What is Avel Woodworking?

avelwoodworking

So here we are again, friends, it has been a minute. 

Today, I am bringing a great artisan to your attention.

Avel Woodworking is a small, family-operated company that works with wood. 

They make everything you can imagine. I decided to share a few of their small pieces with 

you because the craftsmanship is stunning. 

I have seen their work firsthand. I have a few of their pieces.

If you have been around for a while, I would like to share small businesses with you.

 So, what do they do? 

They create unique cutting boards, home decor, wall hangings, door hangers, 

earrings, furniture, cabinetry, and so on.

If you can lend a bit of support, visit their website. The prices are incredibly fair. 

The great thing is that they will also create a custom order for you when it is offered. 

Take a peek at their store and save it to your favorites, and share it with friends.  

These are high-quality items.

Avel woodworking

Avel woodworking

Avel woodworking

St. Valentine's Day Wreath

 

After the Holidays, instead of putting away all the decor, why not transition to the next holiday by using the decor that you already have on hand. An easy idea perhaps is by re-using a Christmas door wreath.

 For this little project, I simply used a Christmas berry wreath.

I purchased heart picks covered in glitter, both in red and in pink at our local Dollar Tree. I then placed them around the wreath to make it look more like a Valentine wreath.

 I also added three Valentine's Day pom-pom picks to the wreath for fun.  You may find a number of hearts at any craft store or section of a retail store that sells seasonal items. It only cost three dollars for this project.

You may apply it to a floral arrangement, table scape, or a tier trey. I slid the pick part of the hearts through the branches, and it held well.

This is so easy, it doesn't really need instructions, simply add the hearts or other decor pieces randomly around the wreath and you will now have a St. Valentine's Day wreath on your door. Get creative and extend your current decor to the next season.

Happy Decorating!

Christmas Home 2021

It has been a very long time since I have posted images for the Advent and Christmas season.

Today, I will be sharing some of my Advent & Christmas decor.

We moved from our previous home several months ago into a new home. This is our first Christmas season in the new home. Let's begin our short tour with Advent.

This year, I changed my Advent wreath center piece. I used a plain pine wreath that I purchased a few years ago and placed a candle holder within it. I purchased beeswax candles and decorated the wreath with pinecones and lamb's ear branches. Then I placed the Holy Family in the center for now.  

I love how simple it is and that the Family is very visible. This week, we lit the Third Advent candle, which is the rose candle, and it represents Joy. We await the light of the world, which is the Christ child, Jesus. We light a candle each Sunday leading up to Christmas.  Technically, it is currently the Advent season, but the majority of people are not aware of this since, over the decades, commercialism has distorted the celebration of the season.  I won't get into that, though.  But we are in the season of Advent, the season of waiting for the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day.  It is then the first day of the Christmas season, and it lasts 12 days; hence, if you are familiar with the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas," now you know why they sing about it. Again, the song has great meaning, but again, I will not get into that now, but you may look it up.  This year's Advent wreath is on our dining table.

As you enter our home, you will see our favorite Hobby Lobby table that I purchased a couple of years ago.  You may have seen it on the previous Instagram account if you followed.

I have the Nativity displayed on top. I purchased it at Kirkland's. 

On each side, I placed a little pine tree with lights and of course my diffuser sits on a corner to give the essence of the season since I do not have real tree.

On the bottom, I have placed houses and a church that all light up to make the evening luminous.

There are pom poms and decorative branches to make it look festive. I'll change it up next year.

 I do not have a cocoa bar this year, but instead have this lovely tier trey displaying some of our festive mugs. It looks like the shape of a Christmas tree and so I placed a small Nativity on the very top. We have a snowman family, St. Nicholas and other festive pieces.

Moving along, you then walk over to the breakfast area. 

Above, I had a little snowman with flowers and no tablecloth.  Since this picture was taken, I have changed it to what it is below.  I placed a tablecloth and added a rosemary plant. Of the two, which do you like better?

And finally, we have our tree. 

This is the Kennedy Fir Narrow tree from Tree Classics.  

Tree Classics has now merged with Balsam Hill. This tree was the perfect size for this space so if you need something narrow, I recommend this one. It looks very real, and it is easy to assemble.

My theme is somewhat country, but I added pieces from when my son was little, snow, pinecones, and other ornaments. My favorite is the cotton stems on the top of the tree. 

I hope that you enjoyed this very simple Christmas tour and hope that you will link yours below in the comment area so we can all visit your home tour. 

