Powder Room Makeover: Before Photo

As I mentioned in my powder room planning post, we were so anxious to get rid of the pedestal sink. It offered zero storage and I didn’t care for the exposed plumbing. Also, the oil rubbed bronze fixtures in the bathroom didn’t jive with the vibe in the rest of our home. 

Powder Room Makeover: After Photo!

When Mansfield Plumbing reached out to see if I would be interested in trying one of their toilets available at Lowes.com, I knew it was a sign. I needed to finally overcome my fears and just do the remodel! What a difference a little wallpaper and a new toilet and vanity can make!  This wasn’t a major overhaul, but it shows that swapping out a few key pieces can really transform a room. All said and done it was a really doable project. 

Denali Toilet from Mansfield Plumbing

Of course, a bathroom isn’t a bathroom without a great toilet and we chose this Denali® White WaterSense Elongated Toilet. Mansfield Plumbing toilets are made in the USA and available through Lowes.com. The Denali® definitely has a sleeker shape than our previous toilet. Hazel, our 9 year old, noticed the soft close seat right away when she was used to slamming it shut! It also has a powerful MagnaFlush™ high performance flushing technology, which is a step up from our old toilet. 

This post contains affiliate links. See our full disclosure.

Gold Leaves Wallpaper

The best way to overcome your fear for decorating a new room is to create a mood board! Here is the mood board I created for our bathroom makeover. I find that with any room I design, I first need an inspiration piece to get me started in the right direction. For our powder room it was this gold leaves wallpaper. To save money and time we chose to just wallpaper the main wall and left the rest of the walls their original beige color.

Navy Blue Vanity

This navy blue vanity was the second piece we found and I loved that it offered a pop of color to the room. The deep navy blue color paired with gold accents was the perfect elegant touch to transform the bathroom and unlike any other vanities we’ve seen.

Navy and Gold Powder Room Accents

The other gold fixtures and wall art came together pretty easily once we had our inspiration pieces to work from. I found this art deco style wall art at Society 6. The top print is called Art Deco Midnight and the bottom print is called Blue Winter Sky.

Isn’t the asymmetrical look of this gold mirror from Shades of Light neat?

This is the first bathroom we have in our home with gold bathroom fixtures (this style is specifically called “brushed gold” or “brushed brass”). I love it! The fixtures we used are from Moen. It feels good to have a much needed house project done. It has inspired us to take on Stella and Hazel’s shared bathroom next. More gold to come. Stay tuned!

Like this powder room remodel?

Then check out this mood board post for more before photos!

Looking to remodel your bathroom?

Head to Lowes.com to check out the Mansfield toilets! 

This post is sponsored by Mansfield Plumbing. All content and opinions are my own.

The post Navy and Gold Powder Room Makeover – Reveal! appeared first on Design Improvised.

This post contains affiliate links. See our full disclosure.

I found that a 9″ faux pumpkin and a child’s size mask paired perfectly together. You could always put a mask on a real pumpkin as well! A simple peel and stick pumpkin face decorating kit works really well for this project. All the supplies I used are from Oriental Trading.

Supplies for Covid Face Mask Pumpkins

• Faux or real pumpkins (I used this orange 9″ foam pumpkin and this 9″ white foam pumpkin)
• Face mask (I used these child sized face masks)
• Pumpkin face decorating kits (I used this Day of the Dead kit)
• Thumbtacks
• Black vinyl and black letter stickers (used for ghost pumpkin)

How to Make Sugar Skull Face Mask Pumpkins

Step 1: Prep your supplies

I used a 9″ foam pumpkin and this peel and stick Day of the Dead pumpkin decorating kit along with a child’s sized mask.

Step 2: Add the sugar skull eyes and nose

Position the eye and nose stickers high enough on the pumpkin so there is plenty of room for the mask below. A peel and stick pumpkin decorating kit makes it a breeze, and simple enough for young kids to make!

Step 3: Attach the mask to the pumpkin

Use thumbtacks to attach the mask to the sides of the pumpkin, pulling it taught. You could also use a dab of hot glue if you don’t have thumbtacks.

Step 4: Finish embellishing your pumpkin

I added a few more decorative sugar skull stickers, including the mouth to the outside of the mask!

Didn’t it turn out so cute? The Day of the Dead pumpkin decorating kit comes with three different designs including a sugar skull cat, so you can make an entire family of masked pumpkins if you want!

How to Make a Ghost Face Mask Pumpkin

Step 1: Prep your supplies

For the ghost pumpkin, I used a 9″ white pumpkin, a pair of ghost eyes and a nose cut from black removable vinyl, and black letter stickers to spell “BOO”. You can also cut letters from the vinyl if you have a cutting machine.

Step 2: Attach the mask to the pumpkin

Use thumbtacks or hot glue to attach the mask to the front of the pumpkin.

Step 3: Add vinyl accents to mask

Add the vinyl eyes and nose to the pumpkin above the mask. Add the letter stickers to the front of the mask to spell BOO!

This one is my favorite, I think! What version of a masked pumpkin would you make?

Like these Covid face mask pumpkins?

Then don’t miss my other pumpkin decorating ideas!

Thank you to Oriental Trading for providing the supplies for this post!

The post DIY Face Mask Pumpkin appeared first on Design Improvised.

 7 Steps to Getting to Know Your Backyard Habitat

My desire to become a Master Naturalist actually started with wanting to know more about the birds that visited my yard. I’m writing this post to encourage you to take time to explore your backyard too. It might just be the start to your own journey to becoming a Master Naturalist. If nothing else, if everyone treated their backyard like a wildlife habitat rather than just a patch of grass, we could make a huge impact on our environment!

Below I’m sharing 7 simple steps to exploring your backyard as the wildlife habitat it is. I am also giving you a few challenges to try. If you do, I want to hear how they go!

Step 1: Sit outside and take it in!

The first step to getting to know your backyard as a habitat is to start spending some time in it! We have a small patio that overlooks our backyard and it is my favorite place to sit first thing in the morning as the sun is coming up and the birds (and our resident squirrel!) are the most active. Pick a comfortable, shaded spot in your backyard to sit and take in the view. Above is the view of my backyard from the balcony.

