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Spring Bouquet in a Garden Urn

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Spring Arrangement 003Did you read my post about The Lie of Perfectionism a couple of weeks ago?  Yeah well, I may have had to read that again myself before sharing my floral arrangement with you today.  I’ve never taken a flower arranging class in my life but I know the look I like.  I’m pretty sure a professional would take one look at my arrangement and want to fix it for me.  In fact, I did ask the opinion of a friend who has won awards for her floral arrangements and she had some suggestions for me, but after playing around with it a bit more I stayed with what was pleasing to my eye.

Spring Arrangement 002When I look into my dining room, which is several times a day as I go up and down the stairs, I feel happy.

Spring Arrangement 001 The sun streams through the plantation shutters onto my dining room table and reminds me that warm days are right around the corner.

Spring Arrangement 007This large bouquet is filled with some of my favorite flowers and, quite by accident in an attempt to fill a bare spot, a sweet bird’s nest with gold leafed eggs.

Spring Arrangement 008I have neither the time nor the money to create a new arrangement of fresh flowers every week, but over time I’ve invested in some really good faux flowers which I’ve mixed with some really average faux flowers, to create an arrangement that makes me smile.

Spring Arrangement 009A little burlap twisted around the stems of the flowers gives it the shabby touch I adore,

Spring Arrangement 012and a big French garden urn at the base of it all makes it a statement piece.

Spring Arrangement 013Nope, not even near perfect, but Perfectly Imperfect just like me!

Blessings friends 😉

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Sunday:

 TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, NiftyThriftyThings, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

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Looking Back While Looking Forward – Top Posts of 2015

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Another year draws to a close, and while most people have already put away their Christmas pretties, I linger.  I sit beside the fire in the den sipping hot tea and gazing upon the figures on my woodland themed mantle, dusted with shimmering snow.  I see the glow of the Christmas tree lights in the living room behind me reflected brightly in the den’s windows before me.  The rains pour down outside my windows and the dark clouds have cocooned my home in darkness.  Here in my den I find shelter from the heavy winter storm.  

Shhh . . . don’t remind me that the temperature outside is in the 60’s and that Christmas is over.  Let me spend a little more time enjoying the Wonder of Christmas.

Looking back on 2015 today I’ve compiled the most viewed posts of the year.  They are in two categories, Home Decor and Inspirational, since my blog is comprised of both!  If you choose to see more of any of these posts you can simply click on the pictures.

Here’s the countdown:

Drum roll please . . . because I’m kinda goofy like that!

Dining Room Reveal10. At Long Last Dining Room Reveal

Fall Porch 20159. Southern Etiquette & How to Make Your Neighbors Jealous of Your Front Porch!

Spring Basket8. My Secret to a Great Looking Arrangements Using Faux Flowers

Weathered Baskets 7. Giving Baskets a Vintage Look With Chalk Paint

Greenville Gardens Tour 1086. Southern Gardens Tour Part I

Screened Porch5. Spiffin’ up The Screened Porch The Easy Way

Preserved Boxwood 4. Decorating With Preserved Boxwood

Living Room Reveal3. Living Room Reveal

Twigs Easter Table 0022. One Fantastic Easter Table

 French Country KitchenAnd finally, in the Home Decor category,

1. Ideas For Adding a French Country Look to Your Kitchen

Next is the Inspirational category which was special to me.  It wasn’t just the traffic that caused me to share the top three, but there were also personal emails and stories shared behind the scenes that blessed me to no end as people related to the words God inspired me to write.  Whenever I wonder if I should include these posts on my site (because most people don’t want a Home Decor site that is “preachy”), the response I receive back confirms that I am to continue to speak what God lays on my heart.  I am probably more blessed than anyone who reads one of these posts by the feedback received.

So, moving right along, the top three Inspirational posts are:

welcome-sign3. Freedom Friday – on Hospitality

San-Simeon-Hearst-Castle2.  Freedom Friday – On Forgiving Yourself

Finally, the top post in the Inspiration category was the most heartbreaking for me but also a blessing to have been loved by a dog this good.

Snoopygirl1. Freedom Friday – Wise Words From a Dog Named SnoopyGirl

So, looking to the year ahead, I am excited that I’ll be continuing as a contributing author for Faith’nFriends (I hope you’ll all go over to the website and show some of the other writers some love), my friend Debbie Kitterman and I will be teaming up to teach on online course about starting a Mastermind Group, as well as getting our own group off the ground, I’m praying that I will have the opportunity to attend another writer’s conference this year, I’m looking forward to being on the launch teams of a couple of different books that author friends will be releasing in the new year, and I will also be plugging away here at home as I work on my own book and #write365.  Of course I will continue to make home improvements to share on Old Things New.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the year with me.  I have certainly enjoyed meeting new friends here on the blog and continuing relationships with those of you I’ve come to know and love through this wonderful job I get to do called blogging.  I am MOST blessed of the Lord!

Happy New Year and abundant blessings to you all!

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I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:

 TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, NiftyThriftyThings, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, Sunday Stillness

Monday:
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My Secret to Great Looking Arrangements Using Faux Flowers

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I am thifty. Yes I am.  But I also like my Faux Floral Arrangements to look good!  And while I’d love for my home to be filled with fresh flowers all the time, I don’t have the budget to replenish them each week.

Do you want to know My Secret to Creating Great Looking Arrangements Using Faux Flowers?  In this post I’ll share with you the Spring Basket I just put together for my front door.

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I started with a door basket made from loosely woven vines and lined it with some sheet moss.

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Then I tucked in some really nice looking purple and pink sprigs of faux lavender purchased at Michael’s, and some little sprigs of white flowers from my own stash.  The basket, the moss, and the flowers were, so far, very inexpensive . . . especially with coupons. I only shop Michael’s with coupons and I have the store App loaded onto my iPhone so I never forget my coupon at home.

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The next addition to my basket, and the crowning glory, were three gorgeous faux tulips.

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Buying a few realistic flowers to add to the less expensive flowers IS my SECRET to creating a gorgeous arrangement.

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  Having a few stunningly beautiful flowers tucked into an arrangement really makes it special, as they draw your eye directly to their beauty.  These particular tulips look so real that you want to touch them and, when you do, they even feel real!

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While realistic looking faux flowers can be expensive, I only needed three for this smallish basket, and they will last for years to come.

Spring Basket on Front Door 017

Last year I got to go to the LA Flower Market (pics HERE).  It is HUGE . . . blocks and blocks . . . and the prices are unbelievably LOW (unless you include the airfare to LA).  My local source for faux flowers is Twigs, in Greenville, SC.  Their single stem flowers, swags (like my kitchen swag HERE), and pre-made arrangements are fantastic.  I like to go there just to walk around and soak in the beauty!

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So were my beautiful tulips a little expensive?  Yes.  But since I’ll have them for years to come they were, in the end, a very thrifty find. If you liked this post please don’t forget to Pin It!

Now, do you know what would make my door pop even more?  Color!  Yes, I’ve been pinning pretty doors to my Exterior Door Colors Pinterest board for awhile now, so watch for some changes coming up soon!

Spring Basket on Front Door 007

Happy Spring y’all!

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I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
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Tuesday:
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