SEARCH RESULTS

~ This blog post contains sponsored/gifts products. To read more about my privacy & disclosure policies, click here. It took a minute for the ball to start rolling, but we finally managed to get some real progress done in our laundry room for the ORC. This past weekend, we were doing all the things- remember my last blog talked about putting up wallpaper on the ceiling ( I did it! It was really hard and you can see my progress on my Instagram page in my highlight bubble here under ORC Spring 24) and then we also decided to tackle the wainscoting. Let me tell you about the company Ornamental Decorative Millwork (a Novo Building Products Company) In 1926, The Canadian Amplifier Company was founded in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, manufacturing horns for radios and gramophones. A second company, Ornamental Decorative Millwork and Carving Company Limited, was started in the mid 1930's producing embossed and carved wood mouldings and ornaments—primarily for the Canadian furniture trade. Over time the Waterloo plant evolved into Ornamental Decorative Millwork, a manufacturer of decorative wood mouldings and accessories for the building trade. Today Ornamental Decorative Millwork is A Division Of Novo Building Products that has a manufacturing facility located in Archdale, North Carolina, USA. Ornamental’s products are sold through fine building materials retailers worldwide. Now that you know the history of the company, I decided to use one of their wainscoting kits to make my walls come alive. Their kits are really to install and come with detailed instructions. I chose the Kessler kit. It's a solid white hardwood and comes in different sizes. I chose the 36'" to accomodate my walls. I decided to add the wainscoting to the focal wall of the laundry room because that's what you'll see the most. We did have some left over, so I used the remainder to finish up the side next to the washing machine. One of the main cuts we had to make was the opening for the outlet. I was surprised that we got it right on the first try and we didn't waste any boards. Next came the assembly. We first added the base board and nailed it into the studs on the wall. Then we added each board, first adding an adhesive and then nailing it to the wall. Then finally adding the top pieces using the same technique. There you have it! It really was very easy to install- We did have to purchase some additional trim at the bottom due to our floor tile being cut too short and it left a gap. Also, any gaps we saw, we filled them with a paintable caulk. Next up is painting the entire room( to include the wainscoting) so everything gets a good sanding, filling in holes and primer. We are almost at the finish line and what's next is the hanging of cabinets and floating shelves. As always, you can check the progress of all the other participant here and make sure to show them some love! Until Next Time,

This week, I decided to talk about the walls for my laundry room makeover. I've been going round and round trying to come to a decision about the wall color choice to go with this fabulous wallpaper and I think I've come to a decision. But first, let's talk about this wallpaper. *This blog post contains gifted/ sponsored content. To read more about my disclosure and privacy policy, click here I am fortunate enough to work with an amazing wallpaper company, Milton & King. Milton & King started in 2008 and is the shared passion of brothers Richard and Bryce. Milton & King is a humble family business blindly dedicated to the evolution of the wallpaper and fabric industry. Milton & King is a lifestyle brand that produces on demand, on trend, highly curated and globally designed products. Their products uses an array of one-of-kind techniques and are manufactured with absolute precision and care. Delivered worldwide, quickly and efficiently makes for complete satisfaction for each and every client which their main priority. My design for this space is to hang this wallpaper called Gardenia on the ceiling. Yes, you heard it right, on the ceiling. A big undertaking for sure and I definitely need the help of my husband, but thank goodness it's only a small space so I think we can knock it out in one afternoon. Products also needed- wallpaper adhesive and a wallpaper seam roller. Also, you could use a large paint brush or roller to apply the adhesive to the wall (we're opting for the roller) For those that know me well, know that I'm such a fan of Behr Paint. I would say they're on about 95% of my walls in my home and I just love the large array of colors and paint finishes they offer. I went with the color Tournament Field because I felt it complimented the wallpaper to a T. Adding to the walls will be some wonderful artwork from Society 6. They always have a wonderful assortment of art to choose from and I feel that these two will compliment the space nicely. That's it for this week- Stay tuned as I tackle adding some wainscoting and cabinets to the walls. That should be interesting! (fingers crossed!) Thanks again to the ORC and Apartment Therapy (official sponsor)for making this challenge such a supportive space. You can also check out what everyone else is up to over on the blog. Until Next Time,

This week is all about doing the smaller projects because the bigger projects require additional help. So sewing is on the menu this week and I must say, it's my least favorite thing to do. I have always been very crafty- I can do just about anything artistic, but sewing??? That gene kinda skipped over me. Now I say all that because my mother was a talented seamstress. During the 70s, my mom made outfits for my sisters and I and she even had her little side business called Bags & Totes in which she made monogrammed tote bags and garment carriers. I remember watching her in awe, thinking how talented she was to create outfits that we could wear and bags for people to enjoy. So as I got older, my thought was, how hard could it be??? She did it, so can I! Well, I didn't get it and sewing is not my strong suit. I know how to FAKE sew- you know, using fabric tape or glue adhesive, but sewing in a straight line??? Forget it!! I'm determined to make this work because I have a vision for this laundry room ORC and I'm going to see it through. *This post contains items that are gifted and/or sponsored. To read about my disclosure and privacy policies, click here The Before This is what I'm envisioning. Underneath my table is storage and a place to hide a hamper. Awesome but an eyesore. So the remedy is to cover it with a "Table Skirt" to give it a bit of an upgrade. I chose an amazing fabric called Belgian Linen from Spoonflower and let me tell you all about it. 100% Belgian Linen™ features the finest flax in the world, grown ecologically in the Flanders region and woven by Libeco™, which has set the highest standards for textiles since 1858. This medium-weight linen fabric showcases lustrous color over the beautifully textured surface. Stronger than cotton and naturally hypoallergenic, Belgian Linen™ will soften with everyday use and is a top-of-the-line offering for decorators and makers interested in unmatched elegance on upholstery, bags and home decor. I chose the design Whistler's Nocturne~ Southhampton by the artist Peacoquette Designs. It is vibrant and the green variations are gorgeous. I also love this unique pop of color making it look like a blood orange moon. Spoonflower is unique in itself because it gives so many talented designers and artists the opportunity to shine and get their work out there for all to enjoy. Here's the part I'm dreading- the sewing and of course, I ran into some issues. The fabric itself was very easy to work with. Belgian Linen is very sturdy and no need to iron hems before sewing. All you have to do is fold it over and press down and it creates a threadless hem. I measured the width and height of the space and gave myself few inches over to give it that ruched up effect. My sewing machine isn't the greatest and it tried to give me some trouble, but I managed to make it through and here's the final result- After I loved how this turned out! Of course it needs some steaming, but I love the color and pattern. I'll add some decorative pieces to this area, like some baskets at the bottom and some organizational elements, but you'll have to wait until the end of the 8 weeks to see that! Next week, wallpaper!(Hopefully!) Thanks again to Spoonflower for this amazing fabric and of course to the One Room Challenge team and Apartmenttherapy (Official Sponsor) Also, if you haven't checked out the weekly progress from all the participants, you can find them all here. Until Next Time,

Ok, for those of you who have never seen the process of the ORC, let me just say that there maybe some weeks that are strictly worker bee weeks. I mean like, deep in the trenches of primer and paint, or knee deep in laying some tile. Now I won't be laying tile (Thank God!) , but I will be painting. And I mean, A LOT! This is a small laundry room, but of course I'm going to be difficult and not move out my washer and dryer or the massive table. So that means I need to be creative and damn near a contortionist to prime and paint all the wall, including the ceiling. But first, let's tackle the textured ceiling.... So, I searched YouTube University(lol!) to figure out how to smooth out my textured ceiling without having to sand it or skim coat it. I'm really not trying to add extra steps or make things harder for me, so I found a video that showed someone removing a popcorn ceiling by doing this method, and I thought, "Why not??" I took my spray bottle and filled it with warm water and went section by section, spraying then scraping with a wide steel blade taping knife. I can't believe how easy it was! It came off so smooth and it took me about an hour to complete. I wiped off any extra residue and it was off to the next step- Priming! This took me the longest to complete because remember, I did not take out my washer and dryer nor did I take out this huge table. So working around them were a bit of a challenge, but I managed to get it all done, including the ceiling. I even managed to not have any dripping or spilling if you can believe that! So now that that is complete, we can start on the actual paint color and wallpaper, but you have to see that next week! You can always follow me in real time by watching my stories on Instagram and make sure to like and comment below. I know I maybe a little late in responding to your messages, but I DO respond and it means so much to me that you take the time to send me a message. Thanks again to the ORC and make sure you check out all the other participants here. Until Next Time,

It's that time of the year. The One Room Challenge Spring 2024 is on and I'm very excited to be participating again. My last ORC was the Spring of '22 and I worked on my outdoor space. I so wish I could show you the work I did, but sadly, I lost all of my blog post due to changing my blog host and forgetting to save everything before I deleted the previous server. In any event, this challenge is going to be the best on yet as I tackle my junky laundry room. First, let me give you a brief insight about what the One Room Challenge is. Back in 2011, Linda Weinstein decided to gather a small group of online friends to hold each other accountable while working on one room in their home. It turned into a large online community that showcases the progress of renovating one room in each participant's home without competition, but encouragement and motivation to complete it in 8 weeks. I'm going to need all the encouragement I can get so let me show you a few before pictures.. Before Ok, here's a look of how it looks currently. I love my washer and dryer and my table that my husband made, so those things will be staying. The other stuff all needs to go!! The Inspiration This laundry room is going to be SO good!!! Beautiful wallpaper, a new light fixture and rug, cabinets and floating shelves, and wainscoting on the wall. I may add a few more things (if time allows!) but overall, I'm loving this vibe. I hope you follow along with my along with the other participants and check out my sponsor list below to see how wonderful they are in helping me to create my dream laundry room- NOVO Building Products, Milton & King and Spoonflower. Thanks again to the ORC for putting together an amazing online event! Next up, working on preparing the walls and getting the ceiling ready for wallpaper- YIKES!!! Until Next Time,

Houseplants bring life and vibrancy to a home, and sometimes you gave a desire to bring more of them into your space but you don’t want to pay for them. I’m guilty of this,so I always know that I can propagate my plant to create new ones to add to my collection. Fortunately, there are several simple and effective methods for propagating houseplants, each with its own advantages and ideal scenarios. Let’s explore three common methods: stem cutting, division, and leaf cutting. ~ This blog may or may not use affiliate links: See my disclosure here Stem cutting is one of the most popular and straightforward methods of propagating houseplants. This method involves taking a healthy stem cutting from a mature plant and encouraging it to root in a new container. To propagate using stem cutting, begin by selecting a healthy stem with at least two nodes. Nodes are the points on a stem where leaves or branches emerge. Using a clean, sharp pair of scissors or pruning shears, make a clean cut just below a node, ensuring that the cutting is around 4-6 inches long. Remove any leaves from the lower portion of the cutting to prevent rotting. Dip the cut end of the stem into rooting hormone to promote root development, then plant the cutting in water with a small amount of plant food. I use the liquid plant food from the brand Happy Happy Houseplant because it's mild enough to use at each watering or you can place it directly into a well-draining potting mix. Keep the soil consistently moist and provide indirect sunlight to encourage root growth. Within a few weeks to a couple of months, roots should begin to form, and the cutting can be transplanted into a larger container. Save 10% off plant food using code 'MOCHAGIRLPLACE' at checkout. Division is another effective method for propagating houseplants, particularly those with clumping or spreading growth habits, such as ferns, spider plants, and peace lilies. This method involves separating a mature plant into smaller sections, each of which can grow into a new individual plant. To propagate by division, carefully remove the plant from its pot and gently shake off excess soil to expose the root system. Use a clean, sharp knife or gardening tool to divide the plant into sections, ensuring that each section has its own roots and at least one healthy shoot or growth point. Plant each divided section into its own pot filled with fresh potting mix, and water thoroughly. Place the newly divided plants in a location with indirect light and maintain consistent moisture until they become established. Division is a great way to rejuvenate overcrowded plants and create multiple specimens from a single parent plant. Leaf cutting is a propagation method commonly used for plants with fleshy leaves, such as succulents and certain tropical houseplants like African violets. This method involves removing individual leaves from a mature plant and coaxing them to produce new roots and shoots. To propagate by leaf cutting, gently twist or cut a healthy leaf from the parent plant, ensuring that the cut is clean and the leaf is intact. Allow the leaf cutting to callus over for a day or two to prevent rotting, then place it on top of a shallow tray or pot filled with well-draining soil or propagation mix. Mist the soil lightly to keep it moist, but be careful not to overwater, as excessive moisture can cause rot. Place the tray or pot in a warm, bright location with indirect sunlight, and within a few weeks, tiny roots should begin to form at the base of the leaf cutting. Once roots are established, new shoots will emerge, and the leaf cutting can be planted in its own pot to continue growing into a new plant. So, don’t be afraid of propagating your plants. You aren’t causing any harm to your mother plants, and it’s a rewarding and cost-effective way to expand your indoor garden and share your love of plants with others. Whether you prefer stem cutting, division, or leaf cutting, each method offers a unique approach to creating new plants from existing ones. By experimenting with these propagation techniques, you can enjoy the satisfaction of watching your houseplant collection grow and thrive. Until Next Time,

This blog is a bit different than most of the blogs I do. No DIYs, no room rearranging or plant talks. It's just me- I'm Tracey, the woman who likes to keep things simple and who likes to make things plain with some humor and class along the way. My life has been a series of "What am I doing???" and "Where am I going??" situations that usually led me in a circle of confusion when it came to what I wanted to do with my life. I've always had dreams- I got married to the love of my life, had 3 beautiful children and was a stay at home mom for the majority of it. However, being Ellis Hunter's daughter, I always had a strong desire to own my own business. My dad was a businessman through and through. I grew up seeing him working tirelessly on creating his own computer analyst company from the ground up. Being a black man in the 70s accomplishing this was definitely commendable and it showed me that anything was possible with hard work and a strong determination to create a space for a black man to flourish. So, getting to the title of this blog- Why I decided to become a content creator. I really had to have a conversation with myself. Why DID I decide to become one? Was it for the money? The exposure?? I suppose if I were honest, the answer would be somewhat. I've had several businesses over the years from making my own soap to organizing people spaces to having my own jewelry line and the one thing that I kept coming back to in my head is that I love being around people. I enjoy connecting with them on a intimate level. I enjoy the conversations and the engagement I get with people whom I truly feel have MY best interest at heart. These engagements that I have when I'm showing you a how-to or some kind of plant tip, really make me feel special. Working with brands are unique in that you tend to work with a third party that represents the brand. Sometimes you have general conversations about what is required for the collaboration, but then there are those other times in which you can build a relationship with a company and have those meaningful conversations and interactions. Those are the ones I truly enjoy the most. "You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." ~Maya Angelou In the end, I became a content creator because of YOU. I enjoy watching you step out of your box to try and do something you've never done before all because you saw me try it. Most of the time I'm not sure if it'll turn out, but you are there cheering me on, while in your mind you're thinking can I do this too. Brands who see me and see those interactions are the ones I want to work with the most. They see and understand my engagement with you and are wanting to bank on me to showcase their product. Is this an easy field to be in- NO!! You are on most of the time and you're constantly working hard to get those brands to notice you. So will I tell you it's a profitable business?? It can be, but with a lot of work and patience. I would be lying to you if I said that anyone can do it. It's not for those who hate to be in front of the camera, who hate being vulnerable for the world to see and making most of your life public. The entertainer in me makes it fun (it's still hard though!) and I don't shy away from talking in front of a camera. I grew up singing in front of large crowds to singing in front of congregations to stadiums singing the National Anthem. Was it scary- You bet! Did I do it anyways- of course I did! I think that's what makes a good content creator. You never know what works. You just put yourself out there and be honest with who you are as a person and people will love and accept you for who you are and what you stand for. I stand for kindness and honesty. I create space for anyone who wants a seat at my table. So Until Next Time,

Well, it took me a minute, but we finally finished our fireplace. This was a process that took longer than I expected- not because there was anything wrong. I just didn't feel the need to rush. We don't use this fireplace for heat- it's simply for esthetics and honestly, what was here before was outdated and I just wanted a cleaner look. Let me show you the before... The Before This picture was taken back in 2021. It took me a while to find this photo ( boy, has my style changed!) because I hardly ever took a photo of this space because I didn't like it. I would usually just crop out that part in the photo. I knew I wanted something and fast forward to 2023, when I finally decided to make that move to subway tile. All of the items used for this project was from Home Depot, andI really didn't cost much to do. I will say, however, that it was very labor intensive so be prepared in th event you want to try tiling on your own. First thing I did was to find inspiration as to what type of mantel I wanted and what color tile. My vision was for it to be very clean and neutral in color and a big chunky wood mantel. So my husband created a floating wood mantel and I picked out white subway tile by Daltile from the Home Depot . We wanted to create the mantel first so we could see exactly how much tile we needed. We decided to go with the 4x8 ceramic white glazed subway tile. I used 6 boxes to create this look. You can find them here For the wood mantel, we used Behr water based wood stain in English Chestnut. You can find it here Now comes the hard part. Laying the tile. Once we removed the old mantel and tile, we had to redo all of backer board because it got damaged during the removal of the tile. Once we replaced that, we mapped out the tile and slowly got to work. We invested in a wet saw because we knew that it was going to be more than one day and renting one countless times would be the same as owning one. Our favorite brand, Ryobi, was our choice. Here is the final look of all the tile laid in place. We then waited 48 hrs to grout, and then another 24 hrs to seal it. And there you go! I'm so pleased as to how it turned out. As always, this job is done with my partner in crime, my boo, my helpmate, my husband Reggie. Big jobs like this require 2 people (or at least in my mind they do!) and we both worked really hard to get this completed by the end of 2023. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do- Drop a line below to tell me what you think. Until next time,

This time of the year brings so many memories to my mind and I'm reminded of how much my childhood was spent during Christmas enjoying my family and the love that my mother held so dear for her children. She always made Christmas special for us and never let us feel like we were without, even though later I found out that money was always tight. With my own family, being in the military meant often being away from our families and so I tried to make the holidays as memorable as possible. Although my children are adults now, they still remind me of how much fun they had during Christmas and their memories of stockings and special gifts. I've forgotten that and I must admit that I thought they wouldn't notice, but clearly I was wrong. Sometimes, we forget that Christmas is about Jesus and He is all about love. To love each other means not just saying it, but showing it. I'm reminded daily about the love I have for my family. My husband, children and granddaughter mean the world to me and although I tell them I love them all the time, I could show it more. I thought I'd take a trip down my memory lane of Christmas past. My heart and soul are filled with so much love when I look back at these photos and the memories flood back like a peaceful river. I don't have many photos, but each one represents a time in my life that clearly mean the world to me. My mom was one of those moms. You know, very creative, can make something out of nothing kind of mom. I'm pretty sure that if it was possible to have a creativity gene, my mom definitely passed it down to me. During the holidays, my mom would create new pieces to add to her holiday decor. This particular year was her version of a gingerbread village. Now why she had it on the floor, I don't know. Later, she wised up and put it up on the table. One of the things my mom made sure of was that my sisters and I always walked down the stairs one by one so she could get a picture of us. I think I was around 4 or 5 in this picture and it was the thing back then in the 70s to hang the Christmas cards on the wall. Of course she had to be creative in a budget friendly way, so she made an aluminiun foil chain for the cards to hang on and she also made my (and