My husband and I are not especially handy and we are especially busy! We’re also cheap thrifty so everything is a DIY project around here.

But there is one room in our house that has turned into a beyond beautiful spot for our family.

It’s our eating area.

A special thanks to ZUO Mod for giving my family eight gorgeous chairs in exchange for sharing their beautiful product with you.

Good thing too. With three boys, we’re going to spend 85% of our time in this room!

We faux shiplapped the walls (tutorial coming soonish) and painted them a crisp white. What a transformation!  But our dining room chairs were sadly out of place with their scratched paint and missing rungs. And they certainly didn’t fit the farmhouse motif.

When I saw these chairs by ZUO Mod (Elio Dining Chairs in the gunmetal finish) I knew these would be perfect.

The Elio Dining chair in Gunmetal finish is industrial perfection. Whether you are outfitting an entire table or a single desk, its sturdy design and stack-ability will definitely leave a lasting impression.

I wanted something that could handle the abuse of kids. That ruled out anything with fabric. The metal and wood are so easy to wipe down. It keeps me from being too upset when the boys spill spaghetti on themselves.

These chairs are also super sturdy with the weight being predominately toward the bottom. With our other chairs, our boys kept finding ways to knock them over, fall out of them and generally hurt themselves. That ended when we got these high quality chairs!

These really bring the room together; the whole kitchen in fact. The style is dreamy and fits with my whole “Fixer Upper” theme. The combo of metal and wood just speaks to me!

ZUO Mod has all sorts of hip furniture for the office, living room, dining room, even the outdoors! And they’re totally drool worthy!

Check them out. You won’t be disappointed with the selection or quality.

The post Family Gatherings: The Perfect Dining Room appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

But I’m not alone in my love of the incredibly popular show on HGTV. Joanna’s style is so relatable and versatile. I think the draw is that it’s classic and casual.

I love to decorate, but I don’t want to have to switch it up every two years to avoid being out dated. I’m also the polar opposite of a perfectionist, so I love that most everything is rough around the edges!

And the absolute best part of the “Fixer Upper” style is that it can be done affordably with just a few accessories.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Please read my full disclosure policy here. Many of the items showcased were generously given to me by their creative makers. THANK YOU!

Initials

One of the great things about the Gaines style is how personal it it. Joanna is big into bringing dimension to spaces, not just a bunch of flat things hanging on a wall. She often incorporates initials into the home. I thought these metal letters would look too “cold” but it actually fits perfectly with our living room!

Find an initial or spell out a fun word like “JOY” or “PLAY” to fit the room!

Clocks

I’ve always loved clocks. Ironically, they’re rather timeless!

In a farm style home, a gorgeous clock reminds me to slow down and savor.

I fell in love with this clock from OnTimeHome. Jessica, the designer, has a bunch of styles to choose from and they can even be customized with your sweetheart’s name, anniversary, etc. I find myself looking up to gaze at this gorgeous clock, even though I already know what time it is!

Hand Lettered Signs and Chalkboards

I’m sure by now you’ve noticed the lovely trend of hand lettered fonts. They’re just so gorgeous and feminine. A favorite quote can take on a whole new life when written in these scrolling fonts.

I got this eye-catching quote of the hymn “Be Thou My Vision” from the Etsy shop Revelation House. I want to buy pretty much every sign in her whole shop!

This sign was a Hobby Lobby find. I’ve battled with post partum depression and I love having this reminder in my kitchen that I need to choose my thoughts or they will destroy me. Apathy is not an option.

If you’re wanting something a little more versatile than a sign, chalkboard is calling out to you! We put inspiring quotes, Bible verses, or seasonal greetings on this little baby I found at Target.

Wreaths

Wreaths on a front door are your chance to make the perfect first impression. And don’t forget you can put wreaths in other places in your home! Over a mirror, hanging from a glass cabinet, the sky’s the limit.

I made this wreath myself in ten minutes flat. I trust me, I’m not crafty! I just trimmed a bush in my front yard and stuck the clippings into a plain grapevine wreath.

I didn’t even glue it! Told ya I’m not a perfectionist.

Flower Centerpieces

Every home needs a splash of color!

When I stumbled up Tiffany’s Etsy shop NovelExpression, I was amazed at the detail she puts into her wooden flower arrangements. Totally customizable and maintenance free, these hand-made flowers are a show stopper! Some of the flowers can even be made out of book pages!

You can get them as a centerpiece, mason jar vases, or even create a wedding bouquet that will last a lifetime!

My latest obsession our these real-touch silk tulips by StempleShop. You’d never know they’re artificial and their color is mesmerizing!

Seriously, get a load of that color!

I’m usually anti artificial flowers, but these lived up to the hype. Flawless!

Houseplants

To make a house a home, you need plants. Something about growing plant life while raising human life is just poetic!

Since I tend towards the practical, I like to grow herbs. I have thyme, oregano, cilantro, green onions, and mint so far.

They’re so simple, but they bring me so much joy. They’re gorgeous, save us money, and keep my family healthier. Really no reason not to try!

Not much of a green thumb? I’m not either. Succulents are a great, hands-off way to bring some green into your home!

Shiplap and Industrial Shelves

These two things aren’t all that simple but they certainly take “Fixer Upper” style to a whole new level!

If you’ve never heard of shiplap, it’s a popular wooden paneling common to older homes in Texas. When painted, the grooves create these gorgeous horizontal lines that just scream country farm with charm.

While I do live in Texas, my home is a boring “newish” construction from the nineties.

So we decided to fake it!

Would you believe we just took some cheap plywood, cut it into 6 inch strips, nailed it to the wall and painted it white? I’ll post a tutorial once we get the whole kitchen done. But while it does take some time, this is a totally doable DIY.

I’m SO in love with our shiplap walls that I’m VERY particular about what I want to put on them.

I wanted some shelves that didn’t look like $10 particle board finds. These shelves were custom made by Lizz and her husband from the Etsy shop DuffyIndustrialHome. You can choose the size and stain to fit your needs.

I am such a fan of how they combine industrial with rustic. They’re fun and practical. Super solid and easy to assemble since all the hardware (and then some) was included.

New favorite spot in my home!

I just want to throw out one more big “THANK YOU” to the wonderful Etsy shop owners that contributed their gorgeous products to this post. You’ve made my home more inviting than I could ever have imagined. May love grow here!

How about you??? What are your favorite ways to bring a little “Fixer Upper” style to your living space?

The post Gifts for People Who Love “Fixer Upper” appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

The Candy Cane is all this and it tastes pretty darn good too!

Give some of these fun and creative Candy Cane craft ideas a try to help sweeten your Christmas this year! There is something for all ages and for every room of the home.

Candy Cane Reindeer from Everyday Best

Name Candy Cane Craft from Fun-a-Day

Legend of the Candy Cane Craft from Teach Beside Me

Egg Carton Candy Cane Craft from Meaningful Mama

Crystal Candy Canes from Go Science Kids

Salt Dough Candy Cane Ornaments from Fun at Home With Kids

Toddler Candy Cane Craft from No Time for Flash Cards

Paper Candy Canes from Happy Hooligans

Candy Cane Lanterns from Raising Little Super Heroes

Paper Bead Candy Cane Ornaments from Happy Hooligans

Candy Cane Slime from Fireflyies and Mudpies

Candy Cane Wreath from Mommy’s Bundle

Jingle Bell Candy Cane Tree from Play Trains

Yarn Wrapped Candy Cane Ornaments from Cutting Tiny Bites

Candy Cane Lions from Preschool Powol Packets

Candy Cane Crafts and Ornaments from Artsy Momma

The post Creative Candy Cane Crafts appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

Kids become wild with glee as they anticipate Christmas. Even adults love counting down the days till that happy day. Advent calendars are a great way to make the whole season special and memorable as the whole family gears up for Christmas day!

They can be simple or elaborate, but you can totally make them yourself or have a child help you.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Please read my full disclosure policy here. 

Christmas Advent Calendars:

Christmas Tree Advent Calendars for Siblings – by Crafty Kids at Home

Advent Calendar Wreath – by Fleece Fun

Scrap Paper Calendar – by Tinkerlab

Christmas Countdown Tree – by Playground Parkbench

Lego Advent Calendar – Frugal Fun For Boys & Girls

K-Cup Advent Calendar – by Teach Mama

3D Advent Calendar – by Craftulate

DIY Boxes Advent Calendar – by Powerful Mothering

Easy Advent Jar – by Mess for Less

DIY Advent Calendar – by Mama Miss

Nanny Pickle’s Advent Calendar – by Picklebums

Bix Box Advent Calendar – by Modge Podge Rocks

Simple Snowflake Advent Calendar – by Simple as That

Hanging Advent Calendar – by 52 Mantels

Felt Advent Banner – by Crafted Sparrow

The post Advent Calendars that You Can Make Yourself! appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

THANKSGIVING!

It’s my favorite holiday by a mile and I LOVE that it focuses on such a wonderful quality; thankfulness.

But if you’ve spent more than five minutes with a three year old, you know that thankfulness doesn’t come naturally. It needs to be modeled and taught.

And what better time of year than now to get your kids into the grateful spirit. These decorative ideas will help you and your children put aside discontentment and rejoice in the gifts we’ve already been given!

Be Thankful Folders – by Gingersnap Crafts

Thankful Banner – by the Idea Room

Thankful Bucket Garland – by Uncommon Designs

Mini Pinwheel Garland –by Stephanie Lynn

Be Thankful Frame – by Landee See Landee Do

Thankful Leaf Raffia Garland – by Simply Modern Mom

Thankful Tree – by Rhythms of Play

Thankful Rocks –by Mom Inspired Life

Thankful Turkeys – by Handmade Kids Art

Thankful Wreath with Paper Leaves – by Meaningful Mama

Thankful Turkey Box – by i Heart Crafty Things

Gratitude Chain – by Mama Smiles

Gratitude Pumpkins – by the Joys of Boys

Gratitude Placemats – by Mama’s Happy Hive

Thankful Leaf Wall – by What Do We Do All Day

How do you celebrate Thanksgiving? How do you encourage thankfulness in children?

The post 15 Decorative Ways to Promote Thankfulness appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

“You have to have a WHAT?”

I insisted that there be a room that we could dedicate to homeschooling. I know many people that homeschool at their kitchen room table, but I know how hard that can be. I wanted a room that could handle the seriously fun work of learning!

I told our realtor that the room could be anything from an extra bedroom, to a loft, to a formal (unnecessary) dining room (which is what we ended up with).

So now that my son is finally old enough to start kindergarten, let me give you a tour of our homeschool room!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Read my full disclosure policy here. 

Re-purpose What You Already Have

Before going out to buy more stuff, take a creative look around your house. What could you use in an unorthodox way to make your homeschool room function well for your family?

When we moved into this house, the previous owners left us this huge dining room hutch. It was an ugly color and all I could think about was how on earth we were going to drag it to the curb without breaking our backs. Then I realized that if I covered up the glass doors, I could store all sorts of things besides dishes in it. So I painted it green, covered the glass with wrapping paper of all things, and I couldn’t be more pleased! Check out all it can hold in the top half alone!

Contain, Contain, Contain

If you want your stuff to stay organized, it needs to have a “home”. This is obvious, but takes quite a bit of thought. I’ve grown to love a tubs and buckets system. And you need BOTH. Here’s why: the tubs have lids and contain all the small stuff like mini figures for sensory bins, assorted rubber stamps, and letter manipulatives. The buckets/bins handle the larger or oddly shaped items that won’t fit nicely in the tubs. (See example below). They’re also more easily accessible because there’s no lid to fumble with.

We also have a small paper storage shelving unit, that holds our curriculum textbooks.

And don’t forget paper storage! I couldn’t get by without some hanging file folders! I save a lot of our themed printables for the younger ones to do when the time comes. Less paper, ink, and cutting!

Use Wall Space Wisely

While I love our little dining room converted into a homeschool room, it is lacking one thing, wall space! There’s really only one full wall and it’s covered by the hutch. Since the place is already small, I knew we had to fit as much vertically as we can.

We have a large US map that we can write on and erase. My little ones still love using our sensory alphabet poster to trace their letters. Our back door holds our visual schedule (we printed ours for free).

In another small corner we have our “calendar time” board. We use a picture frame ledge so that we can easily pull it down off the wall when we want to get our hands on it each morning before we start our day. In a previous picture you saw our blackboard. We also have curtain rod we converted into an art display, but it’s broken now. Sorry!

Think Beyond the Four Walls

Don’t confine yourself to your homeschool room alone! We use our family room to comfortably read books and store our overdue library books. We use this awesome rolling cart to transport our work around easily if we decide we need a change of scenery and want to do work in the kitchen or elsewhere. And don’t forget the great outdoors. There’s no better classroom than nature!

So there’s our little learning nook. Now if only I could find a pen, we’d be able to get started!

(Had to include this outtake picture!)

How do you organize your homeschool room? Any tips you can share in the comments???

The post Don’t Forget These Things When Planning Your Homeschool Room appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

“Cute” is a banned word that must be replaced with “cool”.

Their macho-ness effects all aspects of life, even how we decorate their room.

While I may want to accessorize with cuddly forest creatures, my boys want cool.

But their definition of cool changes every week! Trains one day, dinosaurs the next. And since I don’t want to be redecorating on a regular basis, I had to come up with a solution.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Please read my full disclosure policy here. 

Rules on How to Decorate a Boys Room 

No Cute Themes

You’re just asking for trouble if you spend your hard earned money and time on a room that’s themed around your child’s favorite television character. Even race cars may embarrass your child in a couple years. When I was a kid, I had a French horn painted on my wall because that’s what I played. Even though I loved playing horn for nearly another ten years, I’ll admit that the themed room was a little embarrassing to bring friends to when I was in my late teens. So it’s best to avoid themes all together, unless you want to redo this process every year!

Go with a Color Scheme

Pick three to five versatile colors that go well together and don’t scream “little kid”. Let your child give their input. If the room revolves around colors, it’s easy to change a decorative piece here and there as your child’s interests change, without disrupting the whole room. One way I try and anchor the color theme is with a large textile statement piece like curtains or bedding. If you’re looking for GORGEOUS unique fabric, you will adore Minted. Independent designers send in their creations and they’re highly customizable and oh so fun! But the fabric you find on Minted has been crafted into all sorts of home decor finds. They have everything from place mats to lamp shades. We love the curtains we found there!

The colors are bold and beautiful and the pattern is funky yet timeless! They’re a perfect backdrop to anchor the boys room.

To fill some wall space, I again turned to Minted. Their Art Prints will have you drooling. And it’s easy to make them all “go” together in a gallery wall because the majority of prints on Minted have multiple color options. I picked a mixture of texts and images that I thought fit well together and don’t fall into the dreaded “little kid” category. One important note about Minted. Every design is submitted by individual artists who work for themselves. By purchasing from them, you’re helping VERY small business owners, most of which are work at home mothers!

Unfortunately, the boys room is very small and I don’t have the camera equipment to showcase how cute this feature wall really is. Just use your imagination! Thanks! Oh, and they have a sensory swing in their room that kinda gets in the way. Sorry!

So whether you’re looking to decorate your child’s room, revamp your living room or even send out stunning party invitations, Minted has you covered. But be warned! You’ll fall in love with this site and be sorely tempted to buy it ALL! That’s why you’ve got to enter this giveaway for a $250 credit to Minted! But head on over to Minted and you can start saving away your ideas and dreams in their fun virtual gallery walls and favorites page.

Enter the giveaway HERE!

A BIG thank you to Minted for providing for my boys room mini makeover and sponsoring the giveaway prize! You guys ROCK!

The post How to Decorate a Boys Room that will Grow With Them appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

Christmas can often turn into a time of excess. From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day household waste increases by more than 25%. And while a beautifully decorated home is fun and a wonderful part of the holiday season, it can add to the excess and waste.

However, having a more eco-friendly holiday and still having a beautifully decorated home is completely possible. There are some really great eco-friendly options out there. Also the greenest thing you can do is take care of the items you have and make them last as long as possible. And when buying new decor try to choose items that are more eco-friendly and will last.

There are some key things to consider when buying new decor, when you want to have an eco-friendly Christmas.

• Is the item durable? Even if it’s made from eco-friendly materials if it won’t last you are wasting money and resources.
• Where was it made? Buying locally made items helps reduce resources needed to ship the items. It’s also a great way to support your community and local artists.
• What was it made from? Choosing items made from recycled, renewable, and/or natural materials is the greener choice. Fair Trade certified options are also great because they use more sustainable materials and are more ethically produced.
• How much energy will it use? Lights and lighted decor can really do a number on your energy bill and the environment. LED lights use a lot less energy and are also safer because they don’t produce as much heat. And between now and November 15th you can take your old inefficient Christmas lights to Home Depot for recycling and get a coupon for new Energy Star LED Christmas lights!

There are some really beautiful eco-friendly Christmas decor items available this year.

Here are some wonderful examples

Fair Trade Felt Pom Pom Tree Skirt

Sustainable Wood Star Snowflake

Organic Snowflake Towel

Coir Vintage Christmas Bicycle Doormat

Fair Trade Knit Stockings

Reusable Holiday Wall Decals

Eco-friendly holiday decor options are becoming more and more common so be on the lookout. Even big box stores are getting on board with eco-friendly holiday decor.

Share some of your favorite eco-friendly holiday decor ideas in the comments to help us find even more great options!

Together we can help reduce the waste created this holiday season!

Bio-

Lisa Sharp is a homemaker living in a small town in Oklahoma. She blogs about her passion for green living, homemaking and all things vintage at Retro Housewife Goes Green. She started baking at two years old with her grandma and continues to enjoy it, along with crocheting, spending time with her husband and dog, and searching for vintage treasures.

The post Eco-Friendly Christmas Decor appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

I was so excited when FrogTape® approached me to do a post about transforming a room with paint, using their painter’s tape. Our house can definitely be labeled a work in progress and will probably always be so. One of my favorite projects to do is paint. It’s crazy how something so simple can transform the feel of a space. 

My faithful readers know that I’m far from being a perfectionist. And my painting skills are no exception. I never have enough time or patience for the kinds of projects I tackle. I used FrogTape® Multi-Surface for my job and it sure helped me look like a much more precise DIYer than I really am.FrogTape® brand painter’s tape is designed with the exclusive PaintBlock® Technology to prevent bleed through. 

FrogTape Multi-Surface is great for things like 

• Cured Painted Walls

• Wood Trim

• Glass

• Metal

They also make a neat product called  FrogTape® Delicate Surface. It’s great for when you want to tape over paint that hasn’t cured completely, faux finishes and even wallpaper! 

Here’s a look at our before pictures. As you can see, the nursery is SO boring and dull. 

Here’s an oh so flattering shot of me in mid-project.

The end results were great! Before I show you the over all look, check out these close-ups. I love how firmly the tape stuck to the surface, yet peeled off easily! The seal was superb! 

Alright, here’s the reveal. I just love how different and complete everything looks! 

Are you inspired??? 

Don’t miss out on FrogTape’s exciting painting challenge going on right now called “Earn Your Stripes Painting Contest”. To participate, make-over a room using one of FrogTape’s products and submit your pictures to the contest site below. (Check out the site for all the official details!)

Earn Your Stripes Room Makeover Contest  

Oh, and the most important detail….the winner of the contest will receive $5,000!

Want more inspiration for you next project? Follow FrogTape’s social media channels including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

FrogTape® painting inspiration

The post How to Take a Room from “Blah” to “Wow!” in ONE Step appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Read my full disclosure policy here. 

Supplies: 

Glitter Fabric Paint

Sheet Protectors (Glossy) , or you could try a ziplock bag or produce bag

(For instructions, see my original post about Christmas window clings.)

(Pardon my lack of pictures. I have the hardest time getting shots of this with my camera because of the bright background and especially smudgy window!

Once you’ve made the DIY Easter window clings, let your children play and learn with them. My son is really getting into letter sounds and forming words. He just at the beginning stages of sounding things out. He was giddy as I put each new letter up. He kept trying to guess. This also gave a time to talk about the real meaning of Easter. Loopy had never heard the phrase “He has risen” but he did understand that Easter is a celebration that Jesus is alive! His death paid for our sin in full and God the Father stamped his seal of approval on Jesus’ sacrifice by raising Him from the dead!

Have a blessed Easter! He HAS risen!

Are you homeschooling your little ones? Join our private Facebook support group where we get our questions answered and our hearts encouraged!

The post DIY Easter Window Clings appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.