wrapping under a rock?

Though I've long LOVED wrapping Christmas gifts, I believe I've been doing it under a rock.  I have for several years now, used double-stick scrap-booking roller tape (when I'm at home and have it) to make seamless tape free closures.  Only yesterday did it dawn on me that the same tool could be used for perfect bow placement!!  With just a little "blip," if you will, here and ...here, you can set any ribbon or embellishment to stay wherever you like.  I used it yesterday for gross-grain ribbon, curling ribbon and raffia.  Just a friendly tip as the wrapping season begins in case you also have been under a rock all these years :).

The definition just gives the bow life, don't you think? 

 (thank goodness my mother doesn't read this blog)

HOMEGOODS History Lesson

If you are unfamiliar with TJ Maxx's sister, Homegoods, do yourself a favor and meet! I have long loved this store and love that famous designers and celebrities alike often sing it's praises.  More than once Homegoods has taught me an important history lesson, "if you do not buy this thing you like TODAY, it will be GONE tomorrow!"  My iPhoto library if full of pictures of things I snapped with my phone to think about or go home and measure for only to find they were gone-sometimes within hours.  So dear readers, repeat after me, "if I like it, I will buy it! I can always return it!"

Thankfully I learned this lesson some time ago, so I scored on an awesome mirror for the dining room last Friday.
A little back-story first though.  I've been lusting after this bad boy for several months........

this Pottery Barn beauty is $700 big ones, or was it $800?

Whether it was 7 or 8 hundred was no matter because I wasn't willing to pay that much.  I've got a kid to send to college afterall! There were a few DIY tutorials on-line but none were quite right and I discovered that to effectively copy would cost about $200 plus a lot of time.  So I sent an email to some fellow Homegood's goddess' to be on the lookout and went about my merry home-making business.

But last Friday during a quick stop because I was nearby, fate brought us together.......

My husband loved her too and said we could make room for her even if she didn't fit in her initially intended home.  (Those are big words in our Tiny Tudor!)  After a couple hours of brilliant engineering to move the thermostat, she was home.  (Have I mentioned I am blessed with a husband with a brilliant mechanical mind?  If he doesn't know how it works, he will soon enough)

 

I love her and she was less than half of the lowest possible DIY price. The thermostat had to be moved to the right hand side of the archway.  I'm VERY excited for how the new chandelier and paint will look with this mirror, but afraid we'll all have to wait for Christmas for that reveal.

 

I love how the light is reflected from the adjacent french doors and how the mirror helps define the dining space.

Here is a link to the newly-discovered Homegoods blog.  What are your favorite home-goods haunts?

Coat Closet (of sorts)

None of the 3 urban homes we tried to buy had coat closets!! Believe it or not! Talk about a modern home feature you take for granted.  I remember as a kid going to people's houses that lived near where we do now and the master bed always being the make-shift coat closet.  While we'd love to add one when we expand or have a space for a large wardrobe near the door, what we have now works remarkably well.  

There are 2 coat racks behind the door which still has full clearance to open.  The leather bench beneath the window opens to house our purses, helmets, diaper bag and hats, gloves, and scarves.  It also doubles as great seating.

Here you can see the lower rack for little people gear that is also a great learning tool.

Thanks to a basket divider, the bench stays pretty-well organized.

Halloween Printable

 
Last night was Halloween and we wanted to head out having fun and trick-or-treating with our little one, but wanted to leave candy out too.  I came across a great free printable to stick in the back of the bowl on our porch.  Our candy was gone by the time we got home and I'll never know if people were honest about taking just one or not but I sure wouldn't mess with Karma on a night like Halloween! There is a great blog post with a link to the free printable here.

I sadly didn't get a picture that does it justice,  but I also did a last minute cover for the little table we set our candy on.  I took a white kitchen trash bag and pulled it over the table and cut out black eyes and a mouth to make a ghost.  It was simple and took less than two minutes but really made the table and porch more fun for the little ghouls and goblins.

I hope your Halloween was a happy and safe one!