Monthly Archives: October 2015

Creative Way to Present a Gift Using Bag & Tissue

With Halloween just a few days away and the holidays approaching there will be many opportunities for goodies and gift giving. Today I have a tutorial that will show you a creative way to present a gift. It’s a twist on using a gift bag and tissue.

I chose plain brown paper bags but you could use any solid color. My love for baby boo pumpkins inspired me to use tissue in an aged beige color. The pumpkin would be very cute in orange too.

For the star I used a smaller bag. My plan was to use a matte gold tissue paper but the store I went to didn’t have it. They did have this beige and gold glitter paper so I decided to give it a try.

Now for the very simple instructions and supply list.

1) Gift Bag
2) Tissue Paper
3) Scissors
4) Glue
5) Pencil

Right click to save the above template to your computer and print it in the desired size

Trace around the star onto the bag

Cut tissue paper into 1 1/2 inch squares. You will need 35-50 depending on the size of your bag, etc. Crumple each square up into a ball and then open back up enough to pinch from the middle and create a sort of pointed blossom.

Begin gluing blossoms in the center of the star, dotting the pointed end with glue and pressing onto bag. It won’t have defined edges during this part of the process but keep the bottom (glued portion) of each blossom within and against the pencil border.

Once the glue has dried, define the star shape by pinching, pressing and scrunching the outer edges.
Any simple shape will work and the design could be adapted to fit any occasion.

Here’s the template I used to create the pumpkin bag.
Feel free to use, pin and share!
Happy creating!

This week’s tip for A Little Bird Told Me is on a subject I loathe ~ cleaning.

This is how I clean my oven door and it works beautifully!

Linking with: Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,The Scoop, Between Naps on the Porch, From My Front Porch to Yours, Cozy Little House, A Stroll Thru Life, Ivy and Elephants, Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage, Amaze Me Monday, VMG206, That DIY Party, Funky Junk Interiors, Savvy Southern Style, The Charm of Home, Vintage Charm

Farmhouse Dining Room Reveal

I decided to show you the dining room reveal while it’s arrayed in its fall glory. Along with all the other rooms downstairs, the dining room got a couple of coats of Benjamin Moore Crystalline to brighten it up and bring more cohesion between rooms.

It was previously (and for several years) this pumpkin color.

A little bit different now, huh?

The change I was most eager to make was to move the chippy old hutch
off the top of the corner buffet…

and place it on top of the longer, more suitable white buffet.

I love it in its new home. Along with moving it, I purged the brown transferware,
leaving only shades of white ironstone.

The architectural header made the perfect topper and a day at the orchard last week
yielded my ever favorite bittersweet.

I flanked the hutch with a pair of Italian sconces. I love their elegance in juxtaposition with the rustic farmhouse hutch. The sconces are each located right next to a window so their dripping prisms really sparkle on sunny days. When I show you my entry hall you will see
where the sconces previously hung.

I love how much lighter everything feels now. One of the things I still want to do is make over the dark trestle table and chairs. That will have to be a 2016 project.

At the opposite end of the room sits my desk. I will show you what I did to make that area so much more appealing in part 2.

This week in “A Little Bird Told Me” I am sharing a tiny tip that made a huge difference in my life.

Anyone who suffers from debilitating migraines should really give this a try!

Linking with: Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,The Scoop, Between Naps on the Porch, From My Front Porch to Yours, Cozy Little House, A Stroll Thru Life, Ivy and Elephants, Common Ground, Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage, Amaze Me Monday, VMG206, That DIY Party, Funky Junk Interiors, Savvy Southern Style, The Charm of Home, Vintage Charm

Autumn Nature Walk

One of my favorite things to do with the change of seasons is walk around our property and take pictures. Autumn offers so much beauty. With camera in hand I’m on a mission to capture the essence of the season. When I step out the door, at first glance around I’m never sure there will be anything worthy of a photo. As I look at the big picture, I’m skeptical. But then I start walking around, studying the intricacies of each tiny scene. Once again, nature does not disappoint.

The fiery orange dots are berries that became transparent in the foreground of the photo.

Critters, both real and faux.

Some of the interesting rocks we have unearthed on our property.

A row of cockscomb whose growth was stunted.

