My Valentine’s Day wreath was still up this weekend – which is a little sad since we are a couple weeks past that now!  So I decided to do something up for St. Patrick’s Day. 

Now I feel like I have done wreaths over and over and over since fall – so I wanted to change it up a little and come up with something a little different. 

Here is what I came up with – a St. Patrick’s Day welcome basket! 

Isn’t it cute?  I love it!  All of this is from the Dollar Store!  I grabbed three stems of some glitter covered florals – some are three leaf clovers and some are carnation-looking flowers. 

Then I added some larger shamrocks!  I got a twelve pack of these and took these six and glued them onto straws.  I painted the straws brown with a little craft paint.  And because they were bendy straws – I was able to lean and bend each little shamrock pick one way or another.

I put it all in an adorable little green basket and then topped it off with a cute little felt sign!  Ack!  I just love it!

I think it feels so festive!!  Normally I don’t do any St. Patrick’s Day decor but this was just too cute to pass up!  So what about you?  Are you decorating for St. Patty’s Day this year?  I wanna know! 

Linking this to

Metamorphosis Monday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch
Tip Me Tuesday with Laurie @ Tip Junkie
Get Your Craft On with Kim @ Today’s Creative Blog
Make it Yours Day with Carolyn @ My Backyard Eden
Transformation Thursday with Gina @ The Shabby Chic Cottage
Weekend Wrap Up Party with Jen @ Tatertots and Jello
Show and Share Day with Chris @ Just a Girl

Also linking this up to the CSI Project’s Green Challenge.  Link up your St. Patty’s Day projects too!

I am excited to introduce you to my newest sponsor – InCircle Interiors.  InCircle Interiors offers digital design plans via online consults for you at simple flat rate fees. 

InCircle Interiors is run by Cyndi and Martha and they are committed to spreading good home design to the masses!  InCircle is a new and different kind of design firm – one that works with you virtually to gather all your dreams, likes and ideas and turn them into a plan that you can actually execute in your home.  They offer Design Inspiration Boards, Space Planning Layouts, and Color Consultations that you can take advantage of on your schedule and based on your needs! 

To show you some of the ideas they can help you with – I wanted to show you one of their recent projects!  Cyndi and Martha have recently worked with a client to provide an Inspiration Board and Space Plan for the Great Room in her brand new home.   Check out what they came up with for inspiration!  I just love the mix of colors and textures for the living area below!

And then this was what they picked out for the kitchen/dining area!  Can’t you just see all of this working so beautifully together!!

Finally – not only did they give a great jumping off point for what to get – they also laid it all out for her!  (And to me that is the hardest part!)  Check out these 3-D space plans they also made that are to scale for all of the pieces and layout of the room.  I love this part of their service! 

Amazing I tell you!  For the busy design lover – this could be just the answer to getting a customized solution at an affordable price!  And to make it even more affordable – InCircle Interiors is offering 50% off Color Consultations and 20% off all other services for Frugal with a Flourish readers!  Just email them about what service you would like to take advantage of and they will hook you up!   Hop over and check out their site and become a follower for more great ideas and design inspiration goodness! 

Have a wonderful weekend!

So those of you hanging out with me on Facebook saw when I posted the link to the most amazing Etsy site ever – Basilicus Jones!  Check out his fork place card creations!  Swoon! 

David – the wonderful man who runs this shop – and I have been emailing back and forth about my little crush on his works of art.  Especially this to die for spoon bracelet. 

Well guess what?  David is really trying to grow his exposure on Facebook with some more fans.  So he is going to hold a raffle on March 5th for all of his Facebook Fans and give one of these beauties away!  I would highly recommend heading over to the Basilicus Jones Facebook Page and clicking Like!  You could be sporting this beauty on your wrist!  

Good Luck!

Do you guys love coffee filters?  You will by the end of this post.  Not only can you use them to make your caffeine fix in the AM – you can also use them to make adorable projects and for other uses around the house.  Since you have to buy a big ol pack of em – you might as well have several different ideas for how to make the most of them!  So along with giving you a beautiful crafty idea, I am also going to throw in some practical uses involving coffee filter’s too! 

Beautiful Use - Make an amazing Light Fixture

You know those big paper lanterns – well this is what happens when you cover one of those with a ton of coffee filters.  How pretty and whimsical is this?  Nichole who blogs at Parlour is responsible for this beautiful creation.  Check out her posts on the finished project and how she got there. 

