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What I've Read | November 2025

Welcome to What I've Read. This is where I share book(s) from true crime, who done its, historical, and other genres that I've rea...

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HI, I'M TINA...

and welcome to MapleStone! I’m so glad you’re here!
I'm the creator & owner of MapleStone; a diy, home decor & lifestyle blog established in 2011. This is where I share crafts, diy's, a few recipes, & happenings in my North Carolina home. Here's hoping this little corner of the blogging world inspires you to go 'from house living to home loving' using what you have, love and your budget allows.


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What I've Read | November 2025

Welcome to What I've Read. This is where I share book(s) from true crime, who done its, historical, and other genres that I've read this month. My hope is you find a new book, author or genre to add to your reading list.
 

Happy Reading! 


"A ROOM WITHOUT BOOKS IS LIKE A BODY WITHOUT A SOUL" ~ Marcus Tullius Cicero



》Remain: A Supernatural Love Story | Author: Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan | Here


"When New York architect Tate Donovan arrives in Cape Cod to design his best friend’s summer home, he is hoping to make a fresh start. Recently discharged from an upscale psychiatric facility where he was treated for acute depression, he is still wrestling with the pain of losing his beloved sister. Sylvia’s deathbed revelation—that she can see spirits who are still tethered to the living world, a gift that runs in their family—sits uneasily with Tate, who struggles to believe in more than what reason can explain. But when he takes up residence at a historic bed-and-breakfast on the Cape, he encounters a beautiful young woman named Wren who will challenge every assumption he has about his logical and controlled world. Tate and Wren find themselves forging an immediate connection, one that neither has ever experienced before. But Tate gradually discovers that below the surface of Wren’s idyllic small-town life, hatred, jealousy, and greed are festering, threatening their fragile relationship just as it begins to blossom. Tate realizes that in order to free Wren from an increasingly desperate fate, he will need to unearth the truth about her past before time runs out...a quest that will make him doubt whether we can ever believe the stories we tell about ourselves, and the laws that govern our existence. Love—while transformative—can sometimes be frightening. A story about the power of transcendent emotion, Remain asks us all: Can love set us free not only from our greatest sorrows, but even from the boundaries of life and death?"

》Merry & Chic: your most dazzling Christmas ever | Author: Kathryn O'Shea-Evans | Here


“In this amusing and useful guide, journalist O’Shea-Evans (Alpine Style) shows how to amp up the holiday spirit in one’s home….This brings the cheer.”―Publishers Weekly "Welcome to the merriest, most stylish guide to holiday joy ever made. This dazzling book has it all―including recipes (some from iconic people, such as Abraham Lincoln’s gingerbread recipe and Jackie Kennedy’s Polet a l’Estragon); decor advice (all decadent-looking but easily achievable, thanks to input from designers); monthly to-do list calendars for your sanity; playlists of unexpected holiday jams for different types of events (from cocktail parties to lingering candlelight suppers); and DIY gift ideas that will actually be adored. Let the festivities begin!"


》Visions of Christmas | Fifi O'Neil | Here

"Step into a world of enchanting holiday magic with 'Visions of Christmas,' a captivating book that celebrates the most wonderful time of the year. 'Visions of Christmas' is much more than stunning photographs of Christmas trees, vintage and new ornaments, one-of-a-kind collections, and room-by-room display ideas that will inspire your festive spirit. For holiday decorating enthusiasts and anyone who cares about animal welfare, 'Visions of Christmas' exemplifies the season's spirit of giving by donating 100% of the proceeds from sales to shelters and rescue organizations nationwide, hence providing much needed financial support and helping animals find their forever homes. As you hold this book in your hands, know that you have helped save the lives of countless innocent animals and demonstrated the true meaning of hope, compassion, kindness, and love."


  That's all for now! xoxo Tina



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More Gift Ideas for the Book Lover in Your Life



It's that gift giving time of year again!  If you've already finished your Christmas shopping you may not want to read this. But if you haven't or you are gathering ideas for next year,  I hope this post gives you some ideas for the bibliophile in your life or maybe you're the bibliophile and you're looking for something for your self, just cause.



ELECTRONIC: 





PERSONLIZED BOOK SUBSCRIPTION: 

Not sure how good these are but who doesn't like receiving a monthly book picked especially to your liking. 


JEWELRY: 

A subtle way to show your love of books.

  • ETSY a whole lot of inspiration 
  • AMAZON for the necklace lover 
  • AMAZON for the bracelet lover


COFFEE,TEA,WINE:

 For those who enjoy a good cuppa and/or glass while enjoying a good book. 


AND MORE: 

Ideas/Gifts from clothing to bookshelves to throws.

  • Another I-Phone case HERE
  • Don't forget about Gift Cards 

Happy Gift Giving! 




