Blog - Decor Fix

Gingerbread White Hot Chocolate

Chocolate will always have a special place in my heart and on my waistline, but white chocolate? Oh lord…I cannot help myself. I rarely keep any in the house for this reason. I’m not even going to pretend be all humble about this gingerbread white hot chocolate; it is stinking lick-the-cup-dry delicious. I went off of my dairy-free diet for one day JUST for this drink!

When creating most recipes, I typically shoot from the hip, wing it, and hope it turns out well. The good ones I share with you; the bad ones go down the drain. This gingerbread white hot chocolate was actually “commissioned” by my sweet friend, Lindsay, to include with a mug purchase from her shop. With a special request like this, I tested several versions of this drink until I felt it was perfect. (I pretended I was part America’s Test Kitchen and got a little mad scientist with it.)

Oh friends, if you have in-laws coming in town and want to impress them, just make this the evening they arrive. Worth every penny. Cross my heart. (You might even add a little splash of Bailey’s for your own special little mug…I promise not to tell.)

GINGERBREAD WHITE HOT CHOCOLATE

Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
2 cups half & half
1 cup Ghiradelli (or other high quality) white chocolate chips
2 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions:
Over medium heat, combine half & half and white chocolate in a saucepan. Whisk continually until chocolate is melted. Add remaining ingredients and stir frequently until heated through. (Milk should be steaming, but not boiling.) Top with whipped cream and sprinkles. Curl up in a snuggly blanket and enjoy!

The adorable mug was created by my friend and favorite letterer, Lindsay. You can buy one at her shop right here. Since this recipe was actually created for these mugs, you get a cute little recipe card included when you order one.

Holiday Cheer Link Party

Okay, now it’s time for you to share your latest holiday recipe! To enter your recipe or cocktail post, just click below on the pink “click to enter” link and follow the prompts. When you link up here, it will automatically be linked to Natasha’s site at Schue Love. Head over and check out her yummy recipe too! Also, if you would include a link back to this blog in your post, Santa will put you on the “nice” list.

Show me what yummy stuff you’ve cooked up!

My Black and White Christmas Tree

| by Heather Freeman

I wish I could play Clark Griswold singing Joy to the World when this post pops up on your screen. You almost need sunglasses to look at this picture; the snow outside really amped up the brightness. It is Christmas tree day in our Holiday Cheer link parties, and I’m ready to share some of my tricks for pulling off a black and white Christmas tree. Head over to Honey We’re Home and A Thoughtful Place to share yours. If time is on your side today, you can check out our trees from last year and my paper trees from the year before.

I started collecting metallic decorations about five years ago and began pulling in a bit of white the last couple years. Slowly, the colored ornaments have made their exit. My ornament makeovers last week helped to make the black and white theme really pop. The only new ornaments I bought were the glittery black ones. Also, I got 6 yards of white pompom trim to use as garland. I LOVE IT. All caps should show you how much. Next year I want to buy even more.

To make your Christmas decorations stand out even more, Custom Lapel Pins Canada are the perfect finishing touch. You can design them to match your own style, adding a distinctive and memorable charm to your black and white Christmas tree.

Remember I told you about the year I went crazy with lime green and purple decorations? Well, the tree skirt is the biggest (and priciest) reminder of that. I knew I wanted to cover it, but sewing is not an option for me. (Because I’ve tried, but frankly sewing machines intimidate me.)

I found some beautiful fabric for $7.99 a yard at a local discount place. It’s has a layer of circles attached that just float around when you move it. I laid the fabric on top of my old tree skirt, cut carefully, and just placed it right on top under the tree. I folded the edges around at some points, but surprisingly it looked ok without the folding. Not bad for $16, huh?

The dots remind of little snowballs. We got almost a foot of snow here this week. It’s taken me a decade of living in the Midwest to appreciate snow. This warm-blooded Texan has finally converted…and learned to dress in layers.

Since we’re using a faux tree, it’s inevitable that we’ll have to store it for the next after the holiday ends. A faux Christmas tree needs to be stored carefully to avoid any damage or deformity. Using an upright tree keeper bag is a good option for safely storing Christmas trees. It offers protection and keeps dust and dirt away.