• Backyard Challenge #1: Spend time in your backyard spot during several different times of the day.

  • Note the changes that occur throughout the day – the way the light hits, the sounds you hear, the activities of birds and other wildlife. It is amazing how much is happening in your yard during the day if you just take the time to pay attention.

Step 2: Close your eyes and listen

I recently heard someone say “When you close your eyes you hear the insects.” It is so true! Here in Texas you’ll hear the constant hum of cicadas during the summer. There is also a constant drone of leaf blowers, mowers and nearby highway traffic to compete with the sounds of nature! You’ll be amazed with how it is impossible to avoid human-made sounds even in remote places. Meditating is one of my favorite ways to feel connected to nature without having to leave my backyard. If you’ve never tried meditating before it is nothing more than sitting comfortably with your eyes closed, paying attention to the rise and fall of your breath. When you mediate outside you feel the sun on your face and the breeze on your skin. Close your eyes, take deep breaths, listen to the sounds around you. It is heavenly! 

• Backyard challenge #2: Try meditating outside if you’ve never done it before.

  • I love using the app Headspace, and you can do it for as little as 5 minutes to start.
  • How many different nature sounds can you hear? Manmade sounds?

Step 3: Download the iNaturalist app

I cannot recommend the iNaturalist app enough to every human on the planet! Thanks to artificial intelligence, you can take a photo of any plant, insect, or animal you see and the app can identify it with startling accuracy. The app is free to download. Second, by capturing observations of the plants and wildlife you see in your area, you become part of a community of backyard naturalists contributing to citizen science! 

• Backyard Challenge #3: Use the iNaturalist app to identify every plant and tree in your yard.

  • Get to know the names of the plants, and where they are originally from.
  • Is it a plant that is native to your area or an exotic introduced from another part of the world?
  • Below is an example of an observation I took in the app:

This post contains affiliate links. See our full disclosure.

Step 4: Keep a pair of binoculars nearby

Binoculars are a great way to get a closer view of the action! I keep a pair of binoculars on my backyard patio to pull out any time a bird visits my fountain. It is really helpful to have a basic bird guide for your local area as well – these laminated guides near the checkout at our local HEB grocery store are my favorite.

• Backyard challenge #4: Start a list of all the birds you can identify.

  • The morning is the best time to hear bird song. Once you get to know common birds like cardinals and wrens by sight, try identifying them by song!
  • Bird activity is at its peak during spring and fall due to mating and migrations, so take advantage of these times to head outside.

Step 5: Create a water and food source for birds

If you build it, they will come! This fountain in our backyard has been a bird hot spot. To serve as a birdbath, a water source needs to be shallow with just an inch or so of water. I try to fill it with fresh water every other day to keep the water fresh for the birds and the mosquitos at bay.

I just added a hummingbird feeder to our balcony this past week and it already has two hummingbirds fighting to call it their own! Fill the hummingbird feeder with sugar water made from boiling 4 parts water to 1 part sugar. Just make sure you clean the feeder and change the sugar water every few days.

Backyard challenge #5: Add a birdbath or hummingbird feeder to your backyard

• A simple birdbath will draw birds to your yard as long as you put it nearby some plants and shrubs they can use as shelter from predators. Don’t put it out in the middle of the grass.
• If you have hummingbirds in your area, a feeder is a great way to observe them! Here is the one I bought along with a hook that attaches to my balcony.

Step 6: Plant a native plant

Truth be told, I didn’t really know much at all about the concept of “native” vs. “non-native” plants a year ago. However, now that I’ve been through the Master Naturalist program, I’m obsessed with learning more about native plants and their role in the environment! I’m going to dedicate another post just to native plants so I won’t talk about them much here, other than to say they are so important for creating a wildlife habitat because they provide an important food source. Animals can’t eat non-native plants because they haven’t evolved along with them. Many non-native plants are toxic to birds and animals. Here is an example of a native Texas plant called Turk’s Cap. Hummingbirds love drinking nectar from its red flowers:

Step 7: Walk around barefoot in your backyard habitat

When was the last time you stepped barefoot in the grass? It takes me right back to childhood when I do. I love the feel of grass on my bare feet and typically water my plants barefoot. It is very therapeutic. Give it a try!

I hope I’ve encouraged you to learn more about nature through your own backyard. Leave me a note and let me know what you think about these nature posts. I’m happy to write more of them if you are enjoying them!

P.S. Want to learn more about what it means to be a Master Naturalist?

Then don’t miss this post!

The post 7 Steps to Getting to Know Your Backyard Habitat appeared first on Design Improvised.

The Powder Room: Before

Here is the current state of the powder room. There is nothing terribly exciting about it and it doesn’t blend well with the style in the rest of our home. In particular, I haven’t been crazy with the vanity mirror and bronze fixtures. But the biggest pain point was the pedestal sink that offered zero storage and barely had enough space to set a soap bottle on top. The bottle was constantly being knocked off by my kids and left creating a pool of soap on the floor! 

What I do like about our powder room are the agglomerate stone floors. This tile extends throughout most of our first floor including our kitchen and family room. The tile is a pretty busy, so I wanted to make sure any updates to the powder room complemented them instead of competed with them.

The New Powder Room Design

Introducing our elegant gold and navy blue powder room design! We knew we wanted to add in some trendy gold elements to this room, and the wallpaper was our first inspiration piece. 

This post contains affiliate links. See our full disclosure.

Sources for Navy and Gold Powder Room Design

Vanity

Avanity Mason 25-in Navy Blue Single Sink Bathroom Vanity with Crema Marfil Marble Top

The deep blue in this vanity caught our attention right away. We wanted a unique piece for the powder room and this is where we splurged. I love the combo of the navy blue with the gold details in the room. Plus, it offers storage! 

Toilet

Denali® 1.28 Elongated Smartheight™ CTK

We wanted a fresh new toilet to go with our new bathroom and the folks at Mansfield Plumbing reached out to partner with me at the perfect time. Their American made toilets offer a classic design and the Denali toilet we chose comes with an elongated Smartheight™ making it a little taller than our current toilet. It also includes the MagnaFlush™ high performance flushing technology.

Wallpaper

Walls Republic Gold Fine Leaves

We don’t have wallpaper anywhere in our home but we thought our powder room would be a fun place to experiment with it! We chose to wallpaper just the main wall behind the sink and toilet to save money. I love the botanical feel of the leaf wallpaper and the gold that reflects light off of it.

Mirror

Shades of Light Rounded Corner Rectangular Mirror

I’ve noticed that asymmetrical mirrors are really having a moment in design, and was drawn to this funky gold mirror with both rounded and straight corners.

Vanity Light

Kichler Jasper 3 Light Bathroom Vanity Light

We chose a globe vanity light that has the same brushed gold details as the other fixtures in the bathroom.

Gold Fixtures

Moen Voss Bathroom Collection in Brushed Gold

This is the first time we’re using gold fixtures in our home. Pretty much everything else is brushed chrome! But I think you can mix things up in a powder room and not break too many interior design rules! I plan to start swapping in some more gold fixtures in our home when we update the laundry room and our daughters’ shared bathroom. More on that to come!

Artwork

16″ x 20″ Blue and Gold Watercolor Framed Print
I’m still debating on the type of wall art we want to include in our powder room, but I included this one in the mood board as I liked the abstract look with a touch of navy blue. I’m in the process of using Minted’s free art styling service to find some more options. You can text them a photo of your room and they will send you back art ideas for free. I’m excited to see what they come back with!

I’m excited to see the room come together. The wallpaper and lighting is already up and the toilet and vanity are being installed next week. I can already see what a major improvement it is going to be!

Stay tuned for the powder room remodel reveal in a couple weeks!

This post is sponsored by Mansfield Plumbing. All content and opinions are my own.

The post Our Powder Room Remodel – Before Photos! appeared first on Design Improvised.

This pumpkin patch wreath with the sweet harvest truck wood sign and mini pumpkins was the inspiration for the porch. You can get the tutorial here.

To add some fall color, I made a garland of giant fall leaves. These are actually meant to be school bulletin board cutouts! I also incorporated my faux apple wreath that I made a couple years ago since apples go great with the harvest themed fall porch decor.

Head to Fun365.com for all the Fall porch decor details and a full list of supplies!

Don’t miss my other easy fall craft ideas!

This post is sponsored by Oriental Trading.

The post Pumpkin Harvest Fall Porch Decor appeared first on Design Improvised.

I chose a pastel color combo of pinks, purple and light blue for my frame. But the great part about this project is that you can choose whatever colors work best in your space. I love this pack of rickrack trim which includes 12 different colors. There are also a million different ways to arrange the rickrack trim on the frame. Have fun playing around with different designs! These colors worked well with my pom-pom throwing pic! 🙂 

This is a simple project that just involves cutting the rickrack trim to length and gluing in onto the frame. A wider wood frame works best for this as it gives you more space to arrange the rickrack. Of course, a frame you already have on hand, or a frame you can find at the thrift store for a $1, is better than spending a bunch of money on a new frame!

This post contains affiliate links. See our full disclosure.

Supplies for Rickrack Picture Frames

• Wood picture frame (use one you already have on hand or head to the thrift store!)
• White craft paint
• Aleene’s Tacky Glue
• Rickrack trim
• Pom-pom trim
• Scissors

How to Make Rick Rack Picture Frames

Step 1: Paint your frame

If needed, paint your wood frame with white acrylic craft paint. Let dry between coats. You can also start with a white picture frame and skip this step. I painted a wood frame we had on hand, but failed to take photos of the process!

Step 2: Plan out your design 

Determine which colors of rick rack you plan to use and in what combination. Cut them to size and lay them out on the frame to get the look you want before gluing them down.

Step 3: Glue rickrack to frame

Working with one strip of rickrack trim at a time, add a thin bead of Aleene’s Tacky Glue to the backside of the ribbon. I would not recommend hot glue for this particular craft as it is too hard to handle the thin rickrack without the hot glue burning you! Aleene’s Tacky Glue works great as it dries quickly and still allows you to reposition the trim if needed to get it straight on the frame.

Trim the ends of the rickrack trim as needed. Continue adding more rick rack to each side of the frame.

Step 4: Add pom-pom trim

You can add a row of pom-pom trim to the outside of your frame if you like to give it a little more pizzaz!

I actually made this frame to display my recent craft feature in Country Living Magazine. I’m so proud of that feature and I thought this would be a fun way to celebrate it. 🙂

Like this rickrack picture frame idea?

These Floral Butterfly Frames are another fun frame makeover!

The post The Cutest Rickrack Picture Frames! appeared first on Design Improvised.

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I used 15 stems for this wreath, choosing fall sunflowers, white berries and cattails. I love the dramatic contrast between the deep orange sunflowers and the cream colored berries. The fuzzy cattails offer a fun textural element as well. You can always put your own spin on this wreath idea using a different variety of flowers. My tip would just be to limit yourself to 3 or less complementary colors and aim for a variety of textures.

Supplies for Dollar Tree Fall Wreath

• Dark orange sunflowers (I used 5 stems)
• Cream berries (I used 4 stems)
• Cattails (I used 2 stems)
• 18″ grapevine wreath (this is the one supply I didn’t get from the Dollar Tree! I am hoping someday they will offer 18″ wreath bases)
• Hot glue
• Wire cutters

How to Make a Fall Wreath with Dollar Tree Flowers

Step 1: Clip flowers from stems

Use a pair of wire cutters to clip the flowers from their stems, leaving about 1 inch of the stem intact.

Step 2: Start adding largest flowers to wreath

I always like to start with my largest flowers first. In this case, it is the sunflowers. They are also the flower that I use the most in the wreath. You can add a dab of hot glue at the end of the stem to secure them into the wreath if you want. Although, the grapevine wreath typically does a great job holding the stems in place without glue too!

Continue adding flowers until you have covered most of the wreath. It is ok if some gaps remain. You can fill those with your other greenery.

Step 3: Add greenery to wreath

Now you will fill in the gaps with your additional greenery. I started with the sprigs of cream berries and scattered them around the wreath. To create a more natural look, I positioned them to jut out at different angles from the wreath.

I added a few fuzzy cattails to finish the wreath:

Want to make a year of wreaths for under $25 each in supplies?

Then you need my new wreath ebook!

The post Easy Dollar Tree Fall Wreath appeared first on Design Improvised.

You may notice that there are quite a few similar elements between the sisters’ new bedrooms. Because, although they think they are very different from each other, they have quite similar tastes, and get inspiration from each other. 🙂

Hazel’s Pastel Pink Bedroom Mood Board

To come up with her bedroom design, I let Hazel play around with my Design Files app. It allows you to clip images from retailers’ websites and add them to a mood board. Hazel got the hang of it quickly and was making her own mood boards in no time flat! While we ended up swapping out some products from her original room design based on cost and availability, the room was completely designed by her.

This post contains affiliate links. See our full disclosure.

Product List (clockwise from top left)

Want more information about a specific product in Hazel’s room? Check out the links below!

• Seafoam wood cutout headboard
• Unicorn pillow
• Sloth wall art
• Pug blowing bubbles wall art
• Koala blowing bubbles wall art
• Hot pink lamp (similar to shown)
• White nightstand (similar to shown)
• Pastel pink wall color (Impatiens Petal by Sherwin Williams)
• White desk with hutch
• Turquoise desk chair
• White swivel chair
• Pink geometric rug
• Pastel hearts sheet set
• Iridescent comforter set

The room has some little alcoves that make for the perfect reading nook. You can see what the room looked like when the girls shared a room here. Although in the years since those photos were taken the room changed pretty dramatically has they acquired more stuff! 

Pastel Pink Accent Wall

The room was previously painted in Light French Gray by Sherwin Williams, but Hazel chose a pastel pink accent wall to go behind her bed. The color is Impatiens Petals by Sherwin Williams. It is the same color that I painted my craft room! Tip: if your kids want to paint their room, try to get them to go with an accent wall instead of painting the entire thing. It saves a lot of time! The wood cutout headboard we found looks pretty paired with the pink wall. Hazel brought in a few teal accents like her sister’s room.  We decided not to hang any art over the bed and make the headboard the focal point.

Cute Animal Wall Art

On the adjacent wall, Hazel has her favorite art – a koala and pug blowing bubbles. Hazel LOVES pugs, so I knew she would find a way to incorporate them into her room! She found these prints on Society 6. Her sister liked them so much, she picked out a llama for her room!

Desk and Bookcase Area

Hazel had been wanting a desk for a long, long time. In fact, that is the thing she talked about most when asking to get her own room. This IKEA Micke desk couldn’t be any more perfect for her. It has plenty of space to display all her treasures and has a white board that she can decorate and write important reminders on. Hazel is not prone to organization, but something about having her own room has lit a fire under her. She has made her bed every day and kept it clean and uncluttered for a few months now!

Reading Nook

This little alcove has always served as the reading nook in the bedroom. Many stories have been read aloud on the mini couch we had here previously. Hazel was excited to update her seating with this faux fur swivel chair. The peace sign side table was repurposed from her old bedroom.

Hazel also repurposed these stackable bookshelves and storage bins from her old room.  I loved that she wanted to incorporate some of my craft projects such as this wood “love” heart sign and this giant floral heart!

Doll Corner

Hazel’s doll London got her own little alcove of the room complete with her bunk bed and closet!

Q&A with Hazel about her Pastel Pink Bedroom

What was your inspiration for the bedroom?

“I like pastels and pretty things. I thought it would all look very good together. They are the types of things I really like.”

What did you dislike about sharing a room with your sister?

“Stella had more space than I did. It takes a long time to get ready in the morning when you share a room with your sister. We also had to agree on what we both liked to put in the room.”

What do you miss about sharing a room?

“Nothing! Although now she barges into my room when she isn’t supposed to!”

What is your favorite part about your new room?

“I like my desk the best because I think I decorated it nicely and it is really pretty. I like having my computer there. My bed is also my favorite part because it is big and comfy!”

What was the hardest part about designing your own room?

“Making sure everything matched!”

What advice would you give to other kids that want to design their own room?

“They should make sure that they choose things for their room that they are going to like for a long time.”

The post Hazel’s Pastel Pink Bedroom Reveal! appeared first on Design Improvised.

This project was particularly fun because it was led entirely by my daughters. I gave them a budget and they got to plan out and design their own rooms from scratch. They decided Hazel would take over their shared bedroom and Stella would move into the guest bedroom. We tried to repurpose as much furniture as possible to keep costs down.

The Rooms Before the Bedroom Makeover

• Stella and Hazel’s shared bedroom (now Hazel’s room)

  • This is the room my daughters have shared for the last 7 years since we moved to San Antonio. So many happy memories in this room. I will miss reading together snuggled up on the little couch before bed. Or hearing them laughing, singing (and frequently yelling) at each other when they woke up in the morning. 🙂
  • The styled room photos don’t do justice to the amount of STUFF they collected over the years. They did the best to try to organize their own little corners and make them their own, but it was getting a little overwhelmed with their treasures.

• The guest bedroom before it was transitioned to Stella’s room

  • This pretty room was one I had decorated in conjunction with Hayneedle. It was nice to have an extra guest room when family came to visit. It has a nice big window that lets in lots of light. It looks quite different now that it is Stella’s room.

Stella’s Teal and Paris Bedroom Mood Board

To come up with her bedroom design, I let Stella play around with my Design Files app. It allows you to clip images from retailers’ websites and add them to a mood board. Stella got the hang of it quickly and was making her own mood boards in no time flat! While we ended up swapping out some products from her original room design based on cost and availability, the room was completely designed by Stella. I am so proud of her!

This post contains affiliate links. See our full disclosure.

Product List (clockwise from top left)

Want more information about a specific product in Stella’s room? Check out the links below!

• White bunk bed (similar to shown)
• Round pink geometric rug (we got an 8 ft. rug)
• Teal sheet set
• Eiffel tower lamp
• White bookcase
• Pink reading chair (similar to shown)
• White desk with hutch
• Teal desk chair
• Llama wall art
• Eiffel tower decals
• Teal wall paint (Tame Teal by Sherwin-Williams)

Stella’s Teal and Paris Room Details

The girls’ twin beds from their shared room were actually a bunk bed set, so Stella got to use them as bunk beds in her new room:

Teal Accent Wall with Eiffel Tower Decals

Stella lives in a teal world. If you go through her closet, many of her clothes are teal. Many days you’ll see her wearing teal from head to toe! It is not a surprise she picked teal for the color of her bedroom accent wall. She picked a beautiful subtle teal called Tame Teal from Sherwin-Williams. It is the lightest color of the color-way, something I recommend choosing if you are going with a bold color like teal! Here she is painting the wall. The paint always dries considerably darker than it looks when you first put it on the wall.

Stella found some gold Eiffel tower decals on Etsy and decided to put them on the wall just under her bunk bed, rather than the whole wall. She scattered them randomly rather than trying to line them up in perfect rows. My kind of girl!

I thought about making these vinyl decals myself on my Cricut and then realized how much “weeding” I would have to do to remove all the negative space. It would have taken hours! Once in awhile it really is better to buy instead of DIY. 😉

Reading Nook

Stella used light pink as the second accent color in this room and chose this comfy saucer chair in light pink for her reading nook. I let her have one of my prized pom-pom garlands because it matched her room perfectly!

Bookcase and American Girl Doll Area

One of Stella’s must haves for her new room was a big bookcase to display her favorite books and all her special knick knacks!

Needless to say, she is already a talented stylist at the age of 10. She has a penchant for arranging her books in rainbow order.

In addition to her bookcase, this little corner serves as the bedroom for her American Girl doll, Allie.

Teal Llama Wall Art

Both Stella and Hazel fell in love with this wall art of animals blowing bubbles. In addition to being silly and cute, it just happened to have the perfect teal background to match her room!

Desk and Bulletin Board Area

One thing my daughters lacked in their shared bedrooms was a desk space to work at (and most importantly to house all their notebooks, pencils, and eraser collections!). They both chose this cute IKEA desk and hutch. We were happily surprised to find that the hutch includes a built in dry erase board. The teal rolling desk chairs are also super comfy for kids. I’m glad we have these for their long hours of virtual learning.

I love seeing what important to do’s the girls put on their memo boards. Here is Stella planning out her first day of school outfit!

Q&A with Stella about her Teal Paris Bedroom

What was your inspiration for the bedroom?

“My favorite colors are teal, gold and pink, so I wanted my room to include those. I also wanted enough space to store all my stuff like my books, doll clothes, trophies and random things like my Magic 8 Ball. I also wanted a good place to read.’

What did you dislike about sharing a room with your sister?

“All of Hazel’s stuff was in there, and there was not enough room for me to have my own space. I just had a little organizer and night stand by my bed. I like to keep stuff organized the way I want it. Now I don’t have to tell Hazel to organize the closet, and I can also have some privacy.”

What do you miss about sharing a room?

“Nothing really! I do miss my corner with the bed, and having our shared corner for our dolls. I miss reading together before bed.”

What is your favorite part about your new room?

“My desk. It is a place where I can do my work. It’s comfortable and organized. I also love my bed. I like to go to my top bunk and read. It has three beds for a sleepover with my friends some day.”

What was the hardest part about designing your own room?

“The hardest part was knowing what I wanted in my room. It is also hard to find stuff that is the right size and price range. Knowing how all the furniture would fit was hard, but all the details were fun.”

Did your final room turn out like you had envisioned it?

“I first wanted to paint my room white with teal designs on the wall, but now I’m glad I just painted a teal accent wall. I also didn’t expect to have a computer in my room (but now she does for virtual learning). I hadn’t expected a circle rug but it ended up being the right shape for the room.”

What advice would you give to other kids wanting to design their own room?

“Find some colors that you really like and pick a theme you think you’ll like for a long time.”

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Last November I joined the Alamo Area Master Naturalist training class and embarked on one of the coolest learning experiences of my life. I have always been a nature lover, but I didn’t have a clue how little I actually knew about the nature surrounding me until I started down this journey. 

Even though this post is different from my usual craft tutorials, I am too excited not to share. I am betting that many of you craft lovers are also nature lovers, so I wanted to make sure you knew about this program. If I can encourage even one of you to become a Master Naturalist, I’ll consider this post a huge success!

Why I Chose to Become a Master Naturalist

My decision to become a Master Naturalist was based on a desire to be more connected to the environment and help make an impact in protecting it. Do any of these ring true to you as well?

I wanted to know more about my own backyard

• Before: I loved our backyard but knew very few of the plants and trees that were in our landscaping, let alone any of them growing in the green belt area behind our home.
  • Now: I can identify all the plants and tell you whether they are native to Texas, an exotic plant introduced to the US from another country, or an invasive species!

A view of my backyard where I like to watch the birds visit the fountain:

I was a novice birder that wanted to learn more

• Before: I loved watching birds visit our bird bath, but could only identify the most basic cardinals, bluejays and mockingbirds.
  • Now: I have become a true (novice) birder! I have come to intimately know that different birds that frequent our yard and can identify them by sound as well as sight.

I loved the Texas Hill Country, but knew very little about it

• Before: I knew very little about area that surrounded San Antonio, known as the Hill Country. I just knew it was beautiful!
  • Now: I have learned so much about the geology, local wildlife, and native plants of the ecoregion surrounding San Antonio. It makes me love and appreciate the area I live even more!

What is a Master Naturalist?

Many of you have probably heard of the term Master Gardener. The Master Naturalist certification is similar but instead of becoming an expert of all things gardening, you become a student in the broader ecosystem of your local area. According to the Texas Master Naturalist Program, they  serve as “well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities.”

Being a Master Naturalist means you are an all-around nature enthusiast! As a Master Naturalist you get to explore all of these areas in your training:

• Ornithology (the study of birds)
• Botany (plants)
• Entomology (insects)
• Wildlife biology
• Herpetology (reptiles and amphibians)
• Geology
• And more!

The coolest part is that nature is local. Your local ecoregion could be considerably different than another area just hours away from where you live. Through the Master Naturalist program, you become an expert in your own backyard and the natural areas that surround your community. I promise if you take this course, you will never look at nature the same again. The things you’ve taken for granted or failed to notice will be seen in a completely new light.

How to I Find a Master Naturalist Program in My Area?

Fun fact: the Master Naturalist program actually started right here in San Antonio, TX back in 1997. The program is a collaboration between Texas Parks and Wildlife and Texas A&M Agrilife Extension. Now there are Master Naturalist chapters spread across the United States. Most states have several chapters. In Texas, we have 48 different chapters comprised over over 10,000 volunteers! Every chapter operates their certification program and training a little differently. To find a chapter near you check out this list of Master Naturalist Programs by State.

How Does the Naturalist Training Program Work?

While every chapter works a little differently, here is how the Alamo Area Chapter operates:

Dedicated Class Time

We got to benefit from 40 hours of classroom instruction. We attended classes every other Thursday night from 5-9pm from November to April (pre-Covid). Each night we had two different local experts speak about two different topics. 

On the first day I showed up to class I was surrounded by 70 other nature lovers of all ages and backgrounds. Some were getting the naturalist certification because it related to their day job. Others like me were just doing it to learn and make a difference in our local community. We were given a giant textbook as part of the training. I was giddy to be back at “school” again!

Volunteer Activities 

Volunteering is a big part of the program and really the reason why the program exists to begin with! In our chapter, we are required to complete 40 hours of volunteer work to graduate from the program and another 40 hours annually to maintain our certification.

My volunteer commitments ranged from helping remove invasive species from a nature preserve to preparing the garden beds at the Butterfly Learning Center – a pollinator garden full of native plants. Unfortunately our classes were cut short due to Covid, and we haven’t had many opportunities to volunteer for the past several months. You can find other volunteering examples here.

Advanced Training

One of the best parts of training was in the field. We had a number of class field trips planned to local state parks and natural areas, even to the National Weather Service offices and our local San Antonio Missions where preservation work of the surrounding natural area is ongoing. Since Covid, I’ve taken a number of training classes via Zoom, ranging from “Birding by Ear” to “Gardening for Wildlife”. Needless to say, I’ve loved them all!

Who Should Become a Master Naturalist?

You! Seriously, if you want to have a greater appreciation for the nature surrounding you every day. If you want to help your planet but aren’t sure how to make a difference or where to start. If you’re like me and you have kids that you want to grow up appreciating nature. Then this is the program for you! 

Find a Master Naturalist program near you!

Drop me a note and let me know if you are interested in learning more.

I’m happy to share more of my Naturalist adventures here on the blog!

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Here is my shell collection. The only problem is that it was stuffed away in a box that I never looked at. What good is it to keep a bunch of shells around if you aren’t able to appreciate them? I decided it was time to find a way to incorporate them into my home decor. I originally thought about making a wreath out of them, but then I found a pair of styrofoam cones in my craft supplies that were calling my name!

This post contains affiliate links. See our full disclosure.

Supplies for DIY Seashell Cone Decor

• Seashells (if you don’t have your own you can purchase them)
• Styrofoam cones (I used a 12″ and 10″ cone)
• Burlap ribbon
• Hot glue

How to Make Decorative Seashell Cones

Step 1: Wrap cone with burlap

Start at the base of the cone and wrap burlap ribbon around it, securing the beginning and end of the ribbon to the cone with a dab of hot glue. Don’t worry about the top of the cone showing through. You can cover that with a seashell!

Step 2: Glue on large shells

Start with your largest shells and glue them onto the cone with a dab of hot glue on the back. Continue until you have covered most of the cone.

Don’t forget to add a shell to the top of the cone to cover it.

Step 3: Fill in gaps with small shells

Use your small shells to layer on top of the large shells and fill in any gaps. It is ok if some of the burlap shows through!

Like this DIY seashell decor idea?

Then don’t miss these other summer crafts!

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When I started Design Improvised in 2011 my original plan was to share inspiration from my favorite home magazines (hello Country Living!). I planned to show how I improvised on those ideas in my own home – hence the name Design Improvised. In the early days of the blog I even scanned images from the print magazines to include in my blog posts like this one.

The online world, and especially the publishing world have changed dramatically since those early days. But one thing that hasn’t changed is my dream for my work to be featured on the pages of one of my favorite magazines. I’ve had a number of projects shared on the websites of Country Living, Martha Stewart Living, Better Homes and Gardens, and others. However, to have them shared in print, in a magazine I can hold in my own two hands, is icing on the cake.

So how did it happen? An editor from Country Living magazine emailed me at the beginning of April to ask if I would be interested in contributing projects for an “Old School Summer Crafts” feature. I couldn’t imagine a better fit for showcasing what I do on Design Improvised. If you follow this blog, you know I love to craft with the same materials I loved as a kid – pom-poms, pipe cleaners, balloons… while adding a grown-up spin. Needless to say, I jumped on the opportunity!

In addition to featuring a few of my past projects in the feature, they wanted me to create several new ones. I worked with the editor to brainstorm ideas. When we landed on the final list, I sourced the supplies and got to work creating them. I made a birdhouse out of a milk carton, embroidered vintage racquets with yarn, and cut out felt pennants. In addition to making the crafts, I got to style and shoot them as well. I had the awesome opportunity to receive guidance from the magazine’s art director on how to style the shots. I loved every minute of the process!

It may have taken 10 years to have realize my dream, but it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. I am so grateful for the opportunity. It was the best reminder to just keep going!

Mark your calendars – I will be doing an Instagram Live on Country Living next Thursday, July 9th at 1pm CT. I’ll be sharing some of the crafts included in the feature!

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Wreaths are hands down my favorite craft, as they make the biggest impact in your home! In fact, I’ve shared over 50 different wreath tutorials on this blog. I’ve learned a thing or two from making wreaths over the last decade and I want to share all my tips and tricks with you. I always say, if I could inspire my readers to make one thing, it would be a wreath!

Who Needs This eBook?

Do any of these apply to you? If so, this book is for you!

• You want to create a welcoming home

  • Don’t be one of the 33% of my readers who currently have a blank front door! Wreaths are the key to instant curb appeal and signal a welcoming and cozy home to neighbors passing by. 

• You want to embrace the changing seasons and holidays

  • No need to decorate your entire home for each holiday, just switch out the wreath. It is a great way to get the most bang for your buck.

• You’ve never made a wreath

  • Love the idea of wreath crafting, but are intimated to start? You’re not alone – over 25% of my readers have never made a wreath! Several of the wreaths in the book can be made with just a few simple supplies in under 20 minutes. Once you’ve made one, you’ll be hooked. A handmade wreath on your front door is visible proof of your craftiness, and something you can be proud of!

• You don’t want to spend a lot of time or money on wreaths

  • I get it! I can’t stand to plunk down $50 or more on a store bought wreath. In this guide I’ve sourced the best value craft supplies on the web and share my tips for using craft store coupons to keep supply costs down. I also don’t have a lot of patience when it comes to crafting. I want pretty results fast! Every wreath in the book can be made in under 2 hours. Many of them in as little as 20 minutes.

What You’ll Get with the Ebook

This 20+ page DIY wreaths ebook gives you everything you need to to become a wreath crafter extraordinaire! In “Wreaths 101” I share my top tips and favorite supplies for wreath crafting through a series of videos. Then you get to peruse the “Seasonal Wreath Menu” to select your favorite wreath to make for each of the four seasons. From there you can click through to my shoppable supply lists and step-by-step tutorials:

Section 1: Wreaths 101

I’m sharing my must-have wreath making supplies and my best tips and tricks to help make you a pro wreath crafter. Be sure to watch the videos of my favorite supplies, wreath bases, storage tips and hanging tricks. Throughout the guide I’ve sourced the best value supplies on the web so you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home to start making! 

Section 2: Seasonal Wreath Menu

The fun part! I’ve created a menu of my most favorite, easiest wreath tutorials from Design Improvised over the years. Select your four favorite wreaths from the menu – one for each season. The menu contains time and cost estimates, a shoppable supply list, and links to step-by-step tutorials guide you through the process. You can choose wreaths that take under 20 minutes and under $15 to make. While I recommend starting with four wreaths – you can always pick more!

Section 3: Bonus Wreath Tutorials

I’ve created two awesome new wreaths just for my ebook readers. You won’t find these ideas anywhere else. For each of them, I’ve transformed dollar store supplies into a chic wreath! The ebook contains the step-by-step tutorial for each bonus wreath.

Section 4: Planning Worksheets

I’ve created simple worksheets to help you plan out your supply list and year of wreaths. I’m also here to help. Each purchaser of the ebook can reach out to me directly via email at any time with questions. I want to help you every step of the way!

Are you ready to have the prettiest front door in the neighborhood?

Get my Year of DIY Wreaths ebook today!

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The surprise bucket can include a variety of patriotic goodies to use for the parade such as mini American flags, sunglasses, necklaces, bandanas and noise makers. Include this free printable invite to give your neighbors all the details of when and where to meet for the parade. These patriotic buckets are the perfect size. I used a mini wood United States cutout to create a sign with each family’s name to stick in the basket.

It would be fun to have kids in the neighborhood decorate their bikes to ride up and down the street while the adults walked and chatted with neighbors. A fun way to bring us all together while staying 6 feet apart!

Head to Fun365.com for the free printable and a full list of supplies used in these 4th of July surprise buckets. This post is sponsored by Oriental Trading.

Like this 4th of July surprise bucket?

Then check out these other patriotic craft ideas!

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Finding an Exterior Design Company for Your Home

We needed someone to help us create a cohesive design for the new look of our home. However, when I started looking for a local exterior remodeling company who could help, I quickly came to a dead end. There are roofers who will replace your roof, window companies who install windows and house painting companies who will paint it a different color. However I couldn’t find anyone who could help with the bigger picture exterior makeover. The designers I contacted specialized in home interiors, not the exterior. I spoke with an architect but they are more suited for structural vs. cosmetic changes to the home.

Virtual Home Design Tool Options

I found some virtual exterior design tools online like this one called Provia, where you can upload a photo of your home and change the paint and window color, but I found the tool super clunky to work with. Unless you have amazing Photoshop skills it would be really tough to create a realistic design on your own. I was about to give up hope when I came across Brick & Batten in a Google search. They were exactly what I had been looking for – a true exterior design company! They also had a clean modern aesthetic to their work which I love. You can check out many of their previous design projects on their blog.

Brick & Batten Exterior Design Service

The Brick & Batten service is very straightforward. You send them a photo of the front of your home and some details about how you would like to update it. For a set fee, they will then provide you with a rendering of a new design in around a week. Here is the design they provided us with:

It is so cool to see how closely they were able to model our home (and even remove the big tree blocking the view). I love being able to see some of our ideas for incorporating black and wood accents come together. In addition to the design they provide you with a shoppable product list:

You can also ask for a limited amount of modifications to your initial design. For instance, we wanted to see a version with a lighter roof and windows.

Having this design rendering has helped us feel a lot more confident about some of the changes we want to make. We’re using the design as a guide for the contractors and window companies we’re talking with. I’ll keep you posted on the changes we end up making. In the meantime, I wanted to share this cool resource with you because I was unable to find anything else like it!

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I find crafting very therapeutic, so I’m hoping you take the time to make something with your hands. Wreaths are my favorite thing to make because they signal a welcoming home.

The inspiration for this wreath was this large wood star sign from Oriental Trading. I thought it would make a big impact on a front door. However, you can modify the supplies for this wreath based on what you have on hand. Any wood sign or wood star can be stenciled with the words “Let Freedom Ring”. You can also use any variety of red, white and blue ribbon you have on hand to hang from the base of the wreath.

Supplies for 4th of July Wreath

• 18″ wire wreath form
• Let Freedom Ring wood sign
• 2.5″ wide burlap ribbon
• 1.5″ wide red-striped ribbon 
• 1.5″ wide blue-striped ribbon

How to Make the 4th of July Wreath

Step 1: Tie burlap ribbon to wreath frame

Start by tying the end of your burlap ribbon to the outside ring of your wire wreath frame and securing tightly.

