Show Some Decor... at Home with Heidi

Are Y'all Ready?

2011-10-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

I've been pondering the move for some time and with the help of my dear friend Aimee of byaimee.com, Show Some Decor is moving and improving! This little corner of the blogosphere has become about much more than just decor -- it's about sharing, trying out new ideas for the home, creating that space in which you and your family can thrive; and it's been the re-birth of my love for redecorating and rethinking interiors to reflect what we love, what inspires us, and what works in our household.

Hence the birth of Decor & More...

Won't you join me HERE? More decor inspiration, more DIY projects, more thoughts on making your house a home, more good stuff. See you at heidimilton.com!

Changes :)

2011-10-14T06:29:00.000-04:00

It's the time of year. The leaves and light are both changing, schedules have shifted. Much as I love summer, I do love fall! The other day I noticed the angle of the afternoon sunshine coming into my family room. This room is on the Northeast corner of my house and as the seasons shift, the light is hard to come by.

I love seeing things in a new light. Literally and figuratively.

Changes are coming to Show Some Decor. This little corner of the blogosphere has continued to grow. I'm thrilled with every comment, every new follower (Welcome!), and I thought we both deserved a fresh look. A new domain name. It's still me. Just a space that's more reflective of me, my thoughts, my evolving style, my love of all things home and decor. It's decor... and more. A new home for my ideas for making your house a home. I'm still finding my way with that myself. It's a journey. One I love being on and one I love to share.

I hope you'll like the change as much as I do.

Traveling this weekend, but I've got some new projects to share in the days ahead.

What's on your fall to-do list this weekend?

See you soon!

Easy Peasy Candy Corn Treat

2011-10-12T06:50:00.000-04:00

It's my turn to cook lunch for the teachers at the preschool today and one of my tasks is dessert. I almost went to my faithful Texas Sheet Cake (yum!) but thought it would be fun to try an easy candy corn treat instead. I make a Christmas treat we call Reindeer Food that uses almond bark, pretzles, chex cereal or Cheerios, and red and green M&M's. I was wondering if I could do a variation of that with candy corn since we're lovers of anything that combines sweet and salty.

I started with these ingredients but I also had Cheerios at the ready. I melted the almond bark in my large saucepan. You have to do this over low heat, stirring constantly so it doesn't scorch. I forgot to take a pic of this step {bad blogger!}.

When it's all melted, remove it from the heat and dump in the pretzles and candy corn.

And stir like crazy until everything is coated!! I used both bags in their entirety. I didn't add the Cheerios, though I could have thrown in a cup or so in hindsight.

Then I dumped the whole thing out on my kitchen island that was covered with wax paper. This is the easiest way for it to harden, and you just throw the paper away when you're done.

Sorry for the blurry photo! I was trying to multitask before my treat hardened! :)

Here it is, spread out in all its glory. :) NOTE: do not leave unattended!! Every time I walked by, I noticed another little piece gone. The male teens and the hubs were "sampling" every time I turned my back!!

Once it's hardened, you can break it into serving size chunks.

Can I just say YUMMY!!!

Ready to serve it up! Hope my fellow teachers like it. It's sweet and salty yumminess IMO!

Since I pulled it together, I've found a few variations of this treat floating around the blogosphere... I may have to try all of them!

Linking Up!!

Blue Cricket Design's Show and Tell

Happy Decorating!

Passion for Peacocks?

2011-10-10T07:11:00.000-04:00

Monday again? We had a super busy weekend with sports and my daughter home from UGA for the weekend (woo hoo!), so not a lot of progress was made on my project list. But it was good family time and the list is certainly not going anywhere. I did work a little towards my fall tablescape I'll be sharing soon, though. :)

So for today, I wanted to get your thoughts on peacocks. I know you've seen owls in home decor all over the place... and I admit, I'm drawn to them too, though I have yet to purchase one! But lately, I've seen quite a few peacocks as well, and I'm loving a fresher take on the bird motif for the home!

This dreamy peacock toile fabric from the Suzanne Tucker collection would make lucious drapes!

And wouldn't these metal peacocks from Studio Ten 25 be awesome perched on antique books?

Loving this peacock rug and these pillows...

both from Global Views {if you haven't checked out their products, do it!! They're to the trade, but loaded with inspiration for us DIY-ers, and the diligent shopper can find them in select retail spaces!}

Even Martha Stewart is on the peacock band wagon...

with her Flight of Fancy ornament collection for Grandin Road.

My friend Amy over at Positively Splendid shared THIS tutorial on a DIY peacock pillow that rocks!

And there's this for your walls, too...

on eBay {not a great pic, but I'm liking the bamboo frame!}

and this vintage print could definitely find a home in my abode.

So what's your take? Are you on board with the peacock trend?

Happy Decorating!

Pumpkin Pizzazz {Fall Decor} and a Dilemma

2011-10-07T06:54:00.001-04:00

I'll confess: the nailhead pumpkins floating around the blogosphere this fall speak to me. I first spied this one on Houzz several weeks ago.

by StrictlySimpleStyle

I added it to my Fall Decor Ideabook right away, (check out the entire ideabook in my sidebar), thinking this would be a cool and easy DIY. I even went so far as to purchase and spray paint my ~~victim~~ pumpkin for the project.

Remember this larger pumpkin I scored at Wal Mart?

As the weeks ticked by though, I was seeing tons of monogrammed pumpkins all over the blogosphere. I still liked the idea, but now I wanted something different. This is where being a preschool teacher {with access to all kinds of die cuts and stencils} comes in handy. :)

Here's what I landed on, and I absolutely l-o-v-e it!

I used a die cut maple leaf, traced around it with a black pen and popped the silver upholstry tacks in place following my outline. How simple is that? At first I was worried the silver wouldn't show up against the caramel latte metallic paint, but it's the perfect amount of contrast.

I'm also loving the stem that I left as is: hints of green and a teeny bit of orange. Try to ignore that little drip mark I missed somehow!

And here it is on it's perch, right at home.

This little guy was part of set of three I scored at Target a few years back. Only two have survived...actually one and a half. This would be the one-- the only one that's fit to be seen at 360 degree angles. One of the pitfalls of a house full of boys and men. The antique books belonged to my grandmother.

The pedestal is a retired Southern Living at HOME product-- and a workhorse! The silver tray was a gift from long ago.

My Fall coffee table vignette. Simple but perfect. Someday, I'll show you the whole room, but it's not quite there yet. :)

As for my next decor dilemma, enter my kitchen table.

Speaking of workhorses! I've had this table for almost 13 years. It's the perfect size and shape for my breakfast are and it has a wonderful aged iron open bottom. Sadly, the finish is in dire need of attention!

Yes, a certain little boy {who shall ~~not~~ remain nameless} practiced writing his name here. With a somewhat sharp object. He was also known as "Picasso" for a time when he was mastering his letter J with a crayon on the stairwell to the playroom. Have one of those in your family? :-)

I've considered painting it, but I think I'll attempt a refinish first. My kitchen wall color is about to change from a dated Tuscan gold to a nice neutral greige and I'm now thinking the (refurbished) wood finish will be perfect.

I think a small part of me will miss the little gouges, initials, and craft paint smears. I'm pretty sure there's some glitter embedded there, too. A veritable scrapbook of the last 12 years in my kitchen. :) What's your latest decor dilemma??

Linking UP!

Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

Happy Decorating!

Looky What I Found: Fall Inspiration at Casabella's

2011-10-04T17:50:00.000-04:00

Do you ever head to your favorite home stores for decorating inspiration? Sometimes I like to just go browse around and see what sparks me. Last week I stopped in at Casabella's here in Marietta to see what they had done to prepare for the season. This is a wonderful locally owned store with furniture, home and tabletop accessories, unique jewelry and gifts.

I almost missed the boat, but there were some wonderful fall vignettes scattered through out the store.

Love the burlap and berry garland in this display... and the finish on the chest? Adore.

I'm all about the white pumpkins and those stems are fabulous!

Fall colors, rustic textures, punctuated by more lucious white pumpkins... don't get me started on that console table. :)

Faux pumpkins in tons of sizes, shapes, and colors! I'm loving the buckets, too.

Lots of artichokes, berries, twigs, and gourds-- love fall decorating! And check out that sweet little owl on the top shelf. Can't believe I left him behind. :(

And do you see the white there? I'll explain in a sec...

Another little owl that was left behind-- think they're still there? Evergreens in a planter with fall berries interspersed-- great idea! You can easily transition this to holiday.

And speaking of holiday... that white tree in the photo above? Yep, it's a Christmas tree. They had already started decorating the store for Christmas. In September. Don't worry, I'll keep those photos for a later date. After all, I'm just now finding (and enjoying) my autumn "chi."

What stores and shops do you frequent for decorating ideas?? Do tell!

A Little Bookcase Love

2011-10-03T14:31:00.000-04:00

Bookcases are hard. If you're like me, you hit on a look you like and then eventually you start tweaking it a little here and there, until suddenly, you're not happy with it anymore. Something's missing, or maybe there's too much?

For several months I've been considering painting the inside of my family room bookcases. I have lots of wonderful decorative pieces and books and they just weren't popping against the white. Now, to be honest, it's not just about the paint. These had gotten a little chaotic for me, too.

So last weekend, I cleared them off, took all the shelves down, pulled out some leftover blue paint from the kids' bathroom and ...

That's an electrical outlet in the back of my bookcase. Nice to have for lighting, but a challenge, too. The paint color is Behr's Tide Pool. I decided to go with this one, because I thought that the Martha Stewart blue on this desk would be too bright.

And I've introduced pops of blue on the mantle as well.

I'm really loving the blues, tans, browns, and creams together. I have metallics in there as well: gold frames, silver serving pieces, and my caramel latte metallic pumpkins. Blue was definitely the right accent color for the bookcases. But did I get the right blue?

You tell me...

With everything off the shelves, it was much easier to "cull" the contents. All of my paperback books have a new home stacked in my bedroom (for sorting at a later date!) and I turned some of the books spine inward to keep an overall neutral feeling -- there are plenty of pops of color from other sources. Bonus: I love the exposed page edges! This isn't qutie finished but I'm MUCH happier with these after adding color, culling some books, and even losing an entire shelf (the beauty of adjustable shelving!). I made the sides symmetrical and it has a much cleaner look. So here's another look:

Before

and After:

Okay, so your turn to weigh in... should I have gone brighter or darker? I'm still on the fence to be honest. But that's the great thing about paint-- it's easy enough to change for not a lot (if any) money.

I'll live with it for a bit, I think, and then decide. :)

Linking up!

and Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Stories of A to Z

September's Favorite Things

2011-09-30T06:54:00.000-04:00

I can't believe today is the last day of September. Seems like I was just taking off for Labor Day weekend a couple of days ago. Daylight Savings Time, fall festivals, and Halloween are right around the corner. Do you know that my preschool team has already had our meeting for November projects? Yikes!

October will be a big month here at Show Some Decor. I'll share more along the way, but suffice to say, my creative juices are flowing and you'll be treated to lots of "new". I see some late nights in my future-- I mean late-er that is. :)

Now, on to some of my favorite things for September...

