Inspired By Art {Cozy Rustic Dining Room}

I have always been interested in different forms of art as well as photography. As soon as I see an inspiring piece I am always tempted to design a room with that artwork in mind. I am never drawn to just one form of art. I have landscapes, abstract, impressionism and mixed media all framed around my house somewhere.

I recently came across this site called Invaluable. What a great source for design inspiration! Invaluable is the largest online auction marketplace with an amazing selection of fine art and paintings. I could spend days just browsing their site. Some bidding starts as low as $17 all the way up in the thousands. It just depends on what you are looking for.

Since the cold weather has been streaming in around the country, I was inspired by this abstract piece to design a cozy rustic dining room.

Unfortunately, the piece is no longer available for auction. Some lucky duck has it hanging in their home right now. But, I really loved the earth tones in this painting and used them to create an organic space.

The green tones were brought out by the plants and cozy throw. Mixing the different metals, woods and textures helped the space feel more collected and relaxed because everything isn't so matchy matchy.

What do you think about this dining room? Could you kick off your shoes at the end of the day and cozy up with a glass of wine?



**This is not a sponsored post. I just love sharing new finds with all of you. All thoughts and ideas are mine and only mine!**

Easy Thanksgiving Tablescapes

If you are anything like me, life can get crazy busy and you forget all the detailed pieces when it comes to entertaining for the holidays. This year we are actually going to be out of town for Thanksgiving, so I didn't have to come up with a tablescape for guests. I am kind of sad about it. I love setting my table and making it pretty. So this year I am living through inspirational pictures like the ones below.

With Thanksgiving only ONE week away, here are a few quick and easy ideas to make your table look festive without much trouble.

Source- BHG

Take a trek into your backyard or neighbors yard. It is amazing what inspiration you can find for a centerpiece. Grab a stem of colorful leaves, a branch of magnolia or a bunch of pinecones. I love the organic feel of bringing the outdoors in! 

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Emily created an amazing centerpiece from discounted ornamental Kale from Home Depot and craft paper as the table runner. Genius!

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I also love the idea of using what you have in your refrigerator. Grab some colorful fruit to lay on top of garland or tie a sprig of rosemary to a cloth napkin to add interest. 

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This is a neat idea of gathering branches from outside and spray painting them a bright color. It creates a sort of art piece right on your table!

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We can't forget about the kiddos! Did you have a kids table growing up? We sure did!
This idea is absolutely adorable. Grab some brown or white craft paper (or wrapping paper) to cover the kids table. Use jars from around the house for art supplies. This will keep them busy a little longer so you can enjoy your scrumptious meal and the paper helps with clean up. Win Win!

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How about spray painting a charger with chalk paint? Rather than a word, you could write the guest's name on the charger with chalk marker to help identify where everyone will sit for the meal. I also like the idea of using ribbon and yarn that you have laying around the house to wrap the cloth napkins and silverware. Nothing fancy, but helps add so much character and texture.

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Free Printable

This is a great way to get everyone involved in an activity while waiting for the meal and takes the place of a normal place mat or charger. Click the source link to download your own!

As you can see, it doesn't have to be expensive to look amazing. Using what you have around the house is your best bet before going out to buy something. 

What ideas have inspired you? Any tips and tricks you have used over the years to help with the stress of having company?

Kitchen Chairs {Look for Less}

Kitchen and dining room chairs can be so expensive! Have you noticed that?

I have always had a crush on Serena and Lily. I could take home anything from that store and make it work in my home. The only problem....the price. I found these adorable kitchen chairs a while back and thought they would be perfect to add some color in a space. I like the clean lines and no frills. They come in 10 different colorways.

I was searching Target for some decor ideas the other day and came across almost the exact chair! Is Target amazing or what?

If you look really close you will notice a few minor differences, but the price can't be beat. 

I mean...Two chairs for less than the price of one! Sign me Up!

What look have you found for less lately? Do Share!

