What colors elicit the feeling of Spring for you? Yellow is one of my favorite colors, so when the Daffodils begin blooming, it's like I see happiness popping up all over my world. Several years ago as I was going through my parents' cupboards....you know the way-up-high kitchen storage that once an item goes up there, no one ever sees again? That's where I found this yellow Crocus planter. As I was trying to decide what to put together without spending a dime, I remembered that bright yellow pot I had taken home with me. It was the starting place for this yellow, blue, and … [Read more...]
Search Results for: tablescape
What do we celebrate on Thanksgiving? When I was a little girl, the front of the church would have a beautiful assembly of pumpkins and squash and corn stalks. Even then, it warmed my heart. We would sing a song about the harvest being gathered in, and it seemed so big, like a great accomplishment. And I would think of the glass canning jars filled with peaches and tomatoes that lined the shelves of the "turntable" in my mother's cupboard....so heavily laden I could hardly make it spin an inch. Harvest....that was what Thanksgiving was about. Everyone gathered together in … [Read more...]
Inspiration to set a pretty but simple moss green St. Patrick's Day table and thoughts on why I enjoy celebrating this Irish holiday. Do you love to rearrange your furniture with the seasons or on a whim? I have many friends who do that, but that's not my style. I work hard to find a permanent furniture placement and instead of changing up my room arrangements I change up my decor with the seasons. If you've been hanging around here for any time, I'm sure you've noticed my love for seasonal home decor... especially on the … [Read more...]
Wouldn't you love it if you could easily invite friends or family over to your home for an impromptu celebration and pull it off easily? You totally can! First of all... it's a mindset. And like the choo-choo train... if you think you can... YOU CAN! Honestly... this isn't rocket science. It's more about the want-to than ANYTHING else. If you want to freely open your home for celebrating around the table you have to decide that you can do it and then prepare. Mindset and preparation will make you a hospitality rock star. … [Read more...]
Happy Independence Day to all my fellow Americans! To celebrate, I dressed up a small sideboard in my dining room. You might have seen glimpses of it in the background of the photos where I shared how to set a star-studded 4th of July table. It's funny how I didn't think I had much that was red, white, and blue with which to decorate. Surprisingly I had plenty. The festive red, white, and blue banner was given to me by my blogging pal, Mary Beth from The How to Home. It sets the perfect backdrop to the vignette. If you wonder … [Read more...]
EASY and almost FREE... Kitchen Cabinet Organizer Ideas It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention. Out of desperation, I created some cute kitchen cabinet organizers for almost free using common items from around the house. Chaos may seem like a strong word to describe my kitchen cabinets. You know the feeling. You're cooking dinner and need one more herb or spice and before you know it, you've pulled out half of the little bottles looking for the RIGHT one! The counter is covered in seasoning containers while you hurry … [Read more...]
The EASY way to make an ice skating centerpiece for your impromptu winter party. Growing up in Michigan, I started ice skating when I was a little girl. There wasn't anything better than the freedom of skating as fast as I could at our local ice arena. And then my dad signed me up for figure skating lessons. JOY! That meant that I could be on the ice nearly every single day! As a mitten state girl, I enjoy winter sports, but between the weather and my schedule and life, I'm not doing them so much anymore. I still LOVE figure … [Read more...]
Avoid the Thanksgiving headaches and plan for a fabulous day with these 5 tips. How to Make Thanksgiving Dinner Easy and Fun TIP 1 ~ Keep it Simple! I can't stress this enough. It's taken me many years and too many melt-downs to realize that I had a tendency to overcomplicate holiday entertaining. Whatever you do well and love to do... that's where you should focus your time. For me... that's setting a pretty table like this one. I'm all about the presentation. Making everything look pretty makes my creative juices run. Slaving in the kitchen... not so much. That means that my … [Read more...]
It's that time of year here in Michigan when the night comes early and we make our homes warm and cozy to fend against those cool stiff breezes bringing in giant dark gray clouds to remind us that winter is coming way too soon. I want to hang on to the best fall has to offer and warm my home with rich textures and accent it with all of autumn's offerings. It's sort of like turning up the heat, even if the furnace hasn't been turned on yet. (Though this year... it went on very early.) Tips for Dressing a Living Room for Fall :: Home Tour It's the time to … [Read more...]
I'm excited to share with you how I wood burned the cutest simple rustic woodland animal Christmas ornaments for my tree. But, first... This the 1st stop on our FOURTH ANNUAL Handmade Christmas Ornaments Blog Hop. Just like each year past, you can expect to be inspired by all kinds of lovely Christmas ornaments created by our extraordinary bloggers. This year, we changed things up... we're doing TWELVE DAYS instead of the usual 31... with ALL of the creativity and inspiration you've come to expect. So... how about we get on with the fun?! Last year I created my … [Read more...]
I love the American flag and all things red, white, and blue. Right down to my dining table. Yet, this patriotic tablescape almost didn't happen. This summer my focus changed from the blog to my personal health and wellness. I'm making some strides, although it seems that it's two steps forward and one step back. But, I decided to not stress over it. Instead, I'm giving myself grace to let go of a few things. I'm good at pushing through... not at receiving grace... especially from myself. So, even though I love decorating for the 4th of … [Read more...]
My sideboard is really just a console table but it's the perfect setting for a simple farmhouse style spring vignette. Are you hungry for color this spring? I can't remember a time when I wanted color more than I do now. Maybe it's because we pretty much live in the woods... all those bare gray sticks sticking up everywhere for half of the year. That's a LONG time!! It started with St. Patrick's Day when I couldn't get enough green. And now... less than a month later... I'm loving pastels (with a bit of bright pink thrown in the mix) like never … [Read more...]
Think outside the box to create your own home decor and learn how to make a pillow from a table runner. One of the simplest ways to "springify" your home, besides giving it a fresh cleaning, is to add some fun new spring decor. Even better... make that new decor yourself. If you can cut with scissors and thread a needle... you can handle this super easy DIY project! When I was out shopping for my Easter table, some table runners beckoned me. Goodness, they were cute. One, in particular, caught my eye. It was the sweetest bunny rabbit with a crown of flowers and a cute bow around her neck. … [Read more...]
Ideas and takeaway tips to help you set a pretty gold pastel Easter table or any table that's colorful and celebrative. What is it about a few sunny days and their power to flood the soul with joy and inspire creativity? I didn't realize how much I NEEDED sunshine. There is no doubt that Jesus is our source of JOY... but SUNSHINE after winter's heavy gray shroud hanging low and heavy for MONTHS really pushes up my joy meter. Does it do that for you, too? I can't really say for sure... but as I was dreaming about my Easter table... and yes I DO do that... I just KNEW that … [Read more...]
Do you have 5 minutes? Put together this inexpensive and simple shamrock wreath for St. Patrick's Day in a flash. Extraordinary seasonal home decor shouldn't take a huge chunk of time to create. I don't mind putting a lot of time into projects that will stay up year round, but Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter... for those holidays I believe we should be able to create pretty or fun decor that's eye-catching in a flash for few dollars. That's why I was so excited to make this totally fun, colorful, and very simple shamrock wreath for St. Patrick's Day. It's super … [Read more...]
Don't skip Valentine's Day because retailers and the media make it all about romance and roses. Instead, make it about fun and love. Here are some easy ideas to help you set a simple Valentine table that's perfect for friends, family, and even lovers, too. I almost didn't use any red for my Valentine's Day tablescape this year. When I envisioned my simple Valentine table, the one thing I wanted to be cautious of was the overuse of red. Don't get me wrong... I like red... but this year it just felt like too much for me. Why was one of my favorite colors... … [Read more...]
Create beautiful memories around a festive Christmas brunch table. Here are a few ideas to help you quickly and easily plan for a special morning gathering. Christmas can be a challenge on so many levels, but I hope you have moments of peace and joy amidst the celebration and quiet. My happiest Christmas memories as a child are those that were made around the table and sharing it with friends and family. Whether you have the whole family over on Christmas morning for breakfast or brunch, or it's just a few around the table, these ideas will help you make your table truly … [Read more...]
