A Snowy Gingerbread Party

For this year's annual Gingerbread House party I decided to go with a Snowy decorating theme. I found these snow covered greenery

I used an vintage watering can to hold the greenery and placed the wintery painting I painted this year.

I used the wreath I created last year. (you can read about it here) along with reindeer. I use snow batting and fake snow around the legs.

In the corner I set up for the house pieces were set up with a couple of trees also with snow batting and fake snow. 

On the trays with that held the house pieces I sprinkled sugar on it for the snow effect.



And hung Christmas lights on the ceiling for a extra touch. I love the way the lights look so much I am considering keeping them up year round.

Here is a look at all the candy laid out ready to decorate houses.

Here is a look at the houses that were created.

Everyone had a great time and went home with a Gingerbread House they created

Thanks for stopping by
XOXO
Esther

Christmas front porch

 I normally decorate a little more traditional. Here is a picture from last year

I wanted something a little more christmasy for the front porch this year. I decided to go with Christmas ball. First I wanted to do one big ball on top of each each but I couldn't find a ball the size I wanted. I found these from the Christmas tree shop.

I used 3 different sizes on each urn.

 



To add the Christmas balls to the urns and wheel barrow. I glued chop sticks to balls and stuck them into the dirt so they wouldn't blow around. Here is a picture of adding the balls to the wheel barrow.

 

I added fake snow and sparkles as a finishing touch.



 

 

I loved the look of sprinkled snow. It added a really nice touch for the Christmas season.

Thanks for stopping by
XOXO
Esther

Happy Halloween

Halloween here on most of the east coast was cancelled due to the Hurricane Sandy. I'm sure all of you have seen news so I don't need to go into it. A week or so before the storm I had taken a couple of picture of some cool decorations I thought were pretty amazing. Enjoy the show

Isn't this great! It sure looks like you are going to enter a haunted mansion. So simple but so effective

This house is so cool! So many life size figures. The owner was there while I was taking the pictures securing everything for the storm. I sure hope they made it through.

Isn't this just creepy.... I just love it.. Yep I was grinning from ear to ear.

I got so many ideas from this house. Maybe next year I'll try my hand on create more of a scene. My house you ask... my tenants kids decorated. I meant to take pictures, they did a really nice job. But on Saturday I do so caught up in securing everything outside before the storm hit it slipped my mind. I had already taken most of everything down by the time I remembered.  There were many more houses I wanted to take pictures of as well. Next year. Hope your Halloween was fun!!!

Thanks for stopping by
XOXO
Esther

A Christmas Scene on the porch

For my Christmas display on the porch I lucked out and was able to get an array of different types of pine this year. I was super happy to add different textures to the urns

I always enjoy doing this display for the Christmas season. It not only give the porch a Christmas feel but also a wintry feel that can be left out without looking funny in February.

I also put up a swag around the door. This too had two different types of pine that gave it a real lush look.

New this year is the metal water can I picked up at a local flea market for $5.00 along with this metal planter holder. I also filled them with pine and white branches. They just helped fill out the whole look.

We can forget one last touch a sled. Again I picked this up at the local flea market also for $5.00. I really felt I got such a great bargain on this sled.

Don't you think it just adds such a great little touch.

Now the whole scene is set for the Holidays.

It's awesome you stopped by!!!....Thanks
XOXO

Esther

An Autumn Display

For my Fall display I started by moving all the plants out of this wheel barrow. They still had so much life left in them that they could still brighten up a corner of the yard.

I put in some mums and ornamental kale. Placed some gourds around for the fall look.

I also put in some mums and ornamental kale by the fence with some bigger pumkins just love the look.

If you look at the top of the photo you can see the plants I moved from the wheel barrow.

Happy Fall!!!

It's awesome you stopped by!!!....Thanks
XOXO
Esther

Kitchen Redo

When i first moved into my house we just threw some white paint up thinking we would come back to the kitchen later and repaint to a color we liked better. That was over 8 years ago. Time sure does fly. It was definitly time for a repaint

This past summer I had bought paint and all the supplies to paint the kitchen but as it happens plans don't always work out the way you had thought. I never got around to painting the kitchen over the summer. Now it's October and my Father's up coming visit finally spured me into finally getting the kitchen painted.  The colors I choose was orange for the walls and a grey for the cabinets. Once I started painting I realized the undertones of the orange were not exactly what I was looking for. They seemed very pinkish to me durning the day. At night, when this picture was taken, I'm fine with the color.

In order to bring out more of the brown in the orange I stained the wall unit and the shelves I put up a dark brown.   I distressed the edges giving it a really nice worn look. Anyone who knows me knows I really don't like dark wood but I fell in love with the way they turned out.  It really didn't help the orange and the jury is still out on the color. My Aunt and sister suggested doing a glaze over the top. I'm considering it.

Remember these corbels I bought at the Brimfield Antique Market here goes a set holding up one of the shelves I put up. More will follow they need to be prepped.

Here is a look when everything was put in place.

Here are things I learned while doing my Kitchen. Look at tons of pictures that inspire you and  create a mood board to keep you on track for the look you are after. Something I didn't do and therefore didn't quite get the look I wanted. I was after a tuscan farmhouse look.

Here are a couple of pictures of what I was looking for and being honest with myself the only thing that was on track is the shelves and bookcase.

Can you feel a kitchen redo in the making. And yes a mood board will be done before I even hit the stores to buy paint again LOL

It's awesome you stopped by!!!....Thanks

XOXO

Esther