Nikkis' Nacs

New Kitchen Curtains

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

I know it's Wednesday and you should be getting a 2 Bills 2 Blow post, but apparently I'm a slacker and didn't get anyone lined up. I need to work on that. (if you are interested in guest posting, feel free to shoot me an email)

I have new kitchen curtains!

When we moved into our house 1 year ago, there were copper blinds in the kitchen. They could not stay, but I didn't know exactly what I wanted. Did I want curtains or did I want blinds? Since I didn't really know what I wanted, and knew I didn't want nasty copper blinds, I found some table cloths on clearance at Target that would be good placeholders until I was ready to commit to something. Table cloths + curtain rods and rings = easy curtains.

I actually modified some other curtains somewhere between the original table cloth curtains and the new ones that I am showing today, but didn't like them so I never showed them to you.

Anyway, I briefly mentioned that I came across a yard sale that was being held by a decorator. Guess what she was selling? TONS of fabric still on the bolt. I went to the sale pretty late, but as soon as I drove up I spotted this brown and white herringbone fabric by RALPH LAUREN and knew that I had to have it. I then looked at the sticker and it was marked $2 for what was left on the bolt. SERIOUSLY! It was perfect. I took it home and measured and there was roughly 3 yards. Plenty to cover the 2 windows in my kitchen, and I liked it better than anything I else I had come across. Oh, and it was TWO DOLLARS!

So, that is the story of my $2 Ralph Lauren kitchen curtains.

Free Printables - exceeding abundantly above

2012-01-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us - Ephesians 3:20

This has been one of my favorite scriptures this past year, and continuing into this year. It will soon be framed and on my desk.

I thought I would share, so I am offering this as a free printable to anyone that would like it. These are for personal use only. Just right click on the picture, save, and print. (prints best up to an 8 x 10)

Linking up to :
Delightful Order
A Bowl Full of Lemons
Positivly Splendid
Tater Tots and Jello

2 Bills to Blow - HOME:MADE

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

A big, southern "Hey, ya'll" to all you Nikki's Nacs' readers! My name is Alana and I am the woman behind the blog, HOME: MADE, where I share my passion for intentional homemaking, mostly from the angle of living an organized life. Two of my favorite hobbies are organizing and decorating, so this series is right up my alley!

First of all, I'd like to thank Nikki for inviting me to take part in this fun series: 2 Bills 2 Blow. When you asked, I did not hesitate one bit. After all, the next best thing to shopping for real, is pretending to shop, right?

Of course, if I really had $200, I'd probably put it towards bills or buy a deep freezer because I'm usually super practical that way. But, the rule states that it must be spent on home decor, so I had to think long and hard about what I might do with that kind of money if, in fact, I had it. Then, it hit me!

This is my kitchen.

{Side note: please excuse the iPhone pic. A professional camera is on my wishlist. But, alas, it's gonna cost me more than two Benjamins... Sigh...}

Anyways, back to my kitchen...

Everything, except the wall color, is the same as it was the day we moved in. Cabinets, counter tops {laminate, ugh!}, back splash {laminate, again. double ugh!}, floor tiles... everything. The wall color was chosen "under pressure", which is never good.

Needless to say, I'm not head-over-heels in LOVE with my kitchen. I've kept it this was mostly because of budget restraints {Money could always go elsewhere. See? Super practical...}, but also because everyone who comes over to our house, seems to like it. I know, I know... that last reason is a pretty pathetic one.

I say all that to say this: if I was given $200 to use on home decor, I would use it to jump-start a kitchen makeover, taking it one step closer to becoming a place I enjoy. {Hey, maybe if I spend more time in there, I'll become a better cook! One can only hope, right? That "one" is probably my hubby...} ;)

Here is one of my favorite kitchens thus far via my Pinterest board:

{Via}

I absolutely adore this kitchen. That tile is beautiful but probably pricey. Because I want my kitchen to be a bright, colorful space, I plan on bringing that teal color into my kitchen, along with orange like those flowers and the yellow of those lemons. I'm thinking something along the lines of this color palette:

{Via}

So, here's how I'd use the $200 to get the ball rolling on my kitchen makeover:

I'd paint my cabinets white and then repaint the wall color.

