Easter Bunny Banner

It is finally starting to feel a little like Spring around here. We have had a few nice sunny days, and although the forecast is calling for cold again soon, I appreciate the warmth while it is here. So I felt inspired to create a little bunny banner.

Supplies that I used for this project are as follows:
Silhouette machine, or any cutting machine you may have. I actually think this design is pretty easy that you could even trace it and hand cut it. :)
Crepe paper. I found this color at Target
Scrapbook paper. I used paper from one of my favorite designers Maggie Holmes.
Card stock. I used a pale aqua.
Colored twine. I used some brown and white, and some white and silver
Clips. I found mine at Michaels Craft Store
Yarn for pom poms.
The first thing that I did was cut out the bunny shape. I found the design online at the Silhouette Store.

This particular design was originally meant to be a card, but it worked out well since I needed multiple bunnies.
Next I cut the bunnies out. Then I made their bushy tails. I made their tails by using my pom pom maker which can be found at Michaels. I used twine instead of yarn, and used the smaller pom pom maker. It worked out really well. You don't need to wrap as much, and once you are finished you will trim the tail pretty short.

I then cut out the circle with a large punch. The circle measures about 3.5 inches and the bunnies I made 3 inches in length. After the circles were punched out I then put the double sided tape on the back. Once the back has the tape then you can start pleating the crepe paper. You just fold and pleat. 

 Mine always comes out uneven, so I just grab my scissors and trim it so that it is even.

Once it gets trimmed I added the bunny and the bunny tail. I glued the tail and used double sided tape for the bunny. You can decorate the bunny more if you would like. You could add glitter in the ears, but I kind of liked the simplicity of it.

Volia' here is the garland finished with the pom poms that I added. It is a very simple and sweet garland. I have it hanging along a mirror in our foyer! I love to decorate this piece in my foyer for each season. Now I need to pull out some more Easter decorations, maybe Mother Nature will catch my hint :)  Hope you feel inspired by this project. And if you make it, I'd love to see your finished project. You can tag me on IG. My IG name is @GretchenBlack.
Until next time.
XO~Gretchen

Vintage inspired Christmas mantel

Do you ever decorate on a wing and a prayer? Well that's what I did this year for my mantel. I had all these ideas swimming around in my head, but how in the world was I going to make it work? Originally I was going to go with creams, golds, silvers, and of course a little aqua, but I had been eyeing these stockings from Anthropologie, so I was inspired to add a little more color. I thought about making something similar myself, but since the entire store was 20% on Black Friday, I opted to purchase them. I am so glad that I did. They are made really well, and I love the wool and pom poms they used to make them. So I started by hanging the stockings. Luckily, I had just made a pom pom garland for a christmas card photo shoot, in the color scheme of aqua, cream, and red. I added the garland, but felt like I wanted another layer. I dug through my Christmas decor and found this cute tinsel garland with snowmen, and snowballs on it. I had found it at TJ Maxx a few years back. Never underestimate reusing decorations you might already have on hand. The only "new" purchases for my mantel this year were the stockings, and the amazing vintage pipe cleaner wreath. I found the wreath antiquing with my mom, and I love how it looks against the frame. Everything else I already had. :)

The chalk art sign took some time, and some "do-overs" I looked for inspiration on Pinterest for the lettering. There is some really amazing chalk art out there. I wanted to chose something fairly easy, and simple. JOY to the WORLD is one of my favorite Christmas songs, it is the reason we celebrate the season. I usually keep this chalkboard in my studio, and keep an inspirational phrase written on it, but brought it out for my holiday mantel this year. All the "fluff" on the side is stuff I have collected over the years. I am definitely one of those people that if something really speaks to me, than I purchase it. I may not have a place in mind for it, but I will eventually find a spot. I love my little vintage plastic Santa. The silver trees I had purchased a few years back at Hobby Lobby, I'm sure they have something similar again this year. The bottle brush trees, I have been collecting for years. You can make your own version, just check out this blog post I wrote about it. I have also been collecting the open frames while out antiquing, and I just painted them all aqua, of course. The vintage globe I found this summer, and I adore it. I thought it was appropriate since my sign said "JOY to the WORLD." So as you can see, things just started to naturally come together. I like to get all my decorations out, so that I can see what I have to work with. I suggest, coming up with a color scheme, and just running with it. Think outside the box, and have fun with it. I really love our mantel so much this year, I find myself sitting in our family room at night, enjoying every element of it. Hope you feel inspired to create a mantel or book shelve in your nest this year. I'll be back soon, with other Christmas decorating ideas, until then...

XO~Gretchen 

Baby Girl Nursery

Since I am the mom of three handsome boys, I always love when I get the opportunity to help decorate a little girl's space. This mom happens to be one of my favorite clients, she is nice as can be, and crafty. This nursery design was a combined effort, and I wanted to share with you the results...

Pink never gets old, especially when it's your first little girl. We chose a soft pink, it really complemented all our fabric choices. I always love the combination of pinks and aqua, I think they work really well together. The ceilings are only 8 feet tall, so we opted for a ceiling mount chandelier. My client made the artwork above her daughters bed, I just picked out the fabric. She just covered the canvas with fabric and glued on the wooden painted letters. A ribbon was attached to the back. This is a great way to personalize your child's space, and you are only limited by your imagination.

I love the birdcage fabric. 

I adore this Amy Butler fabric that we used for the drapes. I found it at 

Fabric.com It's a little more aqua then it appears on the website.

This is an adorable craft project made by one of her friends. It works out perfect to hang her collection of headbands, and post some family photos. :)

This is a little corner of her room. Her talented mother-in-law painted this artwork for her, and I made the little birdie mobile. The mobile was pretty easy to make. I just used felt for the birds and the flowers, and then yarn for the legs of the birds. I accented it will little scrapbook flowers. I found a wooden loom, painted it aqua, and glue ric rac around it.

I love the way this little nook of her room turned out. Lots of baby rocking and snuggling will be taking place here. The side table was an inexpensive piece I found, and she painted it aqua.

                                     Collection of vintage books and a sweet little bird.

Close up of the Amy Butler fabric. I made this sweet little pom pom pillow for her chair.

This piece works well not only as a dresser but also as a changing table. And this amazing rug is from RugsUSA.com

                                                 Cute pom pom garland that I made.

Reading shelf filled with lots of wonderful books.

I really had so much fun helping with this space. I've been so busy with Lulubelles.com stuff lately that it was fun to work with my other passion, interior design. Hope you feel inspired and thanks for stopping by. 

XO~ Gretchen