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Month: December 2011

Your Favorite Top Posts of 2011

Written by Jenna on . Posted in Decorating. 7 Comments on Your Favorite Top Posts of 2011

I hope you had a wonderful Holiday filled with many blessings.  I had a beautiful Christmas and was so thankful to spend it with family!  With the weeks of anticipation leading up to the big day, it’s kind of sad to see it end.  At the same time though, it is exciting to think about what the year ahead has to offer.

I can not believe 2011 is just about over.  Can you?  I’m always asking myself, where has the year gone!  It seems like it was January, just two days ago.  Do you feel that way?  As a wrap up of 2011, I decided to walk down memory lane to see what posts were favorites of my SAS readers.  Some of them, I was quite surprised about, and others I knew you really enjoyed.

Let’s take a look by counting down from 10 to 1

10. DIY: How to Make Simple Lined Window Drapery Panels

Funny that this post is in the top 10…  My lined window treatments for the master bedroom that I still have yet to complete – ha!  I was a bit nervous to make these window treatment panels since I had never made something like them before, but using drop cloth as the lining material and a fun geometric fabric, I was quite surprised how easy and luxe they turned out!  I hope to finish up this space soon…that’s on my 2012 list of To-Do’s.

9. DIY: Personalized Dry Erase Calendar

This is the post I’ve probably received the most comments / questions about!  It was definitely a favorite of mine to create and something that I use EVERYDAY…  my personalized dry-erase calendar that I made for my central command center .  Upon being inspired by Beth’s, I made one for my family to keep us on track so we know where to go and when!  Yes, you can use a dry-erase marker directly on glass and if you’re looking for the calendar printables, click {here}.

8. 5 Ideas to Accessorizing Your Coffee Table Decor

It’s the center of most living / family rooms, yet it’s often forgotten about or is cluttered with magazines, papers, and remotes. Even though in my home most of the coffee table decor is thrown on the ground and instead my 2 & 5 year old sit or jump on the coffee table (a.k.a. large leather ottoman), here are some 5 easy tips for accessorizing your coffee table.

7.  Faux Animal Heads For Your Interiors

I’ve realized for a while that this has been a popular post by y’all, but of the many that I’ve written, it surprises me.  I know faux animal heads /antlers were hot-hot-hot this year, but it’s interesting to me how many views this post received.  I have to admit, some of these interior spaces are gorgeous!

6. Decorating Above Kitchen Cabinets

Another decorating post that was really popular – How to decorate above the kitchen cabinets!  I felt alittle bad after publishing this post with what I said about ditching the faux vines…  Sorry if I hurt your feelings, it’s just my opinion.   Above the cabinets, is often a bare space of unchartered territory that you may have thought to add some decor, but just didn’t know what to display or how to pull it all together. Am I right?  By having a focal point, adding layers and varying heights, this “real estate” in the home can become Oh-So-Stylish!

5. DIY: Child’s Play Kitchen

The kids play kitchen was probably my favorite diy project of the year.  I’m not sure if it’s because it’s outside of the typical realm of my everyday “interiors” life or simply because my kids get so much enjoyment out of it, but this was a great project to imagine and then create.

4. 15 Creative Ways to Display Christmas Cards

I only write this post three weeks ago, but it has received an unbelieveable amount of interest and views.  I guess many of you needed ideas on how to display your Holiday cards (I did – that’s why I wrote the post and created this). I’m glad you enjoyed!

3. 15 Inspiring Autumn Wreaths

Some of the most enjoyment I receive when putting together posts are researching and being inspiring by others creations.  Autumn is my favorite time of year and I was so excited to create this post of Inspiring Autumn Wreaths.  There were SO many amazing wreaths to choose from and the ones I showcased were just a few of my favorites.

2. Creating a Photo Wall Display

Creating a montage of photos can be a bit tricky (and intimidating) to figure out where to start and then how to balance the sizes and layout. In this very popular post, I shared room examples and actual layout ideas to help make displaying those beautiful family photos alittle easier.

DRUMROLL…

 

1. 5 Minute Autumn Centerpiece


With over 20,000 views, my Autumn log centerpiece blew every other post away by a landslide.  This was the easiest and most beautiful DIY creation that I have ever made, and it literally took my 5 minutes!  The response from this post alone has been crazy.  My daily pageviews since this was published has gone up 3x – I truly never thought this simple project would get such great attention.

And this is how I transformed it for the Holidays.

I never know what will make a good post.  Some things that you love surprise me and other things that I thought would be very interesting to read, no one really cares about.  That’s what makes everyone different!  Thanks for taking a trip with me down memory lane to peak at your favorite projects and posts from the 2011.  Later this week, I’m going to share a month by month review of what I’ve accomplished and then in a few weeks after the New Year, I plan on sharing a post about my goals for 2012…  I’ve got to give some more thought to that.

DIY: Holiday Photo Cards

Written by Jenna on . Posted in Craft, DIY. 10 Comments on DIY: Holiday Photo Cards

It’s that time of year when the post office is at it’s peak with the hustle and bustle of people sending out packages and waiting on line for stamps to mail their Holiday cards.  I usually design my cards in early November and mail them out right after Thanksgiving (this year though, I was a little late).

Because I have young kids and we have family near and far that we don’t often get to see throughout the year, I like to design and send a photocard, but they can often be expensive.   In being somewhat of a frugal person, I decided to make my own Holiday photocards this year (and honestly, I like the result better than the plug-your-picture-in-and-print style).

After a long photo session with the kids (which I was the photographer of), I used the free program, Picasa, to make a collage of pictures that would be perfect for the card.  I had them printed at Walmart for .09 cents each (x 40), which ended up costing me just over $3.00.

I was originally thinking of using white index cards to mount them on, but then I was able to find really heavy and pretty card stock that was slightly larger than the picture.  The card stock came in an assortment of earth tone colors, and was the perfect backdrop for the photo montage.

Using Aleene’s Tacky Tape Runner, I added three rows to the back of the picture to make a tacky surface so it would stick to the card stock.

This is the back of the photo, where you can see the three rows of Tacky Tape that I added.  I originally planned to use a gluestick to adhere the picture to the card stock, but this tape was SO MUCH BETTER!  It was easy to apply to the picture and then it adhered very well to the card stock surface.

I actually was lucky enough to receive this Tacky Tape from Aleene’s, along with some other “tacky” products that they offer. (and I mean “tacky” in a good way, not the overboard-ugly-too much way!)

Then flip the card onto the cardstock, and it’s complete!

Write something on the back, and they will be ready to mail!

We don’t really have an Aunt Betty…  I just wrote this out for the tutorial 🙂

If you’re interested in trying out products by Aleene’s to create your own creation, their products are available at Michael’s stores or online at www.Ilovetocreate.com.  I know you will be happy with the result of your project when you use their products – I sure was!

My Holiday cards are in the mail…  Are yours?

All the opinions in this post are 100% mine! Full post disclosure here

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Today’s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, Savvy Southern Style, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, Creation Corner, The Shabby Nest, Tatertots and Jello, Funky Junk, Under the Table & Dreaming

If you’d like to see more projects by other bloggers using the Aleene’s products, click on the links below:



DIY: Christmas Stockings

Written by Jenna on . Posted in Christmas, DIY, Holiday, Seasonal. 12 Comments on DIY: Christmas Stockings

Did you check out my newly decorated Christmas mantel?  If not, that’s okay (but head over there now).  In that post you got a little sneak preview of the Christmas stockings that I recently made.  As a family of four, we’ve never had matching stockings.  The mister and I have the same (since we bought those together after getting married), but then came child #1 and he got a different style stocking, and after that child #2 came along and she has an even different style stocking.  Anyway, each year it’s been a mish-mosh of different color and style stockings hung on the mantel, until now.

You know my love for drop cloth, so what did I use?  Yes, you guessed it…the big DC!

I’ve always wanted to make stockings, but was intimidated thinking it would be too difficult – but IT WASN’T!

Using drop cloth material for the main stocking, creme colored felt for the cuff, and the basic sewing essentials, I created these stockings, that now sit at the mantel, in no time!  To start off, I used the old stocking as a template to create the “boot-like” shape.  I then cut an 8″ x 12″ piece of felt for the cuff, and sewed the “right” sides together (see pictorial).

I made 4 stockings (which have 2 sides each), so I had a total of 8 sides.

Once the cuff is attached to the “boot”, open the cuff and iron.  Then put the “right” sides of the boots together and pin all around.  Using a 1/2″ inseam, sew around the entire boot, EXCEPT at the top edge of the cuff.

Once you finished sewing all the way around, turn the stocking to the “right” side using the opening at the top edge.  Then iron the edges flat.

The stocking form is made – YAY!

At this point of the stocking-making-process, the tops of the cuffs will probably not match – that’s OKAY!  Taking a scissor or rotary cutter, trim the top edge of the cuff to get a straight line.

