inspiration

A New Look For Sweetwater Style!

Date: April 7, 2019
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: decorating, flower arrangement, flowers, idea exchange, inspiration


Sweetwater Style is getting a new look!
The purpose of “Sweetwater Style” has always been about showing ways to combine style and elegance in economical ways.

That won’t change.
BUT….the focus will change.

See if you can figure out the new theme for Sweetwater Style!
I continue to believe that “Style is the perfection of your point of view”.
I know that the things that I enjoy most almost always have something to do with flowers.

Whether it is creating little bouquets for around the house or full on wedding decor, flowers make me happy.

I realize that some of my favorite posts are about arranging flowers and sharing tips with you my fabulous readers.

The revamped Sweetwater Style will be mostly about flowers! 

I will be sharing:
  • ideas and tips to make flower arranging easy
  • inspiration from floral designers 
  • sharing Sweetwater Floral Consulting events 
I am sure to add other things as I go along….maybe even some of my thrifting finds and DIY projects.
To get things started, I thought I would link up to some old posts about flowers that you might enjoy. 
ttps://sweetwaterstyle.blogspot.com/2013/07/cut-flower-conditioning-tips.html


 
https://sweetwaterstyle.blogspot.com/2012/04/frogs-for-flower-arranging-and-more.html



https://sweetwaterstyle.blogspot.com/2016/02/flower-arranging-hacks-you-need-to-try.html


I am excited to get restarted with this new look for Sweetwater Style.
I hope you get inspired to make flowers part of your lives!
Have A Great Day!



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Throw Pillows from a Throw Blanket!

Date: January 9, 2019
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: decorating, DIY, fabric, inspiration, sewing, thrifty

One of the easiest and thriftiest ways to update the look of a room is with decorative pillows.
Every one has them. In fact, I dare you to take a count of the throw pillows in your house!!!
I don’t just have pillows on the furniture….I have pillows in the closets waiting to take their turn in whatever decor scheme suits my fancy.

 A trip down the pillow aisle of almost any home decor store is pure temptation for me.

A pillow is affordable…..
A pillow is not a forever commitment like a piece of furniture…..

However…..
There is always the dilemma of how many pillows I should have out at one time.

If this is your dilemma too….I did a little internet searching and found these articles to be really helpful.

How Many Throw Pillows Is Too Many?

Guide to Choosing Throw Pillows 

Now…on to the latest pillow project at Sweetwater.

The rustic, Nordic theme in the living room needed to change once the holidays were over.

Somehow….I never got a picture of the living room decorated for the holidays….go figure.

This is the best shot I could find….but note the red plaid pillow and the Swedish hanging over the couch.

Anyway….the lumbar pillows on the two accent chairs needed to lose the red and beige linen stripe.

When I went to put the old turquoise covers back on the pillows….I realized that they looked pretty shabby!

Goody…a chance to go to the pillow aisle at HomeGoods!

source

There were literally hundreds of pillows to choose from….
There were literally hundreds of pillows that I DID NOT LIKE!

AND THEN……

 I spied this lovely nubby blue and white checked throw.

The price was right at 16.99

The fringe along both sides looked like those fancy fringed pillows that I like so much.

HMMMMMM!!!   This throw could easily become the new pillow covers!

The process was pretty darn simple.

I put the insert on top of the throw to determine the width of the pillow.

It turned out that the throw was exactly twice the width….so by cutting it in half lengthwise I could make both pillows.

I wrapped the throw around with an overlap and cut that to length.
I was able to have the fringe be the bottom of the wrap.
Then I turned it wrong side out and stitched the sides.

Normally with an envelope pillow the lap is on the back.
Because I wanted the fringe to be an accent, the overlap is on the front.

Here is a tutorial for making an envelope pillow.  Home Stories A to Z Pillow Tutorial
This is a technique that is worth learning!!!!

And now for the reveal!!!

Wow….2 pillow covers for $16.99 and I still have enough of the throw left to make something else.
Any suggestions???

Have A Great Day!

How to Make a SCARY Fairy Garden!

Date: October 18, 2018
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: 10 min. project, goodwill, Halloween, inspiration

We have been traveling for a week or so…..
It seemed too soon to decorate for Halloween before we left, but now it is only 2 weeks away.
I don’t do a lot of crazy Halloween decor any more.  We never were the people who filled the yard with gravestones and ghosts.
I do like to do a few things that pay homage to the season.

This is one of my favorites!
I love fairy gardens…..and this one can be enjoyed in the warm comfort of indoors!

