December 29, 2011

Restoration Hardware Eye Chart Hack

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas {or Happy Hanukkah for that matter}! If you want to check how things looked around here, feel free to pop over and check it out. We had a silver, white, turquoise and apple green holiday!

December 24, 2011

✥ A Gardenberger Christmas ✥


I wanted to share a few images from our version of Christmas.  Here's a few pics of what we've done around the house this year.

The rhino and deer remain adorned with paint swirled ornaments.



We made paper chains from printer paper, sprayed with glitter and with left over paint chips.



We added a new accent color to the tree for very little money. You guys saw some of the ornaments I made this year. Well I made a bunch of glitter covered ornaments and colored glass ornaments as well. 


Glitter ornaments were made very easily with clear glass ornaments covered in Elmer's Glue, then sprinkled with more Martha's glitter. You can see my snow globe ornament and, at the very bottom of the photo, you can see the top of the mercury glass ornaments I made using the Looking Glass Spray paint.


This blue/green colored glass ornament was made with Elmer's glue and food dye using this great tutorial from Sand and Sisal. I also made some with Mod Podge and food coloring but I didn't know to dry them in the oven and it took forever! They came out like a clear colored glass instead of opaque, very pretty.


 I made a few more chevron ornaments since I liked this first one I made as an Anthro ornament knock off. I love the ornaments snow covered ornaments from My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, so I made a few of those. She used a glue stick and Epson Salt's to create this look. I tried that, but liked a more snow covered look- so I switched it up and used Elmer's Glue, I also added some glitter to my Epson Salts and I think it looks so pretty.


This nativity ornament is a real beaut. I had it pinned on Pinterest, but I didn't actually make this one. Remember the committee I'm on for my church, where I put together the Christmas activity for all the women who attend our congregation? {When I made the magnetic play sets.} Well, this was our hand out for all the women. A talented friend on the committee made 80 of these awesome ornaments. She made the cut outs using her Cricket. Love it!


I made white clay key ornaments- three of them. I think I may work them into my gallery wall when the holidays are over- I just love them so much. I wanted skeleton keys for ages now- and finally just made my own. Would you guys like a tutorial to make your own? Just let me know and I can work one up! 

Each year we have friends and family over for a a ginger bread house building party/competition
We only use graham crackers, nothing fancy.


 
{From top to bottom} My sister made a sweet winnebego, complete with Santa poking his head out the window. I made a snow covered church, with stained glass windows. Z made a graham cracker Chichen Itza pyramid. I know, not very Christmassy- but he is very, very happy with it! And my mother-in-law used some mad cake decorating skills to whip up this winter wonderland home. I love her little snowmen with sprinkles in place of carrot noses!

We still have our magnetic advent calendar on the fridge. You can print your own numbers  if you want.


Do you guys remember the Christmas card pics we took?  {Our version of a popular Pinterest picture.)
 

 Here's where the banner ended up- all the in the back of the room on the sliding glass doors.


 And of course the faux zinc letters I made about a month ago sit on the console table.


And that hideous wreath I made over sits on the door. I think it's an amazing example of what a can of spray paint can do- cause that thing was so, so ugly!

And that, my friends, is all she wrote. I hope you enjoyed my own home tour this week. {Sorry if the repeats bored you.} I hope you all have the merriest of holidays and filled with the radiant love of your families. I appreciate each of you! Thank you for reading, for your friendship, and for sharing yourselves.

December 19, 2011

✥ Reader Feature: JDA Joyeux Noel Kitchen ✥

 Hello lovelies.
We have a wonderful feature for you today, Laurie from Heaven's Walk
When I saw Laurie's understated yet elegant Christmas decor I knew it was one I had to share with you all. I love the feeling of Christmas her home holds- yet without a bright red and green anything, anywhere! It's so simple, but still so beautiful at the same time!
✧✧✧✧✧
Uh-oh.
When lovely Becca asked me if I would be a "Reader Feature" on her sweet blog, my blood pressure spiked, my pulse raced, and my palms started sweating. I felt like I just hopped off my treadmill.
Me...???  Really...?
I always get so nervous when a bloggy friend asks me to do this. It's one thing to yap about myself on my own blog.  But to do that on someone else's?  Well, that's quite another thing. I'm like a Christmas elf that doesn't think very highly of herself. 
I have low
 elf-esteem.
Get it?
(ok....I understand if you're not laughing....)
Anyway, she wanted me to share my Jeanne d'Arc inspired kitchen with you today.  JDA is all about neutrals.  Grays, creamy whites and oatmeal with a wee bit of pastels tossed in.  And nature - like twigs, moss, acorns, pine cones and boughs.  The feeling is quiet, serene, calm, and peaceful.  We all need a little more of that in our lives, don't we?
Here is my JDA Joyeux Noel kitchen.
Merry Christmas, everyone!  (and thank you, Becca, for the opportunity to yap about myself on your blog!)
 
Ok. Please, don't hate me.
I actually had all of my Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving.
I know.
I know.
You think I'm smart crazy.
But I just couldn't wait.
I wanted a good month of enjoying the whole glorious season
instead of the three weeks that are the norm.
And since my OCD leaf blowing was completed for the year,
I now had time to floof for Christmas.
Up to the attic I went to start scrounging around in the multitude of bags and tubs up there
filled with balls and bells and boughs,
wreaths and wrapping paper,
lights, lights, and more lights...
and a lot of dead ladybugs.
Ewww. How in the world do they all get in, anyway...??? Such is the life in a creaky, old farmhouse, I guess.
I ended up hauling down only a couple different bags
because I was going for a certain look this year.
No red and green.
No poinsettias.
No velvet bows.
No brightly colored balls.
Not the typical Christmas decor for Heaven's Walk this year.
A simple, pared back, neutral, natural look is what my heart was craving.
What would Christmas look like out in the garden....?
Can you guess what that certain look was?
Well, if you know me well,
you'd say ~
"Jeanne d'Arc".
Yup. You'd be right.
I started sorting through the bags
while the butternut squash in the oven baked merrily away
filling the house with it's sweet scent....
and making my stomach growl.
New brushed stainless jewelry for the cabinetry will be purchased soon. Yay! The glass knobs will be stored away for future furniture projects.
Amidst this mess in the kitchen,
I was searching for juniper boughs,
white candles,
mercury glass,
pine cones and moss,
garden statuary,
terra cotta pots, 
and galvanized pails.
I floofed and floofed and floofed
all day long,
and slowly ~
gradually ~
the look was coming together. I kept running back into the living room to refer to my JDA Christmas issue (which was breathtaking as usual). I wanted my house to look like it jumped right out of that beautiful magazine.
Ready for the reveal?
Grab your cup of pumpkin spice latte
(me, too - please!)
and sit back...
* * * *
*
I love how the sunshine was washing the room with it's warmth that day.
Cement urn:  antique market
Mercury glass votives:  Hobby Lobby
Tiny LED tea lights were added to the votives that were tucked in the juniper boughs.
A few left over olive branches were tucked here and there.
Olive branches: Michael's
Nest:  Wayside Treasures
I later added a little bling to the nest.
Glass snowflake:  Target
I placed some crystal encrusted red dogwood branches across the top of the pie safe. The subway sign is from Red Letter Words. I love reading that verse every time I walk into the kitchen. It's comforting. "I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee." ~Jeremiah 31:3
French script star:  Wayside Treasures.  Boxwood wreath:  Farmhouse Wares.
I recently won this beautiful grain sack pillow from generous Marty at A Stroll Thru Life. I adore it. It was made by talented Ann at On Sutton Place. She does beautiful work and has an Etsy shop called Sutton Place Designs. The darling ruffled Nest pillow slip behind it was made by sweet Shellagh (a treasured friend of mine) at Ticking & Toile, who also has a wonderful Etsy shop. I like it draped across the back of the wicker chair for now. If you're looking for some beautiful Christmas gifts, pop in and check out their awesome handmade treasures. These gals are over-the-top talented!
Nest pillow slip:  Ticking & Toile; grain sack pillow: Sutton Place Designs. Chair color: BM "Wyeth Blue".
I purchased this topiary at a local antique market this summer. I can't, for the life of me, remember the name of it. It starts with a "P", I do know that, and it looks very similar to 'Angel Vine', but it has burgandy stems, not dark brown stems. Anybody have any ideas....? It's happily growing on the window sill over the sink.
I am soooo loving my kitchen this holiday season, and am glad that I lugged that ginormous frantel home with me this summer. Always follow your instincts, girls! God gave them to us for a reason.  :) 
Did you want to take a peek into the master loo, too?
Mercury glass acorn:  Target
Simple, natural, and Jeanne d'Arc inspired. Ok. You can go refill your latte now....
Next week:  The living room!
{ Christmas Blessings }
✧✧✧✧✧
I just love the beautiful Christmas tour!
I have to admit, I didn't know much about JDA Joyeux design- but I am drawn to the uncomplicated decor, which allows each object to shine. And of course, then there's Laurie, don't you just love her!?
She has a great personality and is so funny! I laughed out loud at her intro- elf steem!!
Anyhow, make sure you swing by to check out the rest of her Christmas home tour! So, so gorgeous!


December 16, 2011

✥ Paint Swirled Ornaments ✥

Today we giving the deer a chance to show off some new ornaments, and giving the rhino a well deserved break from ornament holder and poser for pictures!!


 
I finished these paint swirled ornaments back when I did the others, but then I got all side tracked sharing my new stenciled curtains and DIY curtain rods- so some ornaments went on the back burner. 

These guys were made with some Martha Stewart satin craft paint colors.
Just drop some paint in and then tap or rotate the bulb to get the look you're after.


I love how they sorta look like globes.  Doesn't the green paint resemble continents?



Mostly, I love the easy and inexpensive way to add some color to your tree.  
I know you all are busy with holiday crafts, what are you guys making these days?


I'm also linked up here.

✥ Cutting Edge Stencils Winner ✥


We have a winner!
First, a thank you everyone who entered this giveaway!  I am grateful to your support and wish everyone could be a winner. But today, the winner is number 35.
 
The winner is Bama Girl- who said...
Thanks again everyone who participated! 
Don't forget, the winner has 2 days to get back to me, or we have to pick another!