Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Here’s my Irish mantle I decorated for some holiday fun!
Valentine’s Day Mantle
February 12, 2013 by 6 Comments
I am so loving my “mantle” I made on our kitchen cabinet. I had it decorated for Christmas, then winter, and now for Valentine’s! I am so glad I found a couple pieces that are easy to leave out and just change up a bit for the season or holiday. I put a new printable in my frame. I wrote new words on my chalk-painted wine bottle. And I put red bulbs in my vases. Whole new look with very little work! The flowers are not what I would have selected, but they were chosen especially for me by two very handsome little men, so I love them! Loving how fun my little mantle makes holidays!
Winter Mantle
January 11, 2013 by 2 Comments
A few months ago, I decided I desperately wanted a mantle. Mostly because I saw on Pinterest and blogs how easy it was to decorate a mantle for the various seasons. I was crazy enough about this idea that I was even talking to The Coach about if our ancient chimney could be resurrected and a fireplace built in the dining room. He answered my questions, but did look at me a little like I was crazy and there may have been a few sighs in the conversation. He knows how I am when I get an idea in my head – like a dog with a bone!
Luckily (for him, at least) shortly after that my in-laws offered us an antique cabinet that they didn’t want anymore. Always looking for more storage options and loving all things old when it comes to furniture, I snapped up the offer. We got it home and I decided the kitchen would make the perfect home for it; I replaced the big bookcase we had been using as pantry space with the new cabinet.
As I stood admiring how much nicer it looked to have all that “stuff” behind doors rather than on open shelves, it struck me – MY MANTLE!! The top of the cabinet made a perfect space to create my mantle scenes for the seasons!
I was beyond excited to decorate it for Christmas. As we packed away the Christmas decor after the holidays, I started to think about what pieces I could use as constants in my decorating, but somehow change up a little for each season. I think I found some perfect pieces to keep up year round, and some that will come and go. Here’s my winter mantle:
- I used a couple vases I had out at Christmas with various colors of Christmas Tree ball ornaments. I replaced the colorful mix with just silver.
- I added a couple silvery tree decorations.
- The string of lights was out at Christmas and stayed. I cut squares of tulle and tied it between the lights to create the softer, almost snowy look.
- Next is a cheap frame I bought and painted white. The printable inside the frame is from a Pinterest pin that directed me here.
- My sister-in-law had given me the wine bottle at Christmas. It is painted with chalkboard paint. It had a Christmas ribbon and trinkets tied on when she gave it to me. I replaced those with a tulle bow, added some white glittery fake branches I had in the bin of Christmas decorations, and wrote my winter message in chalk.
- Finally, I have my owl Scentsy warmer, which is a fixture in our kitchen!
Most of the stuff here I already had or was from the dollar store! I bought the Christmas Tree ball ornaments at the dollar store before Christmas. The frame was from the dollar store and I already had white paint. The wine bottle was a gift. Everything else I already had! So my total investment was a couple bucks! Gotta love that!
Do you have a mantle? How do you decorate it? I’m looking for ideas for all the seasons!!
An Angry Birds Invasion!
December 4, 2012 by 1 Comment
While my boys had their birthdays way back in September, I am finally getting around to posting about their birthday present! But it required some coordination, time, and work, so it really wasn’t pulled together until the beginning of November.
My boys have an embarrassing number of toys and were getting more from friends and family for their birthdays. So The Coach and I really didn’t really want to buy more that would just end up cluttering the house and maybe or maybe not getting played with. Instead, we got the boys bunk beds for the room they share!
We spent some time searching online and looking in some local furniture stores at bunk beds. I wanted the bottom bed to either be perpendicular to the top one or to be a full size bed, just in case Roo fell off the top bunk. At least he would land on bed and not on hard floor! I had been leaning toward a set up that could be separated into two beds, but we ended up not going that route because we found such a great deal. Instead of buying new, we got found an excellent bunk bed on Craig’s List in almost perfect condition. And literally saved hundreds of dollars!!
I let the boys pick the “theme” they wanted for their room. They agreed on Angry Birds! So they each got to pick a bedding set and some fun pillows. Since the bunk beds freed up some space, I moved a few quiet toys up to their room, which they have been liking! After I took these pictures, I found an Angry Birds rug that I added by the toys and bookcase.
Here’s the big reveal of Roo and Monkey’s new room!
The view from the doorway. The clouds were painted on the ceiling by a friend when I was pregnant with Roo.
The new sleeping arrangements! Roo on top, Monkey on the bottom!
Roo’s choice for up top!
Monkey’s choice for the bottom!
The book and toy corner!
How to Be a Good Host, or a Good Guest, During the Holidays
November 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment
photo credit: Scott Smith (SRisonS) via photopin cc
One of the most joyful, and the most stressful, parts of the holidays is getting together with friends and family. The holidays are filled with parties, feasts, and other gatherings where friends and family come together. Odds are, at some point during the holiday season, you will be a guest at someone’s home and probably you will be hosting others in yours, as well.
When The Coach and I had Roo, we decided we wanted our kids to wake up in their own beds on Christmas morning. So we offered to host his family for Christmas Eve dinner and my family for Christmas Day dinner (and sometimes both families!). We also attend several family gatherings and try to connect with a few friends around the holidays.
Since no one wants the reputation of being that guest, or known as the hostess without the mostest, here are some tips for being an honored host and some for being a gracious guest.
If you’re the host:
- Keep it simple. Your guests aren’t coming for an extravagant affair, they are coming to socialize and enjoy the holiday spirit with those around them. I don’t plan activities for the kids (or the adults) at my house. The first year I hosted, I felt like I needed to have little trinkets for the kids, a plan and schedule for activities, and every appetizer and treat a guest could want. The kids just wanted to play, nothing happened according to schedule, and we were eating leftover snacks for at least a week. Lesson learned.
- The “appearance of clean” is enough. No one is going to be checking your baseboards for dust, studying your corners for cobwebs, or looking behind your toaster for crumbs. The first year we had everyone over for the holidays, I just about killed myself cleaning. Literally, I about had a nervous breakdown while Swiffering. Now, I give the bathrooms and kitchen a good cleaning, pick up the clutter, sweep the floors, and call it good. And no one has noticed, or at least they haven’t commented on, the cobwebs in the ceiling corners.
- Create an inviting, comfortable atmosphere. People are coming over to have a good time and relax with friends and family. Arrange your space to provide as much seating as you can. Fill your home with inviting scents (check out my Scentsy Giveaway for ideas!). Turn on lamps and low lighting, rather than glaring overhead lights.
- Prepare as much as you can ahead of time, so your time is more free to spend with your guests. Do as much food preparation as possible ahead of time. Do your cutting before guests arrive; have dishes prepared and in the fridge, ready to pop into the oven; have plates and cutlery out and ready ahead of time. Guests are more comfortable when you are able to hang out with them, rather than working away in the kitchen the whole time they are there.
- Put anything away that might be a problem. We have a rule with our kids when they have friends coming over – if they are going to be upset if a friend plays with a certain toy, then they have the option to put it away while friends are over. I also look around and put away toys that would not be good to play with in a crowd – PlayDoh, loud trucks, basketball hoops, etc. Finally, if your heart would be broken if an item got broken, you might want to consider putting it away rather than worrying every time someone is standing too close to it.
If you’re the guest:
- Offer to bring something. It’s better to ask the host what you can bring, rather than just offering a particular dish. The host is coordinating the menu, so ask her what she still needs or what would be helpful.
- Offer to help, or better yet, just start helping. Whenever anyone at my house asks if there is anything they can do to help, I usually always reply, “I think I’m all set.” However, there are always little things to be done that I’m not thinking of. What I appreciate so much more is when someone just jumps right in and does something that needs to be done. Start preparing plates for the kids or just start loading the dishwasher.
- Don’t overstay your welcome. Having been the host, I know by the end of a gathering, I am tired, still have cleaning and picking up that needs to be done, and kids to put to bed. Remember that the host would probably like a little down time. Instead of staying as late as your schedule allows, try to keep in mind the host’s schedule as well.
- Watch your kids! Nothing drives me crazier than seeing parents show up at a party or event and decide they are off duty. Kids get even more wound up at events during the holidays than they normally would, so they need more, not less, supervision. Keep an eye on kids and make sure they aren’t making huge messes in the host’s home or destroying what might be beloved toys (of the children or the adults!).
- Don’t forget the thank you! Hosting takes a lot of effort and work. A simple thank you is always appreciated. Consider bringing a small gift, like a bottle of wine or nice box of holiday candies for the host. You could also send a cute thank you after the event. I have a friend who always sends a picture from the event with my kids in it as a thank you. Have your kids make a card and include a kind, handwritten note inside. Make sure the host knows you appreciated the kindness.
What tips do you have for being a good host or a good guest?
Feeling Blue? Nope – Not Anymore!
November 20, 2012 by Leave a Comment
When we moved into our little humble abode, it was decorated just how the realtors suggest – very neutral. White walls everywhere and a very light tan on all the trim. We painted the little downstairs bathroom first – an easy and quick job. Then, since we were expecting Roo at the time, we painted and decorated the nursery next. Then we had a baby and about a year went by with absolutely no work on the house done.