AND….almost every component is a thrift store find.

You can create your own “Scary Fairy Garden” or “Ghostly Gnome Home”.
These are the components:

  • A large box or basket- this is a wine box/tray that I found at Goodwill.  The aisle with baskets and wood always have great things for good prices.
  • Ceramic houses that are usually in the Christmas decor section at the thrift store.  I painted them with craft paint to look spooky.
  • Small pumpkins are always available at the dollar store.
  • Little ceramic ghosts can be sourced at the thrift store.  You probably have some in your holiday stash.
  • The stone “courtyard” is a piece of tile on mesh that we found at the tile store. A little moss tucked in is a nice addition.
  • The “tree” is some curly willow that is tied together.  A branch from the yard would work well.
  • I added some battery powered twinkle lights wound around the branches.

Easy….
Simple….
Inexpensive….
Just my Sweetwater Style!

Happy Haunting!

Slowly Embracing Fall

Date: September 15, 2018
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: art, decorating, inspiration

The temps are going to hit 90 degrees today…..thoughts of sweaters, boots, and pumpkin flavored food makes NO SENSE!

Why is it that people seem to get euphoric over the fact that Autumn is upon us?

 

I imagine that if you have been trying to manage the schedules of a bunch of kids on summer break, the idea that the school system will take over is NOT a bad thing!  That is a good reason to say Hurrah Fall.

I imagine if you live in a place where the temperatures and humidity are oppressive for many days in the summer, the arrival of cooler days is NOT a bad thing.

But….for me….no kids to wrangle any longer….and living in a state where Autumn can mean SNOW….I am not so quick to jump on the pumpkin wagon!

Source

I LOVE summer!!!  Let me repeat…I LOVE SUMMER!
Alas…there is not much I can do to stop the calendar pages from turning.

This year I decided to make the transition SLOWLY!

I am slowly packing away the summer decor around here and putting out some touches of the Autumn season.

I stitched up some new covers for the chairs in the family room.  They are quite a bit more fall like than the turquoise and blue ones that were there before.

Away went the starfish and beach scenes by the fireplace.

I used a photo editing app to turn this fall photo into a watercolor look.

 The coffee table arrangemen is just some spheres with interesting textures and cotton bolls.  Nothing a Grand can’t touch and explore!

The baker’s rack has autumn tones with the copper items. 

The bowls are filled with some artificial produce…..yup…I am turning into that dotty old woman with WAXED FRUIT! 

But hey….the Sweetwater Grandgirl loves to put the food in her grocery cart and push it around.

 The wreath on the front steps lost the patriotic red, white, and blue.  Sunflowers and dried grasses have a nice transitional look.  I even broke down and added a couple of scarecrows and pumpkins.

These little nods to the season are just enough to head toward Autumn.

It is supposed to stay really warm around here for a few more days…
And just so you know…..I am still wearing my WHITE JEANS….2 weeks after Labor Day…So There!

Summer “Ain’t” over until I decide it is over!

Have A Wonderful Day!

A Garden for the Windowsill

Date: June 22, 2018
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: 10 min. project, decorating, flower arrangement, garden, inspiration
I bet like me, you spend a lot of time at your kitchen sink.
If you are lucky, you have a window over that sink to look out of.
AND
If you are really lucky, that window has a sill.
I guess that I am really lucky!!!!
A kitchen windowsill just cries out for plants and/or flowers.
It is sort of an indoor “windowbox”.
These three copper planters on a tray are a long ago thrift store find.  I love how it fits perfectly on the window sill.  
I know you are supposed to actually put dirt in the planters and grow something.
I decided to avoid the dirt and have a way to create ever changing displays of pretty blooms.
So…..
It is simple to just use a plastic tumbler filled with water as an insert.Then….any greenery or flower snippets can be tucked in to create the illusion of a planter.
Regular readers know how I preach about dead-heading flowers in the garden to keep your plants thriving.  I like to “proactively” deadhead. The little flower garden here is filled with some almost spent Dahlias and some geranium heads.  The greenery is Pachysandra.  That seems to last forever and sometimes even sends out roots.
 Keep your eye out for this type of 3 pot planter tray.  I see them often at the thrift store.
If you can’t wait……

 You can get them at Amazon….
What a chuckle to see that my thrift store find is worth thirty dollars!
Now….here is some “kitchen window humor” to brighten your day!
Honey in the Window Painting by Ginger Jamerson

 Have A Wonderful Day!