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Gift Wrap On Wheels: DIY Holiday Wrapping Crate

December 11, 2015

Hello friends! I hope everyone is easing into the Christmas season with joy and merriment.

This year I’ve been able to complete several DIY projects to include in my holiday decor and I’ve got fun and simple one to share with you today.

It’s no surprise that I love to wrap gifts. I love paper, ribbon and all the fun embellishments that can make wrapped gifts special and unique.

During the course of the year I keep my gift wrap rolls and supplies stored in a basket in my office. But when the holidays roll around I want to make our holiday wrapping supplies accessible for me and the hubs so I created a mobile gift wrap crate.

I picked up a wood crate at HomeGoods similar to this one. The one I found was painted grey and black.

Since I wanted the crate to be mobile I added brass casters to the base. I had the casters in the garage and they were the perfect size for this project.

Once the caster were attached I decorated the crate.

The feature element of the crate is the darling Merry & Bright vinyl decal from Welcoming Walls. Candi, the owner of the Welcoming Walls Etsy shop graciously partnered with the Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour and sent me and the other bloggers a decal to use in a holiday project. The Merry & Bright decal was the perfect piece.

The decals are super easy to use and will work on a variety of surfaces. I placed my white decal on the center board of the crate so the decal really pops against the black background. I used a decorative paper ribbon (from another favorite Etsy shop) on the top and bottom boards and secured them in place with white thumbtacks. It will be easy to remove the paper and change the look whenever I want.

To make the crate super functional I added two short tension rods to create sections for wrapping paper rolls, tissue paper and rolls of ribbon. I added a plastic shower caddy to the side to hold gift tags, scissors and small ribbon rolls.

Including the time it took to attach the casters, this project took less than 30 minutes to complete.

Vinyl decals are such an easy way to decorate and personalize the decor around your house. Welcoming Walls has over 150 amazing decals including designs for the kitchen, inspirational quotes, children’s decal and custom door decals. And not only do you have an amazing array of designs to choose from but you can select from 12+ colors so your decal will fit your decor to a T.

I’m hoping to finish up my holiday shopping this weekend so my giftwrap crate will be getting lots of use.

Cheers to the weekend my friends~

DIY Merry & Bright Placemats

December 10, 2015

I hope you enjoyed part 2 of the Merry & Bright Holiday Home tour yesterday on the blog and my festive tablescape. Today I want to share the details of the DIY placemats I made for my table.

You might remember that I used printable art pieces from My Love Note Designs in my bedroom refresh back in May. Christina has a wonderful collection of custom art pieces available in her Etsy shop. Several weeks ago she reached out to me again and asked if I wanted to use a print in my holiday decor. I jumped at the opportunity. Not only are there loads of amazing designs at great prices, but since all the images are downloadable and printable after purchase, you have instant gratification.

In looking through the My Love Note Designs shop, I spotted several images that would have worked with my Christmas decor but the Merry & Bright print was a perfect fit! #merryandbrightholidayhome

image via MyLoveNoteDesigns

Once I saw the image I started thinking about other ways I could use it besides in a frame. The idea of turning it into a placemat came to mind.

So here’s what I did…

Originally I was going to cut my own wood but then I stumbled across 12″ x 12″ unfinished plywood sheets at JoAnn’s ($4.99 each). They were thin and the perfect size for a placemat. Next I grabbed four sheets of green glitter scrapbook paper from Hobby Lobby ($1.99 and 50% off) and printed four of the Merry & Bright art images on glossy photo paper.

To create the placemats I used a permanent double-sided table to attached the glitter paper to the wood and then used Mod Podge to adhere the artwork to the glitter paper and to coat the surface. The Mod Podge creates a durable finish and seal over the art image.

I haven’t done it yet but I’m going to paint the edges of the wood with gold rub-n-buff to finish the look.

I must say without these placemats, my holiday table wouldn’t be as Merry & Bright!

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If you’re looking to add some holiday decor to your home this season, I highly recommend checking out the selection of holiday art in My Love Note Designs. These are a few of my favorite pieces and some creative ideas on how they could be used:

Snowflake Red Plaid–use as a decorative topper on gifts wrapped in white, craft or black wrapping paper

Eat Drink and Be Merry–frame and hang over your bar cart, cocktail station or food buffet

Making Spirits Bright–the perfect piece to hang in the guest bedroom or bath to welcome guests for the holidays

Be Joyful–a fun piece to include in a gift baskets as a hostess gift (I adore this image)

Merry Christmas Y’all–I’d place this piece in the center of a wreath and hang it on the front door to welcome family and friends southern style

Plaid Tree–this tree design would be cute framed and used as the topper on a Christmas Tree or the centerpiece of a DIY serving tray

Thanks for stopping by.

A big thanks to MyLoveNotedesigns for providing the prints used in this project. I love sharing my favorite Etsy shops with you and know you’ll find something for yourself in this shop. All opinions are 100% mine.

Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour-Part 2

December 9, 2015

Welcome to part 2 of the Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour. It has been such fun to partner with my 8 fellow bloggers to bring you lots of holiday inspiration.

If you’re coming over from Love Your Abode thanks for stopping in and if you’re one of my regular readers, thanks for your continued love and support! Did you see all the amazing details in Yuni’s decor this week?! WOW, I didn’t think she could top last week but she sure did.

This week on the tour we’re focusing on our entertaining spaces and how we celebrate the season. Entertaining is such a joy and this year will be extra special since my brother now lives in Atlanta and my mom is coming for Christmas.

When I think of holiday entertaining I think of family dinners at a beautiful table so I got a jump on things and set my table for a Merry & Bright Christmas dinner. Playing off the color theme from my Christmas tree decor, I created a classic red & white tablescape with a few fun touches.

***One of the special touches to my table are these DIY placemats I made featuring a Merry & Bright printable art piece from Christina’s Etsy shop, My Love Note Designs ! I’ll be sharing the how-to and more details on the placemats tomorrow so stay tuned.

I wanted a lush looking centerpiece so I used a greenery candleholder in the center of the table. To dress it up, I added mini ornaments and decorative ornament sprays.

And to add layers to the table, I used three different linen pieces—a white tablecloth, a wide red and white stripe runner (made from simple cotton fabric) and a solid red runner from HomeGoods.

I hung a wreath on the mirror and added the metal Noel sign in the middle. I made the bow from ribbon I picked up at Michaels.

I layered each place setting starting with the DIY placemat, a red charger and white china. The Merry Christmas plates are from HomeGoods.

My vintage gold silverware and brass candleholders add a touch of metallic shine to the table. The holly leaf candleholders were a flea market find–one of my favorites ever!

These cute red and white check bags came from the dollar spot at Target and I’ll be filling them with small gifts/treats for everyone at the table. (p.s. I added the rhinestone M sticker to personalize it)

So the console table on the back wall wouldn’t feel left out, I created a beautiful flower arrangement using a mix of fresh and faux flowers and greenery. More on how I made the arrangement later in the week.

Another special touch at the table are the chair cones I tied to the back of each chair. I’ve had these metal cones for years and this year I filled them with a cedar spray, a piece of garland and mini ornaments.

Entertaining at our house also involves a cocktail bar so I added a few holiday touches to our gold bar cart.

The Merry & Bright wall plaque is from Kirklands. I saw it online and had to pull some strings to get my hands on one. I added the cedar sprays, bow and ornament clusters to make it just a bit more Merry & Bright.

And because no holiday is complete without hot chocolate, I snapped this last night as I was addressing my DIY Christmas cards.

Here’s another glimpse of my tree. I made a few changes to it since last week and replaced the chalkboard I had over the table with this mirror I had stashed in the garage. I just love this entire vignette.

And you see that cart next to the table with wrapping paper in it? I’ll be sharing that little project on Saturday. So fun and easy!

I hope you’re enjoying the Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour. The fun doesn’t stop here…the next stop is OMG Lifestyle Blog. You’re going to love what Elaine has to share this week and if you missed her decor from last week, you can check it out here.