Ornament Makeovers

| by Heather Freeman

Let’s talk about blah ornaments for a minute…We all have them. Perfectly fine ornaments that you just don’t love anymore. You would be totally okay if somehow they randomly fell off the tree and broke, so you could toss them without the guilt.

Perhaps you were really into lime green and purple one year and went crazy at Hobby Lobby’s 50% off sale. Now you hate the colors and twitch every time you see a lime green ball staring back at you. (Who in their right mind would buy lime green ornaments, you ask? Guilty…)

Ornament makeovers allow you to recycle what you already have and give your tree a new look without spending much. Oh, and don’t forget– today is the second of our Holiday Cheer Link Parties, and the theme is Christmas crafts. Head over to Michaela and Cassie’s blogs to join the party pleasantries! Ok, on to the makeover story…

Ornament makeovers is perfect for those of us who love to refresh decor often. This year I decided on black and white holiday decorations that started with my mantel. The next task was swapping out the lime green and purple ornaments for B & W versions. I decided on two methods for ornament makeovers: fabric covers and paint pen doodles.

FABRIC WRAPPED ORNAMENTS
1. Cut squares of fabric and wrap around ornament.

2. Wrap string tightly around the top of the ball and tie a knot.
3. Trim excess string fabric. Add ribbon.

We found out some discouraging news this week…we have mold all over our basement. This is most likely the reason Gemma has been sick for nearly four months. Stu has had head aches and a cough for months too, but we thought it was due to seasonal allergies. I felt so guilty and totally mortified by the news. Not only is it a huge financial cost (that we really didn’t need right now), but it’s also horrifying to realize we’ve had our baby in this toxic environment where she has felt so crummy for months. Every time I wipe her little snotty nose, I almost lose it all over again. She sneezes and looks up at me with those little itchy eyes and smiles, and I just can’t stand it.

Hopefully within a couple weeks the biggest source of mold will be taken care of…it’s neither a quick nor cheap fix. It makes me nervous to think that we might not be able to get it all. But I’m trying to block out worst case scenario fears and be thankful that at least we finally know why she’s been sick.

One nice thing is that our Christmas shopping is already done. (Good thing I shopped before the mold news, or I might have been stuck making very ornate IOU coupons for family this year…)

My Scandinavian Mantel

| by Heather Freeman

I’ve been waiting anxiously to share my Scandinavian inspired mantel with you guys. It’s been up since the week before Thanksgiving. No apologies; I’m owning it. So what exactly defines a Scandinavian mantel? Honestly, I’m not really sure. In my mind, it has a simple color palette with lots of white, minimal decorations (perhaps some homemade), and an earthy vibe. If it looks like IKEA was involved, you’re in the neighborhood. So, I’m deeming mine a Scandinavian mantel. I hope I don’t offend anyone with a more sophisticated sense of Nordic style.

I rarely spend much on Christmas decorations, because I feel an unnatural need to change things up every year. For eleven months, my mantel is constantly being rearranged and rarely do I like the way it looks. December is the one month when I love it. This year I allowed myself to spend $20 for a new look.

Here’s how it all came together… I took a frame that was in the attic and used a gold paint pen on butcher paper to create the Noel art. I found the little cardboard box houses on sale at Michael’s for $1.50, painted them white, and decorated with some pom-poms and gold trim. (These were so much fun; I wish I would have bought more.) The little trees are from Wal Mart, .$75- $1.00 each. The paper stars took a while but cost me nothing since I had white card stock and string on hand. I used this tutorial and then added a little gold paint pen on the creases of each star.

I didn’t get Gemma’s stocking in the pictures…it’s a cute little hand knit stocking a friend made us. We are watching the first of our holiday movies tonight, and this year I am FORCING my husband to watch White Christmas. He’s never seen it and feigns snoring every time I bring it up. After that, I typically lecture him on how he is missing the most classic and glorious of all Christmas movies. I yell “Bing flippin’ Crosby!”and rehash the plot and finish off by singing, “Sisters”. He stares at me with a blank look and says, “Exactly.”

…And then we just watch Elf.

Today is the first of our Holiday Cheer parties! I’m linking up over at Ten June and Our Fifth House today. Head on over and show off your mantel.

