Okra and a Vintage Mason Jar

As I've said before, nothing stays put too long at my house.  I'm constantly re-decorating/moving/re-doing what's already here.  It seems that it never takes long for inspiration to strike at a slightly different angle and cause me to tweak my decore.  Over and over again. 

I wasn't loving the look of the little antique-white occassional table in the corner (of course, I forgot a  before photo).  I decided to try my luck again with searching my cabinets and drawers (and the trunk of my car....) to see what "new" decore I could come up with.

The result was this:

At the end of last season when visiting my cousin's garden in Georgia, I picked some okra that had been left growing too long.  It has a very interesting and unique look, and it's hard, making it very craft-able.

I knew that they would be useful someday!

I put them into a large vintage mason jar....

 

Added a fantastic label from the graphics fairy, and tied on a little raffia....

So simple.  So cottage!


P.S. I'm linking this to Sunday Showcase, Tutorial Tuesday, Take a Look Tuesday, KISS, Making Monday Marvelous, Making the World Cuter, Motivate Me Monday, Inspire Me Mondays, Craft-O-Maniac, Polly Want a Crafter,Trash to Treasure Tuesday, Brag Monday, All Thingz Related, Creative Share Wednesday, We Did It Wednesday, Winter Blues Wednesday, Making it with Allie, HOH, Feathered Nest Friday, Inspiration Friday, Saturday Spotlight, Saturday Soiree, and Sunday Showcase. See their buttons on my Blog Parties tab!

The Bold and the Beautiful

I am so excited to be part of a very unique blog hop. Gail @My Repurposed Life and MeganDVD @ Beauty in the Attempt are hosting “The Bold and the Beautiful-your blog reviewed”.

Please take a look around my blog, check out the layout, pages, buttons, sidebar and gadgets. I would love for you to gently critique my blog. I’m hoping you will leave me some positive feedback about my blog. It would be great if you could give me constructive criticism but be sure to tell me what you like about my blog too! Do you like my pictures? Does my blog load quickly for you? How about the font?  All tips and tidbits welcome!

You are welcome to join the party, it starts Thursday night and is open for a week.

I am looking foward to reading your comments!

Apothecary Jar--A True "Trash to Treasure"

As I've mentioned before, the decorating budget is scarce (a.k.a., almost non-existant) here in newlywed world.  I've seen (and loved) DIY apothecary jars, so I went hunting the other day to see if I had the goods to make one myself. 

And I did!



 Here is what I rustled up from my stash of miscellaneous junk: a glass candleholder, a pink drawer pull, a gray $1 "vase" from Goodwill that had a silk pansy in it, and the glass top from a large Yankee Candle.

Paint, assemble, glue. 

Place with Valentine's Day decore.

A true "trash to treasure"!

P.S. I'm linking this post to Inspire Me Monday, Polly Want a Crafter, Craftomaniac Monday, Making Monday Marvelous, Teach Me Stuff Tuesday, Trash to Treasure Tuesday, All Thingz Related, Take a Look Tuesday, Under $100, Winter Blues Wednesday, We Did It Wednesday, Creative Share Wednesday, Strut Your Stuff Thursday, Gluesticks, Transformation Thursdays, Making it with Allie, Sew Chatty, Thrilling Thursdays, HOH, Inspiration Friday, Feathered Nest Friday, Saturday Soiree, Saturday Nite Special, Sunday Showcase, KISS, and Sassy Sites.  See their buttons at the Blog Parties tab!

House Vs. Home

Have you ever visited someone and walked in and thought, "What a nice home!"  You quickly realize you aren't just in a house where someone lives, but a true home with touches that make something about it just a little extra special.   For me, thinking this rarely has anything to do with the size of the home, how nice or expensive it is, or if it's richly decorated.  There seem to be other more simple elements that make people truly feel comfortable and welcomed.

It is one of my goals to have one of these "special" homes that makes my husband and I as well as any visitors feel especially at peace, so I've attempted to take what makes me feel happy and comfortable in a home and make sure to provide those little extra touches. 

Some of these for me are:

Family pictures

Nothing evokes a sense of home like being surrounded by those you love, even if it's just in pictures.

Candles, or rather, smells.

The scent of something good or familiar is such a calming force.


Food

Want to make someone feel right at home? Offer them something homemade.

 

Pillows and blankets

A huge part of a home is comfort.


Lighting

This is my favorite kind of lighting--warm and dim. How soothing!

Of course, the love shared by the people actually living in the house is the ultimate source of "homey-ness," but I feel that such can be expressed tangibly by elements in the home that we can touch and feel.

I suppose I just love little "reminders." 

What do you feel makes your house a home?

Earthy Wreath



I've been wanting to make and use some of those pretty fabric flowers I've been seeing, so I decided to make another wreath.  As if I needed another wreath for my house. 

I started with the flowers.  I cut strips of cloth and twisted them.

Then wound them around my finger and hot glued.  What a pretty little rosette.

I made myself a nice little assortment, some for now, some for later.

Here is a great feather graphic I printed awhile back from the Graphics Fairy.  I've been waiting to use it.

I took tiny dots of hot glue and attached the picture to my bare wreath, and then hot glued my flowers onto it as well.

Earthy and pretty.

I'm linking up to:

as well as K.I.S.S., Just Something I Whipped Up, Making Monday Marvelous, Motivate Me Monday, Inspire Me Monday, Making the World Cuter, Get Your Craft On, Tutorial Tuesday, Get Your Brag On, Power of Paint, Show and Tell Wednesday.  See their buttons at their permanent home on my sidebar!

Simple DIY Calendar

A few weeks ago, I ran across a post where Pam from House of Hawthornes had done this project, and I knew I had to try it.  It's a DIY mini-calendar using free printables and rubber cement.  It came out great!

You can use any type of scrapbook paper and embellishments you choose.  I kept it simple and masculine and only used one small feather to dress mine up.

It's as simple as cutting out the calendar pages, cementing the tops, and creating your calendar base.

It actually turned out so great, that I chopped up some assorted scrapbook pages and made myself a little notepad.

Try it!

P.S. I'm linking this up to Making Monday Marvelous, Motivate Me Monday, KISS and Just Something I Whipped Up! See their buttons at their permanent home on my sidebar.

New Etsy Items

For a lazy weekend post, I thought I'd let you know what items have just this past week been added to my Etsy shop, Cotton Breeze.

Black and White Vintage-Style Trinket Tray.

I love the mix of toile, damask, harlequin, and sheet music patterns.  The black and white looks so strinking paired with something red. 

Silvery Paisley Trinket Tray

The cool winter colors and paisley pattern are so very stylish and look positively elegant!

Fleur de Lis Trinket Tray

Shabby and French.  Tres chic!

Fleur de Lis Serving Tray

Pairing it with whites and silvers brings to mind a lovely French cottage at breakfast.

Please visit my shop here!

Valentine's Entrance Table

What can help cut through the bleak, gray days that follow the bright cheer of Christmas?

Valentine's sweetness!

This is my Valentine's entrance table....

It's the one area of my home that is always updated for each holiday.  I usually enjoy subtle holiday decore, so I went with neutrals and pinks to give it a Valentine's essence.



A few delicate pretties go on the pink toile wooden tray that I made over the holidays.

A small white pitcher, creamy hydrangeas, old books, and a white birdcage tealight holder.....

A creamy French flower bucket, pink and white flowers, the Valentine button art I made here, and a homemade apothecary jar. (What should I fill it with??)

XOXO!

(P.S. I'm linking this up to Under the Table and Dreaming, Treasures and Trinkets Thursday, and Somewhat Simple.)