Creative Juices Decor

Hi Friends I wrote this post a month or two ago but was a little nervous about publishing it because I wondered if you guys would like it (I know it has nothing to do with design!)  BUT I have learned some very interesting things over the past 2 years of blogging so I thought I would share it.  Plus a new friend of mine Ann from OnSuttonPlace had her first linky party dedicated to sharing things we've learned about blogging ......I guess it gave me that little nudge to hit the "PUBLISH" button. :-) When I talk to my family and non blogging friends about my blog they are always saying,  WHAT? How does all that stuff work?  You mean when I click on those ads you earn money?  Do you sign up to advertise?   They had absolutely no idea the “things” behind the blog. So, if you at all interested , continue reading and if this sounds incredibly boring I promise to do a really fun interior design or craft post next!!! First off...

I always LOVE eating a ripe juicy mango.  It is such a special treat for me and the kids.  (I have a hard time getting hubby to eat fruit, or vegetables….it’s horrible!) Anyway, I have found some great buys on mangos lately (this must be mango season) Costco has been selling them by the case for around .70 cents each.  Since I spent a month in the Philippines as a teenager I am the authority on cutting mangoes .  OK, I’m just joking about being the authority on mango cutting but I did spend a month in the Philippines!  Some of you might already know how to cut a mango, but for those that don’t, this is a fun way how to do it!                1. Slice sides off leaving the center with the seed (you can eat it separately)             2. Deeply score horizontally and vertically (not all the way through!) the mango sides.         ...

One of the first people I "met" when I started my blog was Lauren from West Revival Furniture .  We keep in touch and I always have a laugh (she's quite funny!) when I visit her blog.  Stop by and say hi! She got this glass crate for free at a garage sale.  For the top she used a collection of pallet pieces she torn apart. And the AFTER!  Stained,painted and wheels added! Ellie from Frog Goes to Market found this crate for 20 bucks at an antique store!  I love it how it is, but I think it would be fun to add steel wheels to the bottom. Here is a really fun one from Design Sponge !   And After! I hope you enjoyed the crate edition of the:

Master bathroom floorplans can be so tricky!     I am excited to show it to you all finished and decorated.  What we asked for was a separate toilet area, 2 sinks and a soaker tub. (And of course, the walk in closet) After a bunch of different ideas, we finally got all the qualifications we needed to fit on the plan. (We had a specific square foot amount we couldn't go over) Here are the photos! Below is a stenciled design ( modello designs ) I did on 4 large canvases and hung them on the wall. One of the things I’m really happy about is I knew from previous experience that unless there is a spot for shampoo (and all that fun stuff woman love) that it would be scattered all around the tub…..not the prettiest look.  I needed some bathroom organization or baskets planned somewhere! So, I had them offset the tub to the left so that on the right I could put a decorative basket for all that “stuff: It has worked perfectly!   ...

On my last landscape post, I showed you guys some really fun Hydrangea and Peonies pictures.  Now I am going to show you some ideas I have for the outdoor pergola! I have always loved vines, grape vines, wisteria vines, clematis vines, etc.  There is something so romantic about vines, maybe it’s that they just wrap around and cling to their “post”.  I don’t know, maybe that sounded weird….hee,hee. I can’t wait to find some great outdoor lights to put up too…….it will probably look so blah though without a mature vine wrapping it's beautiful greenery.......OK enough of the vines and romance - ha!  Onto the photos! Beatriz Da Costa Real Simple Absolutely DREAMY! Don’t you just  love the chandler dropping down from the vines! Sharon Taylor Designs This doesn't look like wisteria, but it sure looked pretty.  Is there such thing as a peony vine?  Maybe this is just a rose vine?  I love it no matter what it is! Sigh.......

It’s been a LONG, muddy and cold time waiting but we finally have grass!  In fact, my hubby just mowed it yesterday.  (Exciting stuff around here!) Duke patiently waiting for the hydro seed to take root AFTER! BEFORE AFTER It makes me so happy though, our dog will not track in gobs of mud daily now (he’s an indoor dog….just uses the outside for all  his “business”) One step at a time!  I wish we could snap our fingers and have it all done but unfortunately money doesn’t fall from the sky when we snap our fingers   Next year we’ll start planting some trees.  Can’t wait! Oh and my wonderful husband just put up three matching mailboxes!  One neighbor we know really well (his parents!) and the other neighbor was happy to have them all matching.  Thanks for stopping by!

Over the years I have attempted to make a few extra special birthday cakes.  I’m not a cake decorator, but a mom that has fun trying something other than just frosting on a cake.  (And there are some years where they get just that!  A cake with frosting and a few candles put in! ) This was a "present" cake.    Simply put on frosting, add dots of Spree Candy and a ribbon made of strawberry “ fruit by the foot ” fruit leather! I saw this aquarium cake off some magazine and attempted to copy it.  I learned a lot AFTER it was put together but it still turned out pretty cute! Blue tinted frosting Black Licorice as trim of aquarium cake Goldfish crackers with a dot of black piping (frosting) on them. Tropical or lime “fruit by the foot” fruit leather cut out curvy for seaweed Nerds Candy as the rocks Mystery Flavored Airheads rolled out and shaped/cut  into the castle.  I didn’t roll it out thin en...