Fall Nesting Tips: #18

Melissa's my other favorite homey-idea-design-cool stuff blogger buddy. She has the coolest ideas for Simple Home Living and I just had to share this one with all the baskets. Since we're moving, I'm sure this tip will not only be useful for fall nesting but general "make it cute storage." Have a great day!
Fall Nesting Tips: #18

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Fall Nesting Tips: #18

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/11/fall-nesting-tips-18.html

Lovely Pink

I've often mentioned that one of my favorite design blogs is Joni's from Cote de Texas. I forgot to mention how much I learn from The Skirted Round Table where Joni and a few of her designer friends interview amazingly creative designers.

Recently the gals from The Skirted Round Table invited Suzanne Kasler to join them for a round table chat to discuss her design philosophies. One of the rooms discussed was this pink dining room in her former home. Don't ya love it!

As I listened to these gals, I discovered that one of Suzanne's favorite whites is a Benjamin Moore - Linen White. I'm excited about that - because it means I made a good decision - as it's the white I'm using over here at the Cactus Rd. House. I'm excited because I've been facilitating over this decision - but now - with confidence - I'm off to go paint the walls!

I hope you're having a great weekend!

Lovely Pink

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/10/lovely-pink.html

COTE DE TEXAS: A Reader’s House

Joni is just about my favorite design blog. I LOVE to drink coffee and peruse and dream my way through Cote de Texas. She never lacks for ideas and pictures galore.

Here, she writes, " Many times in the emails I receive, there will be pictures of readers houses – usually fresh from moving in, or a recent remodeling. Rather than keep the pictures all to myself, I have decided to share them with you in an ongoing series called Readers Houses. Some of the houses are small and . . .

For some reason, today, I've fallen in love with white - all over again.

Have a wonderful Sunday! xoxo

COTE DE TEXAS: A Reader’s House

COTE DE TEXAS: A Reader’s House

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/10/cote-de-texas-readers-house.html

Simple Ways to Add Charm To Your Home

I must admit it. I love to stalk blogs that have a bent toward home and garden and during some free moments on Friday, I clicked so many clicks that took me to this blog: Rare and Beautiful Treasures and immediately I fell in love with Erin's heart for home.

Today, I'm delighted to welcome Erin as my Guest Blogger!

Over the past several years I have become somewhat of an expert at taking cookie-cutter houses and rooms and adding charm to make new rooms look older and charming. When Mr. Marvelous and I were first married we had a short-term lease on an apartment while we starting house hunting.

We found and fell in love with this darling little cape code style house in a historic district that was built about 1930. I can still remember how excited we were when we wrote our offer on that house!

Looking back, hindsight really is 20/20, because as charming as the house was, it was also rather . . . um . . . dilapidated. Probably explaining why the house was listed at less than $100,000 and why those charming hardwood floors were sort of sloped from room to room. Regardless, it was true love-I loved that house! Then came the dreaded house inspection and the inspector's repeated use of the terms "not to code," "fire hazard," and oh ya, "money pit." In fact, at one point, I think we heard, "run and don't look back."

Needless to say, we didn't close on the house and withdrew our offer. As a completely reactionary measure that I regretted in years to follow, we did a 180 and bought a brand new track home in a neighborhood that can best be described as a sea of beige with lots the size of shoe boxes. I worked as hard as I could to add some character to that plain jane house. The biggest transformation was in the kitchen. I painted the kitchen cabinets myself-it was a tremendous amount of work, but worth every bit of it in the end.
We also added DIY wainscoting and crown molding.

I won't even tell you that after we sold the house we stopped back by and the new owners had painted the wainscoting, wall, and crown molding ALL the same shade of brown. Moving Up, anyone?

When we built the new house, I tried to incorporate as much old charm as I could in our new build. In fact, I drove the builder crazy. I am still always looking for new ways to up the charm factor in our "new old" house. I came across this article on simple ways to add charm to any house and knew I had to share it here. The following are ways to add instant charm to any home!

1. Add a Picket Fence

2. Add a dutch-door (and enjoy breezes and natural light while you are at it)

3. Dress up your porch


4. Add Beaded Board

You can buy beaded board by the sheet at Lowes and Home Depot and have it cut to size in the store. It's very affordable!

