Do you find yourself chanting this mantra several times a day: "Serenity now, Serenity now!" {Don't we all these days?!} If you are feeling the chaos of life, we need to talk. As important as it is to make visual statements in your home, the ta da! moments we all seem to strive for, it is also very important to create places of calm to counteract the chaos of life. The more you have going on in your life, the more this will resonate with you. Having a home that reflects serenity can truly give you a sense of peace. In today's world, that is more important than ever. Here are five ways to create a calm home 1. CLEAR THE CLUTTER The best way to create serenity is to clear the clutter and visual chaos. When your home is filled with stuff, be it clutter, piles of papers, dirty dishes, … [Read more...]
Simple and Frugal Fall Decorating Ideas
I love simple. If something is simple, frugal & beautiful, I'm a happy girl. Especially when it comes to decorating. I'm always on the lookout for easy ideas for centerpieces and seasonal decorating tips that don't take weeks or a big budget to put together. I only have the time and patience these days for maybe a five minute project. These centerpieces from Better Homes & Gardens are right up my alley. Set some flowers or veggies on a dish and voila, you have a centerpiece. Does it get any easier than this? Or skip the dish and put some gourds on a window sill surrounded by garland. Easy! This next one is extra fancy. Combine sticks with lemons in water. Looks like it took you all day to create! Last year I really had a thing for white pumpkins. How long … [Read more...]
Organizing and decorating with glass jars
Jar sewing kit, Martha... other three images from my personal collection A glass container is one of my favorite every day decorating and organizing accessory of all time. Is there no end to what you can do with a glass jar? Big jars, little jars, lidded jars, fat jars, tall jars, they are all good! And the best thing about jars? You can collect tons of them for free when you buy food! In all likelihood, you have glass containers and jars in your cupboard right now not being used to their full potential! I love frugal ideas that can serve many purposes, all through the house. What are your ideas for jars? Untrained Housewife has 25 ways to use a glass jar or check out this luminary glowing glass jar tutorial on Blissfully Domestic! … [Read more...]
Beautiful Fall Gardens
I love outdoor containers with lots of lush greenery and interesting shapes and textures. In the Pacific Northwest where I live, fall is the most beautiful season (in my opinion!). There is no better time to put on a cozy sweater and take a walk through some of my favorite neighborhoods! I took this photo (above) of a container that caught my attention. I love the mix of greens, and textures. This house had the most stunning window boxes and interesting landscaping. The fall colors just popped out and grabbed my attention! Isn't that window box just amazing? They framed the entrance to their walkway with some beautiful textured plants. It really invites you into a unique and special world! In the Pacific Northwest we don't have many palm trees. They really stand … [Read more...]
Getting Creative with a Small Backyard
I am a big fan of small yards. While I love the idea of vast amounts of open space, the maintenance scares me. So how do you fit a lot of function into a small space? This outdoor room is a inspiring example of what can be done with a small yard. You may think you have limited space, but with a little planning, you can really pack a lot into a small area. This particular yard creates spaces for children, an outdoor kitchen and serving bar, room for socializing and the ever important ambience through the use of a small fountain -- all carefully tucked into a small backyard. The secret to effective space planning is creating zones. By designating even small corners for important elements, you can enjoy your yard without missing out on any function. Inspiration images: HGTV article … [Read more...]
DIY: Laziest Slipcover Tutorial
I cannot tell you how many chairs I have rescued from garage sales and thrift stores. Great chairs that just needed a new slipcover to be fabulous again! If you are aware of how expensive quality new chairs are, you can see the appeal in finding a well-constructed chair that just needs a fresh new slipcover. But, because I am completely lazy, frugal and not a seamstress, those chairs sit in my garage or hide under a blanket in the corner of a room for years. YEARS I tell you! I want the slipcovers, but not the cost of hiring an upholsterer. If you are the same way, grab all those lonely sad chairs from your garage because I found a solution for you, the lazy slipcover tutorial from Pink & Polka Dot! If you love a casual cottage slipcovered chair, you'll LOVE this … [Read more...]
