DIY - Tissue Paper Poufs

This is another crazy week, but I will have some exciting events to share, so stay tuned! One of the upcoming surprises involves the use of tissue paper poufs. I bought a kit that made three and taught myself how to construct these puppies on my own. I have made several different sizes and colors and had a ball putting them together. Sweet Pea was my assistant, so with a little patience, we decided most anyone can make these. Sweet Pea and I thought that the extra-small poufs would look adorable on top of a pretty package, a grouping of different sizes makes an interesting mobile to suspend from a ceiling in a girl's room. The poufs also make colorful centerpieces for a spring table setting. There is just no limit to their uses, so be creative!

Step 1 - I just used a package of ten sheets. This works great for small to medium poufs, but for a large size, where you use the entire length for one pouf, use fifteen sheets for fullness.

Step 2 - Take the tissue out of the bag and unfold. The cutest size is made by cutting the sheets in half, so that you can make two poufs from one package. This is where you can experiment with sizes. I cut some sheets about three-fourths of the way to make one medium size and one tiny one. Note: the tiny ones take a lot of patience to fluff, so don't get discouraged.

Step 3 - Cut the ends of each side. You can cut them with pointed-tips or rounded like waves or scallops.

Step 4 - Fold the sheets, using an accordion fold and then secure with a light gauge floral wire.

Step 5 - Fan out the sides of the sheets.

Step 6 - Start to fluff by pulling up the individual sheets and gently pulling toward the center. After you finish one side, do the same thing on the other.

Step 7 - Play around and fluff the folds to hide the center wire and make a complete circle pouf.

Step 8 - You can attach lengths of ribbon to hang your pouf, or leave it as is, and rest it in a vase or bowl.

Happy Monday!

Krissy

Going Green

What's not to love about this kitchen? The green ceiling, the totally fabu drum shade, the plate wall - love it!

Green trim, LOVE the stripe fabric and the pops of blue and black - this is so fun.

More green greatness.

Hello strangers! Sorry for the break in posts. I have been wearing my "mom" hat lately, as Sport Cort had a bout with a nasty case of strep and then we took a quick vacay to Great Wolf Lodge. "Vacay" isn't the right word for what we had. A beating? A sharp stick on the eye? Yes, those might be closer to the truth. The mini-pearls had a ball though and that made the ordeal worth it.

Green is a color that I have only recently come to love. I used to have an aversion to the color. Why? Don't laugh, but it stems from growing-up in a city where football is king and one is fiercely loyal to their team. Your team is determined by the high school you attend. My high school colors were navy blue and gold and were a huge part of my wardrobe and decor. The rival high school? The one that no self-respecting cheerleader and loyal fan of my high school would be caught dead near, much less sporting their colors? They were green and white. Laugh all you want, but it has taken me a long time to get over this!

All this being said. I love green. I really do! It makes me happy. I love green and all of it's wonderful shades and tones. I love that green can be a neutral or it can be a bold stand-out. Green is a chameleon. Green can be traditional. Green can be retro. Green can be fresh and modern. What do you think? What is your favorite shade? I have found that when I can't get a room to feel right and complete, all it needs is a touch of green. A green pillow, lamp, a plate or bowl - try it. It just works. I can't help but feel that our Creator loves green and all of it's variations, too. He uses it a lot. See, you can't go wrong. You can't go wrong, unless it involves high school football and then, well, green sucks. Some things you can't change.

Toodles!

Krissy

PHOTOS VIA WWW.COUNTRYLIVING.COM

Flashback Friday - Bustle-up!

I thought this was very sophisticated, bubble-bottom and all.

If this fancy, ball gown could talk!

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of chaperoning Sweet Pea and her class to a Civil War museum. The museum is a private collection that consists mostly of military clothing from the war and it was fascinating. The main room had glass display cases lined-up against the walls and the Yankees were on one side and the Confederates on the other, never the two shall combine. The collection held uniforms of all different ranks and some weapons, but what was truly interesting were the little items that the soldiers carried with them: a small Bible, lockets with faded photos and locks of hair, ornate pocket watches, etc. These were items from home that the soldiers carried with them into battle and brought them comfort when they were away from loved ones. Sweet Pea and her classmates hurried through the exhibit and I was hard pressed to get them interested in dusty, old uniforms, until we got to the last room. The room was filled with women and children's fashions from the 1850's to the early 1900's.

Something for the gentlemen - I know that our forefathers were smaller than we are today, but these uniforms wouldn't fit my twelve year old Fisherman!

Sweet Pea and her friends decided that they definitely live in the right era, as the clothing was so cumbersome! There was an entire display of corsets and once the girls got over giggling at the idea of staring at undergarments, they were mesmerized at the tortuous looking items. Why would anyone wear those? The result was quite amazing - the teeny tiny waists had to be seen to be believed. Tighter Mammy, tighter! Another case held bustles. This one gets me. Why, pray tell, would anyone want to make their backside look as though it swallowed a basketball? The display even held a maternity dress from the 1860's. I did not know that pregnant women were not to be seen during their pregnancy and only left the house for church and funerals. This was not that long ago! We've come a long way, baby!

Reading about the past is one thing, but to see clothing that an actual living person wore and lived their life in makes the past real for me. The fancy, silk ballgowns, the calico "work" dresses, the heavy, long wool swimsuit, bonnets and hats and the fussy, little children's clothes.. all tell stories of a life lived. I love to study the past and look at the paths that have lead us to where we are today and I wonder what will be in a clothing display case from 2011 and what will it say about our lives? Will there be a display of Spanx next to the corsets and bustles? I'll take Spanx any day over whale bones and non-stretchy fabrics, thank you very much! And as for the bustles, well, since I am blessed with my own "built-in" bustle, I think I'll let them stay in the past.

Actual bustles - strap one on!

A child's corset. Really?

Sweet Pea and friends - very happy not to be wearing the above device!

Happy Weekend!

Krissy

Sunny Yellow

The sun is shining and it feels like spring. This has put a smile on my heart and I want to share it with you. I love spring! We will probably have another cold snap, but I will take this glorious weather any day. My daffodils are bursting forth in my flower beds and I am anxiously awaiting their sunny yellow blooms. You can't help but be happy when you see yellow, at least I can't, but it isn't a color that I use very much in my decor or in my wardrobe. Anyone else? Why is that? I will leave you to ponder this question. I am taking my puppies on a walk!

Love this sunny bedroom. I spied the darling dress at Anthro the other day.

Ok, I'm really digging the zinc finish on this piece, too cool.

Have a happy, sunny day!

Krissy

pictures via www.sarahrichardsondesign.com

Teacher Love - Gift Ideas

Yes, Valentine's Day is tomorrow but in case you need a last minute idea, here it is! You can purchase all of these items at the grocery store. The mini-pearls and I just finished putting together little sussies for their teachers. I got the idea from Country Living magazine. So, it isn't original but it is so fun and you can change it up so many fun ways! Have a wonderful evening. Mr. Pearl is preparing a special dinner for us all and we are going to enjoy a little "family love" one day early!

Supplies:

a cylinder vase - make sure the sides are straight and not angled (mason jars work, too)

2 - 4 dozen colored pencils (Sweet Pea picked-out all of the dark colors from hers, so they are nice and bright!)

colored hair bands (2 per vase)

flowers

for the tags: I used some long pieces of floral wire that I had and wound them into a spiral to hold the card. I used vintage Valentines that I already had, but you can make your own!

Sending you some love!

Krissy

A Valentine Box

Look at what my girl made! Sweet Pea, out of the three mini pearls, is the most interested in my studio and all of my art and crafting supplies. Bless her heart, she gets so frustrated when she tries to create a masterpiece and can't make it look like something I would do. I keep telling her that I have been practicing for forty years and she needs to give herself a break, but at nine, that falls on deaf ears. I have to work really, really, really hard at not interfering and doing her work for her. Am I the only mom that practically has to sit on their hands and bite their tongue to let their child be free to create herself? I want her to learn and grow and I know that this only comes from doing it herself. So, with the good Lord's help, she is growing darnit and look what she did!

Sweet Pea has the assignment to create a Valentine box for her class party on Monday. (side note: this is MY favorite assignment of the year making it even harder to step away) She spent time this last week pondering a theme for her box and bouncing ideas off of me, Mr. Pearl and her brothers. The creative process! I saw her mind at work! Sweet Pea settled on a garden theme for her box which she would title Garden of Love. She was under the weather yesterday when I had some time to pop in to Hobby Lobby to purchase the supplies that she would need. As she couldn't be there herself, she gave me detailed instructions as to her list of supplies. I did as I was told. I really did. I brought all of the supplies home and let her go. I only stepped-in when asked and well, the pictures say it all and my girl, she is proud of herself and so am I!

I totally dropped the ball here and did not take any pictures of the supplies before we got started but I will give you a list if you want to try and you can get creative!

Supplies:

1 8" cube of green foam (the crunchy kind, not florists foam)

1 package of Easter grass

1 foam mailbox from craft store

1 paper towel tube

assorted pics with hearts and flowers

assorted Valentine stickers

assorted felt flower stickers

assorted small rolls of Valentine ribbon

metallic heart garland

letter stickers

decorative straight pins

assorted craft paints

Alleens clear, tacky glue

sturdy cardboard to attach paper towel tube to mailbox

Cover the square with glue and stick the grass to it, putting most on the top and letting it spill over. Then, stick the floral pics all around top and sides of cube. Next, use the straight pins to adhere the small felt flowers to the grass and use them to hold-up the grass. Adhere fun stickers and letter stickers for your name to the mailbox. Paint the paper towel tube in fun colors and let dry. Have a grown-up cut a circle out of the foam on the top of the cube the size of the paper towel tube. (Our tube fits snugly into circle about 2 1/2 inches) Glue the cardboard to the top of the tube (ours is in a heart shape) When dry, snugly insert paper towel tube into the cube. Glue the mailbox to the top. Now, take the heart garland and ribbons and droop and loop them over everything for a little fun. (totally Sweet Pea's words)

Love,

Krissy

Flashback Friday - 70's Design and a Party

Hello everyone! Mr. Pearl and I braved the cold last Saturday night to attend a disco soiree for a dear friend. The much-hyped party lived-up to the talk. We had a blast! The entertainment was a band aptly named Le Freak. They are all disco, all the time baby! I don't know what was more fun: getting all gussied-up as a disco diva, seeing all of my friends dressed-up as disco dudes and divas or dancing to the awesome music. Here is proof of the fun.

When I walked out to go to the party, Fisherman looked at me and asked, "Is that a wig?" No dear, this is what the good Lord blessed me with in all its glory. My hair had it's night in the sun. Mr. P sported the fake stache but he wouldn't go without the undershirt for a little chest hair action. He said the ruffled shirt (yes, it was ruffled) and tight plaid pants were enough!

The seventies really isn't a time I care to revisit. Did anyone look good during that era? Did any one's home look good during that era? I mean, avocado green, harvest gold and orange - alone they are bad enough, but together? I really think that is some one's idea of a joke that went a little too far. Thank goodness the eighties came along to save the world from bad design (insert sarcasm).

Stayin' alive,

Krissy

photos via: www.prairiemod.com , www.st.houzz.com , http://4.bp.blogspot.com , www.zoezombie.com

Monday Smokey Blues and Reno Memos

This is amazing. The floor is genius. The change in color and direction of the floor planks -

love it.

This banquette - the soft gray, tufted velvet upholstery - I'd never leave the dining room!

This warm nook makes me smile. The warm creams and the gentle pops of soft blue on the chair and rocks from the fireplace are perfection.

Love this classic mix of blue fabrics.

This kitchen is too fun - I love the play of the modern glass tile mosaic with the rustic inserts of planks in the cabinetry. The soft blue/green of the cabinets and the white wash on the paneled walls and ceiling; this is going in my idea book.

Howdy everyone! Yes, it is Monday once again. I am feeling anything but blue though, as the sun is shining here and the mini-pearls are back in school after a four day snow break last week! I am back to working on the house reno plans and ran across these wonderful shots of spaces designed by Sarah Richardson. I love the smokey blue colors in each of these spaces and the fact that, although the blue is a cool color, she strikes a perfect balance with the rest of the space to evoke a warm, inviting mood. My color palette is starting to take shape. Do you see it? Have a great one!

Krissy

All pictures via www. sarahrichardsondesign.com

The Gift That Keeps On Giving - Ice Day 4

I woke-up this morning to the majesty of a winter's morn to find that Mother Nature had bestowed yet another gracious gift on my yard... four inches of fresh snow. The scene was absolutely beautiful and peaceful (I love the "quiet" of snowfall. There is nothing like it.). However, this wintry weather is starting to feel like the jelly of the month club or a visit from cousin Eddie - it just won't end! The mini-pearls have snowball fights and snowman building on tap for this afternoon. It is still snowing, so we are letting it pile up before we tackle it. Well, snow is white, and I love white. This is my new mantra, "I love white. White is good." This is keeping me going while I prepare for another day of cooking, keeping cold, wet clothing dry and constantly wiping the murky mess deposited by the front door from snow and ice-caked boots. How do my friends to the north handle this for months on end? Well, Mr. Pearl has made pancakes and eggs and I am going to enjoy a meal that I didn't prepare. Happy Friday all!

This white is what I prefer and my "dream" today!

Oh, to curl up and read a book here.

Aahhh! Now we are talking!

Heaven...

I love white. White is good.

Krissy

Cousin Eddie via www.60s.com, all White Beach photos via www.coastalliving.com