A Muddy Mess

I hope everyone had a wonderful and family-filled Christmas.  We have been blessed to have several visitors in the past month; some for just a night, and others for over a week.  We have had so much fun taking the kids on special outings, cooking, eating, watching movies.  I love having people visit, but I don't love is my mud room, and the mountains of shoes , coats and boxes I have to pass to enter or leave my home; and the mess seems to multiply with the number of people; leaving me with a muddy mess!

So I am dreaming of organizing my space so that it looks beautiful even with company.  Here are a few inspiring spaces.....

My dream mudroom will have a space for coats and shoes, but it will also have a garden center.  I would love to have a fair number of built-ins, which will not come cheap, but until I can afford my dream space, I need to do a little revamp on my existing space; because this is only going to be a temporary solution, I don't want to spend more that $200 total on this project. I am going to try and tackle my shoe situation, have an attractive greeting area, and provide a space for coats, and give my guests a place to sit.  Lets see if I can make this happen....if you have any good ideas, please send them my way.....

Rebekah

Around the house

Today has been a crazy day around here.  Mainly because my husband and I had very different plans.  I planned to finish up last minute Christmas dealings outside of the house WITHOUT children... meaning he would need to be home.  His plan... play golf...  Since his included "clients" I lost.  So, instead of staring at my list of things I need to finish up buying before the big day I decided to do a little post from around my house.

This year my decor included a fair bit of DIY but I stayed very traditional in color, sticking to red, green, and gold in my living room.

 

My tree decorating recipe. 

1. Lights.  Push some in deep to the tree and some wrapped further out around the tips.  And, in my opinion, you can never have too many!

2.  Garlands.  I use two types.  A small beaded garland and also a giant spool of gold mesh.  I get mine at Sam's and for around $10 a roll I think it has big impact.  You just wind and twist it as you go.

3.  Layer in your biggest ornaments.  I like to put my biggest deep into the tree.

4.  Call in the kids!  Let them help with putting all the rest of the ornaments.  I have some pretty, some hand me down, lots made by my kids, and all shapes and sizes.  You can't go wrong here.

5.  Finally, I stick in picks.  Mine are always glittered for the main tree.  Curly, berries, and flowers.  Fills in all your gaps.

6.  Add presents!  Trees always look better to me with presents stacked under it.  There have even been times when I wrap empty boxes just to add to it!

My mantle this year includes lots of greenery from my yard.  A little tip, if your yard doesn't have tree suitable for cuttings you can stop at a Christmas tree lot.  They always have huge piles of limbs they have cut off of other peoples trees and they are happy to let you take them free of charge!  With mantles I think the key is always to layer, layer, layer!  Layer textures, colors, and height. 

You've got to love where "Cobbie Face"  our Elf On The Shelf ended up today. 

These topiary trees are incredibly easy to make.  All you need is a paper mache come and some yarn or twine.  Wrap around cone making sure you fill in all gaps and glue the ends in.  That simple!  I put mine on brass candle stick to help vary the height and to add another brass element to tie into my stocking holders.  Greenery and holly berries from the yard, a little sparkle, and that's it!

A few other little vignettes.

Footed Milk Glass Pedestal plus vintage ornaments.

Willow Tree Nativity... after all... this is what its all about!

Merry Christmas!!

Kandi

Christmas Pillows

If you haven't noticed Rebekah and I have a little pillow obsession. 
I just wanted to share some I've made over this holiday season.  

A couple yards of red and white stripe linen, solid white linen, and one set of red and white striped tea towels. For the JOY pillow just cut your letters our of your fabric, pin onto pillow front, and zig zag stitch around the edges.

The one in the front of the picture is the backside of the "JOY" pillow pictured up top.  Tutorial on this cut and re-sewn pillow front to come later.

From L to R:  Embroidered "Merry 12-25" on painters canvas, Mitten (cut from a Goodwill sweater and zig zag stitched onto pillow front), stockings (also cut from Goodwill sweater and glued onto pillow front).

This is my "you live, you learn" Camouflage deer head pillow.  Can I make it clear that I hate camo... Can I also make it clear that when you cut a lovely green and cream ikat into a deer silhouette is miraculously turns to camo... sad but true!  Especially since I didn't even realize it until I was completely finished and stepped back to admire my work!!  I still love the idea of this pillow... just not so much my finished product!

Here is the tutorial I used, along with a template for the deer silhouette. 

Rebekah has made about a million more and if she hasn't sold them all I bet we can talk her into sharing hers as well.

Kandi

Beautiful Mantels via Pinterest

I love Pinterest; but I especially love it this time of year.  If you have not become a member of this amazing site, do it soon.  (www.pinterest.com)  Pinterest allows you to "pin" any image that is on the web to a board.  Allowing you to create online inspiration boards.  Pick a topic, and start finding pictures.  It is great because you don't have to remember a million different websites.  Just one; all your ideas, in one place).  But I will warn you, it is addictive. 

 Here are a few of my favorite Christmas inspired mantels.

picture from Pinterest

 Picture from Pinterest, Simple Evergreens

Traditional Home, via Pinterst

My Mantel

 Aren't these mantels gorgeous!  My husband was teasing me earlier tonight that I could look at Pinterest all day long, and not be bored, and I think he is right.  The last picture is a shot of one of my mantels.  As I said in my last post I have been feeling a bit under the weather so I am sorry I have not posted my other mantels for you.

I hope to see your mantels on Pinterest soon!
love,
Rebekah

It is a mercury glass christmas in Lynchburg

It has been a crazy couple of weeks; 3 of my family members have been to the doctor for vayring ailments, the compressors in my heat pump, and my refrigerator died, two of my faucets are not working, and my back door is on the fritz (permanently locked)!  I feel like I barely have had a chance to breathe, let alone decorate for the holidays.  Lucky for me my energetic mother came for a visit, and has decided to extend her stay until we are all on the mend.  While I have been sitting in my chair (trying to rest), she has cleaned out my pantry, reorganized my storage room, blown all of the leaves off my decks, pulled out my christmas decorations, and last but not least she has made a couple of my favorite meals.  Although sitting in my chair is not where I want to be, it has not been that bad either.  Before all this crazyness here is a house I helped decorate for the holidays....

My friend Karen Covey has a Christmas Open house every year.  She invites several local artist/businesses to sell their products.  This year she asked me to decorate her livingroom, and bring a few of my Christmas pillows.  She has such a beautiful traditional home, I wanted to bring decorations to her home that would complement her space, but also give an unexpected twist.

Vintage Linen "Love"pillow, and Vintage Apron Christmas Tree Pillow

Mercury Glass Christmas Trees with fresh greenery

I wish you a very Merry, and Healthy Christmas!

Rebekah

Kandi's Christmas List

While this could go on for days.... here are a few things I am coveting this holiday season.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint... lots of it

Nikon D300S (and the time to learn to use it correctly)

Frye Tall Riding Boot

Restoration Hardware Farm Table (and everything else they have)

Bohemian Lace Dress - Garnet Hill

A Wine Purse... put my monogram on it and call it a day!

Disclaimer: I am aware this is a purely materialistic blog post and while I do have "world peace" and "more quality time with my family" on my list of wants that is just not what this post is about.  

Christmas Cheer!

If this doesn't make you smile then you are The Grinch.  Maybe I have a soft spot in my heart for Mariah Carey Christmas (and maybe I play it so much I have to buy a new copy each year) or maybe I just wish I had the nerve to even bop my head to music in the mall, but either way, this video made my day!  And also, there is a chance he looks in my windows while I cook/dance in the evenings and that is where he got his moves.  This should get you into the holiday spirit!  

Merry Christmas,

Kandi

Antique Sheet Music Tree

Good morning everyone!  I just don't seem to be able to sleep much past 5 am these past few days, so I thought instead of lying in bed for another morning and looking at my ceiling while asking myself why I can't fall back asleep, I would just get on up and do something productive.  So here I am, about to explain to you how to make one of our antique sheet music trees.  It is really quite simple.  If you do attempt this project, just make sure to use paper that still has some bend.  If your paper is too old, when you fold it, it will tear.

Materials.......

 sheet music

cutting tool

hot glue gun

glue sticks

felt/velvet

tree form

star (optional)

The first step is to cut your sheet music into 1"wide by 4" long strips.  I did not count how many strips I needed for the tree, I just estimated, and then cut more as I needed them.  I think you will be surprised how many strips you will need.  I used my rotary cutter with  a

pinking sheers blade, a self-healing mat, and a straight edge.  However if you do not have these tools, a pinking sheers scissors would work just fine.  Other versions of this tree can be made with plain scissors, or by even folding and tearing the sheets of music to create a soft edge. 

For the sake of time I cut all my strips 1" wide, and then went back and cut them into 4" lengths.

Hot glue velvet onto the bottom of the form tree

Hot glue strips to form starting at the bottom of the tree and working up.
Before you glue on the top layer, glue one 4" strip around the form.  Then cut a small circle out of your sheet music to cover the top of the form; glue.  Once all of the green is covered you can glue the last row of loops to the form.  Because the form is flat on the top I placed a glitter star on the top.
We purchased these stars at Pottery Barn last year, but similar stars can be bought at a craft store.  I love my trees grouped together to create a small forest. 


The same process can be used to create the pine cone trees seen here in this picture.  Instead of cutting strips of paper I pulled individual pine cones apart, then glued the petals to the tree.  Always start at the bottom of your form and work your way up.  Good luck with this project, please send me pictures of your finished trees.


Love,
Rebekah @Woven Home

Christmas Trees and Pillows

These past few weeks have been just crazy for us at Woven Home.  The month of November was spent creating inventory for the Winter Market, held the weekend prior to Thanksgiving.  Then at the Winter Market we were asked to bring our Christmas pillows, and accessories to a smaller home market here in Lynchburg.  So these past few weeks have just seemed to fly past us.  (and somewhere in there was Thanksgiving too!)  Now that all of the markets are over,.... or at least until the spring, I thought I would take a moment to show you a couple of the items that we created for these shows.  I hope you like them as much as we do.

Small table trees are everywhere this year.  I have seen them advertised at Potterybarn, Crate and Barrel, and Anthropology.  They are a great addition to your holiday decor.  So we decided to create a couple of our own.  What do you think?  Moving from right to left.  White crochet tree, large pine cone trees, in the far back, an antique sheet music tree then followed by crochet tree, and pine cone tree.  I love these trees grouped together on a table or mantel.  In the next few days I will post a tutorial on the sheet music tree.   Do you see the pillows peaking thru?  Those went to the market too....

I love the "JOY" pillow.  We also made a "PEACE" pillow and a "NOEL" pillow in this size.  The pillow front is on a canvas fabric with a silky embroyery thread.  The back of the pillow is a cream velvet.  They are so simple, and I think they look great in any decor. I can't decide which one is my favorite.   In addition to the pillows and trees we had barnwood signs, woven purses, lavender saches, tassels, and wreaths in all shapes and sizes.  I will try to post more pictures in the next few days.  I hope you enjoyed the small sampling of our products.  I would love to hear from you what you think.....here is one last image from this photo shoot, and I know this image is my favorite.

Love,

Rebekah @Woven Home

Christmas Decorating -- On a Budget

Oh how I wish I could shop around town and online to my little hearts content buying whatever strikes my fancy for Christmas decorating each year.  Because, I don't know if you are like me or not, but every year my tastes change just a little and I can't help but wanting to change things up.  Enter Pinterest this year and the desire has exploded!  Alas, I do need to have presents under the tree which means my decorating must be on a budget. 