Tuesday Treats #24 {Holiday Inspiration from around the web}

I hope you are having an amazing start to your week. Is it freezing everywhere in the U.S. right now? I have seen so many pictures floating around social media with tons of snow. We woke up to temps in the 20's this morning. That is brrrr chilling for North Carolina.

At least this weather is getting me in the holiday spirit. Today's Tuesday Treats are all about the holidays. Thanksgiving is only 9 days away and Christmas is 37 days! Yikes! Hope some of these ideas bring you inspiration for the days to come. Enjoy!


**Please remember to pin directly from the source as to give credit where credit is due! Thanks!**


#1: Holiday Ice Cubes:
I love this fun and inventive idea using cranberries and rosemary to bring a little holiday cheer to party drinks! I might just have to use this in a few weeks for my girls craft night.

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#2: DIY Advent Calendar with FREE printables

Do you all participate in creating an advent calendar each year? I can't wait to make this a holiday tradition once these littles come a long. It can be a lot of work creating your own with ideas for each night of Advent, but The Painted Hive has done most of the work for you! Just click on over to the site for a full tutorial as well as Free printables to make your very own. 

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#3. I'm All About that Baste....

Not sure if you are familiar with the Holderness Family or not. But they make amazing home videos that go viral instantly. They are from right here in Raleigh, NC. Their videos are absolutely hilarious and this year's Thanksgiving video did not disappoint. Take a look below. Also...make sure you watch their Christmas Video from last year as well as their Back To School Parody. Hilarious! 

#4: 2015 Sherwin William's Color of the Year
Okay...so this doesn't really have to do with the holidays, but I couldn't help myself. Sherwin Williams announced their color of the year for 2015 and I have to say it is quite fabulous. KariAnne created an amazing office space including the new color. Now if only I was brave enough to paint a wall in my house this color.....

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#5: DIY Foil Accent Pillow
So this doesn't show holiday inspiration either, but hang with me. Wouldn't this easy DIY be perfect for a holiday pillow with words like: JOY, NOEL, Ho Ho Ho, PEACE, Naughty, NICE, Silent Night, etc. Endless Choices in my opinion! You can find some Gold and Silver Transfer Paper HERE. All you have to do is follow Dina's directions. So Easy! I love how they turn out.

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WOW! That was a lot of fabulous inspiration this week. There are some mighty talented people around the web. Now...what has caught your eye this week? Would you try any of these DIY's in your house? And..be honest....Are you a closet You Tube Video Maker? HA!

Have a wonderful Tuesday my friends! 

What to do with our TV Wall?

We have lived in our house for 6 years and I have never been happy with the layout of our family room. The corner fireplace totally throws me for a loop.

Our current TV wall and set up looks like this:

Besides the fact that we will need this space to function for a soon to be family of 4 (yikes), I want it to also look put together before the babes arrive. I have spent more time decorating different parts of the house because this room bugs me so much!

Last year the TV wall looked like this:

Even thought I loved my Pottery Barn inspired TV stand, it wasn't working in this space. It didn't fill up enough of the wall. I absolutely love the feel of the vintage white dresser that I purchased this past summer. I love combining retro, modern and traditional all into one room.

So here are my thoughts on what to do with that wall:
1. Possible upgrade to a bit larger TV to fill up more of the wall (not too big)
2. Large and small artwork flanking all sides of the TV
3. Personal photographs in black and white
4. Layer artwork slightly behind TV to give interest
5. Do something!


Here are a few TV walls that have currently caught my eye:

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I love the idea of this gallery wall, but I am not sure if it is a bit much for me or not. I almost feel like there is too much going on, but I do like the mix of artwork and frames.

Pottery Barn

I have always loved this wall from Pottery Barn. The black and white with minimal objects on the TV stand call to me.

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I like how Emily also flanked the TV with brass sconces for more interest as well as a need for lighting in her space. 

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I have always loved the look of asymmetrical design. This wall is a bit heavy on one side with the lamp and artwork while the other is bare. Also the TV isn't centered, which I kind of like. 

Decisions...Decisions!

So what do you all think...Which TV design is your favorite? Do you have ideas for my sad wall?

Veteran's Day Deals Around the Web

Happy Monday my friends! Thank you all for your sweet sweet comments about our big news last week. We are thrilled and can't feel any more blessed.

Today as we think about our country and the Veterans that have served, I feel extra blessed. There are so many man and women that have fought for our freedom. I am so thankful that I life in a country where I can express myself without feeling afraid of what might happen. So if you are a Veteran or know someone who is...Thank you!!

I also wanted to share a few great deals that are going on around the web mostly today and a few through tomorrow! (I am not getting compensated in any way for this post, just thought I would share my finds with you!)

Pottery Barn has FREE SHIPPING on all orders (today only) including pbkids & pbteen. Stock up on some Christmas gifts while you can without paying an arm and a leg for shipping! {CODE: FREESHIP}

Also...there is a HUGE 60% off sale on over 100's of items through TOMORROW. I am loving this pillow and these cozy pom pom throws. 

RUGS USA is having up to 75% off selected area rugs {CODE:BLCK75} for their pre-black Friday sale. This is an amazing deal if you need a large area rug. Rugs are not cheap! 

Are you starting to think about holiday cards? Me too! Minted has $25 off as well as FREE shipping TODAY ONLY!! {CODE: CHEER25FS} I absolutely love the quality of their cards. 

Today is also the last day for Tonic Living's 10% off everything including custom orders. Their fabrics are outstanding and have so many patterns to choose from. You won't be disappointed with their service either. {CODE: YEAROFCHANGE10}

Last, but certainly not least...one of my favorite boutiques in Western, NY is having Free Shipping on all of their online items today and tomorrow. {CODE: SHIPME} She has some lovely place settings and festive holiday decor for decorating your tables. You must check Home Chic out!

Happy Shopping Everyone! Have you started decorating or shopping for the holidays yet? ....yeah me neither! I better get a move on.

XOXO

Something's Brewing.....A Surprise!

Happy Hump Day All!

Many of you have been following this blog for a long time. You have also been following our journey of Adoption that was announced last year around this time. (You can read about that Here.) It has been a roller coaster this year with paperwork and "waiting". (I gave you my thoughts about infertility and waiting in this post.)  Well, just a few short months ago we decided to put our adoption on hold because God had something else in store for our lives.....

He had something bigger in store than either one of us realized. We are so excited to announce that we are expecting TWINS in May! I am 14 weeks pregnant today and feeling really well. We got to hear the little heartbeats yesterday and to say it was amazing is an understatement.

So now you all know why I had to take a bit of a blogging break over the past couple of months. Nausea plus no energy equals no projects and very little inspiration. But I am back in action and feeling great. I can't wait to share with all of you our nursery plans... now that we will have two little ones to add to our already semi- ready nursery.

I am so very blessed to be able to share this wonderful news with all of you. I am so glad I know a God who knows the path for my life better than I do. I can't wait to share my life with this two precious gifts who will someday call me "mama".

Hope you all have an amazing day!

(P.S.....don't worry, this won't turn into a baby blog. But if you all don't mind there might be a post sprinkled in here and there about nurseries and babies!)

Tuesday Treats #23 {Inspiration from around the web}

Hi All! Thanks so much for your sweet comments and emails about yesterday's post. It is good to have a balance when it comes to this thing called life!

Today I am back with a round up of some pretty fabulous inspiration and ideas from around the web. Hope you Enjoy!

***Please remember to pin from original sources! I have linked to all image sources below pictures!**

#1: Flower Arranging Made Easy
Love this quick and easy idea from Burlap and Lace. It will seriously change the way you place flowers in your vase from now on!

