Monday, March 21, 2022

Antique Desk Makeover

A few months ago my mom asked if I wanted to have an antique desk that belonged to my Great Aunt for my daughter's room and I jumped at the chance! 

My mom had it for a long time, but wasn't going to have a space for it anymore.  I loved the shape and detail of it, but knew I wanted to paint it to match my daughter's room.  

I used Dixie Belle Paint in Tea Rose and feel like it was the perfect shade of pale pink to coordinate with her room.  I've used Dixie Belle paint before and love the ease of it! No need to sand or prime the furniture. You literally just wipe it down to make sure it is free of dust and dirt and then paint on a few coats.  The coverage is really great and they have so many great colors.  I topped it off with the Dixie Belle clear coat and then added these new brushed brass knobs. 


I also got this antique chair and recovered the seat of it in the same fabric as her curtain panels. 



I'm so pleased with how it turned out and just love how it looks in her room!  This post is totally not sponsored, but if you are looking to paint any furniture I would definitely check out the Dixie Belle line!  

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Monday, March 14, 2022

How To Create Beautiful Faux Floral Arrangements

Last week we shared Unique Ways To Display Florals and highlighted one of our very favorite places to get amazing real looking faux florals!  Casabella in East Cobb not only has an incredible selection of florals, but they also have professional designers on hand to help you shop, give you tips, and to offer their suggestions and expertise. 


We met up with one of them last week to get some tips for creating beautiful faux floral arrangements. She shared 4 easy steps, as well as, some pro tips to make them look natural and realistic!  


Step 1
Pick the perfect vase and put floral foam in the bottom. 
Pro tip: Floral foam is key for helping the stems stay in place where you want them. 

Step 2
Start with your main attraction or focal flowers.  You'll put one in the center and then work your way around, spacing them out.  
Pro tip: Use an odd number of these focal flowers.  

Step 3
Next use filler flowers in a contrasting color in between the focal flowers. 
Pro tip: Pick flowers that are in season to help them seem more realistic. 

Step 4
Fill in the holes with greenery. 
Pro tip: To help your arrangement look more natural, allow greenery to spill over the edges of the vase and try using different shades of green. 



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Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Everyday Organizing for Busy Moms {Time Pockets}

Happy March!  I do realize I'm over a week late on this one, but still happy to be celebrating with this month's themed calendar photo. 


March completely snuck up on me. I I feel like I need more hours in my day and more days in my week. I always feel like there isn't enough time to get the never ending to-do list tackled. 

I'm the kind of person that likes to start something, see it through, and knock it out in one sitting. One day when my kids are grown and I have the luxury of time I will be able to get back to that. For now though, we are busy. We're on the go. We're home for 15 minutes before leaving again. We're constantly dashing from one activity to the next.  It's because of this that I've realized that making use of time pockets is the way to go! 

What are time pockets? You know those few minutes here and there when you are waiting for something or someone else. Most likely it is when you are waiting on your kids. Waiting for your kids to put on their shoes and get out the door, waiting in the carpool line, waiting for practices to end...all those minutes here and there add up and if you can make use of those little time pockets you can really start to be more productive.  

I'm totally guilty of wasting that time by scrolling social media and believe me, some days that is the mental break I need. However, if I am really good I can use those 5 minutes here and there to get some stuff done.  I can wipe down the kitchen counters and load the dishwasher. I can sweep or start a load of laundry. I can draft and send the emails I need to. I can prep dinner. I can add a few things to my Amazon cart for upcoming gifts or projects.  I can make a phone call to schedule an appointment. The possibilities are endless. 

If you think about it and really get busy when you have a couple of minutes here and there you can actually get a lot done!  You just have to be ok with being interrupted, not finishing the task completely at one time, and having to press pause and pick it up later. 

EVERYDAY ORGANIZING FOR BUSY MOMS 

January {Keep a Family Calendar}

February {To-Do Lists} 

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Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Emerald Green Home Decor Inspo

We both have a lot of home decor projects underway right now, and while certain color schemes or themes won't fit our home we still find ourselves swooning over the possibilities. We aren't sure if it's all the St. Patrick's Day items we are seeing in the stores, or the craving for all things green and pretty to return ASAP outside, but the moment we spotted this Emerald Green and Gold entered our brains we couldn't help but want to do something with it.

The combo is just so bold and rich! And surprisingly there are a ton of great affordable options to complete this look on Amazon. We've created a board with some of our favorites and then you can pop on to our Amazon shop to see more options.  

