Spring Decorating ideas.

Are you itching for spring to come? I know I am! Take a look at these wonderful ways to freshen up your place with these easy decorating ideas!

The more rustic the better!  Grab an old watering can and add some soil and plant your favorite spring flowers!

www.midwestliving.com

I love these shabby design touches! 

frenchlarkspur.blogspot

frenchlarkspur.blogspot

 I have a design similar to this in my own home every spring!  TJ Maxx is a great place to find these rustic baskets.  They have several to choose from.  Of course the antique blue canning jars are a perfect addition!  If you don't have any, simply make your own! 

frenchlarkspur.blogspot

I love the pink against the black door!

Etsy

LOVE THIS!  This is the same idea as the watering can.  Line the umbrella with plastic....(A heavy duty grocery bag will do.)  Fill it with soil and add your favorite spring flowers!

tinywhitedaisies.tumblr

Vintage Christmas~ Christmas Decorating Marathon Part 4

This was fun!  I must say that I have a special place in my heart for everything vintage!  So many wonderful things.  Mix the old with the new.  You can achieve a vintage feel with just a few key items~

Where do I start?  How about the front door~  Take a look at this cute wreath!  It is made up of vintage ornaments, toys and village pieces.  If you want to recreate this wreath but do not have any vintage ornaments, it's easy.  Notice the colors, PASTELS, (with a little bit of red and green!)  That is the key to creating a vintage look.  You can now purchase shatter proof ornaments at most of your local Targets, Wal-marts, etc.  Look for different shapes and sizes.  Paint stripes on them, glitter them and use as many different patterns as you can.  Visit your local antique store and purchase just one toy or staple item to add to the wreath to complete the look.

retrorenovation.com

The tree!  Aluminum is the word but can sometimes be hard to find.  Use a white tree as an alternative.  Once again use pastels with bits of traditional reds and greens.  I love the vintage inspired village that is set up around the base.  Very cute!

thehouseofwhimsy.blogspot

thehouseofwhimsy.blogspot

Of course, if you can't get a white tree, you can still create a vintage look with a traditional green tree.  Just keep the color pallet of the ornaments in check.

moxiegirlflickr

moxiegirlflickr

everydayhoushold.blogspot

I love the tin at the  bottom of this tree!  It is an elegant tree but the little deer add a bit of whimsy to it!

Here are some examples of vintage ornaments.  A great inspiration point when recreating your own!  If you want to go all the way and use vintage ornaments, check you local antique stores, ebay and ask around!  You never know what might be hiding in your Grandmas attic!  

There are many sites that offer tutorials free printables for vintage inspired ornaments!  This is a great one: Printable Vintage Postcards.  Print out vintage images, postcards and photos. Add ribbon, glitter and tinsel to them to create an authentic look.  Here are just a couple examples~

 Janet Coon Christmas

lindaalbrecht.typepad.com

Dress your windows by hanging your vintage ornaments with ribbon~

BHG

I love these Christmas displays!  Add things you have around the house!  The scale is perfect and the tiered platters showcase the ornaments perfectly!  Look at the sleigh...hey, I have that book in my attic!

chippyshabby.blogspot.com

Look for bristle trees and little village houses.  These are actually quite easy to find.  Check out your local craft stores, Target, Wal-Mart and even Dollar Tree.  The trees can be spray painted and glittered to whatever color you desire!  I have seen reproductions of the little houses at TJ Maxx and Marshalls.  Your best chance of gettting one is to visit the store the day they receive deliveries!

poetichome.com

pamgarrison.typepad

How cute is this!  A small chest has been turned into an advent calendar using vintage inspired paper.

pamgarrison.typepad.com

These are my favorite!  Vintage reproductions are so fun.  I have mentioned Bethany Lowe Designs before. She has so many cute items.

smphotoson-flickr

Another great line is offered by Johanna Parker Design.  Look at these designs~  They are adorable and I can't get enough of them!

Merry treasure hunting!

White Christmas Decorating Ideas Part 3

Lets start the week with a fresh, crisp, clean idea for Christmas!  Part 3 of the Christmas Decor Marathon is "A White Christmas!"  There is nothing more peaceful than the beautiful look of fresh morning frost and snow.  Lets recreate it for Christmas!  The key to a successful white pallet is to add a little dimension to it.  White tends to flatten a space so it is important to add little punches of contrast.  To keep the "White Christmas" authentic, just add a bit of your natural greenery.
Here is a a couple simple entry ways.  Everything is natural.  I would add white and silver bows to the wreaths and.....a little snow!  The doors on these homes are white so that helps but not everyone has a white door.  If not, just add as many white items as you can.  For example, the second photo shows the greenery planted in white urns.  Add white ornaments to the wreath or hang them from the porch or roof line right above the front door, (at different levels of course!)

Next up, the tree!  Here are some great examples of some beautiful white Christmas trees.  Two of the trees have white boas on them. You can get these at your local craft store.  What a great idea!  The boas create that soft look of newly fallen snow.  Add your favorite white and maybe silver ornaments and voila!  Keep in mind that it is best to add a lot of texture to create interest.  Add feathers, painted woods, paper ornaments, glass etc.

Entry-check!

Tree-check!

Now for the decor~ Topiaries in white painted pots, distressed urns and glass domes!

Dipped pine cones add a lovely touch to your white decor.  Simply apply glue to the tips of your pine cones and sprinkle with faux snow or glitter! I love the mercury glass candle sticks.  Check out the mercury glass tutorial in my archives to learn how you can make your own for much less!

Gather twigs or branches and paint them silver or white.  Place them in a vase and hang glass or shatter proof balls on them. Swap out your lamp shades and throw pillows for crisp white ones!

 What a great idea!  Hand stockings on your foot board.  Very cool!

 Now for the mantle~  Once again, pair your all white stockings with some natural greenery.  I love the white birch stumps with the moss layered on top!

How about layering shabby chic painted mirrors!  Looks great!

Happy "White Christmas" Decorating!

Christmas Decorating Idea Marathon! 1) Rustic,Cabin Christmas Decor

Allright everyone~  Here we go!  I know it isn't even Thankgiving yet but I know that many of you are thinking about your Christmas decor already. I will be posting several ideas for decorating your home, cabin, apartment or wherever you may want to add some festive decor for the holidays!  This will be a one stop spot for creating an inviting environment for Christmas!

First up will be Holiday decorating for your cabin, or rustic space!  Keep it natural.  Nature gives us so many beautiful gifts to design with.  Pinecones, berries and greenery are all wonderful items to use to create a cozy, rustic feeling.

Lets start with the with your front door. Below you will find a beautiful example of decorating with natural elements.  Now of course you can scale this down and make it a bit more simple but WOW! 

design-decor-staging.com

hometrenddesign.com

Here you can see a mix of natural elements and store bought decor.  Stick to your traditional red, white and green.The combination is just stunning! 

Next up is the Christmas Tree!  Think outside of the box.  Create a garland out of pinecones.  Gather items from your garden.  How about a small watering can, gloves or something from the barn? Ice skates, scarves and ribbons all add a wonderful touch to any rustic Christmas tree!

Shelterness.com

Shelterness.com

Fruit and cinnamon are just a couple ways to create fun, rustin ornaments!

greeneyedmom

modresdes.com

OK, you have your entry all dressed up, your tree done and now it is time for the mantle and tabletop decor!  Once again, think nature!  This is a simple way to dress up your mantle.  Use small, painted terracotta pots as a base to your pinecone topiaries.  As always be careful if you burn a real fire.  Pinecones may not be the best idea in that case!

Here are some fun ways to dress up your home.  Use a mixture of fruit, greenery and berries to decorate your home.  Many of us have some of these resources in our own back yards!  Budget friendly for sure!

Country Living

Country Living

Martha Stewart