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Author: Jenna

The Simplest Pinecone Wreath!

Written by Jenna on . Posted in Christmas, Do-It-Yourself, Holiday.

I love the look of wreaths filled with pinecones, and was about 5 seconds from buying two over the weekend, until I looked at the price tag.  I was not paying $25 for pinecones, when my own backyard is filled with these lovely organic treasures.  But before putting the pinecone wreaths (that I loved) back on the shelf, I looked to see how they were made, and couldn’t believe how easy it appeared.  So off to the craft store I went…


Play by Play…Pinecone-Style

I bought an 18″ round wreath for $1.99 and collected a bucketful of pinecones from the backyard.  Now I have to confess, that I also used some store-bought pinecones because they were rounder and fuller, opposed to my skinny, sap-filled, backyard pinecones.

Using brown or green (green is all I had) wire, wrap it through the pinecone and twist, so it’s secure on the back side.

After adding the pinecones, the back of the wreath will look like a wire craze…that’s OKAY!  You won’t see the back.  If you want, trim the pieces about 1/4″ above the twist for a cleaner look.

Continue attaching the pinecones around the wreath and overlap them to add interest.

Voila – The simplest pinecone wreath is complete.

And I actually made 2.  These beautiful pinecone wreaths hang in my dining area on the sliding glass door, but you can hang them anywhere….on your front door, interior door(s), the wall, etc…

This year, my color palette is chocolate gold.  I love how gold looks with brownish tones.  Also in this space, is the new Organic Centerpiece I created!  It’s complete and ready to enjoy.

My Winter Wreath Creation

Written by Jenna on . Posted in Do-It-Yourself, Holiday.

In the midst of preparing for Thanksgiving and taking care of my two crazy fun and amazing children, I had a few ~ very few ~ moments of downtime to create this Holiday wreath…I have to say, I’m quite happy with it!
I’m always searching the web for new ideas and inspiration.  One of my favorite design / DIY bloggers, Kate at Centsational Girl, created this whimsical wreath (below) for her front door…and it triggered my creative spark! So on one of my (many) recent trips to the craft store, I thought instead of buying an ordinary Holiday wreath, why not create my own….so here is the breakdown:
{MY INSPIRATION}
 {My Wreath Making Journey}
 I purchased a $5 wreath from AC Moore, which I scored for $2.50 with my 50% off coupon.  Then to give it some more interest and a whimsical-feel, I introduced some ‘curly-cue’ branches that I bought, as well as some sticks, branches, and pinecones from trees around my house.
 
Here is a pic of some of the other supplies I purchased to create my wreath, including a bouquet of poinsetta-like white flowers, different styles of berry branches, and ribbon.
Kate of Centsational Girl used spray on faux snow, so I tried it out….and I wouldn’t do it again.  I am a faux-snow-virgin, and it didn’t work as anticipated 🙁   I thought, like spray paint, that it would dry after a few hours…NO, it doesn’t really ever dry.  Anyway…I made it work. Next time, I think I’d use a spray paint or something similar.
So this morning, I started adding the details!
To create this white willowy wreath, I used my hands,
Hot Glue and…
 Floral Wire.
{VOILA…THE RESULT}
Since my front door is green, I decided to use white flowers along with deep gold and brown accents (berries). Then to pop it with color, the ribbon has some gold and red tones.  It’s a simple, yet fun wreath that is a welcome statement for our guests over the Holiday season!

I hope I’ve inspired you to create a fun and personal wreath for your home!  
And don’t you just LOVE the leaping reindeer wreath hanger?!…It’s available at Willow House.

My Winter Wreath Creation

Written by Jenna on . Posted in Do-It-Yourself, Holiday. 6 Comments on My Winter Wreath Creation

In the midst of preparing for Thanksgiving and taking care of my two crazy fun and amazing children, I had a few ~ very few ~ moments of downtime to create this Holiday wreath…I have to say, I’m quite happy with it!
I’m always searching the web for new ideas and inspiration.  One of my favorite design / DIY bloggers, Kate at Centsational Girl, created this whimsical wreath (below) for her front door…and it triggered my creative spark! So on one of my (many) recent trips to the craft store, I thought instead of buying an ordinary Holiday wreath, why not create my own….so here is the breakdown:
{MY INSPIRATION}
 {My Wreath Making Journey}
 I purchased a $5 wreath from AC Moore, which I scored for $2.50 with my 50% off coupon.  Then to give it some more interest and a whimsical-feel, I introduced some ‘curly-cue’ branches that I bought, as well as some sticks, branches, and pinecones from trees around my house.
 
Here is a pic of some of the other supplies I purchased to create my wreath, including a bouquet of poinsetta-like white flowers, different styles of berry branches, and ribbon.
Kate of Centsational Girl used spray on faux snow, so I tried it out….and I wouldn’t do it again.  I am a faux-snow-virgin, and it didn’t work as anticipated 🙁   I thought, like spray paint, that it would dry after a few hours…NO, it doesn’t really ever dry.  Anyway…I made it work. Next time, I think I’d use a spray paint or something similar.
So this morning, I started adding the details!
To create this white willowy wreath, I used my hands,
Hot Glue and…
 Floral Wire.
{VOILA…THE RESULT}
Since my front door is green, I decided to use white flowers along with deep gold and brown accents (berries). Then to pop it with color, the ribbon has some gold and red tones.  It’s a simple, yet fun wreath that is a welcome statement for our guests over the Holiday season!

I hope I’ve inspired you to create a fun and personal wreath for your home!  
And don’t you just LOVE the leaping reindeer wreath hanger?!…It’s available at Willow House.

A Simple Switch: Changing Your Cabinet Hardware

Written by Jenna on . Posted in Decorating, Do-It-Yourself, Hardware.

When we first moved into our home, a renovation to our kitchen space passed my mind, but didn’t happen 🙁  That’s okay….one day (I can dream for now ~ And if I got all my dreams today, I would have nothing to dream/strive for, right?! )  Anyway, SOOO….a quick fix that made a huge change to the overall look of my kitchen was changing the cabinet hardware.  See some before and afters and the step by step changes.  Also check out some some other cabinet pulls and knobs that I love!
 Cabinet hardware is SO easy to change, and makes such an impact!
all you need is a screwdriver and some time.  The existing hardware on my kitchen cabinet was a plastic laqcuered handle in forest green…  See the AFTER…
The cabinet hardware is now a simple, stream-lined look with a matte oil rubbed bronze finish.  The quick switch even made the cabinets themselves look better!
Check out this great resources for Cabinet Hardware:
Here are some samples of my favorite cabinet hardware that would complement any decor.  Hardware also is available in a huge range of finishes (chrome, nickel, oil rubbed bronze, polished, matte, etc)…choose what’s best to suit your space!
 
   
 

A Simple Switch: Changing Your Cabinet Hardware

Written by Jenna on . Posted in Decorating, Do-It-Yourself, Hardware. 2 Comments on A Simple Switch: Changing Your Cabinet Hardware

When we first moved into our home, a renovation to our kitchen space passed my mind, but didn’t happen 🙁  That’s okay….one day (I can dream for now ~ And if I got all my dreams today, I would have nothing to dream/strive for, right?! )  Anyway, SOOO….a quick fix that made a huge change to the overall look of my kitchen was changing the cabinet hardware.  See some before and afters and the step by step changes.  Also check out some some other cabinet pulls and knobs that I love!
 Cabinet hardware is SO easy to change, and makes such an impact!
all you need is a screwdriver and some time.  The existing hardware on my kitchen cabinet was a plastic laqcuered handle in forest green…  See the AFTER…
The cabinet hardware is now a simple, stream-lined look with a matte oil rubbed bronze finish.  The quick switch even made the cabinets themselves look better!
Check out this great resources for Cabinet Hardware:
Here are some samples of my favorite cabinet hardware that would complement any decor.  Hardware also is available in a huge range of finishes (chrome, nickel, oil rubbed bronze, polished, matte, etc)…choose what’s best to suit your space!
 
   
 

{Tutorial} Tiling a Backsplash

Written by Jenna on . Posted in Do-It-Yourself, monday metamorphosis, Tile.

Simple things, make a BIG difference.
I’m always sprucing my house, thinking about what to update, and continually making changes.  A quick reno that I just finished was adding a tile backsplash to my powder room sink.
This is how the powder room looked before we moved in.
The walls were painted a semi-gloss, DARK forest green color and there was an ugly flower border at the top ~ too bad I don’t have a picture of that…you would have loved it, NOT!
Once we got our hands on it, we removed the ugly border and painted the room a card board brown color (one of my favs) and the sink wall, a burnt orange (very warm and inviting ~ the accent color throughout the house).  BUT the sink was still missing something…
So on one of our numerous Home Depot trips, I was strolling down the tile aisle, and picked up a 12×12 sheet of 1×1 slate tiles and thought they’d be perfect for the backsplash of the powder room.  I also picked up this great product that’s an adhesive and grout; its available in different colors as well…I got a bone color.
All-in-one….FABULOUS!

The process is fairly simple and straight-forward.  Before putting on the adhesive, lay the tile onto the wall and mark the outline with a pencil.  Then using painters tape, tape the outer perimeter so you avoid any glue getting onto your wall.  Then using a putty knife or your finger (which is what I did), put a thin layer of adhesive onto the back of the tile.  Do this in stages….one tile at a time.  In my case, the tiles were adhered to a mesh bag, but I cut the mesh lining and adhered the tile in 3 row segments.  So now all the tile is up…

Once the tile is on the wall, carefully remove the painters tape ~ you can do this before the adhesive dries.  The drying time is about 24-48 hours.

After the tile is completely dry, it’s time to grout.  The area that I was working in was tight and awkward, so I couldn’t use a typical grout application, using a float.  I put the grout in a Ziploc bag and snipped the corner edge off to create a 1/8″-1/4″ hole.  Then just like piping a cake, I filled the joints with the grout.

After the joints were grouted, it’s time to wash it away with water.  Using a rough sponge, go over the tile with water.  Over and Over and Over until the tile surface is clean and grit-free.  Depending on the look you want to achieve, you may want to use a sealing product on the tile BEFORE grouting. This will seal and protect the tile.  Also, when you are finished, it’s always a good idea to seal the grout lines too.  Both sealing products are available at any hardware store.

Voila…complete.
To cap off the top of the backsplash, I used a 1/4″ barliner….it just needed a final touch!  The next step is to replace the sink faucet…I’m thinking something in an Oil Rubbed Bronze finish….that I might need a little handyman help with 🙂
Onto my next tiling project….the fireplace surround
Check back soon for the results!!

Check out my metamorphosis at BNOTP

{Tutorial} Tiling a Backsplash

Written by Jenna on . Posted in Do-It-Yourself, monday metamorphosis, Tile. 4 Comments on {Tutorial} Tiling a Backsplash

Simple things, make a BIG difference.
I’m always sprucing my house, thinking about what to update, and continually making changes.  A quick reno that I just finished was adding a tile backsplash to my powder room sink.
This is how the powder room looked before we moved in.
The walls were painted a semi-gloss, DARK forest green color and there was an ugly flower border at the top ~ too bad I don’t have a picture of that…you would have loved it, NOT!
Once we got our hands on it, we removed the ugly border and painted the room a card board brown color (one of my favs) and the sink wall, a burnt orange (very warm and inviting ~ the accent color throughout the house).  BUT the sink was still missing something…
So on one of our numerous Home Depot trips, I was strolling down the tile aisle, and picked up a 12×12 sheet of 1×1 slate tiles and thought they’d be perfect for the backsplash of the powder room.  I also picked up this great product that’s an adhesive and grout; its available in different colors as well…I got a bone color.
All-in-one….FABULOUS!

The process is fairly simple and straight-forward.  Before putting on the adhesive, lay the tile onto the wall and mark the outline with a pencil.  Then using painters tape, tape the outer perimeter so you avoid any glue getting onto your wall.  Then using a putty knife or your finger (which is what I did), put a thin layer of adhesive onto the back of the tile.  Do this in stages….one tile at a time.  In my case, the tiles were adhered to a mesh bag, but I cut the mesh lining and adhered the tile in 3 row segments.  So now all the tile is up…

Once the tile is on the wall, carefully remove the painters tape ~ you can do this before the adhesive dries.  The drying time is about 24-48 hours.

After the tile is completely dry, it’s time to grout.  The area that I was working in was tight and awkward, so I couldn’t use a typical grout application, using a float.  I put the grout in a Ziploc bag and snipped the corner edge off to create a 1/8″-1/4″ hole.  Then just like piping a cake, I filled the joints with the grout.

After the joints were grouted, it’s time to wash it away with water.  Using a rough sponge, go over the tile with water.  Over and Over and Over until the tile surface is clean and grit-free.  Depending on the look you want to achieve, you may want to use a sealing product on the tile BEFORE grouting. This will seal and protect the tile.  Also, when you are finished, it’s always a good idea to seal the grout lines too.  Both sealing products are available at any hardware store.

Voila…complete.
To cap off the top of the backsplash, I used a 1/4″ barliner….it just needed a final touch!  The next step is to replace the sink faucet…I’m thinking something in an Oil Rubbed Bronze finish….that I might need a little handyman help with 🙂
Onto my next tiling project….the fireplace surround
Check back soon for the results!!

Check out my metamorphosis at BNOTP

DIY: Fall Wreath

Written by Jenna on . Posted in Do-It-Yourself, Seasonal.

Green Door Girl of Green Door Designs posted an awesome Do-It-Yourself Fall wreath project the other day and I had to try it out…here is the result:
This project is easy-easy on the Easy to Difficult scale!!  And it will cost you less than $5…how can you beat that?!  To make this DIY Fall wreath at home go to Green Door Designs.  And do you LOVE the wreath hanger…Click Here.  Happy Crafting! 

DIY: Fall Wreath

Written by Jenna on . Posted in Do-It-Yourself, Seasonal. 2 Comments on DIY: Fall Wreath

Green Door Girl of Green Door Designs posted an awesome Do-It-Yourself Fall wreath project the other day and I had to try it out…here is the result:
This project is easy-easy on the Easy to Difficult scale!!  And it will cost you less than $5…how can you beat that?!  To make this DIY Fall wreath at home go to Green Door Designs.  And do you LOVE the wreath hanger…Click Here.  Happy Crafting! 

Having fun ORGANIZING!

Written by Jenna on . Posted in Organization.

This is going to sound SO unromantic, but for my wedding anniversary that is coming up soon, I asked for my present to be shelving…(YES, I said shelving), meaning organization for my closets.  How horrible, right?!? We moved into our home less than a year ago, and the shelving in most of the closets of our builder-style home, is just one wire shelf set about 5′ above the floor.  That certainly doesn’t provide much shelving to store or hang anything!!  So away we went to Home Depot to buy shelving.  Of course, I would have LOVED to have had a closet company come install beautiful wood shelves, but we’re on a budget and I’m fine with basic!  Here are some pictures of our closet transformation:

Organization Tips

Martha Stewart for Home Depot

Purge

Take everything out of your closet/space; figure out what you don’t use and throw it away.  If you haven’t touched it in 6 months+, you probably don’t need it!

Go as high as you can go!

There is no reason to stop your shelving at 5′ or 6′ to where you can reach while standing on the floor.  Install a shelf even higher. Just get a step stool and put items on the top most shelf that you don’t need to access on a regular basis, like large platters, holiday dishes, linens, etc.  This will give you so much more room to store!

Baskets or Bins

While at Home Depot in the shelving section, I saw this great display of colorful bins by Martha Stewart.  The bins also come in colors that coordinate with the Martha Stewart Paint Colors (how cool!).  I got 4 bins (one for each of us) in a different color/pattern.  This is a fun way to incorporate color and your unique flair!

Install the shelving how YOU are going to use it

Before installing the shelving, have a general layout and think about how YOU and your family will use it.  If you use a ‘typical’ configuration, it might not fit what YOU need, resulting in waste of space!

Have fun with it

Before installing the shelving, paint or wallpaper the back wall of the closet.  Even though, it’s not something you will see all the time, it’s a fun way to do something funky and fun.  Choose a color that you maybe wouldn’t do throughout the rest of your house since it’s too bright or bold.  Another idea, is to wallpaper the back wall to add some interest every time you open the door.  One more suggestion, add a picture or painting on the back wall…another surprise every time you look inside.

Along with Home Depot, The Container Store has some great organizational solutions and closet systems.  If you have an opportunity to visit one of their stores, you’ll be amazed how many shelves, bins, baskets, organizers that they have to offer…..it’s incredible and a little overwhelming too.  BUT, take it one step at a time and the job will get done! (I used to live down the street from one when living in an apartment, so I was always looking for more storage solutions)

If you’ve got money to spend, definitely invest in having a closet company assist you with designing your space.  California Closets has experienced Closet Consultants that will help you put everything in it’s place! They obviously specialize in closets, but they can also help with storage for your office, garage, pantry, etc.

Images courtesy of Martha Stewart for Home Depot, The Container Store, California Closets