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Dollar Tree Gallery Wall Makeover

As much as I love rolling back my sleeves and putting a little elbow grease into projects in our home, I’ve found I can’t reasonably be held to a time frame in most cases. My genius needs time to breathe, and be indecisive and mull over ideas and Pinterest pins all while taking bitty steps here and there to develop my masterpieces. I mean Rome wasn’t built in a day or a weekend and neither are most of my projects.

A few weeks ago I revealed the very beginning of our hallway makeover in this post. I’ve been diligently working to get it completed and joined a few bloggers in a fun “Spring into Action Bloghop” where we vowed to complete an unfinished area in our home. If you are visiting from Nicole’s blog, She Does a Bunch thanks for stopping by! Let’s just say I didn’t quite “finish” my area but it has come quite a ways from this

to this

A major part of the hold up is I decided to use Dollar Tree frames and let’s just say I can’t seem to find more in the larger sizes I need to properly balance everything out. I’m still searching Dollar Tree stores for 5 x 7 and 8X10 frames. Holler at your girl if you find some in your neck of the woods, I’ll happily send for gold frames.

….and before you suggest looking online, I did and conveniently they aren’t carrying this style.

I’ve managed to get quite a few up and print out a few photos. I have so many photos, and finding the perfect ones to display has been a little harder than I imagined….~~see indecisive reference above.~~

I’m still searching for the perfect runner. The doors still need to be painted, the light fixture replaced and we will be replacing all of the doorknobs and painting the ceiling. These things will come together in the following weeks. Please don’t ask me for a definitive date for this to get completed because I’ve decided to move into my office and start making that place over.

I got this.

Please be sure to swing over and check out Kendra at Three Bean Circus and her Pantry Makeover. Also be sure to check out the other ladies and see the amazing transformations they’ve done. They’ve managed to complete their projects!

Here are the links to their projects

Erin Live Pretty on a Penny: Upstairs Hallway

Carli |Made by Carli: Mini Mudroom

Crystal |The Holliday Collective: Budget Powder Room Re-fresh

Nicole| Home on Poplar Creek: Pantry shelving and organization

Ola | J’Adore Le Decor: Quest for a Hypnotic Bedroom

N’Ckyola | 4th House on the Left: Decked Out Apartment Living Room

Kenyatta |My Design Rules: Diy Front Door Decor

Arie| Delightfully Styled: Teen Boy’s Room Refresh

Nicole |She Does a Bunch: Kitchen Update

Kendra| Three Bean Circus: Pantry Organization

Whitney | Whitney J Decor: Hallway Update

Carla| Carla Bethany: Home Office/Guest Room Update

Nikki|D Violet Interiors

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Feature• Home

7 Easy Tips for Keeping Houseplants Alive

Before moving outside to prep my beds for gardening season I decided to add a few houseplants after gaining inspiration from a few of my IG faves Shavonda and Carmeon. They have nailed the “junaglow style” that is becoming quite popular (search the hashtag on Instagram) . As always, I’m somehow finding myself returning to my roots. As a child there were always large plants around as my aunt has quite the green thumb as did my mother. If you followed my garden last year, based on the number of tomatoes I had that wouldn’t stop growing along with the kale that still won’t quit, you know I also have a bit of a green thumb, and frankly my plants bring me joy.

I added these babies last year and taking care of them and watching them bloom is a satisfaction I can’t explain.

The open shelves in my kitchen needed a little love for the spring and what better way than with houseplants. I’m proud to say I rescued some from a dry death that was the clearance rack at Walmart. With a little water, some light and love they came right back. The others came from Lowes and Home Depot.

I hear people say they would love to add plants to their home but aren’t quite sure how to keep them alive. Here are a few tips and tricks I use to care for my plants

Let the plant tell you when it needs water | Overwatering is a real thing. Some plants don’t need as much water as others. I watch the leaves, when they start to droop I give them water. If the leaves aren’t an indicator, when the top layer of soil is dry stick your finger in and if it’s still dry about a fingertip length down add water. If you still feel like you can’t be trusted, look into getting a Water Wick plant. They are available at Lowes and Home Depot. They have two strings hanging out of the bottom, and you simply put water in the bottom of a planter and stick the plant inside. The water wick will suck in the water as the plant needs it. You will need to remember to refill the planter at least once a week.

Soak your plants when watering | When you decide it is time to water, give it a good soaking, don’t just water enough to wet the top. Give a deep soaking until the water runs through and out the bottom of the pot.

Add plant food | When a plant stops growing or the leaves start yellowing, add a little plant food. To keep it simple there are plant food stakes that you simply stick in the dirt and it will continuously feed the plant for months without you having to bother with it. Take the few minutes necessary to jot down the next date in which you’ll need to add more fertilizer or food at the time you feed it.

Read the instructions | Pay close attention to the care requirements for any plants you buy. Some need more light than others and no matter how pretty you think the plant is if it needs high light and you don’t have a window that is capable of supplying that leave it. Too much of or lack of light is just as important as water. If you don’t pay attention to the requirements the plant will die.

Only replant when necessary | It seems most houseplants have shallow roots and can live in the containers you bring them home in for some time. Just purchase a nice planter or basket to drop it in. When the plant seems to no longer be thriving despite proper light and watering it may be time to replant into something larger.

Ensure proper drainage | If your planter doesn’t have drainage holes when you replant, be sure to add some rocks to the bottom of the planter for proper drainage. One of the pots I’ve replanted in doesn’t have a drainage hole. I put larger rocks at the bottom to help pull the water away from the roots. I would recommend only using these types of planters when the plant doesn’t require a lot of water. This particular plant only requires watering every 2-3 weeks.

