DIY Burlap Bow

I had these two wreaths that hung in my kitchen windows over the buffet that I was procrastinating in putting up.  I felt like they needed a little something, but I didn't know what.  So they sat on my kitchen island for over a week.

This afternoon I was on a mission to clear off the counter tops, so it was decision time.

My first step was to give Tessa a teething biscuit to occupy her.  

I was in Target last week (you know, for a change, right?) and I snagged this burlap ribbon from the Dollar Spot.  

Six feet for a dollar?  I'll take three, thankyouverymuch.

I busted out my bow making skills from my cheerleading days and made two rustic burlap and twine bows for the wreaths.

First, I cut a section of the ribbon.  I used a 30 inch length, but you can do whatever size makes your heart happy.  

I folded one side over, maybe 10- 12 inches.

Then I folded the other side over about 10-12 inches.  Again, you can adjust if you want a bigger or smaller bow.  

I picked up my folded ribbon where it crossed over and pinched it shut.  You can start to see it taking the shape of a bow now

I still have twine laying around from this post, so I cut an 18 inch length to use for my middle.  I wrapped it around twice at first, so I could adjust as needed.  

 Once I was happy with the placement, I wrapped it around more times

I tied it in the back, leaving some extra twine to tie it onto the wreath.

 Tada!

It took me less than 15 minutes to create two bows  Super easy!

...and then I remembered I gave the baby a biscuit and now I had to clean up that holy mess.  

She is smiling because she knows I am about to find the soggy chunk of biscuit that fell on her lap.  Surprise Mom!

Always & forever,
ME

Falconhead Holiday House Tour 2013

 Disclaimer:  this is the first time I am shooting in manual.  If the pictures suck.. well, deal with it.  I'm still learning..

IT'S CHRISTMAS YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!

Ermergherd I love Christmas so much.  This year I am so excited to share the holiday with Hunter.  The Saturday after Thanksgiving, we put the tree up during his nap.  When he came downstairs afterwards, he started saying "Oo! Itsa Christmas tree!!  It has yights (lights) on it!"  Every day he gets excited to "help"  Mommy plug in the lights.  

This year, we were able to trust Hunter to not bring the Christmas tree crashing to the ground and set it up in the living room again (last year it was tucked away in the kitchen).   The living room is a lighted ball of festivity

Can we be real for a second?  I am damn proud of this mantle.  Around Thanksgiving I started getting a vision in mind and this is exactly what I saw.  I love it so much.  

I really wanted a simple, classic look with lots of sparkle.   I broke out my chunky candle sticks from Party Lite (no longer available).  And of course added my 'Ark of the Covenant' deer that JEGs loves so much (heavy sarcasm).

In years past I've always gone very symmetrical, but this year I decided to add these BLOMSTER candle sticks from IKEA.  I.  LOVE.  THEM.  $14.99, y'all.  You can't beat that.   I am pretty sure these will never be put away.

Our stockings are hung with care, each with a jeweled initial.  

I love these stockings so much.  I might hit up the December 26th sale and grab one more.  You know, just in case...

Last year, I couldn't find an H for Hunter's stocking, so I had this dinky pin.  I was so excited when Target brought these back this year, I snagged it-- *gasp*-- at full price.  I know.  I must have really wanted it.

The garland was on the steps last year, but this year I wrapped it with some gold and silver ribbon  from Michael's.

I would like to remind the class that the JOY stocking holders were free on Freecycle.  Winning.  

Even though we moved the tree back into the living room, we still decorated with Hunter-proof ornaments.  We don't trust him that much.  Last year I invaded the Target after-Christmas clearance and bought all the felt and wood ornaments I could get my hands on.  

I still have a couple that have sentimental value.  This is something I inherited from my mom.  It was always a favorite of mine growing up (probably because it's gold and covered in glitter).

I also added DIY ornaments from the past like our glittered sea shells and this guy from 2010

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We are trying to enforce the "one finger" rule with Hunter.  It kind of works...

The banister got it's usual swag of garland and lights.

Since my child is 100 ft tall and can reach all points of the kitchen table, I needed a durable centerpiece.  I  set my jute trees on a gold charger with some pine cones.  Rustic at it's finest.  

