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Word Art! I absolutely adore word art! Hanging encouraging words on your walls about the house makes for sweet reminders of what's important to you, gets your day started off right, and adds a touch of graphics and color. It's a great inexpensive way to decorate your walls! |
Both of these super sweet but slightly rustic plaques in muted colors from Hobby Lobby have encouraging words and both were under $10.00 each...love that place!
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Pattern Mixing is on Trend!
That's right! Mixing patterns of complementary colors and similarly-scaled patterns are adorable, especially in this case with the oranges, pinks & greens for a child's room! There's a lot going on here with the speckled owls, orange & pink graphic prints, pink, blue & green floral print, and the tiny green floral! But it all works and it's so cute... Also a touch of dark brings it all together... Don't be afraid to mix patterns and colors for a happy, colorful outcome! Just remember the two rules of pattern-mixing: 1. Use complimentary colors 2. Make sure prints are of similar scale (Orange pillow by Seventeen and Owl Pillow Cover by Ikea. Green floral pillow cases Wal-mart) |
Such happy colors and patterns!
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"Live your life like there is no tomorrow..." Words to live by!
Metal Storage Containers
I technically am obsessed with containers of any and every kind. Even better if they are metal buckets that can hold stuff. Doubly better if they have an inspirational saying on them. This one (purchased at Hobby Lobby) sits on my desk and is a catchall for all the tiny little things I have not yet assigned a permanent place for...you know, misplaced CD's, business cards, extra pens, screws I find on the floor and wonder what's missing its screw! But it could just as easily be a container for the TV remotes or a vase for flowers (line with plastic to prevent rust). If you need storage for anything, why settle for a plain ol' box when there are so many cute and inspirational choices out there?!!
Birds' Nests
I have an affinity for bird's nests! Now, they can be cute little mass-produced or handmade ones I buy at craft stores or flea markets, but if I find a real one, even better! This little gem was found outside my back door. After I doused it pretty good with Clorox bleach, it turned a little pale and smelled horrible. So I decided to seal it with a good coat of white latex. I think it looks pretty adorable.
(Cute little eggs found at Jo Ann's)
Paper Flowers
I have been so into paper flowers lately! They are much more modern than silk ones and at the same time kind of retro as well...and you can use them to embellish just about anything. Look how this orange blossom took my plain burlap shade from, well, plain to cuter than ever!!
Chevron Stripes!
I have totally been into Chevron stripes lately! I didn't even know it until I began looking around and seeing them in my house!
I think the reason they appeal to me is they're clean, sharp, and add that graphic touch when you really want some detail but don't want a floral or other print. Black & white Chevron stripes are the most graphic with that classic/modern appeal. A Chevron stripe in a color (like the lamp below) might even be better! I'm seeing them everywhere right now. It's true, they've been around for a long time, but I think they are making a comeback!
I have totally been into Chevron stripes lately! I didn't even know it until I began looking around and seeing them in my house!
I think the reason they appeal to me is they're clean, sharp, and add that graphic touch when you really want some detail but don't want a floral or other print. Black & white Chevron stripes are the most graphic with that classic/modern appeal. A Chevron stripe in a color (like the lamp below) might even be better! I'm seeing them everywhere right now. It's true, they've been around for a long time, but I think they are making a comeback!
Cute yellow and gray boxes that serve as storage and decor in your home...now, that's a double bargain! (Note the super cute birds on the top box)
Cute Decorative Items That Double for Storage!
Look at these adorable storage boxes I found! They were in a discount store at a great price and went with the colors I use in my living room. There were just a few so sometimes you have to dig for that special something but, when you find it, you know you've scored!
Great message!
Poster Art!
I found this poster at a discount store for $3.00! It's a great way to make visual impact AND give inspiration. You can find great posters marked down but, even at their original prices, it's a great deal at less than $10 a pop usually! Poster frames are also reasonably priced and go on sale a lot. Or...you could just do what I do -- hang them on a wall with tiny push pins!
