Almost a year ago, I made a quiet but important decision to step back and begin building a more peaceful life at home. It wasn’t a sudden change. For a long time, I had been trying to find a better rhythm in my personal life, looking for ways to make my days feel calmer and more manageable. But bringing that same sense of peace into my business has been a slower, more thoughtful process.
If you are new here, or just want to revisit the posts from last summer, here are the links:
This website has been part of my life for over 15 years. I’ve adapted, learned new skills, and stayed open to change in order to keep it growing. Some things worked, and some things didn’t. Social media, in particular, never quite fell into place for me. For years I felt like this shortcoming was something that needed to be fixed.
But at some point, my perspective began to shift. Because even though the follower numbers haven’t grown, something else has. This space, this website, has become a steady, welcoming place filled with readers who return again and again. And that kind of growth matters more than anything I thought I was missing.
I’ve always been an introvert, and it’s something I still work through every day. My favorite place in the world is my home. It’s where I feel most like myself. I know there’s value in getting out, and I do make the effort. But if I’m given the choice, I will almost always choose to stay home. Until recently, I felt like this was a character flaw, and something I needed to overcome to be happy.
But over the past year, I’ve started to see it differently. This space we’ve built, this website, has become a way for me to connect that feels natural and meaningful. It allows me to share the things that matter most to me: simple meals made at home, small ways to enjoy the outdoors, and ideas that make everyday life feel a little more steady and fulfilling.
And the truth is, none of it would matter without you. Every visit, every kind note, every moment you spend here…they have shaped this space into what it is. You’ve made it more than just a website. You’ve made it a place with purpose.
One thing I want you to know is that what you see here is truly me. I’m the one testing the recipes in my own kitchen. I’m the one tending the garden, trying new ideas, and sharing what works along the way. There isn’t a team behind the scenes creating content. Aside from a little help from my daughter with social media, this space is created right here at home, quietly and with care. That matters to me, because it means I can always give you my very best.
If you’re ever looking for a recipe, a simple decorating idea, or something seasonal to try, the easiest way to find it is to come straight to onsuttonplace.com and click the search icon. Everything I’ve created over the years is here, in one place. I do share on Pinterest and show up in Google searches from time to time, but those platforms are always changing, and it can be difficult to keep up. Instead of chasing that, I’ve chosen to put my time and energy into this space. My goal is always to make it helpful, reliable, and easy to navigate.
I have spent fifteen years building a site that helps people make their homes feel comfortable, cook something good for their families, grow a few flowers, and enjoy the changing seasons. With the way this world is changing, I have to believe that’s still valuable. If I didn’t, I could not continue.
Thank you for being here. Whether you’ve just found me or you’ve been reading for years, you are truly welcome. Every visit matters, and I’m so grateful you choose to spend your time here. Everything here is for you. Every recipe, every idea, every post is created with the hope that it will make your days a little easier and more enjoyable. And in a way, that focus has shaped my life too. By keeping things simple and staying grounded in what matters most, I’ve been able to create a slower, steadier rhythm at home. It’s not perfect, and it’s always evolving, but it feels right. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being part of it.
P. S. If you missed it, I shared a bit about the process I use to make my watercolor images. I get a lot of questions, so having the answer ready to go has been helpful for everyone.
A YEAR OF SIMPLE LIVING AT HOME
A gentle guide to slowing down
and enjoying the seasons at home.
Thank you Ann for your honesty. You have indeed created a welcoming space, each post and email is like a message from a friend, a catch up on what you’ve been up to. I have really enjoyed the new format, it feels very genuine. Thank you for the effort you put in to this, it is appreciated very much.
Thank you for all you do.
Dear Wonderful Ann:
Your message today brought tears to my eyes and so much appreciation for you in my heart. You are just so “genuine” – this comes through loud and clear in your writing. I am especially grateful for the two paragraphs you wrote that actually describe me to a “T” — “I’ve always been an introvert … fulfilling.” I just never knew how to put that feeling into words. I am blessed with a loving family and loyal friends, and I consider you to be a “friend of my heart”, as well. I think I may have told you this before in a previous message, but I truly appreciate the lovely person you are and am so thankful you gift us with your website. May the Bluebird of Happiness always be by your side. Happy Sunday! <3
Hello Anne, I have been following you for many years and appreciate your openness. I am so glad that over this past year you are allowing yourself to be yourself. Like you said it is okay to be an introvert and stay home if that is what you enjoy. We are all created different and that is okay. I too sometimes find myself having to force an outting, because I do love to be home and I guess that is why my passion like yours is to create a peaceful and warm home! It’s more than decorating, it’s the feeling you get when you are in your space and I think that is important to both of us!
Your blog is one of my favorites. A lot of women’s blogs consist of buy buy buy. Yours tells us how you live your life, things you do to improve your life and how to enjoy live ( without the spend, spend, spend) with recipes, decorating and enjoy the seasons thrown it. It’s calming and I hope you are able to keep up the good work for a long, long time.
I look forward to reading your blogs each and everyday. I get behind in my reading of them, because I am so busy volunteering since my retirement. I believe it’s time to step back and slow my life down. I have used many of your recipes and your decorating tips. So please keep writing.
I’m a little behind in reading your posts, so a little late to comment, but I wanted to say that I just LOVE your blog and reading it makes me feel calm and content, every time. I’ve been reading it for most of the time you’ve been writing it, I think, and each post in my inbox has been like a special jeweled treasure for my day. Thank you so much for all the effort you put forth to bless us in this way!
Ann,
I’ve been a follower of your wonderful website for only about a year but I’m so glad I’ve found you! I love your approach to peacefulness, simplicity, and naturalness. I’ve tried a few of your recipes (all were total winners!), I’ve taken ideas you’ve shared with decorating, and enjoyed your articles written with thoughtfulness and honesty. As a fellow introvert who also enjoys being home more than anywhere else, I love following you at Onsuttonplace. Thank you for all you share and all the heart and effort you put into your content. You would definitely be missed by many so, as long as it still serves you well, please continue! (I think there are far more of us who don’t go in for all those social media sites with their unnatural hype & gimmicks than we may think.) You are appreciated!
Ann I feel you…and I would love to figure out how to slow my life down a bit. I am 71 years old, and truly my world is focused on my husband ( of 49 years!! ) our adult daughters and our 7 year old granddaughter that live way too far away, my oldest sister, and our home. I love being home…it is our nest. I love to bake ( I have a custom cutout cookie business that takes up a lot of my time ) I love to garden, and I love to decorate our home. I do some volunteer work and that is as rewarding as it is social for me. But I’m tired…so very tired. I feel like I am always putting everyone else first, and myself last. I have always loved your blog. I can’t even remember how I found you, but your blog relaxes me like it was my own!
Ann, we are soul sisters. I LOVE staying home and I too, felt it was a character flaw not to have tons of friends and be more social. At 64, I’m finally accepting myself and all my quirks. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m getting there.
Since I am still working, I feel my home isn’t as peaceful and tranquil and as it could be. Never as clean or uncluttered as I’d like….that too is a work in progress. Thank you for all your great ideas, printables, recipes, and encouragement! May we all find our tranquil rhythm! :)