I hope that you enjoy the rest of the season.

Thank you for stopping by today.

Happy Advent and

Merry Christmas!

Bring on the Merry: Gift Ideas

I have been missing from here for quite a while, and it has been due to life-changing circumstances, friends.  I want to thank you for sticking around. Life is certainly different, but I trust that along this difficult road, my family & I are not alone. Getting back on track here will be a process as I try to figure out how to manage it. I know many of you have had difficulties in the last couple of years, too.  It seems that everyone I meet now has gone through or is going through something difficult.

I find myself writing in journals and bible study books instead of online. It's easier and it feels rewarding somehow. I don't have to log on to anything, I can open my book and begin writing.

It's a healthier way to work with your talents, ideas and creativity. This book in particular helps bring in some peace of mind especially during the coming season.

The season is almost upon us, friends, and while we are preparing for Thanksgiving, which will be very soon, I think one of the best places to shop is Dayspring online.

 One of the items available is this lovely journal. I think it will make either a great gift for someone or for yourself.  During this time, I think it is greatly needed to bring on the joy and cheer. Candace Bure is the author and if you are familiar with her then you know that you will get something good. Shop the Exclusive Candace Cameron Bure Collection now!  

There are daily devotionals in this book that point to life changing words from the Bible and encourage to focus on living in a relationship with Jesus- especially during this busy time of the year.  I love that there are interactive activities that guide me in reflecting more deeply on my readings. 

This book has lovely stories, poems, and song lyrics to keep the season alive as you read through.

I find that the best time for me is in the morning in order to keep all the goodness of it within and share with others like I am doing with you now. 

There are so many lovely items on Dayspring to get us ready for the season, gifts for friends, family, and neighbors. I have chosen this lovely set of greeting cards to share with friends as a reminder of what Christmas is really about. 

This illustration is so simple yet so lovely. There are many to choose from, though, and you can't go wrong. There are also sweet gifts to share, like the honey pot below.  It is simply adorable.

I love this honey jar, if you are interested in getting one just visit DaySpring Cards Inc before they are gone. This is definitely one to have. Lastly, I wanted to share my new mug with you, I will get some of these items as gifts for friends as well because they are beautiful.

The mug has a message on both sides, and I love that it is not heavy, it is well made and comfortable to hold. My morning coffee is extra special with the reminder written on it.

These make lovely gifts.  Visit Dayspring!

Thank you for stopping by and reading my post today. You are appreciated!

* This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase.

10 Mistakes to Avoid with Raised Garden Beds

image: eartheasy

There are many people today that are creating their own gardens at home whether in their backyards, front yards, or even a small space inside their home.  There are also co-op gardens available for those that may not have space to grow their own produce on their property.

If you are someone who may be considering starting your own raised bed garden, here are several mistakes to avoid.

Creating a Border with Vincas

Today, I will share with you how I created a simple border with Vinca flowers in my backyard. As you know, during the winter months, our yards tend to look pretty sad and dull, and in the spring, we can bring them back to life by planting flowers. I chose Vincas for this little project. I wanted to create a border with these flowers because they bloom year after year. They are round, flat flowers that appear on top of 12 to 15-inch stems. These drought-tolerant bedding plants thrive in any soil type as long as it is fast-draining and not overly fertile. These are very easy to care for. I purchased small flowers in a pack of 12 that only cost me ten dollars, so I got a lot of starter flowers that will eventually grow nice and thick to fill the whole space and will look lovely. You may also plant these in pots if you do not have a yard or space to plant them.

Gift Ideas for Her

St.Valentine’s Day is almost here, but don’t let that be the only reason that you buy someone a gift or buy yourself something, celebrate every day! After all, we should be thankful for waking up every morning. Today I will share personal items that can make great gifts for someone in your life or for yourself.

We appreciate beauty, style, and relaxation, so I will share a few items that fit those categories. For instance, I like to put away my jewelry, especially my favorite Gold earrings, in a lovely Jewelry case, such as the one that you see here.  It has several compartments, making it a perfect storage solution for your precious accessories; it is just plain adorable.  Do you love beautiful gold earrings too? I know that I do! I love to look well put together, so I use different styles of earrings for different occasions, and these lovelies are great for when I go out with friends or on a date night.  I like to pair them with a simple, classy necklace thrown on my clothes, and head out. I just love the simplicity yet the beautiful design,n as I do with many other accessories.

