Another year gone by. Facing the resolutions.

Happy 2016 everyone. High or low resolution count, we work with what we can obtain, not with what we cannot obtain!

Christmas Wreath Mishap

Another holiday, another wreath! 

I had been collecting expired bulbs from our Christmas lights with a goal to add them to a wreath. This was the year that I had enough of them. This Cheapskate Tip involves trash (expired bulbs) and ribbon. That's it!

Wrap ribbon around wreath, pinning the beginning and end into the wreath itself. I was partial to the curly ribbon at the end so I let it hang at the bottom.

Here, I individually wrapped floral wire around the thread of the bulb and created a hook formation of the wire and poked it into the ribbon and wreath, doing so all around the outer edge of the wreath. Of course, the dog must supervise this effort!

Closeup

Hooking in the bulbs

This takes a while...

Completed effort; bird's eye view

I then wrapped a string of tiny LED lights around the wreath and hung the wreath to see how it would look, and to add finishing touches. Notice a bulb missing here?...

...Not all ideas are fruitful, and this is okay! Lesson learned...back to the drawing board.

Instead, I pulled all of the bulbs and twisted the wire together so that they formed a large bunch. 

I also decided to take the remaining ribbon and loop it three times at the bottom to create the look of gift wrap.

Wrap the bulb cluster wire around the bottom. They are not going anywhere this time!

I used a pillow ornament to cover the LED battery pack hanging in the middle of the wreath. This ornament was given to me years ago by a co-worker. I'm still perplexed by its message to this day, but I love it because of its double-meaning!

I added a bit more flair above the bulb cluster--red glitter foliage, purchased last year on clearance at a craft store. These little pieces are great for gift wrap too.

This festive little wreath took longer than anticipated, but hey...not all ideas can be fruitful. Mishaps force us to learn. Mishaps are great opportunities to laugh at yourself. Sometimes even, a better idea can evolve after a mishap. 

Hoping that your holidays are wonderful, mishaps and all!

Thankswreathing

Happy Thanksgiving greetings, all! Life seems to have surely sped up within the past month and I feel like a can't get a grip. It's unfortunate given that this is the time of year that we need to slow down and reflect on all that we are grateful for.

Speaking of lack of time, I wanted to update our wreath to something more Thanksgiving-ish and less Halloween-ish. I had about 10 minutes to do so while dinner was simmering. I (of course) used items I already had laying around, so I'd classify this project as Cheapskate. What else would it be?

Here's the finished wreath hanging on our door. My camera is really starting to show its age, isn't it?

I typically like to construct my Thanksgiving wreaths of colors in orange, beige, and/or gold family. After digging through my scrap fabric, I found this strip of orange silk crinkle tablecloth that would be perfect for wrapping the wreath. Leaving the wreath in its natural state would have worked too.

I had plenty of fabric remaining after I wrapped it around one time, and decided it would look cool just to leave the rest hanging.

I also found in my scrap fabric bucket a beautiful sample upholstery fabric piece. The beauty in the fabric samples is that most are selvedge-sewn on the edges so they look nice and neat as they are. No sew! Whoo hoo! I wanted this perfect square of fabric to transform into an oversized bow. A simple accordion fold and wrapping in the center with the hanging piece of fabric did the job.

Oversized bows are floppy. They have to be pinned in place. Locate some sewing pins that match your fabric color to discreetly pin the top of the bow corners in place.

Use another pin to secure the hanging fabric that you wrapped around the center of the bow. Pin in back. Wreath is complete!

Here's to hoping you find a little time to focus on something you enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!

Creepy Cheapskate Wreath

Halloween is around the corner, and it should be epic being that it will be observed on a weekend this year! Of course, I cannot neglect the hanging of a spooky wreath to commemorate such a fun annual event. And if you know me, I never follow through with making the same thing twice. B-o-r-i-n-g. Also, you know this wreath will be of a cheapskate variety. Yep. Cheapskate wreath, folks!

I wanted all black this year, with a vintage vibe. I was also craving feathers and lights. I wasn't sure how I wanted it to look, but I just begin and let it all flow from there. Here is what the finished product looked like, before I strung on the tiny LED lights. Apologies for the sub-par photos.

Here's the scoop:
Find the same old scrappy wreath that you use year after year.  This project isn't the cheapest Cheapskate Tip I've shared..I admit that I purchased a few things for this one, rather than utilize items I already have in the house. However, the items I purchased totaled $7! There are so many variations that can be made with these supplies too. I divulge in some other ideas below.

Supplies:

1 feather boa, color of your choice (I purchased this at a craft store)

Paper crepe streamer, color of your choice (purchased at craft store)

Raven, or other creepy object (purchased at dollar store)

Computer/ paper/ printer

Glue stick

Pins

Wrap the crepe streamer around the wreath for full color coverage. Start and finish the wrap with a pin.

Stop what you are doing in attempt to get your sweet but attention-seeking house critter off of your project before it rips.

Give your house critter the attention she deserves. I discovered that my dog looks great in feather boas, and pretty convinced she felt just as glam.

Ok, focus. Anyhow, after pinning the crepe streamer, this is where your imagination can fly. I had an extra amount at the end after I cut it, and wondered what it would look like if I pinned the extra across the inside to make a banner for something to be glued on (as pictured above.) At this moment in time, I had no idea what I was going to glue onto my banner.

Next, grab your feather boa and wrap it over the paper crepe, cognizant of the the length. The boa was a much shorter length, so I had to create distance with the wrap. Again, pin the start and end of the boa to the wreath.

Here's what it looked like. I was loving the texture. I stared at it like this for a while and thought that gluing the word "boo" to the banner is an inexpensive, work-with-what-I-have tactic. I took to my computer and found a font that I was happy with, and arranged the letters in various sizes on one page to ensure one of the sizes would work best. Print page.

Cut out the letters. Since the font is black and will be glued on a black background, I cut outside of the letters so that there was a white outline. I was not a perfectionist with the cutting, as I felt the more erratic my cutting was, the more creepy it would look.

Glue the letters onto the banner with glue stick. Presto. Done.

Close-up of the banner. You of course, do not have to opt for the banner, and could make a black flower with the excess crepe streamer. You could cut the excess and not do anything with the crepe. Another option would be to leave several streams of black crepe hanging from the bottom of the wreath to tickle and scare those who pass by. Maybe next year...too many ideas.

I felt like my wreath needed something else. I wanted it to be black too. I didn't have anything at home that would work, so I made a trip to the dollar store to see what I'd find. I scored this cool raven for, you guessed it...$1.

His feet were already wired underneath so I punctured the wire into the wreath and he stayed put. I wanted illumination next. I had this LED "candle" and propped it underneath the raven. It looked okay but I wasn't quite satisfied.

I had some LED string lights at home so I wrapped the wreath with the string lights. It looks pretty nice at night, and the tiny LEDs aren't too distracting during the day.

What a cinch of a Cheapskate Tip to share this Halloween, and I hope you have a spooky one!

Fireworks at the Door

Happy Fourth of July all! 

I have another Cheapskate Tip that I whipped up last minute...a quick fireworks wreath made with feathers, fabric and any wreath you already own!

Slide in the feathers. The brighter the better! Red (or blue) is best.

After you have the feathers secured symmetrically, you are ready to add fabric.

I had this blue spandex scrap fabric laying around, which made it easy to wrap. Secure with fabric pins.

There was one small area that was a bit of an eyesore so I secured a white silk flower to cover it. I used a white flower to fully represent the red, white, blue color scheme. Any of the materials you use can be colored interchangeably (blue feathers, white fabric, red flower...) It's all about using what you already have laying around!

Fireworks at our door in 5 minutes!

Wishing you all a happy and safe holiday!

Happy VD!

Well, I suppose this isn't the type of holiday to abbreviate. But I would say the holiday is quite "infectious"! I know, bad joke.

However you are celebrating, or if you are not, always keep love in mind. 

Quickie wreath project: use anything you have laying around the house to make your own love-ly wreath. In this case I used a mini balloon that came with a plant that Hubby gave me for last year's Valentine's Day, a red clip-on bow tie and a gold chair sash. Only took five minutes! 

OMG 2015!

Happy New Year everyone!

The first day of the new year is cold and wet. Our beautiful spring-fed river steams as differences in temperatures collide. 

This view is the perfect setting to reflect.  Not only did this year play out in fast forward, but the entire decade flew by. The first thought in my head this morning was not "what will my resolutions be this year?"...it was, "OMG, 2005 was a decade ago!" Now 2005 didn't hold any major significance for me personally, but I remember that year significantly. 2005 may have been positively significant or disastrous for some of you. Nonetheless, 10 years ago feels more like 5 years ago! Do you feel the same way?

Here non-exhaustive list of five events that occurred in 2005. See if these facts give you that same 'OMG' feeling.

