I’m still decking the halls, or at least trying to. This has been such a frazzled holiday season for me. And like usual, I had all these hopes and expectations of what Christmas would look like in our new home. This is one of the first years that we haven’t had to travel for the holidays, so I had imaged all these wonderful memories being made in our new home. But, instead, it kind of doesn’t feel like Christmas at all. Ya sure, we have a tree. But, I’m just running from task to task and feeling like I’m actually not accomplishing anything at all. I had hoped to throw a big holiday open house – nope, that didn’t happen. I wanted to have all sorts of cookies baked by now – nope, just one dozen in the freezer. I was really wanting to spend some time making our new mantle look off-the-hook Christmasy – nope, it’s just a bunch of random things that really don’t go together. And I could complain some more, but I won’t. This morning I decided I can’t wish for the what-ifs and all the things that haven’t happened, instead I’m choosing JOY! I know the real reason for the season and I have a lot to be grateful for. I determined to make the most of what’s left of this Christmas season. Yes, I still have lots of work to do, but I’m just going to try to power through it the next couple of days and focus on all the good things in my life. And tonight, I’m going to bake some cookies, even if it’s at 2:00 AM. I don’t know, can you relate? I don’t want to be disappointed this Christmas, I want my family to have fun memories this year.

So, even though my to-do this is super long, and I really should be sanding floors or something more productive. I decided to take some time this weekend to make some modern wreaths to hang in our windows. And because it’s the holidays, a little gold is always a good idea. Last year, I friend and I made about a dozen wreaths similar to these with eucalyptus we foraged from our neighborhood. I’ve been wanting to make more this year, so I just did it and I’m super

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 16″ brass hoops
• Design Master Gold Medal Spray Paint
• Florist’s Wire
• Winter Greenery (I bought a $4.99 bunch from Trader Joes to make all three wreaths)
• Large Jingle Bells
• Wire snips or heavy duty scissors

Start by laying out branches to get a general idea of how you’d like the wreath to look. I kept mine all very sparse and kind of asymmetrical.

Begin wiring on the branches. Try to tuck the wire in under leaves and needles to hide it as you wrap up the branch.

Layer on more branches as needed.

Starting at the center point of the wreath and spray on a even thin coat of gold spray paint work out towards the ends of the branches. Leave the ends their natural green and feather out the paint so that there isn’t a harsh line where the gold paint ends.

Design Master paints are perfect for jobs like this. This paint goes on in even, light coats that can be layered. It also dries super fast.

Using a little more florist’s wire, wire on the jingle bells to cover the mess of visible wire in the center of the wreath.

Be sure to check out the some of the other fun DIYs I’ve created using Design Master Spray Paint – 3 Tiered Hanging Planter, DIY Modern Decorative Plates, DIY Faux Copper Vase, DIY Ombre Give Thanks Banner, Metallic Dipped Taper Candles, Dala Horse Salt Dough Ornaments, DIY Ombre Shoes and Laces and the Gold Dipped Yarn Hanging.

I buy my Design Master paints and my local Michaels. Design Master paints can paint the most delicate of surfaces, such as silk and fresh flowers, fabric, ribbon, tulle, lace, paper, foam board and Stryrofoam TO the sturdy hard surfaces such as wood, metal, masonry, terra cotta, ceramics and plaster. Design Master is a great resource for products and ideas.  Be sure to check out all the craft and project ideas on their blog.

This post is sponsored by Design Master, thank you for supporting the companies that help make this blog possible. 

So, if you follow me on instagram, I’ve mentioned that we are working on a really fun project. We are renovating a small apartment attached to our garage and making it into a really cool Guest House. It is just a one room studio with bathroom and a good sized closet. But, it’s going to be a really comfortable, stylish little guest house for our friends and family and also hopefully a little extra income as we will be listing it on Airbnb. I’ve partnered with one of my favorite companies, AllModern, to give this space a top notch look. I’m so excited about the details in this space – the lighting, furniture, fixtures, tile and accessories are OFF-THE-HOOK! (Stay tuned, I’ll be sharing the design plan with you very soon.) You guys, I think I might move out there when it’s finished. I’ll take Lonnie, but I think we’ll leave the kids in the main house (tee hee).

So, this has been a little bit of a “can of worms” situation, kind of like any old house renovation is. You get started thinking that this should be a totally doable project, and then after repairing termite damage to most of the floor joists and running all new water and plumbing lines, you are so deep into it that there is no turning back. I’m lucky to have a family that is very handy. My dad and brother Joash, who both helped us with our last house renovation, are the kind of experts that you need to know. Joash has actually been living with us for the last month and half and tirelessly repairing, replacing and rebuilding the space. We’ve loved having him around and he’s also very handy at picking up and dropping off 3 kids to 3 different schools (just saying). We will really never be able to repay him for all he has done. This is way over our DIY skill set. He’s done an amazing amount of structural work to this little space, and while it still looks very unfinished, we now know that it has a solid foundation and sturdy walls.

The bathroom plumbing had all been cut off, cement poured down, or removed many many years ago. So we hired a plumber to run new lines from the main house and install a new hot water heater. This was a pretty big chunk of change, but this much plumbing was definitely more then we could handle on our own.

This has been a big project, but I think it’s going to have a big pay off when we have a beautiful Guest House to welcome guests to. I hope you’ll follow along on the progress. (This is the messiest part of the process, pretty pictures to come.)

Do you have a small space that won’t allow for a full Christmas tree?  Or maybe you just want to add a little more Holiday cheer to another room in your house. This simple, but beautiful Modern Triangle Wall Christmas Tree might be a fun project for you. It’s make a big statement without taking up any floor space in your home.

With the right tools, a few supplies from the hardware store, foraged winter greens, some bright red berries and about an hour of your time, you’ll have a pretty new addition to your holiday decor. This easy-to make triangle frame can be disassembled and stored away neatly for future Christmases.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Red Berries (foraged or just ask your local florist)
• Winter Greenery (this is Leyland Cypress, or Cedar works well because it lays flat and it very pliable)
• 24 gauge Florist Wire
• PowerGear2 Fiskars Pruners, Fiskars Lopper (25″), and Fiskars Softgrip Micro-Tip Pruning Snip
• Saw
• Power Drill (with 1/4 bit)
• 3 #10-24 x 3/4 Brass Machine Screws, washers and nuts.
• Measuring Tape
• 1 1/2 inch width pine wood lattice (12 foot length)

Start by measuring the wood to 2 lengths of 40 inches and one at 27 inches. Cut the three pieces with a saw.

With a 1/4″ bit, drill holes on each end of the wood centered and 1/2 inch from the end.

Line up the corners of the triangle and fasten them together with the bolt, washer and nut.

Now it’s time to gather some greenery and berries.  Using my new PowerGear2 Fiskars Pruners and Fiskars Lopper (25″) I cut healthy green branches from my Cedar tree. These pruners are the best. They are easy to hold and cut through thick woody branches like butter.

Once you think you have enough greenery, trim off the woody ends and lay out the branches on the triangle frame to determine if you have enough.  This tree only took about 3 large branches from my tree.

Starting in one of the bottom corners, begin wiring on the branches, layering a generous amount on top of each other. Lay all the branches in the same direction.  Lay the 2 sides of the triangle with the branches pointing up.

This bright pop of red really makes this tree.  I got these berries from my local florist, they are called . Using the Fiskars Softgrip Micro-Tip Pruning Snip to trim off all the leaves so that I was just left with bunches of berries.  These sharp little snips are perfect for detail work like this.

As you can see, I really just added the berries kind of randomly.  I didn’t want it to look too uniform, I wanted it to look a little more organic.  So, every 5-6 inches, I wired in the berries along with the greenery, making sure to tuck the stems in behind the greenery.

To make things a little easier, work with shorter pieces (about 1 yard) of wire at a time and join the piece together by simply twisting the ends together.

And that’s it!  So easy right?  These greens and berries should last at least 2-3 weeks, kind of like any other fresh wreath or garland. The cooler it is, the longer it will last. They will dry out some, but it will still be a pretty.

Because this is so light weight, you only need a small picture hanger or even just a 3M Command Strip if you don’t want to make a hole in the wall.

When Christmas is over, simply cut the wire and remove all the greenery and berries. Unfasten the bolts and store the three sides of the triangle away till next year. I love a project that can be used over and over.

This post is sponsored by Fiskars, thank you for supporting the companies that help make this blog possible. 

Hey, and if you like today’s post, be sure to also check out this gorgeous Summer Floral Arrangement and this Scandinavian Wooden Bead Icicle Garland I created in collaboration with Fiskars.

I know Thanksgiving is just one week away, but I think it’s ok to start planning your Christmas decorations. And the mantel is a great place to start.

There really is nothing prettier then simple, and uncluttered, as far as I’m concerned. I’m trying to be all about the “less is more”. If you’ve read my blog for a while now, I can’t get enough of everything Scandinavian, no one does clean, minimal design better. Inspired by all the pretty blond wood tones that Scandinavian design uses, I created this simple Wooden Bead Icicle Garland.

This no-fuss wintery garland is easy to make and the eucalyptus smells so good. I kind of want to keep these wooden bead icicles up all year.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Seeded Eucalyptus (available at the florist or just growing everywhere in my neighborhood)
• Pine or Spruce sprigs (I used branches that had a few baby pine cones on them)
• PowerGear2 Fiskars Pruners, Fiskars Lopper (25″), and Fiskars Softgrip Micro-Tip Pruning Snip
• 1/4″ thick color piping or rope (available at the craft or fabric store)
• 24 gauge Florist Wire
• Wooded beads in a variety of sizes and shapes (I used about 8 dozen beads, the largest being 2 inches and the smallest 1/4 inch in diameter)
• 3 push-pin tacks or 3 3M Command Strips Hooks
• A large needle
• White crochet thread

To start, you will want to measure your mantel for the length of the garland.  Using the 1/4″ rope, decide how long you want it to hang on the sides and also account for the swags along the top of the mantel. I made my garland to dip just twice.Using the PowerGear2 Fiskars Pruners and Fiskars Lopper (25″) trim a lot of branches of eucalyptus. I trimmed mine from a neighbors tree and the long handles of the Lopper made it easy to my to reach taller, thicker branches of foliage.I used the Pruners to trim away parts of the branches that didn’t have very many leaves.  These Pruners are one of the best tools I own. They are easy to grip and the non-stick blade cuts through thick branches with ease.Starting at one end of the rope, I wired on a branch of eucalyptus with the foliage falling away from the end of the rope. Every couple inches, I added in another brand, laying them all the same direction, and wired them all tightly to the rope. I used enough foliage to be sure the rope was hidden and out of site.Working with pieces of florist wire that are about a yard or two in length is the easiest.  You are less likely to get tangled in the leaves and branches.  And when you need more length, simply twist the two ends of the wire together to secure.Next I trimmed about 8-10 sprigs of pine that had pine cones on it.  These were not big pieces, most were about 6 inches in length. Then, before I wired in the pine sprigs, I hung the eucalyptus garland on the mantel with just 3 tacks to secure in the middle and the 2 ends. I wanted to get an idea of how the piece hung and then attach the pine sprigs where they would be visible.

Using short, 5 inch, pieces of wire, I attached the pine sprigs to the garland.Next I worked on my wooden bead icicles.Start by cutting a 3 foot length piece of crochet thread. I love the Pruning Snips for jobs like this. They are super versatile and can go from cutting branches to snipping thread with ease.Lay out your beads in the desired pattern.  I worked from biggest to smallest to create an icicle effect. Using the large needle, thread the smallest bead on and place it in the center of the length of thread.Then re-thread the needle onto both ends of the thread and thread on a second bead.Continue threading on all the beads.  I made 3 icicles for my mantel.  I simply tied them onto the tack that was securing the garland to the mantel.

Then I created to more beaded strands to hang in between the icicles. And again,  I tied them to the tacks I had placed in the top of the mantel.

And now the halls are decked!

This post is sponsored by Fiskars, thank you for supporting the companies that help make this blog possible. 

Hey, and if you like today’s post, be sure to also check out this gorgeous Summer Floral Arrangement I created in collaboration with Fiskars.

I’m sure you all know now that I am a huge fan of the Cricut. Even before I was a blogger, I used my Cricut to cut all kinds of fun things for my home and parties. Remember, I even got to design some content for the Gold machine sold at Jo-Ann Stores. It’s such a great tool to have as a DIYer and maker. And every season Cricut creates amazing new projects and designs. For Thanksgiving, there is a brand new series of projects and I wanted to try them all. So, with a big stack of cardstock and a little glue, I decorated a whole Thanksgiving table.

Instead of traditional oranges, reds and browns, I chose a softer more muted color palette. Each of these projects, has tiny detailed patterns and cuts that I’d never be able to achieve with scissors.

This series has so many pretty details. I love the intricate leaves. Here’s the direct links to each of the projects.  These are all Make-it-Now projects, so they are just one click away from cutting.

• 3D Apple Basket
• Intricate 3D Leaves
• 3D Intricate Corn
• 3D Intricate Acorn
• Pumpkin Pie Box
• Acorn Paper Coaster
• 3D Pilgrim Hat
• 3D Pumpkins

Are you hosting Thanksgiving this year? How are you planning on setting your table? Are there colors and patterns that you are drawn to? I know my table is going to have lots of fresh flowers.  I’m not a florist, but I do enjoy playing with flowers and greenery.

I can’t believe it!!!! I actually have my kid’s Halloween costumes made days before Halloween.  It’s a Christmas Halloween Miracle. And I’m actually sharing them here on the blog BEFORE Halloween.  Every year I have such good intentions to get them done way before Halloween is here and then all of a sudden life gets so busy and I totally end up making these right up till the very last minute. So, I’m patting myself on the back and taking a nice deep breath.

I love Halloween, my mom always made us crazy cool costumes, so I feel like I have to do the same for my kiddos. And I take it to an even crazier level and make my kids have costumes that go together. It gets harder and harder every year to come up with a theme that they all can agree on. Teenagers have opinions, if you didn’t know. This year I can take credit for the idea. We went with a fun “In the Garden” theme and Denali is a cute cactus, Olivia is a fabulous little Flamingo, and Dylan is a pretty good looking Garden Gnome.

For more costume ideas for siblings, check out some of the other costumes I’ve made over the years:

• Alice in Wonderland
• Famous Paintings
• BLT
• Harry Potter
• Metamorphosis
• And a bunch more

I had so much fun making Olivia’s flamingo costume. Felt is such a great fabric to work with. I love that you can cut it into such intricate shapes and never have to worry about edges fraying. And felt comes is sooooo many colors. So, I bought ALL the pinks and had fun making these pretty pink wings. I started with a large piece of black felt and cut the shape of the wings, then layering the different pinks, I made each layer a little smaller. I attached the wings to her arms with a little elastic on the inside of the wing.

For her mask, I cut A LOT of tiny tear drop shaped pieces of felt and hot glued them onto a plain, plastic mask that I picked up at a craft store. And then I added a simple black and white beak. I found Olivia’s dress at Old Navy and sewed on larger feather shape pieces of felt in layers. Her costume is comfortable and easy to wear. I think it’s going to be one of her favorites.

Denali’s costume idea has definitely been done before. But, she is 15 and loves to search out ideas and inspiration on Pinterest. This is a great costume for a teenager. It’s easy to make and she still looks stinkin adorable (which is super important to her). I had a lot of fun making huge oversized felt flowers for her head and wrist. We found the dress, tights and boots all on Amazon Prime, how easy is that?

Dylan’s Garden Gnome Costume was really very easy to make, and I’m in love with the beard. I dressed him in some green pants, a denim shirt, and a pretty sweet leather vest that we thrifted. Then, I made him a huge, over-the-top beard and eyebrows with some fluffy cream colored yarn and a little felt. The hat is simply 2 triangle pieces of heavy red felt sew together. We stuffed a pillow in his shirt to give him a more round shape and cinched a belt around his middle. Dylan is planning on spending a lot of time standing awkwardly in the garden as trick-or-treaters pass by.

