New Uses For Old Things: Mug Rack

14" tall stainless steel mug tree; $25 Crate and Barrel. 

I love re-purposing old things in new ways! Thanks to HGTV, here are three clever ways to use a mug rack or "tree" to organize some loose ends around the house. Their "branches" are perfect to hang objects. 

Jewelry: No more tangles when you hang your everyday jewelry. 

Original source: HGTV

Scissors: All kinds of cutters can fit neatly on the pegs. 

Original source: HGTV

Ribbon: Slide on the spools and you can cut off pieces as you need them. 

Original source: HGTV

Other items you can hang; washi tape, rubber bands, keys. If you don't want to spend a lot, hit up your local Dollar Store. They usually have wooden ones there that you could paint to match any room in the house.

DIY: Chic Shelf Liners

 Looking for an inexpensive project that will add a touch of fun & a pop of color to your everyday? Attach trendy self-adhesive and repositionable liners inside drawers, on shelves, on the backside of a bookcase, or jazz up the bottom of a nightstand. Check out www.chicshelfpaper.com for the largest online selection of stylish liners. Starting at $2.50 per square foot.



Design It: Thanksgiving Centerpiece

 

Need an inexpensive decorating idea for your Turkey Day centerpiece? Below are a few simple "Design on a Dime" approaches to decorating your table found over at My Heart's Desire used with something you probably already have lying around the house: Hurricane Vases.

Centerpiece #1:
Hurricane Vases
Corn Kernels
Small Red Beans
Green Split Peas
Candles
Jute String (optional)

Directions:
Place the candle in the empty hurricane, then begin pouring the beans in very slowly around the candle to the desired level. Repeat layers with different beans. Tie the Jute (or any other festive ribbon of your choice) around the hurricane.

Centerpiece #2:
Hurricane Vases
Corn Kernels
Tall Candles
Artifical Leaves (optional)
Jute String (optional)

Directions:
If you do not have hurricanes like the ones pictured that hold the candle up, then place a tall candle in the bottom of the empty hurricane. Then begin pouring the corn in very slowly around the candle to about 1/4 way up the candle. Tie the jute string around the leaf towards the top to secure it to the candle.

Love the simplistic look of the top picture? Simply fill  hurricane with either hazelnuts, walnuts, or pecans. Stagger the amount of nuts in each container around each candle.

Weekend Craft: Tangled Webs

 

If you're looking for a holiday appropriate, low cost, easy clean-up craft do with the kids, give this a try:

What you'll need:

Jars - small mason jars or baby food jars work best
Orange & black yarn
Elmer's Glue
Tealights

Directions:

For each candleholder, dip 48 inches (more if using a larger jar) of yarn into a one-part Elmer's glue, two-part water solution. Squeeze out excess; wrap strand around clean baby-food jar from top down. When dry, add a tealight and light the night.
Have a spook-tacular weekend!!

Decorating by Numbers

 

Helllllloooooo!!! Gosh, it's been awhile. My plans to have a "low key" summer totally backfired on me. I'm sure I'm not the only one. But it was 100% intentional to not blog (or partake in much of any social media for that matter) during our month long trip. That -  I must say - was heavenly. I'm convinced I could write a book on the effects of social media and overall well being.

Totally different subject that I'm not in the mood to tackle at this time.

What I do want to share with you though is this super helpful guide to make arranging your abode as easy as 1,2,3 thanks to interior designer Sabrina Soto, host of HGTV/s The High/Low Project and author of the new book Sabrina Soto Home Design. Takes all the guess work out.

{3} Unless you're purposely using symmetry to create a calm, orderly environment, play around with odd numbers (3, 5, 7, etc) of vases, decorative objects or portraits on the wall. Soto states the "eye finds these groupings intriguing."

{4} Keep no more than this number of small kitchen appliances (preferably fewer in my book) in plain view. Counter tops are meant to be work areas that need to be left as clear & clean as possible.

{4-9 feet} Position the couch and armchair this far apart so guests can comfortably sit & talk.

{18 inches} Designate at least this much distance between a rug and the wall. The exceptions: small areas like an entryway.

{26 inches} A rug in the dining room should extend at least this far past the table on all sides - to prevent chair legs from getting caught on or under it.

{30 percent} Leave about this much of empty space on shelves. Do not jam pack.

{30-34 inches} Kitchen light fixtures should hang out this high above the table. A general rule is to add an inch for every additional foot of ceiling height past a standard 8 feet.

{55-60 inches} When hanging a single piece of art, make sure the center of the frame is at eye level - approximately this high up from the floor.

