The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker, a holiday classic! I look forward to this ballet every season. What are some of your favorite holiday traditions... or ones you would like to start?

Romantic and Luxurious Bedroom Interior Design

These are romantic bedroom design that very suitable for newlyweds. Like room in five star hotel’s this room looks luxurious and comfortable. Romantic room can help create the romance inside whether it’s flower clippings on the dresser or a headboard that reflects the sand and sea.


Bedroom Design, Home Design, Interior Design, Luxurious Bedroom Design, Romantic Bedroom Design

Amazing Wall Decorating Stickers Ideas

Modern Bedroom Design Ideas

Whether you have just shifted to your new home or want to give a makeover to your old bedroom,you need some exclusive ideas to make your bedroom design stand out. So do you want a modern bedroom but do not know where to begin with all of the options available? That is a common stumbling block that most individuals face when planning this design. When working with the modern design it is important that form follows function. This design will encourage the use of some accessories; however clutter needs to be avoided. Clean lines and neutral background tones that are offset with bright colors and abstract designs that are brought in through accessories and lighting are what sets this style apart from other popular designs. Even though bright colors are encouraged the overall feel of the room needs to be comfortable and inviting. Have fun with color when using this style; this one of the few designs where unusual choices enhance the overall feel of the room, so let your imagination run wild.

Cyber Monday!

Wake up!! It's time to shop!

♥ Monday Blowout Sale ~~ 20% Off on all items

♥ 1st five sales receive FREE Print,

{you could take home Harold today}

♥ BUY 3 items and receive FREE shipping

"Harold, the RooSTer", $15.00 watercolor print

Home Tips : Painting Tips House Windows and Doors

Home Tips : Painting Tips House Windows and Doors
They are :
1. Do not paint the window when closed, because after drying, the paint can make a leaf attached to the frame window. better off before the doors or windows to be painted.

2. to paint the door, you should use a special roller called cigar or a hot dog roller. This tool produces a smooth painting and does not leave brush marks.


3. windows and doors located on the outside requires extra care from all attacks weather, humidity, etc., that can happen at any time.

Modern Style Luxurious bedroom Interior Design pictures Collection

Modern Style luxurious bedroom design picture collection with minimalist,contemporary design, elegant and luxury interior decoration.This picture can be inspired to make best home interior design. we hope some modern luxurious bedroom interior picture useful for you.

Modern Style Luxurious bedroom Interior Design pictures Collection


Modern Style Luxurious bedroom Interior Design pictures Collection with Rounded Green


Modern Style Luxurious bedroom Interior Design pictures Collection-minimalist green


Modern Style Luxurious bedroom Interior Design pictures Collection-colorful decoration


Modern Style Luxurious bedroom Interior Design pictures Collection fresh style


Modern Style Luxurious bedroom Interior Design pictures Collection-Japanese Style
Modern Style Luxurious bedroom Interior Design pictures Collection-Modern Furniture


Modern Style Luxurious bedroom Interior Design pictures Collection-Modern Furniture

Holiday Chex Mix

Today my family decorated our lovely Christmas tree that we cut down yesterday.  We turned on our holiday music, got out the family ornaments, and I made up a homemade batch of chex mix!  I love chex mix.  If you've never had it and you are thinking that it is just liked the stuff you get in the bag, you are sorely mistaken.  It is SO much better!  I look forward to chex mix every holiday season.  I know I could probably make it other times of the year, but it has become a tradition that I make our chex mix while we decorate our tree.  Please, please, please give this a try - you will love it!!  

Here's the recipe for homemade chex mix (it's usually right on the side of the box, but in case you threw out your box :-):

Chex Mix

3cups Corn Chex® cereal
3cups Rice Chex® cereal
3cups Wheat Chex® cereal
1cup mixed nuts
1cup bite-size pretzels
1cup garlic-flavor bite-size bagel chips or regular-size bagel chips, broken into 1-inch pieces
6tablespoons butter or margarine
2tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2teaspoons seasoned salt
3/4teaspoon garlic powder
1/2teaspoon onion powder



Directions:  Heat oven to 250°F. In large bowl, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels and bagel chips; set aside. In ungreased large roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in cereal mixture until evenly coated. 

Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. 

Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. 

Store in airtight container. Enjoy!!


Cottage Mama's Note:  I prefer to use cheez-its instead of bagel chips and I also like to use cashews instead of mixed nuts.  I also triple the recipe because like I said, I LOVE chex mix!

Holiday Shopping!

Holiday shopping is in full swing!! Be sure to take a peak in my shop for the 20% off sale through Monday! Have you entered the Orglamix giveaway? Enjoy these fabulous Blue Topaz items!

1. Italian Seaside

2. topaz cluster pendant

3. handspun yarn

4. jewel toned napkin rings

Interior Design: Tips on Creating a Home Nursery

When you find out that you are going to become a parent, many things run through your mind. After the initial shock, joy, uncertainty, and acceptance, there is only one thing to do: prepare for baby! This can be a great deal of fun, and one way to include your husband and get him excited too. I find it more fun to design a nursery once the sex of the baby is known, but for those of you who want the sex to be a surprise, there are still tons of options to make your baby's space unique. Baby products are always in demand, and have come a long way in terms of having options for style. Traditional, transitional, and contemporary furnishings and accessories are all available at a variety of price ranges.

We'll begin designing your dream nursery with determining a color scheme for your little one's new space. For girls the tradition has always been soft pink, but I find more new parents wanting other options. Look at brighter pinks or soft purples/ lavenders. Powder blue is no longer your only option for boys either. Orange or green hues can also be used to spice up your son's space. If you want to be really inventive or brave, use combinations of the above colors to set your nursery apart from the rest. One of my favorite combinations is a soft pink with orange accents for happy baby girls, or blue and soft green for a bouncing baby boy. For those trying to prep nursery's for a baby whose sex is not known, yellow is very common, but you could still use an orange or green theme and add the blue, pink, or purples in later. My personal favorite option for this situation is to remain very neutral. Bright or soft whites, tans, and browns can be easily accented to reflect the sex of your little one once you bring them home. This can also give mom something to do during the resting period after the birth.

On a normal basis, I discourage matching furnishings, but for nurseries it seems very appropriate. It gives a crisper, cleaner look, which most new moms find to be very appealing in the "nesting" period. If a whole suite of furnishings is purchased you should have a crib, changing table, and chest of drawers or armoire. White painted, natural or stained woods are my general recommendation. I don't believe in purchasing new furnishings for every child, but instead changing the surroundings and accessories to reflect the child's individuality, therefore I would consider it bad practice to purchase a pink, blue, or gender specific crib. The only exception would be for my clients who have more than enough money to burn and are less concerned with cost than showing off their new bundle of joy's space.

For mom's comfort I like to specify either nursing chairs, or for those who bottle-feed, a comfy rocker/glider (some nursing mothers like to have these chairs as well). Dads are fond of the gliders too, and I will get requests to accommodate more than one in a room so he can share the experiences with his spouse.

Baby items have become big business, and accessories and bedding can be found everywhere. If you're looking for value, you are no longer given two or three options, there are thousands. Quality items are also abundant, but becoming more boutique store items, as cheaper alternatives have started to affect their niche markets. Baby bedding and curtains can be purchased to match, but in this regard, I still like to switch it up and add a designer's touch by using coordinating (not matching!) fabrics. Accessories for babies' rooms can go from art to decals on walls, knickknacks or vases, toys, and mobiles.

As far as making feedings and other things more convenient, I like to include a hidden bottle prep area in the closet, which generally isn't used until the child is older (unless for storing extra items baby is to young for). A small freestanding refrigerator for extra milk or nursery water can be easily hidden in most closets and the bottle warmer and clean bottles stored on racks can be neatly placed on top of the refrigerator for easy accessibility.

Knifty Knitter

I have been crocheting for about 9 years now, but I have never learned how to knit.  I REALLY want to, but I just haven't ever had the opportunity for someone to teach me.  I don't really do well with instructional books - I just can't visualize what they want you to do.  So I am hoping someday to pick up knitting, but in the meantime I have my knifty knitter.

Have you ever used the knifty knitter?  I think it is one of the best creations!  You don't need to know how to crochet or knit and you don't need to really be into crafting at all.  It's VERY basic.  It's a series of different sized looms (you choose your size based on what project your are working on) and you pretty much just loop the yard around each peg and pull the bottom loop over the top.  It is so simple.  Even I (who has difficulty with written instructions) thought it was so easy to use and understand.  I have created many hats for my daughter, Savannah using this great tool and a hat can be completed in just a couple hours!!

Now I know this is not REAL knitting, but it does the trick for me (or at least until I learn how to really knit).  If you are shopping for a pre-teen, this would be a wonderful gift to give them this holiday season and help get them into handmade crafting.  Or perhaps you are interested in making some cute hats for you or your little ones, if so, I would definitely pick up the knifty knitter!!

Cottage Mama's Note:  Both the hats in these pictures were made using the small knifty knitter loom.

Life Lessons

My favorite magazine subscription that I receive is "Real Simple" magazine.  I love this magazine for many reasons; it has beautiful pictures, the page layouts are really user friendly, I am generally interested in about 90% of the topics they cover, and I even love the paper they use.

Lately, I have been relating to their "Life Lessons" section in the magazine and this month in particular, I thought they had some really great advice.  I would like to quote a few sections from the "10 Truths I Wish I'd Known Sooner" article by Amy Bloom.

1.  Events reveal people's characters, they don't determine them.  Not everyone with divorced parents has terrible relationships.  If two people are hit by a bus and crippled for life, one will become a bitter shut-in; the other, the kind of warm, outgoing person (cheerful despite everything) whom everyone loves to be with.  It's not about the bus, and a dreadful childhood is not excuse.  You have the chance to be the person you wish to be, until you die.
Cottage Mama:  There are so many people in this world that use their past as an excuse for their behavior.  They had a terrible childhood; therefore, that is why they have dysfunctional relationships as an adult.  They didn't receive enough attention growing up; therefore, that is why they crave attention and seek it in negative ways (such as cheating on their spouse).  At some point you have to step up and take full responsibility for your actions, not blame it on the past, and realize "you have the change to be the person you wish to be, until you die."

2.  Fashion fades; style is eternal.  Not only do you not have to wear torn jeans, a barely-there tank top, and a fedora, but you probably shouldn't.  The point of fashion is to indulge briefly in something fun.  The point of style is to have one - whether that's a sheath and spike heals or slouchy jeans and your husbands t-shirt - and it should last you a lifetime.  All you have to do is think you deserve to look and feel your best and spend some time figuring out how to do it.  Don't know?  Find a woman whose style you admire and ask for a little advice.
Cottage Mama: I LOVE this quote.  I feel like I am still defining my own personal style, but as the years pass, I am finding that it is defining itself more and more.  I really do admire women that seem to have their personal style mapped out!

3.  Mean doesn't go away.  Some people get better looking with age; some don't.  Some people soften; some toughen up.  Mean streaks tend not to disappear.  A person who demeans and belittles you and speaks of you with contempt to others is probably going to be that way for years.  The first time it happens, take note.  The second time, take your coat and go.
Cottage Mama: This quote speaks to me.  So often have I had friendships where I have forgiven the person time and time again.  But as I have gotten older, I have realized that someone who is mean, no matter how much you hope and pray they will change or mature, is just that........mean.  And the best advice is to take your coat and go because you do not need that type of negative energy in your life.

4.  Ask for help.  It's possible you'll get turned down.  It's even more likely that you'll feel vulnerable and exposed.  Do it anyway, especially if you are the helpful sort yourself.  Those of us who like to offer assistance and hate to take any are depriving other people of the opportunity to be generous and kind; we are also blinding ourselves to the reality of mutual dependence.  You wouldn't wear pink hot pants and pretend they were flattering.  Don't pretend you don't need help.
Cottage Mama:  Since I have had children, I have gotten better about asking for help, though this is an area I am constantly working on.  Asking for help and being turned down is a terrible feeling.  I am trying to learn not to take it personally, but it is very hard when we get up enough courage to ask, we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, just to have someone say no.........but that is life, we are not going to have someone say "yes" to everything we ask for.  But by not asking for help, we are lying to ourselves and "blinding ourselves to the reality of mutual dependence."

Cottage Mama's Note:  If you are not familiar with "Real Simple" magazine, I highly suggest you check it out - click here to check it out online.  The magazine has a little bit of everything; decorating, organizing, cooking, inspiration, beauty, ect.  It is a pretty pricey magazine on new-stands, but you can get a subscription for quite a reasonable price.  This would also make a REALLY great Christmas gift for any woman in your life!!

Fun with Fleece - Hat & Mittens!

Tomorrow, Saturday, my family and I plan to cut down our Christmas tree at our favorite Christmas tree farm! Bringing home a fresh tree into our home, just smells like Christmas to me. As convenient as fake trees might be, it just wouldn't be the same (or nearly as fun).

Cutting down our Christmas tree is becoming one of our family traditions and I love it!  My husband and I have cut down our tree together since our first year of marriage and now we get to experience this wonderful outing with our two daughters.  We get all bundled up, ride the tractor out to all the trees, and search for the perfect one.  After we find our perfect tree, we head back to the warming house for some hot cocoa and just enjoy the warmth and scenery of the tree farm.

So by now you may be wondering what the title of my post has to do with Christmas trees......well, in thinking about heading out into the cold weather to get our tree, my husband (kindly) reminded me that I hadn't gotten our daughter, Savannah, any mittens yet.  Oh no!  She definitely needs mittens - it will be way too cold out there for her little hands.

Luckily for me, today was black friday and I happened to hit up the big sale at Joann Fabrics.  I got plenty of fleece and snuggle flannel (and a bunch of other things) - perfect for making mittens.  And what are mittens without a matching hat?  So of course I made her a hat too.

Here's the finished product:

I used a grosgrain ribbon to attach the two mittens which I will thread through her coat so she doesn't lose them.  I used a very basic Mcall's pattern for the hat and just cut several sizes of flowers out of fleece to make the applique.   I'm very happy with how it turned out and it will match her winter coat perfectly!!

Amazing luxury bedroom interior design and furniture decorating pictures

How to choose color for your bedroom walls

Bedroom is your private heaven. Where you can be yourself and relax after a busy day. Some color and decorative ideas can make your bedroom amazingly different. Interior design can transform your bedroom out stand. So when planning the bedroom colors you can think about warmth, style, mood and comfort.

We at Precision Painting Plus offering you a range of different color scheme ideas that is going to make your private room looks attractive and completely unique. But the question is what exactly you want? What do you want your bedroom to look like? Do you want it to be romantic, or relaxing or something fun? Once the objective is clear in your mind select the bedroom colors accordingly.

Some color ideas are given below..

Muted Bedroom Colors

It’s very confusing while going for the bedroom color selection. Are muted colors or the bold colors ok? Bold colors make a bedroom come alive, muted wall colors tend to give a soothing and rest ambience to the room. The clam and relaxing sense helps in a good night’s sleep. Another plus point of light or muted colors is they can make a small room appear big.

Cool Bedroom Colors

Blues, greens and lavenders come in the category of cool bedroom colors. These hues are perfect for any age group and go wonderfully well in bedrooms. The colors tend to give a calm and peaceful feel to the bedroom. If your bedroom is small then it is best to go for light colors as compared to darker shades.

Warm Colors

Cool colors is the most popular choice for bedroom colors. The right combination of warm hues can give an equally pleasant look. You can applly yellow, peach, light pink color to give a warm soft look to your bedroom. Don’t forget to use the lighter shades of these colors. If you use the darker side then it will overpower your bedroom.

Neutral Colors

Neutral shades also work out wonderfully for the bedroom walls. Giving an elegant and calm look. These colors can give any character to your room. Neutral colors are available in decor. Go with simple changes and get a completely new bedroom.
Meaning of Different Colors

The bedroom wall colors speak for themselves. The mood you have in mind should be reflected in your bedroom. So if you are going for blue walls then it is going to give a soothing and calm feeling to your bedroom. One can always spice it up a bit with an attractive decor.

So no matter what’s your choice of bedroom colors, what you need to do is you should always give a personal touch to it.