Polka Dot Possibilities

Bright Idea

2010-06-29T21:43:00.000-05:00

Recently my traveling partner (aka my mom) and I visited the Southern Living Idea House in quaint Senoia, Georgia. The four story, Savannah-style row home is filled with ideas, design, and finishing touches in every nook and cranny. While I'm not in the market for building a new home, renovating my own, or even getting new furniture, for that matter, I was in heaven. I think I looked at each room twice and touched every piece of furniture as many times. The house had such a cozy, comfortable feeling. Nothing was too stuffy or formal, yet no detail was left undone. Pictures aren't allowed inside which is too bad, but certainly understandable.

After our tour of the home, we made our way to downtown. The downtown area is just around the corner from the site of the SLIH. What a charming area this is. Shops filled with antiques, home furnishings and gifts line the streets. Add to that mix restaurants, bakeries, and such and you've got yourself an afternoon full.

A Wreath for Wednesday

2010-06-16T19:25:00.005-05:00

You may remember this wreath. Well, it just wasn't doing it for me. So, I added a little ribbon and few fakie flowers. Much better now.

Master Bedroom Makeover: Take 3

2010-06-15T15:16:00.006-05:00

Well, this makeover began just after Christmas when I got new bedding, here's take 1. Then I added some new lamps and a mirror for take 2. And, it has taken me until now to get to this stage.

Finally, thanks to my sister, I've added curtains. She bought the curtains from Ikea, but ended up not using them. I just had to hem them up-these are the kind that come with hem tape so you can hem them to the length you need. I was a little hesitant of this at first as I'm not so great at reading directions, but I figured it out just fine.

I'm enjoying the curtains more than I realized I would. They block out just enough light so we can still sleep in when we get a chance and they make the room feel cozy. I guess they make the room feel more finished. Still to come, though, something for above the bed. And, I really want new paint for the walls, but no plans for either of those just yet.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

2010-06-07T20:03:00.004-05:00

To celebrate the end of the school year, I made a this cake, from here. It turned out perfectly and my kiddos were so excited to taste the rainbow!

The colors were so bright and vibrant. I did six layers with the following colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. It was pretty easy, just a little time consuming. It was totally worth it, though, to hear my kids say how cool it was. Fun and yummy!

Happy Birthday, Sister!

2010-05-23T16:18:00.003-05:00

Today is my sister's birthday! She is amazing and I'm thankful to call her my sister! Hope this is your best year ever, Sister! I love you more than you'll ever know!!!!

Happy Birthday, Mama!

2010-05-11T15:13:00.004-05:00

Today is my mama's birthday. I'm looking forward to celebrating with her tonight. She is a wonderful mother and friend. I am so thankful for her!!!

Happy Birthday, Mama! I hope your year is filled with much joy!

tassels with the nester

2010-04-22T19:26:00.005-05:00

Nester is having a tassel party today, so I'm joining in. During the Christmas season, I posted here about a couple of tassels that I made. Since then, I've made a few more. What a great project-especially if you need instant gratification like I do.

This tassel I made using a small cross ornament that I found at Hob Lob during the holiday season. I screwed the bottom of the cross to a candle cup (also found at HL). Then I just glued fabric and ribbon at varying lengths inside and around the candle cup. To finish it, I added trim around the top (to hide the candle cup) and a ribbon to hang it with.

This one is fun with all the pink and green. I made it to coordinate with a friend's nursery.

And, this one I made using ribbon and some left over scraps of fabric.

If you need a quick, cheap, easy project that adds a fun touch to your home, give this a try!

butterflies

2010-04-21T17:10:00.003-05:00

Loving butterflies these days! The hubs got these for my birthday last year. Since it was near the end of summer, I saved them for this spring. They are hanging in our carport currently. Although, I am considering moving them inside because I like them so. They are made of metal and have just the right amount of chipping paint and rust. Did I mention how much I like them?

Happy Easter!

2010-04-02T05:04:00.000-05:00

I am so thankful for the celebration of Easter. Not the bunnies and eggs, but the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior!

this is no joke!

2010-04-01T17:59:00.011-05:00

This is not an April Fool's joke, it is, in fact, a real post. I know it may seem hard to believe since it has been well over a month since my last one. I'm happy to say the sunshine has been a welcomed guest here. And, with the arrival of the sun and warmth, I think I feel my creative energy kicking in. Here's to hoping anyway.

I don't usually post too much about my job as a teacher, but this little project is something I'm proud of. A couple of weeks ago we had a special day at school. This day is intended to expose our students to art, culture, etc. Parents and other members of the community come and share in this special day. I chose a Parisian theme-with a little VanGogh art and bistro style tablescape.

We also made tissue paper flowers in symmetrical vases. I was so proud of how well my students did with their artwork. I have so many little artists! The projects were fun, but I quickly realized why I'm not an art teacher.

birdie

2010-02-22T19:11:00.004-06:00

This weekend I picked up this little bird's nest fern. Love the color, shape and texture-love it all! This is the perfect addition, as I spruce things up, for spring around our nest.

sunshine and spray paint

2010-02-18T18:35:00.006-06:00

Finally, enough sun and warmth to get outside and do a little spray painting. I've had this project in mind for a little while. I decoupaged my L with wrapping paper and spray painted a grapevine wreath. I'm not sure if I like it just yet, I may have to do some adjusting. In fact, I have another idea I might try. But, either way, it felt so good to get outside and my door sure did need something to cheer it up!

Sister See

2010-02-11T17:07:00.003-06:00

The cutest addition to Sister's house is this little fellow. Meet Charlie. He's a Yorkie Poo. Isn't he the cutest thing?!?

Have a Heart

2010-02-10T19:19:00.005-06:00

Saw this idea here and my mama made them to sit atop the cupcakes I made for my little kiddos (I'm a 2nd grade teacher) for our Valentine's Party. Pretty cute, I'd say. Can't wait to hear what the kids think. After all, they think I make the best cupcakes ever, which is quite hysterical to me. One of my sweet angels even asked me for the recipe-they are straight from the box. So, I'm sure they will be super impressed with these!

Wishful Thinking

2010-02-08T17:31:00.004-06:00

I've been thinking about the warmth of spring and summer. I'm tired of this cold, dreary weather. Here in the deep south, it's been an unusually cold and wet winter. I'm normally a fan of cooler weather, but this is just too much. I need to get out in the sunshine and spray paint something. I am ready for green grass, flowers blooming and dinner outside. So, today I looked through my pictures to find something that reminded me of warmer weather. Now, come summer you might have to remind me to be careful for what I wish!

Sister See

2010-01-28T16:43:00.004-06:00

It's been awhile since I've shown you Sister's house. She's really got it looking good! One of her latest accomplishments is the bedding for her guest bedroom.

It's pink and green and oh so fun. She mixed in some really cool patterns. She had the bedskirt and artichoke fabric pillow made, she purchased the Euro shams from PB and the white quilt and green bedding came from TJ Maxx.

Now, we've just got to get the rest of the room looking this good! And, I'm afraid that means I've got some projects to finish. Yikes, that list just keeps getting longer. Check back on Thursdays for more from Sister's. And maybe, just maybe, I'll get some of my projects crossed off my list.