my sisters) PJs! Christmas morning was so special to us and my mom always made sure of that. It may not have been a ton of stuff, but she always had a way of making each of us special by getting our gifts to match our personality. We had a routine- Get up, come downstairs to open up our presents and while we're having fun, my mom played Christmas music while fixing our traditional Christmas breakfast. That tradition has rolled over into our family. I always make sure that we have our traditional Christmas breakfast, similar to what my mother did. I can't really remember if we had real or fake tree. I kinda remember, but I mostly remember the fake ones. I never cared one way or another if the tree was fake or not, but I do remember all of the unique ornaments my mother used. We were of the make your own type of ornaments. She was proud of the ones we made at school and those for sure went on the tree and she very crafty herself and made several that I still have today. I've gotten away from putting those unique, personal ornaments on the tree but I still have them. I think that next year, 2 trees will go up, one with the special ornaments that I hold so dear from my children and from my mother. Today, my heart and soul are with these beatiful people. The memories and traditions that I have given to them hopefully will be passed on their own families and they will remember fondly the traditions of the Christmas breakfast, wearing of the holiday headbands and the annual photo. I hope that they see that what my mother gave to me, I'm giving to them. I hope that, however you spend the holidays, you spend it with people you love. Make those traditions. Have fun, and tell each other you love them as much as possible. My sweet Mommy is no longer with us and I miss her so. But, the memories of her Christmases with my sisters and I will always be a cherished time and I'll fondly look back on them with love and happiness. Until Next Time,

Every now and again, I get the urge to be creative. I mean, REALLY creative. I find inspiration in so many places, whether it be on social media, Pinterest or magazines. I try to made it my own and put my own special spin on things. I never know how they create it or what it took for them to create it. That's where my personal creativity comes in and I figure it out on my own. The Inspiration I had envisioned these for my home but I wanted an easy way to recreate them so I snapped some pics as inspiration ( See those prices???? That's why I wanted to make them myself! Lol!) So I thought long and hard and said to myself "How would Tracey make these??" This is what I came up with- I went to Home Depot and the fabric store to find some products that I could use that would mimic the look of these cool mushroom stools. Below is what I used- I found a concrete cement tube mold that I used as the base. It's pretty sturdy but not sturdy enough to sit on everyday so I added heavy duty tape to the bottom. I made one stool using a heavy duty twine to make it even stronger. I took a piece of plywood that I already had and cut out some circles. The other mushroom, I just double up fabric around the base. I got 6 round foam pieces that were the same size as the plywood rounds and then it was time to get started. Here is how I assembled each mushroom- I cut my tube to the desired height. I took my jigsaw and cut out a circle to the same size as my foam circles. I took my glue gun and glued the twine all around the tube. I stacked all 3 foam circles and glued them with a spray adhesive to avoid slipping. Then I used an electrical bread knife to shape the foam circles into a mushroom top. I used spray adhesive again to lay down a layer of batting and then applied my fabric over top. I stapled it all down and pushed the excess fabric in the top. Finally I took some screws to attach the top to the base. And there you have it! All in all, these were actually fairly easy to do and they are sturdier than I thought! I hope inspired you to make some for yourself. Let me know in the comments below what you think! Until Next Time,

September was definitely one for the books! As a content creator, you are sometimes privy to different types of events, conferences and different opportunities that can help further expand your brand. Working with BHG was a dream job and it brought back memories of my childhood with Better Homes and Gardens magazines lying around my house and watching my mother make a meal from the red and white cookbook. So when I got invited to their Stylemaker event, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to be amongst fellow creators and designers and hobnob with the BHG executives and staff. So, my trip begins with a pre trip with my husband. We decided to get there a day early, see a few sites and go to a broadway show. I'm so glad my husband made the trip with me. We always have a great time and every trip feels like a mini honeymoon- The play we went to was AMAZING!!! We saw The Lion King ( my very first Broadway play!) and it definitely lived up to