This is Edie's baluster in her new home. Edie blogs at Life in Grace, and if you haven't checked out her space, you are missing out in every way. Edie and her husband (and oodles of children that she home-schools) are rebuilding after a devastating fire destroyed their home last December. This post is the story of her balusters, how she chose them, and the insight she gained upon their installation. Nothing short of amazing and inspiring. Last winter when I had the flu, I spent hours reading through her archived posts that journal her family, her faith, her home, the aftermath of the fire, and her heart. Great reading and most recently some fabulous eye candy in their almost-finished home.

This little slipper chair belonged to my grandmother. When I rearranged my ~~Mom Cave ...~~um, home office, I had a space for her. The slip cover is the same one my grandmother used (there's beautiful red velvet upholstry underneath) and will probably be updated soon, but for now she looks right at home.

My grandmother was an amazing woman who died in 2009 at the age of 102. She wore her stockings, pumps, a brooch and lipstick every day, almost right up to the end. I think she'd like her little chair dressed properly with my cute little Target pillow find.

And don't tell my grandmother, but these are my new fave shoes! Pefect for transitioning out of flip flops (and killer for casual days at the preschool, I might add). You can find yours HERE. You're welcome. :-)

And just a reminder that today is last day of our Willow House Back to School Sale!

If you have trouble viewing this image, click HERE for the PDF. Then click HERE to visit my store and place your order! Ships directly to you. :)

Happy Weekend and see you in October!

Linking Up!

Sentimental Sunday at The Heartfelt Home

Re-Thinking the Mom Cave

2011-09-28T06:40:00.000-04:00

It all started with this...

Remember this roadblock to my Mom Cave/home office makeover? Should they stay or should they go was playing in my head. While the moldings are pretty in some spaces, I'm kinda over them in here and the limitations they place on wall art.

My fear is that should I try to remove them, the damage to the wall could be extensive. They've been in place for 26 years, caulked and repainted multiple times etc. I have been firmly in the camp of keeping my beloved purple walls (read about that HERE). I had decided to go creamy white below the chair rail, leaving those moldings in place. But repaint the entire room after repairing walls? So frustrating! Everything else was moving along (slowly). This could bring it all to a screeching halt. But the white moldings on the purple walls was just too much going on for me now. What's a girl to do?

Don't you love it when inspiration/distraction arrives in the mailbox? Enter October's House Beautiful.

Hellooooo, Lover!

And these images...

*Sigh.*

Masterful use of the color purple in a decidedly feminine space. But look at the wall color.

And when you see all the lucious fabrics and throws out now in aubergine and lavendar -- even Target is in on the action with Sabrina Soto's new line! Rooms with purple walls are not easy to accessorize. I can't believe I'm actually saying this: Rooms with cool gray walls look lovely accessorized with purple.

So...

Amazing how many different shades of gray there are!!

Yes, I'll have to a little repair work anyway. Wonder how I'll feel about those pesky white moldings with soft gray walls? Or maybe I'll just do as Elizabeth at The Mustard Ceilings suggested and paint them the same color so they just blend in (you planted a wonderful seed there, Elizabeth!)? Maybe the same shade of gray but in a semi-gloss?

And here's how my art for the Mom Cave is coming along-- I'm tempted to hang them and see if I can work around those DMs (darn moldings) after all.

Aren't they awesome?

Ok, so weigh in and let me know your thoughts! Go gray and have fun with pops of my beloved purple? Preserve the purple paint? Keep the moldings? Kick 'em to the curb and deal with the wall repair? Can't wait to hear what you think. :)

Happy Decorating!

Mirror Transformation

2011-09-26T06:27:00.004-04:00

Happy Monday, gang! I hope you had a productive but relaxing weekend. :) I don't know about you, but my fall nesting is kicking in. I feel the autumn chi beginning to flow, but I still have a way to go! A couple of weeks ago, I came across this mirror in a basement closet.

It's one of those bought-inexpensively-for-a-purpose-that-never-manifested-itself things. Don't we all have one of those lurking in our basement closet? This one's been lurking for about six years now, but my DIY lightbulb went off when I found it this time.

I've been longing for a mirror in my dining room for some time now but haven't found the perfect one at the perfect price. Well, this baby had the perfect price (FREE!) and could become a little closer to the perfect one with a little help from Martha.

I was afraid spray paint would give me a too-even finish, and I wanted something a little less perfect. Enter Martha's Metallic Glaze in Mercury, sort of a silvery shade of pearl. I had never used this product before, but I figured what the heck?

I taped off the edge of the mirror first (I'm sometimes a sloppy painter) and brushed a thin coat of the glaze on the frame. Now, this was a little tricky; the brush marks were very noticeable, and though I wanted them to be somewhat noticeable, I didn't want it to look too hodge-podgey. The look I was happiest with was when I went all around the frame in one continuous swoop and then feathered the stroke off the edge.

It took two coats to get the look I really wanted, and this stuff has a looooong drying time. I'm not sure if that's the nature of the product or if I was putting it on a little thicker than you would for other glazing projects. At any rate, if you're doing a second coat, make sure the first is completely dry before you dive in!

So here she is in her new home! I love that it has a pewter-like finish to it now. It's perfectly imperfect. I'd show you more of the big picture, but you see that mess on my dining room table? Yes, that's an upcoming fall tablescape in the works! Oh, and the dark green paint on the walls? Yeah, that's going soon, too. :) See how I've pulled the blinds all the way up on the window? Because I have a covered front porch, this room doesn't get a whole lotta light. When I painted the room 12 years ago (!) it functioned as a front "living room" and had a cozy vibe. Now that it's my dining room (has been for 6 years now!) I want lighter and brighter. The blinds are going, gang. I see some great floor to ceiling drapes in my future, but that's another post all together! Did I say my autumn chi was beginning to flow?

The mirror was a freebie and the glaze was around $6 at Home Depot. Not bad, eh?

Linking Up!

Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday

Home Stories of A to Z Tutorials and Tips Tuesday

Happy Decorating!

{A} is for Apple :)

2011-09-23T10:14:00.002-04:00

Happy Friday and Happy Fall, y'all! For some reason this week seemed odd and off a bit to me... barometric pressure? the moon? onset of the autumnal equinox? Not sure, but we made it to the end-- woo hoo!

If you've been a reader for a while, you know that my "day" job is a preschool teacher, which means I get to finger paint, sing, act silly, memorize Bible verses, teach phonics, and come up with all kinds of fun projects to keep my 4 year old sweeties engaged and learning. This week we were reviewing the vowels and digging into our unit on apples, so we made Apple Pizzas.

They turned out sooooo yummy and were such a ~~piece of cake to make~~ hit, I thought I'd share. You can make this more ~~complicated~~ from scratch if you like. I kept it simple so the kiddos could participate. The whole school smelled good, too, while they were baking. :)

What You Need:

can of refrigerated biscuits
aluminum foil covered cookie sheet or jelly roll pan, lightly greased
applesauce or grated fresh apples (can you guess which one I used?)
cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

What You Do:

Preheat oven according to biscuit package directions.
Lay biscuits out onto foil-covered cookie sheet. We wrote their names in Sharpie beside each biscuit.
Press the individual biscuits, flattening out to about 1/2 to 2/3 inch thick (the children can do this).
Spread a layer of applesauce on top of the biscuit (the children did this with the backs of spoons).
Sprinkle cinnamon sugar generously on top. :)
Bake biscuits according to directions, plus a minute or two. The edges should be golden. The center will seem a little doughy to the touch because of the applesauce, but it will be done.
Let cool a bit and enjoy!

These make a yummy breakfast treat or snack. You're welcome!

Today I'm perusing one of my favorite home stores for more fall inspiration. I'll share with you next week, just in case you haven't found your autumn chi yet.

Linking up!

Have a great weekend. :)

I Can't Resist... this Driftwood Bull

2011-09-21T06:33:00.001-04:00

from Ballard Designs.

I don't know why, but he just speaks to me. :) Probably the combination of softly weathered natural elements, all the wonderful shades of gray, and the texture. Or maybe seeing an animal rendered in this material? A cool marriage of my West Texas roots and my love for the beach. :) Forget the driftwood mirrors, give me the Bull!!

Happy Decorating!

Taking a Shine to Pumpkins

2011-09-19T07:09:00.001-04:00

I really wanted these.

Sigh. They were sold out online {which is probably a good thing}. My decorating budget is slim pickings this year with one in college, but I simply cannot get on board with the warm and toasty pumpkin orange this year.

So I decided to take a few ~~ugly~~ plastic-ish pumpkins and help them get their shine on-- with a little help from Krylon.

The three little guys were in my fall decor stash from God-knows-when, but I picked up the larger one at Walmart for $4.99 because of it's scale and something special I have in mind for it.

I have shiny finish metallic silver and gold spray paint, but I wanted something a little more subtle. This caramel latte color just spoke to me. :)

I taped off the stem of the large one because I actually like the texture and color as a low contrast to the new metallic finish. The little guys didn't have much stem to speak of, so I just went for it.

Love this silvery look! The top of the stem of the small pumpkins retained just a bit of orange from me picking them up to spray the bottoms. I love how the nubby texture of the littlest really shows up now.

And here's where two of them ended up!

If you missed my entire fall mantle you can see it HERE.

Wait'll you see what happened to the large pumpkin -- a cool and classy fall touch {coming soon}.

How about you? Feel like swapping pumpkin orange for another color this fall?

Linking up here:

Tips and Tutorials Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z

Centsational Girl's Fall Crafts Party

Happy Decorating!

Finding my Autumn "Chi" {Fall Mantle}

2011-09-16T16:10:00.003-04:00

Finally! A day where I can actually feel fall in the air! I've been in search of my autumn "chi" since the blogosphere and magazines began exploding with fall decor, recipes, color schemes, etc, and I just couldn't get there. Maybe crossing over into the second half of September, maybe the chill that blew in last night on a cold front, or maybe that delectable Skinny Cinnamon Dolce latte at Starbucks did it. Whatever it was, I woke up feeling like beginning the zhushing for fall. My autumn chi is emerging. :)

I decided to start with the mantle and here's what I came up with...

I've decided I can't quite get on board with the oranges and heavier colors for fall this year. I'm staying more neutral to keep my spaces as bright as possible.

Nothing says "autumn" like sheafs of wheat, right? These have been hiding out in stash of decorative items for a couple of years now. They bring the urn from summer beachy to rustic fall perfectly.

I added texture to my grandmother's silver dish with pine cones and straw spheres. The combination of tans and browns with the silver keeps it interesting.

This fabulous antique Swedish etching came from my friend Tricia's antique shop she closed this summer. My little bird marries the umber tones in the art with the blue urn.

Super simple changes here! I just turned my antique books around so the pages faced out (I love the marbled detailing on one of them!) and added a couple of metallic pumpkins as a nod to the season. {Tutorial on them coming next week}.

And so one more look at my fall mantle... for now, that is! ;-)

Have you found your autumn chi yet??

