My friend Cindy from Cloches and Lavender and I got together and decided to share out Christmas Dining rooms with you. Only one problem. I don’t have a formal dining room any more. So I decided to share my breakfast room with you. Normally, this room would be a lot more formal, but with the Christmas celebration being scaled back quite  a bit this year, I’m decorating more for casual Christmas dining.

But don’t worry, just because it’s casual doesn’t mean it has to be plain!

On one end of the breakfast room is our coffee bar/ hot chocolate bar.

If you missed how I set up my hot chocolate  bar, you can see it here.

Also, I shared my Christmas hutch with you early this month.

If you want to see a step by step how to video you can see it here.

Casual Christmas Dining

As always, I  start with a clean table.

In fact, I give everything that’s going on my table the once over to make sure it’s clean, no smudges, or fingerprints.

Once that’s done, I add a tablecloth.

However, this year I am using this furry white runner that reminds me of snow.

Start in the Center of the table.

I like to start from the center of the table and work my way out.

See this cute felt holly ribbon?

I think it’s my favorite this year.

It mimics the felt garland and flower pics on my hutch.

I simply laid it on the center of my runner for a little color.

This years centerpiece is a bowl from the kitchen that I filled with small pots of Poinsettias.

I added in a few glass ornaments and my centerpiece is complete.

I’m mad about plaid this year.

Not sure why, but years ago I used plaid just about everywhere.

Over time I was a little burnt out.

I started with a black charger plate and for some fun and color laid a plaid napkin across it.

If you follow me at all, you know that 9 times out of 10 I’m going to use my white hob nail plates.

Love them.

They go with everything!

Next, I added my Christmas salad plate.

I purchased the whole set years ago from Better Home and Gardens.

Best Christmas purchase ever.

My Silverware has a tiny gold bead on it that picks up that light and gives the table a little understated bling.

You know I love some bling!

Now for the fun part!

I took another plaid napkin and folded to look like a Christmas tree.

Normally I  stay away from folded napkins because when I fold them they never seem to look quite like they do on Pinterest.

However, these were super easy to fold and surprisingly they look exactly like the inspiration photo.

I love to put a piece of candy, a treat, or a take home on my plates.

So this year I added in one of my hot chocolate bombs to go with dessert!

Trust me, these bombs are so rich they are almost a dessert in themselves.

And last, but not least, I added my hand painted water/ wine/ tea glasses.

In a former life I painted wine glasses.

I love this size glass because it’s so versatile.

And these glasses are just a few of the ones I made for myself.

Since they are all the same and my family tends to use the same glass most of the day, I added cute wine glass markers.

If you look closely you can see a cute little Santa.

My place setting is complete.

Simple, casual, but I think super fun and colorful.

Oh, one last thing!

My place cards this year were wreaths with Christmas ornaments tied to the center that were hung from the back of the chairs.

I love a fun and unusual place cards and try each year to come up with something unusual.

This may be one of my favorites ever.

See? Casual Christmas dining doesn’t have to be boring!

Now, that I’m done please head on over to Cindy’s and check out her formal dining room. I’m sure that it’s going to be beautiful because everything she does is spectacular!

Merry Christmas!

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O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree How lovely are thy branches!…I haven’t been happy with my Christmas tree this year. In our new home it feels too big, too tall. The lights quit working so I ordered fairy lights that switch between white and colored.  They are not quite what I had envisioned, the cords are almost impossible to hide. The ribbon I chose just didn’t do it for me either. And to top it all off the only place that it would fit was smushed between the TV console and the sofa.  I need a new one but that’s a whole different story. So I decorated it and went on.

And then I saw this.

The perfect tree.

No idea who’s tree it is, I tried to figure it out but couldn’t.

So if you know, let me know so I can give this person, who is clearly the King or Queen of tree decorating, the true credit they so richly deserve.

Comparison is an ugly thing.

Now my tree really didn’t make me happy.

At all.

A week or so ago I saw a Reels that Brittany Young the Certified Celebrator posted.

She reminded me of our Christmas Tree tradition that we started when our sons were small.

Every year the boys got to choose an ornament for the tree.

The plan was that when they got married they would get to take their ornaments with them to start their new tree.

This plan started off beautifully.

When they were young I chose the ornaments.

Cute, sweet and color co-ordinated perfectly with my carefully chosen bulbs and Our First Christmas Together ornament.

You can see the flaws in this plan, however I and Brittany certainly did not.

This is the ornament that Brittany’s son chose.

#boymomlife

I had to laugh because it reminded me of all of the years of strange ornaments that my sons chose.

Don’t believe me?

Let me share.

Super Heros

We have quite a few of them.

Batman, Spiderman and Ninja Turtles just to name a few.

Is this Leonardo? Or Michelangelo?

And in most cases there are more than one.

 Video games.

Who knew?

This one lights up and makes strange noises.

For obvious reasons it’s batteries need replaced.

Strange things.

I don’t even know what some of them are and frankly stopped asking.

 Movies, camping, etc.

And this year? My youngest asked why I hadn’t asked him what ornament he wanted.

The conversation went like this:

Son: ” Mom, why haven’t you asked me what ornament I want this year. Did we even do one last year?”

Me: “Well, I had planned on them being a wedding gift, but as I see no wedding in sight and the tree is getting a bit full, I thought maybe we should just stop getting new ornaments.”

Him: ” WOW, mom! I mean, I plan on getting married. Some day. Hey, no pressure…”

Me: ” Just get the ornament…” eye roll…

This is what I got.

All 6 of them.

Now, it’s not totally filled with all things a boy mom would cringe at.

It also has beautiful Shiny Brite ornaments, ornaments fit for a queen, Santas and hand blown glass ornaments from Germany.

Ornaments that both my husband and I love.

The funny thing was, as I started photographing the ornaments to share with you it brought back all of the memories.

When the boys played sports, were in the Church Christmas play, school events, when they were into video games. ( the youngest would jump, roll and dive when Mario did. Quite the work out and made untangling the cord an event. Drove the eldest CRAZY!) All of the years that we hid the pickle and they went hunting….

All the memories.

From opening gifts to setting up the train under the tree.

Suddenly, my Christmas tree wasn’t the Charlie Brown tree I had pictured it to be.

My tree may not be filled with all things shiny and new.

It may not be the perfect size, in the perfect place, with the perfect lights and ribbon.

But it is filled with beautiful memories that I wouldn’t trade for any other tree!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas Tree how lovely are thy branches….

Until next time…

Last week when I shared my hot chocolate bar, I promised to also share with you how I made my snowmen marshmallows and my hot cocoa bombs. I shared my snowmen with you a few days ago, so today is the day I share How to make hot cocoa bombs with you.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect all of the questions that have come my way about the bombs.

It seems that they are one hot item this year!

I’m no expert, but I can give you a little insight into how I made mine.

To be honest, they are one of the easiest and the hardest things I’ve ever made.

By that I mean that I am on my second or more batch and I’m still figuring out the best way to make them.

The first time around I found a tutorial on Pinterest that wasn’t all that complete.

After much more research I came across a how to from In Karina’s Kitchen and all of the pieces fell into place.

Supplies:

• mold
• chocolate – I used Sweet Tooth Fairy Meltables
• spoon
• glass measuring cup
• non-stick skillet
• hot cocoa mix
• sprinkles
• marshmallows
• gloves
  

  How To Make Hot Cocoa Bombs

• Step 1:

I bought my mold here.  Remember that I said that it was a hot item?

Well, it’s out of stock at this time.

However, there are a ton of other places that sell the molds also.

If you are going to make a lot of bombs I recommend getting more than one mold.

My mold has 6 cups, which makes 3 bombs.

Melt your chocolate for 30 seconds in the microwave.

Stir well.

Repeat until chocolate is completely melted.

Step 2:

There are a couple of ways to coat the chocolate mold.

My favorite is to drop a spoonful of melted chocolate into the mold.

Then using the back of the spoon, spread a thin layer of chocolate, covering all of the mold.

Make sure to bring the chocolate all the way to the top of the mold.

Place in the freezer for 5 minutes or until the chocolate has completely set.

( My neighbor cut her bomb mold apart, then dropped in chocolate then swirled the mold around to cover all  sides of each half bomb.)

Step 3:

After 5 minutes, pull the mold from the freezer and spread another thin layer of chocolate on to the first layer of chocolate.

Again making sure that you are bringing the chocolate all the way to the top of the mold.

Put into the freezer for another 5 minutes or until completely set.

Step 4:

Gently remove the chocolate from the mold.

Slow and easy are the keys here.

If your chocolate isn’t set, it could break or crack.

I did find that if I had a tiny crack or piece come off at the top I could put more chocolate onto that area, put it in the freezer, and them remove it.

9 times out of 10 that would fix the problem.

Step 5:

Once you have removed the bomb halves from the mold, it’s time to even out the top rim and put the bomb together.

I found that putting a non-stick skillet on top of a burner on the lowest heat worked the best for me.

Heat the pan, place he bomb cavity side down and gently twist the bomb.

It will melt the bomb slightly and create a flat area that will allow you to put the two bombs together.

Melt the first half of the bomb.

Step 6:

Flip the half over and add hot chocolate, marshmallows and sprinkles.

Step 7:

Melt your other bomb half and quickly place it on top of the half you just filled with goodies.

Gently press together to seal the bomb.

If any melted chocolate seeps out you can gently wipe it off.

Step 8:

I set bombs immediately into a cupcake liner and let them set up.

Once they have had time to set, you can decorate them however you wish.

Here, I’ve made a snowman hot coco bomb by adding a face using icing and ear muffs using M & M’s.

On the chocolate bombs, I melted some white chocolate and drizzled it over the bombs and immediately added sprinkles.

I found these clear plastic 3 x 3 boxes and added some shredded paper in the bottom.

Once the bombs were decorated and all decorations were dry, I added the bombs to them.

Tie on a cute bow and your hot cocoa bombs are almost complete!

Several people asked how do you make the bombs explode?

As an afterthought I made these instructions on my computer, cut them out and taped them to the side of the box.

However, my neighbor who is much smarter than me, found some pretty Avery labels and printed her instructions out.

Peel and stick.

So much easier!

I tested the white chocolate bombs out on The Hubs and he said it’s the best hot chocolate he’s ever had.

And not to be left out my youngest took a chocolate one home and said the same.

I’ll put these into the Pinterest win column!

Before I go, here are just a few tips to help you make the best bombs ever.

• make sure you don’t over heat the chocolate. It will burn or become hard to work with.
• use chocolate candy melts. I used a different chocolate the first time and it was a mess as it wasn’t already tempered. Trust me on this one!
• handle the bombs as little as possible.  It IS chocolate and will melt. You can leave fingerprints and marks that make it look like a mess! Wear gloves to help keep it smooth and clean.
• Don’t over fill the inside of the bomb. Keep the edges of the bombs clean so that they will melt together.
• Make sure that your chocolate is set before removing from the mold. If you don’t it will break or crack. You know the chocolate is set when it looks clean and shiny!
• Your bombs should last up to two weeks after you make them. To extend that time I put them into the refrigerator until I’m ready to deliver them.

That’s it! If you decide to make some, I’d love to hear any tips or tricks that you come up with. And, as always, please send me pictures!

Until next time…

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My good friends, Cindy from Cloches and Lavender and Terrie from Decorate And More With Tip rounded up a few fun ladies for a Christmas home tour. Each of us are sharing a room, or rooms, in our home decorated with all things Christmas.

When it came time to decide which room I wanted to share, my thoughts went to my living room.

I mean, it is where most of the pretty is.

But then I looked out of the living room window and saw this.

It’s where we spend a lot of our time.

We ARE outside people and it IS Texas.

Todays high is expected to be 77.

Perfect patio sitting weather!

I knew that I wanted to share the room that we love to be in as much as possible.

Our patio.

The Patio

When you walk outside the back door off of our living room, this is the “room” that you see.

We have set up a mini living room with swivel chairs to watch TV, relax, read books or just watch the kids in the pool.

For the Christmas season I’ve added red and white throw pillows and navy and white buffalo plaid throws to keep us warm and toasty.

Greenery, berries, and pinecones adorned with red ribbon are hung from each of the back windows.

As you step out of the backdoor, a cute red truck Christmas doormat is flanked by two large red poinsettias.

Don’t you just love all of the cute doormats that are available now?

This corner is the home for a few trees, poinsettias and a Merry sign that the Queens made a few years ago at their annual party.

This is such a pretty corner in the daylight, but it really shines at night!

Across from the trees, at the end of the sitting area we have a drink center that sits directly under the TV.

We don’t use it for drinks in the winter, but we do serve off of it in the fall and winter when we watch football.

Today I’ve got a few poinsettias and a snowflake lantern decorating it, as well as a fun pink flamingo!

Here’s a picture of the seating area looking in from the pool area.

We just put up a pergola over the dining table.

I cannot tell you how happy I am with it.

Already I can tell that in the brutal Texas summer we will have much needed shade.

And in the winter it will give us protection from the elements.

I couldn’t wait to start decorating this area.

I’m nowhere near done, but hanging the sleigh and giving my table a centerpiece really gave this area a festive feel.

Not the best picture, but I couldn’t not share the area at the end of the table.

Just a fun vignette full of Christmas cheer.

At the other end of the table I’ve placed a light up snowman trio.

As you could tell from earlier pictures, our house backs up to the neighborhood park.

So we like to decorate for the daytime as well as the night time.

Speaking of the the patio at night…

At night it’s magical!

With everything lighted there is just enough light to see the entire space and still give your that Christmas magic feel!

While it’s not the prettiest room in our house, it’s definitely one of our favorites!

Thank you for stopping by, it was so good to have you here.

Now it’s time to visit the rest of the Christmas Home Tour participants!

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Hey there! Last week when I shared my hot cocoa bar with you I promised to share how to make marshmallow snowmen and hot cocoa bombs with you.

So today I’m making good on half of that promise.

How to make marshmallow snowmen.

Can I tell you a secret?

They are so easy to make I could have called the neighbor kids over and let them do  it while I napped!

Supplies:

Here’s what you will need to make the snowmen.

* Marshmallows – the big kind

*Powdered Sugar

*Scissors- I used my kitchen scissors, cleaning them super well before using.

*A new artist liner brush

*Gel Food Coloring or tubes of icing

Optional – a 4 x 4 x2 box and bakers twine

Step 1

Take a small plate and liberally sprinkle powdered sugar on it.

Next to the plate, lay out a piece of parchment paper or wax paper.

Step 2

Using the scissors, cut a marshmallow in half.

Step 3

Dip the sticky side of the marshmallow ( the side that was cut) into the powdered sugar.

tip: if your marshmallow shape is a little wonky, press down in the center to make it round again.

Step 4

Place your marshmallow – powdered sugar side down – onto a piece of parchment paper.

Step 5

Now for the fun part!

Painting your snowman’s face.

Now don’t panic if you aren’t an artist.

We are talking basic shapes here.

Dip a little gel food coloring out onto a paper plate.

Then using a clean, new artists brush get  the brush wet and dip into a little of the food coloring.

You want it to be thin, but not watery.

Paint your snowman!

Remember I said basic shapes?

As you can see here I used circles for the eyes, mouth and checks and a wonky triangle for the nose.

If your food coloring bleeds a little, that’s okay.

If it bleeds too much, you have used to much water…

My snowmen are far from perfect, but I think that makes them even cuter!

I know that most of us aren’t going to any parties this year, but wouldn’t these be a great hostess gift?

Or even a sweet treat for family and friends?

I found these boxes here and they were perfect for six to eight snowmen.

To keep them in place in the box, simply wet a small circle on the back side of the marshmallow and place in the box.

The water creates a small sticky spot that holds just enough that they won’t move inside the box, but still allows for easy removal.

Tie your box up with ribbon or bakers twine, add a festive embellishment and a tag.

You now have a cute, sweet gift!

Don’t forget to make a few for yourself!

They are just the cutest floating in a cup of hot chocolate!

Once your marshmallow snowmen are done, store them in an airtight container.

See? I told you making marshmallow snowmen was easy.

Chocolate Bombs are coming soon, I promise!

Until next time…..

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It finally feels like we may have a Winter season here in North Texas. We went from weather in the 70’s down into the 40’s and 50’s. Which may not seem that cold to you, but here we are dragging out the coats. With the weather getting cooler, it’s time to bust out one of my favorite things. A big mug of hot cocoa! So today I’m sharing how to set up a Christmas hot cocoa bar. Disclaimer, I’m no expert on hot cocoa bars, this is just how my family likes to do it.

Step 1:

Find a great spot for your bar and add lots of Christmas decor.

I’m setting mine up next to my coffee maker on the buffet in the breakfast room.

For us, it just makes sense.

However, your bar can go anywhere that you want it to go!

Your bar just wouldn’t be as festive without a few Christmas decorations.

I added in my sweet little reindeer, as well as greenery, red Christmas bulbs and lots of plaid.

Step 2:

Add Hot cocoa and all of the trimmings!

*hot cocoa – We use The Hubs family recipe, but Swiss Miss is a good one too.

*marshmallows – mini, fluff, large, peeps, dehydrated – thank goodness they come in all shapes, colors and sizes!

*Sea Salted Caramel  

*Whipped Cream

*Sprinkles– they bring the fun to the party!

*White and Chocolate chips – for added flavor

*Candy Canes – great stir sticks and add a little peppermint kick

*Cookies – who doesn’t like cookies?

*Hot Cocoa Bombs – yummy!

*Candy

*Chocolate Fudge Sauce

And these are just a few things to start with!

I like to keep most of my ingredients in pretty containers with lids.

Freshness counts!

Also, since most of my containers are not see through I add small tags to each container for convenience.

I love these mini dehydrated marshmallows, they never get stale!

Speaking of marshmallows, I love these hand painted snowmen.

They are just the cutest floating around in your cup.

Want to know how to make them?

I’ll be sharing how next week!

What cup of cocoa would be complete without sprinkles?

I just add them to the top of a little marshmallow fluff or whip cream.

Guaranteed happiness every time!

We’ve all seen these cute Hot Chocolate Bombs, right?

I can’t tell you how fun they are and best of all they are delicious!

The Hubs said that they made the best cup of hot chocolate that he has ever had!

Along with a good cup of chocolate, I like to eat a little something.

Like cookies!

These pirouettes are this weeks favorite, next week it might be something different!

Step 3:

Make sure that you have plenty of serving utensils.

One essential item is something to stir your hot chocolate.

I like to offer a variety with spoons, stir sticks, and candy canes!

Other essential items are scoops and small spoons.

I even put out small tongs for things like the marshmallow snowmen.

Also, you can never have enough napkins on hand.

Ever.

Step 4:

Lifts and Levels with tall things in the back.

If you are limited on space like I am,  put things in the back up on a lift if they aren’t tall.

A lift is anything the can add height.

In this case I used a oblong plaid tin about 3 inches thick and 6 inches long.

Then added a Level, which is a small white tray.

Not only does it look good, now my family can easily reach the hot cocoa and the candy canes without making a mess.

And just like that your Hot Cocoa bar is complete.

Now all that’s left to do is sit back and enjoy a great cup of hot cocoa!

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It’s the first Wednesday of the month, which means it’s time for the DIY challenge.  Terrie from Decorate And More With Tip sent out a DIY glass ornament challenge. The rules? Take a clear glass ornament, any size and create anything that you wanted. Woo Hoo! Challenge accepted.

Before I go much further with the challenge, if you are coming here from CD’s, Pallet and Pantry, Welcome! I’m so happy that you are here.

I dug around in my craft closet and came up with 2 different sizes of clear glass ornaments.

Are you surprised that I already had some?

Well, don’t be.

I’m an ornament maker from way back!

I don’t tell you this to brag, just to explain that coming up with a new idea was going to truly be a challenge.

Muslin angels, hand painted,  glitter, beaded, vinyl and wooden ornaments, I’ve made them all.

So I worried about what to make until I just decided to make the first thing that came to mind.

Which ended up being not one ornament, but three!

step 1

My first ornament was a glitter ornament.

Take the top hanger off of your ornament.

Pour  Mop N Glow into the inside of the ornament and slowly roll it around, making sure to cover the entire inside walls.

Once this is done, pour out any excess.

I didn’t have any Mop N Glow, so I used some polyurethane.

step 2

Next, pour glitter into the inside of your ornament.

Just like in step 1, slowly roll the glitter around in your ornament, making sure to cover the entire inside.

Pour out any excess glitter.

Tip: For the shiniest ornament, I use Holographic glitter.

step 3

Paint the outside of your ornament.

Using glass paint or a multi-surface paint, paint on your design.

Tip: I like to roll up a towel and lay my ornament on it to keep it from moving around.

step 4

Once you have your design painted, let it dry thoroughly, then add a holographic glitter paint top coat.

This just gives it a little more shine and it helps protect your design.

On two of my ornaments I added the year on the back of the ornament using a oil base paint pen.

step 5

Add a bow to your ornament.

On my chinoiserie ornament, I chose a blue and white check ribbon and added a tiny bit of raffia.

I painted 3 different ornaments, all using the same steps as I’ve shared above, and on all three ornaments I added a different type of bow.

My blue glitter initial ornament is sporting a fun blue netting bow with a pink pom.

This sweet snowman ornament has a traditional red plaid bow with a gold jingle bell in the middle.

I loved doing this DIY Glass Ornament Challenge and hope that you found some inspiration to create a few ornaments of your own.

Now it’s time to head over to Paula’s Handmade Space and check out her ornament.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see what Paula and all of my other talented friends have come up with!

Decorate and More with Tip|Purple Hues and Me|Cloches and Lavender|Pallet and Pantry

Patina and Paint|Paula’s Handmade Space|Stilettos and Shiplap|Sweet Southern Grace

The House House|B4 and Afters

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With Thanksgiving coming up most of us are in full Christmas mode. Family get togethers, shopping, parties, baking… you know, all the things. With with so much going on it’s easy to feel like you are overwhelmed. I know I do. So I need a good bit of organization to keep me from going to crazy town! One of the biggest things that keeps me sane is having a Christmas Wrapping Station.

This rolling cart from Michaels turned out to be the perfect solution.

I can’t tell you how much I love this work horse.

Simple roll it out of a closet or an out of the way spot when you are ready to use it.

Done? Roll it back!

During the holidays it becomes all things Christmas, but during the rest of the year it’s an everyday wrapping station.

You can get one here .

On the very top of the cart I have small bins that hold all of the small things.

One holds curly ribbon, string and a stapler.

Another houses all of my tags and special accessories that I like to add to make my gifts look a little extra.

I also place bags of raffia and confetti here.

Attached to the side of the top and middle shelves are removable ribbon rods.

They hold a ton of small to average sized spools of ribbon.

I love the easy access.

Tip:

To keep the ribbon from unrolling, I simply put a sewing pin in the ribbon spool.

The middle shelf holds all of my medium and small gift bags.

On the very bottom shelf I like to keep rolls of ribbon that are too large for the ribbon holders.

Also, behind the ribbon, I store packing paper and any extra miscellaneous larger items.

If you spin the cart around to the back side, you will find a spot for wrapping paper.

It’s perfect for all sizes and the vertical storage is perfect for both large and small rolls.

Attached to the side of the roll holder are two hooks that make it super easy to store larger bags.

These hooks make bag organization a breeze!

Tip:

Over the years I’ve tried several things to keep my wrapping paper closed.

Special binders, wraps, tape, but I always come back to what is easiest and economical.

