Tag: welcome

Welcome Back to the Cozy Season: What’s New at Whole Heartily

There’s something magical about the first hints of fall.

Cooler mornings, changing leaves, cozy blankets, and the return of comforting routines all make this season feel extra special.

Whatever fall looks like for you, I’m so happy you’re here—welcome back!

A Fresh Season at Whole Heartily

Whole Heartily is all about finding joy in simple, meaningful moments—whether that’s a thrifted treasure, a family movie night, a good book, or a cozy tradition.

This fall, I’m excited to share even more of that with you.

You can look forward to:

  • 🍂 Thrifted treasures and vintage finds
  • 📚 Family-friendly books, movies, and games
  • 🎨 Simple seasonal crafts and activities
  • 💛 Cozy ideas for slowing down and enjoying home life
  • 💰 Tips for secondhand shopping and saving money

Whether you love thrifting, reading, collecting, or just making life a little cozier, I hope you’ll find something here to enjoy each week.

Why Secondhand Treasures Matter

One of my favorite things is giving forgotten items a second life.

A vintage toy, a well-loved book, or a classic board game often comes with a story—and the chance to create new memories with a new family.

Shopping secondhand is not only budget-friendly, it also helps reduce waste and keeps beautiful things in circulation.

There’s something really special about finding the right treasure for the right home.

What’s Coming This Fall

This season will be full of cozy inspiration, including:

  • Thrifting tips and hidden gems to watch for
  • Nostalgic toys and collectibles
  • Family movie night ideas
  • Cozy fall reading picks
  • Simple seasonal crafts
  • Holiday traditions and decorating ideas

I can’t wait to share it all with you.

A Little About Me

If you’re new here—welcome!

I’m Melissa, the heart behind Whole Heartily: wife, mom, treasure hunter, and lover of all things cozy and nostalgic.

I spend my time finding secondhand treasures, refreshing them, and sharing ideas for simple family fun, affordable living, and meaningful everyday moments.

My hope is that this space helps you slow down, enjoy the little things, and find joy in the season you’re in.

Let’s Enjoy the Season Together

Thank you so much for being here.

Whether you’ve been following along for a while or just found Whole Heartily, I’m truly glad you’re here.

So grab a warm drink, get cozy, and let’s enjoy a season full of simple joys, thrifted treasures, and family fun.

Happy Fall!

~ Melissa

Return to Whole Heartily

Hello friends, I hope this message finds you and yours safe and in good health!

Pardon me, I have to blow a bit of dust off of this blog…PHOO! That’s better!

Like a great many Americans, I have been furloughed/laid off until business improves after COVID-19 reared it’s ugly head and started spreading over the world. We’re doing alright, we have our health and the health of our loved ones to be thankful for, but I’ve started to cut out unnecessary spending here and there; a penny saved is a penny earned!

Which brings me to dusting off this blog I started in 2016 and abandoned at the beginning of 2018 for what I thought were better blogging platforms, but those didn’t work out and aren’t working out. I do not need to be paying for a domain name, and all the other hidden costs they pile on you when registering for one right now. So this is it, this is the final name change and blogging platform I will be using for the foreseeable future.

For those joining us from Just a Spoonful of Sugar, I am transferring over all of the Disney recipes I’ve already shared. Understandably it is harder to find and afford the ingredients needed to create new recipes right now, but I will work on that and I do already have some completed that I can share.

But wait, there’s more!

I am a first-time, freshly minted Mama to our wonderful little girl, Zoey, and I want this blog to be full of the joys we share with her, little and large. Whatever sparks joy: books, crafts, Disney, films, music, tabletop games, television, toys, video games. Living life well through taking care of ourselves, our relationships and the world around us (both indoors and outdoors). We hope that you’ll follow along and grow with us!

Here I go again!

Welcome to my new blog!

For those of you who may not be familiar with me, I’ve had other blogs on other platforms before, but as I transition into a new part of my life, I’ve decided to transition my blog onto a whole new platform and give a new look and tone.

What’s new? Well, my parents are moving in with my 90 year old grandmother to help keep an eye on her and take care of her, rather than hire a stranger or place her in a home. This leaves their house available to us and once we’ve done a bit of work to make it our own, we will be starting a family!

In addition, I’m also toying with the idea of starting my own shop on Storenvy. I won’t spoil it with too many details until I know more what I’m about, but I can tell you it will be focused on handmade felt garlands.

This blog will still be very game and health-centric, I’d just like to start widening my lens to explore more aspects of life.