Summer Centerpiece

Good morning, friends.  Happy Monday to you.  🙂

This is the time of year when a slower pace starts to settle in and mostly in Arizona, you really just want to stay indoors…or go somewhere fun and use someone else’s free air conditioning.  😉  We will be going on a couple of trips in the coming weeks so it may be a little bit quiet around here while we enjoy.  We’re so looking forward to getting out of this heat!

Summer continues around our house with simple vignettes here and there — mostly with things I already had from our previous apartments that were packed away.

Kitchen Table

I love this domed cake plate and I’ve used it for more than just cakes — here and here!  🙂  So it just made sense to add some sand and shells to it, plus a starfish that I found at Sweet Salvage for $5.

Kitchen Table 2

The candles I bought at HomeGoods in a pack — that’s the best place to buy those little ones as they are much less expensive than the Target and even the Walmart packs!

We’re feelin’ all beachy in our cute little house and that’s keeping us happy, but we are so looking forward to Fall.  Don’t tell anyone.  😉

Summer Decorating Ideas

Happy almost-Friday, guys!  Today I’m sharing some ideas from my Summer Pinterest board that I love.  I don’t really use Pinterest as a way to copy exactly what other decorators and designers do, more as a way to get myself inspired for the season!  But there are so many beautiful ideas out there and I wanted to share in case you’re looking for some inspiration, too.

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Wedding Sparrow

Look closely on that table — can you see the seashell holding the tealight candle?  I think that is brilliant.  So pretty for a table setting — whether simple or elaborate.

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Starfish Cottage

I love how just that little bit of textural rope adds such a coastal vibe to this display.  Candles, seashells, hydrangeas, and a tray create this beautiful table vignette.  And the all-white palette is really speaking to me.

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Studio McGee

When in doubt, just add a big piece of coral!  Something large and statement-y like that is perfect as a stand-alone (depending on the size) or atop a stack of books.

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My Soulful Home

With the silver, I’m sure that you can guess that this is right up my alley.  😉  And I think it must be said that hydrangeas really are the most Summer-y flower, right?  Sometimes just a few seashells are enough.

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CitrineLiving

Adding some fresh (or faux) citrus to your vignette is another way to bring Summer to the table.  It’s really the simplest things for this season.

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Pier 1

When in doubt — just add lots of blue and white.  And coral and shells, of course.  Textural elements like sisal and burlap go a long way, too.  And mercury glass!  Another great Summer element that also transitions well to Fall and Winter.

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Kara’s Party Ideas

I think this is absolutely adorable, and perfect for a Summer fiesta!  I’ve been trying to find pretty cans like these, though, and I just can’t!  Where did she find such fun ones?!  I’m thinking WholeFoods or Sprouts may be the best place to look.

Seashells and Special Things

I’ve written before about our coffee table’s array of special things, so it was really fun to add some Summer details to the display.  🙂

Coffee Table Vignette 2

Coffee Table Vignette

This silver bowl is one of my favorite things in our house.  It is so versatile.  I found it in an antique shop while we were living with my in-laws and I was always dreaming about using it to decorate in our future house.  It is a reminder to me of how blessed we are.

I added some shells to the rocks in the top and then added some sand to the bottom with some more shells.  Decorating for Summer truly is so simple — it requires little effort!  I love that.  🙂  Simplicity before the abundance of Fall and Winter (although I am already looking forward to another Christmas in our home!  —One thing at a time!)

Breakin’ Out the Summer Decor

Happy Monday, friends!  Things have been great, but busy!  We are in preparation mode for two vacations that we will be taking in the next few weeks, work has kept me busy, and the house stuff has kind of taken a backseat while I get outfits together, etc. for our trips.  🙂  I broke out the Summer decor a few weeks ago and I have been really loving the abundance of seashells in our home!

When we lived in our apartments (before we moved in with Grey’s parents in order to save up for our house) I never really decorated for Summer.  But once we started living with my in-laws, I remember being blown away by how pretty my mom-in-law’s Summer decorations were…and she always used really simple ‘ingredients.’  Basically all you need are pretty vessels (whatever is special to you), sand, and seashells — and those are super inexpensive at any craft store.  You can see some of the Summer decor from my time at that house here, here, here, and here.

