Worthing Court

Sunday Worship

2012-03-04T01:00:00.000-05:00

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Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;

O Lord, hear my voice.

Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.

If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins,

O Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness;

therefore you are feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

and in his word I put my hope.

My soul waits for the Lord

more than watchmen wait for the morning,

more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Psalm 130: 1-6, NIV

SoHo Loft Pin Party

2012-03-01T01:00:00.000-05:00

Have you ever decorated a loft? I sure haven't. I bet some of you lucky peeps have actually lived in one of these very cool spaces!

I don't have any experience decorating a space like this, so I was very excited when Molly, author of the fun blog The Waffler, invited me to join a group of bloggers to virtually share our design ideas for this SoHo loft through a collaborative board on Pinterest!

SoHo Loft Project

How would you design this space? Do you envision industrial, colorful and playful, purely modern? Or something else all together?

We would love for all of you to get in on the fun of designing this space too!

Here's how to do it.

1. Click here to email your Pinterest user name/handle to Molly. She'll add you to the collaboration group so you can...

2. Start pinning! It's fun to leave comments on other pins too.

3. Invite some of your friends and fellow pinners to get in on the design too! Have them send their Pinterest user name/handle to Molly's email so she can add them to the group.

While you're at it, I invite you to follow me on Pinterest. Be sure to leave me a comment if you do so that I can follow you back.

Oh, What a Difference Six Months Makes!

2012-02-28T22:00:00.000-05:00

Tonight's the night for Barb's monthly Wild About Mother Nature Party!

Grits and Glamour Blog

I haven't done any gardening yet and I haven't added any new nature inspired vignettes indoors. So I thought it might be fun to do a little comparison.

Take a look at these images taken on my deck one week ago vs six months ago.

COLD BUNNY

WARM BUNNY

WINTER PLANTER

SUMMER PLANTER

WINTER BLOSSOM

SUMMER BLOSSOM

Hurry up Spring!!!

Bay Window Treatment Solution

2012-02-27T01:00:00.000-05:00

We all know that there are many, many options for window treatments for bay windows. You're only limited by your imagination!

Cornices

From my workroom

Valances

From my workroom

Roman Shades

Pottery Barn

Drapery Panels

TYID.tv

Valance mixed with drapery panels

From my workroom

These are the most popular options around, but my most recent client wanted something just a little bit different.

Here is the bay window in her breakfast area.

My client has a lovely modern vibe going on in her home. She prefers clean, tailored lines with an uncluttered look while still having an inviting feel.

We ruled out cornices, valances and roman shades. She liked the idea of drapery panels, but didn't want the expense or the look of window treatment hardware running across the entire top of her windows.

We decided to go with narrow drapery panels mounted on medallions. Instead of traditional drapery medallions, my client chose to use oversized, hammered nickle cabinet knobs.

Here are the installers at work.
(By the way, if you need a terrific installer, let me know. Rodney is beyond awesome!)

And here is the finished look.

What do you think?

BEFORE

AFTER

These are basically narrow, tabtop draperies. I'll put together a tutorial on how I make tabtops in a few days. I'm not sure if time will permit this week or not.

I'll be sharing at these parties:
Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
Meet Me Monday at You Are Talking Too Much

Your Cozy Home Party on Monday at Cozy Home Scenes

Motivated Monday at Be Colorful

Savvy Homemade Monday at Home Savvy A to Z

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Tuesday to Do Party at Blackberry Vine

Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie

Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants

Show and Tell on Wednesday at Blue Cricket Design

Overflowing with Creativity on Wednesdayat It'sOverflowing

Uncommonly Yours on Wednesday at Uncommon Designs

Show and Share on Wednesday at Southern Lovely

It's A Party on Thursday at A Creative Princess

Open House Party Thursday at No Minimalist Here

Share Your Creations on Thursday at Kristen's Creations

Tickled Pink Fridays at 504 Main

Flaunt it Friday at Chic ona Shoestring Decorating

Feature Friday Free for All at Five Days...5 Ways

Addicts (not so) Anonymous on Friday at Addicted 2 Decorating

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors

Sew Darn Crafty Sunday at Sew Many Ways

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming

Simply Klassic Sunday at A Simply KlassicHome

Sunday Worship

2012-02-26T08:25:00.003-05:00

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"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.

Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go".

Joshua 1:9, NIV

How to Deal With Multiple Focal Points

2012-02-22T01:00:00.000-05:00

Let's talk about focal points in room design - specifically in our living spaces such as living rooms and family rooms. You know that thing that your eye automatically goes to when you enter a room? That thing can be a fireplace, large window, built-in bookcase, a large furniture piece, even a big ole blank wall.

Tobi Fairley

Sometimes it's easy to identify what the focal point in a room is or should be.

Sarah Richardson

And sometimes, not so easy. What if your room has multiple focal points? That's exactly what I want to talk about here. How in the world to design a room with multiple focal points that you'll be happy with.

The room below has a large window, a fireplace and a large piece of furniture all in one area. Any one of these features could be considered a focal point on it's own, but with them grouped in one spot and with nothing to draw my eye, I don't know where to focus my attention. In spite of the lovely furnishings and accessories, the room has an unsettled feel to it.

Discovery and Roomakers

Every room and situation is different, but here are basic guidelines for dealing with multiple focal points when designing your living space.

1. Choose the element you most want to draw attention to.
Choose wisely because remember, this is where the eye of you and your guests will go. Do you have a large window - say with beautiful moulding that you'd like to highlight? That's wonderful, but make sure there's a lovely view outside of that window before you take steps to invite attention to it. How about a fireplace? Before making it the main focus, make sure it's clean and in good repair.

You'll also want to consider the main use of the space. Is it for watching tv? Lounging and reading? Entertaining? Each of these would likely impact what you choose as your main focal point.

Candice Olson

2. Take steps to draw the eye.

Now that you've decided what you want the main focal point to be, there are several "tricks" you can use to emphasize the area. Here are a few:
-Arrange the furniture so that the largest pieces are facing the main focal point.
-If the furniture can't face the focal point, then arrange it in such a way that it "leads" the eye where you want it to go.
-Adding pops of color in pillows, art or accessories will draw the eye.
-If a window will be your main focal point, use fabric for the window treatments that has some color and/or a lovely pattern. Decorative trim will also help to draw the eye.
-Paint the wall where the main focal point is located an accent color or add wallpaper or stenciling just to that one wall.

Candice Olson

3. De-emphasize the secondary focal point(s)
-Tone down the secondary focal point(s) by softening it with the use of paler colors, simple patterns and/or smoother textures.
-If the view out of that fabulous window isn't so great, use simple window treatments with clean lines and soft colors.
-If you aren't trying to make the fireplace the main focal point, keep artwork, accessories on the mantle and hearth simple and to a minimum. Same goes for bookcases.
-If you have a situation where there is a built-in entertainment center right beside a fireplace, consider painting the secondary focal point the same color as the walls.

Candice Olson

4. More tips on furniture.
-Create multiple groups of furniture within the room. Use the largest pieces around the main focal point. Use fewer and smaller pieces grouped together at or near the secondary focal point. Such as a smaller pair of occasional chairs flanking a fireplace (the secondary focal point) with the couch and larger pieces turned toward the tv (the main focal point).
-A room with multiple focal points won't feel as busy if a monochromatic color scheme is used between the walls and large pieces of furniture.
-If the fireplace and tv are on walls that are opposite of each other, consider using furniture pieces that swivel or are lightweight enough to be turned around.

Southern Livng

I hope you've found these tips helpful! If you have this situation in your home, I'd love for you to share how you dealt with it.

Linking these tips up here:

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Meet Me Monday at You Are Talking Too Much

Your Cozy Home Party on Monday at Cozy Home Scenes

Motivated Monday at Be Colorful

Savvy Homemade Monday at Home Savvy A to Z

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants

Show and Tell on Wednesday at Blue Cricket Design

Overflowing with Creativity on Wednesdayat It'sOverflowing

Uncommonly Yours on Wednesday at Uncommon Designs

Show and Share on Wednesday at Southern Lovely

It's A Party on Thursday at A Creative Princess

Open House Party Thursday at No Minimalist Here

Tickled Pink Fridays at 504 Main

Flaunt it Friday at Chic ona Shoestring Decorating

Feature Friday Free for All at Five Days...5 Ways

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming

Simply Klassic Sunday at A Simply KlassicHome

Art in the Dining Room - Help!

2012-02-21T07:51:00.004-05:00

You may remember that I posted a few weeks ago, about changes I made in my dining room to give it a fresher, more updated look.

I mentioned that I was going to force myself to be patient while looking for just the right artwork for the big blank wall at back of the room.

Well, my patience is wearing thin! I've looked and looked and searched and searched and just can't find something already framed that's affordable. I finally decided to just order some prints from Art.com, but now I'm waffling over which ones to purchase.

Thankfully, a new bloggy friend, Molly who writes the amazing blog, The Waffler, stepped in and offered to help! Molly has posted my dilemma and the prints that I'm considering over on her fun blog. I would so appreciate it if you would head over to The Waffler and vote for which option you think I should go with!

Giveaway Winner!

2012-02-20T08:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Snowy Monday everyone!

I took this picture on my deck this morning. I'm sure my neighbors wondered what that crazy lady in the pink bathrobe and flip flops was doing outside as the sun was coming up!

A huge heartfelt Thank You to everyone who participated in the giveaway! And a huge heartfelt Thank You to Kostas, owner of the Etsy shop Artistico, for providing this lovely handmade canvas poster!

And the winner is........

Anne Marie who blogs at Blissfully Ever After!

(I used Random.org to generate the winner, but for some reason couldn't capture a picture of the widget, so I hope you'll trust my result!)

I'll send you an email, Anne Marie, so that you can send me your address.

Thank you again everyone. I hope each and every one of you has a blessed week!

Sunday Worship

2012-02-19T06:52:00.000-05:00

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Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Ths 5: 16-18, NLT

DIY Updated Kitchen Feature

2012-02-16T01:00:00.000-05:00

If you loved Angela's laundry room, you're going to adore her kitchen!

I've mentioned to you before that Angela and Kevin are huge diyer's. They have proven to me that they are fearless and will tackle things that would send me scurrying away.

Here's their kitchen before any updates were done.

Oak cabinets, wallpaper, teal laminate counters, white vinyl flooring with teal flowers...you get the picture. All these elements were in place when they purchased the house.

Take a look at it now. Yeah, baby!

They kept the original cabinets since they are structurally sound. Crown molding was added to the top of the cabinets and then everything was primed, painted and glazed. To glaze the cabinets, Angela mixed one part of a creamy white, semi-gloss paint to three parts of a mixing glaze. She used a chocolate brown paint to mix with the glaze. The glaze was brushed on, then wiped off using an old cloth. Angela then used a horsehair brush to swipe over everything to give it a weathered French country look.

Appliques were added to the end of the cabinets and the front of the sink cabinets. Angela didn't wipe as much of the glaze off in those areas, so as to better show the detail.

See that panel on the front of the dishwasher in the above picture? It looks just like costly cabinet facing was added, but nope - Angela applied picture frame molding to the front of the dishwasher. Guess what she used to attach the molding...hot glue! The whole thing was then primed, painted and glazed using the same technique as was used on the rest of the cabinets.

Did you notice the big gaping space above the sink in the before picture? Angela and Kevin weren't happy with that. Here's their solution.

To make the "shelf", they basically just built a box out of builder grade pine, added crown molding, then proceeded to prime, paint and glaze the whole thing. How did a light fixture get there, you ask? They drilled through the bottom of a cabinet and ran the wiring around the inside of the cabinets and up into the box.

Here's a picture of what all the wiring looks like tucked into a corner of the cabinet.

Did you notice the pretty backsplash that they installed themselves?

More cabinets and the stove are located off to the left of the sink. Thinking ahead, they ran the backsplash all the way down behind the control panel and top part of the stove in anticipation of a new stove they plan to purchase in the future.

Do you see the glow on top of the cabinets? They were able to add rope lights there by drilling a hole through the top of the cabinets to access the power where the microwave is plugged in.

They also added lighting below the cabinets by accessing the power in the same way. Molding was added to the bottom of the cabinets to hide the lights from view. Just touch the round white button attached to the side of the microwave to turn the lights on. If I remember correctly, the lights can be dimmed.

I love the chalkboard and twiggy wreath. Can you tell that I was there over Christmas?

The free standing island received the same paint treatment as the cabinets. A new granite top was added to it when the granite was added to the rest of the kitchen.

The new kitchen table and chairs is in the corner opposite from the sink. I love that the woods don't match. It keeps the area from looking too matchy matchy. Angela made a wise choice when she purchased stools with round backs so that they mimic the shape of the round table.

Aren't the floors gorgeous? I about fell over when Angela told me that they are peel and stick linoleum! Even standing right on top of them, I couldn't believe it. They look so much like real hardwood that I had to reach down and feel the floor.

I sure do hope you enjoyed touring Angela and Kevin's awesome kitchen! It just goes to show what can be done with a little ingenuity and sweat equity.

Pssst! You can see more of Angela and Kevin's home here, here and here.

I'll be sharing their kitchen at these parties:

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Meet Me Monday at You Are Talking Too Much

Your Cozy Home Party on Monday at Cozy Home Scenes

Motivated Monday at Be Colorful

Savvy Homemade Monday at Home Savvy A to Z

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie

Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants

Show and Tell on Wednesday at Blue Cricket Design

Overflowing with Creativity on Wednesdayat It'sOverflowing

Uncommonly Yours on Wednesday at Uncommon Designs

Show and Share on Wednesday at Southern Lovely

It's A Party on Thursday at A Creative Princess

Open House Party Thursday at No Minimalist Here

Share Your Creations on Thursday at Kristen's Creations

Tickled Pink Fridays at 504 Main

Flaunt it Friday at Chic ona Shoestring Decorating

Feature Friday Free for All at Five Days...5 Ways

Come Party with a Blonde on Friday at A Blonde's DIY Life

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Weekend Wrapup Party on Saturday at Tatertots and Jello

Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming

Simply Klassic Sunday at A Simply KlassicHome

Spheres!

2012-02-15T01:00:00.000-05:00

Do you have an addiction to orbs and spheres like I do? I love them all - all colors, all textures, all sizes and so on. If they're round and can be used as home decor - I love 'em!

Well, apparently Jess, over at Hill Country Homebody has a love affair with them too. She found some over at West Elm, but the large one is $29 and the smaller one is $16. Not terribly expensive, but Jess knew she could recreate the look for much less and she graciously agreed to allow me to share her spheres with all of you!

I was just amazed what Jess was able to envision and recreate for less than $10!

Head on over to see Jess at Hill Country Homebody for the easy directions on how you can create some of these yourself.

Be sure to let me know if you make any of your own. I'd love to feature them on my Facebook page!

***Don't miss out on the giveaway going strong here!***

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T01:00:00.000-05:00

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Happy Valentine's Day!

I want to wish everyone a wonderful Valentine's Day. I'm so thankful for all of you and your friendship!

***Don't miss out on the giveaway going on here!***

A Little Switcharoo and A Giveaway!

2012-02-13T01:00:00.000-05:00

This giveaway is now closed.

When I was re-decorating my master bedroom, I created this vignette on the table that resides between two chairs in the sitting area.

The little piece of artwork hanging on the wall was just that - a little piece of art that I was using as a filler until I could find just the right thing.

You may have noticed that I have several bird items scattered throughout the room so I was excited when I came across Artistico while searching on Etsy. I found the exact type of artwork that I was looking for! It is mixed media on artist's canvas. I love the vintage feel of the typography and all of the colors that were used in creating this piece.

Here's the piece all framed, in it's new home.

It isn't all that much larger than the piece that it replaced, but the chunkier frame and bright colors are just right tucked into this vignette.

When I placed my order, Kostas, the owner of Artistico, contacted me about giving away one of his lovely creations. I jumped on the chance! So along with my piece, Kostas also sent this awesome 17.5" x 12.5" piece.

Here's how Kostas describes it:

art works on cotton canvas vintage handmade poster. fine art birds on manuscript typography, retro old PRINT and gold leafing details TITLE: Death collectors
size 11,69 X 16,535 inches in cotton canvas
Mixed media art with gold leafing acrylics and satin varnish finish. BEAUTIFUL PRINT
It is printed with Archival High Quality inks.
All my prints Signed, dated by artist.

I'm really excited to be able to offer this piece of mixed media art to you!

The giveaway begins right now and will be open until Sunday, Feb. 19th at midnight.

A couple of points to know before we get to the fun part:
1. To enter this contest, you must have a US shipping address. There is no shipping charge.
2. You are NOT required to have a blog to enter.
3. No exchange is available.

Entering the contest is easy! You must do at least one of the following four things:

1. Follow Worthing Court with my newly installed Linky Followers tool. You do not have to have a blog to use Linky Followers. Go here to sign up, if you haven't already.

2. Follow Worthing Court using Google Friend Connect.

3. Like Worthing Court on Facebook.

4. Follow Worthing Court on Twitter.

Make sure you leave a comment telling me which way(s) you follow Worthing Court. If you follow Worthing Court using more than one of the above ways, make sure you leave a comment for each one.

You can have additional entries by doing one or all of the following:
1. Share this giveaway on your Facebook page. Leave a comment saying that you did.

2. Tweet about this giveaway. Leave a comment.

3. Do a post on your blog about this giveaway. Make sure your post includes a link back to Worthing Court. This one counts as two entries, so leave two separate comments!

***Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry.***

I'll be using Random.org to chose a winner. Each comment counts as an entry, so take advantage of the many ways to increase your chances!

This contest will end at 12:00 am, EST on Sunday, February 19th. The winner will be announced on Monday, February 20th!
Once a winner is announced, you'll have three days to email me with your shipping information.

If I don't hear from the winner within the specified amount of time, another winner will be drawn.

I wasn't compensated for this giveaway in any way. I'm just happy to be able to share this fine piece of mixed media art with all of you.

A huge "Thank You" to Kostas Tsipos, owner of the Etsy shop Artistico, for providing the beautiful piece!

Sunday Worship

2012-02-12T01:00:00.000-05:00

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Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

I Cor 13: 4-8, NIV

Valentine's Day Decor

2012-02-10T01:00:00.000-05:00

I've been a real slacker and have done virtually no decorating at my house for Valentine's this year. Only one measly little vignette in the kitchen that isn't worth showing you.

BUT - don't despair - I've got you covered!

My sweet and talented friend Nancy, loves to decorate for the various seasons and holidays around her beautiful home. I think she is a master at it!

Let's start at the most logical place - the front door where Nancy has this fabulous, oversized, lucious, pink, feather, heart shaped wreath. She made this using three feather boas wrapped around a cardboard heart cutout. All she had to do was hot glue the ends.

The bench in the foyer sports these adorable pillows atop a leopard print fabric. Nancy found the inspiration for the heart pillow she made at Diary of a Quilter.

I just adore the fabric combinations and I'm drooling over the pink zebra fabric!

This pretty vignette is on the table beside the bench. I love how she incorporated her greenery covered orbs. Why can't I think to do that???

Nancy has a fabulous oval crockery urn that sits atop her dining room table. It works great for filling with seasonal "stuff".

I know the picture is pretty blurry, but I hope you get the idea.

The urn is filled with all kinds of goodies. The fabulous pink heart was custom made. It's meant to hang on the wall, but I think it's perfect here in her Valentine's urn. So many textures mixed together. It is just beautiful in my book!

Come on into the kitchen where Nancy has such an inviting table set.

Such pretty place settings. Do you see the "I love you" tucked into the napkin?

Boy, do these tulips make me wish for Spring!

I hope you enjoyed this little mini tour of Nancy's Valentine's Day decor!

If you'd like to see more of Nancy's beautiful home, click here where you'll find several posts featuring her awesome Christmas decor.

I'll be linking to these parties:

It's A Party on Thursday at A Creative Princess

Open House Party Thursday at No Minimalist Here

Share Your Creations on Thursday at Kristen's Creations

Tickled Pink Fridays at 504 Main

Flaunt it Friday at Chic ona Shoestring Decorating

Feature Friday Free for All at Five Days...5 Ways

Come Party with a Blonde on Friday at A Blonde's DIY Life

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors

Sew Darn Crafty Sunday at Sew Many Ways

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming

Simply Klassic Sunday at A Simply KlassicHome

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Meet Me Monday at You Are Talking Too Much

Your Cozy Home Party on Monday at Cozy Home Scenes

Motivated Monday at Be Colorful

Savvy Homemade Monday at Home Savvy A to Z

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants

Show and Tell on Wednesday at Blue Cricket Design

Overflowing with Creativity on Wednesdayat It'sOverflowing

Uncommonly Yours on Wednesday at Uncommon Designs

Show and Share on Wednesday at Southern Lovely

Natural Elements Around the House

2012-02-07T22:08:00.002-05:00

My bloggy friend, Barb, from Grits and Glamour, is hosting a fun linky party. It's all about decorating with Mother Nature. I thought I'd highlight some of the natural elements that I've used in my home decor.

I love using natural elements as part of my home decor and have bits and pieces in various rooms throughout the house.

I recently shared the updates that I've made in my dining room with you. I added this bowl on a footed stand filled with decorative orbs to the sideboard. The paler green orb in the foreground is a styrofoam ball that I covered with reindeer moss. The rest of them were purchased at various places. I really like the way it is reflected in the mirror.

I changed up the dining room table by adding a peace lily placed in a vintage urn. I thought it needed a little something extra, so I added a few sticks cut from a tree in my backyard.

I have more sticks in a vase in my foyer. These are a mix of purchased sticks and sticks from my backyard. I'm in the midst of making some changes to my foyer so I can't show you too much yet!

If you took the tour of my living room, you've already seen this faux boxwood wreath hanging from the bookcase. I really like the texture it adds to the room.

I'm working on this room too, so the only other thing that I can show you is this faux greenery orb resting in a little pot.

More sticks in a vase are in the family room. Yet another combination of purchased and backyard sticks.

I love this crockery urn and filled it with decorative orbs made from straw (I think).

The urn is a new addition to one of the bookcases in the family room.

I changed up the bookcase on the other side slightly by adding a bunch of preserved boxwood stems and even more decorative orbs in a vintage looking brass container.

And finally, I have this woven basket on my coffee table filled with....you guessed it...more decorative orbs.

Sheeesh! After all this, I've realized that I need to see a doctor about my stick and orb obsession!

I hope you'll visit Barb at Grits and Glamour. Check out all of the links for some nature inspired decorating ideas that you can use in your own home. Take a look around while you're there. Barb has a wonderful sense of style and her home is beautiful!

How to Add Style to a Small Bedroom

2012-02-07T01:00:00.000-05:00

When I shared my master bedroom makeover with you, I received several comments about the size of the room. I'll admit that it is a large room, as master bedrooms go, but to me it's just a lot of wasted space. More to decorate, I guess, but still a lot of space that we don't really use. I'd much rather have a smaller, cozier, more intimate space to serve as my master bedroom.

Well...that got me to thinking. When a very limited amount of space is available, what can be done to make a small bedroom stylish?

1. Stylish Walls

Many people will say that the walls in a small space should always be light in color. I believe it's purely a matter of personal preference.

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If you decide that lightly colored walls aren't for you, repeating shades of the wall color throughout the room will result in a more unified look.

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Painting one wall a darker color than the surrounding walls will add a sense of depth.

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2. Stylish Bedding

The bed is likely to be the largest single element in your bedroom. How you dress it will make all the difference in the world. Keeping it simple and crisp will create an open feel while still looking inviting and luxurious. Bedding with a lot of pattern, no matter how beautiful, has the potential to create a cluttered look.

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3. Stylish Furniture

An upholstered headboard can add a real feeling of luxury to your bedroom and will create a wonderful focal point. This is a great place to add a pop of color and/or pattern without overwhelming the room.

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If the space in your bedroom is so tight that you can't spare the inches for a headboard, adding a faux headboard is a great money saving option and takes up zero floorspace. Directions for this technique can be found here.

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Another space saving, inexpensive option for a headboard is to simply paint one.

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If a knee wall is the only place for your bed to go, don't despair. Swagging a piece of fabric is a stylish headboard solution.

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Leaving off the footboard is like giving yourself a gift of glorious floor space. It may even allow enough room for a storage ottoman, bench or desk at the foot of the bed.

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Furniture that serves multiple duties is a real plus in a small bedroom. A table beside the bed can serve as both a nightstand and a desk.

Don't have room for a full size end table? How about cutting a table in half (or even smaller) and attaching it to the wall with small angle irons.

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Another option for a nightstand is a bracket or small shelf hung on the wall. Less visual space is used since no furniture is resting on the floor.

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In a child's room or guest room, a daybed saves valuable floor space.

We all know that bunkbeds are another great space saving option. But why not dress them up?

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Ghost chairs provide seating and take up little visual space.

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4. Stylish Storage

A shadow box turns jewelry storage into art.

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Replacing closet doors with fabric can be a good solution for dealing with doors that get in the way. Using fabric that is similar to the wall color will give a more cohesive look.

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Pretty boxes, stacked together, are a great way to store smaller items in a stylish way.

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Don't let a knee wall be get you down (pun intended!). Add a bench for display space. The empty space below becomes a great place for pretty storage baskets.

via

Don't waste valuable wall space! Slat storage panels can be cut to any shape. Add attractive hanging containers and you're in business.

via

Containers of any type hanging on the wall not only look great, but provide a useful spot for storing books and magazines.

via

Beds with drawers below have come a long way in the last few years. There are many, many styles and price ranges to choose from.

via

Turn your closet into a feature. Opening your closet up can give the illusion of a larger room.

via

5. Stylish Accessories and Lighting

Plenty of light is key to giving the feel of more space in a small room. Dark corners will make a room feel small. Wall mounted light fixtures are a great alternative if there isn't room to place a lamp on a table beside the bed.

via

An attractive hanging light fixture or the sparkle of a chandelier can bring a small space to life. Just be careful of the size. A too large light fixture can visually fill up a room.

via

A striped rug can visually lengthen or widen a room.

via

Be careful with accessories. Too many will create the appearance of a lot of clutter. Too few will create a not so stylish sparse or unfinished look.

via

Besides the obvious utilitarian use of a mirror, they also bring additional light into the room. More light equals a more spacious feel.

via

I could go on, but I think this post has turned out to be long enough!

Do you have any tips for creating style in a small bedroom? Do share - I'm sure there are many of us who would like to know!

I'll be sharing these tips here:

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Meet Me Monday at You Are Talking Too Much

Your Cozy Home Party on Monday at Cozy Home Scenes
Motivated Monday at Be Colorful

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants

Show and Tell on Wednesday at Blue Cricket Design

Overflowing with Creativity on Wednesdayat It'sOverflowing

Uncommonly Yours on Wednesday at Uncommon Designs

Show and Share on Wednesday at Southern Lovely

It's A Party on Thursday at A Creative Princess

Open House Party Thursday at No Minimalist Here

Tickled Pink Fridays at 504 Main

Flaunt it Friday at Chic ona Shoestring Decorating

Feature Friday Free for All at Five Days...5 Ways

Come Party with a Blonde on Friday at A Blonde's DIY Life

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming

Simply Klassic Sunday at A Simply KlassicHome

My Favorite Pets

2012-02-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

All of my babies have grown up and flown the coop - except for these two rascals. Allow me to introduce you to Maggie aka Diva Dog (left) and Opie aka Ferocious Guard Dog (right). My new bloggy friends may not have met these two before, but if you've been a reader for a while, you've seen them before.

(Picture taken in my master bedroom)

You may be wondering why I'm posting about my babies today. Well, it's because Alison over at

The Polohouse will be hosting her monthly link party today, Favorites on the First. This month it's all about our favorite pets!

Do you know Alison? If you don't, you really should stop by to meet her at The Polohouse. A sweeter lady, there could not be. She lives in a former polo barn and stable that has been converted into a house. It is jaw-dropping so be prepared to stay awhile!

Back to my babies. There couldn't be two dogs with more different personalities.

Maggie is "Diva Dog" up one side and down the other. She's very affectionate, loves to receive attention, is very vocal and always has a lot to say. She is every bit a girly girl.

Opie is a boy through and through. He's the sweetest, most patient, most gentle, most laid back dog ever. That's why his nickname, "Ferocious Guard Dog", is so tongue-in-cheek.

Maggie follows me e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e and always wants to be a part of whatever I'm doing. It's hard for me to even take a picture without her in it.

(Picture taken at our beach condo)

Opie just does his thing. Sometimes he's so aloof, he seems more like a cat than a dog.

Wherever I am, there's Maggie.

Opie just keeps on doin' his own thing.

(Excuse the poor quality phone picture.)

Hope you enjoyed this little peek at my Favorite Pets. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone else's at Alison's party!

Pssst! If you want to see more favorite pet cuteness, head over here.

Laundry Room Feature

2012-01-31T01:00:00.000-05:00

Today I want to show you an adorable, and believe it or not inviting, laundry room. This amazing laundry room belongs to my friend, Angela. And let me tell you, not one detail was overlooked.

This doesn't look like the entrance to any laundry room that I've ever seen!

I just love the harlequin wallpaper that Angela added. Instead of just adding a plain ole rod for hanging clothes, Angela used a pretty curtain rod with finials.

Here's a closer look at the wall arrangement above the little chest.

Even her washer and dryer are gorgeous. They are the jewelry for the room.

Angela replaced the utility cabinets that were originally in this room with these much nicer oak cabinets and added decorative hardware. I didn't get a picture, but crown moulding was added to the tops of the cabinets. The cubbies under the cabinets are actually shoe holders from the closet section at Lowes.

This cute rooster mailbox resides atop the cabinets hanging above the washer/dryer. Can't leave out the roo. They're like bunnies, you can never have too many!

I'll end with the view looking back toward the kitchen.

I hope you enjoyed touring Angela's wonderful laundry room. Maybe my laundry wouldn't feel like such a chore if I had a room like this!

In case you missed it, you can see more of Angela's house here and here.

I'll be sharing Angela's laundry room at these parties:

Metamorphosis Mondayat Between Naps on thePorch

Meet Me Monday at You AreTalking Too Much

Your Cozy Home Party on Monday at Cozy Home Scenes

Motivated Monday at Be Colorful

Savvy Homemade Mondayat Home Savvy A to Z

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie

Tutorials and TipsTuesday at Home Stories A to Z

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Show and Tell on Wednesday at Blue Cricket Design

Overflowing with Creativity on Wednesday at It's Overflowing

Uncommonly Yours on Wednesday at Uncommon Designs

Show and Share on Wednesdayat Southern Lovely

It's A Party onThursday at A CreativePrincess

Open House PartyThursday at No Minimalist Here

Share Your Creationson Thursday at Kristen'sCreations

Tickled Pink Fridays at 504 Main

Flaunt it Friday at Chic ona Shoestring Decorating

Feature Friday Free for All at Five Days...5 Ways

Addicts (not so)Anonymous on Friday at Addicted2 Decorating

Come Party with a Blonde on Friday at A Blonde's DIY Life

Inspiration Friday atAt the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Weekend Wrapup Party on Saturday at Tatertots and Jello

Saturday Nite Specialat Funky Junk Interiors

Sew Darn CraftySunday at Sew Many Ways

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table andDreaming

Simply Klassic Sunday at A Simply KlassicHome

Sunday Worship

2012-01-29T01:00:00.000-05:00

source

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ , who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Col 3:1-4, NIV

Updating the Dining Room

2012-01-27T01:00:00.000-05:00

It never fails that after all of the Christmas stuff has been stashed away and ~~all~~ ~~most~~ every bit of the glitter that I can see has been vacuumed up, I struggle with putting my house back together. The same decor that I may have loved before now looks boring and dated. This year I was determined not to put everything back the same old way. I wanted to do something to freshen things up.

I don't have the $$$ to replace all of my furniture - nor do I want to - at least not all of it. ;o) One day I had a light bulb moment when it occurred to me that I didn't have to replace my furnishings and repaint every room to get a fresh look. Sooo...I decided to try my hand at mixing my traditional/transitional furnishings with a few more modern accessories with maybe a vintage item or two thrown in for good measure. Sound easy? Well, it hasn't been. It has been harder than I thought.

This is what my dining room looked like before Christmas.

And this is what it looks like today.

Funny, when I look at these pictures together, the room doesn't look that different. You'll have to trust me when I say it definitely is!

I started off by updating the chandelier. Here it is after Mr. Worthing took it down for me. I was so over the brown. I added the layer of dust for your viewing pleasure. Where oh where does all this dust come from?!?!?!

It took three different spray paints plus Rub n Buff before I was able to achieve the antique gold color that I was after. The Krylon paint on the far left was a pretty color, but the gold was too soft - more of a champagne color. The Ace Metallic was the perfect color, but for some reason it didn't react well with the metal. What finally gave me the color I was after is the Rust-oleum with Rub n Buff in Antique Gold added all over as a final coat.

Here is what she looks like now.

You can see that I removed the sage green chandelier shades and replaced the bulbs. Mr. Worthing looked at me sideways over those bulbs. I like that the bulbs kind of look like bubbles when they aren't turned on.

I already had these red urns. The lids are a bronzey, gold metallic. This vintage cache pot was in my mother's family for years. I believe it belonged to my grandparents who lost most everything in the Great Depression. I decided to spare you a picture of the inside where you could have seen the big ole crack where Mama glued it back together after I sat in it when I was little.

The colors are just right for this room - red with a soft green background and touches of gold.

Looking at the room from this angle, you'll see that I removed the pendants with tassels from the drapery panels. I think it helps to take some of the heaviness away.

BEFORE

AFTER

Over on the sideboard, I added a new bowl and two new lamps - all purchased at HomeGoods. We won't talk about how many lamps I returned before I found these. You can't see it in this pic, but the lamps have just a touch of gold around the edges of the fat parts of the base. I removed the pillows from the chairs and also removed the plate racks that were hanging on the wall on either side of the mirror.

BEFORE

AFTER

At the other end of the room, I removed the urn filled with faux greenery and the oil painting that my Auntie Syl painted. Don't worry - the painting will be gifted to my daughter who treasures my aunt's paintings just as much as I do.

BEFORE

AFTER

I'm planning to add some artwork to the wall beside the doorway going into the family room. Probably a grouping of some sort, but I don't want it to be too predictable. I'm f-o-r-c-i-n-g myself to be patient until the right thing comes along.

That pretty much sums up all of the changes that I've made so far. So many of you are experts at mixing the old and the new. What do you think? Please be honest, but gentle (I have thin skin!). Have I taken any mis-steps? Should I change the fabric on the chairs to something more updated? The chair fabric colors blend perfectly with the drapery fabric. Should I replace the pillows that were in the two armchairs with ones made using a more updated fabric and no fringe or trim?

I'll be linking up to these parties:

Metamorphosis Mondayat Between Naps on thePorch

Meet Me Monday at You AreTalking Too Much

Your Cozy Home Party on Monday at Cozy Home Scenes

Motivated Monday at Be Colorful

Savvy Homemade Mondayat Home Savvy A to Z

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Tutorials and TipsTuesday at Home Stories A to Z

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Show and Tell on Wednesday at Blue Cricket Design

Overflowing with Creativity on Wednesday at It's Overflowing

Uncommonly Yours on Wednesday at Uncommon Designs

Show and Share on Wednesdayat Southern Lovely
What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants

It's A Party onThursday at A CreativePrincess

Open House PartyThursday at No Minimalist Here

Share Your Creationson Thursday at Kristen'sCreations

Tickled Pink Fridaysat 504 Main

Flaunt it Friday atChic on a Shoestring Decorating

Feature Friday Free for All at Five Days...5 Ways

Addicts (not so)Anonymous on Friday at Addicted2 Decorating

Come Party with a Blonde on Friday at A Blonde's DIY Life

Inspiration Friday atAt the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Weekend Wrapup Party on Saturday at Tatertots and Jello

Saturday Nite Specialat Funky Junk Interiors

Sew Darn CraftySunday at http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table andDreaming

Simply Klassic Sunday at A Simply KlassicHome

Shutter Love

2012-01-23T01:00:00.000-05:00

I love, no, make that I adore vintage shutters! They are so versatile.

My new bloggy friend Sherry, over at Sherry's Bees Nest is the lucky owner of all of these!

I just had to share some of the clever ways that she is using them.

I've seen many lovely mantles where shutters are used as part of a vignette. Sherry's mantle vignette is just wonderful. I love the daisies in the galvanized bucket too!

Here's a great idea that falls into the category of "Why didn't I think of that?".

I think this is just the coolest idea for a summer porch or a dark corner in your home. Go here to see how Sherry did it.

We all know that shutters work well for camouflaging items that we'd rather not have anyone see. But I've never seen them used quite this way. I love it!

Go here to see the before and what's hiding behind these shutters.

Ever thought about using shutters to protect your wall in an area that normally receives a lot of abuse?

Let me tell you - the wall closest to our treadmill gets scuffed and dinged all the time. I think this is a great solution!

These are just a few of the many creative ways that Sherry has put her shutters to use. Go visit Sherry to see even more! While you're there, take time to look around. Sherry has lots of inspiring ideas!

Would you love to have some shutters to play with as much as I would? Well, you're in luck! Sherry is hosting a giveaway this week for two sets of shutters - one tall and one shorter.

Go here for all the deets.

Thank you, Sherry, for allowing me to feature your shutter creativity!

Sunday Worship

2012-01-22T09:14:00.000-05:00

(source)

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus;

Who being the very nature of God,

did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

but made himself nothing,

taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to death-

even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Phi 2: 5-11, NIV

Money Saving, Space Saving Headboard Solution

2012-01-18T01:00:00.001-05:00

Just thought I'd share a great idea that I stumbled across the other day over at Metal and Mud. Just maybe there's someone else like me who's been living under a rock and hasn't seen this already. ;o)

It is a headboard that is simply made by attaching fabric to the wall. Metal and Mud used a product called Stiffen Stuff, which can be purchased at Michaels.

Head over to Metal and Mud for a full tutorial. It looks really easy!

Please share if any of you have tried this. I'd love to see!

Master Bedroom Reveal

2012-01-16T01:00:00.005-05:00

I can hardly believe it myself, but my master bedroom is finally complete!

I'll show you around the completed room and hopefully give you an idea of the layout, since you've pretty much only seen bits and pieces up until now.

This is the view as you enter the room.

I replaced the lamp shades since I last showed you the bed area. The new shades are slightly larger than the originals and are covered with burlap type fabric. I recovered the original shades myself in an effort to save money and also tried a little something to make them appear larger, but it was an epic fail. Trust me, you would laugh, not in a good way, if I showed you! To see the original shades and learn more about my budget friendly drapery hardware go here.

I talked about the bedding and pillows here. My tutorial on how to make a pillow sham can be found here and here.

The sitting area has a funny little alcove that I've never shown you before. It's a great place to put the chest of drawers containing Mr. Worthing's clothes.

I placed an organizer/charging station on top to give him a convenient place to drop all of his things each evening.

Part of the re-do was having an electrician install sconces on either side of the mirror. The sitting area is like a cave and the overhead light fixture just wasn't cutting it.

Here's a closer look at the arrangement on top of the dresser. The blue urns came from HobLob, the vanity tray is from HomeGoods and the two blue mercury glass bowls (one has watches in it and the other contains fun rings) came from Garden Ridge. I already had the necklace holder, lamp and clock.

Finding or making pillows for these chairs was the big holdup to me having the room ready for it's final reveal. If you know me, you know that my intention was to make some pillows, but I couldn't find any fabric that looked right. Then one day, I stumbled across these pillows in Kirklands for $9.99 each. That's just about the maximum that I'm willing to pay for a ready-made pillow unless there's something really special about it!

You can read more about the box-pleated tableskirt here.

Directly across from my dresser are these two rocker/swivel chairs and table. I'm not wild about the fabric on these chairs, but it works well enough for now. Because the backs of these chairs is tufted, it was going to cost me at least $250/chair to have them reupholstered. That's not counting the cost of whatever fabric I would use.

The round blue pillow is velvet and was made by my grandmother back in the 60's, I believe. You can read all about the great product that I used to clean the antique velvet here.

I already owned the container holding the hydrangeas. It is metal and was originally a dark brown until I spray painted it a brushed nickel color.

The silver tray holding the artichoke jar and oversized keys, was a 25th wedding anniversary gift that my parents received. I found the keys at Marshalls.

I've already shown you the bookcases that sit directly opposite the foot of the bed. You can see that my shadow, Miss Diva Dog, wanted to get in on the pictures.

I tweaked them a little since the first time I showed them to you. I'm still not sure that I'm finished tweaking. You can read more about the before condition of the bookcases here. I had to take a picture with the glass doors open because of the glare.

Do you remember my dilemma wall? You can read more about how I addressed it and get tips for creating inexpensive framed and matted art here.

Gotta have the before and afters - right?

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER:

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE and AFTER of the antique velvet pillow

I'll close with this little vignette on the nightstand by my side of the bed. That's a picture of my sweet Mr. Worthing on our wedding day.

I'll be linking up to these parties:

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Meet Me Monday at You Are Talking Too Much

Motivated Monday at Be Colorful

Savvy Homemade Monday at Home Savvy A to Z
Your Cozy Home Party on Monday at Cozy Home Scenes

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie

Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z
Overflowing with Creativity on Wednesday at It's Overflowing

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style
Show and Tell on Wednesday at Blue Cricket Design

Uncommonly Yours on Wednesday at Uncommon Designs

Show and Share on Wednesday at Southern Lovely

It's A Party on Thursday at A Creative Princess

Open House Party Thursday at No Minimalist Here

Share Your Creations on Thursday at Kristen's Creations

Feature Friday Free for All at Five Days...5 Ways

Addicts (not so) Anonymous on Friday at Addicted 2 Decorating

Come Party with a Blonde on Friday at A Blonde's DIY Life

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Weekend Wrapup Party on Saturday at Tatertots and Jello

Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors

Sew Darn Crafty Sunday at http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming
Simply Klassic Sunday at A Simply Klassic Home

Sunday Worship

2012-01-15T07:52:00.000-05:00

source

Taste and see that the Lord is good;

blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Psalm 34: 8, NIV

DIY Fireplace Makeover

2012-01-12T01:00:00.007-05:00

My friends, Angela and Kevin are huge diy'ers. When they purchased their home about seven years ago, this is the fireplace that they inherited.

A leak that occurred was just the excuse they needed to give their fireplace an overhaul.

They started out by removing the gas logs. Then began the process of getting rid of all of the stone. The hearth was framed up...

...then completely covered with plywood.

Next up came the framing...

...in preparation for applying plywood to cover the rock on the face of the fireplace.

In the above picture you can see that they have added the base for a mantle and have built the sides out a little.

At last it was time to add all of the trim pieces.

And here is the finished product. Didn't they do an awesome job!

For now the gas logs have been replaced with electric ones. This is what the fireplace looks like today.

The hearth was completely covered with glass tile and rope trim was added around the top edge.

The area above the fireplace was covered with plaster look wallpaper that was applied horizontally. They saw the idea for the stained, horizontal strips on HGTV's Color Splash. They add a decorative touch and also just happen to cover the wallpaper seam.

One more look of the two together.
BEFORE

AFTER

You can see more of Angela and Kevin's home here, where it is all decked out for Christmas.

Linking up to these parties:

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Meet Me Monday at You Are Talking Too Much

Motivated Monday at Be Colorful

More the Merrier Monday at DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Savvy Homemade Monday at Home Savvy A to Z

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Show and Share on Wednesday at Southern Lovely
Overflowing with Creativity at It's Overflowing

Open House Party on Thursday at No Minimalist Here

Addicts (not so) Anonymous on Friday at Addicted 2 Decorating

Come Party with a Blonde on Friday at A Blonde's DIY Life

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805
Feature Friday Free for All at Five Days...5 Ways

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming

We Have a Winner!

2012-01-09T09:35:00.000-05:00

Good Monday morning, everyone!

I'm so happy to report that the giveaway was a huge success. The number of you who entered blew me away!

A tremendous Thank You goes to Shabby Apple for providing the necklace!

By the way, Shabby Apple is currently having a sitewide sale - 20% off almost everything! Just click on the Shabby Apple picture on my sidebar to be taken directly to their site.

Ok, now onto the fun stuff. The winner of the Key to Wonderland Necklace is......Katy who blogs at The Country Blossom!!!! Congratulations Katy - Please respond to my email to you by midnight on Wednesday so that we can get your prize on it's way to you!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered. I wish that I had a necklace to send to each and every one of you!

In honor of Valentine's Day, I'll have another giveaway coming up in early February!

Sunday Worship

2012-01-08T01:00:00.001-05:00

I will extol the Lord at all times;

his praise will always be on my lips.

My soul will boast in the Lord;

let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Glorify the Lord with me;

let us exalt his name together.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me;

he delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant;

their faces are never covered with shame.

This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;

he saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,

and he delivers them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good;

blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Psalm 34:1-8, NIV

Brighten Up Your Home for the New Year

2012-01-06T01:00:00.008-05:00

Just like many of you, January is the month that I feel the need to clear away, declutter and spruce up my surroundings. Christmas is over and all of the decor is finally put away. The house feels empty to me. I'm ready for a fresh start!

source

Today, I'd like to welcome guest poster Lisa, who is going to share three tips for brightening up your home for the new year. Lisa is a specialist in Austin, TX real estate. She's been following real estate trends over the years and is in love with interior design and gardening. She also just happens to be the Senior Op Ed Columnist for Blog Content Guild.

=================================================================

Well, the holidays are finally over and we’re all feeling strangely nostalgic. If you want to get out of the post-holiday blues, all you have to do is brighten up your home to put a smile on your face. Here are some tips to start the new year fresh through interior decor:

1. Clear It Out

google images

As you’re cleaning up your Christmas ornaments or picking up after that New Years party, take a peek around your house and soak in all the things you have, but don’t really need. In fact, when we look at it, we have tons of knickknacks and even furniture that’s just, literally, taking up space. A clear house is a clear mind, so get to spring-cleaning early this year and clear out all the junk. With all the extra space you’ll have, you’ll be able to focus on the architecture and beauty of the house plans, rather than being overwhelmed with furniture.

2. Follow Through with Your Plans

source

Each day, we may hate that we have to crawl over junk in the garage to get to our cars or the fact that we don’t have a bigger closet. Instead of complaining about it, get to it! If your resolution is to have your own bathroom space, check out bathroom vanities online and start making the plans. If you don’t have the funds to throw down for new carpet, tile, or fixtures—then start budgeting. Make an “interior decor fund” and put in a little bit from your paycheck each month. Before you know it, you’ll have enough to buy whatever your heart desires.

3. Take the indoors out.

source

A new trend for 2012 is taking the indoors outside by creating an outdoor space. If you start working now, you can have a beautiful outdoor space by spring. Sitting outside and doing some gardening will help you relax, even after the hectic holiday season.

================================================================

Thank you for some great tips, Lisa!

Shabby Apple necklace giveaway going on until Sunday at midnight.

Go here to enter!

Latte Station

2012-01-03T01:00:00.007-05:00

I spent the last couple of days creating a latte station to accommodate a cool little kitchen gadget that Mr. Worthing bought me for Christmas.

That black thing sitting on the green tray is one of these...

It's a Nespresso Aerroccino and Milk Frother. It's expressly made for frothing milk for both cold and hot beverages. I use it to make lattes, but it's also great for making hot, frothed milk for cappuccinos. It works great for using heated and frothed milk in the place of hot water when making instant hot chocolate too!

I love my lattes and was stopping to get one most every afternoon when I went to pick up Miss M (my 8 yr. old granddaughter) from school. We all know how expensive lattes are - even at McDonalds. This little baby lists for around $99, but mine was purchased with a coupon at Sur La Table for $80. Now I know that's a lot of money for a gadget, but it paid for itself very quickly since I no longer buy lattes from Starbucks or McDonalds.

Let me show you what I did.

I purchased a decorative wooden plaque from Michaels (around $6 with a coupon).

I gave it a light sanding...

...and then lightly sprayed on a coat of primer.

While the primer was drying, I printed the word "Latte" on Word using the Edwardian Script ITC font at a size of 400 pts. You can see that my printer was running out of ink.

I wanted to try my hand at making a stencil from freezer paper, so the next thing I did was to lay a piece of the freezer paper on top of my printed word and trace around the letters.

By this time, the primer was dry so I applied several coats of green spray paint to the plaque. Sorry, I didn't take a picture of this step. Make sure you lightly sand, going with the direction of the grain, between each coat of paint after it has dried. The paint raises the grain of the wood, but sanding between coats will give you a nice, smooth finish.

To make the stencil, I cut out around the letters that I traced. I laid the shiny side of the freezer paper against the plaque, centered the word on the plaque and then ironed it on using an iron set on low. The heat of the iron sort of melts the waxy coating on the freezer paper and temporarily sticks it to the surface.

Next came painting.

I've mentioned before that I'm not the greatest crafter in the world, but at this point I was feeling pleased with how things were coming together. Until I lifted away my stencil, that is.

Grrrrr...not happy. So, I touched up with green and then I touched up again with black and then finally sprayed the whole thing with a glossy clear sealer.

I added some rubber feet to the bottom and black handles, purchased at Lowes, to each side. This is the end result. Not really a project success, and not really a project fail. Instead it's a project that's good enough for me. Those aren't green spots in the middle of the black letters - I guess it's just reflection. Oh and I have no clue why the color is so off in the picture!

Having the cool little milk frother gadget doesn't automatically give you lattes. Nor does having your cool gadget sit on a plaque that says "Latte". You also need strong coffee. I certainly wasn't willing to spend the $$$ for an espresso machine, so here's how I make my lattes. I think they're every bit as good as I've purchased at McDonalds or Starbucks.

First, I make the amount of coffee that I need. I make it two - three times as strong as I would if I were just making a cup of coffee to drink. Then I get the milk frother going while the coffee is brewing. Fill the frother with milk to the highest fill line. This will give you about 6 oz. of frothed, heated milk. It doesn't matter if you use whole, lowfat or skim milk. You'll get frothing even with skim milk. The milk spins around while the frother is doing it's thing.

While the milk is frothing and the coffee is brewing, add sweetened, flavored syrup according to your taste. I've been using Starbuck's vanilla flavored syrup (I think it's $8) in my lattes. Sadly, Starbucks doesn't sell syrups for all of their flavors. :(

Next add the amount of coffee that you'd like to have in your latte to your cup.

When the frother is finished, just remove the lid, pour the frothed milk into your cup, stir and enjoy!

A couple more points about the milk frother:

- It only makes enough milk for one cup.

-To clean it, you just rinse it out with cold water. It isn't immersible.

-It comes with two frothing attachments - one for hot and one for cold. I haven't tried making a cold drink with it yet.

If you already own or purchase one of these gizmos, I'd love to hear how you use yours!

Shabby Apple giveaway is still going strong here!

I'll be linking up here:

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Meet Me Monday at You Are Talking Too Much

Motivated Monday at Be Colorful

More the Merrier Monday at DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Savvy Homemade Monday at Home Savvy A to Z
Overflowing with Creativity on Tuesday at It's Overflowing

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

It's A Party on Thursday at A Creative Princess

Show and Share on Thursday at Southern Lovely

Open House Party Thursday at No Minimalist Here

Share Your Creations on Thursday at Kristen's Creations

Addicts (not so) Anonymous on Friday at Addicted 2 Decorating

Come Party with a Blonde on Friday at A Blonde's DIY Life

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805
Feature Friday Free for All at Five Days...5 Ways

Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors

Sew Darn Crafty Sunday at http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming

Sunday Worship

2012-01-01T01:00:00.001-05:00

(source)

By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,

their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;

he puts the deep into storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the Lord;

let all the people of the world revere him.

For he spoke, and it came to be;

he commanded, and it stood firm.

The Lord foils the plans of the nations;

he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,

the purposes of his heart through all generations.

Psalm 33: 6-11, NIV

2011 Favs

2011-12-30T01:00:00.007-05:00

If you do any looking around the blogosphere, you'll quickly discover that it's "That Time of Year". The time of year for me to report on the favorite posts of 2011. I'm going to list your top three favorites, sorted in a couple of different ways.

Most Views

House Tour - The Family Room

House Tour - The Laundry Room

Even though this post was just one month ago, it made the top three. Wow!

Designer Christmas Decorating Tips

Most Comments

The Family Room and Laundry Room Tours garnered the most comments of all, but since those were included in the top three most viewed, I'll go to the next three posts with the most comments.

Our Beach Condo - Part I

House Tour - The Kitchen

Cleaning an Antique Velvet Pillow

I can't let the year close without expressing how much I've enjoyed getting to know each and every one of you. I've only been blogging for six months, but y'all rock my world!!!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being the loyal readers and friends that you are. There is definitely a learning curve to this blogging thing and I'm so glad that all of you put up with me.

Because of all of you, I can't wait to see what's in store for 2012!

Make sure you get in on the giveaway going on over here!

Linking up to:

Top Projects of 2011 at Southern Hospitality

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming

Addicts (not so) Anonymous on Friday at Addicted 2 Decorating

Come Party with a Blonde on Friday at A Blonde's DIY Life

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

It's A Party on Thursday at A Creative Princess
Overflowing with Creativity on Tuesday at It's Overflowing

Organizing Christmas

2011-12-29T01:00:00.001-05:00

Every single year, I vow and declare to myself that I will organize my Christmas decor when it comes time to put everything away.
Every single year, I only halfway do it.

Every single year, when I'm ready to decorate the mantle (or the tree or whatever), everything is never all in one box.
Every single year, I have to pull down all of the boxes to find all of the stuff for the mantle (or tree or whatever).

Every single year, my whole house is torn up for a solid three weeks while I try to get it all decorated.
And every single year, I'm tired of it all before Christmas even gets here because of how much the mess stresses me out.

Well...I hope I've come up with a way to help myself next year! It isn't rocket science or anything earth shattering. It's just a list. Let me explain.

I've tried several times to attach a list of what's in each box to the exterior, but the lists fall off before the next Christmas gets here because of the temp changes in the garage where my Christmas boxes are stored. So...I wind up having to pull all of the boxes down at one time. Chaos reigns!!!

So, in case you're looking for a way to organize your Christmas decor and in case you're interested, I'll explain my thought process.

I already have eight large storage bins, so I couldn't justify buying all new, clear boxes that I could see through. I had to come up with a way to use what I already have and figure out how to identity what's in each box without trying to attach a list to the outside (since they won't stay).

Believe it or not, the mess that you see in this picture is really an organized mess.

The coffee table holds all of the decorations out of the kitchen (not counting dishes that get stored in cabinets year round), one end of the couch holds all of the mantle decorations, the other end holds all of the tree ornaments, all of the glittery picks used on the tree and in the tree topper are on the floor, the deco mesh poufs used in the tree are in a pile on the floor, the glittery tree garland is in a pile beside the mesh on the floor, miscellaneous items used to create vignettes are in one of the chairs and a yardsale pile has been started in the other. The pile of paper beside the tree is just the packaging material that I use to re-wrap fragile items with when I put them away. Whew!

I basically wound up using a box for each pile of stuff. In some cases, more than one pile would fit in a box. As I packed a box, I wrote out of list of what was in that box. My handwriting is so sloppy that I wound up typing and printing the list.

After all of the boxes were packed and the list was typed, I laid the list on top of the items in one of the boxes. The list will be the first thing that you see when the box is opened.

How am I going to know which box the list is in???? I used a magic marker to number each one of the boxes. The list is in box #1. Next year I should be able to pull down box #1 and know exactly which box I need next without having to pull every.single.box.down. At least that's my plan! ;o)

Here are the boxes all packed and ready to be stored until next year. Pay no attention to the glitter all over the floor - this is pre-vaccumming. Oh and no comments about my dorky looking numbers!

Once everything is packed, Mr. Worthing places all of the boxes on this handy dandy shelf that he added in our garage.

Just in case you're wondering, the garland and various seasonal wreaths are all hanging on nails that we hammered into this wall.

No pretty pictures here, but hopefully my idea will help you out if you struggle with some of the same things that I do.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway that is going strong here!

Linking up to these parties:

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Meet Me Monday at You Are Talking Too Much

Motivated Monday at Be Colorful

More the Merrier Monday at DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Savvy Homemade Monday at Home Savvy A to Z

Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Home Decor and Organizing on Wednesday at Organize and Decorate Everything

It's A Party on Thursday at A Creative Princess

Show and Share on Thursday at Southern Lovely

Addicts (not so) Anonymous on Friday at Addicted 2 Decorating

Come Party with a Blonde on Friday at A Blonde's Life

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805

The Worst Thing About Christmas

2011-12-28T01:00:00.001-05:00

Do you know what I think the worst thing about Christmas is?

THIS!!!

I.do.not.like.putting.the.decorations.away!

This is what I've been doing all day today. But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel - yea!

I struggle every year with organizing the Christmas stuff so that it won't be such a huge mess when it comes time to decorate the following year. I think I may have hit upon a good solution - for me anyway. I'll share it with you Thursday.

How about all of you? Have you started taking down your decorations yet? Do you have any good tips for organizing everything to make it easy for next year? Do share!

The giveaway is going on strong!

Go here to enter.

Christmas Outtakes

2011-12-27T01:00:00.001-05:00

I just can't believe how f-a-s-t Christmas came and went this year!

With all of the hullabaloo, it's going to take me a few days to get back into my routine.

I thought it might be fun to share a few outtake photos taken during our family get-together a week before Chirstmas and a couple taken on Christmas morning.

I snapped this relatively sweet photo of two of my grands, Miss M (on the left) and Miss K in front of my tree.

Oh, how I wish it was as simple as sitting the two of them down and taking a photo. Any of you trying to photograph children know exactly what I mean. ;o) Here are just a few of the outtakes with some accompanying narrative.

Miss M's mother - "You will sit with your sister and like it and smile!!"

Miss K says - "Are you smiling sissie?"

Me - "Let's try for a group shot."

Miss K - "Is everybody smiling?"

Miss K - "Yea! They're all smiling!"

Watch the progression of Miss M's facial expression as Miss K's antics continue.

I finally managed to get one good shot with my daughter, Ms. JB, her fella, Mr. J and Miss K and Miss M.

Me - "Let's try with just the adults."

Ain't gonna happen!

On this night, the dogs were much more well behaved than the adults.

Ferocious Guard dog l-o-v-e-s my sweet stepdaughter, Miss B. He sticks to her like glue when she visits.

However, Diva Dog was mad at me and pouting all night because I made her wear this dress!

On Christmas morning, JUSTIN BIEBER WAS IN THE HOUSE!!!

So was his wannabee.

So how about all of you? Did you accidentally or on purpose take any funny/silly pics over Christmas? Do share!

***IMPORTANT REMINDER ABOUT THE GIVEAWAY***

The giveaway is going strong over here. Thank you to all of you who have taken a few seconds to enter!

However, I have noticed that some people are not becoming a follower of Worthing Court or leaving me a comment that they are already a follower. Becoming a follower (or commenting that you're already one) is a requirement for entering the giveaway. I'm sorry, but if you only do some the extras without becoming a follower, your entry will not count. Please don't miss out on winning this lovely necklace by skipping the requirement step!!!

It's Giveaway Time!

2011-12-26T01:00:00.034-05:00

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU FOR ENTERING!

I'm so excited to present you with my first giveaway!!!

The generous folks over at Shabby Apple are offering you lucky peeps a chance to win a piece of their amazing vintage style jewelry!

They gave me quite a list of pieces to select from, but it was really tough to pick just one. I wanted to choose a piece that would be very versatile, so after much drooling over all of the pieces, I finally settled on the
Key to Wonderland Necklace, which is a $52.00 value.

It's a lovely antique brass vintage reproduction piece suspended on a 24" long chain. I think it will complement most any outfit.

In addition to vintage reproduction jewelry, Shabby Apple offers women's dresses, skirts, swimwear, tween and little girl's dresses. Arts and crafts too!

You'll want to make sure that you "Like" Shabby Apple on Facebook so that you can get in on all of their special promotions and exclusive discounts.

For the next 30 days, Shabby Apple is offering each of you a 10% purchase discount. So see, you're a winner no matter what! Simply click on the Shabby Apple button located on the upper right of my sidebar to be taken directly to their site. Make sure you use coupon code "worthingcourt10off" to receive your discount.

A couple of points to know before we get to the fun part:
1. To enter this contest, you must have a US shipping address.
2. You are NOT required to have a blog to enter.
3. There is no exchange for the winning piece of jewelry.

Entering the contest is easy! Just become a follower of Worthing Court and leave a comment saying either that you're already a follower or that you're a new follower.

You can have additional entries by doing one or all of the following:
1. Like Worthing Court on Facebook. Leave a comment saying that you do.

2. Tweet about this giveaway. Leave a comment.

3. Like Shabby Apple on Facebook. Leave a comment.

3. Share this giveaway on your Facebook page. Leave a comment.

4. Do a post on your blog about this giveaway. Make sure your post includes a link back to Worthing Court. This one counts as two entries, so leave two separate comments!

***Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry.***

I'll be using Random.org to chose a winner. Each comment counts as an entry, so take advantage of the many ways to increase your chances!

This contest will end at 12:00 am, EST on Sunday, January 8th. The winner will be announced on Monday, January 9th!
Once a winner is announced, you'll have three days to email me with your shipping information.

If I don't hear from the winner within the specified amount of time, another winner will be drawn.

I'm a Shabby Apple affiliate, but I haven't been compensated for this giveaway in any way.

Sunday Worship

2011-12-25T01:00:00.001-05:00

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2: 6-14, NIV

Merry Chistmas!

2011-12-24T01:00:00.007-05:00

I pray that each of you, along with

your loved ones, will have a joyous

and blessed Christmas as we

celebrate the birth of our Lord and

Saviour, Jesus Christ!

Christmas at Nancy's - Vignettes

2011-12-23T01:00:00.001-05:00

Today wraps up our tour of Nancy's gorgeous Christmas house. I've shown you many of the rooms in her home, but there are other vignettes scattered about that either I haven't shown you or haven't focused on.

A table and bench in the foyer greet you as you enter Nancy's house.

A sweet vignette with an ornament filled apothecary jar, bauble filled pottery basket and other Christmasy items are arranged on the table located beside the bench.

This cute little table that's also in the foyer sits right outside of the french doors leading into the office.

The red flower accent on the topiary is actually a broach!

There's more to see in the living room than what I showed you on Tuesday. Check out the lovely arrangement on this console table with the sparkling mirror hanging above it.

Here's a closer look at the arrangement. I didn't realize until it was too late that the only "closer look" picture that I took caught some of me in the mirror - sorry!

Simple, yet so pretty candle filled hurricane and a cute pair of quail are on the sofa table behind the couch.

I don't think you can tell, but there are reindeer among the greenery on the coffee table.

More reindeer reside in a light filled bowl on an end table beside the couch.

Nancy very carefully drilled a hole near the bottom of the bowl to feed a strand of lights through. If you try this, make sure that the item you're drilling into isn't anything of value - just in case something goes wrong.

This pretty bow front chest is in the hallway on the way to the master bedroom.

Nancy told me that she guards the "Merry Christmas" ribbon every year to keep it from accidentally getting thrown away!

I know you've already seen the sleigh on the dining room table.

I put this little collage together to give you a better look at all of the bauble filled cloches around it.

We'll end the tour by returning to Nancy's kitchen where this console with open fretwork resides on one wall. No, this isn't a painting of Nancy or anyone related to her! You can see a real picture of this talented lady here.

Nancy is a rooster lover like I know many of you are - myself included! See the little red cardinal resting in the tree?

Pretty decorations in the cabinets and on the counter in this little nook.

And last, but not least this vignette is on the counter in the opening between the kitchen and living room.

The golf attired Santa is very appropriate in this kitchen as both Nancy and her hubbie are avid golfers.

You can see the tour of the rest of Nancy's home here, here, here and here.

You may be a little sad that the Christmas tour of Nancy's delightful home has come to an end, but maybe this will cheer you up...

I'm hosting my very first giveaway beginning Monday, December 26th!!!

I'm only a little excited! ;o) Be sure to come back on Monday for all of the deets.

I'll be linking up here:

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

It's A Party on Thursday at A Creative Princess

Show and Share on Thursday at Southern Lovely

Open House Party Thursday at No Minimalist Here

Share Your Creations on Thursday at Kristen's Creations

Addicts (not so) Anonymous on Friday at Addicted 2 Decorating

Come Party with a Blonde on Friday at A Blonde's Life

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Christmas at Nancy's - The Office

2011-12-22T01:00:00.001-05:00

Nancy's office is located just off of the foyer, behind french doors adorned with one of my fav's - boxwood wreaths. The leopard print accent is just a hint of things to come!

Although I'm not showing your her entire office, I decided to give you more than just a peek.

The tree is just stunning!

It is a wonderful mix of reds, golds, browns, animal print and sparkle.

Nancy used blingy thingys from HobLob to turn simple ornaments into a work of art.

She even created an ornament to celebrate her marriage this year. Notice that the zero in 2011 is a ring!

Large and small wooden "C" letters (her last name starts with the letter C) look just great on this tree.

Even the presents are decked out in all of their finery.

You may have noticed in the first picture that there is a fireplace to right as you enter the office.

Leopard print ribbon is generously interwoven among the lush greenery of the garland.

A trio of candles on one end of the mantle along with pheasants, feathers and stars. One of the candles has a beautiful cross attached to it. And aren't those faux fur stockings wonderful???

Oversized fleur de lis along with a whimsical shopping woman is on the opposite side.

More faux fur stockings on this end too!

This wraps up the room by room tour of Nancy's Christmas house. But come back on Friday when I'll show you more Christmas vignettes that are scattered throughout her home.

You can see Nancy's outdoor decor here, the living room and dining room here and the kitchen here.

Linking up to these parties:

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Meet Me Monday http://youaretalkingtoomuch.blogspot.com/

Motivated Monday at Be Colorful

Making the World Cuter Monday at Making the World Cuter

More the Merrier Monday at DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Savvy Homemade Monday at Home Savvy A to Z

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

It's A Party on Thursday at A Creative Princess

Show and Share on Thursday at Southern Lovely

Open House Party Thursday at No Minimalist Here

Share Your Creations on Thursday at Kristen's Creations

Addicts (not so) Anonymous on Friday at Addicted 2 Decorating

Come Party with a Blonde on Friday at http://ablondesdiylife.blogspot.com/

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Christmas at Nancy's - The Kitchen

2011-12-21T01:00:00.001-05:00

We're continuing the Christmas tour of Nancy's house in her kitchen today.

Nancy's kitchen is such a cheery, light filled room. There's a bay window in the breakfast area and windows across the back that look out over...oh wait...what am I doing???? I almost forgot that I'm only giving you a little peek into her home right now. You'll have to wait until later for the rest!

The kitchen table is all set for Christmas breakfast.

I'm so in love with the table runner that came from

Willow House. She better watch out - it just might disappear along with her front door wreath and the skates on her mantle!

Here's a picture of it from the Willow House website. I want it!

I love the way that Nancy incorporated some of her roosters into the Christmas table setting.

The mix of wicker chargers, burlap, berries and frosted and shiny ornaments adds great interest and texture.

The stacked dishes are so, so pretty!

Pretty Christmas plaid napkin tucked into the bowl.

The cute tree is decorated with a dog and cat theme in mind.

Here's another one of those hats! Remember the green one on the tree in her living room?

Here kitty, kitty! Did you notice the fish buttons on the kitty's jacket?

The puppy dog has bone shaped buttons on his jacket. Gah! So stinkin' cute!

The yorkie ornament is for her baby, Natalee.

A wreath filled with more cute ornaments hangs in the bay window.

I like the positioning of the cow right next to a grill.

Funky chicken!

And last, but not least, these citrusy ornaments make my mouth water.

Come back on Thursday when we'll get a peek inside Nancy's fabulous office!

In case you missed it, you can see Nancy's outdoor decor here, and the living room and dining room here.

Nancy's kitchen will be partying here:

Meet Me Monday at You Are Talking Too Much

Motivated Monday at Be Colorful

Making the World Cuter Monday at Making the World Cuter

More the Merrier Monday at DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Savvy Homemade Monday at Home Savvy A to Z

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch

It's A Party on Thursday at A Creative Princess

Show and Share on Thursday at Southern Lovely

Open House Party Thursday at No Minimalist Here

Share Your Creations on Thursday at Kristen's Creations

Addicts (not so) Anonymous on Friday at Addicted 2 Decorating

Come Party with a Blonde on Friday at A Blonde's Life

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Christmas at Nancy's - The Living Room and Dining Room

2011-12-20T01:00:00.005-05:00

Let's continue our tour of Nancy's Christmas decor by taking a peek into her living room and dining room. Now when I say a peek, I mean a peek. I'm planning a full tour of this gorgeous home after the holidays, so for now I'm just going to tease you a little.

I adore the vignette on top of the entertainment center. What a great idea to hang a wreath on the wall. I assume she used a Command Strip. Smarty pants, that girl is!

Her Christmas tree is perfectly full and lush.

Chock full of colorful, sparkly ornaments.

I have to get one of these hats for my tree next year!

How about a pink parrot on your tree? Too cute!!!

The stacked stone fireplace combined with the decor on the mantle just takes my breath away.

I've never seen an asymmetrical garland on a mantle before. I love it!

An explosion of sparkle rains down on the wreath.

I think Nancy told me that she found these skates at HomeGoods. They just might go missing along with her front door wreath...

Love the juxtaposition of the white ceramic deer mixed with rustic.

Stars spill down the left side of the mantle.

Adorable Santa on the hearth.

The vignette on the dining room table makes a wonderful statement! The sleigh was purchased through Pottery Barn and is a vintage, 1940's era child's sleigh.

It is surrounded by cloches filled with ornaments. The cloche on the far right contains treasured ornaments from her husband's childhood.

The sideboard is all decked out with silver garland draped across the mirror, glittery trees and a very pretty cloche filled with sparkly ornaments.

Sweet reindeer.

I thought you'd like to get a closer look at the cloche.

I hope you enjoyed this little peek into Nancy's living room and dining room. In case you missed it, you can see the outdoor decor here.

Come back on Wednesday for a peek into her kitchen!

I'll be linking to these parties this week:

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

It's A Party on Thursday at A Creative Princess

Show and Share on Thursday at Southern Lovely

Open House Party Thursday at No Minimalist Here

Share Your Creations on Thursday at Kristen's Creations

Addicts (not so) Anonymous on Friday at Addicted 2 Decorating

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Christmas at Nancy's - The Outdoors

2011-12-19T01:00:00.004-05:00

I've been saving a treat to share with you during this last week before Christmas. My friend, Nancy, graciously allowed me to share her beautifully decorated home with you.

A lamppost with a sweet wreath welcomes you as you arrive.

There are lanterns to light your way to the front door at night.

The water in the fountain has been drained for the freezing winter months ahead and filled to the brim with poinsettias. Of course, these are faux as natural ones would never survive in the cold weather.

Spruce filled pots ascend the steps to the front door. Nancy attached painted letters with pretty red ribbon.

The front door is adorned with a fabulous wreath!

Nancy shouldn't be surprised if she notices it missing one day. Just sayin...

A welcoming vignette is located to the left of the front door.

Aren't the stick reindeer cute???

I love this reindeer head that sits atop a topiary form in an urn to the right of the front door. Should have taken a picture of the whole urn, I guess.

This is just the beginning! Come back on Tuesday when we'll take a peek inside her dining room and living room.

I'll be sharing Nancy's lovely home at these parties this week:

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Meet Me Monday http://youaretalkingtoomuch.blogspot.com/

Motivated Monday at Be Colorful

Making the World Cuter Monday at Making the World Cuter

More the Merrier Monday at DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Savvy Homemade Monday at Home Savvy A to Z

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

It's A Party on Thursday at A Creative Princess

Show and Share on Thursday at Southern Lovely

Open House Party Thursday at No Minimalist Here

Share Your Creations on Thursday at Kristen's Creations

Addicts (not so) Anonymous on Friday at Addicted 2 Decorating

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors

Sunday Worship

2011-12-18T07:37:00.000-05:00

(image from The Nativity Story)

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

Luke 2: 1-5, NIV

Final Preparations and a Sneak Peek

2011-12-16T07:14:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone!

I'm up to my elbows with final preparations for our family Christmas celebration that will take place at my house tomorrow night. But I didn't want to end the week without giving you a little tease about a Christmas tour that's coming up next week!

I'm sure all of you are just as busy as me, but I'm more than ready for things to s-l-o-w down so that I can more easily focus and meditate on the true reason for Christmas.

Have a lovely weekend!