DIY: Fresh Pine Tree Garland

Christmas decorating doesn't have to cost money or time. I whipped this garland up in about 20 minutes and it's not Christnas without the smell of pine!

Supplies:

- Several trim pieces from any type of pine tree.

- Scissors

- Twine

- Nails or tacks

Instructions:

1. Soak trim pieces in water so they stay fresh longer. The more time they soak the longer they will last.

2. Arrange trim pieces so they face the same direction and overlap slightly.

3. Cut 3 inch pieces of twine and tie trim pieces together.

4. Use small nails or tacks to hang garland by the twine pieces.

Make sure you do not hang your garland near a heater vent and never use your fireplace with garland hanging over it. The closer your garland is to a heat source, the quicker it will dry out. Be sure to spritz water on your garland occasionally to keep it fresh.

A Journey to Simplicity

We've been on a journey to simplicity over the last year. It used to feel as if we were carrying this heavy weight and we couldn't figure out what it was. Our home was made up of tangled cords from electronics we never used and more clothing and food storage containers than we knew what to do with. As soon as we started moving things to paint our walls white, we realized we didn't want to put things back. We found that the more we donated to Goodwill and threw away, the more of that weight was lifted. Less stuff means less to clean and more focus is put on the things we love that we could now display prominately. If you're wanting to move towards a more simplified life, here are some things to consider:

1. Start small

Begin with a small project like going through your sock drawer. Throw out socks with holes or no mate.

2. Closet clutter

Do you really need 20 belts and all that outdated costume jewelry?

Donate any clothing you have not worn in a year. If you are not sure if you can part with it, put it in a storage bin out of sight to give you time to decide (along with any sentimental clothing like wedding gowns). If you come upon it later and realize you didn't miss it, let it go.

Buy nice wooden hangers to display your clothing. Once organized, you will find getting ready in the morning quicker and less frustrating as you have simplified your choices.

3. Kind kitchen

Will you ever need that many mixing bowls? Do you really need to keep the lid for that storage bowl you never did find? There's really no reason to have mismatched dishes and coffee mugs when you can donate them and get a set of matching white dinnerware. Will you ever use that fine china that is collecting dust? If you get rid of the china you can get rid of the china cabinet. All those plastic cooking utensils and scratched Teflon pans need to go and be replaced with bamboo utensils and a good cast iron skillet (for health and clutter reasons). 

4. Better bathroom

Have you checked the dates on the medicine in the medicine cabinet?

5. Lovely living room

Will you ever really read that book again? Do you really need that oversized couch or would individual chairs be better at opening up the room? Have you always longed to use your fireplace but can't because there is a giant flat screen TV sitting above it? 

5.  Craigslist cash

You don't have to donate or grow out all of your things. You can always have a garage sale or sell on Craigslist. Those never worn brand name shoes with the tag still on them or that giant flat screen television that you never watched and was too big for your living room will get a good home and some extra cash for your effort in the end.

DIY Natural Cat Repellent Spray for Plants

Anyone that owns a cat has learned the hard way that cats and plants cannot coexist in the same habitat. But if you love plants as much as I do, there is an all-natural way to keep your cats away from house plants. And it smells great, too!

• What you need:
• 
  

• 2 oz. spray bottle
• 6 drops citrus essential oil (lime, lemon, lemongrass or orange)
• Enough water to top off spray bottle

• Instructions:
• 
  
• Shake bottle well.
• Spray plant soil (avoid leaves) and outside of plant pot.

If citrus is not your favorite scent, other essential oils that work are lavendar, peppermint and eucalyptus. You can also mix scents to your liking.

The Great Whiteout

When we purchased our 1920s bungalow home six years ago, we loved everything about it. There was so much character and so little that needed updating (other than some beige carpet removal). We loved the idea that we didn't need to paint as the neutral colored walls were already to our liking.

But over the summer, I noticed that every pin I was pinning on Pinterest was of rooms with white walls. As a teacher with the summer off and time on her hands, I decided to test the waters and paint our downstairs bathroom. Not only was I nervous that white walls would be too modern, but I also worried what my husband would think. It was a success. The white color made the bathroom appear larger AND it matched the white tiles. The next thing I knew, I was buying more paint and more rooms were being transformed. We already had white trim and white ceilings so the white inevitably made each room lead into the next room so there was no where for your eye to stop. Everything came together and with every room now painted white our home became more cohesive. We also made the decision to remove the blinds from our original 1920s pressed glass windows in the living room so we could enjoy them instead of covering them up. That decision not only helped open up the room and let more natural light in, but it cuts back on all the dusting that comes with having blinds.

How to make the transition

Before:

After:

There are hundreds and hundreds of options when choosing a white paint. Needless to say, it can be overwhelming. We chose BEHR Premium Plus Ultra interior eggshell enamel in the color "White".

• It's better to go with a warm white instead of a cool bright white
• You will want an eggshell finish. Eggshell is a great finish for any room (including the kitchen) because it has just enough gloss for easy cleaning but not enough to make your walls look constantly wet.
• 2 coats for coverage and 3 coats when painting over darker paint colors.

We are so happy with our transformed home and it goes so well with our recent decision to simplify our lives. More on that in a future blog.