No Home for the Holidays

Well, here we go again! This will be our third move in 5 years! Two of which have been over the holidays...my favorite time of year, mind you. For some reason we always tend to do this, put our house on the market in the fall and then it sells quickly. Now, no home for the holidays! 

Right now, we are building and the house will be finished in February, but that doesn't help the decorator in me who waits all year for that quintessential time when we all go into a crafty design frenzy to fill our homes with holiday cheer. No ribbons, balls, and bows - on my! How will I survive? Sigh. 

Don't get me wrong, I know that is not what the holidays are all about, but to me making family traditions is a part of the feeling of hope the holidays hold in our minds for years to come. My kids are at that fun age 7 and 10 when they still believe, and the magic of Christmas is still alive and brimming in their little minds. Everything from getting the tree and decorating it along with our favorite Christmas jingles, then ending the day with hot peppermint cocoa, to spending an entire day in the kitchen baking and laughing, then sharing the cookies with our friends!

It amazes me how much importance the home has in our lives and how much we miss it when we don't have one - especially this time of year. It makes me think how lucky I am that I will only be without one for a few months. So many people don't have a home to call there own. Maybe God puts us in these positions sometimes, so that those of us who do have, never forget those who don't. Plus, it helps us focus on those things that really matter...family and friends! It always brings me back to the whole reason I started "Creating Home".  Although, I focus on the decorating of a home, home itself means so much more! It holds memories, it's our nest, our safe place. I think after the first of the year I may take a different approach to "Creating Home", and focus on all things that make a home, not just the decorating. There are so many resources out there for that, but the everyday joys and struggles are truly the heart of the home. So, I guess that's what I'm saying - lets get to the heart of the home! Of course, I will still share my savvy decorating tips, as I create my new home, but I will throw in a little "real life" along with it. After all, isn't that my motto - "Real Life by Design"! I hope you will join me in this new venture and share with me your every day joys of home. Aaaaand those not-so-joyous moments, like living in an 700 square foot apartment, while your two kids share a room! Yes, this should be fun!

Blessings and Merry Christmas,

SH

I thought I would at least share some of my favorite Christmas moments from last year! Here you go, enjoy!

The hunt for the perfect Christmas tree...

Decorating the house in aqua, green, and silver and branches from said tree...

A little finger helping make burlap bows...

 to use around the house.

Napkin rings made of curtain rings that hold our Christmas words...

 then sharing a meal with family and friends.

Welcoming friends to the Handley home with a homemade wreath...

 and wishing you a Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

It's Halloween Party Time!

I know the kids love Halloween and things have been "scary" busy around the house getting ready for our "Haunted Handley Halloween" kid's party this weekend! I didn't want to spend a ton of money, so as usual...you know me...I got creative!

Here, have a looksy...if you dare!!!!! 

Enter at your own risk! Well, not really! I do have to keep things tame for the little ones, so my rule is no gore and blood! So it's creepy - especially at night with the pumpkins, grave yard, and porch light up- but not soooo scary! Don't you love Mommy spider hanging out and waiting for her prey! 

Going more with a "Goth" theme in the house, I used spiders, skulls, and  a spooky pumpkin to set the mood. In the evening it looks most ominous with the candles lit and the pumpkin greeting you! 

Here's a cool trick! I took a simple platter  and used a dry erase maker to write my Halloween message! Easy peasy!

Spooky Mantel!

 

Spider Webs, scary pictures, and old books are are all you need to create a haunted moment! Oh, add in the skulls and spiders and your set!

The Dining Room!

An inexpensive bag of spider web goes a long way to create the mood!

Again sticking with the Goth theme, I used candelabra, skulls, and spiders with webbing to create the effect. I love using plastic black chargers and witches cauldrons as my serve ware - it's cheap! 

We will be stirring up some witches brew,  edible broom sticks, and other frightful bites at the party. Most all the recipe ideas came from Better Homes and Gardens website, check it out they have tons of ideas! 

Table is set! Here's our menu:

Goodies are out and ready for Goblins!

