How to Create a Moss Letter

This post is about creating a large moss covered letter or monogram.  

I've thrown in some tips about using mirrors in your decorating scheme.

Moss covered letters can be purchased at Pottery Barn for $79.  They are 18" - 20" tall.  

And they are covered with real "live" moss.  

I made my own.

I first saw a DIY post at Thrifty Decor Chick's blog.   

http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2011/03/mossy-vignette.html

TDC was one of the first blogs I began following and I found her on a Dave Ramsey facebook post.  She had posted about their financial journey employing strategies learned from Dave Ramsey and the Dave Ramsey people shared her post.   We had recently finished Dave Ramsey's online course.  

Both  Dave Ramsey and Thrifty Decor Chick have been very helpful to me.  

I already had a mirror over our mantel.
I love using mirrors in my decor because they reflect light, add dimension to flat walls.
They can trick the eye into thinking the space is bigger.
 Our family room is a little dark because the sliders out to our deck open to a covered screened porch and the roof of the porch blocks some light.
That room has a northern exposure, too.
Oh, AND we have a humongous TV sitting in front of half of the slider, which is a decorating sin - to block a window with furniture, but in this case, ya gotta do what ya gotta do.  

See!  There is light trying to stream in around the big, black TV!

The room is a little small and while the TV has a flat screen, it's not one of the flat screens that can be mounted on the wall. Neither my hubby nor I like that option anyway, so it sits on a media cabinet in front of one half of the slider doors.  

The mirror helps reflect the natural light into and around the room. 

ALSO, the mirror hides two vents in the wall above the fireplace.  I think they were part of a blower system that was to recycle warm air from the fireplace back into the room, back during the energy crisis of a few years ago.  We haven't looked into having them removed.

See the vent behind the mirror from this angle?
It's twin is right next to it and you could see it peeking out from the other side.
That mirror may have to stay there forever. 

So, back to the moss letter.  

I already had moss.  

I had the "live" moss left over from a display I did at a vendor show at a Master Gardener's event.  

My friend suggested I fill all my containers and pots I had for sale at the event with moss so they would all have a uniform look.  

It was a great idea and they did look nice.  

I bought the sheet moss at one of my favorite local garden stores, Growing Grounds.  

I took the whole box.  My friend told me I could probably get just a portion of a box, and I think the Garden store staff did offer to sell me less than a box, but I took the whole box.  

I had never worked with it before and didn't really know how much I would need.  

My friend also told me it would last FOREVER and if it started to look a little brown or a little tired, just mist it with water and it will green up and look like new.   Cool!

It's Super Moss - see?  ; )

 It's been sitting in our garage for oh, maybe 2 years.
I just opened it this week when we were in the garage getting ready for our garage sale.
Looks pretty good, doesn't it?
Super moss! 

I see many live moss projects in my future.  Would you like a live moss letter?  

I don't have all the pics for a full-blown tutorial because 

I didn't know then I would want to share with you now.  

I made my own letter out of cardboard.  

I had lots of cardboard boxes from all my Willow House shipping boxes.  

So I cut away one panel of cardboard and then drew the S free hand.  

I had my hubby watch me and guide me so it wouldn't be too wonky. 

 It's a little wonky but I think that adds to the charm. ; )

Then I cut it out with scissors.  

Next I hot glued the moss onto the front of the letter. 

 It is VERY messy so if you try this, be warned.  

Put down newspapers or a drop cloth.  

You'll have dirt and little bits of moss all over. 

Here's another WARNING:  be careful with the hot glue!  

I burned my fingers pressing the moss onto the letter.  Youch!

Then you'll probably want to trim the loose ends of the moss kind of like giving a hair cut just to neaten things up a bit.  

Once I had my S covered with well-trimmed live moss, we took it over to the mirror to hang it.  

Guess what?  

Mirrors reflect and the mirror reflected the BACK of the letter which I had not covered with moss.  

I don't have a picture of the uncovered letter, but you can see in this pic how the back of the letter is visible in the mirror. 

Back to the gluing board.

So I covered the back and sides of the letter with moss and it looked much better up against the mirror. 

 I used wired ribbon with a french script design that I loved to hang the S.
The ribbon came from Ballard Designs but is no longer available.  
I just looped it so the letter could hang from it.
Then I made a small loop to look like the ribbon is tied in a knot at the top.
We tacked it onto the mirror frame with a thumbtack.  Done.