DIY Himmeli Wreath

| by Heather Freeman

After seeing this beautiful brass himmeli wreath on Etsy, I was ruined for all other wreaths. It is everything I’m loving right now; geometric, modern, and metallic. The $185 price tag is warranted for such a unique hand-made wreath, but we don’t have that kind of coin for decorations at the moment.

I decided to take a stab at a DIY Himmeli wreath using floral wire and coffee straws. While it’s not a replica and more of an “inspired by the original” kind of project, it satisfied my craving for a himmeli wreath. I may only use it one season, but it just cost me $12 and a couple hours to make.

Before you try this on your own, proceed with caution… Rating it for difficulty, I’d give it about a 7. If you’re a veteran crafter, go for it. However, it’s definitely not something to try in a group setting like a craft night. It might end with wire being thrown across the room and people drinking wine through little black straws. (PS-If you’re going to host a craft night, there should be wine. It makes things much more interesting, and even the non-crafters will attend.)

DIY HIMMELI WREATH
Supplies:
-About 100 coffee straws
-Gold floral wire
-Gold spray paint
-Wire clippers (or heavy duty scissors)

Instructions:
1. Start by threading a long piece of wire through three straws. Bend wire and straws to form a triangle and secure and the top. Repeat eight times.
2. Connect the eight triangles together using two or three longer pieces of wire so that the bottoms of the triangles form an octagon.
3. Adding on to each of the base triangles, thread wire through adjacent triangles to add three straws to the corners. These three straws extend toward a point opposite the base of the triangle. Connect at the top by twisting and securing the wire.
4. Where the new 3D triangle connects (the vertex), becomes the starting point for a new triangle. The vertex of this triangle will end up being mid way between two of the original eight triangles. (Clear as mud?)
5. Continue threading wire through and adding extra as necessary to make the wreath sturdy in weak points. Once completed, you will need to hang with multiple nails to ensure that the shape stays intact once hung.
*I realize these instructions may seem confusing…Honestly, there was a lot of trial and error for me in this project. If something didn’t look symmetrical, I clipped the wire and started that segment over. I almost gave up many times, but the fear of craft failure pushed me onward.

A bit below the DIY Himmeli wreath sits another of my holiday knock off projects, Anthropologie inspired gift wrap from a couple years ago. (Yes, I kept the box; I love it that much.) As much as I try, I can’t get away from brown kraft paper. This year I vowed to try something new and fresh, but “brown paper packages tied up with string” just feel like Christmas to me…

Envelope Advent Calendar

| by Heather Freeman

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…and a wonder that my nine-month old has not ingested one of the crafting supplies that have taken over my house. It’s that time of year, dear friends. Holiday projects are in full swing. Boxes are down from the attic and spray paint fumes fill the air. I’m hoping most of you are not the, “Oh my gosh, it’s not even December” kind of crowd. My guess is that, like me, you’ve been Pinning holiday ideas like a mad man since November 1st.

I’m sharing a simple envelope advent calendar today takes about an hour to make. Depending on what craft supplies you have on hand, it costs between $8-$15, not including the treats you put inside. I’ve talked about this before, but paper crafts are seriously my favorite. I used to try and tell myself it was because I enjoyed the tactile nature of folding, cutting, and glueing. In truth, I love paper crafts because they are cheap. You can make something pretty for just a few bucks. Period.

I added two Andes mints and the Advent verse for the day in each envelope. I can’t actually eat chocolate yet because I’m still nursing a dairy-free baby. Lord help me make it through Thanksgiving. (Insert pity here…Yes, I will miss out on mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole, and pies, and rolls with butter. It’s just going to be me and Mr. Turkey with a sad little side of salad.)

Envelope Advent Calendar
SUPPLIES:
-Brown kraft paper
-2 dowel rods (cut to desired width)
-25 mini envelopes
-washi tape and/or dot stickers
-Markers
-Permanent or extra strength glue stick
-Hot glue gun and sticks
-String to hang
(Prizes, candy, verses/sayings for envelopes)

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Cut kraft paper to desired calendar size.
2. Use glue stick to add glue to the top edge of the paper. Roll like a scroll around the dowel rod. Glue again and secure in place until dry. Complete on both ends.
3. Decorate the top of the calendar with markers, or paint if you prefer.
4. Outline the edge of envelopes with a marker.
5. Stuff envelopes. Secure with washi tape and numbered stickers.
6. Align envelopes on the kraft paper. Apply a small dab of hot glue to each corner of envelopes. Adhere in place. Allow to dry completely before hanging.
Also, check out my felt Dollar Store Advent calendar from last year that only cost $7 and 30 minutes to make!

I’m experimenting with a vegan sweet potato casserole today. I’m hopeful but know that nothing can truly replace the taste of butter and cream…we shall see.

Faux Log Stack for the Fireplace

| by Heather Freeman

Look closely…something in this picture is just an illusion. Those are not actually logs stacked neatly in our fireplace. Could you tell? In preparation for the holidays, I wanted to give our formal living room fireplace a much needed facelift.

A sad looking broken gas fixture has been taking up residence and bringing a bad vibe to the whole room. We really needed a good solution for our formal living room fireplace, and as soon as I saw this genius faux log stack online and got the bug to try it on our fireplace. Sure, I would have loved a gas fireplace or luxury fire pit, but it’s not a priority for us right now. If you’re on the hunt for one, check out a wholesale gas fireplace here.

Here is the progression of our poor, pitiful fireplace:

1. Bleck. Needs help.
2. My sad attempt to fix with linen scraps and a hot glue gun.
3. Hello faux log stack. I love you!

DIY FAUX LOG STACK

SUPPLIES:

–Plywood cut to size of your fireplace (Leaving about an 1/8 of
an inch on all sides to allow it to slide in.)
-Log slices 2-3 inches long
-Tightbond wood glue-Black spray paint
-Shelf brackets
-Screws

DIY INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Spray paint the plywood black.
2. Arrange log slices so that they fit on the board in a way that looks as if they are stacked.
3. Pick up and glue individual logs in the placement you had them (*This is important rather than gluing and arranging as you go!)
4. Allow glue to dry overnight. (That tested my patience.)
5. Screw in brackets to the back of the board.
6. After placing log board into the fireplace, we added two screws to the front to keep the board from falling forward.

A small change, true. But the faux log stack makes the whole room feel a bit more rustic and modern. Who knew little log slices could make me so happy?

“Although it can seem like a bit of a jigsaw, this is fairly simple alteration that has a great impact on the atmosphere of the room,” says professional property buyer Ruban Selvanayagam.

Painted Cork Coasters

| by Heather Freeman

If coasters could talk, I’m sure they have great stories to tell. The English teacher in me likes to think of inanimate objects coming to life, so why not coasters? That thought led to the project I’m sharing with you today.

Painted cork coasters are a win-win kind of craft- inexpensive and easy for a non-crafty person to do. Not that into DIY and more about SDIFM (someone do it for me)? Even you can do this. Really, I promise. I first saw the idea on Martha Stewart ages ago, but it wasn’t until a recent ladies’ craft night that I actually made a set. Mine were made as a gift, and I plan on making more sets for the holidays. Planning the designs was the fun part for me, but it stressed some of my friends out. Even sticking with simple stripes or dots, theirs ended up looking like something a little boutique might sell in the gift section.

Painted Cork Coasters
A FEW TIPS:

1. I used a light coat of black or white spray paint. I liked the texture of the cork to show through, but you could do heavier coats if you wanted to disguise it more.
2. Tying string around the coasters did not work so well…I wish that I had used quilter’s tape instead. You definitely want the surface to stick to the cork. (Instead of wasting a coaster, my beloved Sharpie came to the rescue.)
3. Make sure your stickers are completely adhered to the coaster surface with no bubbles. This will help you get crisp lines.

I am knee deep in the current black and white obsession. Black and white is everywhere lately-in home decor, fashion, branding. I have some friends who are already anxious for the trend to be over. Personally, I’ve always felt comfortable with the simple appeal of black and white. When I redid the Lovely Cupboard logo last year, I knew that I wanted simple black on a white background. These coasters were a fun way to experiment with quirky designs while keeping the colors classic.

In baby news, little Miss is crawling like a pro, pulling up, and “walking” with the help of the stairs. A pile full of toys are no match for a coffee table and fireplace. We have entered a new world, folks. It’s one where I do a lot of chasing.

Design Projects Sneak Peek

| by Heather Freeman

Ok, I’ll admit it. Lately I have been a major slacker when it comes to blogging…and cooking and crafting. Other than hanging out with the planet’s most adorable baby (who is now crawling), I’ve spent every waking moment decorating like a crazy person and getting loose ends tied up to officially launch my local business in a couple weeks.

