I love Christmastime, so  of course, I’m going join up with a few decor linky parties!

Christmas Mantel

Layla’s party

My faux mantel, (a huge shelf in my dinning room), provides a lot of surface area for seasonal decor. It is one of the only areas that my 4 kids can’t reach. Which means, the shelf mantel is the only place I can display anything with glass. I love changing out the decor contents of the white and glass candle houses. This Christmas, I added green and red glitter ornaments and a red-berry garland.

Christmas Vignette

Rhoda’s Party

Christmas invaded my living room side table.  Clearing paperwork clutter, missing socks and av equipment off my side table to decorate for the seasons makes me happy! I paired books with green and red spines with a photo from my college days with my husband. My Merry Days Silent Nights sign adds a pop of color and height to this cozy vignette.

Christmas Craft

Kate’s Party

Red paint + scrap lumber  2X4 + 25 circles + number stickers + Mod Podge = Christmas Countdown (Advent) on a Stick.

I’m from Minnesota, the host of the Stair Fair with most “On-a-Stick” items in the world. (or that I’ve seen). So naturally, Christmas Countdown on-a-stick was the most logical craft for me to make!

Christmas Tree

Sarah’s Party

My hallway gets all aglow with a sweet and simple table-top tree. White and red berry garland, white lights and my angel ornament collection are topped off with a white tin star of Bethlehem.

Thanks for stopping by for a tour, of the Just a Blink house, at Christmas! Hope your days are merry and bright!

Love,
Jess

Mantel turned Dining Room Shelf

A few summer’s ago I scooped up a discarded fireplace mantle at a garage sale. I don’t have a fireplace but why would I let logic stop me?

I knew in my gut the fireplace mantel would eventually find a place in my home. Plus, I couldn’t bet the cost. The purchase price? One dollar. Yes, a single buck.

Here she is, with new life, as a dining room shelf.

The Details

I love looking at the framed photo of Pete and I from the year before we were married. We look like kids! We were (and still are) very in love. We had no idea that 8 short years later we’d have a mortgage, a minivan and 4 kids under the age of 5.

I turned my crepe paper centerpiece from Living with Lindsay’s $5 Challenge into a wreath.

My son Ryan contributed his artwork, an astronaut flying in space with a view of Earth, for the mantel. I just love that my white frame has a clip inside. I can quickly change out its contents to meet my decorating whims!

Baby Girl Nursery Decor

Here is a link to my post about decorating the wall above Claire and Leah’s diaper table. Man, I love having baby girls in the house again!

Here is a list of things to think about (in The Nester’s words) when putting together a mantel, wall shelf or table scape.

1. Scale–you want big stuff, you want small stuff, you want medium stuff

2. Layering–don’t be afraid to put stuff in front of other stuff

3. Height Variations–make sure you have tall stuff and short stuff

4. Texture–shiny, smooth, rough, glass, wood, soft, sharp? I can’t think of any more textures but you get the idea

5. Color–consider repeating the same color a few times

6. Natural–try to add in one thing from nature

7. Meaningful–kid made pottery, a grandma’s silver rattle, quirky photo, framed letter

If you are visiting from The Nester’s Mantel Party, thanks for popping by Just a Blink!

Love,

Jess

Shamrock ribbon in a jar

Sideboard cleaned up for March

During my last thrifting trip I picked up a framed shadow box with a silver clip inside. I think it was for a wedding photo or something. I added in a shamrock ceramic ornament.

I propped a vintage St. Pats postcard up on a black scalloped pedestal candle holder.

Erin GoBraugh (Ireland Forever)! Anyone else have a black speaker to decorate above the TV?

May joy and peace surround you

Contentment latch your doors

And happiness be with you now

And bless you evermore

Love,

Jess

Here are some cool St. Patrick’s Day links

This post is linked up with

I filled a baker’s tin with Scrabble tiles to send a loving message to my family.

Red winter berries bring my sideboard “mantle” just a touch of color.

To add a hint of love to my bedroom, I created a LOVE banner for the old farmhouse window. I made the banner from #4 coffee filters (folded in half) and scrap ribbon. The lettering is made from cut-out pieces of card stock that have been mod-podged with micro-beads then hot glued onto white card stock circles.

Here is a close up of the LOVE banner

Hugs and Kisses. I propped up these Xs and Os on the wall “grate” decor above the sideboard in the dining room. I glittered paper Xs and Os (glitter is a verb right? haha, within the crafter’s mind it is I guess) on the kitchen table. I swear I had glitter between my teeth after dinner that night!

I could totally be done decorating for this season, but, I something tells me I’ll keep fluffing my “love” nest until February 14th.

Love,

Jess

I am okay with any excuse for chocolate and candle light, you? Valentine’s Day is notorious for romance but I want more! Am I coming across as high maintenance or what?

Seriously, what good is ONE day of romance if the rest of your days are filled with sub-par loving conditions? I am blessed beyond words to have a dh (darling husband) that shows me love everyday (does putting away clean dishes and getting quick shoulder rubs speak volumes, to you, as it does to me?)

Anyway, February is coming upon us and thus LOVE is in the air when it comes to decor. Although red hearts and glittery XOXOs can’t actually show us love, they sure can deliver a sweet reminder to show love to one another.

Here are some photos of a few of my Valentine’s Day decor.

Okay, gotta run, my babies are calling for me. And yes, it is impossible to keep Molly out of the conversation hearts. I might be rethinking the placement of that candle holder.

Love,

Jess

This post is linked up to Blue Cricket Designs

I love the feel of a pieced together home style. A little of this and a little of that. New with the old. Pastels with the bold.