Kitchen Hardware

2010-01-27T19:11:00.005-06:00

After seeing these knobs at Hobby Lobby, I knew they'd be perfect for our kitchen. Sure enough, they add so much character. We still have several to install-another weekend project. But, I love the new look already!

Master Bedroom Makeover: Take 2

2010-01-26T17:07:00.006-06:00

Well, I got new lamps and a mirror for the master bedroom makeover. (You can see Take 1 here.) And, the best part is I used what I had. That's right I didn't spend a dime (well, I guess I did at some point, but not too recently). The mirror I've had for many years and have never used it. It's a little small for the wall, but it works for now. And, the lamps were at Sister's. My mom bought one and I bought the other thinking she might need them in her new house, but turns out we went a little lamp crazy over there and she doesn't need them after all. So, I took them home with me and they fit in just right with the new look.

Slowly, but surely I'm making some progress. Next up, curtains and curtain rod. I'm crossing my fingers that I can get that taken care of this weekend.

Oh yeah, I think I'm going to go back over to Sister's and resume our Sister See Tour. She's had some more work done on her house and a few projects completed since we took our last tour. So, I hope you'll come back Thursday for that.

Smelling Good

2010-01-14T20:25:00.006-06:00

I got this pretty little diffuser for Christmas. It smells delightful and the turquoise color is perfect for several rooms in our house. Right now, it's living in the bathroom. I'm thinking when the oil is out it will make a lovely vase, too.

Paperwhites

2010-01-12T19:30:00.005-06:00

I bought Paperwhite bulbs and intended to plant them early enough to enjoy their blooms during the holidays. But, it was after New Year's before I got around to getting them planted. And, now a few of the bulbs have already started blooming. I'm glad I waited to plant them. Our house has felt so empty without all the Christmas decor. So, this has been just the touch needed to brighten things up around here.

Master Bedroom Makeover: Take 1

2010-01-11T08:23:00.000-06:00

For Christmas Sister got us a new bedding. That means time for a makeover! Actually, our master bedroom has never really been finished. Here are some pictures of how our bedroom looked before the new bedding. Don't get me wrong, this room was just fine before, it just wasn't ever complete-no mirror, not much on the walls, mismatched window treatment. And, the colors in here didn't work well with the colors in the master bath which you can see here.

This new bedding is just what I needed to motivate me to makeover the bedroom and finally get it complete. So, that is what I'm working on now. The bedding is a blue/gray which works so well with our master bath-it really ties the two rooms together.

This is only the first phase, though. Still to go are window treatments, lamps, mirror, wall art, a monogrammed pillow for the bed and maybe even some new paint on the walls. So, stay tuned. Hopefully, I'll have this complete soon!

All a Flutter

2010-01-05T19:33:00.007-06:00

As promised, here's a shot of one of my Christmas gifts. Jamie got this cute, metal dragonfly for me. I put it in one of our house plants rather than outside to protect it from rusting. Loving it!

Something Pretty

2010-01-04T19:36:00.004-06:00

Oopsie! I did it again. Took a little bloggy break, that is. Not on purpose, though. Well, I'm really going to try to get back in the swing of things so my sweet mother and sister will leave me alone (ha, ha!). Anyway, I've been making some lists (I'm a total list person) of projects I want to complete and possible posts. I've even set some goals for the new year. I hope you'll check back to see how that goes. Later this week, I'll even show you some of the fabulous gifts I got for Christmas. For today, I looked through all my pictures and found this pretty one. It's not new, but it made me feel good on this cold, cold day. Hope you have had a great Monday!

Craft Project: Tassel

2009-12-03T19:01:00.001-06:00

After seeing a couple of tutorials for tassels, like this one and this one, I knew this was something I'd have to try. So, I did. I used knobs from Hobby Lobby, some ribbon, a little burlap (on the cream and brown one) and some trim. This was such a fun project. There are so many possibilities!

Oh Christmas Tree

2009-12-02T15:46:00.000-06:00

Not much has changed this year, as far as our Christmas decorations. In our living room, we have a tree decorated in brown, cream and a light turquoise. I bought most of these ornaments the first year Jamie and I were married at an after Christmas sale. And, I've added a few here and there. The ornaments complement the colors in our living room perfectly. I love how cozy the living room feels with the glow of the tree. Ahhh! Hope you are enjoying this Christmas season!

Merry, Merry

2009-12-01T18:31:00.004-06:00

We got all decorated for the holidays this past weekend. Now, we're just enjoying the season! I'll be posting pictures of our Christmas decor over the next few days. And, there'll even be a few a projects here and there.

Here's a wreath that is hanging in our guest bedroom. And, did you notice the sign? It's true, I want it all!

Gobble, Gobble

2009-11-05T20:07:00.005-06:00

After putting away all the Halloween decor, I pulled out this guy. I keep my pumpkins out through Thanksgiving. But, he's the only thing I have specifically related to Turkey Day. Kind of a cutie, I think!

Mantel Makeover

2009-11-04T17:04:00.008-06:00

I haven't posted too many pictures of our fall decor, so I thought I'd make up for lost time today. Here are a couple of shots of our mantel. Our mantel is usually one of the most challenging things for me to decorate. But, for fall it came together pretty easily. This arrangement is very simple, yet I really love it. The symmetry of the candlesticks and pumpkins on each end works well with the off-centered monogram print. This arrangement just feels cozy, like I want my home to feel during the fall.

Fall Break?

2009-11-04T06:13:00.001-06:00

Well, it seems I’ve taken a little Fall Break. Life has just been busy lately. You might notice I got a facelift, too! It was just what I needed to welcome me back from my break. Sister bought this makeover for me from The Design Girl. LOVE IT!!!

What do you think?

So, now that I’m back, I’d better get busy with some projects. I’ve got plenty of them to do, that’s for sure. Just not sure which ones to tackle first. I’ll keep you posted, though. And, no more breaks!

All That Glitters Is Gold

2009-09-22T17:29:00.006-05:00

After seeing some of Martha's glittered pumpkins, I wanted to try some for myself. Last year, near the end of fall, I got a few ceramic pumpkins on sale (90% off) at Hobby Lobby. They have just been waiting for the perfect project. So, I got out my Martha glitter and got to work. And yes, you do have to use the Martha Stewart glitter. I couldn't quite understand how Martha could make her glitter so special, but she does. It is so airy, like powder and just has more sparkle.

This project is pretty easy, but somewhat time consuming and very messy. All you have to do is spread glue or Mod Podge on the pumpkin(s) evenly then sprinkle on the glitter. I did my pumpkins section by section for a smooth application. Let them dry for a little while -I let mine dry over night. Just be prepared, the glitter gets everywhere. But, in the end you'll have pretty little pumpkins to add to your fall decor.

Happy Fall!

Fallbulous

2009-09-08T20:23:00.004-05:00

It's not quite fall, but Labor Day weekend marks the start of my fall decorating. Jamie got the plastic tubs down from the attic and I started putting out the pumpkins. I've still got quite a lot to do, but here's a little peek.