Practical Use – Use as a Non-scratch Cleaning Pad

Because coffee filters are lint free and absorb oil well you can use them to clean CDs/DVDs, computer monitors, glass and even your computer or phone screen!  Take that nasty makeup smudge!  You can also use them to soak up liquids on upholstery since they won’t leave lint like a paper towel.

Beautiful Use – Create a Topiary

Check out these fantastic topiaries that I found at The House of Belonging.  Swoon!  I want these for my mantle!!  Love em!

Practical Use – Use as a Faux Dryer Sheet

If you ever run out of dryer sheets – did you know you can put a few drops of fabric softener on a coffee filter?  Just rub the sides together and stick it in the dryer! 

Beautiful Use – Make a Wreath

Yep those of you in blog land knew I was going to get to that one eventually.  Coffee filter wreaths have spread across the internet like wildfire.  And why not?  They are gorgeous!  This one from the Little Brown House is a personal favorite of mine. 

Practical Use – Use them to Store your Breakables

You can make custom cozy little baskets for little breakables like Christmas ornaments.  You can also place them between china and other nice dishes to keep them from chipping and scratching.

Beautiful Use – Make a Decorative Garland

This Anthropologie knock off by Pam Garrison is amazing.  And beautiful!  She threw in some sheet music and tissue paper to create a little more texture. 

Practical Use – Fight Stinky Shoes

Put a little baking soda into a coffee filter and then stick it down in the shoe to absorb stanky odors!  I would think this would also work in gym bags!

Beautiful Use – Create Some Pretty Faux Flowers

Love the look of flowers but don’t have any available?  Make a bouquet of coffee filter roses!  Follow this tutorial from Craftbits.com to make yours!

Practical Use – Snack Size Bowls

Think about it.  They are the perfect size for a little snack sized portion of some munchies – like chips or popcorn.  Best part – no clean up afterwards!

So there you go!  Beautiful and practical uses for coffee filters all over your home!  What about you?  Have a tip or trick using coffee filters you want to share?  Have you every tried any of these ideas?  How did it work for you?  I wanna know!

Do you guys have a room in your house where “stuff” just accumulates?  For us – that happens to be our office/craft room.  Now this is a problem as I need to get this room cleaned out for a couple of reasons.

1.  We are going to consolidate the office/craft room into the guest room to make room for the baby.

2.  I have to be able to get to my couch so I can sell it on Craig’s List.

3.  My sanity is being tested by the piles of mess.

So how bad was it…. well.  Take look.

Oh isn’t it horrible? Check out the closet.  Yikes!!

So I knew I needed to get it all cleaned up.  I basically locked myself in there this weekend and got it all cleaned up. 

My tips for tackling a space like this?  Well first – I recommend starting on one side of the room and working your way around to the other.  I also recommend having a large trash bag and a donate box handy.  I also think it is good to bring your cleaning supplies with you so you can clean as you go.  For example – I love stuff that smells good.  So being able to dust and clean and have it start smelling fresh keeps me going! 

So how did it turn out? Check it out now. 

 

Ahh… so much better!  Now I can take some good pics of the couch to get it on Craig’s List.  (Faith might not be too pleased with me though – she loves to nap on this couch!)   And the closet?

So much more organized!  And I even made some of my storage containers a little spiffier with some nice little labels.  They look much cuter now! 

I am so pleased with the room and feel completely organized to start to all kinds of projects now!  Don’t you just love how a clean and organized room makes you feel! 

So what about you?  Do you feel better when you get a space all put together?  Have any spaces you have cleaned out recently?  I wanna know!

 

Linking this up to

Organize It Party with Sarah @ Thrifty Decor Chick

FYI – I am guest posting over at Pretty Handy Girl today with my friend Brittany!  As part of her “Falling in Love with Your Home” Series – I shared my tips from last year on how to turn a pitiful patio into a lush and gorgeous book nook!  Hop over and check it out!  I know you are all just as ready for spring as I am and this should help give you some great ideas!  

And make sure you check out the whole series!  Brittany has all kinds of great ideas to help you fall in love with your home – from Painted Smooth Ceilings to Creating Seasonal Vignettes and How to Preview Paint Colors.  Trust me you are going to love them all.

