Today I'm joining some of my blogging friends for a tour of Thanksgiving tablescapes and centerpieces. You'll find all the details at the end of the post. Many of my friends say Thanksgiving is their favorite holiday. There's something to be said for a holiday that's about gratitude, celebrated around the table with a special meal, isn't there? This year I won't be hosting Thanksgiving. I'll miss doing that. However, I won't miss creating a lovely tablescape and centerpiece. That's because I created one for a good friend of mine. I had so much fun putting together this simple but spectacular … [Read more...]
This year I'm not going to be celebrating Thanksgiving at home. But, I cannot pass on the decorating. A good friend and I were planning a day together and I asked her if I could put together a centerpiece and something fun for her sideboard in her style and do a photo shoot of it at her lovely condo. She said, "Yes!" My friend decorates mostly with grays and silvers and blacks, and her walls are the loveliest shade of cool blue, warmed with beautiful rich wood floors. Except for a few red accents, she stays within that color palette. With that in mind I went shopping. When I'm working at … [Read more...]
Wouldn't you like to have a wreath that could transition from late fall through Thanksgiving to Christmas and into New Year's? Me too! Whether you have space issues, time issues, or just want to be efficient in your use of resources, I think you'll love this stunning transitional wreath for Thanksgiving to Christmas and beyond! It has the earthiness of fall with the burlap colored ribbon and the sparkle of the holidays with the gold polka-dots. My goal is always to make a big impact without spending oodles of time and money on a project, so I'm always keeping my eyes … [Read more...]
Trick or Treat is always a highlight as October begins her slide to November. It's always fun choosing candy (that I would like) and giving handfuls out to the princesses and supermen that ring the door bell or call, "Trick or treat!"at my door. Since I'm all about the treats and not the tricks (I'll leave the tricks to those of you who are naturally practical jokers), I've come up with a fun gift or treat container to keep on your desk or display somewhere in your home. And yes... it's in one of my favorite containers... a mason jar. Today I'm joining with a wonderful group of bloggers to … [Read more...]
Looking for a way to give your tree a little sparkle this year? Try your hand at making these super quick and easy classy marbleized metallic Christmas ornaments. As you know... I'm all about adding a personal touch to my home decor. In my book, handmade always trumps store bought. So it was just a natural thing for me to invite my blogging friends to join me for 31 days of sharing handmade Christmas ornaments. I'm number 5 on the 31 Days of Handmade Christmas Ornament Blog Hop which runs October 1-31, 2015. I hope you've been inspired by the talents of my good … [Read more...]
Can you smell it in the air?! It's almost fall and the Project Inspire{d} team can't wait. We have your go-to guide for delicious autumn inspired recipes and festive projects to make during this cozy, comforting, leaf crunching time of the year! Get your "pinning finger" ready for these Great Ideas... Fall Food and Crafts Guide What to Eat 1. Mini Apple Pie Bites by All She Cooks 2. Nectarines and Cream Breakfast Loaf by The Simple-Sweet Life 3. Apple Cider Slushies by Clean and Scentsible 4. Slow Cooker Chipotle Ale Chili by Frugal Foodie Mama 5. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies by … [Read more...]
Do you love custom or matching desk accessories? It's a great way to give your desk, cubbie, or crafting center a polished and unified look. If you'd like to have a sweet customized DIY upcycled desk organizer like this one... pop over to Yesterday on Tuesday where I'm sharing how to make your own for mere pennies. It was such a fun project and is so stylish for your desk or crafting table. If you look closely, you'll notice the pencils are custom coordinated to go with their holders. Decorator pencils are surprisingly easy to make and inexpensive too! So I thought I'd … [Read more...]
One of my favorite pastimes is taking pictures. Even before digital cameras I took boatloads of pictures. That was sort of expensive. The beauty of digital cameras is that you can take several shots in hopes of getting the right one. And I do. Rarely is my first shot a keeper. I've been taking photos for what seems like forever. But if you were to look through my photo files you won't see lots of pictures of people. That is one area I need improve my skills. Taking photos of people is different than snapping shots of nature. That's one area I need to improve for … [Read more...]
