Monthly Archives: November 2014

Nov 26

Thanksgiving Decor: Part 4

In this final Thanksgiving post I’ll be sharing how to dress up your table! Since my family only use three of the six chairs at the dining table, that allows me to decorate the half not in use. Below you’ll see a few pictures from this year’s table. I have our traditional poinsettia tablecloth adorned with various decorations.

Thanksgiving_dining room

I have pumpkins, leaves, a festive flower arrangement, and a turkey. The majority of the decorations on the table were purchased at craft stores. The glass pumpkin in the center of the table was purchased at a glass studio. You can find great pieces at reasonable prices at many glass studios, so keep your eye out for pieces that can be used both year-round and on special occasions.

Thanksgiving_dining room table

At the center of the table I have a vase filled with various autumn foliage and a small turkey. The foliage brings together all the elements in the room, and the turkey adds a bit of whimsy to the table.

Thanksgiving_dining room table-close up

I hope you enjoyed my Thanksgiving decor and found inspiration for your own space. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Nov 24

Thanksgiving Decor: Part 3

In my previous two posts I concentrated on decor in my living room (accent wall and above the window). In this post, I’ll be showing you how I decorated the dining room. I’ll start by showing you the space above our painting. This space is great for decorating, so I usually put something in this area for major holidays. As seen below, I use Happy Thanksgiving signs, foliage, and autumn food to decorate this area.

Dining room decor_painting

Next, we’ll look at the chandelier and window. Like the living room, I used garland to decorate the space above the window. I also used a smaller, shorter garland and wrapped it around the chandelier. When decorating a chandelier, it’s important to use light-weight items and make sure they don’t come in contact with any of the lights.

Living room decor_window and chandelier

Living room decor_chandelier

I hope you enjoyed this post on Thanksgiving decor. Check back for more ideas on decorating your home for Thanksgiving!

Nov 23

Thanksgiving Decor: Part 2

Welcome to my second post on Thanksgiving decor! In this post I’ll demonstrate how you can easily dress up the space above your window. As seen below, I added two autumn garlands, along with a fanciful turkey, above the windows in the living room.

Thanksgiving_living room window

Thanksgiving_living room window-2

This is an easy, inexpensive way to dress up a window and add a bit of interest to an otherwise blank space. As in my previous post, the garland is affixed to the wall with painter’s tape. This type of garland can be found at craft stores, and similar turkey decorations can be found at big box party stores. Remember, adding interest to a window is a great way to dress up your space and create a cohesive feel throughout your home!

Nov 21

Thanksgiving Decor: Part 1

Thanksgiving is one of the holidays where I like to decorate the house! In this post I’ll show you how I decorated a wall in my living room. I like to decorate differently every year and was trying to decide what to do with the accent wall in the living room. I had several packages of faux maple leaves, and decided that this year I’d create a tree! As seen below, the accent wall was plain except for a large mirror.

Living room wall_before

After about $20 worth of supplies (cardboard paper, faux maple leaves, and painter’s tape), I now have two beautiful trees! The final result is shown below. This was an inexpensive project that was completed in one day. Since the entire project is affixed to the wall with painter’s tape (I fold it over so it’s like double-sided tape), it’s easy to remove and won’t damage your walls.

Living room wall_after

So what are you waiting for? There’s still time to update your holiday decor, so go create an art piece that not only embodies the holiday, but also displays your creative genius!

Nov 19

The River in Fall

River rapids in fallI’ve posted pictures of this river in previous posts, but nature’s scenery tends to change with the season. The river is now swollen, the rapids are larger, leaves have fallen off trees, and the foliage has changed color. This gives me an idea for a project! Have a place you like to explore year round? If so, take a few pictures in the same area during each season. At the end of the year, you can take one photo from each season and hang all four on your wall. We’ve all seen similar photos in galleries, so why not create your own personalized version? This is definitely a long-term project, but it’s also totally worth it. So what are you waiting for? It’s not too late to start your own season-by-season project, so get out there and capture nature’s seasonal beauty!

Nov 17

Frog Friend in the Backyard

Frog in the backyardSince summer we’ve been hearing croaking coming from somewhere in the backyard. Last weekend I was out back raking the leaves when I came across a curious creature. As raked leaves near the back door, I noticed something green that was sitting in a spot previously covered by leaves-a frog! I thought it was cute, so I snapped a photo. It’s amazing what you can find in your own backyard! This is the type of photo that would be great displayed in a kid’s room, used in a nature-based scrapbook, or framed and displayed and given to someone who loves reptiles. Even though winter is coming, you can still find nature right outside your door. Whether you photograph reptiles or other wildlife, you can always find nature’s creatures all around you!

Nov 14

A Moonlit Night through the Clouds

Moonlit night_cloudsAbout a week or so ago I decided to stay up late. Before I went to bed, I decided to check and see if I could view the moon from my window. Luckily, I was able to get a great shot of the moon surrounded by clouds. I love the glow of the moon and how the surrounding clouds are lit by moonlight. It has a cool, calm color palette and is perfect for any space. You can easily take a similar moon photo to display in your own space. While I was able to take this shot from my window, you might have to go outside to get the best picture. Once you find a location and angle that suits the type of photo you want, start taking pictures! Next, all you need is to pick out a frame and display your photo. You’ll not only have a gorgeous photo, but a conversation piece that all who see it will enjoy.

Nov 12

Rain and Sun through the Window

Rain and sun through windowLast week the weather here was kind of sporadic. We dealt with a combination rain, wind, and sun throughout the week. One afternoon I looked up and noticed droplets of rain on my window, along with the bright sun peeking out from behind the clouds. I thought it was a pretty cool shot, so I took a photo! We’ve all seen similar pictures in galleries, so why buy those when you can create your own? You can easily create and display a similar picture in your space. All you really need is a window and the weather of your choice. Whether you chose a scene reminiscent of spring, summer, winter, or fall, you’ll create a gallery-worthy look that’s all your own!

Nov 10

The Bird in the Bush

Bird in the bushI was sitting at my desk one day and kept hearing a bunch of birds outside my window. After awhile I decided to peek out of my window and saw several birds hopping around the garden and front yard. I looked down from my window and saw something moving in one of the bushes. Upon closer inspection I saw that it was a little bird-how cute! It kept jumping from branch to branch, but I was finally able to snap a photo of it. I love how the bird blends in so well with the branches (that’s nature!). This type of photo would be great to display as a centerpiece on a wall or shelf. It features both earth tones and pops of color, and could be a conversation piece due to the presence of wildlife. You can get a similar picture if you keep your ears and eyes open to the wildlife around you. Nature can be found right outside your door, so be sure to have your camera ready to get some awesome nature shots!

Nov 7

The Concrete Cannon at the Beach

Concrete cannon at the beachOn my second trip to one of my local beaches I was pleasantly surprised to see that the tide was out. This allowed me to explore more of the beach than I had on a previous trip. After walking a few minutes and enjoying the sunshine something caught my eye. As I approached this oddly shaped piece of concrete I walked around it to see what it was. While I still don’t know what it was, I realized that from a certain angle it looks like a cannon-so I snapped a picture! I think it’s cool when an object looks completely different from what it actually is. If you like this type of look, you can easily get the same sort of photo. First, pick an object that you think looks interesting. Next, try taking pictures of it from various angles and distances until you get a photo you like. You may have to take several shots and use multiple types of items, but you’ll eventually get a similarly unique shot. Once this is accomplished you’ll not only have an interesting photo to display, but also a great conversation piece for all your guests to enjoy!