Today’s Halloween! I hope you’re enjoying some spooktacular festivities. I’m just hanging around the house rearranging pumpkins. But really. I’m into things like that. This year, I bought a plain white pumpkin, a brownish-orange Cinderella pumpkin and a few mini pumpkins from my local farmer’s market. My favorite farmer even gifted me the cutest, tiniest orange pumpkin today for Halloween. I’m not much of a Halloween decorator, but my mom sent me this cute BOO banner in a card and it’s just the right touch for me. I like the bit of Halloween flair it adds to this fall display. I’m already starting to get excited to decorate for the holidays, but I’m trying to slow down and enjoy my pumpkins (and fall!) a while longer. I hope you have a frightfully fun Halloween! Related articles: DIY Concrete Jack-O-Lanterns How to Make a Halloween Scarecrow Last-Minute Halloween Decorations...
How to Make the Ultimate Concrete Jack-O-Lantern for Halloween
Create spooky-chic Halloween décor for your front porch when you conjure up concrete jack-o-lanterns. Made from plastic pumpkins, these dramatic decorations are surprisingly easy to make....
17 Reasons Fall Mums Are the Best Fall Flowers
As you bid farewell to summer and say hello to fall, decorate your home with fall mums. These perfect fall flowers look great both indoors and outdoors. Mums add so much vibrancy to a home during fall. They’re festive and fun and you can’t do fall without them. Discover the best ways to decorate with these charming fall flowers....
5 Things to Love about Summer in the Midwest
Summer may be coming to a close, but it’s still here—for now. For a season that I associate with slowness, mine has flown by. As most summers do, I suppose. And I feel like I haven’t appreciated it enough. Summers in the Midwest are special. It’s a season when you know it’s all good. It’s all lazy dogs, bare feet and long days. Iced tea, sunsets and happy nights. And I’m going to soak in every hot, humid moment that’s left. The humidity here in the Midwest doesn’t bother me, like it does a lot of people. It’s more like a well-known friend. Familiar, expected. Thick and warm. Kind of like a cozy blanket. In celebration of this almost-gone season, I’m listing my favorite things about summer. What are your favorites? 1. The sound of cicadas I love the sound of cicadas on summer nights. A summer evening isn’t complete without the hum and pulse of their vibrating song. Some people find it noisy, but after growing up hearing it year after year, it’s a kind of music to me. 2. The golden hour There’s just something about summer evenings. They’re lazy. Slow. There’s no reason to rush, and...
5 Easy Christmas Decorations (Ones I Love!)
When decorating for the holidays, I like to keep it easy. I challenge myself to (mostly) decorate with only recycled items and items I already own. This year, I want to share my favorite items to decorate with for Christmas, and how I’ve used them in my home. 1. Decorating with fresh greenery The trimmings from my real Christmas tree make the perfect decorating accompaniments for the rest of the house. For example, I stick leftover boughs in vases and mason jars, and then place the “bouquets” throughout my house. This year, I used them to decorate my fake mantle (really just shelves above my couch.) They add greenery that lasts. You don’t have to water them or pay attention to them. Plus, they smell divine. 2. Draping a finger knit garland on the mantle Last year, I discovered the wonders of finger knitting while I was in bed with the flu for three days. Finger knitting is an easy peasy craft. And, it makes one long strand, like a garland. There are tons of tutorials out there that can show you how to finger knit far better than I can. Give it a try! It’s super easy. I made two strands...
Decorating with Fall Leaves
So, I might be a little cheap. I love buying a $4 bouquet of flowers from Trader Joe’s every once in a while, but during the in-between time I have another solution. I head to my backyard with a pair of green pruning shears and snip away. Fall is the best time to bring nature indoors. The reds, oranges and yellows only come once a year and I like to enjoy them outside—and inside. Here’s how I decorate with fall foliage. Stick a branch trimming from a tree with the leaves changing into a vase. You don’t need to add anything else to the display. All of those colorful leaves are just as good as any ol’ bouquet of spring flowers. Or, just sneak a few leafies randomly around the house. Here a couple of yellow leaves hang out in a potted plant in my kitchen. I love the look of this sparse branch with the pops of yellow. It worked well in the blue vase on my bar cart. Better hurry, those fall leaves won’t last long. Your trimmings will dry up within a day or two, but personally, I still like the crunchy look. Related articles: My Fireplace...
Making a Spring ‘To Do’ List
After a winter that feels like it has hung around forever, I’m more than ready for spring. Spring is a time for planning and projects. For dreaming and getting stuff done. For freshening, sprucing, decorating and digging your hands in the dirt. Doesn’t the thought of spring just make you smile? I’m ready to garden and paint furniture outside and take long walks on warm evenings. I’m ready to sit in my sunroom and listen to the sounds of a spring thunderstorm. Ah. Can you feel it? Spring is almost here! March 20 is the official first day of spring. That means right now is the perfect time to make plans for spring, while winter still lingers just a bit longer. What are you going to accomplish? Making a spring ‘to do’ list helps me remember all of the ideas whirling around in my head. And, it gets me even more excited for spring. (If that’s possible?) How about you make a spring ‘to do’ list with me? It’s fun; I promise. Go on and dig out a pretty piece of paper and get to writing your ‘to do’s. Dream big! It’s almost springtime, the season of new beginnings. Here’s...