Please note:  when you use mirrors in your decor, be aware of what will be reflected by the mirror.
Is it something you want to see?

Our mirror sits on the mantel and leans on the wall.
The mantel is pretty high so by leaning the mirror, it is angled so that all that is reflected is the ceiling.  Well, we do have a ceiling fan that is reflected.
Just be sure to take the reflection into consideration before you make permanent commitments to your mirror placement. 

So there's my DIY live moss letter.   It's time to think about adding some touches for end-of-summer-moving-into-fall-decorating.   Maybe some sunflowers?  Apples?  Owls?

DIY Home Decor ~ Use What You Have

It's kinda fun to use what you have to decorate.   It challenges your creativity while saving you money. I love a little DIY interior design, don't you?
And I've tucked a couple classic interior design tips into this post a little way down.   Watch for them! : ) I have a fun sconce that I just love in my foyer. It came from the Willow House/Southern Living at Home collection.

It is just the right size, not too big, not too small.  It's beautiful scrolled iron with two glass votive holders, which are removable if you want to just display the iron scroll piece. The votives and iron holders can be removed if you want to display just the iron structure.    Several of the sconces can be put together to create difference designs. This medallion is formed with 4 Filigree Sconces.   Can you see them?   It's kinda like an optical illusion  or one of those pictures where you have to squint to see the other picture.

This arrangement was created by the Willow House Design Team for one of the Product Showcases at a Willow House Convention.   They always did a fantastic job! The votive holders can hold votive candles obviously, but I like to use them as little vases. I have used little blooms from the florist or grocery store, but this time I used little blooms from by yard, in the spirit of using what I had to decorate.

Here is the rose bush hedge at our back deck in early summer.  

The hedge exploded in pink blooms!  

The past couple of summers the Japanese beetles have ravaged the bushes, 

but, fingers crossed, the beetles are gone! 

I don't know what kind of bushes these are.  They were here when we bought the house seven years ago.  Does anyone recognize it? I assume they are rose bushes because there are TONS of thorns!   And the flower buds look like rose buds.   You can see a couple of buds in the next picture.

So I snipped a few blooms and headed inside.   These roses have lots of thorns!   Note to self :  consider gloves next time. 
Here's the Classic Interior Design Tip:  Always include something living in your room designs, such a flowers, plants, fruits or vegetables (and an occasional child or pet works too).   It adds life to the room because it tells you someone actually lives there to place and care for the living thing in the room! Try it and see if you agree. 

From outside to inside with fresh water, sparkling glass, and scrolled iron at no cost. 

Here's another Classic Design Tip:  Adding a glass piece to a room adds sparkle and light.  It is especially effective in a room with lots of fabric and wood.  The smooth surface adds interest and a break from all the flat, soft look of fabric such as upholstered pieces.  Try it and see if you agree.  : )

Our foyer has lots of doors and therefore not much wall space and it has been a challenge to decorate and place furniture like a table/console and a bench.  I'll post about that in the future. 

Here you can see the sconce on a little slice of a wall separating the living room from the family room.  Do you think that wall needs to come down to make one open great room?  

Sometimes I like the solitude of the living room and the coziness of our smallish family room.  

Well, I'll think about that another day.  

I've also used blooms and sprigs from other bushes in our yard.   And I love to use boxwood sprigs, again from our landscaping.   No cost - use what you have.  Love!

These aren't boxwood sprigs, but leafy sprigs from on of our other bushes.   I like the green and dark iron together. 
And I did not repaint the wall between the times these two photos were taken.   It's just the difference in light of one taken in the spring and one in the summer.   And maybe the time of day? 

It's such a small detail on a small wall, but it makes me smile when I walk by and that's worth a lot!

We're having a garage sale

We're having a garage sale this week.  Thank you for your prayers. ; )

Most of what I'm selling is samples from my Willow House  (formerly known as Southern Living at HOME) direct sales business.

I started with Southern Living at HOME in August 2006 because I loved all the products and wanted to make a little extra money. I still love the products, and yes, it is hard to let them go at dirt cheap prices. But the Home Decor Division of Willow House began closing down last October and the Company began the process of becoming a Designer Jewelry Company, Sara Blaine Jewelry for Willow House, so it is time for these things to go. It does feel good, however, to have them out of the house and to have a little more breathing room.  I have a few  a lot of other non-Willow House things that my husband would love to haul to the curb, but I have great plans for those diamonds in the rough.   I hope to share them here with you on the blog in the near future so be sure to follow me! : ) (Sorry the pic is a little blurry.)

