*For those wondering: I took a two month break from blog work to focus on my family and other projects I had going on, but I am back and excited to share with you all the fun things! Happiest of days to you!
I love a solidly decorated house. I am a fan of open spaces and organization and even certain things done minimally but when it comes to a pretty table scape or a party invite, I want to go all out. How do you do this when inflation is at an all time high and you have littles in the mix? Here are my top tips for creating an atmosphere of fun, festivity and kid and budget friendly.
Stick to Tables and Fireplaces – When in doubt these two places can really spice up a party or a season of festive decorations. If you can’t afford a Christmas tree in every room like the Biltmore or fall garland everywhere choose the fireplace and the table to focus decorations. I sparingly decorated house looks just like that. Instead of spreading out all the little bunny figurines use them all in a table set up and leave the house free and open.
Buy Good Flowers – I use to use dollar store silk flowers for decorations. I realized quickly it just doesn’t work and they also do not last so I ended up spending more than if I had just bought fresh real ones. Buy good dried flowers when you can for extended use and use fresh for everything else! I re-use my dried flowers year over year! They look incredible and smell great too! To store I have jars the same size as my vases on my fire place mantel. I literally just grab the entire bunch from the season done and set in the jars on a shelf in the closet until next time. Next decorating time I swap them out and Voila!
Balloons – are cheap and come down fast after an event so I go all out with this because its easy decor and easy clean up. Stick to solid colors and not weird designs or shapes. It turns out classic when you drape an entire stair case in white and pearl balloons.
Create a Theme Through Out – For fall I stick to everything pumpkin and then literally have three items for Halloween and three pieces for Thanksgiving that I switch out. For spring I choose pastel and white so that it the white I can reuse for summer where I just bring in the red and blue. Christmas is Nutcracker in our house except for the kid rooms where I decorate wholly in grinch theme. Some people say too much “matchy-matchy” can be overwhelming. Honestly I have found that if you are going with orange and blue for a table adding a blue pillow on the couch and an orange candle in the kitchen really goes a long way.
What I personally use in every season: blankets – whether it is a summer throw for a picnic or to use for kids craft even in the dead of heat a good towel blanket goes a long way. For fall I even have cary fuzzy ones in my car. candles – I make my own and if I have little ones coming over I keep them up higher but they make the house smell amazing and give people a little sparkle, Flowers and fresh herbs just help bring the outside in. Front door wreath – I make these myself too because, who has $160 to hang up?! I head over to the local craft shop and buy a simple grapevine wicker wreath (except in winter I do cypress greens) and then stuff it with the decor flowers of the season, this gives people a sense of home from the on set of walking in.
Creating Exceptional 