And a more impressive cockscomb blossom from another patch that gets more sun.

We have had some that get as large as cauliflower heads. The saturated color amazes me every year. I showed you how I used some of last year’s harvest in an arrangement on my buffet. You can see how well they hold their color. They go from deep magenta to red to peachy orange and finally to pale blush. You can see the different shades on another arrangement I put together using stems from a few years ago.

Thank you for taking my autumn nature walk!

Repurposing Frames + A Little Bird Told Me

As I sit at my desk and write this post, I’m watching yellow leaves float by the window. George Winston Autumn is playing on the cd player and the most wonderful smelling fall candle is burning next to me. I want to hold onto this feeling.

I have been bringing fall to many areas of my home. I’ve concentrated mainly on the kitchen and dining areas because we spend so much of our time there.

I love repurposing frames in unique ways. With that as my inspiration for the breakfast nook table I started with a very old chippy green frame. Using it as a tray, I placed the items I gathered inside the frame.

You may recognize the tall skinny birdcage that was a recent flea market find. It adds some rustic texture and height.

This set of dishes belonged to my mom. We ate every Thanksgiving and Christmas meal on them as far back as I can remember. The color was perfect with the frame and the wonderfully gnarly green pumpkin.

The flourishes in the frame are echoed in the vines of the dishes and the raised squiggly veins on the pumpkin. I have to confess, that was a happy accident. Don’t you love it when it works out that way?!

I added the faux berries for a pop of color and a baby boo pumpkin tucked in a berry bowl with a little Spanish moss for a bed.

Switching gears now, I would like to share my weekly segment that I call “A Little Bird Told Me.”

………

It happens to the best of us!

Linking with: Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,The Scoop, Between Naps on the Porch, From My Front Porch to Yours, Cozy Little House, A Stroll Thru Life, Ivy and Elephants, Common Ground, Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage, Amaze Me Monday, VMG206, That DIY Party, Funky Junk Interiors,Savvy Southern Style, The Charm of Home, Vintage Charm

Phrase Art Phriday: Time

Does the passage of time seem to keep speeding up? It does for me! The cry of my heart is that in my remaining years, days, hours here on earth I will use my time wisely. But what does that look like? How do I know when I’m spending time in the best way possible? I want to lean more heavily on the leading of God to direct my steps. I don’t want to waste my time on frivolous things or in useless ways. In other words, I don’t want to waste my life!

Spending time with family, nurturing friendships, volunteering for a worthy cause, spending time with God, cooking a nice meal for my husband, spending time outdoors soaking in the beauty of nature, exercising. These are all things that fulfill me and feel worthy of the time spent doing them.

If you feel there are not enough hours in the day, perhaps you should re-evaluate how you are spending them. What fulfills your heart and soul? What leaves you feeling energized and excited about life? Time invested in those things is never wasted. Are there things that you walk away from feeling lethargic or purposeless? For me that can be too many hours on social media or watching TV. Taking note of these feelings will help you determine what activities need to be in check and what activities you should engage in more often.

Enjoy your weekend and cherish the time!

Fall Vignettes Using What You Have

I’m a big believer in using and repurposing what I have to create a whole new look with each new season. Storage can become an issue if one buys new things every season, not to mention the fact that it’s not a budget friendly way to decorate. But that’s only part of it.

I find that the challenge to make do with things on hand causes me to be much more creative. For my dining room table I got out an old half door that I sometimes use as a vertical backdrop.
Inspired by Stone Gable’s centerpiece found at her lovely fall home tour,
I decided to use it horizontally on the table as the base for my fall vignette.

One of the keys to making one-of-a-kind vignettes is to have plenty of unique containers that can be swapped out from room to room. I like to have a mix of new and vintage. The metal basket that now holds baby boos was previously filled with candles in the bathroom. I borrowed the granite ware bucket from my kitchen window.

This big old funnel has held baby boos in past years, so this year I filled it with
cotton stems for an entirely different look.

A little unexpected sparkle among all the rustic elements.

A nest makes an appearance in every season at my house. If you missed my two other baby-boo-inspired looks, you can see the fall neutrals here and the vibrant fall color display here.
Thank you for coming by!

Tarnished Royalty

Design Your Life