[Motivational Monday: The Great Outdoors]

Summertime always welcomes our home with outdoor entertaining & activities. We enjoy having our meals outside, hanging out with friends in our backyard, and roasting smores by the fire. Recently my husband built our 2nd story deck, and we couldn't be happier with it. But I will share with you the entire transformation later this week.

In the meantime, here are some inspirational outdoor decor to help revamp your own patio:

[I simply LOVE the idea of having a fireplace outside. It looks beautiful when lit up at night and can be used as warmth to let you enjoy the outdoors even throughout the colder months.]

[Outdoor sectionals are definitely a must when entertaining outside. It brings everyone together while setting a relaxed tone.]

[I gotta say, I love gazebos! It makes you feel like you are inside while you enjoy the fresh air of being outside. And to have it lit up at night with lights strung along the top is simply icing on the cake.]

[A nice tall privacy fence lets you enjoy relaxing on your patio without feeling exposed to your neighbors. Adding some greenery on top of the fence brings life to the entire patio while giving you that extra inch of privacy.]

Are you ready for outdoor entertaining this summer?

[Jen]

[Motivational Monday: Easter Brunch Ideas]

With Easter weekend coming up, I thought I might look around for some Easter brunch ideas. I would love to host a brunch someday, but with busy schedules this year it just won't happen. It's still nice to have lots of great ideas to keep on file, so be inspired!



[via The Party Dress]

[via Tiny Prints]

[via The TomKat Studio]

[via Tiny Prints]

What are your plans for Easter?

[Jen]

[Motivational Monday: Window Curtains]

I have a confession: I know nothing about window treatments. I try to add drapery to the windows, but I just don't feel like I am doing a good job at all. Let's just say I don't feel like the windows are living up to their "full potential". Plus, it doesn't help that I've been bit by the home-decorator bug and want to completely redecorate/paint everything! So basically I need lots and lots of inspiration to get me started to recreate the look that I want.

crate & barrel

[Another confession: I am terrified of adding patterns to large pieces. Little pillows, a throw, of course! But never anything that I wouldn't easily (and inexpensively) change out. But I must say, I LOVE these curtain panels! The color is so bright and cheery, and even the pattern adds an eclectic charm. Something to consider...]

pottery barn

[Ahh, neutral curtains. *swoon* So clean yet not at all understated. Love. And I really like the grommet paneling. So chic!]

west elm

[I just adore this Pewter Gray color on these panels. And I have been trying to add a little more gray in my home decor, like I discussing in last week's post. And the dark curtain rod adds a nice contrast.]

west elm

[Yet another pattern that I simply love! The carved circles on this one is so subtle that it almost blends in with the ivory curtain. I can totally see this in my home.]

restoration hardware

[Even though I can't physically touch the fabric through the computer screen, I am assuming the texture is very soft and earthy. This is another neutral curtain panel that is definitely not understated. And the rope tie-backs make the entire look.]

Okay, I must warn you these next few photos are not inspiring or motivational. Here is what my windows look like now:

As you can see, there are actually 4 panels up to make the 2 windows seem like one large window. And since I don't sew, I never joined to 2 panels on either side together to make one thick panel. So I am constant having to rearrange them to keep them from gaping.

There. That's better. Well, sort of.

I also have a single window with the same window treatment. One wall is painted yellow and another adjacent wall is painted green (it was already like that when we moved into the house). I decided to go with red curtains to give it a Starbucks look. But now I want to paint the walls a more neutral color and will need window curtains to go along with the transformation. And I think buying longer panels and raising the curtain rod to the ceiling will elongate the walls.

What do you think? 

[Jen]

[Motivational Monday: Decorating with Gray]

I am beginning to see more and more gray pop up in home decor. It's becoming quite the trend in magazines, galleries, designer websites, everywhere! Some may say that it's the "new neutral". And I have to say, I agree. And I would love to incorporate subtle shades of gray in my home. So here's a little something to help me get motivated:

[First of all, I absolutely love the gray-striped chair! And the weathered gray nightstand adds a subtle classiness.]

[This gray kitchen/dining area has a chic, rustic appeal. The "eggs" sign goes well against the deep gray walls, and that little accent gray pillow on the slip-covered seat is a nice touch.]

[Using gray as your base color can spotlight your bold accent colors. Love how it's paired with gold/yellow tones.]

[What little girl wouldn't love to live in this room? I love how gray is paired with light pink. Such sophistication!]

[I simply adore this nursery. Again, the gray brings out the accent color: pink. Of course for a boy, this would look just as lovely having grays and pale blues.]

images courtesy of:

BH&G

House Beautiful

Restoration Hardware



[Jen]

[Motivational Monday: Decorating with Flowers]

Don't you just love springtime? When all of the plants come back to life and the beautiful flowers start to bloom? Even though my allergies will disagree, I enjoy filling my home with colorful flowers in unique ways. Here are just a few fun ways to add a little "life" in your home:



{courtesy of My Home Ideas}

[Placing a single flower in a colored bottle is simplistic yet adds a touch of class to any home.]

[I love this look of cut roses bunched together in this square vase. Makes a pretty centerpiece.]

[Not only do I love the flower arrangement in this trophy-like vase, but I simply adore the flowers displayed in bowls on stacks of books & bookshelf in the background.]

[Recognize this? I posted a while back (click HERE to view) about having flowers in pitchers. I simply put these feux flowers in a pitcher that I found at Goodwill. Even though the flowers aren't real, it still makes me smile just to look at them.]

So go pick up some flowers at your local florist or even the grocery store and fill your home with life and color! :0)

[Jen]

[Motivational Monday: Massucco Warner Miller]

Oh my! Has it been an entire week since I last posted?? That's no good! I need to be more active in the blogging world! No worries though, I've got a few upcoming posts up my sleeve. :0)

Anyways, have any of you ever heard of Massucco Warner Miller? Well, I had never heard of them until this past week. It's a fabulous interior design company based in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. When I went to take a peek at their website, I fell in love with some of the most amazing rooms. All of the decor was so inspirational and had tons of eye candy for this "wanna-be interior designer". Here's just a few of the many amazing spaces they've designed:

I could just look at their site for hours soaking up every last detail. Maybe someday my house will look just like this. {sigh}

[Note: This post was scheduled to be posted yesterday, but for some reason it was never posted. Grrr...blogger...]

[Jen]

[Motivational Monday: FREE St. Patty's Day Printables]

There are so many FREE St. Patty's Day printables out here in blogland that I just had to share some of them with you. So here you go! Enjoy! :0)

Subway Art

1.  St. Patrick's Day Subway Art from While He Was Napping
2. Lucky Subway Art from eighteen25
3. Shamrock Subway Art from Today's Fabulous Finds
4. Jefferson Quote Subway Art from C.R.A.F.T.

Lucky & Shamrocks

1. Shamrock Print from Auntie Lo Crafts
2. Lucky Print from Sprik Space
3. Quatrefoil & Four Leaf Clover from Crafts and Sutch
4. Sweet Lucky Print from Madigan Made

Gift Tags & Cupcake Toppers

1. Lucky to have You Circle Tags from The Crafting Chicks
2. Lucky Tags & Shamrocks from it is what it is
3. Lucky to have You Strips from The Crafty Chicks
4. St. Patty's Day Cupcake Toppers from The TomKat Studio

Card & Party Printables

1. Lucky Banner from The TomKat Studio
2. Happy St. Patrick's Day Card from Nifty Thrifty Things
3. Keep Calm and Shamrock On from Two Twenty One
4. Somewhere Over the Rainbow from Funky Polkadot Giraffe

For Your Special Someone

1. Lucky in Love from Agape Love
2. Oh So Lucky To Have You from A Little Tipsy
3. Kiss Me & Happy St. Patrick's Day from The TomKat Studio
4. You're My Pot of Gold from it is what it is

Lunch Notes

St. Patty's Day Lunch Notes from Crafts & Sutch

[Jen]

[Motivational Monday: Oscar Night Parties]

I am hereby proclaiming this week to be "Party Week" at [Frame Fanatic]. And since my birthday is coming up this weekend, I thought I might party all week long! So come join me! You're all invited! :0)

To start off this "Party Week", I just want to get a recap of one of the biggest parties in Hollywood: Oscar Night. I unfortunately did not host an Oscar viewing party, but I would love to host one next year! Here are some clever ideas to throw this fancy occasion.

Decor Ideas:

[I am in love with this black, white, & gold Oscar party by HWTM. Such elegant party decor! She always has such amazing ideas on her blog!]

[LOVE the napkin envelope with the "And the winner is..." printable! And the popcorn bags add a nice touch along side the golden statues.]

[Such a lovely flower centerpiece all in corresponding colors with the various movie titles wrapped around each vase.]

[Clever little tags attached to beautiful champagne glasses to toast off each award. I, of course, would choose the glass with "Best Actress" attached to it! :0) I am sure my husband would agree!]

You can find all of these FREE printables [here].

Food & Drink:

[Super cute red & gold Oscar party by Second City Soiree. I love the red velvet cake with the gold star cake decorations. Almost too beautiful to eat!]

[How adorable are these little Oscar cookies by Bakerella?? You can learn how to make them [here]. They look super yummy!]

Stay tuned tomorrow as we continue "Party Week" on how to make this:

[Jen]

[Motivational Monday: Celeb Looks For Less]

Have you ever stood in your closet, looked at everything (whether it be tons of clothes or not), and said "I have NOTHING to wear..."? Well, that was me the other day. So I thought it might be fun to look around for some inspiration to refresh my wardrobe without buying a thing. And what better way to keep up with the trends in fashion than to look at what famous celebrities are wearing these days. Here's what I came up with:

[Jennifer Aniston: a once fashion icon for the hairstyle called "The Rachel" still keeps up with the trends with this super-chic yet casual look. To get this look for less, I combined some l.e.i. jeans paired with my hubby's white tank and a leather jacket that I've had since the beginning of time. A pair of black boot-like shoes from Target and some aviators from Walmart complete this outfit.]

[Victoria Beckham: I love her style! This Spice Girl mom always looks so put together no matter where she goes. And I am really liking this feminine business-like outfit. I used this bold patterned dress and a gray cardigan from The Limited to get her look for less. Cinching everything with a black leather belt, black heels, black purse, and black shades are accessory must-haves.]

[Jessica Alba: A mother of a beautiful little girl demonstrates how to wear stylish cold-weather gear. To bundle up with a fraction of the cost, I used a wool coat I bought at Steve & Barry's a few years ago, some skinny jeans, and brown wedge boots from Walmart. The accessories added were big black shades, a wide belt (that was my mom's from the 60's), and a soft scarf neatly tucked in the coat. I added the Ralph Lauren shopping bag just for fun!]

[Angelina Jolie: All dressed in white. I mimicked this style by pairing white pants with a white blouse, both from Charlotte Russe (I love that store!). I added some nude shoes (on clearance from Sears), a white clutch, and a chunky watch. Just pray I don't spill anything on all this white!]

[Keira Knightley: A laid-back summer look. I paired this bohemian dress ($5 from Garden Ridge last summer!) with a leather belt and topped it all off with a fedora hat from Walmart. I also added some shiny gold sandals that I also bought at Walmart.)

[Maria Menounos: To get this sexy red carpet look, I used this coral cocktail dress I bought for a wedding back in Sept. and paired it with some accessories such as hoop earrings and bangles. A cute little clutch and some shiny heels from Marshall's complete the entire look.]

[Ashley Olsen: To copy this unconventional layered look, I used a long-sleeve plaid button-down shirt under a waist cincher paired with skinny jeans I bought for $15 from Charlotte Russe. A pair of shiny pumps and a gray flowey jacket bring it all together.]

[Hillary Duff: Okay, honestly, this isn't really my style. But I am trying to branch out from the same ol', same ol'. To get this very "fashion-forward" look, I used some black shorts, a gray tank from Papaya under a black jacket from the Miley Cyrus collection at Walmart. Some black tights, nude pumps, long gold necklace, and a black newsboy hat tops off the whole ensemble.]

[Ali Landry: A simple yet chic look. A shirt dress I bought for $5 at Walmart, a wide belt, a chunky bracelet, and some Candies peep-toe heels from Kohl's mimic her look.]

[Another Victoria Beckham? Yes, but I had all of these items to I had to get this outfit. A pair of green cargo pants paired with nude heels give this a casual yet more upscale look. And the aviators are a must to feel uber-trendy!]

Whew! Although it took a lot of work and some creativity, it was a lot of fun. I feel as though I am looking at my wardrobe in a whole new light now. :0)

Want to give your wardrobe a little face lift? You should try this at home too! Take pics from magazines, catalogs, online, etc. and try to create that same look & style only using items you already own. And, most importantly, have fun with it!

photos courtesy of:

InStyle

In Their Closet

[Jen]