Spring & Easter 2017

HAPPY SPRING EVERYBODY! 

I love spring. Spring and fall are by far my favorite seasons. Except for the pollen. Pollen is the worst. Anyways, I figured since it's my spring break maybe I should do a quick spring home decor post before I accidentally put it off until oh I don't know...winter. Once again, I have tried to keep my decor very simple but with that same cottagey feel that I want my whole house to have. I started out by trying something new over the fireplace. One of my ALL TIME favorite designers/bloggers/instagrammers did this (on a larger scale) over her bed and I absolutely 

L O V E D 

it. It's funny, I kept wondering if she was going to post a tutorial. A couple weeks went by and I finally thought to myself...okay. I can do this. I don't need it, I will figure it out, darn it! So I went to my third home, Hobby Lobby (Target is my second, love you Targ) and picked up the supplies I figured I would need. All I bought were some embroidery hoops in various sizes, some faux greenery stems (I actually cut them up when I got home to make my money go farther) and some floral wire. Looking back, I really wish I had taken some pictures of the process and the supplies but...hindsight's 20/20, am I right? So basically, I cut off some greenery, attached it in various spots on the embroidery hoops with the floral wire, and strung them up with white thread so they would look like they were floating. How about I talk about it a little less and just show you what it looked like in the end?

Side note: Banner is from Target and was added later!

Honestly, throughout the process of doing it, I really thought I was going to hate it. Then when I took a step back I was like wait, nope. I like it. I might even love it? Anyways, if you are interested in seeing the original masterpiece, you should totally go follow Erin (instagram name: CottonStem) on instagram and check out her AMAZING bedroom and tutorial. Yes, hilariously enough the day after I did this, she posted a tutorial. Funny how that works, huh? I actually DM'ed her the next morning just to tell her how much I had been drooling over hers and show her a picture of my recreation. To my utter amazement, she responded and said she loved mine and asked if she could feature it on her page. I was like UM, PINCH ME I MUST BE DREAMING. She is such a celeb in my world (and I told her so). It was the best thing ever and I still cannot believe it happened. Maybe once she does post about it I will link it here? We will see if that's okay with her! 

Alright, moving right along. The rest of my spring/Easter decor is very minimal but I love it all and tried to take pictures as best I could. I feel like the lighting is terrible especially in the kitchen pictures. There are just so many windows! I love it and hate it. Oh well. Those 2 bunnies on my mantle that you can kind of see in the pictures of the greenery but can definitely see better here are from At Home last year. They actually had shiny gold inside their ears but me being me...decided I wanted to make them white instead. (I may have a problem). So, I took some acrylic paint from Target that said it would work on ceramic and went to work. I feel like you can't really tell unless you're really close so I will call that a win. 

I LOVE THESE BUNNIES. Okay, next. I picked up this wooden bunny garland from a little boutique last year that has actually closed down (crying) since. I love it and am very thankful that my mom discovered it and told me to grab it while I could! Later on, I also added my DIY Alphabet Banner from Rifle Paper Co because nothing says springtime like Rifle! Sorry for the lighting...I told ya it's bad.

I got this ADORABLE wool pom pom Easter tree from Elizabeth's Embellishments last year and I stuck it on our island. It's SO cute and pastel and precious and you can hardly even tell from this horribly lit picture but whatever!

Also in the kitchen, I have my brand new anthropologie looking vase that I picked up TODAY from Marshalls. I AM OBSESSED. Mary Kate Robertson has one (probably a better/fancier one) and I have seen it on her instagram and drooled over it like a million times. So naturally, when I saw it sitting there I was like YES PLEASE you are coming home with me! I actually posted it on my account earlier this evening and tagged her in it just because. Much to my surprise (and excitement) she liked it! What?! Score for me. Totally fangirling. Anyways, here is what it looks like. As soon as I bought it, I knew I had to have some flowers to put in it so I drove across the street to Kroger and grabbed some 99 cent baby's breath. BAM. Isn't it the cutest thing ever? Ah! Love, love, LOVE!

Spring in the dining room is honestly not too different than its everyday decor however I did move my prized Bunny Anthropologie (yes this vase is ACTUALLY from Anthro AND I got it on SUPER CLEARANCE for less than $10! What?!) onto my hutch and stuck some of my favorite faux lavender stems from Hobby Lobby in there. I actually just found a milk glass pitcher as well. Found it while antiquing with my Aunt and fell in love!

Lastly, of course I had to throw in my one little Rae Dunn Easter mug. It reads HIP on one side and HOP on the other. Seriously, why are all of her mugs THE best? It's true what they say...once you start collecting, you will never be dunn. 

Side note: I got this ADORABLE melamine egg plate from Pottery Barn Kids in 2015 and I am obsessed. It's from their Beatrix Potter Easter Collection and I may or may not have bought the set of them from this year too...I may have a problem. These little Rice Krispy Eggs were SUCH a cinch to make. I just prepared the rice krispies like normal (melt half a stick of butter and a bag of marshmallows in a saucepan and then stir in 6 cups of rice krispies cereal) and then while the mixture was still warm, sprayed a clean plastic egg (and my hands) with canola oil and filled each side of the egg with the mixture. After I filled each side, I pushed the 2 halves of the egg together as hard as I could, trimmed off any excess and boom! The cutest little Easter treat you ever did see! I definitely could have made them cuter with some icing or fun colored sprinkles but...the hubs likes them plain and unadorned so that is how they stayed! 

That about wraps up my little spring home tour. I wanted to leave you with a delicious little springy breakfast idea because I had it the other day and it was FABULOUS. It's so simple, too.

It's just:

3/4 cup of Cheerios (plain or frosted works too!)

1/3 cup chopped strawberries

1/2 cup DARK CHOCOLATE almond milk

Seriously, I don't really know if this is dessert or breakfast...but either way, you have to try it!

Thanks again for reading. I hope everyone has a fabulous rest of the week and for those of you who are lucky enough to have the week off like me...HAPPY SPRING BREAK! Grab yourself some coffee and a good book and settle in.

Cheers!

Catching Up: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, & Valentine's Day

Wow. I know I say this every single time I post but, long time no see! I wish I had a legitimate excuse for being SO incredibly bad at keeping up with my blog but..I really don't. Somehow I let all of my favorite holidays pass right on by without even thinking to do one measly decor post. For shame! Well, at this point I am actually on spring yes spring break and I figured what better to do with this extra time I've got on my hands than finally do some holiday decor blogging?! Better late than never...right? Honestly, in this case the never might have been the better option. Oh well. Here we go anyways. 

Something I have really tried to do this past year is simplify my decor. Not just holiday, but everything. I'm not sure what prompted it but I have never loved the way our home looks and feels more. I have tried to keep my favorite holiday pieces and not feel the need to buy a ton more each time a new season rolls around. It's funny, as I gathered the pictures from this past holiday season for this post, I realized how much I actually already want to rearrange for decorating next year.

ANYWHO, how about I hush and let's jump into Halloween...shall we?

Okay this has absolutely nothing to do with our home but I took it at the fair at the beginning of October and I just really loved it so I threw it in there. *Ahem* back to Halloween. So, I really don't have a whole lot of Halloween decor and that is fine by me. I've never really done spooky. Growing up, my Mom never did either. My siblings and I never dressed up in scary costumes, we never had a lot of horror movie-esque decor, and we always just left the focus on getting candy and having fun. I like to use jack-o-lanterns and bats to emphasize the time of year without getting too much into the creepy side of Halloween decorating.

I actually picked up a set of these ADORABLE ceramic pumpkin bakers from World Market in ORANGE at the end of the season last year (on clearance, woo!) so I already plan to use those on the mantle for Halloween instead of my green and white this year. I know, it's April. Calm down, Ashley, calm down.

Both the Boo Marquee and the adorable bats (in both of these pictures) are from the love of my entire life, Target. The marquee was something I actually bought on clearance in 2015 and the bats were from...get this...drum roll please...THE ONE SPOT. The one spot is my best friend. Forever and ever. Amen.

Last but not least, y'all know my little hutch has to be updated for every single holiday. My jack-o-lantern plates were originally from Pottery Barn. I got them on eBay for a steal. The candy corn candle is easily my favorite thing ever and it came from a store in our tiny mall back in Athens called Earth Bound (yes, literally bought the candle in college because I have always loved holidays and I am that weird). The only thing that I forgot to take a picture of that I am so sad about was my jack-o-lantern string lights that I LOVE and have also had since college. My mom has ALWAYS strung jack-o-lantern string lights from her mantle at Halloween and my freshman year of college, she bought me a set to hang up in my dorm. Have I mentioned my love for holidays and holiday decorating comes from my Mom? I have? A million times? Well, it's true. Plus of course I couldn't not throw my Rae Dunn mugs in there because...Rae Dunn.

Oh! Almost forgot our little fall porch. Sadly, my smaller pumpkin did not survive the season. I literally have no idea what happened to him but he got broken somehow so I'll have to replace him next year! Why am I referring to a plastic pumpkin as a him? Hm. Whatever.

Alright! Moving right along to Thanksgiving. Once again, I don't have a whole lot of Thanksgiving decor but the one thing I do focus on in November is COPPER. I love copper. This year I actually scored some copper pumpkin plates (be still my heart) from Michaels of all places! I totally put them in my hutch for the season because they totally matched my copper Give Thanks banner from Target last year. It was pure copper perfection.

See? Bless. Also in my hutch I have my precious pilgrim salt & pepper shaker family from Publix and my adorable new (well, they were new back in November anyways...) pumpkin soup bowl and butter dish from the Better Homes and Gardens collection at Walmart.

For my Thanksgiving mantle. I just threw some cute little distressed turkeys I got from Marshalls last year in with my world market pumpkins and called it done. Lastly. I strung up my favorite white pumpkin garland (also from Marshalls last year) over the bay window in our breakfast nook. Plus once again, Rae Dunn.

Okay! Finally, onto the most wonderful time of the year: Christmas! I feel like this was the holiday that I really simplified this year. I tried to focus on all natural greens and white winter tones. I feel like Christmas decorating can get really busy really fast and I really wanted to avoid putting something in every nook and cranny. I actually really loved the way it turned out and I hope you do too!

Per usual, I'll start with the mantle. This year, I used the snowy garlands I got from Michaels last year (for less than $10 a piece, score!) and opted to add some electric candles with silver bases from Hobby Lobby rather than the traditional string lights. I really liked the soft light they gave and was happy with my little change here! I also scored these AMAZING white ceramic village houses from...once again...drumroll please...THE TARGET ONE SPOT. Holla! Picked these babies up on black friday and have never been more happy with an impulse buy. Lastly, I hung up my white cable knit stockings from Target a few years ago and called it done. Yes I added 2 stockings...no we don't have 4 people living here...but I just really like the way 4 looked better. #designprobs

Next, enter my cheap, simple green wreaths from Hobby Lobby. I picked up 5 of these (for $6 a piece!) at Hobby Lobby while the Christmas decor was still 50% off. Double score! I ended up putting them EVERYWHERE around the house this season and I could not have loved them more. $30 very well spent, I'd say!

The only wreath that I did keep lit up was my giant walmart wreath on my giant window. I mean seriously, between the size of this wreath and the size of the bulbs on those string lights, this thing alone keeps our den well lit all season long.

Obviously, it wouldn't be a holiday without me switching out my Rae Dunn mugs and it wouldn't be Christmas without my (not famous but I wish they were) Christmas cookies. I make at least a dozen batches every season and give them out to friends and family. It really is the most wonderful time of year!