Anyone good at math will automatically realize that this doesn't take up my entire $200 budget. I have $80 leftover. I'd probably purchase one of each pattern of these {$36} just because I absolutely heart them:

{Via}

Then, I'd use the rest {approx. $44} to buy one yard of one of my favorite fabrics so I can make a faux roman shade for my kitchen window:

Ahhh... loving my new kitchen already. Too bad reality is going to set in next time I get a hankerin' {southern word for "craving"} for some sweet tea {southern word for "sugar with a hint of tea"}. Oh, well!

Whenever I do get around to making these changes, I will be sure to post them on my blog, so be sure to stop by and follow along.

Nikki, thanks again for having me.

I had so much fun daydreaming about how I'd spend some "free money". ;)

TV Wall Update

2012-01-16T16:25:00.000-06:00

I have fiddled and fiddled with this TV wall. The long term plan is to eventually build custom built-ins for this wall. That will have to wait until we decide for sure and then actually purchase this home that we are currently renting. In the mean time I am trying to work with what I have or come across without spending a whole lot. We are currently using my buffet to hold the TV and all of it's gear. It's not my fav, but it also doesn't bother me. I think I might like it better if I found a dresser that I could convert to hold all of the boxes, but I haven't come across anything so far that is just right.

So for now, I just fiddle with what is on the wall above the TV. Take 1, was not so hot. Take 2, wasn't even blog worthy. This would be Take 3. It has been in place for several months and I am quite happy with it. At least for now, anyway. :)

Ok, now I want to change out he knobs, but that's for another time. Let me tell you about the artwork. The rose painting was something I came across at the thrift store for $1. I really liked the colors, nice and bright. It reminded me of something I had seen in an antique store that was much pricier . The other 3 pieces of art were found all together at the same thrift store, just on a different day. I initially bought them for the frames, but the more I looked at them, the more I started to like them. I don't remember exactly what I paid for the 3, but I'm pretty sure it was around $6.

I may eventually move these all to the dining room and replace them with a large canvas that has been painted with a colorful graphic print like I mentioned in my first 2 Bills 2 Blow post, but for now, they make the TV wall much nicer to look at.

Linking up to:
A Bowl Full of Lemons
It's Overflowing

Excuse the Mess

2012-01-12T23:10:00.001-06:00

I'm working on some site maintenance, so if it starts looking crazy around here for a bit you will know why.

Chicken Finger Dip

2012-01-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

This stuff is good, and it has just a little kick.

Chicken Finger Dip

1 Tbsp. Mayo w/olive oil

(Just shy of) 1 Tbsp. Southwest Spicy Mustard

Mix and enjoy!

It's also really good as a spread on a roast beef sandwich.

Calories - 75
Fat grams - 4

Linking up to:
A Bowl Full of Lemons

2 Bills 2 Blow - Satori Design for Living

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hello lovely Nikki's Nacs readers! I'm Shauna from Satori Design for Living. I was thrilled when Nikki asked me to be part of her 2 Bills 2 Blow series. The tricky part was deciding what room I would spend $200 on because I'm planning on doing quite a few updates this year. I settled on the smallest room in our house- the powder room.

Currently our powder room is a blank slate with soft white paint and fixtures- BORING! My overall goal was to infuse color, texture and sparkle to this room.

1. To start with I'd add artwork above the towel bar. These vintage moth prints from Saturated Color on Etsy are unique and full of color (2 at $7.99 each). I'd frame them in these beautiful silver foil frames with linen matting from Indigo (2 at $44.50 each).

2. I'd take advantage of Pottery Barn's white sale and purchase two white hand towels with a sandalwood satin stitch border (2 at $14.00 each).

3. Above the toilet I'd install white shelves from Ikea (3 at $5.00 each) and accessorize with some items I already have- books, coral, shells, glass canisters and a wooden box. Here is the inspiration picture.

{via Mr. Goodwill Hunting on Pinterest}

4. I'd paint out the back of the shelves in deep blue color (blue danube 2062-30) from Benjamin Moore (one quart at $25.95- prices may vary by type of paint and location).

