MONOGRAM WREATH

I love a great wreath on my front door. Thanks so much for your wonderful comments and for sharing my Monogram Spring Wreath project from last year.........

Click the link below for directions on how to make this wreath.......

http://thelavenderbouquet.blogspot.com/2014/03/diy-spring-wreath-with-monogram-initials.html

         Wishing you a wonderful day!

                  Kathleen

                                         

DIY MONOGRAM TRAY

The completion of our kitchen remodel in our vacation home is right on schedule. Countertops and backsplash are complete, with doors, hardware and finishing touches being slated to finish by the end of the week. Now it's time for some fun decorative touches to bring our "family personality" into the new space.

Currently I am focusing on the display area above the cabinets. To stay within our budget, we decided against putting 41" cabinets above. We have 10 foot ceilings which leave approximately 32 inches from the cabinet top to the ceiling. In keeping with the casual feel of the house, I'll be adding some rattan and white ceramic pieces.

There is one perfect spot that can be seen from both the dining room and family room. I decided to make a DIY project, incorporating the Cobalt Blue from our front door and the first letter of our last name........hence the DIY Monogram Tray project in today's blog!

EASY DIY CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT

Good Morning Wednesday my friends!

I'm finally settling back into my schedule after having a very busy wonderful family weekend.

Before leaving town I made a few lists and one of them included DIY projects for Christmas. Yes, I'm thinking past Thanksgiving for a moment. I find if I start early handling the holiday list, the less stressed I am the month of December. 

Today's blog is a super easy DIY ornament project. I was browsing through the pages of an everything monogram catalog. They were charging 10-15 dollars for a simple clear ornament with a single monogram letter on the front, and a thin colorful ribbon as the hanger. I looked twice at the price and then thought I would tackle this project and share with all of you how easy and inexpensive this project really can be.

After  a quick trip to Hobby Lobby I came home with the following:

-1 box of 12 incandescent ornaments-40% off-5.39
-2 pkgs. silver/gold stickers-40% off-2.39 each

Total purchase-- 
$20.17 and I can make 12 ornaments!!

I had ribbon and some small red jingle bells on hand, so I just used those to make the ornament below. You may use anything to fill the ornament with and color choice is yours too.

Directions:
1.  Apply the monogram sticker wherever you determine your front to be.
2. Fill ornament with any holiday items: bells, glitter, etc.
3. Cut ribbon to size and knot it.

It's as easy as that! You can also stencil a design on the side for a different effect.

These make terrific gifts for office friends, classmates, or someone special. Have fun!

Wishing you a crafty day!

Kathleen

FALL IN THE DINING ROOM

Welcome to Wednesday!

Pull up a chair and please join me in the dining room as I share our Fall Dining Room Decor........

The sun was shining brightly today adding to the shiny effect on my DIY pumpkin. A simple faux white pumpkin sprayed a beautiful shade of gold is transformed into this gem. An additional small and easy touch, the initial of our last name, was added using shiny silver thumb tacks on the pumpkin. 

The natural fall touches of garland, leaves and pheasant feathers added just the right amount of fall color and texture.

If you haven't been to our Facebook page recently you may not be aware of one of my new obesssions....the app Waterlogue!  With this app you are able to turn any photo into a beautiful watercolor masterpiece like above. Give it a try...it's so fun!

The shimmer of candlelight and the glow of the chandelier bring a warm inviting ambiance to the room. A nice touch as guests enter our foyer located just off the dining room.

The addition of the rich dark wood candlesticks from Pottery Barn were just what the table needed to anchor the setting. They provide the richness that only a beautiful wood can provide. The table runner is also from Pottery Barn a couple years ago. I found the candles at Homegoods last year and have been waiting for the perfect time to use them. They have a burlap woven look, antiqued with black and gold.

For me it's all about the simple elegance......a bit of shine, a deep rich wood and natural elements that ground the space with very little effort. The centerpiece could easily be incorporated into a fall tablescape.

I hope you've enjoyed your visit to our home. 

Have a great day!

Kathleen

***Thanks so much for stopping by!

DIY---SPRING WREATH WITH MONOGRAM INITIALS

I am in love with monograms. There are so many fonts available today that choosing one can be a daunting experience, especially if you have never done it before. Each monogram looks entirely different based on the font that is chosen. Ultimately, the choice is yours, whatever your taste dictates.....there is a font for you.

Monograms have been around for years. Today the single letter and initial monogram can be found on just about anything. In many cases decorators use letters in a variety of ways incorporating them into vignettes, on bookshelves, hung on walls, framed art, stitched on linens, and so on.

I was perusing Jane.com and found a wooden monogram in the exact font that I am most fond of. It  is called French Script. The letters have a beautiful scrolling effect. I had seen this type of monogram applied directly to front doors, walls, and even incorporated into wreaths, among other uses.

I loved the idea of incorporating the monogram into a wreath, hence I decided to make a new Spring wreath for our own front door this year! I purchased a personalized, unfinished wooden monogram, on Jane.com. The cost was $9.99 plus shipping. The vendor email address is:  unfinishedwoodco@yahoo.com

 I decided to spray paint it an off white color to blend with the flowers I had purchased at Michaels.

A few years ago, when we lived in Houston, my favorite garden center was Cornelius on Dairy Ashford Rd. They had an absolutely beautiful gift shop with top notch designers decorating it by season. At that time the designers used the black and white stripe ribbon that I fell in love with. I found the same ribbon in our new Hobby Lobby here in NJ--which ironically I first frequented while living in Houston. (small world) I believe between the addition of the monogram and of this ribbon it kind of "kicks it up a notch"...giving the project a bit of elegance.

It's time to start thinking about what you will make for your Spring front door this year. Don't forget to add that little bit of elegance to your project too!

                                                   Wishing you a day filled with sunshine!

                                                                        Kathleen

To make this wreath you will need:
1-grapevine wreath --Hobby Lobby
flowers/greens--Michaels
Ribbon--Hobby Lobby
Wooden Monogram--Jane.com
Spray paint--Hobby Lobby


***Thank you so much for stopping by The Lavender Bouquet. Hope to see you on Friday!