DIY: Shiplap Fireplace

We finally managed to place a shiplap feature over our fireplace. It only took eight years, but it finally made it up on the wall. We want to focus a bit on improving our home bit by bit, to make it our own. This is mostly cosmetic and not a necessity, but as I mentioned, we want it to reflect us. Currently, it does not. We were also going to replace the tiles, but the guy never showed up. What is that all about?  I don't even know.

So I researched some projects online, and I have to say there weren't many on how to go about this small space. We went to Lowe's and purchased shiplap boards, but not the kind that comes with the gaps. The only kind available at the time was the textured kind.  It was really rough and dark, so we used the backside of it instead.  I believe that the boards came in a pack of 6. We purchased a quart of white paint and the rest of the supplies we had at home.

Antique Farmhouse Home Decor Ideas

(Antique Farmhouse)

Hello friends, it's been a minute since I have posted.  Now that we are getting close to the holiday season and people are already decorating their homes, I thought I'd share some finds. I was browsing over at the Antique Farmhouse and they have so many wonderful pieces for the Holidays. I want to share it with you before they are all gone. They are so beautiful and yet subtle. Take, for instance, this beautiful wreath.

Set the Table with Faux Tin Place-mats

I have partnered with Country Sampler Farmhouse Style Magazine to bring you
some creative decorating ideas for your home.
Today, we will show you how to enhance your dining table with the
delicate beauty of faux-vintage tin ceiling tiles, turned into placemats, as seen
in Farmhouse style -Autumn 2018.

NEW at the Dollar Tree, Expressions from Hallmark & Heartline a Hallmark Company

**I was compensated for this post. This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you 

make a purchase after clicking on my links.

There are over 6,500 Dollar Tree stores nationwide, and on August 30th, every store will carry Expressions From Hallmark, $1 each, and Heartline, a Hallmark company, 2 for $1. With hundreds of new greeting cards to choose from, you can celebrate every moment with your friends and family and save. 

On August 30th, the following cards will also be available at select stores:
Mahogany: Mahogany enhances emotional connections among family, friends, and the community, and celebrates what is most beloved about Black culture.
Vida: VIDA expresses the voice of Latinos across generations, bringing them closer together to celebrate life’s special moments.
Tree of Life: Tree of Life brings Jewish family and friends together to celebrate their faith and culture by honoring meaningful holidays and milestones.

I just love this great selection of cards.  Now I don't have to spend so much on one card, but I buy several for all occasions, and they are all at Dollar Tree. 

One of my favorite collection is by Joyfully Yours and I believe they are affiliated with DaySpring company. I love the quality and also the messages that are written on the cards.
Joyfully Yours: Joyfully Yours lets family and friends express their faith in just the right way during holidays, special occasions, and moments big and small.

I have viewed a lot of their cards already and they have many varieties to choose from, there are birthday cards, congratulation cards, thank you cards and much more. The quality of the greeting cards is great so you will be saving big on these cards.  

If you are like me and like to be prepared for different events, this gives you the opportunity to buy several cards for different occasions and have them on hand at home, when it's needed. For more information, visit the DollarTree online as well at www.DollarTree.com! 

I hope that you enjoy the new cards as much as I have, and stock up for the year.

Make a Raised Garden Bed

In today's post, I will share our latest project, a "Raised
Garden Bed".  I will keep the post short and sweet.
There are several ways to construct a raised
garden bed, and it all depends on your budget, the size that you
want and the wood you will use.
Our garden bed is 18 inches in height, which gives me enough room to
plant vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and onions. It is 3 x 6
feet. To get an idea of the type of garden bed that you
want to build, I will provide this link here.
There, you will see several varieties; you may choose which one to make.

We planted some seeds this summer in biodegradable egg cartons,
so when they sprout, we may plant them in our vegetable garden.
You may view that on my Instagram account.




We added chicken wire to the bottom as well as this dark weed
liner to prevent weeds from growing & critters from digging
from underneath the bed.


My husband measured the width & length on the ground
to remove the grass to prepare the ground for the raised bed.

We added the soil and mixed it with organic compost. 

After the soil was mixed into the garden bed, we added the plants.

I hope that this inspires you today to create your own garden bed.

Thank you for stopping by.

Cricut Savings on Materials & Machine Bundles

*This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Hey friends,  Today I want to share a sale with you from our friends over at Cricut.  
This week, Cricut is offering huge savings on Material & Machine Bundles! 

For my crafty friends out there, this is a must-have for all kinds of projects, especially with
Valentine's Day is ahead!  

So if you are in the market to buy something like this to make crafting a whole lot easier. 
Now it's time to get it along with the supplies on sale.

There are many other products on sale right now on their site, so head on over to their site!

Cricut.com is offering Free Standard Shipping on orders $99+ 
with code CRICUTLOVE. Let me know what you get or what you have made with 
Cricut products. 

Christmas Tree Storage Solution

I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas. We have enjoyed our Christmas celebration this year.

With family and friends as we have sung songs, played games, and feasted on sweets. As

we move into the twelve days of Christmas, it is our tradition to keep our Nativity set out until

the Epiphany, which falls on January 6th. The rest of our Christmas decoration is

put away until next Christmas. This year, I have partnered with Tree Classics to share

our storage tips.

For this campaign, I received a Deluxe Upright Tree storage bag from Tree Classics to
put away the Christmas tree and decorations with ease as we transition into the New Year.
When I received the Deluxe Upright Tree storage bag, I unpacked the bag from the box and laid
it out on the floor to get a better look.  My Tree Classics Christmas tree is 7.5 feet tall, so this
storage bag is a perfect storage solution.


To store your tree, make sure to unplug it, then remove all of the ornaments and decorations.
At our home, we usually start from the bottom of the tree and work our way up
to the top until everything is removed. I lay the ornaments on the table and then store them
away after the tree is in the storage bag. Here’s a tip to help make your transition
a bit easier. Purchase one to three ornament storage containers so that your
ornaments are all in one place when you need them.  This makes storing and decorating so
much easier year after year. Many places offer storage containers for
ornaments, including online. You may be creative and use anything around your home as well.
I am currently using one of these storage boxes for my glass ornaments, and store my other
ornaments in bags to store them inside the tree bag, inside the bottom pocket.



Once all the decorations have been removed from the tree, I unplug each section of my Kennedy
Fir Narrow Christmas Tree from the center.  This will make it easy to move the tree sections if
they need to be moved.

The storage bag that I received is a tough canvas-like material.  It feels thick and sturdy, plus
it looks like it will keep out dust and dirt from the tree. The bag has sturdy compression straps
that provide the tree with maximum support, which I love.  This bag accommodates fully
assembled trees that measure up to 7.5 feet tall and features an extra pocket for storing away
extra ornaments and accessories.






The side handles make moving the tree easy. A clear tag holder allows you to identify the bag’s
contents conveniently.



The bag measures 30” long x 30” wide x 89” high and is made of heavy-duty 100% polyester
fabric.  The storage bag attaches to your tree stand and may be used as a simple tree skirt
during the Christmas season.

(Below is the image of the top opening of the Tree Bag.)


When it is time to put your tree away, you will open the bag, lay it flat on the ground, and put
your arm through to the bag until you reach the bottom, where you will place your tree stand.
Then align the bag with your tree base and slide the bag over it.  Tip the bag over to fasten the
straps to your tree stand with the buckles provided, then flip the stand back over.  Place your tree
on the stand, and make sure that there are no ornaments on your tree.  Have two people pull the bag
upwards like a funnel; it compresses the branches upwards as you move it. Once you reach the
top of the tree, gather the bag and pull the string tight. If you have a tree that is taller than
7.5 feet, you may have to remove the top of the tree and place it in the bottom pocket.
When the tree is in the bag, fasten the buckles on the sides to further compress it into place.
To store it, carefully tilt it a bit and carry the tree into storage until next year.

When it is that time of the year again, grab your tree from storage, unfasten the top zippers &
straps, pull them down and gather them on the inside of the bag’s base to hide the rest of the
bag forming a tree skirt.

I love my Tree Classics Christmas Tree Storage Bag; it is easier for me to put away my tree as
well as carry it out to get it ready for the Holidays. I think it is a great quality bag, I do not see
any negatives, but only the convenience of this bag. If you want a Tree Storage bag, head over
to Tree Classics; they are having a sale right now!

Thank you, Tree Classics, for hosting the Deluxe Upright Storage Bag campaign.

Be sure to visit  Laura from Pet Scribbles for more creative ideas on how to store your
Christmas decorations and ornaments, and visit the Tree Classics Facebook page live at
7:30 EST as the campaign closes with Jennifer Lutz from Tree Classics.

*Disclosure: Tree Classics sponsored the item in this post. I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. There may be affiliate links in this post. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.*