Eyeball and Slime Punch! Sprite and green fruit punch

Witch Hats - Hershey's Kiss, icing, and Fudge Stripes

Pillsbury Monster Cookies! Cookies, icing, marshmallows and assorted candies.

Broomstick Bites! Pretzels, sliced cheese and stems of chives

Fingers and Blood dip - okay, it's Pillsbury bread sticks with 1/4 of a pepperoni on the tip with marinara dip!

Here's another trick for your treats!

I love dry erase markers! This will be perfect for our finger bread sticks and marinara!

I didn't have Halloween themed serve ware, so using my white serving pieces, a dry erase maker, and some spider web ribbon - I used the heck out of this stuff! - and turned it into what I needed! 

One More cheap "Trick"!

I also used the ribbon to wrap my plain white candles and candle holders around the house! Easy and inexpensive!

I won't be able to burn these because the ribbon is flammable - just use the LED tea lights inside the candle!

I hope I've inspired you and your next Halloween gathering! Remember it doesn't take a ton of money, when you have your creativity in hand! Happy Halloween!!!!

Creating Fall

Quick, Easy, and Inexpensive Fall Decorating! 

I love this time of year...I think it really is my favorite! The colors of the leaves, cooler weather, and yes, call me crazy, but football, too! Maybe, it's the tailgating! 

I love being able to transform my home from the cool tones of summer to the warm and cozy tones of fall to put me in the mood. From seashells and sand to pumpkins and leaves!

Soooo, we had our first blast of cool weather and that's exactly what I did! I'll show you how simple and inexpensive it was to make the transformation.

Please ignore the light switch! (Sometimes builder's really annoy me!)  Okay, back to fall decorating. Here in the foyer I gathered three gourd candles from Pottery Barn (from a few years back) and I simply tuck the fall picks into the sides. I added a small bunch of leaves and pine cones to the top.  Orange tapers and a beautiful metal plate add to the feeling I'm going for! Gourds can be found anywhere for $5 to $10 and the fall picks can be as cheap as $2.50 at your craft stores. I buy a bunch and use them around the house.


I love to make these fall sprays, they also make great hostess gifts for fall parties. To make a fall spray, get a bunch of fall grasses from the dried flower section of your craft store and leave the rubber band on it. Then tuck in your fall picks of berries and leaves. Then tie it with a ribbon to hide the rubber band...easy peasy! I didn't even have to glue it! I use these on tables, counters, or mantels for decoration. Just about anywhere you want a splash of fall foliage. 

I love this easy trick to transform your plain glass hurricanes in to beautiful fall candle holders. Just use burlap and cut it into a 4" strip and wrap it around and secure with hot glue. Then tie a ribbon around it and tuck in a beautiful fall leaf. Finish it off by gluing on a couple of acorns. 

In the kitchen I just tucked a fall pick into the tray that I use at the coffee area and added this beautiful copper wine bucket. I love the idea of using copper elements in the fall...it adds so much warmth!

The upstairs family room gets a dose of cozy!

I think my favorite combo this year is the blue and orange combo. So using stuff I already had, I transformed the room from summer to fall by changing out a few key elements. I changed out the pillows...obviously...but pulled in a few other accessories.

Key elements to make a cozy room: Plush pillows, soft throws, candles, mix in a few warm hues, and add natural textures.

I am truly one of those people who has to change things around every-so-often to keep things interesting. Transforming your home from a spring/summer look to a fall/winter look is the best way to do it! 

Next week, using cheap and easy "tricks", my house gets "treated" to a spooky Halloween look! Come back and check it out! Thanks for visiting! 

Recycle, Reuse, Reinvent Your Style!

Recycle, up-cycling, re-purposing, whatever you call it, going green is all the rage in interior design! As I was out this week shopping for a client, who wants to keep her design fresh and eco-friendly, I spotted some beautiful decor that is made of all that stuff we throw away! 

First recycled glass:

Ever wonder if all that effort we put into the recycling is actually worth it? Well, here's the proof! Recycle glass containers in every shape and size! They all glisten with that subtle aqua hue.....loooove!

Recycled newspapers made into baskets!

I found this stuff at HomeGoods and was blown away by the amazing prices! How cool is this guy?!


Now a few ideas of how to use your recycled goods around the house. Here's how I used some of my awesome finds! Here's how to create that fresh organic style in your home! 

I call my style "Organic Elegance"!

I used this jar as a candle holder between two smaller bottles. I filled the smaller bottles with fresh greenery from my front yard. Totally gives it that fresh green feeling!

Make an "green" first impression!

I used a recycled jug in my entry way, only $9.99 by the way at HG! I filled it with simple branches to add an element of nature to the table. I love using re-purposed items, like this wine box, to display some of my favorite wine labels. Again, a glass vase filled with clippings from my Tea Olive bushes and monkey grass add to the organic feeling. The silver tray and glass ball lamp add the elegance. The perfect mix of both!

 Try grouping them all together as a beautiful collection!

Tray was also a HomeGoods find for $12.99! HG rocks!

Create an impact by grouping them all together on a woven tray to make an easy to remove center piece on your dining table.

So get out there and search for those cool pieces that would have been destined for a landfill! And create your own green design!

Home Inspiration - Fall!

 What's trending for FALL!!!

I know, I know. It's 100 degrees outside and I'm talking about fall already. Well, maybe it's because it's my favorite time of year, and believe me, it can't get here soon enough! Not to mention, the runways and home stores are already fronting their fall designs. So I thought I would give you a little looksy on whats "cool" for fall - See it's helping me think of cool weather already! 

Here a sneak peak at some of the fall trends at your favorite places!

West Elm is crushing on graphite and blue!

Looks like chevron is hanging on as the graphic da jour!

Love the mood this deep gray/blue creates in this bedroom!

We are seeing beautiful global inspired textiles and natural textures.

Pottery Barn is all about wine country inspiration with an artisan's touch! 

They are calling it "Rustic Luxe".

I think just by adding a few rustic pieces to your room you can achieve a warmer more lived-in look, without going over board. Think of things like changing lamp shades to burlap, a rustic wood tray on the coffee table, or worn pieces of pottery.

I soooo want this green glass lamp! 

What can I say I love it all!!!!!!!!

Better Homes and Gardens has a few DIY fall decorating tips using acorns. I love the mix of red and aqua blue as a fresh idea for fall colors!

You could easily duplicate this art piece with simply taking a picture of a beautiful leaf on a background of your choice and enlarge the photo, then frame it in a poster size frame. Hang and enjoy your creation.

I love the simplicity of this easy peasy center piece, it's just branches and painted acorns hanging from jute string.....why haven't I thought of that?! You could also just paint the acorns different fall colors and fill glass hurricanes with them and candles....okay I can claim that one!

Glue acorns to a napkin ring or a wooden ring and you have instant fall decor!

I just love fall!  So even though we are melting in the heat right now, it's good to know it won't be long before the cool weather rolls in and - yes - our homes will be ready! 

Fun "indoor" summer activities, because it's just too hot outside!

We all  want to have a fun summer with the kids, but we can't spend every minute at the beach or pool, and it's just tooooo hot to do anything else! So, what's a mom to do? Well, I came up with some fun "indoor" summer ideas that will help! Mommy to the rescue!!!!!! Most everything is either free or can be found at your local discount or dollar stores! Yep....I'm a super hero!

Indoor camp out! 

Move the sofa/coffee table and set up a tent in the living room. Let it be an all day thing, you'll be surprise at how just a tent can entertain kids for hours!

• Fire up the grill for roasting hot dogs and marsh mellows
• Set up a camp game
• Tell funny childhood or not-so-scary ghost stories
• Set up a movie on the computer or iPad and put it in the tent on a little table for the kids to watch at bedtime. They'll want to do this one again, I promise!

Itza Make-your-own Pizza Party! 

Invite friends to participate in the fun!

• Set up a big table and cover with the fun red and white checkered pizzeria table cloth.
• Give everyone an plane white apron and chefs hat to decorate - these can be ordered on line for super cheap!  go to: http://www.kidsaprons.com
• Set out parchment paper in front of each person and tape the edges to secure in place.
• Purchase the ready made crusts and give each individual 1/2 to roll out and shape as they want.
• Put a long line of ingredients down the center of the table and let everyone make their special pizza!
• Bake and enjoy!

Indoor Scavenger Hunt!

I love doing this one! The kids have so much fun hunting and gathering the items! You can make the hints into riddles, like..."What is black and white and read all over and puts you to sleep each night?" - a book! Just get creative!

Another idea is to hide fun dollar store items around the house and each hiding place gives you a hint as to where the next item is. For instance: "What is tall and big and keeps things cold?" - the refrigerator! On a side note: I do find that I have to have one of the same items for each child or set up a hunt that sends each child to their own treasures! This prevents major arguments....this is suppose to be fun and there's nothing fun about kids fighting! Well, let's get real they will fight about something, but at least you tried!

Indoor Game Day!

Set up games for the kids to play around the house.

• Hop Scotch is easy to do with low adhesive tape on carpet or hard floors use the grid for a bean bag toss, also!
• Set up bowling with a small ball and Solo cups: just keep score with how many cups get knocked down and give each person 2 tries.
• Bucket ball toss: Purchase about 3 to 4 beach buckets put a score value on each one and toss in the ball!
• Set up a table with a board game or two.

Messy Art Day!

For our little ones who love to be creative!

Set up an arts and craft area....and by set up I mean cover everything, cause this one can get messy! Use a plastic drop cloth on the floor and table and then set up the supplies. Gathered everything you can from around the house like scapbook paper, beads, toilet paper rolls, glue, scissors, paint supplies, cups, tin cans, ribbon, etc. You can use anything that you want and let the kids imaginations do the rest!

I hope these have been helpful! I know how frustrating it is to have the kids begging for things to do all summer! So just hit the dollar store and have a blast! And Remember stay cool!

Designing from the heart, progress!

Wow! What an awesome, but busy couple of weeks! We got a lot accomplished in the Castillo home and they are loving their new spaces. God is so good and it was easy to see His hand in this project! Stretching $2000 to do a whole house takes a little divine intervention....don't you think?

Creating Home's goal is to help family's create a home that reflects them and what they love, regardless of budget. And that's exactly what we did! She wanted an orange kitchen and she got one. She wanted her Mexican heritage reflected in her home and we did that! She wanted her love of faith, family, and friends to be the center of the home and that's exactly what we gave her! 

Here is the home we've created so far, with lots of tips on how you can do the same. It's going to be a long blog, so enjoy all the information!

Lets start in the living space!

Here's what we have so far:

The "almost" After. I am in love with the homemade Mexican tile art!

Remember the before!

 We started out with a "storage living room with cold walls with an ivy border. Now the space is a comfortable and warm living space that reflects the families multi-cultural background. Adding the homemade Spanish tile art work, opened the room up to lots of colors! Wall Color is SW Basket Beige, warm but not too dark.
 

Home made Mexican tile art, $64. Here's a how I did it!

First, I found these awesome pictures of Mexican tiles on the Internet....not copyrighted. I had a friend who is a graphic designer tweak them so they would print in larger scale with true color (you don't have to do this step). We sent the images to our local print shop Kinko's and had them printed in 10" by  10" square on photo quality paper, $28!

Next, I went to a craft store and bought 12" x 12" canvases and painted the outside edges and 2" around the outer edges, as well, in dark brown. As the paint is drying, cut the images out of the paper (I used a straight cutter to get a good line). Next, spray an adhesive spray - I tried Mod Podge, but it wrinkled the paper too much - onto the canvas and center the image and affix to the canvas. Allow several hours of dry time before you hang you new art!

Before

Before this recessed area of the room served no purpose.

