Pretty Desks Inspiration

Whether you're browsing through Pinterest, or searching Google Images, finding just the right inspiration for a project can be overwhelming. I've been wanting to "pretty" up my desk, and looked to others for some great tips and ideas. Naturally, I wanted to share with you too!

I love the colorful accents, and little desk trays here at PrimitiveAndProper

I LOVE the organization in the drawers of this desk at I Heart Organizing. I need that washi tape collection....now. 

Having a design board behind my desk would be a great help like this one at Best Friends for Frosting.

The link is for a spanish webpage, but the concept is adorable. Glasses with pretty paper wrapped inside at Casa Abril.

Clemson Garden Flag

It's no secret that we are hardcore Clemson Tiger fans. Our house is decorated appropriately during football season, and our cars are decorated year-round. But we needed something extra. A sweet little pop of orange.

I updated our garden flag.

Using my embroidery machine, and some leftover burlap, I got to sewing. 

I left the edges of the burlap raw, stitching around the edges to keep it from fraying too much. I like the distressed look of burlap outside.

To keep the flag neat, I sewed another piece of burlap to the back, to add weight and hide the stitching from all sides. I think it gives it a more finished look, and the wind doesn't flip it over so easily.

Sweet and perfect. Always saying "Go Tigers!"

Flying Geese

It was time for a new table runner. I'm still cleaning out my scrap bin and refusing to  buy new fabric this year for small projects. We have a lot of teal in our living room, so I wanted to use some of those scraps to make us a new runner for our TV stand. 

This was my first attempt at making "flying geese" blocks. After doing the math and cutting of the fabric, the piecing was actually much easier than expected. I don't think I'd want to do a whole quilt this way, but it made a nice border.

I arranged them to be "flying" around the border of my table runner. I made sure to throw a few orange geese in there too for a pop of color.

Most of the middle is covered by the TV base, but I quilted it with rows of straight lines, close together. I also quilted in the ditch of a few of the geese to hold everything together for when it gets washed.

The backing was another large scrap piece, from my Modern Herringbone Quilt. I love it, so I hate that it's now hiding on the back.

The orange and white striped binding added that last pop of color I needed. Sometimes having lots of patchwork and quilted items can make a house feel "old"... but if you make them in a modern color palette, with clean lines and patterns, they can look great in a modern home!

It's now happily resting under my TV!

Organize a Gift Wrap Station

Have you ever been invited to a party at the last minute (or remembered to buy a gift at the last minute...whoops!) or needed to throw a gift together quickly, only to not have or not be able to find your wrapping supplies?? You need a gift wrap station!!
 

 

I've seen people hide them in trunks, or inside closet doors, and those are great options too! But I need to be able to drag mine around sometimes to avoid wrapping near the kids. This one is more portable, and still super organized!

First:

Get yourself one of these! Mine is by Rubbermaid, but you can find these at craft and home improvement stores in the storage section. It holds LOTS of wrapping paper, and keeps everything nice and tidy in the back of the closet.

Second:

Where to put all of the "things" you need to wrap and make gifts pretty??

Enter...the wrapping station.

This is just a bin with see through drawers. They come in lots of sizes, and drawer amounts to fit your needs.

The most important step in keeping things organized....

LABELS

And because I love my readers, I'm working on making these labels in LOTS of colors for YOU to use on your own wrapping stations. They'll be available for download soon.

The labels in LOTS of colors are available HERE for download.

I have a drawer just for tulle and curling ribbon. I like to wrap gifts with tulle these days, because it's pretty, and my cat eats the curling ribbon. It's not pretty when that happens.

Another drawer is dedicated to gift bags. I keep a few gender and occassion-neutral bags in my wrapping station so I always have a go-to bag when I need it! Solid colors are great for this. You can dress them up with ribbons and tulle to make them manly or girly.

One good investment to make if you're creating a wrapping station is to have a large stash of tissue paper.

Go to your favorite party store and pick up one of every color that you see (or would normally use). There's nothing more irritating than getting ready to wrap a gift only to find out you are out of the one color tissue you need! Having a good stash will be of benefit to you.

There are hundreds of ways to organize your gift wrap as well as lots of places to put it in your house. The best place is for it to be out of sight, but still accessible so that gift wrapping isn't a chore! After all, it's supposed to be joyful to give a good gift!

Guest Post: Kathy Joe from Yorkshire Linens

A lot of my time lately has been devoted to making our home more cozy and modern. I am excited today to have a guest from "across the pond" who is going to share with you some AWESOME ideas on revamping your bedroom with sweet and cozy linens. Ya'll know I love a good quilt or crocheted pillow, so these ideas are definitely on my to-add list to my bedroom. Kathy Joe writes a blog for Yorkshire Linen sharing lots of ways to pretty-up your rooms for everyday and for the changing seasons.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi My name is Kathy Joe and today I am so glad to be here. I am a crafts person from head to toe. I love exploring unique crafts and designs. I would be flattered if you visited my blog here. 

10 Modish Ways to Feel Cosy with Bed Throws
As a budget-conscious decorator (as most of us are these days!) throws play a big part in my planning and implementation of colour schemes and décor themes. Throws go easily with any type of interior and can often enhance and harmonise the look and feel of a room.

Everywhere in the Home
Throws are not just to be kept in the bedroom as a practical, spare blanket. They can be put to great effect, draped artfully over the end of the sofa or folded invitingly on a comfy chair in the conservatory – perfect for cuddling up with a good book, or simply to while away half an hour watching the birds in the garden. Match the throw to your curtains for a wonderfully polished effect.