Are you ready for fall? I am. I just love this time of year! I'm also excited to see all the decor from other bloggers and get new ideas for some crafts to try.

Friday's Favorite

2009-09-04T05:04:00.008-05:00

Happy Birthday, Daddy! I love you and hope you have a great day!!!

Get excited, it's Friday! There is nothing like a Friday during football season here in Auburn. The town is all a buzz and everywhere you look people are sporting their orange and blue. Final preparations are being made before the big day on Saturday. Well, we're ready! We've got the vehicles loaded and coolers filled. Here's our checklist: generator, tv, coolers, tents, chairs, tailgating box (that's right, we've got a box (on wheels) filled with all of our weekly essentials), tables, and don't forget the cute orange and blue serving pieces. Our weekly schedule has been executed well. Now all we have to do is go cheer on our Tigers!

Happy Friday and War Eagle!!!

Sister See

2009-09-03T19:54:00.007-05:00

I missed last week's post from Sister's house, but here's what she's been up to-trying to figure out paint colors for her kitchen, living room, guest bathroom and laundry room. Plus, she's getting her kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanity cabinets painted. She had a hard time making a decision, as you can see.

But, she's finally narrowed it down. The painting should start any day now! It is going to be such a change. We're really excited!!! I can't wait for the final results.

Stay tuned for more from Sister's!

It's That Time of Year

2009-08-31T17:11:00.008-05:00

College football season is almost here. For us, that means tailgating. Each year we try to make a few improvements to make things easier for the next year. Well, this year we kicked it into high gear getting ourselves organized. We've been working for weeks now to ensure a smooth and successful tailgate for Saturday. We even held an official tailgating meeting and established a schedule for each week. Yes, we take this stuff very seriously! Here's just a peek at what we've been up to.

I'll be doing a few more posts over the next few days that include more of the details. But for now I'll leave you with WAR EAGLE!

Going Green

2009-08-24T20:08:00.004-05:00

In my dining room that is. I got this basket and cute little sign for my birthday, several days ago. They both have the same chippy, green patina. My dining room chairs just so happen to have a pale green fabric on them, too. I didn't really plan this, but I'm loving the way it's all working together. More pics to come once everything is in place.

Friday's Favorite

2009-08-21T19:55:00.003-05:00

You may remember this little table from a previous post of our house tour. This mirrored table serves as my bedside table in our master bedroom. I got it from my favorite furniture store, At Home. I love this little table. It could easily move to our living room or another bedroom, making it a very versatile piece. I love furniture like that-pretty and practical. So, it's my favorite for Friday.

Happy Weekend!

Sister See

2009-08-20T20:08:00.006-05:00

Whew, it's been a week since my last post. But, I'm back with some new pictures from Sister's. Last week she had granite countertops installed in her kitchen. They are just gorgeous!

Here's her kitchen before she moved in, with the previous owner's stuff.

And, here are the new countertops! She also got a new sink and faucet. Pretty, aren't they?

In a couple of weeks, she'll be getting the cabinets painted, new hardware and new appliances. Cooking is her thing, so a shiny, new kitchen was in order! I can't wait for it to all come together. Christmas baking (well, I'll just be watching) should be so much fun!

Thanks for stopping by for Sister See. As always, you can come back every Thursday for more!

Sister See

2009-08-13T19:00:00.007-05:00

It's Thursday and that means I've been over at Sister's taking some pictures. Here's her entryway. In true Nester style (click here to learn about Nester) we hung plates on the wall and used what she had. I call it playing house. I often ask Sister if I can come over and play house. This usually results in her rolling her eyes at me. I don't care, though!

This weekend we're going to play house as we finish up one of her guest bedrooms. But, don't worry, I didn't invite myself. I was actually invited this time! And, there are big changes going on in Sister's kitchen. Hopefully, I'll have some spectacular before and after pictures to post soon!

Make It A Monogram: Tutorial

2009-08-12T20:27:00.011-05:00

Last week, I showed you a monogram I created for my desktop background (click here). Today, I'm going to show you how I did it. So, now you'll be able to make your own monogram!

1. Go here to download this monogram font

2. Read the directions here on how to download fonts

3. Open Microsoft Word

4. Install a text box

5. Add your initial using the monogram font. I made mine a size 200 for the middle letter and 150 for the two side letters. You will need three text boxes-one for each letter. The reason you add text boxes, rather than just typing it out, is so you can move the text boxes around.

6. To get your monogram just right, you'll have to play around with the size, how you want the letters to overlap (having text boxes allows you to move the boxes so the letters overlap) and your colors (background).

7. When you get it like you like it, save your monogram and add it as your background. You could also use this to create your own note cards and such!

I hope this helps! I'll be happy to try to answer any questions.

Homey According to Hubby

2009-08-11T20:03:00.005-05:00

I'm kind of at a loss as to what to blog about. I've got about a million unfinished projects, but nothing ready to post. So, I've been trying to think about things in my house that I haven't blogged about already.

I thought about what it takes to make a house a home. Well, according to my hubby it is a plant. I'm kinda just kidding. But, in all seriousness, my hubby does like house plants. He rarely has an opinion (not because he's not asked) when it comes to house decor. But, when my mom brought this particular plant over, he noticed it right away. He actually said he liked it because it makes the house look homey. Now, I do agree with him. However, I just thought it was pretty funny considering what things go unnoticed around here. So anyway, there you have it. If you need to make your house look homey, just add a plant or two.

I hope I'll get back into the swing of things within the next few days, so stay tuned!

Sister See

2009-08-06T20:16:00.004-05:00

I am very excited about this week's post. My sister got an upholstered headboard. I hired my MIL to make it for her. It turned out wonderfully. Sister loves it and so do I. It's actually a magic headboard (now Sister, don't get mad, Puh-lease!). It has the ability to make one, who normally doesn't make the bed each day, make the bed each day.

In case you can't tell from the pictures, it is a light turquoise linen fabric. She's had her bedding, from Pottery Barn, for a little while now. It is a perfect match for the headboard, even though she was planning to get new bedding. We like it so much with the headboard, though, I think she's decided to keep it.

Anyway, pictures just don't do it justice. It is so, so gorgeous! She's still working on getting everything else fixed up in her bedroom (curtains, art for the walls, other accessories, etc.), but this was a great start!

Hope you enjoyed stopping by at Sister's. She has been working hard on transforming her house into her home. It is really coming along nicely! Come back next Thursday for more from her house!

Make It A Monogram

2009-08-05T20:27:00.006-05:00

I love a monogrammed anything. There is just something so classy about them. Well, one day I saw a monogram as a desktop background. I thought it was a fabulous idea. So, I went about making my own. It was actually pretty easy.

What do you think? This is a screen shot from my computer. I love, love, love it! I'm working on a tutorial so you can all have one of your own! I know, very exciting stuff!!! So, stay tuned and it will be up sometime next week!

Don't forget about Sister See tomorrow. I'll be showing you something so pretty from my sister's house. You won't want to miss it!!!

