A Little More Valentine Decorating

Greetings, friends!

Today, I wanted to share a few more pops of red that I recently added for Valentine's Day.  Do you decorate for the "day of love?"

Here in our foyer, where I recently did a little furniture "switcheroo," sweet red hearts let you know that Valentine's Day is near.

Once I got them all placed, I then decided to add in black and white plates to the wall and really like how they look mixed with the red!

Yes, "U ROCK" (annnnd so does Michael's, as they always have the cutest seasonal decor)!

If you turn left and cruise on down the hallway, you'll pass by our dining room, where I added red candlesticks and faux rose petals to the sideboard.

These sweet ramekins (Michael's) help to dress up our simple white plates ... maybe "one" day, we'll actually enjoy a meal in here!

Next door in our kitchen, I've long been a fan of adding vignettes to the center of our island as a way to "welcome" our guests to the heart (get it? ha ha) of our home ... so, of course, a Valentine centerpiece was in order.

Faux tulips from Michaels (fancied up by adding a vase within a vase and filling it with yummy candy) ... and a cute sign from HomeGoods ... helped me get the job done! 

Of course, these fun cupcakes from Pier One tucked under a glass cloche are quite tempting ... thankfully, they're ceramic.  

Leftover heart garland, along with glass canisters filled with shredded ribbon and candy hearts, help to "spread the love" to our little shelves.

And, down below, inexpensive red and white cookie cutters fill another canister ... I like inexpensive decorating!

Of course, I "had" to add a little Valentine's tree ...

And, where I normally use red and white ribbon, I decided to, instead, go with this pretty black and white ribbon (that I used on our Christmas tree in the great room) to help our ornaments pop a bit ...

and to tie in with our red, black and white Valentine mantel in our great room. 

   

Even if you don't have Valentine decor, a bowl filled with pretty red apples would be perfect on your counter! 

Got any red spatulas laying around?  If so, tuck them in with your utensils or wooden pieces and you'll have a little Valentine pop!

It wouldn't be Valentine's Day without candy, now would it?  So, please just go ahead and "pick your poison!" 

These are my personal fave, which is why I can't even have just ONE ... if I do, I won't stop!

Over in our sunroom off of the kitchen, a bouquet of faux roses dresses up a white garden seat, and hearts that I hung on branches set in a glass demijohn add a bit of Valentine "zing" to the accent chest I scored (already chalk painted) from Craigslist. 

Aren't these striped straws cute?  They're were even "cuter" when I spotted them for 40% off at Michael's.

And, there you have it ... our humble Valentine's Day decor.  

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit!  Happy Valentine's Day!

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Tulips for Mom!

It all started with these little rascals.





I've shown you these kids before. They are the children of a custom home builder, that I do accounts receivable for and am good friends with their Mom. I love these kids and have been around since before each were born. My heart is attached to them.

I spent the summer (after the bookkeeping) doing craft and science experiments with the two oldest

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My Home Through Asus ZenFone 6 Lens

There is no place like home. Given a choice I would prefer my home over an exotic holiday location. In my spare time I just love to click images of my favourite things around my home so much so that it has become mundane task. For such mundane thing I prefer my Asus Zenfone 6 over any fancy camera for clicking images.

In my earlier post about ZenFone 6, you all watched 'Lippan work tutorial' that I shot using ZenFone 6 and quality wise video was excellent. Even I got few appreciation mails also. Thanks to all the readers for all the appreciation. Some of you wanted to know more about its camera and picture quality. Hence this post.............

Here is an image that I clicked when I was reading about 'Power Couples' and having power cuppa. I couldn't resist, wanted to capture the view right in front of me so picked up my ZenFone 6 and clicked this picture. I only put watermark on it and nothing else, I didn't edit the image. It was clicked and posted here :)

Now for the below image I used ZenFone 6 image editing tool. I liked this tool very much. No need to upload image on other site and then do all the editing then download it and then upload it in blog....Phew!! lot of work. Instead I just clicked the image, selected edit option, enhanced the look of image and it's here. Saved lot of time :)

ZenFone 6 works well even in bright day light. Do you want to see? This image I clicked with my tab just to show you that Zenfone's display works fine in bright day light, everything is clearly visible.

Then I wanted to test its picture clarity, so I clicked this tray which has fine detailing on it. Image that appears on ZenFone's display is crisp and very clear.

Below is the picture that I clicked with ZenFone 6. Can you see the details. Amazing picture quality!!

Then I went berserk with my ZenFone 6 and I kept clicking images. Check out some more images. Some with effects and some with out any effect.
Some colourful bottles sitting pretty on my chimney. Image with out ant effect...

Then I added filter even before clicking an image.

And here is the outcome. Doesn't the effect look awesome. I really liked it.

Now some more for you...
See how choosing an effect can hide some flaws like rough wall in below image appears bright and flawless after using effect.

Some more images with effects...

In below picture you can see I clicked the picture and then edited it using ZenFone's image editing tool, where we can find lot of options to choose from.

And here is the final result....

One more thing that I found extra ordinary in this phone is 'Instant Access' feature. I liked this feature because calling, taking pictures and messaging are the most used options. Let me show you how it works. When the phone's screen is locked you can see three icons of Camera, Phone & Message respectively, you don't need to unlock and type your password, just tap your finger on desired action and move it anywhere on the phone's screen and viola...it's open :) Instant isn't it.

I am totally in love with this phone. For all of you who have inquired about this phone and asked me whether you should buy this phone or not, I would say with low price tag it seems the best buy for mid range phones. Hope you can  decide better now :)

Stay tuned for the 'DIY' of this month in my next post!!

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2015 Valentine Mantel/Heart and Home Blog Hop

Greetings, friends!  

It seems like just yesterday we were wishing each other a Merry Christmas, doesn't it?!  And, now, February has arrived!  

To celebrate the month of "love," I'm happily joining 9 amazing bloggers (as part of a "Heart & Home Blog Hop"), as they share a bit of their Valentine's Day decor.

Sooo, here's my take on a Valentine's mantel:

I started by adding simple white vases with "faux" tulips from Michaels:

And, to back up just a moment, of course, on my way out of our storage room, armed with my Valentine bin, I had to grab our "Vinter 2014" red/white pillows from IKEA (that I had in here just a few "short" weeks ago for Christmas) to spread the love from the mantel just a bit:

Michael's always has the cutest, inexpensive garlands!

Speaking of Michael's, this sweet wreath once sat on their shelves, too: 

I love how it pops against the mirror.

All you need is "love" (well, that *and* Home Goods to find cute signs such as this)!

And, there you have it ... our simple Valentine mantel.

Please be sure you visit these incredibly talented ladies as they share their take on Valentine's Day, too!

Atta Girl Says

 Chateau Chic

Far Above Rubies

French Country Cottage

From My Front Porch to Yours

Housepitality Designs

Shabbyfufu

Stone Gable

White Lace Cottage

Thanks for stopping by,

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Accessorize Your Home

I love having guests not only in my home but in my blog also. It's always a pleasure to learn something new, interesting and different from each one of them. One such guest is joining us today here on 3D. One who is very good when it comes to accessorize home. Any guesses.....well let me introduce you to one of my dear friends, a very talented, warm and pleasing personality - Vandana Choudhury. She blogs over at 'Seasons in the Sun', a blog that truly reflects her sense of aesthetics. Today she is sharing some wonderful tips on 'how to accessorize your home', so read on and get inspired. Over to Vandana -

Accessories....... I am so used to using this word for myself. Having the right accessories for my outfits, that's what comes to my mind the moment I hear this word. What an attractive word it is! But, at the same time, my home too comes to my mind. Buying something for my house is like buying hair clips, bands, watches, bags and shoes for my child! Yes, that is how I treat my home.