Step 2: Loop burlap through the frame

Pull the ribbon up between two rows in the frame to create a loop that is around 3 inches. Pinch at the base of the burlap loop and twist before running the burlap up through two different rows. The loops will stay in place.

Keep adding loops as you work around the frame. You can push the rows together to make sure there are no gaps and create a full looking wreath.

Once you have covered the wreath, trim the end of your burlap ribbon and tie it in a knot around the frame.

Step 3: Add the Let Freedom Ring sign

Remove the ribbon from the wood sign and add to the top of the wreath with a generous amount of hot glue on the back, holding in place until set.

Step 4: Glue on ribbons

Measure out three foot long ribbons, four red and four blue, to hang from your wreath. Add them to the base of the wreath, alternating colors and gluing them to the back with hot glue.

Looking for more patriotic ideas? Check out these other 4th of July crafts.

Excerpt of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” Speech

I will end this post with this beautiful excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream Speech“. I recommend reading the speech in full. 

This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with a new meaning, “My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.”

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

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Summer Rules for Kids Sign

This kids summer rules sign is my latest project for Oriental Trading’s Fun365.com. I painted their basic chalkboard a bright yellow and decorated it with one of my favorite craft supplies of theirs – this pack of felt and foam flowers. I’ve also used these flowers to create this cheerful spring wreath and this Home Sweet Home sign. So many crafting possibilities with these!

Our Summer Rules at Home

As for the rules, you can of course adapt them to whatever works best for your kids. Rather than follow a strict hour by hour schedule in the summer, we tend to have dedicated pockets of time for devices (before 9am and between 2-4pm is our general rule). The rest of the time I try my best to make it device free and encourage them to play together, make something or help out around the house. 

1. Make your bed

I have always been a big proponent of making my bed each day for an instant sense of accomplishment. In fact, there is research behind this that making your bed can have a positive impact on how you approach the rest of your day. I’m working hard to instill this habit in my daughters so they are expected to make their own bed each day (even if it is a sloppy attempt!).

2. Do a chore

For better or worse, we don’t have set chores for each child. Instead I ask them to help out as needed and they can earn a little money for each chore they do. They typically help fold laundry, unload the dishes, and clean their toy room. During the summer I expect them to help out more than during the school year.

3. Read 30 minutes

My kids are great readers but they aren’t prone to voluntarily grabbing a book and reading on their own for ours (I wish they were!). We love our trips to the libraries and reading together at night before bed. I’m going to do my best to encourage self-lead reading each day. Hopefully I’ll make the time to sit down and read my own book at the same time.

4. Play outside

Kids these days! It is tough that their natural inclination is to stay inside. Particularly during the hot San Antonio summers, getting them outside can be a challenge. My goal is to get them out each morning for a bike ride or playing in the backyard before it heats up for the day. We love heading to our neighborhood pool too.

What are your summer rules? I’d love to hear!

Head to Fun365.com for the step-by-step tutorial and full list of supplies to make the summer rules sign. This post is sponsored by Oriental Trading.

Looking to keep kids busy at home this summer?

Then don’t miss Camp Fun – 13 weeks of at home summer camp ideas!

The post Make a Summer Rules Sign for Kids appeared first on Design Improvised.

This post contains affiliate links. See our full disclosure.

To create the wreath, I experimented with these floral Martha Stewart Crafts® Layering Stencils for the first time. By combining two overlapping layers to the stencil image, it creates an almost hand-painted look to the flowers, with no painting experience required! All the Martha Stewart products featured in this post are available at Michaels. 

Supplies for Floral Painted Wood Circle Wreath

• Martha Stewart Crafts® Adhesive Laser-Cut Layering Stencils
• Martha Stewart Family Friendly Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Craft Paint
• Foam pouncers
• 18″ grapevine wreath
• 3″ wood circles
• 6″ wood circles
• Artificial peonies
• Pink artificial roses
• Faux eucalyptus greenery
• Mini paper banners
• Martha Stewart Adhesive Laser-Cut Stencils, Elegant Script

How to Make a Painted Wood Slice Wreath

Step 1: Paint the wood discs white

To make the wreath I used a mix of 6″ wood circles and 3″ wood circles. I started by painting each of the wood circles with a coat of white acrylic craft paint.

Step 2: Stencil a floral design onto the wood discs

To create the floral designs, I used these Martha Stewart Crafts® Adhesive Laser-Cut Layering Stencils and a foam pouncer. You can use a piece of tape to secure the stencil in place and prevent it from moving around.

The layering stencils require two steps. First you stencil on the base color and let it dry. Wash off you stencil immediately after use to keep it working great.

Step 3: Add the second layering stencil to the design

This is where the magic happens. When you overlay the second stencil and add a new set of colors on top of the existing design, it creates a beautiful flower that almost looks hand painted.

I love the added dimension that the layering creates!

Continue stenciling a variety of floral designs on the two sizes of wood circles. I used three large 6″ wood circles and seven small 3″ circles for my wreath.

Step 4: Glue wood slices to a grapevine wreath

Position the wood circles around an 18″ grapevine wreath. Once you have the look you want, glue them in place with an ample amount of hot glue on the back.

Step 5: Fill in gaps with artificial flowers

I used a variety of artificial pink flowers to fill in the gaps between the wood slices. To make a lush wreath, I incorporated a mix of artificial peonies, pink roses and some faux eucalyptus greenery. 

Use a pair of wire cutters to cut the flowers from their stems, leaving about an inch of the stem intact to press into the wreath. Secure in place with a dab of hot glue at the base of the flower.

Make it a Mother’s Day Wreath!

Add a Mother’s Day banner

To make your wreath a special Mother’s Day gift, you can add a mini banner to the wreath. Cut banners out of sturdy white cardstock and stencil “mom” onto them with these Martha Stewart letter stencils.  String the banner together with a thin ribbon and attach it to the back of the wreath with hot glue.  

What mom wouldn’t be thrilled to get this wreath for her front door?

Like this floral wreath for Mother’s Day? Then don’t miss my other flower craft ideas!

This post is sponsored by Martha Stewart Crafts®. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own.

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