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!
Oh so many muddles! Thought that I could handle financial matters myself after my divorce 20 years ago, and here I am at 76 years old still venturing out to a new beginning. Relocating to another state to be close to my daughter, I have finally been redecorating my new-home-to-be to suit myself and changing out the stuffy traditional furniture to a French cottage theme. I am delighted to be doing so because it makes me so happy and I feel more peaceful and contentment. I so look forward to my new life.
I believe making muddles brings us to the people we are today…..and usually so much better because of it! Thanks 🙂
I absolutely did make a muddle of things! I gave my life to Jesus and He turned things around and made my life beautiful, but without Him I’d still be in a muddle! I love a fresh start: mornings, Mondays, a new year, a new month…God’s mercies are new every day! Thanks for the giveaway! I’d love to read this book.
I love this post, Rhonda! My home in Savannah was my sanctuary thru a rough divorce, then two years back to college at 56, all the while struggling as a substitute teacher to pay the mortgage on my home. Suddenly, the pendulum began to swing the other way! I met the love of my life, and we had a lovely wedding in the back yard of my home with 50 of our closest friends. We now live in Cumming, GA – enjoying life on the lake with kids, grandkids, new friends and ….. love! Life is good! And it all began in my beloved home in Savannah! Can’t wait to meet you, Rhonda, and see your fantastic home!! Hugs, Cat
This is a beautiful home. I love the photos and would love a copy of the book for my inspiration in my home. Decorating, drawing and entertaining is a creative outlet for me and it gives endless avenues and opportunities. Have a blessed day and thank you for sharing your creativity and testimony of the LORD’s work in your life. Christ has saved me, kept me and I look forward to the day He completes His work in me!
There’s nothing like a good “project” to help me focus on something other than the crisis at hand. My projects have certainly been lifesavers for me as muddle through life! I would love to read this book!
I would love to read your book the bee cottage story. I divorced at 23, I have 3 children I raised by myself. I 10 yrs latter I had a bad accident that left me disabled. My children were always my inspiration. I cd a could never afford to buy a house but I have always tried to make our apartment a home. All my children are grown and have there on houses, which they have make into wonderful homes.. I am working on redoing my 2 bedroom apt for me. I love to read your blog for inspiration. I have always dreamed of having a little cottage for just me. So I am trying to remake my apt into my dream home. Ift has been in the works for several yrs. but we all work with the income we have. 😀 Thank you Rhoda for theis chance
We all have had our own muddles!!
Bee Cottage looks like a book I would certainly enjoy. I’ve never been divorced but friends and a family member have. I know first hand how hard it can be. Hope I win so I can share with them.
I love this book! I ordered it from Amazon as soon as I read about it and read it from cover to cover the day it arrived. I love the way the book looks, as well as the content and its hopeful message. I’m not sure why it appeals to me so much but I do like all the green – I love green!
Oh my! Haven’t we all made at least one decision that hasn’t been the best? If not, we’re not living! The important thing is to learn from it – ask someone who loves you to help you get past the consequences and move on. We might move on while we’re kicking and screaming but it’s the moving on that helps us grow. Such a lovely book – and look what her experience has inspired!
Making a house a home can indeed be therapeutic!
After four years of dealing with health issues and other stressors I decided I had to make a change and take charge of my life again. I could no longer chase answers of why my health had deteriorated and going to each new doctor was just adding more stress. It has been a year and a half and there are still struggles. Making life changes such as selling our gorgeous home and moving to a much smaller home – which I LOVE!!! – has helped as well. This book would be perfect as I start over with decorating a home and re-evaluating priorities.
Yes, and starting over isn’t always easy, but I think I am better for having gone through it and I am happier in my life.
Looks like a wonderful book to add to my collection of decorating books. Moving on sometimes is so difficult but what an example you have set for others.
Life is changing! I am learning to be a caregiver for my husband who has Parkinson’s. Also trying to help others that are coping with this disease.
Muddles, yes. But mostly in the spiritual aspect of our lives. I have been there before, and will be again, but I am so thankful that God is a God of grace and mercy, forgiveness and love, and of renewal. Thank you, Rhoda, for being consistent in your testimony of your faith through your blogging.
Forever muddling through situations and love spiritual, decorating and retail therapies to get me through!
I went through an ugly messy divorce at age 32 and moved to Atlanta. I worked very hard and within 2 years purchased a brand new condo which I loved decorating. Since it had not been finished, I was able to upgrade the carpets and wallpaper. Everyone loved my new home.
I wouldn’t say I’ve been in a “muddle” but I’ve had ups and downs during my 50 year marriage. I always find happiness in making my home clean, happy and comfortable. I’d love to read this book.