home makeover

right now i am in the midst of updating my house. i am so nitpicky (is that a word?) when it comes to changing anything. i have to think about it for months sometimes! recently, i had shelves in front of my large living room window that had been there for 5 years. it was brought to my attention that perhaps if the shelves were removed, then there would be much more space and light in the room. sooooo, i begrudgingly took down the shelves piece by piece the other night. instead of putting my favorite books and items in the attic i decided to re-do the built-in shelves that connect my living room with my kitchen. the picture above is the final product. it's very colorful, but it seems to work well. i would show pictures of the window without the other shelves, but i am still working on finding the perfect curtains, rods, etc...

i wish i had a before picture!

not just for cheerleaders

i am seriously thinking about doing these in white for the reception. i love the paper lantern look, but i am so over it. this is another inexpensive alternative that has a similar feel. i'm picturing a few different sizes of white puffy ones. do you think they look cheesy? i love martha's ideas, but i want to stay fresh. will this be the new paper lantern in a year??

DIY Poms

You'll need tissue paper and 24-gauge white cloth-covered floral wire.

Hanging Pom-Poms
1. Stack eight 20-by-30-inch sheets of tissue. Make 1 1/2-inchwide accordion folds, creasing with each fold.

2. Fold an 18-inch piece of floral wire in half, and slip over center of folded tissue; twist. With scissors, trim ends of tissue into rounded or pointy shapes.

3. Separate layers, pulling away from center one at a time.

4. Tie a length of monofilament to floral wire for hanging.