If you liked my DIY Spring Wreath you'll love this one because all of the decor coordinates with that wreath.
I love getting the Spring stuff out because it is so bright and fresh and earthy. I especially love the little twig/grass bird!
May 28, 2015
fresh + bright
I've been a little late getting this out - but hey! It is technically still Spring, so I am technically within the time frame :)
If you liked my DIY Spring Wreath you'll love this one because all of the decor coordinates with that wreath.
I love getting the Spring stuff out because it is so bright and fresh and earthy. I especially love the little twig/grass bird!
I hope you have been enjoying this Spring season - what do you do to brighten up your home?
If you liked my DIY Spring Wreath you'll love this one because all of the decor coordinates with that wreath.
I love getting the Spring stuff out because it is so bright and fresh and earthy. I especially love the little twig/grass bird!
May 4, 2015
diy: spring wreath
Ahh, it is that time of year! The birds are chirping, the grass is green, and my allergies are crazy! It must be Springtime again :)
Looking for an easy afternoon project, maybe between yard projects or for a rainy day? Check out this pretty spring wreath:
As usual, I started out with Pinterest for some inspiration. Here's a link to my { holidays + seasons } board if you want to see what I've pinned.
What you'll need:
Step 1: if you purchased a bunch of stems, snip each stem off of the bunch so you have individual flowers to work with
Step 2: work with the flowers until you get an arrangement you like. You don't have to be precise, but this will help you know where to start working and which flowers should overlap. If you are adding a bow and ribbon like I have, make sure to leave a gap for the bow and some space between the flowers for ribbon.
Step 3: begin to wire each stem onto the frame. If you can, tuck the stem under large twigs in the wreath for added stability. It is important to wire each stem at least once, this will ensure the arrangement stays during use and storage. Occasionally hold the wreath upright to see if any stems move or sag; add additional wire if needed. As you work, you may want to cut off some of the leaves that are on the stems - I only left about half of them and cut off the rest.
Step 4: (optional) wire accent stems onto the wreath
Step 5: make and attach your bow. If you have read any of my other tutorials, you know I am not the greatest bow-maker. I completely made this bow up, to the point that I even feel bad calling it a "bow". It is more like a bow-imposter. Feel free to reference youtube for various bow and centerpiece tutorials. The yellow metal flower I found in the garden section. Don't be afraid to think outside of the box for your supplies - you never know where you might find something great!
Step 6: wrap the 1.5" ribbon around the wreath, gluing it in place on the backside of the wreath
...And you are finished!
Looking for an easy afternoon project, maybe between yard projects or for a rainy day? Check out this pretty spring wreath:
As usual, I started out with Pinterest for some inspiration. Here's a link to my { holidays + seasons } board if you want to see what I've pinned.
What you'll need:
- basic twig wreath
- ribbon, 2 sizes: appx. 3"W and 1.5"W (I just cut the 3" roll in half to get the 1.5" wide pieces)
- appx. 15-20 individual floral stems (you can purchase a floral bunch instead of single stems, just make sure you have 15-20 flowers total)
- floral wire
- hot glue
- floral snips
- wire snips
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| supplies |
Step 1: if you purchased a bunch of stems, snip each stem off of the bunch so you have individual flowers to work with
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| Step 1 |
Step 2: work with the flowers until you get an arrangement you like. You don't have to be precise, but this will help you know where to start working and which flowers should overlap. If you are adding a bow and ribbon like I have, make sure to leave a gap for the bow and some space between the flowers for ribbon.
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| Step 2 |
Step 3: begin to wire each stem onto the frame. If you can, tuck the stem under large twigs in the wreath for added stability. It is important to wire each stem at least once, this will ensure the arrangement stays during use and storage. Occasionally hold the wreath upright to see if any stems move or sag; add additional wire if needed. As you work, you may want to cut off some of the leaves that are on the stems - I only left about half of them and cut off the rest.
