diy book a day advent calendar

November 25, 2014

I love to read.

So, I guess it won’t come as a surprise to you when I tell you that books have always had a place as part of my holiday celebration.

In my home, reading holiday books is as much a part of preparing for Christmas as leaving cookies for Santa or trimming the tree. Every November, the stack of holiday picture books packed away with the rest of the holiday trimmings, makes its way downstairs.

A great tradition I am sharing with you today is to create a more formal celebration of holiday books by making them into an Advent calendar. Wrap up 25 holiday books to stack by the fireplace or a cozy couch and have the children open one to read each evening during Advent.

The books don’t need to be about the holidays in the literal sense. You can choose stories of love, family, friendship, travel…or, even cooking –all appropriate themes relating to the holiday season. There are so many great books – you don’t need to limit yourself to How the Grinch Stole Christmas or ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. If you need some suggestions, here are a few titles we have enjoyed to get you started:

Santa Calls by William Joyce
Christmas in New York City by Roxie Munroe
The Finest Tree by John and Anne Hassett
Penquin and Pinecone: A Friendship Story by Salina Yoon
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
The Tree that Came to Stay by Anna Quindlen
Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

Be sure to include some titles with beautiful illustrations:

Old Turtle by Douglas Wood
Santa’s Favorite Story by Hisako Aoki and Ivan Gantscher
Simon and the Snowflakes by Gilles Tibo
The Snowman by Raymond Briggs
Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Also, it is fun to include titles that promote activities:

I Spy Christmas by Walter Wick and Jean Marzollo
Snowmen by Peter Cole, Frankie Frankeny, Leslie Jonath
Recipe for Adventure Series by Giada deLaurentiis and Francesca Gambatesa
Kids in the Holiday Kitchen: Making, Baking, Giving by Jessica Strand

When wrapping the books, you can choose a color theme to match your décor, holiday theme, or favorite color of the child(ren). I used kraft paper this year to wrap the books and added stickers I personalized with ‘book a day advent’ at Tiny Prints (click here for the website). Their stickers are great – so many cute designs to choose from, they can be personalized as you wish, and a set is very inexpensive. I added numbers to my personalized stickers using rubber stamps and added one to each wrapped book.

When adding the numbers, be conscious that you can be strategic by coordinating number placement with book selection. Number an activity book for the weekend, time a relative’s visit with an appropriate theme/title, or read ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas on the appropriate evening.

You can use books you already own and/or library books for this activity…no need for it to be an expensive project! Your local children’s librarian can help with your title selection if you need it. And, if you own the books, when opening your gifts this year, use the discarded wrapping paper to wrap up the books for next year’s book calendar!

I hope you are inspired to create a book Advent calendar this year! Have fun with it! I would love to hear your favorite titles! The children will love this activity – and, what better tradition than one that promotes a love for reading? :)

Thanks for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Finding Silver Pennies, House of Hipsters, Thoughts from Alice, Crafts a la Mode, and Sand & Sisal.

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rooms with a view in ct

November 21, 2014

Today we are taking a peek at a weekend in design featuring an Opening Night Gala; vignettes of interior design; a marketplace; a holiday fashion show and luncheon; and dinner with event chairman, Thom Filicia. (You know I love Thom…click here for our first meeting!)

Now in its 20th year, Rooms With a View has helped Southport Congregational Church help others by raising well over a million dollars for charitable causes.

The room vignettes are always inspiring…

My favorite room this year was designed by Forehand + Lake – a bright and styling cabin…

Every year I find different takeaways from the event. A couple of the lighting choices were really interesting this year…How cool is the lighting in this “Starry Night” themed room designed by NYSID students and alumni?

And, I found this light fixture, used by Jenny Wolf Interiors, as a unique choice…

Rooms With a View provides a great opportunity to get a jump on holiday shopping by offering a marketplace of vendors. You can see these items fit right in with my holiday theme!

Much like Susan Leggitt’s artwork inspired by the Maine Coast, I found these hand painted stars really awesome!

The meal and fashion show is always the most fun for me. The clothes from Millie Rae’s in Westport were my favorites and it is great the way the event people mix some thrift store finds in with the new fashions from local stores. This year, I loved that Borrowed (a rental company that specializes in bringing unique, mismatched, and whimsical touches to an event) provided an eclectic mix of plates to the luncheon service.

The meal provided by Festivities was delicious…

But, for me, the plates stole the show! How many more plate photos can I add? I just loved them!

The other wonderful design touch to the tables were the wallpaper runners provided by Farrow & Ball (no, those wallpaper scraps aren’t just for book covers)…

Rooms With a View is a great way for friends in Fairfield County, Connecticut to get together and be inspired. I hope some of the photos of the event on today’s Friday field trip have inspired you!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend, Jackie

Sharing with Liz Marie Blog, Crafts a la Mode, and Shabby Nest.

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tiny houses diy advent calendar

November 18, 2014

I love Advent calendars! Every year I end up making a least a couple! I’m not one to make a hanging calendar…I much prefer the 3D variety. The first one I am sharing with you this year uses a collection of simple paper houses. (Last year I shared one made from baby food jars, remember? Click here to see.)

I used white card stock to cut out a two piece house. I had planned on using gray card stock for the roofs, to create a nice contrast against the white ‘snow,’ but since the copy center was out of gray, I ended up painting the white card stock gray for my roofs. I used rubber stamps to add the numbers to the front of each house (and added a little glitter). I then added glass glitter ‘snow’ to the roofs…

You don’t need a mantel to display an Advent village…here is the village on a birch bark lined tray…

Or – you can use any shelf, table, or little corner in your home to add these tiny houses. To make them really magical, they need some snow and lights…don’t you think?

I am keeping mine pretty simple…just the houses with some snow – and, to go with my woodland theme, I added a white birch log…

So easy and so pretty! This is a wonderful project to create with children. I have another Advent calendar in the works to share soon!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Craftberry Bush, Sand & Sisal, Thoughts From Alice, and Finding Silver Pennies.

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balmy beach day in november

November 14, 2014

A balmy day in November certainly warrants a trip to the beach – no matter how brief. There are signs of the season here – the fall colors in the marsh…

an occasionally leaf under the docks…

but even with an odd sixty degree afternoon in November, winter is on its way.

For Friday field trip today, I am sharing a few photos from my trip to the beach this balmy day…

I’m here to collect some items for holiday crafts…

It is so much fun to repurpose collected materials from nature!

Today was the perfect day to do some scavenging!

Snow is predicted this week in Connecticut, so soon this fall scene will make way for the white stuff!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

And, remember to take pleasure in simple things…some of the very best things are the simple things!

Have a great weekend, Jackie

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diy tree in a bottle xmas ornament

November 11, 2014

Yes, I have admitted I am going through a little bit of a bottle obsession phase of late…creating holiday décor with little bottles has been really fun! Today, I am sharing a really easy DIY ‘tree in bottle’ Christmas ornament.

Like these Thanksgiving place card holders I shared, I used miniature bottles to create these tree ornaments. I have added a little ‘snow,’ and a miniature tree inside the corked bottle to create the cutest ornament!

The little bottles and trees are easy to find in a craft or dollar store. I chose a natural colored bottle brush tree for my creation since I have a passion for neutrals. For the ‘snow,’ use your favorite glitter, salt, or artificial snow.

To be able to hang the ornament, I screwed a tiny screw eye into the cork and added a length of brown and white baker’s twine. (The screw eyes are easy to find in the hardware section of your local Home Depot – you can buy a package and will have enough to make several ornaments.)

That, my friends, is it! Easy, right? And, so cute!

I hope you enjoyed today’s easy Christmas ornament DIY.

Thanks so much for stopping by and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with The Shabby Nest, Sand & Sisal, and Thoughts from Alice.

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in awe of autumn

October 28, 2014

If you follow my blog, you may have noticed that I visit at least one spot each year out of my normal routine (like when I took the fall steam train ride) to observe the beauty of autumn. Sometimes, removing myself from my daily surroundings really helps to provide me with a new perspective and an added appreciation for the beauty of nature all around me.

Placing myself in some new surroundings was my intent when I made a visit to Talcott Mountain State Park in Simsbury, Connecticut to hike up Talcott Mountain to the Heublein Tower. With two friends joining me, we picked a day that ended up being a beauty! The sun was shining and the weather was perfect! We probably missed the peak of the changing leaves by a week, but the foliage views were magnificent just the same!

The hike on Tower Trail to reach the Heublein Tower, at the top of the Talcott Mountain, is about 1.25 miles and we were enjoying every step of it!

Because of the time of year, the views were fantastic the entire walk; causing many stops along the way.

It was fun having a destination, but the hit of the day was definitely the foliage – not the tower!

The tower is a 165-foot structure built as a summer home in 1914 by Gilbert Heublein. Heublein was a celebrated German-born hotelier and restauranteur as well as an innovator in the American gourmet food and liquor industry. The tower holds some interesting history…in the early fifties, two future presidents visited the tower – General Dwight D. Eisenhower (who was asked to run for office there) and Ronald Reagan, then president of the Screen Actors’ Guild! History buffs are sure to enjoy the photographs and historical information on display throughout the building.

The tower is open and accessible to the public through the entire month of October. The hike to the tower is a wonderful family outing, especially since it is not a difficult climb and the park requires no admittance charge or parking fee.

Once at the tower, visitors (like me) can climb the six-storied structure to the top and admire the beautiful views of Connecticut and beyond.

On the horizon, Mount Monadnock, eighty miles away in New Hampshire, is discernible. To the northwest, the Berkshires dominate the horizon.

In addition to river views, Long Island Sound is revealed as a thin blue streak to the south. Those with sharp vision can see an area estimated to be 1,200 square miles.

This photo is the view out the door of the tower as we were leaving to head back down the trail…

And, this view is one from a stop along the trail heading down the mountain.

A truly wonderful afternoon sharing the beauty of the season with friends – in awe of autumn.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Craftberry Bush and Friday Finds.

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christmas in october

October 24, 2014

Hi friends! Earlier this week I shared my first Christmas post of the season with a gift tag tutorial. Today, I am continuing the holiday spirit with a shopping trip! Who doesn’t love a shopping trip, right! For today’s Friday field trip, I am sharing some of the items I’ve seen on an early shopping trip and am excited about for the upcoming holiday season. So, grab a cup of cocoa or tea on this cold, windy day and enjoy!

The first photo is one of some bottle trees at Terrain. You probably already know of my love for Terrain. This season, they are carrying bottle brush trees in many shades – including aqua and teal (did you see the photo on my Instagram?)…so exciting! Another really cool item I saw in the Westport store, was a candleholder in the shape of a house and made of cinnamon bark…can’t you just imagine the smell when the candle is lit!? I wish you had a scratch and sniff screen!

I also loved these cocktail napkins..so natural yet elegant! Since there are only two Terrain stores in the country, you may not have the opportunity to shop this fabulous home and garden resource. If not, take some time to check the website for some great holiday inspiration.

Talking about inspiration…what about this chalkboard wrapping paper at Paper Source! Definitely 50 feet of fun!

Christmas always involves ornaments and I love looking at the variety of ornaments offered at each of my favorite stores throughout the holidays. With my passion for typography, I could not ignore this stunner from Pottery Barn! I want to hang them up in many word combinations…like fa la la and ho ho ho!

I have been enarmored with this mistletoe ornament at Crate & Barrel for a couple of years now…so happy they are still offering it! I love to put them on packages of bridal shower or engagement gifts…so lovely!

