This coffee cake would be the perfect sweet ending to a Mother's Day brunch...or any brunch really. It's a delicate, buttery cake, packed full of raspberry goodness with a hint of almond. And if there's any left, it makes quite the treat for breakfast, with cup of hot tea or coffee alongside.

 I've always loved white houses with black shutters, they appear timeless to me, and never seem to go out of style. For the design of Grove House, this was the exterior I wanted to create. Defining the exact architectural style was a bit more tricky, since I'm drawn to both farmhouse and cape cod style homes. So our architect helped us create a hybrid of the two.

One thing I've been trying diligently to do, is simplify. I've slowly been going through cupboards, closets and drawers to sort through all my stuff. One of my recent projects was tackling all my packaging supplies. I've decided less is more, and have curated my collection down to the few items I use most frequently. The rest will be sold, donated or recycled. It feels like freedom.

The May issue of Country Living features a home I had the privilege of styling. It was a fun shoot to work on, with one of the sweetest homeowners I've ever met. She had such a creative eye and lots of ways to get "the look" for less!

Although May Day isn't celebrated here as widely as it is in Europe, I still think it's one of the sweetest holidays. The tradition of leaving a basket of flowers and treats on your neighbors door reminds me of simpler times, when neighbors actually knew one another. And did you know, historians say, if they catch you in the act, they must give you a kiss!

The furthest project we have planned for Grove House are the gardens, even so, I can't stop thinking about them. Maybe because the excavation and foundations aren't that exciting to me, it leaves me to wander off and daydream about the potential beauty at the end of our build.