Monday, December 26, 2016

{ Cottage Style Winter Decor for After Christmas }

Hey friends, welcome back to the blog!!! I hope you all had an amazing cozy & festive Christmas!! I can't believe it's already over..That after Christmas feeling is already setting in ugh, so I decided to take Monday off to relax & then come back on here today & share some winter decor ideas!! I don't know about you guys but after Christmas I get super down & kind of feel stuck almost..It's a weird transition from everything cozy & cheery to just blahhh..because it's too early for spring stuff { at least here in Michigan} because there's usually tons of snow left etc...The last two years I've come to actually "decorate for winter" after Christmas so it helps me transition into spring & everything fresh & even some new things for the upcoming spring & summer season ahead! This weird after Christmas time also has me always wanting to freshen things up around the house & DIY EVERYTHING in our little suburban cottage! So today I put together some items that will get you through that weird stage after Christmas with some simple & cozy items!!


I'm obsessed with all of these items because they all scream cozy winter wonderland to me! I decided to add/keep some simple pine trees because I'm in love with these little ones & because they're also wintery! The throw, baskets for wood, blankets or storage etc.. & of course some yummy candles for those cold days! I'll be ordering that doormat soon, so stay tuned for our winter porch coming soon too!




I have a white faux fur rug like that, so now I think I need that cute flower reindeer art...Always shopping I tell ya haha! & I swear I can smell that chai tea candle through the screen!!! Can you just picture a huge wool throw like above, that candle going & a cup of creamy hot chocolate? Perfection right?!



What do you guys think about these items? Do you decorate for winter after Christmas? It's always nice to start fresh & with these items it's made easy! Let me know what you think below!!

Wishing you all a lovely Tuesday!

As always THANK YOU for stopping in on my little growing blog. I know everyone says something like this, but I honestly appreciate each of you for sharing my posts, commenting etc....I'm not the biggest or most popular blogger, but I am humble, real & practical ,and  hopefully helpful or inspiring in someway :). 
***You can find me here for updates & more ,or SUBSCRIBE on the right side of my blog for FREE & direct updates right to your mail...
Paige.Rose

Friday, December 23, 2016

{ DIY Chicken Wire Christmas Tree Decor }

Happy Friday ya'll!!! I'm so excited for the longgg holiday weekend & all the cozy festivities, food & family/friends..although I will be so bummed when they are over..! I wanted to VERY quickly come on here today & share the very last project & Christmas decor of 2016!! I was just making our bed when my lovely auntie decided to drop some of her famous homemade cookies off & the CUTEST little chicken wire tree to me..SCORE right?! Presents & cookies hahah..yes please!! Anyways  I fell in love with it & decided to switch our wall decor around a bit & showcase it since I host Christmas Eve!!! I'm going to cut this short because I have a TON of stuff to do & I'm super tired & ready to cozy down..Come take a peek at this cute little festive project or even last minute gift idea for some close to you!!!

S U P P L I E S: 

Scissors
Piece of Chicken Wire
Ribbon
Decals/ Star topper/ Ornaments

D I R E C T I O N S:

Cut the chicken wire into a shape of a Christmas Tree first. Second weave the ribbon pieces you've cut into the wire! Third add the tree topper you chose & any little decals in the tree or ornaments you want!


I also added some crisp new white & grey pillows for that icy rustic winter  cottage look! The covers are all from +IKEA USA 

** You can see our DIY Vintage Winter Lantern Scenery HERE



I love the mini silver ornament bulbs & the different silver ribbons all mixed in!! The star is a galvanized mini topper! I just hung this piece on an old nail I had the wreath that was here before!




The trees are from +Hobby Lobby 



It's super cozy, simple & thrifty!! The faux fur throw is from +HomeGoods !


What do you guys think of this little thrifty Christmas DIY? I hope you love it & have a very HAPPY & HEALTHY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!


As always THANK YOU for stopping in on my little growing blog. I know everyone says something like this, but I honestly appreciate each of you for sharing my posts, commenting etc....I'm not the biggest or most popular blogger, but I am humble, real & practical ,and  hopefully helpful or inspiring in someway :). 
***You can find me here for updates & more ,or SUBSCRIBE on the right side of my blog for FREE & direct updates right to your mail...
Paige.Rose

Monday, December 19, 2016

{ 5 Simple Ways to Enjoy the Holiday Season! }

Happy Monday everyone!!! It's a snowy, cold & sunny holiday Monday here in the north! Yesterday we finally took some time to enjoy a few Christmas festivities together & oh my was it good for our hearts!! We started off by having some delicious Chinese in downtown Frankenmuth { a true Christmas Story, right?! } haha & then took a lovely & brisk winter walk up & down the streets of Frankenmuth looking in the little shops, admiring the decor, fresh fire scent & of course some yummy treats!! We've been super busy this whole entire year with our businesses & just life in general..With that being said, we all know the holidays can bring out the worst in some because it puts pressure on unrealistic expectations..Believe me I know first hand being a Home Blogger! This is another reason why I always try & stay as practical/ thrifty as possible on TQS for you guys. Today I wanted to come on here & give some quick tips for an easy & ENJOYABLE holiday season with minimal stress while incorporating some fun activities! 





1. Enjoy Dinner Out!

This is one of those things for us that we hardly ever do because our schedules are so crazy & I actually don't mind cooking! Again, it's always nice to get out for a nice cozy Christmas dinner & not having to worry about anything for one night! It's fun to just sit & chat with each other & some good food in a different atmosphere! I chose Cracker Barrel just because it was super cozy, inexpensive & Umm look at how cozy that fireplace is!!! 

 

2. Take a Brisk Walk!

This is one of those things I love doing around the holiday season..Taking a bundled up chilly walk..there's just nothing like a brisk winter walk with the fire scent, lights & crunchy snow! It's free, invigorating & cozy! Yesterday we probably walked two miles just enjoying the Christmas decor & hustle & bustle the season entails! 



3. Visit Shops! 

I know what you're thinking..MORE shopping? Haha before you think I'm crazy, I mean just stroll in and look at some cute little town shops, small businesses & gather inspiration or shop..Something about small shops that are that much cozier around the holidays, not to mention they have some one of a kind goodies! We stopped in quite a few yesterday just browsing!  The decorations were gorgeous & we had fun just looking! 




4. Enjoy Holiday Decor!

This is at the top of my list when it comes to Christmas festivities! I'm super simple & enjoy just soaking in all the magical & whimsical decor! Taking a drive to look at lights, enjoying your home decor, shopping for it or enjoying others' decor! Frankenmuth obviously has some of the best, not to mention how quaint & cozy the town is!!



5. Take Pictures/ Document!

This is another super simple activity! Taking pictures of decor, scenery, each other & documenting that year! We've been doing this since day one of our relationship { scrapbooking etc..} not only for Christmas,but just in life itself! It's fun to be able to look back & see what has changed, grown or just stayed the same! Yesterday we got some pretty shots of the river in Frankenmuth & just soaked in the gorgeous winter scenery!!


What do you guys think about these tips? What are your favorite things to do around the holidays & how do you keep stress down? I really hope these quick & simple tips gave you some ideas & you enjoy the rest of this years holiday festivities etc.. :)

Wishing you all a lovely Monday!

As always THANK YOU for stopping in on my little growing blog. I know everyone says something like this, but I honestly appreciate each of you for sharing my posts, commenting etc....I'm not the biggest or most popular blogger, but I am humble, real & practical ,and  hopefully helpful or inspiring in someway :). 
***You can find me here for updates & more ,or SUBSCRIBE on the right side of my blog for FREE & direct updates right to your mail...
Paige.Rose

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

{ Our 2016 Holiday Card/ Photo shoot, Ideas & VistaPrint! }

Welcome back everyone!! Today I wanted to quickly come on here & share our 2016 holiday card since Christmas is nearly a week away..Yup, that totally makes me really sad since we haven't gotten to do any of the traditions we do every year { Frankenmuth, Holiday Nights, Cracker Barrel, Huckleberry Railroad, Light-fest etc.. } I've been saying in almost every post, but 2016 has been on heck of a year...With that being said, I did want to keep up with one of our annual traditions this year OUR HOLIDAY CARD!! So I'm going  to clue you in on a little secret..We usually do our own cards each year! I mean I use my blogging camera & have my sister whose also an artist stage & take the pictures, but this year we actually did them ourselves! We picked a cute location in a little town next to ours with a historical white chippy barn & took some shots not even thinking they'd turn out & to my surprise My most FAVORITE Christmas shoot yet..I think!! It was super simple, the light was perfect for that romantic/vintage feel & we just used one prop..A plaid throw!! Come see some of our pictures & more info on how we pick our card every year..


After we shoot our photos I use +Vistaprint  to format & pick a theme! I love using Vistaprint because they're editing system, selection & prices are so simple & practical! You either pick one of their themes or you can start with a blank canvas & design yourself. They make it so easy to personalize your card to your personal style etc.. We went with a rustic theme  { surprise } & just added our names & picture! We decided to go with a silly front picture & do a two-sided card with more pictures on the back!


Picking a simple backdrop like a barn, tree or just something plain is the easiest way to get nice pictures with a formal look! Let me be honest not everyone can afford to have a photographer come to their home or a location & not everyone is a blogger or has a professional camera to work with!! I love being able to give you guys some tips for easy pictures in the future etc..


 

I hope you guys liked our simple little rustic farmhouse/barn shoot for the holidays & some simple ideas for Christmas photos!! Be sure to check out +Vistaprint  for ideas for all your future card needs..You won't be disappointed!!

Wishing you all a lovely Wednesday!

As always THANK YOU for stopping in on my little growing blog. I know everyone says something like this, but I honestly appreciate each of you for sharing my posts, commenting etc....I'm not the biggest or most popular blogger, but I am humble, real & practical ,and  hopefully helpful or inspiring in someway :). 
***You can find me here for updates & more ,or SUBSCRIBE on the right side of my blog for FREE & direct updates right to your mail...
Paige.Rose


Monday, December 12, 2016

{ DIY Simple & Rustic Mason Jar Snow Globes }

Happy snowy Monday from Michigan!!! We've been getting slammed with snow since Saturday night & now have quite a bit!! I stayed in the house all day & washed just about every inch of our bedding in all the rooms, rugs, curtains, couch slipcovers & windows!! While I was washing the windows watching the gorgeous snow come down on our little suburban cottage I got this idea aka inspiration to use some of our truck load of  hoarded up mason jars for a little wintery Christmas DIY! My crafty { our whole family is} mom had actually made some of these little guys a few weeks ago & I was obsessed when she dropped them off..then today watching the snow come down gave me the idea again..So thanks mom heheh!! These are the most simplest snow globes ever & I know you guys will thoroughly enjoy how cute & simple they really are to make! I made these for under $10, no expensive huge jars or decorations here...score, right?!  Come see how to make these cute little buggers below!!!


S U P P L I E S:

Mason Jars
Faux Snow
Wintery Scene Decor { Dollar Tree }
Glue
Stick on Snowflakes { optional }
Ribbon/ Twine { optional }

D I R E C T I O N S:

First wipe the inside of the mason jar out so it's nice & crystal clear. Secondly unscrew the lid/canning lid. Flip the lid upside down so you can see the rim part & not the top that wording..Take your tree/ other decor & glue it to the center  of the canning lid, so when you turn it upside down it's the correct way in the mason & the decor will be secure! Lastly add the faux snow & shake very lightly! You can also add little stick on snow flakes to the bottoms & a cute little ribbon or twine around the lid part! Enjoy!!!


You will want to flip the lip to the blank side & glue the stuff in the center & then flip the mason upside-down. The little tree is from Dollar Tree & the faux snow is from +Walmart . I personally like the better quality snow my mom used..I picked up the super cheap $2 kind..I would recommend the prettier more sparkly kind for this project!



I set them on our mantel in the upper level living room..& I added some height to them by using these little wood slices I had laying around. They go so nicely with the white & greenery filled mantel! Simple, rustic & glam!!
You can see our DIY Lantern Chandelier Snow Scene  HERE




I love how fresh & whimsical they make the mantel look!! They add that wintery Christmas charm, with that fresh clean look!



I hope you guys liked this quick little DIY post!! I can't wait to make some more..maybe in the bigger mason jars & some different little winter decor! The ideas are endless for these, not to mention they're quick & simple!! 

Happy wintery Monday!

As always THANK YOU for stopping in on my little growing blog. I know everyone says something like this, but I honestly appreciate each of you for sharing my posts, commenting etc....I'm not the biggest or most popular blogger, but I am humble, real & practical ,and  hopefully helpful or inspiring in someway :). 
***You can find me here for updates & more ,or SUBSCRIBE on the right side of my blog for FREE & direct updates right to your mail...
Paige.Rose

Friday, December 9, 2016

{ Our Simple $5 Dollar Charlie Brown Christmas Tree }

Heyyyy everyone, welcome back!! I'm so sorry about this week being a little sparse on material here on TQS! We've been super busy & just have been getting caught up with life, work & the holidays. 2016 has been one heck of a year for our little family & just now ending it out it seems to be really changing with so many new changes/opportunities etc.., which is super exciting for us!!!! Anyways with all the new stuff happening in just about every aspect of our life these days, I've went super simple with our Christmas decor this year! I mentioned a few days ago in our 2016 Holiday Home Tour HERE here that we have 5-6 trees usually..I cut it down this year & wasn't planning on putting one up in the upper living room, but then I spotted the cutest little misfit tree from Dollar General!! It was a whopping $5 for a 4ft unlit tree...I couldn't pass it up! I decorated really simple with some leftover rustic cream bulbs from +IKEA USA  last year & potted it in an old crock with some simple crisp white lights! Come see this crazy little "Charlie Brown" tree..



I just popped off the 3 "feet" on the tree stand & used an old tan/ white furry coat to wrap around the tree in the crock! Super easy peasy & thrifty! You can see all the different ways to pot your tree this year & how here HERE


It's so sparse, but funny & cute at the same time! It's perfect for our cozy rustic living room & I love the tree lit up at night paired with the fireplace! The burlap bow was from a gift I reused!



The pillows are from +IKEA USA  too. I got them on sale for $3 each with the inside!! The wood slices were free & the wood table legs I salvaged from one of our manyyyy kitchen tables haha!


I picked the lights up +Walmart  for under $10! 




Something about having a tree in the living room this year made it so much cozier! I hope you guys gathered some simple cozy inspiration from this post! How did you pot your Christmas tree this year? Did you just use a traditional tree skirt or something different? 

Wishing you all a lovely FRIDAYYY!

As always THANK YOU for stopping in on my little growing blog. I know everyone says something like this, but I honestly appreciate each of you for sharing my posts, commenting etc....I'm not the biggest or most popular blogger, but I am humble, real & practical ,and  hopefully helpful or inspiring in someway :). 
***You can find me here for updates & more ,or SUBSCRIBE on the right side of my blog for FREE & direct updates right to your mail...
Paige.Rose