A rubber band!

One side of the cart has 4 sets of hooks and one bin.

I keep my scissors, tape, hole punch, paper cutter and all larger embellishments here.

If I had one complaint about the cart it would be that it isn’t wide enough to lay my tissue paper out flat in one of the shelves.

However, I fixed that!

I added a suction cup hook and a binder clip to the other side of the cart.

My tissue paper hangs and doesn’t get wrinkled!

It’s not often that I find something that works so well for me, but this cart certainly does.

I love that my Christmas Wrapping Station helps me keep the mess and the stress at bay!

Now let’s get the Holidays started!

Until next time….

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Hello! Today I’ve got a little something different to share with you. It’s a two-for! Not only are you getting a blog post about How To Decorate a Christmas Hutch, but I’m also sharing a video on how to do it also! You can see the video here.

In fact, you might even say that it’s a two-for x2 as my good friend Terrie at Decorate And More With Tip is doing the same thing!

So once you get done visiting my blog post and video, you can go to her site and check out her Christmas Hutch too!

Decorating my hutch is one of the first things to do whenever I decorate for any holiday.

It’s also my favorite thing to do!

So many options.

The first thing that I always do is clear the hutch of all previous decor and give it a good cleaning.

I like to think of my hutch in zones.

Zone 1 is the top of the hutch and everything above it.

Next, zone 2 is the first shelf.

Zone 3 is the middle section.

And zone 4 is the top of the cabinet.

By breaking it up in zones, it’s easier for me to decorate.

Zone 1

I like to start at the top and work my way to the bottom.

I love hanging artwork above the hutch.

This year I painted a  Merry Christmas sign to fill in the empty space above the hutch.

Once that was done, I added a large white house to the center of the hutch and surrounded it with two smaller white houses and silver bottle brush trees.

A few red ornaments and a felted garland and the top of my hutch is finished.

TIP: Always work in odd numbers.

Decorating with odd numbers is more effective in capturing the eye. It forces your eyes to move around, thus it creates more visual interest.

Zone 2

Zone 2 has built in grooves for a plate display, so I always have dishes here.

I purchased these dishes several years ago from Better Homes and Gardens.

They don’t have the exact dishes anymore, however I found a set that’s really close.

You can see those here.

I placed another medium white house in front of the middle set of dishes.

Adding in more silver bottle brush trees, as well as a few felted greenery picks that match the garland.

Tip:  Repeat items.

Again, decorating with repetition creates visual interest and detail without overloading your sense.

Remember the red Christmas ornaments on the top?

I’m adding some large, sparkly red ornaments to the bowls for a little texture and color.

And it doesn’t hurt that it adds a little bling either!

This girl loves a little EXTRA!

On each zone I like to add the same items, but colors also.

We are finished with Zone 2!

Zone 3

Zone 3 is a little cut up with the center display section flanked by two small enclosed areas with doors.

Again, the center section has built in grooves for displaying dishes just like in Zone 2.

Except the space is much smaller.

I used the salad plates from my Christmas dishes to cover the back wall.

In front of each plate I placed a beautiful red glass.

With this space being short and not all that large, I like to keep it pretty simple.

In each of the end cubbies, I placed a stack of my Christmas bowls.

I could put an ornament in each of these, but chose to leave it as is.

We actually use these dishes on the hutch daily during the holiday season.

Super easy to grab them, set the table and then when I’m done cleaning them, it’s just as easy to  put them back.

Hence, I chose to leave these empty.

Now, Zone 3 is complete!

Zone 4

Zone 4 may be my favorite spot to decorate.

It’s usually where I put my biggest focal point and it’s the workhorse of all of the zones.

I put the most used dishes here, as well as fun decor.

I started in the center with a slab of wood.

Layered more felted greenery picks on top of the wood, followed by an antique truck.

I found the truck at our local Antique Mall years ago and it’s still one of my favorites.

I keep cloth napkins folded up in the bed of the truck for daily use.

Functional, yet pretty!

To the left of the truck I place the dishes that we use daily.

On top of the dishes I placed the sweetest little red bird salt and pepper shakers that came with the dishes.

TIP: Place often used items where they are easily accessible.

To the right of my truck I’ve places more stemware.

I hand painted these glasses many years ago when I had a hand painted glassware business.

They are still some of my favorites and have held up really well.

In front of the glasses I placed a stack another stack of napkins.

The tiny Santa that sits on the napkins was one of the decorations we bought!

Every year I find a fun place for him to hang out!

Zone 4 is complete.

I hope that you enjoyed how to decorate a Christmas hutch!

If you would like to see the video, please go here.

Also, don’t for get to head on over to Terrie’s and see what she’s done to her hutch.

Trust me, she never disappoints!

Want to see the video?

You can see mine here.

And be sure to check out Terrie’s Video here.

Until next time….

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How many of you have started decorating for Christmas? This year it seems like a lot more people than just bloggers are decorating earlier than ever before. I get it. In a year where nothing is normal, you might as well do what makes you happy! With that in mind I started a little earlier than usual myself. Today I’m sharing my glitzy reindeer banner with you.

You know, just in case you need a little inspiration.

This year I started in my living room. Put the tree up. Decorated the shelves. Everything was rocking right along, until I started on my fireplace mantle.

I ran into a big brick wall and it took forever for me to figure out why!

In my head it was going to be this really fun, glamorous, multi-colored fun fest.

But when the dust settled, I realized that I was fighting where the decor was telling me to go.

I hung several banners off the mantle.

A big, beautiful red pom pom banner and a white pom pom, tassel banner with wooden beads.

It just needed something extra.

I searched on-line and in stores for something that I loved to add to the mantle, but came up with zilch.

Then I remembered this pack of reindeer that I picked up a few months ago at the Dollar Tree.

Step 1:

Paint the reindeer gold.

Step 2:

Mod Podge.

Paint your reindeer with a healthy coat of Mod Podge.

Really any glue would work, I just had this on hand.

Step 3:

Glitter.

Give your glue coated reindeer a generous sprinkle of glitter.

Step 4:

String and hang your glitzy reindeer banner.

I figured I had enough bling on the reindeer so I strung my reindeer on twine.

Once I had it on the twine, I simply hung it above the existing banners on the fireplace.

Once my glitzy reindeer were hung the rest of the mantle fell into place!

I love it!

Another bonus was that it only cost me $1.00 and about an hour of time total.

I still have a few more things to add to finish up my Christmas Fireplace Mantle.

But it’s mostly just sprucing it up and fluffing it here and there.

I love the simplicity of it compared to years past.

I know I say this every year, but this may be my favorite Christmas mantle ever.

And all because of a $1.00 glitzy reindeer banner!

Until next time…..

My good friend Terrie from Decorate And More With Tip asked a few  friends if we would like to get together for a Surprise Box Challenge.

Of course, I said yes!

So here’s how it works.

Terrie drew names out of a hat for each of us. We were to spend no more than $10 on any craft item or items, then mail it to the person drawn for us.

Once we received our box we had to use something from each item that we received and make a fun craft.

We could add items as needed, but we had to use a least part of each item.

Shayna from Robinson Repurposing sent me a box full of items.

Ten to be exact.

A small house, styrofoam balls – large and small, glitter glue sticks, a picture frame, glitter, a seasons greeting sign, a pinecone pick, a Let It snow sign and a large plastic bowl.

I gotta admit that it took me a couple of days to figure exactly what I wanted to do.

My first thought was a two tiered tray, but just as I was about to start putting it together my sister  called and asked me to make her a Christmas wreath!

Step 1:

Spray paint almost everything white.

Once that was done, I had The Hubs cut off about 1/4  of the front of the house.

Step 2:

Add glitter to the house.

Nothing like a little glitter to make it look like snow.

Step 3:

Using the Season’s Greeting sign, I flipped it over, painted it white and added a red and white snowflake patterned paper to the back of the box.

Step 4:

Glue the house to the box using the glitter glue sticks from my surprise box.

I also added a few small bottle brush trees that I had in my craft closet.

Since the glue sticks had glitter in them I really piled it on to look like snow drifts.

Then added a little more glitter.

Step 5:

Start building the wreath.

I purchased a new wreath on sale at Michaels for $3.99.

Flip the wreath over to the back side and glue the white bowl into the opening.

Step 6:

Turn the wreath over to the right side and glue the red and white box to the bottom of the bowl.

Step 7:

Remove the metal “Let It Snow” words from the sign.

Let It Snow was all one piece, however I cut it apart to better fit on the wreath.

Once removed and cut apart, dry brush white paint over the lettering.

Step 8:

Taking the styrofoam balls, I placed them on a wooden stick, painted them with glue and then added glitter.

Tip: Why the sticks? They can be placed into a jar or glass while the glitter and glue dry.

Step 9:

After adding a bow, the pinecone pick and the “snow balls” to the front of the wreath, it was time to add a wreath hanger.

I used the top half of the picture frame and wired it to the wreath.

The hole in the frame made it a perfect way to hang the wreath.

This is my finished wreath!

I’ve done the Surprise Box Challenge two times now.

Surpisingly, I love them.

It’s like Forrest says ” they are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get!”

Boy, isn’t that the truth!

If you’re wondering who I sent my surprise box to and what was in it?

Well, head on over to Emily’s at Le Cultivateur and check it out!

And when you are done there, check out all of the other participants.

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Our November DIY Challenge is shopping your home, DIY Christmas.  In other words, at least in my case, it’s “Get busy finishing up all the projects you bought from last year.” Procrastination, in this case, is a good thing!  Seriously, we were challenged to make Christmas decor out of the things we already had, without buying anything. So what did I make? A Christmas Advent Calendar.

If you are coming here from Cindy’s, Cloches and Lavender, WELCOME, I’m so glad that you are here!

Also, I want to extend a great big thank you to Terrie from Decorate And More With Tip for a fabulous job of hosting.

I found this paper mâché advent calendar box last year and couldn’t wait to get started on it.

However, we all know that didn’t happen.

It got put in the back of my craft closet until I had more time.

Good news, if you want to make one, they are on sale for 50% off right now at Hobby Lobby.

I dug around in my 5000 pages of scrapbook paper and found 5 different complimentary patterns to cover my boxes with.

To help count down the days, these felt stars and trees with wooden numbers were a perfect size for the front of the small boxes.

I found these last year also, however, they have them at Hob Lob again this year.

Step 1

Spray paint your boxes.

Honestly, if I’d had red spray paint I would have used it instead of the black.

Still, the black looks good with my paper.

Step 2 and 3

Lay the front of the small boxes onto the paper and trace around the box.

Then cut them out.

Once you have your paper cut out, paste the paper to the front of the boxes.

I used Mod Podge, however regular glue would work also.

I also covered the outsides of my main box with paper.

Tip: I painted glue onto my boxes, positioned the paper, then painted a thin layer of  Mod Podge on top of the paper and box.

Step 4:

Once the boxes are completely dry, put the boxes back into the main box.

Then it’s time to put the numbers onto the fronts of the small boxes.

My numbers went from 1 to 24, however there were 25 boxes.

On the 25th box I placed a felt Santa face for the 25th.

These numbers had sticky dots to attach them to the boxes, however I added hot glue to the dots to ensure that they didn’t pop off.

Step 5

Add a festive bow to the top.

I thought that it would look cute to make my calendar look like a Christmas present.

It’s just not a present without a bow!

I dug out my Christmas ribbon and made a bow from scraps.

Step 6

Add a name tag.

Since my Christmas Advent Calendar is going to my sweet great niece, I added her name to a wooden tag and glued it to the top of the box.

Just like you would with a Christmas present.

Step 7

Add treats, candy, or money to the boxes.

What better way to make it fun than by adding tiny inexpensive treats to each box?

When my boys were little, they couldn’t wait to open each box daily on their Christmas Advent Calendars.

I’m going to try and fill the boxes with fun things my niece will love.

I’m so glad that our DIY Challenge was to make something out of what you had.

Otherwise I might have never finished this Advent calendar!

Next on our stop, is Michelle’s from Blessings By Me!

Then, I hope you will join me in visiting all of the other DIY Challenge participants.

I can’t wait to see what they have done!

DECORATE & MORE WITH TIP | cloches & Lavender | PATINA & PAINT

BLESSINGS BY ME | BLUESKY AT HOME | JUNK TO GEMS

PALLET & PANTRY | THE HOUSE HOUSE | B4 & AFTERS

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Don’t you love a pretty, formal Thanksgiving table? I sure do. However, 2020 has given us so many unexpected surprises that I’m  mixing my Thanksgiving  table decor up a little. The unexpected- with a little traditional decor thrown in. I guess you could say that it’s a Turquoise and Orange Thanksgiving table. Oh! And I’ve got a giveaway for you too.

But first, the table.

Thanksgiving will be a little different this year.

#COVID

Instead of gearing up for a big family dinner, I’m setting my table for just the four of us.

So my holiday table will be a little more simple.

Simple, but filled with lots of color.

I started with a turquoise buffalo check table runner.

Followed by a wooden tray layered with eucalyptus leaves, bitter sweet and an orange pumpkin tureen to make a fun centerpiece.

Candles were added for a little traditional accent.

Normally, I’d set the table with formal china, crystal glassware and linen napkins.

Not this year.

A natural straw placemat hosts a plain white plate and pumpkin salad plates.

The salad plates come in two different colors.

Two are turquoise…

And the other two are orange.

These pretty wooden napkin rings are a Mudpie creation.

I love that they have a built in place card holder.

I looked around for a cute place card and came up empty.

So I made my own.

Turquoise and orange watercolor pumpkins.

Once I had them painted, I simply scanned them into the computer and added names to them.

Super easy and I love how they turned out.

I picked up this super cute cutting board, along with the stuffing spoon and the turkey fork  from Mudpie.

I love all of the fun, witty slogans they put on everything.

They fit right in with my sense of humor for sure!

Can you tell I’m a Mudpie fan?

The Giveaway

I love my new utensils so much that I’ve decided to share one with you!

I’m giving away this Turkey Time serving fork.

To win, all you have to do is comment here on why you’d like to win.

And head on over to my Facebook page and give it a like and a sprinkle. ( A sprinkle is a share)

The drawing will be held Tuesday, November 10, just in time for Thanksgiving!

Good luck!

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Pumpkin Pie, oh my! Yep, it’s that time. Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. I love everything about it. Pumpkins on the front porch, fall leaves, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, cooler temps and decorating all things fall.

I was recently looking for a fall bunting or banner that would last well though Thanksgiving.

Apparently, that’s a big ask.

After much searching and  thought, I settled on making my own pumpkin pie bunting!

Yes, you read that right, a pumpkin pie bunting.

Step 1:

Make a template for a slice of pumpkin pie.

One for the crust and one for the pie filling.

Step 2:

Next, draw the pie patterns onto felt.

Cut them out.

Step 3:

Glue the felt pie filling to the  felt crust.

I used hot glue, but really any craft glue would work also.

Step 4:

Using left over felt scraps,  mark and cut out strips of the tan felt.

Step 5:

Make a fancy pie crust.

Place a dot of glue on the end of the felt pie piece.

Glue the end of a felt strip to the left edge of the pie crust, then loop the felt strip in an upside U shape.

Once that is done, glue the end of the felt U to the crust.

Glue, loop, glue.

Repeat until the top of your felt  pie piece is covered.

Step 6:

Once the pie piece is finished,  add a white pom pom to the middle of your pie piece to look like a dollop of whipped cream.

Step 7:

Add a loop of felt to the back.

Because I will be hanging my pie pieces onto twine, I needed something to attach the pie piece.

I simply added a  loop to the back for the twine to be strung through.

Step 8:

For a little color, I also added these fall leaves to the pumpkin pie bunting.

I shared how to make these earlier.

If you missed it, you can see how here.

Step 9:

Once you have all the pieces to the bunting made, it’s time to add them to a string of twine.

Then hang!

This banner is super easy and fun to make!

It’s the perfect bunting for my kitchen area.

Pumpkin pie, oh my!

Until next time….

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This is the room I hate the most in my house. It’s not a terrible room, but it definitely was on the “things to change” list when we moved in.

Honestly, I guess hate is a strong word, but until this week there wasn’t much I loved about this room at all.

Before I show you the recent changes, let me give you a little history.

We decided a little over a year ago to down size our home.

So while I knew this kitchen was small, I had no idea how big the struggle would be to fit all my stuff in it.

The cabinets were originally stained and lime washed.

Which hasn’t fared well at all.

Overtime  they have aged, the finish is wearing off and  they have a weird peachy look.

Not a bad look, just not my style.

The granite counter tops – not my color or pattern either.

The back splash .

Let’s just say that not only isn’t it my style, it’s not my color or design.

And for some reason the previous owner loved fluorescent lighting.

It is EVERYWHERE!

It’s the under counter lighting and it’s also in the pantry, the closets, the game room and in the  laundry room…. everywhere.

( along with 4 or 5 pencil sharpeners that are attached to the walls. Yep, just like we had in grade school!)

Lots of  weird yellow lighting.

We’ve changed out a lot of those light fixtures, but not in the kitchen.

And the island..

She is  tiny and the wood has seen better days.

When we moved in, we immediately changed out the flooring ( which matched the back splash) and added all new appliances.

Then the holidays were here and we decided to wait on any projects until after the new year.

We all know what happened next – #covid.

All things came to a screeching halt while we worked outside on installing a pool, a kitchen and patio.

Fast forward and we’ve been in our new home for one year this month.

It’s fall, so we are back indoors more and the kitchen is getting on my last good nerve.

I found these runners and fell in love.

The blues match the colors in our breakfast room, which is really an extension of the kitchen.

And as an added bonus, they didn’t totally clash with the existing cabinets and backsplash.

These rugs led me to make a blue buffalo check valance for the window and paint the walls.

It was all great, but the kitchen was still a little blah.

My plan for the kitchen is to extend the cabinets to the ceiling and paint them white.

Add hardware.

Install a new black or white quartz countertop with a beautiful backsplash.

Add a wooden top on the island.

New undercounted lighting, as well as a small pendant light over the island.

Add a new sink and faucet.

However, all of that isn’t in our budget right now.

But, it occurred to me, I could do some small changes.

Like paint my island!

This is Sherwin Williams Salty Dog.

And I love it!

And so does my island!

Not only is the color pretty, it doesn’t clash with the floor color and makes that tiny island look fabulous.

I loved it so much that I did this….

I painted my pantry door blue!

I’ve always planned on replacing that door with another one that had a little more style.

Until then, this gives the room a much needed pop of color.

Of course, as always, it’s like the “Give A Mouse A Cookie” book.

Now that I painted the door, the white trim needs a good coat of paint.

And the island needs a little jewelry!

Some hardware is definitely in it’s future.

This is still the room I hate the most, but it’s slowly growing on me.

In a weird way, I can see the potential of the room again, just like I did when we bought the house.

So until I can jump in and give my kitchen a HUGE facelift, I’m going to do small projects that make the room just a little better.

I’m curious.

Do you have that one room in your house that you hate?

If so, which room is it?

Until next time….

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If my front porch had a them it would be The Witch Is In! I honestly didn’t plan it that way, but once I got started I ran with it.

How do you make a front porch with a witch theme?

Well, it’s easy!

Add a cute witchy door mat

I’m not sure why, but this year I’ve found more cute door mats.

With 3 doors to enter our house, this may be my newest addiction.

This is our side porch.

It’s the perfect place to curl up with a throw, a warm drink and just watch the world go by!

Add witchy decor

This is the front door.

Of course, a witch’s house would be surrounded by spooky black trees that light up at night and flank the front door.

The trees are surrounded by fall plants, mums and pumpkins.

Normally, I would have a ton more pumpkins but it’s still hitting 90 here occasionally.

So I’ve been holding back until I know they will survive longer than a week!

I shared my ghost front door wreath with you here.

It’s still my favorite new Halloween decor piece for the year.

My Home sign got a new bat charm.

Isn’t he the cutest?

I love that he has the tiniest bit of glitter on him.

Broom Parking

What witch wouldn’t have a place to park her broom?

I made the broom sign a few years ago, however I picked these brooms up from Home Depot this year.

A Place to Hang My Witch Hat

To add a little witchy lighting, we hung witch hats filled with remote control candles from the front porch ceiling.

In our last house, we hung witch hats from the trees on our patio.

The hats have become one of my favorite things to decorate with!

You never know where you will find them here at the castle.

Witch’s Black Cats

And last, but by no means the least, no self respecting witch would live without a black cat!

These vintage cat pails are perfect for my witchy theme.

I took $1.00  orange pumpkin pails and painted on vintage cat faces.

This style of art reminds me of Halloween decorations from my childhood.

Love it!

I painted 10 different pails in all and they make the perfect luminaries!

Just add a tea light and you are all set!

I’ll leave you with a few pictures of our Halloween front porch at night…

Too much fun!

Until next time…

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Since Christmas is just 71 days away, I’ve decided to share my Friday Favorites part 3. Not every Friday, that would be a lot of things. However, I promise that quite a few Fridays will be filled with wonderful things that I love. I’m hoping that a few of you love them too!

Christmas Ribbon

Around this time of year, if I see ribbon I love, I am buying it!

Not only do I wrap presents with it, I also use it on my tree.

I’ve learned the hard way that if it’s cute, it doesn’t stay in the store long.

These beautiful ribbons came from WalMart!

They had me at chenille.

And plaid.

And while I wold love to tell you that the beautiful red and white ribbons were the only ones I bought, I’d be lying if I told you that.

Is it considered a problem when you can’t pass up pretty ribbon?

These cute rolls of ribbon came from Sam’s Club.

At $6.99 a HUGE roll it’s a serious bargain.

And they are so cute!

Apple Watch Band

I’ve had this watch band quite awhile and whenever I wear it I always get compliments on it.

I love that it’s leather as I’m not a big fan of the plastic bands that come with the watch.

A watch case comes with it, but I’ve honestly never used it.

This band is under $15.00  and you can find it here.

These keyboard stickers make me so happy every time I open my computer!

They were out of the ones that I have on my computer, however I did find these that are very similar.

I cannot tell you how much I love them!

Leopard Chuck Taylor Sneakers

Anybody who knows me knows my love of Chucks!

These sweet little leopard Chuck Taylors are just what any little girl needs.

I bought them for Beep and I can’t wait to give them to her.

I’m resisting the urge to add a little bling to them…

Gel Food Coloring

About a year ago I went to a cookie decorating class.

And fell in love with it.

However, there is one thing that I’ve always hated.

Using the gel food coloring when making the icing.

Most gels com in pots and you are suppose to use toothpicks to get the gel out.

WHAT. A. MESS.

This AmeriColor gel food color is in a squeeze bottle and is quite frankly amazing!

I used the black, which usually takes a ton of gel color to make, and only used a few drops for the blackest of black color.

Love. it!

Sleep Pants

These are by far my favorite of favorites!

Can you say soft?

And comfortable?

Yes, please!

Made from Bamboo for the softest light weight sleep pants you will ever wear.

Even if you don’t sleep in long pants, these make great lounge pants.

For under $20.00, you can’t go wrong.

Tip – size down.

I normally wear a medium and bought a small with plenty of room to spare!

Suitcase Organizer Bag Sets

Some of you may be the Queen of packing and organization, but I am not.

I’m fairly neat, but as my vacation goes along my suitcase tends to get messier.

These organizer bags are the bomb and help keep things separated, sorted and easy to find.

With the holidays coming up and travel imminent for some of you, these would be the perfect solution for the suitcase challenged.

They come in many different colors and patterns and are well under $20.00.

That’s it for Friday Favorites part 3.

Hopefully you found something for you or maybe even the perfect gift for someone else!

Until next time….

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Did you know that a group of crows is called a murder? Truth. And boy do I have a murder of crows in my dining room. I couldn’t be happier. I’m loving my Murder of Crows Halloween Table!

It all started when I was setting my table  for Halloween.

I put down a black polk a dot table runner, added a mercury glass  pumpkin.

Next, the spooky place setting.

The orange placemat reflects the orange dots in the table runner.

Purple glitter chargers were added for a little bling.

You all know I love me some white plates!

To top off my plate stack I added 4 different lacy black and white Halloween plates.

The finishing touch was the napkin and spider napkin ring!

At this point, I knew something was missing.

It needed just a little more fun added!

Adding vintage looking crows for place cards seemed to be just what my table needed.

Using white cupcake stands for my  base, I added cut up cupcake liners to the flat top.

Then it was time to dress up my crow.

For his neck ruffle, again I used cupcake liners as well as coffee filters.

I simply cut them down to the width I wanted, and using a needle and thread, sewed a  running stitch close to one edge.

After gathering the stitched ruffle, simply put it around the crows neck and sew the ends together.

Now, my crow needed a few embellishments.

I added hats, rhinestones, stickers, wooden tags, and crowns.

Anything that looked like it belonged on my crows.

Then, at the base of the cupcake stand I added preprinted cut out names.

The perfect place card  holders for my Halloween table!

Not only were the crows fun to make, but I think that my Halloween table turned out pretty cute too.

I also added a few blingy spiders and glittery decorations to the chandelier.

As well as a few scary things to  my buffet as well.

My murder of crows Halloween table couldn’t be more fun.

Let the Halloween celebration begin!

Until next time….

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Yes, it’s $10 on The 10th. This month’s theme is Harvest. So basically anything that is Fall. When Fall rolls around and it finally cools off here in Texas I love a warm mug of what we call Fall Spiced Tea. Y’all can have your pumpkin chai lattes, for me it is spiced tea from October until March!

I always try and keep a few gifties available for friends who need a pick me up, to welcome a new neighbor or an “I was just thinking of you today” gift.

Spiced Tea is perfect for any of those gifts and more.

However, to take the gift up a notch I like to make sure the packaging is super cute.

No plain jar for this girl!

Supplies:

Jar – I bought mine from the Dollar Tree

Felt

Wooden Tags- I bought mine here.

Acrylic Paint

Paint Brush

Scissors

Hot Glue  Gun and Glue

Buttons

Scissors

Pen or pencil

Card stock

Step 1:

Since it’s Fall, what could be more perfect for a decoration on my jars than Fall leaves?

I found some free clip art of leaves, printed them off and cut them out of card stock.

Step 2:

Trace your leaf template onto felt.

Step 3:

Cut your felt leaves out.

Step 4:

After your leaves are cut out, lay them out like you want and hot glue them together.

Then, add a button for a little bling!

Step 5:

Add more bling.

I could have stopped with just the leaves and the button.

They are cute just the way they are, however I wanted to add a little more warmth and detail.

Using a metallic gold paint, paint on the leaves details.

Makes such a difference!

Step 6:

Make a tag.

I found these unfinished wooden tags awhile back and bought a package of them.

I use them all the time.

Paint your tag using watered down acrylic paint.

Quickly wipe the paint off with a paper towel.

Now, your tag is ready!

Step 7:

Make your Fall Spiced Tea.

At the end of the post I’ll share the recipe with you.

It’s super simple and oh, so yummy!

Fill your jar with spiced tea.

Step 8:

Decorate the jar.

Tie orange twine onto the jar.

Be sure to add your tag at this point.

Hot glue the leaves onto the twine.

Your Fall Spiced Tea is finished!

Cost:

Jar: $1.00

Spiced Tea: to fill this jar 2.78

Felt -.90

Wooden Tag – .14

Everything else I had on hand in my craft closet.

Total cost: $4.82.

Not bad for a  super cute and easy gift!

Recipe:

2 cups Tang

1 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Instant Tea

1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves

1 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

Combine all ingredients and store in an air tight container.

SERVE: 2 heaping teaspoons per cup of hot water.

To really spice things up I add Red Hot candies.

Now please join me in visiting all of the other $10 on the Tenth participants to see their fabulous inspiration!

With the holiday season approaching I’m  going to start posting a few of my favorite things on Fridays. Friday Favorites.  Lately I’ve found a few things here and there that I love and thought that you might like them too!

Number 1:

Colorstreet Nail Strips

These nail strips are amazing.

The last time I bought nail strips they had to be heated to adhere to your nails.

Not great, at all!

These nail strips  are so easy to apply AND they stay on an average of 10 days.

Want to try a set?

Let me know and I’ll share my consultant.

P.S.: They have the CUTEST Halloween sets that just dropped!

Coming soon are their Thanksgiving and Christmas sets.

They also have a huge selection of plain, glitter and french nail sets.

LOVE them.

Number 2:

For those of you who travel this silicone heat resistant sleeve is amazing.

You can immediately put your iron into the sleeve and cannot feel the heat on the outside.

Which makes putting it into your suitcase when it’s hot a breeze!

I use mine on the bathroom counter to keep the heat away from the marble.

Works like a charm.

Number 3 and 4:

Bath and Body.

I LOVE their new Halloween and Fall scented hand soaps.

My favorite?

Candy Corn Treats.

Not sure that it smells like Candy Corn, but it does smell yummy!

Another favorite – This Wallflower plug in.

It doubles as a night light and is so pretty all lit up!

Number 5:

If you haven’t tried this balsamic glaze, you don’t know what you are missing.

My favorite use for it  is on a salad.

Lettuce, avocado, tomato, a shake or two of Everything But the Bagel, and a drizzle of Nonna Pia’s and you have yourself the best low cal, healthy lunch!

Number 6:

St. Augustine Distillery makes this hand sanitizer that is just the best!

I found mine at Total Wine and More.

I like it because it sprays on, has no scent and disappears immediately when you rub your hands together.

Make sure you get the spray, their gel has an unusual scent that is not my favorite.

That’s it for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Next week I’m sharing my favorite clothing.

HINT: I found the most comfortable lounging/ sleep pants for under $20.00!

Until next time…

Welcome to October’s DIY Challenge.  If you are coming here, from  Corine’s Junk to Gems, I’m so happy that you are here! This month Terrie of Decorate and More With Tip asked us to give all of you lots of pumpkin inspiration. So that’s just what we did! Today I’m sharing  how to make a Faux Sweater Pumpkin.

I’m sure all of you have seen those gorgeous  sweater covered pumpkins.

So pretty.

All you have to do is cut up an old sweater and cover the pumpkin.

But what if you don’t have an old sweater?

Well, you create a pumpkin out of yarn!

Here is how you turn a plain little Dollar tree pumpkin into a beautiful faux sweater pumpkin.

Step 1:

Remove the pumpkin stem.

Which is super easy as it is only attached with a toothpick.

Step 2:

Cut a hole in the top of the pumpkin.

Step 3:

Paint the Pumpkin.

I recommend painting the pumpkin a color close to the yarn you will be using.

Your yarn will leave “holes” where the pumpkins color can peek through.

Step 4:

Braid the yarn.

I started off by cutting 9 – 26′ pieces of yarn for each braid.

Gather the 9 strands at the top and tie them off.

Then divide the 9 strands into 3 groups.

Keeping the yarn flat braid the 3 groups together.

Tie off the bottom of the braid just like you did the top.

You will need approximately 10 – 12 braids per pumpkin, depending upon the yarn you use.

Step 5:

Apply the braids to the the pumpkin.

Put one end of the braid into the hole of the pumpkin, then wrap around the pumpkin and place the tail of the braid into the hole.

Keep doing this until the pumpkin is completely covered in braids.

Step 6:

Give the pumpkin a stem.

Add a wine cork or tree branch to the top of the pumpkin.

Just stick it into the hole, the braids will hold the stem in place.

Step 7:

Add leaves to the pumpkin.

I chose to add these felt leaves, but really any leaf would do.

To attach them I cut out the felt, gathered the end and hot glued it to a piece of wire.

Once dry, I stuck the wire into the pumpkin hole.

As with the stem, the braids will hold the leaves in place.

I made a couple of the faux sweater pumpkins.

One with a variegated yarn and another with a chenille yarn.

Both are cute, but the variegated is my favorite!

It really does look like a cable knit sweater.

I’m a big fan of the faux sweater pumpkin.

No more looking for sweaters to cut up and it’s fun and easy to make!

Now, I hope that you will join me and visit Carol at Bluesky at Home.

I can’t wait to see what pumpkin inspo she’s cooked up!

                                                    Remember, If you love it, be sure to Pin it!

It’s Reveal Day! Week 5. This has been one crazy month of painting, painting ,more painting, sewing and did I mention painting? I was painting until this past Monday, but I am so thankful to be done and sharing the $100 Room Challenge Reveal with you!

A quick thanks to Erin of Lemons, Lavender and Laundry for hosting this challenge.  It’s such a great way to get a room makeover done in one month, for $100 or less.

Goals for the Guestroom

This is the “before” room.

Not bad, just a lot of beige and it needed to be pulled together.

My goal was to add color and make it feel more like a room a guest would be happy to spend some time in.

Week 2

Week two was when all the painting started.

We started with the ceiling and  finished up with the walls.

Week 3

Week 3 we added a new/old chandelier that had been gifted to me.

New curtains were hung and  I started painting the artwork.

Lamps, curtain rods and accessories were all painted.

Week 4

Week 4 we added a focal wall!

I am so glad that we did.

It’s subtle, but oh what a change it made!

We started painting the nightstands.

Finish:

And this is where I finished!

Remember I said that I painted, a lot?

I painted just about everything in this room except the bed and the chair.

Nightstand, dresser, mirror, lamps, curtain rod, accessories, the walls, the ceiling and the art work.

It makes me tired just thinking about it.

I have to say that this room took me WAY out of my comfort zone with the color.

I wanted to leave everything white.

Truly!

However, the room begged me for color.

And boy, did it get it!

Want to know a secret?

I’m not even a big fan of green!

How weird is that?

But, when it came time to paint this was just the color that was right.

For years we called this bedroom the pink flamingo room, so there was a ton of pink with the navy.

Hot pink and navy are my two favorite colors!

The pink was great, there just needed to be a little less of it.

While this isn’t a very big room, now it sure lives big.

A friend told me that it was no longer one big beige room, now it was a happy room.

Who wouldn’t want guests to stay in a room that makes them happy?

So how did I do on budget?

I’m so relieved to say that I did great.

I spent a grand total of $89.58.

Paint:  $40.34

Bender Board:    $24.75

Curtains:   $14.50

Accessories:  9.99

Which left me with $10.42.

One last look at the new guest room.

It makes me happy, so I’m calling this $100 Room Challenge Reveal a success!

Now, please join me in visiting all the other participants.

I can’t wait to see their reveals!

                                          Remember, if you love it, be sure to PIN it!

Can you believe that October is only days away? Some days this year seems to be flying by and on others it seems to crawl. Luckily I’ve been able to keep busy with lots of crafts, reading and decorating the past few months. One of the crafts I worked on was this Spooky Halloween sign. It is so easy, fun and versatile that I just had to share it with you!

I found this super cute sign at Hobby Lobby.

Did I know what I was going to do with it?

No, but it was so cute I couldn’t resist!

The ribbon is from Hob Lob also, but the cute metal Spooky cutout and the sweet little wooden cutouts came from the Dollar Tree.

Step 1:

Take the sign apart.

That’s right, I removed the sweet little wooden beads so that I could paint them.

The wooden signs tray would need a little paint too.

Step 2:

Painting the beads.

To paint the beads I put them on a wooden skewer like I did  when I made these mini signs.

If you missed it, you can see how I made them here.

Putting the beads on a skewer is a game changer.

Step 3:

Before I painted the sign, I cut the ribbon to fit the tray.

Then painted the sign black and added purple glitter to the frame.

Step 5:

Once both the sign and the beads were dry, I reattached the beads to the sign using new twine.

Step 6:

Next, I glued the ribbon that I pre-cut earlier onto the the sign.

Step 7:

Now, paint the witch hat and ghost cutouts.

If you aren’t comfortable painting the cutouts, I think that they  would be super cute covered in Halloween themed scrapbook paper.

Step 8:

Glue the painted wooden and metal cutouts onto the sign.

Add a cute, simple bow made from Halloween ribbon and your Spooky Halloween sign is finished!

I added my sign to my coffee bar for some much needed Halloween decor.

So cute!

I love how easy, inexpensive and fun this project was.

It was a quick afternoon project that cost me under $8.00!

My kind of craft!

Until next time…

Every year about this time I start sharing great Christmas finds with you and where to get them.  I’m here to tell you that the Christmas decor at Big Lots is the bomb this year!

So grab you pumpkin spice latte – or whatever you drink – and curl up in a cozy chair and enjoy all of the wonderful items I’ve got to share with you today!

Random Decor

Let’s start with this Believe sign.

For $8.00  this would be great on a table, on the wall, or even on a wreath!

And this pillow?

Can you even???

If you love this truck as much as I do, you better run down to your local store and grab it.

I promise you it won’t be there long.

I have FOMO about this sign.

Loved it, but didn’t buy it.

I have a blank wooden sign that I’ve been hunting for something to put on it.

This would be perfect!

So cute…

Lanterns.

They had two that really wanted to go home with me.

This reindeer scene lantern, complete with greenery, is just beautiful!

The second lantern, and my favorite of the two, was this red one.

It comes complete with greenery, bow, candle and trees.

lIt’s the complete package.

I have a large red lantern that I put on my front porch at Christmas that would look awsome with this smaller lantern next to it!

Snowmen

Apparently snowmen are one of my favorites this year because I fell in love with a couple of them.

I can think of several places that this snowman would look awesome in my house.

And that Christmas present?

Totally adorable.

So in love with this sweet little snowman.

He’s cute from the bottom of his furry little body to his red and black buffalo check hat.

The co-ordinating tree is just perfect, too.

Tabletop

This insulated cup had me at “merry”.

It’s a nice size and I’m thinking it would be great for not only hot beverages but cold ones too!

We all know that black Labs are my favorite, so are cookies.

Add those together and you get the best cookie jar ever!

Isn’t this Jingle table runner just the happiest?

And the bells have the sweetest sound.

Ornaments

These wooden bead ornaments are very on trend right now.

Not only would they be pretty  on a tree, but I’m thinking that these would make great napkin rings..

Maybe even added to the top of a present?

This cut little red truck is super cute.

I’m thinking of taking the “Merry Christmas” sign off the bottom and using the truck as a decoration piece on a sign.

This is my favorite thing in the entire Christmas isle!

It’s made of metal and has the cutest tree magnet that you move to countdown the days til Santa visits.

I can just see one of the Littles moving it in anticipation every day.

That’s all of the wonderful Christmas decor at Big Lots, but I’m not finished yet…

Our local Wal Mart has just started putting out thier Christmas decor.

Both of these are just the prettiest little decorations.

And did you see the prices?

If the rest of the decor lives up to these pieces, then Christmas Decor at Wal Mart is going to be awesome.

Last share, I promise…

Gliz & Glamour Boutique is an on-line shop based out of Texas that has the cutest little girl boutique clothes at great prices.

These pajamas are just the cutest!!!

They come in green and red.

For an additional fee, they will even put your child’s name on them.

That’s it for today.

Stay tuned for more fabulous finds as we get closer to Christmas.

Until next time…

                                                                    Remember, if you love it, be sure to Pin it!