{DIY} Mantle Decor

Happy Monday, sweet friends! I hope that all my friends on the East coast have stayed warm this weekend with all the snow you have gotten. No snow in Oklahoma, just cold, although today felt a bit like spring. I will admit, after seeing all of the cozy snow pictures, it did make me wish for just a dusting of snow. If you know me and my love of warm weather, this is very strange for me!

The Christmas decorations came down after New Year's and it had been a while since I had my regular decor up. Before Christmas it was all things fall! As much as I love Christmas and the holidays, I was ready to have my regular decorations back in place. I decided to take a little time and revamp my regular look to really make it what I wanted.

I became obsessed with HGTV "Fixer Upper" over Christmas break and love how there are so many flowers around the homes when they stage them for the families. I decided I wanted to add a little pop of color by my fireplace and found these yellow flowers at Hobby Lobby 50% for $2.50. The jar was brought for just $1 at Goodwill.

I love, love, love how this wreath turned out! I had been wanting one to add a little spring feel to my home and once I took down the garland and lights above my fireplace, I knew something was missing. I decided that a simple green boxwood wreath would be perfect! I found small wreaths at Target for $20 but really did not want to spend that much and decided I could probably make my own. Bought the grapevine wreath at Hobby Lobby for $2.50, boxwood greens at Michael's for $7 (I had a 50% off coupon), and the gray ribbon at Hobby Lobby for $2. I already had some wire to secure the greens so total I spent $11.50, half of what I would have spent at Target! I have a few more doorways this wreath would look adorable on so I may make a few more in the coming months.

I believe this one was another "Fixer Upper" idea. I love old windows and how they can be painted and displayed anywhere for a rustic look. I have been looking and looking for a wooden piece to paint and came across this at Michaels for $7 and with my 50% coupon, only $3.50! A little white paint did the trick for just what I wanted. You have probably noticed that coupon's are my favorite. :) I already had this potted candle from the fall and add some extra greens I had leftover from another project.

These candles were a Pinterest inspiration. Best part? $2 each. I already had the candles and bought the candlestick holders and glass jars at Dollar Tree. Just hot glued them on top and added candles. That's it! Super easy, super cheap, and super cute.

I already had this glass jar (Dollar Tree) and decorative balls (Hobby Lobby).

I also already had these flowers and vase. The flowers from Hobby Lobby sometime last year and the vase from Dollar Tree.

I knew that something had been missing from my mantle but it took me the longest time to figure out what. I was browsing for some inspiration in Hobby Lobby a few weeks ago and came across this sign. I absolutely love this verse. If you look closely, there is no 4th edge to it and was broken when I found it on the clearance isle. I bought it for a great deal and it only cost me $3. I put some greens in front of it to cover up the broken side and you would never know (except I just gave it away)!

My wooden "Blessings" piece I brought from China, completes the look. Simple and elegant. I love how it turned out and makes winter feel not quite so dreary. 

{Decor} Headboard

Since having my own apartment, I have discovered the most wonderful thing on the internet.

Pinterest.

I know, I know, it's been around for several years now but I didn't quite understand what all the "hoopla" was about until I had my own space to decorate and make my own. Oh my goodness, it has been a lifesaver. I love my job (although that is a little negotiable at the moment as I transition into a new position), but let's me be honest here. I don't make the big bucks. Therefore, not only has it been a difficult year of making my apartment a home, but making it a home while on a budget. I like to call it "decorating on a budget." 

My bedroom walls are a boring white. When I first moved in, I knew that I had to do something about them because I felt like I was once again living in a college dorm room. Slowly over time, I have made it my own and it is finally starting to feel like a room I actually want to be in (other than sleep of course). 

When I moved to Oklahoma, I had a super limited budget. My savings was just about drained and so I used what I had and was able to take several furniture pieces from my grandparents house. I did not have a bed, but we purchased just the mattress, boxspring, and frame. As I have been decorating my room, I realized that what it was really missing was a headboard. Now headboards can be expensive, and I could go look for a used one somewhere but I thought I'd take a look on pinterest to see what I could find. 

I found a winner, folks, and all for less than $15!

Several websites I looked it, said you could use wood, cardboard, or even poster board. I just have a twin size bed and it is 40' wide so I went with a poster board that was 40' exactly and on sale for $4 at Hobby Lobby.

I then bought "quilt batting" to pad it with. I bought the smallest one they had which was the size of a crib quilt for $4.99 at Hobby Lobby (I then had a 40% off coupon so it cost me even less). My first step was to doubled up the quilt batting and stapled it to to the poster board.

I washed and ironed the fabric and then did the same thing. Laid it on top of the quilt batting and stapled it on every side.

For stability, rather than hanging it on the wall, I decided to nail each corner on and it has worked great.

So easy and it looks really cute! I love it because you can pick out your own fabric to go with whatever style and look you are looking for.

My next project was to do a little decor above my bed. I found a frame at Goodwill for $3. I took out the print and glass that was in it and pained it a light gray to match my pink, gray, and off white theme of my room.

I had picked out another fabric to cover some canvas' that I already had. 

Finished off the look with some "Live, Laugh, Love" wall stickers I had from the Dollar Tree.

I am so pleased with how it turned out!

Would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below! Hope you all had a wonderful, long weekend! Today is back to the office.

Think Spring

Maybe it is all of my NY friends that have had some a cold and snowy winter.

Or maybe it's because I'm back in a country where we celebrate Easter

Or maybe it's because after 2 1/2 years of living in a very tropic climate, I'm so excited to be in a place where we have four seasons. 

Or it may be because I have my own place to decorate and make home.

Whatever the reason was, I have been so excited to decorate my place for different holidays and seasons. I love what I do, but it's not the highest paying job and so I found most of my decorations at the Dollar Tree! I think I spent a total of $9. Totally worth it to had a little spring and Easter to my place.

When my family was here last week, I had my Dad put up this shelf above my fireplace. My fireplace didn't come with a mantle and this space still looked a little sparse. I thought a shelf would be a great place to not only fill up that wall more but also a great place to decorate with picture frames and little trinkets. I love how it turned out!

Several of you have asked about my wooden wall piece. I bough it in China and it made the journey home last July and then on to Oklahoma in December. 

I absolutely LOVE it. 

I haven't stained it or anything, I don't think it needs it. 

In the middle it says "blessings" in Chinese.

I bought these two flower vases and the cute spring/Easter flowers for a $1 each.

Total cost was $6.

This little vase and sparkly eggs were also each a $1.

I think it turned out really cute!

I wasn't sure how my little Easter egg garland would turn out.

I didn't want it to look tacky but thought my fireplace needed something.

My Dad put up these hooks when I moved in so that I could hang my garland and Christmas lights. 

These little eggs were just $1 and I noticed that they had 2 holes in the top. 

Perfect to put some yarn through and hang!

I think it also turned out really cute!

Here is hoping for spring to come soon for all my northern friends. 

I have a busy week coming up. Sunday is Winter Jam here in Tulsa! I am so excited to see Skillet, Jeremy Camp, For King and Country, and several other Christian bands for just $10! I am going with several girls from my small group. Then on Thursday I bought tickets for the Kari Jobe concert which will be in town. I love her and even though I just saw her last fall, I'm excited to see her again. Then next weekend, there is a Women's Christian Conference in town, Extraordinary Women. I haven't bought my ticket yet but I think I'm going to go. I so missed women's retreats and conferences when I was overseas.

It will be a busy but very fun week! 

Happy Friday!

Family Time

It was so wonderful to have my family here for a few days. We were missing all the boys, but it was so great to have my parents and Kiah here. When they were here in December moving me, it was not a very relaxing few days at all. We were busy getting my apartment set up, my car, things I needed, etc. that they didn't get to see any of Tulsa except for Walmart. This time, they were able to enjoy it a little more!

They arrived last Saturday evening and they were able to go to Church with me Sunday morning. They loved it!

Unfortunately they brought some snow with them to Oklahoma. However I think it is pretty funny that I experienced my first snowfall in Tulsa with my family here! Of course they were hoping for some more spring like weather which I don't blame them. 

Even with the yucky weather, we still had fun. 

I had 2 snow days from work. 

"How much snow did we have?" you may ask?

Get ready for it...

2.7 inches.

I know, I know, I find it rather humorous as well. But in their defense, they are not prepared for it at all. And below the 2.7 inches was ice which is really what made it yucky. 

I can handle driving in snow. But the ice? I don't like that.

Kiah has decided that she wants to wear dresses more so we ventured out to do some shopping.

Excuse me, but when did my little sister grow up? Hard to believe that she will be fourteen years old on Monday. Seems like yesterday she was one.

We saw some of the Tulsa sights as well.

Like the "Golden Driller."

Yeah, I don't know... it's kind of weird, but there he is.

My apartment here has a fireplace but I have been scared to use it by myself. 

My parents brought some wood down and we build a fire one evening and ate tacos. 

It was so much fun and now I know how. 

I just have wood ready and waiting for another fire.

On Tuesday, the sun came out and the temperatures reached the mid 40's and we drove to Oral Roberts University to look around. 

What a beautiful campus! 

I had looked up ahead of time and ORU had a baseball game while my family was going to be here and I thought that would be something fun to do. 

But of course it snowed and it was cancelled. 

Maybe next time.

Wednesday came all too soon. 

It was time for them to head back to NY.

Goodbye's are never fun or easy but it was a little easier since Tulsa is beginning to feel like home.

And I am blessed that my family is close enough to come visit. Not all the time, but much closer than China. 

And for that, I am thankful.

My Office

I am slowly trying to show you more and more of my life here in Tulsa. 

I'll be honest, it's been hard to know what to blog about. I want to keep blogging because I love it, love connecting with other bloggers, and love looking back and seeing all that God has done in my life.

What I am doing now isn't any less significant than what I did in China. I am still working with orphans and still uniting families through adoption. 

It just looks a little different now and it has been hard to figure out my role in the here and now. Not just in my job, but in life as well.

Anyways, I finally got around to decorating my cubicle!

I was inspired by Pinterest and I thin it turned out pretty well. 

Since I probably spend more time here than in my apartment, I wanted it to look cute and inviting.

I got the idea on Pinterest to buy fabric to add a bit of color. I love the gray fabric I picked out and it was on sale as well. 

Even better!

Since this is the shelf right above my computer, it is kind of hard to reach since I have to reach over my computer. So I decided this would be my decorative shelf. 

Right now I have pictures, my lamp from Thailand, tissues, chapstick, lotion, and eye drops (I have had terrible eye allergies the last few weeks... I'd appreciate prayer!). 

Those little mason jars I bought at Hobby Lobby for less than a dollar and painted the inside of them. I then glued some beading around the top and a flower and they turned out pretty cute! I may eventually put some fake flowers in them. 

The book I received for Christmas from my Grandma: "Signs of Life" by David Jeremiah. 

I have been reading each morning and oh my, does it make you think! 

I highly recommend it.

My bigger mason jars which I am using to hold my pens, highlighters, scissors, etc. 

 There you have it. 

A little peak into my office space or my "home away from home."

Happy Friday!

Stay warm all of my NY friends!

Spring is in the Air

Whether spring is really in the air or not, it's that time of year where we are all ready for spring. At least I am! And what is more spring like than a pretty flowered wreath for your front door? 

I moved at a hard time to move, Christmastime. 

And that made decorating hard at first because I wanted to not only decorate my apartment because it was my new home, but also decorate for Christmas. 

But once Christmas was over and it was time to take my Christmas decor down, I felt like I was taking all my decorations down.

Several weeks ago I decided that I wanted a spring wreath for my front door. There is just something about a bright colored wreath that makes it feel like "home" when you walk in. 

I looked and looked and not only couldn't find a wreath I liked but they are so expensive!

I decided that maybe it would't be too hard to make my own and watched a tutorial on YouTube. 

Oh my goodness, if I knew it was this easy, I would have made one weeks ago! 

I bought my supplies at the Hobby Lobby that is right down the road from my apartment. 

The plain wreath was on sale and cost be about $2.50.

I decided to go with pink and off white flowers. That way I can keep it up all spring and summer.

You can't craft without a Starbucks, right?

Thanks Grandma for the gift card!

The tutorial I watched said rather than gluing the flowers directly on the wreath, it would stay better if you glued loops of fabric and then glue the flowers on. 

I bought brown and pink burlap type materiel. 

It was super cheap too, since I didn't need a lot of it, I only got 1/4 of a yard and I think they cost me $1 each!

Once you glue on the fabric loops, you glue the flowers into them.

I decided it do a 3/4 flower wreath rather than covering the whole thing. 

I still haven't decided if I want to do the rest of it, add a bow, add some of the pearls I bought, or leave it alone.

I think it turned out pretty well! I'll make another one for fall I'm sure.

And cost?

It cost me less than $20. Probably about $15.

Much cheaper (and prettier) than the already made ones!

And much more fun.