How to Clean a MOLDY Outdoor Rug

How to clean a moldy outdoor rug. A couple of weeks ago I got my courtyard at the #1905Cottage all spruced up for Spring. Over the winter leaves had gotten trapped and snow had piled up to create a moldy mess! And my rug was under all of that. I didn’t get it rolled up and put away in time. So as I was cleaning up the space I wondered if the rug could be salvaged. It had stains from the leaves decomposing over the winter.

I decided to clean it and see what happened. So here’s my experience cleaning a moldy outdoor rug.  Clean a Moldy Rug Spring Cleaning Tips.

Supplies:

Bucket

Detergent

Stiff Brush with Handle

Bleach (optional)

Clean a Moldy Rug Cleaning Tips

First I tried using dish soap first because it is gentle. I took the rug into my driveway and sprayed it down with water. I put a few squirts of dish soap in a bucket and filled it with water. Then I scrubbed the rug with a stiff brush that had a long handle. After the whole rug was scrubbed, I rinsed it off with the hose.

I discovered that the rug was cleaner but there were still stains. So I got serious. I

I emptied out the bucket and filled it with two cup of bleach and 10 cups of water. Then I tested a small section of the rug to make sure that it was color safe. After seeing that the bleach didn’t fade the pattern on the rug, I sprayed the rug down again with water and then scrubbed it with the bleach solution. I left the solution on the rug for about half an hour and then I rinsed it off again. This time I could see the yellow stains running off the rug with the water.

I also scrubbed my cement with a solution with twice as much bleach – so 4 cups of bleach with 10 cups of water and my cement looks good now!

I did this twice and then I let the rug rest in the sun for the rest of the afternoon. When it was dry it looked just like it had when I bought it two summers ago. I was so pleased.

Clean a Moldy Rug Spring Cleaning Tips

I just had to share this little bit of good news. So if you have an indoor/outdoor rug that has stains, try these cleaning techniques before you throw it out.

Now my courtyard is all ready for Spring! And my rug looks great. Yay!!

Do you have any Spring Cleaning tips? 

Share them with us in the comments! 

xoxo

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7 Spring Front Porch Ideas

Hi, friends! Raise your hand if you’re ready for warm weather and spring period spring is one of my favorite Seasons here in Utah because everything’s in blue and the weather is still nice and not too warm. one of my favorite things to do is decorate our front porch period today I’m sharing some of my favorite DIY ideas that make it so easy to create a welcoming front door and porch.

9 amazing Spring Front Porch Ideas

Today I am super thrilled to be joining with some of my friends for a spring front top! You will love these ideas. You can find the links to all of the porches at the bottom of the post. Hop over and pin the ideas so you can find them when you’re ready to work on your front porch!

If you are here from White Lilac Farmhouse, isn’t Tammy’s porch so warm and welcoming?

Spring Succulent Porch

A couple years ago I created one of my very favorite front porches. It had a succulent theme and I love how bright and colorful it was! Here are some simple ways that I brought this fun feeling to our succulent porch:

• A bright rug: brings color onto the porch and really grounds the whole Space.
• Thrifted ladder: I found this colorful turquoise ladder at a thrift store and thought it would be perfect to Potted plants. I used to White pots to make them all uniform and place them on the ladder rungs.
• Basket wreath: instead of a traditional wreath I went with a basket wreath and then I filled it with pho peonies and branches plus a hot pink ribbon which really tied in with my pink and yellow rug.
• Vintage door: at the store leftover from our remodeling projects at the 1891 Cottage, and I thought it would be nice to add a little architectural interest to the porch. I put the antique door behind a ladder and I think it’s kind of showcases the succulent ladder and a great way.

You can find out more about how I created this succulent porch on this post: spring succulent ladder porch.

Spring Butterfly Porch

Another year I created a colorful spring porch with many Floral elements. Here’s how I created this a colorful spring porch:

• Butterfly wreath: I took a wreatha I already had and added some paper butterflies that I cut out of my paper line with American crafts. I added a fabric Banner to the middle that says quotation mark spread your wings and fly quotation mark.
• I mimicked the flowers and Greenery of the wreath by using a faux flower Garland around my door. I love the way that it really brings spring to our front door.
• Layered doormats: my friends at nickel designs gifted me this beautiful graphic leaf doormat which I layered with one of their black and white bohemian cotton rugs underneath.
• Add a spring sign: I found this hello sign with white florals at Hobby Lobby and I thought it looked really great with the graphic entryway rug.
• I added pops of color with flowers. Faux flowers in a white wooden planter on one side of the porch balance out the pink peonies that are in the galvanized container which I placed on an antique chair for a statement.

You can find out more about this Spring porch — Spring Porch and Butterfly Wreath

Bohemian Spring Porch

I love a boho look. This year I created a really bohemian-themed spring front porch with some really easy natural elements and pink accents that reflect the pink on our front door. Here’s how I created this Bohemian spring porch:

• A oversized natural rug really grounds the space. An extra large rug expands the space and makes it more welcoming.
• Olive Tree: I wanted to add height to this porch so I brought my olive tree outside and put it in this adorable scalloped basket container.
• Olive garland: Continue the olive theme around my front door with a couple Olive garlands that I found on clearance. I think the Olive Tree brings the eye up and then it continues around the door with the Olive Garland.
• Natural wood lanterns: I added some natural wood lanterns to bring a glow to the porch at night.
• Bench and pillows: A farmhouse bench and bohemian pillows, a cozy pink throw create a welcoming space.
• Bohemian Furniture: on each side of the front door we have some beautiful bohemian furniture. Our Serena and Lily swing is on the left hand side of the porch and the natural wood of the swing and the shape really looks so pretty with a Bohemian front door. On the other side of the porch is a sitting area where I put some rattan chairs..

You can read more about how I created this Bohemian spring porch here: spring Bohemian porch.

Flower Market Spring Porch

I think spring is the perfect time to create a really beautiful flower-themed porch. Here’s how I created this flower market spring porch:

• Simple flower market wreath: I used to Greenery wreath and added Sharpie pen eggs. Eggs are just faux eggs that I had and I used Sharpie markers to color graphic designs on the pen and then I glued them on to the wreath. Faux flowers and a large black and white bow for the top, then I added the sign to the wreath.
• Layered entry rugs: I love layering rugs and for this front porch I used a “hi” rug and layered a classic black and white plaid rug underneath. I also layered a larger rug underneath those two rugs and really created a cozier space with larger rug that really draws people onto our porch.
• Galvanized flower containers: I brought color to this flower market wreath with a lot of flowers that I put inside these Flower Market galvanized containers. I like the way that the galvanized flower market containers coordinate with our larger planters that we keep out all year round.
• Flower market signs: Flower market signs on an antique chair with lowers.

Black and white succulent porch

This was our back porch but I thought it would be fun to talk about that for a minute. This is how I created this black and white succulent porch:

• Black and white checked rug: I used a very large black and white rug to ground the space and give it a little bit of softness.
• Pillows and throws: I think adding comfortable cushions, pillows and throws plus an ottoman here makes the space softer and lends itself more to using the space instead of just having a beautiful porch. I think a port should be used as well as being beautiful.
• Succulent hanging containers: team planters. I grouped them behind the chairs and table as a focal point. I also on a succulent wreath that I created: you can find the tutorial for the street here — a container succulent spring wreath.

You can find out how I made this flower pot porch here — DIY Spring Porch.

Spring Kite Porch

This was the spring porch at my 1905 Cottage. It was small but this is one of my favorite porches that I have created. Here are some of my favorite projects from that flower pot porch:

I thought a kite-themed wreath was perfect for Spring. I cut out a kite shaped piece of wood, painted it and added it to the wreath. It’s a fun wreath for Spring!

You can find out how I made the Spring Kite wreath here — Spring Kite Wreath.

Flower Pot Spring Porch

• Ladder with hanging pots: This DIY ladder was an Advent ladder originally. For a spring porch, spray painted the ladder White, and found these wooden buckets and put flowers inside and hung them from the rungs of my DIY ladder.
• Created a seating area: a small bench is perfect for a smaller porch. Just add pillows and you have an instant seating area.
• A watering can wreath: use a galvanized watering can as a wreath is a super simple way to create a cute and quirky wreath alternative for spring, Just add flowers inside the watering can and ribbon and you have an adorable wreath alternative.
• White lanterns: multiple white lanterns bring light and are pretty focal points for spring. It doesn’t matter if your lanterns are the same the white color connects them, and makes them look cohesive together.

French Spring Front Porch

This French spring front porch was also at my 1905 Cottage. I loved that Dutch store. Here’s how I created the spring French from porch:

• Flowers and crates: Potted flowers and Farmers Market crates in the flower bed in front and around the front door and the bistro set on the porch.
• A French bike in front: a French style bike with a basket looked so cute in front of my porch. I added flowers to the basket.
• Galvanized door hanger: are so easy to insert inside of a basket hanger for your door. This one was galvanized and I love seeing the flowers peeking out the top and cascading down the container.
• A French bistro set: this bistro set is vintage and I painted it yellow to match the Dutch store. Some striped pillows seem very Parisian and we had a little picnic on the porch for spring!

You can find out more about this Spring porch here: Spring Flower Pot Porch.

Next Stop on the Front Porch Tour

Thanks for stopping by and reading all about my spring front porches. Let me know if you have any questions! Next on the spring front porch tour is Rachel at the Ponds Farmhouse. Rachel has the most gorgeous porch and she’s sharing all kinds of ways to make it even Cozier and more welcoming for spring. Be sure to stop by and see all of her Amazing Ideas!

French front porch

Which idea do you want to begin with on your spring front porch?

Let us know in the comments!

XOXO

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Stacked Pumpkin Topiary DIY

This is one of my all-time favorite Halloween projects so I thought I would share it again. I am excited to put this up at our new home. You might know that I simply adore Halloween decor. So when one of the challenges this month from Lowes was Curb Appeal. I thought it would be SO fun to make something Halloween-ish for the front porch at the #1905Cottage. And since the decor over there is mostly yellow, I thought keeping the Halloween theme to basically black and white would be perfect.

So I headed over to Lowes. And I found their Halloween section. They had a HUGE bin of lighted pumpkins with different scary faces, and it made me think of making a Halloween topiary.

You see, I made another Halloween topiary a few years ago and it got damaged in my backyard shed, so I have been meaning to make another for quite some time.

Here’s how I made this easy Halloween project: 

DIY Jack-o-Lantern Topiary: 

Stacked Pumpkin Topiary DIY

Supplies: 

Halloween lighted pumpkins. I used 5.

A 1″ in circumference wood dowel

A pot

Flowers

Spray Paint (I used black and white)

Primer

Extension Cord

Directions: 

I spray painted three of the pumpkins white and the other two black. But first I PRIMED them.

I also spray painted the dowel black

Then I drilled 1″ holes in the pumpkins. I wanted each one to be tilted to each side, alternating. So I marked the spot with an sharpie and drilled.

Then I planted soil and flowers in the pot and put the dowel in the middle.

I alternated the pumpkins, white, black, white, black, white black. On the last pumpkin I didn’t put the second hold through the top, so the dowel rests against the inside of the top pumpkins. I hope that makes sense lol.

Then I threaded the lights down through the back of the pumpkins and plugged them into the extension cord. I taped the cords together with electrical tape so they wouldn’s show as much.

Light it up at night

And here is the Black and White Pumpkin Topiary at night. I just love it!!

Materials for this post were provided by Lowe’s; however, the project and content are all mine. See my disclosures.

More Halloween Ideas!

Here are some other Halloween themed porch ideas that I have created over the past few years. I hope you enjoy these simple ideas!

The Great Pumpkin Halloween Porch

The Great Pumpkin Halloween Porch! Spray paint inexpensive jack-o-lanterns, pumpkin pails and make a jack-o-lantern topiary for a festive pumpkin porch!

7 Easy Ways to Create the Ultimate Skeleton Porch

7 Easy Ways to Create a Spooky Skeleton Halloween Porch! Add fresh flowers, lanterns, signs, banners and wreaths to create the perfect spooky Halloween porch!

Spooky Haunted Forest Porch

Halloween DIY Spooky Forest Porch. Add some branches, crows and moss to create an easy “spooky” forest for Halloween!

Welcome My Pretties Halloween Porch

Welcome My Pretties  – how to create a Halloween Theme Porch with easy DIY projects. Wow your guests with a Halloween theme porch this year!

Which Porch Theme is YOUR Favorite?

xoxo

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Restoring a Historic 1891 Cottage One DIY Project at a Time!

You guys!!! I have exciting news! We are moving into a historic home in downtown Salt Lake City!

1905 Cottage Remodel

If you have followed Tatertots and Jello for while you might remember our #1905Cottage. It was a little one bedroom 1905 cottage at the base of Little Cottonwood Canyon. I fell in love with that little cottage and wanted to save it.

You see, most of the cottages in the historic Granite neighborhood had been torn down so that big homes could be built on their gorgeous lots. The neighborhood of Granite sits at the base of Little Cottonwood Canyon, with gorgeous mountain views, at the base of the ski resorts.

Restoring a Historic Cottage is Rewarding

The little home was empty most of the year, being used as a ski home for the owner’s who lived in Cape Cod the rest of the year. When it went on the market I approached the owners with the promise that I would never tear their home down. They already had a buyer so I thought the cottage was out of my reach.

You can find ALL of the 1905 Cottage Projects here — 1905 Cottage Remodel!

It turns out that the offer fell through the the owners decided to keep the home. A couple of years later they reached out to me and offered to sell the home and I was so excited.

Bringing a Historic Cottage Home Back to Life

Over the next couple of years we worked on the home, taking it down to the plastered and brick walls. We took out the dropped ceilings and doorways, uncovering tall, beautiful rooms and the original floors which were buried under layers of old linoleum and engineered wood floors over the top.

Restoring the Floors and Walls of a Historic Cottage Home

I spent one whole summer scraping the layers of linoleum, glue, and tar up from the whole cottage. Underneath I found long pine floors that were longer than any length of pine you can buy today. There were NO seams in the floors. Incredible!!

Remodeling a Historic Cottage Kitchen

One of the sections of floors in the kitchen needed to be moved so that the kitchen could be reconfigured. And when we took that section up we discovered that the floors had been lined with newspapers from 1911. Seeing the ads from that time period and reading what newspapers had said then was SO cool.

Keeping the Feel of the Original Cottage Home

We also had to replace the sewer line and when we took the floor out from the bathroom to do that we found all kinds of artifacts from the century before.

You see, this house although technically from 1905 was actually much older. The road it was on had been the main street of the little Granite community in the 1800’s when it was a mining town. The house had actually been the general store then. At the back of the house were walls that were made out of hand-made bricks.

The sheriff of Granite had owned the general store and eventually they built one of the first LDS churches next door. After that the sheriff converted the store into his home in 1905.

Adding Touches that Feel True to History of the Cottage

When we replaced the roof of the cottage we found some arrest warrants including a murder warrant! We also found a VERY old copy of the LDS Book of Mormon that was kept up the attic.

Adding Details Like Transoms to a Historic Cottage

I LOVED finding out about that house and working on restoring it back to it’s roots. We took the ceilings back up to the original 10-12 foot heights. We also created transom windows above the doorways so that light could flood into the beautiful space.

Refinishing the Original Floors in a Historic Cottage

The summer that I finished the floors I also planked the ceiling in the kitchen and I loved the way that project turned out.

Choosing Cabinets in a Historic Cottage Kitchen Remodel

We put a lot of thought into how to make the kitchen reflect the age of the house but also bring in the modern conveniences of this century. I opted for plain white cabinets but I also wanted some special elements. I had seeded glass inserts put in some of the cabinets.

Making Flaws into Beautiful Details in a Historic Cottage Home

There were also lots of flues in the home from different fireplaces. One of the main one was a flue that went through the center of the house and jutted out in the kitchen.

I had kitchen cabinets built around the flue, encasing it and creating a built-in china cabinet effect. I loved the way that project turned out.

Adding Modern Touches That Enhance a Historic Cottage Home

In most of the house I kept the tile to subway tile, which I think keeps to the time period of the turn of the century. In the kitchen I thought it would be fun to the subway theme but put a modern twist on it. So I used the same material as subway tile, but chose an octagon-shape tile and ran it all the way to the ceiling. And instead of putting upper cabinets all across the main section of the kitchen, I only used a couple of upper cabinets and then I had a few floating shelves put in.

Little Details in a Historic Cottage Remodel

The effect of leaving most of the upper part of the kitchen exposed made the kitchen seem very open and welcoming. I added a modern vent hood and I found a second-hand pottery barn island for the middle of the kitchen.

Reconfiguring Spaces in a Historic Cottage Remodel

Sometime over the past century a laundry room was added to the cottage and part of the front porch was enclosed for this space. The entrance to the laundry room was a door at the front of the house.

During the remodel we turned the back porch into the laundry room and I decided to take that laundry room space at the front of the house and convert it into a giant walk-in pantry.

Adding Character Through DIY Projects in a Historic Cottage Remodel

So we created an entrance to that space through the kitchen and enclosed the doorway at the front of the house, changing out the door for a window to the pantry. That pantry space was one of my favorite parts of the cottage.

I created shelving in the pantry with metal pipes and plain pine shelves. It was such a cute space and I loved having so much space to keep all of our food plus extra dishes and appliances. I am so excited to say that our new home downtown also has a space that is going to be a big walk-in closet. It’s going to be such a fun space to design and work on!

Merging New and Old Elements in a Historic Cottage Remodel

One of the most challenging projects in the remodel was making the transition from the old home to the new remodel. I added a family room, four bedrooms and two more baths to the cottage, plus a new garage.

It was a BIG project! To join the two spaces of the home together, I created a dining room. One part of the dining room was old and the other part of new, joining together in a beam in the center of the room. You can see it in this picture.

I put the dining room table in the center of the space and then hanging identical box chandeliers on either side of the beam. The effect took something that some might have considered a liability and really showcased it to create a centerpiece. I loved the way it turned out.

Adding New Outdoor Elements in a Historic Cottagee Remodel

We ended up putting french doors off of that room and created a little courtyard in between the old part of the home and the new addition. That way I didn’t lose the only window in the kitchen. We added a fireplace in the courtyard and I loved that I could look out of the window into the courtyard and see the fireplace there. On the other side of that outside fireplace was the fireplace inside the new family room!

At the end of the remodel we built a new 2-car garage and over that space we put in a new master bedroom suite. It ran all the way across the garage and I had 6 skylights installed which added SO much light! That space was nice because it was private and kind of a space all by itself. I even put in a little work nook there where I could blog upstairs.

Creating New Spaces that Reflect the Age of the Cottage

The bathroom had two skylights, a beautiful tub and a giant shower. I built in a bench into the shower and it was so nice. I am hoping to create something like this master bedroom and shower in the new home.

Take Advantage of All the Space in Your Historic Home

Our master bedroom in the #1891AvenuesCottage is in the attic! So the space is very similar to this space. There is a large bedroom and a large bathroom. I am hoping to reconfigure the bathroom to make more sense visually. I would love to install a big round tub in one corner of the bathroom.

In the #1905Cottage I put a jack-and-Jill bathroom in between the two bedrooms with barn doors so that space was’t wasted with doors opening and shutting. Using the same vanity and counter tops in both the kids bathrooms provided continuity in a home and I am hoping to do the same in this new space too. I will be using subway tile again since this home is similar in age to the #1905Cottage. But I will be using a more modern grout and light fixtures to update the new space with a more modern feel.

Transforming a Room into a Different Use Space

The #1905Cottage front room became my work space. I loved being able to look outside and see what was happening from the front of the home. I will be doing the same thing at our new #1891AvenuesCottage! The living room is going to be my office. There is a big window in the front and I can look down onto the tree-lined avenue and watch life go by!

In the cottage I added a dutch door to the front of the home and I loved being able to open the top of the door and feel the breeze come through while I worked. I am hoping to add a dutch door to the new cottage too! I love the look and feel of dutch doors.

Choosing a New Door to a Historic Home

There is also a HUGE porch on this new cottage. I loved decorating our smaller porch on the first cottage and I am super excited to do that here too. At some point the original door was taken off the #1891AvenueCottage. I am hoping to find something similar to the inside door that still remains inside. There is a salvage yard downtown and I think I have a good chance of finding something that matches this inside door.

I also have an idea for the floor inside the front entry room that will pay tribute to the age of the home. I can’t wait to show you that soon! Another thing I love about the new home is that the main comes right to our door! There is a mail slot but also a little wood holder for the mail inside. It feels SO special!!

Honoring the History in Your Historic Home

Our new #1891AvenuesCottage has a special history. It was one of the first homes to be built in Salt Lake City’s historic Avenues neighborhood. The first Supreme Court Justice in Utah lived in the home and it’s on the national historic register! Over the years it was turned into apartments and then in 1990 restored back to a one-family home. I think that is when the original floors were taken out. I feel so lucky to work on this new project and restore this historic home to it’s glory with a modern twist!

1891 Avenues Cottage Remodel Pinterest Board

I’d love to have you follow along with this new chapter at Tatertots and Jello! Give me your thoughts and opinions on what I should do with this remodel. We will be moving into the home in just days and I can’t wait to get started!! I have a 1891 Avenues Cottage pinterest board with ideas for the home if you want to follow along there!

Tatertots and Jello on Instagram – all the behind-the-scenes DIY ideas!

And be sure to follow along on my @tatertotsandjello Instagram account. That is where I share behind-the-scenes glimpses of what is going on with the project in real time! I also have a BIG part of the home that is going to be so exciting and I can’t wait to share more about that!!

Love you all!

xoxo

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Make a Guest Book for YOUR Home

We love our new home. It’s been so awesome exploring our new neighborhood and community. I am not the best at scrapbooking, but I really wanted to record all of the fun things we have been doing as a family in our new home. So I thought it would be fun to create a scrapbook for our home and record our adventures.

I have two older kids that have their own apartments but they still come over and hang out with us most weekends; as they all grow older I know these moments with all of us together will be farther and far between. Capturing these moments means so much to me. I made a Home Scrapbook and I have been printing off our pictures and having the kids record the things that we do together. It’s been awesome to look back on all of the things that we have done already and read what the kids have written.

I have a free printable you can print off that says – Welcome to our Home. You can put it at the front of YOUR home scrapbook, or print off a picture of your home and put that on the front. Then when you have people come visit, have them write about their visit in your home in the scrapbook! I love this idea of scrapbooking. I think it’s very easy and a wonderful way to look back on experiences you and the people you love have created in YOUR home.

I also want to tell you about a really cool thing that is happening at Michaels this month: Make-a-thon – 14 days of AMAZING deals! Each day during Make-a-thon, Michaels will have a special deal.

On March 15th during Make-a-thon, Michaels will have a deal that is PERFECT to go along with this project. On that day, when you buy a scrapbook at Michaels, you can get a FREE selfie stick. Perfect for capturing the moments in YOUR home. How fun is that???

This will be a ONE DAY special on March 15th only. 

Make a Guest Book for YOUR Home

We used our selfie stick this past weekend when my older kids came home to celebrate their birthdays.

Then I had each of the kids write in our Home Scrapbook about the weekend and what we did.

You can find out about all of the Make-a-thon deals and projects on Michaels.com!

It’s going to be such a FABULOUS month FULL of amazing ideas!!

xoxo

This post was sponsored by Michaels. I received a gift card for the products as well. All opinions are my own.

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Be Happy Free Family Rules Printable 

I posted a picture of my new office, which used to be my living room until a few weeks ago and I had quite a few people ask me about the Be Happy sign that’s behind the desk. I thought it might be fun to talk about using items that I love in different ways. I created that Family Rules printable a few years ago and have since gone through a remodel and moved to an entirely different house, so that sign has moved locations quite a few times. It remains one of my very favorite projects and I love that it now lives on the main wall in my office, right when you walk in the front door to our home.

Be Happy Free Family Rules Printable 

Here are a few different ways I have displayed this loved canvas.

When I first created this printable I hung it in the entryway at the 1905 Cottage.

Be Happy Free Family Rules Printable 

After the remodel the Be Happy Family Rules sign lived in the new dining room.

And now it’s in my new office.

Be Happy Free Family Rules Printable 

I also have repurposed those little bookshelves quite a few times. They originally were in my craft room when I was married.

And then they were in my office at the 1905 Cottage.

And the same with my office chair. I bought it, painted it and upholstered it for my bedroom remodel a few years ago.

And then it was my office chair in my Bedroom Office Nook at the cottage:

And now it’s in my living room/office.

Just right-click on this link or the picture below to print this off. If you want to print the sign on canvas through Shutterfly, check out my original post that has all of the instructions! 

Be Happy Free Family Rules Printable 

Do you favorite pieces in your home that you have used in different ways? 

Share YOUR ideas with us! I would love to see what YOU have done! 

Have a wonderful day!

xoxo

The post Be Happy Family Rules Sign and using what you love! appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

9 Ways to Add Charm to a Kitchen

I love houses. New, old, remodeled, fixer-uppers. I will always treasure the time I spent fixing up the #1905Cottage. I loved that little home the first moment I went past it. I loved learning about the history and I loved the process of remodeling it and seeing it transform into a modern home that retained it’s vintage charm. Now that we have moved into a brand-new home, I also love bringing in charming accents that warm up a new home’s interior to reflect our family story.

The #1905Cottage before

9 Ways to Add Charm to a Kitchen

The #1905Cottage after

9 Ways to Add Charm to a Kitchen 

As we have been working on our brand-new home, I’ve loved seeing inspiration from many different sources. A couple of years ago I was introduced to Cindy Ambuehl Lifestyle, a wonderful source for high end decorating inspiration.  I love the homes she has shared on her site. Most of which have a modern California vibe and many are also older homes that have been remodeled.

As we work on adding charm to our new-construction home, I thought it would be fun to share 9 ways to add modern charm to a kitchen! These are beautiful, high-end homes, but the gorgeous kitchen ideas that follow can be used to add charm to any home.

source 1,2,3

1. Add vintage elements. 

This island is made out of an antique table. I love the warmth that the wood island top brings to the clean, modern kitchen.

source

2. Consider adding butcher-block countertops.

Instead of granite, think about warming up the space with wood countertops. Not only do wood countertops bring color into a room, they are less expensive than granite or marble countertops.

source

Instead of just tiling under the countertops, tile an entire wall to the ceiling. It will make the room seem larger.

3. Tile is an inexpensive way to bring in texture and color to a room.

Source

4. Add specialty windows or doors. 

We added a dutch door at the #1905Cottage and it ended up being one of my favorite elements in the home. Another idea is a tilting window like the one above. It makes a wonderful architectural element in the room.

source

5. Add clean-lined planked ceilings.

The wood brings in warmth and texture to a modern kitchen space.

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6. Bring in more light with multiple light fixtures and skylights.

Instead of recessed lights, add a few chandeliers or vintage-looking light fixtures to bring in character. And if your kitchen is still dark, consider adding a skylight or two. I added skylights in my bedroom at the #1905Cottage and I loved the natural light they provided.

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7. Install an unexpected ceiling.

Planked or wood ceiling have been increasingly popular, but how charming would a reproduction tin ceiling be? I love that idea, especially when paired with ultra modern counters and tile backsplash in a new kitchen or kitchen remodel.

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8. Add some rustic charm with a log ceiling.

The texture and color of the wood planks and beams would be a beautiful contrast with a new builder-grade home.

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9. Add glass fronts to cabinet doors or add built-in furniture instead of builder-grade cabinets.

9 Ways to Add Charm to a Kitchen

For more beautiful homes and design inspiration, be sure to head over to Cindy’s site. I also love following Cindy on Instagram.

Yesterday, Cindy and her real estate company The Agency were sponsors at the annual Express Yourself fundraiser hosted by P.S. Arts. P.S. Arts is a non-profit Los Angeles based organization that brings dance, music, visual & theater arts to underserved public schools. Each November, celebrities and their families attend this awesome fundraiser to raise money and awareness for arts education in public schools. This year the booth’s theme was “Home is Where the Art is” and was staged to look like a living room with a football game going. Celebrities like Mark Feuersteing and Adam Scott stopped by with their kiddos and made Duck Tape crafts. So amazing.

As a mom of four, and PTA committee member, I am a huge believer in encouraging the arts in schools! My kids love expressing themselves through art, and I am a huge proponent that all kids should be given that opportunity. Cindy and Duck Brand spent yesterday creating Duck Tape crafts for the kids at her Express Yourself booth. I love seeing celebrities and their children giving back to their community and supporting the arts! Awesome!! You can find out more about the fun event on Cindy’s blog!

xoxo

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It’s almost November and that has me thinking of Thanksgiving and all that I have to be grateful for. Here’s a sweet little printable that I am sharing again. Feel free to print it off and use it in your own home to remind you of the blessings in your life. Enjoy!!

Isn’t the  BHG Pumpkin Platter so cute? I love using it this time of year.

I loved displaying it at the 1905 Cottage.

But it’s also functional as a platter this Autumn!

I also cozied up my bench I built for my dining room with this BHG Cable Knit Throw and throw pillows. It’s such a fun spot to sit in the sun and chat while I prepare things in the kitchen.

I am also in love with the weathered wood items in the BHG line. I took these BHG weathered frames and used one to display a printable that I will be basing my Thanksgiving table around. I love the unfinished wood look with the black of the printable. And paired with the BHG Burlap runner, it’s perfect for Autumn!!

… and I am sharing the free Thanksgiving Printable with you!

To download the 5×7-inch “Be Thankful” printable, right-click this link or the image below and choose “save link as.”

To download the 11×14-inch “Be Thankful” printable, right-click this link or the image below and choose “save link as.”

As always, they’re for personal use only!

I printed these on my Canon PIXMA iP8720 Crafting Printer! It’ll print up to 13×19, so you can use them to print large prints like the 11×14!

The post Getting Ready for Fall Entertaining and FREE “Be Thankful” Printable! appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

Autumn Pumpkin Wreath 

Here’s a wreath that I created — it’s super neutral and I think it’s so easy for Fall! I used pumpkins, little pine cone boughs and gold leather fabric that I cut up into leave shapes. I just love how pretty it looked on the door of the #1905Cottage!

Here’s how I made this simple wreath:

Autumn Pumpkin Wreath 

1. I found some neutral ribbon and wrapped it around a wreath form.
2. Then I layered on the pumpkins, natural wheat elements and pine cone boughs.
3. Then I hot glued some gold leather leaves onto the wreath.
4. Then I tied a little bow to the side of the pumpkins.
5. And the last thing I did was I took some natural ribbon and hung the wreath onto the door with that ribbon.

Such an easy way to make a statement!

Bring on FALL!!

And in case you want to make the Autumn Sign –  here’s that tutorial.

And here are a couple other Fall front porches I’ve created to inspire you!!

5 Steps to a Perfect Fall Front Porch 

Fall Pumpkin Ruffle Wreath and Porch 

Have a Beautiful Day!! 

xoxo

The post Make an Easy Autumn Pumpkin Wreath! appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

I’m taking a break from the norm today. I’ve heard there’s power in vulnerability and so I’m taking a leap of faith and telling my story. I hope you’ll read it with an open mind and if it helps one person that would make me so happy.

In a world saturated with blogs and Pinterest, it’s so easy to fall in love with “perfect” images and ideas. I love pretty things as much as anyone. There’s nothing I love more than a beautiful Pinterest page. Sometimes I think it’s easy to get caught up in wanting our lives to reflect those idealistic photos in our feeds. But as I’ve grown older and have experienced more life, I have learned that nobody’s life is perfect. Every single person has struggles. Life is hard. Life can be ugly. I’ve spent the last 8 years sharing the happy, beautiful, fun side of my life on my blog.

Today I want to get real and show you a little more of my not so picture perfect side.  As scary as this is for me, I hope my story will help someone else or at least let you know that life isn’t perfect no matter how it may seem online.

The entire story can be read by clicking the link to my sister’s Quite Honestly Project. 

Thank you for reading my blog.

xoxo

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