5. Next I'd purchase small wire baskets from Crate & Barrel to hold supplies (2 at $12.95).

Grand total= $199.83

Note: all prices are US (except Indigo) and do not include tax or shipping.

With a small amount of elbow grease and a few purchases totaling close to $200.00, I think my powder room will have the wow factor I'm looking for. Thanks Nikki- this was fun!

Christmas Card Books

2012-01-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

I know that Christmas has come and gone, but I wanted to go ahead and show you my Christmas Card Books.

If you are on Pinterest it is safe to say that you have seen the Christmas Card Book by close2myart that is floating around and the printable cover for said Christmas Card Book by eighteen25.

Well, last week when I was putting all of my Christmas stuff up and going through cabinets (am I the only one that does 2-3 major projects at once?) I remembered the pin and decided to just assemble my Christmas Card Books right then. I knew that if I didn't do it right away I may not get around to it. I didn' have any rings, but I did have ribbon, and Christmas cards all the way back to 2005 (They were in one of the cabinets I was cleaning out). I knew that one day I would come across the "perfect" thing to do with them. Thank you, Pinterest! Ok, anyway, I just hole punched everything and strung them with ribbon. I eventually went back with some Christmas-y cardstock and ribbon to make covers, and printed out a label with the year to put on the front of each book. You can make these as simple or elaborate as you would like. I obviously went simple.

Do you keep or trash your Christmas cards?

Linking up to:
A Bowl Full of Lemons

A Little Dye

2012-01-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

Back in October, I told you about the STEAL of a deal I got on parsons chairs that I found on Craigslist. I'm not a fan of the slipcovers, and the chairs themselves are pretty rough and need to be recovered, but I'm still saving up for the fabric.

In the meantime, I wanted to do something to the two of the six chairs that are normally in the living room. The requirements - I wanted some color and it had to be cheap. I decided that this was the perfect time to dye something. It's pretty inexpensive and if it didn't turn out like I wanted it wasn't a big deal. I have plans to eventually ditch the slipcovers.

I ended up going with Rit dye in Dark Teal, and followed the directions for the washing machine application. They results weren't great, but not terrible either. Just little splotchy in a few places. I also would like them better if the teal was deeper, but I think that could easily be achieved with an additional box of dye per chair (2 boxes total per chair). Now I just have to get to Hobby Lobby and get another box of dye so that I can do the other one. They only one had one the day that I was there.

Have you ever dyed anything? How did it turn out?

Linking up to:
It's Overflowing - Overflowing with Creativity
A Bowl Full of Lemons
Delightfully Inspiring Thursday @ Delightful Order

2 Bills 2 Blow - West Elm

2012-01-05T08:18:00.000-06:00

I have been a big lazy bum this week, I have enjoyed our Christmas/New Year break and I 'm just not ready for "normal" yet. My Christmas trees are still up - Gasp! I am normally a take it down the day after Christmas kind of girl, but not this year. I have until Friday night to get everything down and back to normal for craft group, so I am procrastinating as usual.

This week I thought it would be fun to "blow" $200 at West Elm. You know, just for fun!

Owl Measuring Cups - $19

I'm not really a baker, but I would certainly enjoy these. They are adorable.

White Wall Clock - $79

This clock would be perfect above the coat hooks in our den. Nice and simple.

Perforated Porcelain Tray - $12 (currently on sale)

Just cute. You can't have too many white trays. I would probably put it in my kitchen.

Log Vases - Large $29, Small $19

I would get them both - I could use some new accessories.

Hive Vase - Wide Tall - $29

It would take me a good 30 minutes to decide on a color. I like them all.

Just a Little Organizing

2012-01-02T22:09:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year! We sure did. I have enjoyed the break from blogging and school, but I'm trying to get geared up for a more organized year. Once Christmas came and went, I went into full on "get it organized" mode. I have spent countless hours reading posts on IHeartOrganizing and a bowl full of lemons looking for inspiration on creating the best systems for our home/life. I'm not super unorganized, but I definitely needed some streamlining in a few areas of our home.

The areas that have received some attention
The Playroom - all the Christmas gifts needed to find a home
The Mail System (or lack of a system)
Homeschool Cabinet / Craft Cabinet
Kitchen Drawers/Gadget Drawers
A Few Kitchen Cabinets
Our Routine
My Cleaning Routine/Schedule

I'm not done, but so far, so good.

*I have an empty calendar that needs to be filled with guest posts for the 2 Bills 2 Blow series. If you are interested in guest posting for this series please email me.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T01:03:00.003-06:00

Merry Christmas!

See you sometime next year.

2 Bills 2 Blow - Corner of Main

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi everybody! I’m Kelly from Corner of Main. I am uber excited to share what I would do with $200 burning a hole in my pocket! At first you may think $200 is a lot of money, but when you are trying to get the biggest bang for your buck it can get a little tricky.
I decided to pick out some décor items for our master bedroom which we recently updated, but are still in the process of adding some final touches. Here is a look at the (kinda empty) room:

I have started to add things here and there, but this corner could really use some help:

If I had about $400 I would ditch those grey chairs and get one pretty leather one (gotta stay focused here…that’s not the task). With $200 I would get rid of one of them, then I would add these beautiful items:

What you see here is:
1. Porter Leaner Mirror from Cost Plus World Market $119
2. Simple frame from Amazon $6.98
3. Vintage Big Poppy Print from Cartolina on Etsy $18
4. Rust Flounce Pillow from Pier 1 $23.96
5. Ivory Popcorn Throw from Pier 1 $31.96
That comes to…(drum roll please)………………………………….$199.90
That leaves me with 10 cents for a gumball.
What do you think? What would you buy (with $200, not ten cents)? If you want to read more about our master bedroom and our 1920's Colonial Home, come visit us at Corner of Main!
Thanks for having me Nikki!!

Christmas Decor 2011

2011-12-15T22:30:00.000-06:00

Well, here is my house all decked out for Christmas. This is the tree in our living room. I thought about changing up my colors this year, but really, I still like the red/lime-y green/silver combo that I have had for years. So, I kept is simple and didn't buy anything new. I was just excited to be in a new house to decorate for Christmas. One that didn't require major furniture rearranging to accommodate the tree.

My mom gave us her old tree a few years ago, so we have 2 Christmas trees, lots of room, and a little boy that really wanted colored lights and mis-matched ornaments. Yep, we put up two trees. Sure it was a lot more work, but the boys think it is great and that is really all that matters. My mom was excited when I told her we were doing 2 trees so she went to HL and bought them a whole bunch of "boy" ornaments. Cade has also been coloring all kinds of things and hanging them on "his" tree. Good times. We still need a topper, but I'm holding out for the after Christmas sales.

It was fun to add a little Christmas cheer throughout my kitchen. This is the first time in a long time that I have had enough counter space.

The Christmas balls landed on the chandelier in my kitchen. They are my fav Christmas decor this year. Oh, and when my mom walked in my house she said,"I like your big balls!" Ha, if you know my mom you know that she doesn't say things like that it. It was quite funny. These Christmas balls continue to make me laugh, but still not as good as last year.

Breakfast table runner and simple hurricane.

This is the first Christmas in 12 or 13 years that I haven't had a mantle. I tried the stockings a few places, but they finally landed on the banister. I just hung them with some leftover strips of fabric.

The entry table at the back door.

If you missed my dining room all decked out for Christmas you can see it here.

2 Bills 2 Blow - The Way We Are

2011-12-14T07:00:00.000-06:00

Today we have Leah from The Way We Are. If you aren't familiar with her blog you are in for a treat.

Oh wow when Nikki asked me to be a part of this 2 bills 2 blow series, I was really excited! But it kinda just made me want to actually have 2 bills 2 blow!
So if I did have a couple hundred dollars lying around I would probably redo our entry a bit by buying a couple cool vintage posters. Such as these from Etsy...

via

And then I would buy a little side table like this one from Craiglist and paint it to go under the posters. Just to make a cool landing space for all our stuff when we walk in the door.

My inspiration came from this home that I saw in Lonny's latest issue. They have a really cool vintage poster of the movie Darling and I thought it was a great idea to mix that in with other great art.