That's all for now! xo, Tina ❦



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Holiday/Seasonal Decorating Tips


Oh boy am I way late in posting this! This post was supposed to be published in September! But...better late than never. So, do you decorate for every holiday and season? Are you an only holiday decorator? Or do you decorate for the seasons and sprinkle in a little holiday? Maybe your like me; and decorate for holidays/seasons when or if you feel like it? Well, I have some ideas for you. They can be inexpensive, one doesn't require separate storage containers. They can save you time & money (we all like to save money). If you do decorate for every holiday and/or season you can add these, if you don't already.





6 Holiday/Seasonal Decorating Tips 

 1: shop your home before you purchase new holiday/ seasonal decor. You may have something you can Re-use! This is economical and it requires less stuff going to the landfill. 

 2: don't overspend on holiday decor that you will only use once (I've done this a few times over the years) 

 3: if you can make it yourself! DO SO! Again this can be economical. 

 4: If you buy new items try to find ones you can use for multiple holidays and/or season. Again economical and a space/storage saver. 

 5: Use pictures, reproductions you purchase through a online store, like (link). From Etsy where you can download and print them yourself (8x10 or smaller) or have them printed at office depot in larger sizes. Or ones you find at thrift stores/yard sales. The added plus? You can store them in the picture frame! I do this and I love it! 

 6: No matter what social media or influencers tell you . . . You don't have to decorate for the holidays differently every year! If you love the same look every year then so be it! You do you! 


 There you have it, 6 tips for decorating for all your Holidays/Seasons.



That's all for now! xo, Tina ❦



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Notes from Tina | №25

A monthly behind the scenes look at whats been happening around my home, plus articles from around the web and posts you may have missed. So grab a drink, get comfy and enjoy!

"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated" ~ Confucius



What We've Been Up To


Happy Halloween!  🎃 

Are y'all ready for the trick or treaters? We haven't given out candy for several years now. I usually make some popcorn and watch horror movies! Or do you live in an area that changes when trick or treating is held? It really annoys the 💩 out of me when they do that! Just leave things alone!

There weren't any birthdays, per se, this month. If my momma (2024) was still with us she would have turned 91. I really do miss her and my daddy (2023) so much. The holidays just aren't the same. 😪

Well, after months of going back and forth on how I wanted to finish our bathroom; extend beadboard around the sink and wallpaper above or wallpaper from floor to ceiling...
I decided to wallpaper from floor to ceiling around the sink area. I'm so glad I did! Got the curtains hung. I'm still tweaking a few little things, but I'm loving it! Then I moved to the bedroom...sigh...hung the curtains & made the bed...and 😡🤬🤬 The curtains look great, but the bedding...aahh! And no matter how many times I try to walk away and work on something else it doesn't work because it's our bedroom! I've got an idea that I hope works out...if not? 🤷‍♀️😪 I'll just deal with it! 

DH has been spending the government shutdown working on some projects for and with me. I get so excited when things get rolling that sometimes my mind starts racing with ideas on how I'm going to finish it off, that I get impatient! 

NOTE: I have 3 posts scheduled for November and none for December. I'm taking some time off for the holidays, to finish a few things, and really think about how much longer I want to continue blogging.

I hope everyone has a Happy & Safe Thanksgiving! 


Around the Web + Recipes

  • I follow Kelly on Instagram, but you can see her home Here
  • Love this lampshade BUT the price? $519? Ain't no way! 
  • A little late, but you can bookmark for next year Southern Living articles about mums  Here, Here, Here, Here, Here & Here


*Recipes/food that look and sound delicious (that I will probably never try or make 😆🤷‍♀️)




Recent Posts You May Have Missed


◇ A Note from Tina #24
◇ What I've Read | Oct 2025 (😆 I just realized I never finished writing this post before I published it!)



That's all for now! xoxo Tina



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What I've Read | October 2025



What I've Read is where I share book(s) from true crime, who done its, historical, and other genres that I've read this month. My hope is you find a new book, author or genre to add to your reading list.

Happy Reading! 



"A ROOM WITHOUT BOOKS IS LIKE A BODY WITHOUT A SOUL" ~ Marcus Tullius Cicero


That's all for now! xoxo Tina



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I'm On Spotify!

Well Hello There!

Just wanted to drop this quick note, that you can now follow me on Spotify. I do have a Pandora profile, but you can't embed it on your website, so I decided to create a profile on Spotify too.



A little about what you'll find. 

  • My playlists are a work in progress. I'll go through spurts of binge adding songs.
  • I love a variety of genres, i.e. opera, classical, heavy metal, etc.
  • Majority of the playlists are broken down into categories, such as: sounds of Halloween, sounds of the 70's, and so on.
  • The sounds of Christmas playlist may have a few repeat songs! My all time favorite Christmas Carol is "Carol of the Bells" and I love the subtle differences in performances. 
For those of you who may be wondering...

YES! The vinyl records in the photo are just a few of mine! 



That's all for now!
xo,Tina ❦



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"A HOUSE IS MADE WITH WALLS AND BEAMS; A HOME IS BUILT WITH LOVE AND DREAMS." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson