A Little Bit of Fall & Some Fun Finds

Well, it's almost October (HOW is that possible?!?) and my bin of fall decorations is up in the "attic" still. Matthew built a storage space above the garage back when he drove a van with a latter on it. No problem that we don't actually own a latter, he always had one with him. Well, he doesn't drive a van anymore, and the latter that use to be in the back of his new work rig is no longer there. Problem.

So, my fall decorations are looking a little sad right now. I have two shelves that are a little confused as to what season it actually is.
First is my very fun candy corn tree and my cute Target clearance bird that I painted aqua blue (I waited out the clearance so long that purple was all that was left). I love the color, but it looks a little out of place next to that candy corn.

My other shelf has my super exciting Ross find, a great big lantern! When I brought it home it was bright pink and actually matched the canvas we have over the couch (which is what it's next to), but I knew I didn't want to leave it pink. I stood in the spray paint section of Home Depot for a good 10 minutes before I decided to just be "safe" and go with red. I knew red would work well in my house, and I also knew it would match most of the holidays I decorate for. I would have loved to go with lime green or something totally fun, but it would look just as out of place as that bird if I'd done that, and I love it too much to only have it out some of the time. I put some leftover party decor up there next to it for the time being and I do think it works better than the other shelf.


My poor bookshelves in the dining room are so pathetic I won't even show them to you right now. There's very little up there, and what is there isn't really arranged at all.
I'm hopeful that Matthew will find a latter to barrow this weekend and get my bin down for me, but I'm not holding my breath. Soon enough I'll be able to start putting out Christmas stuff anyway, as long as he gets the bins down by then I'll be happy.

Canvas

Just for you Paige, pictures of my canvas! :)

This picture is from the photo session we had done in April by Megan Collenberg Photography. I bought the digital file and had a 24x32 canvas printed through Costco. I love it, it looks fantastic!
The colors are a little off in my photos of it, it was kind of dark out when I took these.

Here it is over our couch so you can get more of an idea of the size. :)

We bought some shelves when we were down at Ikea that I'm going to have Matthew put up on either side of it soon. I thought about trying to do that myself, there are lots of awesome women out there in blogland who do all sorts of "handyman" stuff (and more!) around their houses, but I think Matthew might freak. It always seems like such a production when I have him hang shelves... measuring, finding the studs (insert joke about the stud-finder going crazy every time he tries to use it), remeasuring, leveling, ect... too much work for me. I'll stick to hanging pictures and leave the big stuff for him.

No green thumb required

I saw these cherry blossom branches here (6th picture in the sideshow) and thought they would be prefect for me and my lack of ability to keep any kind of plant alive. I just love cherry blossoms, and they seem to only bloom for a week or so too, which made these all the more appealing to me. :)

I have them sitting up on top of our bookshelves in the dining room, but I took them down to get a better picture. I would like to add a ribbon around the vase, but haven't found the right one yet.

This wasn't a very hard project, it just took some time. I used white and light pink tissue paper instead of bright pink and light pink. I think if I was going to do it again I'd get a smaller gauge floral wire, it was pretty hard to wrap around those tiny blossoms and my thumbs were very sore by the end. I think I used four sheets of tissue paper total (two pink and two white). I made a couple flower templates out of cardstalk and loosely fallowed them while cutting a whole stack of tissue at once which made the cutting go a little faster.

I just love how they turned out. :)

Controlling the Clutter

I'm messy, I admit it. There is usually at least one pile of papers on my desk (if not many more). I've put different systems into place in the past that have helped some. I now have a spot for the kids' homework on the new(ish) shelves and I have a place that the mail goes, but there was still paperwork all over my desk.
I saw this project a while ago and I think I may have looked at it for a bit, and then forgotten about it. A friend online brought up organizing the other day and we got to chatting about it again. Another friend posted a link to this similar project and I finally thought I might try it out (and I liked how that 2nd one was CUTE!).
I've actually had a hanging file system on my desk for years, but it was back where I couldn't get to it easily, so I didn't use it. I pulled it out (and dusted it off), and then made new folders for everything that gets piled up on my desk. I also spent some time making it look cute, I'm hoping that if I like how it looks I'll be more apt to use it. :) I found a new spot for it that's much easier to get to, so I'm really hoping that I will be able to use it now and keep the clutter off my desk.

Here it is...



Here are the folders I have:
To Deal With (I'm planning on going through this one once a week)
-ASAP (planning on going though this daily)
To Shred
Family
-each of us get a folder in this category
School Papers (for things that pertain to both kids or the school in general)
Coupons (and gift cards, but that wouldn't all fit on the tag)
Trips
-with an orange and black folder for our Giants trips :)

We'll see how this works. I had to put a stipulation on that "to deal with" folder of going through it once a week or I knew it would just fill up with stuff and I'd never deal with it. I'm really hoping this will keep my desk clear of papers!

Spring Wreath

I've been seeing moss popping up all over blog land, so after looking at an empty front door for a little too long I decided to jump on the bandwagon. I'd really like to cover a "B" in moss for inside somewhere, but that will have to wait until I can get a B, and some more moss. :)

I had everything on hand for this except the wreath form, which I picked up at the Dollar Store. I used hot glue to cover the front and sides with moss (I thought I might run out, so I didn't do the back), and then I made a few more cupcake toppers and stuck them on there. I just did them on toothpicks broken in half so they're not actually glued on at all and I can switch it up really easily if I want to. I bought some Easter egg picks at the Dollar Store too that I might add to it in a few weeks.

While I really like how it turned out, I'm not sure I'm totally loving it on my front door. I don't think the colors go well with the red door, and it's a little small. It's better than nothing though, so it will stay until I think of something else to do. I think it would look great hanging inside somewhere, or maybe with different color flowers and ribbon...

Living Room Plan

The whole living room really needs quite a bit of attention, but this wall in particular has me not sure what to do. I finally decided to take a picture of it today and play around in photoshop. At first I was thinking I just wanted one long shelf over the whole couch, but after playing for a bit I realized I didn't like that idea and I came up with this. I have a family photo shoot scheduled for next month (yey!!), and I'm hoping we can fill that big photo spot with something from that. :) Then I went a step further and labeled all the other things I want to change (someday...). What do you think? Any suggestions?


That is the wall you see when you first walk into my house, and right now it's big and empty. I'm also wondering what to do on the other side of the lamp (there's another pretty big chunk of wall... maybe a big wall cock?), but I don't know if I should fill up the whole wall or what. I hate big huge walls, they're so hard!

Across from that big wall is my big photo wall which I love. But with that already in the living room I'm not sure I want a ton of family photos on the other wall too. (I'm planning on painting that bookshelf white, and those baskets are no longer there)

This room intimidates me, and it's our only real wall space in the main living part of the house, so I want to cram everything I love in here, but that just won't work.
I'm thinking about adding a long shelf in the hallway too so I can put up some color photos that I love of the kids. I love my B&W wall, but some pictures just need to be in color. :)

Luck of the Irish

I took down my Valentines decorations this week. I was planning on leaving them up through February, but on Wednesday night they started falling down, so I took that as a sign that it was time to switch them out.
I've been messing with my shelves for the last two days, and I now have one of them done. I'm not sure what I'm going to do on the other one yet. I'm thinking something more spring-y, but we shall see... Those things have a way of changing as I do them.
Anyway, here's the shelf that's done, I really like how it turned out. :)

I switched my Valentines subway art out for the St. Patty's Day version, and the book is another one I have from my childhood. I hadn't planned on using it, but when I was putting the Valentine's one away I saw this one and thought it would be fun up there. The only thing I bought for this project were the shamrocks. I found them at Michaels (after thinking I'd seen them at the Dollar store and then not being able to find them there). They were $1 for a bunch of 4 and I bought 2 bunches (I still haven't figured out what I'm going to do with the rest). I borrowed the gold coins from my kids' Christmas candy (yes, we still have Christmas candy), and the gumballs are the same ones I've been using forever. My kids keep asking to eat them every time I switch them out, but they've been handled so much (and dropped on the floor) that I think they're for decoration only at this point.

I'm really having fun with these shelves, I like looking up there and seeing something fresh and new (and I like that I still have one surface that N can't get to).

Linking up for the first time. :)

A bunch of pictures!

I put these all on FB too, but I want to try to keep my blog going, if nothing else so I have something more than FB to look back at. :)
Just a bunch of random pictures from the last few days...

M doing art, both kids LOVE art and spend a good bit of time at their desk. I'm so glad we went ahead and built this!

Here is the (almost) completed desk/shelves set-up. We just need to do some touch up on the trim and get a shelf for under the desk. I also want to find something to put on top of the shelves, but that's a whole other post. :)

R and N playing blocks. N was so cute. He REALLY wanted to knock down the blocks as soon as we would stack two together, but he was good about waiting if we told him too. Every time we'd tell him to wait he'd scrunch his shoulders up and put his head to the side. It was super cute. :)





N tried to put on M's backpack, so I got out the old one R used for preschool. He loved wearing it around the house.

I love these boys. :)


M loves to read!

Etsy Love

Just thought it would be fun to do a little post on some Etsy things I'm loving these days. :)

I'm LOVING this necklace (and this one, and this matching bracelet). How stinking cute are those??

I think these prints are super cute too!

(from Whimsy Studios)

There are so many cute things out there! What are some of your favorites?

I'm such a copycat decorator

I really do love to decorate, but I seem to always get stuck on what to do. So, after browsing blogland last night I put together some Valentines decorations on my shelves. Almost everything up here are ideas that I took from other blogs, but I guess that's why people post pictures of that stuff (and tell you where to get it), right? :)

(sorry about the weird colors and shadows in the photos)


This shelf has the red vines (bought at the Dollar Store, score!) in the vase that I already posted about, as well as the Target dollar spot mailboxes (she didn't post where those were from, but I found the same ones there today, so that's what I'm guessing). I have since put the kids' initials on the front of them with red glitter glue. :) I also printed the free subway art (also on the eighteen25 blog) that I've seen tons of people using in blog land. It's a 16x20 file, but I printed it as an 8x10 so it would fit my space. The frame is one I had laying around. I would love a big chunky white frame, but I'm using what I have. :) The hearts in back are from the Dollar Store and were posted about by another blogger (that I didn't bookmark, sorry!). The gumballs in the jar are another "use what you have". In a perfect world that would be FULL of Valentine M&Ms, but I didn't want to buy 3 bags of M&Ms at almost $3 a pop. :)

This shelf is slightly more original (just slightly). The "Love" was another blogland find, which pointed me to the Target dollar spot again, and then there's more of the Dollar Store heart picks. The book is one my mom gave me for Christmas. It's a first edition copy of Four Valentines In a Rainstorm from when I was a kid. I use to love this book, and I was so excited when my mom gave it to me. Perfect to display for Valentine's Day too. :) The teapot (house) was a Christmas present from M, she picked it out all by herself. I stuck some hearts out the spout and I think it looks pretty cute up there. The green vase in back is one I've had for a while, it's from the Target dollar spot too. :) (and then there's my cookbooks that live up there...)

Anyway, just wanted to share my cute little Valentine decorations. I really like how it turned out. I may add to it, but for now I think it's fun and cute. :)

I also have my heart wreath on the door again, I love walking up to a cute door every time I get home from one of the multiple times I leave the house each day. :)

I want to live here!

I was clicking through blogs last night looking at all the fun Valentines decorations when I came across this picture (found on this blog).

I love the red vines (Matthew's FAVORITE) and that huge jar of M&Ms! I love the 3 little mail boxes. I love how bright and cheery it all looks. :)

I'm going to try to take some of those ideas and use them in my house. I will for sure be doing some red vines (and I think they would look awesome for patriotic holidays with some blue and white candy too!!), but we'll see where it goes from there.

New Wreath

I made a new Christmas wreath this year. I had seen this one in blog land MONTHS ago and I bookmarked it so I would remember to copy it when the holiday season came around again.
Here is my version...


I wasn't able to find a square wreath form or picture frame for a good price, so I ended up buying a piece of foam board at the Dollar Store and cutting it to the size I wanted. Then I just wrapped in it tinsel (it took all of two things of it) and glued on my stuff. I really like how it turned out!

Finally Finished!

I feel like I started this project months ago, I'm so happy it's finally done!! This was one of the first things I came across when I started reading decorating blogs, and I knew it would be prefect for the loads of artwork my kids make. I used spray paint for my frames (all of which I had already) and I got cute little clips in the scrapbook section of Michaels. I hung mine in the hallway, that way I get to see it all the time, but it's not too cluttered in the living room (I didn't think it would work well in the same room as my wall of photos). My kids have been up at my mom's for a few days, but they're coming home today and I'm sure the rest of the frames will be filled in before the end of the week, I just put up a few things I had been saving for now.
(Sorry for the bad picture, there wasn't much room to get a good shot.)



While I'm making a decorating post, here's a little something M and I made for her room... I think it turned out pretty cute and it adds a little something to her room. :)

Blue-eyed boy and a little project

Just a cute one of N that didn't fit into my other posts...



He's being a pill lately! He won't let me out of his sight at all without screaming, even if one of the kids is sitting with him. Pretty much the only time I get to put him down all day is during nap time and if he's sitting in the high chair eating. Other than that he screams if he's set down (unless I sit on the floor with him). Neither of my other kids had separation anxiety like this. By the end of the day all I want to do is hand him off to Matthew so I can do something with both hands, it's exhausting!! I do love that he loves me so much he doesn't want to be without me though. :)


In other news... here's a little bit of cuteness I've added to the house in the last week. I saw the idea for the gumballs here, and I happened to find that picture when I was digging through my boxes of frames for another (yet to be completed) project. Eventually I want to put this on my shelves in the dinning room, but they don't exist yet, so on top of my desk it is for now. Sorry for the bad picture, the lighting hasn't been great with all the RAIN we're still having, and I didn't want to wait any longer to take the picture.

Copying a Copycat - My Butterfly Tree

I've recently found my way into the land of decorating blogs, and I have to say, I'm HOOKED! There are endless blogs out there with great ideas on everything crafting and decorating. Most days my head is spinning with ideas I want to try or things I want to change in my own home now. I keep reminding myself that it's a process and it will take time, but I'm so excited to see them come to life.

Anyway, here is my latest completed project. A butterfly tree for M's room. I coped this tree (which was a copy of a copy...) and this other idea she had.

I didn't have a butterfly punch, so in the interest of saving money I hand cut every. single. one. of those butterflies. Not hard, just time consuming and tedious. Very tedious. I did most of them at night after the kids were all in bed while I was watching my evening TV.

I did my tree pretty much exactly like the one above, rocks in the vase to make it more sturdy and hold the sticks in place, moss on top to cover them up, butterflies and leaves hot glued on. The butterflies on the wall are also done the same way, folded slightly and stuck to the wall with sewing pins.

Here's a shot of the whole thing...



I'm really loving the way it turned out! I think it's so fun and girly, and it goes so well with the wall art I already had in there.
What do you think?


Here's a little peak of another project I've been working on. It's another copycat in the making, but isn't that what those blogs are out there for? :)

decorating projects

Just some random things I've been doing around here...

First up, the kids' bathroom, which is now pretty much done!






A couple little things I've done in the boys' room (don't mind the kid in the edge of the photo)




I've been wanting to put something on this bookshelf (that's under my photo wall) because it's always covered in random stuff that gets set there, and I hate that. I thought that if I put something on it I would be more likely to not set stuff down there. So far, so good. :)

Tray I found at Ross. Not totally ugly, but totally not my style.


After a quick couple coats of black spray paint (and some apples I already had)


I'd like to put something else on the tray, but I had those, so they'll work for now.
I also have plans to paint that bookshelf white, but I'm waiting until we go to Redding next time to pick up some paint at Home Depot.

And lastly, a room that has me stumped... the entryway.



I want to put something on the shelf in there, but I have no clue what. The only thing I can think of is to lean an old shutter up on top (like I've seen on so many decorating blogs these days), but I don't have an old shutter or know where to get one, and then put some other things in front of it. I'd like to set something up there to use the shelf and save hanging things for places I don't have shelves, but it's high up, and there's not much room above it so I'm stumped. I keep comparing it to the space that a lot of kitchens have above the cupboards (my kitchen doesn't have that, thankfully!), which I know is a hard spot for a lot of people.
I also want to get that vinyl family label thing for above those closet doors, but I always seem to find other things to put any extra money towards. Maybe for Christmas? lol
I'd love any ideas anyone has for above that shelf though!

Things I want to do around the house...

Project ideas, big and small...


-add "B" to photo wall
-paint bookshelf white
-Paint dining room chairs white (and then coat in something that will make the paint stick this time) :)
-stain dining room table a darker color (and paint legs white)
-hang frames in hallway for artwork
-hang wedding pictures in master bedroom (spray paint frames and shelves)
-find something for above entryway shelf (fun scrapbook paper??)
-have Matthew build shelves and desk for dining room
-make tissue paper flowers for M's room
-new pillows for couch and green chair
-vinyl family name in entryway
-vinyl somewhere else (fruit of the spirit)
-find a spot for monogram that I love (the 'T' on the top right)
-attack master bedroom (haha... am I the only one who leaves that for last?)
-paint knife block
-new door mat for porch
-make butterfly tree for M's room and move a few things around in there
-find apothecary jar to fill with gumballs
-herbs on windowsill
-new plait wall arrangement in dining room


Okay, so those are in no particular order, just all the ideas I have had lately for things I want to do in this house. Some are a lot easier than others. Hopefully I'll slowly chip away at that list (and add to it I'm sure) and post pictures as I go.
I'm happy to say that I'm almost completely done with the kids' bathroom now. I'll post some pictures once I finish, but it's close!!

Week long wrap-up

It's been SO NICE for the past week! It seriously feels like summer (summer around here anyway). We've been spending lots of time outside and with the windows open. The kids have played outside every day for over a week now, I'm LOVING that we have a yard again!
I went through all their outdoor toys and got rid of everything that was ruined from the rain. I found all of their sidewalk chalk floating in a bucket of water, so I tried my best to dry it out and then I let the kids color out front. The chalk was still pretty wet on the inside, but they had fun with it. We'll have to get some new stuff now, I tossed what was left when they were done.
Anyway, here are a few pictures of that...


On Saturday morning I ran to the hardware in the morning and got some red paint for our door. I put a coat on it before I went to see Bride Wars with some friends, and then did another coat when I got home. What do you think?

Funny little story... Matthew is home for a bit today while he waits until he can go to his next call, and he's going through our old paint. He just brought in the red that I used for the strips in R's old room, and it's the exact same color that I picked for the front door. It's glossier than what I put on the door, but isn't that funny?

This morning the kids and met a friend at the park. Here's a cute picture I got of them when they stopped for snack...


Well, I need to figure out what I'm going to make for dinners this week so I can run to the grocery store. Hope everyone's having a nice week so far!