Friday Favorites – Week 338 – Halloween Succulent Planters

Posted on 15 September, 2016 by admin

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Friday Favorites – Week 337 – Tea Cart Makeover

Posted on 8 September, 2016 by admin

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Friday Favorites – Week 336 – DIY Paint Stick Flower Basket

Posted on 1 September, 2016 by admin

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Friday Favorites – Week 335 – Painted Metallic Books

Posted on 25 August, 2016 by admin

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Sheree from Stage Presents chose

Painted Metallic Books from Savvy Apron

The weather is already getting a little chill to it here in Atlanta. Now, I should probably say all that means is that it may be in the 70’s at night, as opposed to the 90’s that we have been used to. But nevertheless, any type of cooler weather catapults me into a Fall State of Mind. For me anything Pumpkin Spice Flavored and Gold brings Fall to Mind. If I am honest, I will admit that I have been rocking Gold as an Accent Color all year. So I went all “Goo- Goo” over these Painted Metallic Books from Savvy Apron. What a great way to stage a writing desk!! And, it gave me some great ideas on how I could stage my Side Buffet and Book Shelves for the Fall. Stop by and checking out the Savvy Apron, her page is chock full of amazing finds.

Easy-Homework-Helper-Portable-Desk-19

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home chose

Portable Homework Helper w/ 3 Sets of Printables from Our Peaceful Planet

Lisa at Condo Blues chose

DIY Picture Frame Wreath from Celebrate & Decorate with Chloe Crabtree

Dawn at LeroyLime chose

5 Back to School Prayers for Moms by While I’m Waiting

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky chose

Fresh Corn Dip from Lou Lou Girls

Maisy at Becoming Alice chose

Vegan Tofu Feta Cheese (Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Oil-Free) from Sprinkle of Vanilla Sugar

Jen at Creatively Homemade chose

Burlap Scarecrow Garden Flag from The Country Chic Cottage

Amy at A Day of Small Things chose

Butterfly Snack Bags at Lolly Jane Blog

Penny at Penny’s Passion chose

Printable Lunch Box Jokes from Gluesticks

FF How-To-Make-Seashell-Charger-683x1024

Christine at Light and Savvy chose

How To Make Seashell Chargers by Celebrate and Decorate

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Quick and Easy Steps to Making Your Own Candles

Posted on 31 July, 2016 by admin

Quick and Easy Steps to Making Your Own Candles

I enjoy DIY projects. But, I should explain I do not enjoy projects that have too many moving parts or require too much work on my part. So, if you ever see me share a project or a recipe, you can be sure of two things. It will be quick and it will be easy. Today’s DIY is no different. I will confess this isn’t the first time that I have made my own candles. But, it literally was back in 2008. And, back then I was making them as gifts, so I rarely enjoyed them myself.

Fast forward to this summer, as I was making my summer bucket list. I tried to come up with projects that I thought the kids would be excited to be a part of. Now, I know you are probably thinking kids and hot wax, but I promise I did that part all myself. So, let’s get started.

Moving Parts aka Things You Need.

Moving Parts

Glassware of Some Type
Microwaveable Soy Wax
Candle Wicks with Metal Base
Plastic Mold Sealer (to secure Metal Base)
Straw or Pencil
Fragrance
About 10-15 minutes

I used Mason Jars, because… well I love Mason Jars. The Microwaveable Soy Wax was Quick and Easy. The directions on the packaging shown in the first picture. Indicates that it will take up to a minute to melt. It took me about 3 minutes to get it all the melted. I have a Microwave that I don’t use to cook in so I used that for this project. I am mentioning this because, of course you probably don’t want tomorrow’s left overs smelling like wax. But I am sure if you give it a good wipe down right after you would be fine. Candle Wicks, this is one of those things where you will have choices galore. This go around I used the Soy Wicks with the tabs. But, if I was to do it again, I would do the braided wicks, because I like the way that they burn better. And, I would probably go for the simple white wicks just for a cleaner look. I used a small piece of the Plastic Mold Sealers to secure the Metal Base of the Wicks. This is not something you have to do but, I feel better knowing that when I start pouring the wick will stay in place. My favorite part and the reason I made the candles in the first place is the fragrance. But, I am going to warn you fragrance is NOT CHEAP. And, if you want a noticeable scent. You may want to pour between 3-4 bottles of 1 oz Liquid Candle Fragrances into the melted wax and stir well, for even distribution.

OK, so that explains all the things you will need EXCEPT for the Pencil or the Straw. Now the first time I did this, I bought longer wicks, so I simply attached the Metal Base and tied the remaining wick around a pencil centered on top of the jar to keep it centered. This time the wicks I purchased were shorter was shorter, so hubby “jimmy- rigged” it. My Mommy would always tell me necessity is the Mother of Invention, and she would be right. He came up with the idea to puncture a hole in a straw and thread the wick through it and then center it on top of the jar. I was skeptical, but he was right.. hes good with these things.

Making Candles

So there you have it, go forth…and make some great smelling candles. Not to mention how impressed all your friends and family will be. I find that these candles are always a most welcome Hostess Gift. With the holidays coming up, it’s something to consider. Slap a Personalized Sticker on here or dress it up with a ribbon or two. Don’t say I never told you anything (smile).

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!

PREPPING FOR COLLEGE AND DORM LIFE PART 2

Posted on 13 June, 2016 by admin

Prepping for College and Dorm Life - Washable Linen Must Haves - stage-presents.com

IS COLLEGE UP AHEAD?

And we are back for Part Two of Our Getting Ready for College and Dorm Life Series. Last time we covered the Small Appliances that would get you through your Dorm Years, for Part Two, we are covering pretty much anything that you can throw in the washing machine that isn’t clothing.

Prepping for College and Dorm Life - Washable Linen Must Haves - stage-presents.com

Now, I know that you are probably thinking, duh, this is all Common Sense. Well, yes… and no. This is where quality comes into play. I am pretty sure that you are not going to want to spring for most of these things several times over the next four years, even if you end up moving out of the dorms and into your own apartment. So what that means is that you shouldn’t skimp on the Quality and or the Quantity.

When purchasing linens of any kind of linens, don’t skimp. Your sheets should be the highest thread count that you can manage and your towels should be the plushest. Now, if you are like most college students and you like to try new things. Buy at least one set of towels that you don’t mind if they get ruined by hair dye, or whatever other spills you may encounter through the years. So, if by chance they don’t return to their original color, no harm no foul. When purchasing a comforter set for college, you may want to coordinate with your room mate on colors, if you are so inclined. I say choose the one with as many pieces as you can. And, if it can be reversible even better, that way you don’t get tired of looking at the same pattern over and over. The better the quality the less time you will have to spend ironing and or steaming it. Get Our Take On More Things You Don’t Skimp On Here.

I am sure that you probably don’t want to think about how many people have slept on that mattress before you. I get the “Heebie Jeebies” just thinking about it. So to protect your piece of mind and allow you to sleep at night. Bring lots of protection. (Not that kind of protection, well that kind of protection too.) I recommend a mattress protector that zips up. If you are OCD like me, buy two. Then a Mattress Pad that can transform your current accommodations to 5 star status, or at least one good enough that you can trick yourself into believing it.

I won’t lie to you this probably won’t be cheap. But, like I said if you do it right, you shouldn’t have to do it again. Also, if you can make it through the Fall Semester with a minimal amount of these items. January is always WHITE SALE time and a good time to stock up.

If you are working your way down your list, I hope that you are feeling more and more prepared for the next chapter. Can you think of something that I didn’t include? Share it with us in the comments section below.

What your Favorite Color says about you?

Posted on 17 May, 2016 by admin

For as long as I can remember, Blue and Green have always been my favorite colors, and I suppose by default turquoise. I recently decorated my office space and a girlfriend of mine brought it to my attention that once again these were the dominant colors. It got me to thinking about what it was that made me gravitate to these colors. So, I looked it up. ** I know surprise, surprise.

What Does Your Favorite Color Say About You - stage-presents.com

I have always found these colors soothing and centering. So, I was not surprised to find that these colors were associated with words like refreshing, calming, serenity, tranquility, emotional balance and even good luck. The words that gave me another perspective were sophisticated, energy, wisdom, wholeness, creativity, spiritual grounding, friendship, love, joy, patience, intuition and loyalty. If I could cloak myself in words or characteristics these would be the words that I would want. It also explains why I get the most done in my office. Clearly, it’s a centered spot for me, where I can block out the outside world and exist in my truest form and create.

Colors have long been heralded as the building blocks in successfully marketing and branding companies, simply because certain colors trigger emotions. As you can see from this Color Emotion Guide (below)

Photo Credit: The Logo Company

Just like a certain song will bring you back to a certain time in your life happy or bad. There are certain colors that we identify with. Interested in knowing what your favorite colors mean? Check out this article by Very Well.com on how color impacts, moods, feelings and behavior.

When we started Our Etsy Shop, we ONLY sold pillows. [Old news – we have a lot more to offer now.] In order to help our customers decide which pillows would work well in their living spaces we created color stories. You can check them out here.

What is your favorite color? Do you surround yourself with it? Tell us all about it in the comments section below.

Getting the Final Say on the Target Pillowfort Collection pt. 3

Posted on 23 March, 2016 by admin

Welcome Back to Week Three (the final week) of my Love Affair with the New Target Pillowfort ™ Collection. This week we are featuring the last of the (4) Ready to Play Rooms. And, if I can say anything about these rooms is that I love their use of color. I am particularly a fan of the navy blue and green mixture, teal and orange and… the splashes of yellow. I believe that I child’s bedroom should not only reflect their style but be upbeat and lively. If you have clicked through to the Featured Rooms, I am sure that you have recognized by now that a lot of the rooms share some of the same furniture. So even though I picked through a lot of the good stuff already, I was still able to come up with some favorites. That surprisingly have made their way on to my Shopping List. Shock of all Shocks, lol.