After

Now there are natural wood shelves for more storage!

Now the area has beautiful handmade bookshelves and an accent of aqua blue, SW Cloudburst. The shelves are perfect for Mom and daughter to put all their books and photos. They love to read! The top shelf is perfect for special treasures!

 

Here's another "how to". Homemade book shelves:

I couldn't believe how easy this was and inexpensive too! Total cost was a whopping $99! I bought 2 x 12 pine lumbar and had the Home Depot cut it into 5' pieces. I bought these simple wood brackets or corbels to support the shelves. Then I sanded the boards with a sander to get rid of any splinter and give me a smooth finish. Lastly, using Minwax's one step stain in dark walnut I applied the stain to the wood with a sponge brush and then wiped it down immediately with a clean cloth to allow the grain to show. I really was that easy and maybe took me an hour or two!

Now just a quick trip to the kitchen, it still need a lot of final touches! But I can at least show you the progress and how we transformed the cabinets!

Before, dingy white cabinets and an 80's Ivy stencil, yuck!

Soft Beige and new hardware make a big difference! SW Macadamia 

 Well what can I say about that kitchen other than gross! The cabinet were dirty and dated and with not budget to replace them, we had to paint! Mom didn't want white or cream, because with a 6 year old and a big dog they would look dirty fast! But I didn't want dark, because we were going for a happy bright feel in the kitchen. This beige was the perfect solution and it's pulled right from the soft beige in the tile floor. Quick design tip: Always remember the floor color you're working with when you are picking colors. 

Here are the steps to painting cabinets:

First remove all cabinets and drawers and the hardware (This makes it so much easier to paint the frames in the kitchen and the cabinets).

1. Lightly sand and all surfaces first for a smooth grease-free finish

2. Wipe them clean

3. Add a good primer using a good brush, let it dry

4. Add your color again using a good brush in nice even strokes for a smooth finish. I used Behr Ultra Premium Plus and it went on beautifully! Sherwin Williams also has a wonder paint for this job.

5. Replace hardware

6. Put the cabinets back on to the frames and enjoy your new kitchen!

Yes, it's a little extra work, but we saved thousands of dollars, our cost was less than $100 for paint and supplies and new hardware was $25. Not bad for a whole new look!

On to the girls room!

Before, scary! I wouldn't want to sleep in here!

I hope she enjoys her new space!

Bright colors, a place for toys, and a bedside table make this space functional and pretty.

We are going to add a hot pink soft headboard to break up the blue.

Now it feel like a little girls room! She wanted to be a part of the design, she even picked her on bedding and made her own art with her friends.

What a tranformation from dark and depressing to bright and fun! We did this for around $150! Again my 10 year old "Designer-in-the-making" put together the plan for this room based on the wishes of the little girl. First the paint made a huge impact. She wanted blue, so Brooke and I pick a soft aqua blue called SW Raindrop. Then we let the little girl pick her bedding and we went from there! 

We added handmade art made by herself, my daughter, and a friend using a paint splatter technique that Brooke devised. Now the art is personal! We added pillows and pin art of flowers and butterflies above the bed to anchor the bed. We found this table at Goodwill for $5 and added this super cute hot pink lamp from Target. We still need to add a few more things to finish off the room and then she will have a perfect space to hang with her friends!

Finally, Mom's space! 

"Every mom needs a place to retreat at the end of the day, and a place to inspire when she's awake."

And this ain't it!

Mint chocolate chip anyone?

This is more like it!

New bedding, Target plum colored quilt set....Mom loves purple, classic silver lamps with linen shades, simple silver frames all create a nice calm retreat feeling for mom at the end of the day!

A soft neutral gray, SW Versatile Gray, sets the mood for this tranquil space! A desk area beside the bed was needed for mom to work in quite. 

The other side of the room was a mess!

Now mom and daughter can enjoy a cozy reading space in her favorite chair! 

Hope you enjoy seeing our progress....I told you I've been busy! All that left is a few finishing touches and they can enjoy their new home!