Stop & Smell The Roses....Deck Sneak Peek

Hey Ya'll!!

Hope you are having a fantastic Wednesday!!

It's time for another edition of.....

This week I'm vlogging about some great finds that I found this morning for our back deck while the boys & I were out for a quick shopping trip!!

(p.s. I must really love you guys b/c I am sporting very minimal make-up & 2nd day hair)
(p.s.s. don't mind the camera shaking....too much coffee, not enough food!)

  Here is a sneak peek at what's brewing on our back deck.... 

Love, Love, LOVE my new pillows!! Aren't they too cute?!   I striped & other patterned pillow were on clearance for just under $10.00 a piece! The one with the birds on it wasn't marked down, but I couldn't pass it up!! It was just too cute & still only $12.00! I was so happy to find pillows that were reasonably priced & that brought together all of the colors that we have going on between the furniture, the rug, & the new deck color!! Yay!
The rug is from Walmart and is from their Better Homes & Gardens line. It was $59.00. The chairs are also a new addition to the patio.....my hubby got those for me for Mother's Day. They were purchased at Garden Ridge and I believe they were $14.99 a piece. All in all, things are finally coming together out back!! 
Can't wait to show you more!!
Have you lucked in to any great finds lately?! 

How To Make A FB Cover Photo with PicMonkey...

Hey Everyone!!

I wanted to share with you a quick & easy way to update your Facebook cover photos!! 

If your into photo editing at all, I'm sure that you have heard of the new site called PicMonkey. PicMonkey swept in & saved those of us who were Picnik addicts after their site sadly shut down in April. It is a FREE & very user friendly photo editing site & has many (if not all) of the same photo editing options that Picnik used to have. And now that PicMonkey has added the collage feature to their site over the weekend, I might even love their site just a little bit more than Picnik!!

They even have a collage option for Facebook cover photos!!! This is a great way to not only update your personal Facebook cover photo, but also to add some pizazz to your blog Facebook page!! I don't know about you all, but my Facebook cover photo was looking just a little bit blah until earlier today!! 

To create your custom Facebook cover photo just go to 

www.picmonkey.com to get started!!

Once you arrive at their site, you will want to click on the "create a collage" option.

A listing of different collage features will show up in the left sidebar & you will then need to choose "FB Cover."

Once you click on it, you will see a few different layouts to choose from. Simply select the layout you would like to use & you are ready to start adding your photos!

To add photos to the collage, you will click on the photo icon (the one that looks like little mountains) & then select "upload photos." This will allow you to choose photos from your hard drive to add to the collage. 

As you start selecting the photos you would like to use, they will start filling up your library in the left sidebar.

After you have all the photos you would like to use, place the photos within the collage by simply dragging them from the left sidebar into the collage layout.

To change the spacing between the photos, click on the background icon (the one that looks like paints & a brush) & either increase or decrease spacing. You can also round the corners of the photos or change the color of the gridlines between the photos should you choose to do so.

When you are finished, just click on "Save" to save the image to your computer.

Then go to your Facebook page & upload your new cover photo!!

Voila!!

Isn't that SO EASY?! 

I love that PicMonkey included this collage option into their site!!

I even made a new Facebook cover photo for my personal page as well....

And here is a closer look at my blog Facebook cover photo....

What do you think?!

Now my Facebook cover photo not only reflects my blog, but it allows the new people coming to my page to get a little sneak peek into what my blog is all about! 

Do you follow my blog on Facebook?! 

Click HERE to "Like" the Love of Family & Home 

Facebook Page and stay current with all the NEW & FUN things that are going on!!

It's also a great way for me to be able to chat with all of you & answer any questions that you may have!!

 

Linking up here....
Uncommonly Yours at Uncommon Designs

Tutorials & Tips Linky Party at Home Stories A to Z

Sweet Shot Tuesday....Marcec Wedding

Hey Friends!

I hope you all had a FANTASTIC Memorial Day weekend! 

Like most of you, we spent the majority of our weekend outside, soaking up the sun! We did some work in the yard throughout the course of the weekend, spent some time with friends on Saturday lounging at their pool, & spent all day on the lake today! 

In the mix of all that, I also managed to attend & do all the photography for a wedding on Sunday! How's that for a busy weekend?! 

The wedding was just gorgeous & the bride....well, she was STUNNING! 

Wouldn't you agree?!

 

I can't tell you how much fun I've had editing these!! 

I have so many more to share, but will be spreading them out over the course of the next few weeks!!

How did you spend your Memorial Day weekend?!

I would LOVE to hear about it!

Linking up here...

I'm A Slacker & Some Changes To This Ole' Blog

Hey Ya'll!

Hope you guys have had a great Wednesday!!

As many of you know, I usually participate in the Stop & Smell The Rose's link-up at House of Rose on Wednesdays! This morning I had every intention of getting up, showering, & making myself look presentable in order to shoot my vlog! I also had every intention of working in my yard, fertilizing my flowers & sprucing up the patio. But then something happen and I ended up doing this instead.....

I know, I know....

Can you blame me though?! 

The weather has been ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS this week & my little sis is in town visiting! I just couldn't tell her "no" when she called this morning & asked me if I wanted to spend the afternoon with her & my kiddos lounging by the pool! Today was my last day off before returning to work tomorrow, & I couldn't have spent it doing anything better!!

I did, however, manage to be somewhat productive this evening! I spent time answering some emails & also worked on a little blog housekeeping. I'm sure a lot of you have noticed some changes in my navigation bar over the past several weeks. If you use internet explorer as your primary browser, it may look a little wonky & I apologize! I am in the process of trying to get that fixed! For some reason it looks fine in all of the other web browsers, but having problems in IE! 

Anyway...I have added a FAQs (frequently asked questions) tab to the navigation bar & worked on it today. I hope that this will be a great resource for you all as readers. So often, I find the same questions filling my inbox regarding certain projects that I've done in the past. This page addresses those questions & provides you with the answers you've been wanting to know, as well as links to certain products that will help you to complete or replicate my projects. As much as I want to be able to answer each one of your questions via email, sometimes this just isn't practical! There isn't enough hours in the day for this working, blogging, SAHM of two! I'm sorry....it doesn't mean I love you any less! 

I've also added a tab featuring my Top 10 Projects of last year. I did a post featuring these projects at the end of last year & I know that I have gotten many new readers since then. So, I thought that might be of interest to all of you new readers & for readers that are viewing my site for the first time!

And last, but not least there is also a "Happily Ever Before & After" tab added to the navigation bar as well. This is something NEW I am going to be adding to the blog! There are so many FABULOUS room makeovers all over blogland & I want to be able to highlight some of my favorites, as well as give an opportunity to showcase some of yours!! I hope to be able to do this on a bi-weekly schedule. Right now, I am thinking about ever other Friday. 

I will provide you all with one "before" picture & one "after" picture of a room makeover and then provide you all with a link to the blogger/blog behind the makeover, so that you can view more detailed pictures of the post & also find a list of resources to products & items used for the makeover. If you are wanting to "pin" one of the photos from the makeover, I will be asking that you do so from the original source, so that the blogger will get credit for the pin. 

The "Happily Ever Before & After" tab will be a library of all these fabulous room makeovers organized by rooms (kitchens, bath, living rooms, etc.) & a great place for YOU to find inspiration!!

If you have a room makeover that you would like to have featured on my blog, please contact me!!

tdiehl2005(at)yahoo(dot)com

Simple & Delicious Broccoli Salad...

Hey Everyone!!

I have another YUMMY recipe to share with all of you again this week!!

This one is one of my favorites & it's SO, SO EASY to make!! With Memorial Day weekend quickly approaching, I also thought you all might be looking for a side dish to take to those Memorial Day parties & get togethers! No?!

And because we are all SUPER BUSY, we need something that is SIMPLE to throw together, but tastes DELICIOUS!!  Right?!

Well, I've got just the thing for you friends!!!

Not only is it simple & delicious, but isn't it pretty too?!
I just LOVE all the colors in this salad!

Simple & Delicious Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

3 Cups Broccoli Florets

1/2 Cup Raisins

1/4 Cup Sunflower Seed Kernels

1/4 Cup Red Onion

1 pkg Oscar Meyer REAL Bacon Pieces

Dressing:

1 Cup Mayonnaise

1/4 Cup Sugar

Mix broccoli, raisins, sunflower seeds, onion & bacon pieces in medium bowl. In a separate bowl mix 1 cup mayo & 1/4 cup sugar to make dressing. Mix dressing into broccoli mixture just before serving.

Enjoy!!!

I know you will!! :)

Linking up here....
Tutorials & Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z
Uncommonly Yours at Uncommon Designs
Delightfully Inspiring Thursdays at Delightful Order
20 Below Thursdays at Christina's Adventures
I'm Lovin' It at Tidy Mom 
Just Because Linky Party at Inspired by Charm

Don't Miss Out-DIY projects, home decorating, crafts & more by checking out my subscribe page

Tip to Keeping Cut Hydrangeas Looking Fresh....

Hey Friends!!

Hope you all had a great weekend! 

Today, I wanted to share with you a little tip I learned this past week! Have you ever cut blooms off a hydrangea bush & brought them into your home only to have them wilt in a matter of minutes?!  That happened to me over & over again last summer! 

I purchased three Endless Summer Hydrangea bushes last year & although I LOVED THEM I had trouble clipping the blooms & bringing them into our home. They would wilt & start to droop almost immediately! I knew there had to be someway to fix this little problem, but never thought to look into it any further. I just decided I would enjoy the blooms on the bushes outside & gave up on bringing them into the home. 

Just in the past month, my hydrangea bushes have come into full bloom again & are looking GORGEOUS! I wanted to bring a few inside, but since I had had such bad luck last year, I though I would do a little research online. I came across this article using boiling water?! Sounded strange, but then I read a few other articles recommending the same method. So....I thought I would give it a whirl! 

And guess what! It TOTALLY WORKED!!

1.) When you go out to your yard to cut your hydrangeas, take a container of water with you. The water should be tepid, not cold. Place the cut hydrangeas directly into the water and then bring them back into your kitchen.

2.) Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium sauce pan & then pour the water into a cup or other container. Let it cool for a minute & then get ready to dip the hydrangea stems into the boiled water. This removes a sticky, sap like substance from within the stem that may block the stems ability to take in the water.

3.) Make sure you cut the stems to the length you want first, and then place the stem into the boiled water & leave it for 30 seconds.  Remove the hydrangea stem from the boiled water & immediately place it in a vase or container with water at room temperature.

4.) Arrange the blooms as you'd like in your vase/container & ENJOY!!!

As you can see, I chose an aqua bell jar for my blooms....

Hydrangeas + Aqua Bell Jars = BIG FAT LOVE!!

Seriously, aren't they a perfect match?!

The articles I read also stated that after a few days, if the blooms do start to wilt or droop, you can repeat the boiling water method. This will again, remove the sap from the stem & allow for it to take in the water it needs in order to be revived.  Place the blooms back into a vase with room temperature water & allow plenty of time for the revival process. It may take up to several hours.

Do you have hydrangea bushes?!

Have you ever tried this method?! 
Got any other tips for beautiful long last blooms?! 

I would LOVE to hear about them!
 Just leave them in the comments section below!!

Linking up here....

Tutorial & Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z 

Tuesday Treasures at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

20 Below Thursdays at Christina's Adventures

Delightfully Inspiring Thursdays at Delightful Order

I'm Lovin' It at Tidy Mom

Weekend Wrap Up Party at Tatertots & Jello

Hydrangea Themed Linky Party at Funky Junk Interiors

Don't Miss Out-DIY projects, home decorating, crafts & more by checking out my subscribe page

Stop & Smell The Roses....Week 12

Hey Everyone!!!