 


ITEM DETAILS

1: Tasseled Persian Style Rug
2: Emerald Green Throw
3: Gold Coffee Table
4: Green & Gold Candle
5: VINO Coffee Table Book
6: Jewels Coffee Table Book
7: Gold Floor Lamp
8: Emerald Couch
9: Set of Vases
10: Velvet Throw Pillows
11: Set of Art Work


DO YOU LIKE THE GREEN AND GOLD COLOR COMBO FOR HOME DECOR? DO YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR HOME? IF SO, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT!


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Monday, March 7, 2022

Unique Ways To Display Florals

Spring has sprung!!!  We just love this time of year because the sun is shinning, weather is warming up, and flowers are starting to bloom. Spring is a time of renewal in nature, so it is also the perfect time to renew and refresh your home decor, too! 


One of the easiest ways to bring spring indoors is by adding some colorful florals and greenery. This is something that can be done in every room of your home. From tiny bud vases to large center pieces, any where you can add florals will give you space a fresh feel. 


While fresh flowers are wonderful, we love the hassle-free and long-lasting alternative of faux flowers.  Before you start to question using faux let us just tell you how amazing the faux floral market has come. Our friends and Casabella have the the MOST real looking ones we have seen.  They are an amazing quality and don't only look real, but some of them even feel real.  It's crazy and something you just have to see for yourself.  

Another thing we love about the florals from Casabella are all of the different ways to display them.  They've got an incredible variety of containers, vases, jars, baskets and more.  Walking around their store it is so much fun to see all of the unique ideas.  If you really think outside of the box and get away from a traditional vase, you can put flowers and greenery in or on just about anything. We thought we'd share some of our favorite ways to display them in the hopes that it would inspire some of you when sprucing up your homes for spring! 

Ceramic and pottery:  You could pick something neutral and let colorful flowers be the star of the show,  do neutral flowers with pretty pattered container or use a textured container with greenery for a neutral look. 




Mercury glass: Who doesn't love a little bit of sparkle and shine?  This silvered glass can bring a touch of classical elegance to your space and will compliment any decor. 
 


Metal: Want a little more of a rustic farmhouse feel? Using a metal container can do just that.  It could be textured or smooth, shiny or dull, but contrasting colorful flowers will pop in a container like this! 


Dough Bowls: Dough Bowls of all shapes and sizes are still in and we love them because there are just so many different ways to fill them.  We love a variety of greenery orbs placed in dough bowls on tables, counters or shelves for a touch of green. 



Lanterns: We adore lanterns of all shapes, sizes and materials.  Often time many people only think to add a candle in their decorative lanterns, but we love how the decorators at Casabella stage their lanterns with florals, berries, and greenery. 




Bowls: We loved the look of having faux tulip stems laying in a simple bowl or a floral orb placed in a small bowl to add a bit of color to a bar cart or appetizer tray.  Something so simple, but so beautiful to bring some color and life to any space. 


Baskets: Baskets are often used as decor by themselves, but after visiting Casabella we are now on a mission to fill them all with a variety of faux floral stems!  



Glass: Of course traditional glass vases will never go out of style.  Tiny bud glasses can be filled with just a touch of water to give the faux flowers an even more realistic look! 


Other: Like we mentioned above, you can use just about anything to hold flowers and some of our very favorite and unexpected discoveries at Casabella was a decorative trashcan filled with hydrangea stems!




We hope some of these ideas have inspired you to think outside of the box and find a unique way to display florals and greenery in your own home.  If you are local, be sure to check out Casabella for more inspiration and for all of their amazing life-like faux florals this spring! 


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Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Book Club: February 2022

 


Happy Book Club day friends! It makes sense to kick off Read Across America Day with a few book reviews right? 

February was a short month, but we managed to pack a lot in! Not just in reading, but in life in general. So we are looking forward to the slower pace of March, the warmer temps and a pile of steamier books. ;) 

But first, last month's reviews! 

WHAT WE READ...

CARRIE BETH

Coming off of two big cheer competition weekends with my daughter it only seems fitting to share that my first book was Full Out by Monica Aldama.  


Unless you have been living under a rock, you've probably heard about the Netflix series, CHEER.  Monica Aldama is the coach of the team that is highlighted by the show. This book gives a behind the scenes peek into what her life is like, how she sweats the small stuff, how hard she works to win, and the life lessons along the way that relate to way more than cheerleading.  

I actually listened to this book before I watched the second season of the show so I felt like it gave me some good background.  If you are a cheer mom or a fan of the show, I think you'd enjoy this. I know I sure did! 

Next up for me was Court by Tracy Wolff. 

