Friday Inspiration: Spring/Easter Tablescape

Flowers are always a great way to add some life and beauty to a home. Now that spring is here I feel the need to fill my home with them. This past week I went to my local florist and picked up tulips, hyacinths, roses, and daisies to name a few. I decided to place my double tulips down my table and I added some plastic easter eggs and parceling egg holders down the table for an Easter themed tablescape.

DIY: Coffee Bar

{Before}

                                             

Sorry I didn't snap this image before the wallpaper started coming down. I just grabbed a corner to see how easy it was to take down and it peeled right off. Like I said in my last kitchen post its been over 25 years since my last kitchen remodel.

As you can see I set up my own little make shift coffee bar after seeing so many inspirational images from Pinterest. With all the entertaining I do I decided that it would be a great idea to move my coffee maker from behind the counter to the seating area.

{After}

{A wooden display shelf gets a new life as a mug holder with a fresh coat of paint}

{Another old piece of furniture got a fresh coat of paint in a fun color, we also added wheels to make it more modern, easy to move, and taller}

DIY Message Board

I put together this cheap quick and easy dry erase message board for my husband's Valentine's Day present. Using the tutorial I found here all you will need is a frame (I paid a $1 for mine at the Dollar Tree), scrapbook paper, and a dry erase marker. The great thing about this project is you can make this as simple or as elaborate as you would like. Other ideas for this same project could include a to-do list, calendar, memo board, etc. 

Bookshelf Organization

I've always enjoyed decorating and changing up my bookshelf but with some helpful tips/images I think I've found the most appealing look as of yet. Some of my favorite tips are organizing books by color, adding picture frames, and candles.

All images can be found on my Pinterest site. Last images is of my personal bookshelf. 

Nature Display

As I begin to clear away some of my Christmas decorations (not including winter scented candles, throws, and white lights displayed above shelves and wardrobes) I still wanted my home to feel cozy and inviting but also fresh since winter won't be over for some time here in the Midwest. This clear glass vase seemed like the perfect way to bring some fresh life into our home.

Creating a similar display is as simple as collecting nature items found in your back yard, or while on a walk, and then displaying them in one or a series of clear glass vases. I collected twigs and snipped a few branches off an evergreen to create my display that is now adding new life to my bookshelf.

DIY Garland

To spruce up my mantel and get it ready for fall I used this tutorial on how to make a fringe tassel garland. The garland was very simple to make using just string (to hang it on) and tissue paper. I recycle tissue paper so I always have a stack on hand to use for gifts or packaging boxes. I chose four colors that seemed the most fall to me and positioned the colors in an ombre (light to dark) pattern.
The only difficult thing about making this garland it was very tedious to cut each sheet into half inch strips. I really love the first picture on the tutorial of the different lengths and overlapping of the garland which I would love to recreate on the wall of my office one day.

Neon Door Mat

A good friend of mine who moved to Massachusetts recently visited bringing me this sign for my front door. Apparently everyone there has one with their last name on it and she thought I should have one too. I came across this picture on Pinterest and it became the inspiration for todays DIY project. With neon colors being so popular right now I decided to pull out the yellow/green from my last name to add a little pop of color to my mat.

{before}

{Painter's Touch in Key Lime Gloss, Painter's Touch Satin Clear, & #503 pink filter dust mask}

All you need for this project is a rubber mat, spray paint, and a dust mask. I used Rust-oleum Painter's Touch that bonds to plastic. Place your rubber mat in a well ventilated place. Spray in a steady back-and-forth motion until the mat is covered. I let my mat dry overnight and then painted a second coat to get all the nooks and crannies I had missed the first time. I then gave it a clear top coat to seal and protect. I sprayed the mat a couple of times (with the clear paint) waiting a few minuets in between. The spray paint that I used recommended waiting 5-7 days for maximum adhesion and durability. So after a good seven days I placed my newly painted mat at my front door. 

{Multy Home Rubber Hexagon Mat} 

{after}

DIY Air Freshener

I found this easy to make air freshener and when I stumbled across an empty jar while cleaning out my cabinets I thought now would be the perfect time to try out this DIY project. All it takes is two ingredients baking soda, essential oil, and a jar to put them in. To keep it simple I used a jar that already had openings on the lid. Or you can replace a ball jar lid with cardboard to make it easy to add your own holes.

Since my jar already had openings on top it made this project very simple. And instead of essential oils I used editable oils for candy making and they worked just the same.

Fill the jar about 1/4 of the way full with baking soda. 

 Add 5-10 drops to the baking soda (I chose peppermint) depending on how strong of a sent you want. 

Just give it a shake side to side whenever the room needs freshening up.

Update: I came across an image of a parmesan lid on a ball jar. It does indeed fit (on a regular jar not the wide mouth ones) and makes the cutest most simple air freshener. No need to make holes just replace the lid and add 1/4 baking soda and essential oils. Could also be a cute way to freshen the fridge instead of leaving the baking soda in the box. 

Home Decor DIY: Chalkboard Banner

 {#503 Filter/Dust Masks}

I love to entertain. For my children's birthdays I had a banner where you could rearrange the letters to spell out their names. But the decorations long ago fell apart and I've done away with my old banners. With all the beautiful banners I'm finding on Pinterest I decided on making one I could leave up all year for myself to enjoy. This chalkboard banner fit the bill perfectly where I can easily change the message to fit the occasion. I followed this tutorial (you can also find it on my Pinterest) to create my banner. Having my grandchildren for the day gave me the perfect opportunity to create my banner and spend some quality time with them.

You will need:
Chalkboard spray paint
Twine (yarn or string)
Glue gun
Felt
Wooden pieces (they come in all shapes and sizes) I used 16 - 2.5" wide x 3.5 long".

I cut my felt into 1 inch pieces

I placed my wooden discs 1 1/2 in. apart on the twine and hot glued them down an inch from the top

Completed banner hanging in my kitchen