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Lettering! I love lettering! I have 'word art' all over my house, so what better than to include my grandchildren's initials in the wall art in the kids' bedroom! It rounded out this little wall collage perfectly! I bought a $20 package of press-on vinyl letters recently, and have used it for several jobs. They go a long way! Framing Children's Artwork I love to frame children's art for colorful wall art at literally no cost if you happen to have an extra frame. The picture in the dark frame with the white mat was my artist daughter's very first piece of art in elementary school for which she one an award! Who knew? (Also, fyi, the artwork to the right of the EG is my very own artwork from kindergarten! Can't believe it hasn't dry-rotted!) |
The kids bedroom complete with initials for each grandchild!
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Glamour for a song...purchased online for less than retail
Glorious Chandeliers!
Nothing makes a room more than dramatic lighting. We have replaced almost every fixture in our house from ho-hum to yes, m'am! Our source for great lighting fixtures at a fraction of the retail cost? The internet! Even big box stores such as Home Depot and Lowe's have more choices online and many are marked down for quick sale. What makes the chandelier to the right really special? Even though it has the overall design of a standard chandelier, it is oversized and in bright silver, as opposed to gold or brass. It also has crystal embellishments that give it even more bling. We put a dimmer switch in as well to give us a choice of bright and blingy or low and romantic. Lighting really does make a room...(oh, yeah, btw, I personally hate ceiling fans...they are so ugly! How about a vintage oscilating fan for air circulation -- much more appealing, and now you can have a stylish chandelier..even in the bedroom!
Nothing makes a room more than dramatic lighting. We have replaced almost every fixture in our house from ho-hum to yes, m'am! Our source for great lighting fixtures at a fraction of the retail cost? The internet! Even big box stores such as Home Depot and Lowe's have more choices online and many are marked down for quick sale. What makes the chandelier to the right really special? Even though it has the overall design of a standard chandelier, it is oversized and in bright silver, as opposed to gold or brass. It also has crystal embellishments that give it even more bling. We put a dimmer switch in as well to give us a choice of bright and blingy or low and romantic. Lighting really does make a room...(oh, yeah, btw, I personally hate ceiling fans...they are so ugly! How about a vintage oscilating fan for air circulation -- much more appealing, and now you can have a stylish chandelier..even in the bedroom!
Once again, crystal embellishments with a modern black drum shade...once of my all-time favorite lighjting fixtures
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Look at the light show this beauty creates on the ceiling from the oval crystals! Once again, purchased online for less than retail
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Cover of the July/August 2014 issue of Country Living Magazine
Pink, Blue, & White Bedroom
I love, love, love this bedroom. This picture graces the cover of the July/August 2014 issue of Country Living Magazine. Is pink back? I had pink decor in the nineties, and thought I would never do pink again, but I am intrigued by this picture! It is mostly blue and white, with just small doses of pink and it's soft enough to be a teen girl's room but grownup enough to be a master...Hmmm
From the "I Did It!" column of the 8/14 Better Homes and Gardens issue
Semi Built-in Bookshelves
This is a project we have actually done in two of our previous homes. This specific project in the picture to the right was featured in the August 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine (the back page under the "I did it" column). The next best thing to custom built-in shelving is semi-custom built-in shelving! If you are looking to feature a long expanse of wall in a room of your home, building bookshelves is a great way to make that wall an attractive focal point, while hiding stereo components, adding display shelving, and extra storage! I like the way this particular project didn't take the shelves all the way to the ceiling, but built in a top panel where she hid the speakers for the sound system. She also hid wiring behind the vertical panels that run between the individual shelving units. She purchased four Ikea ready-made book shelves (see inset), trimming them out with molding to create a truly built-in look. She also did it for $582 as compared to $2,500 for custom built-ins. I love this look!
My own project back in '99
I went through some old photos and dug out this image of our finished bookshelves (circa 1999). Our daughter Abbie, who today is an artist and amazingly creative, was the instigator of this project (a hint to her ingenuity of the future)! Hence, only fitting that we photograph the finished project with her as our model. Turned out pretty well!
I love Colored Glass Bottles!
I began my love affair with colored glass a couple of years back, and it is still going strong. In fact, pretty much anywhere you go you can find colored glass bottles at an excellent price. I didn't pay more than $2 or $3 each for the pretty ones shown here. They add great color to your decor and
the shiny glass adds a little bling! I've used them on windowsills, for flowers, for table top arrangements, and on top of shelves. Great idea for a little extra color and "shininess" if you need it.
In a Table Top Vignette
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Put a Combination of Jewel Tones together and it looks so Pretty
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Even for Flowers!
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