Kay Ellen

Sneak Peek

Hello Friends!

Hope you are having a wonderful week. I am a little late... but I am finally starting some Christmas touches at home... our son won't be home until December 20th so I told my family we are early... we have six more days to finish! 

Enjoy a sneak peek.

My husband and I both have Scandinavian ancestors so I dressed the candelabra in our dinette area with Swedish inspired hearts...

The family room is the most colorful room in our home. We bought a real tree this year and had it lightly flocked.  I decided to use large old fashion lights for a change. My daughter and I looked for all our whimsy and homemade ornaments and placed them on the tree.

I added some Swedish ribbon and weaved it in and out of the tree.

Some of our ornaments make me laugh like this Tin Man...he is so funny!

Hope you enjoyed a sneak peek.

Funny ...Now I feel like watching The Wizard of Oz!I know it is not a Christmas movie but the Tin Man nutcracker put me in the mood!

I have more to share so please stop by in a couple days... for part two :)

Have a blessed week!

:KayEllen

 

Are you decorating today?

Hello Friends,
Another busy week has flown by...

I have to admit to you all....I have not decorated my home yet.

I have been a busy bee helping my clients and have neglected my own house...As a designer I have come to find out I am not alone in this! I even joined a group of Designers to talk and chat about making time for our own projects and decorating. Funny and True!

I did go to Lowe's yesterday and picked up some beautiful red poinsettias for my front porch and garden.   

My daughter found Frosty in the garage, so I set him up to greet everyone at the front door.

We have enjoyed some rain the past few days... and I love the crisp feeling in the air. It really is beginning to feel like Christmas! 

The Kale I planted in early October seems to really like this weather too.

This morning I added some berries and pine cones to my favorite birds-nest and watched the rain trickle down from my front porch. A stormy and festive day ahead for me.

I am off to work...

Today's agenda is to decorate a clients home for a Christmas Party.

My house will have to wait a little bit longer...

See you soon!

:KayEllen

Deck the Halls

My first week of December was filled with glitter, ribbons and decorating Christmas trees.

I enjoy adding special touches to each home.

This tree shown above has 5 different ribbons weaved in the tree and several bows. A white and gold motif. Silk magnolia blooms were added for a formal elegant feel.

This Nativity is the center of attention when you walk in the front foyer.

Christmas colors add charm to a holiday dining room setting.

When a client has a lot of small ornaments... I like to place larger items in the tree. The larger scaled snowflakes and plaid bows add a contrast and balance to the tiny treasures adorning the tree.

An old fashion tree with homemade ornaments and childhood memories.

Raggedy Ann smiling...

A cheerful color scheme in this new kitchen.

A sneak peek up close at this festive tree in a cozy family room.

Wonderful island ready for company and entertaining!

A formal living room mantel is embellished with sparkle, glitter and beautiful silk flowers.

A rustic outdoor fireplace decorated with fruit picked from the owners trees in the backyard. This outdoor family room is awaiting a festive month with family and friends.

Here is a gardener's delightful corner.

More citrus touches on this bakers rack I decorated...

I am almost finished embellishing and decking the halls for others...

I hope to make some progress on my house this week!

Happy holiday decorating friends...

Before I go...

I am looking for a loving home for these two sweet sisters...they would make a wonderful Christmas present for someone...Maybe you?

:KayEllen

Feel Like Baking?

Do you like to bake? I seemed to enjoy baking in the winter and around the holidays. 

You may laugh but I am a late night baker. I guess I do it because my house is quiet and I have no distractions. I even drove to the grocery store last night to buy vanilla at 10:30 pm...and guess what? The store was quiet too!

I do have one funny story when I was baking around midnight and I mixed up my flour amount to one teaspoon and the salt amount to 2 1/3 cups! Oh my goodness they were terrible!!Play-dough cookies!

My all time favorite cookies to bake are my Grandma Ruth's chocolate chip cookies. Her ingredients are almost identical to the nestle recipe but she does add one extra ingredient...

Ruth's Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/3 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white granulated sugar
2 full sticks of soft butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
2-3 tablespoons hot brewed coffee  "secret ingredient"
1 bag of semi sweet or milk chocolate chips

Oven set to 350-375
Bake on a non stick cookie sheet
9-12 minutes

Enjoy!

For more cookie baking recipes~~~ check out my sweet friend Jessi's Blog!!
Click Here

I am still decorating clients homes for Christmas... almost done! I will share some snap shots soon.

Let me know if you like my Grandma''s Cookie Recipe!

I was just thinking...No wonder I like coffee so much! My Grandma started adding coffee to her cookies over 40 years ago!

Smiles,
:KayEllen

Special Times...

Hi Friends.

Here is a photo taken at my high school reunion celebration this past weekend.

Wow, where did the time go?  Thirty years really did fly by!

Sweet friends from far away came together to reminiscence and catch up. I lost my voice at one point just because I was talking so much. I guess you could say... I love to chit chat!

My girlfriend Julie on the far left worked tirelessly on a slide show for us all to enjoy. Thank you Julie you did a fabulous job and our entire class is thankful for you!

A lot of giggling all night! Laughter truly is a wonderful gift from above.

We enjoyed having our son home over Thanksgiving break.  He will be back soon...Christmas is around the corner!

It's December Friends!!! My week will be filled with decorating homes and Christmas trees for clients....So off I go !

Thank you for stopping by!

:KayEllen

  

Blooming Blessings

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!! I am enjoying some quite time this morning in the garden and feeling very blessed. 

Everything has been washed and put away from our Thanksgiving celebration.

I did decide to leave some pumpkins and floral decorations up until we take our son back to the airport.

Happy Pink Saturday!

Guess what??

I am attending my 30 year high school class reunion tonight! I can't wait to see everyone!    

Still shopping for a new outfit...Why did I wait until the last minute?

Maybe I will find something on Sale! OK off to shop!

Take Care ...

See you next week!

:KayEllen

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello Friends!

I hope you all have a blessed holiday with your family and dear friends.

A few more ideas to share with you...

Burlap is a great idea for a tablecloth...a very natural look.  I also like the contrast of formal china and sparkling gold silverware against the texture of the burlap.Don't you?!

Add some mood lighting to your table setting...I found these adorable bird candles at World Market.

I enjoy adding  colored glass on the table. The reflection is great against the bird votive.

The Turkeys have arrived!!

My mom started this tradition when my sister and I were young...

I bought all the ingredients at Wal-Mart.

Colorful toothpicks
Spiced Gum Drops
Sugar sliced Oranges
Whole Cloves
Marshmallows
Apples

Sorry I am late sharing this...but if you are still headed to the store it is a fun project to keep the kids busy while you are cooking!

Do you have any pumpkins leftover from Halloween? They can make a great center piece for your table.

No weighing in on the holiday right? lol

My son has arrived! As you can see we are loving every minute of him being home =)

A non stop long weekend!

Trying to clean before company arrives and look who want's in again? Napoleon and Gracie...They are so funny!

When things get stressful this week remember my silly turkeys... they should make you laugh...OK? 

Praying that you will all have a blessed and thankful holiday...

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

To see more Thanksgiving ideas from creative friends... just click here

:KayEllen

 

Let's set the Table...

Thanksgiving is approaching quickly friends! I thought you would enjoy seeing some ideas for setting the table.

The leaves are starting to change in Southern California.
One the easiest ways to add fall colors to your table is to go outside and cut some branches that have beautiful warm colors.

Weave the twigs and branches around your table and each place setting.

Add some small bud vases with twigs on your table. I tied a simple ribbon on this bottle and added an old key that belonged to my Grandma's china buffet and a vintage earring for a color.

Pretty detailed luncheon plates sit on top of my everyday dishes for a Fall look. Fresh greenery swagged on the plate for a touch of nature.

Lace ribbons added for a creamy contrast to my new Thanksgiving tablecloth I made!

Don't be stressed if you don't have a full set of dishes...

Mix and layer your dishes. I also enjoy mixing and not matching silverware and glassware. Your tablecloth, leaves, ribbons and little vases can tie your table decor together.    

I folded this cloth napkin into a square and then rolled it up like a burrito. I tied raffia around and added some recycled ribbon for a napkin ring.  The last touch on the bow is a clip-on earring. I like how it  resembles a flower.

Store bought table clothes can be light weight and sometimes flimsy...I wanted something different and to show my blogging friends another idea for a Thanksgiving table.  A warm gold chenille fabric that adds a rich Fall look.  This fabric is a 54" wide. You can find this kind of fabric in the upholstery and drapery section. Measure your tables length to decide how many yards you will need and add 12-16'' for a drop at each end of your table.
I purchased 3 yards for my table.

I am ready to tape my tablecloth... instead of hemming. Quick and easy! 

I am rolling out the tape...and taping my edge down with Sealah 1/2" width...no sew double sided adhesive. When I finish rolling the tape on to the fabric, I will press down on the tape to secure the adhesive to the fabric.

Now that the tape is secure I am peeling back the paper to remove it.

Next I fold the fabric over and press down on the hem.

OK, I have finished the hemming! My tablecloth will be washable after twenty four hours! You can iron the adhesive down but you don't have to...So fast and no sewing machine required!

My parents adhesive is wonderful and very easy to use! The thinnest and strongest on the market.
No yellowing, no toxic smell, drys clear, does not soak in the fabric. Great for quick fixes and creative projects. Just click here if you would like to order a roll to try!

Have fun creating your holiday table! Be creative! Try something different this year.

The best advise I can give you for decorating your table is gather everything you need to set up your table two days before your event.... and try to finish decorating the table the day before your feast!

I will show a few more ideas before the big day!

Enjoy your weekend friends! My son is coming home Sunday from college! I can hardly wait!!!

Fall Touches and Memories

Hi Friends,
I am savoring each day of November. Memories start coming to mind as I add a few Fall touches...

My sweet friend Lisa gave me these beautiful flowers...perfect for Fall! Thank you Lisa:)

When November arrives my favorite teapot comes out of the cupboard to be enjoyed by all that visit. I think back and recall past holidays sipping tea with my sister at Grandma Ruth's house. We would help her with a few tasks and then watch her make incredible pies and work for hours getting ready for our holiday feast.

My Grandpa Dean was always reading as we entered his home...Now I have a collection of his old books close by filled with poetry and plays ready to re-read and enjoy.

Just by adding some fresh cut flowers and moving a few seasonal accessories around you can change the mood in a room. I usually change out my entry table, and coffee table to start ...both tables are a focal point when you enter my home.

Keep it simple. Just set out a few accessories that are meaningful to you and your family. Photos of past  holidays to reminisce and talk about. Homemade treasures that your children or grand children have made. I know I enjoy setting out the painted ceramic Turkeys my kids made years ago. It also reminds me that they were toddlers once upon a time... 

Something new I am doing this year is making a journal of blessings. I will have friends and family that stop by for a visit write down something they are thankful for or a prayer request and put a picture of them next to what they write. My hope is that this journal will last a few years so we can look back and see what prayers had been answered and how thankful hearts were blessed.

Another busy week for me and my birthday is here... again? How did that happen?!

Have a thankful week friends,

:KayEllen

More to do...

I have a few more pictures to share with you all! This is a large design project I am working on here in the city of Riverside.

The granite has arrived!

A long day... but very exciting progress was made.

We have special mood lighting completed and hidden in the crown molding above the first set of windows...and the kitchen nook ceiling fan has been installed!

Another light installed reflecting into a mirror...in the back ground you can see a few freshly painted  french doors.

A complete change in the entryway. A new front-door in a rich cherry finish with leaded glass sidelights and two Italian glass sconces accenting the foyer walls.

This home is also getting makeovers in each bathroom. This week I am selecting a back splash for each vanity. I will add a braid or rope at the top of the back splash for a nice finished detail edge. 

Another back splash idea for the master bathroom. Oil rubbed bronze faucets arrived and are being installed...Yeah!

Here is the sample of slate I am ordering for the family room fireplace. I can't wait to see it completed. Each rock has a rich depth of color and texture.

More to do...but I knew you would enjoy another peek!!

Back to work:)

:KayEllen