It All Started With a Leak ~ A Bathroom Renovation on a Budget

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Old Floorplan

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you may remember when we discovered a “minor” leak in our bathroom. Some of the tiles under the faucet had developed hairline cracks and started pushing in. It turned out, they were getting pushed in because the wall behind them was disintegrated.  Water had found its way to the other side of the tile and ruined the wall.  The rest of the tiles were in good shape, and we hadn’t planned on a major bathroom renovation, so we decided to take the tiles off of the wall right around the faucet [...]

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Bookcase Makeover: From Drab to Fab

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truck on road

I was invited to participate in a project hosted by Wayfair.  They challenged a few bloggers to take one of their products and change it creatively.  I love a good challenge, so I decided to go for it! The product I chose was a simple 3-tier bookcase.  I had a few ideas immediately when I saw it, so I checked the measurements and decided this piece was for me.  Giftcards.com sent a $50 gift card to pay for any supplies I would need for the challenge.  Awesome! I had planned to use this bookcase in my son’s room as a [...]

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Summer and a Centerpiece

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Summer Centerpiece

Last week we sent two of our kiddos to camp for a week.  It seemed like a perfect opportunity to plan a little getaway, so my hubby and I arranged for friends to watch our other two and set off for Grand Rapids, MI.  I put out a request on my Facebook page for suggestions on what to see and do and where to eat. One suggestion from reader, Stacy, was to check out Sweet Temptations Ice Cream and Candy shop in Grand Haven.  So we did! One of my FAVORITE treats is caramel popcorn.  Every year when we lived [...]

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Patriotic Wreath Tutorial

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Patriotic Wreath

The other day I showed you my Patriotic Mantle Decor. The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays and I love Americana style, so I thought it would be fun to put together a mantle scape with some of the ideas I’ve seen around blogland. I used jute to decorate a wooden letter, multi-colored beans to make a “flag” in a jar, a patriotic printable I made, and other elements to give it an Americana feeling. But my most favorite decoration is the wreath! I found the idea on Capital B’s blog thanks to Pinterest.  Sky has had [...]

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Mantle Decor ~ Patriotic Theme {with Free Printable}

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clock

One of my very favorite holidays is the 4th of July.  I’m from the Philly area, and Independence Day is a huge celebration there.  It seems like there’s a parade in every town. I thought it was a holiday that Americans all over the country celebrated in a big way – until I moved away from Philly.  Unfortunately, where I live now there isn’t a parade to be found for at least 30 miles. So, I decided this year I was going to bring some patriotism to my own home! I have a very long mantle in my family room [...]

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My Favorites Friday #6 ~ Easter Centerpieces and Tablescapes

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Elegant

Welcome to My Favorites Friday!  This week I’m highlighting my favorite Easter/Spring Centerpieces and Tablescapes.  I found some modern, traditional and kid friendly ideas that are sure to inspire you!  Now I just have to choose which one to use for my own table… This simple and elegant tablescape was created by Seaside Interiors and found on Houzz.  I love the serenity of it! I really love the non-pastel decor of this table!  This idea is also via Houzz. This pretty centerpiece by BHG was simply made by using clear tape criss-crossed over a pedestal vase. I LOVE this gorgeous [...]

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White Lights or Colored? Problem Solved!

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Ornament

Do you have a difference of opinion in your home as to which looks better on a Christmas tree ~ white lights or colored?  We sure did.  Every. Single. Year. Finally we came up with a solution that made everyone happy.  Seriously. We line our tree with both white and colored lights.  Yep.  It’s that simple.  I know what you’re thinking: Aren’t there a zillion light strands that show?  Nope.  No one has ever noticed.  And, they are totally surprised when I tell them. And, thanks to my handy dandy father-in-law, he made it even simpler.  He adapted a double [...]

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Decorating a Small Wall Space

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Kitchen Closeup New

I love fall!  I love the smells in the air outside, the aroma of my favorite pumpkin vanilla candle burning inside, the beautiful mums and the crisp air. I love fall decorations and they match the color of my kitchen so well, this is one of my favorite times of year to decorate. Here is how I decorate a small wall space in my kitchen.  I found the wall words in a cute little gift shop in Indiana. May this Home be Blessed with the Laughter of Children the Warmth of a Close Family, Hope for the Future and Fond [...]

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Beautiful, Easy Centerpiece

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Floral Centerpiece

Pinterest A beautiful, easy way to decorate your table inexpensively! Place a seasonal flower in a vase filled with water.  Add a floating candle to the top.  Add votive candles for an extra touch.  Beautiful! These vases are very inexpensive. I saw them at Walmart for just a few dollars.

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Fantastically Frugal Decorating ~ Great Looking, Inexpensive Art for Kids Rooms

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IMG_0950

Last summer I had a great idea.  At least I thought so.  But, as things go, my husband wasn’t so keen on it. Ever since we moved, I had been struggling with the set-up of my girls’ bedroom.  I had changed the furniture multiple times and just wasn’t happy with it.  It wasn’t set up efficiently and never seemed to look right. One day, I had an epiphany.  We should switch rooms.  After looking at the layout of my son’s room, I decided that the girls’ furniture would be much better situated in his room.  But when I thought more [...]

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