Its Starting to Look a bit like Christmas...

Since I posted my kitchen tour this morning and you got a glimpse of some decorations going up - I thought I would go ahead and post about the wonderful arrangement I made for my kitchen "mantel"!

I started with an oblong metal planter that I already had.  It has an aqua tint to it which I love! Next I added faux pine boughs that I purchased 50% off at Hobby Lobby a few weeks ago...We don't have Hobby Lobby stores here in Canada so I went cross-border shopping - actually McG and I do that quite often.

They were very realistic and came with small pine cones attached.  I also purchased some boughs from Garden Ridge - these types of things are much more affordable in the US.  I didn't even use oasis to complete the arrangement.  I just laid them into the planter, making sure to leave them hanging over the sides a bit.  I layered in large pine cones that I had here already.

I added silver sinemay ribbon around the edges of the container, tucking it in gently, to add some sparkle to the arrangement.  I also added some glittery brown ornaments and some silver glittered wicker balls that I purchased at Dollar Tree.  

I also purchased the silver berry branches and the silver reindeer at the Dollar Tree store.  I have been there about 5 times since they opened here in our city a few weeks ago - they are a great resource for budget decorating!

It makes a lovely holiday display on the ledge between my kitchen and dining room.  Here's a view from the dining room...

It's just the first of my decorations to go up.  I am hoping to get my Christmas tree up this weekend, as well as, finish up the last few projects in the entryway.

Are you decorating for the holidays too?  I'd love to hear from you!

Cheryl

Linking up @:  Debbiedoos, Beyond The Picket Fence,
                            Songbird, The Cottage Magpie,
                            Sand and Sisal, Southern Savvy Style,
                            The Tablescaper, Cupcakes and Crinoline, 
                            It's so very Cheri, Setting for Four,
                            Three Mango Seeds, 
                            Uncommon Slice of Suburbia   
                            The Frugal Homemaker       

Dollar Tree Tablescape

The other day I posted this picture of what I purchased at the Dollar Tree to complete a submission for the Challenge over at Debbiedoos...

A silver plastic platter, Epsom salts, 2 candles, some acrylic snowflakes in assorted colours and sizes, a vase,  some silver berry picks and some aqua glass beads - in total I spent $15 for this challenge.  I knew I wanted to complete a table scape for my new dining room table - and you must keep in mind that the Dollar Tree here in Canada sells items for $1.25 and not $1.

Two of the snowflakes are at least 8-10 inches in size.  First I layered a piece of aqua fabric down on my tabletop.  Next I placed the tray in the center and them the two large snowflakes on either side of it.  On top of the two large snowflakes I placed the candles in the center of each.  On the center of the tray I placed the vase which I filled with the Epsom salts and then added some of the glass beads, and then into the vase I placed the 4 silver berry sprigs.  Then I randomly placed the other snowflakes on the tray and tabletop and then sprinkled some Epsom salts on top of the fabric and added the glass beads randomly as well.

I really love the aqua and silver colours - it has an icy effect that I can use not only through the holidays, but long after in the winter months as well.   I have a few supplies leftover...watch for another project soon!  Are you linking up to the Dollar Tree challenge?  If so, I'll see you there!

Cheryl

Linking up @:  Debbiedoos, Fox Hollow Cottage,
 The Tablescaper

Updating the Dining Room Chairs

Earlier this week I shared with you our "new to us" dining room furniture...

At that time I also shared with you the two fabric choices we were considering for the chairs.  Don't you just love that blue vinyl they are pictured in above? Y-U-C-K!!!

Both of these fabrics I purchased from Walmart for just $9.97 - they are upholstery grade fabric and each remnant was almost 2 yards of fabric 56 inches in width - can you say SCORE!!!

Although some thought that one of the patterns was too modern to go with the style of the furniture, that is the one that McG and I both liked the best, so we went ahead and started reupholstering the chairs last night.

First McG removed the seat from the chair and we removed the staples, and took off the ugly blue vinyl.  

Then we laid out the fabric (right side down) on our kitchen island.  We reused an old quilt for padding and the cut the fabric 2 inches bigger than the chair seat.  McG then stapled the quilt fabric on first, making sure to pull it very tight as he went.  Once that was completed he did the same for the fabric, trimming the excess off when he was done.

Then he re-attached the chair seats using new screws.  McG had to add some toothpicks to the screw holes to help re-inforce them as the previous screws were stripped and wouldn't go back in.  It took about a half an hour in total to complete one chair.

This is a closer view of the fabric.  It is a grey/taupe background with blue, aqua, yellow and chartreuse wavy stripes.  I can't wait for them all to be done - then we will be ready for the big living room/dining room reveal!

I think this fabric ties in well with the rest of the colours we have in the room and updates the chairs into the 21st century...ALL FOR LESS THAN $10!!

Cheryl

Linking up @:   The Ironstone Nest, Not Just a Housewife,
                           Savvy Southern Style, Beyond the Picket Fence,
                           Mod Vintage Life

Ready for Winter...A Transitional Wreath

It has been quite chilly this week here in Southern Ontario...temperatures are due to warm up this weekend, but let's face it - it's November and the winter weather is just around the corner!

I was digging out the gloves and scarves this week..

We have so many that we keep in a box under the stairs during the warmer months...I knew we wouldn't be using them all and decided to get some together to donate (secretly wishing I could find a use for them...)

 I have been seeing so many Christmas wreaths this week on the blogs I follow and on Pinterest...I am not one to decorate for Christmas before December...remember earlier this week I told you that McG's birthday is in the first week of December...and he's a bit of a Scrooge and doesn't like Christmas decorations to go up too early...

I was tired of my fall wreath on the front door - but didn't want to put my Christmas wreath up just yet...

I took it down and began to take the fall flowers off (I never glue my flowers on as I like to change the wreath many times throughout the year)  This time I wanted a look that was more about winter than it was about the holidays... I decided to figure out a way to use some of my scarves to decorate it. What better way to say "winter wreath" than to decorate it with a winter staple like a scarf!  

First, I tried to wrap a soft pink one around it, but

I wasn't really happy with the look of this one. I wanted something brighter...something that would show up better against my blue front door...so I grabbed a burgundy and cream striped scarf that is my daughter's.  It is quite a few years old and not something that my fashionista would be caught wearing nowadays.  I wrapped it around the grapevine wreath,

...and then I pinned it with safety pins.  I continued this all the way around the wreath.

The ends of the scarf had pom-poms...I wrapped the ends around the back of the wreath and then up over the front - not even tying them - just leaving them hang over the front of the wreath...AND HERE IT IS ON MY FRONT DOOR!!

There you have it - A GREAT TRANSITIONAL WREATH - that I can use before and after the holidays during the cold months of winter...This project took all of about ten minutes to complete...it would be good to do with a pool noodle or a smoother wreath - but for me this was a NO COST PROJECT - my favourite kind!

I think it makes my front door look nice and cozy!  It is a great way to use something that I had on hand (and the rest of the pile of scarves are still going to be donated)  What do you think??  Are you using scarves to decorate this season? I'd love to hear from you!

Cheryl

Linking up at: Funky Junk Interiors, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Not Just a Housewife, DIY Show Off, Beyond the Picket Fence, No Minimalist Here, At The Picket Fence, Debbiedoos Newbie party, 
The Tablescaper, Sand and Sisal