You finally have an empty nest that you can decorate in a way that's just right for you. But before you start knocking down walls, you need to know these 10 tips when you're considering
It has been a month since my last report of the fixer upper renovation in our Empty Nest. We are almost to the fun stuff like tile, cabinets, paint!
If you think that looking at painted rocks is not a great idea to get inspiration for beautiful floor ideas then why not borrow from the past for inspiration to strike you? Look at some of the most beautiful castles around the world and you will surely find something to inspire you there. The people of the past had some really ingenuous ideas when it came to decorating their homes and this will kindle some beautiful floor ideas in your mind too. After all, in the past they had no helping hand from technology and had to rely purely on imagination and the beauty of the materials around them to come up with ideas to make their homes beautiful.
Check out some of our ideas for providing the perfect guest room for visitors and use them for your own home. Your guests might never want to leave!
Welcome back to my canvas floorcloth tutorial. I am glad I have not scared you away..we are just getting to the fun part... creating our design. I had a few different patterns in mind and ultimately decided on the classic Mariners Compass design( www.canvasworksfloorcloths.com ) So sit back and enjoy the process. Remember you can click on any of the photos for a closer look at design and markings. In the last post I painted the double border on my canvas. Next I am going to locate the center of the cloth and paint a large circle(approx 10 1/2 inches) in a butterscotch color and border it with a thin line of the red used earlier. It is important that each section that is painted is allowed to dry thoroughly. I am not the most patient artist, so this does not come easy to me, but it makes a difference. To create the compass pattern I used a yard stick and a pencil to mark off all my lines. I started by first finding the center of the circle and marking a large X(about14 inches). Then I measured and marked a second X over the first..extending all the points past the circle(30 inches & 14inches). Next I made a pencil mark at the halfway spot between the center X's. I then started connecting all the points and dots. I always keep a photo handy of the design I am working on and use it as a visual reference. That way I am sure to place my lines in all the correct places. I also keep an artist erasure handy for all my mistakes...believe me you will need it. Above is the final design in pencil after connecting all my marks, I free handed the little in- between points. For my harlequin diamond design in the background I wanted four centered diamonds across. My cream center rectangle measured 30 inches across, so I marked the 15 inch center and again at 7 1/2 inches on each side of the 15. Who says you will never use that high school math ;-) I did this at each short end of my cloth. Next I used my yard stick to connect the four corners, making a large X. I then started marking my diagonal lines by connecting the previous 7 1/2 in. and 15 in. marks down to the opposite sides. I measure as I go to keep the width of the lines even all the way across. Try not to pencil through your center star pattern. Draw with pencil to the edge and pick up line again on the other side of star. I sure hope this is making sense..if not, look at the photos and they should demonstrate pretty well what I am doing. The final lines are some small compass points I added in between the larger..you can see them in the photo below..click on it to get a closer look Ok...now that was fun in an architectural kind of way, but now the real fun starts. We get to paint all our points and diamonds...my favorite part! At this point I am going to do my best Ryan Seacrest imitation and say we will get to the fun painting.............After the break ;-) So I hope to see you here next Tuesday, when you will see everything start to come together. I think you are going to LOVE the finished floorcloth. Until then ..be kind and stay creative.
If you find yourself with a spare room after a child moves out, you may want to consider renting it. We give you some DIY steps to get your spare room inhabited again, and earning money for you.
While redecorating my master bedroom, I repainted my dresser. I loved my lamps but they really didn't match my new décor and colors. Not the...
Our Amish-built sheds can be customized and meet the highest quality standards and craftmanship serving Monmouth County, NJ.
When her suburban Long Island nest emptied out, Nancy Hoguet enlisted designer Daniel Sachs and architect Kevin Lindores to reimagine it as a country getaway
An empty nest gave this North Carolina couple the chance to move into new, low-maintenance digs. Check out their fresh start in HGTV Magazine.
Downsizing your home may seem like a daunting task and a lot of hassle but it is so worth it! Click thru to learn the benefits of moving to a smaller house.
You don't have to be selling your house to stage your own home. If you want to upgrade the look of your home, try these simple home staging tips.