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| Step 3 |
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| Step 3 |
Step 4: (optional) wire accent stems onto the wreath
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| Step 4 (optional) |
Step 5: make and attach your bow. If you have read any of my other tutorials, you know I am not the greatest bow-maker. I completely made this bow up, to the point that I even feel bad calling it a "bow". It is more like a bow-imposter. Feel free to reference youtube for various bow and centerpiece tutorials. The yellow metal flower I found in the garden section. Don't be afraid to think outside of the box for your supplies - you never know where you might find something great!
Step 6: wrap the 1.5" ribbon around the wreath, gluing it in place on the backside of the wreath
...And you are finished!
April 29, 2015
my love handles have a story
Can I get really off-topic for a minute? Kthanks.
I have worked pretty hard the past two or three years to lose weight. Some months I worked a lot harder than others. I never went on a really strict diet or a crazy exercise routine. I did workout several times a week, we cleaned up some of our eating habits and I even trained for and ran a half marathon. Unfortunately, I haven't seen much success. I have lost a few pounds here or there, but inevitably I have gained them back. And trust me, this is not a pity party; I'm simply giving you some context for where my head is at right now.
I'm about 15 pounds overweight. I have concluded this on my own without a medical or fitness education, so take it for what you want. Even if it is more than that I don't know that I could be that honest with myself.
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| Source |
I have worked pretty hard the past two or three years to lose weight. Some months I worked a lot harder than others. I never went on a really strict diet or a crazy exercise routine. I did workout several times a week, we cleaned up some of our eating habits and I even trained for and ran a half marathon. Unfortunately, I haven't seen much success. I have lost a few pounds here or there, but inevitably I have gained them back. And trust me, this is not a pity party; I'm simply giving you some context for where my head is at right now.
Do I want to be overweight? No. Am I willing to completely sacrifice or give up things that I enjoy that may not be very healthy just to shed a few pounds? Probably not. And you know what? My love handles have a history. A story all their own. And as crazy as this sounds, I have earned those extra pounds.
College did a number on me, like most people I think. In high school I played sports nearly year-round; sometimes the sports seasons would overlap one another. Several weeks throughout the school year I would have double practices, spending four hours after school doing physical activity, 3-5 times a week. So naturally, when you transition from that schedule to one consisting of hours in class, hours in studio and hours watching One Tree Hill reruns on Soapnet, I gained a few pounds. I tried to be conscious of what I was doing to my body, but there is only so much you can do when getting through college is your only goal. And when I say "getting through" I mean surviving without failing a class, completely running out of money or suffering a nervous breakdown. I'm sure there was more I could have done; hindsight is always 20/20 as they say. But I don't know that I would have done anything differently, given the chance to do it again.
Sure, I could have bought my own groceries and made fresh food in my dorm instead of going to the dining hall. But then I would have missed out on unforgettable moments with my new college friends. I would have never learned how to make "Derek's Mac 'n cheese" when nothing else looked appetizing. I wouldn't have gotten to know the sweet old lady who swiped our meal cards. I wouldn't have been able to hear the gossip from last night's shenanigans.
And yes, I could have not gone on so many "ice cream dates". But I would have missed precious time with a new best friend. A best friend that I would live hours away from in just three short years. A friend that, five years after graduating college and moving back home, I can still say is my best friend.
Now, you could look at me and judge me - say I'm making excuses. And that's fine. You haven't heard my whole story.
Here is what you don't know: those extra pounds are my "battle wounds", if you will, from my three years at college. Three years that is scheduled to be four years - but I was broke; I lived off of scholarships and money from being a Resident Advisor, and refused to get a student loan. Three years that required me to spend every summer taking classes to graduate on time. Three years away from my boyfriend (now husband) that were brutally painful for us at times.
You can't see, just by looking at me, that part of that weight comes from eating a sickening amount of ramen noodles. There were times when I had no money to buy groceries and I literally ate ramen noodles four times a day. And even when I did have some money for groceries, it was never much. My college diet could pretty much be summed up with the following: processed food, dining hall food and fast food. None of which are good for you or "healthy", but all are cheap and affordable when your monthly income is $80.
