Your Bird Buddies are Hungry

Don't throw out that old dried out bagel....

With peanut butter and  twine you can save that bagel from heading down the disposal or to the landfill and attract some wildlife to your yard.


The Red Pepper? It's optional, birds do not have taste buds, but squirrels do!
So if you want to repel squirrels and attract birds, sprinkle the peanut butter with Red Pepper flakes or some Cayenne Pepper. String up the bagel with twine and hang it about five feet above the ground.

Anniethedog clearing the yard of squirrels.





...And look! A Hairy Woodpecker!!

Okay, he is on the suet feeder, next to the bagel, but I was too cold and impatient to get a picture of him eating the bagel.  (However, I believe, he is LOOKING at, and seriously considering  the bagel).

Rearrange a room without sweating or swearing

I have a difficult time envisioning a furniture arrangement without pushing the couch physically from one end of the room to the other. But my niece directed me to the Bassett Room Planner , where you can create the dimensions of your room and drag either generic pieces or photo representations of  furniture around your plan.

      
We used this site when we began planning a master suite addition onto our home. It really helped us think about structural features like window placement based on where you would logically place the furniture.

Give it a try at:
Bassett Room Planner

How to: Arrange Your Bookshelves

The easiest way to create interest on your bookshelves is to stack some books horizontally.  Leave voids and use a pile of three heavy books or a substantial accessory as a book end. Don't make the bookshelves symmetrical, but leave alternating spaces open to achieve a balanced look.

"Shop" your cupboards to find your favorite platters and bowls to add to your display of books and photos.

Use books as platforms to raise and highlight smaller accessories or photos.

Hide small objects, clutter and paper in decorative baskets.

Don't mix hard bound books with paperbacks, display them separately.

Every room needs a little black....

Every room needs a little black. Don't be afraid, it's an accent .... think eyelashes and eyebrows.

This room started with a collection of  black "school" chairs . Although  all Hitchcock chairs, they are all a bit different and my husband had them scattered throughout the house (He claims they are from all the schools that kicked him out). But generally, any collection  makes a bigger  impact when you display the pieces together. The table is from Amish Originals and the  Honeybee rug and chandelier from one of my favorites, Ballard Designs.

Like the little black dress, black never goes out of style. It's classic, and the pieces will pop out. It brings everything into focus

.

A formerly hunter green lamp after my favorite home decor fix: black spray paint.

Annie Sullivan/ Anniethedog my faithful black accent.

Terrariums

After viewing a segment on The Growing Trend in Terrariums,  on Sunday Morning, I decided a terrarium, or three, would be just the thing to bring some life into my dinning room. 

For $5 a piece, at TJ Maxx/Home Goods, I purchased  three candle hurricanes. Loved the price and was reassured that if/when the plants die I can replace them with big pillar candles!

I bought 6 small plants from Home Depot and a bag of potting soil. I found it easier to pour in a bit of dirt, set the plants in and then fill in the gaps with the soil. I used Boston Fern, Hoya, small succulents and Peperomia.

I have owned this terrarium for years, and it
continues to thrive with a misting of water once a month. 

*Update: found "moss" coasters at Homespun Treasures.

2modern-for your kids room

                                                  
























Lovely, contemporary furniture, linens, rugs and accessories can be found at 2modern.  Featured here are items from their children's department.

It's Odd

I have a tendency to decorate in three’s---

When accessorizing try 3’s,5’s or one large piece, using odd numbers is basically a fail safe decorating technique. Think of a triangle with the lowest object in front.  I always remember  working  diligently  on my Girl Scout  Arts and Crafts badge, when I was ten years old.  We visited a florist  who taught us to include three levels when we were designing an arrangement, heaven, people and  the earth.











I have added a beautiful trio of glass sent to me by my cousin Karen, a serious
Blenko glass collector.

Comfort Food: Baked Potato Soup

Baked Potato soup is great way to use leftover baked potatoes, or if you're like me and need some comfort food in a hurry, just stick a couple of potatoes in the microwave and "bake" them in a matter of minutes. 

Ingredients

1. 3 bacon strips, diced
2. 1 small onion, chopped
3. 1 clove garlic, minced
4. 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5. 1 teaspoon salt
6. 1 teaspoon dried basil
7. 1/2 teaspoon pepper
8. 3 cups chicken broth
9. 2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
10. 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
11. 1/2 cup milk
12. 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
13. Shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well. Gradually add broth. Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, cream and hot pepper sauce; heat through but do not boil. Garnish cheese. * For the vegetarian in my family, I use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and skip the bacon. 

                                                                              

Before and After

Before:

My son shot and developed this photograph in a high school photography class, I loved it, but it was small, about 3" x 5".  With plenty of old frames in the basement, I found one and took it along with the photo to a Frame Station  (you could also try JoAnn's or Michael's) and asked them to cut a  mat.  The large mat draws attention to the photo, and the professionally cut mat is worth the minimal charge.

                                  


                                    After:

How to make: A Felted Wool Hamster

These felted hamsters evolved when my students wanted to create an item to sell at a school wide craft sale to raise money for victims of the earthquake in Haiti. We created over 200 "Hamsters for Haiti" and sold out in minutes. It begins by repeatedly washing and drying (on HIGH heat) 100% wool sweaters, if you haven't trashed one of your own sweaters in this way purchase one from  a thrift store. The washings shrink the wool and magically turns it into felt which can be cut into shapes without fraying.

Turn the sweater inside out and trace the top, bottom and ear pattern and cut out the shapes. Fold the ears in half and stitch in place. Fold the top, the piece with slits, in half, insert the ear on the "good" side and stitch. Add buttons for nose and eyes and attach the top to the bottom with a blanket stitch. Stuff with cotton, batting or scraps of wool.

Beautifully Recycled

Just a few recycled products in happy colors for a long dark winter night:

Recycled wine bottle tumblers from Oenophillia.

Confetti Four Piece bowl set from Zak Designs, made from recycled Melamite.

Recycled Jute Rice Bag Backpack by Seiach Corp.

Here is the same Rice Bag Backback, in my Aunt's home, she has it hanging by her door, using it (cleverly) as a colorful planter.

Making a Mason Jar Oil Lamp

Anniethedog and I collected  pinecones on a cold and snowy walk yesterday, that I used  to make an oil lamp. To make a lamp you will need: A Mason jar, lamp oil from the hardware store, a drill to make a hole in the lid and wicks in glass sleeves. This type of wick can be found at a craft store, I bought these from oil lamp man.

After drilling a hole, insert the glass wick, fill the jar with pinecones and lamp oil. Pinecones, twigs, acorns and nuts will remain stable in lamp oil for months. For an dinner party, flowers and fruit look spectacular suspended in oil, but will only last a few days. The jar lamps work well outdoors, they won't blow out, even on a windy night.