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#2: Tonic Living- Year of Change Sale
If you have never checked out Tonic Living's site, then you are missing out big time! I have ordered some fabulous fabric from them and for a limited time they are offering 10% off everything! That includes already made pillow covers and even custom orders. You won't be disappointed with their selection. Click on over and start saving till November 10th!

#3: Free Printables- Thankful Tags

I love Emily's idea on creating a thankful tree. It would be a great family activity where each family member has to write something they are thankful for each night during November. I think I am going to implement this in our home. Take a look at her adorable tags. You can sign up for her archive and get so many free printables throughout the year!

Source & Free Download HERE. 

#4: Black, White & Bold Living room

Do you follow Kristen from The Hunted Interior? She is absolutely amazing at how she can transform a room on a budget. She recently revealed her fabulous living room and I am in love. So many colors and textures. My eyes literally bounce from one thing to the next. To see the full room reveal make sure you stop by HERE. 

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#5: Black and White Pillow Sources

Sherry pulled together a great round up of black and white pillow covers from Etsy! If you are as much of a pillow snob as I... you might like to check out some great sources from Etsy. I love supporting Etsy artists! Click on over to Sherry's post HERE for a full list! 

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Hope you all are having a wonderful Tuesday! Stop on by tomorrow for a HUGE surprise!!

XOXO

November Inspiration + Thoughts and Where I've Been

Well hello my sweet readers! Can you believe it is November? How did we get to the holiday season already? Thanksgiving is three weeks from Thursday and Christmas is a month after that! Yikes!

source- My Sweet Savannah

I am pretty excited about the holidays this year. We are traveling for Thanksgiving, but will be around home for Christmas and New Years. I love being able to decorate and enjoy my home this time of year. It is my absolute favorite!

Slow Cooker Apple Cider- Recipe Here

Yes it has been almost 2 months since I have last posted. It was a much needed break, but one I didn't think would last as long as it did. When life happens...sometimes you just have to roll with it. As much as I love this blog and sharing inspiration and ideas with all of you, I needed to take care of me and my family first and foremost. I needed to have some time to reflect on life and what is most important as well as spend time with the people I love.

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Some fun experiences over the past two months:

I celebrated my 33rd birthday in September. I woke up to breakfast, flowers and Starbucks! Doesn't get much better than that!

The Hubs and I flew to Boston for business. It was more fun than business for me! Walking the gorgeous streets and enjoying a baseball game in Fenway Park were definitely some of the highlights.

Spent some time with my nephew at his soccer games. It was quite entertaining watching 4 year olds play soccer!

Toured Raleigh's Parade of Homes. Will share some details next week for sure!

Spent a week in Western New York for my sister-in laws wedding. It was a half Indian, half Christian wedding. It was gorgeous and we even got to wear Sari's!

Quality time at Sunday family dinners with these two crazies! (my mama & niece)



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Some thoughts I have had while on my blogging break:

I feel that in this world full of social media you can get caught up in what everyone else is doing. We often compare our homes, our kids, husbands and fashion to those around us. I really don't try to keep up with the Jones's, but being a blogger I often feel the pressure to complete projects in light year speed to knock out more and more posts for my readers. I want this blog to be a place of inspiration and project ideas, but not a place where I feel forced to produce. It can become exhausting and then burn out happens.

I started this blog as a creative outlet and to connect with others that enjoy what I enjoy. I am going to keep that outlook going forward. I want to be true to you and true to myself. I am going to post when I have inspiration or projects to share. It may be two times a week or five. It will depend on what is going on in my everyday life. I hope you will continue to stick with me and give me your own input on decorating and just plain ole life. This blog wouldn't be what it is today with out all of YOU!

Thank you to all of you who took the time to email and check up on me! I have found such happiness in this little ole blog and have made some true friends!

Also....thank you to all of you who have stuck around on my long absence! Many of you have been following bits of life on my Instagram and Facebook.

I will resume Tuesday Treats tomorrow and I have a few fun ideas coming your way later in the week!

XOXO