Showing posts with label diy. Show all posts

DIY Christmas Ornaments


Making Christmas ornaments is a must! So easy, fun, and full of potential.

I adore books; reading them, trying to write them, decorating with them, looking at them, etc.

Taking that love and finding a way to incorporate it into the holiday I cherish most thrills my heart.

Definitely doing this again soon.

I find so much joy in simplicity and creativity... it provides so much peace for me. We can all use more of that, right?

'Tis the season!



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Cozy Cottage Christmas Table


Christmas time is here!

Something I've learned about myself over the last couple of years is that I love that simple, resourceful, and natural decor style.

It somehow "takes me back" to simpler times... and that provides a calm that's felt deep down.

I long for the simplest, sweetest joys in my life!

And somehow, when my home is full of unique, homemade, and useful things, I feel some of that.



It may be corny, but I'll take it! When my husband brought home the oranges, it started. It's the first year I've dried them, and I think I'll do it every year now. What a beautiful, easy, affordable way to bring the Christmas season into your home.

I think I'm going to make a garland with them, too.

To dry the oranges, simply cut them into thin - but sturdy- slices. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake on 200F for 4 hours or so. You'll really need to flip them every 45 minutes or so. Perfect to do on a lazy day around the house... adds a nice smell, too!

Best thing about these things -- you can store them for at least a year... we'll see if we make two!



How do you decorate for Christmas? What brings your heart some of that Holly Jolly-ness?

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Before & After : Kitchen Table





What do you do when you've had a beautiful, sturdy table for 12 years... but you want a more natural look? And you're just ready for a change?

Sand!

Quality tables are so expensive. This one cost us $1400 back in 2010. There's no telling how much it would be today.

I did not want to fork out that money, but I wanted a new look.

Aaron did not like the idea of getting rid of such a reliable table, but I wanted a new look. 

HAHA

Thanks to my husband, who's taught me a thing or two about some power tools, this beauty exists!




I'm so pleased with it!

It took us several hours of sanding, and a few coats of protectant, but it was beyond worth it. 

It wasn't difficult. 
It didn't break the bank!




Check out that before and after! 

I'm so in love. 




I really do enjoy "shopping" my house in the hopes of relocating what I can to bring new appreciation to something now overlooked or tired. Frugality, baby!

There's nothing some paint, or lack thereof, won't fix.

I'm already thinking of our next project. 

 




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Before and After : Open Shelves



Thank the good Lord for a husband that makes my dreams reality!

As much as I loved this home when we bought it a couple years ago, I had updates in mind from the very beginning. 

I couldn't wait to tackle the kitchen!






In our first home, we added open shelving to the kitchen, and it opened up the space so much. I wanted that again. This house, though much more spacious, has some quirky layout. (Which, if I must confess, is what I prefer.) I still didn't know if that open shelf concept would give the same effect here.

So, for the first nearly 2 years of our move, we just settled on painting the cabinets white. 




That definitely brightened up the room and brought a little life to the space, but I still couldn't let go of the open shelving. 

When you're in love with cottage core vibes, you just need some! 

I'm so grateful for my husband. He listens to my vision and helps me see it through.




I absolutely adore this corner of my home now. There's so much sunlight, counter space, storage, room, character... all the best things. 

It doesn't take a ton of money to make your home dreamy and warm. Just a little time, creativity, (there's so much inspiration available at our fingertips these days!), and the determination to make it happen.




My home is my happy place... and the more I do to make really mine... the happier it makes me.




I mean, isn't she lovely?


 

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Before and After : Fireplace

 



We've made so many changes since moving into this house, but I'm pretty obsessed with this fireplace makeover... and we only used tile and paint.

I get it; some people may have preferred to keep it all white... and we did for close to two years.




but there was no "WOW!" factor at all... and I need those in my life.

So, my loving husband, always willing to humor my crazy whims, tiled it (a while ago),




and then bought me some paint and I went to town on this thing. 






I love the finished result! Bold... beautiful. Very "warm English cottage" to me. 

I think it's officially called a "transitional style???" I don't know. Either way, I smile when I look at it. 

There's currently a cord hanging that I need to tack down, hence the side angle shot of that first "after" shot. But, hey. That's a project for another day. 

Check out how different this thing looks now!

Drastic difference... definitely for the better!









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