2013 Year in Review {In Perfect Perspective}

Is it really possible that another year has passed? 

I feel like I blinked and missed it! 

Do you ever roll into a year with BIG plans, only to find yourself on plan B, or C, or D within a few short weeks?

We started our year gearing up to do some really big projects on our beach house, and to take the business in new directions, and to blog lots more. Then I got an email from a sweet older gentleman asking if I was still interested in buying his waterfront condo -- um, yes!  Isn't it funny how our best-laid plans can go flying out the window?

How to Make {Pretty} Three Dimensional Snowflakes

Here is a fun spin-off of the six-pointed dimensional origami stars I shared about here. If you can make those simple stars (and you can, I promise), you can easily make these sweet little dimensional snowflakes!

I made my snowflakes using six-inch square origami paper that I picked up in China Town, but you can use scrap book paper, or old maps, or vintage book pages.  Just go with whatever you happen to have on hand!

How to Make a Folded Paper Star {The Easy Way}

We've had a last minute change of Christmas plans.  Eeeeek!  Instead of going out to our beach cottage for Christmas, we are staying in the city to accommodate family work schedules. I wasn't actually planning on putting up a tree in the city, and don't really have too many ornaments here -- only a few thrifted Shiny Bright ornaments.

I did, however, have quite a few sheets of origami paper picked up when we lived in China Town, so I grabbed glue and stapler and scissors and ribbon, and went to work making these sweet little six-pointed dimensional stars.

Do You Have an Elf on a Shelf?

Do you have an Elf on a Shelf?  Maybe you have a newer one, or maybe, like me you have a vintage elf? I found this little crew of retro Christmas elves a few years ago in a Seattle thrift store -- the whole bag was only $1.99!

We didn't actually have this type of little pixie elf on our tree when I was growing up.  My mom thought they were tacky. Instead, we had yarn Santas and yarn angels -- you know, the high class stuff.

Make a Pretty Pompom Garland from Vintage Book Pages

The other day I shared how to make the world's easiest  word  banner.  In that post, the word banner was layered with a pretty pompom garland.

The pompom garland is pretty simple, too!

The World's Easiest Word Banner

Sometimes you only have five minutes to spare, but that's all you need to create a little JOY banner like this one!

This project couldn't be easier, and you don't need any fancy machines or expensive materials.

Weave a Celtic Inspired Star from Vintage Book Pages

I think you all know how much I love working with vintage book pages.... and I'm pretty sure most of you know I love to weave traditional Scandinavian stars from folded strips of vintage book pages, right?  Well, last Christmas, my husband and I were at an Irish pub on the coast, listening to a favorite Irish band, when I started to notice the lovely Celtic crosses all around.

I thought it would be fun to weave a Celtic cross design into one of the woven stars I was making.  I LOVE how it turned out! I think it looks great made completely from vintage book pages, but maybe next time I will use a contrasting material for the cross portion. What are your thoughts on that?

Make a Driftwood Sailboat Ornament

My friend and I made some darling little sailboats on one of her visits out to the Pacific Northwest. We had so much fun beach combing and talking, and thrifting and talking, and crafting and talking.

Here is how you can make your own sailboat ornaments!

Ideas for Displaying Children's Art

A couple of years ago I shared about our art collection. We have a giant portfolio of our children's artwork. At one point, years ago, the art lined the walls of our breakfast room.

It made our kiddos feel so good about themselves to have their work displayed so prominently in our home!

Of course, our kiddos are all in their twenties now, and they don't really care if I hang their childhood artwork, but I think I want to hang a few select pieces -- maybe incorporate them into a gallery wall of other art or family pictures.

If you want to display your own collection, but are not sure where to start, here are some beautiful art installations for inspiration!

How to Bring Vintage Industrial Style into Your Home

As urban populations continue to grow, we are going to continue seeing residential areas expanding to abandoned factory buildings. More and more, people are recognizing and appreciating the need to preserve our history and our resources through adaptive re-use.

Of course, not everyone can live in a downtown factory loft, so here are a few ways to bring that look and feel into your own home!