Linking up in these wonderful places:

Tatertots and Jello Weekend Wrap Up

Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday

Fall Nesting Party at The Inspired Room

Fall Festival at Nest of Posies

Have You Seen This? {Restoration Hardware}

2011-09-13T21:30:00.000-04:00

'
The Vintage Birdcage Chandelier from Restoration Hardware.

I think this piece is actually more appealing when you see it in a room...

I love the look of the cage and chandelier itself, but the thick marine rope seems odd to me and the $2K price tag (yes, you read that right) is way out of reach for the vast majority of us. That crazy tufted sofa -- I can't even go there. :)

I'm thinking this look (minus the marine rope) could be recreated for less. What do you think of this lighting? Thumbs up or thumbs down?

Happy Decorating!

Fall Decor {Rustic or Refined?}

2011-09-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

Now that Labor Day is behind us, I've started thinking about decorating for fall-- plus the onslaught of awesome catalogs in my mailbox has got me longing for cooler temps! I started digging through my magazines, catalogs, and the internet to find some fresh inspiration. But I'm conflicted on whether I want to go more rustic, more refined, or something in between. Here's a few images that have got me thinking...

potterybarn.com

House Beautiful

bhg.com

bhg.com

bhg.com

bhg.com

marthastewart.com

marthastewart.com

marthastewart.com

So what about you? Will your fall decorating be rustic or refined?
Happy Decorating!

Easy Peasy Fall Supper {Omelet in a Bag}

2011-09-09T15:26:00.000-04:00

My crew loves to have breakfast for supper and this summer, my mom introduced us to a fun supper that will become our new fall staple: Omelet in a Bag. The best part? The kids {or your guests} get to assemble it!

What you need:

2 eggs per person
1 gallon sized ziploc bag per person
your family's favorite omelet fixin's {cheese, ham, chicken, veggies, etc}
large stockpot, filled 3/2 with water brought to a boil.

Step One: Set out your omelet fixin's. Our faves are bacon, ham, onion, shredded cheese, spinach, chopped fresh tomatoes, chopped green peppers. The black olives were for Mom. :)

Step Two: Put names on gallon-size ziploc bags. This is so you can tell the omelets apart after they've cooked. :) Sharpie works best.

Step Three: Each person cracks two eggs into their ziploc bag and adds their choice of fixin's.

Step Four: Each person zips their bag shut and mushes everything together thoroughly. The eggs need to take on a "beaten" appearance.

Step Five: Open one corner of the ziploc bag and squeeze as much air out of it as possible.

Here's what they look like before being plunged into a large stock pot of boiling water!

Step Six: Drop ziploc bags into pot of boiling water and boil for EXACTLY 13 minutes.

Step Seven: Use tongs to remove bags from water. Pull bag open carefully (they are super hot!) and tip omelet out onto the plate.

Embellish with salt and pepper, salsa, or anything else you desire.

We love how simple and satisfying this is! Most of the photos I took at my mom's when she introduced us to this fun supper/brunch idea. We've had it twice since then and everyone leaves the table happy. :) After all, they fixed it themselves!

Linking up with:

TaterTots and Jello's Weekend Wrap Up!

Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Beth's Stories of A to Z!

Gettin' Ready for Fall

2011-09-07T17:05:00.000-04:00

I can hardly believe I actually got to wear blue jeans today! Those of you up north are probably laughing at that, but if you're a Georgia dweller like me, you know that we can't safely put away our shorts and flipflops until mid to late October. This year a little storm named Lee brought tons of rain and some cooler temps for what I think of as the beginning of fall-- the week after Labor Day. So even though I'll have to stow my jeans again for another few weeks, just let me revel in them for a day or two. :)

If you haven't already headed over to Kellie's awesome Fall Festival at Nest of Posies-- DO IT!!! Tons of great decorating ideas, recipes, and crafts to get your fall groove on!

I'll be linking up some goodies myself over the next few weeks!

This afternoon, I'm in search of this...

Plus a slew of other Fall idea magazines that seem to find their way into my shopping cart and run up my WalMart, Target, or grocery bill. :)

How about you? What are your favorite sources for fall inspiration around the home??

See you back here Friday with a super simple supper idea!

"Nice Hooters" Cupcake Decorating Kit - 50% off retail price

2011-09-06T17:05:00.000-04:00

WHooooooo loves these?? I'm always on the hunt for a fresh new treat for my preschool functions or to share with y'all and these {literally} take the cake!! Perfect for a fall gathering...

And best of all, the hard part of gathering supplies for this cutie-pie project is done for you! I've always been intimidated by cake decorating projects, but even I think I could handle this one. :)

Cupcake Crafts gives you the supplies you need to decorate fabulous cupcakes right in your very own kitchen.

This deal is for (1) one "Nice Hooters" Owl Cupcake Decorating Kit.
Kit includes:
Cupcake Papers, White Accent Frosting Mix, Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, Candy Coated Sunflower Seeds, Candy Coated Chocolates. Banana Flavored Candy, Pastry Bags, Toothpick and Step by Step Color Illustrated Instructions.
*You will need to provide cupcakes and chocolate frosting*
Kit makes 12 cupcakes.

Click HERE to order yours and then let me hear from you about how easy they were and the ~~response~~ accollades you received! You're welcome. :)

Happy Baking!

Slipping into September

2011-09-02T09:11:00.000-04:00

Hi, gang! September is here and I wanted to give you a sneak peek of what's ahead...

I'll be participating in this fun Fall roundup of inspiring ideas each Wednesday over at Kellie's blog. I figured I needed a little push to get me thinking "fall" and this was just the way to do it! She casts a wide net, so you'll find decorating ideas, new recipies, entertaining tips, crafts, and more.

Next week I'll also be sharing the super Back-to-School sale going on at Willow House this month... discounts on all the stylish products that will help keep your crew organized, so stay tuned!

And I have a couple of painting projects up my sleeve, some tailgating tips and tricks, and -- of course -- a new fall mantle coming your way, too. I can already feel fall in the air!

In the meantime, the hubs and I are hosting some friends at the beach for a last gasp of summer. There's some rain in the forecast, but let's hope for this...

Have a great weekend!

A Few Favorite Things {August}

2011-08-31T07:17:00.000-04:00

Can you believe today's the last day of August? I am still in a bit of a fog from getting my daughter off to school, getting the boys back into their routines, and getting myself back into the teaching groove... and here is September upon us! I have to confess, I am now ready for some cooler weather, breezy days, and changing colors-- or at least I will be after this Labor Day trip to the beach. :)

Thanks for sticking with me during this nutty month of ups and downs, friends... and now enjoy a few of my favorite things this month!

My boys enjoying their last weekend of summer, plunging into Lake Rabun. :)

source

This room ~ and especially this chandelier. I could look at this space all day long...

Omelets for dinner... I'll share this next week. It'll become one of your go-to recipes if you have a family of egg lovers. :)

Have a great day, everyone!

Art for the Mom Cave and a Road Block

2011-08-29T18:06:00.000-04:00

I'm sooooo excited about the art for my home office {Mom Cave}! Here's a hint...

"Emily's Girls" by the fabulously talented Inslee.

And then there's...

My go-to frames from WalMart (inexpensive and sturdy!).

Are you getting the picture? I framed all of my treasures from Inslee, but held off hanging them. You see, my beloved purple office/mom cave has got some molding in the upper portions of the walls that's just gonna have to go. I've been fighting it, because it means repairing the walls after removing the molding AND repainting {which probably needs to be done anyway}. In other words, this on-going Home Office/Mom Cave makeover has mushroomed. But I realize that it's better that I really do it RIGHT and make it just like I want it. Here's what I mean...

Just as a disclaimer, all of this molding was in place when I bought the house. :) I've managed to work around it but am now tired of doing so... you can see how it limits your options for wall decor! The area below the chair rail will keep the molding but become all white, so my lovely purple will have greater pop on top. That's the plan! Thoughts?? Feel free to share!

On a side note, my blogging schedule has been a little sketchy these past few weeks while I get my People and myself into our new "normal" this year. Thanks for bearing with me! I plan to be back on my regular publishing schedule after Labor Day.

In the meantime, head over to Inslee's delightful online shop and check out her prints, notecards, calendars, and more!

Happy Decorating!

And the Winner IS...

2011-08-27T09:49:00.000-04:00

Thanks so much to those of you that joined the fun in my $50 Willow House giveaway!! I'm thrilled to announce the winner is...

AubreyLaine who said: I like the Parisian Ottoman Tray!

I couldn't agree more, Aubrey!! I've sent you an email with instructions on how to redeem your $50. Here's what Aubrey liked, in case you missed it in the online catalog:

It's a beauty, no?

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I'm working on my Mom Cave art that I'll be sharing next week. What projects do you have in store?

Winner chosen using random.org.

I Can't Resist... This Elkins Loop Chair

2011-08-24T06:45:00.000-04:00

Spotted in the July/August issue of Coastal Living...

Well, the space itself is hard to resist, but that 1930's Loop Chair... *sigh*. This one was procured from Darrell Dean Antiques. They pop up on 1stdibs occasionally, too, but get your checkbook ready.

Then I spotted these in the same issue...

Variations on a theme, no? These lovelies are in the Pacific Palisades home of Steve McPherson and Jennifer LaCorte, decorated by the one and only Brooke Giannetti (of Velvet and Linen and fab designs fame, now a published author!). The armchair is available at Palecek and these awesome barstools at McGuire Furniture.

Now, THESE are more accessible for the rest of us!

What do you think? Thumbs up, thumbs down??

All images scanned from Coastal Living magazine.

Don't forget to enter my latest GIVEAWAY HERE! Winner will be drawn Friday at 5pm, EST.

What's New at Willow House {and a GIVEAWAY!!}

2011-08-22T06:43:00.000-04:00

Yikes, gang, it's already the 22nd of August and I haven't even shared what's new at Willow House this fall! Chalk it up to the whole daughter-going-off-to-college and beginning-of-school-year craziness I suppose. But better late than never. :)

Love this Wireweave Basket Trio-- perfect for storage and organizing with style!

This Athena Crackle Vase is such a great pop of blue!

Can't you see this Lyric Candelabra on your Fall mantle?

This sweet Snowflake Snapshot Holder makes it super simple to display a favorite photo, menu, or invitation

Love the cool neutrals of our Riverstone Dinnerware Collection.

The new Adelaide Flatware is elegant and durable.

Hello, lover... the majestic Monarch Grand Lantern speaks for itself. :)

So, which is your favorite??

And now to the GIVEAWAY! $50 in Willow House products is up for grabs so here's how to enter:

Visit my online catalog HERE; come back and leave a comment with what you would choose to spend your $50 on from our Fall catalog. {1 entry}
Visit my Facebook page (Willow House with Heidi Milton) and comment on the Giveaway Note there as well {1 entry}.

That's it! Easy stuff! Just please be sure to leave your email address in your comment so I can contact the winner.

Winner will be chosen at 5pm EST on Friday August 26th using random.org. Check back to see if you won!

Happy Browsing and Good Luck!

Yumminess {Homemade Mac n Cheese]

2011-08-18T14:59:00.001-04:00

I confess: I've been in a funk since I dropped My Girl off at college last week. *Sigh* Thank goodness my teaching year gears up again on Monday to help me snap the heck out of this!

For her "last supper" at home, My Girl requested this delish mac and cheese dish that came to me from my friend Harriet. Since you busy wives and moms are readying for back-to-school and football weekends (War Eagle! Go Dawgs!), I thought I'd share it with you. It's truly a crowd pleaser and is a regular request around here.

Harriet's Mac and Cheese

1 lb rotini pasta, cooked and drained

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

4 cups shredded cheddar (or colby jack-- our fave!) cheese-- 3 c in casserole, 1 c on top

2 1/2 cups milk

3-4 tbs butter

Coat 9x13 baking dish with butter. Add beaten eggs and milk to cooked and drained pasta. Mix well. Add mozzarella cheese and 3 cups of cheddar (or colby jack) to pasta mixture and stir. Pour into dish, cover, and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover, add remaining 1 cup cheese on top, and bake additional 15 minutes until melted.

Enjoy...

You're welcome! :)

Coming soon: my Mom Cave/home office update, new Willow House decor, and a new "I Can't Resist!"

Linking up at Tatertots and Jello's Weekend Wrap Up.

Happy Cooking!

Sneak Peek at the Southern Living Idea House

2011-08-16T12:31:00.000-04:00

More of this match made in heaven ~ Southern Living and Ballard Designs. :)

Don't you love checking your inbox and finding surprises? I was so excited to have emails from both Ballard Designs and Southern Living about their partnership in the Horseshoe Bay Idea House. Southernliving.com is featuring 101 design ideas from this gorgeous home, along with more videos:

http://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/idea-houses/idea-house-kitchen-00417000074824/

So everyone take a peek! Can't wait to hear your thoughts and favorite ideas and features from the 2011 Southern Living Idea House. :) Happy looking!

What a Coat of Paint Can Do {Family Room Update}

2011-08-12T08:52:00.004-04:00

Hey there, everyone! Whew, we made it to Friday! It's been quite a week around here and will wrap up with a high school football scrimmage tonight (yes, Friday night lights around here!). Tomorrow, we take the boys and friends up to Lake Rabun for a last hurrah on the water before school starts on Monday. I, for one, can't wait to prop my feet up with a chilled beverage, how 'bout you?

Anyway, on to a fun project update! Remember this forlorn little guy??

I scored this little wooden desk a loooong time ago for a song and he's done good work for me as a side table in our family room. I couldn't believe all the stuff I found when I cleaned out the drawers, but that's another post all together!

This is a cool little piece, but had some chips in the wood here and there and the top has a nice long crack in it-- all of which adds character and made me feel fine about painting instead trying to repair/refinish. I also wanted to get rid of some of the BROWN in my family room. It was a wood piece on hardwood floors, next to a dark brown suede sofa. Blah!! So in my ongoing quest to lighten and brighten the family room I tried some left over paint from the kids bathroom redo two years ago. But I knew right away it was too light-- I wanted lighter, but I also wanted a pop of color.

One coat of Martha Stewart's Salt Water and I knew I was on to something! No, I didn't prime (bad painter/blogger/diyer). I usually am diligent about that, but I can also be impatient, and I was on a timetable before we were leaving town, soo... no primer.

I also decided to recycle the hardware. Turns out it was 2 different sets of knobs!

I didn't care-- nothing a coat of brassy gold spray paint can't disguise!

And here's the new and improved little guy...

Okay, sorry about the lamp cord hanging down... (bad blogger/diyer/photographer) but what do you think?

I turned it with it's back against the wall instead of against the arm of the sofa and that's opened up the space some, too. I love the way the room feels so much brighter now!! I have another painted piece under the window that I will match up to this one so that will help, too.

Ahh, much better. :)

Let me know what you think! Happy weekend, friends... any projects on your list or will you be chillin' like me?

Linking up at Mrs. Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday
and the Weekend WrapUp at Tatertots and Jello
and at Susan's Metamorphosis Monday {Between Naps on the Porch}
and Beth's Tutes and Tips Tuesday {Home Stories A to Z}!

Shopping on Saturday {Don't Be Jealous}

2011-08-10T11:25:00.000-04:00

Well, I did it. Dropped my little girl off at college yesterday. I can't even describe all the ups and downs of the day, but she's there, she's settled, and hopefully enjoying her first day of Rush today! Between that and the 5:30 a.m. shuttle runs to football practice, my brain and body are fried!

But you're in for a treat today, because I went shopping on Saturday and took my camera along on this very exciting outing! You know how I looooove the Home Decorators Collection catalog?

Don't hate me! Just opened in Alpharetta, Georgia on North Point Parkway.

They had a fun scavenger hunt for all their customers plus drawings for $500 gift cards.

Get your outdoor groove on.

love my refurbished desk, but this one had me drooling.

Pretty, pretty!

Sorry for the blurriness, I'm sure I was shaking with excitement over this rug!

Put your feet up!

Sweet dreams with these headboards.

Rugs!! Lots to choose from. :)

Helloooo, lover...

If you didn't want a Martha Stewart Craft Table before, you will now.

Dinnerware! Who knew?

Easy room makeovers possible with this selection of pillows.

Bring the outside in... wish my deck was screened so I could load up on these lovelies!

Loved the variety of mirrors.

And lighting! The white lamp is calling my name for my Mom Cave (think I could stencil this lampshade, too!)

Another gorgeous seating option.

Need dining room seating?

Barware?

A beachy chic side table?

New wreath for fall?

Or wall decor?

So exciting to have the actual storefront to visit! I was so impressed with the quality of the merchandise, the expertise of the staff, AND the fact that they have FREE shipping site to store. Yay for us Georgia girls!! There's a handful of other storefronts around the country (click HERE for locations) and hopefully they'll open up some more soon.

If you're ever in the area, let me know and I'll meet you for a shopping trip. :)

Coming Friday, my painted desk reveal and a question for you, too!

Happy Shopping and Happy Decorating!

Thinking "Beach..."

2011-08-08T10:11:00.000-04:00

Good morning, friends! My alarm went off at 5 am so I could take my son to football practice at 5:30. School hasn't started yet, but our schedule certainly has! As the days are racing by, I'm feeling the urge to hold onto summer just a little longer. Fancy Little Things is posting all things "beach" during August and I'm thrilled to be part of the fun. Join me over there for this easy peasy beachy candle project. Everytime I light these, I'm thinking "beach"...

Happy Monday!

July's Favorite Things {Day Late and Dollar Short}

2011-08-05T10:29:00.000-04:00

Good grief, friends, I am STILL catching up after our "mac daddy" road trip to Texas! We travelled 2700 miles in 10 days, squeezing in visiting and some fun among 46 hours in the car and not a lot of sleep. Once we got home, I was immediately immersed in shopping and packing my daughter for college, shuttling to football practices, doctor's appointments, summer reading, and prepping to get back to teaching. Ok, so those are my excuses for not getting this up sooner! Thanks for forgiving me. :)

I have a little round up of my favorite things from July... hope you enjoy!

Dog Days of Summer...
If you read my personal blog, you might know that we had to put our sweet 16 year old pound puppy to sleep in June. During our July travels we were blessed to love on the dogs of our friends and family.

Barnabus

Kona and Trooper

Honey

Chocovine. Run, don't walk, to your local grocery store and pick up a bottle of this deliciousness! Premium Dutch chocolate combined with a little Cabernet Sauvignon. Super yummy chilled and sipped slowly. My new go-to hostess gift! Visit their website to find out more.

Centsational Girl's Peacock Blue Bamboo Chest. The photo says it all. Gorgeous. Click here for her blog post reveal!

Next week I'll be taking my daughter off to University of Georgia (sniff), but I'll be revealing the little wooden desk I painted a couple of weeks ago, so stay tuned.

What's your favorite thing from last month?

Happy Decorating!

Match Made in Heaven

2011-08-01T09:56:00.000-04:00

Just back from travelling and now I've got to catch up, but first I gotta share this good news! I don't know about you, but when I heard that Ballard Designs was teaming up with Southern Living magazine to decorate the 2011 Idea House it was like hearing that Prince William and Kate Middleton were engaged! I've been a Southern Living girl my entire life and a Ballards Designs stalker (and outlet shopper) for most of my adult life. To me this is an entirely logical (and exciting) partnership.

This year's Idea House is located in Horseshoe Bay, Texas, a gorgeous lake front community in the Hill Country. If you've never been to this part of Texas, you're missing out... book your trip asap! In the meantime, we'll all be poring over and dog-earring the pages of the Idea House, right?

Because I'm a floor plan lover:

Look at all the courtyards!

Southernliving.com has some peeks at the construction process. Loving the use of salvaged wood in this house... seen on the dining room ceiling here.

Click over there to check it out if you haven't received your SL issue yet... the blue doors are divine!

AND, you can shop all the fabulous Ballards pieces they used in the Idea House HERE
.
Like...

This yummy Suzanne Kasler Seaglass lamp (did I mention I heart her?). And...

This delish Ogden Mirror... love the dreamy ocean blue. And...

This gorgeous and versatile Padova Accent Table (she's on my wish list!). And...

These sweet little Bird Giclees (set of 6). I'd love these for my family room Lighten and Brighten project!

Okay, but before you get to shopping, how about a $10,000 room makeover from Southern Living and Ballards Designs? Click HERE for the details... in addition to the room makeover, you can win a trip to see the 2011 Idea House! I know I'm entering! Now, should it be the master bedroom, the dining room, master bath....?

Happy Decorating, Idea House Drooling, and Sweepstakes Entering. :) You're welcome!

Two Sales You Can't Miss!

2011-07-21T19:05:00.000-04:00

I'm travelling today but it's your lucky day! Who doesn't love a bargain, especially when it comes to home decor and antiques?

First up, don't forget that my friend Tricia at Avolli is having an early retirement sale on her incredible inventory of Swedish antiques. You can get 75% off her gorgeous heirloom quality pieces now!! Yes, you read right-- 75% off! So don't delay, click over to her website and you can score these awesome antiques:

This beautiful 19th century antique sewing box

These beautiful iron wall sconces,

This gorgeous pine chest of drawers from mid-19th century Denmark.

Now, here's another cool thing about Tricia's sale: help spread the word and be entered to win $100 cash or merchandise! Visit her blog for details. I've won TWICE so far (please don't hate me!)!.

***

And for twice the fun, don't forget my incredible July sale on over 100 Willow House products, too! Lots of goodies have sold out, but there's still some incredible deals to be had. Think Christmas, hostess, birthday gifts...

Scrollwork pillow only $12.96!

Continental Kitchen Pot Holders only $6.96

Sweet little Lollie Lanterns only $9.96 for the pair.

Head to my e-store to order by clicking HERE! And... the new Fall catalog will arrive any day now, so stay tuned for sneak peeks at the new lines and old favorites. Thanks for looking, and Happy Shopping!

Easy Peasy Lamp Shade {How To}

2011-07-18T21:00:00.002-04:00

I am loving my new lamp and lamp shade combo in my Mom Cave...er, home office. :) I know I have to share the space with the other four peeps in my household, but it's slowly evolving into more "mine" than "theirs." Thoughts?

Anyhoo, the lamp shade I revealed over the weekend was a super easy project that makes a big impact when you walk into the space.

Start to finish, I spent about 50 minutes on this. And maybe $5 tops. The lamp and shade I purchased with a Target gift card I'd received for my birthday. The craft paint and sponge brushes I already had. The stencils came from the WalMart craft section (a favorite haunt of mine) and cost under $5 for the package.

I decided on the large damask stencil and gray craft paint.

I started on the back of the lampshade where the seam is. I figured if I was feeling my way with this, better to goof on the side that would be facing the wall anyway! I wanted to see a full damask pattern in the center of the lampshade all the way around and parts of the damask on the top and bottom. So the full one came first. I totally eyeballed the middle of the shade (my scientific method you know), used two simple pieces of masking tape to hold the stencil and got started!

Notice I left the edges of the tape loose so peeling them up and removing the stencil was a clean and easy motion. I used the paint sparingly, brushing lightly to fill in the blanks. If it looked too light or I could see the fabric through the paint, I went back and dabbed lightly. This stencil has lots of curly q's, so I had to brush in different directions very gently for even coverage and clean lines. I also wiped the stencil off with a wet rag periodically (especially the back side) to ensure no extra paint went awry.

By the time I had worked my way around the entire lampshade, the paint was dry enough to start on the bottom layer. Again, I just eyeballed placement of the stencil so pattern would look even (or close to it!). Notice I added a piece of tape at the top to help further secure the stencil. The painting here was a little trickier since the edge of the lamp shade was involved, but again, slow and steady was the key.

You can see how I ended on the back seam of the lamp shade again. The lines are not as precise due to the seam here, but again, this side will face the wall. :)

Once I had the bottom row done, placement of the top row was easy peasy. I simply lined them up. This time I started on the seam and began working my way around. Slow and easy. Looking good!

And here is the finished product! The gray and white look super crisp against my purple walls and I adore the damask pattern.

Love, love, love!

So, there you are -- what do you think? Easy peasy way to jazz up an inexpensive lamp shade! Loving the bang for the buck on this project.

Linking up in these fabulous places:

Home Stories of A to Z {Tutorials and Tips}

Between Naps on the Porch {Metamorphosis Monday}

The Mustard Ceiling's Mix and Mingle Linky Party

Happy Stencilling!

A Great Reason To Thrift...{Catalog Finds}

2011-07-17T08:39:00.001-04:00

Howdy, friends! I'm thoroughly enjoying time with family and friends in West Texas. My camera is working overtime, so I'll hopefully have some wonderful pics to share when I get back... nothing like wide open spaces and friendly faces with a little Texas twang thrown in!

During my travels I've been catching up on catalog perusing and magazine reading {the beauty of having teens that can help with the driving!}. In the last Pottery Barn Bed and Bath catalog I got hung up on this shabby summery vignette.

Do you love it?? Me, too.

What I don't love? Sticker shock. I seriously had to pick my jaw up off the floorboard of my Expedition. The ledge alone is a whopping $449. Yikes! Granted, it's solid mahogany but gee whiz!
Throw in those fabulous chippy frames for $129 and you're suddenly in the poor house.

Just me, or is that a great reason to go thrifting?

Happy Decorating... and hopefully Thrifting, too!

What I've Been Up To {Home Office Update}

2011-07-16T08:33:00.000-04:00

My home office is slowly but surely evolving into the Mom Cave I've always wanted! Though I'm anxious in a way to get it finished, I have to admit I'm enjoying the process, too. Of course, having my desk up and running is key to this enjoying-the-process mindset. :)

This week I tackled the lamp on the desk. Remember this?

It's one of a pair of buffet lamps I bought several years ago... not loving it on my new desk!

So I headed to Target and used a gift card I'd gotten for my birthday to pick up this lamp and a simple drum shade.

The balls are actually acrylic, not glass, but I love the modern clean look and the price was right! On a side note, the desk top photographs a pale yellow, but it's actually a creamy white (Porter Paint Velvet White). I wasn't sure what I'd do with the lamp shade, so I toyed with some different ideas (cover with fabric? add some trim?) and finally decided to break out my paints and stencils.

TA DAH!!

Hello, Lover! I'll be sharing the super simple how-to next week.

Plus, I got an urge to paint this $15 flea market purchase {from 10 years ago} as part of my on-going lighten and brighten the family room project.

The brown stain wasn't working next to my chocolate suede sofa so it's time for change!

It's been a busy week, but more to come. Enjoy your weekend, friends!

Happy Decorating!

Shopping Voz {East Village, NYC}

2011-07-14T09:10:00.000-04:00

I had a fabulous shopping experience in NYC a few weeks ago! You can read all about the fun restaurants and boutiques we patronized over on my personal blog (click HERE). But I wanted to share some eye candy from my very favorite stop, a cool vintage boutique called Voz, located in the East Village.

The owners of Voz have created a hip shopping stop with carefully selected wares: vintage designer clothing and accessories, books, home decor, china and crystal, and art by local artists. I love that the shop wasn't cluttered, so you could really examine ALL of their goodies.

Ames scored a genuine crocodile handbag for a song!

I fell in love with these vintage French illustrations the owners procured in France. Love even more that they framed them in stock frames, mounted on a background of decorative tissue paper. Give you any ideas for unique framing of a favorite print or photograph??

We thought they'd be perfect in her apartment, but the budget didn't allow... this time. :)

I hope you noticed the floor treatment in some of those photos... this is sheer genius, IMHO! When they took over the space, the flooring was a light shade of laminate wood flooring -- doesn't exactly scream vintage shop, does it? So they adhered the pages of a foreign language dictionary (French, Italian? I can't remember-- sorry!), overlapping them, to the entire floor and then put several layers of shellac down. Alex (the very charming owner from Argentina) says he loves the floor even more now that they've hosted several soirees and a few spots have worn away in the aftermath. :)

Now, you can visit Voz online HERE to read more about the owners, their vision, their inventory, and their creativity. And if you ever are in NY, stop in and see for yourself! You'll be hardpressed to leave empty-handed.

Thank you, Alex, for sharing your delightful spot with me (and my readers!)!

Happy Decorating and Happy Shopping!

I Can't Resist... Rustic Meets Refined Living Room

2011-07-12T13:35:00.002-04:00

I'm back from a long weekend in Pensacola where we fished, boated, tubed (yikes), and took in the Blue Angels show from the water. A wonderful, relaxing time!! I loaded up on some shelter mags to read in the car on the way down and I came across this image in July's Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles magazine.

This is the living room of the 2010 Cashiers Designer Showhouse, designed by Suzanne Kasler. You've heard of Suzanne, right? ;-) She's a busy lady these days, turning up in the Ballards catalog with her own product line (one of several signature lines she has out there), writing design books, and maintaining her Atlanta-based interior design business. I love (and fully ascribe to) her theory that rooms should be collected and not decorated. Is she singing our song or what? Head to her website to learn more and see what inspires her.

Now, to what I love about this room! The use of ivory and blues in contrast with the rustic stacked stone fireplace, stained wood floors and ceilings, and exposed beams. Comfy sit-right-down furniture and a sleek contemporary coffee table, layered rugs, that fab chandelier right balancing out the antlers over the french doors... shall I go on? With views of Whitehead Mountain right out those glorious windows, you know you're in a mountain retreat. But she marries simple sophistication in furnishings with rustic structures and finishes to create a match made in heaven.

And this is the tip of the iceberg in this fabulous home, open from August 21 - September 5th. See the complete article in Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles. If you're in the Blue Ridge Mountains during that time, you will want to check it out. I'm thinking road trip?

See the entire guide to the Cashiers Designer Showhouse HERE.

Photo by Erica George Dines.

Looky What I Found!

2011-07-07T10:31:00.000-04:00

Well, El Presidente is carting me off again for a weekend of deep sea fishing in the Gulf! Of course, he's rushing me out the door, so I'm just sharing this quickie post with you. On a covert "pass thru" of my local HomeGoods, I spied these little Lovelies...

Have you seen these magazine baskets before?? I love that they're flexible and sturdy at the same time! If I was organizing a playroom, child's bedroom, bathroom, family room, or mudroom, I would've snapped these up! The smallest was only $5.99 and the largest was only $12.99. So for under $40, you would have four awesome baskets.

You're welcome. :)

Hope I can share pics of some beautiful red snapper next week! Have a great weekend, friends.

Happy Decorating!

How To:: Banquet Table Turned Desk {Home Office Update}

2011-07-05T11:19:00.002-04:00

If you missed the reveal of my banquet table turned home office desk, here is my new workspace!

I love how fresh it looks and feel like I can breathe a little better when I'm in the space. Since I'm all about using what I have to redecorate I thought I'd share my process with you.

I knew I wanted to cover the table and conceal all the fab storage that's underneath, but I didn't want it completely covered in fabric. I love the tailored look on these inspiration desks.

{desk of Lonny editor in chief Michelle Adams}

{by Grant K. Gibson}

A smooth work surface and a tailored skirt were my goals. I decided to paint the table top and wing it from there. Isn't that how you approach your DIY projects? :-)

I used two coats of primer, two coats of Porter Paint's Velvet White, and two coats of poly. Perfect.

Now, for the skirt. I already had my fabrics for the office makeover.

I wanted the skirt to use two of these fabrics, the Tres Chic by Waverly and the Cross Section by PKL Studios. The purple velvet is for accent pillows down the road.

I had to play around with different variations, but I eventually decided I wanted the Cross Section to cover the corners and show between the panels of the Tres Chic. The table is 60 inches across and the fabric is 54 inches wide, so I could basically use 2 yards of the Tres Chic to create the wide front panel and the 2 shorter side panels. Since the back of the desk fits into the bay window space and there's also an AC vent there, I decided to leave the back completely open.

I started by cutting my 2 corner panels. I wanted there to be plenty of overlap, so I cut them about 14 inches wide, knowing I would be hemming the edges.

And since I don't sew {really -- I don't sew}, I enlisted a little DIYer's helper in the form of hem tape.

Sorry for the blurry photo! I found this product ridiculously easy to work with and it took less than two rolls to hem all 5 panels for the skirt.

I used another DIYer's helper to attach the corner panels to the table... my hot glue gun.

I burned the stew out my thumb doing this!! I had forgotten how HOT hot glue really is!

Here's the desk with the corner panels attached. See how much storage is underneath? The plastic drawers (Target purchase) hold school and office supplies.

I used a different approach to attach the Tres Chic panels as I wanted to be able to remove them easily if I needed access to underneath. Enter my next DIYer's helper...

Yep. Velcro strips. :-)

I simply adhered the strips to the edge of the table, pulled the plastic off the sticky back and pressed the edge of the fabric panel against it. And here it is!

And a close up of how the corners overlap...

And here is the finished product again:

I was anxious to get this done, since I was "desk-less" for a spell! Up next in the office is a new lamp (I'll be sharing the shade project with you soon), a revamp of the large dark bookcase, recovering a chair, and I'll be doing some repainting and touch-up to continue the brightening of the space.

So here is the BEFORE of my desk:

SCARY!!

And now the AFTER:

Linking up HERE for Metamorphosis Monday:

And at Beth's {Tips and Tutorials} at The Stories of A to Z.

And at Passionately Artistic's Weekly Talent Search.

What are your DIYer helpers?? What about your latest project?

Happy 4th of July!!

2011-07-04T15:05:00.000-04:00

Happy Fourth of July, friends! I hope your holiday is filled with friends, family, and fun.

Let's all be thankful for the sacrifices that have been made for us and for our freedom.

Blessings!!

Willow House July SALE!! Red Hot Savings!

2011-07-02T09:58:00.000-04:00

Too good not to share, even on a holiday weekend! Remember you can shop directly on my website by clicking HERE. Enjoy!!

Home Office Update: The Desk

2011-07-01T06:36:00.000-04:00

Happy July, everyone! June just flew by, didn't it?? This home office makeover has been in the works for months. While it's moving at a snail's pace overall {and is being continually tweaked along the way} I'm so excited to share the results of my desk re-do. Remember the banquet table/desk before?

And once I tackled the uncluttering...

And... drumroll please... HERE SHE IS!

I know... right?? I am loving the fresh clean look in what is a terribly busy, often cluttered room. I'll be sharing the low down on the skirt soon. Now before you start hating on the ugly lamp, just know there's a new one in the works and I'll share that with you soon, too.

What do you think? :)

A new Willow House sale and giveaway is coming in July...stay tuned!!

Happy Decorating!

June's Favorite Things...

2011-06-30T08:05:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my new monthly feature where I share with you my very favorite things from that month. I hope this gives you a little peek into who I am, what I love, and what fuels me creatively! I hope to surprise you just a little along the way, too. Be sure to comment so I know what YOU think, and what your favorite things are!

So here we go...

Sun Tea made from Yogi Tea Bags. What? you say? Sun tea... a Texas thing, I think... is super easy to make. Put your tea bags and water in a glass container and sit it in the sun for a couple of hours. Easy brewing without heating up the kitchen! Chill it in the fridge and enjoy. I have to say, I much prefer this particular tea better cold.

This jewelry organization idea from Lynda at the blog :::FOCAL POINT:::... I'll be incorporating this into my own dressing area soon. Love to use what I already have in a new way. Check out the entire closet mini-makeover she did HERE! Be sure to poke around her blog, too; she's a fascinating and talented lady.

My giveaway win from {simple} starfish jewelry. I have had sooooo many compliments on my new goodies! The workmanship on these pieces is stellar-- the chain on the necklace is delicate and I love that. The starfish earrings have those lovely little stops on the back and dangle beautifully. Both pieces are from her Sun, Sand, and Sea collection. Christine has a wonderful selection of pieces that are perfect for yourself or a gift for some special gal. Click HERE to view her lovely pieces.

This is what I won.

This is what I bought... because I could not resist. :)

The best part about this giveaway win was Christine's impeccable customer service. I won during the very crazy busy month of May and she was endlessly patient with me as I waffled and wavered about what to choose. I so appreciated her proactive communication and sweet spirit throughout the process! She blogs HERE, too (one busy lady herself), so pop over and you can get a peek at her gorgeous little boys and her latest jewelry inspirations.

And there you have it -- my Faves for June! What inspired you this month??

I'm Lovin'... Patriotic Porches

2011-06-29T12:09:00.000-04:00

I'm loving these gorgeous porches all decked out for the Fourth of July!

via bhg.com

via bhg.com

via SimplyThisAndThat

via Raised in Cotton

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

Red, white, and blue perfection via coastalliving.com

And my own Fourth of July porch decor...

Get your Star Spangled Door Bucket HERE... on sale for only $16.96!

Happy Decorating!

I Can't Resist... A Great Sale {and This Entertaining Tip!}

2011-06-27T08:05:00.000-04:00

Remember this Lovely from Avolli.com and a previous I Can't Resist...?

She can be yours for 55% off!! Yes, Tricia is continuing her Early Retirement Sale by offering 55% off her entire inventory until June 30th. She still has some incredible heirloom quality pieces left if you're looking for an investment, plus some wonderfully affordable artwork and accessories. How about these pillars for $67.50 each??

Head to Avolli.com for this sale and find out how to help spread the word and win $100 at Tricia's blog-- I did!!

And because two is better than one, I also can't resist this outdoor entertaining tip to create ambience in your outdoor space. Strings of lights outdoors are the perfect touch, but I don't have any overhanging trees or structures on my back deck. I spotted this photo in my July Southern Living magazine and am dying to recreate the bamboo poles strung with lights.

Their super easy tip is to anchor the bamboo poles with sand in the buckets. They've done four poles and strung the lights up each pole and across above the table. If you're pergola-less in your outdoor space, this is a really cool option!

And speaking of the July issue, Southern Living has also discovered our beloved Lake Rabun.

Touted as one of best family lakes in the South, Rabun is near and dear to us and a great North Georgia escape if you're looking one. I introduced you to the lake and some of its gorgeous homes last week. Take another peek if you'd like!

Images via avolli.com and southernliving.com.

What's on Your To Do List? {Take the Challenge}

2011-06-24T07:34:00.000-04:00

Do you have a To Do list this summer? Is it growing fangs while you juggle kids, pool time, travel, and a general lack of routine around the house? I've been almost paralyzed by my own To Do list, so when my friend Cha Cha over at Sit, Relax, and Read threw out the 10 Tasks in 10 Days Challenge, I was still loathe to jump on the bandwagon. Ten in ten? But then sweet persuasive Cha Cha let me know it could be simple things. Okay, maybe I could do this...

So here is my list of ten... feel free to hold me accountable!

1. Make a blog calendar for the month of July {as in plan my posts for the month}.

2. Tackle {organize} my kitchen desk drawers that we never use except to cram things in them.

3. Tackle {eliminate] the basket of meds beside my stove... do we really need all that stuff out all the time? I have something else in mind for this basket anyway.

4. Consolidate all of our pen/pencil holders. Just because I have containers out the yin yang, do we really need to use them ALL? This isn't even all of them, sadly.

5. Write thank you notes to my students for their end of year gifts (shameful). See my note cards taunting me?

6. Clean out my email "inbox." This seriously could take the better part of a day.

7. Create a binder for blog ideas and inspiration. It's ready and waiting for me.

8. Tackle {clean out} this little basket by my back door. Sense a theme here?

9. Inventory my Willow House/Southern Living at HOME products that I will be selling.

10. Research a business idea... can't show you a picture yet, but maybe by summer's end?

So, what do you think? Too ambitious or doable?

Cha Cha will be keeping us accountable as well, as we'll be linking up a "progress report" along the way, in addition to this list. Yikes!

Wanna join me?? Click HERE to jump in and link up! Cha Cha is giving away a subscription to Country Living, so don't miss your chance to win (and tame that wicked To Do list!!).

Fab Finds at Your Fingertips

2011-06-22T09:13:00.000-04:00

BUDGET ALERT!! What you are about to read could be dangerous to your decorating budget! Don't say I didn't warn you!

I'm a gal that has to decorate (and redecorate) on a budget. And while I love my Old Time Pottery and my HomeGoods, I also love to find great deals on higher end merchandise and unusual pieces. The internet is alive these days with several incredible sites that do just that for us decor-lovers.

I've blogged before about One Kings Lane when I first discovered them last summer. Of course, I love that they're female-owned, but they continue to impress me with the variety and quality of the pieces they offer. Here's how it works: each day you'll find one or two (or three) new sales from different vendors. It may be an art gallery, a furniture maker, an antiques dealer, a publisher (you get the idea) and each will offer several pieces at incredible sale prices. The catch? Limited quanities and limited duration. When you join for free, you'll be signed up for regular emails that provide a sneak peek at the vendors and merchandise. If you're interested in shopping, simply click on the link, log in, and shop away! I'd like to personally invite each of you to join me there! Click HERE to join the fun...you won't believe the finds!

The next site I discovered is The Foundary by Hayneedle. This site operates similarly to OKL. Different sales offered daily by a handful of vendors, with limited quantities and for a limited time. When you join (for free, of course) you'll be emailed about new sales and again, just click over to start shopping. So easy! I've found these products to be a little more on the contemporary side, but they do have a nice variety as well. I just bought a rug for my family room last week-- you'll see it here soon! If you want to join this party, just click HERE so you won't miss out!

Wuslu is my latest find, thanks to The Handmade Home! I love this site because it offers ONE new steal a day... as in ONE product. When the inventory runs out, sale's over. When 10am EST the next day rolls around, sale's over...whichever happens first {although there's a way to purchase sale items left over after time elapses}. These products can be anything from lamps to furniture to candlesticks and other accessories. Check out their history to see their previous offerings and you'll be sold! What else I like about this site: an 'ideas for using this product' feature and the global nature of their selections-- interesting pieces from all over the world. Click HERE to check it out and sign up for their Daily Email.

There you go. You're welcome. :)

Happy Shopping!

A Girl Can Dream Right? {Inspiration}

2011-06-20T09:06:00.000-04:00

Well, gang, I'm whooping it up in NYC right now, so I wanted to share some gorgeous homes from our weekend getaway LAST weekend to Lake Rabun, Georgia (I know, I get around, right?). El Presidente and I spent some time boating and marvelling at how many properties on the lake are for sale right now.

So we did what every other aspiring lake house owner would do... took pictures!

{This one's not for sale... it's where we hang by invitation :)}

Then we went out and bought a lottery ticket!!

Which one's your favorite?

My 200th Post, A Few Thoughts {and Updates}

2011-06-17T07:48:00.000-04:00

Well, this one snuck up on me! This is my 200th post and want to take the time to thank you {my loyal readers} for visiting and commenting and basically for giving this little 'ole blog the time of day! I continue to refine my vision for this corner of the blogosphere, so you'll be seeing some different types of posts including travel, recipes, living in the South, more DIY, and loads of decor and design inspiration that fuels me. I hope you'll give me feedback as I continue to learn and grow; I love hearing your thoughts!

El Presidente left town on Wednesday, and I immediately began dismantling our home office to get the long overdue makeover started. Within an hour, I felt like I'd bitten off more than I could chew (ever feel like that when diving into a new project?). I've had to take a few breaks over the last couple of days to get my head straight and my process focused. You see, our home office is OURS (me, hubs, 3 teenagers) and organization --sustainable organization-- is a challenge. More on that in a later post. :)

Remember this?

Yes, that's "my" desk.

It's actually an old banquet table covered in fabrics (that I never got around to hemming because I really haven't loved them from the get go). The beauty of using an old banquet table as a desk is that it's an awesome size workspace, has abundant storage underneath, and it's something I already have.

