tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11862466778094639992009-12-20T01:30:33.159-05:00{Decorating and Creativity for Real Life}Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.comBlogger372125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-26590527224147026732009-12-19T00:01:00.001-05:002009-12-19T07:12:23.917-05:00

Today's the day...we're packing up the moving van and officially moving out of my house. I'm sad to be leaving my first little nest, but excited for new adventures.We'll be staying with my in-laws through the holidays, and then heading out West to our new home. My posts may be a bit sporadic for the next couple of weeks...but just think...a new house to decorate. Ahhh, the blog posts that await!

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-9692177616671624792009-12-18T00:01:00.000-05:002009-12-18T00:01:00.373-05:00

Oh! I'm so excited!!! Today is the day....The Frugal Friday Linky Party: Holiday Edition!You know the rules...1. Please link directly to your post, not just your blog.2. Please link back to The Shabby Nest so that others can enjoy the frugal goodness too!3. Please leave lots of encouraging comments for the participants!4. ENJOY!!

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-87559185445849346702009-12-17T00:01:00.000-05:002009-12-17T00:01:01.524-05:00

What makes a mom smile like this? When she takes her boys to their semi-annual Dr. appointment to check on their Alpha-1 and their GI doc says they look healthy! Always good to hear.And speaking of Alpha-1...I mentioned last week that I would let you all know when the Alpha-1 Awareness shirts by Melissa Biggs were available on-line. Well, I'm happy to say that they are now for sale. You can find

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-8917289957365768072009-12-16T00:01:00.003-05:002009-12-16T05:49:51.108-05:00

Lest any of you, my dear readers, are feeling a bit stressed out during this holiday season, let me present my holiday dining room.The moving van is due to arrive on Saturday. We are in the midst of last minute packing. I am not stressed out. I am not stressed out. I am not stressed out. As I sit and look at this picture, it reminds me of those "I Spy" board books that my kiddos have. Can you

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-75913960787862642572009-12-15T00:01:00.001-05:002009-12-15T00:01:03.473-05:00

Here is an ornament project that many of you may have seen before, but it is still one of my very favorites.Silhouette ornaments! The great thing about these is that you can create a new bunch every year. What a fun way to watch your family grow!If you want to read about how I made these, go here. Don't forget the Holiday version of The Frugal Friday Linky Party here at the Shabby Nest....this

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-80203266041122063662009-12-14T00:01:00.002-05:002009-12-14T08:11:23.620-05:00

It seems that everyone I know is trying to simplify this year. And I don't blame them. So this week I thought I'd share a few simple, easy and inexpensive ways to trim your tree...First up...Fruit. Oranges to be exact. I adore dried oranges on trees. Look at the light coming through that orange slice. It's luminescent...almost magical! So how do you dry oranges? Very simple...I dried mine in the

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-17772886839468848382009-12-11T00:01:00.001-05:002009-12-11T08:27:02.349-05:00

Here is a simple, yet festive, idea for some last minute Christmas decorations or gifts. Yes, these are from last year, but I'm moving, remember? And besides that, I think it's such a fun idea that it bears repeating...Christmas Tree Topiaries Supplies you will need:Cone floral forms – these can be found at most floral and craft stores.Spray paint – the same color as the yarn or twine you

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-52798250648216340172009-12-10T00:01:00.002-05:002009-12-16T19:38:23.699-05:00

Hi Everybody~Today I have a great giveaway sponsored by my friend Melissa Biggs. I first got to know Melissa after she was featured in Where Women Create Issue 3. Melissa is an actress (if you ever watched Baywatch you may remember her as one of those lovely lifeguards) and a fashion designer (she previously designed for Guess and now designs her own line - but we'll get to that in a minute). But

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com114tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-30854237848294446572009-12-09T00:01:00.001-05:002009-12-09T00:01:02.956-05:00

It's no secret by now, that I love frugal decorating. So last year when I was looking to get new Christmas stockings for the family, I hit upon the idea of repurposing some items I wasn't using anymore into new stockings for the whole crew.The Princess and I got pretty white quilted stockings made from an old baby quilt that I had honestly forgotten I had. It had such cute scalloped edges that I

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-79527930329585812702009-12-08T00:01:00.001-05:002009-12-08T00:36:48.814-05:00

Image from Pottery BarnThe holidays are filled with family, friend and fun! And of course, we want our homes to create a feeling of welcome for our holiday visitors.Here are seven sure-fire ways to create a welcoming holiday home...1. Focus on First ImpressionsSpend time fixing up what guests will see first: your doorway and it's surrounding area. Spruce it up by sweeping, cleaning cobwebs or

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-68820508548782338212009-12-07T00:01:00.000-05:002009-12-07T00:01:02.354-05:00

A few weeks ago, I did a post about Restoration Hardware and their fabulous line of "green" furniture. Photo from Restoration HardwareWell, this last week, I received an email from one of my readers, Ana of Knock Off Wood. The subject line read "Look how you inspired me! Many thanks!". One of my favorite things about writing my blog, is sharing inspiration with others, so I hurried to see what

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-56513737592446468112009-12-06T00:01:00.000-05:002009-12-06T00:01:00.598-05:00

I'd like to be outside enjoying the first real snowfall of the season...Or taking a winter carriage ride....Or actually getting my Christmas shopping finished....But, instead, I'm up to my ears in these....And because my list of to-dos is miles and miles long, I have to be realistic. I just can't do everything. So I'll be shutting down my Etsy store until mid-January. Hopefully by doing so,

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-54465481992721630472009-12-04T09:45:00.008-05:002009-12-04T10:42:08.571-05:00

Hello all my lovely readers!! Happy Friday!!Let me start today's post by explaining a little bit about this year's Christmas at The Shabby Nest. As you may know, we are moving. Well, here's the kicker...we're moving out BEFORE Christmas. Yes. BEFORE Christmas. (note to self....never move at Christmas time again.) We will be spending the actual holiday with my in-laws which will be absolutely

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-15595101748359763732009-12-03T09:26:00.005-05:002009-12-03T09:47:57.131-05:00

When I saw this page in the Pottery Barn catalog, my heart skipped a beat. Yes, the bedding is lovely, and the windows are pretty, but it was those wreaths that I fell in love with. Amazing!! So, of course, I decided I had to make me one of those "bookish" wreaths.They were so easy to make too...I started by getting me a piece of heavy cardstock (in retrospect, I would actually recommend using

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-4914860859304351622009-12-02T00:01:00.002-05:002009-12-02T08:08:00.449-05:00

This is my house last Christmas. This is the last Christmas we will be spending here. Since this little house is the first house the Hubby and I purchased, I am slightly melancholy about that.After seeing all the glitter projects in the November issue of Martha Stewart Living, I was inspired to immortalize this little house in glitter. First, I had to tweak the picture a little bit. I wanted it

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-1867787917911428782009-12-01T00:01:00.001-05:002009-12-01T00:01:03.323-05:00

For those of you who have never met my dear friend Kasey, you are in for a treat. She is amazingly stylish with a FABULOUS home. And if you don't know already, you will soon find out that she has a hilarious tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. In fact, since I am not funny at all, you may read this post, visit her blog, and never come back. Please come back. Please. Hello there. I'm the one in

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-76668717889343811732009-11-28T17:54:00.005-05:002009-11-28T20:12:18.450-05:00

Ever since we moved into the house 2 1/2 years ago, I have wanted to turn this strange closet in our library into a useful built-in desk. Well, as you may remember, our house is on the market, and since not everyone wants a built-in desk, we had to modify our original plan just a bit.As I showed you in the slideshow yesterday, after removing the doors to the closet, we finished the interior and

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-81367257764712947332009-11-27T21:07:00.007-05:002009-11-28T09:02:03.652-05:00

I've had a project on our to-do list since we moved into the house 2 1/2 years ago. And today it finally got finished. I took some pictures, but the lighting was not very good...so I'm going to take better ones tomorrow. In the meantime, here's a little slideshow of the process...starring... The Hubby (yes, he did all the hard work except the paint job...thanks sweetie!!) I'm posting a couple of

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-27025319713536909082009-11-26T00:01:00.002-05:002009-11-26T09:44:40.801-05:00

Just some of the things I am thankful for today...My loving husbandMy beautiful childrenA roof over our headsWarm beds at nightFood in our belliesFriends who sincerely careA steady incomeThe therapeutic effects of writing this blogMy wonderful readers who keep me motivatedThe ability to chase my dreamsWishing you all many reasons to be grateful this Thanksgiving Day!

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-19366891513014384342009-11-25T00:01:00.002-05:002009-12-04T10:59:39.706-05:00

I have a bit of an obsession with Swedish clocks. I. heart. them. The curvy silhouette, the neutral colors. Swoon. I saw this little beauty at Brimfield this summer. Love the color of this one...it would be perfect in my living room! (Of course it would...heck, they all would!) Found here.This is Brook Gianetti's entry hall. Love it! Adore that Swedish clock...love the juxtaposition of sizes

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-66539667969049411882009-11-24T00:01:00.001-05:002009-11-24T08:27:40.681-05:00

Hello out there in Blogland! So glad you popped in today because I want to introduce you to the newest Sponsor here at The Shabby Nest! Single Stone Studios. Single Stone Studios is a design company specializing in vinyl wall decals. They have an absolutely amazing selection of designs. Literally, something for everyone!Check out these amazing trees....I. heart. them. They lend such a serene

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com131tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-27974852567138155782009-11-23T00:01:00.000-05:002009-11-23T00:01:02.213-05:00

You all did it again!!! Such great Frugal OCD* inspiration! I thoroughly enjoyed going through each and every link and seeing all the great ideas.*Obsessively Consumed with DecoratingIf you didn't get a chance to click through and check out the great posts, here are some highlights!Tiffany at la*T*da shared this fabulous idea for a kid's Thanksgiving table....chalkboard placemats! Brilliant!

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-81931013010008076682009-11-20T00:01:00.001-05:002009-11-20T00:01:00.910-05:00

Welcome to this month's edition of the Frugal Friday Linky Party here at The Shabby Nest! I can't wait to see what you all come up with this month!The Rules:1. Please link directly to your Frugal Friday post, not just to your blog.2. Please link back to this party so that others can enjoy the Frugal goodness.3. Most important, please leave comments for the participants. Blogging is hard work, so

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-10990186085419898702009-11-19T00:01:00.002-05:002009-11-19T16:22:47.016-05:00

Thanksgiving is one of my very favorite holidays. And I feel like it is often overlooked. I want my children to know the meaning behind the turkey and mashed potatoes. I want them to celebrate with a grateful heart. So today I wanted to share with you all a fun tradition that puts the focus on gratitude....the Thankful Tree.Our family takes an evening at the beginning of the month of November to

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1186246677809463999.post-86057567935652763492009-11-18T00:01:00.005-05:002009-11-18T00:01:01.795-05:00

This is how my living room normally looks. Note the sofa. Tan slipcover. Very non-confrontational. But also, just a little....um...dull. Don't get me wrong. The tan is a nice supporting color. It goes well with almost any other color I throw at it. It. hides. dirt.But the other day, my little boys (aka The Toddler Demolition Team) decided to draw on the couch. With marker. Washable marker,

Wendy @ The Shabby Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15230275665633920902noreply@blogger.com27