ABOUT

Hi!  I'm Michelle and I would like to welcome you to

Simply Santa Barbara.

I am a wife, mother, teacher, and blogger.

When I was younger, I studied English at the

University of California, Santa Barbara.

At that time, I fell head-over-heels in love with the beach and the Santa Barbara lifestyle.

Life took me away from Santa Barbara for two decades,

but I was fortunate enough to be able to return to a place which I consider to be my "true home".

This blog is a place for me to combine my love of writing and photography.  It is also a place where I can share my adventures in decorating, party planning, thrifting, cooking, shopping, and traveling.  My goal is to live a simple and authentic life - and this blog chronicles my journey as I seek to achieve this goal.

I have been married to my wonderful hubby for 2 decades.

Together, we have 3 fantastic kids: 1 boy and 2 girls.

They are the world to me.

Random facts:

I am a "bag lady" - I love purses, totes, and bags of all sorts.

Sunflowers are my fave!

Purple is my favorite color - but I never decorate with it.

I adore a good theme - and I have a great time planning themed parties.

I am a huge francophile.  I devour books (fiction and nonfiction) about France and the French lifestyle.

Speaking of books, I am huge reader!

I love art history and love going to art museums.

I am passionate about travel, but I don't get to do it very often.

Thanks for stopping by.

Please feel free to follow me via email, Bloglovin', or Google+.

Also, be sure to visit me on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter.