House by Hoff

Summer Home Tour!

2014-06-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

Hi!

It's summer home tour day, and I'm so excited you're here!

If you are stopping by House by Hoff for the first time, welcome!

If you were to take a tour of my home, you might think I live on a gorgeous coastal property.

You'd be wrong.

I live in Indiana, and there are no oceans in sight. ;(

It's ok. I still decorate like I live on a beach. It's my own form of denial, and it works for me.

I recently updated my throw pillows to reflect a more beachy/summer vibe. I love to mix patterns!

My home really never looks this picked-up. I have a two-year old and a husband. Enough said. ;)

I love to repurpose old doors and windows and add pops of color where ever I can!

I recently spray painted this garage sale wicker chair!

My eating area vignette is one of my favorite places to completely change up for the seasons!

I am working on my container-gardening skills and recently put together these repurposed summer planters!

Thank you so much for stopping by today, I hope to see you back around here often! ;)

Inspiring Summer House Tours!

2014-06-16T12:00:00.000-04:00

It's summertime, and there is nothing I like more than getting to take a tour through a gorgeous home! Today we are kicking off a week of 23 inspiring house tours by some amazingly talented bloggers!

Weathered Outdoor Bench Tutorial

2014-06-16T06:00:00.000-04:00

Hola!

Como esta?

Muuuuuy bien, gracias!

Why am I so good, you ask?

Because school is out, and summer has started, and I'm so happy that I'm speaking Spanish for no apparent reason.

Now, you might remember when I asked you what I should do with this bench.

I LOVED all of the feedback I got, and was completely inspired by your suggestions.

Especially those of you who suggested that I keep it old and weathered looking, rather than completely paint it.

Duh. Why didn't I think of that?

Here's how I added some "racing stripes" {as Mr. Hoff calls them} or "French grain-sack stripes" {as I call them} to this bench, while retaining an old, weathered look.

1. So, the paint was decent, but chipped when I got this bench. So I set it outside and let it get rained on a couple of times, which made the paint chippier and more "weathered".

2. To paint the thick strip down the middle of the bench I started with one piece of painters tape on each side of the bench.

3. Then I added another piece of painters tape.

4. Then I added another piece of painters tape.

5. Then I thought about adding another piece of painters tape. But I didn't. I painted my nice, thick stripe down the middle of the bench with some left over outdoor paint that we used to paint our front door.

6. Okay. Now we see the nice, thick stripe. I'm not going to lie. I got nervous here. I was worried that the striped looked waaaay to solid and fresh next to the chippy, old white paint. I didn't know if I would be able to sand it down enough to make it look right. All my worrying was unfounded. It was fine after I sanded it down.

7. I apologize right now. In my state of nervousness, I didn't take a picture of how I painted the little stripes on each side of the thick stripe. So listen, and listen good: I put one piece of painters tape along the sides of the thick stripe. Got it? I eye-balled about how thick I wanted each little stripe to be, and added one more piece of painters tape, leaving a little gap in between the two pieces to paint a little stripe on each stripe.

8. What's that you say? You didn't understand what I just said? Then look at #8. It illustrates where I put painter's tape to get the small stripes on the side. ;) I sanded and sanded with medium-grit sand paper, until my blue stripes looked old, worn, and weathered.

9. I added a protective water-resistant polyurethane to the top of my bench to prevent any more weathering. Yes, I know it will get more weathered, but at least it will slow it down a little bit.

And now, after that long tutorial, I've come to the part of this post where I'm going to shamelessly show off my cute kid. On the weathered bench, of course.

Deep thoughts of a 2-year old. What do you think she's thinking about?

World peace? Her hopes and dreams?

How many pieces of chocolate she can get out of her Daddy tonight?

Hard to say. ;)

Here's a parting shot of my weathered bench and repurposed summer planters.

Adios, amigos!

;)

18 Awesome Knock Off Projects!

2014-06-15T19:00:00.000-04:00

We love a good Knock Off Project!

And we had some absolutely incredible ones shared at our last Get Your DIY On Challenge: Knock Offs. We were in complete awe of the talented shared.... some of the projects you created were better then the inspiration pieces!! Not to mention waaaaaaaay more affordable. Here are a few of our faves....

