Author: camilla
Boring Vases Get “Hosed”
Flower arrangements are usually delivered in basic glass vases. I think we all have that moment when the flowers pass and we wonder if we should chuck or donate the left over vase to a thrift store. Recently, I came up with a simple way to transform these generic vessels into something you might actually want to display…
Having A Party? Bring Out The Laundry Basket
A vintage laundry basket is transformed into a wine cooler with the addition of a plastic liner. You’ll need a laundry basket, plastic drop cloth, jute, a large sewing needle and scissors…
Grapefruit Planter
My daughters love grapefruit – it’s their favorite breakfast. As I was cleaning the morning dishes – I couldn’t toss this leftover skin – the cheerful yellow color and the perfect shape reminded me of brightly colored pottery – which got me thinking…
Make Your Own Bottled Water
Instead of placing a pitcher of water or a bottle of San Pellegrino on the table – try reusing a great looking wine bottle to hold your water. Every so often, I find old wine bottles at resale shops and I can’t resist buying them. The older, Italian wine bottles have a lovely shape. I clean them thoroughly with a bottle brush and fill them with chilled tap water…
More Candlestick Tricks
I love to have something interesting on the table when I entertain. I filled a crystal decanter with water, placed a clipping from our pear tree inside and stuck a candle into the opening to create this look…
Toast Spoons On A Sunday Morning
Toast spoons – not the everyday breakfast, but certainly fun for a Sunday morning treat for the kids…
Candlestick Tricks
I found these ceiling fixtures at a garage sale this weekend – I paid $8.00 for the pair. Using a candle adhesive – I stuck candles into the socket and gave these old fixtures a new life as candlesticks…
Twine Vases
I love the look of spools of twine – I decorate with them often. To make these – I dropped a plastic shot glass into the center of a spool of twine, filled it with water and added short cut flowers…
For $3.99 A Bunch – Fern Leaves Can Go A Long Way
I love leaves of all types, but I think fern fronds are my favorite. Ferns have an earthy appeal for me – they remind me of walking in the woods, springtime and greenhouses. In the floral section of the supermarket you can always find fern leaves and usually they are priced at under $4.00 a bunch. Here are a few ways you can decorate with these inexpensive beauties…
Pretend Produce – For A Healthy Imagination
My 5 year old daughter loves to pretend that she is a shop owner – it keeps her happily occupied for at least an hour or more. The other day, I made some felt fruits and vegetables and we set up an imaginary roadside stand – complete with twine, bags and signs. Now I have to keep an eye peeled at garage sales for a scale…
It’s Easy Being Green
For St. Patrick’s Day, try serving up green meals all day long! My kids love this sort of thing. Bring your child to the store and let them help you create a green menu – or get your supplies on your own and surprise them!
Temporary Changes
When it comes to decorating my home, I am a huge believer in temporary change. I deliberately keep my backgrounds neutral so that they can take on my constant need for change, it works for me. Several years ago, I purchased some botanical prints for a song on ebay…
Doodle Games
This is a fun game you can play anywhere with your child. I carry a small sketch pad and pens in my purse and pull out this game when passing the time in a Doctor’s office, waiting for a meal at a restaurant or on a long car trip…
Happiness In A Sunflower
Watching a plant grow from a seed can be very exciting for a child (and an adult). Those first signs of green life emerging from all of that brown soil brings on screams of delight in our home. This could possibly be the least expensive way to make a child happy – give it a try…
Kicky Cards For Kids
I made a few of these cards for my daughters and they LOVED them. My 5 year old helped me make these. Because the bodies are drawn simply & the dress shape is uncomplicated- this is a great project for a wide age range of kids…
It’s not too late to make a Valentine that will knock their socks off!
Instead of a card – try making this Valentine globe and fill it with a message of love…
What Would Andy Do?
Why not bring a bit of pop art into your home with these simple Warhol inspired ideas? For just $0.88 a can you can grab some style and eat your lunch too!…
Paper Girls
My older daughter loves to make paper dolls, she makes them by the hundreds. When we have other children over, these paper dolls often come out to play and keep my kids and their friends happy and creatively occupied for quite a bit. At the end of these play dates, friends sometimes ask if they can have one of my daughter’s dolls to take home. So, I thought I would share them on my blog and include printable versions for my readers’ kids…
Tissue Paper Hearts
These look great hanging out in a window & they are super easy to make! Pipe cleaners are formed into heart shapes and backed with tissue paper to make these light-catching Valentines…
Polka Dot Soup & Holy Cheese Toast!
Sometimes just a few extra touches can make a meal more appealing to a child – creating a visually intriguing plate can make a child think twice about walking away. I like to brand my creations by giving them silly names – my kids enjoy it and I get some fun out coming up with names for my crazy concoctions…