Court is the 4th book in the Crave series and I am so sad to say that this book was a big disappointment for me.  I LOVED the first two and the third one kept me really invested, so had been anticipating the release of this title for months. Sadly, it didn't live up to the others. I felt like the story dragged on, was repetitive, and just a too much fighting for me.  The first two books had an amazing love story that totally sold me and had me naming them in my top three of the year, but this one wasn't for me. 

JEN

I must have been inspired by the Winter Olympics, and a month full of love, because From Lukov With Love was one of the first books I snagged last month. Based on a pairs figure skating team, things turn from icy to spicy as the story unfolds. 

This enemies to lovers novel is filled with emotion and lovable, well developed characters. I enjoyed following along the story line to see the banter between Lukov and Jasmine, and their slow burn romance blossom. (And when I say slow burn, I mean sloooooooooww. There's a ton of build-up for 90% of the book!)

It was a fun read, and while parts are steamy, I enjoyed how there was more story to this romance. This is my first book by Zapata, but it won’t be my last!


For those of you who like your romance novels with a little more laughs, here’s an adorable rom-com option! Meet Me in the Margins was such a cute book with fun characters - it was tough to put down.

It’s more on the G-rated side of romance novels, filled with a cast of lovable characters (it’s tough to even dislike the ones you’re supposed to hate). Right from the get go you root for Savannah and her goals. The handsome boss, mystery penpal/editor/love interest and witty banter are just fun bonuses.

The Finlay Donovan series is just plain fun! I knew when this arrived on my doorstep that it would be the perfect book to pack for poolside reading on our Winter Break vacay.  Knocks ‘Em Dead follows up with our favorite romance novelist turned accidental hit-woman Finlay Donovan and her entourage of quirky characters. This time they are investigating a mystery “hit” put out on her ex husband. The love triangle established in the first book gets a little more tricky, and I can decide which “team” I’m on because I want her to keep both.  There are twists and turns springing up from each page, and just as many laughs. This light hearted mystery series is one that is now on my auto-buy list. There's hints to a third book and I can't wait! 

I picked up this book because of the fun cover and thought it would make for the perfect beach read. It totally was, but surprised me too! Love Lists and Fancy Ships is filled with much more emotion than I expected. (I should have read the back cover!) The story covers tragedy, family drama, romance, grief and heartbreak all in one beautifully written novel! It also made me laugh a ton and I fell in love with each and every character. 

The story follows Jo, who is a stewardess on a luxury yacht. Right away you realize Jo is experiencing heartbreak and grief, but you don't learn what happens until the story unfolds. With her best friend/yachtie side kick, and a pair of unplanned summer guests, Jo decides to try to overcome her grief by completing a "30 by 30 list" she created before the tragedy occurred. 

I would say this is another G-rated, slow romance book, but remember romance isn't the only topic of this story. At the end there’s a teaser chapter for the next book, and I already can’t wait to read more about one of my favorite characters from this book!

Brunch and Other Obligations is the one book this month that took me by surprise by how much I enjoyed it. It follows three women who are mourning the death of their best friend. Other than with their best friend, they've never really interacted with one another. But life has other plans for them and each month they are required to meet for breakfast for one year. 

Missing the "glue" to their group, the women thought there was no way they would become friends on their own. Each has a completely different lifestyle and way they approach life. But as the year unfolds, and their grief comes to surface, they realize they might need each other more than ever. 

It was a beautiful story and the power of friendship.  There is tons of humor mixed in, and a cast of characters that at first are a little dislikable, but as the book unfolds you can't help but fall in love with. 

WHAT'S UP NEXT...

CARRIE BETH

Next up for me is Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult. 


Jen told me about this book just after she had just started it back in December and let me know how much she enjoyed it. Generally, if she really enjoys a book I know that I will, too. The plot of this title centers around Covid, so not quite sure how I will feel about that, but I'm excited to get started on this.  

JEN

Okay I have a confession, I've already started listening to this one and love it. Libro.fm is nice enough each month to give us a sneak peek at upcoming releases. When I saw Dolly Parton was writing a book, I jumped at the chance to read it. So far the audio book for Run Rose Run is amazing! It's narrated by a lot of country music stars, including Dolly herself. It comes out next week, but put it on your radar now! 

WHAT DID YOU READ LAST MONTH? ANYTHING YOU LOVED THAT WE SHOULD PUT ON OUR READING LISTS? SHARE WITH US!


BOOK CLUB 2022

| January |

BEST BOOKS OF 2021


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HAPPY READING! 


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