Nightly Musings...

photo: Square America.com

I love evenings. I always have. I love the process of readying my home for the evening - closing blinds, turning down my children's beds (which, yes, I still do!), putting that last load of clothes in the dryer, and pouring myself a cup of tea...my version of a nightcap. I also enjoy turning on the "night lights" scattered throughout my home - the star light that hangs in my foyer and subtly illuminates through the window of my porch, the simple candle lights in my living room window, and Sophie's chandelier, that hangs above her window seat in her bedroom. I love the coziness of such lighting, and resent bright lights intruding upon the relaxation which I so covet by the end of each day.

The only thing I will miss about the winter and its shorter, colder evenings is the way it draws our family together by default. We gather in front of the fire - the boys stretched out before it like cats - watch a bit of television and wind down as a unit...coming together after a busy day spent juggling our collective pursuits and responsibilities. The summer, in comparison, sees us scatter after dinner, and we have to drag the kids inside and ourselves away from outside jobs. The days are longer in every way, and you can always find me watering flowers, tidying up the yard, winding up hoses, basically all of the things that my kids should also be doing. It seems that they take the carefree days of summer literally and tidying the exterior is not high on their list of priorities. I am the family "crazy lady" who needs to relax and let sleeping bikes lie. Guilty as charged...

Hectic evenings or not, I am so looking forward to flopping onto my porch swing, glass of wine in hand (to replace my cup of tea!), and watching my kids squeeze every last minute of daylight from a summer's day. Flickering lanterns and dancing flames from our copper fire bowl become my new nightlights, and gazing at the stars replaces our favourite television shows...because we all know there is no good t.v. in the summertime.

And so I am ready...ready for a new kind of nightlife. Bring it on!

OMG!!!! (Squealing like a 13-year-old girl!)

THEY. ARE. COMING.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

Finally the day has arrived!

Yes, I squealed. Blew out my hubby's eardrums.

My girlfriends and I are already planning how we are going to purchase the front row seats.

Who do we know? Who can we bribe? Who can we steal borrow from?

We will get them. Oh yes, we will.

OK. Done. Back to our scheduled programming. Check out my five dollar projects below.

Squeal!

UPDATE: Tickets are secured by a very-powerful-distant-cousin-of-best-friend-and-coworker-of-my-sister person.

We don't know where we will be sitting but this guy has connections around here I am confident he will hook us up!!

Awww yeah!!

Double squeal!

Easterly Winds Blowing Through...

After the stop/start of our spring this year, I have been less than inspired to decorate for spring this year. While the softer colours throughout my home supports the pastels of Easter, I have found myself to be quite resistant to bringing out my decorations when snow still carpets the landscape around me. In fact, it feels a bit silly to think flowers and chicks when nothing is there to support their survival...

Enter my eight year old daughter. She cares not about my seasonal reservations; in fact, she fairly insists on scattering eggs and displaying bunnies throughout the corners of our home. Who am I to argue? So, on Friday I half-heartedly decorated for Easter, and I must admit - a little Easter goes a long way to inspire feelings of spring. Now, let's hope it is enough good karma to keep the persistent snow at bay...!!!

What about you? Do you decorate for Easter??

Five dollar Spring projects!

Hope your weekend was GREAT! It snowed here today. Ugh. So it was fitting that I worked on Spring projects, eh?

I'm joining Lindsay over at Living with Lindsay for her Five Dollar Challenge -- check out her site, so much fun!

Money doesn't grow on trees?? No one sent me that memo. I should clarify -- one of these projects was FREE and one was only two bucks.

Just sayin'.

Let's start with one of the cutie moss bunnies at Pier One. I've picked these up about four times in the past month or so, but couldn't figure out what to do with them. Last week, it hit me:

A pot I already had, along with foam and moss I already had. Add in a $2 mossy bunny:
ACK! Adorable! Stuff the foam in, stuff the moss on top, stuff in the bunny. You are DONE.

My other project was one I'm really excited about -- because I know you already have half of it in your cabinet:

If you are the ONE person on earth who does not have the generic glass vase that comes with all flowers, then just get your booty over to Goodwill -- they've got about 25 waiting for you.

I used my jute twine (correction from this post -- I thought it was sisal but turns out jute has a slightly darker look that I like better than the sisal) and wrapped it around and glued it like I did the bottles.

I. love. it. It screams Spring to me. I threw in the "faux" flowers till I splurge on some white tulips. (When did tulips get so expensive??):

And I have to show my under $5 projects from last week as well -- you can find them here. My son's art caddy:
Little container for little toys:
Four custom tags for under $2:
Fun little magnets:
Head over to Lindsay's to see more fun projects! And keep linking up your spray painting projects here -- so much inspiration!

A Winner!!

It turns out a whole lot of you love a good chandelier! Without further adieu (because it is a seriously beautiful day here and I'm going out in it!).............. the winner of the chandelier decal is......Gina, from An Unpink Life.

Don't forget: if anyone else wants a chandelier decal, check out Wilson Graphics and treat yourself to one!!

Hope everyone's having a great weekend!!!!

Off To The Big Easy!

Google

I am so excited to let you know you that I am off to New Orleans for a shopping trip for some of my clients. While I am there I will be meeting with a few great talents!!!

First, I am headed to Julie Neill Designs - The wonderfully creative and artistic Julie Neill, will be meeting me and showing me some of her exciting new products and designs.

Veranda

I'll also be meeting with the stylish and talented Tara Shaw! We'll see some of her new shipments from Europe and she'll share with us her visions for decorating the home.

Decorpad

I'll also be meeting the famous, Suzanne Kasler as she launches her elegant new line of furniture for Hickory Chair, and get to see her new designs in person.

Also, get ready for some exciting information on an antique collectible that is gaining in popularity, (which you are going to just love), as well as several other goodies and surprises along the way.

On Thursday and I'll announce the winner of the gorgeous, antique grain sack pillow. Thank you all for entering - Kym Fraser of Three Fine Grains and I are absolutely overwhelmed by your response!

On Friday I'll begin my series on my trip to "The Big Easy" - I hope you are excited as I am!!

See you in few days!!!

xx-Gina

How to install a dimmer switch.

If you read this blog waaaay back when, you know how much I luuuuv me some dimmers. I think lighting is one of the most inexpensive and easiest ways to create a mood in your home. And I just cannot express how much a dimmer switch will change the lighting in your room -- for as little as $7.

OK, now STOP shaking your head, thinking, "This Chick has gone and lost. her. mind. I cannot (and will not) do anything electrical."

Yes, you can! I swear. Just look at how easy it is.

If the light you are placing the dimmer on only has ONE switch that operates it, you'll need the single pole dimmer, like this one. This is GOOD because these are CHEAP -- less than $7. Dimmers come in a mad selection of styles and you'll pay more for more bells and whistles:

If your light is controlled by more than one switch, you will need the 3-way version. You need to look when you purchase -- the packages are almost identical.

When you open it up, this is what you'll see:

(Stop shaking. It's easy, I SWEAR.)
The only tools you should need are a Phillips head screw driver and a flat head screwdriver:

Go to the switch for the light you are changing out and turn it on -- first so you can tell if you get the right breaker and second, it's a real PITA when you've run down a set of stairs, through the house and to the garage, turned off the breaker, run back through the house, up the stairs and then realized YOU HAVE NO CLUE WHICH SWITCH YOU ARE WORKING WITH! Whew.

Go to the breaker box, and turn the switch to off:
Make sure the light is NOT working. Now you are free to use your flat head screwdriver to take off the switch plate. This is what you'll see:

Stop hyperventilating. It's going TO BE OK!!

