It’s officially winter and a good time to bundle up in style.
I knit these Hudson Bay-inspired caps in chunky wool yarn which makes them quick and cozy!
Stay warm out there, eh?!
“Jewels”
A Simple Christmas {with a Glitter Ball Garland}
This Christmas, I decided to pare down our decorations. When I decided I didn’t need a Christmas tree, it triggered concerned inquiries from not one, but two, trusted friends! Let me assure you, that I am feeling fine! Admittedly, it … Continue reading
Pine Cone Christmas Tree
Remember when I made felt Christmas trees and yarn Christmas trees? Way back then I meant to make one with the pine cone scales, inspired by Shauna Mailloux.
Well, I finally made mine!
The new pine cone tree fits right in with his felt and feather cousins!
I might paint it another time, but for this year’s Scandinavian-inspired theme, the natural finish seems perfect! It took a while to put together, and Steve took the opportunity to make about two zillion conifer-inspired puns, so I have multiple reasons to be glad that project is over:)… but I’m really happy with the results!
“Jewels”
Mod Metallic Christmas Mantel
This year’s Christmas is pared-down and pretty (if I don’t say so myself!). Most of our decorations are white, with touches of gold and silver.
I love how our simple white felt stockings from West Elm have fit into all of our Christmas themes, just by changing the ornaments. Here are the links to the past years’ mantels:
And this year, I used scrapbook paper and gold contact paper to make these ornaments that add a bit of gold and glam to our mantel. The stripes and dots make me think of a beautiful Kate Spade look.
And a few more looks at our mantel this year. Like the simple Christmas branch, it came together so quickly, which is a relief this busy season!
Have a cheerful and glamorous weekend!
“Jewels”
Simple Christmas Branch
Last year, we celebrated a fabulous and fun retro mid-century Christmas with lots of over-the-top colors and decorations. This year, I’m going in a different direction with a pared-down Christmas.
I was inspired by pictures of simple branches hung with ornaments. I was going to do this in addition to our Christmas tree, but I’ve decided to do it instead of a tree, and it feels very liberating! This idea is great for people who live in small spaces or just want to simplify.
Our overall look this season is Scandinavian-inspired with touches of gold and glam, and our centerpiece here fits tight in.
Enjoy!
Hope you’re feeling cheerful and warm this season!
“Jewels”
Stenciled Linen Table Runner
Remember when I painted our Gold Feather Table Runner? It was one of a pair of linen table runners that I am making for our Thanksgiving dinner this year. I am so excited to host my coworkers and their families!
The design was inspired by a design by Jesse Breytenbach. She makes gorgeous stamped fabrics, and this flower (thistle? artichoke??) really captured the natural and elegant look I wanted for our Thanksgiving table. I used sharpie to draw the the design which satisfied my grown-up coloring needs.
Here’s a close-up of the finished flowers.
And here’s the runner with a preview of our Thanksgiving table!
I like the simple colors that evoke the season while still blending into the rest of our home.
Wishing you a happy holiday with your friends and family!
“Jewels”
DIY Kids’ Play Teepee
You’ve probably seen these adorable kids’ reading tents on Pinterest or your favorite blogs. I’ve had this project in the back of my mind for a while now and, with a little help with the boys, finally made it happen!
I browsed tons of pictures and tutorials to come up with the version I wanted for our family. Here’s what I know I wanted to include:
- 4 poles with dip-painted tips
- Rope at top and bottom to create the structure
- Contrasting fabric for the door
There are lots of methods out there for making a play teepee. I decided to sew ours. Don’t get me wrong, I love my glue gun and staple gun, but since I can handle the sewing, I wanted to go with something more durable and removable for washing (not that my kids ever get anything dirty, but…).
I started with four poles made from 1″ x 2″x 8′ wood molding. These were only $0.91 each! Since we had all the other supplies already, this whole project cost us less than $4!!
Here are the steps to your new favorite hideout!
1. Lightly sand the wood
2. Paint the tips of the poles
3. Drill holes 8″ from the top and 1.5″ from the bottom of each pole. I did the pilot holes and the kids finished up. It was fun seeing them use the tools.
4. I threaded rope through the top holes and wound the rope around to create our structure. Next, I threaded rope through the bottom of the poles and knotted it to keep the poles evenly spaced. I didn’t put rope across the opening, to prevent tripping!
5. When the poles were arranged the way we wanted, I measured for the panels. I measured the openings and added 2″ to all the measurements for hems and seams and finished everything with French seams, since you can see them from the inside.
When your tent is done, you can accessorize with pillows, blankets, bunting, lights, or anything else your heart desires!
“Jewels”
DIY Gold Feather Table Runner for Fall
Thanksgiving at our house has been pretty small the last few years. Most of our family is not in town, so we enjoy a quiet long weekend with just me, Steve, and the kids. Sometimes, however, I crave the hustle bustle madness of a big Thanksgiving celebration. I’m excited this year because we get to host one of my new coworkers!
To help make our Thanksgiving dinner this year extra festive, I have some new decorations planned. One of them is this simple linen table runner.
I sewed the runner and used gold craft paint to add this feather design inspired by a rubber stamp Creatiate on Etsy.
Up next, a “stenciled” runner for our dining table. Red wine included 🙂
Happy Turkey Day! May your hearts be full of thanks!
“Jewels”
Recipe for a Stylish Boy’s Room
We have two rooms for the three boys: one big shared room and a small bedroom that was J’s nursery and is now our tween’s.
The big room has been slow to come together. Little boys interests change so often, not too mention that they are tornadoes that leave a mess in their wake.
I’m now ready to make a push to polish their space. As I discussed in this post on my steps for designing a room, and inspired by the Design Cookbook, here’s my recipe for the little boys’ room.
- Main color palette of navy and light neutrals
- Natural materials like wood, metal, and leather
- Whimsical accents like bunting in red and other fun colors
- Eclectic gallery wall with elements like a paper mache bust, kids art, and quotes
- Hideout area
- An unexpected sophisticated touch such as wallpaper or a luxurious fabric
I developed this recipe by collecting my favorite images on a Pinterest board.
Here are some of my favorite inspiration rooms:
Photo by Julia Lynn design by Jenny Keenan
From Design Sponge
From New York Cottages and Gardens
And here’s a list of projects I’ve already done for our boys’ room:
I’m looking forward to showing you the latest updates soon!
“Jewels”
Metallic Geometric Garlands
For our Mod Metallic Christmas, I wanted to make garlands for the tree and beyond. I love how these turned out, and I love that they are neutral enough to use for any occasion!
To make the garlands, I used beautiful metallic contact papers and simple twine to create a variety of garlands. You can find twine and white contact paper at a lot of local hardware stores, and here are the links buy the metallic contact paper:
I made three different garlands – squares, triangles, and circles – by cutting out shapes from the contact paper and sticking two sides together with twine sandwiched in between.
For the circle garland, you could also buy pre-cut circle stickers which would make the project even faster!
Here are the finished garlands, ready for when we put up our Christmas tree and for many celebrations to come!
Cheers,
“Jewels”