I was so excited to break out our Summer stuff and since it started to get so hot in May, I figured I would just go for it!  I’ll be sharing little bits of it over this week.  I also have the pieces and parts to make a wreath but I just haven’t had the time to work on it yet.  Soon!  🙂

Side Table Vignette

Pardon the ice cubes in the bowl…I was watering my plants, lol.

Side Table Vignette 2

Isn’t that little silver dish pretty?  I found it during my last trip to Sweet Salvage.  It had to come home with me, and I pictured using it just for this purpose.  🙂  I love when that happens.  I just poured a little bit of sand in the bottom of the dish and then started arranging the shells.  There’s really no rhyme or reason to it, I just place, adjust, and keep doing that until it feels right.

Coffee Table

Our coffee table has some Summery things on it that I am loving now — including a giant white seashell bowl that I am keeping our remotes in (instead of the silver one that we typically use).

Napkins and Jar

This little glass jar was another find from my last trip to Sweet Salvage.  I got lucky that day!  😉  I love how the base of it is hollow so the sand can go all the way to the bottom.  I can’t wait to use this for more holidays — I felt like this was such a great find.  Can’t you just see it with a nest and a bird for Spring?!  The blue and white bowl is new and is a family antique that was sent to us by our Aunt Lulu — she knew I had a blue and white theme going on!  And you know how I have been loving festive cocktail napkins for drinks.  I thought these were really pretty and couldn’t pass them up at HomeGoods.

Have a great day!  And as it is Memorial Day, let’s all just take the day to focus on our gratefulness to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can be safe and free.

10 Free Summer Printables

The season of heat is upon us!  Here in Arizona we’ve already experience triple-digit temperatures… so here comes Summer!  🙂 If you’re in need of some fun Summer printables, you’ve found the right place — I’ve got a round-up for you this morning.  Enjoy!

*Please remember to go to original sources if you are wanting to Pin these!*

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6 Clever Sisters

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My Sister’s Suitcase

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Hawthorne and Main

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Capturing Joy

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Remodelaholic

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Landeelu

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Katarina’s Paperie

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Design Dazzle

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The 36th Avenue

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Iowa Girl Eats

Instagram Lately

Good morning, friends!  I thought I’d pop in with a little Instagram Lately update.  Follow along here for more.  🙂

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Throwback to our Easter table.

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Textiles cascading from a silver urn.

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A new little vignette after playing ‘musical lamps.’

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Blue and white love.

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Easter place setting.

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Spring at my in-laws’.

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A little bit of organizing…

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Inspired ranunculus.

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Downtown scenes.

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Spring centerpiece.

Spring Decorating Ideas

Happy Monday, guys!  I hope you had a great weekend.

I’ve gotta be honest — I have officially taken down the Spring decor in our house!  Between seasons I like to allow our house to breathe and the Spring stuff had been up for several months — we do live in Arizona, after all.  I totally get that Spring is just now beginning in parts of the country, but I’ve got my radar on Summer right now (kind of) and I’m beginning to collect things that I see and like for those seasonal vignettes.  I’m finding that each season in our house is so magical!  The house is becoming more full of pretty things that I love and I am enjoying the evolution of our space so much.

I thought today I would share some Spring decorating ideas from our house and also a couple of vignettes from my in-laws’ house (I snapped a few photos while we were over there for Easter lunch!).

Wooden Eggs

This little set-up is on our coffee table, and the only thing that really changes now and then is what is in the center silver bowl.  I’ve written about the treasures on this tray before, and also about the fact that this marble “tray” is actually a super easy DIY project.  I spotted these wooden eggs at Target in the Dollar Spot, no less, and I know that a lot of people probably used them for a craft, but I thought they were so pretty in their raw state.  I placed them inside of this bowl and then arranged the rocks and seashell on top.  I also pulled out a couple of candlesticks and placed an egg on top of each near our TV.  🙂

Spring in the Foyer

Spring in the Foyer Details

This is my in-laws’ foyer, and my mom-in-law always puts really pretty decor on this table.  This year for Spring it is an impressive assortment of apothecary jars, filled with moss, nests, birds, bunnies…  All the Spring stuff.  🙂  The candle holders are super versatile and are essentially seasonless — they go with everything.