Today I thought I’d give you a peek at some of the projects I’ve been working on. First is the dining room of my friend Laura. You might remember her daughter Olive’s nursery that I helped with a couple years ago. I have a big fat crush on this space and my own dining room felt a bit sad and homely after spending so much time in this one. It was a whirlwind project, and Laura and I were pretty shocked we actually pulled it off in 72 hours. (Several weeks of emails and pinning preceded this.) I’ll share more pics and project details in a post later this month.

Also, I’m in the middle of helping another friend decorate his recently purchased 100 year old loft. This has been a really fun project so far because it’s the most masculine space I’ve ever worked on. Until everything comes in and I have actual pictures, here is the design board with some of the items that will fill the living room.

I’m crossing my fingers that the website will be ready to go in a couple weeks. Then you’ll be able to see more of what I’ve been working on the last couple months. Another big thing that happened in September was a video shoot. I hired these guys to shoot a promotional video for the business site…I’m excited to see the final product but nervous about hearing myself talk. “I just love how my voice sounds on recordings.” Have you ever heard those words uttered by anyone before? Me neither.

Thanks for being patient with me through this phase of sporadic posting…I’m thinking of taking a little more time “off” from the blog to revamp and refocus before jumping into the holidays. Sometimes I find myself being pulled to try and imitate other bloggers that seem to be doing bigger and better things. I have to fight that urge and realize that if this site is ever going to be an authentic representation of my creative musings then I have to stop comparing and being influenced by others. Easier said than done. I saw this quote the other day and think it’s going to be my new mantra of the moment: “Don’t compare you beginnings to someone else’s middle.” Word.

Black and Gold Bridal Brunch

| by Heather Freeman

This black and gold bridal brunch that my friend Hannah hosted for her friend is full of sweet details. My little spray painted alphabet signs were just the tip of the black and gold iceberg.

The bride, Karen, had planned lots of soft colors for her wedding reception, so Hannah wanted to do something totally different and use bold gem tones and gold for this intimate event. When we first started planning, we knew a mimosas and a waffle bar were on the “must-do” list and started from there.

I showed Hannah a picture of this floral arrangement on a black and white striped runner with kumquats, thinking it would be cute to use some citrus in the flower arrangements. While that didn’t happen (kumquats are a little hard to come by in the Midwest), she made a gorgeous striped table runner to serve as the jumping off point for the decor.

Gold, black stripes, and gem tones. There was nothing subtle about this decor, but it all played so well together that the overall effect was stunning and almost felt French.

I found the little gold frame for $2 at the dollar store. Two dollars!!! You know I stocked up on a couple five of those puppies. Please don’t look too closely at my crooked handwriting…I made the menu sign about 20 minutes before guests arrived.

Hannah made honey butter in the shape of a heart using candy molds. Such a personal touch, and it’s easy for guest to add to their plate when you’re serving food buffet style.

You could be proper and say “scones”, but sometimes Hannah likes to call them “sconies”…kind of like scones that are your homies. I know. I’m ridiculous, but I will hang with some scones any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Party casualty of the morning was one of those adorable cream bottles. As I was arranging something on the food bar, I felt the strap break and my camera start sliding down my back. It was either the camera or Hannah’s ceramic creamer. I went with instinct, and caught the camera from crashing on the tile, but the creamer shattered into a hundred beautiful little pieces. So sad! (There’s a reason that photographers aren’t supposed to have a hand in the event set up; they do too much at once and end up breaking things.)

The bridesmaids’ gift to Karen was a scrapbook full of memories. Each of them made two pages with pictures and trinkets that represented their friendship over the years.

In turn, Karen bought each of her bridesmaids a purse that she thought represented their personality. This was such a thoughtful and personalized gift idea. Each girl opened up their bag to find a unique-to-them purse. (Note to my bridesmaids: I apologize for the hideous Target earrings I got you. Forgive me. It was pre-Pinterest.)

It’s obvious how much Hannah values her friendship with Karen…She not only helped to plan her wedding, but threw her this gorgeous brunch (while pregnant, no less). It’s always such a treat to share such special moments in people’s lives as they celebrate with their “kindred”.