Lemon Thistle

Oct 19

DIY Fall Decor (Reversible for Halloween!)

Oct 19

I love how this simple metal pail is transformed into porch decor using some paint and hand lettering. I lettered ‘Welcome Autumn’ on one side and filled it with pinecones and pumpkins for instant fall decor and lettered the reverse side with ‘Trick Or Treat’ to make for an easy treat bowl for halloween! Just flip it over and you’re set for the whole fall season.

I shared all the details on how to make this fall and halloween craft over on my YouTube channel a few weeks ago and thought I’d share it with all of you on the blog as well! This decor is perfect for the porch or entry filled with pinecones and mini pumpkins for fall and fill it with treats (or pumpkins again!) for Halloween. Here’s the video to show you how to make your own- I also detail the supplies below if you’re at work and are watching with sound off!

Oct 18

DIY Renovation Realities… Lack of Progress – ORC Week 3

Oct 18

Well, it looks like this week is full of updates that show how far we’ve come but actually how far away we really are from our home renovation reveals. If you caught my kitchen remodel update yesterday… you’ll know just how true that statement is! Since we’ve made very little visible progress in Aubrey’s bedroom makeover this week (or really since this challenge started), I thought I’d share what has been done behind the scenes and the compile a list of the many… many… things that do need to get done still. This is the half way mark and we haven’t even done demolition, you guys so this list is stressing me out a little bit. I also am feeling like I’m running out of time to make up my mind on a couple things and get orders in. But then at the same time… we’re actually moving forward with some pieces of the puzzle that need to happen first. But that’s renovations… right?! It’s a jigsaw puzzle and wanting to do the big fun things doesn’t change what actually needs to get done first.

If you missed my announcing it… we’re taking on our daughter’s bedroom for the fall One Room Challenge as guest participants. It’s a 6 week design challenge and I shared all the details on what we have planned for the space in THIS post right here. Then, for the second week- I shared how I’m involving Aubrey and how you can get your kids involved in designing a space that you both love. And this week? This week is week 3/6 which means we are HALF WAY. Somehow.Continue Reading…

Oct 17

Modern Classic Kitchen Remodel UPDATE!

Oct 17

Some of the products in these kitchen plans are sponsored. I’m so grateful to the following sponsors for helping make these kitchen plans a reality (Silestone by Cosentino, Liberty Hardware, Vigo Industries, Wayfair Canada, Breville, Insinkerator and General Paint). See my full policies here.

So remember back when I shared our design plans for the first space we were remodelling in our house? And then there was radio silence for a LONG time? Yeah, turns out living through a massive renovation like this with 4 little kids goes a little slower than we’d pictured. I’m pretty sure everyone everywhere is nodding their heads. So it’s been a little longer than we’d planned BUT it’s looking so great and we really have been enjoying doing these renovations with the kids helping- it’s a totally different experience than our last place now that the kids are older. We are learning to enjoy the process no matter how messy and behind schedule and of course… the end product always makes it so worth it too!

Today I’m excited to share an update of how the remodel is going and give some in-between details before we share our big Before/After reveal in a couple weeks! I took some VLOG style videos throughout the process and have compiled those into a YouTube video (embedded below) but I also took some photos and am going to chat through some of the decisions we ended up making and hiccups we had along the way in this post. I hope if you’re thinking of renovating, this helps shed some light on what it’s like with kiddos in the mix and as always, if you have questions- please ask them in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer! Ready to see the demo and slow rebuild? Continue Reading…

Oct 13

2019 Calendars – Free Printable 4 Styles

Oct 13

This year is giving me a run for my money, you guys. And some things (like these calendars!) are falling through the cracks. We’re knee deep in a main floor renovation, our oldest (twins) started Kindergarten and I’ve still got a baby and a toddler at home during the days. I love this crazy life, but it sure is full right now. I say this because it’s somehow OCTOBER and you guys have been so sweetly asking for the 2019 calendars since August. The crazy part is that they’ve been done for a month and I just couldn’t get my butt in gear to photograph them and get them posted for you here. But they’re here and done and ready for you to download.