5. Install a Farmhouse Sink

I love, love, love our farmhouse sink! When we were building the house I fell in love with Kohler's Dickinson farmhouse sink but it was way outside our price range. I searched Ebay for months and months until I found one for 10% of the original cost, new in the box! I joked with Mr. Marvelous that I was going to sleep with it at night when it arrived since we had it stored in our garage for several months while the house was built. You can get good deals on farmhouse sinks at Ikea.

6. Embrace Open Shelving

Take the doors off some of your cabinets and show off your pretty dishes or collections.

7. Plant Window Boxes

We did this at our old house and our new house. It really does add instant charm.

Thanks Erin for being today's Guest Blogger. You can read this post at Erin's here.

What simple ideas do you have to add charm to your home?

Simple Ways to Add Charm To Your Home

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/08/simple-ways-to-add-charm-to-your-home.html

To Slip or Not to Slip

Our first brand new piece of furniture was a large denim sofa, which I still have today. I think I ended up with the sofa because it was blue and I LOVE blue - not necessarily denim. Periodically, I've wondered what it'd be like or wondered how to actually attempt to make some slip covers for the sofa.

After reading Melissa's (from The Inspired Room) post about her basic Pottery Barn sofa with slip cover (and the deal she landed) on and then over at Cote de Texas Joni shares her passion and LOVE of slip covers . . . I got a bit excited and my thoughts went whirling thinking that maybe I just can make my own slip covers . . . in between cleaning up the garden and baking lemon tarts. Just pulled them good and hot out of the oven.

To Slip or Not to Slip

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/07/to-slip-or-not-to-slip.html

Yellow Inspirations

I'm a blue and yellow woman. I simply love those colors. They make me happy on the inside. They make me smile on the outside. What do you think of these yellow rooms - all compliments of BHG. Which one is your favorite?










For more yellow inspiration visit Melissa at Inspired Rooms.

Yellow Inspirations

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/04/yellow-inspirations.html

Using What You Have to Create Beauty

I'm a collector of sorts.

My garden has an assortment of pots - collected. I'd been struggling with this sense that my pot collection needed a fresh creative touch.

And, along comes one creative daughter to my rescue.

It's always helpful when another pair of eyes sees things fresh
and recreates beauty using what you have.

"Let's see how this looks now."

"Hmmm.....let me take a look."

"Now, let's see how this looks."

Done! And, I didn't spend a dime to get a new look.
Thanks dear daughter.

Using What You Have to Create Beauty

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/03/using-what-you-have-to-create-beauty.html

beautiful holiday table scapes

beautiful holiday table scapes

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/12/beautiful-holiday-table-scapes.html

chic holiday ideas to add a bit of spice

Pretty packaging
Presentation is everything. Make sure the neighbors reach for your sweets first. These cookie boxes are from Martha Stewart, about $15 for sets of six at Michaels and marthastewartcrafts.com.

Star bright
Pair craft-paper stars and shiny red lanterns for vintage-style holiday-centerpiece flair.

Treat board
Let your guests take their treats to go. Post this treat board by the front door and send everyone home with a smile. To make, wrap a piece of cardboard or foam-core poster board with paper or fabric. Fill cellophane treat bags from Cost Plus World Market with goodies, visit worldmarket.com for store locations. Cut strips of pretty paper to fit over the tops of the bags, secure with a staple and add a knot of ribbon on top. Use straight pins to secure the bags to the board.
Ho Ho Ho!
Make your own favor boxes inspired by Santa's hat. Start with white pyramid paper boxes from Paper Source, $4 for five. Use them as a template and cut boxes out of red paper or break out some red spray paint, like we did. Fill with the treat of your choice. For the fur trim, cut a marabou feather boa from Michaels, $1.99, into short pieces and secure to the box with a straight pin. For the white ball on top, use a white-berry craft pick from Michaels, and cut off individual berries, leaving a short wire stem, and insert into the box.

Delish delivery
Pack up your homemade cookies in style. These Martha Stewart gingerbread-house boxes are $9.99 for six at Michaels and marthastewartcrafts.com.

Topiaried treats
We love the look of these homemade meringue topiaries, as if Hansel and Gretel were coming for dinner. They're deceptively easy to construct. Buy plastic-foam topiary forms from Michaels, $3.99 to $7.99, and mix up a batch of royal icing. Use the frosting like glue to paste store-bought meringue cookies onto the form in rows, going around the base of the topiary form and moving up. Here's a tip: The topiaries will have one unsightly side — a “back” where there are empty spaces the cookies can't fill. So think mantelpiece, not centerpiece. Find meringue cookies at Trader Joe's, $2.99 per container. These required three containers.