Diffuser Reuser

2009-08-04T20:04:00.007-05:00

I am not the best at recycling in the traditional sense of the word. However, I think I do my part with all of the furniture I have upholstered and all the junk I refurbish and repurpose. A recent repurposing trick I discovered is to reuse a reed diffuser container for a small bud vase. Once all of the fragrance has evaporated, you can wash it out and add a pretty little flower. Most of the containers are small and pretty, making the perfect little vase. Here's what one of the containers looked like as a diffuser. And then below is how I used it for a bud vase. So, that's how I'm doing my part to reduce, recycle and reuse!

Wild One

2009-08-03T14:07:00.008-05:00

I spotted (ha, ha) these place mats on clearance-a $1.50 each at Wal-Mart. So, I figured they would be a nice addition to our dining room table. I turned them so that they would hang, like a runner, rather than placing them flat. They are just what we needed for a walk on the wild side!

Friday's Favorite

2009-07-31T13:36:00.008-05:00

By now, it's no secret that I love flowers. Hydrangeas are among my favorite for summertime. We have several in our yard. This year they were so pretty.

I only treated myself to a few of the blooms, but what a treat they were. I enjoyed them so, so much.

In fact, I still have one bloom that I've been enjoying for two weeks now. I'm hoping it will last another week or two. So pretty!

Happy Friday!

Sister See

2009-07-30T19:34:00.000-05:00

It's Thursday and you know what that means-a trip to Sister's house. This week's feature is a bench that belonged to my grandmother. Sister's house has the perfect wall for the bench. It is near her entryway making it convenient for holding her purse or taking a seat to put on shoes. We used a linen fabric for the seat cushion and matching pillow. The initial monogram on the pillow added a touch of personalization. I think the bench is just lovely.

So glad you could join me for this week's edition of Sister's See. I'll be back next week for more of the tour. We'll be working on some things this weekend that I'm anxious to share- so stay tuned!

Hold It!

2009-07-29T16:28:00.006-05:00

I bought this acrylic napkin holder a few weeks ago and couldn't be happier. It is perfect for holding cheap, everyday napkins. This particular napkin holder stands upright, taking up very little counter space-love that! Have you ever found something so simple, yet so practical that you are reminded each day how great a purchase it was? This is that for me! Before, the napkins were in a mess in one of the kitchen cabinets! Now, they've got a cute little home to call their own. It's the simple things, right?

Cross Your Art

2009-07-28T15:52:00.001-05:00

I am loving all the metal crosses that I've seen everywhere. Hobby Lobby has had some really great metal ones-a lot of them are on clearance now. Most of them, however, require that the cross be drilled to something (like the wall or another piece of wood, etc.). Not wanting to attach the cross to the wall, I had the idea of framing the cross. Well, it just so happened that I had an extra piece of wood that was just the perfect size. I also had a frame that I'd picked up at a yard sale. So, with a little experimenting for the color, I painted both the wood (a light blue) and the frame (an off white). I distressed the frame a little and then attached the cross to the wooden board and the board to the frame. This was super easy and quite inexpensive (less than $10). I really, really love the way this turned out!

Door Decor

2009-07-27T14:58:00.007-05:00

Awhile back, my mother-in-law showed me this picture because she knows I enjoy floral arranging. It's from Budget Decorating-a Woman's Day publication. As you might notice, I tore it out and have been holding on to it for quite sometime.

I have been on the hunt for a perfect bucket to make an arrangement for our front door. I finally found the perfect door bucket, but it was just a plain galvanized bucket. I thought about painting it, but then saw some wrapping paper and new that would be just perfect-it's damask. So, I cut out the shape of the bucket with the paper and decoupaged away. Then, I got some fake flowers (oh, the tragedy) and made this little arrangement. I'm loving it for summer!

Friday's Favorite

2009-07-24T12:36:00.001-05:00

A few years ago I tried a Voluspa candle. Now, they are my favorite. You know it is hard to find a really great candle. Often times, they don't smell or just the opposite- they have a very overpowering smell. Sometimes they come in an ugly container, don't last very long, and the list could keep going. Well, not so with these. The smell is evident, but not over done, the containers are simple and sleek, and they burn for a long, long time.

Now, I'm not an expert on all the scents, but I do have a couple of favorites. For the fall and winter, I love Santiago Huckleberry. In the spring and summer, I prefer Saijo Persimmon. So, if you are in the market for a new candle, you should definitely try one out.

Happy Friday!

Sister See

2009-07-23T19:04:00.000-05:00

As promised, I'm back with more to show you from Sister's house. You can see last week's feature here. Today, is going to be a little bit of a tease, I'm afraid. Last weekend, Sister bought this wonderful old, metal bed. We already had an idea for this room (even before she bought the house) and have been picking up pieces for it all summer. We almost have all of the key pieces and it is really coming together fabulously. Until we're completely finished, you'll have to settle for this. These are the linens and fabrics we're planning to use and here's a sneak peek of the bed. More to come soon, I hope!

Silver Service

2009-07-22T21:05:00.005-05:00

Well, I'm a copy cat. But, isn't that the great thing about blogging-getting new ideas? Shannon, from Bless Our Nest, always has the cutest silver trays that she turns into chalkboards. So, this past weekend I went to a few yard sales and picked up this tray for 50 cents. I was so excited because I knew that it would be the perfect chalkboard. Here it is before it got the treatment. See all those scratches?

And, here it is now, in its new life, with a few coats of chalkboard paint. Recycling at its finest!

Now, don't forget to come back tomorrow to see what's up at Sister's. It's my new series-Sister See. We'll be visiting her on Thursday to check in on her new place and the progress we're-I mean I'm- making with all of our projects-and by that I mean all the projects my mama keeps suckering me into doing. No really, it is a lot of fun and I do love a good project. Anyway, you can click here to see last week's post.

Fabric Fever

2009-07-21T09:29:00.007-05:00

I have a constant case of fabric fever. Right now I have a yard of this fabric. I'm trying to decide what to do with it and if I'll need another yard or two. I would like to incorporate it into our living room/dining room area. You can see our living room here and dining room here. The pattern is very bold so I'm thinking it should be limited to a pillow for the couch or seats for the dining room chairs. I love that it will introduce some new colors into the room-like navy and coral-while working with some of the room's existing colors. Here it is draped over the chair in our living room. Decisions, decisions. What do you think?

Flag A Flyin'

2009-07-20T19:12:00.008-05:00

Right now I'm loving my summer flag flying in the breeze! It is sporting lime green, hot pink and black with stripes and polka dots. Those colors are always a great combination. Yard decor at its best.!!!

Friday's Favorite

2009-07-17T04:16:00.001-05:00

There is something wonderful about coming home to a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers. That is what happened yesterday. My sweet mama brought these zinnias to me from our local farmer's market. I put them in a vase and have been enjoying them so much-definitely a Friday Favorite! They are bright and happy and just perfect for the carefree days of summer. Hope you have a fabulous Friday!!!

Sister See

2009-07-16T19:50:00.007-05:00

I'm going to try really, really hard to make this a weekly post. It won't be a formal tour of my sister's house, but each week, on Thursday, I'll try to show something from her house- a project we've completed, a piece of furniture we've refurbished, an object we've repurposed, a corner we've decorated and eventually a room we've finished.

