Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I know it's not a super huge holiday, but it's fun. I put up just a few touches of decor around our common living areas that I'd like to share. If I was on the ball, I would have shared this post a week or two ago to inspire you. Alas, I am quite the procrastinator. {I like to think most creative people are.} Hope this inspires you for next year!

Facelift Friday | Bulletin Board Upcycle

How many times have you seen something like this at a garage sale or thrift shop and passed it up?

 I found a rather large one at a local thrift shop for $1 and I could not pass it up. It sat in my garage for a long time as I pondered what to do with it. {and worked on a ton of other projects!}

I finally stumbled upon this blog post by Chelsea at two twenty one and fell in love with the idea.

I had the perfect black and white stripe fabric that I picked up at IKEA this past fall. I used spray adhesive to attach the fabric to the bulletin board and then secured it with upholstery tacks I picked up at a big box craft store. The only thing I did different then Chelsea was to separate the tacks a bit more.

I simply used the wood frame as a guide for where to place the tacks.

I love how chic it turned out. I think it looks fantastic vertical or horizontal.

And I took this a step further! The upholstery tacks are a bit longer than regular push pins, and I worried about them sticking out on the backside. So, I found a lovely black trim to cover the back.

Voila! A reversible bulletin board!!

This is such an easy and inexpensive project. Keep your eyes open for bulletin boards this weekend!!

ABCs of Decorating | H

 Decorating for holidays may seem like a silly extravagance. But what it actually does is make your family and visitors feel like you went above and beyond to make them feel special. How does it make you feel when you wash your hands at a friend's home and the guest towel you reach for is a beautiful reminder of the current season God has blessed us with? 

Think beyond Christmas.

For Valentine's Day:

Add simple rosettes to a heart shaped twig wreath.

Put together an easy sweater wreath with your kids. 

Add a simple banner to a mirror or large picture in your child's room.

These delicate hearts couldn't be easier to craft.

You can even add super subtle decor for St. Patrick's Day. {See what I did there? Four leaf clover wreath, green hydrangeas.}

Celebrate Easter with inconspicuous figurines sprinkled in your everyday decor. 

Use forced bulbs to add the fresh feeling of spring in a windowsill.

  For Easter: Make a centerpiece using a nature inspired nest with faux eggs. 

Display tea towels and fabric napkins with simple Easter embroidery.

You can even pick up very inexpensive dinnerware and serving pieces at big box discount stores. {I love these from Target!}

 And of course, for fall, I have tons of ideas and past posts.

 

 Use neutrals to lend a sophisticated touch to the usual Halloween decor. 

Take a cue from nature and add elements that are appear all over at this time of year. 

Springtime Centerpiece

 

It took me a while to get this arrangement just right. It wasn't the type of consideration where you sit and stare at something for hours. This centerpiece was built out of multiple passings by. And I finally settled this afternoon.

 

It's a simple stack of melamine plates from Target's Easter selection years ago. I loved the faux vintage look on them. {The cute little bunnies didn't hurt things either.}

 

 

Also from Target's Easter offerings are the sweet linen {looking} napkins with the embroidered rabbit.

 

 

On top of the stack of plates is a lovely sugar bowl I got from a Dutch company called Pomax. Their stuff is simple and beautiful. I hope to find more before we move back to the States.

The cake stand is a new addition to our home. It is Martha Stewart and I was happy and surprised to find it at the Exchange here in Germany. I am looking forward to experimenting with different seasonal items.

 

If you are local, you will be happy to hear the faux eggs and nest are ridiculously easy to find in Germany. The country as a whole seemingly has a love affair with eggs in the spring. Mine in particular came from Depot.

 

 

After days of walking past our dining room table and slightly rearranging things, I am finally happy with the arrangement. All the spring things make me smile... even when snow is fluttering down right outside my window.

Sharing this post at Cozy Little House.

Valentine Banners + A Ribbon Rosette Tutorial

 

These lovely banners were sold for a limited time in my etsy shoppe this year for Valentine's Day. On each banner, I featured a delicate ribbon rosette. I thought I'd share a very amateur tutorial on how to make these sweet little rosettes.

 

You will need ribbon, double sided adhesive and a piece of cardstock.

 

 

1. Start by lining the piece of cardstock with double sided adhesive. Make the sticky space large enough to accommodate the desired size of your rosette.

