I'm now on Instagram! I'd love for you to follow me there! I just got things up and running yesterday... so be watching for lots of fun photos to come!! Do you decorate for St. Patrick's Day? The other day, a reader commented how she loved all the St. Patrick's Day ideas shared at last week's link party, but she doesn't decorate for St. Patrick's Day. If you don't... it's perfectly okay. But, if you enjoy splashing a little seasonal color in your house, the mantel or buffet or entry table might just be the perfect place. There's no need to go green everywhere unless … [Read more...]
Wow! So much St. Paddy's Day inspiration at last week's Project Inspire{d}. Here is just a wee sampling of the magical St. Patrick's ideas you shared with us! 17 Magical St. Patrick's Ideas Shamrock Cookies from Christianity Cove Rainbow Jello Snack from Christianity Cove St.Patrick's Day Thread Spools from Kaleidoscope of Colors Dollar Store Decor to St. Patrick's Day Pillow from Virginia Sweet Pea Cupcake Liner St. Patrick's Day Trees from Little Miss Celebration Mason Jar Tea Lights from Upstate Ramblings Shamrock Shake from 3 Kids and a Fish Lucky Charms Popcorn Balls from 3 … [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...]
Do you decorate for Valentine's Day? Every year I look forward to adding an unexpected bit of whimsy to my decor in red and white for Valentine's Day. After the Christmas decor is stashed away for the season, our homes are usually re-organized and pared back a bit. I think that's why I love to bring out some red for February. I'm ready for a pop of color and the extra bit of life it gives my home decor in the midst of the loooong winter. Today I'm sharing an easy craft that will make your heart sing.... Beaded 3-D Hanging Paper Hearts Tutorial This fun project requires just a few … [Read more...]
This past week, I've been in the midst of some major organizing. Raise your hand if that's you, too. My organizing isn't exactly what you'd expect. I've been spending my time organizing the blog to hopefully make your experience here even better. Most of things I'm attempting to do require me to do some research to figure out how to do it... before I can even start. If you're a blogger that tries not to rely on an expert/designer, etc., you know how much time this takes. I must say there's a lot of satisfaction from the accomplishment. However, because I don't have many posts completed in advance, I … [Read more...]
In busyness of the season, you may have missed my popular series, Creating Christmas Memories with Vignettes. Each week we were blessed by one of my blogging friends as they shared their Christmas Memories with a special vignette or maybe several. More than anything, I loved the stories they shared. Our heart strings seem to be more sensitive this time of year. Maybe now that everything is decorated, you'll enjoy their posts in a new and fresh way. It's a good time to take a look at your decor and make plans now to create Christmas memories to be treasured with vignettes. If you missed the … [Read more...]
This post is a partnership with Blinds.com. All opinions are entirely my own. Have you ever been invited to someone's home for "the big game" and once it was game time, the blinds came down and the curtains were drawn so that everyone could see the TV without glare? My good friends did that very thing. Their room started to feel closed in and cave-like. It was like being in another world. Quickly I had no idea what the day was like outside the windows, it felt like night inside, just so we could watch the game. I don't know about you, but I'm one of those gals who prefers not to have anything at her … [Read more...]
Christmas Baking Vignette What a treat to be here visiting my friend Diane at An Extraordinary Day! I was so excited when Diane told me that she was hosting a series on Christmas vignettes. I love the idea of creating small vignettes in my home. It's an easy way to break decorating into small manageable bites. And that is especially welcome at the holidays when decorating the whole house can feel quite overwhelming. Today I'm sharing a simple little vignette that sits on my kitchen counter and it's all about family traditions and baking Christmas cookies. I … [Read more...]
How would you like to have a fresh evergreen centerpiece for Christmas? I've been making one for years and now... with this tutorial you can too! Let's start with our supplies... Waterproof container ~ This Lenox Winter Greetings Bowl*is a new version and similar to the one I used. Pruner * Sharp knife with a long blade Oasis® floral foam* Assorted fresh cut evergreens Berries or rose hips ~ fresh or artificial Pine cones English ivy or boxwood is also a wonderful addition Optional: small bird house, bird cage, candle, bird, etc. Hot tip! I picked up my … [Read more...]
Have you noticed them? Christmas trees on cars? Or maybe campers even? I can't tell you how many Christmas trees on cars we saw on our drive home at Thanksgiving. We live near several Christmas tree farms, so really it should be no surprise. There's something wonderful about seeing a car (or truck) with a tree tied on. There's something special about bringing home a fresh-cut tree. I like to think that each car I see is filled with joy and anticipation. And I imagine the plans being made to decorate that perfect evergreen treasure for … [Read more...]
Farmhouse Christmas Vignette I bet you are in the process of making your home MERRY AND BRIGHT! Decking the halls and doing Fa-la-la-la-la fun things this Christmas! I am doing that right now too! One great way to give your home a festive holiday look is by creating Christmas vignettes. I'm so thrilled to be a part of Diane's CREATING CHRISTMAS MEMORIES WITH VIGNETTES. And I am soooo happy to be here at AN EXTRAORDINARY DAY today!!!! A big thanks to Diane for letting me visit her beautiful blog and be part of this wonderful series! My favorite vignettes to create any time … [Read more...]
Yesterday I mentioned the value of taking photos of your Christmas decor each year. By looking back at my past photos I made a discovery. In my quest to be frugal, I've become a little shabby. Shabby chic that is. Looking through past years' holiday photos I discovered my first attempts, at shabby Christmas decor. And it's not all bad. The photos... not so great. But the shabby Christmas decor... pretty nice (if I say so myself). You see that year, like most, I just snapped a few photos of my decor for posterity. Mostly so I'd remember what I did. It's always been a … [Read more...]
Ready for a hot holiday tip? Do you take pictures of your past holiday decor or table settings? If you don't, I urge you to do that. Bloggers have a tendency to take lots of photos, and I was "guilty" of that in my pre-blogging years. But, now as I look back, I'm so glad I did. It helps me remember the good ideas and get the creative juices flowing when I'm tired from all the festivities and I might still have some decorating to do, or tables to set for those special dinners and parties. Why not create a special file on your computer, just for holiday decor you want to remember? I think you'll find … [Read more...]
Coffee Table Vignette I was honored and delighted when Diane asked me to share a Christmas vignette here at An Extraordinary Day. I love her heart and her penchant for creating beautiful vignettes from nature. I must admit, I haven't decorated for Christmas yet as I am getting ready for a craft show next weekend. Once that is over, then I will be decking the halls! However, I did put together a coffee table vignette that holds some very special memories for myself and my family. When the children were little, I purchased a special Christmas story book each year, early … [Read more...]
Have you given much thought to outdoor decorating for Christmas? I'm sure you've seen the homes with all the colorful light displays and entryways beautifully festooned with greens and lights. Today I'm sharing an idea for decorating those areas that are more personal. The ones not seen from the street... such as the back porch. The places where you'll enjoy your favorite things with a holiday or wintry flair. As I was going through some old photos, I discovered I took several pictures of an outdoor wintry garden vignette on my back porch. This was … [Read more...]
The Most Meaningful Vignette Sweet Diane, invited me to join in on her 'Creating Christmas Memories with Vignettes" series, and I think it's such a wonderful way to welcome the holiday season. Christmas is such a wonderful time of year to create new memories in your home with family and friends through new traditions, and through memorable and meaningful vignettes. Fall and Christmas are my favorite times of year to decorate our home . . . and although my decor and vignettes change year to year, there are a few vignettes that make an appearance every year. our … [Read more...]
This fall I gathered a plethora of acorns on my walks at the local park. I've never seen such a variety of sizes and styles and browns in acorns. Of course, I probably never took the time to look before. This year in my quest to decorate on less than a dime, I turned to Mother Nature. And oh my... did she provide an abundance. I wanted to create a centerpiece for my Thanksgiving table setting. I had already made lovely oak leaf chargers, so I did what we all do when we want inspiration, I popped over to Pinterest. While I was looking at pretty tablescapes, I saw an acorn basket … [Read more...]