Use your Phillips screwdriver to take the actual switch off the wall:

Then pull the whole switch out. There will be a wire connected to the green ground screw, and two wires connected to the switch -- either stuck inside it or tightened under the screws:

See that little bitty slat below? You'll want to use the flathead screwdriver and push it in while you pull the wire out of the little hole above it. (If your wires are in there. See above.)

Next, just follow the directions. Wrap the copper ground wire around the green wire on the dimmer:

Cap it off with the enclosed nut. Just stick it on the end and twist it. This ensures the wires stay connected and protected:

Then simply connect the other two black wires to the two left over wires. Twist together and twist the nut on:

Gently push all the wires back into the wall box:

That's it!! Told you it was easy. Screw the dimmer switch back onto the plate:

Go to turn on the breaker switch to make sure it is working. Then get completely sidetracked by your Decorating ADD and peruse the new Ballard catalog that just came in the mail:

Sorry. Make sure the light works:

Then go ahead and put the plate back on. Make sure all the little screws go the same way:

Oh, sorry. That's just me. I think I like this way better:

So many issues, so little time.

That's it! You are done!! I have installed dimmers in pretty much every room in our house. The kitchen: The dining room is a necessity!!

I have all of our ceiling fan lights on dimmers. Our master bath light is on a dimmer -- FABULOUS on dark mornings. All of our recessed lighting is on dimmers. I tell you what -- they say dimmers save on electricity and I believe it. We've been in this house five years and just last week changed out two recessed lights. They lasted FIVE years people!

You won't be disappointed! I challenge you to make this a quick and easy weekend project!

Disclaimer: MAKE SURE SURE SURE the breaker is turned off. Please!! :)

On a completely different note, I need to show some love for my friend Kimba:

I know many of us have struggled with the amount of time we dedicate to blogging --whether it be writing a blog or just being obsessed with looking at them! Kimba challenges all of us to unplug tomorrow from anything (like the computer!) that we feel is taking up a bit too much of our time.

I have made some changes of late that have made a BIG difference to us -- for example, I don't get on the computer in front of our son anymore. It has been a great change for us -- he was starting to hate the computer. ;) If you unplug tomorrow, share how it went for you at Kimba's on Monday.

Chandelier Anyone?

It sure has been a long time since my last give-away...

Because I have the BEST readers and blogging friends EVER, I figured it was about time I did another. Remember the post I did about Wilson Graphics? Well, they sent me a chandelier decal which I am offering as a give-away prize. You know the rules: leave a comment to enter, and for a second entry, mention this give-away on your blog. It's that easy.

Who doesn't love a chandelier??

Grain Sack Pillow Giveaway!!!!

We have had so much interest in antique grain sacks over the past few weeks! First with the different ways you can use linens and grain sacks in your home, and, secondly, rare, antique grain sack pillows and upholstery from textile artist, Kym Fraser at Three Fine Grains.

To celebrate the launching of her new website and on line store, Kym is offering one of our readers their choice between two rare, antique pillows.


Would you like this lovely German grain sack printed with stripes? As you recall many are printing reproductions over grains sacks to get this look, but this pillow is a true original! An antique German grain sack from 1849. Very rare salmon and blue coloring. Or this German Grain sack with roses which are very rare and usual? It has a wonderful original patch at the top which is amazing. This is the only one she has ever seen with roses before. This pillow is from 1899 Authausen, Germany.
Just leave a comment below and you will be entered to win one of these pillows. I will randomly select one winner from the comments next Thursday and Kym will ship you your choice of one of these two pillows.


Here are a few more of Kym's new items. Check out these gorgeous new stools!
And I love her collection of new Bolster pillows!
And here are some of her new German Grain sack pillows!Love these two matching pillows!
But here is my favorite new item: To see her entire collection check out her website

And don't forget to leave a comment to win one of those great pillows! Thanks so much Kym!!!

I'll post the winner on Thursday, April 2!

Note: Leave a comment and become a Willow Decor Follower and we'll put your name in twice so you'll get a second chance to win!