winter tablescape + diy candle wrap

since my focus for this new year is 'create . decorate . celebrate',
i'm making a concerted effort to do little things for myself more often
in 'celebration' of life and home.

case in point: making an effort to make mealtime more intentional,
 and setting a pretty spot to enjoy it!

cultivating this one habit is an opportunity to step away from the computer
and enjoy some nutritional food, nice music or the sounds of birds outdoors,
and moments of gratitude a few times each day.

it's important to me to make space for that,

and i think often we need a reminder that we don't have to save the nice china for visitors...
we should make the effort even if it's 'just' for ourselves. we're worth it!

continue reading for simple ways to set a pretty table... plus an easy DIY candle wrap!

optimistic outlook in my office

color really can change the way a room feels... and works!
at the beginning of a new year, color can energize us and our work spaces.

when i decided to 'try on' the current trend of a yellow and gray palette, 

i chose my studio/office as a test subject.

previously, i shared the new arrangement around my faux fireplace - 

this color palette also comes into play on my desk and nearby bookshelf
to help organize and cheer up my work space.

by curating not just the color palette but the amount of items in each area,
my office functions better. i have what i need every day at hand.
items i use less are stored in easily accessible areas, and don't overwhelm the space.

and honestly? this happy sunny yellow color affects my mood. (most days).
so if simply bringing in a new color to my space can do all that, i'm all for it!

continue reading to see how impactful a color change can be...

diy silver tray snowman

 

as i was placing three silver trays on my mantel (see my last post),

an idea for using them in a different way crossed my mind...

i love using unusual materials to create seasonal decor accents,

and then using & reusing them again in many ways.

this unplanned project certainly fits that M.O.! 

continue reading to see how easily i turned those trays into a snowman...

getting cozy for winter...

as i 'try on' the palette of white, sunny yellow and soothing gray
in my studio (my 'decorating laboratory'!),
i'm finding it very easy to get whole new look using what i have here at home.

bringing in soft textures (a fleece blanket, sweater-covered pillows)

and references to warmth (a 'fire' in the faux fireplace, candles, warm hues)

makes this space feel much cozier during these cold days of winter.

maybe you're not into the 'color of the year' palette,

but you're ready for a fresh new vibe as the new year begins...
let me show you how to pull together a whole new look using what you already have!

continue reading for some simple decorating tips...

celebrate home!

"endings need grieving... and beginnings deserve celebration."

i read that line recently in a devotional, and it really spoke to me.

while many of us may not actually be grieving the end of a very trying year,

we certainly DO need to celebrate the arrival of a fresh new one!

there's a lovely song called 'Celebrate Me Home'
(originally by Kenny Loggins, and recently covered by Josh Groban)
that includes these lines:
"Come on and play my music, Let's turn on the love light in the place...
Please, celebrate me home...Play me one more song that I'll always remember,
And I can recall, Whenever I find myself too all alone, I can sing me home."

what a beautiful idea - to celebrate home.
not feel imprisoned in, not tolerate, not begrudgingly accept... but celebrate.
express gratitude for the home we have, enjoy the time spent there, really live there.

as we enter this new year, i thought it would be good to focus on 

ways that we can refresh, reclaim, and rejuvenate the MOOD inside our rooms...
celebrating our homes, if you will.
helping us to embrace and enjoy where we live our lives in simple ways every day.

continue reading for some of my top tips to help you celebrate your home...

color your winter decor

let's face it. we're all facing the same 'post holiday decor question':

what do i do NOW?
my house looks so empty after the Christmas decor is down.

do i do winter decor? if i really don't want to go with a 'snowy' look, how do i DO that?

or do i jump right to spring - or stop off for a short visit at Valentine's Day?

if you think that i don't ask those same questions, think again!
honestly? i struggle with the whole 'winter wonderland' look...
 i live in the desert in Southern California. it's cold here, but not snowy.
and i need color. the monotone snowy look isn't my jam anymore.

 
recently, a thought came to me:

color always inspires me, and mother nature never fails to offer inspiration

as each season unfolds with new hues, new color combinations, new life.

thing is, having color in your home doesn't have to look like my holiday theme did - 

a riot of every color in the rainbow. all at the same time.

sometimes, it is the addition of one hue to a soft neutral background

 that adds what i call 'a punctuation point' in a room.

just a touch goes a long way. and it doesn't have to cost a thing!

continue reading to see what is inspiring me this winter...

Merry Christmas!

i want to thank you so much for joining me over the past two months
as i have shared a lot of crazy colorful 'merry and bright!' inspiration for the holidays!

see all of my merry and bright! posts here

this simple nativity scene was a last-minute idea,
with a few paint chips quickly glued together in a house shape.
the figures you see are decades old, set up in our home when i was a little Debby.
saved, protected, and passed down, i set them up when my kids were small
and then watched my first grandson play with them when he was two.
they are an enduring reminder of my many memories of Christmas...

i chose a 'merry and bright!' theme this year not just because of the need for merriment,
but as my homage to creativity, to imagination, to childlike wonder.
staying creative this year has helped me more than i can explain,
to stay in a grateful and positive mindset during this pandemic.

my goal has been to use and REuse as much 'stuff' from home as i can,
shop for as little as possible, and just PLAY. it's been a fun creative exercise!

i hope that you are finding ways to express your creativity - 
and everyone is creative, in so many different ways - 
and that you've discovered how much joy you can create in your own life and home,
even when the world outside those doors is going a bit haywire.

let's carry that attitude into 2021, shall we?!

i wish you all a very merry (and bright!) Christmas
and a new year that holds hope, joy, and faith in your heart.


see you in January!

deb

rainbow paint chip table runner

the two bright, colorful tablescapes featured in my last post
are built on top of this rainbow-hued runner.
made from paint chips and freezer paper and a glue stick. SO easy!
and right about now in the holiday season....easy is good.

continue reading for the super-simple 'how-to'...