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Kick off the Holiday Season with STYLE!
In honor of Thanksgiving coming around the corner, I am surely in the holiday spirit! This year I will be visiting California and spending Thanksgiving with my cousins and family. I could not be more grateful to be celebrating with them this year! I am very close with my family but the distance hinders communication. I can't wait to spend quality time with them. Since I am not hosting Thanksgiving this year, I thought it would be nice to share gift ideas for the host to show my appreciation for having me. After all, it does take a lot of time, effort, and stress to be a host !! I feel they should be rewarded for their tremendous effort for putting together a wonderful evening. As it is the season of giving, I like to give gifts that are both functional and thoughtful.
Gift Ideas for the Host or Hostess
For the Wino (If you love wine say AYE! ..... Ayeeeee! ) - A bottle of wine with gourmet cheese, bread, and fig jelly spread. Or you can create this fabulous dinner basket with a pasta strainer and fresh pasta. Great idea for the couple who just moved in.
For the Tech Savvy - I have tech savvy people in my family. I found a list of cool tech gifts. I couldn't decide which gadget I liked most! Here is one of my faves. A charging case, which is totally needed for any person who is constantly on their phone (guilty).
For the Dream Chaser - Okay, I admit. I even want one of these beauties for myself! I found these mantra bands on Etsy.
For the Beauty - Create a beauty basket. It can be filled with nail polish, facial masks, or an amazing body scrub. Learn to make your own body scrub, here!
For the Cozy - A fuzzy blanket from West Elm paired with a great read, a fun mug, or a starter log if they have a fireplace.
For those of you hosting the part, I've got your tables decorations covered! The focal point during dinner parties is always the dining table or wherever you are serving the food. Learn how to create the perfect table scape for your dinner party!
5 Steps to a Fabulous Table Setting:
1. Candles - Nothing sets the mood of your evening than some candles burning! Place a couple votives or hurricane candles on the table as a centerpiece.
2. Linens - Add texture and interest to your table by layering linens. Add a table cloth to protect your table and to anchor the table with a basic color or pattern if you wish. Then add a table runner and contrasting placemats.
3. Glam Napkin Rings - I'm a sucker for some glamour! I am loving these brooches
4. Flowers and Naturals - I love fresh flowers but they don't have to be used for every holiday. Try using pinecones, white pumpkins, or gords for Thanksgiving.
5. Personalize It - If you are having a large gathering, sometimes it is easier to pre-determine where everyone is sitting first. This way you can avoid that awkward moment of people aimlessly standing around the table saying. "Where am I sitting?" or "I think I put my drink here...." Create decorative place cards or use Initial Ornaments that guests can take home after the party.
Not your #Basic Nighstand
Welcome to the No Basic Zone! Say Goodbye to the ordinary nightstand and Hello to unique! Here are 10 unconventional nightstands that add a little extra character and charm to your bedroom. 1. LADDER
2. NESTING TABLES
3. SHELF
4. STEP STOOL
5. SWING
6. TRUNK
7. CONSOLE TABLE
8. RECLAIMED WOOD
9. CHEST OF DRAWERS
10. CINDER BLOCK (Why not?)
Stray away from standard. Are you willing to be daring with your next nighstand? Which nightstand style was your favorite? Share your comment below, I would love to know! My favorite is the vintage trunk. Love the extra storage that it can pack - great for seasonal items.
The Nightmare of the Curtains!
I took on the challenge of installing stocked drapes for someone close to me. I made them semi-custom by hemming the curtains. My talented seamstress AKA my Grandma helped me on this special project..... and boy, was this task an adventure!!! It started with me buying the curtains from Bed Bath and Beyond. Due to the various ceiling heights, 84" was the best option. The issue I came across was that the one side of the room was significantly shorter.... which means I had to take up the curtains at least 12"+
"Not a problem!" I thought.
I installed the curtain rods and put the curtains up. I grabbed my pins and folded up the fabric to mark where the new hem should be. After I finished pinning, I took the curtains down and headed to Grandmas.
My grandma whipped out her sewing machine (which is older than me) and she got right to work! Until we realized, one of the curtains was sewed the wrong way. The hem was facing on the frontside instead of the back!! So what did we have to do? We had to take the stitch-ripper and re-do the entire thing..... It's ok, one small problem right?
No.
We hung the curtains up, and they weren't laying right - still too long in some areas. How did that happen?! We repinned and went back to the work room AKA my grandmas guest bedroom. We laid the curtains on the floor.... "Wait, these are crooked.....is it suppose to be 74" or 76?"
Before we sewed anything, we went back to remeasure. Turns out that the floor is slighting slanted!! Instead of sewing crooked curtains, we decided to hem at an average height.
