[O' Christmas Tree]

O' Christmas Tree, O' Christmas Tree!
First thing first. Promise being made right now... and you're my witness!
I will NEVER throw away another button. EVER.
Here's why reason #1...

Dayana created this masterpiece with an assortment of buttons, attached to burlap, and mounted in an 8.5 x 10.5 hand painted distressed red frame. Original vintage scrabble tiles spelling NOEL grace the bottom of the tree. It's absolutely charming and one-of-a-kind! 

Reason #2...repeat never throwing away another button...

It doesn't get much more fun than this! The tree is made of wooden buttons covered in different designer paper, threaded with red yarn, and mounted on a framed painted canvas. Wow!

Feel free to borrow either of these creative ideas or check out our Etsy shop and let us make something for you! We'd love to bring sunshine to your Christmas. etsy.com/shop/SunshineOnCloudyDays

Bringing Sunshine [at Christmas & everyday],

Lori

[mr. and mrs.]

Yes, banner love is happening! And it started with this Mr. & Mrs. banner we made for Josh and Day's wedding head table. Then we moved the banner to their headboard!!! Check it out...

We also customized three pillows for their wedding day and placed them around the firepit seating area. It was sooo much fun (photos coming...promise!) As you can see, we also moved the pillows to their bed! Hey, why not?

On a tight but creative budget, Dayana made this slick headboard for only $30 and minimal time.

Here's how:

1. Determine your width and desired height. We used three 10' x 1' pine slabs, cut in half, from Lowes.

2. With a foam brush, stain with desired color (Dayana chose brown).

3. Let dry, then with foam brush apply satin polyurethane for a shiny but not too shiny finish.

4. Dry completely.

5. Starting from the bottom (at about mattress height, not from the floor) screw stained pine directly into wall. Stack and screw planks evenly one on top of other to your desired height. 

Their bedding ensemble is complete and full of sweet, special memories. Yep, banner love for sure!

Like what you see? Dayana is making banners and pillows at our Etsy shop and she'd be happy to customize  pillows or a banner for your home or special occassion!

Feel free to look around: etsy.com/shop/SunshineOnCloudyDays

Bringing Sunshine,

Lori

[be merry]

Tis the Season! I know I promised wedding...and it will come (waiting on professional photos which the sneak preview proved Ah-mazing)...but in the meantime, TIS THE SEASON!!! So if it's okay with you, let's mix Christmas with Wedding for a fun month of joy, happy creations, and bright ideas!

Let's get started! Need an extra splash of happy on your mantel, shelf, counter, or wall? Here's one of Dayana's newest creations...[yep, the gal has tremendous artistic talent]

Like what you see? Well, good news because we've opened our Etsy shop and Dayana would be happy to make a BE MERRY banner for you, too!  

AND...it's a great gift idea for friends and family!

Check it out, go to: etsy.com/shop/SunshineOnCloudyDays

Bringing Sunshine,
Lori

{wedding: 14 day countdown}

14 days and I will be dancing at my son's wedding!

After the wedding, I will post post post. Josh and Dayana have sooo many sweet, amazing ideas that will just have to be shared! But until then, it's wedding central in our home and not a whole lot of time to blog! Thanks for understanding. In the meantime, here's to your personal Happy Ever After story!!!

{wedding: 14day countdown}

14 days and I will be dancing at my son's wedding!

After the wedding, I will post post post. Josh and Dayana have sooo many sweet, amazing ideas that will just have to be shared! But until then, it's wedding central in our home and not a whole lot of time to blog! Thanks for understanding. In the meantime, here's to your personal Happy Ever After story!!!

{the floating vanity}

I am so ready to get my bathroom remodeled and back in order!

The Plan:   head to Lowe's tomorrow to order my bathroom vanities. After MUCH research, looking, procrastinating, looking some more, I think I've landed on "the look." And in this moment I am daring to put it on paper so I can document the journey and see how close I come with the final product. Of course, I reserve the right to change my mind (which I sometimes do!)

Goal:  a soft modern / traditional blend with clean lines and a classic look that I will love for years. We do NOT want to do this again.

Answer:  floating vanity  

Here are a few floating vanities that I love. All images are from Houzz.com. If you haven't discovered Houzz yet, oh boy, just stop now and browse. No need to look further than this site for any of your home decorating needs and "wants"! Go ahead, let yourself dream!

Shower, tub, and tile dream ideas will follow soon. Wish me luck at Lowe's!

{save the date}

Get ready because in the next three months I will be posting the most creative and prettiest wedding ideas! Let's start with this Save the Date notification uniquely created by my very own future daughter-in-love! This photo was taken in the woods behind our home. Simply nail a few empty pic frames to a tree along with hand-made paper hearts, sketch in the happy couple's names, grab a photographer (this photo taken by my husband...looks pretty professional, huh?), and wa-la you've got an amazing Save the Date notification. Josh and Day added something personal to their notice: the Love You More sign tacked to the tree on the right. Josh often tells Day, "I love you more" and she responds, "I love you most." When I stumbled on this Love you More sign at Kirkland's, I grabbed it thinking I'll give it to them for "something." Ha...what a great something!

The long story short? Josh met Dayana in Sydney, Australia this past January 2012. It was an instant love at first sight encounter. Fast forward to July when Josh returned to the U.S. with Dayana at his side for a two- week visit...AND we fell totally in love with her, too!

Proposal on July 20, 2012 at Cypress Gardens, South Carolina

First, the gorgeous canoe ride...

and then the proposal to remember...(friends hiding in the bushes catching it all on film)

She said, YES! 

We are so blessed and have been in continual celebration mode! 

Looking forward to sharing with you what I learn and experience along this exciting wedding planning journey!