Dollar Store Christmas Decorating.........

okay, who doesn't LOVE the dollar store?

come on, admit it.......

you go there for SOMETHING every once in awhile,

right????

either way, you are gonna be AMAZED at what crafty projects

you can create from goodies found at the dollar store.

i mean it!

you'll SERIOUSLY think some of these are really COOL!

so sit back and check out THESE festive pretties!

GLITTER............

glitter goes with everything, especially at the Holidays.

here we have miniature Christmas village houses from the dollar store, 

spray painted and glittered.

love em!

(visit mrspollyrogers.com for her tutorial:)

also, thanks to Martha Stewart,

crafty people everywhere are snatching up little deer, snowmen, fruit

and anything else you can think of,

painting on a bit of glue and glittering them up!

just think of what you could GLITTER!

SNOWFLAKES................

create your own little winter wonderland with the GORGEOUS,

oversized snowflakes at our favorite store!

hang them in the window, on the front door, outside with twinkle lights........

glue them together to make a wreath or, for the MOST clever idea........

glue them on vintage paper, sheet music, stationery or whatever,

 slide them in a frame and VOILA.........instant art!

i use these all the time!

we decorated a winter nutcracker themed float for a

 Christmas parade last year and this year,

i spray painted them pink and added glitter, of course,

for a whimsical pink Christmas theme at the store.

ORNAMENTS...............

don't ya just love ornaments?

so pretty, colorful and festive...........

and the dollar store has sleeves of them for.......you guessed it, a dollar!  

(once, when these store first opened, i was shopping with my mom

 and she made the mistake of asking the clerk how much something cost. 

 apparently this is the funniest question they get,

 so they yelled at the top of their lungs

  "everything's a DOLLAR":)  hahaha

so, if you have a clear vase or jar,

 grab some faux berries, some pinecones and ornaments and you're good to go!

this wreath can be made with $$$$$ store plastic ornaments a number of ways.

you can also glue ball ornaments on a regular wreath, on styrofoam, or the latest way to make them

is to thread them on a hanger.

lots of people have tutorials out there so go for it:)

possible my FAVORITE way to use them is to make a curtain of ornaments!!!

pick out your favorite cheapo ornaments, 

take them home, thread them on fishing wire, 

knotting around the loop on each one and attach to a tension rod to hang in the window.

is it just me, or is this REALLY cool?

CANDLES............

candles are just plain festive, no matter how you like your decorations.

even unlit, they look so pretty!

and these are pretty incredible!

oh. my. gosh.   

just look at the candles in the hurricane vases.

looks like pottery barn or something,

but nope, they are made from dollar store candle sticks and vases, 

glued together with silicone and there you have your lovely candle holder display!

(visit momtastic for instructions:)

i love the tall candle holders too!

i've seen them there all the time but never would have thought of this.

simply apply words  or sayings from your scrapbook stash, embellish and you're done.

love it!!!!!

finally, if you put a bit of mod podge or white glue mixed with water

onto a candle and roll it in epsom salts,

you get a snowy, sugary candle!

EPSOM SALTS!

who knew???:)

CANDY and TREES.............

okay, last we have some traditional, festive looking decorations in red and green.
fill those clear jars with candy canes and peppermints for instant decorating.
and using glue, spray paint, dollar store candle holders, glitter and styro cones,
you can make the cute trees.
SWEET and SIMPLE!

so, there you have it!
no excuse for having an un-festive home now!
just head to your nearest dollar store and have at it:)
and remember to have FUN while you're at it!

i'm HOPING to do a PINK Christmas post on Saturday, so stay tuned.
(hope being the key word there:)

hohoho.....
Suzanne

Cozy Winter White.......Decorating, Fashion and Yummy Treats

sometimes i think i need to get a job decorating a store for Christmas.

maybe then, i wouldn't drive my family crazy with

the need to have a 

cozy/traditional/non-traditional/white/winter-white/pink/dreamy Christmas.

seriously.

but since i don't have that job yet,

they have to put up with me.

and the white tree still reigns here.

and it is soooooo GORGEOUS, if i say so myself:)

we have an abundance of winter whites.....

but i threw a new wrinkle in it.

however, that's for another day,

because today it's all about, you guessed it......

WINTER WHITE!

starting with winter white fashion or style.

i have always LOVED winter white, which is actually not pure white,

but a creamy, off-white.

according to various fashionistas, there are three items that you should have in

WINTER WHITE, if possible.

they are;

 ~~~a winter white sweater to wear with jeans and a pair of boots.

~~~a winter white coat, which may be the ultimate winter white must have.  i would have the one in the photo in a heartbeat if i lived in a cold climate.

~~~a winter white handbag.

~~~and besides the obvious way to wear it, with jeans or black,

my personal favorite is to pair it with pure white all year long.

doesn't the Queen look pretty in her winter white?

 winter white decorating.......

what else can i say besides BEAUTIFUL!

 i especially love the felt tree skirt and sweater covered furniture.

 i love, love, love angel wings as decoration.

 moving on to a winter white party......

cupcakes, donuts, snowflake cookies and white hot chocolate. (recipe below)

WInter White Hot Cocoa by Paula Deen

1 cup white chocolate chips 

1 cup heavy cream 

4 cup half-and-half 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Vanilla whipped topping, for garnish

Mint leaf, for garnish

Directions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine white chocolate chips and heavy cream. Stir continuously until white chocolate chips have completely melted. Stir in the half-and-half, and vanilla extract. Stir occasionally until heated through. Pour into mugs and top with a dollop of whipped cream.

that's it for my winter whites!

you have to admit, it's cozy, right?

happy winter white wishes,

Suzanne

Winter Decorating with Ice Skates.......

with Christmas just 25 days away,

you might think the title would be

"Christmas Decorating".

but what i have in mind would be beautiful all winter long.

let me backtrack a minute.

i've just returned home from visiting my Mom in Michigan.

while there, I found a pair of my old ice skates.

memories, memories.......

of fun times with family and friends and of VERY sore tailbones:)

i had seen pretty decorations that started with an ice skate,

so when i found my skates,

i grabbed them up.......one for me and one for my Mom.

i didn't have much time,

 so i simply attached a clip of greenery and a red cardinal to the skates.

then my mom hung it on her back porch.

i'm telling you, i LOVE this sweet little ice skate decoration.

not bad for a dollar decorating job, huh?

and not just for Christmas, so no need to take it down in

25 days.

(yep, it's coming that fast:)

i found some more cute ideas for decorating with skates to inspire you.......

~~hanging on an old sled

(and by the way, that's another cool way to decorate.......

with an old sled!)

old skis too!

~~on a window or front door

~~above a fireplace

~~on the corner of a chair

you can hang them ANYWHERE!

(sorry...i couldn't resist a dr. seuss moment:)

~~add a bit of glitter and a sparkly pink star for a little girls room

~~create a pretty vignette with them

just look at these PRETTY felt skates hung as a garland.

if you go here, you can find out how to make these!

and you can use them to hold little gifts, too:)

~~last but not least, you can hang them on a tree.

how GORGEOUS is that!

so start rummaging through your oldie boxes, hit thrift stores, check online.....

and grab yourself a sweet little pair of ice skates!

cause nothing says winter like ICE, right?  hahaha

xoxoxoxo

Suzanne

My Kinda White Wednesday.......

i don't do a lot of blog hops/parties.

like many others, i prefer to post what i want, when i want.

maybe that's a cop out because i'm so disorganized and

unable to remember which day is what blog party.

probably that:)

but my all time favorite has been White Wednesday by

Faded Charm.

I went to post my white wednesday post today to find

 that Kathleen has decided to stop hosting this.

like me, she has many other things going

 and wants to post when it suits her best.

but i will miss this!

cause i just love all things white!

anyway, here is my white wednesday post.......

as you know, i love decorating with white.

but not just "white" white.

i mean white, ecru, cream, eggshell, champagne, marshmallow......

all shades.

i love throwing in a bit of wood.....

especially dark wood and faded/rustic wood.

and metallics........burnished golds and silvers.

i think the most important thing to do if using whites is to remember this:

TEXTURES!

layer different textures, whether wearing whites

or decorating with them.

contrary to what many think, white is not cold.......

used like this it's incredibly cozy.

we have a white Christmas tree and it couldn't be

warmer, cozier and just plain gorgeous.

and my husband made a very grave error Sunday

when he said he didn't care if we put our tree up........

already.

Phil......consider it done!

heeheehee

here is a little collage of some whites.

sorry for the winter scenes,

but it's so DOGGONE hot down here, i had to do this to feel nice and cool:)

.......notice the metallics, textures and various shades.

the only thing missing is a 

white hot cocoa

and lastly, here's a piece of advice i need to remember.........

hope you liked my whites!

Rustic Chic Turquoise Decorating.........

Okay, the news these days is quite sad.

more than sad.....downright tragic.

so on this silly lil ol' blog,

let's get back to mindless, simple,

hopefully happier stuff,

without ever forgetting what others may be

 going through.

let me tell you about my latest decorating obsession.

R
U
S
T
I
C 

C
H
I
C

and my favorite color,

 which is darker than aqua yet with similar tones.........

what i call rustic chic turquoise.

i totally love it.

it works with any decor, in my opinion.

and in particular, works in my home.

i just don't have a whole heck of a lot of it.......

Y

E

T

but i will be adding touches here and there as i find it.
have i written about this current obsession yet?
i kinda feel like i have but..... OH WELL:).

 in a nutshell, 

using my white sectional as a starting point,

this would be my idea board.

complete with the happy cow:)

look at all the cool things pictured here.......
from the awesome table to the chair, armoire, FAUX cow hyde rug
to the pier 1 lamp and the amazing pillows.
and the floor.....can't get more rustic than that!

and so you know, i have been eyeing this cow at Z Gallerie for some time.

i love the colors but most of all, 

i love the happy cow.

(i've always loved cows.....those big cow eyes are so sweet:)

and can you guess what this painting is called?

the

HAPPY COW!

don't you love it?

okay, don't feel bad if you think i'm crazy.

that just means you are siding with my husband in sending me to the crazy farm;)
hahahahaha

moving on to some other items i love......
this rustic turquoise bed and side table is stunning in it's way.

these dining room cabinets are so pretty!

and how gorgeous is that touch of lilac paired with the turquoise.

this necklace and bracelet set, while stunning,

is just an example of how everyday items can serve as decor inspiration.

don't you think?

hey.....trust me, i've bought things telling my husband i needed them

because they were inspiring me.

it works:)

this next thing, i am SO doing ASAP!

i have a rattan chair that was very comfortable but lately

we feel it's not so anymore.

so i've been thinking and thinking.....what kind of chair would we like?

then i remembered i have two studded, faded leather chairs downstairs!

so i'm going to cover the cushion and add some cool pillows.

i can't wait!!!

i love this little sign.......

the lettering and distressing is just the right shade.

this vase is so pretty.....mixed with the fall flowers.

well, there you have it.

my obsession with rustic chic turquoise.......

and don't forget the happy cow:)

hope you're having a great Saturday!

Suzanne

feelin kinda crafty

with the Holidays gone, we all have so much free time, right?

okay, so maybe we don't have all that much.

but it IS a fun time of year to get crafty.

especially with new projects.

 with that in mind, look what i found on pinterest...

can you believe this?

the site is The Long Thread...

i just know you'll find something that catches your eye!

there was another project on pinterest that i loved...

and i'm thinking it will be so cool in my girls rooms.

papercup garland!

you can go here to see how you make these but be warned...

the instructions are in a different language:)

in a nutshell, you buy those throwaway plastic cups,

make a template for the cup and cut out pieces of scrapbook paper according to

the template,

mod podge the paper on the cup and poke a hole in the bottom

to insert a twinkle light.

SUPER EASY and SUPER CUTE!:)

in Taylor's room, I'll use shabby papers and in Jordans room, I'll use...

well, i'll find something that goes in her cool room:)

now, if you don't find something here to waste time on this weekend, 

something is seriously wrong:)

Happy Friday!

XOXOXOXOXO

Suzanne

lessons in decorating from a country girl/surfer girl/cowgirl....

a new year...

time to take a look around the old house and see what others see.

i've always wondered if a stranger could walk in our home and

learn who we were....what we like....stuff like that.

i think they could.

but nothing like when you walk into my 14 year old's bedroom!

now she REALLY knows how to bring her 

personality into a room.

see for yourself...

come on in and meet my 

Country Girl/Surfer Girl/Cowgirl!

first of all, her room is painted mermaid blue/green.

and all mermaids are welcome:)

this is the first thing you see when you walk in...

her MUCH LOVED surfboard,  guitar, cowboy hat and

FAVORITE new sign from the Junk Gypsies...

Cowgirls are Forever.

 

take a closer look at the guitar case and you'll find out she is also a

huge Florida Gator fan, loves to watch Swamp People (me and Taylor like it too:)

and also, like her mama...LOVES the Junk Gypsies!

moving on...

she has a little VINTAGE vanity/writing desk where she does school,

while looking at her art gallery wall and especially at her favorite

country singer, Luke Bryan:)

 

every good beach lover/surfer girl has this poster, right?:)

next up, her own little pinboard...

with everything from tickets to her sister's ballet performances,

to a painting she bought in Paris.

to a photo card of her grandparents.

in the corner of her room sits a VERY important part of her life...

her tennis gear!

okay, so she doesn't have a huge room.

but she managed to get her dream bed in it...

a cream iron bed with twinkle lights on it...

and the coziest BOHO comforter from Anthropology!

by the bed, a lamp from World Market that she picked out,

as well as her iphone and a little statue of Jesus 

that she bought with her very own

dollar at the dollar tree when she was 4!

so what do we learn there...she is a young lady of FAITH...

and likes a variety of styles...

from vintage to shabby chic to surfer style to boho.

even her bed pillows say something...

that she loves dogs and

that she is still only 14 and not afraid to show that part of her childhood.

just a few more things that tell you a bit about my girl....

she's not afraid to show what she believes.

she LOVES anything Union Jack...

 she loves inspirational quotes...

 and last but not least...

she'll always be my little girl:)

so there you have it...a lesson in decorating from a 14 year old girl.

she shows that it isn't about walking into a furniture store

and buying what they put together...

but putting together your OWN style from the things you love.

and then when someone walks in they look around and like i do, they say

a really COOL person lives here!

 someone who knows what they like and isn't afraid to show it!

if only we all could decorate like that.

but HEY...it is a new year...

so give it a try:)

XOXOXOXOXO

Suzanne...Country Girl/Surfer Girl/Cowgirl's mama:)