This year I was completely over my neon Christmas tree.  My computer died early this year so I do not have a picture of the tree from last year  but here is one of the chandelier...you can get the jist!

Really... what was I thinking here?!?

I completely 100% changed the tree.  Not a single thing the same on it... but, I only spent $5 on a box of old chandelier crystals snagged at a yard sale!  I had the lace remnants, the hydrangeas were dried from my yard this summer and the twigs were from my yard as well.  I am extremely pleased with the end result and how it compliments my dining room rather than sticking out like a sore thumb.

I am not even close to being finished decorating this room for Christmas but just to give you an idea... can you imagine a hot pink, blue, and purple tree in that corner?!?

So go shop your yards, your scrap fabric pile, and hit up the Goodwill or a yard sale.  Treasures are out there!


Over the next couple weeks we will feature totally affordable and doable Christmas projects from our homes so check back every day and you might just get inspired! 

Kandi

P.S.  Dear Santa, if you read this blog, can you please bring me an amazing camera for Christmas this year... thanks!

It is Christmas Time!

I love this time of year.  It brings out the best in those of us who love to feather our nests.  I am inspired by all of the creative ideas I have seen this year, and I have to admit, I have already bought about 20 Christmas magazines (and it is not even Dec. 1).  If that is not enough, I have been on Pinterest non-stop looking for new creative ideas; from children's crafts (I brought this craft into my son's kindergarten class today)....it was so fun especially explaining to the children why you can't see this snowman's eyes.....to beautiful outdoor rooms decorated for the season.

                                   Isn't this room amazing!  This photo is from Traditional Home. 

I have two outdoor spaces, and I can tell you neither look like this, but I can always dream, and someday.....maybe I will have.....something similar.   Here are a few other pictures that have inspired me this season.

This beautiful snowfilled picture on the left (via Pinterest) was the inspiration for my side door Christmas grouping.  I do have to say a had a bit of fun with this grouping, you never know where you are going to find the perfect accent piece; like the metal star.  For those of you who do not know what it is, it belongs with my husband's deep frier, it is the skewer that holds the turkey!  How perfectly it works with my star theme.  A couple of years ago I made the star sap bucket and gave them as gifts to my family, I kept two, and love to move them around my house.  I recently picked up the statue of St. Francis Assisi and the antique sled at an estate sale.

 I cut the stars out of the bucket with a tin snip, painted it in a crackle finish.

Here are a couple other projects I have been working on.....small sheet music christmas trees, mantels, garlands, and pillows, pillows and more pillows. A tutorial on the music christmas tree will follow in the next couple days.

Hope you are enjoying this season as much as I am!

love,

Rebekah

Transitioning from Thanksgiving to Christmas

It has been so crazy around my home these past few weeks, that I am getting a little bit of a late start on my transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas.  Many of you reading this post have finished decorating.  My mother is one of you!  I wish I could be that together.  This year has been particularly crazy because we had a booth at the Liberty Winter Market.  I feel like I have been at my sewing machine for the past two months trying to create inventory for our booth.  Now that the market is over I can finally relax and focus on my home.  So here are a few of my inspirations from Pinterest..... 

                                          This picture is from Sarah Richardson's farmhouse. 

Here are a couple of images from my house, I have to apologies for the poor picture quality, I snapped these photos with my iphone this morning.  I am having a hard time taking down my paper bag flowers from Thanksgiving, they are just so simple, and beautiful.  As I said in my last post there is a tutorial on these flowers on 52 mantels.  Instead of folding the four pieces of paper together, I folded the paper individually, and cut of the corners.  Then I hot glued the edges together to create a continuous circle. 

        Vintage Chrismas Ornaments in silver, gold and white complete the transition.

Isn't the sunrise beautiful...this was not planned!  I just bought this planter from Estate Specialist last week, it was only $12!  I just love how chippy it is.  The roses are leftover from Thanksgiving dinner.  I hope your Christmas decorating is going well, and you are enjoying this holiday season!

love,

Rebekah