A sunlit garage with an open door, a large wooden workbench, a stepladder, storage bins, a pegboard with tools, and miscellaneous items scattered across the floor.
Text logo reading "South House Weekender" on a soft, watercolor-style blue background. "South House" is in uppercase serif font; "Weekender" is in a larger, cursive script.

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What I Can’t Let Go Of:

That I did let go!

A person stands behind a large, white, empty metal shelving unit in a garage with the door open. Various storage bins, tools, and household items are visible around the space.

It’s hard right to express the gratitude I feel toward all the families I have had the honor of creating Christmas stockings for!
It has been my great honor and privilege. Thank you for trusting me with one of your most treasured traditions.

I will miss you, but you are in good hands with Kelsey @ The Sunday Studio.
Please hop over and tell Kelsey hello. You can also find her on Etsy.

Ad I’m truly thrilled that Kelsey will be continuing Stocking the Pantry
(BTW- we surpassed the 200K meals mark last year — keep it going!)
and Jane of Southern Calligraphy is still making her stunning name tags.

How am I feeling?
A bit off balance!

Excited for this new chapter with more time to truly enjoy the holidays,
to really be able to pour myself into my various creative projects
publishing more blog posts and tutorials
and getting back into videos once again.

In all honesty, it’s hard! Hard walking away from something I have spent more than 30 years building.
Yet so happy that it will live on in the capable hands of the next generation.

I’m looking forward to seeing Kelsey’s big dreams and plans play out!

On the Blog This Week

A neatly made bed with a carved wooden headboard, two patterned pillows, and a white bedspread. Suitable for twin beds to X-Long, it’s complemented by a round wooden side table with a white lamp and decor against a gray wall.

Converting Antique Twin Beds for Today’s Guest Rooms (and today’s mattresses)

It ended up being surprisingly easy to convert these two twin beds into XL twins and then a king. Perfect flexibility for today’s hard-working guest room.

You can do the same!

Twin Bed Transformation

This Coming Week

It’s retreat week!

six smiling women sitting close together

This was last year in Dallas

Me, Wendy @ WM Design House, Michele (our host) @ Vintage Home Designs, Lynn @ Living Large in a Small House,
Amy @ Amy Sadler Designs, Cindy @ Reinvented Delaware

This week we’ll be together again in Pasadena!

Two women smiling and standing close together indoors. One wears a white t-shirt and striped pants, the other wears a light pink embroidered dress. They are in front of a glass door with natural light coming in.
three friends on a couch working, laughing and enjoying some wine
woman turning around in an upholstered chair and smiling with a monitor behind her on the desk
Four women gather around a round dining table set with food and drinks in a cozy, well-lit dining room. Three are standing and smiling while one is seated, all appearing to enjoy a friendly meal together.
A smiling older woman in a sleeveless gray dress sits on a porch, holding a glass of white wine. She is surrounded by potted plants, wicker furniture, and a glass-top table, creating a cozy, inviting atmosphere.
Three women work at a table with laptops and papers. One woman holds up a document while the others focus on their screens. Water bottles, a wine glass, and tissues are on the table in a bright, homey room.
An older woman with gray hair, glasses, and a white shirt under denim overalls sits on a white couch, smiling and holding a glass of white wine. Sunlight shines through windows in the background.
Two women smiling and standing close together in a cozy, well-lit kitchen. One wears denim overalls and a white shirt, the other wears a black outfit. Shelves with dishes and decor are visible in the background.
woman smiling surrounded with pillows on the couch
A woman in blue overalls holding a white mug stands in a bright, cozy kitchen with white cabinets, assorted kitchenware, and sunlight streaming through the window. She looks slightly to the side, mid-step.
Two women stand in a bright kitchen, smiling and laughing beside a counter with a large salad bowl and a bowl of croutons. One woman wears white and stirs the salad, while the other, in black, covers her mouth playfully.
Six women stand closely together on a porch, smiling at the camera. Two lanterns and a glass door with a floral wreath are visible in the background. The women are dressed casually in light and dark clothing.

Couldn’t resist sharing some pics from Dallas!

We have a full week planned, learning together, encouraging each other, pushing each other.

There is truly nothing better than having your girl squad!

Keep an eye out on IG and FB — I’m pretty sure I’ll reaching out for input from you.
Oh and probably sharing some the fun and laughter too.

I hope you’re enjoying your weekend. Thanks for hanging out with me a bit,

round image of Diane smiling next to a Signature that reads: With Joy, Diane

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