ALY ALLEN | THE BLOG

** coupon codes at the end of this post have expired ** i LOVE christmastime. seriously love it. but who doesn't right? my house is fully decorated, though i do have a few more projects to complete... that's part of the fun though, always having a project to finish. besides my tree above, which i am in love with every single year, here are a few highlights around the house . [cell-phone pictures, i know i'm terrible] [the free printable in the top right photo is from here] i made this little printable that i framed in a swirly white frame. i change the number with dry erase each day.  [i got the idea from here but made my own]. please do print one for yourself: i want to do something like this somewhere. little things in jars. to add some more interest: Source: theinspiredroom.net via Aly on Pinterest i'm also planning to make this cute advent banner to hang above the fireplace. with a few variations because i'm...

i was brainstorming yesterday and honestly, there are SO many cute things you can do with a picture frame. it doesn't have to be nice, it doesn't have to be the right color, it just has to be four pieces of some kind of hard-ish material [preferably wood] stuck together in a rectangular shape, you know what i mean? so here are a few things i wrote down, and then i scoured pinterest to find examples. because otherwise this would be a super boring post :) [if you follow me on pinterest, i apologize for the over-abundance of frame-pinning] wrap it with yarn Source: centsationalgirl.com via Aly on Pinterest because, let's be honest... you could wrap anything with yarn and it looks awesome, right? i could do an entire post on things that are wrapped with yarn. [sources: vases | lamp shade | gifts | wreath | letters | bottles ] wrap it with fabric Source: amyluckynumber13.blogspot.com via Aly on Pinterest what i love about these ...

i got my big girl's "big-girl-bedding" this weekend.  oh my goodness, i could not be more in love with a duvet cover! i had originally planned on this whole scheme, if you remember? but when i got to the store and they didn't have it in stock, i fell in love with this instead: [found here] and here's the bed i plan to get. i love how girly the white, scrolly wrought iron is: [found here] and this mirror? painted in one of those colors below, if i'm brave: [here] S these lime green curtains? not sure if i want to do lime green, but they do match the bedding perfectly: [here] i also love this look with lots of frames in different colors, sizes, shapes, etc. i'd fill them with photos and prints and other things, but i love the look. at first i complained that i can never find cute frames but the truth is, they're everywhere. you just have to keep your eyes peeled. i've already p...

i know, i know. 2 posts in one day?!? i am sooo in the mood to break out the fall decor. i'll probably wait until after i get home from blog sugar, but i'm definitely in the mood to make some wreaths. one for the front door, and one to replace the one i have on the entry wall [here] . i'll be changing out all the aqua for more fall-ish tones. i can't decide if i want to go more natural/neutral, or if i really want to go all the way with the oranges. we'll see what happens. most likely, i'll just use what i have, which is lots of orange. here are some inspiration photos that i've been pinning lately: if i could just transplant this very photo into my house, i would: Source: decorchick.com via Aly on Pinterest i love the white pumpkins and pinecones. so natural looking. Source: shanty-2-chic.com via Aly on Pinterest looooove this huge orange wreath:  Source: marthastewart.com via Aly on Pinterest did you s...

we were supposed to find out on sept. 15. but i'm impatient. so we didn't tell anyone, and went this saturday to find out what we're having. it was fun to surprise everyone, a month earlier than they were expecting. i was pretty well convinced it was a boy, since i've been sick this pregnancy [not one minute of sickness last time around] and maybe just because i already have a girl? not really sure why... so, it was a fun surprise when she announced: we couldn't have been more surprised, but equally excited. [i have ten bins of clothes that i'll get to use again]. we'll get to re-use the nursery bedding and decor that i still LOVE... but now i have to make a big girl room for the "big sister". just for fun, i'll show you what i am drooling over so far. i'll admit, i'm a little too excited that i get to do/re-do TWO rooms right now, even if one of them is hand-me-down bedding, i'll still get to personalize it for Tessa :) my...