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Outdoor Topiaries

I have always loved the manicured look of old estate gardens, so I am excited to be partnering with Balsam Hill on their outdoor topiaries. Their topiaries easily provide me with the look I want, and they are versatile, long-lasting, and maintenance-free!

The best outdoor topiaries

Versatile

These topiaries look amazing day or night. They have battery-operated lights which allow you to light them up at night.

The timer comes on at the same time each evening and runs for six hours. Our backyard is instantly transformed into a magical place in the evenings with the little LED lights.

Long Lasting

The outdoor topiaries come in several options – a single ball, double ball, finial, and spiral topiaries, this collection is crafted with Balsam Hill’s highly realistic True Foliage™ boxwood tips, which are UV-protected to resist fading from sunlight.

I have a few of Balsam Hill’s topiaries from several years ago, and they still look amazing (and all the lights work)!

Maintenance-Free

These topiaries are maintenance-free. I love that I don’t have to worry about watering them. They look perfect and green year-round!

The topiaries come potted in small pots, but I put mine in larger pots. I filled the pots with mulch, so the topiaries look realistic. The pots are light, and I can easily move them around my home.

In the summer, the topiaries look beautiful lining the pool. But since they are easy to move around, they also work well outside our back doors.

I am a big fan of Balsam Hill and have loved their product for several years. You can see my outdoor fall decor here, and my outdoor Christmas decor here.

Where would you love to use Balsam Hill’s topiaries?

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Balsam Hill. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

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Seasonal Decor

Easter Tablescape

We are in desperate need of spring here in Indiana, so I really enjoyed designing an Easter tablescape and decorating our home for spring with Balsam Hill. Easter Tablescape | Spring with Balsam Hill I have always loved yellow in small doses, and this Small Meyer Lemon Tree adds the perfect amount of color to my kitchen. It looks so realistic – right down to the “dirt” in the aged pot.  The best thing about it – I don’t need to worry about making a mess OR watering! I am a fan of Balsam Hill’s miracle flames candles, and I used them year round in our home (I used them in our fall decor last year). This candle is Balsam Hill’s 7″ Miracle Flam LED Wax Pillar Candle. It can be turned on or set to a timer with a handy remote that comes with each candle. I love how much life that little lemon tree brings to the space. The details are amazing – right down to the tree blossoms. Now if only we would see some tree blossoms soon here… For Easter, I planned an intimate little tablescape with lots of color. The centerpiece of the table is from Balsam Hill. Spring Table Decor Ideas I added my pink dishes and gold flatware for a glamorous look. The table adds so much color to my neutral kitchen nook. On either side of the floral arrangement, I added Balsam Hill’s Peach Balsam Candle Rings. These florals make any day special. I also added those candles I love so much to add ambience. In the floral rings are Balsam Hill’s 5″ Miracle Flame LED Wax Pillar Candles. My kids saw the table and can’t wait to dine! I’m hoping I can make something to eat worthy of this gorgeous tablescape! What are your favorite colors for spring? I’m adding navy and blush with pops of other colors throughout my home. I’m joining 5 other bloggers in Balsam Hill’s Spring in Bloom Campaign: Go create something! Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home. This post has been sponsored by Balsam Hill.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Seasonal Decor

Giving Back with Balsam Hill

I am excited about Giving Back with Balsam Hill.  It’s a unique opportunity to help raise money for our local food bank.

Giving Back with Balsam Hill

During the school year, 22 million children receive free or reduced-priced meals through the National School Lunch Program. However, when school is out, only 3.9 million receive free or reduced-price meals throughout the USDA Summer Food Service program. Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Indiana and Feeding America are trying to close the summertime gap so kids don’t go hungry.

Giving Back with Balsam Hill

I am partnering with Balsam Hill for their 4th annual Christmas in July celebration.  During this celebration, Balsam Hill is generously donating money to Second Harvest Food Bank.  However, to raise money for the food bank I need your help (and it’s so easy)!  All you need to do is like, comment, and share Facebook posts from Balsam Hill.  

A like is worth $0.50, while a comment or a share is worth $1.

A little over a year ago, I traveled to The Dominican Republic with my extended family and built a house for a family in need. It was a life-changing experience, and by FAR my favorite DIY project (see more about that experience HERE).

Once home, I wanted to do more and realized there are needs right here in the United States. People are going hungry and that’s just not okay. My husband joined the board of Second Harvest Food Bank, and we are both so impressed with the organization and its passion to stop hunger. We believe in what Second Harvest does and want to help them serve others!

The hardworking staff at Second Harvest Food Bank is amazing. Everyone we have come in contact with – from those in the front office to those in the warehouse – is wonderful. They’re kind, patient (the staff took the time to explain to my kids how the food bank helped people), and passionate about their cause – stopping hunger.

As much as I LOVE sharing DIY home decor ideas, there is more to life than pretty things. We were put on this earth to serve others, and Second Harvest Food Bank does just that. I want to use my blog as a platform to serve and love others (and thanks to Balsam Hill, I’m to do this by raising awareness for Second Harvest Food Bank and Feeding America). My husband and I will continue to donate our time and resources to Second Harvest Food Bank and want to involve our kids in the charity. It will be a family thing!

I will be the first to admit that is easy to get caught up in our own lives and forget there’s a (needy) world beyond mine! We all want to make the world a better place, so let’s do that! You can make a difference and giving back is good for everyone – both the recipients and givers!

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Indiana is part of Feeding America – a US Hunger Relief Organization. By going to their website, you can search for a food bank near you to donate your time and/or money!

Thanks for joining me on this Giving Back with Balsom Hill.

Go create something!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest  

Seasonal Decor

Front Door Makeover with Balsam Hill

Front Door Makeover with Balsam Hill

Front Door Makeover with Balsam Hill

I teamed up with Balsam Hill once again, but this time it is for Christmas (last time was for my fall front door makeover).

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I am absolutely in love with my front door entrance.  It is elegant and inviting AND it all looks just as gorgeous at night (which I will show a little later in the post).

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The wreath and garland are Balsam Hill’s Bay Laurel with Mixed Berries Foliage.

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If you would love some gorgeous holiday decor for your home, Balsam Hill is offering my readers a coupon code good through the end of January. The Single Ball Boxwood Topiaries from my fall front porch were reused, and they will definitely stay outside the front door year-round as they work well with each season.

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My topiaries, garland, and wreath are lit and make a beautiful statement once the sun goes down (which is way too early here in Indiana).

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I also added a couple of Balsam Hill’s Candela Crossbar Lanterns.

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I put the Miracle Flame Outdoor Battery-Operated Candle in each lantern, and the glow is perfect.

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Right before I was getting ready to take photos of my front door, I saw a post by The Painted Hive.  Kristine updated an outdated door by painting over glass panels. I need to preface this by saying that from the day we moved into our home three years ago, I have never loved our door.  It is not an antique (the previous owner added it soon before we bought the house).  I wanted a solid door – the fancy glass is not my style.  I always tell people home decor is like clothes.  We all like different styles of dress, and well all prefer different styles of decor in (and outside in my case) our homes.

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You can see the fancy glass here in my fall decorated front door…

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I had to do a little persuading, but Steve agreed to let me cover the glass (even though he thought I was crazy).  I promised I would make it removable in case it turned out to be a disaster. I began by using wrapping paper to make a pattern of the glass.

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holiday-front-door-decor-with-balsam-hill-2 Once the pattern was made, I traced it onto some thin plywood I had leftover from an earlier project.

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I cut two pieces out for the front and inside of the door and used caulk to hold the board in place (remember I promised Steve I’d make it removable).

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I did have to use a couple of nails to hold the board in place while the caulk dried.

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I picked THE COLDEST days for this project, and I tried to keep the cold air out.

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After an afternoon, the caulk was dry and the door was freshly painted and my glass was gone (or hidden).

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Go create something!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest

*This post contains affiliate links and is a sponsored post by Balsam Hill. I take pride in reviewing only products that fit my brand and will be beneficial to my readers. And while this post is sponsored, all the opinions are my own. DIY covered up leaded glass on front door

Seasonal Decor

Decorating a Christmas Tree

Today I’m decorating a Christmas Tree.

