DIY Macrame Table Runner

The weather in Tulsa has been wonderful these last few weeks, and it has me thinking about Spring and Summer projects -- one of which I am showing you today!

I really love the macrame trend, but I am not much of a wall hanging person. I came up with this table runner so that I could showcase some macrame without it having to be on a wall. This is a really easy and cheap DIY, and chances are if you spent anytime making friendship bracelets then you already know how to make the knot I am going to show you.

Galentine's Day 2016

This week I hosted my first ever "Galentine's Day" party! For those of you unfamiliar with the term, Galentine's is a fictitious holiday, created by Leslie Knope from the the TV show, Parks & Recreation. It's a holiday all about celebrating the love you have for your girlfriends.

I have some very lovely gal-pals, so I was more than happy to host a gathering in their honor. We spent the afternoon making bath bombs, snacking on chicken salad, sweet potato fries, some macaroons (thanks Francie!), and this spectacular lemon blueberry layer cake.

Grand Plans for the Backyard 2016

When we moved in, the inside of our home received a total facelift -- new floors, paint, cabinets, etc. The backyard, not so much. Our backyard is pretty bland. It got a little better last year with the addition of the chicken coop which added some color, but it's far from being a space that I'm proud of.

Here's our backyard in it's hay day, last summer. It did look pretty nice, I guess I'm just hating it more because it's winter and everything is brown.

My dream is to have a backyard where we can host parties, cook out, and have game nights. The problem is, it's as hot as a biscuit here in the summer and our south facing backyard has ZERO shade.  In the Spring when the weather is perfect I wonder why we don't spend more time outside, and then July hits and I remember why.

Chocolate Cake and All the Feelings

This past month and half has been one of the most physically/emotionally/mentally draining times of my life! If you didn't know, I am in a contest to win $75,000 (read the details here). It's really crazy. I'm still pinching myself.

I found out I was a finalist for the Mrs. Meyer's Homemaker Hunt in early December, and since then it's been the only thing on my mind. The anticipation is through the roof! It's like the feeling you got when you were a kid waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve, except EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE!

The stressing started with figuring out what kind of video essay I was going to make. They gave me guidelines, but I'm a person who wants to know EXACTLY what you want me to do. God bless the person at Mrs. Meyer's who answered my MANY emails for clarification. This was one of those times when you just have to say "this is the very best I can do," and hope that it's enough.

8 Rugs Under $500!

Hello homemakers! Today I'm bring you a round up of my favorite rugs for under $500. Before we get into that, I just have one question. Have you voted today? No?!? Go vote for me now! If you have no clue what I'm talking about, read this!

Now, to our regularly scheduled programming.

I love rugs! Over the last 3 years, I've added a rug to every room in our house except the kitchen and bathrooms. Rugs are a great alternative to carpet, because you can add pattern and color in a way that you can't with regular carpet. They also serve as a fashionable protectant to hardwood floors.

They're a great way to spruce up a space. See the difference the rug made in my bedroom?

However, with all their great qualities they do have one downfall -- they can be very expensive. A good area rug can run you anywhere from $500 - $1,500. If you are like me, you want a quality rug but don't want to pay through the nose lest you change your mind. How do you navigate a super tough decision like committing to a rug? Don't panic, I am here to help! Below, you'll find my 3 tips for buying a rug and 8 area rugs that I found for under $500! Hopefully all this will be helpful to you in your next rug buying adventure.

Sallie's Rug Rules
• Does it have enough pattern to hide stains? For high traffic areas, or if you have pets and kids,
  you want a rug with enough pattern that it will hide a stain. Someone is bound to spill something
  eventually, and you don't want it to ruin the rug or stick out like a sore thumb. I avoid rugs that are
  one solid color for this very reason -- one stain and they're done!

• Does it shed? If purchasing online, read the reviews! Thick wool rugs, while comfy for the feet,
  shed a lot. If that doesn't bother you, it may not be a big issue. Right now our dining room rug
  sheds like crazy and puts dust bunnies all over the house. Not ideal.

• Does it fit my space? I mean this in two ways. First, does it fit size wise? For a living room go with
  a large 8' x 10' or 9' x 12' rug. Most people skimp and go small because it's cheaper, but DON'T DO
  IT! Spend the extra money and get a rug that fits your space. Emily Henderson has a great write up
  on "too small" rugs. Read it! Secondly, does it fit the style of your space? I've been swooned by a
  super cool rug I loved, but it did not go with anything else in my room, therefore it looked and
  felt awful. If you are unsure, take pictures and look at everything side by side. Does it fit your style?
  When in doubt, I always go a little neutral so I can bring color in elsewhere.

1. nuLoom Traditional Raised Adileh, Overstock.com $384
2. Ortega Rug, Lulu & Georgia $426
3. Transitional Chenille Rug, Overstock.com $314
4. Transitional Oriental Chenille Rug, Overstock.com $480
5. Bell Ana Rug, Lulu & Georgia $370
6. Homespun Moroccan Trellis Rug, Rugs USA $499
7. Emperor Rug, Lulu & Georgia $444
8. Zeno Rug, Lulu & Georgia $346

Do you agree with my rules? Which rugs are your favorite? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

xoxo Sallie