How to Beat the B-O-R-E-D bug over the Holiday Break?

How to beat the B-O-R-E-D bug?

Holiday Breaks take on a different meaning when you are a Stay at Home Mom. When I was working full time, I treasured the days of being at home with the kids.  I would get 2-3 days off at the most and those days were so jam packed with activity, it seemed like they were over before they even started.

Fast Forward to this year, when the Board of Education saw fit to make Thanksgiving Break a week long, sending this Mommy into Panic Mode.  A Week off in the Cold, with little to no chance of Outdoor Activities means I have to find a way to keep these girl’s entertained to combat the B-O-R-E-D bug.

The B-O-R-E-D Printable Beat the B-O-R-E-D bug

For the Free Printable Click BORED.

So my mind switches into List Mode….

What can we do?

  • Board Games
  • Arts & Crafts
  • Bowling
  • Learning Disguised as Fun
  • Read-a- Thon & Library Trips
  • $3 Movie Theater Trip
  • Holiday Decorations
  • Scrapbooking
  • Making Christmas Lists
  • Mini-Golf
  • Baking

I am feeling pretty proud of myself, until I realize that my entire list could probably fit into a 4-5 hour time Span, which sends me into an even bigger panic.

So it’s back to the drawing board, also known as Pinterest.

Here are some of the links that I found….

The Chirping Moms on

10 Things To Do When It’s Too Cold To Go Anywhere!

Pint Size Treasures on

9 Fun Inside Activities to Do With Kids — Perfect for Cold and Snowy Days!

The Madhouse on

The Ultimate No Spend or Low Spend Bored Jar list

**My favorites from these links – Spa Day, Puzzles and Any Other Activity that Includes Helping Mommy with her Chores, lol.

SO…WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR LITTLE ONE’S OVER THE HOLIDAY BREAKS??

Update – 2014 “Handmade with Love” – Holiday Gift Guide

Holiday Gift Guide 2014

Hey Guys,

I am so happy with the response that we have received for the “Handmade with Love” Holiday Gift Guide.  You all have submitted so many amazing products, that frankly it’s hard to choose. :-).

So, I just wanted to jump on and give you an update.  As of right now, the following Categories are CLOSED.

For Her

For Infant/Toddler

For Home

I have received soo many jewelry submissions, that I am considering making a category just for that.  I will keep you posted.

I am still looking for items for the following Categories:

For Him

For Couples

For Pets

For Foodies

For Fitness Buffs

I think I have responded to everyone who has sent out a submission, at this time.   If I have somehow missed you please reach out to me again, via shereethomas@stage-presents.com.

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Trend Alert – Over-sized Letters and a Quick DIY!!

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For as far back as when my youngest daughter, (now 4) was born, I think I have been obsessed with typography and lettering and the custom/personalized feel  that it brings to Home Decor.  Over the last couple of years, I think that I have become enamored with over-sized letters specifically.  And… so the hunt began.  Of course I would see them EVERYWHERE.  But, the catch is always the same, either they don’t have the letters that I am looking for, I can’t find the size I need, or the price is astronomical. (Or at least as far as this Momma is concerned)

So… I was at my 2nd Favorite Fabric Store….. you guessed it,  Joann’s Fabric on a totally unrelated quest, when I ran smack dab into these HUGE Cardboard Letters, which of course were going to come home with me.

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Admittedly, I had no idea what was next, because as much as I was stalking all the Over-sized Letter pins  on Pinterest.  My intention was to buy them and not to turn it into a DIY Project.  Naturally, you would think the next step would have been to look up directions.  But, NOPE.   I decided to go home and see what I already had in my Craft Closet (also known, as the JUNK CLOSET).  SCORE!!

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I sprayed the letters with Krylon Short Cuts Hobby Craft Paint.  And, to be honest, I loved that look and could have just left it at that.  It had a leathery rustic look.  But, since the A was actually an addition to my dh’s office decor.  It had to tie into the Chalkboard Walls, that are soon to come.

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What do you think?? I like it Brown.

I know that there should be a picture of the final step with the Martha Stewart Multi-Surface Chalk Board Paint.  But, I had to download all my pics from my iPhone to make room for the iOS 8 upgrade.

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Here is the completed project!! As you can see it hasn’t made it to its intended home yet, because Hubby’s Office is still a work in progress.  All in all, the whole project probably cost me no more than $7.00.

Who can be mad at that??  Have you decorated any spaces in your home with Lettering?  What was your favorite project?  I’d love to hear about it!!

 

 

And …. We’re Live!! – Restricted Members Only Content

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Many of you have noticed that there were some Cosmetic Changes happening on the Site, yesterday.  That is because we were going through the process of creating a Members Only Section.  If you sign up to become a member of our Blog, you will have access to Exclusive Content.  I believe that everything is working as it should.  However,  please excuse the changes, as we work out all kinks.

We Appreciate your Understanding and Your Patience.

In the meantime and in between time,  Register for your FREE Membership and take Advantage of our Exclusive Fall Printables!!

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Jumping Head First into Fall – Our Fall Home Tour

Fall Tour 2014 Hero Image

Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons.  After particularly hot summers here in Georgia, when the seasons start to change, I feel the need to bring as much warmth in doors as possible, enter my Fall Décor.

I feel that the Entry to Your Home Sets the Tone for the Entire House.  So, I normally start with my Front Door and Work My way All the Back to the Kitchen.  But, this year, I was literally chomping at the bit, to pull out the Fall Decorations.  So I started indoors, that way the neighbors wouldn’t  know how crazy I am , lol.  I had also promised my hubby, I would wait at least until September 1st, to start decorating for Fall, and that is literally how long I waited.

I started with the hardest part, the Fall Tablescape.  To me, that is the make or break it point.  All other décor  gets married to this room.  I was pretty sure that I could use most of the items that I purchased last year, but still create a different look than last years.

Here is a glimpse of last year’s décor.

2013 Fall Centerpiece

 

2013 Fall Tablescape

Fast Forward to this Year:

2014 Fall Tablescape found on www.stage-presents.com

 

2014 Fall Tablesetting found on www.stage-presents.com

 

Side Buffet - Decorating for Fall - www.stage-presents.com

 

The Burnt Orange Bird Cages were something that my hubby picked up last year, when we were trying to figure out how to style the Side Buffet and the Mantle.  Luckily, they were already the perfect color, the only thing I added to them, were some fall leaves to line the cage.  I had a rather large ceramic pumpkin, and I simply put inside my glass cake plate, and added a few fall leaves and floral accents.  Then I decorated the table with other ceramic pumpkins and gourds.  Next,  I set the table with Fall Leaf place mats I bought last year from Bed Bath & Beyond,  in brown and gold.    I used Pier 1  pear and pumpkin salt and pepper shakers from last year and large fall leaves I purchased from Joann’s Fabrics, to make the table settings pop.  And, the scripted napkins were also something that I bought last year.  So I recycled pretty much everything while creating a new and I think a better look than last year.

Next Up, was my Foyer.  It gets a facelift on a constant basis.  I change up the Art Work and Décor based on Season Changes, Birthdays, and Holidays..  After all it’s the first thing you see when you come through my front door.

Past Foyer Looks:

Fall 2013 Foyer Decor

 

Christmas 2013 - Foyer Decor

 

This Year’s Look:

Fall 2014 - Foyer Decor

My Formal Dining Room flows directly into My Formal Living Room.  I didn’t do much in this room, but change out the centerpiece, just to give the whole space a uniform look.

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Fall 2014 – Living Room Centerpiece found on www.stage-presents.com

Then, I carried the decorations over into the Kitchen by adding these Chalkboard Candles to the Window Sill in the Kitchen.

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Fall 2014 Kitchen Window Display

Last Up, was the Front Door Area.  Here are some pics from the last two years.

2013 Fall Door

2012 Fall Door

And, finally this year!!

2014 Fall Door

Thanks for joining us on Our Fall Home Tour.  As always it’s a joy to decorate my home for my family, and to share it, with you.

Free Father’s Day Downloadable Printable (PDF File)

With Father’s Day only Thirteen Days Away, we thought we would share with you this great Father’s Day Printable that we created for our Facebook and Instagram Fans!!

To Download: Simply Click the Link Following the Picture and Enjoy!!

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DOWNLOAD HERE

J’adore 7/8: Double Edition

Stomach Flu had me out for the count last week, so I tried to make up for it, with a Double Edition this week.  Hope you enjoy!!

I was a little thrown off my game this year, with Easter being so far into April. But, at least it gave me more time to make Easter Memorable.  I am really feeling these non-traditional ideas for Decorating Eggs  – Glitter Eggs and these Chalkboard Eggs.  Haven’t decided which one I like more, or if these Qualify as a Mommy Project or a Mommy and the Girls Project.  After all they have their PAAS Egg Decorating Sets, lol.

The change of Season is inspiring Color Everywhere.  Elle Decor recently shared their Spring 2014 Color Trends, along with their ideas of how to Design and Decorate using these hues.   My favorite colors from their list were PANTONE 16-3823 Violet Tulip and PANTONE 18-3949 Dazzing Blue.  In fact, I am trying to incorporate the Blue into my Easter Tablescape.  I will let you know how that turns out.  It doesn’t seem to be an easy color to find and or match with my existing dinnerware.

