Raise your hand if you love the colors of fall. As much as I appreciate and enjoy a neutral palette with just a punch of color, the jewel tones of fall make my heart sing. When used beautifully in a room, those jewel tones of fall create a warmth and coziness that make me feel safe. Color is like that. If I were to tell you my favorite colors I'd tell you I love red, blue, green, and yellow. Not usually all at the same time. Except in the fall. Then, I want them all! For the most part of the last nineteen years I have … [Read more...]
I love wildflowers! One of my favorite things to do is to walk the roadside and pick bouquets for decorating the table(s) for the Fourth of July. Earlier this week it rained quite heavily for a few days, so the wildflowers were pretty beat up. But, Wednesday, I went for a very long walk and discovered just what I wanted. Happy Day! The next morning I went for another walk scissors in hand. To my dismay, the massive scissors of the local road crew had come through and leveled my wildflower garden. You should have seen my face. I think it fell to my knees. Why, at … [Read more...]
This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated through your purchase at these links. Raise your hand if you're a huge fan of red, white, and blue, and all things patriotic. Image From Memorial Day through the Fourth of July, I love accenting my home with stars and stripes. This sweet kitchen sets the stage beautifully for Christmas decorating, fall decor, or yes....a spectacular Fourth of July. It's so easy to do with the addition of a mason jar filled with American flags, a collection of bowls or containers in any combination of reds, whites, and blues. And of course table runners, … [Read more...]
Take your cues from Mother Nature and set a bird's nest themed Easter table with these simple ideas. By now you all know that I'm a big time nature lover. I truly enjoy creating with the beauties of nature...like I did here and here and here. So when my friend enlisted my help in creating a tablescape for Easter I just had to add an extra touch or two from Mother Nature. Creating A Bird's Nest Themed Easter Table This springy bird's nest themed Easter table all started when my friend picked up a variety of ceramic birds in white, yellow, and blue earlier this … [Read more...]
Happy First Day of Spring! With all the snow we've had this year, you would think that I'd steer far away from white for spring. Nope! I went for brightness by creating a simple, dramatic white mantel for spring. Spring has more than her fair share of cloudy days. And there's nothing like a background of white with color pops for a dramatic look to brighten the spirits on a gray gloomy rainy day. I'm excited that spring has officially arrived. You too? There is still a bit of snow in the forecast. But, the reality of spring's appearance is seeing larger and larger … [Read more...]
St. Patrick's Day. It's all about the green....and this saint that seems to have spoken out against slavery, valued women, and influenced Ireland with Christianity. All good things, wouldn't you say? So why not splash a few shamrocks around the house. Flash some green. And listen to some toe-tappin' music. When it comes to seasonal home decor, I'm all about simple and using what you have on hand. And...because I love all things book page, I decided to use book pages and hand-cut shamrocks in decorating the mantel for St. Patrick's Day. This little project was … [Read more...]
If you've been hanging out here for any amount of time, you've come to know that I believe that it's the little things that make life extraordinary. There is absolutely no need to have pretty embellished valentine towels in your powder room or bath. Truly, we don't need fancy towels. What if your friend gives you a bit of fabric? What if ivory hand towels the precise color of the fabric are discontinued and on sale for just $2.09 each? What would you do? Get out the scissors and sewing machine and embellish a few towels for Valentine's Day? Seems like a good plan … [Read more...]
Raise your hand if you have decorated your valentine mantel or some area of your house only to have members of your household tell you it's pretty ordinary? Did you see my hand go up? Yup. It did. That's what they said in not so many words. It's not a good thing when your blog name includes the word, "extraordinary." Remember my winter birch branch mantel with the hand cut book page snowflakes? I liked that "mantelscape." It was different. And it seems that since it's being featured a few places, some of you like it too. Why not tweak it just a bit for Valentine's … [Read more...]
I've been hearing this question a lot lately, "Is there enough snow for you?" Having lived in West Michigan and in the Buffalo area, I am familiar with snow. Lots of it. Record snowfalls. This year, it snows or seems to snow every day. Regardless of the amount, it's enough! Prior to this year's white avalanche, I shared my winter mantel and asked if anyone wanted me to create a tutorial for making pretty snowflakes. It seems that I am not the only one who did not know that there was a paper-folding technique that would make all the difference in the world. So, today, just in case … [Read more...]
It's cold here in the Great Lakes. I woke up to a fresh blanket of sparkly snow and a big fat zero on the thermometer this morning. It was a gloriously beautiful morning with deep blue skies and sunshine casting dark purple shadows between the rows of trees. As I ate my blueberry banana pancakes this morning, I noticed a large flock of birds flying around the backyard. When I got up and went to the slider, I looked up to see a host of Cedar Wax Wings* flitting around in the tops of the maple tree, their breasts a gorgeous gold, illuminated by the rising … [Read more...]
This birch branch winter woodland tablescape just might be my most favorite table setting ever. What is it about natural elements that make my heart sing? This winter we've been having fun decorating with birch branches. You may have seen some of it here and here and here. We had a few longer birch branches that hadn't been used over Christmas, so I thought creating a birch branch winter woodland tablescape would be fun. Actually, creating a centerpiece of the branches for the table would set the stage and theme. Birch branches are perfect for winter … [Read more...]
Are you a fan of gold or silver or some other metal in home decor? If I choose to decorate with metallic elements at Christmas, I usually choose gold. Last year I stepped out of my 'gold box' and dipped my toe in some silver spray paint. The results were quite pleasing. To see more of this silver table setting, click here. Are you enjoying our 12 Days of Christmas series? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Catch up on all that's … [Read more...]
I confess I enjoy decorating my whole house for Christmas. Nothing elaborate, just a small woodland touch here and there. Do you decorate your whole house for Christmas? For quite a few years I hosted a Longaberger open house the first Saturday of December. Because I was a crazy lady and because I wanted customers to see my baskets and pottery in use around the house, I decorated every room of my home. I will confess...it was fun. And a lot of work. In addition to that we used to host either a dinner or an open house or both for volunteers from church as well. Our … [Read more...]
Are you getting excited for Thanksgiving? Usually, we gather with friends and family we rarely see and enjoy those foods we only eat at Thanksgiving. If I'm hosting the meal, I put almost as much effort into creating a beautiful Thanksgiving Tablescape as I do the meal. I have to admit, for me, it isn't all about the food. Though I have shared a few recipes that would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving menu. My Far East Celery is crunchy and light and makes a perfect accompaniment to turkey and stuffing. Or a true fall dish that you can enjoy as a salad or … [Read more...]
I know...I've been an awful tease. First I gathered some pine cones, made them pop! and told you they were for a wreath. Then, I decorated the mantel with a sweater vase filled with pampas grass and peacock feathers and mentioned the wreath. And if you saw some of my posts on Facebook, you probably feel doubly teased. Maybe you were beginning to wonder if you would ever see this wreath. Today is the day for unveiling my Pampas Grass Wreath embellished with pine cones and peacock feathers. So without further ado....drum roll please... I love that nature provided … [Read more...]
Have you ever done any decorating with pampas grass? This lovely row of beautiful plumes grows over at the neighbor's home. They have a landscaping business, so their property is beautifully landscaped with trees and shrubs and ornamental grasses. It's like a small arboretum. The rear of the property has rows of plantings where this pampas grass grows. One day as my friend and I were pulling grapevines growing wild in the pine trees, I kept noticing the long fluffy row of pampas grass rustling in the wind. I was so intrigued with them and they were so … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Many of us are thinking about how to set a beautiful and bountiful table. As I was dreaming about table decor, I remembered that this past New Year's table would be perfect for Thanksgiving. Actually...it's probably even more appropriate when you look at the elements of the table. Plus, mixing gold and silver in home decor is gaining in popularity right now. So...why not think about mixing gold and silver for Thanksgiving to create a truly elegant table setting? The key elements were leaves and nuts and pine … [Read more...]