Then we got around to painting our living room walls and trim. We chose a light, Robin’s Egg shade of blue and chocolate brown trim. It went nicely with our brown furniture. We added some chocolate brown Roman blinds and had ourselves some design going on.
This past spring, we decided to buy a new couch. After having a brown couch for almost a decade, we were ready for a change. We mixed things up and bought a slate gray couch with gray and green accent pillows. Enter the latest living room revamp.
We began by painting the trim a bright, clean white. We opted for the premium paint that included primer and paint in one. Very wise choice since it still took three coats to cover the dark brown. Along with the trim, I painted an antique mirror frame white and pulled together my trash-picked door art with some of the white paint. My friend Jill helped me cover the Roman blinds with gray fabric (and by helped, I mean she did most of it while I drank wine and painted my trash picked door). Half way there…
This past weekend, we finally got around to finishing the project. We bought some green paint and covered up those blue walls with a bright, spring green. I’m still getting used to how bright the green is, but I am loving it more and more each day!
Like any home decorating project, there is always one more thing you find you could do. I would like to do something with the antique sewing table we use as an end table. It is an antiqued blue color and doesn’t really match anymore. But I can’t decide what to do with it and don’t want to rush into anything since it is an antique and I love it!
A Giveaway You Can Smell From a Mile Away!
November 13, 2012 by 18 Comments
Who doesn’t love having their home smell great? I think if your home smells fresh and inviting, it feels cleaner and more comfortable. That’s why I was so excited when one of my very favorite people, my sister Laura, became an Independent Consultant for Scentsy. And I am also very excited to be hosting a giveaway for these scent-sational products!
Scentsy warmers and plug ins are a safe alternative to candles, since they are wickless. There is no flame, and while the warmer and wax get hot, they are not hot enough to burn. The low watt bulb (15, 20 or 25 watts depending on the warmer) is similar to a night light. These are perfect for those of us with little ones at home. I love the smell of scented candles, but was always nervous about burning them when the kids were up. Then I was nervous about burning them when the kids went to bed in case I forgot to blow the candle out. These warmers I am comfortable using when the kids are up or asleep, so my house can smell great any time!
The wax comes in a bar with eight cubes, and each cube will last for 8-10 hours. Warmers only need 1-2 cubes in them at a time, and usually only one. The wax that Scentsy makes has a higher fragrance content than other brands of wax, creating a better, longer lasting scent. Perfect for those of us that love the luxury of scents wafting through our home, but can’t find room in the budget for all those pricey scented candles.
Scentsy offers more than 80 scent choices and a huge variety of warmer and plug in styles, so there is something for everyone’s décor and tastes. Also, aside from just the warmers and waxes, Scentsy offers Scent Circles (like car air fresheners that hang from a string), Room Spray, Travel Tins, Scent Paks and Fragrance Foam (hand sanitizer). One of my favorite products comes from the Layers line, which includes shower and bath items, lotions and sprays, perfume, hand soap and hand cream, and washer and dryer products to make your clothes smell great. Especially as the weather gets cold and my hands get dry, I am never without my Satin Sheets hand cream in my purse!
And I couldn’t go without mentioning the super cute Buddies! These adorable stuffed animals have a little pocket for a Scent Pak. I know my kids are getting one each for Christmas, and I have to admit I am a little jealous that they will have one and I won’t! Who says moms are too old to snuggle a stuffed animal at night? Especially when it includes a calming scent to help me forget the chaos of day! (And until the end of the year, these cute little guys are buy one, get one free!!)
If you would like the chance to win this fabulous Christmas countdown warmer and a wax scent of your choice, simply enter using the Raffle copter below. Entries are available for commenting, liking my page and Laura’s Scentsy page on Facebook, and for subscribing to Structure in an Unstructured Life. Make sure when you enter using the Rafflecopter, you are commenting, liking, or subscribing if you would like your entry to count when the winners are drawn! Good luck!!
My Trash Picking Endeavor (And A New Living Room!)
August 28, 2012 by 4 Comments
As we were sitting in the living room the other day, Roo commented, “It’s like we’re all new. We got a new couch, a new rug, new paint, a new clock, new curtains, a new minivan…” Wow – put that way I started to feel like we really have done quite a bit lately.
Living Room Redo
We decided back in the spring to buy a new couch for our living room. And one home improvement always leads to another 50 to go with it. Kind of like When You Give a Mouse a Cookie.
Our new couch is grey and has green accent pillows, so it clearly did not work with our light blue walls and chocolate brown trim (that had matched the old brown couch perfectly). The complete plan includes painting the walls a matching green, but we’re not quite there yet. We did, however, paint the trim a bright white two weekends ago. We also found a clock that would match better than our old one (which quit working anyhow). My friend and I covered my brown fabric Roman blinds with grey fabric, and I found a very cheap (otherwise known as the-kids-are-going-to-ruin-it-so-I-won’t-spend-a-lot-of-money-on-it) grey rug. And, viola! – the living room is half way there. All we have left is painting the walls.
Our all new living room
My Trash-Picked Treasure
Also this past weekend, I finally got around to what I have been calling “my trash picked door project.” A few months ago I was driving home and saw a door – well, two separate parts of a door – at the side of the road next to someone’s trash can. I stopped, looked around, and got out of my car to check it out.
I am fully aware Pinterest has convinced me I can do the impossible with any old piece of trash, but I really thought I could make something out of this. So this weekend, finally, I got my creative juices flowing and my craft on and got half my project done. I cleaned up, painted, and stuck pictures and quotes in the top half of my trash picked door.
It was much easier than I thought. I simply taped around the glass sections, and painted the whole front and sides of my “door” the same white we used for our trim. I sent photos to Walgreen’s and picked them up- all 5×7, black and white, and looking beautiful. Finally, I stuck my pictures and a few quotes I had printed out in my “door.” Our only problem now is figuring out how to hang it behind the couch as it is super heavy.
For right now, until we can solve the hanging issue, it is leaning against the back of the couch. Not the safest, I now, but temporary!
What projects have you tackled lately?
How to Spice Up Your Bedroom
July 19, 2012 by 4 Comments
No, I am not going 50 Shades of Grey on the blog! I’m talking about decor here, folks! What did you think I meant?
To be honest, we spend the least amount of time on decorating our bedroom. As a family, we spend most of our time in the living room, kitchen, or play room. As a couple, The Coach and I spend most of our time in the same places. We’re not just not the people that “hang out” in our bedroom.
What I Didn’t Like
However, there were a few nagging areas that I wished were a little nicer looking. The first was that we have never invested in a nice headboard for our bed. This always makes me feel like we are one step away from a college apartment look. But we aren’t really looking to spend the money on a headboard right now.
Also, we have very little space to display pictures in our room. And as the house gets filled with the smiling snapshots of two little boys, there is less and less space for those favorite wedding pictures and memorabilia.
How I Fixed It
After scouring Pinterest for ideas, I decided to add a shelf above our bed for the pictures. I also had been wanting to whip up some nice pictured of the boys with the words to a couple songs overlaid on the pictures. Here’s what I ended up with:
How I Did It
This was a pretty cheap and easy project. The shelf was on sale at Menard’s, so we got it for about $15. The Coach put it up. The pictures and wedding memorabilia we already had.
I used Photoshop to create the pictures. I basically played around with it until I got the look I wanted. I used some lighting effects to highlight the faces. Then i used the text tool to add the words along the side. Then a few more clicks on the computer and I sent them to Walgreen’s to be printed. I stopped at the dollar store and picked up a couple frames. Total for the pictures – about $8. Here’s a closer look at the pictures of my boys:
Overall, a pretty easy project that didn’t cost much and added a more “finished” look to our bedroom. Almost makes me want to hang out in there!
Why Buying a New Couch Was a Good Decision
July 13, 2012 by 4 Comments
Our comfy new couch!!
A lot of people would say buying a new couch was not a good decision for The Coach and I to make. I can see why people might think that. We could have put the money toward bills, into savings, or bought something that was more of a need than a want.
The cost was only one factor in our decision. And honestly, for us, money has never been a top priority, which has been both a blessing and a curse.
In recent years, we have realized that priorities other than money and financial stability are much more important to us. Happiness has definitely moved up to a top priority for us, which is where our couch purchase comes in.
So how did a new couch make us happier? The Coach and I, like most married couples with young children, have struggled to find that time and the ways to connect in the midst of the chaos of this stage of life. We discovered, however silly it might sound, that sitting together in the evening made a big difference in how close we felt to one another.
We used to have the same routine every night. Get the kids to bed, pick up the living room and kitchen, then I would sit on the couch and he would sit in the chair. Sometimes we watched something together, sometimes one watched while the other was on the computer or reading. But we sat in separate spaces.
In an effort to work on our togetherness, we began sitting together on the couch in the evening. This made us feel much more like we were spending time together, even if we weren’t always doing the same activity. However, our ten year old couch was not comfy. For either of us.
So buying a new couch has made it far more comfortable to sit together in the evening. And sitting together in the evening, is a very good thing for our marriage. I don’t expect everyone to agree that buying a new couch was a good decision. I know a lot of people think it was a stupid reason to spend that much money. But for us, there isn’t a better reason than happiness to spend money.
Do you choose to spend money on things others think are stupid, or poor choices? What are your good reasons?
