glitter + washi tape bunting {tutorial}

this weekend things got crazy at our house.

this weekend we hauled out the christmas decorations.

the only reason i'm not typing in all caps is because that's a terrible things to do.

but i am kinda jumping up and down and talking really fast as i tell you this.

for i really like christmas.  and all it's decor.

the front porch, eh, well...we won't talk about that.

for it tis struggling a little still.

and i got crafty.

holla.

i'm kinda obsessed with bunting as of late.  the word, the whole line of neatly aligned objects.
everything.
give a girl some aqua glitter paper, a doilie and some washi tape.
oh my starry eye surprise! goodness, my brain sometimes is amazing.

didn't even see this bad boy on pinterest.
it twas all jessica-terest inspired.
i'm that good, folks.

here's the top of the tree.  i hadn't decided on the skirt so...

apparently, i'm not that good.

and the background, well...just keeping it real.

all that nonsense up above about how great i am?
that was a joke.  i'm simple and cheap.

simple (ingredients for the perfect glitter with a side of snowflake bunting):
12 inch square scrap booking paper
doilies
washi tape
twine or your choice of string (use what you got)
secret ingredient (glue)

cause we all know you can't tape anything to glitter.
{even though i totally did set the ten pound bag of potatoes on it while we went to see lincoln.}

our back door is where most people come in our house.  and it's the weirdest room ever.
it backs up to the living room, and to the left is the kitchen and then the hallway.
it's not a dining room, or a bedroom.
i think we will eventually make it a little seating area, reading nook space, but for now it is full of randomness.
well, its empty, except for a large rug and this desk.

when you have twelve people over for thanksgiving though, you are thankful for a large empty room because it provides room for another table.
like i planned it.

i took all these pictures with my phone because my DSLR was buried somewhere under the glue and glitter paper.
and sometimes it's just easier to take pictures with your sidekick.

directions:  
i wanted the bunting to be pretty much square, but i am no perfectionist and like a little quirky in most things.
so i just cut the large square into four squares and then cut the triangle in each piece.
cut the doilies in half and "taped" them on.
then i glued everything.
then i yelled,
"brad!  can you come here a minute!"
and he came.
and i said, "hey, will you tell me if this is even" as i was standing in a chair and eyeing the perfect spot to make it even.
except i was off like two inches.
thankful for that boy and his eye.

easy peasy.
and the effect is just what i was going for.
i mean, who doesn't love a little too much glitter around the holidays?

six {6!} new uses for hairspray via real simple.

we interrupt this regularly scheduled blog for a informercial, maybe commercial, really just widely informative information that you can't live one more moment without little to-do about hairspray and some uses for the stuff that every girl reading this blog can't live without.

i happened to buy the new issue of real simple this weekend because the cover drew me in and it had to go into my bag, and i learned SOOO much new information that i could not keep it to myself:

real simple.  yes? but, did YOU know that there are more uses for hairspray than making your hair stay in place than just getting that lipstick out of your shirt?  here are six uses for hairspray that they highlighted {or should we say hairsprayed? am i the only one that thinks that's funny?}

1.  ...lipstick remover...
kiss that smudge of really red good bye.  if the fabric is machine washable, saturate the spot with hairspray, let it sit for ten minutes, then dab with a damp cloth or sponge to remove.  launder as usual to wash out any residual stain and spray.

2.  ...stocking saver...
the polymers that hold up an updo can also reinforce the toes of your hose.  spray after each wash to help prevent nylons from running.

3.  ...artwork protector...
hanging kids art in high traffic areas, like the refrigerator door? a light coating of hairspray will keep chalk or dried, flaky paint from brushing off.

4.  ...petal preserver...
spray fragile, dried flowers to help them stay put n their stems. (here's hoping your wedding bouquet sees it's silver anniversary.)

5.  ...gum unsticker...
free chewed juicy fruit from the carpet without wasting a wad of time.  douse the gum with hairspray to harden it quickly, then scrape it off with a knife.

6.  ...shoeshine fix...
a light spritz of hairspray gives newly polished loafers a long lasting patina.  test on a small area before spraying the whole shoe.

[via]

and one more thing while we are on the subject - i have tried EVERY spray known to man, trust me, i have.  this weekend i bought this for lack of time and i have a walgreens obsession:

tresemme climate control finishing spray.

rocked my socks off - and more importantly kept every hair in place.

do you have any hairspray tips to add?  what's your favorite spray?  you should really grab this months real simple, it's chalked FULL of eye candy and useful information!

the end.  i gotta go spray my hair.

front porch fun (fall threw up on our front porch...)

since this is our first fall (everything) together as a married couple, i of course want everything to be pretty and perfect.  especially when it's easy and makes a huge difference.  and trust me, brad feels the same way...i did drag him out of bed at 7:45 am the other morning just to show him the front porch.  bless his heart.  it can't be easy living with me.  can not.  

so here is our pretty porch for the season...

the owl, how cool is that?  my sweet mother in law got that for us and i love love love it.  you put a tea light in the back and it lights up through the holes.  i love anything birds or owls and this screams perfection to me...i love it.  i wanted to hang it from the ceiling of the front porch but i could not get a hook through, so beside the door had to work...

i had one pumpkin, but he looked lonely.  really really lonely.  he needed friends, so friends he got.  he loves me.

now if i can only remember to water these bad boys then it will stay pretty.  ask me in a few weeks if the white mums are still white or the yellow mums are still yellow...  oh the pressure.

i have been dying for a banner and kinda obsessed with all things banners since our wedding...we had two.  i had a ton of burlap left over from the wedding and decided to made my own.  i thought about adding some lettering but decided it was much more transitional if i kept it plain.  and lets be honest, it looks like a party is about to happen all the time.  oh yeah.

yeah, i am in love.

i saw this wreath on etsy.  only it was colorful and very different.  i adapted it to be a little more plain and fall like.  and i wanted to use what i had.  all i had to buy was the styrofoam.  i am usually the big wreath kinda girl, but decided to take it down a notch since there was a lot going on already...  

over all, i think it turned out pretty good and says "welcome to our home." which is all i wanted...

come on over, we'll have some hot cider and sit and talk.

it'll be fun.

happy fall, y'all.

from our little home in nashville to yours.