Starting At The Front Door...

Do you decorate your home for the holidays? I have always decorated for each holiday, and even though we are pretty much empty nesters now, I still enjoy celebrating and decorating for all of the different holidays, and I like to start at my front door. I think by decorating your front door and porch, it gives the impression that fun, creative, warm, inspiring, and welcoming people live inside...




Holiday decorating doesn't have to be expensive, time consuming, or extravagant either. I picked up these St. Patrick's Day shamrock decorations from Joann's last week for half price. The nice thing about Joann's is that they always put their holiday decorations and supplies on sale early, giving us plenty of time to enjoy them while getting them at a reasonable price. All I did was add some ribbon and tape it to the top of the doors. I found out the hard way that tape alone doesn't secure decorations to the doors very well. Now what I do is place a piece of tape on top of the door, push in a flat thumbtack, then place another piece of tape over the tack. It works great and with the piece of tape over the tack it doesn't scratch the door jams at all.


Would you believe that I've had a flag pole in the front of my home for over 20 years now too. I love changing out the flags for the different holidays and seasons. Years ago these decorative flags used to be expensive but they are so inexpensive now. I've even picked up brand new ones at thrift stores for $2-$3. Spending such a small amount of money on something that makes me so happy is completely worth it to me, and it's fun.

Decorating for the holidays just makes my heart happy, over and over again, year after year after year. Hopefully it warms the hearts of my family, friends, and the neighborhood too!

This post is linked to the following linky parties:
** Wednesday's Show & Tell @ Blue Cricket Design
** Works For Me Wednesday @ We Are That Family
** Whassup Wednesday @ Elements Interiors
** Anything Goes Party @ Type A Decorating
** Thrifty Thursday @ Tales From Bloggeritaville
** Thrilling Thursday @ Paisley Passions
** Strut Your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple

Moving Up In The World...

We have an upstairs loft where we've had a big screen TV for about 12 years now. In the summertime, the loft area gets quite hot so it's not used much, but in the wintertime we're upstairs alot. The heat rises so it gets nice and toasty up there. I'm not a big TV watcher but I enjoy sitting upstairs with my laptop, reading blogs, facebooking, ebaying, etc.

Well, our loft TV bit the dust a few months back, but in away it was a good thing. We're not ones to go out and buy the latest trends in ANYTHING, so having our TV konk out forced us to get a new one and to catch up with the latest technology. We ended up getting a nice flat screen that can be mounted on the wall or placed on a stand or table. It's awesome, but big! We may end up moving it downstairs and mounting it on the wall at some point but for now it's in the loft. We only had one problem, we didn't have a stand. We had it sitting on our coffee table for the longest time. Like I mentioned, we're not quick about anything. It takes us forever to decide on things.

I don't know if the stars aligned on that day or what, but as luck would have it, I came across a TV display table (is that what you call these things?) while out of town on our RV trip last month. We hauled it up the steps into the motorhome and brought it on home. It holds the TV perfectly, it's just the right length, and I really like the black distressed finish...



While setting everything up, I look my time and carefully wrapped all of the cords up in the back of the TV, using Velcro tape to organize and get all of the cords up off of the floor. Having a jumbled up mess behind a TV drives my organized self crazy.



Yes, it took extra time to be a little more organized but I think it was worth it. I really feel that if you're taking the time to do something, no matter what it is, take the time to do it right and do it to the best of your ability. Believe me, I know I drove my kids nuts with saying this when they were growing up, and I've been teased many a time, but that's just me, and I think in the long run it's always worthwhile.

This post is linked to:
Show & Tell @ Blue Cricket Design
We're Organized Wednesday @ Organize and Decorate Everything
Anything Goes Party @ Type A Decorating

Is It Really Over!?!

I can't believe I'm actually saying this but I'm sad that Christmas is over. It was slow going at first but once I got into the Christmas groove, I thoroughly enjoyed the holiday season and hated seeing it come to an end. I've NEVER felt this way and truthfully I'm a little shocked at myself. I'm usually relieved (elated is more like it!) when it's all said and done.

I don't know why this year was so different, but it was, and I couldn't be happier about it. After all these years I've finally wised up and am learning to enjoy life and all that it has to offer. I have made a conscious effort over the last few years to slow down, calm down, enjoy more, participate more, listen more, give more, and to be all that I can be. I've spent way too many years being wound up too tight and it's exhausting! Life is so much more fun now!

One of the things that made me happy this Christmas was my little Santa tree that I put together. I decided last year that I wanted to put up a Christmas tree this year with just Santa ornaments on it. I already had some ornaments on hand but I started seriously collecting them throughout the year and then picked up a few recently. I was also able to find one of a kind Santa ornaments at thrift stores for next to nothing and ended up with quite a collection. I put the Santa tree in our bar area and every time I walked past this tree, it put a smile on my face...










What are some things that made you smile this holiday season?

Up To My Eyeballs In Glitter!

A good nickname for my house these days would be "the house of glitter!" I have been busy making table arrangements for a Christmas party and I've got glitter everywhere, and I do mean everywhere! I'm sure we'll be seeing glitter sparkles around the house for months to come!

We have a close friend Lynn who owns a restaurant and we've become friendly with some of her other regular customers too. We tease that we have our own "Cheers" group just like the TV show but it's really true. This small group has become like family.

A few weeks back Lynn had a dinner for our group and mentioned that she wanted all of us to come for a special Christmas dinner on Monday, Dec. 20th. At the time, we were all seated at one long table and I told Lynn that I'd make the table arrangement for our get together on the 20th, thinking that it would pretty much be the same. One long table, very casual, no big deal. Little did I know!

Long story short, my husband happened to mention that Lynn was closing down the restaurant the night of the 20th for the party. It seemed odd to me that she would close down the restaurant for our little group dinner so Howard called her and come to find out, she was closing down because it was her employee and special customers Christmas party! She hired a DJ, was expecting about 40 guests, and here I had VOLUNTEERED to do the table decorations! I immediately felt panic but it all turned out beautiful, glitter and all!

Here is a glimpse as to what my dining room table has looked like this past week. Centerpieces for 6 tables, candy in ribbon adorned dishes, and candles, all waiting to be delivered to the party...




The restaurant looked so festive with the red tablecloths and green napkins. Lynn's twin daughters folded the napkins to look like poinsettias and did such a great job...



It was such an enjoyable evening and Lynn was so happy and thankful for the decorations. I was just happy that she was happy!

It Just Doesn't Get Any Cuter!

And as my blogging friend Andie says...

Seriously...

I.die!

Obsessions...I Have A Few!

I'd be deceiving myself if I didn't admit that I have a few obsessions in life. I freely admit to having a love affair with candles, plates, stationary, frames, pumpkins, dish towels, monograms, ribbon, and anything that has to do with holidays. Oh how I love holidays, especially Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas!

I'm in complete heaven this time of year! I love the colors, smells, family time, ASU football, cooler weather, and seeing these each day...another obsession of mine...




What are a few of your obsessions?

Stool Makeover

We have an area in one of our bathrooms where I used to have a 3-tiered wrought iron stand that housed bath and pool towels. This was our kids bathroom and it has a door leading out to the pool so it made perfect sense to have the towels ready and available for the kids. It worked great for years and years but with the kids grown and out of the house now, I thought it was time for a change. I gave the stand to my sister and decided I'd like a stool or chair there instead. I found a nice stool months ago at the Goodwill for $8 and thought I'd give it a makeover.

The stool itself is in great shape, very nice and sturdy, but in desperate need of reupholstering. I was so conscientious...before I started, I made sure to take pictures but yesterday I accidentally deleted the first picture I took where it was stripped down to it's bare bones. So here is the second picture, with foam and batting...


I had already purchased the supplies but had postponed the project because I wasn't sure if I was going to do any restaining so I was waiting for warmer weather. In the end, I just cleaned it up and went for it. I like the look of it with some scratches and worn marks. It gives it character.

My original thought was to staple on the fabric and then use upholstery tacks to hide the staples. Here is the stool with it's new fabric stapled on, waiting for the finishing touch...


I ended up not using the upholstery tacks at all. I wanted to soften it up so I used trim instead. I just hot glued the trim right onto the fabric, working my way around the stool. It hid the staples perfectly...



I'm so happy with my $8 find. I think it's the perfect little addition to the bathroom.

Luckily Sooner, Rather Than Later...

I've been on the lookout for a little side table to go upstairs in our loft area. I didn't want to spend an arm and a leg for something expensive yet I didn't want a piece of junk either. I figured I'd run across something that would work sooner or later. Sure enough, a few weeks ago I found this table at the GW, brand new and still in the box, with the glass top included. Do you remember these tables? I know they used to sell them at Mervyn's but I wouldn't even know where to look for them these days.


I know it was meant to be because would you believe I also found the ivory tablecloth on the same day. These are special tablecloths for these tables, so really, what are the odds!?! It was even the right color!


I knew it needed something else to finish off the look so I went to Joann's and picked up some material to make a small table topper. I bought about a yard of some pretty toile fabric, hemmed the edges with iron on fabric tape, and viola! The perfect little side table. I love it when a plan comes together!

Living Room Wall Redo

Do you change your furniture, pictures, and accessories around often? I don't. In fact, once a nail is in the wall, it's there for good. Unless I'm in the mood to spackle and repaint that is.

Well, over the last few years, we've done some big household projects in order to update our home, and painting and spackling all of the interior has been one of them. It's been fun because it's been like a brand new canvas. Fresh new walls, fresh new decorating opportunities.

When we moved into our home 13 years ago, I hung 2 large prints on one of our living room walls. The pictures were perfect for the space and I loved them. Now fast forward 13 years and I've been itching to get rid of them.

Silly me didn't take photos of the wall before with the old pictures still hanging but I did remember to take photos of the 2 prints. I still think the prints and frames are pretty but not necessarily my taste or colors any more. Here is a picture of the 2 prints that I have been wanting to replace...


After keeping my eye out for new pictures that would work on the wall, I found 4 botanical type prints at a sidewalk sale that an interior decorator was having last fall. These were just what I had envisioned and I knew they would be the perfect replacements.



I'm not one to buy things haphazardly so I'm very glad I took my time and waited for the right prints to come along. I love how this wall turned out. So fresh and updated!

Front Door Easter Decorations

Hello, my name is Linda and I am a self proclaimed holiday decorating junkie!!

I can't help myself, I love holiday decorations and I've got the storage containers to prove it!

I love wreaths and flags too!

I've always enjoyed hanging wreaths on my front doors for the holidays but I thought for Easter it would be fun to do something different.

Here is a picture of our front doors. We got these doors about 2-3 years ago and I had always envisioned solid black front doors but my husband was hesitant. He never trusts my decorating abilities until someone else mentions it and then he gives in. Our painter said "you should paint the new doors black" and that was all it took! Of course, now he loves them.


Ok, so getting back to the decorating. Friday I found 4 adorable heavy duty decorative eggs that I thought would be fun, and different, for decorating the doors this year. I used 2 of the eggs and the other 2 I'll be giving away as Easter gifts. Luckily, they already had fasteners attached to the back so I just threaded ribbon through the fasteners and taped the ribbon to the top of the doors. I taped them down really good because if these eggs fall, they'll break into a thousand pieces, plus I'll be really sad!

Isn't this egg cute! I also took some additional ribbon and tulle, made bows, and tied them onto the hanging ribbon...


Here's what my front doors look like now. In addition to the door decorations, I added a plant to the black planter. I've gone through so many plants that I decided to get silk flowers this time. They look real and the arrangement was under $10. I'll end up saving time and money by buying this silk one.


So that's our front porch area before and after. Nothing fancy, just simple and I hope classy. I believe in the old saying "less is more."

I also wanted to mention that I attached adhesive protectors to the back of the eggs. The eggs are plaster and I wouldn't want them to scratch up the doors at all, especially the one door that we open and close all the time. I use protectors on alot of things around my home to avoid damage to furniture or walls. These are the protectors I use quite often...


Do you decorate your front door or porch area for the holidays? Are you a holiday decorating junkie too?