• Holidays & Seasons,  Home Decor

    Simple Holiday Tablescape

    I always enjoy decorating for the holidays! There is something so magical about the twinkling lights and sparkly baubles all around. Entertaining guests is also usually on everyone’s agenda, so I pulled together a Simple Holiday Tablescape to share some festive decorating inspiration!

    Simpe Holiday Tablescape

    I’m so glad you are here!

    My simple holiday tablescape is just one stop on the Celebrate Christmas Blog Hop. Leen, my friend from Sand Dollar Lane, has rounded up some amazing talent to share holiday home tours, DIY gift ideas, and tablescapes/centerpieces.

    If you are stopping by from The French Blue Cottage or are new to the blog, welcome!

    One of my favorite parts of putting together a tablescape is being able to shop my home and find different pieces to incorporate into the design. And it is so easy this time of year because there are items that would work all around.

    Table Setting Garland

    As a starting point, I laid a simple garland on top of an old scarf down the center of my table as a runner. I love to create table runners from unique and unexpected items. Then, I kept layering pieces of interest on top.

    Candle Garland Tablescape

    Some cute faux antlers, black and white striped ribbon, the most inexpensive DIY hurricane candle holders

    Faux Antler Ribbon Table Decor

    A small strand of white twinkle lights, and ornaments straight from the Christmas tree all help the centerpiece come together.

    Christmas Table Decor Lights Ornaments

    For each table setting, I gathered up neutral pieces including my favorite striped napkins.

    Neutral Holiday Table Setting

    I even whipped up these cute ornament place cards with curled strips of paper inside featuring each guests’ name.

    Ornament Place Name Card

    This tablescape was so easy to put together. Anyone could do the same by simply borrowing holiday decor items from around your own home and throwing in a little creativity.

    Table Setting for 4

    What do you think of our Simple Holiday Tablescape? Have you ever used unconventional items while decorating? It’s a great way to mix things up!

    Black White Table Setting

    Thank you so much for stopping by!

    I hope you enjoyed seeing how I pulled this look together. And you have to check out my friend Kendra’s (Joy In Our Home) creative tablescape, as well as the rest of the fun holiday ideas included in this round-up!

    Sand Dollar Lane  //  Aratari at Home  //  Postcards From the Ridge  //  Sweet Pea

     

    Worthing Court  //  Atta Girl Says  //  Sonya Burgess  //  Kippi at Home

     

    White Arrows Home  //  Cribbs Style  //  Dabbling & Decorating  //  One House 2 Barns

     

    My Family Thyme  //  The February Fox  //  A Life Unfolding

     

    My Wee Abode  //  The Tattered Pew  //  Thistlewood Farms

     

    Artsy Chicks Rule  //  2 Bees in a Pod  //  Zucchini Sisters (not shown)  //  The Little by Little Home

     

    The French Blue Cottage  //  Elizabeth Joan Designs  //  Joy in Our Home

     

    Thistle Key Lane  //  Noting Grace

  • Holidays & Seasons

    Uncommon Goods Fun and Unique Gift Guide

    I’ve partnered up with Uncommon Goods this holiday season to bring you a fun and unique gifts. I was not financially compensated for this post, but I did receive free product for review. All opinions are my own. Read my full disclosure.

    Fun and Unique Gifts For Everyone On Your List

    The holidays are fast approaching and I’m always on the lookout for fun and unique holiday gifts! We’ve been fans of Uncommon Goods for a while now and love looking through their selection of products. Here, I’ve gathered some of my favorites for 2019!

    Bedside Smartphone Vase

    I love how this Bedside Smartphone Vase can corral cords and dress up a nightstand with some pretty flowers all in one. The upright design makes it easy to see your alarm and waking up to a charged phone is always a plus!

     

    Bristle Free Grill Brush

    Ever since I saw an article about people accidentally swallowing bristles from grill brushes, we’ve been hesitant to use one. But this Bristle Free Grill Brush takes away the worry. Guess what my hubby is getting for Christmas?

     

    Long Distance Touch Bracelet Set

    With my husband traveling a lot for work, many times it is hard to find time to connect. The Long Distance Touch Bracelet Set has been an awesome way for us to let each other know that we are thinking of the other. Just a few taps and it vibrates on your wrist for the other person to feel. It’s simple fun, yet unobtrusive.

     

    Overnight Foot Care Kit

    Who couldn’t use a little pedicure love? The Overnight Foot Care Kit has a yummy Rosemary Mint cream and plush socks that will soften and freshen those tootsies of yours.

    Urban Map Glass

    The Urban Map Glasses are perfect for serving up choice cocktails to guests while reminiscing about your favorite city! There are multiple options to choose from, although I personally would go with the best city of Columbus. *wink*

    For Kids

    Little Patient

    Little Doctors/Nurses will love playing with the Little Patient. This cute doll is a great tool for helping kids learn about the body.

     

    Glowing Bath Time Pals

    The Glowing Bath Time Pals will be making an appearance in my kids’ stockings this year. How fun are these light up bath toys? They are liquid activated, so the fun lasts as long as the water does.

     

    Kid’s Ready to Rise Alarm Clock

    My son has had the Kid’s Ready to Rise Alarm Clock for several months and it has been great for helping him get up in the mornings for school. We can even set the sleep trainer for the weekends so he knows when it is ok to get out of bed and wake up mom and dad!

     

    Dinosaur Plate and Utensils

    Calling all dinosaur lovers! Enjoy playing with (and eating) your food using this cute Dinosaur Plate and Utensils. Plate and utensils sold separately.

     

    Stocking Stuffers

    Blooming Lollipops

    Blooming Lollipops are the gift that keeps on giving. Enjoy the unique and delicious flavors then plant the stick to grow your own plants. So fun!

     

    Therapy Dough

    There was always something so calming about playing with dough when we were little. It turns out that molding dough or clay is actually a great stress reliever! Who knew? Therapy Dough was made exactly for this purpose, so get playing and chill.

    5-in-1 Pen Tool

    This fun little gadget keeps all of the essential tools together and handy for use. Grab the 5-in-1 Pen Tool to tighten/loosen screws, draw on a smart device, write, measure, or level.

    See? Uncommon Goods has so many great options! Which one of these will you be adding to your Christmas list?

     

     

  • Holidays & Seasons,  Home Decor,  Outdoors

    Spring Front Porch

    Happy spring, friends! The weather is warming up ever so slowly and the days are feeling much longer thanks to good ol’ daylight saving time. To celebrate the season and since I’ve been itching to get outside, I put together and styled our Spring Front Porch!

    Front Porch Welcome Mat

    Also, I’m joining up with my friend Kendra from Joy In Our Home, as well as a bunch of other talented bloggers for the Spring Festival Blog Hop. Each day this week, there will be new posts featuring DIYs, vignettes, styled front porches (that’s today!), decorated mantels, and recipes just for spring. Make sure to check those out at the end of this post!

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click the link and purchase. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

    Our Spring Front Porch

    After all of our Christmas decorations came down, our front porch was looking pretty blah. And since there is no better way to welcome people to your home than a good first impression, it was time to get this area spruced up.

    We first had to do some intense pressure washing, thanks to all of the mud our pup drags up here when the ground starts to thaw. Once that was done though, I was able to start gathering the pieces I wanted to use to decorate with.

    Spring Front Porch

    There is just enough of an area to pull together a small seating arrangement and add a few decorative items around the door. I always add a new small door mat each season and I love the layered look with the bigger striped rug.

    Front Porch Decor

    doorbell | welcome mat | striped rug

    When the weather is warmer, we enjoy sitting outside in the mornings and drinking a cup of coffee. This little seating area will be perfect for quietly soaking in the sounds of nature. Well, at least until the kids wake up. *wink*  As a last minute project, I found and painted this old stump to serve as mini table.

    Outdoor Seating Pillows Chairs

    pillows | chairs – Ikea | throw blanket

    I also love to add wreaths to the front door seasonally. This is one I whipped up just this past week to welcome spring! It was super easy to make and only took a few minutes to put together. Plus, the wicker is very similar to the chairs which helps tie things together.

    DIY Spring Wreath

    Since the weather is still a bit chilly here, outdoor plants are hard to find in stores. I wanted to add a little life to this area, so I incorporated this mini button fern and a few small boxwoods. (The button fern will have to spend its nights inside.) However, there is nothing wrong with some faux plants to get that spring feel. Especially if you live in an area with frigid temps during this time of year!

    Patio Chairs Cushions

    Have you noticed all of the little bunnies around our porch? I thought they were a fun little find at the Target dollar spot!

    Painted Stump Table

    It didn’t take much to get this area ready for spring! Now excuse me while I wait inside for warmer temperatures to enjoy it.

    DIY’s on Monday

    Joy In Our Home | Timeless Creations | The Tattered Pew

    CityGirlmeetsFarmboy |Life on Kaydeross Creek

    Vignettes on Tuesday

    anderson + grant | Follow The Yellow Brick Home | White Arrows Home

     Worthing Court | Camelot Art Creations

    Front Porches on Wednesday

    County Road 407 | Elizabeth Joan Designs |The Crowned Goat

     2 Bees In A Pod | Sanctuary Home Decor

    Mantels on Thursday

    DIY Beautify | The Painted Hinge | Making It In the Mountains

    Grey Birch Designs | The Homemaking Momma

    Recipes on Friday

    Love In My Oven | Noting Grace | Beyond the Butter

    Confessions of a Baking Queen | The Sugar Coated Cottage

  • Holidays & Seasons,  Life & Family,  Organization & Storage,  Tips & Tricks

    Guest Room Welcome Basket Essentials

    “This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and NicePak, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #nicencleanwipes  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

    Nice ‘n CLEAN Antibacterial Hand Wipes

    The holidays are almost here and like many of you, we are gearing up for house guests. YAY! I even put together a fun little Guest Room Welcome Basket with all of the essentials. Yes, I know that we don’t have a designated guest room (sorry, family!), but this container of goodies will work perfect on an air mattress or next to the pull out couch. *wink*

    One thing that has been on our minds lately is trying to avoid the massive amounts of sickness that our family experienced last winter. (Can you say flu, strep, ear infections, pneumonia, and even a broken foot? Yikes.) So, we’ve been using on pretty much everything. Hands. Hard surfaces. You name it.

    Keep Cold Flu Germs Away

    As I was putting together our Guest Room Welcome Basket, I knew I had to throw some wipes in. Our guests certainly don’t want to get sick while traveling and if we can help them minimize that, we are glad to. So, what are these essentials that guests may need?

    Guest Room Welcome Basket Essentials

    Well, for starters…

    • Towels – Everyone needs to shower at some point.
    • Toiletries – Shampoo, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, razor, lotion.
    • Tissues – Can always come in handy.
    • Water – Thirst quenchers.
    • Snacks – Midnight munchies, anyone?
    • Candle – Ambiance.
    • Books – Late night reading.
    • Wifi Password – Of course.
    • –  For extra clean hands and surfaces.

    Guest Room Essentials

    So what’s with the hand wipes?

    You are probably asking yourself why I didn’t just include some hand sanitizer gel instead? Well, these natural, moisturizing wipes are actually better than gel because they can kill 99.99% of germs. Plus, they can be used to remove soil and bacteria from not only your hands, but also hard surfaces, such as door knobs and switch plates. Even high chairs! You know that germs can certainly hang out there.

    Kids Stay Healthy Safe

    These hand wipes are great to have around the house and will help keep the germs away for the holidays. I found mine at Walmart, so head over there and grab a 5 x 20ct. Family Value Pack for yourself and your guests!

    I hope that our guests like the little basket we have prepared for them!

    I believe it is important to make your house guests feel welcome. Sometimes guests may feel uncomfortable asking for items they may have forgotten or need, so this little bin makes it super easy to have all of that stuff in one spot, ready for them to use. Would you add anything else?

    Guest Room Welcome Basket

    Looking for more tips for hosting guests in your home safely? Check out this article I was featured in that shares expert ideas!