 

FYI; Sabrina's Home Design book is jam packed with 200 pages of fresh, budget-friendly how to's that will bring balance, color and organization to every room in your house. (Amazon, on sale right now for $12).

Paper Pile-up Prevention

Between now and the holidays you might feel more inclined to save magazines to be inspired, discover new trends and find the latest fab products. But I have a better idea - download the no-fee Google Catalogs app to your iPad or Android tablet device and say goodbye to piles of clutter while making catalog shopping more engaging, social and creative.

The Google Catalogs app features digital versions of catalogs across many popular categories, including fashion and apparel, beauty, jewelry, home, kids and gifts. They’ve partnered with a variety of top brands including Anthropologie, Bare Escentuals, Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale's, Crate and Barrel, L.L. Bean, Lands’ End, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Pottery Barn, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora, Sundance Catalog, Tea Collection, Urban Outfitters and Williams-Sonoma, just to name a few of the over 400 catalogs.

In addition they have over 100 top brands including; Barneys, Tory Burch and Trina Turk (Fashion & Apparel); BeautyBar (Beauty); Blu Dot, FLOR, and Ballard Designs (Home); Hanna Andersson, CWDkids, and Serena & Lily (Kids); and Garnet Hill, Uncommon Goods, and Wine Enthusiast (Gifts).

Google Catalogs is an incredibly useful online shopping tool that lets you search through and mark favorite products, and gives you links to make purchases directly from retailers' sites. It also lets you create a collage of your favorite items from across many catalogs. You can even share your collages with friends and family - a visual way to show them what’s on your list for the holiday season!

Love it.

Visit the App Store to download the free Google Catalogs app.

Design on a dime: The art of the stack

Sick of looking at that messy set of shelves? Want to make them more of a decorative focal point rather than a hodge-podge of clutter? Fret no more - here is a design on a dime tip that will help you achieve storage and style all in one.

The art of the stack:

1) Start with a few chunky books. Three or four is usually enough. If you don't already have a library of books, you can always hit up Goodwill or a secondhand bookstore to find some books with character.

2) Put the biggest books on the bottom, then stack the others like a pyramid, getting smaller at the top.

3) You have two options for positioning; lay them even with the binds flush with each other, or place them slightly askew - but never at purposeful diagonals, which looks too forced.

4) Top off your pile with an object that has a rounded shape, like a sculpture or a footed bowl. Make sure it fills enough space on the top book so it doesn't look dinky.

5) Fill the unused space on the shelf with vases, picture frames, collectibles and/or decorative pieces that have meaning to you. Adding dimension to your shelves with different heights and textures. Thrift stores, flea markets and clearance sections of retail stores  are great places to find inexpensive treasures that you can prime and re-paint (if need be) for decorative bookends, etc.

Want to add a splash of color to your shelves? Try this fun tip from Better Homes and Garden:

Remove the jackets, then group books by color, standing some upright and stacking others. Shelves will seem more organized and have an artistic, color-blocked look.

Want to take your shelves to the next level? Start in the back. Simple inexpensive bookcases become stunners when their backs are dressed up with paint, fabric or wallpaper. Eddie’s Billy Bookcase was brought to life with a pattern that accentuates the balanced display of books and collectibles. 

Design on a dime with paper napkins

Want to add a pop of color at your next gathering? Don't want to spend a fortune on decor?

Solution: Paper Napkins. Make an easy, inexpensive table runner for your next get-together with assorted, patterned paper napkins. Lay out napkins (lunch size seems to work best but cocktail size would also work) in desired design, tape the edges together and flip over.

Add a mason jar of fresh cut flowers and you've successfully designed on a dime!

You can find a great selection of napkins HERE.

Organizing 101: Kid's toys

Alright Jana, this post's for you - and all the other mom's that are pulling their hair out at the sight of their kid's toys and need a toy storage solution.

Jana asked:

Do you have any suggestions for toy storage? Namely, do you prefer big baskets/ toy chests, etc. that hold a lot of toys, or do you prefer smaller boxes or bins that you can use to sort based in type of toy?  I would imagine that this would lead to more work when cleaning and putting away, but may be worth it for the organization?

My response:

I personally prefer smaller baskets or bins sorted by type. My observation with my two boys is that if it's too messy - aka a hodge podge of random toys all thrown into one big toy chest or closet - they won't touch it. It's too overwhelming and the toys don't look nearly as inviting. While the clean up might save you time in the short term with a big chest, it will cost you more time in the long run as they are bugging you to help them dig around to find it.

