The Desperate Diva

Mix It Up

Layers,Textures and Lines...I love mixing them up...!!! One of my Favorite Spots in my home is my Breakfast area where I planned for a MIX of Chairs and Fabrics....
 Notice the dark and light finishes...I LOVE this look. It adds so much Charm to the room....The table is from the Vera Bradley collection and so are the fabric upholstered chairs.

Just check out those LEGS...!!! Curvy and stylish like all of us chicks..:) I'm a fabric nut and love layering colors and textures together. This adds so much interest to your spaces. One of my favorite touches is the chippy yellow Bench that I placed on one side of the table. It has a wonderful soft blue cushion and I added this crewel pillow there to enhance the entire look....:)
 One of the Most Important elements I wanted in this space was a group of chairs and seats that complimented each other, instead of the usual Matching table and chairs the COME TOGETHER as a set.
 The larger chair above found several spots in our home before landing HERE at the table. I LOVE it here and it sits in the Perfect Spot. I love the back of the chair and it can be enjoyed now showing off its back side. The fabric was a perfect compliment to the other fabrics in the room. For window treatments, I used two panels together on each side of the window....One in a solid green and the other in a rich warm plaid of greens, yellows and pinks.
 All this layered with soft but colorful placemats topped with a layer of pretty napkins makes this space say....Oh please come have a seat....:)
 And I LOVE these Spoon and Fork napkin rings. The only part I don't like is having to "Polish" them from time to time...:) But so worth it. I'm sure you could Make Your Own, just by bending them in a circle. They are So Charming and makes a perfect touch to your tables.
 
Look around your home and move some things around. You just might be surprised at the NEW LOOK you can create, just by grouping some different pieces together.....Have fun...:)
 OK...my poor house is "begging" for a wax and shine. It's Time for a long over due Desperate Housewife cleaning job....I'm actually looking forward to it. So...I'm off to grab my polishing and dusting rags and give this place a shinny new attitude...Wanna come help..:) I won't be looking for you...:)
Biggest Hugs,
Dianne

Finding Beauty

As I walked into my kitchen this morning...and Before my first cup of coffee, I couldn't help but notice the BEAUTY of Sunshine beaming through the white tulips and across my kitchen island....I went right over to my camera, hoping to SAVE some of that Sunshine to Share with YOU...:)
 You see, this is normally a place where....The Sun Never Shines....and I wanted to Capture the Beauty, knowing it would fade very quickly...

Most of us have places where the sun never shines....But in those  moments when the Sun does come out and spreads its glorious rays upon our Nest....We should....Stop...and Soak in the beauty of the moment....
 Beauty can be found all around us...Each and Every Day....And Sunshine comes in many forms.....Here is an adorable example...:)
 The Beauty and Innocence of a Child....the sparkle in their eyes....and their desire to BE....Just like YOU....:) THIS little face is Sunshine in my Heart.....and it will Never Fade away....
  Take some TIME today to find your own Sunshine....Even on the cloudiest day, the SUN is Shining Somewhere....Look for it, and I'll bet you find it right around the corner from where ever you are....:)
 Beauty is all around us....It's up to US to FIND it and Breathe it in....Make it last and most of all......SHARE it with others....:)
Have a Beautiful Day,
Biggest Hugs,
Dianne

Easter Wishes

Hopping in to say....Happy Easter to all my Sweet Friends...:)

I found this charming Cake Stand at our show last week and as soon as I SAW it....I new it was MINE...:) If only it had come WITH a Carrot Cake....Sigh...Ok..Guess you can't have EVERTHING...!!!! 
 Our neighbor gave us these  REAL CHICK EGGS....Blue..???? No, I've never heard of blue chicken eggs, have you...!!!
 I finally got the rest of my inside SPRING decorating done. For now at least....I found these pretty yellow tulips that look SO REAL and poked them in my white ceramic pitcher.
I LOVE flowers....but REAL flowers are NOT my friend...:) I look for the ones that LOOK REAL and that works for me...!!!
 I'll be back in a couple of days to share MORE SPRING with you. I hope your Easter is filled with Family, Fun, Food and Friends....:)
Happy Easter to all,
Bigges Hugs,
Dianne
www.thesugardiva.com
www.diannewood.com

 

 

A Past Due Thank You

The knock on the door on Christmas Eve, and YES....I KNOW this is EASTER... brought a pleasant surprise. My sweet neighbor was standing there with a beautiful gold box and it was for ME...:) She insisted I open it while she waited. I couldn't imagine what was inside.
 As I peeped inside, I could SMELL the nice fragrances....and then I saw each one of them. She had made ME some bars of HER HomeMade Soaps....!!!! And I LOVED the way she had packaged them. They were all nestled into pretty green tissue. It looked as if the box was made just for them.

 And she made me promise her that I would USE THEM...:) So, today, I took them out of the box and tried the Strawberry. It smells SO GOOD...

I LOVE them....They smell SO YUMMY...and BEST of all, my hands were so smooth and silk like. No lotion needed....I'm IN LOVE with my newly opened Christmas gift. I know...Shame..Shame on me, for waiting this long to try such a SWEET and thoughtful gift. Hand made just for me by my Sweet Neighbor, Christy...!!!

Thank You Christy.....for this wonderful gift of sweet and yummy soap. I can't wait to try them all. I found the perfect place to keep them handy....right here in my butler's pantry.

Her frangrances include.....Country Apple....Pear...Mango....Bay Rum...Old Spice...Lemon...Strawberry....and...Lavender.  If you'd like to try these delicious treats, just email Christy at: Hunting Hills Soap Works  getsr@comcast.net  Be sure to tell her that her Desperate Neighbor sent you....: Ummmm....maybe I'll get an Easter surprise. If I do, I PROMISE not to keep it three months before using it.
 OK....I promise to be back on Friday to share a few Easter decorating photos....:)
Until then, do YOU have a belated Thank You  to extend....:)
Biggest Hugs,
Dianne

A Nice Surprise

HOME again....:) From another road trip. Destination....Bizarre Bazaar Spring Show located three hours away..!!! I was SO surprised and thrilled when I heard The Sugar Diva's name announced over the loud speaker that we had WON...!!! Especially since I didn't even know they were awarding prizes....:) We won Best Booth Design for our building.
 A Blue Ribbon plus $100 dollars toward our Holiday Show in December....!!! Since they handed out the awards two hours before the Show Closed....our booth was a wreck...LOL...!!! We had not restocked and everything was a mess. We were ready to pack it up and head for HOME....:)

 So I grabbed my camera and took a couple of QUICK shots before packing up. Too bad I didn't take BEFORE pictures...LOL That's what happens when you're working to get it all done in just a little amount of time. This is one of our tables as it looked just before closing. Oh what a mess...:) 

Regardless, we were HAPPY and Honored to get the PRIZE...:) Especially since there were SO MANY other Pretty and Creative Booths there. Thank you Bizarre Bazaar.
  I"m happy to be HOME AGAIN....and I'll be back in a couple of days to show you what I found at the show. A few GOOD THINGS...:)
 Biggest Hugs,
Dianne

Love This Space

OK....I showed you my Butler's Pantry and as promised....Here is my daughter's pantry...:)  She turned what was to be a "regular pantry"....you know, the one that has stacks and stacks of shelves to store food....into a Mini Butler's Pantry by installing lower Cabinets and Counter Space right inside that closet.....:) And THIS is what added the extra touch in that space. Who doesn't need extra counter top. Plus, all the extra cabinets below for keeping larger appliances handy.
  She has her Microwave...Toaster...and  EveryDay Snacks for quick grabbing. From making their cereal...to making sandwiches. It's all kept SO HANDY just inside this GREAT SPACE...that's located in her kitchen. When not in use, just close it up.
  Folding doors close up the space or when open, the doors are completely out of the way of Kitchen traffic.

NOW....MY daughter LOVES to do laundry.....YES...!!! Go figure...LOL..!!! And SHE has the Perfect Laundry Room to keep her HAPPY...!!!!  Just take a look....:)
  I LOVE all her Spaces....and the special touches SHE adds to each one. For instance, check out the back of this chair that sits at her desk in her kitchen....LOVE it...:)

So if YOU are in need of More Creatvie Space, go find a closet and turn it into your very own Butler's Pantry. And who knows, maybe you'll get lucky and find yourself a  Butler to put in yours...:)  "Sigh",...a girl can dream can't she....:)
 I hope this has inspired you to LOOK AROUND and find a space that you can make more use of. It just takes a little thinking and planning. OK...we are headed Out of Town in the early A.M....Yikes, it IS early A.M...1:35 a.m. to be exact...!!!  I better call it a night...I'll be back on Monday with some more Creative Spaces....:) Enjoy your week end and get those new projects started..!!!
Hugs to all,
Dianne