It all started with some branches from a flowering tree in our yard. One of the most lovely surprises you can have in a new-to-you home is the discovery of flowering trees and bushes. We had no idea what this white blooming beauty was, but the branches were many and heavy laden with blossoms, so I decided to cut a few and bring them inside. I will have to say, the blossoms did not have the most pleasing fragrance. But, their beauty was spectacular. Today I want to give you a little inspiration, so you too, can create a vignette with flowering branches. My … [Read more...]
Another super fast week for me... but not in posting new inspiration. I've got a lot on my plate and because I'm no longer the "ever ready" bunny, I just can't seem to squeeze enough time out of the week. So, please forgive me for just being around on the weekend. I miss you hanging out with you here. But, for brief snippets of daily inspiration, beauty, and all things extraordinary... be sure to jump on Facebook. Now it's time to show-off your Great Ideas from this week's Project Inspire{d} Link Party! I get really excited when I'm able to meet the challenge of using what I have at home either by … [Read more...]
I received the same Ball® Jars being given away. All opinions are my own. Did you know that I absolutely LOVE mason jars? Back before they were popular, my aunt, when downsizing gave me a few boxes filled with vintage Ball® jars. I thought it was the best gift ever, and used them to decorate my sweet saltbox. Several moves later, the jars were popping up all over the place and I found them among my boxes and started using them here and here. As much as I love those vintage Ball jars, my heart would pitter-patter whenever I spied an amethyst or purple mason jar. However, I never saw one in … [Read more...]
One of my sweet online friends who lives in Arkansas just went through a horrible hail storm. It decimated all the fresh green leaves and plants in her area. My heart goes out to her and others who will have trees without lush green canopies overhead this summer. It's truly a gardener's nightmare. You know the saying... when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. If you're like Betty and all the blooms have been stripped from your trees and shrubbery... make paper blooms. I know it won't be quite the same... but when I did this a few years ago... they turned out wonderfully. Grab a few sticks from the … [Read more...]
As the seasons change, I like to feather my nest in small but big ways. Creating little vignettes in the areas where we live, or major traffic areas in the house go a long way to making our homes and their inhabitants feel loved. Today I have 5 easy steps to help you make a spring vignette. How to Put Together a Simple Spring Vignette. First... Choose a theme for your vignette. Because we're so anxious for spring after a long cold winter and because we also want to give a nod to St. Patrick's Day, today we've chosen a green and white theme for our little vignette. Color … [Read more...]
How would you like to breathe new life into your home decor? A quick and easy lampshade makeover can brighten your room, infuse it with color, or update your look. Sometimes, it really is just that easy to freshen up a room. Don't you love it when you come across a deal that's perfect for a project on your to-do list? One day I went to Lowe's on a mission. Of course, as long as I was there I just had to stroll down the lighting aisles. Even if I don't have a need, I just love to see, what's new in lighting. That particular day, I noticed boxes of white lampshades in the aisle. … [Read more...]
Valentine's Day is just around the corner! The tree's been down and the house devoid of anything Christmas for about a month. Though lovely with a bit of simple winter decor, with all the white and gray and brown outside, I'm hungry for color. And since red is one of my favorite colors (I can't pick just one!!), and since I'm a wee bit of a romantic, I do have fun throwing some red around the house, with a few hearts, too. If you're feeling a little bit like me, you are ready for some no cost or low cost DIY Valentine's Day decorating ideas. To make it easier for you, I've gone into the archives and … [Read more...]
Happy Monday! Remember the Ultimate DIY Bundle I've been talking about for the last several days? Today is the last day to get it. I know how it is. If you're like me you're constantly buzzing and zooming around and you tell yourself... tomorrow. I'll do it tomorrow. Tomorrow is here!! If you've been debating about whether you should order the Ultimate DIY Bundle, wondering if it really is worth the money. It is!!! Seriously it's an amazing bargain. I talked about how just one eCourse makes the whole bundle a deal here. I often hear readers and other bloggers talk … [Read more...]
Did you know that I'm a DIY blogger? Well, for some reason I didn't. I've been sharing stuff I made and even tutorials, but never thought to categorize myself that way. Today I decided to see which posts have been the most read over the two and a half years I've been blogging. Thanks to you... reading, pinning, and sharing my posts (You do, do that don't you? Because that is one of the nicest things you can do. It's like giving me a box of chocolates... only I won't gain a pound from a lovely share.), and lots of people searching the internet and Pinterest, some posts have been seen, a lot! Out of … [Read more...]
