Inspiration Notebook–November 2016

November 1, 2016

I took a different approach when I was creating the November insert for my Inspiration Notebook and decides to sum up the month with a bucket list.

November is a really busy time of year for me as I’m prepping to decorate client homes for the holidays and working to finish up design projects. Then you throw in managing my role as President of a non-profit board, blog projects and getting myself ready for the holidays. By creating a bucket list, I’m hoping it keeps me focused on making time to relax and enjoy life.

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My November Bucket List

Purge My Closet. I feel like I just transitioned my closet for summer. And despite having temps in the 80’s, I know it’s time to get my closet winter ready. While I’m organizing things, I also plan to purge pieces I don’t wear anymore and donate them. Right before the holidays, the need in charity stores rises so it’s a perfect time give to a good cause.
Visit Biltmore Estates. I’ve always wanted to visit Biltmore this time of year to see the holiday decor. A weekend drive will also give us the opportunity to enjoy the mountains and see the leaves in their full fall glory.
Plant Paperwhites. This is another thing I’ve always wanted to do at the holidays. I love the smell of paper whites and want to give forcing bulbs a try. I found this easy to follow guide that I’m sure I’ll be referencing a lot.
Bake Cookies–I’m in somewhat a nesting mood and have the urge to bake cookies. I’m going to start with classic chocolate chip cookies and may try something fancy as we get closer to Christmas.
Enjoy Hot Chocolate & Apple Cider. I’m not a coffee drinker so hot beverages during fall and winter are my thing. You can find my favorite spiked cider recipe here.
Make Handmade Christmas Cards. For years I made my Christmas cards by hand and really loved doing it. Last year I managed to make a handful but this year I’m determined to make all my holiday cards by hand. I’ll be sure to share the design once I have it nailed down.
Buy the Southern Living Christmas Book. I’m a sucker for the annual Southern Living Christmas Book and this years looks really good. Do any of you collect the SL books? (affiliate link)
Get My Christmas Shopping Done. Usually by November I have most of my Christmas shopping completed. Not this year! The only thing I have so far this year is a mental list of items to buy. In the next week or two I’m going to put pencil to paper and create a detailed list so I can start shopping.
Give An Unexpected Gift. I’ve got a fun gift basket idea that I’m working on this month. Once it’s all done I’m going to give the basket to someone who won’t expect it. I love a good surprise, especially during the holiday season.
Watch My Favorite Christmas Movie. I’m a bit addicted to Christmas movies and have watched a couple last weekend on the Hallmark channel. I can’t wait to pull out my favorite movie (The HomeComing) and snuggle up with some popcorn to watch on Thanksgiving night.
Buy Poinsettia At Home Depot. If you don’t know about the Black Friday Poinsettia sale at Home Depot on Black Friday, you can thank me later. If you already know about it, then I might see you in the check out lane. All day, the day after Thanksgiving, Home Depot sells their poinsettia for $.99 cents. It’s a great time to snag a few (or a lot) and even think about giving some as gifts.
Be Thankful. Probably the most important thing on my bucket list is to be thankful for everything I have in my life. Sometimes we get so busy living life that we forget to stop and remember all the good we have. I hope you’ll join me and take a moment out of each day to stop and give thanks.

Who else loves this time of year and what’s got you inspired in November?

Christmas Decor / In The Bedroom

December 19, 2014

Happy Friday!

I wanted to pop in today and share how I decorated our bedroom for Christmas.

My goal was to keep things simple and incorporate my holiday tartan plaid theme in some way. I also wanted to use the JOY marquee sign I made last month at the Home Depot Do-It-Herself workshop.

I hope you enJOY the tour!

Since the color foundation of our bedroom is black and white, it was easy for me to add in red, green and plaid along with a few holiday touches.

I love lots of pillows on the bed and also love to mix patterns and colors. The black and white sheets came from HomeGoods are my absolute favorite. I also purchased the red pillowcases from HomeGoods.

The black shams and quilt came from Target and the red and white patterned pillow covers and green velvet cover are from Ikea.

I added some silver decor, all purchased at Hobby Lobby to my night stand. During the day I move the disco ball to the ottoman at the foot of our bed so it sparkles in the sun.

The JOY sign is a project that blogger and woodworker Ana White developed for the Home Depot workshop series. To make my sign unique, I added the molding trim and outlined each letter with gold metallic paint.

The light have a timer so the sign comes on in the evening and goes off right before we go to bed.

Our black armoire was the perfect perch for the JOY sign and I hung some greenery and ornaments from each corner to make it feel really festive.

{and check out that red and hot pink throw I snagged at C.Wonder for 50% off. It just so happens to be my signature color combo–yeah me!}

I hung a wreath on the head of the bed and kept it simple with a red and white bow.

I drape the reversible scarf/throw I purchased from Purple Peridot over the foot of the bed when I’m not wearing it.

The red pillow covers are from Ikea and the black and white striped monogrammed pillow was a gift from my friend Tina who blogs at Encore Creations.

Thanks for stopping by.

Grab a cup of cocoa and come back tomorrow when I’ll be sharing my holiday gift wrap and a few gift wrapping tips with you.

linking to:

Christmas Trend: Trees In A Basket

December 5, 2014

A few years ago I began to see a new trend in how Christmas trees were decorated. Gone were fabric tree skirts and in came baskets.

It took me a year or two to jump on the bandwagon but after realizing how easy it was to set-up a tree in a basket and how a basket added to the style of a tree, I was on board.

The Christmas tree in a basket trend has grown and companies have even begun to make baskets specifically for Christmas trees.

Nordic Tree Basket

What I love most about using a basket instead of a traditional tree skirt is the texture a basket adds and that you can use a basket style that fits the theme of your tree.

Straw baskets aren’t your only option to use as an alternative tree skirt. A metal bucket, wire basket, galvanized pail or even a piece of luggage can hold your Christmas tree.

Galvanized Utility Tub

Whiskey Barrel Planter

This year I found a black basket at Marshalls that works perfectly with the color theme of my tree.

If you want to give the basket tree skirt trend a try this year, here are a few tips to make the basket work with your tree:

1) Use a basket with a flat bottom, the diameter or size of your tree stand so that none of your tree stand is exposed

2) If you’re using a basket that is a bit smaller than your tree stand, you can cut openings in the basket for the legs of the stand to fit through

3) If you’re using a basket that is tapered in shape, you can cut the bottom off the basket so the basket fits completely over the tree stand

4) Another option is to mount your tree in a container with concrete and then place the container into your decorative pot

So what you do think about the trend of baskets and containers as tree skirts? Yay or Nay?

p.s. Stay tuned…I’ll be doing a full reveal of my Christmas tree next week!

Haven Conference Recap

July 15, 2014

I won this cute Have pillow at the conference

Hi all. I’m back today to share a bit about the Haven Conference I attended over the weekend and my biggest takeaways from the event. If you are not familiar with Haven, it is a conference for Home and DIY bloggers. The conference brings together bloggers from all over the country as well as top brands in the home and DIY industry for 3 days for learning, networking and some pretty serious partying too!

my blogging pals Tina from Encore Creations / me / Talana from Music Street Designs

Since the Haven conference takes place right here in Atlanta I couldn’t miss out of the opportunity to attend and boy am I glad I went. Yes I learned a lot of great things that will help me grow and evolve my blog but most importantly I connected with lots of fabulous ladies who I know will enrich life in so many ways going forward. Here are my biggest takeaways from the conference.

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UpStyling Hardware Store Garden Sheds

May 29, 2014

How many times have you passed by those garden and tool sheds that always sit in the parking lot of your local hardware store? Me, maybe a thousand. On occasion I’ve thought that these sheds would make a fun a playhouse for kids or a unique man cave, but it wasn’t until I saw the transformation of Kristen’s gardem shed and her outdoor space that I began to think about garden sheds in a new way.

The Hunted Interior

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Decorating with Corbels–Add this to your DIY List

May 14, 2014

via

When it comes to design, I love a good architectural detail. Details that have a sense of style and history to them and that add character to a home. Corbels are one of my favorite architectural accents. Do you know what a corbel is? Basically it is a structural piece of stone, wood or metal that juts out from a wall and is meant to hold-up or carry weight.

Corbels have been used for centuries in building construction and over the years have become a decorative element that people are adding to the interior decor of their homes.

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How to Accessorize Your Front Porch

June 21, 2013

How much attention do you give to your front porch? During the summer months, the hubs and I often take evening drives to look at the flowers blooming and to enjoy the sunshine. As we tour through neighborhoods, it amazes me(well, not really) how many homes have lack luster front porches. I know that the front porch is often the last thing on the to-do list but it is the first impression that your home (and you) make to anyone that comes for a visit. Like many people, you probably have a flower pot or two out front and maybe even a door mat but that’s where the decorating of your porch stops.

Summer is the perfect time of year to give your front porch some attention and love and doing that is easier than you think.

ADD FLOWERS

Accessorizing your front porch really doesn’t get any easier than this. You can buy pre-assembled flower pots at the nursery or create your own. Mixed arrangements add a lot of charm while a single variety arrangement like these hydrangea are more classic. Go for something tall and wide to add drama to your porch.

Look for ways to up-style simple flower boxes like adding a decorative iron grill to the outside.

PAINT THE PORCH CEILING

I’m seeing more and more bloggers doing this with their front porch. A little paint on the ceiling can give your porch a cozy feeling and add visual softness.

PAINT THE FRONT DOOR

If you did nothing else to your porch, I’d suggest an accent color on your front door. A bold color won’t work for everyone but I know there’s a color in the paint deck that will work for you. A painted door adds so much impact and curb appeal to your home. It’s also a great way to visually frame your porch area.

ADD A DOORMAT

A decorative doormat is an easy and inexpensive way to add a little style to your front porch. You can buy one with a pattern already on it or DIY one for cheap. I’m hoping to finish up a doormat project over the weekend and will share it with you on Monday.

Here are a few of my favorite DIY doormat projects:

Colorful Doormat via Furnish Burnish

Diamond Doormat via All of the Fish In The Sea

Chevron Doormat via Moonpie Dreams

HANG A WELCOME WREATH (or a plaque)

A boxwood wreath is a simple sign of welcome and hospitality and an inexpensive chalkboard plaque will allow you to convey a welcome message in a fun way.

(if you are having a party for someone special use your plaque as a party element and write Happy Birthday, Cheers to the Graduate or Let the Party Begin)

UPDATE YOUR LIGHTING

I can’t even begin to tell you how many homes I’ve gone to where the lighting is old, dated and practically falling off its hinges. Lighting is a safety necessity on a front porch and stylish lighting should be a design necessity. Add lighting that mimics the style of your home or that fits with the design statement you are making on the porch.

Lighting doesn’t have to be expensive to look good and here are a few of my fave outdoor light fixtures to prove that point.

Carriage House Ceiling Light from LampsPlus–$95.91

Bellagio Outdoor Hanging Light from Lamps Plus–$89.95

Progress Lighting Resort Wall Lantern from Home Depot–$59.97

CREATE A LOUNGE SPACE

No matter the size of your porch, you can create an area that feels welcoming with the addition of seating. On a small porch consider a garden stool or small bench and if you have a larger porch space, a larger bench or chairs will do the trick. Come. Sit. Relax!

Remember that indoor/outdoor fabrics work best but on a covered porch you can get away with an everyday fabric as long as it’s not exposed to the elements.

ADD DESIGN STYLE WITH A RUG

Have you ever considered a rug on your front porch? A bold patterned rug will help contain a sitting area and add some real personality to your porch space. Also consider a runner that can run from the edge of the porch to the front door as another way to decorate with a rug.