Then it’s time to make the cuff – turn over the felt fabric and adjust it to the amount that you want to see for the “cuff”.  I’ll admit, at this point, I was a wee bit mad at myself for not forethinking what I’m about to share.  There are many different ways to make stockings and honestly, I didn’t do any research beforehand, and just “went for it”.  Kind of a mistake.  When I went to turn the fabric over to make the cuff, I realized that you could see the stitching on what was before the “inside” of the cuff (see right pictorial).  At this point, I was about to ditch the project, but then I realized because the fabric is felt, it won’t fray and it actually gives the edge a decorative look.  I trimmed the edge about 1/4″ off the seam and I’m pretty happy with the result.  Another (slight) fail to success project!

Essentially it’s complete at this point, but of course you need something to hang the stocking.  Using another piece of felt, I simply made a loop that I sewed on to the inside edge of the stocking cuff.

Now they are ready to hang!  If you saw my Christmas mantel the other day, you may have noticed that the stockings were plain and unembellished.  Well that only lasted a day.  Using the ornaments from my Organic Centerpiece that I displayed on my dining table last Christmas, I looped them through clear fishing line and hung them around the felt loop of the stocking.  Also adding a chocolate glitter snowflake, the collection was a beautiful accent to the neutral-colored background fabric.

Also placed on two of the stockings are pins that were favorites of my husband’s late grandmother. A little way he remembers her around the Holidays.

I really love the simplicity of these stockings.  Each year as I change my colors and Christmas decor they will always be a beautiful accent to different embellishments that I can add.  Do you hang stockings at the fireplace?  Are they matching or a mish-mos of different styles like I had for the past years? (and just to set the record straight…  I don’t mind mish-mosh…  it’s eclectic!)

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Today’s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, Savvy Southern Style, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, Creation Corner, The Shabby Nest, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Under the Table & Dreaming

Holiday Mantel and Table Centerpiece

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY. 52 Comments on Holiday Mantel and Table Centerpiece

I know I said a couple of weeks ago that I wasn’t in the Christmas Spirit, but now I finally am!   Last weekend, after our bellies were stuffed with Turkey, we started transforming the house from the Fall / Thanksgiving decor over to Christmas.  I’m not sure why I was so reluctant at first and unprepared for the changing season, but o well, it’s past me and I’m excited for some Holiday Cheer!

The center and focal point of our home is the fireplace (yes, the one on the burnt orange wall), and again it has been decked for the Holidays!  I was quite anxious to get started on the mantel because I knew exactly what I wanted to use and how I envisioned it to look.  I was thrilled with the result of my Fall centerpiece creation and wanted to use the log as the focal point for this year’s Christmas mantel.

Here is a simple run-down of how I created the log.

  1. Find a log of any length that you desire (My log is about 4′ long)
  2. Using a 1.5″ drill bit, drill holes into the log every 5-6″
  3. Insert tea lights or battery-operated candles into the holes.
  4. It’s ready to decorate for any season!

Back to the mantel…

Once I placed the log on the mantel, I simply started layering.  I used faux greenery for the base, then added some natural cut greenery from trees in my backyard throughout.

Then, I took faux berries (purchased at the craft store) and incorporated them throughout the greenery.  Because they are bendable, they are easy to work with.  After that came the final touches…  Ornaments, pinecones, and some other branches and twigs from the outdoors.

It was complete in no time!  This Holiday log decor on the fireplace mantel makes for a beautiful focal point.

Once it was complete, I had to add stockings, of course!  As a family of 4, we’ve never had matching stocks and they’ve always been on my to-do list to make.  I whipped out my sewing machine and a few hours later, added beautiful new stockings to the decor!  I’ll share a tutorial on that later in the week.

We really enjoy how the stockings are hung by the chimney with care…

These stockings look kind of plain, but I jazzed them up yesterday…stay tuned and I’ll share more this week!

Part 2 of this post

I had to share this with you too…

Before deciding to decorate the mantel using the log, I was actually planning to display it on the dining room table similar to the fall centerpiece.  Since we use our dining table everyday, it was BEAUTIFUL, but not practical because the natural greenery sheds alot (forewarning).  On the fireplace it works because it’s not moved everyday.

Using the same technique as decorating the mantel, I layered greenery, branches, berries, and pinecones, then finished the centerpiece with decorative ornaments.  If you want to see more on this creation, I shared this project on my TV debut on Fox 23.

Complete with the handmade stenciled drop cloth placemats I made a few weeks ago, the table is set for Christmas!

The Holiday decorating continues…I’ve got many more projects and ideas to come during this countdown to Christmas!   If you’re looking for ideas on some do-it-yourself creations, head over to the Holiday section of Daily Do It Yourself.

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Today’s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, Savvy Southern Style, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, Creation Corner, The Shabby Nest, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Under the Table & Dreaming