I love the idea of "by type" bins or baskets because the toys are organized but not. You just toss them in and call it good. No staking. No lining up. This achieves the "put all your toys away so you can't see them" rule and makes clean up time quick and easy.

I also like this approach because it teaches kids at a very young age to group like things together and to understand that all things should have a place. A good life lesson to instill now to save mom from any extra unnecessary hours spent cleaning up after our children.

My favorite organization shelf is the Ikea Expedit shelving unit. It comes in all different configurations but I like the 2x2 ($39.99) and 2x4 ($69.99) the best. If you have a small space I suggest the 2x2 but for more storage, I suggest laying the 2x4 on it's side. If you have the wall space, I like the idea of keeping all the toys in one central area. The 4x4 ($149) is perfect for that. They come in several different colors and can be hung on the wall or placed on the floor. Ikea also carries baskets that fit in the cubicles or Target's Itso fabric bins work as well if you want to add some pops of color.

The possibilities are endless as to how you can configure and organize the toys. Put baskets in every cubical for little pieces like legos, trains, cars, wooden blocks, doll clothes, balls, etc. Or put baskets in 1/2 and keep the other cubicles open for larger toys like dolls, books, firetrucks and puzzles. It also makes for a great seat or to display items on top.

And if you want to get uber organized, you can label the bins or put pictures on the front so clean-up is even faster and easier. Talk about teaching your children how to organize like a pro!

I hope that helps answer your question Jana and gets your ideas flowing for how to make your space practical and organized.

Oh wouldn't it be nice to be this organized!?!?

Fancy Friday: Hanging with one of my favorite {Peeps}

My college roommate, best friend, and teammate (yes I played collegiate golf) was in town this past week and I thought it was only fitting that I give her a shout out in the blog being that my time with her is what tickled my fancy. There's nothing better than catching up with an old, dear friend. One that knows the best and worst of you. One that has loved you through the good and bad. One that has seen you in your highs and lows. One that you could spend days, if not weeks, laughing about all the memories you share. That is Kelli to me. Although we live completely different lives now, we will forever remain "Kailey." Get it - Kelli & Hailey combined?!? I know, cheesy but it was a name given to us in college since we were never seen without eachother. We were inseparable. We even had dreams to start a women's golf clothing line together named Kailey. Unfortunately that never happened.

One interesting fact about Kelli - she loooooves Peeps, those sugarly marshmallow candies in the shape of a bunny. I've never met another person that can eat enormous amounts of Peeps without wanting to throw up like Kelli can. Talk about cavities in the making. And sugar OVERload. No wonder the girl could go days without sleep.

Although I don't care for Peeps in that same way, I do think using Peeps for Easter decor is a must. So much of a must, I'm going to blog about them again. They come in the perfect Easter colors and are super inexpensive. Think beyond the tops of cupcakes. Although those are pretty stinkin' adorable...

Think centerpieces. Wreaths. Place cards.

Need inspiration? Thanks to Pinterest (nope still don't have a page), here are a few I personally love in addition to my Peep for Thought post from last Easter:



Tutorial found HERE.

Tutorial found HERE.

Love the simplicity and pops of color

Peeps Topper {free download} ~ And at the end of the day, give your favorite “peeps” a special treat with these free printable toppers. One row of your favorite colored peeps chicks fit perfectly in a snack-size ziploc bag.

DECORATE: BIG statement, LITTLE effort

Whenever the holidays roll around and I know we have family coming into town, I put this crazy stupid pressure on myself to want to change up the decor in my house. Above and beyond the festive cornucopia table centerpiece and gourds on the mantle. As if they remember what it looked like in the first place or even care for that matter. Regardless I lay in bed and think about what I can do differently to 'spice' up my predictable Pottery Barn'esk interior. You know - white couches, brown walls, floral area rugs, red accent pieces.

If you find yourself in the same mental predicament but don't have a lot of time or money to be making drastic changes, here are a few ideas that make a big statement with little effort:

1) Change out your pillows: Mix in a wild or bold print - possibly zebra or yellow - to add some contrast to a simple couch and inject some personality. For $20, you can transform a boring, drab room with a few decorative pillows from TJ Maxx or Marshalls. Tip: Toss a few large throw pillows onto your couch rather than a jumble of smaller ones for a cleaner design.

2) Bring in flowers: Perk up a room (inexpensively) with a bouquet of vibrant flowers set in an equally vibrant vase. If you're like me and can't seem to keep anything alive longer than a few days, find a Michael's 50% off coupon and go buy a bundle of fake flowers. Nobody knows if you don't tell.

