Bungalow At Home

Making The Switch

2013-02-28T06:00:00.002-08:00

I've been blogging on Blogger for 8 months now and it's been easy for someone like me who is not tech savvy.. It still amazes me that I was able to set it up all by myself because I am that bad!

Looking ahead, I am hoping to grow my Staging/Decorating business and therefore my blog and everything I've read about SEO and growing your blog talks about switching to Wordpress. So I'm making the switch sooner rather than later and a nervous wreck about it!

Why am I nervous? I'm a complete novice when it comes to this stuff so I'm paying someone to do the transfer for me.

Jes at 8550 Graphics has been working on my new website and blog and reassures me she will be there to help and not too worry. She's been awesome to work with and I have her redoing my business cards and logo as well. It's time for a complete overhaul of all my marketing materials so I'm doing it once and for all.

There is so much I have to learn and I hope to be back to normal soon where writing a post didn't stress me out!

Some of you have been following along with me since the beginning and I'm hoping you'll make the switch with me. If she is transferring everything over, do you automatically get redirected to the new one? I don't even know!
This is happening so fast!

I'll post again soon as soon as it's done. I'd love for you to check out my new site and let me know what you think?

Till next time!

~ Luci ~

Contact me about my decorating services.

To become a follower click here.

Pin with me on Pinterest, click here.

LIKE me on Facebook, click here.

The Decorating Process

2013-02-25T04:30:00.000-08:00

Most of the decorating I do as a NJ Decorator who specializes in Home Staging is budget based and we use most of what the client already owns. But every once in awhile, I do get to design a room from scratch. For some, the process can be overwhelming but does not need to be. I'd like to walk you through it and offer some tips.

Budget for the big items first:

Once you’ve determined your redesign budget, plan on picking out the biggest pieces of furniture and decor first–such as a comfortable sofa and timeless rug. It’s best to splurge on the focal point of the room. Focus on the major pieces first then add in the accessories that determine the look of the room. Paint, side tables, pillows, and other accents don’t have to be super high-quality, since they can be replaced as budget and time allows.

Mitchell Gold

Choose classic pieces that last:

Create a solid base of furniture that you love and everything else will come together after that. Don’t go for a particular look or trend. I suggest you go for a piece that you've always been drawn to. Timeless furniture, unlike trendy choices, will give you longevity and stand the test of time.

Ethan Allen

Match moods and looks, not individual items.

The idea of recreating a room from the pages of House Beautiful may seem intimidating when you’re on a budget. The first step is to pick elements from the inspiration photos you’ve collected—the paint color, the shape and details of the furniture, the pillows and rugs—and aim to find similar items. They don't have to match exactly but just have a few similarities.

House Beautiful

Reflect the trends through accessories.

To keep your decor contemporary, pick low-cost accents that will bring a pop of style to your home, but will also be easy to swap out when the next hot trend catches your eye. Graphic-printed pillows, new drapes and bold patterned rugs can offer high visual impact at a low cost. With Target, Pier One and HomeGoods near you, this part should not be difficult.

Bring in your personality:

To keep your home from looking too much like you bought it all at HomeGoods, consider using some items you have on hand and just repurposing them. Reupholster a favorite chair in a contemporary print, paint that garage sale find a bold color (like Pam from Simple Details below) or hang art you or a loved one has created. This will keep costs low and bring in that personal touch that makes your home uniquely yours. This part takes time and patience. Always be on the hunt for something to add to your space, and your home will continue to evolve with your tastes—high end or low.

Simple Details

There you have it! Stick to the process and I promise you will have love your new space! And if you find you need a little help, please email me. Our E Design services start at $10 for a simple question like a source for lighting, paint color or pillow choices for your existing sofa so you will be able to stay on budget.

Have a good everyone!

~ Luci ~

Contact me about my decorating services.

To become a follower click here.

Pin with me on Pinterest, click here.

LIKE me on Facebook, click here.

Helping Clients Find The Perfect Gray Wall Color

2013-02-22T16:30:00.001-08:00

This past week I had the pleasure of helping a few clients choose paint colors. One was a sweet older lady who was widowed and in her late 70's who was redecorating her main living spaces.

It's one of my favorite things to do! As a Certified Color With No Regrets Consultant it's a blast to start with over 1000 colors and without asking "What is your favorite color" narrow it down to just a couple of colors that are exactly what the client had in mind!

This of course can only really be done on location but e design color selection can work if you have an idea what you like but are not sure which color to choose.

This was the case with one of our e design clients who took advantage of our $10 quick design questions.

Her request for a dark bold gray for her bedroom resulted in these 2 choices..

Sherwin Williams Urbane Gray

Ben Moore Chelsea Gray

Elle Decor

Most of the gray colors I choose are not this bold but I love the way it looks. Regardless of which one she chose, I suggested using a lot of white to keep it from looking too dark.

Another e design client wanted a soft neutral gray that didn't read blue and these 2 Benjamin Moore colors were my choices. Shale Gray has a slight green undertone and Abalone has a slight purple undertone but still reads gray and is easy on the eyes..

BM Abalone

Houzz

BM Shale

The gray trend is still going strong and I for one am glad, because the choices are endless! I keep finding more and more favorites and wanting to repaint everything in my house!

With Spring on the way, is there any painting in your immediate future? I think there might be in my house!

Thanks for stopping in and leaving your comments and have an awesome weekend!

~ Luci ~

To become a follower click here.

Contact me about my decorating services.

Pin with me on Pinterest, click here.

LIKE me on Facebook, click here.

Check Out Ikea's New 2013 Stockholm Collection

2013-02-19T07:06:00.003-08:00

Wow! I just realized this is my 100th post! I've been writing this little old blog of mine for almost 8 months! Where does the time go?

Well for those of you who are regulars on here, you know I'm a huge Ikea fan! I was so happy to come across these images of their new Ikea Stockholm 2013 Collection (available in stores starting in April) which is largely influenced by the 50's and 60's, that I had to share!

Looks like they are adding a little more color to their neutral brown, black, grey and white furniture stock. Its urban and elegant with splashes of mostly green and yellow... I love that Ikea is on trend with what is going on and manages to put out stylish furniture most of us can afford.

Let's take a look shall we?

Look at that emerald green sofa!

And these mirrors! I can't wait to see what these go for, they're fabulous!

That Pantone Emerald Green again!

I can see these being popular as well.

Don't you just love the rug and this cool shelf?

Via

Here, they are showing the shelf painted in yellow. I have a feeling we will be seeing a lot of this one!

What do you think? I'm practically giddy just thinking about all their new inventory!

I just picked up some fun drapes for my family room this weekend when I was there and will share that post later in the week. The phone is ringing with staging consultations so I''ll be MIA for a few days!

Thanks to you I'm still blogging 8 months later and loving it!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great Tuesday!

~ Luci ~

Slipcover Source For Ikea Furniture

2013-02-12T06:15:00.001-08:00

I'm a huge Ikea fan and I'm lucky that here in Northern NJ I have 2 Ikea's within half hour of my home.

This past week I worked on a couple of design boards for clients who already owned the Tullsta chairs.

This chair in white retails for $129! Perfect for those clients on a tight budget.

I used 2 of these, along with the Ektorp sofa in this model redesign last year. The budget was small so they were the perfect choice.

Ikea Tullsta

One client I'm working with purchased the navy blue chair above and paired it with her gray sofa.. Although not horrible, it was not the color scheme she was really going for.

The chair only comes in 5 colors and besides the black and white, the others are a bit bright.

I recommended she purchase slipcovers for her Tullsta chairs from Bemz and she was surprised you can get slipcovers from somewhere other than Ikea. Well, you sure can!

And there are a ton of choices to pick from so, I thought I'd share this awesome source for all you Ikea lovers!

Let's take a look at the Tullsta chair in some other fabrics, shall we?

I recommended she go with something more in this color family.

Bemz Mineral Blue

Bemz Silver Grey

Bemz Light Grey Prallini Cotton

The prices start at $129 and go up from there, depending on what fabric you choose and if you want the regular fit or for a dressier look, with piping.

Check out there other fabrics here. You have over 180 fabric choices and you can order up to 5 free samples!

I know there are also a lot of Ektorp sofas out there, I wrote a post while back about it being one of my favorite Ikea pieces, but after awhile, the slipcovers could use replacing.

Here it is in Toronto Ticking Panama Cotton.

Bemz Khaki Beige

Bemz Zinc Grey

Or if you prefer more of a country, loose slipcover look, you can choose a more expensive fabric like Rosendal Linen.

Bemz Unbleached Linen

They also carry pillows covers and bedding... You'll need to check out their site, there is so much inspiration there.

This is their Stockholm store.

You can read all about how they got started here.

Did you already know about Bemz?

If not and you are in the market for new slipcovers, I hope this post got you excited about the possibilities!

~ Luci ~

Use What You Have Decorating: Repurpose A Dresser

2013-02-10T06:35:00.001-08:00

With Spring quickly approaching (yay!!) everyone is looking forward to new beginnings and projects in our home. Planning a kitchen from scratch or gutting a bathroom can be costly but there are plenty of other smaller projects that can make for bigger transformations with little cash output.

As a New Jersey Decorator specializing in Redesign and One Day Decorating, my philosophy differs from traditional design. I rarely start a room from scratch and instead prefer working around what the client owns and loves.

For starters, I am always amazed at the amount of unused furniture people have saved in their garage, attic or basement. My goal is to always save you money by reusing what we can, and in most cases all that is needed is a fresh set of eyes to transform some of those forgotten pieces into something you'll fall in love with all over again.

Today we are going to talk about dressers. Many of us have one of these in our attics or garages.. Too good to throw out but no longer needed and possibly even handed down from a family member so there is sentimental value. But if it's no longer needed in the bedroom doesn't mean you can use it somewhere else in your house.

Thinking outside the box and some elbow grease can turn that old chest of drawers into one of your favorite pieces. Consider using it in a foyer to store gloves, hats, etc..

West Furniture Revival

To get this look consider adding decorative fretwork panels to the drawer fronts. Check out O'verlays to see their large selection and to get your wheels spinning.

Try to think of a dresser beyond it's traditional role. Consider using a dresser as a sideboard in the dining room.

Country Living

This dresser has been in my kids rooms over the years and made it's way to my dining room a few years ago. I'm thinking of making some changes in here this Spring

but that's for another post...

Or even as a media cabinet.

My goal with this post today is to get you to look around the house and see what you can repurpose in a new way and I know you have one of these dressers somewhere in your house!

Don't let a small budget keep you from refreshing your spaces this Spring!

And you know if you need any help, I'm just a quick email or phone call away.

Till next time!

~ Luci ~

To become a follower click here.

Contact me about my decorating services.

Pin with me on Pinterest, click here.

LIKE me on Facebook, click here.

Design Trends: Decorating With Garden Stools

2013-02-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

Flip through the pages on any decorating magazine and you are likely to find colorful garden stools.

Ballard Designs

Garden stools were once considered only for use in the garden, but more recently they have come indoors and they are not only pretty but functional.

They can be used all around the house and although probably not very comfortable to sit on for a long period of time, they can even be extra seating in a pinch, such as at the end of a bed.

They work well in either a modern or traditional space.

Stephen Karlisch Design

Traditional Home

Come in many designs, shapes, color and sizes... And can be picked up for as low as $40 in places like HomeGoods, Ballard Designs and Pier One.

They are perfect in a foyer where they can be used for additional seating.

House Beautiful

And my favorite use for them.. End tables!

You can even use them in the bathroom next to the tub!

They have really grown on me and I plan on picking up one or two next time I'm at HomeGoods!

What do you think of this trend? Do you find them useful or impractical?

~ Luci ~

Be Sure To Stay Connected:

To become a follower click here.

Contact me about my decorating services.

Pin with me on Pinterest, click here.

LIKE me on Facebook, click here.

Budget Decorating With Urban Outfitters

2013-02-04T03:30:00.000-08:00

With a daughter heading off to college in the Fall, I can't really justify spending much money on redecorating but that doesn't stop me from wanting to switch things up this time of year...

Like swap out my nightstands for these lovelies... Which by the way are only $149 each!!

Or replace my end tables for this one... Can you believe this table is only $79!

Concentric Metal Side Table

And switch out my living drapes for these... They remind me of a gorgeous vintage dress and they are only $39 a panel.. I need 8 for my living room so spending more than that is not an option.

At these prices, maybe I can pick up a few things and not feel guilty...

Have you ever shopped for your home at Urban Outfitters? Most people think they only sell clothing but their furniture and accessory selection is so affordable and not just for 20 somethings!

What is your favorite go to place for stylish and affordable home decor?

~ Luci ~

Bungalow Home Friday Find: Kitchen Stools

2013-02-01T06:18:00.001-08:00

Whew! I don't know where this week has gone... It's the busiest I've been in a long time and I'm tired... Like, really tired and I'm so looking forward to this weekend and just relaxing...

But I did want to pop in and say hi, and share with you a quick post on a good deal I found.

The industrial look is still going strong and I really like it...

BHG

Houzz.com

Apartment Therapy

It looks good with so many styles so I can see why this trend has lingered..

But they can be pricey.. So imagine my excitement when I found these!

Overstock.com

So this is your chance to scoop up 2 of these 30 inch stools for $99 with $2.95 shipping on Overstock.com

This photo is of the Pottery Barn Tolix stools ($249 each) next to the Overstock.. Not much of a difference in my opinion.

I still have my white keyhole white Pottery Barn stools but I'm really coveting these.. Not sure how comfortable they are without backs, but they sure look good!

Thanks for reading, it means a lot to me and I'm grateful for each and every comment!

Enjoy the weekend.. I think there is a big game on:)..

~ Luci ~

Be Sure To Stay Connected:

To become a follower click here.

Contact me about my decorating services.

Pin with me on Pinterest, click here.

LIKE me on Facebook, click here.

1 Day Stage, Shoot, De-Stage

2013-01-30T05:12:00.000-08:00

Good Morning ~

I'm just popping in this morning to post a sneak peek at our 1 day stage, shoot and de-stage of a bachelor apartment in South Orange Village yesterday. Yes, I'm still recovering!

As a New Jersey Home Stager, I'm used to 1 day transformations but this was a lot of work for 1 day..

Load the van, unload the van, drag everything up on the elevator, remove owners things and replace with ours.. Hang countless pieces of artwork... You get the idea... Thanks to my awesome assistant Maryann and the maintenance guys at the building it was exhausting but we did it!

I'll post the rest of the photos when I get a chance..

Have a great day everyone!

~ Luci ~

Be Sure To Stay Connected:

To become a follower click here.

Contact me about my decorating services.

Pin with me on Pinterest, click here.

LIKE me on Facebook, click here.

Decorating Around A Flat Screen TV

2013-01-28T03:30:00.000-08:00

As a Northern NJ Home Stager, I am always making suggestions to my clients on how to decorate around their flat screen TV or sometimes even hide it. Yes, I am still a fan of the armoire (as long as it's a nice one) and have one in my own home. I purchased this from Broyhill a few ago and we still keep our TV in it.

With most people hanging their televisions on the wall, you can usually pick these up inexpensively, like we did here for one of my decorating clients.. We found this beauty on Craigslist exactly the way you see it here (no painting required) for $180! It turned out to be bigger in the room than we thought but she loved it and we made it work.

And you're not only limited to buying used, manufacturers are still making them, like this one from Pottery Barn, which looks like an antique.

Pottery Barn Mason Media Armoire

But what can you do if you're not into the armoire thing, and you'd like to mount your television on the wall without it looking too tech-y?

Consider adding a frame to it to make it blend in. This one is the Pottery Barn Chadwick television frame that runs anywhere from $400-$500 (Ouch!) or better yet, you can make your own like this one here.

Pottery Barn Chadwick

Besides the frame, you can hang artwork around it...

AF-Interiors

Or surround it with black frames..

Or recess it on a bookshelf..

Apartment Therapy

Or for a really dramatic look, paint the wall it's on black or a very dark color... It almost disappears this way.

Houzz

What other ways do you have of disguising your television or do you like the look of it mounted on the wall?

~ Luci ~

Be Sure To Stay Connected:

To become a follower click here.

Contact me about my decorating services.

Pin with me on Pinterest, click here.

LIKE me on Facebook, click here.

Zebra Rugs

2013-01-23T05:41:00.000-08:00

Just popping in with a quick post this morning.. Here in the Northeast, it's a chilly 17 degrees right now.. Yet, the spring real estate market has started. Therefore, I am swamped right now with shopping for upcoming staging projects. I've been living at HomeGoods and West Elm (which isn't a bad thing if it was for me) and I'm also co-chairing my daughter's Senior Fashion Show, so that leaves me little time for posts..

I've had these images saved on my computer to do a post on using Zebra rugs but sharing pics and a quick post will have to do..

Shawn Penoy Interiors

Domino Mag

Love this one!! Zebra rug, gilded accessories and gray walls...

Perfection!

Elle Decor

The rug really looks great in this room with white painted walls and dark floors.

Houzz

Used here in a neutral traditional living room and layered over wall to wall carpeting.

Houzz

And my favorite (not a rug at all) but used as upholstery on dining chairs!

Do you have any Zebra in your home?

I really would like to get a Zebra rug but haven't had time to search for affordable options. anyone know of one?

Sorry for the quick post and for being MIA and as always, thanks for reading!

Have a great day!

~ Luci ~

Be Sure To Stay Connected:

To become a follower click here.

Contact me about my decorating services.

Pin with me on Pinterest, click here.

LIKE me on Facebook, click here.

Bungalow At Home Friday Find: Brass Pendant

2013-01-18T05:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday!

It's been awhile since I've done a Friday find but this one is too good to pass up..

While the past decade was dominated by variations of bronze and nickel finishes, one timeless finish, brass, has made it's way back with a new hue.

Via

Thankfully a more modern brass finish has evolved from the polished brass of the 70's and the antique brass that was popular in the 80's and 90's.. This new brass typically has a brushed look much like the nickel we've been seeing for a decade now.. Like this cute little pendant from Home Depot..

Hampton Bay Nautical Mini Pendant

I'm not sure if it's going to stick around or if I'm even loving it yet, but for $15.99 why not embrace this new trend?

What do you think of this new finish? Has it been growing on you too?

~ Luci ~

Be Sure To Stay Connected:

To become a follower click here.

Contact me about my decorating services.

Pin with me on Pinterest, click here.

LIKE me on Facebook, click here.

A Touch Of Black...

2013-01-17T03:30:00.000-08:00

I'm really crushing on black and white right now...

Thanks to Pinterest...

It's dramatic, sophisticated and bold.

If your nervous about using it in your home, start with just black accents... Such as throw pillows? Or as an edging on store bought drapes?

Via

Whether redecorating or staging your home to sell, black is classic, always in style and a great place to start... And it looks really sharp!

~ Luci ~

Be Sure To Stay Connected:

To become a follower click here.

Contact me about my decorating services.

Pin with me on Pinterest, click here.

LIKE me on Facebook, click here.

PicMonkey... Have You Tried It?

2013-01-15T05:55:00.003-08:00

Hi ~

I'm running out early this morning to tackle like 30 things on my list.. But I just wanted to pop in to share my quick PicMonkey Pinterest mini collage.. I guess I like white!

Darlene of Fieldstone Hill has an awesome post on how to do this and boy is it easy, so head on over there..

I hope to get some time to play with it later!

I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Have an awesome Tuesday!

~ Luci ~

Be Sure To Stay Connected:

To become a follower click here.

Contact me about my decorating services.

Pin with me on Pinterest, click here.

LIKE me on Facebook, click here.

Affordable E-Design

2013-01-14T05:42:00.000-08:00

How was everyone's weekend? We didn't do too much and that was perfectly fine with me!

When I started blogging, it provided such a creative outlet for me and I posted one thing after another that inspired me.

As a Home Stager I was craving a little more design work.. But I didn't want to add full design services... Then the questions started rolling in... And that's how this service came about. You may not need a design board but just need an answer for 1 or 2 questions and that led me to offer my new $10 Design Questions.

If you need help sprucing up your bedroom and just need a paint color or a rug and where to buy it, this is a good economical way to get an opinion or source.

Below are my design question boards for the week..

My client below needed an idea for a rug, sofa and coffee tables that were affordable. She can now purchase these exact items or look for something similar!

Neutral With A Pop Of Color

Ikea living room board on a teeny tiny budget! The entire room cost less than $1200!

Look For Less With Ikea

Idea for a casual dining area...

Casual Dining

Incorporating black in a Neutral bedroom...

Black & White Bedroom

Well, there you have it! Our first week with this new service!

So we'll see how this goes... I'm excited to see what questions you have for me.

Send me an email at Luci@bungalowhomestagers to get started.

If it's more than a simple design question or two, I will suggest our design board or telephone consultation.

Have a great Monday everyone!

Be Sure To Stay Connected:

To become a follower click here.

Contact me about my decorating services.

Pin with me on Pinterest, click here.

LIKE me on Facebook, click here.

Neutral Paint Colors That Won't Make You Yawn

2013-01-11T03:30:00.000-08:00

I have found that after choosing paint colors for numerous projects over the years, there are some colors that pretty much work anywhere... But some of them can be a bit...well, boring!

But not all neutrals are boring. Below are 5 of my favorite Benjamin Moore colors and yes, they are neutral enough even if you are planning on selling. Trust me, no one is going to fall in love with builder's beige so choose color if you want your house to be remembered!

Gray Mirage

Cottage & Vine

Nimbus Gray

Design NY Magazine

Silver Cloud

Camouflage

Whatever you do, stay away from Navajo White!

My bedroom is currently Benjamin Moore's Simply White (which I love) but I'm thinking Nimbus Gray might just look good in there!

Do you have any of these colors in your own home and what do you think, should I go for it?

~ Luci ~

Be Sure To Stay Connected:

To become a follower click here.

Contact me about my decorating services.

Pin with me on Pinterest, click here.

LIKE me on Facebook, click here.

Large Abstract Art

2013-01-06T05:35:00.000-08:00

Good morning ~

The new year is off to a good start for Bungalow Home and we are busy with clients wanting to update and refresh their spaces.

To me nothing gives a room more personality than artwork and lately I've really been drawn to big modern art.

Even though one of my favorite places to shop is HomeGoods, I rarely, unless it's for a Staging project, ever buy artwork there.

Mass produced art is just not my thing and this is the one aspect of decorating I have a hard time with when working with clients. I guess I expect them to know what they like since it's such a personal thing but it's not always easy for them. I usually direct them to Etsy or Ebay or even encourage them to paint their own or have their children do it.

I saved some inspiration photos to help with the process...

Design Sponge

House Beautiful

Gilded Mint

House Beautiful

I can't stop thinking about these 3 rooms. The yellow with the gray is so pretty and sophisticated and without the artwork, the room would be flat. I like the kitty cat too...

What do you think of the large abstract artwork trend?

~ Luci ~

Happy New Year!

2013-01-01T03:30:00.000-08:00

As this year comes to an end I just want to say thank you to all my dear friends for all your comments and support this year.

Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right.

Oprah Winfrey

Wishing you all the best in 2013!

~Luci ~

Winter Clearance Items To Pick Up Now

2012-12-30T03:30:00.000-08:00

Our tree is still up but it's days are numbered!

Even though we cut our tree down and put it up on the 10th, it's now dropping needles like crazy and I'm done with it! So New Years Day we start fresh!

But like so many of you, I do feel the house looks cold and bare and with months of cold weather ahead the house needs something to cozy it up...

If you are like me and trying not to spend money, consider using what you already have and things you can pick up on clearance...

The beautiful glow of Mercury Glass is beautiful all winter long and its on clearance in most stores right now since it's used a lot in Christmas decorating. I keep my collection out year round...

Martha Stewart

Throws are perfect to snuggle under, on sale in most stores but TJ Maxx & Marshalls is my favorite place to pick them up for around $20!

Justine Taylor

Scented candles... My favorite is of course from Antropologie and on sale right now as well. Can't get enough of these!

Amaryllis bulbs. I know you meant to plant these before the holidays.. but never got around to it.. Well now you can pick these up at your local Target in their Smith & Hawken aisle for 50% off right now!

Decor Pad

I'm off tomorrow to see what I can pick up. Hope they have some white Amaryllis left!

Till next time!

Luci

The Day After...

2012-12-26T12:10:00.001-08:00

Today I have the day off from work and I'm so enjoying being home...

After a little tidying up, I'm off to the movies with some girlfriends. It just started snowing so I get to wear my new Hunter boots; thanks honey!

A perfect ending to a great Christmas! What are you all doing on the day after?

Luci

Happy Holidays!

2012-12-24T05:11:00.002-08:00

Wishing you much joy and happiness with your loved ones.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

The Terhunes

Mad Rush...

2012-12-19T05:39:00.002-08:00

Hi everyone ~

My apologies for being absent for so long but I woke up today and realized it's exactly 5 days till Christmas and I'm nowhere near ready. It's time to get moving and finish up the shopping and wrapping. At least the decorating is done but if it was not, simple would work for me this year like this below from Ana Antunes.

You just put away the little tree and you're set for the rest of the winter.

Ana Antunes

Have a great day everyone and thanks for being so patient and hanging in there with me!

Luci

Trying to get back to normal...

2012-12-16T18:38:00.002-08:00

I haven't posted in over 5 days and even though we are in the middle of the busy holiday season and I still have so much to do, I feel paralyzed and saddened by the horrific event in Newtown , CT. As a mother, I can't imagine the grief these parents must be going through. My thoughts, prayers, and deepest sympathies are with the families who lost loved ones. As a nation, we all grieve with you.

That very day, our daughter Charlotte turned 18 and even though it was hard to celebrate, we did by enjoying a wonderful dinner out at a favorite restaurant, as well as celebrating with both sides of the family at our house today.

With that out of the way, it's time to finish up the shopping and wrapping and trying somewhat to get back to normal, even though my heart is not in it. We have a tough week ahead.

Luci

Our Christmas Tree

2012-12-12T05:33:00.002-08:00

Good morning ~

I cannot believe Christmas is less than 2 weeks away! I'm sure you are all running around doing this and that getting ready for the big day...

I have a long work day today but wanted to share some pics of our tree and the "tweaked" mantle. I decided to switch out the mirror for my antique frame which I posted about here and I like it much better.

Our weather here last week was miserable and rainy but we managed to get out and cut down our tree. We were a large group of friends this year and it was a lot of fun and something my kiddos look forward to every year, even though they are now all teenagers.

It's a little bigger than I wanted and we had to cut a few inches off the top but overall we're happy with the way it turned out this year.

My girls helped me make the dress pattern tissue flowers and we added them on the tree. I was a little nervous about adding paper to the tree but apparently it's fine since the lights don't heat up at all.

I know my tree is all colorful and does not really tie in with the silver and gold mantle but a lot of the ornaments on the tree are vintage and I wanted to use them. They have been picked up at estate sales throughout the years and my all time favorite is this ballerina glass ornament.

It is so delicate and I make sure this one gets wrapped really carefully.

Did you notice some of the mantle pictures have a mirror and some are of my antique frame?

Hopefully I will get around to taking some more photos of the rest of the house but my main focus now is to finish my shopping. How about you? Are you done decorating, shopping, baking and wrapping? If you are, good for you and can I say I'm a little jealous?

As always, thanks for the visit and have a great day everyone!