We're Designers. We like to Decorate, while we Eat Chocolate.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Christmas!

Yeah, pretty much gave up posting these past 2 weeks! We'll be back though next week!
Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Winner!

I sent the winner her message but thought let you all know Jill Griffiths name was drawn by my husband! Congrats and thanks to all who entered!

Friday, December 10, 2010

What's black and white and red all over?

My house! (what?) Yeah some how I ended up with a black, white and red Christmas! It wasn't on purpose I just kind of started decorating and that's what became of it. Check out some pics below!


My mantel. I really was determined not to spend a dime on Christmas decorations because we're not even going to be here for Christmas and I have enough as it is really. Frames I had in my basement that I spray painted.














I have a ton of Christmas story books we've been given over the years. This is one of my favorite. It was given to us by Jordan's grandmas who passed away this year, so I wanted to put it on display. It has silhouettes that pop up. The detail is so intricate and pretty.

Not Just for Husbands....

I had this moulding sitting in my garage for about 5 months.  It's some pretty thick & chunky stuff, so this cost more than my usual projects at $60.  Life is busy, and so the project started collecting dust.  I knew I was capable of doing it,  I mean, really, how hard could it be? I let myself get sucked into thinking:  "I can't do it with a baby and 4 year old at home right now."  I realize I have been letting myself say that dirty word all too often: Can't.  So that gave me the resolve to "git-er-done."  [During nap time and a movie]
I had never used the miter saw before and my hubby was at work, and I  wanted to surprise him.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find the instruction manual:-(  I had to call him twice: once to figure out  how to unlock the blade from the safety position (duh!--but actually hard to find that thing if you don't know what you're looking for), and then again to slide the blade to the correct angle  you want  (you have to loosen the handle and then tighten it again).  Finally, after being embarrassed about having to call for help, I got guts back to tackle this project, it was pretty smooth sailing.

 Here's my beautifully cut corners all laid out, ready to get glued to my kids bathroom mirror for the bathroom makeover I've been working on.  [In front of my sweet swagger wagon-that's how I roll]. It's pretty liberating for me to tackle projects on my honey-do-list. I highly recommend it.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Topiary Tree


Here's a look at my twirly topiary tree dressed up for Christmas.

I tied up a couple of bows for the top out of some of last years ribbon.




Some of my favorite ornaments are these psychedelic Reindeer I got at Poppy's Home Decor in Phoenix a few years back.


Then I added some red jewel ornaments  (Taipan, I think) and green balls came from Wally World.  Then I added in a few glittery snowflakes and green glitzy stuff, and that's a wrap!

Monday, December 6, 2010

I was featured on one of my most favoritist blogs ever! Check it out! She does/has amazing stuff!
(Maybe I'll run into you at our D.I. Mandi! I consider us friends now ;)





Framed Inheritance

Good morning! I'm actually blogging before 10pm! Even before noon! Whoa, isn't there an award of some sort for that?
So ONE of the projects I have going on here is finishing my sons room. It's still a work in progress but I really wanted to show off this wonderful art I made! I'm in love and sooo tempted to put it in my living room instead!




After painting these fun stripes I've decided to decorated vintage school house fun! Kind of a Frank Lloyd Wright meets Lincoln (that's Lincoln my son, not the president :)

Saved from an untimely death! When my husbands family was cleaning out his grandparents house they almost THREW AWAY (gasp) these very old stencils that belonged to his grandparents. I was there to save them and to receive some wierd looks, until I told them my plans.



Basically the frames are simple black certificate frames from the dollar store. I didn't want anything chunky or distracting from the "art" itself.
Then I chose 3 neutral colored paper (chocolate, tan, and cream) to put behind the stencils so they stand out but again, not to take away from the stencils themselves


.


The stencils are gently used, but that's what I love about them!


Aren't they great!? After I put them up my husband and I looked at each other with the same thought.....so don't be surprised if they make their appearance somewhere else!


(anybody want to buy a rocking chair?)





Friday, December 3, 2010

Chocolate Time!

It's come to my attention that there are some people in the world who have not had chocolate covered cinnamon bears! To those people I ask "Are you crazy?!" You haven't lived until you've eaten chocolate covered cinnamon bears! Even if your not a cinnamon bear person, I wasn't until I had these, you should still try! Homemade are best but you can also order them from Sweets.com or most other candy and nut companies.
So I made some "CC Bears" today with my left over chocolate from Chocolate Night. Oh what's Chocolate night you ask? Only the best night ever! For our Relief Society Christmas dinner we had a chocolate buffet dessert table with all sorts of homemade chocolate desserts that the ladies brought and it wouldn't be complete without a chocolate fountain! Yes, we know how to celebrate!




Cinnamon bears by the pound or buy a 3lb. bag at Walmart for like $5.


REAL CHOCOLATE is a must! I melt mine in my electric fondue pot for easy melting and keeps it melted. Dip the bears in the chocolate bath

Then lay them out to dry! I put mine in the cold garage to speed up the process.

Oh the world would be a cold place without hot cinnamon bears in chocolate!


And my house would be a cold place without my Hot Chocolate Station...mmmm

Cups, Cocoa, and Marshmellows (oh looks like it times to refill the marshmellows)

Peppermint stir sticks

Enjoy!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Christmas Colors

I couldn't wait to start decorating for Christmas. The day after Thanksgiving we started getting everything out.  Here's one view of my pink/green/gold christmas tree.  After raising his eyebrows at my newly spray painted pink ornaments, my husband commented, "at least these were cheap."  I thought I got off the hook fairly easily, however, I did allow myself to buy one $5 pkg of 12 pink glittery ornaments, and when he saw that and some gold beaded garland and pink beaded necklaces I got in the wedding section of Michael's, he did decide to voice his opinion that Christmas colors are RED and GREEN, and he was so annoyed glad the tree looks even more feminine than before! LOL!  
He is a good sport.  I love it.
  
Most of the bottom of the tree is bare, due to a tiny little boy who likes to bang make music with  ornaments:-)  It's hard to tell in the photo, but yes, I let the kids put their little ornaments they make at school and church on the tree.  Sticking to my frugalista ways, my tree isn't by a window, so  I didn't bother spending $$ decorating the back of the tree. 
 Even though I banished red ornaments from the main tree, my favorite Santa fit right in.
Are you changing up your tree this year, or are you lucky to have a special tree that you love already?   Up later will be my mini tree that's in my entryway-with the more traditional vibe:-)

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Oh,Christmas tree?

Hi there! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! Mine was delicious and I still feel full (and yet that hasn't stopped me from eating!)
So I've been so busy cleaning up Thanksgiving and getting out Christmas that I totally forgot to post yesterday. I remembered at about 11 pm when I was climbing into bed and there was no way I was going to climb back out!
I haven't really been in the Christmas creative mood,(GASP!) I had no idea what or how I was going to decorate. I pulled out my stuff and just started going.....



Somehow I ended up with a polka dot/bird theme on my tree(s), I don't know quite yet what to make of it.


I had some "blank" ornaments so I added my own polkdots by using craft acrylic paint in white....


And using the round end of one of those pointy dowels that come in batting. You could use anything round.


HAhaha! Well there you go, so random!


It's a stand of 3 Alpine trees. This is one side.


This is the other.


Here's a fun sign I hang on one of the trunks.


Here it is completed( don't you love the cord, I have tucked it behind the trunk now so you can't see it)
Don't be surprised if this is all you see of Christmas from me.....well I do still have the mantel above my fireplace but we all know how much I love doing those!
Bye for now!


Join  us Saturdays at tatertotsandjello.com for the  weekend      wrap    up           party!

Friday, November 26, 2010

Have Yourself A... Merry Little Christmas

I've been away from posting since the weather last week was an amazing 65 degrees!! I've been busy trying to put together a puzzle of these outside.  Nothing says Merry Christmas like your house all lit up at night. This will be our 2nd year with Christmas lights and I'm trying to add a little bit each year.  How is your holiday decorating going? Lights or no lights?

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Thrift Store Glam

Recently I've heard this phrase "thrift store glam" being thrown around and I think I like it! This would have to be one those projects!


I saw something like this at a consignment store and it's so easy to do!
I gathered a bunch of frames from the thrift store and rummaged around the bins of utensils and found some fun and interesting pieces. You could also use that family silverware that's just sitting in the china hutch drawer!


I decided to do monochromatic greens, so I painted the frames different shades of green.


I also used different shades of green paper and glued the utensils on using dabs of hot glue.



See how sad this wall is above my windows in the kitchen?!


Ahh, much better!







This would also be fun for Thanksgiving center pieces, especially if you use old family utensils, a great conversation starter!
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