$20 Fall Wreath Challenge

I was just a tad excited to get started on my fall decor this year! In fact, I wouldn't even technically say that it's fall yet here in So. Utah, but nevertheless... My decor made its way up! 

I was really excited to make a new wreath this year, after browsing hundreds of ideas all year via Pinterest! So one fateful night when my sweet Mom had my kids, and the husband was out hunting, I very kindly handed myself a $20 bill (Thank you, Self) and marched into Joannes on a mission. I was going to do my whole wreath for under $20. And By-Golly. I did it!

I wish I took more pictures of the 'During' process, but I had a friend over and we were too busy chatting and chasing kids to worry about cameras! But I'll give you a little run-through...

What I had on hand:

Grapevine wreath (but these are really only like $4)

Yellow flowers

Twine

Orange and Yellow Polka Dot Ribbon from the Etsy shop Hairbow Supplies Etc.

(seriously, I can't tell you how many times I've used this ribbon pack!)

What I bought:

most things were on sale at Joannes

Welcome Friends Sign - on sale for around $3.00

Burlap - about $2.00 worth

Green Tulle - $2.50

Acorn picks - .99 and 1.50

Moss Roll - $2.50 with coupon

Berry garlands -  $1.50 each

cream polka dot ribbon - $2.00

Autumn leaves - $1.50

So total - around $17.50... give or take. I estimated due to sales.

I started by weaving the tulle in and out of the wreath, and then did the same with the ribbon. You'll notice I ended up not using the yellow, I had to edit a little. It was getting too busy.

After I had all the tulle and ribbon I wanted, I glued chunks of the Moss onto the wreath, then proceeded to add things here and there until I reached the fullness I was looking for! 

I did separate the acorn picks into smaller sections, and I cut up the berry garlands to makes them more like berry 'sprays'. Lastly, I glued the sign to a piece of scrap ribbon, and tied that around the wreath to secure it. I tried gluing it directly onto the wreath, but that wasn't happening, so I improvised!

All in all, I am super happy with how it turned out! And I am even more happy that it only cost me $20!! 

I think I might make this an "Every Holiday Challenge"! What do you think!? Want to see more of these!? 

What are your favorite ways to save on holiday decor? 

Home Tour 2013 {The Living Spaces}

I'd been wanting to do a home tour for quite awhile now, so I'm super excited to share this with you!

I debated back and forth a little about how to go about this... I mean, my house is faaar from designer, and I don't have hours and hours to do projects, let alone keep it spotlessly clean! But, for us, it's home. And we adore it.

We bought our house over 3 years ago, and it was a dump, to put it kindly. :) There was stained glass windows with parrots in them, a fake-shell chandelier and many many other 'personal touches' left here by the previous owners. But we were (are) young, and thought it would be so fun to have a 'fixer-upper'. It was fun for a bit, but I can honestly say, next time we will be buying a new home. ;)

When we got married, the style of décor that was in, at least in Utah, was 'Primative'... black furniture, dark décor, lots of reds, mustards, and brown. So I've slowly been transitioning to the lighter décor, and Ilthought I'm not all the way there, I kind of like the mix of dark and light.

 

 

So there you go! Our home!... Well some of it! ;) Nothing fancy, or over the top... just a normal house with a few crazy people living inside! ;)

 

Be sure to keep watching for the next posts in this series! I'm going to do the Master bedroom, my sons bedroom, the bathroom and a REALLY fun post with my Daughter's nursery along with a few surprises! You wont want to miss any of them!

DIY Felt Heart Garland

I've had my Valentines decor up for some time now actually! In fact, the day after I took down Christmas I pulled it all out!

If you are on Pinterest, chances are, you've seen this garland (or one like it) all over the place! They've become quite popular! And for a good reason, they are very easy to make!

Step 1. Choose your felt. Now, lets talk felt for a second... if you were to ask me which felt to buy a month ago, I would of told you to just go pick up the cheap stuff from walmart and you'd be fine. I will not tell you that now however. Wool felt people. WOOL. Yes, its a tad more pricey, but if you can find it, it's softer, its not so puffy, it cuts a million times easier and it doesn't fray. I got mine at Joannes next to the regular bulk felt. I think I payed like $1 for 1/8 yard.

Anyways, so as you can see, I chose red, grey and white.

Pin your fabric over about an inch and a half (NOT exact, just guessing) and go ahead and cut hearts to your hearts content!  (pun intended)

I think I cut like 25 in all or something.

 Once you have all your hearts cut, bust out your sewing machine. Or, if you are like me and have been doing countless baby girl projects, it will already be set up on your kitchen table :)

 

 Take your first heart, and sew a straight line down the center, then, when you are almost to the edge, grab your next heart and start feeding it through immediately behind it. It take a little pushing, and once in awhile I had to lift the machine foot to get it under there, but it's really quite simple after you get the hang of it!

Then just repeat with all your hearts!

Decking Our Halls {2012}

I love putting out my Christmas decorations! It really makes it feel like the holidays are here!

I didn't go too crazy this year, pregnancy and a 2 year old consume my life now, so decorating is more of a luxury than a necessity ;)

But here's some of what I got up this year!

  This is what I'm most proud of this year. I saw something similar on pinterest, but it was selling on etsy for like $40! But in my mind of course, I think "I can make that!" So, I did! It's not perfect, but I like it! I had to take it down to get a decent picture of it, but normally its on the wall.

I used the 'vaseline' technique to get the chippy paint look!

Another Plate Makeover

I've been making a lot of color changes around our house for spring! And these green plates just weren't doing it for me anymore...

Luckily, I found 5 more of that EXACT same plate that I used in the previous plate makeover at a yard sale for $1! Yup! 5 plates for $1!

This time though, instead of just spraypainting them, I primed them with spraypaint, and then used a regular house paint for the blue. Sorry I cant give you an exact color, I started with a blueish and then added greans and tans and whites till I got what I was looking for!

Then I used my cricut to cut some vinyl and I was good to go!

I love how they look! they are SO much brighter and match my house way better than they did before!

My Spring Decor

Easter has totally snuck up on me! I seriously didnt get any of my decorations up until this afternoon! Sad, I know! I usually am itching to get it out the day after Valentines, but this year, with finishing our yard, and an 18 month old on my ankles, I've been a little preoccupied!

Here's some of what I put out, I didn't go all out this year since in 2 weeks I knew I'd be taking it all back down. I have a LOT or Easter decor... my husband would argue that it's too much, I think he will be grateful for the minimalism this year!

......................................

I love these little chicks, I got them super cheap at Krumpets a few years ago, they add just a little fun and color! Blake decided to bite the beak off of one earlier today, little bugger.

I got these carrots at Krumpets also! They are kind of difficult to display, so I stuck them here for now! We'll see if that's where they stay!

The kitchen didn't get much... just a few little touches.

 I got this little sign at Robert's a few years ago, I used to put it on the front door, but this year it's in the center of my big wreath in the living room.

 The next two are some more Krumpets blocks... I love that store!

 this cute chick sings and dances, my Mother in Law gave it to us from Avon last easter. I have yet to turn it on, because I know Blake wont leave it alone once he realizes what it does!

Springtime Wreath

I really need a new wreath, but I didn't have the time (or patience) to run to town to buy new flowers and evrything you need to MAKE a wreath!

So I ransacked my craft room, and made this beauty!

Not bad for a free weath! :)

DIY Boxwood Wreath

 I am just full of DIY-ness these days, arent I? ;) Just kidding. It's spring, it makes me re-arrange everything. My husband is going insane.

I had been on the hunt for a boxwood wreath like this one for weeks.

But seriously... $55 to $85 for a wreath? I dont think so.

So I figured there had to be a DIY route! And off to Tai Pan I went!

sorry again for the photo quality, this was another 9pm project! :)

I started by buying 2 boxwood garlands for $12 a piece. I wanted a pretty thick wreath, but I bet I could of gotten away with 1.

A grapevine wreath (I had an extra, but you can buy these at walmart. You could also use a straw/styrafoam one)

and zip ties (you could also use bread ties, or hot glue)

Starting at one end of the garland, tuck the end up into the wreath with the springs pointing the way you will be wrapping.

start winding the garland with the wreath and secure to the vines with the zipties about every quater turn.

Make sure your ties are around both the garland and the grapvine.

 Keep winding, winding winding, slowly moving outward with each time around.

when you finish the entire wreath, secure with one last ziptie and clip the ends off the zipties.

And hang! It's as simple as that! It really took me like 15 minutes for the entire thing! And I am in LOVE with how it looks! Perfect for upcoming spring!

And I spent a total of $24! A LOT less than $55+shipping!

DIY Matted Frame

I am in the middle of redoing our Master Bedroom, and although I have hit a few bumps in the road, I have gotten a few projects done! This frame was one of them! I originally got it at a yard sale for $4! It's from Pottery Barn and that place aint cheap! I found a frame similar to this one that was $39! Gotta love yard sales! Anyways, as much as I really loved this frame, it was off white, with a burlapmat. And against my tan walls, it was looking a little... blah. So I fixed it :) DIY style!

sorry for the picture quality, I always seem to do projects when it's dark out!

 First I cut a piece of fabric about 3/4 inch bigger than the mat. I used outdoor fabric from Joannes, but you can use whatever you want.

Next I folded the outer edges up (tightly) around the mat and taped them down. (ghetto I know, but I am changing things up so often I didn't want anything too permanent)

I cut a small hole in the center of the fabric and cut, at an angle, all the way up to the inside corners.

Trim the excess facric from the inside triangles and tape them down too (again, tightly, make those corners sharp!)

Put your mat back into the frame and replace your photo!