1) Canada and Spain become the fourth and fifth countries to to sanction same-sex marriage. [We are now at 10 countries that fully allow + 2 countries where same-sex marriage is legal in some jurisdictions.]*

2) YouTube was launched in the United Status on February 15th! [Our lives have been forever changed the past decade.]*

3) On July 24th, Lance Armstrong retired after winning his record 7th consecutive Tour de France victory. [If we only knew then what we know now....story of our lives, huh?]*

4) Hurricane Katrina causes devastation in the Gulf Coast, killing more than 1,836 people and causing about $115 billion in damage. [Today, full recovery has yet to be obtained.]*

5) On October 19th, Saddam Hussein goes on trial in Baghdad for crimes against humanity. [This year-long trial was a big step for Iraq's judicial system, however, by exposing the crimes of the regime, the trial seemed to intensify sectarian conflict.]*

It's important to look back at global historical events (in addition to our own personal histories) to better reflect on our lives moving forward. As a matter of fact, being able to recognize patterns is what gave humans their advantage in the evolutionary process. In this new digital era, people are now contending against machines. We are also contending against ourselves--we can be our very own enemy sometimes. 

So, instead of seeking out resolutions for 2015, I desire to achieve a delicate balance in my life moving forward: Living in the present always by quieting my mind from the nostalgia of the past and the unknown anticipation of the future. By looking back to my past only to identify patterns, in effort to continue toward self improvement. Knowing that I can't beat myself up for bad decisions made in the past, but to do my best with their outcome moving forward. Living in the present slows down the clock and prevents those 'OMG-where-did-the-time-fly' moments. I acknowledge this process will not be easy but on a positive note, pattern recognition is ingrained in humanity. We just have to open ourselves up to allow it.

*Sources: Historyorb.com, Pbs.org, History.com

MantLESS in Atomic Ranch

After living in an art deco stucco bungalow equipped with a gorgeous fireplace mantle, I am beside myself with the means of decorating our new mid-century home without a fireplace. The mantle is that lovely focal point where large mirrors and paintings lovingly hover over the fire. The mantle is also that central station for holiday greenery, Christmas stockings and funky decor to be displayed.

Now that we are settled into our mid-century home, I have had to change my mindset in terms of decor. Our furniture has changed from late-1800s Empire to 1950s atomic styling. Our plentiful early 1900 decor collections have been thrown in a box for addressing at another time. Now, we have our vintage holiday decor, with no fireplace to rest upon. 

How does one decorate for the holidays in a home without a mantle? How does the holiday design flourish in an atomic home that is intended to demonstrate minimalism and accentuate thoughtful design? I have used various areas of the home to substitute as mantles for holiday decoration, but I want to hear from other atomic ranch owners.

Steamer Trunk Winterscape: For now, we have moved our vintage 1940s steamer trunk to the mid-century home. We aren't sure if we will keep it in our home but trunks in general are terrific for storage, so it is staying for now. All the same, this steamer trunk is falling victim to displaying our holiday decor. I tried keeping the decor to a minimum, only pulling out holiday items that had the atomic vibe, including items from other parts of the home. 

Credenza Santa Festival: This vintage Danish Modern credenza was the biggest monetary splurge for our new home. It hides the television and stereo equipment and provides ample storage. This credenza is pretty much the focal point of the living room, much like a fireplace mantle. Why not use it like a mantle for holiday decor? I dug out all of our vintage and Scandinavian Santas so that they can have a party of a lifetime. The holiday cards we received in the mail were also displayed amongst the gathering. 

Peaceful Entry: Where would the holidays be without a door wreath? As you know, I'm nuts for changing up our holiday wreath between October through January. Our rosemary bushes were out of control so I had bunched and tied a handful of rosemary trimmings to our wreath. The wreath is not illuminated in this photo, but I found these tiny LED dewdrop lights that were perfect for wreath illumination. The whole look was offset by a starburst ornament kicked off to the side. The lore associated with rosemary is also perfect for the entryway: It is believed to ward off evil spirits, provide good energy, and purify the air. Rosemary symbolizes love and loyalty and the scent is known to enhance memory and leave a lasting impression. Why wouldn't you want rosemary at your entry to do its magic for you and your guests?

Our vintage aluminum tree was displayed in the middle of the room this year, so that it could be seen from the walkway. Last year, we displayed it near the sliding glass door, which could hardly be seen unless you were lounging in the courtyard.

I would love to hear from other mid-century home owners who do not have a mantle. How do you decorate for the holiday season? Where and how do you display your holiday decor?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!