After heading back and forth numerous times, we were completely drained. Staring at those curtains was the last thing we wanted to do. We pushed through tho! We finished the project, the curtains are installed. They look fabulous and you would have never known the blood, sweat and tears that went into them without this story. haha :) --- Ok, no blood but definitely sweat and tears happened....
FUTURE ADVICE: If your going to DIY, measure first. If not, hire a professional window treatment installer.
8 Tips to a Better Bedroom
Follow my blog with Bloglovin When it comes to designing, I feel like the bedroom gets neglected. The living room and kitchen tend to get the most focus and the bedroom usually is saved for last.
With a few quick changes, you can create a better bedroom without spending a lot of time or money.
1. ARTWORK - Artwork can change the feel of the room. It can add dimension and introduce colors into your space without painting. You can choose one large statement piece or opt for a gallery wall.
2. BED LINENS - A new comforter set can make your room feel brand new. You can even spruce up your bed with a throw blanket and some new pillows.
3. ADD LIFE - Place flowers or plants near your nightstand or in a place you can enjoy waking up to in the morning. We often use flowers for special occasions, why not make your bedroom feel a little special too? If you are looking for something low maintenance succulents or faux flowers can work!
4. DRESS YOUR WINDOWS - Don't over look window treatments, swapping out blinds for curtains can make a huge impact to your space.
5. DO IT YOURSELF - Make a statement with a fabulous headboard that you have created or a simple canopy. Get inspired by 30 Extraordinary Headboard Ideas.
6. LIGHTING - New lighting can change the way you look at your space and how it feels. Lighting really sets the mood for any room.
7. UNIQUE ELEMENTS - Add some character to your space with unique pieces such as a fun nightstand, a vintage chest, or a fabulous wall mirror. Having trouble deciding which piece to swap out for something different? Think about a place that you see the most - this way you can enjoy it the most :)
8. FRESH PAINT - A new coat of paint may be a bit time-consuming but it can also be a budget friendly way to change the entire look of the room.
How will you spruce up your bedroom? Tag AMA Designs on instagram so I can see your room! @byamadesigns #amadesigns
The Inner Struggle
As you may now, I have been participating in Alex Beadon's "Feel Good Blogging Challenge" this week. I am approaching the end stretch with today being DAY 6.
In middle school, I never really felt comfortable being who I was. Middle school was definitely the worst stage for me growing up. Think about it - you are going through that "awkward stage", you have no idea how to apply makeup or style your hair, and boys suddenly don't have "cooties" anymore. On top of that, you have the evil "cliques" that you have to deal with.
I was very outgoing and friendly in school. Regardless of the amount of people that I seemingly got along with, I was still bullied. When a group of kids are calling you names, of course you will question if is true. You start to question who you are and then you become insecure. The voice inside my head was worse then the voice of those girls.
But I broke free ..
One day, I woke up a NEW person. It was the day I found my voice. Surprisingly, my voice was so strong that it stopped all the bullying. It was that day that I realized who I was. It was the same year that I ran for Student Council President and won!
I managed to master middle school, but I haven't mastered self-doubt. Tell me if you can relate to some of these --- "Am I good enough? Can I handle it? Do I deserve this? I'm not smart enough. I'm not creative enough. I'm not skinny enough. Why aren't I more successful?"
It is time to start mastering the negative voice inside. I feel that we can be our worse critique! Our mind makes up excuses and reasons for not doing something and we end up holding ourself back. We skip out on opportunities to grow because of the voice of fear. It's time to listen to your "inner cheerleader" and start believing in yourself. If you don't believe in you, WHO will?
I have realized that these negative thoughts and feelings no longer serve me and they are NOT who I am. Sometimes it is best to do things in spite of our mind. I recently was in a "funk" and lacked passion and creativity. I was torturing myself inside. One day, I said "THAT'S ENOUGH." I took all my paint brushes, all of my drawing tools, all of my sketch pads, and got to work!! That day I surrounded myself with creativity and all the things that make me happy. I proved to myself, "Hey, I really am creative. I can do this".
A few months back, I was preparing to film an episode on how to create a home office. The night before I began to psych myself out. You're not confident enough. You're not exciting enough. You don't know what your talking about. You don't have enough experience. You aren't talented enough.
What did I do? I kept repeating in my mind the opposite: You ARE confident. You ARE talented. You ARE enough. You ARE creative. You ARE exciting! You ARE awesome and you can handle anything that is thrown at you !!
It was these affirmations that validated who I was. Not to mention, it helped me tremendously with my stage presence, performance, and confidence.
This is still a learning process for me. It is all about acknowledging your thoughts when they come in and letting them go if they do not serve you. I can tell you that bringing out your inner-cheerleader truly does help! Start looking at yourself in the mirror and say how wonderful you are. Start to appreciate and embrace everything about yourself!
If you haven't heard it today, I want to tell you that you ARE awesome and hope your day is as bright as you are.
Much love,
Amanda
5 Ways to Get Organized
Organization may not be your favorite thing to do but you can't live without it. I have created 5 easy tips that you can implement today!
1. Find a Home for Everything - The main reason why things pile up is because they don't have a place! Find a home for everything. Have a place to put your mail. Have a place to put your keys so you know where to find them later (I always lose mine). If everything has a home, you will know where to look!
2. Sort - Sort through the piles that have accumulated and create two smaller piles: 1) Recycle/Toss 2) File (if you want to break down the File pile even more you can separate it by kids, home, and personal).
3. Create Simple Solutions - Find what works for you. Create a simple organizing solution that you can follow on a daily basis. If you create a complicated solution, you are less likely to stick to routine. Organizing your work can be as easy as purchasing a few bins that are labeled: Do Now, Do Later, File.
4. Home Kits - I love this tip personally. Buy clear shoe boxes and create Task Kits. Think about all the tasks or projects you do. Group all the tools you need for that task in one bin. For example, I have a "Paint kit" with all of my paint supplies and brushes. Label the outside of the box so it is easy to pull off the shelf when you are ready to use it.
5. Schedule It - Some areas need more help than others. If you know an area that needs to be frequently decluttered, schedule a day to focus on that one space. For me, I clean my room at the end of each week and my office at the end of each day so I can go back to work the next day on a clean slate.
Looking for my organization tips? Check out my Pinterest board, "Organization Nation."
http://www.pinterest.com/byamadesigns/organization-nation/
My New Work Space & Tutorial!
I recently created an extra work space for myself specifically for crafting. I used to work on the dining room table with newspapers protecting the table which probably was not the best environment for me. My new work space is still in the works but I wanted to share with you what I have made so far and my ideas for the space. Since my new work space is located in the basement, it lacks creative inspiration and windows. To create a sense of natural light, I switched out the lightbulbs to the "natural light" bulbs. This provides better lighting for when I am trying to match colors with fabrics plus it makes the space feel as if I had windows open.
To create inspiration, I made a very large pin board to hang motivational quotes, places I want to visit, and design trends that I am loving right now. The BEST part about making my pin board is that I used leftover items around my office and it was SUPER EASY.
Here's how I did it:
MATERIALS: Foam board, fabric, ribbon, a hot glue gun, razor blade, scissor, ruler, and a hot glue gun.
STEP 1: Draw Stencil
Prepare to begin cutting your foam board. First, using a ruler and a pencil, trace the size and shape you would like to create. For my project, I created a 30" x 30" square.
STEP 2: Cut Board
After you have stenciled on the foam board the size you want, it is time to cut your foam board. I used a ruler as a guide and ran my razor blade along the ruler to create a perfect edge. You may need to go over it a few times to cut through all the layers of the foam board. PLEASE be very careful and take your time. I have cut myself before and it is NOT fun. If you can't do it, please find someone to assist you.
STEP 3: Apply Fabric
Apply your fabric (worry about trimming later). For my project, I actually used leftover wallpaper but feel free to use whatever material that you wish. If you are creating a small pin board, you could even use scrapbook paper. To apply the material, I evenly lined up my wallpaper to the edge of the board and applied hot glue along the outside edges.
STEP 4: Trim Fabric
After your material is applied and secure, I flipped over my board and used a razor blade to trim the excess material. If you aren't comfortable with the razor blade, you may use scissors. I particularly like using the razor because it is more precise.
STEP 5: Add Ribbon
YOU'RE ALMOST DONE!!! I added a ribbon along the edge of my board to create a more finished look. If you want to take it a step further, you can create a lattice pattern with the ribbon in which you can use to secure pictures and notes.
STEP 6: Apply Command Adhesive Strips
In order to hang my pin board and without adding holes to my wall. I added Command Adhesive Strips to the back of my pin board. Peel the paper off the back of the strips and TAAA-DAAA you are ready to apply to the wall.
I also made these helpful reminder clips using clothes pins that I purchased from the dollar store. I painted the clothes pins to match my board and then added word art.
I hope you enjoy creating your own inspiration pin boards! Please share your designs on Instagram and tag me @ama.designs in your post. I would LOVE to see how your pin board came out! :)
Hope your day is as AMAZING as you are!!
Much love,
AMA Designs