I say this every year, but this is one of my very. favourite. posts. to write all year long! I know how many of you have been waiting patiently for these calendars and it always feels great to publish a post knowing it’s going to be well received. If you’re new to Lemon Thistle, every year I create a hand lettered calendar… well, actually *four* hand lettered calendars this year and offer them as free printables for my email subscribers. And today is the day they officially launch.Continue Reading…

Oct 11

Designing a Room With Your Kids (not just for them) – ORC Week 2

Oct 11

Text overlay - Tips to design your kids bedroom WITH them not just or them... and still love how it looks

Can I be honest? I didn’t get much done for Aubrey’s bedroom in the One Room Challenge this week. We installed her fan and that is IT. It was Canadian Thanksgiving here and we enjoyed family night after night… and the makeover was the last thing on the priority list. Plus, yesterday was my birthday so I didn’t even get this post up in time. Too busy living life. But this is an important post I think! Designing rooms with kids… not just for them. This isn’t something that’s new to me. Even at our last place, when our kids were all sharing one bedroom, this is something I found a challenge- but a fun one.

If you missed my announcement, I’m taking part in this season’s One Room Challenge (a 6 week room makeover) as a guest participant and am taking on Aubrey’s Bedroom. I shared the plans RIGHT HERE. I thought that since we’ve done very little in progress on Aubrey’s bedroom, I’d take this week’s post to give some tips and share some of my experience in designing a bedroom WITH your kids… not just FOR them. And also designing a room that you love to have in your home, not one that looks like your kids did all the decorating/choosing. This seems to be a hot topic for some reason when I’ve mentioned it before with friends, family, or on the internet… If you WANT to have a room in your house that your kids get free reign on- do that! This post is for those families who love decorating and want to find a way to include their kids- or those families who have very strongly opinionated kids (that’s me!) and you want to create a room you both love together.Continue Reading…

Oct 08

Woodburning Tips from a Beginner

Oct 08

*This post is sponsored by Walnut Hollow. I take care to only partner with companies I love! Find all my policies here.

A few years ago I bought myself a wood burner and made a wood burned quote for the holidays. I loved it and I think that over the years my script lettering has improved enough that I’ve been wanting to give it a go again. All I remember from that is that I had NO clue what I was doing. But it was a fun experiment. I thought that since it’s really my second time wood burning and I’m a total beginner at the art (and it is an ART) that I’d put together a little post sharing some of the tips that I have found the most helpful. I hope you find them useful and that you’re encouraged to give wood burning a try because it really is SO much fun! I don’t think it’s something you need to be an expert at (hardly!) to give it a try and be happy with your results.

For this project I used one of these gorgeous Basswood Planks from Walnut Hollow. Recognize it? I made one of these babies into a sign for our bathroom last fall when we took on the One Room Challenge (we’re crazy enough to do the ORC again this year too!). It’s funny because in that bathroom remodel, the thing that has gotten the most comments and questions is that little sign! For that one, I cut out heat transfer vinyl and ironed it on to the wood (which I explain how to do here) but this time I wanted to give wood burning another try. I’m really happy with how it turned out! I know it’s not my greatest talent, but it’s totally addicting and I know I’m going to keep working at it. This piece is going to find it’s home on our wall somewhere in our home because I just love this quote so much. The quote reads, ‘Wherever life plants you, Bloom with grace’ and I’ve been wanting to put this quote on something for SO so long. This was the perfect opportunity!

Ready for the tips?Continue Reading…

Lemon Thistle Shop

2018 Handlettered Calendars

Modern Easter Tablescape with Printable Place Cards

Dining Room Reveal

DIY Fall Decor (Reversible for Halloween!)

DIY Renovation Realities… Lack of Progress – ORC Week 3

Modern Classic Kitchen Remodel UPDATE!

2019 Calendars – Free Printable 4 Styles

Designing a Room With Your Kids (not just for them) – ORC Week 2

Woodburning Tips from a Beginner

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