Welcome to Part 2 in our three-part journey of how to create a home office that's budget-friendly, serves you well, and is uniquely YOU! (You can revisit Part 1 here.) You don't want to waste time and energy getting your space just right. Let my experience save you from the pitfall of a potentially expensive mistake. Thank you to Wayfair for sponsoring this post. The two MOST important things your home office needs… Let's start with the NUMBER ONE THING you need for your workspace. Ahhh. You FINALLY get to focus on your “new” home … [Read more...]
Have you been thinking about turning that junk room or guest room into a home office? Though you may have been forced into the whole “work from home” thing along with many recently, I had been working at home on my little online business for more than eight years. With a laptop computer, we can work almost anywhere. The couch, the bed, the kitchen table, a little corner somewhere in the house, and in the past maybe the coffee shop, would serve as mini offices. Where do you set up and go “to work” when you're at home? After moving to this little apartment, my couch was my office for … [Read more...]
Don't overlook that clearance item because it's not quite your style. Here's how I gave a rustic farmhouse metal sign a makeover and turned it into casual coastal wall decor. Have you ever been shopping and discovered something on a super sale that caught your eye, but it wasn't just right for you? When that happens don't dismiss the item... look at it again to see if you can tweak it or paint it or personalize it in some way to make it just right. Not long ago I was in Hobby Lobby when they were marking all kinds of home decor items down and I came across this metal farmhouse … [Read more...]
Need a coffee table but don't have one? This DIY modern farmhouse tray is a cheap and easy solution with style. In my home, I'm the beneficiary of a nightly ritual that will make most wives jealous... My husband prepares a cup of cocoa or chai for me every evening before bedtime. He's been doing this for most of our married life and I love it. It's a very special way to end the evening. Since we've been living in this postage stamp of an apartment my choice is to sit at the table or on my little loveseat. Usually, I choose the loveseat. But, it's risky for … [Read more...]
Learn how to create a budget Thanksgiving table setting with dollar store items that's simple and elegant, plus a fun DIY pumpkin centerpiece project. It was just the two of us that Thanksgiving. As usual, since we moved to the Southtowns of Buffalo, there was snow and lots of it. There was no way I was going to get in the car and drive 8 hours for dinner. So I set the table as elegantly as possible and roasted a turkey. Tim and I were having a blast in the kitchen together, making a week's worth of stuffing, potatoes, Far East Celery, two kinds of cranberries, … [Read more...]
I think we take often take ourselves and our decorating too seriously. We have a budget and a vision in mind and we put our blinders on and focus on getting "that look." Does that sound familiar to you? I can be guilty of that for sure. Because everything I'm doing is "new" these days, I am striving to look at my home decor more purposefully. Maybe in an upcoming post, I will delve further into that mindset, but today... Let's talk about the floor cloth I created for my balcony garden. As you know, I am crazy about my beautiful outdoor space … [Read more...]
Don't you love it when you drive down the road on a beautiful breezy day when the sun is shining bright and you see one of those bigger-than-life American flags waving out over the road with all its might? Or how about passing a house with the front porch festooned with red, white, and blue bunting, and giant urns filled with red geraniums and lots of small American flags? These are the kinds of sightings that make my all-American heart beat faster. I wanted to create that same kind of feeling for the Fourth of July with mason jars and flowers. And I'm pretty happy with the … [Read more...]
With this unseasonably warm weather we're having, I'm itching to get my paint brush out and give something a little painterly makeover. This week's features from Project Inspire{d} will have you on your way to the paint store, or a least the craft aisle, before the weekend is over. I just know that with 30 winsome projects you'll be inspired! Take a few minutes to kick back, relax, and check out all the features... and don't forget to pin this and your favorites, too. Get Painting with ONE of these 30 Practical Painting Projects Adding Porch Railings for Curb Appeal … [Read more...]
Do you love to decorate with gold at Christmas? I confess that I love a little glitter and a LOT of gold. That's why I'm so excited to share with you this super EASY project that YOU can make... A Stunning Gold Leaf Tabletop Christmas Tree It's really eye-catching and guaranteed to get lots of rave reviews. Plus, it's a super inexpensive project and fairly quick to do. If you make a gold oak leaf wreath like this, then it will be even quicker to complete your Christmas tree with the same supplies. This post contains affiliate links. If you're like me, you … [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...]
I've been impressed with many IKEA Rast Hacks floating around the internet. There are so many truly creative ideas. So when I was approached by Hickory Hardware I leaped at the opportunity to put my creativity to work. Shortly thereafter, an IKEA Rast dresser was sent to my home along with a $25 Visa gift card to purchase supplies for the hack. Knobs for my Rast Hack were provided by Hickory Hardware. No other compensation was received. A new baby girl in the family gave me the perfect excuse and idea for transforming this small (24 3/8 x 27 1/2") 3-drawer pine dresser into … [Read more...]
Today I'm joining up with some of my blogging friends for an extravaganza of Mason Jar Christmas Gift Ideas Each blogger has chosen a different theme and because my niece is having a baby mid January, I thought it would be fun to create a mason jar gift for her. Since my niece has selected green and pink for her baby girl... that became my color theme for the gift. I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to do when I got started. But, in shopping for the gifts to put inside the jar I came across this green rubber bath ducky and knew that it was the key to decorating my mason jar. Polka dots … [Read more...]
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...]
I'm pleased to partner with Plaid Crafts and Blueprint Social to introduce you to . Add the feeling of fall to your home in unexpected ways. Often when we think of fall decor we think of pumpkins, gourds, and colorful leaves. May I challenge you to think outside the box? I sure did when I created these fun, stenciled, animal print plates. Don't you agree....they're fabulous and unexpected? Certainly for my home decor. Today I'm going to show you how to use stencils, so you too, can create fabulous unexpected fall decor. Recently Plaid Crafts … [Read more...]
If you've been looking for a detailed tutorial so you can try your hand at chalk painting, you've come to the right place! Back when it was below freezing and the snow was driving sideways and the drifts were rising an inch an hour, my friend Alice asked me if I would be willing to help her paint her antique washstand. We live half an hour apart and there was no way I wanted to drive in that crazy winter weather, so I told her I'd love to, in the spring. Spring came and with it an opportunity to try out the new . This post is part of a sponsored campaign with Blueprint Social and … [Read more...]
This was not the year for me to be spending time at the water's edge, wiggling my toes in the soft warm sand. Yet, my heart was yearning for the beach. What's a girl to do? Create a coastal vignette! It all started with my glam clam that had a makeover. She looked mighty fine on the sideboard sporting her new color combo along with a sea of shells and beach glass. There was one missing element, though. A seascape on the wall. My stash did not include a lovely painting of a lake, beach, or sea. But, my stash did include a picture that I picked … [Read more...]