Spring Silverware

We hosted my parents for dinner a couple of weekends ago and I set up the buffet table to be Springy, of course, for a little barbecue.  🙂  I layered two different varieties of wrapping paper to create a table runner (my favorite easy entertaining trick! — see other tables here and here) and I tried to match one of the wrapping papers to the napkins — the colorway ended up being super similar so I was a happy camper.

Plates and Flowers

The plates matched really perfectly, too.  I layered these plates on top of a cake platter with Easter “grass” to give the table some needed height.

Flowers

I have been treating myself to Trader Joe’s flowers weekly (my trade-off for no fancy coffee drinks) and this pitcher is from HomeGoods — perfect for a big bouquet of just about anything.  I used a smaller bud vase for additional flowers that didn’t fit in the vase, and that little arrangement is now next to my side of the bed in our bedroom (which I can’t wait to show you this week!).  I have about eight of these bud vases and every time I think about getting rid of them because they take up space and I don’t use them super often, I end up needing one and I toss that thought right out the window.  😉

Egg Wreath

This is just a brilliant way to use a wreath, in my opinion.  This is at my in-laws’ house and this glass hurricane gets updated for each season.  Isn’t it funny how certain spots in our homes are areas we just naturally gravitate toward for seasonal decor?  I love that.  This little vignette is super pretty, not at all fussy, and best of all — easy to put away at the end of the season!

Is your home still decorated for Spring?  What is your favorite way to decorate for the season?

Easy Hostess Gift Idea

Happy happy Friday!  I hope you have fun plans for the weekend.  🙂

Just popping in with a quick and easy gift idea.  The time for impromptu get-togethers and outdoor dinner parties are upon us, as is Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, July 4th, etc.  I never like to go to someone’s house empty-handed, whether that means bringing a bottle of wine, a side dish/dessert, or a little gift acknowledging my appreciation for someone else’s effort.

We had Easter at my in-laws’ house this year and I wanted to bring a little something for my mom-in-law!

Gift

I purchased the succulent from Home Depot, and these little bucket tins are everywhere these days.  😉  Check the Dollar Spot at Target and I guarantee you you’ll find a few, and in different colors, too.  I just transferred the succulent to the tin, then found some fun ribbon I liked in my stash and hot glued a dot in the back, and a dot on either side, then tied a knot.  The bunny “tag” is actually a banner (that has made an appearance here and here) that I have been using throughout the season for little gifts like this.  I still have one banner tucked away in my Spring bin for future use, but I figured I could spare one in the name of simple crafting!  😉  I just cut around the bunny in an imperfect oval shape and made a little hole by poking my scissors through the burlap, then tied it on.  Super easy.

I hope you have the best weekend.  It really is the little things, isn’t it?!  🙂  I’ll see you back here next week!

Sweet Salvage: Color Story

Hey, guys!  Last Friday I got to take a little break in my day and head over to Sweet Salvage for their Color Story event.  I’ve written about Sweet Salvage a couple of times (here, and here) but essentially it is a once a month vintage market that is only open for four days.  The displays are amazing, there is always a theme, and there is always TONS of inspiration.

I try to go to all of these events, I’m just bad at snapping pictures of them always!  😉  This particular market was all about color stories, so the antiques were arranged in themes of color.  There was plenty of Spring inspiration and even a little bit of Summer thrown in for good measure.

I think my two biggest inspirational takeaways from this market are 1) Using trophy urns as a way to house greenery, beads, or layer with glass domes and 2) Using antlers mixed with Spring decor — greenery, antlers, zinc pots… it turns out, they’re not just for Fall!  (See how I used an antler with some Summer decor here!).

The pictures are quick iPhone snaps, but enjoy the inspiration — there is a lot to love.  🙂

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