EGGcited for Easter!

I have so many childhood memories of Easter.  Some mornings it was so cold and we'd have to rush through finding the eggs that I'm sure my parents hid that morning.  There were also many Easters spent at my grandparents' house with the cousins.  We'd search for eggs, attend Easter service at their church and have a wonderful lunch with ham and deviled eggs.  The "quirkiest" memory I have is being a teenager and my grandmother deciding she wanted all of us to attend a sunrise Easter service - in the freezing cold, at actual sunrise, in a cemetery!  We still talk about that crazy morning, amongst the headstones celebrating the resurrection.

Now that I have a child of my own, there are two things I make sure we do on Easter Sunday.  Celebrate the resurrection of Christ and have a great Easter basket.  I'm not too hip on the whole egg thing - the dying, the hiding, the finding.  I'm also really bad at trying to sell the idea of a rabbit doing all of these things to my child.  Now that Wes is 9, putting together a basket has become more challenging.  Here are some ideas I think are great if you have an older boy, age 7 to 10.

• Summer Fun - bathing suit, summer shoes (flip flops or Crocs), swim goggles, disposable camera, sunglasses, beach towel and a kite.  For girls, just add in some fun nail polish!  
• Movie Night - movie tickets or gift card from your local theater, boxes of movie candy, a few DVD's from the bargain bin, temporary tattoos and some comic books.  For girls, instead of comic books find a few magazines.
• In the Kitchen - recipe card and some of the ingredients for their favorite meal, fun apron, a kid themed cookbook, personalized notebook, kids watch and a few card games.  What a fun night this would make!

Here are some super cute Easter products I've found.  Most of these are for the younger set, but I loved them and couldn't resist sharing.

The tutorial for making these felt bags, from Martha Stewart, isn't on her site anymore, but I love the idea of using a bag instead of a traditional basket.  This is a great idea for an older girl.

  

These wool felt baskets from Etsy are adorable.  There are tons of options as to color and design.  When you're not using them at Easter, hang them from a cute hook in the bathroom and fill with stuff.

These metal buckets from Etsy can be personalized for your little one.  I love the colors on this one and the matching ribbon is perfect!

These personalized plates from The Polka Dot Press are so fun and can be used every day of the year.  Lots of patterns available.

I just loved how this photo made me feel.  The pink and green colors are so fresh.  Pink carnations in a white pitcher?  How easy and perfect is that?  The idea of using glue and glitter to create polka dots on the eggs may make me want to actually decorate eggs this year.

Another great idea from Martha Stewart for the table using real grass.  You could use boiled eggs you might eat or dyed eggs if you wanted more color.

By using real glass blades on standard candles, we continue the theme from above.  You can still keep these out after Easter.  Green and white, with a punch of yellow is a perfect color scheme for an Easter meal.  Find out how to make these, here.

I hope you are able to spend some time with your family this weekend as we celebrate this amazing holiday.  I pray for warm weather and for everyone to understand the real reason for Easter.

A Little Secret

I wanted to share a little secret with my readers about two sites that offer great items for your home and the deals can be really good!

The first is One Kings Lane. You have to sign up to be able to access the web site, but it's worth it.  Each day they have new "sales" that feature either a collection of like items or a particular brand.  Most items have limited quantities and can sell out quickly.  Plus, they do not allow returns so shop carefully.  I've purchased lots of accessories from here and have been very pleased.  My sister recently found a great piece of art that was perfect in her house.  Here are some of my favorite finds from a few of their current sales:

The second is Joss and Main.  They work pretty much the same way as One Kings Lane.  I've never purchased anything from them, but I see one in my very near future.  Here are a few of my favorites they are currently featuring:

I hope you are able to take advantage of this little secret and find something fabulous for yourself!

Thanks for reading,
Jennifer  

Time to Relax

Spring break has officially begun at our house!

I plan to spend some quality time with my boy enjoying the time off from housework, decorating and most especially, homework!

I hope all my Tallahassee friends enjoy their week...

 

Toes in the Water, Toes in the Sand

Living so close to the coast, I thought it was time to write about coastal living and how it's different from how you design for your everyday life.  I'm also planning a little getaway for spring break, so I have sand and sun on my mind this week.

Most homes along the coast are filled with tile and if you're lucky, wood flooring.  It's great for easy clean up from a day at the beach, but it can leave a room feeling cold and unwelcoming.  The easiest thing to add warmth and texture is with a rug.  Natural fiber ones are a great look and provide easy clean up.

I like to keep the bedding simple by using white sheets and lightweight blankets, but if you need a little more than that, here are some great sets from Eastern Accents.

Another thing to keep simple are accessories.  Jars filled with sand and shells are easy and inexpensive to make.  Keep the accessories neutral and bring in color with art, throws and pillows.  I REALLY like using statement lamps to bring style into a room and they are one accessory that is worth the investment.

I can't end this post without sharing this great find from Red Envelope.  This has to be the best gift for anyone planning to spend any time on the beach this summer!

If you have a little place at the coast that might need a little TLC before the summer, give me a call.  I'd love to help you!

Thanks for reading,
Jennifer 

 

Outdoor Living

The catalogs, with covers of outdoor spaces, are starting to arrive in my mailbox.  Every year, I'm amazed at how much variety there is out there of product that you can literally use "out there"!  I suggest investing in some core pieces - a sofa, a few comfortable chairs and a dining set - then, bring in color and texture with rugs, pillows and accessories.  What I'm also liking is you can find pieces to fit any budget.  I just specified some great pieces from Target that blew me away.

Here are some great ideas and products I'm loving for this season...

Can you believe this can go outside?  (Frontgate)

This comes in 7 colors!  (Grandin Road)

Colorful Pillows from Etsy

 

I could eat dinner here every night!  (Pottery Barn)

Yes, these can go outside.  (Ballard Designs)

Outdoor rugs, like this one, have come a long way!  (Rug Studio)

The warmer weather will be here before you know it and in Tallahassee, we know there's only a small window of time to really enjoy the outdoors before the heat becomes overwhelming.  Take advantage now of those great sales and perk up your outdoor space.

Thanks for reading,
Jennifer 

Room to Play

Kid spaces are the most fun to design.  Clients seem to be more willing to stretch their design boundaries with these rooms and I find it so fun putting them together.  Since I've been working on a number of {little spaces} these past few months, it seemed natural to feature one of them here.  This particular room was designed with two, active grandsons in mind.  My client wanted a space all their own when they came to visit - which is often.  They love sports, being creative, watching cartoons and playing video games.

I have a different approach when it comes to playrooms.  This is where I like to use brighter colors or interesting paint techniques, such as stripes or chalkboard paint.  Unique storage solutions are also high on my list.  I'm a big fan of the cube units with the colorful fabric bins.  Not only are they functional, but I like being able to add color in a uniformed way.  Target sells a 9 Cube Organizer I used below, along with colorful Fabric Drawers.  I framed out three framed cord boards using the same paint from the bathroom to give some much needed color on this side of the room. 

If you have room, it's always good to create zones - one for watching television or playing video games, an area for reading and a table for playing games or doing crafts.  In the playroom above, we used the client's existing table on one end and a lounger with bean bags on the other.
 

This is the furniture plan we started with.  We did make a few changes, but overall the finished product is the same.  This is an important first step in designing any space.

I love using lots of colorful pillows, bean bags and throws.  Kids love furry, soft blankets!  I suggest getting a blanket for each member of the family as they will always fight over them.

Monograms can put a custom touch on an otherwise simple pillow design.

Need help designing a space for that special child in your life?  Even if you don't live in Tallahassee, I can help.  Check out my e-design services for clients who live in any part of the country! 

Thanks for reading,
Jennifer 

 

Lighting I Love

There are a few things that don't take much effort and provide a lot of impact when re-decorating a room.  Lighting is one of them.  Here are some light fixtures I'm really loving at the moment.  If you have any "builder basic" lights in your house, then now is the time to change them out for something uniquely yours.

All of these light fixtures are available through Jennifer Taylor Design

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer