The Magic of Mirrors - Part 2

Continuing with yesterday's theme on mirrors, here are some tips to make them work for you:





... If you have a wall just in front of the entrance, place a mirror on that wall to open up the space.

...To make a narrow stairway or hallway look wider, hang mirrors on both sides, preferably right opposite each other.

...Instead of artwork behind a sofa or hallway use mirrors. For an informal, eclectic feel, use a large mirror and hang smaller size mirrors around it. 

House and Home

A collection of mirrors reflects light and opens up this living room space while adding visual interest.


...Make sure mirrors reflect only things you want to see more of. Do not place a mirror directly across from a cluttered area. Instead, you might want to place it across from a source of light, a favorite painting or a window.

... If you live in a smaller space such as an apartment or condo and window light may be limited, you can add a mirror or groups of mirrors to windowless walls to create the illusion of windows and reflect light into the space.

...For a quick bathroom makeover, remove the builder's mirror and add a decorative framed mirror. We did this in one of our washrooms and it gave it a whole new look.

Here are some inexpensive options...



Artistic Innovations (15x15)
The Home Depot
$15



The Tangerine Mirror Company (16x20)
The Home Depot
$39.99



Artika
Floating expresso mirror
The Home Depot $49.99

So as you can see, mirrors can be a great way to open up a space, help bring extra light or create mood to your room.  They can be an inexpensive way to really make an impact in your space and give it the WOW factor!!!

Why not "look into" a mirror today????

Grocery Store Decorating

Decorating your table for Thanksgiving doesn't have to be an expensive or difficult task.  Your local grocery store offers many ways to creatively decorate your table for Thanksgiving or make something to give as a gift.

Gourds who????

Gourds come in all shapes and sizes.  They are great for decorating a table.  You can find them at grocery stores and greenhouses.

Here's a few picture of how I've used them around my home...

Pie pumpkins are also a quick way to dress up your table with some fresh flowers.  To get extra creative, you can even paint the pumpkins in different colours. 

Here are two of my own creations... 

I was recently at Longo's and something similar was selling for $19.99 each. 

I bought pie pumpkins for $1.29 each and the flowers for two pumpkin arrangements was about $12.   So in the end I spent about $7 for each arrangement vs. $19.99.  I think I got a great deal!  I realize there was a bit of work involved with cleaning out the pumpkin and doing the arranging but as mentioned in past posts, I find it relaxing and it's something I did myself!

Well if you are preparing for your Thanksgiving meal, consider some of these ideas and get creative.  The possibilities are endless!  If you make any creations, I would love to hear from you.  Send me along some pictures.  They would be great to feature on future posts!

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

P.S.  If you are cooking a turkey this weekend, don't forget to save the carcass...it's makes a great stock.  I will feature some recipes in a future post.

What is this blog all about? 

Well I think I’ve chosen the perfect title to describe what I will be writing about, which is all things inspiring.

My two loves for design/decorating and home cooking have always been ‘inspired’ by my surroundings.  Sometimes it was my mother in the kitchen cooking batches of sauce, or the latest edition of House and Home magazine triggering an idea from which I can feed. My inspiration also comes from my family, my husband and two fantastic children.

Life inspires me, as I journey through new stages in my life which I’m sure I will touch on here.  But the blog is mostly about decorating, for living, not IMPRESSING.  I am a Certified Staging Professional and started with the intention of staging homes for sale.  Although I still do that, I’ve found more people interested in staging to LIVE.  This is an important difference because although it is nice to purchase the latest and greatest of everything, I personally try to be as practical as possible.  I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty, try something new, stand back and create something from my own two hands.

That relates to my passion for cooking also – I COULD just buy a bunch of cupcakes for my daughters birthday, but it’s a lot more fun creating them WITH her from scratch.  Not only do I spend time WITH her, I am doing something I love AND teaching her at the same time.

I would sum up what I do as “adapting”.  I use what I have available to make things work.  I hope you enjoy my ideas and inspiration also and maybe we can learn from each other on how easy it is to have the home you’ve always wanted.

So if you are ready to join me on this journey, we will together, create exciting recipes, re-arrange our homes, inexpensively craft everyday and holiday décor as well as share challenges and life insights that I have learned as a dedicated mother, wife, friend and colleague.

Until next time, always remember to take the time to look around...inspiration is everywhere!

“The possibilities of creative effort connected with the subconscious mind are stupendous and imponderable. They inspire one with awe.”  Napoleon Hill