I will be back tomorrow with some organization goodness.  My first project for the weekend fell a little flat when I realized I didn’t have all the parts for it!  Oh well – that just means another trip to Ikea in the future!  Sometimes you just have weekend’s like that!!  I hope yours wasn’t quite as stop and go as mine! 

Whew!  I let the day get away from me and almost forgot to announce the winner!  I want to thank all of you for entering and for your sweet congrats on our new baby boy! 

Now – here is the part we are all waiting for!  Who won the Cutie Bootie Giveaway?

The winner (according to Random.org) is number 42 … Amy W.!!  Congrats Amy!   And what did Amy pick?  Her favorite Cutie Bootie creation was the Cowboy Tie and Suspenders Onesie!  Isn’t it adorable?  Great choice!!

Now – just because you didn’t win doesn’t mean that you are out of luck.  Cutie Bootie is still offering Frugal with a Flourish readers a 20% discount for another week!  So you can still get a great deal on the outfit you love.  Just use coupon code “BABYBOY” at checkout!

Happy shopping! 

Leather is one of those ideas in design that is sometimes relegated to only masculine arm chairs.  Or big poofy black couches.  However, there are a lot of different ways that you can incorporate leather into your decor besides just seating.  Let’s take a look at some ideas.

Love this leather studded mirror. Such a unique accessory!  And the little leather stools really tie in well.

contemporary living room design by los angeles interior designer Zuniga Interiors

This white leather bedframe is amazing! So classic but yet so modern.

eclectic bedroom design by other metros media and blogs Michelle Hinckley

I don't think I would have ever thought to put a leather bench in a bath but it would be easy to wipe down!

contemporary bathroom design by minneapolis architect Charlie Simmons - Charlie & Co. Design

A large leather ottoman instead of a coffee table can be a great accent piece.

contemporary living room design by minneapolis architect TEA2 Architects

Or you could just go with a leather covered coffee table!

contemporary living room design by san francisco interior designer Gioi Tran

This leather patio furniture is really crisp and modern.

modern pool design by philadelphia showroom usona

Or you could get real creative and use leather tiles on your fireplace. I think this is just amazing. What a statement!

modern living room design by san francisco architect Cary Bernstein Architect

Leather dining chairs in a traditional shape can be a great way to infuse a little classic charm into a room.

traditional dining room design by los angeles architect William Hefner Architecture Interiors & Landscape

Or you could just add leather panels to the wall. Such a neat accent in this home office.

contemporary home office design by houston interior designer A Waters

So there you go - some inventive ways to use leather around your home and in your design.  Now what do you think?  Do you have leather furniture in your home?  Any of these speak to you or give you some ideas?  I wanna know!

P.S.  You still have until tomorrow evening to enter my Cutie Bootie Boutique Giveaway!!  Hop on over!

Since tomorrow is Valentine’s Day I thought it would be fun to share some fun accessories that you could add to your home to create a little romance.

I adore this floral pillow!  So pretty and soothing.

Mum Pillow – Target – $24.99

You can’t go wrong with these classic flutes – perfect for sipping a little bubbly with your sweetie!

Oregon Flute – Crate & Barrel – $5.95

Love these little lanterns!  And for a set of six you can’t beat the price – or how romantic your patio would look!

Kate Aspen Mini Lanterns – Target – $19.99

How beautiful are these sconces?  Looks like something you would see Candace Olsen using!

Bling Lotus Sconce – ZGallerie – $39.99

Wouldn’t this beautiful throw be perfect for snuggling with your honey under?  Love the classic geometrical print. 

Fieldcrest Luxury Iconic Throw – Target – $44.99

Sometimes the most romantic thing is a single bud in a vase.  I think that is why I like this one so much.  And the fact that it is blinged out doesn’t hurt things either!

Ritz Mirrored Bud Vase – ZGallerie – $7.99

I think something about the soft amber glow that would come from these would be so romantic don’t you think?

Set of 3 Luster Hurricanes – Target – $12.99

And finally – to pinch a few pennies, instead of heading out for that romantic dinner, why not just eat in?

Cooking for Two – Amazon – $16.49

So there you go!  Eight great romantic touches!  See anything that sparked your interest?  What are your plans for this Valentine’s Day – anything special?  We went out to eat on Friday night but I think I will still cook something fun tomorrow night too! 

 

P.S.  If you have a special “little” someone in your life – you have to hop over and enter the Cutie Bootie Boutique Giveaway to win your own custom outfit!  They are honestly just too cute!