My life is in boxes. Inside a big box. All of my stuff has been wrapped up, boxed up, taped up and crammed into a storage unit. It’s better than the alternative, though. I moved out of my rental house because of a mold issue that made me sick. Even though my life is in boxes, I’m doing okay. And, don’t worry, I’m not actually living in a box. My twin sister has let me make her home my home for the time being. But as a homebody who loves home decorating, home cooking and just hanging out at home, the boxed up lifestyle wasn’t easy at first. Feeling boxed in It’s no secret that I love home decorating. I’m not really sure what to do with myself when I’m not jumping from one DIY project to the next. I need to be painting something, gluing something or cutting something. My fingers are itching to rearrange furniture, revamp bookshelves and hang up art. I want to make messes. Try out crafts. And make pretty things. It’s a little bit harder since I don’t have a home of my own. Although, I’m sure my sister would say she has plenty of home...
St. Patrick’s Day Decorating 2016
Are you looking for some St. Patrick’s Day home decorating inspiration? It takes just a few green accents to give your home some St. Patrick’s Day flair. I focused on adding some St. Patrick’s Day spirit to my entertainment center area. As the focal point of my living room, I wanted to give the bookcases and dresser some green without going overboard on the holiday-themed décor. I added in just enough green to make it fun. Take a look at how I decorated for St. Patrick’s Day and you’ll see how some bright pops of green can help you celebrate St. Patty’s Day, welcome spring and bring a happy mood to your home. How I decorated for St. Patty’s Day: – Hung up a $3 “St. Pats Day” felt banner from the $1 spot at Target – Added some green plants, books and bowls to my bookcases – Spray-painted mason jars gold and added chalkboard signs (tutorial coming soon!) – Added a green wine bottle and a gold wine bottle (that I spray-painted) to the décor – Mixed in a $4 bouquet of daisies from Trader Joe’s While I’m not usually big on decorating for holidays that come and go...
These Are the Best Tips to Organize Your Home After the Holidays
Inside: Clear away the clutter with minimal effort. Here are the best ways to organize your home after the holidays. Post-holiday cleaning is the new spring cleaning. You’re already taking down holiday decorations, rearranging your kitchen or closet to make room for new items, and cleaning up after guests leave. So, what better time to organize your home? These seven post-holiday home organization tips cover areas most of us struggle with after the holiday craziness. The kitchen. The mail. Okay, everywhere. So, shake off that cookie and pie coma and get organizing. Top 7 Tips to Organize Your Home After the Holidays The organizing struggle is real. I’ve tackled every one of these tips. So, I know how long it takes to organize your home after the holidays. Taking down my holiday decorations took me four hours. Four hours. But I promise that the spacious and streamlined home you’ll have afterward is worth it. 1. Take down your holiday décor Time to undecorate! The rule of thumb is to keep your holiday décor up until the first of the year, but mine has already been down for days. It feels so refreshing to put away all of your holiday...
Holiday House Tour 2015
Welcome to my home. It’s all spruced up and ready for the holidays. When decorating for the holiday season, I tend to think cozy. Plaid and buffalo check blankets drape over the couch. Bright colors add warmth. And this year, I’ve been into faux fur. A small faux sheepskin rug has been a staple. Right now, it’s lining the back of my couch, but I’ve also used it to cover an ottoman and I’ve also tossed it over the back of a chair. When it comes to color, I tend to decorate with the traditional red and green during the holidays. This conventional color scheme fits with my vintage-y style. And, it’s the only time of year I deviate from my beloved neutrals. (I know, it’s getting wild around here!) In typical winter fashion, the sun wouldn’t come out while I was trying to take photos for this holiday home tour shoot. So, unfortunately I couldn’t capture all the nooks and crannies where I’ve decorated my home for the holidays. I guess you’ll just have to use your imagination. Picture little toy soldiers standing guard in unexpected places and glass cloches covering mini winter scenes with teeny Christmas trees....
Pinecone Door Hanger
Want an easy way to dress up your door for fall? No project could be simpler than this pinecone door hanger. A pinecone door hanger offers a twist from the usual classic door décor: a wreath. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of wreaths—and not just for the holidays. Autumn wreaths made from faux or real branches, berries and leaves just put you in a cheery fall mood. And of course who doesn’t love winter wreaths made from evergreens? Even a simple burlap-wrapped wreath could hang on my door all year. But why not change it up? This easy-to-make pinecone door hanger requires just a few supplies, and it’s a pretty “just because” decoration. Here’s how to make your own pinecone door hanger. Break out your glue gun and some ribbon and you’re almost ready to get crafting. What you’ll need: – Pinecones (5-6) – Ribbon – Hot glue gun I found my pinecones by just taking a stroll through my neighborhood and gathering some pinecones that had fallen near the road. You too probably don’t have to walk far to find some pinecones. But if pinecones aren’t available in your area, you can easily purchase a...
Weekend Things: Photos, Thoughts & Happenings
This weekend, I played the recluse. My days were filled with cooking food, scrapbooking with what I had on hand and enjoying our first real—and probably last—snow of the season. Winter is fading. I can feel it. Even though the air is still biting cold, it’s coming. I’m ready to start seeds and watch them grow. I’m looking forward to hunting morels. To being in the woods. To getting my hands dirty. But for now, snow. So, I stayed inside and made a mess. It felt really good to just have time to get creative. To flex my creative muscles. I was inspired to do a couple of projects that I’ll show you soon! Otherwise, I’ve been getting back into scrapbooking and trying to contain my hoard of paper from college, travels and everyday life. I also received some beautiful postcards in the mail from The Noisy Plume. I spent probably too much time just moving them around to different spots. (I do that when I really like something.) If you need some life-spiration, you should definitely check out The Noisy Plume. She makes me remember to appreciate the simple, the beautiful and the real. How was your weekend? Good?...
How to Style a Bar Cart (Practical but Pretty)
Besides the convenience of crafting a cocktail on demand, I like having a bar cart because it adds extra storage in a stylish way. The trick is to keep your bar cart from getting messy. I see lots of pretty pictures and pins of fabulously styled bar carts. But I need mine to be practical as well as stylish. I use mine to store wine glasses, shot glasses, alcohol bottles and other odds and ends every day. My bar cart isn’t just for looking good in pictures. It adds extra storage space to my already bursting-at-the-seams kitchen. Here are my tips for styling your bar cart for the everyday. 1. Use a tray This simple wooden tray keeps my random assortment of shot glasses, wine glasses and mini liquor bottles looking organized. It corrals everything together, so items stay put. 2. Line up bottles Bar carts have to have some booze, right? Well, the trick to keeping all of those bottles from looking messy is to line them up in neat rows. So simple. But it makes a big difference. 3. Use containers Containers, such as mason jars and bowls, are great for storing smaller items on your bar cart....