 

2. Tie a knot at the end of your ribbon. This will be the center of your rosette.

 

3. Start twisting and wrapping. As you twist the ribbon, wrap it continuously around the knotted center.

 

4. Keep twisting and wrapping until your rosette is the size you desire.

 

5. Trim the ribbon and tuck the end under the completed rosette.

 

 

6. Trim away all the excess cardstock until you can no longer see it from the front. You will place your adhesive on the cardstock backing of the rosette. It is now ready for your project!

Happy to be sharing at Feathered Nest Friday on French Country Cottage!

Valentine's Day Decor | String Hearts

 

I originally found this idea via Pinterest. It led me to Camilla's lovely blog, Family Chic. There you can find the directions to these simple, yet quite lovely hearts.

 

 

I swapped out the bright colors Camilla chose for something a little closer to my decor style. I picked up white and flax colored yarn at a local store. I didn't have the floral wire Camilla used, so I used a medium gauge craft wire to shape the hearts. After some trial and error, I realized I needed to wrap the wire heart with a layer of yarn before weaving the web around them. This kept the yarn webs taught with no slipping.

 

I love this project. It was simple enough to do with my children and they add a special touch to our living area. 

Gratitude Tea Bag Holder

 

November is my absolute favorite month. Although fall officially begins in September, the weather seems to take a more dramatic turn towards autumn in late October, early November. My wedding anniversary is in November, as well as my favorite holiday. I love Thanksgiving because it seems to be one of the last holidays to be heavily influenced by commercialism. Now, I know Black Friday is commercialism at it's finest, but for that one day, it's all about gratitude and family.... and pumpkin pie.

 

 

I created this with the help of a tutorial by Kimberly Van Diepen of Stampin' by the Sea. You can find her awesome instructions here: Stampin by the Sea Club Project  (scroll down) The only thing I did differently, was to adhere the sides of the envelopes together rather than the bottom.
Once assembled, I added a strip of Orchard Harvest designer series paper on top of a strip of taffeta ribbon. I stamped the sentiment on ivory naturals cardstock and punched it out with my decorative label punch. On the inside, I added a simple acorn stamp punched out with the small oval punch.
This simple project takes no time at all to put together and is a perfect little Thanksgiving gift for friends, family, teachers and of course your lovely hostess for Thanksgiving dinner!

Products Used (These can be purchased 24/7 at my Stampin' Up site by clicking on the item.)
Cardstock & Paper
Naturals Ivory Card Stock
Cajun Craze Card Stock
Orchard Harvest Designer Series Paper

Stamps & Ink
Day of Gratitude Stamp Set
Soft Suede Classic Ink

Embellisments
Linen Thread
Early Espresso 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon
 

Tools
Stamping Sponges (for inking the edges to create a distressed look)

Small Oval Punch

Decorative Label Punch

Scallop Envelope Stampin' Up Bigz Die

Big Shot 

 

The Thanksgiving Tree

 

I recently found the most beautiful gem. It is a free downloadable file from Ann at A Holy Experience. The file includes leaf templates with verses of thanksgiving already printed on them. On the back, you are to write something you are thankful for.

 

 

I'm thankful my six year old is thankful for us.

 

After writing your gratitude, you hang the leaves on a tree. You can attach them using binder clips, mini clothespins, twine or simple ribbon. Ann has used several branches in a lovely pot to create her tree. I remembered I have this lovely ornament tree that would be perfect for a project like this.

 

I printed out the leaves on cardstock to make them a little more sturdy and give them some dimension. I punched holes in the stems and strung ribbon through them all. I placed the leaves with some pens in the other candle holder on our buffet and they are ready to be utilized daily in November. Thank you, Ann, for this lovely project.

PS- The fabulous ornament tree was a gift from my lovely mother-in-law several years ago. I believe it was purchased on clearance at Michael's. A similar one can be found here.

Define Your Design | Industrial

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, I'll be feauturing a series of posts that will hopefully help you identify your home decor style. Of course, there is always the eclectic style that takes bits and pieces from everywhere simply because they love them. And love is the secret to a greatly styled home. It doesn't matter where the pieces come from or what category they fall under. All that matters is your decor makes you and your family feel good.

 

 

For the first category, I'm stepping outside my comfort zone a little bit. While I think the industrial style is something that can look incredibly chic, it's not one I've overly experimented with. There are a few pieces in my home that would easily fall into this category and I'd love to add more. It was fun searching out pieces to highlight today.

 

Industrial home decor is pretty much exactly what it sounds. Picture metal accessories, chunky furniture on castors and minimalism at it's finest. There is something so elegant about industrial design. If you find your heart leaning towards this style, here are some pieces I think would be a fabulous addition to your home for Christmas.

 

 

Faux Wood Organizer by Orange Door Cottage | This piece would make a great organizer for all of the lovely cards and photos you receive from friends and family. I also would love to see it as a place to keep Christmas books so they are easily accessible to your children throughout the holiday season.

 

star 9 candleholder from CB2 | A fairly simple accent piece to add a soft glow in the evenings.

 

Twig Wreath from Save On Crafts | A wreath is a must during the holidays. This wreath is simple and clean so it adds a festive look without being too frilly.

Believe Wall Art by Functional Sculpture | A beautiful statement piece... in more ways than one.



 
Twig Reindeer from Pottery Barn | A fun, yet chic addition for the holidays.

Vintage Metal Star Ornament by Merrit Hyde | These ornaments are so lovely and we perfect for the tree or as accents anywhere in your home.

Punched Silver Tree Topper (not pictured) from Crate and Barrel | And of course, you have to have a tree topper. This one with it's crisp lines and stately metal look would be the perfect addition.

Seasonal Decor | It's not too early to decorate for Autumn... Is it?

Well, after quite the sabbatical, I am back to sharing my passion for home decor. I made it a goal for our family to have "The Best Summer Ever" this year, so I've been busy having fun.... and sweating... a lot. {Did you know there is NO AIR CONDITIONING in Germany?!}  Despite living in a sauna, we have managed to cross off most of the items on our Summer Manifesto. We still need to do the Alpine slide (hopefully this weekend!) and the Barfußpfad (maybe next weekend?), but we've had a fabulous summer so far.

As much as I have enjoyed sharing smiles and laughter with my precious family, I am anxiously awaiting Autumn. Oh, Autumn, you make my heart sing. To me, there is absolutely no better season. Maybe now you can understand why living in Rhode Island was a dream come true for me. I still hope and pray to move back there one day. {Though anywhere in New England will certainly suffice!}

Loving fall in front of our RI home. 

I have to pull myself back into reality and we are no longer living in New England. We are so blessed to be enjoying Europe and the fall here is rather splendid. I adore the weather and the ever changing foliage. It is stunning, really.



Salzburg, Austria in October, 2010

Whether you are fortunate to be living in cooler climates or happy to be in warmer locations, there are many simple ways to embrace the season of fall. I'd like to share a few of my favorite ways to celebrate the season.

Candles: This one is huge in our house. Everyone in the family gets excited about yummy smelling candles. Our favorites for fall all come from Yankee Candle: Farmer's Market, Harvest, and Red Apple Wreath. These candles can be found at Bed, Bath and Beyond, at the Exchange (lucky me!) or from Yankee Candle directly.

Pumpkins: Seriously. Everywhere. I love them. As you all know, I am in a seriously white phase right now, so I will absolutely be on the hunt for as many Cinderella pumpkins as I can find. I am dreaming of miniature Cinderellas lining my windowsills. *Ahh*
Of course, you don't have to put pumpkins on your windowsills. Oh, and yours don't have to be white either. Actually, they don't even have to be real! Some of my favorite pumpkins are wicker from Hobby Lobby. I even have pumpkin shaped bowls, plates and a little jute basket. Find your favorite pumpkins and put them all over your house! Use them as centerpieces on your table. Line them up on your bathroom counters. Stick a few on your entry table. You can never have too many! 


Dreamy photo courtesy of Habitually Chic

Guest Towels: These can be easy and inexpensive. I have always found cute fingertip towels for every season at Target. Also be sure to check TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Home Goods for great deals!

Handsoap: It's a little touch that makes a big impression. Check out Bath and Body Works for some fun options! {My favorite is Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin} I've also found great fall scented handsoap at Home Goods and TJ Maxx.

Cozy Throws: This can be anything that fits your current home decor scheme. I happen to love this one from IKEA right now. I think black and white stripes is right on par for fall and nicely ties in with the rest of our family room.

IKEA Eivor Throw

Pillows: I personally change out the throw pillows on the bench in front of our apartment door. Right now there are some very cute pillows on Etsy. My favorites are the feedsack pillows.

Lovely pillow from Vintage Designs Reborn

Mums & Pansies: Of course! These are so super cheap and crazy easy to keep up. Trust me, I have a black thumb! Grab a few pansy plants, throw them in some galvanized buckets and call it a day!



Gorgeous white pansy photo from 52 Flea

No matter where you live though, you can happily pull out that fall decor and make your home feel warm, cozy and happy. Light the cinnamon candles, put the pumpkin bread in the oven and give me a call when it's ready!