Halloween Decor & Living Room updates

Happy Monday!

Did you notice the blog got a new look?  I thought since our home is getting freshly painted white walls, the blog should get a little makeover too. What do you think?

 How are we half way through October already?

 With Halloween right around the corner I thought I'd give you a peek into our home. If you've been reading my blog for a while you may recall why I love to take my kids trick or treating? ( Hint: it's not for the chocolate…okay, maybe a little) If you don't remember or you want to read about my nosiness you can here.

Normally, I don't decorate so much for Halloween, but this year we are hosting a family Halloween party with 11 (13 including ours) nephews and nieces, so I stepped up our Halloween decor a bit.   If you missed our last cousin Halloween party you can check it out here. 

I change our chalkboard art seasonally and for birthdays. I'm often asked what I use to write on our chalkboard and although these chalk pens  have to usually be erased with a Magic Eraser, they are still my favorite.

I made this chalkboard a few years ago using this tutorial. The globe string lights are actually just Christmas lights with ping pong balls around them. I made them last Christmas and loved them, so we never took them down.

The mantle pretty much remained the same except I added the small pumpkins and Halloween banner. The banner was purchased from Michaels.  The copper tea light holders are from Target. I couldn't find them online, but I like this one too!

As you can see from the photo above we're starting to put the living room back together and have even added a couple of new pieces. Since the walls have been painted I haven't hung anything back up besides Halloween decorations. You can see what our living room looked like before in this post.

Remember in my last post I showed you inspiration pictures of the look I'm going for in our living room?  Well, I did some serious investigation via a couple clicks on Pinterest and found out that the entryway I pinned belonged to designer  Sarah Sherman Samuel. I had been seriously drooling over her entryway! 

 I was way too excited shocked when I found out the console table was from CB2, still available and affordable! Whaaat!?! #iwillfindyou  Naturally, I tracked it down at the nearest CB2 (which is in Berkeley for all you locals) and made my husband take me to Berkeley for our date night. Which my husband was totally cool with because he's used to me  because there is a tasting room called The Rare Barrel in Berkeley that he had wanted to check out. Win-Win! And that's how we spent our date night because we're super romantic like that. 

I was a little disappointed when I saw the Mills Console table in the store. The table looked black in pictures, but was a more gunmetal grey in person. I almost shied away from purchasing it, but couldn't find anything else that I liked with the same dimensions and price range. Have I mentioned that I'm very indecisive when it comes to buying things!?! Want to go shopping with me? Didn't think so.

As you can see in the picture below I finally made a decision and bought it and you guys…I'm so happy with it! It's narrow, sleek and just down right perfect for our entryway.  Thank you Sarah Sherman Samuel for designing the perfect entryway! Your entryway is like 100 heart eyed Emojis! 

The rattan stool and basket were thrifted. The copper candelabra is from Target and the spider web and spider are from Michaels. You can see what our entryway used to look like here.

I'm still learning how to "style" a room for a photo. In Emily Henderson's new book Styled she talks about how you should photograph a space as if someone was just in the room. It gives the feeling of real life.  I took Emily's advice and tried my best in this shot?! Actually that is exactly where I sit every morning and have my quiet time and devotions before I start my day. 

I posted a picture last week on  Instagram  of the leaf wall hanging I made.  This was a super easy and inexpensive project. I spray painted magnolia leaves with copper spray paint and once they dried I painted a portion of the leaf white. Using a hot glue gun, glue the leaves and feathers to twine. I tied a long piece of leather lace to each end of the stick to use as the hanger.

The black and white striped pillow cover is from Ikea and I made the spider web pillow.  I already had the black pillow cover and drew the spider web on it with a white fabric marker from Michaels.

 The pharmacy floor lamp (similar) and black footstool were thrifted. The marble and copper side table and lamp are from Target. Have I mentioned that I LOVE Target!

I've been a total slacker in putting the gallery wall back up. So, the stairwell has now become the bat wall for the month of October.

Copper and marble Lamp from Target.

Have a great week!

xoxo,

                                                          

Fall Porch

 I have a confession to make. I've never carved pumpkins with my sons. I know. But, before you judge and think my boy's are being deprived, let me explain. They do carve pumpkins every year,  just not  with me.  My husband has always been the one to do it and I've never complained. I am content with being the photographer of the event. I enjoy watching them carve, I just have no interest in carving. Never have. Never will. I know lots of people that LOVE carving and are great at it, but I'm not one of those people. Something about taking all that time carving all the little details and then it only lasts a day or two. Just not my thing.
  However, painting pumpkins ...now that is what I'm talking about! No carving needed and they will last through Thanksgiving.

Makes me happy!

I probably spent a total of an hour painting these 4 pumpkins and it was pretty simple.

For the black and white striped pumpkin I taped it off with frog tape and then sprayed painted it black and then removed the tape.

For the deer head silhouette I printed the silhouette (downloaded from the internet) on card stock and cut it out. 

I then traced the silhouette with a pen onto the pumpkin. I purposely found a pumpkin that was a little flat on one side, which made it easier to trace onto.

Once traced I then painted it using a Rustoleum paint pen

For the "hello" pumpkin I painted it with chalkboard paint and then used my white chalkboard pen to write on it. The yellow pumpkin I taped off with frog tape on a diagonal and used yellow spray paint that I already had.

Also, why I was already sprucing up our front porch I spray painted an "H" on our door mat. Years ago it did say "welcome", but faded over the years. I printed off an "H" from the internet onto card stock and cut it out, and then used it as a stencil.

I then taped it to the mat and then sprayed over it with black spray paint.

                                                        

So tell me...are you a pumpkin carver or painter?

xoxo,

{DIY} Halloween Banner

Happy Friday!

Today I'm sharing an easy Halloween banner that you can make with your kids. 

Here's ours:

Please excuse the dust on our fireplace... just keeping it real people.

This project is pretty simple and all that is needed is:

cardstock paper in colors shown above

scissors

black marker

white crayon or pencil

glue

twine

small clothespins 

The tutorial for this banner can be found here

Ok, I'm off to finish a couple projects CLEAN my house. Yippee.

Enjoy your weekend!

                                                       

Free Fall Printables

I've been working hard this week (with the help of my dad and hubby)  trying to finish a few projects that I would like to hopefully show you next week. In the meantime, I thought I would share an easy way to add a little bit of Fall to your home.

Subway art is everywhere now and you can even print it for FREE!  I discovered this a few years ago and it's one of the easiest ways to change your decor with the Season's.

I rounded up a few more that I thought you'd like:

(click on the link to print)

Here

here

Here

Here

          Here

So, if you know me it's no secret that I have a chalkboard obsession. I started out with a small one and have graduated to a large one over the years.  It's another easy way to bring "Fall" into your home by just writing a quote, scripture or anything "Fallish" on it.  Here's what ours currently looks like:

One last thing...

 Thanks to everyone that has been reading and supporting me on this "blogging journey"  It really means a lot to me!  

xo

                                                     

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Happy Friday!!

Today I'm sharing one of our favorite Fall recipes.

Have a great weekend!

xoxo,