Fall is for Burlap lovers

And the creativity continues!  Burlap everywhere!  I keep finding great blogs showing some great crafts with burlap.  I have to blog about them today because they are inspiring me for other new projects.  The juices are flowing.  I am working on a pillow design, well a few right now.  One is for my sister, its burlap and the beach!  She is in the mountains, so I am making her a little bit of beach inspiration for her apartment.  I can't wait to share it with you.  Then there is my designer friend in NC, I have made her two burlap pillows with fabric transfers, and now I have a Christmas pillow to make for her.  So I will definitely show and tell : )  But first, some great crafters and lovers of the burlap fabric! I have been following these blogs, and these ladies are truly great!  Enjoy!

Happy Holidays from Ucreate

And this gorgeous runner, made from corn husks and burlap, check out the tutorial at Blue Cricket Design

This is one of my new favorite blogs!  Her crafts and her life are something I really can relate to!  Thank you Till death do us part, or crazy we go!
I love this fabric because its so different, and easy to work with.  Its casual, and classy at the same time.  And the texture is like non-other.  When we got married in a barn, burlap was my fabric of choice.  I have always been attracted to textural fabrics, and it just made sense to use it in my work.  Enjoy seeing beautiful things in unexpected places : )

 Adding burlap to plants, around the base is just a nice touch!  And look at the simple burlap trees!  Its just such an easy fabric to use. Tatertots and Jello
Check out TJ for some cute fall and Christmas ideas!

I have always LOVED this one, I am still going to try this in the Spring, just a cute little something extra!
Bird nest

This is really a great idea.  I am going to have to try this one as well!  I love it!

Fall Etsy
There are so many great things you can do with burlap, for the Fall, or for any holiday or occasion for that matter.  Its an easy fabric to use, very versatile, very forgiving, and great texture.  Its my signature fabric, and I will continue to plug away at ideas! Enjoy! ; ) 

And a partridge in a peartree.....

I have come to realize that I like the 12 days of Christmas decor, and crafts!  A few years ago, I fell in love with Crate and Barrel's 12 days of Christmas ornaments.  Paper mache 
ornaments are painted with the 12 days of Christmas in a whimsical way.  There is also the set of 6 Nutcracker
paper mache ornaments that look very similar to the 12 days.  I fell in LOVE with them for some reason.  Every year they put them in their store, for 40 some bucks for the set.  I truly wanted them but knew that they would go on sale.  I decided then I would try to get them half price after Christmas.  I would go to C and B and I never saw them after the holidays.  Last year, I went practically the day after Christmas, a day I usually don't venture to the malls.  But I did for some reason, and I FOUND THEM!  Half priced, and the Nutcracker ornaments.  Due to this purchase, half priced, I have found that there are the 12 days of Christmas items all over!  I am going to share a few that I have found online, and in the stores.  I may have to grow my collection and make this my Christmas decor!

I really love these plates.  I found these online, and they would match my ornaments perfectly!  They are whimsical and fun!  I haven't found a site that doesn't have SOLD OUT on their site.  I will keep looking!

These you can find at Williams & Sonoma.

Lenox has a whole 12 days of Christmas line!  I love it!  Cute  cute!

Advent Calendars

If you want some decorations that are a little more cost effective, here is a great alternative! Wooden decorations 

Silver decorations

HSN Ornaments 

 Williams & Sonoma glasses

You can look at Ballard Designs for these ornaments.  Ornaments
But I keep seeing more Sold Out!  So keep checking ; )

Enjoy getting ramped up for Christmas.  This holiday try to think of something that makes it special, and decorate with themes, or colors.  Enjoy! ; ) 

St. Augustine Surprise!

Lets just say, when my husband surprises me, he SURPRISES me!  He does it up right, and he is truly romantic, even thought he may not act like it.  This past weekend we ventured to St. Augustine Florida for the day this past Saturday.  I wanted to shop a little, see the sights, and just spend the day with my husband.  Its so close to Jacksonville, its literally half an hour!   So it didn't dawn on me that morning that something was up when B made pancakes and told me to pack a jacket and boots just in case it got cooler in the evening.  We had planned to come back and have dinner someplace in Jax, or at home.  Off to St. Augustine, fun antique and vintage stores, then lunch at a pub.  At lunch, B told me that we had a delima, at 12:45 in the afternoon I thought ok...??
He then told me that we had until 3:45 to be at the marina to take a 2 hour sunset cruise around St. Augustine, with wine.  I was floored! Then there were reservations at a local restaurant, even better!  He is such an amazing guy, and I just knew that the day would be even more fun with plans like these.  A sunset cruise!  How romantic!  No we aren't celebrating anything or any anniversaries, just because : )  So, I took a few photos from the ship, it was a beautiful 76' sailboat, one of the tall ships with 2 masts.  It was really a great evening.  And to top it off, dinner was wonderful!  Time with B is always special, but he gets me sometimes when I least expect it.  Thats only one reason that I love him :)  Enjoy the sunsets! 

My favorite guy ; )  Only married for 6 months, but together for 7.5 years total.  I love him!  And don't you just love our wind blown hair look  ; )

Our windows

Years ago, both my mother and myself found old windows.  I got mine from a flea market, for 5 bucks and she got hers from a friend who was renovating her old home.  We had NO idea what we would do with the windows, but we sure did want them!  So, they sat, and sat, and sat some more, got dusty and dirty.  Finally I was planning our wedding, and I thought, I would love to display some photos of us through the years since we had been together almost 7 years before we got married, our guests may enjoy seeing us grow up a little.  I found an idea online where they used an old window and displayed the menu for the evening on the clear panes.  I then thought, PHOTOS on each pane.  That would be great.  So we did, and it looked incredible! 

 My dad built some stands for the windows, so that they were similar to an actual picture frame instead of just something that leaned up against the wall.  I also had my bridal portraits and more larger blown up photos of B and I at the wedding.  We plan on using them in our home on the walls : ) 

 We also had something called a wish tree, where people at the wedding could write wishes to us instead of a guest book, and hang them on the trees.  We are working on a scrap book of wishes now. 

This is our temporary place until we settle in Florida, but it had a fabulous wood burning fireplace, with a mantle.  We didn't even have that at our townhouse in NC.  So I leaned the windows up against each side, and added some fall candles for the season.  

 I also have my little yo yo hand made pumpkin on the mantle, cheesey but cute : )

And when we have guests, they love to look at our photos, displayed in such a neat way.  Its not only unique but a great conversation piece.  I love those, I will have to share my coffee table soon ; ) 

Creative Peeps!

Each day, I check my blog, and I check my favorites for all the wonderful creations that the bloggers out there have designed. I find new ones daily, and its so much fun to find ones that you can not only relate to, but you may want to try their ideas for your own.   Its truly amazing that there are so many people out there that are artistic and love to create.  I found a few this week that I had to share on my blog!  Enjoy my new finds!

Michele Made Me Recycling! 

Michele makes things out of recycled materials, beautiful things like this wreath made out of plastic bottles.  Go to her blog and see all her other wonderful creations.  Her husband thinks its messy but deep down I know he appreciates her talent!  

 Above are some great ideas, I may have to try myself from Dear Lillie, and I may have to try this out for myself!  She used Sharpie markers on cotton linen.  First she wrote out her words with a pencil, and then finished her design with the markers.  Such a fun and cheap way to add some cheer to your home at Christmas.

 This one is soooo neat.  Its a plastic chandelier, that she painted green!  I LOVE THIS! 

Who knew!  Check out her blog on Addicted 2 Decorating . Love it! I too am addicted to decorating  ; )

This one is so great.  Have you ever seen something in Pottery Barn.  Well here you go! Thanks Pottery Barn and  Paisley Pink Polka Dots

So, each week, I would love to share with you what I have found ; )  Its just not fair to not share with others isn't that right ; )  Enjoy!
~C