Making a house a Home...

Ok so you might not know from my blog of late but I absoloutly LOVE to decorate! Have honestly toyed with the idea of a business... this is why I really enjoyed being Programs for PWOC, I can decorate on someone elses dime and it's a new program every month! :) 

Truly though I enjoy decorating and making things look exspensive on the cheap, using items for different purposes - and if I do say so myself I'm pretty darn good at it! LOL ...not to mention easily moved, lightweight or things I don't mind getting broken or having to dispose of -- after all I AM an Army Wife! ;) I've teased Tim that I am going to write a book called "Creative Decorating for Military Wives ... or how to squeeze 2000 sq feet of stuff into 900 ..." when we retire! For those of you not in the military you might think that all military housing is the same, which would of course make sense and is therefore WRONG! LOL ... every house is a different size, shape and layout!

 So, I haven't done as much in this house as I usually do though, I don't know if it's cause we actually own it, it's larger than usual, or my hormone issues that I just didn't care (truly a nonexsistent testosterone will do that to you) but I am starting to want to again ... either it's that or the fact that we left Ft Irwin in March of 07 so techinically I should be unpacking and decorating a different house again! :) Anyhow ... Maybe you're like me and are looking for a little after Christmas inspiration.  I found some great articles on seasonal decorating here The Inspired Room, here The Nester and here Winter Mantel's if like me you have a mantel you don't always know what to do with or just want some inspiration (ours is huge! For some reason the people who put our fireplace and surround thought it needed to be big, the mantel is actually a wooden board that's 1.5x10.5x96 so it presents a bit of a challenge at times!) . We have redone our upstairs bath (twice) and I love it right now although I need to finish it (I don't know how to do the corners on the wainscotting!)...

I love Nell Hill's store but it can be a bit pricey her blog has great ideas you can adopt to a Hobby Lobby, GoodWill budget though! Nell Hill's Blog  and Gatherings on the Prairie in JC is a fun store to visit as well -- very similar to Nell Hill's but a little cheaper (although I spent $100.00 in one fell swoop on Christmas decs without meaning to!)

Where do you get inspiration? From nature, other blogs? Decorating Magazines (hey they're cheaper than hiring a decorator buy a bunch and rip out the photos you like!), or books? Other Homes? (I LOVE Christmas/seasonal Home tours for ideas! A LOT of my decorating is "stolen" - tweaking someone else's ideas to fit your home!) Do you enjoy setting a beautiful table?

Don't see home decorating as unessential -- making your house/quarters/tent/etc a home is part of making memories with your family! And hey it's easy to change! I've had teens walk into our quarters and say "I wish my Mom would do this....."  There are all KINDS of ideas out there and I guarentee the Prov 31 woman did her home! ;)

Ok so that's just some ideas/thoughts... I promise to blog more on this subject soon! Oh and I pictures soon too....(gotta get a new camera!)