Pottery Barn Inspired Media Console at Addicted to DIY (Christy's Pick)

Pottery Barn Inspired DIY Pool Sign by One Krieger Chick (Krista's Pick)

Pottery Barn Inspired Stars & Stripes Banner at Addicted to DIY (Mandy's Pick)

Jonathan Adler Monogram Pillow Knock Off at Southern State of Mind (Christy's Pick)

West Elm Knock Off DIY Bentwood Pendant Tutorial by Designer Trapped in a Lawyer's Body (Krista's Pick)

Anthro Knock Off You Are My Sunshine Pillow at View From the Fridge (Mandy's Pick)

DIY Brass Himmeli Inspired Geometric Light Fixture by For My Love Of at Tatertots and Jello (April's Pick)

Knock Off Ballard Inspired Curtain Panels at DIY Beautify (Christy's Pick)

DIY Wood Bead Chandelier Using Chalk Paint at Life on Virginia Street (Krista's Pick)

West Elm Knock Off Shoulder Bag at Delineate Your Dwelling (Mandy's Pick)

DIY Pottery Barn Knock Off Seashell Wreath at Addicted to DIY (April's Pick)

Pottery Barn Inspired BEACH Sign at Beachwood Place (Christy's Pick)

Pottery Barn Inspired Monogram Burlap Canvas at One Krieger Chick (Krista's Pick)

Restoration Hardware Knock Off Art at Meet the B's

Anthropologie Knock Off Rhino Crossbody Bag at Confessions of a Secret Crafter (Abby's Pick)

DIY Designer Inspired Large Scale Art and Frame at Life on Virginia Street (April's Pick)

Such awesome projects!!

Our next DIY Challenge will be the first Sunday of July!!

Can't wait to see what kinds of summer projects you have to share!

Summer Celebration Link-Up Party!

2014-06-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

It's A Summer Celebration LINK PARTY!

We've been celebrating summer all week by sharing brand new summer inspired projects. Now, it's your turn! Link up your summer DIYs, home decor, food, and crafts. Any and all things SUMMER. Don't have a blog? You can still party with us! Share photos of your summer projects on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #summercelebration

Before we get to the party, check out these 20 AWESOME Summer Projects!

1. House by Hoff 2. The Happy Housie 3. Migonis Home 4. Lovely Etc. 5. Making Home Base

6. The Blissful Bee 7. Life on Virginia Street

1. Homey Oh My! 2. Design, Dining and Diapers 3. Place of My Taste 4. Liz Marie Blog

5. Rain on a Tin Roof 6. So Much Better with Age

1. The Wood Grain Cottage 2. Nest of Bliss 3. Persia Lou 4. Creatively Living 5. Just A Girl and Her Blog 6. Love Grows Wild 7. Tiny Sidekick

An InLinkz Link-up

Photography Wednesday: Graduation Party Backdrop

2014-06-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

A few weekends ago we celebrated my niece, Riley's, graduation from High School!

I took her senior photos, and we wanted to use one of her holding a pennant

banner as a backdrop for her dessert table!

I had an Engineer Print made at Staples and mounted it to a foam board.

{See my tutorial for making a mounted Engineer Print here.}

We used my Silhouette Cameo to create little black graduation caps, and mounted them onto some scrapbook paper cupcake toppers! So cute!

Polka-dot garland was made using circle punches in various sizes and scrapbook paper!

My sister-in-law used the cupcake topper punch to make these darling photo skewers for the centerpieces!

Love is in the details!

Around each centerpiece ball jar was a little tag with Riley's name on it!

This party was such a sweet success!

Before you go, don't forget to check out today's Summer Celebration Projects!

1. The Wood Grain Cottage 2. Nest of Bliss 3. Persia Lou 4. Creatively Living 5. Just A Girl and Her Blog 6. Love Grows Wild 7. Tiny Sidekick

We're so excited to see YOUR summer projects tomorrow at our big Summer Celebration Link Party!

This is going to be sooooo good! ;)

Have a great day!

Patriotic Summer Blog Hop

2014-06-10T05:30:00.000-04:00

I have joined up with more than 30 AMAZING bloggers to tackle the challenge of creating a patriotic project or recipe without using the traditional red, white and blue color scheme! How fun is that?!

For the next four weeks, all 30+ projects will be shared on some of the most awesome blogs around. I can't wait to see all of the inspirational projects and hope YOU will find some inspiration as well. But we aren't stopping there!

To celebrate summer and the 4th of July holiday, we want to give you more than just creative inspiration. We want to give one lucky reader a $300 Target Gift Card! The giveaway will end on July 4, 2014 at 11:59 pm. But why wait to enter? Do it now! Best of luck to you :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now, before you head out, be sure to head over to Addicted to DIY to check out our first inspiring project!

And the line-up for the rest of the week includes:

Life on Virginia Street, Southern State of Mind, Paper & Fox and Designer Trapped in a Lawyer's Body. Be sure to check their blogs throughout the week to see their amazing projects.

I'm not finished with you yet!

Be sure to check out the next six projects in our Summer Celebration Series:

1. Homey Oh My! 2. Design, Dining and Diapers 3. Place of My Taste 4. Liz Marie Blog

5. Rain on a Tin Roof 6. So Much Better with Age

Have a great day!

Repurposed Summer Planters

2014-06-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

I'm happy dancing today, because I'm SO excited to be co-hosting {with Chelsea from Making Home Base} our second annual Summer Celebrations Series!

If you are stopping by House by Hoff for the first time, welcome!

I'm so glad you're here!

I've been working on cultivating a green thumb, and I'm determined to keep these three repurposed summer planters alive until at least August.

I very strategically chose flowers and greenery that can withstand full sun and can survive even if I forget to water every day...which I will.

I found the two galvanized buckets at a local thrift store. {My grandmother was disgusted with me that I would pay a couple of bucks for some old buckets...ha!} The white metal bucket came from a garage sale! I picked up some plastic planters at Wal-Mart and actually planted the plants in them before placing them inside of my repurposed planters.

Geraniums remind me of my mother.

She uses these in all of her container gardens.

She has taught me everything I know about planting flowers. ;)

Miss L. is really enjoying our blooms. She "helps" me water them and smells them daily.

Sombody's got to make sure the still smell good, right?

I'm not the only one serving up some summer inspiration today!
Be sure to check out the rest of Monday's Summer Celebration Line-Up:

1. House by Hoff 2. The Happy Housie 3. Migonis Home 4. Lovely Etc. 5. Making Home Base

6. The Blissful Bee 7. Life on Virginia Street

Have a great day! ;)

Summer Celebration Series II

2014-06-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

This is a crazy statement to me {mostly because I can't believe a whole year has gone by}, but:

Chelsea, from Making Home Base, and I are hosting our second annual Summer Celebration!

We've rounded up a group of 20 amazing bloggers to share their best projects for summer!

This 4-day event kicks off tomorrow!

Here's the schedule:

Monday:

House by Hoff

Life on Virginia Street

The Blissful Bee

Tuesday:

Liz Marie Blog

Place of My Taste

Design, Dining and Diapers

Homey Oh My!

Rain on A Tin Roof

So Much Better With Age

Wednesday:

The Wood Grain Cottage

Just A Girl and Her Blog

Thursday:

One huge link-up party for EVERYONE to share their summer projects!

Whew!

It's going to be an AWESOME week around here!

Enjoy your Sunday!

12 Enchanting Ideas!

2014-06-07T16:00:00.000-04:00

Thank you so much to everyone for linking up to our first "Enchanting Inspiration" link party!

As promised, we are featuring our favorites from four categories: DIY, Crafts, Party Inspiration, and Recipes!

Without further ado, here they are:

DIY

River Living Room Update by May Richer Fuller Be

Entryway Update by Life on Virginia Street

Decorating a Small Bedroom by Making Home Base

CRAFTS

How to Make Wood Slice Thumbtacks by Upcycled Treasures

Pineapple Washi Tape Print by Delineate Your Dwelling

Rustic DIY Clock by Making it in the Mountains

PARTY INSPIRATION

Vintage Inspired Handcrafted Wedding by A Handcrafted Wedding

Coaster Save the Dates by Table & Hearth

Crepe Paper Fringe Streamers by May Richer Fuller Be

RECIPE

Homemade Pepperjack Pimento Cheese by Shaken Together

No-Drip Ice Cream Cones by Lou Lou Girls

Strawberry Clouds Dessert by Somerset Lane

Don't forget to join us every Wednesday at 8:00 PM!

Have a great day!

$30 Thursday: A Spray Painted Wicker Chair!

2014-06-05T05:00:00.000-04:00

I distinctly remember thinking to myself that by the time we got to June's $30 Thursday post, I would be SO CLOSE to my summer break!

Well, here we are....and I am indeed so close!

{3 more days....but who's counting?}

I happened to stumble upon the most amazing garage sale the other week.

It was the kind of garage sale that had me wishing I had more cash in my pocket!

I saw this adorable little wicker chair sitting front and center when I drove by.

Do you scope out garage sales from your car, while driving by real slow and creepy-like before you decide if you're going to stop or not?

I pretty much knew exactly what I wanted to do to give this chair a little more charm and character.

I brought it home and sprayed it with "Bright Idea" by Krylon.

I wanted to add just a little detail to the bottom of the chair's legs, and I've always wanted to try the "dipped" look.

So I taped of the bottom of the legs with painter's tape and brushed on a few coats of "Heirloom White" by American Accents.

Easy. Peasy. Lemon-Squeezy.

Let's see what my $30 Thursday pals came up with this month:

I love Jen's Latitude/Longitude Sign! What a great way to personalize the mantel!

I'm smitten with Shayna's Easy Chalkboard Pantry Sign! Delightful!

Follow our $30 Thursday Pinterest Board!

Have a great day!

I'm linking up at: Inspire Me Please!, Link Party Palooza

Enchanting Inspiration Link Party!

2014-06-04T20:00:00.000-04:00

It's time to begin what will become a weekly tradition around here!

I'm excited to announce that I've teamed up with two extremely talented and "enchanting" ladies to bring the "Enchanting Inspiration" link party to you every Wednesday at 8:00 PM!

Nina from Everyday Enchanting, Jen from Migonis Home, and I are proud to introduce you to our new link party!

This link party will be similar to many others in that you link up, post a link back or button in your post, and we pick projects to feature in a separate post each Saturday.

The difference is that we will pick up to three projects for each of the four categories to feature: Crafts/Home Decor, DIY, Parties and Holidays, and Baking. First, we'll share what we've been up to lately:

Everyday Enchanting

Recently on Everyday Enchanting:

Pallet Wood American Flag

Update to Mermaid Party Inspiration

DIY Moss Monogram Wreath

Connect with Everyday Enchanting:

Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Instagram, Google +

Migonis Home

Recently on Migonis Home:

Vintage High Chair Makeover

Decorating with Lilacs

Perfect Carrot Cake

Connect with Migonis Home:

Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Instagram, Google +

House by Hoff

Recently on House by Hoff:

Pottery Barn Inspired Rope Mirrors

Sunshine Sign + Summer Eating Area

Summertime Mantel

Connect with House by Hoff:

Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Instagram, Google +

The "Rules":

Add our button or our text link to your post.

Don't link and leave- check out at least 3 other posts from the link up! Leaving comments and encouragement is always great, too! Bonus if you mention you found the post at the Enchanting Inspiration Link Party ;)

We'd love for you to follow us on at least one of our social media platforms!

Link up below- when you link up on this blog it appears on Everyday Enchanting, Migonis Home, and House by Hoff. We share our features Saturday evening and also give you lots of Pinterest and social media love!

1 Link only please! No links to home pages or other link parties please.

We can't wait to see what you've been up to!

An InLinkz Link-up

Linking up to this link party means that you give us permission to feature your watermarked photo with a link to your post.

On Photography, Ambitions, and Finding My Calling...

2014-06-04T05:30:00.000-04:00

If you've been reading my blog for any given time, you probably realize that I have ambitions of being a professional photographer.

My camera has practically become an extension of my body, and it's rare for a day to go by when I don't use it to take photos of something.

Taking photos is like my therapy.

It makes me happy and lifts me on days that feel too hard and too long.

{Tell me you have those days too!} :)

Taking photos makes me feel calm and relaxed.

One of my favorite quotes comes to mind:

"The things you are passionate about are not random. They are your calling."

I really believe that photography is my passion and calling.

Thanks for letting me ramble on, by the way....

I love having a place to just be honest and share my dreams with you.

My beautiful niece, who graduates high school this year, has been the lovely subject in these photos.

I can't wait to share with you how we used this photo {above} as a centerpiece to her graduation party!

So, do you have secret dreams and ambitions?

What are they?

Have a great day!

Sunshine Sign + Summer Eating Area!

2014-06-02T05:30:00.000-04:00

Good morning and happy Monday!

I'm a mere 8 days away from my summer break!

And that feels great.

I've been telling you all about how I'm switching out my decor for summer, and I wanted to share my vintage-inspired summer vignette in my eating area.

I used these amazing printables from Enchanted Prints to add some extra detail and color to my old window frame. It really makes the vignette tie in nicely with my Summertime Mantel!

I found this completely amazing vintage camera in a thrift shop recently.

I absolutely love it!

I made the stencil for my sunshine sign using my Silhouette Cameo.

I love how easy it is to whip up new signs using that thing!

The cool chartreuse pillow cases are from Bright & Bold Designs!

This eating area looks so bright and happy!

I hope you have a great day!

I'm linking up at: Inspire Me Please!, Link Party Palooza

Get Your DIY On: Knock Off Decor

2014-06-01T19:00:00.000-04:00

Who doesn't like to save a little money?

This month's Get Your DIY On Challenge inspired us to take an expensive accessory and make it ourselves on the cheap!

Here are our projects that we did this month that saved us so much money!

Ralph Lauren Inspired Pillow from Abby at Just a Girl and Her Blog

Pottery Barn Succulent Knock Off from Krista at The Happy Housie

Pottery Barn Inspired Rope Mirrors from April at House by Hoff

Pottery Barn Summer House Sign from Christy at Confessions of a Serial Do It Yourselfer

Pottery Barn Anchor Sign by Mandy at The Hankful House

Confessions of a Serial Do-It-Yourselfer

Facebook Blog Google + Bloglovin Twitter Instagram Pinterest

The Happy Housie

Facebook Blog Google+ Bloglovin Twitter Instagram Pinterest

The Hankful House

Facebook Blog Google+ Bloglovin Twitter Instagram Pinterest

Just a Girl and Her Blog

Facebook Blog Google+ Bloglovin Twitter Instagram Pinterest

House By Hoff

Facebook Blog Google+ Bloglovin Pinterest

So let's get going on with the party!

Just a couple of quick tidbits before we get started. We would be so excited if you would:

Follow each of your hosts in some sort of fashion.
Link back to our fabulous party in your posts.
Stick around, meet other bloggers, and leave some blog love.
Remember: Each month is a theme; let's only link up each month's scheduled themes.
Be inspired!
Linking up to our party gives us permission to use your images on our blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest page and any other social media connected to our blogs. We will give link back credit to any image we share.

Don't forget to link back-- grab a button!

For all of you planners out there, July's party theme is "DIY Symmer Fun" and it goes live July 6th!!

Now on to this month's party!!

An InLinkz Link-up

PB Inspired Rope Wrapped Mirrors

2014-05-30T05:30:00.000-04:00

In a perfect world I would be able to flip through the pages of a Pottery Barn catalog and order all of the furniture and accessories I wanted.

But I live in the real world, people.

And that never happens.

;)

I've been eyeing Potter Barn's Rope Mirrors like this or this for awhile.

So, when I rediscovered some old circle mirrors in my basement, the idea to replicate PB's rope mirrors was born.

{I purchased these mirrors from Hobby Lobby for $10 each on a half-off week many years ago. I have seen them there recently, so if you did want to recreate this project exactly, you'd probably still be able to find them there!}

Here's how I transformed my old black mirrors into pretty white nautical delights!

1. I used to have these black mirrors hanging in the bedroom of my old house. I had them stashed away in boxes in the basement and had kind of forgotten about them! Love to find old treasures in the basement!

2. I taped off the mirror to avoid getting spray paint on it!

3. I spray painted the mirror Dover White by American Accents and took the tape off.

4. I bought 20 feet of rope-by-the-yard at Rural King. They have a great selection of ropes! To cut the rope to size without fraying it, I taped it off with electrical tape and sawed it with a hack saw. {That has got to be the manliest sentence I've ever typed on my blog....ha!}

5. Using a lot of hot glue, I glued the first layer of rope to the mirror. It had the perfect ridge to glue the rope to.

6. To cover my electrical tape edges, I wrapped twine around them. It gives the mirror such a pretty and finished look!

7. {Not pictured.} I repeated this entire process to add one more layer of rope to the outer edge of the mirror. I didn't really plan on adding another layer of rope, but it looked unfinished without it.

I love how they add a nautical touch to the living room!

{I have the hardest time photographing my living room. The large windows are so bright! They make my clear glass lamp disappear...notice the floating lamp shade??}

Don't let my picked-up house fool you....it usually is strewn with whatever toys Miss L. has decided to ~~play with~~ dump on the floor.

One more close-up shot:

My little supervisor is never far from me while I'm taking pictures... ;)

Let's see what my Get Your DIY On co-hosts came up with this week!

Confessions of a Serial DIYer's Summer House Sign

Just a Girl and Her Blog's Ralph Lauren-Inspired Gold Striped Pillow

The Hankful House's Anchor Artwork

The Happy Housie's Succulent Arrangement

I hope you have a great weekend!
My niece is graduating from high school, and I'll be helping with the party prep and decor! My favorite!!

:)

I'm linking up at: Link Party Palooza, Inspire Me Please!

Switching It Up For Summer With New Throw Pillows From Bright & Bold Designs!

2014-05-28T05:30:00.000-04:00

According to my sister Memorial Day is the "unofficial first day of summer".....

And if she says it, it must be true!

With the unofficial start to summer behind me,

I was ready to bring in some new colors and patterns into my decor!

Lucky for me, I knew just the place to go to find some amazing throw pillow covers!

I discovered, Shalyn's Etsy shop, Bright & Bold Designs a few months ago.

I fell in love with the colors and fun prints of her throw pillow covers!

I ordered the bright blue arrow stripe and the navy floral throw pillow covers to mix in with a few throw pillows I already had for the couch.

I also used this combo on my little fireplace bench!

I love the way it ties in perfectly with my beachy summer mantel!

So pretty! ;)

But I didn't stop there!

I also ordered the chartreuse geometric throw pillow covers for my eating area.

I love the retro vibe of this cool print!

The best part about these throw pillow covers {besides how pretty they are} is their price!

Everything in Shalyn's shop starts at $15.90-$17.90!

Shalyn has kindly offered to give House by Hoff readers

15% off throw pillow cover orders today through Friday, May 30th!

Use the coupon code: housebyhoff

Here are a few more of my favorites from Bright & Bold Designs:

Aqua Floral

Colorful Chevron

West Elm Navy Chevron

I love how easy it is to mix and match so many of Bright & Bold Design's throw pillows together.

It would be so easy to switch them out seasonally!

I hope you stop by Bright & Bold Designs and check out the wide variety of throw pillow lovliness!

Have a great day!

{I received free products for this post. To see my full disclosure policy, click here.}

I'm linking up at: Link Party Palooza

Summer Mantel + Tales of Kindergarten Cuteness

2014-05-23T05:30:00.000-04:00

For some reason, I'm usually among one of the last people to jump onto the

"I'm going to dress for the warmer weather" bandwagon.

{I blame my mom. She never let us wear shorts before like June. Sorry, Mom...but it's true!!}

I guess I could also blame the fact that I have no tan. Like at all.

Yesterday I wore a pretty maxi skirt and gold sandals to work.

One of my kindergarten students said, "Awww....You look so cute!"

{Just imagine an adorable little kindergarten girl telling me that. I nearly fell over it was so cute.)

I laughed and told her, "Thank you! I've never had a kindergartner tell me that I look cute before! How sweet of you!"

Before I knew it, the two {rather ornery, but adorable} kindergarten boys in my group chimed in.

They both said, "Awwww.....you do look so cute today!"

Are you imagining me with my little table of kindergarteners yet?

It was so precious.

I hope you have a great holiday weekend!
Just remember to wear something summery....and cute!

See my Chalkboard Window tutorial here.
See my Sand Dollar & Starfish Garland here.
See more about my Summer Photo Display here.

I'm linking up at: Inspire Me Please! Link Party Palooza

Photography Wednesday: Summer Photo Display

2014-05-21T05:30:00.000-04:00

Is it me, or do you see summer starting to peek through the cracks?

Yesterday was such a beautiful day. We sat outside in the gorgeous weather and watched my niece run in a track meet. It felt great to be out in the warm sunshine!

As I mentioned on Monday, I've been decorating for summer around here!

One of my favorite pieces to switch out for the seasons is my old window grate photo display!

I used some of Miss L's cute Easter pics, and these ADORABLE summer printables made by the lovely and talented Michelle from Elegance and Enchantment!

To make my starfish clips, I simply hot-glued these mini clothespins to the backs of these little starfish!

So easy!

Ok, now for the good part:

You can download your own FREE {and unwatermarked} copy of this summer-y print over at Michelle's blog, Elegance & Enchantment!

To purchase the rest of these fun summer prints, check out Michelle's Etsy Shop here!

She also has a TON of other cute printables for all seasons and occasions!

How cute is this stuff!?

I love the Father's Day printable gift tags and cards!

Have you started decorating for Summer yet?

No? It's just me?

I figured.

Have a great day!

{I received free products for this post. To see my full disclosure policy, click here.}

I'm linking up at: Work It Wednesday! Inspire Me Please! Link Party Palooza

Seashells & Succulents

2014-05-19T05:30:00.000-04:00

Good morning and happy Monday!

I made some notable progress on getting my house decorated for summer over the weekend...

I know. I know.

It's Mid-May, and Summer doesn't really start until sometime in June.

But, a procrastinator I am not.

I've been itching to get things switched up...

Two of my favorite summer decorating staples are succulents and seashells.
Don't they just seem to fit together like cheese and sprinkles?
{If you've watched Rio eighty-five times with your two year old, then you totally got that joke...}

To see my succulent colander planter tutorial, click here.

I'm hoping that if I think summer thoughts, we might actually get through a week without temperatures in the 50s....maybe this week will be the week.

Have a great day!

:)

I'm linking up at: Work It Wednesday! Inspire Me Please!

18 Fantastic Flower Ideas

2014-05-18T19:00:00.000-04:00

If we could sum up this round up in two words, they would be: Flower Power.

So many beautiful flower projects and inspiration this week!

I hope this round up "plants some seeds of inspiration!"

Rose Art Photography by Place of My Taste {Krista's Pick}

House Number Flower Buckets by Sweet Southern T {Mandy's Pick}

DIY Teacher Gift {Christy's Pick}

Paper Flower Centerpiece by the Casual Craftlete {Krista's Pick}

Refresh Sad, Plastic Pots with Wood Stain by Nikki's Nacs {April's Pick}

Tissue Paper Flower by Simple Joys {Christy's Pick}

Dollar General Decorated Planters by Remodelando la Casa{Abby's Pick}

Felt Flower Wreath by Virginia Sweet Pea {Krista's Pick}

Paper Flower Pots by Place of My Taste {Abby's Pick}

Yard Sale Picture to Flower Art by Restoration Redoux {Mandy's Pick}

Crepe Paper Rosettes by Simple Joys {Krista's Pick}

Outdoor Sofa From a Cast Iron Bathtub by One Krieger Chick {Mandy's Pick}

The Language of Flowers by Blue I Style {Christy's Pick}

Rain Boots on the Porch by Twelve Oaks Manor {April's Pick}

3-Tiered Flower Wreath by Resoration Redoux {Abby's Pick}

Concrete Planter & Pansies by The Pinterest Mom {April's Pick}

Groovy Candy Coated Oreos by Little Miss Celebration {Christy's Pick}

Flower Tab Printable Gift Box from The Thinking Closet {Mandy's Pick}

Thanks again, everybody for linking up!

Remember that our next link up is on June 1st:

Can't wait to see you there!

Have a great day!

An Old Favorite: A Three-Tiered Summer Planter

2014-05-16T05:30:00.000-04:00

Hooray!

It's Friday!

Let's all break out our Friday dance moves!

{Pause for Friday dance moves...whatever that may be for you.}

Okay. That felt good.

Today I'm reposting a favorite post from last year, my 3-Tiered Summer Planter!

Man, I loved that thing.

I even kept it alive for most of the summer.

Then I got a teaching job, and it was all downhill from there.

I had to enlist the help of my mother, "Mrs. Greenthumb", to help me pull this project off!

1. Before we began, I spray painted my three terra cotta pots with Krylon's "Lemongrass". We filled the bottom of the largest pot with rocks for two reasons; for drainage, and to get some more height for the second pot.

2. We turned a plastic pot liner upside down inside of the bottom pot. This would serve as a base for the middle pot.

3. We filled the bottom pot with potting soil (the kind with fertilizer in it).

4. We repeated steps 1-3 with the middle pot and placed it in the bottom pot.

5. Let the planting begin! My mom always digs a hole and puts a half spoonful of fertilizer into the hole before placing the plant on top.

6. We planted all of the flowers in the bottom pot.

7. We positioned another plastic pot liner in the middle pot to serve as a base for the tip-top pot! :)

8. We planted all of the blooms in the middle pot.

9. Finally, we filled the top pot with planter potting soil and planted the last of the flowers on top!

My mother patiently explained to me that I get "full sun" in the front of the house, (even though it only gets full sun for half of the day...go figure!) so we found flowers and plants that do well in full sun.

We purchased all of these plants at Meijer.

She really was gorgeous, wasn't she?

Because I chose terra cotta pots, I had to water these beauties every. single. day. Yikes!

Didn't Miss L's wellies add the perfect touch? :)

(And yes, I added a drainage saucer under the bottom pot after I took pictures!)

Have a great weekend!

I'm linking up at: Tatertots & Jello

Photography Wednesday: Senior Photo Inspiration

2014-05-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

Hi! It's Photography Wednesday, and I'm excited to share my latest photography project with you!
I recently shot some senior photos of the gorgeous {and very smart, and very talented} Sydney!

Senior photos are such a milestone, don't you think?

They capture that moment in time when you're not a child anymore but not quite an adult either.

You have big dreams about what you'll do with your future.

Big plans for the years to come.

Lots of questions about what college will be like...

So ready to try something new...

Yes, I remember what being a Senior was like.

It's kind of a bittersweet mix of feelings.

Sad to leave your family and friends, but so excited to start a new chapter...

One thing I know for sure is that the future looks very bright for this pretty young lady! ;)

Have a great day!

I'm linking up at: Tatertots & Jello

House by Hoff on Instagram!

2014-05-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

Hi!

Happy Monday!

I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day Weekend!

{I did! Mr. Hoff hired a housekeeper to clean our house while I was at work on Friday....it was the best. gift. ever. to come home to a fresh clean house!!!}

I'm excited to tell you that I'm officially on Instagram!

I know. I know.

I can't believe it's taken me this long to jump on the bandwagon either.

Better late than never!

I'd love to have you follow me! I promise lots of cuteness, sneak peaks, and fun photography! ;)

Have a great day!

A Fresh New Look for the Fireplace & Mantel

2014-05-09T06:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday, everyone!

I have a special treat for you today!

You get to see my parents' newly made-over fireplace and mantel!

This fireplace is in my parents' basement, and until recently its look was dated.

My dad painted over the old bricks with fresh white paint.

He also built a new mantel right over the old one.

We decided to paint the mantel in the same white as the fireplace, and then bring in black accessories to add some contrast.

Mom and I decorated the new mantel last Sunday, and I love how it came together!

We found the blue and green sea-glass vases at Marshall's.

The birds are from Hobby Lobby.

Mom had these votives, that we both love, from Ballard Designs.

We decided to stuff them with fake succulents from Michael's.

{To see how I make fake succulent planters, click here.}

We wanted to add some detail to the sea glass vases, so we wrapped twine around the top of each one!

We also used old books with their covers ripped off to add detail and height!

{To see how to do this, click here.}

We're still on the hunt for just the right accessories to add to the stoop of the fireplace...I'll keep you updated! :)

Have a great weekend and a happy Mother's Day!

House by Hoff

Summer Home Tour!

Inspiring Summer House Tours!

Weathered Outdoor Bench Tutorial

18 Awesome Knock Off Projects!

Summer Celebration Link-Up Party!

It's A Summer Celebration LINK PARTY!

Before we get to the party, check out these 20 AWESOME Summer Projects!

Photography Wednesday: Graduation Party Backdrop

1. The Wood Grain Cottage 2. Nest of Bliss 3. Persia Lou 4. Creatively Living 5. Just A Girl and Her Blog 6. Love Grows Wild 7. Tiny Sidekick We're so excited to see YOUR summer projects tomorrow at our big Summer Celebration Link Party! This is going to be sooooo good! ;) Have a great day!

Patriotic Summer Blog Hop

1. Homey Oh My! 2. Design, Dining and Diapers 3. Place of My Taste 4. Liz Marie Blog 5. Rain on a Tin Roof 6. So Much Better with Age Have a great day!

Repurposed Summer Planters

Summer Celebration Series II

12 Enchanting Ideas!

Thank you so much to everyone for linking up to our first "Enchanting Inspiration" link party!

DIY

CRAFTS

PARTY INSPIRATION

RECIPE

$30 Thursday: A Spray Painted Wicker Chair!

Enchanting Inspiration Link Party!

Everyday Enchanting

Connect with Everyday Enchanting:

Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Instagram, Google +

Migonis Home

Connect with Migonis Home:

Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Instagram, Google +

House by Hoff

Connect with House by Hoff:

Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Instagram, Google +

The "Rules":

We can't wait to see what you've been up to!

Linking up to this link party means that you give us permission to feature your watermarked photo with a link to your post.

On Photography, Ambitions, and Finding My Calling...

Sunshine Sign + Summer Eating Area!

Get Your DIY On: Knock Off Decor

PB Inspired Rope Wrapped Mirrors

Switching It Up For Summer With New Throw Pillows From Bright & Bold Designs!

Summer Mantel + Tales of Kindergarten Cuteness

Photography Wednesday: Summer Photo Display

Seashells & Succulents

18 Fantastic Flower Ideas

An Old Favorite: A Three-Tiered Summer Planter

Photography Wednesday: Senior Photo Inspiration

House by Hoff on Instagram!

A Fresh New Look for the Fireplace & Mantel

1. The Wood Grain Cottage 2. Nest of Bliss 3. Persia Lou 4. Creatively Living 5. Just A Girl and Her Blog 6. Love Grows Wild 7. Tiny Sidekick

We're so excited to see YOUR summer projects tomorrow at our big Summer Celebration Link Party!

This is going to be sooooo good! ;)

Have a great day!

1. Homey Oh My! 2. Design, Dining and Diapers 3. Place of My Taste 4. Liz Marie Blog

5. Rain on a Tin Roof 6. So Much Better with Age

Have a great day!