So, here's a little corner we decorated right away. It definitely was a team effort trying different pieces of art and other objects. It really helps when you have another pair of eyes and set of ideas. After playing with several arrangements, we settled on this. Even before all of the boxes were unpacked we had this corner all fixed up. That is the fun stuff, right?!? Of course, I'm sure it will change, but for now, I'm loving this little corner. It's so welcoming and cozy and just plain homey.

Hope you'll come back next week to see more from Sister's!

Back Porch Beautification

2009-07-15T20:18:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I promised to show you where this little tray found its new home. So, here's the scoop. This year, my goal has been to spruce up our back porch. We go through the back porch several times a day, so I wanted it to be appealing.

I had been looking for a wicker chair and was super excited when I found one for 50% off. I already had the green pillows so I knew they'd be perfect with the chair. I got the small candle lanterns last year at Old Time Pottery for a few dollars and spray painted them green to match the pillows. I found the fern for 50% off. So, with all of that in place, I decided to paint the little tray to coordinate. I'm loving this little corner of our back porch now!

Tray Transformation

2009-07-14T20:18:00.003-05:00

Whew, it has been awhile. I've been busy and hopefully will have some great new posts to prove it. Today I'm featuring a project that I completed a couple of weeks ago. When Sister was packing up, I came across this lovely little plastic tray we'd had a few years back. It was about to be tossed in the donate pile. So, I rescued it and moved it to my pile. By the way, I love it when Sister moves. I get all kinds of goodies. Anyway, here is what it looked liked before getting the special treatment.

After a couple of coats of green spray paint, I added our name and polka dots with a white paint pen. Of course, it is not suitable for use with food now. However, I have other plans for it. Here it is in all of its green glory.

You'll have to stay tuned tomorrow to see where it found its new home on the back porch!

Happy Fourth of July!

2009-07-04T18:11:00.007-05:00

I am proud to be an American. I am so thankful for all who serve and have served our great country to give us the freedom we celebrate today. God bless America, land that I love!!!

We're enjoying fireworks on the beach, good food and a wonderful time with family. Hope you have a happy day as well!

Changing and Rearranging

2009-07-02T10:10:00.003-05:00

This past weekend, I needed to change things up a bit. Normally, our kitchen table is set with four place settings that include: a charger, dinner plate, salad plate and cloth napkin. Well, we used our kitchen table to serve our buffet style Sunday dinner so I had to clear off everything. The chargers are too large to fit in the cabinets so I had to get creative and find a home for them. I used this one as a tray on the counter. I liked it so much, it might just have a new home here.

Sunflowers

2009-06-29T20:02:00.005-05:00

Sunflowers are so bright and cheerful. They make for a cheap, easy flower arrangement with a great pop of color. Sunflowers and summer, the perfect combination!

Before and After: Kitchen Chairs

2009-06-25T20:02:00.005-05:00

So, yesterday I showed you the Before pics of my sister's kitchen chairs. My mom and I cleaned them up and gave them a couple of coats of paint. My mom bought Sister a kitchen table and we painted the base and legs of the table the same color. We had the chair cushions upholstered in two coordinating fabrics. The first thing we did was pick the fabric, the oh so fabulous fabric. Then we chose a coordinating paint color-a light gray. Everything turned out so beautifully! As promised, here are the Afters:

Oh, I just love all these projects!

Before and After: Kitchen Chairs

2009-06-24T21:10:00.000-05:00

My sister is all moved in to her new house! As a surprise, my mom and I painted her kitchen chairs and table and had the chair cushions upholstered. The kitchen chairs came from my grandmother and my sister absolutely loved them for their simple, yet elegant style. Good eye, Sister! Of course, they were in need of some tlc. Here they are:

You'll have to come back tomorrow for the After pics. You won't be disappointed. We just got everything put together tonight and we are thrilled with the final results!!!

Summer and Seashells

2009-06-22T17:16:00.007-05:00

With summer in full swing, I've lightened things up a bit on our entryway table. I found this huge bag of seashells at HomeGoods and thought it would be the perfect addition for the season. I'm longing to be on the beach, feeling the breeze blowing and soaking up the sun. For now, this will be my reminder of what awaits.

For My Daddy

2009-06-21T05:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

Thank you for loving Amanda and me so much! You've always let us know how proud you are of us. You have shown us unconditional love and taught us the value of loyalty, perseverance and commitment. Thank you for taking the time to have fun with us (I sure did love riding all those roller coasters), teach us (I'm sure I know my multiplication facts better than the average) and guide us (even though we didn't get to have lunch in Atlanta and you could barely drive us home from your eye appointment that one time). I am so thankful for you and proud of you! I hope you have a wonderful Father's Day! I love you!!!

Friday's Favorite

2009-06-19T05:43:00.000-05:00

Yay, yay today is moving day!!!

Today is a wonderful day! My sister is moving back to Auburn!!! She has been wanting to move back (and I have been begging her to) for awhile now and it is finally happening today. She got a great new job and bought a house!!! So, it is a very exciting time for her and I'm thrilled to be a part of all of this with her.

Sister, I'm so proud of you! Another amazing accomplishment for you!!! We are going to have so much fun decorating and arranging and your favorite-repurposing! So, get your running shoes and painting clothes on (wait, do you have any painting clothes??? ha, ha!) cause we've got a lot to do!

I'll be posting the pics of our projects throughout the next few weeks! And, hopefully she'll let me post some pics of her house, too.

Polka Dot Your Pot

2009-06-10T16:19:00.005-05:00

If you were expecting a Wreath for Wednesday, I must apologize. I think that little mini series has come to an end. But, here's a little quick project that you can do. Get yourself a clay pot and paint that pot black (or another color that you like). Then add some cute, little polka dots with white paint (or another color that you like). Add a little plant or flower and you are finished! This is a quick, easy and cheap project-great for a gift or for yourself!

On a Roll

2009-06-09T15:45:00.006-05:00

So, I have a little collection of ribbon. My storage solution for the ribbon was not working out too well. I had the rolls stored in these huge, glass jars. But, the ribbon would end up with more off the roll than on and they took up a lot of valuable space in my craft closet.

So, the other day while visiting my parents, I saw that my dad had his pants hanging on these handy dandy hangers. Then I heard my parents having a discussion about how these hangers weren't going to work anymore. Thus enters my vision. That would be the perfect hanger for my ribbon. Yep, that's how my mind works. Always thinking about myself-I mean my craft projects. I have seen similar ideas elsewhere.

So anyway, my mom brought that hanger to me yesterday and this afternoon I sorted through my rolls of ribbon and hung them all nice and a little bit neat (and somewhat color coordinated, too).

Twofer

2009-06-02T19:31:00.007-05:00

Last week I bought a grocery store bouquet of flowers and was able to make two arrangements. I was thrilled. It felt like I got the most for my money or more bang for my buck-a two for one kind of deal. Here they are in all of their blooming beauty.

An cheerful little arrangement with yellow and lime green.

A more elegant arrangement.

Something Pretty

2009-06-01T18:11:00.007-05:00

Here's a little something I've been wanting to do for awhile-plant a succulent. I found this little urn at an antique/restoration of junk store and knew a little succulent would be the perfect fit. I just love the rust and chipped paint on the urn. And, the way the bright green of the succulent pops against the creamy white paint and looks so pretty.

Friday's Favorite

2009-05-29T04:16:00.000-05:00

Sister, Sister

I haven't been doing so well with Friday's Favorites lately or blogging at all, for that matter. Life has been busy, very busy. But, it has been great! One of the greatest things about my life is sharing it with my sister!!! So today, she's my Friday Favorite.

Over the past few weeks I've enjoyed getting to tag along for the ride as she embarks on an exiting new chapter in her life-more to come on that. Last weekend we celebrated her 25th birthday. What a celebration it was!!! She has accomplished so much in her life and I am so proud of her. She is intelligent, beautiful, compassionate, determined, loving and sassy. Amanda, you are amazing! I hope you never forget that. Keep smiling your bright smile. I know the best is yet to come!!! I love you, sister!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best friends are we, my sister and me!

Contain Yourself

2009-05-28T18:55:00.002-05:00

I love plants and flowers, but I'm not too much on yard work and sweating. So, for me container gardening is a great option. I've been wanting to try a container like this for quite awhile. I recently found just the right container (at TJ Maxx). I planted a few plants and hung it on the wall in our carport. Even the hubs likes it.

Here's how it looked empty. Then I filled it with moss along the sides and put a little piece of coconut liner down in the bottom. After that, I just put my plants in place. When doing container plantings I try to have layers. That helps make the container visually pleasing. For this container you'll notice the taller plants (Coleus) in the back and then the flowing, vine like plants (Creeping Jenny and St. John's Wort) towards the front. Another thing to remember is the temperature and sunlight tolerance of the plants. All of these do well with part sun which is perfect for the carport since it is shaded for much of the day.

A Wreath for Wednesday

2009-05-27T20:30:00.003-05:00

This week's wreath post is going to be quick. I made this boa wreath for my cousin who is expecting her first baby in a couple of weeks! This is a super easy wreath to make and it is so soft and fluffy. Just perfect for welcoming a new baby. If you want to make one, just get yourself a styrofoam wreath form, a couple (two or three) of boas (pink or blue) and some ribbon to match. Start with one end of the boa and glue that to the wreath form then wrap the boa around the wreath form. Then glue the other end to the form and start with the next boa. Glue and wrap until you're finished and it is fluffy enough for you. If you want, you can add a little embellishment, bow or ribbon. Easy, peasy. These look so pretty hanging on a front door waiting to welcome baby and mom home from the hospital! Happy Wednesday!

Happy Anniversary!

2009-05-27T13:25:00.007-05:00

Today is our wedding anniversary! What a happy day that was, three years ago. Being married to Jamie has been the greatest gift. I am still amazed by his love for me. He is my strength and comfort and joy. Jamie, I love you more today than I could have ever imagined. You make my life complete. I look forward to a lifetime of loving you!!!

A Wreath for Wednesday

2009-05-20T21:23:00.003-05:00

This week's wreath is nothing fancy, but one of my favorites. I just used a mini grapevine wreath and tied a metal cross on it with some pretty brown ribbon. So simple! I especially love the metal cross. Happy Wednesday!!!

A Wreath for Wednesday

2009-05-13T19:07:00.008-05:00

A friend of mine made a diaper wreath for another friend when she had her baby. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to make one. They are so cute and super easy to make. I've made one for a baby girl and baby boy, as you'll see in the pictures.

Here's what you need:

-diapers

-wreath form (the metal kind)

-coordinating rolls of ribbon of your choice (3-5 rolls)

-wooden letter or other embellishment (optional)

Here's what you do: hope the pictures help (there are two different wreaths shown)

1. open up the diaper just a little and put the wreath form in (I turn the diaper so that the back of the diaper is the part you see-that makes it all white on the front and the pattern part of the diaper is on the back side of the wreath)

2. gather the diaper at the top and tie ribbon in a knot

3. continue doing this until your wreath is full

4. add embellishment-big bow at the top or bottom, a letter in the middle, etc.

5. give the wreath to the mommy-to-be to hang on her hospital door or make one to use as decoration for a shower

Stay tuned every Wednesday for the next few weeks for more wreath ideas!

For My Mama

2009-05-11T16:49:00.004-05:00

My mother is the greatest woman I know. She is strong, smart, loving, giving and selfless. This weekend my sister and I got to celebrate Mother's Day and her birthday with her. Mama, I hope you know how much you are loved and appreciated. There are not words great enough to express my love for you. Amanda and I are who we are because of you. I hope we make you proud! Our lives have been blessed beyond measure and I am thankful to you for that. I love you!

Happy Mother's Day and Happy Birthday!

A Wreath for Wednesday

2009-05-06T18:24:00.008-05:00

I love a pretty wreath hanging on my front door or over a mirror. So, I'm always on the lookout for ideas for wreaths I might like to make. Awhile back I was looking on Etsy and saw the cutest fabric wreaths. I was in love! So, I went to my local Hobby Lobby (I think I should get to shop there for free, as much advertising as I do for them) and got the supplies to make my own fabric wreath. Here's what I got.

First of all, you want to choose your color scheme and buy a few different pieces of fabric and rolls of ribbon in those colors (or you can use scraps of fabric you already have).

Then you need to cut your fabric and ribbon in small, narrow strips (about 1-1.5" wide by 5" long). You will need many, many, many strips of fabric and ribbon.

After you have your strips of fabric and ribbon cut, start tying them on the wreath frame. I tied mine on the outer ring and the inner ring of the wreath and that was enough to make it as full as I wanted.

If you look closely at the wreath form, you'll notice it has several sections. I would recommend working in sections so you can get an idea of the fullness and how much more/less you to need to add. It is also a good idea working in sections so you can have a stopping point (and, if you're like me and need instant gratification). This does take quite awhile, but you can work on it a little along and even while you're watching tv.

You may have to play around with yours to get it to your own desired fullness. Another thing to remember is to space out your different patterns/colors.

When you get all your ribbon and fabric tied on and you have your desired fullness, use some wide ribbon to make a hanger to hang your wreath from the door. If you want, you can hang something decorative in the middle of the wreath. I painted a wooden L for our last name and hung it in the middle. I think it would be cute without anything in the middle, though.

This would be adorable for a baby shower, Halloween, Christmas, and the list goes on! If you want more ideas, check out Etsy or Flickr and type in fabric wreaths. There are lots out there. Let me know if you give it a try!

For the next several weeks, I'll be featuring a different wreath on Wednesdays. So, if you're feeling crafty, join me here next week!