With my birthday approaching, I have been bouncing around ideas of getting together with my girlfriends.  Trying to figure out if I wanted to do a full blown dinner party, go out to eat, or do some type of wine/cheese tasting party. That is when I ran across this, and had to chuckle.  Have you ever had these kind of days?

I know I shared the link, but I had to share the pic in this actual post(priceless).

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This past year my nine year old had a LOT of Dental Work done.  She had adult teeth that came in behind the baby teeth and it took a lot to get everything where it should be.  Super Painful too, so this year, I am shying away from anything that could put my baby back in that dentist chair, other than a cleaning.  I am looking for NON CANDY Easter Basket Options.  I guess I am not the only one, I found a lot of great ideas here and here.

Lastly, someone mentioned to me this week that a lot of people want to use Pillows to decorate, but are unsure about Pillow Placement.  So here is some “Pillow Porn” for you. Hope that didn’t offend anyone…

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Did this help you think of a place you could put a Throw Pillow?  Head on over to our Etsy Store for some options!!

Next week, I will be sharing some Great Easter Crafts… Until then, AS YOU WERE!! 

 

“Fifty Shades of Grey” — A Color Story!!

Do you have a hard time knowing what colors work together?

Check out these amazing ways to Decorate with Gray. –

Gray is much more than a combination of black and white — it offers a wide array of possibilities.

Check out this Masculine Color Scheme showcased on HGTV.com –

Gray + Brown + Orange + Coral

Check out this Feminine Color Scheme showcased on HGTV.com –

Pale Grey Blue + Charcoal + Pink

Need More Ideas here are some Gray Color Schemes.

Check out some of the Gray Throw Pillows we have in our Etsy Store?

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J’adore 5

Here’s a little something you may or may not know about me.  I LOVE STRONG COFFEE.   Of course, I also love Great Creamers.  But, I have grown accustomed to needing the little kick in the morning.  I could really drink more than one cup a day, but I try to limit myself to just one.  Do you know what your coffee says about you?  Well, I didn’t.  I drink Macchiatos and I am also a COFFEE ON THE GO girl, not sure I agreed with their analysis of me.  But, it made for an interesting read.

Since opening our Etsy Store, our house is starting to look more and more like a sweat shop.  We have fabric, scraps, zippers, metal snaps, tools, needles… etc. EVERY where.  So I have been searching for a way to organize all my supplies. The first thing I need to find storage for is the fabric, and since I have a fairly large and deep Foyer Closet, this solution seemed perfect for me. Buttons, Thumb Tacks, Embellishments, all tend to be SMALL.  And, with little ones running around, you can imagine what a disaster that could become.  Here are some Solution Ideas:  Spice Racks and Mason Jars.

My nieces are being christened this weekend.  The dresses that I bought for them to wear to the Christening, are the dresses they will be wearing for Easter. So, I am thankful I got that out the way, before the Easter Mall Rush. Now, I am trying to figure out what fun things we can do together for Easter.  I ran across these PAAS Easter Egg Color Kits in Walgreens the other day.  It took me back to when I was little and my Mom used to buy these for my sister and I. So nostalgia took over and I bought them for the girls.  I am looking forward to making those memories with my little ones.  Since, I am trying to cut down on the sugar, instead of doing all chocolate covered eggs, I decided that I am going to make these for the girls, with my own twist.  And, I am still on the hunt for a local Easter Egg Hunt or Carnival.  What do you do with your kids during the Easter Season?

The Dust Up In the Family Room!!

Can you play two ends of the same coin?  I like to say that I push the envelope when it comes to my Home Decor Choices, but more often than not, my choice ends up being very main stream and even a bit conservative but with a contemporary flair.

Last year we decided it was time to update our Family Room. And, our jumping off point was the sofa.  I never anticipated the mayhem that would ensue.  After numerous trips to the furniture store.  We decided on this sofa.

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Or so I thought.  We didn’t really measure the space.  And (maybe), since I’m not sure even after a year, that I am ready to acquiesce that it was too big for the room, it was a bit large.  But, I loved that sofa.  So for peace sake the sofa went back and hubby was tasked with finding a new sofa for the family room.  I was still pouting, so I stayed at home.

So you can imagine my horror and surprise when hubby came home with a red leather sectional.

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Little did I know that [1] I would fall in love it.  [2] It was the perfect match for our space.  [3]  It would inspire such creativity on our part(our Mantel Decor- shown above).

It is easy to pick safe choices, but I must admit that” flying a little close to the sun” worked for us, this time.