Hanging on to stuff can be called hoarding.   We all know that is not healthy, right?  "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  Matthew 6:19 - 21.   Yes Lord.     Holding tight to "things" can mean I don't have faith the Lord will provide those things for me in the future should I "need" them. 
Many of the items are really cute, and very special, and loved by collectors and former consultants.  They bring more in swap groups than garage sales where shoppers may not recognize their unique value.   Here's the cute Dress-Me-Up Platter.   An oldie, but goodie. 

The two little holes are for adding a ribbon or tucking in sprigs of herbs.

At one time you could also purchase an iron stand and use a pair of platters.

I don't think the average garage-saler would want to pay what a true collector would.  

I found a consultant whose customer had just mentioned to her to keep her eye out for 

one of these platters.  

We matched up and have a win-win-win!  

Happy me, selling this for more than a quarter. 

Happy customer/collector to find a rare beloved piece, 

and happy consultant who can help our her friend. 

All packed and ready to go to North Carolina!

So wish us luck, say a prayer, and stop on by if you want to pick up some treasures!

I have started walking again with my dogs, Cooper and Tucker. 

I've had a knee problem, then it got soooooo hot, then the dogs were way beyond needing to get their nails cut, you get the idea. 

So, we are back at it, starting slowly.

I use one leash with a piece that connects the two dogs' collars.  

This is my daughter's brilliant find and it really does help control them 

because they kind of control each other.  

They can't wander too far under my feet or around my legs.

Here we are back from the walk.  

Cooper and Tucker are still attached to the connector leash and their leash.  

Tucker has taken control of the connector leash.  

Notice the taught pressure.  

He is trying to pull Cooper somewhere Cooper does not want to go.  

Basically that would be anywhere.

Notice the look on Cooper's face.  

"Help me!"

He's such a patient big brother.

It was hot and humid that morning and after I rescued Cooper, here is the first thing I wanted.

A nice glass of ice water.  Refreshing!

Here is what Tucker was focused on - the crisper drawer in the refrigerator. 

You can just barely see the object of his obsession.  

See the carrots?  

He's focused like a laser beam on the carrots, his favorite thing in the whole world.

Look at that face!  

He'd jump into the crisper drawer if I'd let him.

He's wondering what's taking me so long.

After selecting the carrot, I take it to the sink and cut 2 pieces, one for each.  

Guess who gets the bigger piece.

I make Tucker sit because he'd jump up on the counter to get his carrot, if he could.

Cooper is much of a gentleman and more willing to wait calmly for his treat.

Cooper plops right down in place to eat his carrot.

Tucker takes his beloved carrot waaaayyyy far away into the family room.  

I think this started when my daughter and her two dogs were living with us and Tucker was the littlest of the bunch. 

If he didn't get the heck out of the way, he would get run over and there would be no treat left!

Mmmmm! Carrots!

Don't worry, he got that little piece to his right.

So, lessons I learned from this excursion today:

Having gentlemanly manners makes life more peaceful.

Walking with your family is fun.

Vegetables are the best!

Black Bean & Salsa Chicken, the Sequel

Last night for dinner we had Black Bean & Salsa Chicken, a recipe I found on Pinterest from Six Sisters Stuff.  This is the second time I made it and it was just as yummy as the first time.

Get the recipe and read about that here.

  

The first utterance out of my husband's mouth after his first bite was "Mmmmm!"  

You don't know how amazing that was!  

That rarely happens when someone eats my cooking!  

I made a couple of changes from the recipe. I cut the recipe in half as I did the first time since I was only cooking for two. I used frozen chicken breast tenders instead of fresh chicken breasts. I didn't have black beans, I just cleaned out the freezer of left-over half bags of frozen corn and upped the amount of corn to the recipe. I also only cooked it on high for 3 1/2 hours, not 4,  because I started preparations late, and the chicken was done and very tender. I served it over rice because that's what was in the pantry.   So it ended up looking more like the Mexican Haystacks  from Six Sisters.

I guess I should have piled all my fixin's on top of my haystack. I had a deconstructed haystack. See that perfect bite loaded onto the blue chip? 

I planned on using blue corn tortilla chips to dip all this yumminess.  A little chicken, a little corn and rice, a little avocado, a little sour cream, a little black olive.   Mmmmm! But a fork worked better. The first words out of my hubby's mouth BEFORE his first bite were,  "Aren't you going to take a picture?"    He's coming along nicely as a blogger's hubby! ; ) Join me on facebook https://www.facebook.com/AtHomeWithJanSavage 

My New BFF - My Crockpot

I've been trying to cook more because it's healthier and cheaper,  and when you use a crockpot, it doesn't heat up the kitchen. (More about that later.) I know, I know -  News flash, right?!

 

Last night we had a Pinterest recipe -  Slow Cooker Black Bean and Corn Salsa Chicken.   Scroll down for the recipe below.  I'm not the best cook, and it may be because I'm a little ADD.  I get distracted and things get burned or over done.  Sometimes when something is going wrong, and I can tell that it's going wrong, I don't know how to fix it.   Sometimes I don't know it's going wrong until it's way too late.  

Colorful salad from another day.  I'm all about the presentation!  No cooking or crockpot required. 
I need to follow a recipe.  I'm not one of those who can add a pinch of this or that to make something delicious.  I do make substitutions on ingredients sometimes because I don't have what I need, but it's never an exciting adventure waiting to see if it's going to be edible.  Give me a recipe, how much, how long, and what it's supposed to look like when it's done, and I'll do much better!  

Here's my Mom's recipe for Chinese Chicken Casserole.  I'll write about that someday.  Even following her recipe produced a surprise.

And I need more practice, I know.  Right now I'm only cooking for 2 which creates it's own challenges.  I have to divide the recipe and only cook half portions or freeze a half portion.  That's a bit risky!  Pinterest has been good for me in my cooking adventures.  I like to see the finished product so I know what I'm aiming for.  I've had a couple of successes recently, and it does make me look forward to trying more!  You can follow me on Pinterest to see what I'm planning for future dinners, and to see what else I'm up to. 
Here's what we had the other night:

Slow Cooker Black Bean and Corn Salsa Chicken.  As I said, I found it on Pinterest, and it's a Six Sisters recipe.  Have you checked out Six Sisters yet?  They have amazing recipes!  Here is what mine looked like pre-assembly.

I will be working on my photo shoot food design.  I was in a bit of a hurry to snap a pic before my hubby dove in.  He has been laughing at me for taking pictures of our food.  ; )  Are you wondering what those black spots are on the chicken in the right-hand side of the divided dish?  I was when I took the chicken out of the crockpot.  (Oh no!  What did I do THIS time?!)  It's some of the black beans!  Whew!

We added our favorite toppings:  tomatoes, black olives, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, avocado (for me), sour cream, salsa.  

 Here is my soft taco.  Notice I had to add some blue corn chips for crunch.  My hubby suggested using large tortillas next time to wrap all the goodness in because these smaller ones allowed  the fillings to escape and it became a bit messy.    Here's the recipe.  I cut quantities in half, and we only consumed half of that.  My hubby doesn't really care for leftovers, so half of the recipe was just about right for us. 
Slow Cooker Black Bean and Corn Salsa Chicken 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans corn, drained

1 package taco seasoning

4-5 chicken breasts

1 cup salsa

3/4 cup water

Put beans, corn, taco seasoning, and water in crock pot and mix together until seasoning is dissolved. Place chicken breasts on top and spread salsa on chicken. Cook on high for 4 hours. Shred meat and serve however you want (over rice or in a tortilla). Garnish with cheese, sour cream, avocado, lettuce, tomato, and hot sauce.  (I don't like things too spicy, so no hot sauce for us.)

SIx Sisters says:

"This is such an easy freezer meal to make! I just made it with 5 chicken breasts and ate half of it for dinner and froze the other half (in a gallon-sized freezer Ziploc bag) for another night. Make sure you let the food cool before freezing it. On the day that you are ready to eat it, let it thaw and then cook on low in your crock pot for 2-3 hours."

I'll have to try freezing half next time

Cook once, eat twice (or four times for us)!

Six Sisters also has a Slow Cooker Mexican Haystacks recipe where the meat is prepared similarly then served on rice and you can top it with whatever you like.  I guess the pile ends up looking like a haystack. Get that recipe here.

  Let me know if you try the recipe and what you thought!

Happy cooking!