In Praise Of: Pretty Matchstick Holders
Do you know what lights my fire? Pretty matchstick holders. I recently found a vintage cast iron matchstick holder to hold chalk, not matches, but that’s a story for the end of this blog post. The point is you don’t have to store matches in the boring boxes they come in. There are really pretty matchstick holders – new and vintage – to hold your little fire sticks. I flame to please, so check out these pretty matchstick holders. Cast Iron Match Striker | Schoolhouse This cast iron match striker from Schoolhouse is perfect in its simplicity. I love that there’s a place to set down spent matches. (image: Schoolhouse)…
Nature Art Gallery Wall
Nature art in all its forms – landscape paintings, dried flowers, prints of bouquets – is my jam. It’s soothing to me. Plus, it’s a bug-free way of bringing nature inside my home. Love nature. Not too fond of the bugs. I’ve been collecting nature art for a while now. My love for nature art and landscape paintings started when my aunt painted a scene of my child running along a trail. There’s nothing like a tug on the heartstrings to get you started down the path of an art collection. Now, when I spot nature art at the thrift store, it often comes home with me. Believe it or…
Buffalo Check Curtains For Our Kitchen
It takes me a long time to decide on window treatments but I finally hung buffalo check curtains in our kitchen. What’s a long time? 4 years, 2 months, and 19 days. But who’s counting? And it was totally worth the wait. I know these photos do not look like a kitchen but trust me when I say there is a sink full of dishes right behind where the camera is positioned. That’s the perk or quirk of having a galley style kitchen. A kitchen table could probably be squeezed into this space you’re seeing. For reference, the rug is 5×8. However, there are also stairs to the right and…
Our Fall Front Porch
Our fall front porch feels so welcoming right now. It’s one of those ‘walk up to the front door and grin because of how it makes you feel’ situations. That could have something to do with the smiling trio. Aren’t they the happiest? The smiling trio was created using the simplest idea – transform black duct tape into Halloween decals. Specifically, jack o’lantern faces for these planters but I also made bat decals. You can get the instructions here. “Trio” might be the theme of this year’s fall porch because, on the other side of the front door, I have a pumpkin topiary created with a trio of pumpkins. In…
Why We Chose Double Rockers For Our Porch
There is a new addition to our front porch. Double rockers! Double your fun. (I grew up watching Doublemint gum commercials. I was compelled to say that.) Why did we choose double rockers over regular rocking chairs or a porch swing? Great question. I’d love to tell you. I have always wanted a big covered porch and this is the first house we’ve lived in that has a front porch big enough for porch sitting. Every romanticized image you can imagine of front porch sitting and front porch living has taken up residence in my brain for years and I have zero regrets about that. I knew I wanted 4…
Vintage Toolbox Flower Arrangement For Fall
The only thing better than a vintage toolbox is a vintage toolbox with flowers in it! If you want a big bang for your flower arranging buck this fall then create a vintage toolbox flower arrangement. Let’s face it, we all want our buck to go a little farther these days. The rustic vibe of a vintage toolbox lends itself really well to this fall season where we are all about getting cozy. I’m sure fall can be fancy but, in my head, I associate fall with things that are a little more rustic and earthy like apple orchards, haybale rides, warming hands around a firepit, crunchy leaves on the…
In Praise Of: Pretty Bluetooth Speakers
Pretty Bluetooth speakers. That’s what I want. I want to listen to my music and I want it to come from a Bluetooth speaker that looks good in my home. That’s not too much to ask, is it? Eh. Sometimes it feels that way, so I’m on a mission to dispel that myth. If you can design a speaker with killer sound quality, surely you can design a speaker that looks elegant, fun, sleek or any other adjective that fits the style of someone’s home. And I don’t want to use one that comes with a voice assistant like Alexa. No thank you. Just play my music. Don’t try to…
Fall Mantel With Leaf-Stamped Wood Rounds
Last week I shared how to leaf stamp on wood. You know I don’t make crafts unless I plan on using them, so let me show you my fall mantel featuring a grouping of leaf-stamped wood rounds. I do declare that it looks beautiFALL. That probably won’t be the last bad fall pun in this blog post as I’m feeling a bit acorn-y today. Our dining room fireplace is my favorite of our three fireplaces to decorate seasonally. It’s the only one that I change the decor on regularly even though spatially speaking it is the trickiest to decorate. The overmantel, the spot above the mantel where decor goes, is…
When To Match Picture Frames To Wall Color
Selecting frames for artwork can be tricky as frames totally change the look and feel of artwork. So, is there a time and place to match your picture frames to your wall color? The short answer is yes! It’s your house. Do what makes you happy. The short answer doesn’t make a good blog post though, so let me briefly elaborate. Match picture frames to wall color when the frame is too distracting. If the frame is distracting from the real start of the show, the artwork, paint the frame the same color as the wall so that the artwork pops. That’s what I did on our blue sunporch. I…
DIY Wood Acorn Wreath
If fall is your favorite season, you are going to love this DIY Wood Acorn Wreath. Bold words, I know. This wreath might not have pumpkins or spice but it does have an underrated but ready for its moment item – acorns. Yes, acorns. Wood acorns to be precise. If you didn’t know wood acorns were a thing, this craft is going to blow open the door of possibility for you. I, for one, can’t wait to see what you create. But let’s start with this Wood Acorn Wreath. Materials Needed: wood acorns (I used 16 acorns out of a package of 20.) 20 mm wood beads (I used 16…