And you definitely want to check out all the other bloggers on the tour…

Confetti Style (yours truly)

OMG Lifestyle

Design Asylum Blog

Refresh Restyle

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

I’ll be back next Wednesday, with part 3 and the tour finale. We’ve got more holiday decor to share and I’ll be doing a wrap up of my Merry & Bright Holiday Home!

You can see part 1 of my tour here.

5 Minute Holiday Doormat

December 3, 2015

I change out my doormats seasonally but when it was time to put one out for Christmas I realized I didn’t have a holiday themed one that went with this years decor.

What I had was this basic $4.99 doormat I purchased from Ikea last summer. It was tucked in a corner of the garage most likely waiting to be UpStyled.

Some Scotch Blue painters tape…

A can of Rustoleum Extra Cover Gloss Spray Paint in Apple Red…

and in five minutes I had a holiday doormat with a classic design.

Now that’s what I call holiday decorating on the cheap!

Three Entertaining Ideas spotted at the Country Living Fair

October 27, 2015

Last weekend the hubs and I stopped by the Country Living Fair for a quick trip around the park. I didn’t have anything specific on my shopping list and love to go to the fair because it always so inspiring.

While I didn’t spend much money (a whopping $3.00) and didn’t take many photos, I did come across three entertaining ideas I really loved.

♥♥♥

I’ve always loved setting a table to unique paper products but never thought of using vintage player piano rolls as placemats. The rolls are functional and add so much character and charm to the table. I was so smitten with this idea that when I got home I went on a search of player piano rolls and found tons of really affordable options on Etsy.

The next idea I spotted takes the music theme to a new level. Pages from a music book were set up as a collage and used in place of a placemat and runner on the table. I love the eclectic feel of the this table and think it would be really fun for a causal jazz themed dinner party or entertaining around Christmas. I’ve scored some great sheet music books from Goodwill over the years so keep your eyes open when shopping.

The third entertaining idea I saw so such a simple touch but really added a lot to the table–fabric silverware pockets. I spotted these at the Cutlery Couture booth, which was packed with shoppers. The ladies behind this company use simple fabrics and everyday embellishments to create these fun pouches.

As usual, there are always a few items I pass up at the fair that days later I wish I would have gotten but I did pick up business cards from those vendors so I can order online.

If you’re wondering what I bought, it was these three brass stencil letters for a holiday project I’m working on.

Setting the Table for Thanksgiving–Tips & Inspiration

October 26, 2015

Despite that fact that I’m not a big fan of turkey, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love all the pomp and circumstance that goes in the preparing food and setting the table so everyone can gather around and celebrate togetherness.

If you’re anything like me, you’re always trying to get a jump on your holiday planning, decorating and entertaining. So, today I’m outlining a few tips for setting your Thanksgiving table along with some inspiring table decor ideas that I rounded up online. Thanksgiving is just 30 days away so let the planning begin…

> Layer the table to create lushness. From linens to china and glassware to decor, layering the elements on the table will give your tablescape a warm and robust feel. Use pumpkins in different sizes and incorporate varying shades within a single color story to add visual interest.

> Use what you have around the house to decorate. Creating a unique tablescape doesn’t have to cost a lot if you shop your house. Gather grouping of candlesticks to use as your centerpiece, use decorative urns as flower vases or pull out some ribbon and use it to drape the table. Some of the best design ideas come from creativity.

> Texturized your table. Decorate your Thanksgiving table with elements that add texture like pinecones, foliage, nuts or textured charger plates.

> Take your centerpiece to new heights. When you build your centerpiece, make sure to add elements that add height which will give your tablescape dimension. Use different size candlesticks to create height or use pedestals, books or cake stands to elevate decorative objects.

> Let your table shine. Add a few simple items in metallic finishes to add a touch of shine and sparkle to your table.

> Do something unexpected. When entertaining, you should always look to add a personal touch to your tablescape so get creative by personalizing your place cards, the backs of your chairs or even with the materials you use as linens.

The beauty of this centerpiece is the layers created with foliage, candle holders and an assortment of pumpkins. If you won’t be using the ends of your table for setting, create a centerpiece that runs the full length of the table and let a few tendrils of greenery drape over the edge.