3) Paint a wall: Introduce color on the walls to add a pop of liveliness and warmth. A blue like this is as versatile as a neutral, such as beige or gray. Pick a wall or two and have some fun with an unexpected color. For $15, this will change your room from drab to fab!

4) Use mirrors as art: Have a bare wall and can't afford expensive artwork? No worries. Target has pages of fantastic inexpensive large mirrors online that will fill the space and actually make a room appear brighter and larger by positioning a mirror to reflect light and a view. Find a big, cool clock you like? That works too!

5) Hang a gallery of photos: Mine your albums for your best shots (pick a theme: weddings, birthday parties, vacations) and put them in identical frames. Hang in a tight grid or a long line - you can’t go wrong if you stick to a geometric arrangement. Best spot in town to find simple, super inexpensive frames to achieve this look - IKEA. The Ribba series frames range from $2.99-$24.99.

6) Bring in shades of color: Colored lamp shades can make a bold statement. Limit the colors to one per room, and select other lamp shades in neutral tones, such as parchment and white. If you're super crafty, you can pick out a fabric of your choice and re-cover an existing lamp shade yourself.


7) And for no money at all - Re-arrange your furniture: My favorite. Just a quick shift of the furniture and it will feel like an entirely new, inviting space.

FANCY FRIDAY

Friday already?!?! Thank goodness. My week was filled with nothing but medical crap. From my 6 month old pulling all-nighters because of Croup and countless tests to diagnose a stomach infection that hit me hard last Sunday. Despite the not-so-fun stuff, my fancy was still tickled - aka; to enjoy, adore or be satisfied by.

This week it's LANTERNS.

I was so inspired by the above picture I found on Pinterest. How fabulously simple is that front porch decor using lanterns and candles? Keep the pumpkins through Thanksgiving then swap them out for glittery ball ornaments or pine cones for Christmas and change the candles to red. I'm sold.

Side-note: No, I do not have a personal Pinterest page. I think I might be the only girl on the face of this planet that doesn't. Why you ask? To be honest, I've deliberately stayed away from the monster. Now I know all you Pinners are thinking I'm totally missing out but for my addictive personality, it screams "Stay the hell away!" I'm not saying it won't happen in the future but for now, I'll stick to browsing when I have a free minute.

Ok back to Lanterns...

Having a party? Lanterns are an easy decoration for table centerpieces and add a whimsical, glowing effect when you hang them from tree branches.

To add lanterns to your holiday decor repertoire, you can find the classic set of three at Pottery Barn. The initial purchase will set you back a little money but they are timeless accents that you'll be able to use for years to come.

If you're looking for smaller lanterns and don't want to spend a ton, I noticed on Tuesday that Ikea has out their small tea-light lanterns (available in white, chrome, black and red) for $3.99 in their holiday section.

Who would have thought: SHUTTERS

Similar to my "New Uses for Old Things" section, I thought this idea deserved some love. How crafty is this? Shutters for paper organization. Yet another brilliant idea from Martha Stewart.

This particular trio hangs on the wall over a hallway console but you could do this in your office or area in kitchen. Their louvers are a perfect (not to mention plentiful) spot to tuck invitations, display artwork, or hang a message pad.

Here is the link for the tutorial on how to make and hang this awesome idea. I personally would just go buy the finished shutters at Home Depot or Lowes, have your hubby put a little hook on the back and hang. What a great project for him this weekend right?!?! ;)

FANCY FRIDAY

Gosh it feels like forever ago that I did a Fancy Friday post. Sorry. I know it's one of your favorite posts but I've been really trying to focus more on my family and being "present" with my kids. This entails not being glued to my computer. The result; less blogs but less stress. To refresh your memory; this post is about something that tickled my fancy (aka; to enjoy, adore or be satisfied by ) during the week.

Something this week that tickled my decor senses was Urban Outfitters online home catalog. Most of you know Urban Outfitters as a funky, trendy clothing store. What you might not know is they carry an extensive line of home decor products ranging from kitchen and bath accessories to bedding and furniture. Just like their clothing, Urban Outfitters offers a home line that is a collaboration of vintage, bohemian, retro, and hipster. Curious what that all means? Check out their website under 'Apartment' and the items will speak for themselves. You will be pleasantly surprised at all the eclectic pieces. They offer free returns and free shipping on orders over $50 everyday.

Some of my particular favorites:


Zig Zag Printed Rug $39-69 depending on size


Vintage Wood Calendar Chalkboard $49.00


Industrial Stencil Letter $8.00


Big Garden Printed Rug $34.00


Ziggy Chair $279 (comes in 6 different colors)