Thanks for having me Nikki!
Luvs

Dare to - Deck the Halls

2011-12-11T21:48:00.001-06:00

This weeks Dare to - Challenge was to make something new to deck your halls with. I decided to go with a wreath. Actually, I started this wreath over a month ago at a bi-monthly craft group that I attend, and this was the push I needed to finish it. :)

Nice and easy. The only time consuming thing is cutting out all of the felt/fabric circles. I just did it while watching tv. You can go here for more details on how to make the wreath.

Now, if I could just decide on some wreaths for my front doors. They are still bare.

The Christmas Countdown!

2011-12-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

You would think that I could have come up with some really cute and crafty advent calendar, BUT I did not. I decided to cut myself some slack.

We are still counting down the days until Christmas, and enjoying it, but we are doing it chalkboard style.

I should also add that my kids think this is great, and really, that is all that matters.

Are you giving yourself permission this Christmas to not do it all and just enjoy yourself? Do tell.

There is still time to help my friend Vicky with fundraising for the 2 girls she is adopting from China. She has purchased an iPad2 to giveaway. $10 = 1 entry, $25 = 3 entries. This is a great opportunity to be a blessing.

2 Bills 2 Blow - Teal and Lime

2011-12-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi, I'm Jackie from Teal & Lime. I am so excited Nikki asked me to share what I would buy with $200. I knew right away I would spend it all on our family room. The room has been a little neglected since we moved into this house. The room already has good furniture, even though the yellow chairs below are borrowed from the office when we have company.

I just updated our family gallery wall with our latest family portraits. The colors in the photographs are stunning. We dressed in aqua, red-orange, and olive green. The backdrop was yellow orange fall leaves. I want to draw these colors out and use them in accessories around the room. Here is a preview of the updated family gallery wall, that I have not even shared on my own blog yet.

To infuse the colors into the room and pull the room together, I would sprinkle around my $200 focusing primarily on turquoise, yellow, and red-orange accents. My favorite place to shop accessories is Etsy. Here is what I found for my $200. (Note: To stay under budget I fought the urge to have pillows in pairs and I am kind of liking the resulting eclectic mix.)

1. Hello wood sign from Oh Dier - $42 - I have adored this sign for so long. It is adorable, welcoming, and happy. I must have it.

2. Autumn Red-Orange Lattice Pillow from The Lacey Placey - $14.50 - the perfect shade of red-orange to compliment the teal and add a punch of color on the gray sofa.

3. Teal Chevron pillow from Nena Von - $25 - I really like the oversized chevron print. I already have a smaller scale yellow chevron print in the Eames chair, so this over-scaled version will be a fun contrast.

4. Pair of Architectural Wooden Corbels from Bodie and Boo - $29.99 - love these to serve as book ends for our photo albums.

5. Ornate Yellow Picture Frame from Michelle Lisa's Treasure Chest - $29 - I love yellow. This frame will bring a pop of yellow onto the built ins and tie in with the yellow chevron pillows and the yellow chairs when they are in the room. We already have lots of pictures in the room, so I think I will frame a nice quote like one of these I have been collecting on Pinterest.

6. Coca-Cola Soda Crate from First Comes Love - $40 - I want one of these to sit on the shel to hold the kids library books.

7. Cast Iron Architectural Finial from Pink Pelican Designs - $18 - great decor item to break up the monotony of bowls and vases I currently have going on

Grand Total= $198.50

So at first $200 does not seem like a lot, but with some shopping patience (Nikki gave me a few weeks to pull this together) it is amazing how many great accessories you can pull together for one room. I hope this inspires you to accessorize one of your neglected rooms.

Thanks for having me Nikki. It is the season of giving, so I won't spend money on myself right now, but after the holidays I may just have to blow 2 bills on all this great stuff. When I do I will definitely be back to share.

Got 200? Let's add some pattern and color.

2011-12-05T21:28:00.001-06:00

I didn't get around to doing a Got $200 post last week, so I was pretty excited about it this week. Teal and brown will always be some of my fav colors to decorate with, but I thought I would add in some orange. It just makes it nice and warm.

images: World Market, Decidedly Chic, ElemenOPillows, Thread Pairs

Diva Ikat Curtain Panels from World Market - $34.99 each

Velvet Pillow Cover 12 x 18 - Peacock Blue Geometric Print by Decidedly Chic - $39.99

(Set of 2) 20 x 20 Orange Accent Pillow Covers by ElemenOPillows - $36.00

(Set of 2) 16 x 16 Chocolate Brown Pillow Covers by Thread Pairs - $24

I came in well under $200 again this week. I like it when that happens.

Cade is 6 - The Zoo

2011-12-03T22:46:00.001-06:00

We decided that since Cade's birthday was the weekend of Thanksgiving and we were spending Thanksgiving in Jacksonville it would be a good time to take the boys the the zoo.

Before we headed to the zoo,

we had to have the traditional birthday breakfast doughnut with a candle in it.

Where is the birthday boy?

Checking out the flamingos.

Time for a carousel ride.

Checking out the penguins.

I'm pretty sure he is saying "cool".

This picture makes me melt. Cade is the BEST big brother!

These boys love each other so much.

I love being their mommy.

We had a great day celebrating Cade's 6th birthday.

Trying to Play Catch Up

2011-12-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

Oh my, I feel so behind. I am going to attempt to give you some tidbits instead of dedicated posts for a few things.

- Do you remember the Sesame Street Live show that I gave tickets away to? Well, the show was way back on Nov. 15th. We went and had a blast. I love the look on Henry's face. That boy danced, clapped, and said ooooooooo a whole lot.

The Vee Coporation was great to work with. They held our tickets for us at Will Call since we don't live in Montgomery and everything went smoothly. The show was great and we made some fun memories with our boys.

- The day before Cade's birthday party I was being a whiny butt! I was pouting because things were not going like I wanted with a particular decorating project and I just wanted to start over. We don't use credit cards and I didn't have the cash to just go buy all new stuff, so I pouted and whined. NOT GOOD! My husband reminded me that when I want something I can simply use my faith and believe God for it. At first I just wanted to keep pouting, but really, who wants to be miserable like that. I knew he was right. I prayed and asked God for a few things and simply rolled that care onto Him. When I thought about it the rest of the day I just thanked Him for those things. The very next morning I was headed to the grocery store to pick up a few last minute things for Cade's party and drove by a yard sale. I saw what looked like bolts of fabric and decided I would stop on my way back home. When I came back women had arm loads of fabric. There wasn't much left, but I spotted the perfect fabric for my kitchen windows. (one of the things I was whining about the day before) I didn't know exactly how much was on the bolt, but it looked like it might be enough, if not I could use it for something else. The fabric is Designer Ralph Lauren fabric and was $2 for the bolt. Did you read that? $2. I got home and measured and it was plenty to do my kitchen windows. Oh, and it was $2. I was so excited because it was an answer to prayer and a reminder of how much my God loves me.

I could have just told you about the great deal on the fabric, but I wanted to share the whole story. God loves us so much. He wants us to let Him order our steps every single day. He wants to be involved in all of the little things in our life, not just the big stuff. He wants to bless us.

- We spent Thanksgiving in Jacksonville, FL with my husbands family this year. We didn't do any Black Friday shopping, but we did go to Homegoods. We don't have one here, so it was a nice treat. The store was packed because it was Black Friday, but it was still fun to look around. Our vehicle was pretty close to it's max capacity on the trip to FL, so I knew that I couldn't purchase anything that would take up much room, but I did come across this really cute sugar dish. Did I need sugar dish? No. But, it was cute, colorful, SMALL, and I wanted to buy something. So it came home with me.

2 Bills 2 Blow - Good Girl Gone Glad

2011-11-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi there everyone!

I'm Jesse from Good Girl Gone Glad.

I am excited to be here at Nikki's Nac's!

Nikki always features great projects!

Today I am going to share my thoughts on what I would do with

2 Bucks 2 Blow!

I have been mulling over curtains for quite some time now, and tried several DIY versions of things.

I just wasn't coming up with the right thing.

So when West Elm came out with these curtains, I thought they were perfect.

They have a bit of subtle texture to them without committing to a bold pattern.

Just under $40 a panel, a pair just may have to be mine.

I could definitely use a few pillows to freshen up my living room too and I am all about bargain shopping. So when I came across these pillows I put them on the wish list. Can't beat them at two pillows for $30!

Christmas is my favorite!

We try to do lots of fun things around my house enjoying Christmasy sweet treats. I think these plates would be so fun and festive. We are a family of 5 so I am going to need two sets. For a total of $80

Gosh Nikki! Makes me wish I did have a little stash of $200! =)

Pair of Curtains ~ $80

Pair of Pillows ~ $30

Two sets of desert dishes ~ $80

Total ~ $190

Thank you for letting me share my wish list! =)

Cade is 6 - The Party

2011-11-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

My little man is officially 6. This year's party was at 2 in the afternoon so I didn't do a meal; I just loaded this kids up with plenty of sugar. CARS themed sugar.

We had stop light cookies. (gram crackers, icing, m & m's)

Luigi's Tower of Tires (chocolate donuts stacked with a skewer)

Chocolate Dip Sticks (chocolate covered pretzels -

I added sprinkles and Cade informed me that they didn't look like real dip sticks

because of the sprinkles.)

Framed Invitation

I kept everything really simple. Lots of balloons, a yard of checkered vinyl purchased from Hobby Lobby, and signs made from a cardboard box and paint I had on hand. The signs and checkered table cloth were left over from this years Trunk or Treat.

Happy Thanksgiving & Christmas Shopping

2011-11-24T07:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are all having a wonderful time with your families. Speaking of families, their are so many families that are currently in the process of adopting. Adoption is expensive, and many of these families are raising funds to help bring their children home.

My friend Anna put together a Christmas Gift Guide of items that benefit families that are adopting. Go ahead and check out the list. I'm sure you will find something that will be a good fit for some of the people on your gift list this year. A gift that will also bless a family that is waiting to be united with their child.

You will also find a giveaway for an iPad2 on the list that will be given away on Dec. 15, so be sure to check out the details for that. Even if you don't win the iPad2, this is a great opportunity to be a blessing.

2 Bills 2 Blow - Bella Nest

2011-11-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

I have to give Holly a little introduction before you see how she would blow $200. Holly is one of my very best friends (in real life). We used to work together and went to college together. We certainly had some good times back in the day. I don't even want to think about how long ago that actually was. Anyway, Holly is new to blogging, but she has always had a great eye for decor. I remember going to her house as a teenager and being amazed at how put together her bedroom was. Oh, and she can craft with the best of them.

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Hi there, all you awesome Nikki's Nacs readers! My name is Holly from Bella Nest. I was thrilled when Nikki asked me to share how I would spend $200! With Christmas just around the corner, I know exactly what I would do... a c c e s s o r i z e my nest! This year red and white are popular colors to use in decorating, but I have to stay true to my all time favorites: different shades of blue, silver, and white. This year I want to add more white into my living and dining rooms.

I've been on the lookout for a white nativity scene and just found this one from Pottery Barn.

Isn't it gorgeous?

But guess how much it costs?! $199! That's all my budget right there and I couldn't see myself spending that much on a smaller seasonal item like this!

So I would get this one I found on Amazon for $54.99...

I would put this on my sofa table and surround it with greenery and silver accents.

This sphere filler mix ($15.95) from Pier 1 would be perfect in my apothecary jar like this one.

This rhinestone and velvet pillow ($15.95) from Pier 1 would be perfect to add a little bling to my living room.

These mercury glass candlesticks ($65) from Ballard Designs would be beautiful anywhere really, but I'd put them along my dining room table on this natural colored, linen runner sold on Etsy for $38.

Shopping List:

Nativity Scene $54.99

Filler Mix $15.95

Pillow $15.95

Candlesticks $65.00

Runner $38.00

Grand Total $189.90

Yay! I think we did good! A little under budget here, but once we add tax it's close! I'm super excited about decorating for Christmas this week! I hope you are too! Please stop by Bella Nest any time! Happy decorating and Merry Christmas to YOU! xx