Holiday Tablescape {Amateur edition}

I have seen some lovely tablescapes around the blogsphere lately so I thought I would contribute a few snapshots. And yes, this is DEFINITELY the amateur edition both in the tablescape and the mad photo skills displayed below. Unfortunately, the stomach bug stole a lot of my holiday planning time so this festive brunch was thrown together on a last minute whim. We invited a sweet family over for brunch after church. This meant all the decorating and prep work was done the night beforehand. It also means I was a bit preoccupied to take pictures of the actual spread. Ah well.

To decorate the table I just used what I had on hand. I love my snowglobes mixed in with my snowflake votive holders. I also included these miniature chalkboards I ordered from Bluhm's Gardens.

I used my ornament place card holders as labels for our belgian waffle toppings bar....of which I didn't get a picture because...well... hot waffles with butter, whipped cream, powdered sugar, walnuts, raspberries, chocolate chips and syrup had to get in my mouth. No time for pictures. I will say I am loving my furniture from Ikea. The dining table and the gateleg table in the pictures are both from there and get used a lot. I'm also still loving my Ektorp sofa (you can read my review here).

I'm linking up with Aimee over at It's Overflowing for the Christmas-Scapes Linky Party!

Shabby Ornaments

Next year I would love to have a shabby Christmas tree decorated in white, burlap and some natural elements. I'll also include these ornaments I have been working on. It is really an upcycle project since all I did was paper mache some ornament rejects - you know the cheap ones that go in the back of the tree or at the bottom at toddler level.

Like most of my recent inspirations, I got this one from Pinterest:

Source: fleamarketstylemag.blogspot.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Aren't they lovely? I know the shabby "homemade" look isn't for everyone but I love it :)

These are pretty simple. Tear up strips of newspaper, paint the ornament with glue and adhere them. Be sure to take the lid (?) cap (?) topper (?) off the ornament first. Once it dries, add another thin layer of glue and sprinkle clear crystal glitter all over the ornaments. Let dry again. Replace the top of the ornament. Print "noel" on the card stock color of your choice in your preferred font (you can download the font I used here for free). Cut to size and use a straight pin to poke a hole in the tag. Loop it into the metal ornament hanger. Take a black marker and  run it across the four edges of the noel tag just to give it a distressed look. I tied mine on a strand of bakers twine just to up the shabbiness.

Linking up with...

Christmas Card Wreath

If you spend any time on Pinterest, then you have probably seen Martha Stewart's Christmas card wreath using an embroidery hoop and miniature clothespins. I even saw it showcased on the Today show last week! I had to make one and I'm considering leaving it up all year. For now, I hung the ribbon on my antique match box mounted on the kitchen wall.

I do love all the Christmas cards coming in the mail. How are you displaying your Christmas cards this year? Since I can't send cards out to all you lovely readers, here is the picture we are sending to our loved ones.

Merry Christmas!

Linking up with...

O Christmas Tree!

This little felt tree was a cinch to make. I found my inspiration here where you can also read the step-by-step instructions. I used a baby food jar lid to trace my circles and once they were all cut out, it only took a few minutes to pin the tree together.

Pinterest & A Snow Globe

I love Pinterest. Have I mentioned that before?! Ah yes I have. {Actually, I just posted a link on my Facebook page to a Pinterest tutorial my blogger and real life friend Audreya put together....so go check it out if you are still trying to figure out with this wonderful obsession pastime is.}

One of my recent pins is this:

Source: itsoverflowing.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Aimee from It's Overflowing made these and I just fell in love. They are an Anthropologie knock-off. Wait - Anthropologie style without the price tag? Double love!

I was actually going to wait and make these next year since my project to-do list is longer than I have time to discuss. However, Ellie and I went to Dollar Tree this morning and I found those little Christmas village trees. Two trees for a buck! Plus, these are already snowy and all so I just grabbed some mason jars and stuck them inside. I didn't do any gluing or even add "snow" to the base. Since I plan to use my mason jars post Christmas, I've decided that after the holiday I'll just pop the trees out and store them until next year.

Linking up with...

Holiday Placemats

As I was unpacking Christmas boxes, I found one of my holiday placemats that I made several years ago. I had a couple more but after enduring a toddler, the others were retired. Anyway, it's an idea for a fun project to do as a family. I just went through holiday magazines (mainly Martha Stewart) and cut out all the images, text, and colors that I wanted to include on each placemat. I glued mine onto white craft paper and then had them laminated. In hindsight, a thicker laminate would have made mine last longer. For kids, it would be fun to give them their own magazine and let them tear out the images they want to use to make their own collage print. It would add a special touch to the dinner table, serve as a conversation piece and showcase your child's artwork. I really wish I had my other placemats to share with you all. I did a different "theme" on each mat...but this was all pre-blog :)

Linking up with...

Ikea Ektorp Sofa Review Part 1

I am so excited to share my Ikea Ektorp sofa review with y'all! Ikea doesn't have a clue who I am but I know that I would have appreciated more reviews from fellow bloggers when I was making my new home purchases. Our old couch was bought used and was close to nine or ten years old. The cushions were sinking in and it just wasn't the style I wanted for the new living room. What I wanted was this:

Source: potterybarn.com via Kristen on Pinterest

The PB Basic.
Love!
Unfortunately, the price was out of the question - at least $1,440.00. So I started searching for a similar slipcovered sofa to no avail. Why is this style so difficult to find?! Anyway, after searching online I found reviews for this:

Source: ikea.com via Kristen on Pinterest

The Ikea Ektorp Collection. Looks a lot like the PB Basic but the price for this one is $399. Sold! Well actually, after convincing the hubby we decided to go with the corner sofa 2 + 2.

Source: ikea.com via Kristen on Pinterest

I love the traditional sofa "look" better than a sectional but we are in a season of our lives where comfort and couch space are a must. As soon as I sat down to test it out I could envision our two sweet girls snuggled up on the couch with us watching movies :) And let me say, it is perfect for that! I really believe it is the most comfortable couch that I have ever sat on. It is cushiony but still firm.

We also purchased the matching Ektorp Bromma footstool:

Source: ikea.com via Kristen on Pinterest

I know I must seem crazy for choosing a white sofa. {Did I momentarily forget that I have two children under three??} The color is called "Blekinge White." It is very white - meaning it does show every little bit of lint, dirt, food, etc. that gets on it. Which reminds me of the not so funny story of the day we got our sofa. Ellie came walking into the living room with a full glass of orange juice and spilled it all over the top of the footstool! Fortunately, it all came out in the wash. I used a little bit of stain remover on it just in case. Nothing stays "new" around here for very long, that is for sure.

However, it has been fairly easy to "spot clean." I use a spray bottle with one tablespoon of baby wash mixed with one cup of water. Anytime I find a dirty spot, I just spray and scrub it with a cloth diaper. Like I mentioned, the slipcover is removable and can be washed and air dried. The only problem is I don't have enough space to dry all the slipcovered pieces! Something one ought to think about prior to purchasing a slipcovered sofa, huh? Putting the slipcovers back on isn't very difficult, just a bit tedious. It is worth the effort knowing that my sofa is clean and that I'm not sitting on mystery stains from many years past. We have made some changes because of the new white sofa. Like no shoes on the furniture rule...probably a good rule anyway. And we throw afghans and quilts over the sofa for our daily use. When company is coming over, I just fold up the throw blankets and enjoy our white sofa!

Here are some pics of ours. I apologize in advance for the poor picture quality. I'm decorating for Christmas now and can't get a better picture. If you read my blog much, you are used to this type of picture quality.

All in all, here are the pros:

• Machine washable
• Can be spot cleaned
• Cushiony but still firm
• Great for cuddling up with the whole family
• Size (not too big like our last overstuffed couch and love seat)

Here are the cons:

• Shows dirt
• Must hang dry....and find the space to do so!
• Maintenance is time consuming (i.e. removing slipcovers, washing/drying, putting slipcovers back on)

When it comes down to it, I LOVE my new sofa and I would purchase it all over again. White is definitely my color of choice right now and it just really brightens the whole room. I love the Pottery Barn look and feel of it...without the PB Basic price tag!  I titled this "part 1" because I plan to share with you an update after we have had several months to really enjoy the sofa and see how it holds up.

**For my follow-up review, read part 2 here

Book to pumpkin {and other festive stuff}

The holidays are in full force and we are enjoying every moment! With Thanksgiving just a few days away, I thought I would share some of the crafts I've been working on.

 I've seen lots of old books given a new life on Pinterest. After following this tutorial, I made a pumpkin. It was a little more difficult than I anticipated but I am more or less happy with the outcome. Ellie (unprompted) even pointed to it and said, "Mommy, look it's a pumpkin!" When I asked her who made it, she responded "God did!" I love that kid.

I also shared a link on my Facebook page to these Martha Stewart printables. I printed the turkey place cards on a creamy natural cardstock. I think they will add a nice and personable touch to our special meal.

If you are looking for some fun conversation starters, you can print these. I put mine in a jar, tied it with a ribbon and will be using it as part of my centerpiece. I snuck a peak at some of the questions and I think they will be fun to share over Thanksgiving and help build special memories.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday shared with those you love. May we all remember to be grateful for our abundant blessings all year long and give thanks to our Heavenly Father.






Linking up with...

http://tatertotsandjello.com/