Here's the desk I really WANT:

*Sigh*

But with one teen headed to college this fall, it's just not in the budget. So... banquet table it is!

I decided to change out the fabrics to something fresher against my beloved purple walls (read about how I arrived at the wall color - and why I'll never change it-- HERE). But I'm going to use the fabrics a little differently, too.

I made the crazy decision to PAINT the top of my banquet table and create a tailored skirt around the base to conceal the necessary storage underneath. Now, I have no idea what I'm doing here, so this completely an "in progress" peek. :-)

Love the size of the workspace but the visual just won't do! I sanded the top lightly to even out the surface -- there are a few nicks and there was glitter from when we used this as an art table in the playroom. I also HAD to vacuum underneath. :)

My secret for keeping my brush moist in between coats {this even works overnight}.

Here she is with a nice coat of Kilz. I ended up doing two coats for good measure.

See that quart of paint (straight out of our paint cabinet in the garage)? Porter Paint's Velvet White is a creamy white and the trim throughout our house is this color. I figured, why not?

Crisply painted surface (two coats!). Ahhhh...

Then I decided this little old bookcase from my college days needed some paint, too.

Last night I put a coat of poly on both. May put another on today, just to be safe. These need to be workhorse surfaces after all!

While this project is turning out to be more daunting than I'd imagined, it's amazing what you can accomplish when you're off work and the hubby is out of town. :) More next week... in the meantime, what projects are you working on these days?

Happy Decorating!

Lake Rabun Living

2011-06-14T17:08:00.002-04:00

The hubs (aka El Presidente) enjoyed a wonderful anniversary weekend on Lake Rabun. Rabun is one of the man-made Georgia Power lakes in the mountains of North Georgia, about 2 hours northeast of Atlanta (click HERE for more about the lake). We're so blessed to have a fairy godmother/aunt who graciously hosts us periodically... and we enjoy her hospitality every chance we get! In fact, we got married there June 10, 2006 and quite literally took the plunge off her boathouse dock. It's still one of our favorite getaway spots.

Today, I thought I'd give you a taste of life on the lake in the North Georgia mountains. In the summertime, it's all about the outside. Can you see why?

One of our favorite warm weather spots is right here, on top of the boathouse.

We spent several hours a day in these chairs! Our second favorite spot is her screened porch that overlooks the lake.

It runs the entire length of the house and wraps around to the kitchen. The perfect spot to enjoy coffee in the morning and one last glass of wine at night. Her rattan furniture was painted 17years ago when they built the house and it still looks wonderful. Quite the paint job!

She's known for her quirky little touches that make it feel like home.

You almost feel like you're in a treehouse! They were careful when they built the house to leave as many of the trees in place as they possibly could, for shade, privacy, and the treehouse effect. Success!

This is their walkway down to the boathouse and dock. See what I mean?

Cozy rug underfoot anchors the seating area and the soaring tongue-in-groove ceiling of the porch keeps it feeling open and au naturel.

Just outside the screen door is a stone patio that runs in front of the bedroom wing and houses the hot tub (of course). My favorite thing about this space is this beautiful rail crafted from mountain laurel branches.

There are steps from the patio down to this second little dock with a handcrafted laurel arbor.

Think you could relax in this swing? Or how about with this view?

or this one?

Cheers!

I have more to share from the lake, so c'mon back and put your feet up. :)

Linking up with Ten June's Summer Fun party!!

And Centsational Girl's Favorite Destinations!

I Can't Resist... John Gidding on HGTV's Curb Appeal

2011-06-13T07:05:00.000-04:00

During a handful of days of spent *recovering* from my daughter's graduation and my son's departure for Greece, I lounged in front of the telly, flipping back and forth between the French Open and HGTV. Decadent, I know, but I was seriously incapable of doing much else I was so emotionally and physically drained!

I'd watched Curb Appeal a time or two before and I love the premise of the show. The crew shows up on a block (often here in Atlanta somewhere) and has chosen one house in particular that gets a stunning landscaping and often architectural makeover to enhance the curb appeal. AND, while that makeover is going on, a handful of other homes on the block get a mini makeover, too! Mailbox redo, trees limbed up, porches repainted and staged-- things like that. Simple things that get you thinking: hmm, what a difference those little changes make to the way a house looks from the street!

Anyway, during my *two day recovery* I must have watched four or five episodes of this show and realized that part of the appeal of the show is this:

The impossibly good-looking, talented, and personable host, John Gidding. My daughter just laughs at me, but he is fun to watch! Out of curiosity I jumped on hgtv.com to find out more and learned he has a Master's Degree in architecture from Harvard's Graduate School of Design. Okay, so he's brilliant, too. And accomplished. He's worked on Brooklyn Bridge Park and pavilion for the 2008 Olympics in Bejing. Knew I couldn't resist him for a reason! Oh, and throw in that he was a fashion model along the way... just sayin'.

Find out more about the show including airtimes HERE. You'll be inspired to get out and enhance your own curb appeal!

Image via hgtv.com.

Happy Viewing!!

Incredible Antiques Sale Continues {45% off!}

2011-06-09T07:05:00.000-04:00

Well, friends, my trusty laptop is back in the game!! Woo hoo!! Just in time for my hubs (aka El Presidente) and I to head to our favorite lake to celebrate 5 years of blended family and wedded bliss. I'll share some snapshots of mountain lake living with you next week... a fun change of pace here at Show Some Decor!

In the meantime, I leave you with a tempting weekend shopping spree. My good friend Tricia of Avolli Swedish Antiques is continuing her Early Retirement Sale with 45% off. I just perused her website and she's got some incredible deals available on what I call heirloom quality pieces. Beautiful furniture, rugs, lighting, and artwork are still available!

This gorgeous Oldemark watercolor is one of my favorites.

And what would you do with these architectural elements?

And a 19th century chest with perfect scale for any spot in your home.

Head to the Avolli website to see her incredible inventory and don't forget to check out her blog for the scoop on helping spread the word about this sale.

Happy Decorating!

Graduation Party Decorations {Centerpieces and Wrap-Up}

2011-06-08T09:41:00.000-04:00

Today I'll share the last of my DIY decorations I pulled together for Erin's graduation party. When my son graduates in two years, I'll be able to whip these out in no time, even reusing the Congratulations banner and the buckets with flags {thanks for all your sweet comments on those, by the way!}.

For the centerpieces, I pulled out my glass hurricanes (Willow House Hawthorne and Hemingway), juice glasses, paper shred, and three more flags on spray painted dowels. My mom and I picked up daisies and yellow and red roses at WalMart for just a few dollars a bunch. I wanted two centerpieces in yellow and black for the food table and one in red and black for the cake table.

We started by putting a layer of white beans in the bottom of each hurricane to anchor the juice glasses, which held the water for the flowers. We (Mom) combined some yellow and black paper shred and then some red and black paper shred and we tucked it around the juice glasses.

Here you see them without the flowers, but with their own little flags added.

Flowers added...

And here they are on the food table and cake table.

To share a few other quickie decorations, remember these letters and the gold stars from WalMart?

They became this little banner on my family room mantle. I put one of her baby pictures and her senior portrait up there, too, since it was all about the girl.

And a couple of final touches...

Letters from Old Time Pottery for $1.99 each... they're now in her room. :)

And I think this is my favorite. My Southern Living at Home Dress Me Up Platter (now retired), red ribbon from WalMart, and a snapshot of her at 6 months {wasn't she a cutie?}. I simply used a couple of photo mounts to adhere the pic, dry erase marker for the message and a simple Pier One plate stand to prop it up. You spied it earlier by the cake... this one drew rave reviews.

Whew! So there you have it! Party decor on a dime... hope you can use some of these ideas for your next celebration! If you have any questions, leave them in the comments and I'll be happy to answer.

Happy Decorating and Happy Celebrating!

Graduation Party Decorations {Paper Banner and Buckets}

2011-06-06T07:45:00.000-04:00

Well, I can finally share some more of my handcrafted graduation party decorations! Thanks for being so patient. :) I wanted to share with you sooner, but -- well, you know the story.

I posted HERE about the diy paper banner... still marvel at how simple and inexpensive this project was. The measuring and cutting was a little time consuming, but I love how economical it was and I will reuse this, I'm sure.

So here is the finished product, hung across my breakfast room bay window and party ready!

I had a plan as well for some sweet little yellow bucket decorations that I could spread around the house and deck. I used the leftover scrapbook paper and cut out additional smaller triangles, like pennants. Then I printed out a few phrases on white card stock, like "way to go!", "UGA Girl", "Top of the Class", etc. I cut out smaller triangles with the phrases and glued them on top of the scrapbook triangles.

I attached each pennant to a dowel that I spray painted black.

Remember these little yellow buckets I scored at Old Time Pottery for 88 cents each? I cut a square of florists foam to fit into each one and covered it with black paper shred.

I inserted the dowels with pennants attached into the florist foam.

Viola!!

I put one of these on each outdoor table on our deck, one in the powder room, one beside the beverages, and one on the coffee table. Easily under $1 each to make. My favorite kind of budget party decor!

Next I'll share the centerpieces and a few other celebratory touches that drew rave reviews.

Thanks for stopping by!

More News from Willow House! {June Sale Is On!}

2011-06-02T16:49:00.000-04:00

First of all, I'm sorry I've been MIA for the past week or so. Graduation, out of towners, sending one child off to Greece, and a crashed lap top have made it really difficult to post. I promise I'll share the graduation party decorations soon, but with my computer issues my photos have not been accessible. So I thought today I'd share the Willow House June sale and more. Love a good sale on home decor and this is a good one! Remember you can order directly online at my website by clicking HERE.

And some sweet deals for the Hostess, too {let me know if you'd like to host an online catalog party to take advantage}.

And for something new and different, check out our new jewelry line that is launching this fall! Click HERE to preview our designs and then come back and tell me what you think!

Hope you all are enjoying the onset of summer!
Happy Decorating and Happy Shopping.

Graduation Party Decorations {and a Pity Party}

2011-05-24T07:09:00.000-04:00

Not only am I prepping for my daughter's graduation party coming up this weekend (yikes!) but I'm also in the midst of a pity party myself. My lap top crashed. My trusty partner-in-crime and keeper of all my drafted blog posts and photos is in a coma. So until I can get tech support on it, my husband's non-portable, slower, older, and much in use desktop will have to do. *Sigh* Okay, enough of that...

I've made some progress creating decorations on a dime for her party so thought I'd share.

Remember this?

I have a plan... and a vision.

Sorry for the unedited photos! I picked up this patterned scrapbook paper on clearance at Target. Less than $3 for a pack of 8 sheets, all black and white and shades of gray. These will become a "Congratulations" pennant banner.

You see my high tech method for figuring out how many triangles to cut. :)

More of my high-tech methodology-- ruler and pencil to mark out my triangles on the back of the scrapbook papers

Here are all my triangles, ready to be assembled and attached to black grosgrain ribbon.

I cut out smaller white cardstock triangles to act as mats for the letters. Otherwise some of them might not have shown up well. The letters are ArtSkills Quick Letter Pads. We discovered these at WalMart a few years back and keep them on hand for posters and projects. We love that they're repositionable, with a Post it note-like sticky on the top back of each letter. Just glue them down once you've figured out where you want them.

I like the layered look to this!

A customized Congratulations pennant banner for less than $6! You'll see the entire finished product once the decorations for the party are in place.

More decorations on a dime to come. :)

Happy Decorating!

An Antique Sale You Don't Want to Miss!

2011-05-22T15:18:00.000-04:00

My lap top is dead (gasp!) so while I wrestle with my husband's desk top and the photos of graduation party decorations I wanted to share with you, I thought you'd like to shop a little. :)

My friend Tricia of Avolli has announced an early retirement from her Swedish antiques business at the end of the summer. While I hope she's not leaving the blogosphere and twitterverse for good, she's ready to take on new challenges after eight years in the antiques business. And so she's passing on incredible savings to all of us antique lovers over the next several weeks. If you have not already popped over to Tricia's site (http://www.avolli.com/) you need to NOW! While the discounts increase every two weeks or so, you'll risk your favorite piece being long gone if you wait until the end of July. Today (May 22) through May 31, take 35% off her entire inventory! Clocks, furniture, mirrors, chandeliers, decorative accessories, and more. Tricia's inventory is amazing, but her customer service is unforgettable. You can reach her at info@avolli.com.

Remember these wonderful antique books I bought from her this winter?

Think I need to pick up a few more and who knows what else I'll find! Be sure to tell Tricia I sent you. :)

Happy Shopping!

I Can't Resist... Sarah's Summer House {and a Graduation Gift Idea}

2011-05-18T06:24:00.000-04:00

HGTV is my guilty pleasure. In a house full of men and boys, a few stolen moments to watch ANYTHING other than Sportscenter or Modern Marvels or some such is... bliss. So imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon an episode of Sarah's Summer House over the weekend.

Are you hooked yet? First of all, Sarah Richardson is incredibly fun to watch (and I love her Canadian accent!). Add in that her tiny little lake cottage is a diamond in the rough being transformed into an energy efficient stylish and comfortable getaway for her growing family and you've got a winning combination.

The episode I caught was the reno of the two guest rooms.

Here's a peek at one of them. I love that she salvaged much of the original pine for this renovation and it turns up in several different variations. She takes you along on her shopping excursions (!) and lets you see the challenges of managing an out-of-town project. Just plain fun. So much so, that I had my kids show me how to program my DVR to record it. Now THAT's truly something I can't resist! Visit HGTV.com for episode recaps, photos, and airing times.Photos via HGTV.com.

Now I have been consumed lately with my daughter's high school graduation (!) and thought I'd share what I am giving all of her friends for graduation.

I love these Wire Wall Letters from PB Teen. At 14 1/2 inches tall, they are the perfect size for a dorm room... and at $15 each (with FREE shipping!) they're the perfect fit for my budget, too. Each of her friends is getting their first initial. I'm envisioning photos, messages from friends and roommates, and other college years mementos filling these. :)

Happy Decorating and Happy Gift-Giving!

Looky What I Found {and a Sneak Peek :-)}

2011-05-16T06:38:00.000-04:00

I'm late to party on the owl trend in decor. I know it's been around a while, but in my latest Home Decorators Collection catalog, this little guy was beckoning...

Isn't he the cutest?? Click HERE for this ceramic garden stool goody.

Kinda feeding into my current obsession with ceramic garden stools in general but that's fodder for another post!

Now, lucky you, get a SNEAK PEEK at something new from Willow House! In our new fall catalog (out August 1), we are unveiling a new line of dinnerware and a new line of flatware....

What do you think??

I'm loving the cool mix and match colors of the dinnerware! It coordinates with our current Riverstone serving platters.

I'm seeing beautiful tablescapes in the future!

Coming up:

*Graduation party decorations

*A new I Can't Resist...

*Abstract Art

Happy Decorating!

What Happens When Blogger's Down

2011-05-13T15:28:00.000-04:00

I usually do my Friday posts on Thursday nights, but blasted Blogger was down so I expected to post early this morning... no such luck! What's a blogger to do when Friday is her day off, usually full of penning posts, and there's no server?

Well, after I cut the grass, pulled out all of my tired and leggy pansies, and blew out the garage, I got my tomato plants rocking in this container. Disclaimer: I have never ever grown tomatoes before! I simply followed the instructions of my friendly Home Depot helper, in terms of soil, fertilizer, and the cage. I'll let you know how this goes, but I'm so hoping for some delicious tomatoes this summer...

This is the disaster that is currently my dining room table {don't be looking for any pretty tablescapes for a couple of weeks!}. I trekked to Costo, WalMart, Party City and Old Time Pottery in search of supplies for graduation party decorations.

Look at these awesome plates I scored at Costco! 75 for $7 and they are super sturdy and dinner sized. Not to mention they are her high school's colors. :)

Black block letters (her name) for only $1.99 each and the sweet little yellow buckets for 88 cents each-- both at Old Time Pottery.

Lots of crinkle paper on clearance at our WalMart! I want to do at least one table decoration in UGA colors (black and red) since that's where she's headed in the fall.

Curious? I have a vision, so hopefully it will all come to fruition! I'll be sharing the different decorations I do along the way and then of course, the day of her big celebration set up.

Here's my sweet girl on the day she was recognized as an Elite Senior ... she humbles me every day with her heart, soul, and her mind.

I've got major purging, reorganizing, and room redos planned for my summer break... wish I could shut off all my ideas until my teaching year is over and our Graduation Weekend is done. Right now, I've got scraps of paper and lists all over my office and it's driving me crazy! But I am also trying to stay in each and every moment of this special time for our family. One day I'll be caught up... maybe. :)

Have a great weekend and hopefully you can catch up on all your Blogger blog reading!

What's New {Willow House Wednesday}

2011-05-11T07:20:00.000-04:00

Today is great day to share what's new at Willow House! You've probably noticed that we've been having some incredible sales lately. I love that my customers have so many more options for great deals now!

Let's start with the WEEKLY DEALS in my e-outlet. These are 10-12 products, both current and discontinued, that are featured at rock bottom prices for one week only. The prices are good from Monday-Sunday each week! Here's how you find them: head to my website and click on "SHOP ONLINE" in the right hand bar. This takes you into my e-store. The green bar across the top lists the different categories of products. Click on "Outlet' on the far right, and then "Weekly Deals" to access the latest steals. Here are a few goodies on sale this week:

Astoria Creamer only $7.96.

Petite Bud Vases, set of 3 for only $9.96.

Abington Rattan Caddy only $15.96!

This is only a few of what I'm featuring this week... remember the prices are good until Sunday night. Orders from my e-store are shipped directly to you.

And how about a $49 business opportunity? With summer months upon us, there is no better time to consider a new venture. I love my business, my customers, and hostesses, and am impressed with the cutting edge thinking that is going on at Willow House. This year we'll also be adding a jewelry line, in addition to even MORE online business options! This is the lowest price I have ever seen for a Willow House start-up kit. Here's a peek at what's included in the kit.

Great sampling of products for the money!! Click HERE for more opportunity information on my website or email me directly at heidimilton@comcast.net and I'll be glad to answer any questions you may have.

Are you still with me? Because I also have an incredible MAY SALE going on right now! Click HERE to access the complete sale flier, but here's your peek:

You can place your order directly on my website (Click HERE) and have it shipped straight to you. The May Sale runs through May 31, 2011.

Whew! You're all caught up now... thanks for looking!

Happy Decorating and Happy Shopping!

Shoppin' on Saturday {HomeGoods}

2011-05-10T06:37:00.000-04:00

It was not on my busy agenda on Saturday, but who can drive by a HomeGoods store and NOT stop in? Quick check of my watch told me I could do a pass through... so I did. I love that their stock is never the same. Brilliant when you think about it, because seasoned HomeGoods shoppers know if you love it- buy it- it won't be there next time you're in.

I spied lots of great goodies... didn't buy anything this time around, but it reaffirmed the wisdom of stopping in on a regular basis. Sorry for the not-so-great IPhone photos! Here's what caught my eye:

Need a pop of blue and/or a nautical touch?

This ship's wheel is about 1/3 the price of a similar one in Ballard's catalog.

This shell is a great size and a great price.

This chair was marked down due to some dings on the right leg... tempting, but I'd have to change out the fabric for something bolder, so not tempting enough for the price.

Lots of storage on this baby and I love the rubbed finish.

Hello, Lover.

Fab lamp.

Close up of the cork shade... yummy!

Need to get organized? Lots of shelves, hooks, bins available.

Lovin' this mirror with the black cutout frame {yes, those are my legs in running shorts-- sorry for subjecting you to that!}

Little bling with your lighting? Awesome floor lamp!

Another Ballard's impostor. :) Chic on the cheap!

Two of my favorite pillows... they had lots to choose from!

Another gorgeous seating option... drooling over the fabric!

So that was my 20 minute {seriously!} pass through at HomeGoods... when was the last time you popped in?

I'm hoping to get back to some projects soon ~ we're still in upheaval here with our home repairs and what I call May Madness with the kids. I am, however, working on my daughter's graduation party plans that I'll be sharing with you over the next few weeks. Anyone else have a graduate you're celebrating this month?

Happy Decorating {and Happy HomeGoods Hopping}!

Mother's Day {Preschool Style}

2011-05-07T08:55:00.000-04:00

I rarely post on the weekends because that's my family time, but this Mother's Day weekend, I thought I would do a special post giving you a sneak peek into my "other" life. Besides a mom, decor-lover and blogger, and Willow House Design Consultant, I'm also a preschool teacher. I spend every weekday with 14 precious four and five year olds that help me keep my perspective on what's important in life. :)

Every May, we host our moms for a Mom's Tea. It's our chance to honor the moms that gift us their precious little ones and lots of their time throughout the year to make special events special. The kids work hard on portraits of mom, placemats, cards, and manners (!) to make the morning memorable. We pull together scrapbooks of art samples from each month... amazing to see their progress from August to May! The moms enjoy visiting with each other, seeing their child's art and projects, and a little pampering in the form of coffee, juice, and cookies made by the teachers. I try hard to make it beautiful and special for them.

These beauties came from Walmart... can you believe it?

Recognize these little retired Southern Living at HOME hurricanes? Every year, I arrange flowers in one of my containers (SLAH or Willow House) and then I give them away as door prizes. Two delighted moms went home with these on Thursday. :)

Their scrapbooks... these go home as Mother's Day gifts. The ribbon tied on the rings is from Walmart as well.

I like to keep the colors simple. The letters are the child's first initial, I got them on clearance at Target for $1 per package (entire alphabet in each package).

Their sweet Mom portraits... the white at the bottom of each has Q and A's about mom... you can only imagine the chuckles we've had doing those!

The spread... recognize more Southern Living at HOME products? :)

Homemade cookies for our moms.

Hope you enjoyed this peek at my "day job." May you feel special and pampered on this Mother's Day!