{this and that} and a spring mantle

I'm back! I did not mean to take that long of a break from blogging. This past week (and a few days) seemed to fly by with housework, playdates with friends, working (I am still working from home part time) and spending time with my two little boys!

We celebrated Easter with my family after church on Sunday. It was Gavin's first Easter egg hunt and even though the cold wind was whipping around, he pulled in a nice stash that I we have been happily eating.

We had some fun with masks...

and the guys (and our one sister) played their favourite game, Spikeball, while my brother watched the little kiddos.

So it has been a good break, but I am happy to get back to blogging!

One thing I did accomplish during all that busyness was update our fireplace mantle with some spring touches.

Last year at this time we were living in t-shirts and flip flops. I clearly remember Faith and I taking Gavin and Claire to the park where they sat on the grass with their little bare feet showing. This year...not so much. Today and yesterday it snowed. Nothing that really stuck to the ground. But still. Snow. So I am enjoying the bright yellow *fake* flowers in my old pitcher and little white ceramic birdie to remind me that spring is actually on it's way.

What is it about flowers, even if they are fake, that can make a home so much more friendlier?

Happy Wednesday. :)

Spring Vignettes

I decided to do a bit of spring decorating around my house today.

I'm starting to get some of my second trimester energy back, but with only 4 months of my pregnancy left, it doesn't look like I'll have any sudden bursts of energy coming!

I picked up a few things from my local HomeSense (I love that place!) and the rest I gathered from around my house.

I had bought a pot of mums the other week and I love how cheery they make everything. Best $4.99 spent ever.

There are a few updated pictures above my kitchen bookshelf. You can find those prints from here. The frames are RIBBA from Ikea.

The birds nests are from HomeSense and were $12.99 for four. A little pricey for me (haha, I'm cheap!) but I figure I can use them creatively for decorating all year round!

Once I cleared all the papers off, it looks much more streamlined and neat and ... springy. It makes me happy just looking at it, and shouldn't that be what your space is about?

Have you done any spring decorating/cleaning lately? The weather hasn't been nice enough for opening the windows and going nuts on my house, but I'm hoping those days are coming soon. In the meantime, I'm enjoying the rain because that means that it's not snowing!

{DIY} Welcome Mat

Since moving into our home almost 2 years ago, the exterior of our home has stayed almost exactly the same as when we bought the property. There were a few trees removed and a flower bed that was in the middle of the lawn that has since been mowed over, but that is pretty much the extent of our landscaping. Of course once the spring time came last year I was eager to work on the "curb appeal" of our home but I was 7 months pregnant at the time, and bending over to pull weeds or plant flowers was not really an option. 


This spring my mind has been flooded with ideas for what we can do to update our bare flower beds, keep up with the lawn, and hopefully avoid having the outside of our house become overgrown with weeds along the way. I have seen a few ideas that I l-o-v-e on Pinterest, and hope to one day replicate. 

{Source}

Please don't pin this picture from here. You can click the picture to go right to the source and then pin it. Thanks! 

{Source}

Please don't pin this picture from here. You can click the picture to go right to the source and then pin it. Thanks!

Although some of the projects that I have in mind are fairly large, I also have a few small ones that I want to tackle... like a welcome mat for our front door!

Supplies: 

• Outdoor Mat
• Spray Paint
• Painters Tape
• Measuring Tape
• Stencil / Cutout

I started out with a basic outdoor mat that I picked up at Canadian Tire, and a cutout that says "hi.". I decided not to go with the typical "Welcome" so instead I chose something that still makes you feel welcome, but will also, hopefully, give our guests a little smile before they enter our home. 

Then, using a Cricut machine, I cut out the word "hi.", and measured and taped the stencil to the centre of the mat.

After giving my trusty black spray can of paint a few good shakes, I carefully sprayed the mat making sure to only get paint where the lettering was going to be. 

I gave the lettering a few good coats of paint (to make sure that it was really black), and removed the stencil after it was dry. 

Now I have a somewhat personalized welcome mat for our front door! 

Easter Walks and Spray Paint

When I was growing up, my family always took an 'Easter walk', which has nothing to do with Easter except that we usually go on the walk on Good Friday afternoon.

We went yesterday and although it was a colder day, the water and sky were so gorgeous! We walked around the lake and up dunes, and through the woods. 

It's a great tradition that we try to do every year, no matter how large or small of group.

 

Since we have a few days off, I'm hoping to get a few project done around our house. Spray paint, pallets, staple gun, fabric, paint, oh my! Okay that was dorky. But for real. I have a lot of projects that have been in my head and now need to be done! Hopefully on Wednesday I'll show you a few of those projects. There is one that I am really looking forward too (if it works)!

 

 Happy {long} weekend!

 

 

{DIY} Metallic Easter Eggs

I find it hard to decorate for Easter. When we were growing up, we never went all out with the decorations. We usually had a small tree, much like the one that Heidi posted about here, but it wasn't the same as Christmas. Now that I have kids of my own, I want to show them that Easter is just as important as Christmas. Unfortunately, I didn't give myself a lot of time for decorating so I ended up pulling a lot of things together from things around the house. But thats ok, right? One of the projects that I completed was making some metallic Easter eggs.

I actually spray painted using Krylon metallic paint and regular plastic easter eggs. I love how they turned out! I didn't spray them completely because I wanted more of a "marble" look with a bit of the colours coming out. To make your own, grab some plastic easter eggs, some spray paint, and a nice open area that you can spray. It's important that there's no wind because the eggs tend to roll and you'll end up with quite a few eggs that have drips. When you are spraying, keep the can about 2 feet away from the eggs and only use small bursts of paint. If you use too much, you'll end up with uneven paint. Unless of course, that's what you're going for. Let the eggs dry over night and then decorate with them to your hearts content! I wouldn't use them in an egg hunt or let my kiddos touch them because they are painted. You never know if they'll end up in their mouths or not!

Both Rust-Oleum and Krylon are great brands to use!

Here is what my spring "mantle" looks like:

I got the topiary balls at the dollar store for $2 each!

How is your Easter decorating coming? Are you all ready to go for the weekend? 

Easter Centerpiece

I usually don't do much decorating for Easter. This year though I made an Easter centerpiece for our table. Easter marks one of the most important moments in Christianity - everything that we believe in is centered around Easter. So why wouldn't I want to have something Eastery (real word even though there are red squiggly lines underneath it) in our home? 

 {Pottery Barn Kids}

{Everything Fabulous}

(Psst. If you love those pictures as much as I do, please go to their website to pin them. We don't want to take credit for those lovely centerpieces!) 

When I saw these pictures, I knew instantly that I wanted to do a similar effect with branches and eggs for our centerpiece. Eggs symbolize new life, which is what Easter is all about, so I knew that it would be an awesome reminder of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross. 

I went to our backyard, picked up two branches and put them in one of my pitchers with pine cones around the bases of the branches to keep them from falling over. I placed a little bit of burlap on the top to cover the pine cones. 

Now, I didn't use real eggs for this project. Too be honest, I don't really have the time to blow out the egg yolk, dye the eggs, let them dry overnight and then hang them up. Someday I really want to dye eggs, but this time I used styrofoam eggs that I had leftover from another project that I did last year.

I painted them a few different colours, let them dry and then wrapped string around them like a present. I hot glued the string in place, tied a knot around the string and hung them up on the branches. 

The nice thing about using styrofoam eggs is that if they fall, I don't have to worry about broken shells everywhere. 

So there you have it. A simple centerpiece, that is cheerful, easy to make, and reminds us about the new life that we have through Jesus. 

Have you been making any Eastery centerpieces this year? Anybody else use styrofoam eggs instead of real ones? 

  

 (P.s. My coral spray painted vase and candlestick were featured over at home happy home blog yesterday! Crazy! Go check out Amy's blog for her Whimsy Wednesday link up party that is happening today (and every Wednesday).)

Time to Get Outside

Last spring I was 9 months pregnant and couldn't even bend down to tie my own shoes (hello ballet flats). 

 {37 weeks}

After I had Gavin, came the sleepless nights, crazy feeding schedules, getting to know this new little person that joined our family, all while making meals, doing laundry and keeping trying to keep my house in some kind of normality. 

So, although I had great dreams and plans to transform my backyard and front yard into a beautiful array of flowers and plant a vegetable garden (laugh here) that didn't happen. 

We did weed the front garden and throw down black mulch to make it look like we had accomplished great and wonderful things. 

This year I'm not pregnant and I am excited to get my yard whipped into shape. I have a lot of raking and digging and transplanting to do. Not to mention the scooping of dog doodoo. Great. 

To keep me on track and focused on my goal, I have been gathering pictures of gorgeous gardens and backyards. Realistically, my yard won't look like these pictures because I don't have the never ending budget that these yards require, but I am excited to see what I can do with seeds, the dollar store, my grandma's garden (she likes to give clippings of her plants to help our gardens grow), and a little sweat. Or a lot of sweat. 

{Please remember that if you want to pin any of these pictures, to click the picture to go directly to the source. We don't want to take any credit of these pictures. Thanks!} 

{source}

Raised beds? I'll take a couple. These are great to keep our dog from thinking gardens are her play land. I used to have beautiful tulips in the backyard. Key words: "Used to". Thanks Reese (our dog). 

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 First of all, I love this stonework. Gorgeous. But my eye went to the garden that wraps around the tree lined with stone. We have a few trees in the back who would love this attention. 

 {source}

Okay, I know I'm really dreaming now. But can we just agree that this is so beautiful? I don't think I would ever go inside again. Maybe just to get a refill of my lemonade. And a little food. And another book.

{source}

We actually received a very similar set like this one (minus the umbrella) from my in-laws this past summer for our anniversary. We didn't have a chance to set it up last summer, but I am looking forward to dining al fresco this summer. I love the lights hanging down from the umbrella. Very Martha Stewart. 

So that is a little inspiration. Now I need to go and dust off my rake and shovel. Dog poop is calling my name. :) 

Happy weekend! 

Clean Your Way to Spring

The official first day of spring is just around the corner; four days away to be exact! Since these last couple of weeks have been warm here, I have already been checking a few things off my spring cleaning list!

Here's a checklist to help you get started on your spring cleaning this year:

• Use a broom to sweep down ceilings and get rid of those pesky cobwebs in the corners
• Wipe down all ceiling fans and light fixtures using a damp rag
• Wash all windows inside & out if you are feeling ambitious! (I like to use newspaper and a mixture of vinegar and water in a spray bottle to get this job done)
• Launder all curtains & drapes, and dust vertical blinds 
• Wash all bedding including bed skirt & mattress protector
• Wipe down walls to remove dirt and grime
• Dust baseboards (I like to use a bounce dryer sheet to do this job), bookshelves, fireplace mantles, & window sills
• Vacuum floors, couches/arm chairs, mattresses, & vacuum under the furniture & rugs
• Wipe down kitchen cabinets (To make dusting the tops of the cupboards easier, cut and fit pieces of newspaper to place on top and tape down with painters tape. The newspaper will absorb the yearly grease and grime that tends to accumulate there, and next time you clean up there just remove the newspapers and voila!)
• Clean your bathroom thoroughly. Clean out the tub and sink drains and pour hot vinegar and water down to eliminate odors
• Replace any burned out light bulbs 
• Clean out and organize fridge and freezer. Throw out any expired food, wipe down interior & exterior of the fridge
• Put any snow shovel or snow removal device in storage and get your gardening tools ready for the season ahead
• Pick up sticks or debris on the lawn, and make sure the mower is in working condition (this is the hubby's job :) !)
• Don't forget to open up the windows and let the fresh air in... and maybe play some of your favourite tunes while you get your spring cleaning on!

If there is anything I missed and you might want to add to the list, don't be afraid to do so! It might sound nerdy, but I really do love spring cleaning. Something about getting my home ready for summer and the warm days ahead gets me excited! 

Spring cleaning doesn't have to be a drag or a yearly chore you detest. Call one of your best friends up (one who doesn't mind seeing your messy house) and ask for some help! It will give you some company, extra help, and you can return the favour for her!

Spring Wreath

Since it's the middle of March, and at the suggestion of one of our followers (thanks Andrea!), I decided to start decorating my house for spring a little bit. The outside of my house is not that attractive to begin with. I live in a house that looks just like every other house out there. I'm not even joking. The colours that the original owners picked are a grey and ... purple. The shutters, garage door, and front door are all purple. To change the colour would cost too much money so I'm stuck trying to find ways to make everything look a little more attractive. While roaming through all of my things that are still in the garage, I picked up one of my Christmas wreath forms that I hadn't stored away yet, some burlap, some old fake flowers that were sitting in a pile, and a Christmas ornament. I got out my glue gun and some pins and got to work.

This is not my front door, but it was pouring rain when I wanted to take pictures. I'm not dedicated enough to get soaked for a picture!

I didn't want to glue the burlap to the form so I simply pinned it instead. That way, by the time that Christmas comes again, I can still use the form. I cut the flowers and then pinned and glued them to the burlap. My front door is unprotected from the wind and rain and I need to make sure that it will stay. The bird is actually a Christmas ornament from when I was a child. 

The total cost of everything was $0. By using things that I have on hand, I can afford to spend some money on other things for the front of my house. Like flowers, and galvanized pails and other wonderful things. 

If you wanted to make one of your own, try the dollar store. Now is the time of year when all their Easter/spring things are out and you could easily find everything to make your own version!

How is your spring decorating coming? Any great ideas that you want to share with us?

Spring Cleaning for You

I love spring. I always have more energy when the sun comes out and it's not so cold that it steals your breath when you go outside. The beginning of this March has been a little bit of a tease with warm days followed by freak snowstorms. You gotta love Canadian winters.

Since it's been sunny for three days in a row, I'm starting to think about spring cleaning. Most people just clean their houses, but here are a few of my favourite things to do to clean out your body and get it ready for spring. Most of them don't cost a lot of money and you can use ingredients that you have on hand!


Carrot Energy Drink:

2 carrots peeled
1/2 lemon
1 organic apple (if not organic, wash it really well!)
1 tbsp fresh ginger
1/2 cup orange juice

Juice everything together and enjoy! It's also a great recipe for getting rid of spring colds.

Yogurt and Salt Scrub:

Add 2 tbsp of coarse sea salt to 1/2 cup of yogurt, spread it evenly over your face and leave it there for 10 minutes. Use cool water to rub the mixture over your face gently until it's completely rubbed off. If you do this twice a week, it will prevent the formation of spots and fight off bugs. (You might want to do this when your kids are in bed or you're by yourself, I made the mistake of doing it when I was doing chores around the house. Bella screamed and wouldn't come near me!)

The last one is a pretty simple one as well. Use fresh flowers in your decorating and get rid of your artificial room deodorizers. They have chemicals in them which can cause mental confusion which lets be honest, we can use all the help we can get!

My hubby bought these for me this weekend "just because". What a sweetie!