Okay, last but most certainly definitely completely totally not least. This year, M and I got a new tree. A new FLOCKED tree. Now I know there are a million flocked tree options out there and most of them are PRICEY. I feel like the brand I see floating around most on instagram is the King of Christmas flocked trees. They are absolutely gorgeous but for this preschool teacher, the price tag is WAY too high. This gorgeous tree (which I really regret not taking a full length picture of) is 7.5 feet tall, pre-lit, doesn't shed, and is from WALMART. Yep, you heard me right. Walmart. We bought it black friday weekend and it is my favorite thing ever! I highly recommend for next year if anyone is in the market for a flocked tree that won't break the bank.

Something I couldn't possibly leave out of this Christmas post is my gift from my brother's PRECIOUS girlfriend. She and her roommate teamed up to make me this AMAZING portrait of our house with adorable hand lettering that reads "Love dwells here". I am OBSESSED and it is still displayed right this second because it's perfection.

Oh and also, one more thing. One of my besties got me a GROUNDHOG ORNAMENT for my tree this year. It is the most extra and it is the best thing that's ever happened to anyone's Christmas tree ever. The end.

I was totally not even going to include this but VALENTINE'S DAY. I literally have like 1 thing that I used this year to decorate for this day of love and that was this adorable XO Marquee from Michaels. They had them clearanced right around February and I was like YES, PLEASE. Oh and of course Rae Dunn mugs because...obviously.

Alright guys, thanks so much for sticking around and feel free to judge me for doing a fall/winter holidays post in April...I am judging myself.

Happy End of Monday!

Fall Home Tour 2016

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL! Welcome to my favorite season EVER! Pumpkins, corn mazes, fairs, caramel apples, flannel, cider, chunky sweaters, boots, hayrides, chilly nights, bonfires, and crunchy leaves. What more could you possibly want out of life? My obsession with all things fall is very real. This year I cannot even count the number of people who have sent me or tagged me in those "when you see one leaf hit the ground" or "pumpkin dancing" videos. I am not ashamed. I am a basic PSL drinking, boots and leggings wearing (when I'm not at work of course!), fall loving gal and I wouldn't want it any other way. All that being said, it should come as no surprise that I love to decorate my home for this gorgeous season. This year, I have been all about the neutrals. Over the past several months, I have made it my mission to make my home decor as simple and neutral as possible while still maintaining the cottage look that I'm after. This has of course, extended into my fall decorating. Now that it is officially fall and the temperature today is in the 60's, AND i'm on fall break, I felt it only appropriate to do this blog post. Strangely enough, the sole reason the hubs and I even came and looked at this house when we were browsing real estate websites was because of one picture of the front porch. One picture with one pumpkin on the stoop. It caught my eye and I said, "Mack! That one, I like that one!" He was like, "Which one? The one with the pumpkin?" and I was like "Yeah! Let's put that one on our list!" He looked at me like I was insane (and I am) for wanting to go look at a house just because there was a picture of a pumpkin on the porch, but low and behold, we put it on our list and we went to check it out the next day. Fast forward a few years and here we are! Decorating that very porch for my favorite season and having no regrets about giving into my strange pumpkin-induced whim. That is a really random story that you probably totally didn't care to know, but I felt like telling it anyways! Here is that magical picture that nobody besides me would probably ever think was magical.

and here is our porch today. Note: we changed the door about a year into living here. I was craving some more light in our foyer! My S door hanger was a local find and the mums and cornstalks came from Home Depot. I also have my electric Jack-o-lanterns that will be making their porch debut as soon as October rolls around!

Moving right along! Most of my fall decor comes from World Market and Target (as does pretty much all the decor in my home that isn't thrifted). First stop, the mantle.

Ever since we did our shiplap wall, I just cannot bring myself to cover up much of it. My mantle decor has become much more simplistic this year and I do not hate it at all. These sweet little pumpkin bakers are from World Market and I adore them. The colors are perfect and hey, you can cook in them if you want...so pretty AND functional! Win win!

The den tour continues with the couch and the love seat. My beloved sweater pillows are currently up in the guest room so for now, the den is sticking with one of my other fall faves, plaid. These beauties are from Target's fall collection from last year and the boxwood wreath is from Target too (duh). I am sure I've mentioned it before but my amazing Smith Cottage sign is from my fave etsy shop ever, RBT Home Decor. They have made so many of the custom signs in my home and I am obsessed with everything they do! Check them out y'all. Seriously. 

The cantilever lamp by the couch is one of my favorite things ever. I just recently purchased it from Target for $35 to replace my old floor lamp and I have no regrets. That cute little gray pumpkin on the side table is also from Target (shocker, I know) and my favorite Primitives by Kathy "Our Nest" pillow is from Altar'd State. The toile ottoman is a yard sale find and the boxwood wreath on the thrifted window came from Joann a couple years ago. I know I have shown y'all my blanket ladder before but...I couldn't help it. Cable knit and fall just belong together.

This little piece of our home is so small and so random but I couldn't resist snapping a picture. We only have the tiniest bit of stair railing but you better believe I throw some lit garland on it at Christmas and some precious gold pumpkin candles from Home Goods on it for fall. This railing desperately needs a makeover...but that's for another day!

Onto the kitchen! Even my pie safe has not been safe (lol...get it? safe?!) from a pumpkin takeover this season. I have switched out all of my old dishes for neutral ones (pretty much all Rae Dunn from Home Goods and Pioneer Woman from Walmart) seriously y'all these are CHEAP dishes! I mean that in the best way, price wise not durability wise! The pumpkins with the gold leaf base are a Hobby Lobby find from last year. The pumpkin soup bowl and pumpkin butter dish are from Walmart's Better Homes and Gardens collection from this year! Seriously, if you haven't checked it out yet, do. I feel like ole walms gets a bad rep for home stuff but seriously, the BH&G collection never disappoints. The other white pumpkins in there are all from Target over the last few years. All of my Rae Dunn goodness has come from Home Goods/Marshalls/TJ Maxx as I have mentioned before, the Lunch sign is a World Market find from a few years ago, and the Market Fresh sign is another RBT Home Decor beauty.

MORE RAE DUNN! This mug was added to her collection this year and as soon as I saw it I knew I had to have it. I actually found this particular one at a TJ Maxx in Milledgeville over Labor Day Weekend when my friends and I stopped in looking for hot chocolate. Fate, am I right?!

and speaking of pumpkin spice...this.stuff. right. here. is. AMAZING. My director at work bought it for us a couple weeks ago and I have become totally addicted. So if you haven't tried it yet, you should. You will not regret it. I got mine at Walmart (seriously what is with walms having everything I need lately?) but I know it can be found at Publix as well! Plus, you can't just drink PSL at home out of a normal mug...it has to have it's own Pumpkin Spice mug, am I right?!

The last stop on this little tour is my little powder room. Seriously, this room is such a favorite of mine. In the theme of keeping it simple this year, I just decided to display yet ANOTHER RBT Home Decor sign of mine that ended up matching just PERFECTLY in the space. The lighting in this room is SO tricky, but if you can't tell, it reads: cider, flannel, and crunchy leaves. Talk. About. Perfect.

Well, that just about wraps it up. I think i'll go back to watching my fave Netflix show (Fireplace for the Home) okay it isn't my favorite and Mack hates it, but I LOVE the sound of the crackling fireplace even when it's not quite cold enough to actually have one, and drinking me a PSL. I have linked as many items as I could at the bottom to shop for and if the exact item is no longer available, I have linked a similar one! Happy Fall, Y'all. Thanks for reading!

Pumpkin Bakers: White   Green

Velvet Pumpkin: Here

Our Nest Pillow: Here

Boxwood Wreath: Here

Market Fresh Sign: Here

BH&G Pumpkins: Soup Bowl   Butter Dish

White Pumpkins: Large   Small

Gold Leaf Pumpkin (A DIY Tutorial): Here

Gold Pumpkin Candles (Similar): Here

Cantilever Lamp: Here

Plaid Pillows (Similar): Here

Gold Flatware: Here