It's Wednesday & time for another edition of.....




There are LOTS of things making me smile this week....
Wanna know what they are?!
Check out my video! 
 What's making you smile this week?!  Here are the links to all the features I talked about in this video......
Home Stories A to ZMy Uncommon Slice of SuburbiaTatertots & Jello Emily's video

My posts.....just in case you missed them!

Kitchen Updates

InstaFriday....Chicago Recap

Millionaire Pie

Follow Michael on Pinterest

Don't forget to check out Michael's blog as well!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Route 66 Nursery & Gallery Wall.....

Hey Everyone!!

Hope ya'll have had a wonderful Tuesday!!

Thrifty Decor Chick is having a "Show Us Your House" linky party tonight with the theme being nurseries/kids rooms. I shared pictures of Griffin's nursery a long time ago on this little ole blog (back when I had very few followers.) The child will be two years old in August, and I am sad to say....I am still "working" on the nursery! Pathetic, right?!

I just finished a little project in his room today, so I thought I would share it, as well as some updated pictures of his room! Ya know, since most of you have probably NEVER seen it anyway?!

 If you want to read the back story on how this nursery came to be, you can read my previous posts HERE and HERE.

I purchased these vintage license plates a few months several months ago at one of our local antique stores for just $6.00 a piece. The colors in the plates matched Griffin's room perfectly, and I immediately knew that I HAD TO HAVE THEM!

 The top one was a little dirty, but I just rinsed it off & it was good as new! Still rusty, but it EXACTLY the look I was going for! Cuz everyone knows that rust adds character, right?! :)

Then I just purchased an 11x14 frame and an 8x10 frame from Walmart. Both were inexpensive, I think I paid $9.00 for both of them!

 I removed the glass & the cardboard backing off of each, leaving me with two empty frames. I was going to use them to frame out each license plate to add a little more interest to my little gallery wall.

I attached the frames to the wall using these....

These puppies are SO EASY TO USE and they eliminate those pesky nail holes!
I LOVE THEM!!!  I did, however use little nails to attach the license plates to the wall because I really wasn't sure if the command strips would hold them.

In addition to framing out the license plates, I added the "stop" sign (purchased at Hobby Lobby) and the license plate frame with a picture of my little guy when he was just 3 months old!

Considering this wall has been blank for the past two years, I'm feeling pretty accomplished today!! :)

 I think it turned out pretty cute!

What do you think?!

The wall across from the crib (above the changing table) is yet ANOTHER gallery wall....

All of the goodies on this wall are from Hobby Lobby including the little shelf. I purchased it in the unfinished wood department at Hob Lob & painted to coordinate with the nursery decor.

 I LOVE the collection of little signs, the gas pump, & that old truck!
So cute!!

On top of the changing table, sit this black wooden box....

It once held all of Griffin's little "baby toys", but just as he has gotten bigger, so have his toys. Now they reside in a toybox in his closet! So, the black box now hold diapers, wipes, etc.

The chest of drawers is adorned with a few little knick knacks from Hobby Lobby as well.....

LOVE this little truck frame and also this adorable little sign....

 ALL BOY....am I right?!

Griffin's 1st birthday was a sock monkey theme & his little monkey sits all cute like in his little rocking chair....

Although he doesn't quite go with the "Route 66" theme, he still coordinates with the colors of the room! :)

This rug is one of my favorite things about this nursery & was purchased by one of my old co-workers (thanks Cyndi!) for my baby shower. It soft & plush....

And it looks perfect in front of his crib....

Griffin kinda likes it too....

As always, thanks for stopping by!!

Hope you enjoyed the tour!!

Linking up here....
Show Us Your House Linky Party at Thrifty Decor Chick
Uncommonly Yours at Uncommon Designs

Overflowing with Creativity at It's Overflowing
Tutorials & Tips Linky Party at Home Stories A to Z
Tuesday Treasures at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Weekend Wrap Up at Tatertots & Jello