Claire’s sheets are white with multi-colored polka-dots.

I purchased the big “C” at JoAnne’s and painted it pink. The sticker on the small plate displays the definition of GIGGLE.

The blanket was a gift from the NICU. The sweater was worn by my mother Lucy as an infant. The lamb was a toy I played with at my Grandma Mary’s house. The plate, a family pattern, was past down to me from my late Uncle Wayne.

I made her nursery space very personal and unique by selecting a few meaningful objects to decorate Claire’s side of the room.  I love what a big impact her wall decor has for such little financial investment.

Look around to what you may already have in your home lurking in the attic — it may be just the personal touch you were looking for in your decor!

Love,

Jess

I plan to leak out bits and pieces of their room over the next week or so.

Diaper Table Wall

The white shelf was a rescue from a friend. She was in her car on the way to the donation center when I spotted the shelf. I literally reached through the passenger side window of her car (while standing in the street & chatting after MOPS) to snatch it for my own.

Since I am not a “fabric arts” gal, I don’t have stock piles of beautiful fabric lining my craft shelves in neat, colorful rows. But, I did have an old pink washcloth that I was willing to sacrifice for my cause.

Ahhh, gotta love the Dollar Store. I lined scrapbook paper in these cute little $1 frames, then added  a 3D sticker to the outside of the glass. I embellished the hanger with a red ribbon and viola! Cuteness.

I stole these BABY blocks from the toy box. Free. Easy. More cuteness.

Changing 15-20 diapers a day goes a lot more nicely with such sweet little things to look at by the diaper table!

Love,

Jess

I had plenty of empty nooks to mess around with since the Christmas decor is finally in the attic. Does anyone else pack all the red and green bins up right away, then take 2 weeks to get it out of the hallway in front of the attic?

Anyway, here is a quick tour of a few areas that got gussied up for WINTER!

My front door step has a pine arrangement in a cider crock packed full of snow.

A copper snowflake cookie cutter hangs above the kitchen sink from a colorful argyle ribbon.

The living room showcases a trio of mini trees with snowflakes. I reused some snowflakes from my pine cone Christmas wreath. I added some snowflake napkin rings to decorate the trees as well.

I used large paper cutouts and splashes of color to make the dining area festive for winter.

Decorating with fruit adds a lot of color and a fresh feel to the side board.

12 X 12 scrapbook paper served me well to create these extra large cut outs. I tied them on with sisel twine, ribbon and fabric scrap.

I rarely use glass in my decor (too many little hands) but I couldn't resist setting up this trio of containers. I filled them with ribbon scrap, yellow felt and sisel twine.

Even the candles got dressed for the cold weather! Paper, twine, ribbon and a snowflake sticker add a lot of flare to an otherwise ordinary pillar candle. (These candles are flameless - so cool!)

My MIL Kris made an evergreen arrangement for me using wintery accents. So glittery and fun!

Adding a bit of fun decor after Christmas always helps me to keep my spirits up during the long cold months ahead.

Stay happy, cut out a snowflake!

Jess

Come on In!

Snowball Tree

I made a snowball tree from a wrought iron votive holder to dress up my front step.

Ice Skate Frame Wreath

My front door displays a winter friendly decoration. Check out my wreath tutorial.

Inside my front door, Jingle Bell Swag.

Entryway Coat Rack.

Entryway/Living Room "Hall"

Tin Star of Bethlehem

Seasonal pillow with an ever-present pile of blankets

I hung the kids' stockings from the living room side table. The star basket houses our incoming Christmas cards.

Handmade felt stockings from Aunt Carly!

Christmas Tree

Snowmen in the Kitchen

Recipe card holder

Cookie Jar

Christmas art work jazzes up the side of my fridge.

Christmas magnets on the fridge make everything look festive, my grocery list included.

Even my menu plan perks up with a little Frosty.

Dining Room Side Board and Shelf

A vintage Santa gift tag is tucked in the spikes of a pinecone. The metal stove is an antique doll house toy.

A little beaded beauty.

Between the dining area and the living room I hung a hand quilted wreath. (Thanks Aunt Elise!) I look forward to displaying this wreath every year!

Christmas towels, Making Spirits Bright frame and a little wooden tree make my bathroom sing - Santa Clause is Coming to Town.

Ornaments tied with red ribbon, give my bedroom farmhouse window some red & green flair for Christmas.

Well, that’s all for now. I hope you enjoyed your tour. I think I’ll be playing around with Christmas decor and projects well through the actual Holiday. It’s my favorite time of the year!

Love,

Jess

This post is linked up with a few Holiday House Tour parties…
Hooked on Houses

The Nester

Thrifty Decor Chic

Southern Hospitality

I love having a new alphabet printer in the house (Ryan, 5). He sees signs and phrases all over the place, including our home, and asks what the signs spell, and more importantly what they mean.

Ryan posted a sign under his loft bed that spelled out, “NO MOLLY”. Nice brother, eh? The first phrase he ever prints of his own volition is “NO MOLLY”. It was cute, he didn’t want her to get his scissors in case she cut herself….that, and I’m sure protection over his transformers didn’t hurt either.

I made a point of decorating with words this year for Christmas.

Not sure about those silent nights with the twins!

Chalkboard photo frame with lyrics to 'Oh Holy Night'. The photo in the center was a Christmas card picture of Pete and I from the days before kids.

Here is to a meaningful and Spirit led Christmas!

Love,

Jess

This post is linked up with Julia for the Hooked on Holiday House tours and The Preacher’s Wife for How we Christmas: Decoration Edition