You also don't know that my lack of sleep probably assisted in my weight gain. Sleep was optional more than it was required during college. My third and final year in school, I went to sleep more often during daytime hours than nighttime hours. The parking lot closest to the studio was only available to students until 7am. I would stay up all night working and leave with just minutes to spare to narrowly miss a $25 parking ticket from Public Safety. I would call my boyfriend and say goodnight to him when he was waking up to get ready for work. My whole world was on a different schedule.
You weren't there the nights we actually made time to go out and let off a little steam. We were so stressed out every single day that we were desperate for a little fun. And you weren't there when my closest friends were turning 21. When we were able to celebrate one of the most exciting birthdays in a person's life. "The nights you won't remember with the friends you won't forget". Nights I could not reschedule, nights I could never replace.
So I will continue to work on myself, improving my fitness and physique. And some days I will be really hard on myself, regretting the decisions that led me to where I am now. But on those days I will have to remind myself that everything in life is give and take. And if I had to take a little weight gain to have an unforgettable college experience, that is fine by me. If earning a college degree without any student loans mean having a muffin top, that's okay. If I had to go up a pant size in order to acquire lifelong friends, I'll take it. That is a price worth paying in my book.
So cheers to those of us who have earned our extra pounds. Whether it be because you had a rigorous college experience, grew a human (or two, or three...), struggle with sickness/disease, or maybe just haven't made super great choices 100% of the time, we all have our reasons. Everybody has a story and every body has one too. To those of you who are trying to be a better version of yourself, I toast to you with a giant glass of water in my hand (working on those 60oz!). And to those of you who are perfectly content, extra pounds or not, I strive to be like you everyday.
April 19, 2015
diy: easy card holder
Is this a familiar sight for you?
Our fridge pretty much looked like this during our first Christmas in the house. I loved having our cards displayed, but it got to be a pain when we were getting in and out of the fridge. The dogs would knock cards off with their tails, the tape would rip and the card would fall to the floor... sometimes they were more of a hassle than anything. So, I was determined to come up with a different solution for hanging them up. I headed over to Pinterest to do some research and came up with a couple of ideas I liked. My husband and I headed to the hardware store to figure out the rest.
What I really wanted to do was find an old shutter and use that... buttttt these days (thank you Pinterest) they are not that easy to come by, and usually have a hefty price on them because they have become so sought after. So, we ditched that idea. We were wandering the aisles and I came across the molding section. I found rectangle shaped molding and thought that would be a good place to start. My husband chimed in that we had left over chicken wire in the garage and suggested we staple it to the molding. A quick coat of spray paint and I would be all set!
This project can easily be done for under $20. The best part: you choose the size and shape of the frame, the color, the clothespins, etc. You can personalize this as much as you want! You could even stencil a design or paint a monogram onto the frame. Ours is pretty simple which works well for us. I also like that the size is not "unlimited", so when the frame gets full I know it is time to start recycling some old cards.
At Christmas we still have to use the fridge for a little bit of "overflow" space, but this card holder works great for us all year long!
April 14, 2015
cruisin'
My husband and I went on vacation with my parents a couple of weeks ago.
Have you ever noticed that the amount of work you put in before and after a vacation almost make it not worth it? But let's be honest, it is still awesome to get away, even for just a few days. Get away from the noise, the busy-ness, the work. Ya, it is pretty great.
We went on a cruise to Florida and the Bahamas. If you have never been on a cruise before, let me tell you, I think they are GREAT! There are so many great things about cruising that I just don't feel like you get with many other vacation experiences. *Disclaimer: I have never been to an all-inclusive resort, but I imagine it might be similar to the perks of a cruise. I think one of my favorite things about being on a cruise is the great food that you don't have to prepare yourself! Not only is the food delicious, the service is top-notch and dining is available nearly 24-hours. (This is why people gain weight on cruises.) I also really enjoy the entertainment that is offered on a cruise. Between live music, dance, musicals, comedians, and orchestras, there is something for just about everyone.
Anyway... this is really starting to sound like a commercial. Sorry about that :)
Would you like to check out some photos?
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| Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean private island |
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| Bionic Bar, Quantum of the Seas |
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| Pool Deck, Quantum of the Seas |
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| Nassau, Bahamas |
So onto my story about how, even in the year 2015, internet sleuthing is hard:
During our time on the ship we made two friends, Max and Susana, who worked for Hublot, a watch company. Both Max and Susana were not technically ship crew members, but they did have to work some during the week. We had the chance to hang out with them several evenings and had a great time getting to know them. So naturally, when we returned to the land of wi-fi, we tried to find them on facebook to connect. It turns out, if you don't know someone's last name and you literally don't know any other facts about them besides the company they work for, it is really hard to find someone! We did find one random article about Susana on some watch fanatic forum, but that only gave us the first initial of her last name... So, our friendship with Max and Susana will have to be short lived, I suppose. If we wanted to be really creepy and desperate we could make one of those posterboards with our story and post it to facebook and have it shared around the world... but we aren't really that desperate. They were fun though! That is another great thing about being on a cruise, it is easy to make friends because most everyone else on the ship doesn't know anyone either :)
Now we have to get back into the swing of things... who wants to come to our house and cook for us? ;)
March 9, 2015
pinterest hacks
By now I am certain you have been on Pinterest, or at the very least, heard of it. When Pinterest first got started, I really loved it and quickly became an "addict". As the years have gone by, I still have an appreciation for it, but am sometimes disappointed with the amount of misguided or misleading pins the rest of us fall victim to. We have all heard or seen the "Pinterest fails" and had ourselves a few good laughs. But wouldn't it be great if everything on Pinterest was actually realistic and feasible for the rest of us?! Today I am sharing a couple of my favorite "Pinterest hacks" that I have used in our house.
G-E-N-I-U-S.
For real. Our kitchen is on the small side, so cabinet space is not a surplus for us. The idea of storing all of our cleaning supplies under our sink was not even worth entertaining. Plus, when you store your supplies individually, if one spills or leaks it doesn't make a mess of the rest of the bottles!
We installed this almost immediately so I could wrangle my scarf collection. It has worked wonders for me! The key to organizing is making systems that are quick and easy to use, otherwise you won't use them at all. I can always see all of my scarves at any given time and can quickly put them away. I think it also adds a nice visual element, almost like decorating with your accessories.
I picked up this pre-made mail sorter and painted it to coordinate with our kitchen. The only negative to this project is I kind of wish the slots were a little bit bigger... but it still works great for us. When I sort through the mail, most of it gets recycled or put away for filing/saving. However, there are always those random pieces of mail we have to hang on to for a little while (coupons, items that need to be handled or mailed back). I love that this mail can be sorted neatly but kept in sight so it gets taken care of.
For whatever reason, we have a large assortment of mismatched sheets. I have kept these for the occasional overnight guest, but for the most part they remain untouched. Since I've started putting entire sheet sets inside a pillow case, it is always easy for me to grab a clean, full set of sheets and not end up with six pillowcases and a flat sheet.
Of course, there are so many more ideas I have pinned that I want to try out or am saving for our next house. Share some of your best (or worst!) Pinterest hacks in the comments below. Don't forget to check out my Pinterest boards and follow me to see what else I find!
Hanging shoe organizer for cleaning supplies
G-E-N-I-U-S.
For real. Our kitchen is on the small side, so cabinet space is not a surplus for us. The idea of storing all of our cleaning supplies under our sink was not even worth entertaining. Plus, when you store your supplies individually, if one spills or leaks it doesn't make a mess of the rest of the bottles!
Towel bar for scarves
DIY his/hers/theirs mail sorter
I picked up this pre-made mail sorter and painted it to coordinate with our kitchen. The only negative to this project is I kind of wish the slots were a little bit bigger... but it still works great for us. When I sort through the mail, most of it gets recycled or put away for filing/saving. However, there are always those random pieces of mail we have to hang on to for a little while (coupons, items that need to be handled or mailed back). I love that this mail can be sorted neatly but kept in sight so it gets taken care of.
Folded sheet sets inside pillow cases
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| view the pin here |
For whatever reason, we have a large assortment of mismatched sheets. I have kept these for the occasional overnight guest, but for the most part they remain untouched. Since I've started putting entire sheet sets inside a pillow case, it is always easy for me to grab a clean, full set of sheets and not end up with six pillowcases and a flat sheet.
Of course, there are so many more ideas I have pinned that I want to try out or am saving for our next house. Share some of your best (or worst!) Pinterest hacks in the comments below. Don't forget to check out my Pinterest boards and follow me to see what else I find!
March 3, 2015
missing in action
Hey gang! How are you? If by chance you have stopped by the blog to check in, I apologize for my lack of presence lately. I have put in some crazy overtime hours the past five weeks which kept me from making great new content over here.
Needless to say, I've already busted my 2015 resolution of posting 4x a month... but that won't keep my from trying the rest of this year! I have some ideas for new posts, so keep your eyes peeled for some great new stuff.
What have I been up to, besides living at the office, you ask? Great question. One weekend we spent the whole time doing laundry and chores because we (I) had neglected them. Last weekend we went to see Disney on Ice: Frozen. It was phenomenal. And no, we don't have kids ;) I'm just a big Disney geek and loved it almost as much as the adorable 2.5 year-old behind us. For the record: I did not wear an Elsa costume (they don't come in my size...). I randomly stopped drinking coffee for three days, but don't worry, I got back on the bandwagon! Oh ya, I've worked on collecting our tax documents, but haven't actually gotten around the submitting them. Pretty much I've been really on top of things and life and stuff...
Check back soon, and I promise to have some new posts for you! Also, it has snowed a lot the past week or two, but I swear that Spring will be here soon-ish. And that means lots of fun outside projects :)
Happy Tuesday!
Needless to say, I've already busted my 2015 resolution of posting 4x a month... but that won't keep my from trying the rest of this year! I have some ideas for new posts, so keep your eyes peeled for some great new stuff.
What have I been up to, besides living at the office, you ask? Great question. One weekend we spent the whole time doing laundry and chores because we (I) had neglected them. Last weekend we went to see Disney on Ice: Frozen. It was phenomenal. And no, we don't have kids ;) I'm just a big Disney geek and loved it almost as much as the adorable 2.5 year-old behind us. For the record: I did not wear an Elsa costume (they don't come in my size...). I randomly stopped drinking coffee for three days, but don't worry, I got back on the bandwagon! Oh ya, I've worked on collecting our tax documents, but haven't actually gotten around the submitting them. Pretty much I've been really on top of things and life and stuff...
Check back soon, and I promise to have some new posts for you! Also, it has snowed a lot the past week or two, but I swear that Spring will be here soon-ish. And that means lots of fun outside projects :)
Happy Tuesday!
February 8, 2015
decor: headboard collage
As I wrote the title to this post I realized I like collages... so, just go with it ;) k thanks.
I have loved quotes since I was a young girl. I'm not sure what got me interested in them or how it started, but as long as I can remember I have kept a list of them. Of course now that "list" has turned into several Pinterest boards, but I have old journals from middle school that I hand-wrote quotes for safe keeping. So naturally, when I had my own home to decorate, there would be quotes everywhere!
One of the first spaces I really focused on after we settled into our first home was our master bedroom. There were a couple of reasons: 1) it actually had matching furniture (from my bedroom at my parents house) 2) for guests to access the second bathroom they have to walk through our master bedroom 3) it makes me happy to lay my head down on my pillow at night in a space that feels finished. Its like my brain can finally stop working because the room I am in doesn't have a giant list of "to-do" items.
So I made this collage from some of my favorite love quotes: (don't judge me for the old crappy cell phone picture)
As soon as we hung the frames on the wall I knew it wasn't quite finished. The frames did not take up enough space compared to the headboard - there was too much empty space. After a lot of shopping and searching Pinterest, I decided to add some large letters to the collage of frames. The tricky part was, my husband didn't want to put a "bunch of holes in the wall" so he said we could hang up the letters as long as I could use all the existing nails and only add new ones. I've always liked a challenge :)
After a little re-working, this was the final result!
We finished this project almost two years ago and I still love it. I've considered either swapping out some quotes or adding more frames for wedding photos, but I think it will look crowded. So for now, it stays.
A lesson I have learned time and time again while decorating our house: if you like something, go for it. It may not be perfect right off the bat, but you have a start and can always find more things to make it work!
You can purchase these quotes from my Etsy shop to make your own collage! This would look great above a bed or in a hallway, even above a dresser.
*Disclaimer: these quotes are not my original quotes, however, I did create the designs
I have loved quotes since I was a young girl. I'm not sure what got me interested in them or how it started, but as long as I can remember I have kept a list of them. Of course now that "list" has turned into several Pinterest boards, but I have old journals from middle school that I hand-wrote quotes for safe keeping. So naturally, when I had my own home to decorate, there would be quotes everywhere!
One of the first spaces I really focused on after we settled into our first home was our master bedroom. There were a couple of reasons: 1) it actually had matching furniture (from my bedroom at my parents house) 2) for guests to access the second bathroom they have to walk through our master bedroom 3) it makes me happy to lay my head down on my pillow at night in a space that feels finished. Its like my brain can finally stop working because the room I am in doesn't have a giant list of "to-do" items.
So I made this collage from some of my favorite love quotes: (don't judge me for the old crappy cell phone picture)
As soon as we hung the frames on the wall I knew it wasn't quite finished. The frames did not take up enough space compared to the headboard - there was too much empty space. After a lot of shopping and searching Pinterest, I decided to add some large letters to the collage of frames. The tricky part was, my husband didn't want to put a "bunch of holes in the wall" so he said we could hang up the letters as long as I could use all the existing nails and only add new ones. I've always liked a challenge :)
After a little re-working, this was the final result!
We finished this project almost two years ago and I still love it. I've considered either swapping out some quotes or adding more frames for wedding photos, but I think it will look crowded. So for now, it stays.
A lesson I have learned time and time again while decorating our house: if you like something, go for it. It may not be perfect right off the bat, but you have a start and can always find more things to make it work!
You can purchase these quotes from my Etsy shop to make your own collage! This would look great above a bed or in a hallway, even above a dresser.
*Disclaimer: these quotes are not my original quotes, however, I did create the designs
January 28, 2015
winterized
Christmas brings about a lot of emotions for me... about my house. (This sounds so ridiculous! Keep reading, you may be able to relate) When I get all of the Christmas decorations up I am happy because everything is so pretty and festive. The day after Christmas I always convince myself that it makes sense to leave the decorations up until after New Year's Eve because that is basically an extension of the holidays - but really it is because I am not ready to part with them. On January 1st, I admit that, sadly, they will have to come down soon enough. Then I mull over that for a few more days, and usually during the second or third week of January, the decorations are getting on my nerves and I am taking them down without much fight. It is like a weird roller coaster. I think most of it has to do with the fact that the decorations are a lot of work and time, but by the end of it I just don't care anymore.
My husband is always happy to get everything "back to normal". We have to semi-rearrange our living room to fit the Christmas tree, so I get it.
Because I always have a "mantle" up, out comes the winter decor right after the Christmas stuff is boxed away. My theme for winter: winter :) Blues, silver, white, a few pine cones, reindeer, etc. Christmas is full of twinkling lights and red and green. The change to a cool, neutral palette is quite refreshing. Plus, it can get pretty darn cold here in Missouri, which matches the cool metals of my decor.
Most of the items I have gathered are technically Christmas items, but I don't think it feels Christmas-y at all. I also love that I can keep this up until spring time and it always makes sense with what is going on outside. I do not decorate for Valentine's day because, well, I just don't. I mean, I have found plenty of adorable things on Pinterest that I like. But it just seems a little silly (personal opinion!)... Valentine's Day is not a big deal for us and I'm not sure my husband would appreciate hearts and such floating around our house.
I do not put up nearly as much winter decorations as I do for Christmas, but here are a few photos of what I do have up:
What does your post-Christmas house look like? Do you put anything up for winter or Valentine's Day?
My husband is always happy to get everything "back to normal". We have to semi-rearrange our living room to fit the Christmas tree, so I get it.
Because I always have a "mantle" up, out comes the winter decor right after the Christmas stuff is boxed away. My theme for winter: winter :) Blues, silver, white, a few pine cones, reindeer, etc. Christmas is full of twinkling lights and red and green. The change to a cool, neutral palette is quite refreshing. Plus, it can get pretty darn cold here in Missouri, which matches the cool metals of my decor.
Most of the items I have gathered are technically Christmas items, but I don't think it feels Christmas-y at all. I also love that I can keep this up until spring time and it always makes sense with what is going on outside. I do not decorate for Valentine's day because, well, I just don't. I mean, I have found plenty of adorable things on Pinterest that I like. But it just seems a little silly (personal opinion!)... Valentine's Day is not a big deal for us and I'm not sure my husband would appreciate hearts and such floating around our house.
I do not put up nearly as much winter decorations as I do for Christmas, but here are a few photos of what I do have up:
Isn't this antler bowl so cool?? I found it in the Christmas clearance and thought it was perfect for winter!
Follow my tutorial to make this easy winter wreath
What does your post-Christmas house look like? Do you put anything up for winter or Valentine's Day?
January 23, 2015
diy: winter photo frame wreath
Often times, on December 25th, you will find me in my sweatpants and ponytail scrounging through the Christmas clearance at Target, Walmart and the like. Why do I do this? Because I am cheap. Really, that is the only reason. A younger version of myself got some sort of thrill out of digging through clearance racks and bins. Not so much anymore, but I do love finding a good deal! And that is worth going out with the crazies to dig through the racks and bins and screaming children who would rather play with their new toys.
So one year during my clearance shopping I bought this cute little jingle bell snowflake for 70% off.
I'm not sure why, but I really liked it.
However, I knew when I bought it that it was incomplete. The scale is just, weird.
It's too big to be an ornament or hang from a door, but it is definitely too small to be by itself. Plus I felt like it needed some dimension. I decided I would jazz it up to make it a final piece, so I jumped onto trusty Pinterest to see what I could find by searching "winter wreath". To save you time, let me just tell you what 99% of "winter wreaths" search results consist of:
- snowflakes
- snowmen
- twigs
- berries
- pearls
- pine cones
Now, I am not "hating" on these wreaths, some are in fact quite beautiful. But the lack of variety is quite uninspiring. And yes, I do realize that twigs, pine cones, snowflakes and snowmen are all relevant to winter. But still...
Side note: before you accuse me of being a hypocrite for also having a snowflake in my wreath, keep in mind I purchased it like three years ago...
Related side story: Every year my office helps organize a charity event about two weeks before Christmas. We auction wreaths, menorahs, and ornaments that are original creations. Being that my profession has many creative people, we get some unique submissions. A group of girls and I usually make a wreath to donate and this is my favorite one we have made:
It was super hard for us to give it away because we all loved it so much. So I got to thinking, why not recreate this for my winter wreath? My winter decor does not have a lot of twigs, snowflakes, berries in it, so adding any of those things wouldn't make a lot of sense, and this would be easy on time and budget!
So I bought a plain wall frame and some ribbon from the craft store. I spray painted the frame silver.
I took some of my ribbon and looped it around and through so that it would act as the hanger. I tied a simple knot at the top.
Then I needed to make a bow. I have experimented with bows before, but in general I don't have a natural knack for these things. So onto youtube I went, and I found this amazing and easy tutorial.
I made my bow much smaller than she did, but the tutorial worked just the same. After my bow was complete I took a dab of hot glue to attach it to the frame.
Then I used more hot glue to attach the snowflake to the frame and BOOM, I was done! Probably the fastest wreath I've made (once I figured out how to make a bow!)
I love the way it turned out! It is simple but pretty and definitely coordinates with the rest of my winter decor.
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