Every home needs to have a connection with the outdoors through the seasons... even if all you have is a small apartment with a tiny patio or balcony. Is your home summer ready? As I prepare my home for summer, one of the first things I love to do is to make my little apartment balcony both an oasis and an extension of my indoor space. No matter how large or small your spaces are, making them ready for summer enjoyment is worth the doing and I'm here to help. Thank you to Wayfair for sponsoring this post. I loved choosing all these lovely items that make my small outdoor space so … [Read more...]
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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...]
There's an old saying, "A bird in hand is worth two in the bush." Though we could discuss that proverb and the pros and cons of risk-taking, when it comes to thrifting and DIYing, that's really true. When you find something you think you can work with, even if you have no idea how you'll DIY it... get it. Who knows if you'll find another one later. One day I hit the local Goodwill shop and found a few items for a change. I have a blogging friend who comes home with all kinds of fabulous finds for next to nothing from her Goodwill store in the Windy City. Here in my … [Read more...]
Sigh! I just wasted two hours of a perfect day. The kind of day you wait for because it's sunny and energizing and everything you need to get a lot of work cranked out. You should have seen my goals for the day. I even gave myself permission to take care of all the after breakfast chores at lunchtime today, just so I could knock out my work. But, it didn't happen. Instead, I allowed myself to easily be distracted. Once I get focused on a project or my day, I can accomplish a huge amount of work. But if I get distracted... … [Read more...]
Today I want to show you a fun and Inexpensive Winter Vignette that evokes a soft and cozy feeling and can be put together for just pennies. Once we had our little Valentine's Day celebration with our neighbor kids, I was so ready to switch up the wall and side table in my living room. When I first put it together I absolutely loved it and it made me smile every time I walked in the door. But, once Valentine's Day was over... I was ready to get my creativity on and have fun making over that spot. One of my favorite color combinations is really not … [Read more...]
Oh my goodness! 2016 was filled with so many highs and lows... and it seems to have all gone whooshing by in a blink. In between all that living I wrote 176 posts and today I sharing what I call readers' favorites! If it were not for you... I wouldn't be here. It's a joy for me to create and share my inspirations with you. Thank you for traveling through 2016 with me. I truly appreciate YOU!! If your favorite post isn't here... let me know. Or if one of the posts below was a personal favorite of yours... I'd love to have you tell me. Right now I'm working on setting up my editorial calendar for … [Read more...]
How often do you hear the statement, "I just want her to be happy." Happy. Happiness is great... but what if we instead would say, "I what him to have joy." Joy, to me, seems supremely greater than happiness. Joy is something my heart deeply desires. It isn't dependent upon circumstances. It's that deep abiding sense of well-being that transcends our situations. Meeting an old friend on the street, hearing a humorous joke, or watching a comedy may induce the feeling of happiness. Yet, if that old friend were to meet you for lunch and you were to have a true heart to … [Read more...]
Peace. We all want it. Peace for the world. Peace in our hearts. Peace in our homes. Peace in our relationships. Often, our struggle looks like the kitty here. Let's take some time together for a few reflections on peace. For several years, I hosted an annual Christmas open house in my home. One of the attendees had been there for quite a while when she said to me, "I love being in your home, it's so peaceful." How is it that my home was a peaceful place when ladies were coming and going and eating and laughing and chatting? … [Read more...]
I'm in a magazine! Would somebody pinch me?! You'll want to run out, right now, and get the special edition of Country Sampler's Christmas Decorating magazine. My local supermarket actually has it at the check stand. I pass it every time I go to the store. Even the cashier was excited for me. I've always wondered how people got to be in a magazine. In my case, it started with an email from the editor. She wanted to know if she could use a couple of photos from last year's Christmas projects... my nautical Christmas tree and the cute … [Read more...]
What are you hoping for? A good test result? An interview? A mended relationship? Hope is a funny word. To me, it's kind of a nebulous word for a nebulous idea or feeling. How many times do we say, "Oh, I hope so!" To your spouse or child, you might say, "I hope you have a good day." or "I hope you have a great time!" It's kind of like a wish. Other times it's an expectation for something to happen or for someone to make something happen. We often put our hope in things, in people, in events. Recently, a lot of people placed their hope in a … [Read more...]
It's no surprise that I'm a huge fan of handmade... especially a handmade Christmas. This week at Project Inspire{d} we were blessed with some pretty creative Christmas ornament ideas! There's still time to get your DIY on, so check out these super cute ideas and make yourself a handmade Christmas! I have to say, I was more than a little smitten with this faux pine cone ornament. I think it would be a real treasure to give these as gifts to someone who really appreciates handmade items. Felt Ornament Craft A skiing family will LOVE these so sweet ski ornaments. And they … [Read more...]
Wouldn't you love to approach Christmas with a sense of peace and purpose and less craziness? In the midst of the festivities, busyness, and sensory overload, you really can discover peace and purpose this Christmas. I've discovered that when I plan to focus on Christ's coming and Advent... the season leading up to Christmas where we intentionally remember what it was like for people thousands of years ago to anticipate the coming of Christ... my joy and delight in Christmas and God's GIFT to us gives me much peace and purpose in spite of all the craziness of the world … [Read more...]
Would you like to give your Christmas tree a nautical look? Since purchased coastal ornaments can be expensive, I made my own driftwood sailboat Christmas ornaments, and you can too, it's really quite easy. But, first I want to say, "Welcome!" Today is Day 4 of the second year of 31 Days of Handmade Christmas Ornaments blog hop which features 30 extraordinary bloggers, plus me. Each day you can expect to be inspired with all kinds of lovely Christmas ornaments. Last year I returned to living on the Lake Michigan coastline after being away for … [Read more...]
Are you faced with a small space in your home or apartment? These simple and do-able small space decorating tips will help you look at decorating your space in a fresh new way. Since getting married, I've been moving around the country. It's provided a great opportunity for learning to overcome space and decorating challenges which every home has. Our most recent move to a small two bedroom apartment has been the most challenging. In order to make my new small space feel spacious and inviting, I implemented a few easy small space decorating tips I've learned through my many … [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 don't know about you... but when the weather warms up and the seasons change, I can't wait to get DIYing around the house. In fact, I've got a fun project underway right now. If you've got the itch to make something beautiful for your home, you're going to LOVE the features from this week's Project Inspire{d}! Be sure to pin your favorites, too. Creative Home Decor DIY Ideas to Inspire You DIY Geometric Globe Pendant Light :: Atta Girl Says Colander Flower Planter :: Two Twenty One DIY Picture Frame Collage Chalkboard :: Giggles Galore Magnolia Market Inspired … [Read more...]
With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner I wanted to inspire you to create some mason jar happiness to dress up your little corner of the world. And throw in a few riddles... just for fun! What do you get when you cross poison ivy with a four-leaf clover? A rash of good luck. Last year I received some lovely green Ball mason jars for a Mother's Day blog hop. I also received blue, and purple, and clear jars, and never got around to doing anything with the green jars. I knew I wanted to use them for St. Patrick's Day. My plan wasn't to do anything … [Read more...]