House Tour Tuesday

2009-05-04T20:53:00.004-05:00

Today I'm wrapping up House Tour Tuesday. I'll be showing you the last room in our home. This is our 3rd bedroom. It is painted in a cheery green. This room is all about using what you have. Mostly everything in this room is something I or someone else in my family already had. The bed, curtains, chair and lamp were mine in college. The bedding and pillows were my sister's in college. The dresser was my grandmother's ( a little black paint and some new hardware made it good as new!). The old chippy side table I bought years before Jamie and I got married. I'll never forget showing it to him in all of my excitement and he said, "you paid money for that?" That was just the beginning. He has pretty much given up all together on trying to understand me, I think (when it comes to liking old, beaten up junk-that is). It's probably best that way! Anyway, the only new piece of furniture in this room is the desk. My dad bought that for us when we moved in. Thank you, Daddy!!! The black lamps on the dresser I got at Kirkland's on sale. My sweet sister gave me a gift card to Hobby Lobby that I used to buy the mirror. And, just recently I found the framed cord board at TJ Maxx. I love using what I have to make a space. Oh, and I'm pretty sure Jamie agrees with me on that (ha, ha!).

Yikes, don't mind those messy wires!

Thank you for joining me. That wraps things up for the tour through our house. I've decided I like having series posts, so I'm going to start a new series tomorrow. You'll have to come back then to see what it is. Toodles for now!

Smile

2009-05-04T20:47:00.004-05:00

I found this little guy at TJ Maxx a few weeks ago and thought it was so cute. I don't know about you, but sometimes I could use a little reminder like this-especially on Mondays.

Oh and I'll be back tomorrow to wrap up House Tour Tuesday. I've been a little under the weather with allergies and such, but am feeling better now. Hopefully, I'll be getting back into the swing of things and working on some new projects.

Anyway, Happy Monday!

Friday's Favorite: Frugal Flowers

2009-04-24T15:08:00.000-05:00

Flowers and greenery are an easy and cheap way to add that special touch to your home. I love using different types of arrangements in my decor. It's even better when you can shop your yard! Some of my most favorite arrangements have been the ones I put together with branches and blooms from my yard. Even simple stems of leafy greens look amazing when paired with a pretty vase. Here are some of the arrangements I've made using clippings from my yard.

Azaleas from the spring

Branches of lemon-lime colored leaves (these will last practically forever like this-all you have to do is change the water periodically)

Magnolia leaves mixed in with cedar and grocery store carnations (this was an arrangement I made for Christmas)

Knock-out roses mixed with gardenias and greenery (a simple summertime arrangement)

So, the next time you need to spruce things up on the cheap, check your yard and bring the outdoors in.

The Shabby Nest is hosting a Frugal Friday party today. Check out her site for more frugal decorating ideas.

Happy Friday!!!

House Tour Tuesday

2009-04-21T20:12:00.001-05:00

Welcome to House Tour Tuesday! Today's tour is our guest bedroom. You may recognize the pictures as most of them are from previous posts. Anyway, this is one of my favorite rooms. It is so cozy thanks to all of the fabric. I love just about everything in this room-the lamp, sunburst mirror, chenille bedspread, dresser, upholstered headboard and the list could go on!

This room just has cottage written all over it! And, while it may not be to everyone's liking, it suits me perfectly and makes me happy! Thanks for joining me for the tour! Next week I'll wrap up the tour with our other guest bedroom. Hope you'll stop by.

This is for the birds!

2009-04-20T16:54:00.000-05:00

It didn't take me long to fill our nest with a few of these featherless fowl. I guess, technically, they're not featherless. But, their plumes are porcelain. Anyway, with the little birdie trend in full force, I just had to have a few for my spring spruce-up! Guess who came to the rescue?!? Mother dearest most certainly did. She gave my sister and me almost a whole flock of these little pheasants. Not really, but I liked the alliteration. She really did give us a few in our Easter baskets. Here are some of mine.

In case any of you were wondering what happened to me last week, I took a little hiatus from blogging as I was on Spring Break. Well, I'm back and I've got lots of little things to post about. Don't forget tomorrow is House Tour Tuesday. Only a couple of rooms to go. Hope you'll join me!

Friday's Favorite

2009-04-10T06:49:00.000-05:00

In celebration of Easter, my favorite for this Friday is a little egg garden stake. My mom gave this to me for Christmas. That's right, she got it on Easter clearance last year and saved it for Christmas so I could have it for this Easter. It's so pretty with all the glitter and little flower embellishments! I have it in one of our house plants-it's too pretty to put outside-it just makes me happy when I see all that shimmering glitter. Wishing you all a happy Good Friday!

Hippity Hoppity

2009-04-09T20:36:00.000-05:00

Easter is on its way! Here are few pics from around our house. We've got bunnies and eggs and little birdie nests.

House Tour Tuesday

2009-04-07T16:18:00.000-05:00

Welcome to House Tour Tuesday! Today we're touring another bathroom. This bathroom is our guest bath. I've shown some pictures of this room before. Luckily, the previous owners updated this bathroom the summer prior to us moving in that December (2006).

So, all we've done is hang a shower curtain and some pictures and stock the cabinets with toilet paper, towels, soap and other bath necessities.

This bathroom is quite small, but does house all we need in a bathroom. There is also this built-in cabinet. It is the perfect storage space, featuring open and closed shelving. So, there's room for a pretty display of baskets, towels and containers, but also room to store the unsightlies (yes, I made that word up).

Thanks for stopping by! Our tour is almost over, only two more rooms to go. Oh and stay tuned for this week - pictures of my Easter decor are coming soon (you can see one of the bunnies in some of the photos above)!

Friday's Favorite

2009-04-03T15:42:00.000-05:00

This little ruffled glass bowl has found several uses over the past few months. I love that it is simple, yet feminine. During the fall, it held a display of mini pumpkins.

For Christmas, the bowl was brimming with shiny ornaments.

Now, it serves as a soap dish in our master bathroom.

I can think of many other uses. Wouldn't it be especially lovely at a brunch, filled with fruit salad? Mama-don't worry, I'll wash it thoroughly! I love that I can use it for so many things. A practical and pretty favorite. Happy Friday!

House Tour Tuesday: Before and After

2009-03-31T16:11:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I showed you the before pictures of our master bath, pictures prior to the facelift it received this summer. Today I'm back to show you the afters. It's come along way!

Here's what we did-

We changed the location of the toilet which gave us room for a larger vanity and the toilet fit perfectly in the previously unused space. We eliminated one of the sinks (we had two, now we just have one) and created a vanity area. All the walls and trim were painted, new tile (in shades of blue and gray with a tint of green) went in, all new cabinets, countertops (I can't for the life of me remember what kind of stone the countertops are made of-we wanted concrete, but that didn't work out so we got these instead-they are the perfect shade of gray and created just the look we wanted), fixtures, doors, and hardware were installed. We got a new sink and toilet. Pretty much the only thing that stayed was the tub!

We certainly are enjoying the changes. It's hard to believe how different everything looks. We went from dark and dingy to light and bright. Ahhhhh! Well, that wraps up the tour of our master bath. Thanks for checking in for House Tour Tuesday! We've still got a couple of rooms to go in the coming weeks.

House Tour Tuesday: Before and After

2009-03-30T16:13:00.000-05:00

No, don't worry, you didn't read that wrong. The title does say House Tour Tuesday and it really is only Monday. This week's tour will be our master bath. I don't have too many before and after shots of our house because we haven't had to do a lot of work. The master bath is another story, though. It was the worst room in the house. This past summer we got around to making some changes and doing some updating. So, I thought it only fitting to show you the before shots. Of course, you'll have to come back tomorrow for the afters!

As you can see, this bathroom was sporting the ever so popular hunter green. But, it was accented in gold rather than burgundy. And that is only the beginning. You might also notice that this bathroom was outfitted with carpet, yes carpet in the bathroom. You'll also see that the toilet is jammed right in between the vanity and the shower. And where you see that lonely little wood lingerie cabinet sitting was an empty space. Poor, poor planning. This room was an addition to the main part of the house, hence the steps. Anyway, as you can see we had a lot going wrong. But, I'm happy to say, we're quite pleased with the transformation. Come back tomorrow for more on that!

Friday's Favorite: Spring Fling Edition

2009-03-27T06:42:00.000-05:00

This time of year is perfect for sitting outside and enjoying the beautiful weather. One of my favorite places to do that is our swing. I spruced things up with the addition of these pillows, making it oh so inviting. Definitely a Friday favorite-Spring Fling style! Happy Friday!!!

Spring Fling: DIY Nest Wreath

2009-03-26T20:20:00.000-05:00

I'm loving all of the little nests I've seen around blogland. And, I'm always looking for any excuse to make a wreath. So, I made myself a little nest wreath. A small grapevine wreath, a tiny nest, some mini Easter eggs, and a pretty, little ribbon is all you need. I hung mine over the mirror in the bathroom. It's a great little addition for spring!

House Tour Tuesday: Spring Fling Edition

2009-03-24T19:01:00.001-05:00

For this week's tour, I'm taking a break from the inside of our house. I thought I'd show our back porch. Really, it is more like a stoop. Anyway, the back stoop got dressed up for Spring Fling week and I wanted you to see it. The little stoop leads to our backyard. I come and go this way everyday. The first year we lived here, I didn't think too much about making this space more enjoyable. Then last year, I found this cute metal flower at Hobby Lobby. I knew it would look adorable on the back stoop during the spring and summer months. It adds a little character to an otherwise dull space. I also have this little bench that we keep our shoes under. On top of the bench is a pot of asparagus fern I planted over the weekend.

I love the combination of the metal flower, bench and potted plant. The space is now a bit more welcoming.

Thanks for stopping by for the tour. We'll continue with House Tour Tuesday next week and we'll be back inside. Don't forget to come back tomorrow as Spring Fling week continues!

Spring Fling: Front Porch

2009-03-23T07:15:00.000-05:00

To celebrate the arrival of Spring, I thought it would be fun to do a week long series on all the little Spring touches around our house and yard. So, welcome to Spring Fling week!

This weekend I planted geraniums and ivy in the planters on the front porch. I love the bright red and green. What a cheerful addition they are! The sign says it best-Fabulous!

Hope you'll come back tomorrow for House Tour Tuesday: Spring Fling edition!

Friday's Favorite: Happy Spring!

2009-03-20T15:53:00.000-05:00

Happy Spring and Friday!

What a perfect combination! Spring is certainly one of my favorite times of year. I am loving the beautiful weather, blooming flowers, dinner outside, swinging and wearing my flip flops. This weekend I'm planning to celebrate this lovely season by planting some flowers and sprucing things up around the house-inside and out. I hope you have a beautiful weekend!!!

House Tour Tuesday

2009-03-17T19:20:00.000-05:00

Thanks for stopping in for House Tour Tuesday. Today, we're touring our master bedroom. This is one of the rooms in my house that needs the most work. We have some great things to work with, but it is far from finished. We purchased the furniture this summer and I really love it. The bed is my favorite. It is so big and comfy (thanks to our cushy mattress). I found the bedding and lamps at TJ Maxx this fall. While I really like them, I'm not sure they are exactly what I want for this room. I am still working on the other accessories-like a mirror, curtains, decorative pillows and wall art. I'm sure it will come together with time.

Well, that's all for this week's tour. Thanks for stopping by! Hope you'll drop in next week, too. Bye for now.

DIY-Framed Chalkboard

2009-03-12T20:30:00.000-05:00

After seeing these all around blogland, I knew this was a project I'd like to try. It's only taken me six months to make it happen. This was super easy, though. Here's what you need:

-frame of your choice (mine is 16x20)

-piece of smooth wood cut to fit frame

-chalkboard paint

-paintbrush

-hubby (optional)

-ribbon (also optional)

-chalk

I got my frame (no glass or back) at Hobby Lobby during their recent 66% off clearance, it was $12. Hubby got me a smooth piece of wood cut just right. I painted the wood with a couple of coats of chalkboard paint and let that dry. Then hubby nailed the painted wood in the frame. I tied on some ribbon, hung it up and wrote a little message. And, there you have it - a framed chalkboard. I'm loving it hanging in my kitchen!

House Tour Tuesday

2009-03-10T16:49:00.000-05:00

Welcome to House Tour Tuesday! Come on in for a tour of our kitchen. This was the room I feared that I would dislike the most when we moved into our house. It turned out to be just fine, though. It is quite small and in need of an update. But, it works for us. We have a surprising amount of storage for such a small space. The cabinets are pretty large and we also have a great little pantry. At the end of the kitchen, there is just enough room for a table and chairs, perfect for a casual dinner. The kitchen was already painted red when we moved in which worked well with our Mandy Bagwell dishes. We added a few black and white accessories here and there and we had ourselves a cheerful kitchen.

Thanks for stopping by for Tuesday's Tour. Hope to see you next time!

Busted

2009-03-09T16:23:00.000-05:00

I have been wanting a bust for quite sometime. I guess their frequent appearances in magazines led me in my desire to acquire. Well, not too long ago I came across some busts in a local store for a very reasonable price. They had shabby girl bust and shabby boy bust, oh the decisions. Who knew choosing the gender of a bust could be so taxing? I had an idea of where I wanted to the bust to go, so I went with shabby girl bust. She has made her home on my dresser in our master bedroom. Sitting a top a couple of books in an acrylic tray along with my perfume, she adds a feminine touch to my side of the room.

Now, don't forget-tomorrow is House Tour Tuesday!

Friday's Favorite

2009-03-06T16:29:00.000-06:00

Lamps light up my life. I love lamps, as I mentioned here. I'm constantly on the look out for lamps that are affordable as well as stylish. A few months back, I ran across these beauties at TJ Maxx. I was attracted immediately. I didn't buy them right away, though. I resisted until I just couldn't stand it anymore (two whole days). Then, they made their way home with me. And in our master bedroom they found a home. I love a pair of lamps flanking a dresser. So, that's what I did with these. I love the glass mixed with the metal overlay. I especially love the pattern of the overlay. The pattern complements our bedding but, you'll have to wait to see that on a future installation of House Tour Tuesday.

Happy Friday!!!

Pillow Panache

2009-03-05T08:46:00.000-06:00

Pillows add pizazz. They can make your couch cozy, your sofa snazzy and your bed bodacious. With a pillow here or there, your swing can look swanky, your bench bewitching or your chair just plain charming. Pillows are easy to come by and for the most part, pretty affordable. So, if your recliner needs to be revitalized, a peppy pillow might just be the perfect provision.