Consider buying plants with the same needs | Much like raising children and dealing with people certain types of plants need more attention than others. See “Read the instructions” above. If you don’t want to see about plants daily or every other day, buy plants that need the same care. I have a mix, because I have a passion for them. If you just want to water one specific day a week then be sure to only buy plants that require the same amount of care.

With these tips do you think you could add some plant babies to your home? Do you have a green thumb?

If you have a brown thumb and want houseplants. Here is a list of houseplants that are virtually impossible to kill. Like for real!

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Home• Organization• Video

Kids Room Organization | Tips for Organizing Kids Drawers + Video

The amount of stuff kids can accumulate is mind boggling. From toys to too small clothing the propensity for things to get out of control and fast in a child’s room is real. As quickly as you buy things they outgrow them, those $5 toys that we pick up here and there start to add up if we don’t constantly purge and before we know it we are living in a cluttered mess. But today I bring you one of the best kids room organization hacks. And it cost effective too.

Kids Room Organization | Tips for Organizing Kids Drawers

As part of the #OrganizedOnFleek organization challenge, my second space to declutter was Addison’s drawers. I’d needed to go through and purge too small things before Christmas, but Christmas…..so there’s that.

My very first hurdle was emptying the drawers, dividing everything into a pile of “Keep” “Throw Away” and “Donate.” Once I had everything separated the items that were to go back into the drawers were rolled and put into Dollar Tree shoe boxes to keep them neat and tidy. Addison has the Malm drawer from Ikea and the shoe boxes fit perfectly. I add a dot of poster tack, also from Dollar Tree to the bottom of the box to keep it from sliding around in the drawer.

After successfully cleaning everything out, poor thing needs some new clothes but I couldn’t see that for all of the mess. This hour out of my day not only saved my sanity but has also saved me money because I know exactly what she needs going into Spring. Now to fill up these cute DIY Gold Plastic Hangers I made for her with clothes that actually fit.

Danielle, Trina and I are still running our #OrganizedOnFleek Instagram Challenge. For the month of February get in the action by organizing a space or spaces in your home. Need some inspiration? Check out the hashtag on Instagram.

Here’s a fun video of me cleaning out her drawers!

What area in your home do you desperately need to declutter and organize? What’s your favorite kids room organization hack?

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Home

Soy Based Fragrance Options for Your Home

Thank you to Chesapeake Bay Candle for partnering with Unlikely Martha. Who doesn’t love a good soy candle and a comfy home. I was compensated for this post. All opinions are mine.

Childhood memories never leave us and I’m thankful the vast majority of mine are of pleasant times growing up in Maryland right outside of Washington, D.C. In the summers, we would travel to Ocean City, MD which would require us to cross over the Bay bridge. I have so many fond memories of my dad saying, “We’re going over the bridge,” and me peering out of the car window glaring down at the Chesapeake Bay not in the least bit afraid of how far up we were but only focused on the fact that we were just a short distance away from the boardwalk, salt water taffy and the smell of sand and ocean.

I’m quite certain my love for all ocean and marine inspired looks and smells stem from our annual family trips to the beach. No matter the season, I am known to mix in the crisp and light smells of ocean inspired candles with more seasonal tones to include notes of amber and florals. Walking into a home that smells good immediately offers a sense of coziness and Chesapeake Bay Candle has done a great job of offering many of the smells that remind me of my childhood growing up in Maryland spending days on the beach combined with other smells I love. Chesapeake Bay Candle products have an amazing aesthetic that is simple, and clean with a modern feel. They turn from just a candle to becoming a part of our home’s decor with their stylish designs and nature-inspired fragrances.

One of my absolute favorites is Aqua Marine Small Jar. The notes of bergamot, lemon zest and other floral and fruit tones creating a calming smell, and rightfully so this candle lives in our bedroom. Even unlit, the throw of the scent is remarkable, soothing and calming much like the ocean and perfect for winding down.

The Milk & Honey Coffee Table Jar Candle is a soy blend of vanilla, white freesia and bergamot amongst other tones lives in our laundry room. This scent reminds me of fresh laundry, and I light it even when I’m not in there doing my least favorite chore. The rate at which this candle can fragrance our entire house, tucked away in the laundry room is unbelievable. I’ve often had people come in asking where the fragrance is coming from.

Snuggling up in the living room, by the fire this Winter has been one of our favorite pastimes. If a smell could give you feelings of fuzzy socks, cuddled in a blanket with a good book its the Driftwood & Amber Small Jar Candle. Situated in our little reading nook, saturated with the smell of driftwood, vanilla, sandalwood and amber, this has been the absolute perfect candle for Winter.

My son is 12, and if I may be blunt boys are stinky. Real stinky at this age. When I need to air his space out I light this Fig and Redwood Double Wick Tine Candle. Its design fits the industrial chic look of his room and sits nicely on his bookshelf. The sophisticated notes of birch and cedar among other masculine scented notes freshen his room in no time.

When creating a cozy home it takes layers, and not just layers of fabric and rugs and curtains but smell is also an integral part. Ever walked into a house that looked and smelled good?

Exactly!

The Chesapeake Bay Candle Heritage Collection of soy blended fragrances are layered to add depth to your overall feeling of home with an array of soothing, energizing and refreshing scents that work for any season. Infused with natural essential oils and designs that are modern and minimal in design these candles are perfect for finishing off your home decor.ave

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