A Little Bit of Holiday...Home Tour

 

Yesterday, for just a moment in time our house was pretty clean (at least the downstairs was.)  The baby dolls and lego ships, sippy cups and bowls of fish crackers had been temporarily cleared away.  I decided to take the opportunity to shoot some photos of our home dressed for Christmas!

 

I had to do it quick...before naptime for one little girl and video game time for two little boys ended and the house was littered with Barbies and little Army men again.

 

 

There isn't a whole lot of Christmas in the kitchen...a snowman cookie jar on the counter, a couple of village houses and trees in the windowsill.  The kitchen was clean nevertheless, so I thought I would take a picture!

 

 

My Eastlake Dresser was moved into the dining room temporarily to make room for the enormous Griswold family tree that we brought home with us a couple of weeks ago (see it poking out there...on the left hand side?  It is truly a monstrosity!).

 

 

A few little Christmas pretties on the buffet... 

 

 

I could not remember whether I had decided to sell my Chic Snowmen last year or not, so it was a pleasant surprise to discover them packed away with the Christmas décor!  I found the perfect spot to display them on the buffet this year.

 

 

Our rather large tree fills a whole corner of the front room and spills into the dining room!  It's the risk of cutting a real tree...you never really realize how big they are until you set them up in your home!  We are enjoying it, when we're not getting attacked by it's pokey branches!

 

After searching for an all white nativity for years, I finally found one over the summer at a little church rummage sale!  They were asking 25 cents per piece!  A few of the animals are chipped and one of the kings is missing a nose, but it still displays well and it has quickly become a favorite Christmas decoration at our house!

 

 

It is such a large nativity set that I have a hard time fitting it all on the mantle!  I just love the camels.

 

 

I mostly stick with a white/cream color scheme on the tree, but the kiddos have special ornaments that they have made at school or were given as gifts that they are always excited to add, so there are bits of red here and there as well.

 

I was excited to find a place to hang this sweet vintage inspired plaque this year!  I had bought it last year on impulse and then couldn't find a place to put it.  Now I have my lovely old door...perfect spot!

 

 

 

My one new Christmas décor purchase this year... a beautiful vintage German porcelain Mary with Baby, found in Michelle's booth at Camas Antiques!  Thanks Michelle!

 

Thank you all for joining me on my little tour.  There are so many lovely homes out there in blogland, all gorgeous and glammed up for the season!  I love looking at them and getting inspiration for next year!  This year, I am done...calling it good!  Time to sit back and enjoy!

 

My Christmas wish for you...

A peaceful and contented heart as you celebrate the holiday season surrounded by people you love!

 

Blessings,

Amanda

Sharing with...

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

What's it Wednesday at Elephants and Ivy

Be Inspired at Common Ground 

 

Vintage Harlequin Suitcase Makeover

 

I have been anxious to paint a harlequin pattern on a piece of furniture but thought it might be smart to practice on a smaller project first!  This little suitcase with all of it's mod chrome hardware was crying out for something a little more funky than my typical romantic vintage style makeover.  It was the perfect harlequin candidate!

 

 

 

This was one of those old luggage pieces that unfortunately came with an unbearable odor that wasn't going to be masked by any amount of kitty litter, coffee beans or baking soda.  The fabric lining had to come out and an odor blocking sealer applied.  You can read more about this fix in my post Repurposing and Restyling Vintage Luggage.

 

 

Painting around the hardware was really only a little bit tedious.  I keep baby wipes handy while I am painting, just in case.  Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan cleans up so easily with a damp cloth.  It is very forgiving!  The colors are Duck Egg Blue and Old White.  I completed the finish with Annie Sloan's clear wax and just a bit of the dark wax here and there.

Painting the harlequin pattern was harder than I had expected!  I made a template of the diamond shape with cardboard and then traced around it with a pencil.  From there I used painter's tape as a guide to get nice straight lines.  I love how it turned out, and I am sure I will do it again, but I'm glad I tried it out on a small piece before tackling a big project.

 

This suitcase will be up for auction at a fundraiser this month for our local school district.  I hope they raise lots of money to benefit the children in our community!

 

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

 

 

Sharing With:

 

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Through Life

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch To Yours

What's it Wednesday at Elephants and Ivy

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Anything Blue Friday at The Dedicated House

Tutorial: Create a Whimsical Winter Wonderland with Handmade Snow Puffs

Create a whimsical winter scene with tulle snow puffs!

 

 

I have admired photos of pretty tulle poms on Pinterest for months now!  I had hoped that one day I would dream up a reason to make bunches of them!  They are lovely for weddings, window displays and children's rooms.  I recently had the thought to make them in ivory, in various sizes and hang them from branches as pretty puffs of snow.  What a magical, wintry scene you could create!

 

 

Here are the larger ones I made to accessorize my recent Cinderella Cabinet Makeover.  See the smaller ones hanging from the "tree"?  They were simply tied to a ribbon to create a garland.

 

 

I added little acrylic "crystals" (found at Michaels craft store) with needle and thread to these puff ornaments for some extra glam!

 

After reading through a tutorial on making tulle poms and failing at my first attempt, I played around with the idea a bit more and ended up going in a slightly different direction.  I thought I would share with you the method that worked best for me.

 

 

I started by cutting my tulle into strips.  The length and width will vary depending on the size of puff you wish to create.  For my small ornament snow puffs and those made into a garland, I used 2 strips per puff, each 3 inches wide by 5 feet long.  I found it easiest to measure out 5 feet of tulle off the bolt and then refold it, just as it was on the bolt.  I then used my rotary cutting tool and mat to cut that length into 3 inch wide strips. 

 

 

I then took 2 of the 3 inch by 5 feet strips and wound them around 2 fingers.  You can also use the handles of a can opener, or something similar.  I find that my index and middle fingers work best for me, but trying to take a photo of my hand while my fingers were turning purple wasn't working out for too well, so I opted for the can opener handles!  Next, I used a strong string to tie all the way around the center...creating something that looks like a bow.  Making that knot tight is probably the trickiest part for me.  It really helps to have some assistance at this point... someone to put that finger down to hold the string taut while you tie the knot.  It is important to have this tied good and tight.  My 5 year old was a huge help with this step and he was so proud to have participated in the making of the snow puffs!

 

 

When I slid the tulle off of my fingers (or can opener handles), I end up with something that looks like this.

 

I then carefully cut through the loops.  See the photo below for more detail.

 

 

I used the back of a barstool when I made my larger puffs.  I thought I would share this photo as it is a little easier to see where to tie and cut than it is on the photos of the smaller version.

 

 

Once I had cut all the way through those loops, I had my snow puff, but you can see that it wasn't quite perfect.

 

 

No problem!  With a snip here and bit of trimming there, I had evened it out.  Once I had figured out the length and width of the tulle strips to cut, and had my method down pat...I was turning out a snow puff every 5 minutes.  Easy, fast and fun...my kind of craft project!

 

 

I have been enjoying using my snow puffs for photo props as well as in my display at the shop.  I think it's high time I make some to go along with my own Christmas decor!

 

 

With a few tree branches and snow puffs in various sizes, I created a whimsical winter scene in my booth space at Camas Antiques!

 

If you are considering making some snow puffs for yourself, I sincerely hope that my tutorial was helpful and easy for you to follow!

 

Happy creating!

 

Thank you so much for your sweet visit!

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

 

 

Sharing with:

Be Inspired at Common Ground

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch To Yours

What's it Wednesday at Elephants and Ivy

Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

 Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House

A Keepsake to Remember This Day by...

 

Today is a very special day for our family.  Today is the day that we officially adopt our little girl whom we have fostered for the past year and a half!  We couldn't be happier!  I've made this little keepsake to remember the day by and I wanted to share it with you! 

 

What started out as an inexpensive thrift store print in a dated frame, is now a special memento that will be hung in a very special little girl's sweet pink room!  Of course I used Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan to makeover the frame, and I painted right over the mountain scene to create the backdrop for the gold shoes.  I just love these little shoes!  They were on some sweet little feet last Christmas, so they are sentimental as well!

 

Thank you for stopping by and sharing in our joy today!

 

Best Wishes and Blessings!

Amanda

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sharing with:

Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

Be Inspired at Common Ground

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch To Yours

What's it Wednesday at Elephants and Ivy

 Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House

 

Christmas at Camas Antiques!

Photo courtesy of Downtown Camas Association

 

This was the scene outside of Camas Antiques this morning as the doors opened for the annual Holiday Open House!

 

 

I have for you, an after hours peek inside!  Several of us were working (and visiting!) late into the night, putting the final touches on our Christmas displays!  Before I headed home, I made my way through the store, camera in hand to document all of the lovely, festive, creative displays just for you, my dear blog friends! 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Our wonderful store owner, JoAnn goes to great lengths to find the very best merchandise to offer year round, but she goes above and beyond at Christmastime and I think that is a huge part of what draws the crowd for our Holiday event!

 

More merchandise from JoAnn...

 

 

Gorgeous window display by JoAnn and her talented helper, Jennifer.  JoAnn's husband Tommy did a fabulous job painting the furniture for this window...but we're not surprised as everything Tommy paints is fabulous! 

 

Our artist in residence, Paula Wade had her whimsical "Jingle & Mingle" art in another fun window display.  Her paintings have been made into all kinds of Christmas ornaments and décor pieces!  How cool is that?  She is selling original paintings at the open house this weekend!

 

My friend Jennifer makes these great trees out of jute webbing!

 

This tree is also from Jennifer's space.  I love those scrabble tie ornaments!

 

Jan puts together some jaw-dropping displays.  This one is all about red, green and sparkle!  Wow!

 

Kim of Shabbytique always has great furniture and fun and funky ways of displaying it!  She was still working away when I left the store at 1:00 AM!  That is dedication!

 

Michelle had her space totally stocked full of treasures!  I always seem to find something I need in her booth!

 

Blaine and Jennifer have a huge booth downstairs.  It was filled to the brim with unique hand painted furniture and Christmas charm!  They are true masters at the art of merchandise display!

 

My friends Shannie of Belle Chic and Vanessa of I Believe in Pink have a sweet look with lots of fabulously painted furniture and accessories!

 

Another view of Shannie and Vanessa's pretty booth.  Love that bed in Antoinette and Old White! 

 

Mary brings in the most unique finds and really knows how to display them for a fun and inviting look!

 

Denise of La Casa Bella has such a romantic, old world style!  I always love to see what's new in her booth!

 

Another shot of Denise's booth...so lovely!

I am just getting to know Chrissy, but something tells me that she loves Rachel Ashwell as much I do.  She sews beautiful pillows and throws in Shabby Chic fabrics and brought in this amazing ornament wreath in shabby pinks and blues for the sale this weekend! 

 

The talented ladies of Redo always have something extra special in their booth!  Check out this amazing fireplace!

 

If you can't find something you must have in my friend Angela's space, then you aren't looking.  She offers a great variety of treasures from hand painted furniture to jewelry and everything in between!

 

Another view of Angela's booth.  Isn't that tree fun?

 

Theresa of Fresh Picked has a funky style all her own, and she is one crafty lady!  Aren't these reclaimed sweater snow people the sweetest?  Theresa has an Etsy shop and I bet she would ship a snowman or lady your way if you fell in love with one of these cuties!

 

More snow people by Fresh Picked!

 

Deanna of Doll House had the best little Christmas table setting displayed.  I couldn't decide which photos to share!  I just love the little trees and snow in the cups and compotes!

 

Tree in cup, cup in cup, on a stack of plates and a book!  You amaze me, Deanna!  This is so darn cute!

 

Another view of Deanna's Doll House...so much eye candy here!

 

Christine always has a booth full of fun things and her Christmas display did not disappoint! 

 

Amber of Good Little Monkey is the supplier of all things cute and cozy for the littlest customers of Camas Antiques!

 

 

I borrowed this photo from Chris of Mack & Momma's Facebook page... I hope she doesn't mind!  She has a lovely display case filled with her beautiful creations.  I have known her for quite some time now and have always admired her lovely style! 

 

This is JoAnn's display that welcome's customers as they enter the store...sure to put them in the spirit of the season!

 

A special thank you to my mom for bringing me branches for my snowy display and for helping me haul in the heavy hutch and everything else!  I couldn't have done it without her!

 

More of JoAnn's amazing inventory...this is directly across the aisle from my booth!  Can you see where I might get distracted from my work?

 

I think one of those tiny pink sweaters might have to make it's way onto my Christmas tree this year!

 That was only a mere glimpse of what Camas Antiques has to offer this Christmas season!  I hope you enjoyed it, and if you live in the Pacific Northwest or are ever travelling through, be sure to visit for yourself!  It is truly a special place filled with unique and wonderful treasures, carefully selected by a group of people that I feel blessed to call my friends!

 

 

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

 

 

 

Sharing with:

Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch To Yours

What's it Wednesday at Elephants and Ivy

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground