How to Make an Egg and Moss Wreath for Spring

Courtesy of Marian Parsons

Hi Friends,

Create a moss and egg wreath with paper mache eggs and light green Spanish moss for a simple and natural spring look.

Materials Needed:

• 12" grapevine wreath
• light green Spanish moss
• 12 paper mache eggs
• beige acrylic paint
• dark brown acrylic paint
• water-based glaze medium
• 1" artist brush
• empty egg crate
• toothbrush
• hot glue and glue sticks
• latex gloves

Paint Eggs
On a protected surface, apply two coats of beige acrylic paint to each egg with a one-inch artist brush. Tip: Acrylic paint dries in about 10 minutes; paint one side and allow to dry, then turn the egg over and paint the other side.

Speckle Eggs
Mix dark brown acrylic paint with water-based faux glaze in a 1:3 (paint:glaze) ratio. Don gloves; dip a clean toothbrush into glaze mixture, then run your thumb through the bristles to splatter glaze onto the painted eggs. Turn the egg to splatter all sides and place it in an egg carton to allow the glaze to dry. Tip: For a realistic look, splatters should vary in shape and size. To achieve this effect, vary the amount of pressure you place on the bristles.

Apply Moss to Wreath
Preheat hot glue gun. Apply hot glue to the wreath in small sections (Image 1). Pull Spanish moss apart into loose handfuls. Immediately push moss into hot glue and hold it in place until glue cools (Image 2). Repeat the process till front of wreath is covered.

Glue Eggs to Wreath
Decide placement of eggs on wreath (Image 1). Gently create a hole in moss to nestle eggs into. Apply hot glue to wreath and attach eggs where desired. Tip: Eggs will look best when placed individually or clustered together in groups of three (Image 2). To display, hang wreath on the wall, front door or over a mirror. It will also add a cheery spring touch propped on a bookcase, foyer table or buffet.

Enjoy your Spring wreath and make it a family project, quality time with a beautiful wreath at the end...

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Live well,
Yvonne

Colorful Spring Table Setting

Hi Friends,

Spring is just around the corner and warm weather on the way. Welcome spring or Easter guests with a playful yet chic table setting featuring happy shades of pink and green, oversized tissue pom-poms and fresh flowers.  Compliments of Marian Parsons.

Skip the Florist

Arrange inexpensive grocery store flowers, such as mums, daisies, alstromeria or carnations, in simple, tightly clustered bouquets placed in small ironstone pitchers. Stack arrangements on glass cake pedestals of various heights for added impact.

Fun Meets Flouncy

Instead of basic white linens, opt for color and a touch of pattern, like these lime green and white houndstooth placemats. The upbeat pattern and color keep the traditional china from looking too formal and fussy.

A Tisket, a Tasket

Fill miniature baskets with Spanish moss and speckled candy eggs as a sweet treat for guests. Finish each basket with a small tag cut from iridescent scrapbook paper. Label each tag with a guest's name, then attach with twine or ribbon. Place one at each place setting so the favors can also function as place markers.

Unarranged Arrangements

Arranging flowers needn't be intimidating or complicated. Simply choose three flowers in complementary colors and shapes. Cut stems so flowers sit about two inches above the top of container, remove all leaves that will fall below the water line, and bunch flowers together in a tight, mounded arrangement. To keep arrangements fresh, trim the ends and change the water every few days. Typically, most arrangements last about a week or two.

Natural Elements

When creating your centerpiece, be sure to tuck in a few surprises, like this tiny bird's nest complete with artificial robin's eggs. Also appropriate for the season: mushroom birds, silk butterflies and hand-blown glass bees or other insects. Craft stores are a great resource for small spring elements like these.

On a Pedestal

Cake pedestals are an excellent way to add height to a tablescape or vignette. For a natural touch, surround vases with small twigs or moss.

Finishing Touches

Tissue pom-poms add color, texture and fill space under the pedestals. On the tabletop, an open antique book adds interest, while malted milk eggs around the pedestal base complete the springtime look.

Enjoy the Spring weather and welcome your guest with fantastic meals and great conversation...

Check back for more great Spring ideas from your friends at Interior Design!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

Happy President's Day!

Hi Friends,

We wanted to share this poem about our leaders who put pride in Red, White & Blue.

Our Presidents

by Winifred Sackville Stoner, Jr.

George Washington, Adams and Jefferson three
First rulers of Uncle Sam’s land of the free:
Then Madison, Monroe and Adams again
All clever and upright and good honest men;
The Jackson, Van Buren and Harrison first,
Tyler and Polk whose terms were so curst
By war with the Mexicans who lost in the fray -
Then Taylor and Fillmore and Pierce held their sway.
Buchanan and Lincoln, Johnson and Grant,
Then Hayes, martyred Garfield, despiser of cant,
Arthur and Cleveland, Harrison (Ben)
McKinley the martyr, beloved by all men;
Then most energetic and strenuous Teddy
And plump William Taft for a second term ready
When Wilson was placed in this nation’s great chair
And promised to always rule wisely and fair.

Happy President's Day from your friends at Interior Design!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

Happy Valentine's Day

Hi Friends,

May you enjoy the day with the person closest to your heart...

Happy Valentine's Day from your friends at Interior Design!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

10 Romantic Valentine's Day Cocktails

Hi Friends,

Happy Valentine’s Day! Have you found (or made) that perfect gift?  There’s still time to create a thoughtful, delicious present: a romance-themed cocktail. Here are some favorites compliments of Keri Sanders …

Romeo and Juliet Cocktail

By Stephen Phillips

For your uber-romantic dinner for two, try the, ahem, to-die-for Romeo and Juliet cocktail. Top tequila and Grand Marnier with peach juice and ruby-hued Chambord. Garnish with an orange twist and a few maraschino cherries. Just add a not-too-cheesy card.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. Patron Silver tequila
1/2 oz. Grand Marnier
1/4 oz. cherry or Chambord raspberry liquor
2 oz. chilled peach juice
3 maraschino cherries, garnish
Orange spiral, garnish

Preparation:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice; add tequila (or Absolut Apeach), Grand Marnier, cherry liquor and peach juice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds and pour into a chilled fluted glass or large martini glass.

Place orange spiral on the lip of the glass so it drapes down the side.

For a fluted glass: drop a cherry into drink.
For a martini glass: skewer three cherries on a swizzle stick and lay across the lip.

White Sand

By Stephen Phillips

Lemon and mint are the stars in this delectable drink. And as simple as it is to make, this cocktail leaves plenty of time for dinner and dancing with your loved one.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 oz. Prosecco
1 oz. Cachaca
1 1/2 cup lemon sorbet (depending on how slushy you desire)
1 fresh mint leaf, garnish

Preparation:
Add lemon sorbet to a tall chilled fluted glass and pour in Cachaca and Prosecco. Stir gently and garnish with fresh mint.

Romance Caribeño

By Stephen Phillips

Whether you’re rendezvousing on a romantic island getaway or keeping warm by the fire, you can channel an island feel with this beachy delight. A mix of Malibu rum, lime and lemon juice makes for a fun, flirty cocktail — perfect to share with someone special.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. Malibu rum
1 oz. Cointreau, or Grand Marnier
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
3 oz. chilled lemon-lime soda
Dash of grenadine, for color
Lemon wheel

Preparation:
Add rum, Cointreau and juices into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake for five seconds. Pour into a chilled fluted glass. Fill the rest of the glass with lemon-lime soda. Add a dash of grenadine, and garnish the rim with a lemon wheel.

Valentino's Delight

By Stephen Phillips

To follow a romantic meal, delight your special someone with this sweet and creamy cocktail.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. bourbon
1 oz. ruby port, the sweeter the better
1 oz. Kahlua
1 1/2 oz. heavy cream
Ground nutmeg

Preparation:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add liquids and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain into a large chilled martini glass. Gently sprinkle nutmeg on top.

Amour a Mosa

By Stephen Phillips

Evenings aren't the only time for creating magically amorous moods. Here's a potion to add romance to a breakfast for two. Add a fresh spin on the classic mimosa, add orange-infused vodka and mango juice. The result is sure to please your sweetie, and the preparation could not be easier.

Ingredients:
1 chilled bottle of Champagne
1 1/2 oz. vodka, infused with orange
1 oz. chilled mango juice
1 oz. chilled orange juice
1 fresh viola, pansy or nasturtium flower, depending on your color mood (these are edible, but make sure no chemicals have been added)

Preparation:
Pour vodka and juices in a chilled fluted glass, and fill the rest of the glass with Champagne. Garnish by placing one of the edible flowers atop the drink.

