A Wall of Plates

As part of the kitchen update, I wanted to decorate with a wall of plates.  I found a great selection.  I got most of the plates for $3 or less.  I found 6 of them at Target! This is such an easy project.

I bought hangers at Lowes and glued them on the back of the plates with hot glue.

This plate was my favorite, so I built the collection around it, hanging one at a time.



I love how it looks and the uniqueness of it!!  

Easter Tray

Just wanted to share the new tray I put together from Easter.  The tray used to be on my cabinets as part of my kitchen decor.  When I changed a few things, I was glad I could reuse the tray.  I placed the apothecary jars filled with eggs, the bunny, the small bird nest, and the wreath in the tray.  I filled the empty tray space with left over eggs.  I had everything and just put it together in a new way!  So glad I went to the accessory class at Osmond.  It gave me some great ideas!

Jumping off Point

Fabric is my favorite jumping off point in decorating a room.  These curtains were the inspiration for the makeover of my kitchen.  I found them at Pier One.  I bought one and cut it in half, sewing the edge to make my two panels.  I simply wanted it to accent the room, not for light control, so I only needed one panel.  It was the best $23 spent.  I got the rod at Hobby Lobby for $9 with my 40% off coupon.  Love Hobby Lobby!

I needed to update the bench and pillows for the new color scheme.  I found the striped fabric for $12, and the fabric for the two pillows was $15.  I loved the bright blue of the damask print and the quirky whimsy of the bird print.  I am so glad my mom taught me to sew.  It is so great to create my own projects with the help of my sewing machine.  Seriously, I will help anyone learn to sew!



I found a great new way to make pillows without having the exposed seam.  Simply cut the front panel to the size of your pillow.  Cut two back panels that overlap by about four inches lengthwise.  Turn over and sew a seam on one of the raw edges of both panels.  Putting right sides together, sew the four sides of the pillow, overlapping the sewn seams.  Flip right side out, inset pillow, and voila, no seam showing.  Don't know why it took me so long to figure this one out, but now I've got it mastered!  It is amazing what inspiration can come from fabric and how great a room can look with a variety of fabrics!

Amazing what a few items can do

Here's what the decor above my cabinets looked like before.  I liked most of it, but was ready for a fresh change.   With a few purchases, I breathed new life into my kitchen!

Here's the new look!



 The only new items were the tall grey piece and the book.  I made the stick bundle from the stems of a bundle I used in my family room tray.  I had the green ball from another spot in my house.  I added the green ribbon to white candles from my mom.  I loved the idea of using the book because of its color.  Books are so "in" right now and can be used everywhere in your home.

I got these blue candles from Target for $8.  I moved the clock from a different spot in the house and love the new grouping.  I had the pictures and the large glass jar of filler from before.  You don't have to start completely over.  Keep what you love and just add a new few pieces.



For this grouping, the candlesticks and the pitcher were new.  The pitcher was only $5 from TaiPan.  I took the old wheat bundle out from its old metal bucket and stuffed it in the pitcher.  I love how it looks.  The sign and green ball were from a different spot that I wasn't using anymore.   Reuse, Reuse, Reuse!  I am being thrifty this year!  Check back tomorrow for the reveal of my dining room.

Baby Boy Nursery Round Two

Our cute neighbor Amy is finally getting a baby boy after three beautiful girls.  She asked for some help decorating the nursery in a nautical theme.  With Lindsay busy with Kate, Kallee and I set out to help her accessorize the room.  I love this wall grouping.  I used the same ship wheel in Porter's room and thought it would be cute to layer an initial in the center.  Amy bought the "R" and the wheel from Hobby Lobby, and it works perfectly.  The frames will be filled with Baby Ryan's newborn pics.

I saw this mobile in Pottery Barn and knew I could make it! (It only cost me $11.)



 I'm really happy with how it turned out.  Amy loves it, and it works perfectly in the room.

I used an embroidery hoop and wrapped it with twine.

I painted litte wooden canoes.  I stained canvas by painting it with a watered down burnt sienna.  Cut the canvas in triangles and glued twine to the edges and to the dowel.  I glued the dowels in the boats and then hung them from the hoop.  It was a great project to get my creative juices flowing.

I modge podged paper to chip board letters to spell out baby boy's name.

Amy bought premade navy curtains.  They needed a little pizazz.  I found this Nautica fabric on clearance at Joann's.  I sewed it to the bottom of the curtain, and it made a huge difference in the room.



For the shelf, we paired the ship with large jacks, a jar full of different sport balls, jars of marbles, and a wooded buoy.  We found the round mirror at Hobby Lobby for $10 to echo the idea of a porthole.   The basket looks like rope and is the perfect catchall for diapers, wipes, powder, etc.



We saw this print on Etsy for $40.  I emailed the words to a friend who used her printshop program to recreate it.  I printed it as an 8x10 lustre photo from Costco for $1.50.



Added a little ribbon and rickrack to the lampshade to take it from storebought to handmade!



This hamper was the perfect finishing touch for the room.  We loved the idea of using red as a pop of color.  We used it in the hamper and the pillow in the rocker to bring your eye away from all the blues.  Don't be afraid to add color that is not in your bedding.  Thanks Amy for letting us be a part of Baby Ryan's nursery.

Baby Boy Nursery

My cute cousin Emily decorated this room for her baby Deacon.  She did such an amazing job!  I mean those Chevron stripes are incredible.  I love the gray and white scheme with the pops of bright colors.  Thanks Emily for letting me share your talents.

Great Easter Decor Ideas

One of my favorite tips learned from the accessory class at Osmond's was to incorporate a little vignette for the holiday into your everyday decor. I love my everyday mantel decorations, so I just added the bunny, the two eggs, and ball. The bunny is in the colors of my basement decor, and I love the green egg that looks like an artichoke! I found these at TaiPan and loved how they add just a touch of Easter to the downstairs.

 

Similarly, I love how Kallee added this to her mantel. You don't have to spend a lot or buy a ton of items to add a touch of the holidays in your home.



 

Love Kallee's tray for Easter. Look for bargains now and at Easter clearance sales to create a similar look. The variety is great!

Welcome Spring

I love changing the porch decor after the holiday ends.  Welcome Spring!!!

I love this addition.  I got the window for free from a friend.  It was red, so I spray painted it white and hung the wreath with a ribbon by nailing to the back of the window.  It didn't cost me anything!!

I felt like my canister of Gerber daisies needed something else this year.  I found this little stool at Forget Me Not for $13.  I added the candles and ribbon as well as the lantern and ribbon.  Aside from the stool, I had all of these accessories in my basement.  Look around and see what you can use that you already have!

Jars and Plates

Decorative plates are a great way to accessorize.  I found this one at Rod Works.

For St. Patrick's Day, I wanted to fill my apothecary jars with all things green and not candy.  I filled the big one with a large rose ball that I've had for years.  In the other two, I filled with decorative balls in naturals and greens.  To top it off, I tied with ribbon and added the bird, stick bundle, and burlap ball (all from Osmond).  The jars could be left this way for everyday as well.  Don't think that every holiday has to scream what it celebrates!

Grouping Accessories

Here are more pics from Kallee's to give you ideas on how to group accessories.  I love the height and bulk of the topiary.  Paired with the photograph and small greenery a top the book, accented with the bird, it is the perfect pairing.

I love the idea of placing a tray or bowl of accessories a top books.



We found this beautiful Bombay chest for Kallee at Home Again in Murray.  I love the craft paper wrapped books used with the pitchers.  You could wrap books in a wrapping paper pattern that you like as well.  Ikea and TaiPan have a great selection of pitchers.

A Simple Tray

I love how Kallee utilized this tray in her home.  Because of the print on the bottom, she only accessorized the one side.  The greenery brings height while the three balls bring variety in size and texture.  TaiPan and Rod Works have great selections in decorative balls.

A Tray a Day

Last week, Kallee and I went to the accessorizing class at Osmond Design and got some great ideas and validation that we know what we are doing! (Linds had a conflict and couldn't join us).  When decorating the top of a something, keep in mind size, scale, and proportion.  For example, the tray/box for this table is in proportion to the size of the table.  In filling it, I used the green vase as my beginning item and filled around it.  I used the larger twig bundle on the left side to match the height of the vase.  I loved the wood and twig balls as they give great texture and are the perfect scale.  For a touch of the unexpected, I found the little metal book to add a different color and finish.  Lastly, to fill the hole around the vase, I found these curly twig bunches at Hobby Lobby.  I simply cut them to size and filled until I liked how it looked. I am so pleased with how it looks.  For the next few days, we will be sharing all different ways to decorate trays.  They are one of our favorite decorating touches!