Valentine Subway Art

Traditionally, the extent of my Valentine decor would be half of a bag of pink and red M&M's in the pantry. But not this year.  Thanks to the creative ladies over at eighteen25 and their darling Valentine Printable, I've decided to step up my 'Heart Day' game.....but only a tiny bit.  These chicks create the BEST subway art in the blogosphere, and the coolest part, they share it for free!  Just download, print, and frame.

Sock Wreath, Sock It To Ya

There are adorable sock wreaths hanging on doors throughout the blogosphere, I remember the first time I saw them last summer over at Blue Cricket Designs, so cute!  I had totally forgotten about wanting to make one  until I ran across Lori's Valentine's Day version over at My Life Among the Three Stooges.  LOVE!  I had to make one, or three, which is how many I have created so far.

Quick Candle Holder Makeover

One day prior to Christmas, I was perusing Home Goods and saw a huge selection of GAWD AWFUL HIDEOUS candle holders. I had to have some!  They sat in my office for weeks while I figured out what to do with them.  These bad boys were a funky flashback to my 1970's childhood, had they been a color that even partially fit in with my decor, I might have kept them as is.  I love the shape, and they are sturdy, could totally be used as weaponry if necessary.

UGH! My UGG Boots Got Ugly!

More than five years ago, someone gave me a pair of sheepskin UGG Boots for my birthday.  I live in a warm climate, so I don't abuse them too badly with snow or water, but they were starting to show some wear and I made a specific trip to Macy's with every intention of purchasing a new pair.  Every pair of new UGGs that I admired was over $200.00.  I was okay with the price until I saw a display of the UGG Sheepskin Care Kits.  I read the back of the box, seemed easy enough, especially for a DIY fiend like myself.  $20.00 was not a big deal when I had nearly forked out $250.00 for the pair I liked, which in all reality, was almost exactly what I had back at home.  Care Kit in hand, I headed home to try out my unexpected do-it-yourself project.

Pimping Out Your Tree

I'm behind on Christmas decorating this year, I usually like to have it done by the day after Thanksgiving, but out of town visitors, the flu, another round of the flu, things just didn't get done.  So, this year I'm scrambling.  After my two week long fight with my pre-lit tree, you can read about that here,  I have finally completed the decorating, just in time to enjoy it for five seconds before I have to take it down.  UGH.  That's why I like to have everything done early, it's such a shame to work so hard to put a tree together, and then turn around and take it down.

Christmas Ornament Storage Solution

For years I have dealt with the anxiety of unpacking and re-packing my collection of Christmas tree ornaments.  I don't know if it's simple laziness, or the fear that something might break, but it's been a constant source of stress.  Maybe stress isn't the best word, it's more like DREAD!  Probably the worst thing about Christmas.....the setting up is a bit exciting, but the post New Year's Day cleanup, well it's downright depressing. I could do an entire post on glitter removal, it's daunting to face a brand new year and then add in the post-celebratory cleanup of decor! HATE.

Five Bucks = No More Naked Wall

Sometimes I fail at life.  About a year ago I decided that I wanted to paint my dark chocolate dining room/living room walls something more neutral. Don't even get me started on the amount of primer that necessitated, but at the end of that drama, I had walls that were basically the same color as my sofa and love seat, cream.  Let it be known that I DETEST this sofa and love seat.  One day a few years ago, during a terrible relationship breakup/break, we still haven't sorted out what that was, I purchased two lovely Crate and Barrel Potomac Collection pieces on a whim.  They are not my aesthetic, too country/cutesy/shabby for my taste.  I have spent the last three years trying to make them fit into the rest of my home.  Note to self;  retail therapy is not always the answer.