Entertaining Tip - Snack Container

Here is an entertaining tip for serving chips and snack items, ie crackers, pretzels, etc.  Serve your snacks in clear plastic or glass containers.  These containers are functional and attractive.

Visually, this is so much better than throwing an open sack of chips on the counter.  Your guests can serve themselves easily and your snacks will stay fresh and bug free (in case you are serving outdoors).

 Just a simple tip with big impact.

Lanterns Light My Way

Lanterns in decorating are a big hit.  I love them tall, short, chunky, round, square and on and on.  There are so many options.  Lanterns are extremely versatile and can be used indoors or out.

Here we have three differant styles and sizes of lanterns to create a gorgeous vignette.  For the larger lantern in the back, the topiary in the terra cotta pot is highlighted with the tea candles surrounding the base. 

Allhomedecors

Beautiful grouping displayed with natural materials and creamy white candles.  Simple but elegant. 

Homedesigndecorates

I found a great selection of lanterns at Old Time Pottery.  So many styles and I can imagine them decorated with candles and fillers. The prices were extremely reasonable with the largest size being 29.99.  The galvanized would be gorgeous on a screened porch or sunroom. 

This idea from Nell Hill takes my breath away.  She placed lanterns outside so that they sparkled through the windows.  Wouldn't this be gorgeous on a cold, snowy night.  Does that woman ever have a bad idea???

Nell Hill

I'm crazy about this idea - again from Nell Hill - for placing an urn on a garden planter and dressing up with ribbon and greens.  This is stunning and could be easily duplicated for maximum appeal. 

Nell Hills

I'll be making a trip back to Old Time Pottery soon...I'm trying to decide which style and sizes I want.  I think you will agree that I can't go wrong with any choice I make. 

When The Lightbulb Doesn't Go Off...I'm Left In The Dark

I love this lamp.  In my typical fashion, I purchased one to make sure it would work in my space and that it looked it person like it looked in the ad.  I received it via my trusty UPS man and did the necedssary assembly...added my bulbs and fell deeply in love, the moment the electric current fired.  I waited a week to make sure that I was not just dazzled by the light and decided that the love was true and I needed a pair for my upcoming Family room redo.  You can probably hear the shoe fall from where  you are sitting....SOLD OUT.  Will they be back in stock? Can I find another one somewhere? ....not so far. 
Note to self....Order what you want the next time and send them back if they aren't what you expected.  Anyone else cause themselves unnecessary stress like this?  I'm hoping that I'm not the only one who runs into these problems. 
Joining Marty at a Stroll Thru Life for her Tabletop Tuesday party.

Easy Arrange Your Outdoor Planters

This week, I'd like to share a tutorial for an easy arranger that I made for my outdoor planters. This insert makes arranging greenry in the planters quick and easy and holds everything securely in place. 
The first step is to measure the inside of the planter to determine what size the arranger insert should be.....Using a planter with sloped sides, take a measurement towards the top of the planter, where the size is the largest and this will give you the 'ledge' to hold the arranger insert in place. After you have your measurement, you need to go in search of a container matching the measurement to use as a mold.



Materials you will need - A box of Plaster of Paris, disposable gloves, measuring tape, container to use as a mold that fits the measurement of the planter, 6 PVC pipe connectors (you can purchase at Lowes for 5 cents each), garbage bag cut in half with seams removed, a container for mixing.





Line the bottom of the container being used as a mold with the opened garbage bag and place your PVC connectors in the bottom, one in the middle and the other 5 evenly spaced approximately halfway between the edge and the middle. Mix the Plaster of Paris using the package directions. Because of the size needed, my mold was 13.5 inches wide, I had to use the entire box. I mixed half the box and poured in and then decided to use the entire box contents so that my insert would be about 1.5 inches thick. I was going for an insert no thicker than 2 inches so this worked out well for me...you will need to experiment with the amount of plaster to mix based upon the measurements of your container. Before pouring the mix in your mold, be sure and spray your garbage bag with water to help release after dried.

I let my insert cure overnight before I removed from the mold and carefully pulled away the garbage bag. As you can see, the edges are not perfect, but that is not an issue as the insert will be under your greenry or flowers and will not be seen.

Next, I turned the mold over and used a hammer to gently tap out the PVC connectors. Once I tapped them loose, I turned the mold back over and gently used a clockwise motion to remove the connectors.

Place the insert in your planter, here you can see how it rests on the sloping sides.

You then just insert your greenry anywhere in the 6 holes ...you can use any combination, or all of them to complete your arrangement.

If you want, you can cover the insert with moss or it could easily be spray painted a dark color to help it blend into the planter.



Now that I have my insert in each planter, it will be very simple to remove the current arrangement and replace whenever I want. If you live in an area where your have really windy weather, you can use a wadded up plastic bag or paper to stuff in each hole with your greenry stem, to make sure it fits securely. (Repost from 2009)

Linking to the following parties.  Please be sure and click the links to visit each one.

Anything Related
Just Something I Whipped Up
Home Sweet Home Party
Feathered Nest Friday
Show and Tell Friday
Hooking Up With HOH
The Idea Room

All the best,

Kitchen Sideboard

A vignette on my kitchen sideboard, bringing in a deep red in the florals with a rustic basket.  I matched a group of silver candlesticks, because silver looks good with anything and I like to keep a little bling in the mix. 

As I continue to finish the small jobs and detail on my kitchen remodel, this wall will have a flat screen TV for viewing from the breakfast area.  For now, the wall is blank so you can just let your eye wander past the empty space.

Joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday. 

Whitie Tighties....Tabletop Tuesday

My family has been sick with a stomach virus for the past week....it has gone from family to family and each member has had it in differing degrees of yuckiness.  So far, Mike and I have managed to miss it.  Tanesia's family had it first...then it moved to Tiffany's family with the babies sick over the weekend and both she and Jacob were sick with it yesterday.   Needless to say, we have done lot's of visiting, holding and petting in the past few days...and not just with the babies.   These viruses, like the horrific storms we have seen across the country lately, seem worse than they have in years past.  Does anyone feel the same? 

I put together a quick tabletop today so I could participate in Marty's Tabletop Tuesday party.  She is the most precious person and she has a beautiful home.  You can click on the link here.  Be sure and drop by and visit with her and drop in on some of her guests...you'll be glad you took the time. 

I love white ceramic pieces and always keep my eye open for them.  I've used some white pieces in my tabletop, paired with a silver tray and offset with just a touch of brown and green. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Tabletop Tuesday! Thanks for dropping by.

Two Weeks....Really??

As a blogger, I find myself apologizing a lot.  I feel really bad when life gets in the way and I'm not able to post very often or keep up with my blog friends.  I have been in the midst of a 'mini' kitchen remodel that has turned into a monster that is finally getting close to being contained and as a result, I have had NO time for blogging.  I apologize for not visiting and not keeping up my end of the bargain.  The good news is that I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully can get back to normal soon.  I'll be around to visit everyone as soon as I can. 

The intent with remodeling my kitchen was to make the space more functional and update the 1980's decor.  Removing two closets and a small pantry provided more space for the eat in kitchen area and removing some upper cabinets opened up a tight galley kitchen and made the kitchen appear more spacious.  We hired a contractor and laid out the plan and the work began.....our contractor was slow but the work he was doing was quality and I was initially blinded by the thought that I was actually, finally getting an update to what had become my albatros.  It is key to keep in mind here, that I said initially things were going well and the work was quality..... Oh, how quickly things can change.  I won't get into the nasty details but I should have been much smarter than I was...this was not my first rodeo but I had grown complacent and was just so glad to get something done. 

My first clue should have been when we sat down and when asked how long the changes would take, the contractor said.....two weeks.  Ha!  Am I an idiot?  Bells and alarms should have gone off right then!  Do you remember the movie with Tom Hanks called The Money Pit?  Yes, that's right....everytime Tom's character asked how long the remodel would take he was told......2 weeks.  I did not sink through the floor or anything and I was only dealing with a kitchen, but after 6 weeks we were still not finished and after a weekend where we found and had to rework several pieces of extremely sub-standard work, our contractor was 'Gone with the Wind'.  We have spend the past couple of weeks finishing up and redoing quite a few things.  It has been an experience.   Through it all and now that we are almost finished, I am feeling some satisfaction with the end result and I'll share some pictures of the complete kitchen soon.  I'll leave you with an image of my coffee area, so you will know that we really are doing something around here.   Still waiting for glass inserts for the top doors, needing to touch up the wall paint where caulked and need to remove some of the accidental paint on the hinges...so just overlook those little flaws and go for the vision!!

 

Joining the following parties.  Thanks, as always, to these ladies for hosting.

Seasonal Sunday
Met Monday
Show Off Your Cottage Monday

Walk In, Find It and Catalog It

I enjoy shopping for wonderful jewelry for my home.  After a stressful week, there is nothing better than dropping into Home Goods and browsing through their shelves to find something that fits with my decor.  Some shopping hauls are more fruitful than others, but I can usually find at least one treasure to bring home to live with me.  I asked the sales lady when the best days to find new merchandise would be and she said that the trucks deliver on Monday and Wednesdays, so depending upon timing the new merchandise hits the shelves that day or the following.  I live about 50 minutes from my Home Goods store, so during the week doesn't really work for me, so I suppose I'll have to continue to catch the items that I can on my normal weekend runs. 