Un Dia en el Paraiso

By Stephen Phillips

This ruby-red cocktail is the perfect drink to share with your sweetheart, making any night a night full of amor. You and that special someone will feel like you're enjoying a day in paradise while sipping this tropical nectar of love.

Ingredients:
1 bottle chilled Prosecco
1/2 oz. Limoncello
1/2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. Cointreau
Dash of grenadine, for color
Maraschino cherry

Preparation:
In a shaker of ice, pour Limoncello, vodka and Cointreau and shake for 20 seconds. Pour this medley into a tall fluted glass. Fill the rest of the glass with Prosecco. Add a touch of grenadine and stir gently. Drop a maraschino cherry into the glass.

A Rainbow of Love

By Stephen Phillips

This colorful cocktail is made up of four savory fruits on top of chilled Prosecco and gin. It's a classic Italian cocktail aptly named for the beautiful rainbows seen on many romantic afternoons from the Ristorante Covo dei Saraceni in Positano.

Ingredients:
1 bottle chilled Prosecco
1/2 oz. dry gin
1/2 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. chilled pineapple juice
1 1/2 oz. chilled orange juice
1/2 oz. chilled grapefruit juice
1 whole strawberry

Preparation:
Chill a long fluted champagne glass a few hours in the refrigerator before preparing. When ready to serve, remove the glass and pour in juices, gin and a touch of Cointreau. Fill the rest of the glass with Prosecco. Gently stir, and drop a strawberry in the bottom of the glass.

Touch of Venus

By Stephen Phillips

Discover the superb flavors of Italy in this potion of love. What’s more romantic than a luxurious white wine? Try a white wine with amaretto, Limoncello and lemon juice.

Ingredients:
3 oz. dry white wine
1 oz. Limoncello
1/2 tsp. amaretto
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Lemon spiral, garnish

Preparation:
Add liquids to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake for five seconds and strain into a large wine goblet. Place lemon spiral garnish on top.

Chocolate Mandarin Dream

By Stephen Phillips

Fall in love with this cocoa creation, and let it transport you to another place — one filled with delicious, chocolatey goodness. This divinely decadent and sensual cocktail is wonderful for a romantic Midsummer's Night, Twelfth Night — or any night for that matter.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. mandarin Absolut vodka
1 oz. Godiva white chocolate liqueur
1/4 oz. mandarin Napoleon liqueur
1 tbs. sweet cocoa powder
1 tsp. dark chocolate shavings
Orange wedge

Preparation:
Rub the orange wedge around the lip of a large chilled martini glass. Lightly rim the lip of the glass with cocoa powder. Fill a shaker with ice and add vodka, liquor and liqueur. Shake well for five to 10 seconds, and pour into a chilled, rimmed martini glass. Scatter the chocolate shavings around the top of the drink, and serve with a chocolate candy kiss.

The Lover

By Stephen Phillips

Before enjoying a romantic meal with your love, enjoy this sumptuous cocktail, the perfect blend of Prosecco, Limoncello, vodka and Cointreau. Channel your spirit and passion with an amorous aperitif from the coast of Amalfi.

Ingredients:
1 bottle chilled Prosecco
1/2 oz. Limoncello
1/2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. Cointreau
Dash of grenadine, for color
Maraschino cherry

Preparation:
In a shaker of ice, pour Limoncello, vodka and Cointreau and shake for 20 seconds. Pour this medley into a tall fluted glass. Fill the rest of the glass with Prosecco. Add a touch of grenadine and stir gently, and drop a maraschino cherry into the glass.

Hope you enjoy these romantic delights with your special Valentine...

Happy Valentine's Day from your friends at Interior Design!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

Tips for Crafting Handmade Valentines

Courtesy of HGTV

Hi Friends,

Make one of these charming valentines using supplies like card stock, beads and buttons. Originally, valentines were spoken aloud or sung. Fortunately that practice gave way to handmade paper valentines around 1400, and it remained so until the 1800s, when one-of-a-kind, delicate valentines were replaced with mass-produced cards. Return to those days of something special with these charming handmade valentines. Buy blank cards or make them out of card stock. Then use these ideas to create your own personalized valentines. Each card has its own clever inside sentiment, but you can write your own or draw on tradition and quote a love poem or song.

Pearly LOVE Card
1. Trace your card onto the back of a piece of scrapbook paper. Cut inside (not around) the line you drew using decorative scissors. This will ensure that the decorative paper is slightly smaller than the card and will be framed nicely by it.

2. Center the decorative paper on the front of the card and glue it in place.

3. Lightly draw letters onto the card by hand, or use a ruler if it makes you feel more comfortable. Spell out LOVE, but you can draw a heart or spell out other words, such as KISS, TRUE LOVE, XOXO (hugs and kisses) or BE MINE.

4. Use hot glue to attach the pearl beads (all the same or various sizes and shapes, like ours) to the card.

5. Write something sweet inside, like "You're as rare and lovely as a pearl, Valentine."

Lacy Heart Card
1. Trim the edge of a card with scallop scissors.

2. Use a tiny hole punch to make a hole in the middle of each scallop, creating a lacy effect.

3. Cut a heart out of a lace paper doily or use heart-shaped doilies.

4. Glue the lacy paper heart onto the card with a glue stick (just a bit here and there will hold it, too much will flatten or tear the delicate paper).

5. Add a little color if you like with a scrap of ribbon tied in a bow.

Phone Card
This card design comes from Wanda Thorpe.

1. Trace or draw a phone receiver on paper, or print one off your computer from one of the clip art sources. Either print directly onto the card, or print on paper, trim and glue to the card.

2. Draw hearts coming out of the phone, or use stickers or stamps.

3. Inside, tell your valentine something silly and clever ("You had me at hello, Valentine.") or something sweet and sassy ("Redeem this phone card for unlimited minutes, Valentine.").

Beaded Heart Card
1. Cut a piece of vellum paper with deckle scissors and glue the center only to the front of a card (don't glue down the edges). Make the vellum as large or as small as you wish.

2. Cut a heart out of a sheet of double-stick tape (or use the pre-cut shapes). Attach the heart to the center of the vellum and peel off the backing.

3. Place the card in a shallow tray or paper plate to catch excess beads, and sprinkle the surface with beads of your choice. Shake the extra beads off and save them. Repeat this step or fill in any blank spaces by placing beads directly onto them. Note: You can also use glitter, or cut a heart out of glitter paper for a less messy version.

4. Write something inside like, "You make my life sparkle, Valentine."

Button Heart Card
1. Using a pencil, lightly draw or trace a heart onto the front of a card.

2. Glue buttons on the card one by one using a hot glue gun or thin glue dots. Note: Liquid glues aren't a good choice here because most of them make the paper ripple. If you lay down a large piece of double-sided tape, every piece of lint, paper scraps, dust and debris will stick to it in between the buttons.

3. Place larger buttons first and make sure you have a variety of sizes, including especially small buttons to fill in the tiny spaces. Use white buttons on a colored card or use red or pink buttons on a white card.

4. Write "You're as cute as a button, Valentine" inside.

Excellent ideas for your special Valentine, Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day from your friends at Interior Design!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

Live well, Yvonne

Simply Sweet Valentine’s Day Ideas

Hi Friends,

It’s only a couple of weeks until Valentine’s Day! Let's celebrate this romantic holiday in style with some heart-felt ideas from Kim Stoegbauer with The TomKat Studio.

In honor of the celebration of all things romantic, The TomKat Studio designed a new printable collection for Valentine’s Day and styled a simple tablescape to inspire your love-filled festivities.

For more details about the tablescape, visit The TomKat Studio. The Simply Sweet Valentine Printable Collection is available in the shop and includes pages upon pages of sweet designs for celebrating Valentine’s Day!

Kim Stoegbauer is a Party/Photo Stylist and Editor of The TomKat Studio. Her work and products have been featured on HGTV.com, MarthaStewart.com and in Celebrate Magazine, Parenting Magazine and several other publications and is kindly sharing the “LOVE” banner design as a free download: Simply Sweet Valentine Banner. Learn more about Kim at www.thetomkatstudio.com.

Hope you enjoy these ideas as much as we enjoyed bringing them to you...

Check back for more great ideas from your friends at Interior Design!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne