Never underestimage the power of paint and decoupage to bring a piece of furniture back to life. Ansley of the blog "Fabulousified-Decor on a Budget" turned this drab side table into a fresh and funky eye-catcher. See her full DIY tutorial here.
New lighting
So we finally finished one of our home improvement projects. Well, mostly Ed did all the work, and I held the light while he wired everything and got the positioning perfect. The before fixture was ho hum and getting rather corroded. The after is a stained glass fixture with an arts & crafts motif. Much, much better.
Dollar Store Design
The New York Times has a great slide show story today on a reporter who set up his entire apartment with items from dollar stores.
Buying handmade
We've been trying hard this year to buy handmade or home grown whenever possible. Here's a recent piece we found at The Other Half gallery in Winston-Salem, NC. Most of our everyday dinnerware is now a growing collection of individual pieces by potters from around the country. This lovely bowl is by Jennifer Mecca. I have a soft spot for artists who attended my alma mater—ECU. Go Pirates! I love the details surrounding the bowl and the messages she puts on the bottom of all her pieces. Charming!
Get twiggy with it DIY candle holder
Professional designers get their craft on just like the rest of us. Check out these easy yet elegant DIY twig candle holders by Christina. She's a belt designer for Fossil.
via | creature comforts
Paper Bag Popcorn Turkey
Leave it to the team at Martha Stewart to come up with yet another charming idea. Check out the paper bag popcorn turkey centerpiece tutorial and video for the complete how to. She's recommending it as a centerpiece for the children's table. I think it would be a fun dish to bring for those vegetarians in your life as well.
Felt frosted "cookies" tutorial
With the holidays approaching I thought this felt cookie tutorial over at The Mother Huddle would be perfect for getting in the Christmas spirit. They are so cute on their own, but wouldn't it be fun to embellish a cookie Christmas stocking to hang by the fireplace?