Would you like to give your Christmas tree a nautical look? Since purchased coastal ornaments can be expensive, I made my own driftwood sailboat Christmas ornaments, and you can too, it's really quite easy.     But, first I want to say, "Welcome!" Today is Day 4 of the second year of 31 Days of Handmade Christmas Ornaments blog hop which features 30 extraordinary bloggers, plus me.  Each day you can expect to be inspired with all kinds of lovely Christmas ornaments.     Last year I returned to living on the Lake Michigan coastline after being away for … [Read more...]

  Charm.   That's what I think of when I think of farmhouse style decor.  This week we had some really creative and charming makeovers at Project Inspire{d}! You're going to adore these creative DIY ideas... So... kick back and take some time to check out this week's features.  I just know you'll be inspired to get your DIY on!   Be sure to pin your favorites, too.   8 Fabulous Farmhouse Style Makeovers   DIY Headboard and Footboard :: The Kim Six Fix A Vintage Desk Makeover :: Making it in the Mountains Curbside to Farmhouse Glam Chair :: On Fern Avenue DIY Wood Headboard … [Read more...]

  When I wasn't looking, the lampshade industry made a big change. You might not have noticed. I think it happened overnight.     You see, in the past, I would pick up decorator lampshades at some of my favorite decorating stores to replace the Plain Jane lampshades that came with my lamps.  It was so easy.  Pull the lampshade off the bulb and clip on a new shade.  No DIY skills needed.  I loved that I could get pillows and curtains and chair pads to match, too.  Yay for Waverly. And then things got tight financially and I made do... decorating with what I had in my last … [Read more...]

  Creativity.   It's something I admire and celebrate... AND this week at Project Inspire{d} we were overflowing with creativity! I just know you're going to adore these beautiful and creative vintage furniture transformations. So... fill your glass with ice and your favorite beverage and kick back while you check out this week's features.  I just know you'll be inspired to get your DIY on!   Be sure to pin your favorites, too.     Be Inspired to DIY 12 Beautiful Vintage Furniture Transformations Vintage Folding Chair Makeover by Dragonfly Treasure Boho … [Read more...]

  Cue old black and white movie where the woman of the house greets her man dressed in heels, pearls, and a bouffant hairdo.  Notice how she deftly shoves a magazine at him and says with a slightly affected tone... "Dahling... I simply adore these lovely DIY decorating ideas. You absolutely must tell your friends you can't play golf, because you'll be spending all your time with me this weekend." I saw you just roll your eyes... but be honest... sometimes we want our DIY projects to be joint ventures.  However... these projects won't require an extra set of hands and eyes AND I'm pretty sure you'll … [Read more...]

  Are you faced with a small space in your home or apartment? These simple and do-able small space decorating tips will help you look at decorating your space in a fresh new way.     Since getting married, I've been moving around the country.  It's provided a great opportunity for learning to overcome space and decorating challenges which every home has. Our most recent move to a small two bedroom apartment has been the most challenging.  In order to make my new small space feel spacious and inviting, I implemented a few easy small space decorating tips I've learned through my many … [Read more...]

  Hello, friends!  Thanks for coming by! I have a long history of pulling out the sewing machine each summer.  It seems there's always something I want to whip up.  It started when I was learning to sew and continued on through my college years when I was always sewing up a new simple summer dress, skirt, or shorts for a date.  I never made anything complicated.  There wasn't time.  Between work and the beach... a few hours was all I had. If you only have a few hours... you too can have fun creating with fabric this summer.  You don't need to get out the sewing machine for every project.  Why not make a … [Read more...]

  Hello, friends!  Thanks for coming by! Happy First Day of Summer!!  I love that it's the longest day of the year!  Yay for sunshine and staying up late and doing all things summery.  On the other hand... tomorrow begins our descent into darkness.  I'm sorry for being so dismal... but the ride up to summer is slow and wonderful and the ride down is too much like being on the highest ever rollercoaster plummeting to fall.  I just want to savor this time... forever... and the strawberries, too.  Because yes, strawberry shortcake is my favorite food and there's nothing better than local berries.  Yum! Now … [Read more...]

    Are you getting too serious with your home decor? That's an honest question.  I know I'm guilty of being too serious... of working too hard at getting just the right furniture, window treatments, colors, style, texture, and art for our homes.  It's pretty serious business just choosing the "right" paint color. Today I'm going to nudge you to put a bit of whimsy in your home and, at least for summer, have fun with your home decor. Since it's summer and we often dream of spending time at the lake or ocean... I'm going to show you how to add a whimsical coastal touch, and some fun … [Read more...]

  Hello, friends!  Thanks for coming by! Raise your hand if you play Pickleball.  I had never heard of America's fastest growing sport until I moved back to Michigan.  One of my dearest friends plays all the time, and this weekend she played in a tournament.  I went and so enjoyed watching her do what she loves and doing well, too. For those of you who don't know what Pickleball is... I would describe it as a variation on tennis with a much smaller but similar looking court, it uses a racketball sized racket that is more like a ping pong paddle and the ball is a wiffleball and the matches are much … [Read more...]

  Hello, friends!  Thanks for coming by! I know some of you are suffering from too much rain. Please know you are in our thoughts and prayers. Here in the mitten state, even though it did rain over the weekend, we haven't had nearly enough liquid precipitation.  Though I have to say, after a long gray winter the sunshine is so welcome.  It's great for garage sailing... I scored a few treasures that should be making an appearance on the blog... and today I transformed the lampshade of one of those great finds. I was in need of a new iron and God provided... not any iron... but top of the line Rowenta and … [Read more...]

  Hello friends!  Thanks for coming by! We had sunshine this weekend and even a wee bit of snow. I won't complain... because in a matter of weeks I'll be melting from the heat.  What I am loving... all the pretty flowering trees, bushes, and spring bulbs! It's simply glorious! I guess that's why I'm so excited about these features from last week's link party.  You're going to LOVE these fun and pretty floral crafts to make and dress up your home... Check out these extraordinary blogs and be inspired to.... Make some Pretty Floral Crafts How to make Bendy Flowers by Heart Handmade UK Faux … [Read more...]

  I don't know about you... but when the weather warms up and the seasons change, I can't wait to get DIYing around the house.  In fact, I've got a fun project underway right now. If you've got the itch to make something beautiful for your home, you're going to LOVE the features from this week's Project Inspire{d}!  Be sure to pin your favorites, too.     Creative Home Decor DIY Ideas to Inspire You   DIY Geometric Globe Pendant Light :: Atta Girl Says Colander Flower Planter :: Two Twenty One DIY Picture Frame Collage Chalkboard :: Giggles Galore Magnolia Market Inspired … [Read more...]

    Mother's Day comes at one of my most favorite times of the year... flower planting time. If I could give Mom the ultimate gift for her special day, I'd create an English cottage-style garden with a white picket fence filled with all her favorite pretty flowers. It would be so fun to design, shop for, and create. Around Mother's Day all the garden shops and greenhouses are brimming over with the most beautiful flowers and plants of the season.  All that goodness makes my heart swell with joy and anticipation.  I don't know that there is anything I like better than to go greenhouse … [Read more...]

  Have you checked the calendar lately?  It's April and it's supposed to be spring.  How can that be true if I'm wearing my winter parka and writing with a big fluffy blanket across my lap?  It must be a bad dream and I'll wake up from it, any moment.  In the meantime, I'm going to concentrate on creating something beautiful today and at the end of the day looking back to answer the question, "Where did I see God today?"  One thing is for sure... doing just those two things will make cold days warm and happy.  You know... we can't control a lot in life... but we can choose our happiness.  Hmmm...  I wrote … [Read more...]

  There's something so inviting about a pretty wreath gracing a front door. We all want to have beautiful, warm, welcoming homes.  But getting there... can sometimes be a challenge.     Do you ever watch Fixer Upper or some other home show and think, "She makes that look so easy."  "Everything is so beautifully and artfully arranged." or "I wish I could do that." You know what?  You can! It just takes a little practice. The first time I arranged flowers, created a wreath, or plied my hand at some creative project... usually it was just okay. The great thing was... I … [Read more...]

  I'm so excited to share this quick, easy, and so pretty Mason jar floral arrangement that is the perfect farmhouse style Easter centerpiece.  Seriously it's so simple you don't need a tutorial... but just for fun... I created one for you... because that's what I do.  I can't stop myself!!!     Here's how it all came together... Last year I was blessed to participate with a group of my blogging friends in a Mason jar blog hop for Mother's Day.  As part of the event, each of us received aqua blue, amethyst, green, and clear Ball pint jars.     I created … [Read more...]