 Texture the Room
Choose a variety of deeply textured throws to add layers and interest to the décor in your room. Smooth, plain fabrics can be attractive, but the addition of intricate texture, in the form of a throw or two, can really infuse the room with a cosy depth and warmth.

 Knit Up a Storm
Add true home-made cosiness to your rooms by making your own knitted or crocheted throws. You can tailor each throw to the room’s décor and the mere fact that you have made them by yourself will give you an immense ego boost each time someone compliments you. If the thought of making an entire blanket seems too daunting, break it down into component squares and set a time for each square to be completed. It may take a while, especially if you are a novice knitter or crocheter, but you will be surprised at the sense of satisfaction you feel seeing a completed throw just waiting for someone to snuggle up in it!

 Lace (or lace effect)
Fine and delicate, lace throws look amazing, adding instant femininity and charm to any room’s décor. If they are made from the correct thread and fabric they are surprisingly sturdy too, despite looking as though they have been woven from spiders’ silk by fairies!

 Bed Throws: Shabby Chic
A wonderful way to fill a room with cosy appeal is to add elements of shabby chic. Shabby chic throws can be sweetly floral, chunky warm knit or charming, old-fashioned patchwork, meaning that you can find the perfect throw to add shabby chic to any room, no matter the current colour scheme or décor theme.

 

 Smooth and Elegant

If you are something of a perfectionist, wanting everything in the room to look immaculate and precise, choose a smooth and elegant set of throws. Tweed throws, with perhaps a tasselled edging look marvellous, adding a very rich air to the bed or sofa, and they are sturdy and durable, sure to last many years.

Sensual Faux Fur

For decadent tactile luxury, opt for a sensuous faux fur throw, preferably on your bed, so that you can roll yourself up in it and enjoy the wonderful sensation of being caressed by the fabric. You can choose from quirky vibrant colours, or opt for more natural and neutral shades, or even invest in animal print faux fur throws for a more authentic experience.

Size Does Matter!

Invest in generously sized throws to add extra cosiness to the decor, being able to fold, swathe and drape your throws gives the décor a comforting invitation that is hard to resist. Smaller throws that just cover the knees seem skimpy and mean which can make the room seem sparsely furnished and unwelcoming.

Matching Cushions
Cushions go with throws like Ant goes with Dec! Buying matching cushions and throws, especially if they pick up and enhance the décor’s accent colour, can really finalise and polish the rooms overall look and feel, making it inviting and warm.

Splash of Colour

One of the best uses for a throw in décor is to add a splash of colour to the room, brightening and enlivening the décor. Opt for cheerful, clear colours that harmonise and accent the other colours in the room to infuse a cheerful note into the home.

Throws are a wonderfully cheap way of making small, subtle, but noticeable changes to your décor, making them the perfect tool for someone who is constantly tweaking and updating their home. Buy a good range of throws in many different colours to enable you make the most of your home.

Thanks so much Kathy Joe!! Now, go pretty up your rooms just in time for Valentine's Day! It will give you something warm and cozy to do while we're thawing out from this snow!

For The Love of Monograms

It's no secret that I love a good monogram. In fact, I love any monogram, pretty much anywhere! I'm even lucky enough to have a husband who appreciates the personal touch that a monogram can add to an outfit or home décor item.

In planning out my crafting for the next few weeks and months, I want to add a few more monograms to my life. Here are some things that I already have in my home, as well as a few ideas that I'll be trying out soon. Updates will follow of course!

The monogrammed pillow, as well as the large framed wall monogram were both part of my Bedroom Redo

 Our Year Round Wreath has a monogram as well as the southern charm of a palmetto tree to welcome guests to our home.

When doing the "Big Girl Room" makeover, I made baby girl a framed monogram. The frame is from Hobby Lobby, and I used my silhouette to cut her monogram out of cardstock, then layered it with pretty scrapbook paper! Easy and very pretty.

It may be small, but adding a monogram to our rocking chairs makes a sweet little statement. This is where WE belong.

In the next few months, I want to make a gallery wall in our house. The Baeza Blog has made this gorgeous monogram for her wall, that I would love to have too!

Nine and Sixteen used  a crisp linen for her pillows, and I love the subtle white monogram on these.

On The Table Designs sells these monogrammed burlap placemats, but they would be quick and easy to DIY with either en embroidery machine, or with freezer paper stenciling.

Pottery Barn sells beautiful sheets, and you can have them personalized for you. I need to take some of the sheets we have now and add a little "His" and "Hers" to our pillowcases for a personal touch.

I have friends who would monogram everything in their house if they could. We like to say...

"It's not mine til it's monogrammed"

It's so true.

Bathroom Printables

Every now and then an update is in order. This one is long overdue. We've had our sweet baby boy in the house for almost a year now, yet the kids bathroom is still pink and green. Whoops. I didn't want to do a total overhaul, so I thought that changing one color would be sufficient. I swapped the pink for gray and that did the trick!

 

We had three picture frames on the wall with pink flowers...those had to go. I kept the green frames and made some bathroom printables to fill the frames.

And because sharing is caring....
Here are the printables for YOU!

I made them in 4 bathroom-friendly colors to hopefully match your décor.

Just right click and "save as".
These fit in an 8x10 frame with a small white border. You can resize to fit your needs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Decorating!