Happy Halloween Friend!!!

Leaving a home, even if you are moving to a better one, is not easy. Years of memories made within those walls can be hard to leave. When we sold our house, I definitely felt a little sad. We had 13 years of real life lived in that little house.  So many sweet memories, milestones, celebrations and hardships all lived out in those 1500 square feet.

I decided I wanted to make sure I made a few small mementos from our first home, so that I could take them with us to our new home. Today I’m sharing 5 ways to create a keepsake of a home.

1. Frame a picture of your house, or even better have a custom, letterpress print made of your home. This gorgeous framed print with our home address, and the years we lived in it, is from Minted. I chose to do my Custom Letterpress House Art in a dark charcoal grey and had it frame in a matte brass. These are a great house warming gift as well, last year I had two friends buy their first homes, so I gave them each a print of their new homes.

2. Personalize a little keepsake box with the key to your home. I glued our front door key to a little wood and marble box. Now when I see it on a shelf, I’m instantly taken but to our first home. It’s a subtle touch, but I nice reminder of a place we truly loved.

3. Bring along a favorite plant from your yard. We spent a lot of time in our yard, so I potted a little succulent from one of the flower beds. I also added our house numbers to the side of the pot, for a fun little detail. I used an old school label make and just stuck the adhesive numbers to pot.

4. Have family pictures taken in your home. Forget the park or a studio this year, and have a photographer come to your home and take candid pictures of your family in your own space.

5. A Custom Map Art piece of your old neighborhood can be a fun memento to take to your new home. Minted has options in gold foil, letterpress and all your favorite colors.

This post was sponsored by Minted. Thank you for supporting the companies that help make this blog possible. 

Lately I’ve been so busy  with house projects and assignments that keep me glued to my computer. I really have had no time to just be creative and make something with my hands. Messy making is just plain good for my soul. A brand that I use everyday in my home, method, encourages folks to FEAR NO MESS. So, we dove right in and got elbow deep into playing with clay.

I’ve been itching to take a ceramics class for a couple of years now. In college a took a very basic intro class, and ever since I’ve always wanted to find a way to explore that art a little further. So, while I don’t have access to a kiln or wheel yet, playing with a little air-dry clay is a nice alternative.  This last week my two youngest kiddos and I sat at the kitchen table for a couple of hours just played with clay. They made a whole variety of little figurines and tiny set of tea cups. I was less ambitious and decided to make a few little pinch pot bowls or dishes for holding jewelry or the change from your pocket.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Air-dry Clay
• Craft Paint (I used black and white)
• Paint Brushes
• method Gel Hand Soap

Starting with a tennis ball sized amount of clay. Pinch the clay from the center out, shaping the sides of the bowl as you go. (Be sure to keep any clay that you are not working with sealed in plastic bag so that it doesn’t dry out.)

To smooth out cracks and imperfections, wet your finger tips in a little water and rub on the clay. I wanted my pieces to feel organic and handmade, so I purposefully kept them from being perfectly round and smooth.

Allow your pieces to dry at least 3-4 days. I live in the desert, so mine dried in about 3 days, but I could see a thicker piece of clay in a more humid climate needing a few more days.

There really is something very therapeutic about getting your hands just caked in clay. And when you done playing, clean up is a breeze. I’m a huge fan of method products. method believes that clean should smell like cucumbers, not chemicals, that’s why their non-toxic soaps come in 70+ great-smelling scents. The Lemon Mint Gel Hand Wash is one of my all time favorite scents. method products are so much more then just a great scent, they are biodegradable, made from recycled materials and are 100% recyclable! These are all things my High School Biology/Ecology teacher husband loves.

When the clay is completely dry, you can paint your pieces. I decided to stick with a bold black and white combo. I painted each piece with two coats of paint, allowing them to dry completely between each coat. And then I took the mess and step further and spatters painted them by flinging paint onto them with a loaded paint brush.

When the pieces are completely dry, they are ready to be used. I have a couple beside my bed for jewelry and a place to lay my watch at night.

(These dishes are not intended for food, they are only for decorative purposes.)