all it's expectations. The day finally arrives and I'm so excited because I finally get to meet some of my social media friends that I've never met in real life and some others that I have and of course some brand new ones that I was able to make new connections with. I think that's what Better Homes and Gardens is really about- connection. Connecting to the reader, connecting to other creators all while expressing love for all things home and garden. It truly showed this day from the moment we arrived. From the beautiful floral arrangements and amazing backdrops, they really made us feel special. The floral arrangements were stunning! The perfect backdrops for photos! The day consisted of various panels to inspire us and to help us be our best creative self. Listening to these different panels really helped me to better understand 1. How to dig deep and manifest our success 2. How to be trendy in how we entertain and to create wonderful spaces 3.Talking to the people behind the brand and requirements needed for being in BHG and finally 4. Photo Styling 101 which was so helpful to me and made me rethink how I style my photos. Now this day could not have happened without the wonderful Editor in Chief Stephen Orr. He is so kind, very charismatic and you can tell that everyone over at Dotdash greatly admires him. They also knocked it out the park by inviting my gal (and mentor!) Carmeon Hamilton to be the Emcee for the day. Our main guests for the day were a dream and I was absolutely thrilled to see them in real life. Tabitha Brown is a gem. She clearly understood the assignment and created her brand to the fullest by putting God first and trusting what He has in store for her. And finally Nate Berkus and his husband Jeremiah. I've been a fan of Nate for years and is was so good to hear him speak and talk about his journey in design. All in all, the day was AWESOME!! We ended the night with a cocktail party with a view of the city. The weather wouldn't let us be great to do a champagne toast at sunset, but we did managed to socialize outdoors anyways. The DeeJay was awesome, the finger food was to die for and the drinks were a plenty. We all took plenty of pictures and laughed and giggled throughout the night. At the end, they gave us an wonderful swag bag to take home as a token of our wonderful experience. So, what can I say about the Better Homes and Garden Stylemaker event?? First, I was truly humbled to be invited. BHG has been around for over 100 years, spanning decades of inspiration for your home, lifestyle and garden and I got to be a part of it. I love how diverse the group of people were, from the invitees to even the people that worked there. It makes me feel good that they make it a priority to be diverse and include every walk of life in their company. My heart was full and I'm already planning on attending next year (fingers crossed) Below are some of the sponsors and vendors that put the icing on the cake for our day. Like I said before, I'm looking forward to next year already and hopefully I'll make even more new friends! *All professional photos courtesy of Sean Sime Photography So Until Next Time,

I LOVE being outside. I mean, when there's no bugs or hot weather. Really, nature brings such a sense of calmness to my spirit and it's mostly because I love looking at pretty things. So creating a zen, tropical dining area was a must and trying to find a way to incorporate an easy DIY into the mix was a obvious solution. I thought about ways of using items I already had and making them into something awesome, so I had some wood pieces lying around and I created something unique for my outdoor table. Let me show you how I made this easy wood table runner. So this concept all started with these scrap pieces of wood. Not much to look at, I know. The plan is to take these pieces of wood and make a table runner down the center of the table that can also be used as a food placemat. I wanted to paint them as well so I went to Home Depot to pick up some exterior paint. Next came the colors. I wanted to minic the colors that I have in my backyard space and I just needed sample colors so I didn't waste paint. I gave each piece 2 coats and since this paint is an exterior paint, I didn't add a sealer but you can if you wish. Before I painted them, I first needed to see if I had enough and I clearly didn't!!! So make sure you map it out prior to painting and attaching them to your table. Once I had enough to extend the length of the table and finished painting (1 color per 2 pieces of wood), I mapped it out again to get how I wanted the grid to look like. I then used wood glue to attach them directly onto the table and let dry overnight. And there you have it!! This is the perfect addition to this table and honesly it was one of my easiest DIY to date! Really, the amount of projects you can use this similar method on in endless. Tables, backs of chairs, benches, really anything! What do you think?? Please leave your comments down below- I'd love to hear from you. Until Next Time,