Great Muddle” to examine and discover their own “truth” in decorating — and life. Â
Here’s the fun news! Â The editor of The Bee Cottage Story sent me a copy for myself and they are giving away a copy to ONE of my readers. Â
Be sure to click the Rafflecopter widget and sign up with your email.  Then all you have to do is leave a comment telling me if you’ve ever made a great muddle in life and started over?  I think most of us can relate to that in some way and lived to tell about it.  Starting over can sometimes be the best thing that ever happened to us! Â
Just sign in on the Rafflecopter widget and leave a comment here on the blog! Â Here’s to decorating our way back to a beautiful life!
You did an excellent job summarizing the book and I would love to read it. I moved to a different country to start over and as you, my house has become my home, my place of security and peace. I love my home 🙂
I gave second thought to my house in the country, and decided to stay instead of moving to the city. My house is work in progress, but I feel at home when I come in and close the doors. Enjoy your book!
Bee Cottage has been on my Amazon wish list for a Long Time! I love decorating and recently began the process of going through my home and giving each room a refresh. I have basically (besides furniture replacement) had the same wallpapers, paint colors, curtains since my kiddos were little and they are now graduating college. It is time to adapt my home to my style now. Back in the day my style was much more traditional, as I live in a fairly formal home. Now I embrace my more eclectic aesthetic and want each room to reflect that style.
Thanks for the giveaway! I’ve absolutely made a muddle and decorated my way back to happiness in my past. If I don’t win the book, I’ll buy it for sure!
I have had been muddles in my life. Decorating and creating makes it easier to go through life. Thank you for the wonderful giveaway. I love your blog.
I’m in a place currently and need some inspiration. My children have left the nest yet the nest is as it’s been for too many years. Time to make it a reflection of me. Thanks for the chance to win.
Francis has been someone I’ve admired for a long time, having a number of books she’s edited or designed. My muddles are thankfully not usually huge disasters, but I agree that having an external focus is the best way to find ourselves again after disappointments and loss. The Bee Cottage is such a wonderful name too, evoking the feeling of nature and comfort at the same time. Thanks for this post and giveaway Rhoda.
Gosh! I think this might be the story of my life lived through another! Who hasn’t muddled through and come out on the other side?
Oh Rhoda, yes indeed – started over at age 40. Thanks for this opportunity. My local BAM did not have this in stock when I tried to buy it, and I haven’t gotten around to ordering yet.
Rita
I’ve made some middlin’ muddles and, through situations beyond my control, have been in very great muddles. I was lucky to have a role model in my grandmother. She led the way in facing down hard times & gave me the courage to reinvent, re-imagine, survive & thrive. (Decorating is my best therapist!)
I struggled through a messy divorce but came out the victor on the other side. I can definitely relate and would love this book.
What an inspiration you and Francis are to me! I have spent the last few years making over our empty nest. The renovations provided the distraction that got me through the “missing my babies” phase of life!
I muddled my way through learning my husband of 32 years had been living a double
Life the last 12 years of our marriage. Muddled my way through a horrible divorce but came out the winner in so many ways. Met a wonderful man, got married and we are renovating and decorating our way to a wonderful, special home! Life is so good the second time around!
Sounds like a wonderful read. Growing through the muddles make the best stories. Anne
Decorating my home always gives me a sense of calm. Making it my own and giving it the feeling of home. I’d love to read the book.
I divorced my first husband at 26. I had a young child and wanted a better life for her. I was scaired but unhappy enough to do something about it. I have been happily remarried for 32 years now. My home reflects my happy life. I discovered that you should decorate with colors and things you like not what you think others like. It is always a work in progress.
Who hasn’t muddled? LOL! Loving the Bee Cottage style of decorating.
I’m preparing my mind for our soon-to-be empty nest. This book should prove to be a balm to my heart.
I must admit I have had several muddles in my life but so far the worst was on my 15th wedding anniversary and having my husband inform me that my gift was outside. I went out and found a new car on the driveway then went back in to get this greeting, “Happy Anniversary, That is part of your Divorce settlement.”, as one can imagine it was ‘downhill’ from there.
Bringing up 13 year old twins (girl/boy) mostly alone, having to find a job after not working for 14 years, buying my first home alone, etc. But that was 22 years ago this Thursday and …”I’ve come along way Baby”… A Much Stronger Person in every area of my life.
Hope everyone has a Most Wonderful, Beautiful Day!
I have muddle thru many muddles in my life! Thanks for a great give away!
Not only have I come back from making a muddle of my life, I have also come back from devastating loss. I can totally relate to this book. One of my favorite past times is to look at decorating ideas and try to figure out a way to accomplish this or something similar.