details, sources and questions answered {plus a freebie}

You sure know how to make a girl feel good. So many nice comments and compliments about our holiday house tour. Our house is beautiful and we are grateful for the way it comforts our family and entertains our friends, but you guys, it is so normal! You can practically touch the houses next door, we have worn carpet that I’m dying to rip up and truly nothing is precious {well, except maybe my couch. I really like the couch}. We’ve done our best to give this regular home personality and style and have learned a ton about loving where we live even if it is not our dream home. Maybe we’ll chat more about that another time.

For now, I wanted to answer a few of the most asked questions and share sources.

 // deer mugs //

Best find ever. From ikea.

// striped cups //

Also from ikea. They come in a pack of four with two striped mugs, two dot mugs. Perfect for small hands and kid-sized portions of hot cocoa {with extra marshmallows, of course}.

// living room chairs //

We bought these pretty tufted chairs about six years ago from Ethan Allen. I’m not sure what the exact name of the fabric is, but it is a nice taupe color mohair lookalike. Very durable and worth the splurge.

// striped curtains //

I should have done a tutorial. I probably still could. They were super easy to make.

The curtains are plain white from ikea {we have them on almost every window downstairs}. I taped off 14″ stripes and used gold glitter spray paint for the stripes. It’s hard to tell in the photos, but they are sparkly, glittery stripes that catch the light in a really pretty way. Each panel took about 3 cans of spray paint and my finger was blistered from holding down the spray nozzle after doing these two panels. This is not the most cost-effective project {$7 per can of spray paint}, it took a few days of leaving them outside to get rid of the obnoxious smell and they can’t be washed. But they sure do look great.

// dots on the entry window //

The gold dots are just vinyl stickers from walls need love {2″ polka dots in gold}. I bought them to put on Audrey’s ceiling, but on a whim stuck them to the window confetti-style. I stole the idea from the Nester who currently has them sprayed out on her wall. Love it.

// pillows //

My love affair with pillows continues. Switching out pillows and throw blankets is the easiest and least expensive way to give your home a totally different look.

from left to right:

green pillow from target. Pom pom trim hand stitched to the perimeter
noel pillow from target
gold polka dot pillow from marshalls
green print pillow is a tea towel from target sewn into a pillow
leaf green pillow from marshalls
green geometric from marshalls
ticking stripe pillow made by me
black & white ikat made by me. Fabric from here.

// christmas card holder //

my mother-in-law finds the coolest things at thrift stores and this is one she gave me. An old display rack now used for our cards.

// silhouettes //

First of all, I told my oldest son that everyone loved the snowflake wall and he wanted to make it clear that it was his idea. So there you go.

The silhouettes have been up on the wall for over a year and I must do a tutorial! It will come. They are handpainted and in large ikea frames.

// striped ribbon //

Apparently I have a thing for stripes. Did you notice all of them throughout our home? It’s ridiculous. Striped curtains, striped rugs, striped lampshade and throws and cups. Goodness.

I order a lot of ribbon wholesale from May Arts. That is where the skinny stripe and diagonal stripe are from.

This thick diagonal stripe ribbon is actually ikea fabric cut on the bias into strips. It’s the same fabric used as a tree skirt. It’s also the trim on the dining room curtains.

// freebie //

Something beautiful happened through this post about heartache.  Coming together, sharing our stories, being honest and vulnerable and then encouraging one another – this is what makes life meaningful. Cute things, holiday decorating, gift ideas and sparkly dresses are all good and fun and bring beauty to our lives and we should celebrate them. But never do I want to just blog about the pretty things and forget our hearts. Thanks for being with me when I go to those places.

Please feel free to use this card as a way to encourage those around you.

Click on the image to download the file {use Adobe Reader for best results}.

Did I miss anything? Let me know if you have any other source questions!

xo, emily