These days, we have a wide variety to choose from as far as accessories go. Right from ethnic to contemporary to fusion to eclectic, what not is available in the stores and the flea markets. So why not indulge our nest, shop for it at times and dress it up beautifully. I am sure, we all love to do that! And we really do not need to burden ourselves in any way to doll up our home. Here is how you can start:

Cushion Covers:

The most common accessory that comes to my mind are cushion covers. These days, the market is full of pretty ones. The ones with captions on them are such show stoppers. A couple of them causally thrown on the settee and there you have a conversation starter. Try it out yourself and share your experiences with us here :-)..... My accessory mantra is 'cushions'. I love the way they change the look of any place instantly. Floral patterns, the funky, quirky ones, the simple and plain cottons in solids, the Kalamkari prints, the more royal ones in brocades and Chanderi, the list goes on. A couple of floor cushions tossed in here and there and a comfortable seating arrangement is created.

Mats:

I love colourful mats or chatais. They certainly create a warmth in any living space. I call them the 'informal' rugs and carpets. These days they are available in attractive shades of green, blue, purple, rust and yellow. The matted cushions, table mats, runners, here again, it is a long list. The little coasters can even be used to highlight a gorgeous decor piece. The  matted shelving units and chest of drawers are eye candies. Simple and unique yet classy.

Flowers:

How can I ever forget fresh flowers as accessories for the home! Living in a city with a beautiful weather, flowers are a staple on my plateful of accessories. They light up a dull corner instantly!

Be a thrifty chick:

Did you notice that framed wooden comb. Brilliant idea...isn't it!!

The right kinds of accessories for the wall, the windows, for any part of our home ,go a long way in making our space come alive and ooze out oodles of warmth. And accessorizing depends to a large extent on one's imagination. Using recycled things in an innovative way; a wine bottle turned into a lamp base or mason jars as flower vases, pretty pieces of fabric or even handmade paper with an interesting motif can be framed as a wall art. It need not be a Jamini Roy or a M.F.Hussain on the wall. I once came across place mats on the dining table made of handmade paper that was laminated. Interesting,isn't it? :-).... loved this idea to bits!

Bored of your dupattas? Make use of them as a throw or a runner. These ideas are like our grandmothers' home remedies, useful, effective and inexpensive. 

Accessorize your garden too:

How can I forget our gardens! They,too, need accessories to dress up and why not, the number of garden boutiques in the cities, stocking some fun garden accessories come in handy at such times. A few interesting and colourful ornaments in the garden and it is all decked up. Fabulous pot holders, chimes, terracotta figurines and colourful shelves create a beautiful setting.

One can be so innovative when it comes to dressing up the garden. Painted plastic bottles and jars, painted twigs, cute little nests hanging from the twigs, wrought iron figures of birds and animals, the terracotta ones,too, go in creating a dream garden.

I have shared a few photographs from our home. I am sure each one of you must be having your boxful of ideas ready and handy when it comes to dressing up your space beautifully! Do share your tips on accessorizing here, would love to hear your opinions and suggestions on this. 
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Thank you Vandana for sharing amazing tips on accessorizing home and images of your home are like icing on the cake. I am definitely going to follow your tips and it sure will help me transform my home into a warm and pleasing abode. How about you readers. How did you find these tips, aren't they just quick and easy. Happy decorating!!
Stay tuned and I'll be coming up with loads of images of my home :)

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No Cost Decorating ~ Switcheroo!

I have put

much thought

in the ridiculous

amount of pillows

that I have to

put on and remove

every day when

I make the bed then

prepare it for sleeping!

I
HAD
to
make
a
change!



Yes, it looks lovely in it's presentation, but I needed to simplify my pillow life! I ending up doing a switcheroo!

As you can see, in the above picture of the master bedroom, I have 10 pillows on my bed

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