Pottery Barn Kids

This tablescape uses overlapping burlap ribbon as a table runner. Burlap provides texture but still keeps the color palette neutral so the centerpiece stands out. You can shop my favorite source for burlap ribbon here.

HGTV

Amy over at the blog Homey Oh My is one of my favorite craft and diy bloggers. While all of her projects are simple to make, they are always super chic. She incorporated some of her diy crafts into they beautiful fall tablescape using gold craft tape, glass jars and small pumpkins. This goes to show you that a little creativity can make a powerful statement. You can read the how-to’s behind this table setting here.

Homey Oh My

I love the idea of rustic touches mixes with more refined elements on a table. I single plank of wood as a runner is a great way to get that rough luxe look and it couldn’t be any easier to set up.

AttaGirlSays

Whenever you can incorporate greenery into your table decor, go for it. Greens (which you can clip for free from your yard) layered under a wood slice charger creates a really dynamic look for a fall table.

Ruffled Blog

My girl KariAnne over at Thistlewood Farms is a genius when it comes to creative decor. Here she uses a grapevine wreath as the foundation to a beautiful Thanksgiving place setting. She’s got even more inspiration you’ll want to check out here (I’m so stealing the clipboard ideas).

Thistlewood Farms

From the use what you have files, the idea of using a kraft mailing tag as a decorative name card at the table is a fantastic one. So simple, chic and inexpensive.

Collin Cowie Weddings

Here’s another idea using scraps of ribbon you might have lying around the house. Use a metallic sharpie to personalize ribbon and tie it onto a pumpkin stem to create a unique name marker for your Thanksgiving table.

Pottery Barn

I hope these tips and inspirational ideas will help you get ready for the holiday ahead.

Office Chair Makeover

September 24, 2015

I bought a new office chair months ago and knew that I wanted to give it a little makeover. The chair is the Pearson Desk Chair from Ballard Design and I found it at the outlet store for $39, a big discount off of its regular price of $249.

When I first told you about the chair, I had replaced the casters with metal ones and I was debating between painting the frame gold or black and had also narrowed down several fabric options.

Well, I decided on a gold frame and made a slight change in the fabric.

Here’s the new look of my desk chair…

I used Rustoleum Specialty Metallic Gold Spray ( a great gold spray paint) paint and applied two coats to the frame. To add an additional layer of protection to the frame I sprayed on two coats of Krylon Clear Gloss Acrylic Coating.

The fabric I decided to use is a leopard print velvet that I snagged during a fantastic sale at Boca Bargoons here in the Atlanta area. The fabric was originally $59.99 a yard but the store had a weekend sale with select fabrics 75% off so it only cost me $15.00/yd. I bought enough to cover my chair seat and make a pillow.

Even though I had originally planned to use a larger scale pattern I love how this fabric looks with the gold frame. And at $15.00 I won’t feel guilty if I decide to change it up in the future.

I’m glad to have another project checked off the to-do list and now I can definitely work in style!

Vintage Finds From Everything But The House

September 9, 2015

Last Friday I told you about Everything But The House (EBTH), a revolutionary way to shop for vintage and antique items online. After getting to know how the auction system works and how easy it is to place bids on EBTH, I decided to give it a try.

One of the first things I purchased was this bamboo and wicker end table. The table is manufactured by Emerald Craft Inc., was in really good shape and has classic bamboo furniture details.

The only thing I didn’t like about the piece was the color but I knew a couple of coats of spray paint would give the table a new personality.

image via EBTH

So here’s the new look after a couple of coats of gloss black spray paint.

I’m so happy with the piece and how it looks now. The size of the table is ideal for a corner or nook and works great as a spot to drop keys near the door. I also like the three shelf surfaces which provide lots of decorating options.

A smaller brass tray {thrifted} fit perfectly on the middle shelf and works great for extra storage. And of course you know I love the combination of black and brass.

I placed a stack of books on the lower shelf along with a blue and white ginger jar. This beautiful Asian ginger jar is another piece I scored from EBTH.