The buffet got a make-under this year.  We hosted a holiday party this year, and I used that area for serving beverages.  I didn't want to have to deconstruct some elaborate set up for one night, so I went simple. with a linen table runner, two faux  trees in burlap, my other two candlesticks, and wreath in the windows.

I also put our nativity set up front and center.

I had this pine cone garland from last year leftover, so I quickly sat it on the window sill.

Are you guys ready for some night time shots?  Again, first time in manual mode, so bare with me..

Living room

Kitchen

extreme nativity... whooooaaaa

Just the tree (I am having a devil of a time getting that start to stand up straight)...

Wishing everyone a very happy and healthy holiday!

Want to take a look at previous years?  Here is 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012.  

Always & Forever,
  ME

The Lazy Mom's Guide to Fall Decor.

There is something about fallen leaves collected on patio furniture that I find slightly magical.  

I don't get too excited specifically for Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations.  Truth be told, I could skip Thanksgiving altogether-- it's not my favorite holiday.   Ain't nobody got time for switching stuff up between September 1- December 1, so the name of the game is Longevity.

We have a new addition on our  front porch in the form of a wicker sofa.  I snagged this little baby and a neighborhood yard sale a few weeks ago for $35.  It's still in great shape and came with a matching coffee table that is currently residing in our basement.  It looks so much better than the folding chairs that we bought when we moved in together.  They were great when we first got them, but 4 years later, they were looking used and abused.

I added pillows that I made from a table clothes a couple years ago, along with our monogram pumpkin.  To this date, this is probably one of the DIY projects I am most proud of.

These train lanterns came out of a family friend's basement. I have an unnatural love for them.  

The glass table we've had for years (it came with the folding chairs), and the weather vain was something I picked up at a yard sale for a dollar when we first moved to Norristown.

                              

This wreath is probably one of my favorites.  I snagged it at Home Goods in 2011 and I love the simplicity of the twigs, leaves and wheat, but it still has the beauty of the single rose.

 I have a couple small gourdes scattered here and there, but this is the only thing I put thought into  in the house is the mantle. 

I love this leaf art.  JEGs found it in the back yard last spring.  We both loved how the only thing left are the veins, making it looks like a skeleton.  I matted it with some scrapbook paper and framed it.  I am secretly hoping to find more next spring so I could do an entire collage on a wall somewhere.

Oh IKEA, how I love your ROTERA lanterns.  These were actually part of a table centerpiece of a wedding we went to in 2011.  I may or may not have snagged four that day.

The greenery is actually party of a floral arrangement I got on clearance from Michael's and I just pulled it apart, sticking flowers and leaves in here and there. The large faux pumpkins were bought on clearance as well, and I am kicking myself for not getting two of the same size.  Or at least more.

Our mantle wraps around towards our staircase, and it's a decorating conundrum to me.  It's very skinny and long, and I never know what to put there.  This time I popped a candle in the corner.  Boom.  Done.  

 Simple, to the point... now let's move this season along so I can get one with my Christmas decorations!

Always & Forever,
  ME

Mudroom Makeover Update

One of the most pinned images from my website is our mudroom makeover, when we spent under $100 to transform it.  It's been over a year, so I figured I would show you the few updates we've made.

To begin with, I picked up this rack to hold the iron and the ironing board and hung the stroller from the bar. With the stroller and  board up off the floor, we now have a space to tuck our rug scrubber (aka, my first life of defense against Hunter and a sippy cup).

I also ditched the sideways ballerinas and had some art commissioned from a "local" artist, if you will.  

I pulled out a some frames and made this into a revolving gallery for Hunter's daycare artwork.  The larger frame on the left and the smaller frame in the middle are from IKEA's RIBBA collection, and the frame on the right was a yard sale find that I spray painted white.  

The milk glass compote bowl was another yard sale find that is great for tossing laundry treasures like loose change or earrings (in my case).  Since this room leads to the back yard, I keep a bottle of sun block on the shelf to spray down the monster before he heads out.  Also, the cherry wood box on the far left are the remains of my beloved Murphy.

The "vase" for the plant is an old beer bottle (Lindeman's Framboise.. mmm raspberry...), and the jug by the window (which I have convinced myself looks *just* like those old school oversized glass vases from Z Gallerie) is actually a jug of wine leftover from our housewarming party.  Sadly, I had nothing to do with the emptying of that wine.  It was days after we found out we were pregnant.

I am still on the hunt for a nice yarn rug for the space, but I haven't found anything that's caught my eye.  I wouldn't mind replacing the garage-like light fixture as well, but our end game plan for this space is a powder room, so I'll just deal with it for now.  

This room may be tiny, but I love  how far it's come since this...

                              

Always & Forever,

  ME

First Annual Falconhead Independence Day BBQ

An alternate title for this post could be "Lizzie Discovers Washi Tape and Proceeds to Put it On Everything". 

The weekend after the Fourth of July, I had our family and neighborhood friends over for a little Independence Day BBQ.  We noshed on my in-laws amazing BBQ chicken, corn on the cob, my mom's awesome German Potato salad, blue berry cobbler and other picnic-type foods.  

In my mind, I would have beautiful red flowers overflowing my pots and in my planting beds.  However, we've had SO MUCH rain this season, I am having a hell of a time keeping anything from not drowning.  So to make up for my lack of flora, I stuck flags I snagged from Target's Dollar Spot in each pot.  

                       

In the mudroom, I created a drink station.  I had bottles of water, Capri Sun and beer in the cooler, iced tea in a pitcher and I made Skinny Dragonberry Rum Twist in my drink dispenser.  

I had been eyeing up Pottery Barn's Rhodes Dispenser Stand- and was totally willing to pay full price for it- until I realized it would be too small for my nearly-nine-inch container.  So you know how I roll-- I do it my damn self.   I snagged a pot and base from Lowe's, sprayed them a glossy red, and glued them together.  

I was inspired by Kim's fence planters, and sprayed a couple leftover cans the same glossy red, trimmed it in washi tape I picked up at Lowe's for about $2.50 and added some patriotic flowers from Trader Joe's.

The bulk of the party was meant to be held in the backyard, so I opened the fence gate and decorated them with a fabric banner I made from scraps I had leftover from a Halloween costume gone wrong.  

I probably should have ironed it before I hung it.  Whoops.  

On the day of the party, it was projected to be 97* , so I left sunscreen both inside and out in the back yard as well as bug spray (just in case).  I had snagged a little tray at a yard sale for $.50, sprayed it the same glossy red and trimmed it in the same washi tape.

I was going to have about 10 kids at the party, so I wanted to make sure there were plenty of activities to keep them occupied.  We set up an  inflatable pool, along with a water table to help keep them cool.  I set a basket of goodies outside for them including sidewalk chalk, pool toys, water guns and DIY ribbon wands I made out of ribbon, dowel rods and, you guessed it, washi tape.  

 You guys, I love me some washi tape.  Expect it on everything now.

Another thing that kept the kids attention was the Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker.  My sister-in-law, Angie, brought it with her to pair with the blueberry cobbler, and the kids sat outside rolling it back and forth to each other.

Abby gives it a roll

Owen intercepts and sends it to Bridget across from him

Of course, I think it only kept their attention for about half the time needed.  I am pretty sure my mom and Angie finished making the ice cream.

I love hosting family gatherings.  My family lives about 45 minutes away from me, and while that isn't a ridiculous amount of time, I don't get to see them as much as I'd like to.  I especially don't get to see enough of these sweet faces:

my nephew Hayes.

His sassy sister, Skylar

my niece and goddaughter, Abigail.

Our friend's daughter, McKayla

our handsome neighbor, Townes

This is one of my favorite group of pictures from the day; my 21-month-old son pushing his nearly 8-year-old cousin on his Mater toy.  

This kid is a beast.  

It was such a great afternoon, and I got the best compliment from my niece Abigail-- she said Aunt Lizzie throws the best parties.

Seriously the best words ever spoken about me.

I hope to make this a yearly event, so next year you'll see a recap about my 2nd Annual Falconhead Independence BBQ!

Always & Forever,
  ME