Stephanie Howell

Christmas Vignettes

I just wanted to quickly share some photos of the Christmas decorating happening in our little Italian apartment.

My favorite thing about this apartment is the ceilings. The thing that's taken the most getting used to? Italian marble floors. They are COLD. And hard.

When I purchased these OOOOOLLLLLD cubbies from the antique market downtown, I had no idea what to do with them. Turns out they are perfect for the Christmas treasures I've gathered over the years! :)

A few detail shots:

Well, that's it for today. It's beginning to look (and feel) a lot like Christmas around here and I can't tell you how happy that makes me.

Haven't done a single page in my December Daily, didn't get around to wrapping the 25 Christmas books this year, and I don't have a mantel to hang my stockings on (they are on our coat tree).

But you know what?

I am okay with it. More than okay. Because none of that really matters. I'll get to it when/if I get to it.

My heart is full.

xoxo

S

 

p.s. I'll be back tomorrow with the giveaway winner from last week!

Halloween/Fall Home Decor Tour

cinderella pumpkins/mums (there was a bumper crop of mums this year and they are CHEAP. five dollars a piece.)

Happy Wednesday, y'all! Instead of doing Wordless(ish?!?!) Wednesday this week I thought I'd do a tour of my fall/Halloween decor!

Fall is my favorite season. It always has been,but this year I have reason to really celebrate.

It is the first time we are experiencing a REAL fall as a family.

I'll do my best to share where I got everything,

but please ask any questions you might have and I'll answer them right in the comment section!


feather wreaths(joAnn from last year)/glitter pumpkin(target)/monogram pumpkin(the christmas tree shops)/blackpumpkins(michaels)/text pumpkin(marshall's from years ago)

This is the vignette on top of the bar in our sun room. The feathers are actually wreaths that I purchased last year. I love collecting pumpkins and have so many. I had fun grouping them like this.

place mats(joann)/fake gourds(hobby lobby)/assortment of real pumpkins and gourds/wicker pumpkin(i've had this for a REALLY long time and have no idea where it is from)

This is our centerpiece right now. It will likely stay up through Thanksgiving. We are hosting my brother and my sister in law and I think that with a few additions,this centerpiece will be just right.

gold pumpkin(tj maxx) /spooky plate(target last year)/owl and cat(the christmas tree shops/vintage "6" letterpress/gold h(hobby lobby)/vintage silhouette needlepoint and frame/felt jack-o-lantern(gift)/fall berry garland/feather wreath(joann)/halloween sign(hobby lobby)/antique mirror

You see this little table when you enter our front door. It makes me happy every time I walk in the door. :)

Here are some detail shots:
 

gourd from produce stand/squirrel (two smart cookies in savannah)

This is a little squirrel that sits on a table to the left of the front door. Yes,the babies always play with him. And I am okay with that. :)
halloween banner(target)/circle garland(made by my mother)/starburst mirror(belongs to homeowners)

It's no secret that I love decorating our mantel. It's kind of decoration central in our home.

Here are the details:

glitter pumpkin to right (the christmas tree shops),assortment of Hs/jack-o-lantern to the left(marshalls from years ago)

fall pillow(gift)/fake pumpkins(hobby lobby)/"halloween is a hoot"owl(the christmas tree shops)/glitter feathers(michaels)
mercury glass pumpkin(tj maxx)

And last but not least, I just kind of have pumpkins scattered all over the house. This one is my new favorite. I haven't found the perfect place for it yet, so I just kind of move it all over.
This hand-painted polka dot pumkin (a gift from my mom) is in the bathroom).
And I have these black pumpkins (from Michaels) all over the house. I am going to paint a few of them this week and I'll share the results!

Well,that's it. Hope you enjoyed it! Some of you have asked for a decor tour, so I though I'd share. :)

Have a beautiful and blessed day.

xoxo

all that glitters

yeah yeah yeah...as much as i LOVE valentine's day i'm not ready to put up pink and red just yet.

i modified our christmas mantel to make it more fitting for a new year's eve/winter theme.

first i took off anything red or green, anything that said "christmas" on it, and got rid of the stockings.

i took a gold and silver jewel/pine cone garland and hung it through the stocking hooks:

 

next i embellished the ornament wreath with a glitter feather and a "six".

i flanked the mantel on either side with arrangements of peacock feathers, silver/gold feathers, pearls, silver pinwheels (found locally), and other shimmery goodies.

and last but not least, i gathered all of the glittered accents from the christmas decor (reindeer, snowflakes, angels, "joy",etc) and scattered them across the mantel:

 

so there you have it! ready for 2012! happy friday! xxo

it's (finally!!) beginning to look a lot like christmas!

some new, some very old.

all of it collected lovingly over the years.

and walking in my front door puts a smile on my face every single time.

lit christmas tree, christmas cottage candle burning, vintage twinkle lights above my kitchen sink flashing...

i love love love this time of year!

and to top off this holiday post...

how about an ode to sadie's favorite movie elf!

happy tuesday!xxo

 

 

 

halloween inspiration

would you believe me if i told you that my boxes of fall/halloween decor are still in the attic? i know, i know...SO unlike me!

i WILL get them down this weekend. i will i will! i don't know what's wrong with me. too much going on!

i have gotten a few things up...this year for the first time ever i decided to do dark/halloween decor instead of fall decor. i've always been more into pumpkins/gourds/leaves etc as opposed to spooky stuff, but this year i was in the mood to go dark.

tablescape with black pumpkins (target) and mini black feather wreaths (joann). i am OBSESSED with these feather wreaths right now.

i ordered this one for the front door the other day:

and i love the pewter one too:

they are on BIG time sale right now!

 

my super classy and expensive construction paper/twine bats hanging from the chandelier...i got the template here.

i'm going to make more black pom poms like these,i need to go get more of the cheap tissue packs at target!

i'm wanting to do LOTS more. here's some things i've found on pinterest that i'm dying to do.

 

i know there's not a snowflakes chance in you-know-where that i'd be able to do this. i mean are you KIDDING me? i have a hard time cutting eye holes. but i love this woodgrain pumpkin via martha stewart.

 

puff paint spider webs via woman's day

 

spooky terrariums via country living

black and white pumpkins via country living

 

whew. i need to get to work now!!

one last thing- my very first tutorial went live on the SC blog today. it's about doilies+misting! i had a blast doing it. go take a look and let me know what you think!

i hope you have a beautiful, blessed day! xoxo

an easy way to brighten up a room

martha stewart paper flowers+pushpins= a simple,happy wall makeover!

especially in a room you can't paint.

(print from pleasebestill on etsy)

happy monday!

xxo

s

spring/easter garland

when i was in the dollar general this weekend, i picked up a bunch of these sweet doilies.

they were in the easter section, one dollar per package of 40. i got two packages of pink, two of yellow, and two of the white eggs.

i wasn't sure what i was going to do with them, i just knew i loved them.

then it came to me...a banner. inspired by papel picado. i grew up in texas, and you see this kind of mexican folk art EVERYWHERE. i have always loved it.

so using the thin (almost tissue paper-ish) doilies,

 

 

 

& regular old twine,

i made a simple banner that looked like this. and i loved it. it took about 20 minutes and cost next to nothing.

 

 

i looked at it for a good while as i was feeding the babies and decided that it needed something else. so i added some notions to the eggs.

and didn't really like it, but didn't have time to fix it. my attentions were soon called elsewhere (you know the drill...watch me mommy! watch MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!).

i obsessed about it all night long, b/c that's how i roll...and it's not like i was sleeping anyway ;)

and when i got up in the morning, i added these:

and then it "felt" right.

i love it!!

 

and oh- no sewing required. these doilies have holes in the perfect place at the top, i simply strung the twine through two holes on each doily.

so there you have it!

 

 

 

up next? i plan on making some all pink banners for birthdays, etc.

the hoarder in me kind of wants to go buy MORE MORE MORE of those doilies. i can't control myself. hehehe!

and another project in the works?

a peeps banner.

see you soon, happy monday!

xoxo

s

 

 

love is in the air.

valentine's day is surely my favorite holiday. what's not to love about it?

pink

red

hearts

doilies

flowers

and celebrating love.

that's the best if you ask me.

i went back through my photos from last year to look at some of my home decor for valentine's day.

i hope to do most of these ideas again this year.

i made these garlands using supplies from oriental trading, and some scrapbooking embellishments from makingmemories.

 

 

 stringing doilies up is super easy and super cheap. these were from the baking section in my local grocery.

 

we had these cupcakes made for sadie's 2nd birthday party...how precious are they? 

 

arrange heart cookie cutters (mine are from the dollar store) on a platter and fill them with a variety of valentine's candies.

 

new this year...a garland my super talented and creative mama made for me. she has a shop, too! if you message her, i bet she could even do a custom garland.

 and speaking of last year...i cannot believe that this love bug will be THREE tomorrow. oh my goodness, where does the time go?

 

 i went through my recent pins at pinterest, and wanted to share some of my favorite valentine's ideas.

 i can never ever get enough of garlands. i LOVE this one below...it's romantic, girly, and funky all at once. original source is creature comforts.

 

 

 using cupcake liners to make bouquets is super frilly and sweet. i'll be making some of these this year. easy peasy. original source- kara's party ideas

 

all white heart garland, pure, clean and pretty. i never would have guess how this was made, either. find out how to make it on the original source, michele made me.

 

 

 Super cute wreath made using vintage book pages. We all know i LOVE a good vintage book page project! See instructions on the original source, lindsey's craft list.

 

this makes me want to have a party now. love the soft color choices.

 

 how sweet ar these candy sundaes? this and the photo above are both from kara's party ideas.

 i plan on making this fairy tree with the chickies.from disney family.

 

 

 this is beautiful.from papercrave.

 

another precious, precious way to use cupcake liners. i really want to make these for the girls for valentine's day. i'd like to have one for each of them on their breakfast table when they wake up.

original source: skip to my lou

 

 and last but not least, a few pretty gift wrapping ideas. i DREAM of being able to wrap gifts this prettily.

unfortunately, i'm a disaster when it comes to wrapping gifts. hot.mess.

i'll keep dreaming, though.

original source for both images below: papercrave

 

 

 

i also thought i'd share some of my favorite valentine-ish projects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and one last thing...my friend veronica at shabby chic crafts has a really cool idea available in her shop...

printable valentine's cards.They're $5 and the customer can print as many as they want. Veronica thinks it's an especially great deal for mamas with more than one child.

i wanted to share b/c i think they are so stinkin' stinkin' cute and i thought some of y'all might be looking for valentines!

CLICK HERE to go to her shop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

hope you have a beautiful, blessed tuesday. xxo

s