Getting Crafty

Okay, I don't really consider myself crafty.  I have tried my hand at scrapbooking & even pottery painting, but have discovered utter failure each time.  However, having this little Bella shop, I most often times have to resort to some sort of crafting.  Window displays are such tricky little things in the retail biz.  It has to be eye-catching, reflective of your goods, & able to tell some kind of story, all of which challenge me greatly on a fairly regular basis.  Lately, I have been noticing on my new addiction Pinterest all of these really amazing flowers, leaves, garlands, wreaths, etc. that are made out of book pages.  I LOVE the look and completely admire that someone came up with this idea!  The book pages add great texture, interest, & simpleness of color to whatever you create.  Being that it is fall & all, I decided to give my un-crafty hand at making branches with book page leaves to complete my fall-themed, leaf-themed window display, and to my ginormous surprise, I think they turned out okay.  I gathered branches from my yard, used old newspaper (I couldn't quite bear to cut out of a book just yet, but I think any old book that you don't love will do), dug out my hot glue gun, & began my crafting.  If I can do it, well, I am completely confident that you can do it too.  Give it a try, get creative, & have fun with it.  Happy crafting!!

{I just gathered really big branches out of my yard, cost = free! 
Added bonus = saved my sweet husband from having to clean up the branch pile}

{You can use any leaf shape, just find a template that suits your project. 
I thought about going with maple, or oak, but that seemed a little wrong being
surrounded by aspens so this is my best attempt at duplicating the shape of
 an aspen leaf}

{This is a really bad picture, but it was part of the process, so forgive me for my 
amateur ways.  I re-discovered my hot glue gun, which was a necessity & quite powerful
in adhering these fragile newspaper leaves to these old branches}

{And, the finished project....not too bad!}

For the Love of Burlap

Fall is coming!  And, I love it because I just absolutely LOVE fall!!!!  It has always been my favorite season - I love the colors, the smell, the flavors, the feeling, the light of the sky - everything about it.  I am obviously very ready to fully embrace the season, but, alas, we have still been experiencing summer like weather, since after all, it is still officially summer.  So, what to do in your homes during this late summer/early fall transition time? Oh, there is SO much you could do, but I think the texture & color of burlap is such a lovely transitional accent.  It can bring such warmth and coziness while also allowing for a light yet earthy neutral that hints of picnics and the enjoyment of the outdoors.  Pair a burlap runner with a large glass vase full of yellow sunflowers and I am instantly happy!  Toss some burlap throw pillows on your mudroom bench, sofa, a favorite chair, or a guest bed & bring a little touch of the transition easily into any room.  The possibilities are endless...how do you love burlap?  I would love to hear and see how you integrate the love of burlap into your home as you transition into the upcoming season!