Decorating a Christmas Tree with Balsam Hill

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My husband and I have been married for 15 years and buy a live Fraser fir every Christmas.  Before you go imagining the happy couple driving home with a tree on top of the car, we have had PLENTY of frustrating experiences (not to mention the cost of 15 years worth of buying live trees).  After having a tree fall over in the middle of the night (breaking most of my ornaments), stains on the carpet from leaking water, clogging vacuums with needles, and stressing about forgetting to turn off the lights on an already dry Christmas tree, I was ready to say goodbye to the live tree. I am excited to be partnering with Balsam Hill, because I have always admired their Christmas tree and other decor products.  This year, I am saying goodbye to the stress of a live Christmas tree and hello to the ease of an artificial tree.  Balsam Hill provided me with a realistic-looking Fraser fir (in the 7.5 size we always buy). There will be no more fighting the weekend after Thanksgiving crowds at the tree farm – our Christmas tree arrived in a box placed on the front doorstep.

balsam-hill-christmas-tree-review Being the organization freak I am, I was overjoyed when I opened the box and found this:

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Everything is laid out easy to see and find.

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There are storage cases for everything.

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The Assembly of the tree is simple.

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Every piece is labeled – even my eight-year-old was able to figure it out.

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Notice the gloves he is wearing?  They come with the tree!  Balsam Hill seriously thought of everything.

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The hardest part of the assembly is fluffing the tree.  It is easy, but it takes time.

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Assembly involves simply stacking the numbered tree sections.

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Once the sections are connected, and the tree is fluffed, it tree trimming time.

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Balsam Hill has many different tree decor themes, but I fell in love with their French Country theme.

balsam-hill-tree-decor The french country ornaments are absolutely gorgeous.

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The fillers are just as beautiful.  I used the Champagne Metallic Berry Pics, the Jute Pinecone Picks (my favorite), and the Winter Pearl Glitter Picks.

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My favorite decor from this collection is the Victorian Cutout Champagne ribbon.

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The final touch to my tree was the Lodge Faux Fur Tree Skirt in Smoke.  It is so soft and adds beautiful texture to my tree.

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So far, I have not missed my live tree yet, but Balsam Hill makes a pretty realistic Christmas tree (and I’ll burn a fir scented candle to make it feel even more authentic).

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I would love to know, how do you celebrate the holidays – with a live tree or faux tree (or both)?

Have fun decorating a Christmas tree!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest

*This post contains affiliate links and is a sponsored post by Balsam Hill. I take pride in reviewing only products that fit my brand and will be beneficial to my readers. And while this post is sponsored, all the opinions are my own.

Seasonal Decor

Fall Front Door Makeover

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Since we are hosting Thanksgiving for my family this year, our front door needed a fall makeover.

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My usual fall front porch decor consists of a couple of pumpkins and a few mums.  However, this year called for something more.  I wanted the beautiful front door decked out in fall decor – I was dreaming of something you see in the movies. Before I go more into the details (and share a video to show you how easy it is to get this look), check out my before:

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The summer porch days are numbered now that our nights are getting cooler.  My begonias did great this year, and I may try to see if I can get my asparagus ferns to survive the winter inside.  The summer porch was pretty, but my new porch screams “come celebrate Thanksgiving here!”

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I have always been a huge fan of Balsam Hill, and I knew they would have just what was needed for a dream fall front porch. While glancing through their website, it was love at first sight with their Autumn Abundance Foliage Collection.

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I selected the wreath for our front door.

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Two 42″ swags were hung on either side of the doorway.

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And two Single Battery-Operated Boxwood Topiaries frame the doorway.  I absolutely love these topiaries because they will transition perfectly to Christmas and they are wrapped in clear lights AND they require no maintenance.  They will survive our harsh Indiana winter and give me something green during the colder months.

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I am such a summer girl, so I usually dread fall knowing that winter is right behind.  However, I am going to try and enjoy all the gorgeous weather and activities fall offers.  And this amazing front porch helps me celebrate the season. fall-decor-ideas-with-balsam-hill

Watch this video to see how quickly I transformed my front door with Balsam Hill: 

Go create something!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest

*This post contains affiliate links and is a sponsored post by Balsam Hill. I take pride in reviewing only products that fit my brand and will be beneficial to my readers. And while this post is sponsored, all the opinions are my own.