Frozen dessert
That's right, this gorgeous pastry is from the freezer section at Trader Joe's. It's called a cannele, is a symbol of French chic and requires only that you defrost, garnish and serve, $4.99 for six. We tucked snowflake-shaped paper coasters beneath the plates for a bit of Christmas fun, $5 for 10 at Paper Source.

Dessert under a dome
Wouldn't you love to present each guest a dessert dressed like this? We found this small glass domed pedestal at Pottery Barn, $14, and again raided the frozen treats at Trader Joe's. This dessert is creamy Italian panna cotta, $2.99 for two, topped with fresh raspberries and pomegranate seeds. For Pottery Barn store locations, visit potterybarn.com.

Set the table
Dreaming up the perfect place setting is practically our holiday obsession. We topped a striped linen cloth with a red damask plate. A tiny, preserved-boxwood wreath dressed up with ribbon and a place card adds Christmas panache. The red napkin is $2.95 at Crate and Barrel, visit crateandbarrel.com for store locations.

Sips of bliss
Mini peppermint milkshakes? Yes, please. Mix peppermint ice cream and milk in your blender, throw in a few candy canes and serve in tiny cordial glasses.

• 5 cups vanilla ice cream
• 1.5 cup milk
• 5 large peppermint patties
• Peppermint sticks
• Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Garnish with peppermint sticks. Then, call me!
  

Napkin niceties
Tuck a sprig of rosemary into guests' napkins. It's a scent of the season, piney and warm, and will set mouths watering.

5-minute floral
For an arrangement that's instantly chic, cut tulips so that the base of the flower is even with the lip of your vase, and fill it with flowers.

Ideas and pictures compliments of azcentral.com

chic holiday ideas to add a bit of spice

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/12/chic-holiday-ideas-to-add-bit-of-spice.html

the french inspired home

I'd so love to sit down, right now, sip a cup of green tea and meander through the pages of this book! Would you?

the french inspired home

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/10/french-inspired-home.html

touches of autumn

I love little autumn touches that make the feminine soul go, "Ahhhhhhhhhhh......" This is one that does that.
Thanks Pottery Barn for the idea!

touches of autumn

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/10/touches-of-autumn.html

designer help needed for the simple home!

Melissa at the Inspired Room got me going yesterday. She's inspiring women with what she's calling Fall Nesting.

In light of her challenge, hubs and I actually changed the room around and then put it back (minus the family pics on the BIG wall) because we got "stuck" and didn't know what to do.

So, this is my BLOG cry for help and ideas. Melissa's already fast at work with her creative juices going BUT I'm shouting out to all Blogging land Designers to send me any and all suggestions.

It's a hard room to dress up and I know that leather chair is a moose of one. Probably the little white desk needs to go? I'm not really using it. The kitchen nook table has become my little writing/blogging spot as well as these places.

I'm open to ALL and EVERY suggestion. Thanks!

designer help needed for the simple home!

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/09/designer-help-needed-for-simple-home.html

$1 design finds

While my Madres Curry is simmering, I'm drinking coffee, watching my grandkids jump off the couch ( an absolute NO NO) and perusing through my new Domino Mag and this page on $1 design finds captured me and created a momentary beauty pause for me.

When Michael and I lived in Portland, OR. you'd find me on any given random day strolling through the downtown Goodwill. In my arms, you'd notice my $1 finds: tea cups and other beauty pause delights.

I

$1 design finds

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/08/1-design-finds.html

sweet pink - create sanctuary in the master bedroom

It's too bad i don't have pink going on because I really think this would be so sweet - all to create sanctuary in the master bedroom.

sweet pink - create sanctuary in the master bedroom

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/04/sweet-pink-create-sanctuary-in-master.html

Hostess Help for Easter

I love looking through Real Simple magazine. They've got the coolest ideas. Who'd have thought that olives in a glass would look so cute? For more pink and green springy ideas check it out here.

We're serving Easter Brunch at our home this Sunday. I'm excited about it because I love opening our home to serve others. I'm also excited because Garden Guy gets to show off his garden.

I have some lists of different menu ideas like red rosemary roasted potatoes, mexican quiche, apple stuffed french toast, fruit salad and yummy blueberry muffins, but in my search I noted that Real Simple has some great suggestions for an Easter Brunch along with super cool ideas for kids Easter Baskets.

Hostess Help for Easter

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/03/hostess-help-for-easter.html