I LOVE this Terrain ornament! Any favorite dried flower can be added…from your own garden or from a special bouquet! Even a lock of hair or small photo would be a great addition!

Mercury glass votives are always a lovely way to add some sparkle during the holidays. This year, Crate & Barrel not only offers some really inexpensive options, but has colors that remind me of the sea. At only $4.95 each, you can create a pretty cluster at a reasonable price for a beautiful sea inspired glow. :) Also, be sure to check out their snowflake hurricanes.

Fresh flowers are great all the time, but at the holidays they are always a requirement. Anthropologie has not yet put out their holiday merchandise, but I love these pinched vases as an artistic way to display a few beautiful blooms.

Ballard Designs always offers some beautiful holiday items, and this year is no exception. These gray and white antler totes really appeal to my neutral color passion! The Suzanne Kasler collection this year also features bears in a gray tone.

Christmas is always so very exciting for the children and it is wonderful to find great items for the kids (or the kids in us!) :) This cookie stamp from Crate & Barrel is sure to leave a smile on the faces of the kids during a Christmas Eve cookie making session for Santa!

Decorating the children’s rooms in a special way during the holiday is a great way to add to the excitement to the season. This year, Garnet Hill has a pattern called “North Pole” that is cheery and seasonal…

And, for the cutest little night light, how about this flameless squirrel candle from West Elm that can be used all year long!

With all the shopping and decorating, a relaxing cup of tea is always in order during the holidays…even better in a pretty mug. This monogrammed vine mug is from Terrain and oh, so pretty! It would also make a great holiday gift for that special teacher!

The last item I am going to share is also from Terrain. I love this inexpensive hanging zinc bucket as an alternative to a front door wreath! Filled with greens or holly, it makes for a really interesting addition to the outdoor decor! Don’t you love the dots! It would also make a great indoor organizer for wrapping supplies.

So that is it for today’s Friday field trip! I hope you enjoyed our little preseason holiday shopping trip! There is so much more to explore as the stores start stocking up…let me know some of your favorites!!

Please note that none of the photos in this post were taken by me…they came from the respective store websites.

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Shabby Nest.

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beach house dresser redo

October 14, 2014

Today I am sharing a summer beach house dresser redo. I am really proud of the finished piece because I think it captures the spirit of the owner’s personality while still keeping the nostalgic vibe of the house.

The dresser is really, really old and had tons of paint on it! I probably spent more time stripping the top of this piece than the total time I spent stripping all the pieces I have worked on in my lifetime! Yes, I did think about abandoning the stripping – painting the entire piece would have been so much easier! But, I just couldn’t do it! This dresser has been in a family beach house at least three generations and I really thought the best way to pay homage to it was to have a little bit of the original wood intact.

After all that stripping and sanding – I can’t even fathom how many coats of paint were applied to the dresser – the piece of wood that made up the top wasn’t even very nice! The piece seems to have been homemade and possibly constructed of scrap wood. It definitely has tons of character!

I chose a dark stain for the top, hoping the finish would be a little more forgiving to the not so great quality of the wood. I chose Minwax Dark Walnut stain and added three coats of Minwax Satin Finish polyurethane.

Although the owner of the beach house loves color and would have enjoyed a bright colored dresser, the man of the house really didn’t want any color at all! I think I came up with a good compromise by staining the top of the piece and adding a little color and metallic to the drawer fronts. I know the owner well enough to know her style is definitely one that includes tons of color and plenty of glam!

For the drawer fronts, I mixed Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White with Antoinette and a touch of Graphite to create a shade of pink that coordinated well with the dark walnut stained top.

After adding a coat of Annie Sloan clear wax, I did a second coat using dark wax and finished it off with some touches of gilding wax. I added the gilding wax to the drawer pulls and top edge of the dresser.

I am thrilled with the way the dresser came out – hopefully to be enjoyed by many more generations! I was asked to give new life to all the bedroom dressers in the house, so I am looking forward to additional inspiring pieces! Thanks for joining me for today’s makeover.

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Finding Silver Pennies, Sand & Sisal, and Coastal Charm.

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keeping it neutral – white party pumpkins

October 7, 2014

White pumpkins are the best pumpkins. I think so anyway! Never a big fan of orange pumpkins, when white pumpkins started showing up on the scene, I took notice!

Every fall, I use tons of mini white pumpkins in my decor. And, every fall I change things up a little. Today, I am sharing a few of the white pumpkins around my home this year so I can show you how easy they can be adapted to a fall party or get together.

SET THE TONE. Since small pumpkins only cost one or two dollars, they are an extremely inexpensive way to decorate. If you are putting together a fall mantel or buffet table, a group of white pumpkins can add a lot of impact and create a wonderful fall atmosphere for very little cost.

Try to find pumpkins with interesting stems to add some real character to your display! :)

Here I put some white pumpkins on the mantel with some acorns I collected. A great way to add a sense of warmth is to add a scarf to the mix. Using one I already had, the total cost of decorating the mantel was only a few dollars. Isn’t this an elegant way to decorate for a fall get together?

BY THE NUMBERS. If you are hosting a shower or other large party this fall, white mini pumpkins are the perfect way to display a table number! Or, use a cluster of number pumpkins as a centerpiece. A permanent marker is all you need to create these typography inspired pumpkins!

Even if you are not hosting a party, they look great in clusters around your home! Most of us have numbers that hold a special significance…add them to a pumpkin! A wedding date, jersey number, or house number are other numbers you can add to mini pumpkins. Don’t you love the black against the white?!

I love adding hollowed out pumpkins with votives inserted to add some additional atmosphere for an evening get together…they add such a nice glow! With so many colors and scents of candles, it is possible to get really creative. I don’t like scented candles near food – but elsewhere think about the many possibilities – maybe a black candle scented like licorice! On the buffet table, you can also serve your condiments inside hollowed out mini pumpkins.

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR…party favor, that is! Okay, so I mentioned the low cost of mini pumpkins. How inexpensive is a mini pumpkin used as a favor? You can add any embellishments you like. This pumpkin happened to be created as a special remembrance for a friend, but could easily be used as a party favor.

I just added some ribbon and a little sand dollar…so sweet!

I hope you are inspired to use white pumpkins in the decor for your next fall party! Please share your pumpkins on Instagram with hashtag #pleasuregram! Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at The Shabby Nest, Craftberry Bush, Finding Silver Pennies, Sand & Sisal, and Elizabeth & Co.

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antique school desk redo & fall welcome

September 23, 2014

This year’s start to the school year was very sad for me – no one to send off to the first day of school! Luckily, I found a distraction! I renovated an old school desk. I found the perfect way to welcome the new school year and the new season!

This old wooden one-piece school desk was in my friend’s basement and it was just crying out for some attention. I decided to try Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint since I haven’t yet had the opportunity to do so. I used a color called grain sack – instantly my favorite in the line… it is a wonderful neutral. I was hoping to create a real chippy looking finish, but that wasn’t in the stars!

Mixing the paint myself, I thought if I skipped adding the bonding agent that helps the paint adhere to the surface, I would get tons of chipping… that didn’t happen. I guess the surface of my piece was too porous? Any experienced milk paint people willing to contemplate the lack of chippyness? I guess I need a little more experimentation with the paint to figure it out.

So, without the chippyness, I decided to distress the finish. And, even though the piece didn’t chip, I love the way it came out. Of course, this old desk wouldn’t be complete without adding a chalkboard finish to the writing surface! After I finished waxing the rest of the piece, I used chalkboard spray paint on the desk’s writing surface – carefully masking off the finished sections of the piece.

Can’t you just hear the school bell ringing? I can also hear the whisper of the new season in the air. The kiss of autumn has already started turning the hydrangeas a subtle color of pink.