Easter Chocolate Decor?

Yes.  I use chocolate as I decorate for Easter.  Why?  Because I love chocolate and I love the colors of Easter.  And there are so many unique and wonderfully wrapped pieces of Easter chocolate.

For example...I love this Easter tin with a large European chocolate bar inside.  I loved the little bunny family working together to create colored Easter eggs.  (I'm going to remind my teenage children how fun it is to color Easter eggs TOGETHER!)

I've used this tin in my kitchen decor for Easter.

Some of my favorite chocolate eggs are from Hershey's.  The pastel eggs with solid milk chocolate inside look lovely in a clear glass jar, and are also lovely to eat!  Hint...If I put chocolate in a decorative jar I am less likely to eat it.  My kids and their friends...well they feel it an open invitation to partake.  I always keep an extra couple bags on hand to refill.

I found these sweet Easter wrapped chocolate bars at Marshalls (in California).  They came in a package of about 8-10.  I love the bright picture wraps of Easter on each bar.   

I popped them in a old fashioned glass mason jar and made them part of my kitchen counter Easter tray display.

I love chocolate, I love decorating and I especially love being with my b-funny family on Easter. 

The Insomniac's Delight-Label Quilt

Have you ever seen a label quilt?  Do you even know what it is?  I didn't until my mom started creating.

It's the coolest quilt ever!  Look close for some amazing, unique labels.

My mom has created hundreds and hundreds of custom quilts over the years.  And I have been the happy recipient of many of them, along with other members of my family.    

She is an accomplished quilter unlike me who can tie a quilt...if I have help.  My mom's hands are always busy doing something.  She thinks TV programs are boring unless she has a quilt in her hand, and then they are just tolerable.

I'm not sure if the label quilt was her idea or something she saw and said, "I can do that!"  And she usually can.

Like the tag says, she started gathering labels in 1996.  She would remove labels from clothing, shoes, packaging materials, flour bags...anything with a fabric label.  She would then cut the label carefully out of the article and place it in an envelope for safe keeping.  

They are from all over the world.  From her travels and anyone else that wanted to give up their label.  After a time she had several people gathering for her.  They would bring her over handfuls of labels they had saved for her.

  

Once she felt she had enough labels she started creating the quilt square by square.  Over the years she continued creating the squares and by 1998 she had enough squares to make a very large quilt.

The completed label quilt hung in her entryway for years and as people would enter they would stand at the quilt (in awe) for what seemed a very long time.  Many of the labels had stories attached to them..."We picked up that label from..."  kind of like the touristy tea cups you collect from different countries.   

Since that first label quilt was created, several more have been made and given to my sisters.  I'm thinking I will hold out for the original.

Many of the clothing companies now do not have labels, instead they have the company names "stamped" in their products.  But every once in awhile we come across a really great one.  It goes into the envelope, waiting to be sewn on the next square, for the next label quilt.

Go check your closet...

Produce Jars and Cherries-Happy 4th of July

Schools out.  Summer is in full swing.  Fruit is back in season and Independence Day celebrations are heating up.  And then I ran across these Farm Fresh Produce jars.  Perfect.

I visit a few ladies in my neighborhood every month.  These ladies have become close friends and I look forward to our visits.  I try and think of ways to let them know I think about them after our visits too.  I thought they might enjoy a little jar decorated for the 4th of July, filled with plump, juicy cherries.

I found these jars at TaiPan on clearance for $2.00.  I love the texture and look of the produce jars.  The metal flags were found at Hobby Lobby.  The cherries?  From our local grocer.

It feels like summer.  And that makes me happy.

Vintage Dresser and Rocking Chair Re-Do

I'd like to give a shout out to a friend that is talented in many things and especially in purchasing old, beat up furniture and turning them into beautiful works of art.

She looks for sturdy, well built pieces that need a little tender loving care.  And then she works her magic.  She found this one for me.  Before the re-do I called it "old."  After the magic, I felt it deserved the honor of being labeled "restored vintage!"

Her Facebook described this chest as a...

"Dreamy Vintage Dresser!!! Look at the original Drawer Pulls, aren't they lovely? It has been painted a custom palest of blue, I'm calling this color "cloud 9". I painted the drawers antique white for a fresh clean look. Of course I'm loving the original Casters! Perfect for storing old quilts in a cottage guest house by the beach...Just sayin"

Beautiful, ornate hand crafted markings. 

Lindsey gave me the option of changing out the antique drawer pulls or keeping them.  It didn't take us long to come to the decision of KEEPING THEM.  They are beautiful.

I don't have a "cottage guest house by the beach" but it has become a wonderful edition to my sitting room.  And I do store my cozy handmade quilts in the drawers!

While negotiating our deal for the dresser, I couldn't resist this adorable vintage children's rocking chair in "Mint" condition. 

Lots and lots of layers of paint to refinish all these chair spindles.  It will make a great chair for our little one as she reads her books or watches her favorite video.

Check out Lindsey's Furniture by the Canyon

This was another make-over.  So beautiful.

She does custom orders!

And I love mine!

Valentine Mantels and Cozy Corners

I've been searching Pinterest for ideas of Valentine decor.  These are a few of my favorites, so far.

I love the idea of re-purposing everyday things to create beautiful vignettes. 

I also like to display family heirlooms.  

Simple prints, red pots and greenery.  LOVE.

 

Old newspapers or magazines can create such heartfelt beauty.

 

Elegant.  From an old window frame.

Just makes you want to curl up with someone special.  

Or at least a good book.

Love some sister time.

Simple is Good.

Valentine Candy Shaker

I saw these empty bottles on a store shelf and they just screamed, "Fill me, Fill me!"...with Valentine candy.

So I did.

Easiest, yummiest decoration yet.

Bottles/wooden crate from Rod Works