Fresh and Forever

Are you fearful of trying something new? Wow, I really am and about a year ago I put myself to the ultimate test on doing something new and different. As I said, about one year ago I received a phone call from a very nice lady who was frantically trying to find a floral arranger to do 20+ floral arrangement for her husbands medical office...... I proceeded to tell her that I was a silk/dried natural artist and have never really worked with fresh stems. She was so complimentary and insisted that I try to do the job. One catch, she needed them two days later to make the office look nice for a television interview with Inside Edition. I thought about it for about 5 seconds, took and deep breath and said.....yessss! The very minute I hung up the phone I proceeded to have a panic attack! Where would I buy the stems, keep them cool after arranging them and most importantly how will I work with flowers that don't have a wire in the stem? The answer to those questions are Central Market, my garage and lots of prayer!! Since then I have stayed with "faux" flowers, but never the less, I enjoyed the challenge and the opportunity.

Another DIY Idea

Anyone who knows me very well knows that I am a candle freak. At all times I have at least two drawers full of yummy candles. Now, that being said, it is also a conflict of interest for me as I am a Scentsy rep. (more on that later) Not only do I love the smell of candles I also love beautiful looking candles to decorate with on cool candle sticks. A couple of years ago I started decorating pillar candles with upholstery tacks and nail heads. It's a simple process, just choose a design whether that be simply outlining the top rim or around the bottom edge or get fancy and form a cross or harlequin design. One tip I have discovered is using a softer wax candle as opposed to the very shiny hard wax candles that are often found in 3-packs at Hobby Lobby. The firmer the wax the more prone to cracking when applying the nails. Who knows, maybe I will decorate one this weekend and post a pic. Have a great Saturday!!

Holiday Design on a Dime

It's that time of the year to start thinking of decorating our homes for the holidays!! If you have stepped foot in Hobby Lobby, Michaels or any other crafty type place since well, probably late August you have seen all types of sparkling ornaments, elaborate ribbons, wreaths and florals. This can be totally overwhelming when trying to put together a "Martha Stewart" or "Nate Berkus" (my fave) look!! haha I often see women standing in the aisles with a deer in the headlights look on their face thinking "where do I start and how do I keep from breaking the bank"!! I have been one of those women so ....here are a few easy ideas that might help!

Almost everyone has old or extra photo frames around the house. Spray paint the frames red, then purchase some ornaments with a flat back such as cute snow flakes for a whimsical look or beautiful gold crosses for a more elegant look and attach to a corner of the frame. Even a pretty bow placed in the corner on some and center of others is a nice look. After adorning the frames pull out current or vintage photos of Christmas past and fill the frames. This is a low cost project that makes a major impact especially in odd number groupings. Happy Holidays!

It's Only Paint

When we moved to this home about 17 years ago I painted over the hideous wallpaper in a goldish hue, put up a fruit border that was very stylish for the 90's and haven't touched it since. About three months ago I got the fever to re-do the kitchen. At first I came up with a grand plan which included moving walls, replacing floors and appliances, etc.....you get the picture, major $$$. Soon, very soon after getting the final bid for this fabulous make-over I came to my senses and came up with an alternative plan :) This plan basically involved paint! As I have told my friends and clients for years, paint is the easiest and least expensive way to make a huge change in your home. Choosing paint color can cause major anxiety for some people but as I always say "it's only paint" and it can be painted over when we make mistakes and believe me.....we ALL do!

While this project is still a work in progress, I am happy with how it's coming along and can't believe how much the paint has tranformed my kitchen.

Getting a Head Start on the Holidays!!

Just in case you are starting to get that holiday feeling, I wanted to share a few pics from my very first Christmas decorating job of this season! Yes, believe it or not, some people are already organized/motivated enough get their house "holiday ready"! This client is really fun to work with for multiple reasons. First of all, she has the most beautiful and unusual ornaments/decorations and ribbon ever and also, she has an incredibly beautiful home making for a no lose situation !! This is the second year for Judy and I to decorate this home so some of the decorations and pictures may be familiar. The client and her husband travel Europe extensively and her ornaments and mask collection spans the world. Enjoy the pictures and don't feel bad ~ I haven't even begun to think of decorating my house either!!! Ps ~ A HUGE thank you to Courtni for helping us with this job, it took the three of us over 6 hrs.