Sue’s gorgeous apartment | morning tea | Montreal bagels in the making birthday celebrations at Garde Manger | birthday brunch On Friday evening my girlfriend and I hopped on a train to Montreal to visit our friend. What ensued was a weekend filled with birthday celebrations of the very best kind. Celebrating friends has, no […]
Sitting on the passenger seat, with my heart cast low, looking out the window and stealing glances at my husband, wondering why we started this lifestyle. I missed my kids terribly and the weird thing is, we were visiting places we only dreamed of, and yet I was depressed. Find out some tips I dis
There are so many emotions surrounding the move from actively parenting to empty nesting! Sadness, excitement, loneliness, freedom ... ugh! But what a great time to start making design decisions that embrace the change with joy! In this post, I will be sharing some of the ways I've found design is d
Last night I was searching Pinterest for some spring decor ideas. As I was pinning away, I was inspired by some of the creative ways people decorated with bird nests, and I thought I'd share them with you! There are links to each blog post for the following images. If you would like to pin any of these ideas - please follow the links to pin them from the original blog source. Creative Ideas to Decorate with Bird Nests How to make a realistic bird's nest. source: Craftberry Bush Hang a bird nest from a door knob with twine.
You finally have an empty nest that you can decorate in a way that's just right for you. But before you start knocking down walls, you need to know these 10 tips when you're considering
Clinical Psychologist. Author. Podcaster.
A successful empty nester marriage takes intentionality, thoughtfulness, and effort. No matter how yours is, these five tips will make it better.
Having an empty nest is a time of introspection and reinvention. These books are all about women, who are kind of funny, asking “Who am I and what’s next for me.”
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hand made paper, shifu, artists' books, north country living, and some words
A sweet sparrow is nested in a nest basket for an organic look. Nest is 5" wide Total height is 8"
It has been a month since my last report of the fixer upper renovation in our Empty Nest. We are almost to the fun stuff like tile, cabinets, paint!
Unleash your creativity this Easter and make DIY bird nest decorations to create a truly beautiful and meaningful holiday decoration. Follow our simple, step-by-step instructions to make your own bird nest decorations and bring the spirit of Easter into your home. Use this guide to create beautiful Easter decorations with DIY bird nest centers.
If you think that looking at painted rocks is not a great idea to get inspiration for beautiful floor ideas then why not borrow from the past for inspiration to strike you? Look at some of the most beautiful castles around the world and you will surely find something to inspire you there. The people of the past had some really ingenuous ideas when it came to decorating their homes and this will kindle some beautiful floor ideas in your mind too. After all, in the past they had no helping hand from technology and had to rely purely on imagination and the beauty of the materials around them to come up with ideas to make their homes beautiful.
As Chuck and I sat in a shady spot on the deck, taking a break from yard work in the hot sun, Chuck asked what thoughts I'd been having about the empty nest. He knows there have been days I have been sad as I have watched Bridger become more independent, and I realize his childhood has come to a close. I am so proud of who our boy is, and what he does, and I know that he is more than ready to live life on his terms. Sometimes it's hard for this mama to let go. "I've been thinking a lot lately about the importance of reframing my thoughts. There are things I complain about, or worry about, that if I simply changed my perspective, they would no longer be problems," I told Chuck. We talked a little more before resuming our attack on the back yard, and we continue to explore our thoughts about the next stage of our life during our early morning talks. Dylan & Jamie Reframing thoughts is not a new concept to me. Dylan, my oldest, gave me a plaque that I had in my kitchen, and later, in my fifth grade classroom. It was a black wooden plank that was lettered in a creamy beige with this quote: "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." I love that saying. It became my battle cry at school whenever we started a new unit in math, and the kids inevitably protested that the topic was too hard. As soon as the whining began, I would simply point to the plaque in the front of the room, and have them read it to me. And each time I would have them finish this phrase for me, "Math's not hard..." "IT JUST TAKES TIME," my students would recite, in unison. It's time to change the way I look at things. Reframing my thoughts could also be considered an attitude adjustment. One of my current worries that nibbles away at my peace of mind is realizing our youngest child is heading off to college in just a couple of months. The difference this time is that this is feeling so final. Bridger is our youngest, my baby boy. We live 1400 miles away from where he will be going to college. When he gets a break from his studies, he can't pop in for a weekend without a lot of planning in advance and a plane ticket. Our visits will not be like they were when he was in high school, with two week stretches at a time. Bridge and I visited Sisi in La Jolla. It's not just Bridger I will miss while living so far away in Illinois. During our monthly these last several years, B and I took road trips to visit Sierra in Denver, and later, La Jolla, since she moved out on her own. We enjoyed our weekends with Dylan and Jamie in Saint George or at our house, going out to eat, hiking, and hanging out. Things will be different now. Is there another way to think about this? Instead of seeing these changes as challenges, can't I look at this next phase of life as one filled with new opportunities? While our children are busy living their lives with agendas of their own, Chuck and I will continue living our lives to the fullest. Change is not bad; I know that. Rather than focusing on a childhood lost, I need to redirect my attention to the positives of having our last child experiencing "adulthood found." I just need to change the way I've been looking at this. There are some hidden gems here I am overlooking. It's up to me to find them.
