Winter in August - A Classy Shower for the Bride-To-Be

This month, we started preparing for my little brother's wedding by throwing his fiance her bridal shower. They aren't getting married until December, but we wanted to be able to enjoy the party outside in the summer in a white tent from Knaffle's Tent Rental, so we thought August was the perfect month.

With the help of my mom and my sister, we threw a fantastic "shabby chic" themed bridal shower for Kristen. We used some new but vintage looking items as well as some home decor that we already had. The tables were set with a layer of fabric over a crisp white linen and centered with a beautiful hydrangea picked from a cousin's garden. They were set simply in a clear mason jar.

View of the completed set up. Gorgeous!

I wanted to create something special for the bride-to-be's chair, to set it apart from the rest. Browsing Pinterest.com, I came across this fantastic idea. To create the look, I cut fabric strips and attached them to a piece of string. I was extremely happy with how it turned out!

Bride-to-be chair garland

Because the wedding is in December, my mom wanted to tie winter into the shower, which was a fantastic idea! She found this petite balsam tree in the woods, draped it with beaded cord and hung a set of wedding bells. The tree was centered in a coffee pot with clay and the pot was wrapped with a thin layer of burlap. How easy is that! Not to mention affordable!

Winter tree with Summer flair

We were so pleased with the results. We had a beautiful bridal shower and can't wait to dance the night away when they tie the knot in December! 

Black, White & Lovely

In search of the perfect piece of artwork for my living space, I came up with this idea. I have traveled to many places and of course always have my camera with me. Black and white photography is so classy and can really make a statement in a room. For this project I chose three of my favorite photographs from the different places I have traveled over the past couple of years. It was a hard choice, but finally I settled on three amazing shots from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Cheboygan, Michigan (my hometown, love this place!) and Miami, Florida.

I uploaded these pictures to Snapfish.com (any type of upload and print program would work), turned them into black and white (after a little cropping) and had them printed at Walgreens. I opted for an 11 x 14 size (be careful not to go too large if you are printing a photo that was taken from a cell phone or a low resolution camera, because it will print fuzzy or distorted) but depending on your space, you might want to go smaller or larger. Snapfish.com is great because it will tell you that they do not recommend printing over a certain size, which is very helpful!

An hour later, I went to pick up my prints, took them home and inserted them into three matching black frames that I already had. Presto, instant upscale art that as a bonus, holds meaning to me as well! You can't get much simpler, or affordable, than that!

Simple as that. The possibilities are endless, and you could swap the pictures out for the changing seasons. Get creative and make today great!

Soak up the Sun!

The cold has subsided and the warm weather finally looks like it is going to stick around! I took a break this afternoon and strolled out the office backdoor to the dock. What a view we have at the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices office in Cheboygan!

Preparing your Home for Sale

You've made the decision to sell your home. Now what? It's time to get it ready for potential buyers. The goal is to present a clean, spacious, and clutter free home. The kind a random person would walk in and think “I could really see myself living here”. Unfortunately, not all buyers are able to look past your unique interests and tastes (and paint colors!) to see the potential.
Here are a few things to consider when readying your home to be on the market:

• Consider a fresh coat of paint (neutral colors work best)
  
• Shampoo carpeting and replace if necessary
  
• Clean, wax and/or refinish hardwood, vinyl or tile floors
  
• Wash all windows and window sills, vacuum blinds
  
• Clean the fireplace (interior and exterior)
  
• Clean and organize closets. Consider renting a storage unit to store items you will not be needing until after you have moved. This can also be done seasonally.
  
• Remove worn or broken items, such as rugs, furnishings, blankets
  
• Repair any small problems such as squeaky doors, screen doors, cracked moldings, cracks in grout or loose caulking
  
• Clean appliances inside and out
  
• Clean “forgotten areas” such as under the sink, above the refrigerator and inside the microwave
  
• Organize kitchen cabinets
  
• Mow lawn, trim shrubs
  
• Weed and mulch gardens
  
• Remove stains from concrete or asphalt
  
• Repair gutters and eves
  
• Paint the front door and mailbox
  
• Pot plants and greenery for an instant addition to curb appeal
  
• Add a welcome mat or seasonal décor
  
• Make sure the doorbell is in good working order
  

This list is a great starting point and will help position your home for a quicker sale. Keep things neat and tidy throughout the duration of the listing period. This way, showings will feel like less of an inconvenience, you will be less pressured to get the house in show-able condition, and are more likely to have a buyer walk in and say, “I love it”!