I have no method to my madness, other than a general sense of what I like and of course, the colors that I need.  I love the white dishes and serveware and can usually find something that I just must have.  I also love the reds and greens and I even have some blue items, although I don't have the color blue in any of my decor.  If it's gorgeous, if it's the right price and if it speaks to me, then it usually comes home with me.  Is that a shopping plan or what?  How do you shop...is there a method to your madness?

I like to 'catalog' my purchases, so that I know when and where I bought an item and how much I paid for it.  The easiest way that I have found to do this is to line my purchaces up when I get home and take an overall photo of he group, as well as some individual close up shots....I then take a picture of my receipt and sometimes will add handwritten notes to show the item matched up with the appropriate price.  I like to do this because it appeals to my OCD collecting personality. 

Do you catalog your purchases for items, collections etc as you find them? What is your approach?

More Kitchen Renovation

I'm enjoying a beautiful morning here at the Jammi Homestead...the sun is shining and the air is filled with the crispness of early Spring.  That of course, is outside the house, where I am not.  My beautiful morning consists of starting the workday by gazing at my bank of monitors and getting ready for a day of reporting comparisons - which can actually be fun, except that after an hour of peering at the screens, my eyes are begging to be punched out.  Soon, I'll hear my contractor hammering away and the crack of 2x4s falling.  The smell of sheetrock dust will again be in the air.  Sheetrock dust, in case you don't know is like sin, it clings to everything and it goes everywhere, no matter how hard you try to contain it...it is impossible. 

But........

My kitchen is begining to take shape and is becoming the better space that I always knew it could be.  What started out as a mini kitchen remodel, has become a medium kitchen remodel and is consuming more money than having Cousin Eddie in the house.  The decision to knock out the pantry and the hall closets to add some square footage to the 'eat in' area was a good one.  I'll give you a sneak peek.  The area to the mid right of the picture is where the hall closets were.  Notice the beautiful heat/air connections for the upstairs unit....that was one of those additonal hidden and unknown costs that continue to beat my budget to death...I use the term budget very loosely, as it was blown quite some time ago.

A view of the two closet doorways opening from the hall into the kitchen.  Removing these two closets and a smaller pantry area, opens up the kitchen which was one of my major goals.   These two doors will become one opening and as a bonus will lighten up my dark hall. 

Wiring is on agenda for today. 

Beauty And The Beast

I love beautiful things.  I think that what most of us are seeking in our lives is to be able to find the beautiful moment, recognize it and enjoy it.  For as long as I can remember, I have been in love with beautiful homes and I find that I classify that beauty in so many differant ways and on so many differant levels... from the grand, curving sweep of an antebellum staircase to the clean lines and feel of a crisp white napkin.  My breath can be taken away with a gorgeous silver tea service but, just as much with a simple stack of books.  I love visiting my favorite blogs and experiencing the intrigue of scrolling down the screen to display the next picture and seeing the beauty that you create everyday and are generous enough to share.

I constantly strive to create and maintain my own, beautiful home.  Sometimes I feel successful and others, I feel that I have no idea what I am doing.  Sometimes I look around and have one of those 'what was I thinking' moments.  We have currently put our noses to the grindstone and gotten down to business with our 'mini'  kitchen remodel.  Since I had to rethink a full remodel and buildout this year, I have been thinking about how to make my small galley kitchen work for me another year without breaking the bank.  I am wrestling with decisions of what not to change because I want to keep the budget on the low end and making sure that when I spend money, it will be something I can reuse.  I  am second guessing things, lying awake for long periods when I should be sleeping and constantly sketching ideas.  I will be glad when we are finished.  As I think about saying that, I have to chuckle because I'm already dreaming of the next project and feeling the anticipation.  Is that a sickness?  Am I a glutton for punishment?  Or, am I ever the optimist in search of that elusive beauty?

So that you can feel my pain, I will leave you with this gorgeous picture of the current state of my kitchen.  When we removed the upper cabinets, we enjoyed the country blue wallpaper again from 1986.  No sizing on the walls means we will need to skim coat where it was removed.  It's the unexpected that keeps a remodeler on their toes.

Don't Worry...Bee Happy

Bees seem to be buzzing around everywhere in home decor this spring.  How can you resist their bright yellow color and who doesn't love those beehive shapes that we see in so many things?  Well, I'm not one to overlook a good thing, so I invited a couple of the little buzzies into my home for another spring display. 

Large white platters make great places to start your display of smaller items...the benefits, other than looking gorgeous is that you don't have to find a place to store the platter and when it is time to dust the furniture, you can pick up the entire arrangement and move it out of the way.

Brown paper packaging shreds make wonderful dirt for daisies.

This type dirt provides easy clean-up.

My Chalkboard platter is always so versatile and provides bright lettering from my Chalk Ink markers. 

Hope you all have a Bee-u-ti-ful day!

Joining the following parties...please click on the links to drop by and give them a visit.

Tabletop Tuesday

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Whassup Wednesday