OVEN CLEANING....The None Chemical & Fume way!

I just read this little snip-it on how to clean your oven over at http://www.seventhgeneration.com/. Go check it out HERE ! A easy way to clean that oven without too much elbow grease & bad chemicals & fumes! Now that is my kind of cleaning!

This is what it said:

"I don't like to spend time or put a lot of muscle into chores like oven cleaning. A great tip is to let the oven do the work for you! Take a large pot (dutch, crock, etc.) and fill it with water and fresh lemon juice. Place the pot in the oven and turn it to 350 for 30-40 minutes. This will actually steam your oven and help loosen anything caked on. You can easily wipe the oven with a clean rag afterwards. If you have caked on areas, you can add a little baking soda to make a paste."

Enjoy!!!

Christmas Decorating

I traditionally put up my Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. This year was no different. Although this year I decided to change things up a bit and try a new color scheme. As you can see, I choose a green & silver scheme. With a sort of bird twist as well.

Here are some of the ornaments close up.

Green bird

This little deer came from my Grandma's this past weekend. She had been to a auction and picked up a whole bunch of Christmas ornaments. She let us all pick through what we wanted. This was one of my picks. I added the green bow to make it go with my theme. This beautiful vintage ornament already had the green rhinestone eyes & glittery silver stars on the antlers. I LOVE it! Thanks Grandma Joyce!

Peacock

Our angel we have had since we got married!

The Nativity

A view of the tree skirt. A clearance find last year at Target. It is a velvety material.

My table display. I got the inspiration from here. One of my favorite blog reads Young House Love.

This bird is from a pair that I found at the thrift store a while back (they were 50 cents a piece). The pretty silver ornament in the apothecary jar is from Walmart for $1.

My living room wall display. The glittery trees I got at the Dollar Tree this year in their clearance section 2 for $1. The feather tree was a clearance steal last year at Walgreen's after Christmas.

I LOVE this print!

Our front door from the inside.

Our front door from the outside.

My DIY wreath. (I couldn't find one that I liked so I decorated it myself)

More tree ornaments.

My kitchen cabinets.

These little cuties were my Grandma Sally's. I have 2 of them &

they really remind me of Christmas's as a child.

Here is the other.

The boys decorated the windows with Gel clings.

My corner curio. I store the Christmas Advent calendar in here so my boys don't get into it.

Enjoy!!!!

I am linking up to these FABULOUS Parties:

Christmas Vinyl Stocking Hanger

Do you guys remember when I won $50 worth of vinyl from Today's Creative blog & Say it on the Wall??? Check it out here! 

Well here is one of the projects I made with some of it. It is a Christmas Stocking holder.

We don't have a fireplace or a mantle :(

So hanging the Christmas stockings have always been an issue on where can I hang them. So this is my solution.

I started with a old board I picked up at the Habitat for Humanity Restore a few months back for 50 cents.

I sanded it down good. Then I spray painted it red.

Once it was dry & added my beautiful vinyl from "Say it on the Wall".

Then I added silver hooks I picked up at Menard's for 79 cents a piece.

I added some picture hangers on the back & WHOLA!!! A new way for me to hang & display our Christmas stockings!

Enjoy!!!!

I am linking up to these FABULOUS parties:

OWLS...Ceramic Animals=LOVE

The latest craze around blog land and the decorating world is ceramic animals. Especially from two of my UBER FAVORITE blogs....Bower Power & Young House Love.

Here are some examples I L~O~V~E:

This owl from Bower Power's son Will's nursery.

This ceramic deer head also from Will's Nursery. 

I definitely may have to try this one. 

This rhino from Young House Love. They also did a whole blog post all about people in the "Ceramic Animal Club". Check it out here!

This owl is from Z Gallerie for $14.99....not a bad price, but you all know I am thrifty & I did it for only $2 for 2!

I found these beauties for $1 a piece!

I couldn't wait to get them home & give them their "NEW" look! A white spray paint makeover!

(*white spray paint already on hand)

Here they are all shiny, new & WHITE!

A close up

Here are some other painted ceramic animals I have around my house.

I heart birds!!!

I think I get my bird loving from my two Grandmas!

Another bird I spray painted awhile ago that sits on my window sill by my kitchen sink!

Enjoy!!!

Mason Jar Lamps

Here is another addition to my Master bedroom makeover. I am going for a sort of beachy theme, as I LOVE the ocean & beach. 

These were VERY EASY to make. I started out with 2 Antique Mason jars that I had collected years ago (I made a pair of lamps).

I filled them with those glass marble gems (it took about 2 bags for each lamp) which I got at the Dollar Tree. Then I drilled a hole in the lids for the lamp kit to attach to (I got my lamp kit from Menards for around $7 each). I then attached the lamp kit with the screws that came with it. Add the light bulb & shade I got from Kmart on clearance for $5.99 each.

Here is the end result.

Enjoy!!!