A simple way to send some love home with your guests.

These take-away gifts were so simple to make! I loved the way that they matched the woodland theme while providing a future opportunity for guests to take a breather with their families. I found this idea and tutorial on Pinterest. She has some super cute ideas for a lumberjack baby shower!

I had never heard of unflavored gelatine before this tutorial and I had no idea where to find it! I looked at 2 stores (in the jello section) before finding it at Walmart; a package of 4 envelopes for $1.34! Here's a picture for your reference, hopefully this saves you multiple trips and several google searches! 

Three words: Target Dollar Spot. This section has quickly become my favorite section in Target. Though it is a seasonal section, it consistently has super cute items for my classroom, crafting, or gifts! I found these bags to put the birdseed ornaments in, 10 bags for $1 - perfect. Always check the dollar section! I also found these cute gift tags (FREE) on Pinterest, which added a great finishing touch to the take-away gifts.

Start by searching Pinterest for your shower theme. I was super surprised by how many woodland themed showers have already taken place! Who knew!? If you are planning a surprise shower make sure your board is set to "secret"! I didn't want our expectant mama peeking at the plans! I was able to find SO many fun, easy, and CHEAP ideas using Pinterest! 

Narrow down your Pinterest board of ideas to what you can actually accomplish. I narrowed mine down to some key food ideas, games, a painting activity, and decor. It does not make sense to keep a bunch of over-the-top Pinterest ideas on your board - at least for me, that's super overwhelming. Start big, pinning anything that interests you, then make cuts based on what's realistic.

I am list obsessed. My go-to list organization is folding a piece of computer paper into quadrants - this forces my list to stay organized, which helps ME to stay organized. My list for the shower had these categories To Buy (sub categories: food, thank you gifts, other), Painting, Decor/Other. (I was able to have a volunteer take care of the games for the shower - so that did not make the list!)

Keep your list in an easily accessible place so that you don't forget about it! Before you buy anything double check your house, your mom's house, your friend's house, etc. for items you may already have access to. For items that you do need to purchase - slow and steady. Each time you hit the grocery store choose 1 or 2 items on your list to purchase. This is helpful for us because it's less spending all at once, it's less stressful, and it keeps us making decisions. For me, I find that the first things to get done on my to-do lists are the things I am most excited about. So if the event is upon us and we haven't made certain purchases, I ask myself "Is this important?" If it is, we make a last second trip to the store, but usually it's not and it ends up getting cut.

You can learn a lot about someone from the way they decorate their tree. Decorate your tree with things you love! You all know my obsession with wood... At our house we keep a sliver of our tree to hang and remember each year! The best trees tell a story; what story does your tree tell?

I love to spread Christmas touches throughout our home. Similar to how you would add pops of color to unite a space, I like to add pops of Christmas! I LOVE this reindeer "topiary", who brings Christmas to our kitchen island. (He sits next to my recent inspiration, my little orange teapot!)

I put it all together and my sweet husband hung it for me. Check out the finished product! ​

Paint chips are one of the most underrated items at a home improvement store. They are literally giving them away! They are FREE! They have an obvious purpose - choosing a paint color - but what do you do with them after you're done painting?

I am a "hoarder" of many things (just ask Dan!), old paint chips is one of them. Using paint chips in artwork is one of my favorite things to do. Not only is it awesome crafting paper (durable, vibrant, and doesn't fade), it's also the easiest way to coordinate with your house; they're YOUR colors!

Do you have old paint chips? Recycle them into some artwork! Make a bold geometric design or use a hole punch to silhouette a favorite figure. 

The other day I stumbled upon someone who shares my love of debris. I met Steven on an online yard sale group, and I will be stalking him from now on! He was selling barn wood planks that he had removed from a barn that was to be demolished. Dan and I met up with him on Sunday to take a look... Wow. He had barn doors, barn planks, barn signage, barn boxes, barn hinges, barn gates... I was in trouble. I wanted it ALL. Each and every piece was packed with character, and I couldn't help but imagine the stories they could tell.

As we looked through his truck, Steven described the way that old barns were usually dealt with: land-owners don't want to spend the time to take the barns down responsibly, so instead these barns get burned or buried into the ground.

"I save pieces of American history from being lost and forgotten about. Barns and farm buildings are so majestic and peaceful that they deserve so much more than being burnt down."
~Old American Barn

If you like to decorate with unique pieces that are chalk full of character, go and "like" his page right now! Your barn wood dreams are just a quick drive to Culpepper away!