Creative Inspirations

If you're like us, we're always looking for ways to personalize our home to reflect our family life and values.  Funny or motivational quotes, and words of inspiration, add a personalized touch to any style home decor.    Quotes on walls and doors can welcome visitors to your home, direct them to the powder room, or add the finishing touch to a group of family photos.  Words add visual interest in  otherwise plain spaces.

For example, adding "Our Family" under this large canvas family photo adds the finishing touch in this space.  Creative Inspirations can be added to nearly any wall or door.   

We are pleased to offer the "Our Family" wall decal, along with our "Welcome" and "Powder Room" door decals.  We invite special orders, as well -- tell us how much wall space you have and your favorite quote, and we will customize it to the space.  Watch for our online store opening soon on www.Etsy.com.  In the meantime, send us an email at askcreativeliving@gmail.com for details on how to order.  

Happy Creating!

Repurpose An Outdoor Wall Planter

Summer in the midwest...you can count on two things for certain:  hot sun and bugs.  Whether you're enjoying a stay-cation in your own back yard, or a simple dinner on the patio, you'll want the sunscreen and insect repellant close by.    We repurposed an outdoor wall planter as a storage rack for these summer necessities. An artificial potted plant adds a touch of summer green, and we don't have to worry about forgetting to water it.  Happy Creating! 

 

Best Picnic Potato Salad

It's BBQ season and most nights you'll find us gathered around the pool, with dinner on the grill.  I love to toss together this easy and delicious Red Potato Salad, made with dijon mustard, dill and sour cream.  If you make it for a crowd, be sure to keep it on ice -- onions can spoil easily in the heat.

Red Potato Salad

3 pounds red potatoes, boiled and cut into cubes
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1 cup peas
1 cup sour cream (sometimes I substitute 1/2 cup of sour cream for plain yogurt)
1/2 cup mayonnaise with olive oil
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp dill
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
3 hard boiled eggs - I use for garnish, but can also mix in salad

While potatoes boil, cook the peas, and chop green onions and celery.  Rinse and drain potatoes and combine with peas, celery and green onions.  Refrigerate to chill.  Mix sour cream, mayo, mustard, vinegar, dill, garlic salt and onion powder.  Combine with vegetables and garnish with sliced hard boiled eggs.  Create your own variations:  Sometimes I add 1/2 cup crumbled bacon, or cut up a dill pickle and add it to the salad, or add 1 tsp. hot sauce to kick it up a notch.  Happy Summer Creating!

Personalized Tile is the perfect gift!

We love personalized gifts.  Love to give them, love to receive them.  Personalization ensures this gift is uniquely mine.  Unless of course, you're like me and happen to have the same initials as your mother-in-law -- then the bonus:  you can share all things monogrammed!

A personalized tile is a great addition to any decor, especially when displayed on an easel.   Perfect to fill an empty corner on a bath or kitchen counter.  Perfect on a mantle in the family room.  Great wedding or shower gift!  

Our tiles are available in two colors of Italian porcelain:  Ivetta Gray or Tuscan Tan.  Customize your tile with either block or script fonts.  Available for only $26.95 (easel not included) or $32.95 (includes easel.) Contact us at askcreativeliving@gmail.com or (618)781-3033 to place your order!  

Organize Your Life with Curtain Rods!

Curtain Rods have many uses other than simply displaying curtains.  They are versatile as a tool for displaying all kinds of collections, and the possibilities are endless!  We prefer cafe rods because they are lightweight, easy to install and allow you to easily access your collection.   

Below are three ways to repurpose an old cafe rod.  Don't have an old one?  They are  inexpensive and easy to find at any department store.  Happy Creating!

Jewelry Organizer: Repurposed Cafe Rod and Shower Curtain Rings. Showcases necklaces, allows you to display numerous strands without tangling them.  Easy to find and access just the right one - saves time!
Thank you to our friends Dana and Julie for sharing this great idea!

Ribbon Organizer:  Spools of ribbon slide right onto this cafe rod.  Saves time, and allows you to unroll only the amount of ribbon needed for your gift wrap or project.

Scarf Organizer:  two large cafe rods hung on the inside of the closet door allow for easy access and organization of numerous scarves.  

Welcome guests at the Front Door

We all know first impressions are important.  Greet your family, friends, and guests with a hearty "Welcome" right at the front door.   It's the perfect greeting to your home and complements any decor.  It also pairs nicely with any door decor or floral arrangement, and doesn't require nails or suction cups.  Installs easily in just a few minutes.  Email us at askcreativeliving@charter.net to find out how you can get one (or more) for your door(s)!  Happy Creating!