Wainscoting To The Rescue!

Hand prints.....
            Scuff marks....
                         What seems like miles of hallways...
                                                                 AND Four young kids...




The only answer was wainscoting in the form of Board and Batten. I realize that this friends home was built and is owned by a high end custom home builder, but this is something that anyone can do

Read More

DIY Newspaper Coasters

   I have been getting requests for posting video tutorial on how to make newspaper coasters. So here I am sharing the tutorial, hope you all will like it.

Enjoy the tutorial and don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel. Thank you!!

Read More

It's a Girl!

It seems that

I have been buried


this winter with


living and breathing


Baby Girl stuff!




You see, my daughter is having our first granddaughter in April...




And I have been working and having fun, making and planning the cutest and pinkest baby shower!


I bought these invitations at Hobby Lobby. They already had the ribbon and "It's a Girl" on them, so all I had to do was design

Read More

Birthday Surprise Box Cards!

I just had the most fun making these little Birthday Surprise Boxes that are also Cards!




See the surprise inside? It's a cute little paper cake!


I did use my Silhouette cutting machine to make these but you could just use scrapbooking punches and simple straight cuts.


The side edges of the box were just cut away so when the lid is raised, the box will fall open to reveal the

Read More

Diary Of a Design Blogger

One who knows me more than anyone in this world, gifted me this thoughtful gift- a diary. He knows that I plan everything well in advance and for that I need a diary. Not only I write my favourite quotes and all those things that make me happy everyday but I write about my  blogging journey too. 

Though my husband's gift was very thoughtful but it's cover was so dull, that the moment I held it I wanted to change it and I did so. Now it's totally my kind of and it sure is a diary of a design blogger.

I told you on my Facebook page today morning that I will be coming up with an easy peasy DIY, I was talking about this diary makeover. Hers is how I did it:

First I covered the diary in my favourite green handmade paper.

Now I wanted something interesting on the diary cover. I have been hoarding cuttings of this elephant picture from incense stick's pack because I don't know why but I find it very intriguing. So I used decoupage technique and pasted the elephant cut out on the diary. 

• Click here to read about my first hand painted tray in which I painted the same elephant.
• Click here to see my decoupage slippers.

And added some cut outs of flowers and tree trunk from a magazine that I found lovely.

For bookmark I punched a hole in an elephant cut out and tied it with satin ribbon. Here's bookmark is ready and going pretty well with the diary.

Here is a close up of my graceful elephant.

Did you like this Diary Makeover, I totally liked the outcome. It's my kind of :)

Read More

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!

Read More

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

Read More