Archive of ‘Home Decor’ category

Jute & Twine Wrapped Easter Eggs

If you’ve had a winter like us here in Maryland, you are awaiting the arrival of Spring with bated breath. Although the outdoors may not reflect Spring weather quite yet, there’s no reason your indoors can’t begin showcasing some warmth and happiness.

When it comes to decorating for the Spring & Easter, I like to bring the outside in—which means green & natural with a smidge of rustic. Some jute and twine wrapped eggs were a good craft to kick off my spring decorating.

Jute Wrapped Easter Egg

What you need:

  • Plastic Easter Eggs
  • Twine
  • Jute
  • Hot Glue Gun

Step 1:

Gather your eggs. I bought 2 sizes of the plastic eggs because I wanted a bit of variety. I found my eggs at Hobby Lobby for $1.00 —score! I decided to place a dab of hot glue where the 2 egg halves come together to seal it closed. I wasn’t sure if the egg would pop open as I was wrapping, and didn’t want to deal with that possible disaster.Easter Eggs

Step 2:

Warm up your glue gun, find some filler TV show, and get to wrapping. I chose to start wrapping the jute at the base/bigger end of my eggs. I found it helpful to wind a bit of the jute/twine and then glue it to the base. Glue and wrap on repeat until the entire egg is covered. I was able to get 3 eggs done before an hour TV show came to an end.

Jute Wrapped Eggs

Here’s something to consider: The jute eggs went much faster than the twine eggs. I only had very thin twine on hand, so it took a bit longer to work with in order to ensure that it was wrapped tightly (no gaps) around the egg. I do enjoy the look of both textures, but in the future I might go with a heavier twine!

Here they are, all ready to find a home somewhere in my house:

Jute Wrapped Easter Egg

                                 I really like them! It’s a nice change from the bright colored eggs                                     that everyone else seems to have.

Rock Lobster Pillow (Formally known as The Lobster Sweater)

This is a story about a sweater, two boys, and a pillow.

The last time I told a story about a sweater, it was a disaster. If you need to feel better about yourself and your crafting abilities, check out that other sweater story here.

Unlike that pitiful sweater story, this is a happy story.

A sweet friend of my husband’s and mine gave our first born a handsome sweater. It was nautical, cotton, and little, so it was love at first sight.

I loved that sweater. My first wore it (and rocked it).

IMG_1408

And my second little guy wore it (and rocked it).

Totally owning that sweater.

But then, as all little boys do, they grew. And soon, that gorgeous sweater was a belly sweater/crop top. As much as I think my guys’ little bellies are cute, I knew it was time to retire the sweater.Now usually, when an article of clothing becomes too small for my guys, I pass it on to the next lucky mom and boy, but not this sweater. I held on to that sweater for months. I just could not part with it. Nope, that lovely lobster sweater was staying with me.

Long story short, that little lobster sweater is not a pillow

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It’s cute, but not as cute as my boys wearing it, but that’s okay.

 

IMG_4329 IMG_4331 So the next time, a sweater or shirt is too precious to pass on, make it a pillow.

 

 


 

 

Spring Shelf Styling

Spring shelf styling

Anyone else tired of this cold weather? As much as I love cozy sweaters and warm coats, I’m ready for the spring. As you know Grace has been busy since the commencement of mantel season (check out her Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day mantel décor). Since I don’t have a mantel, I decided to spruce up my book shelf as I await for the warm weather.

This shelf is located in our living room. It serves as a catch-all place for photo display, reference books, L’s toys and other miscellaneous items. It needed to remain functional. Working with the items already on the shelves, I added a few small accessories to incorporate some spring hues and different textures using mostly what I had on hand (closet hoarding does pay off).

spring shelf styling supplies

  1. branch (leftover from the framed twig I made a few weeks ago)
  2. wrapping paper and scrapbook paper
  3. burlap
  4. decorative vase
  5. paper mache bunny (from Joann’s, recent)
  6. embroidery hoops
  7. bunny print out (via Google image)
  8. fish bowl shaped vase
  9. Easter eggs (from Joann’s, recent)
  10. moss (from Joann’s, recent)
  11. small grape vine wreaths
  12. egg carton

For the top shelf, I stuck the branch in the decorative vase and added a few little flags using scrapbook paper. I hung a mini banner on the vine wreath to give it some character and add a pop of color. To bring in some green, I covered the paper mache bunnies with moss.

Spring shelf styling Spring shelf styling

The second shelf holds our leisure reading books and two mugs that we store “just in case” receipts and loose change. I repeated the small banner on the wooden frame. The mug fit perfectly inside the wreath so I placed three small Easter eggs around it. In the fish bowl vase, I created a “nest” for the larger Easter eggs by using newspaper, moss and a few twigs. The bunny silhouette was traced onto burlap using a sharpie then put into an embroidery hoop.Spring shelf stylingSpring shelf styling  Spring shelf styling

On the next shelf, I replaced the book end with a larger moss bunny and added a small embroidery hoop bunny silhouette.

Spring shelf styling

Spring shelf styling  moss covered Easter bunny

I put the remaining eight Easter eggs in the egg carton. I cut off the extra four slots and put some leftover moss in each to add some height. I switched out L’s toy box on the bottom shelf with a wicker picnic basket that serves the same purpose but much more appropriate for spring.

Spring shelf styling    Easter eggs in carton

While I had scrapbook paper and burlap out, I also updated my framed twig for spring. Oh and I borrowed a bunny from L.

framed twigs spring decor  framed twigs spring decor 2

If you counted that’s five bunnies. So let’s call this spring shelf styling “put a bunny on it”. What are you doing to welcome spring? Share your ideas with us.

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