Inspire Me Heather: October 2011

giveaway winner

The True Random Number Generator picked comment #2

so the winner of my giveaway is:

Zuzu who blogs at

You should go visit her - not only does she have a beautiful blog full of inspiration, she is one of the sweetest persons I've never met before! Hugs Zuzu and congratulations!

Ah yes, candles. There are so many ways to make a candle or re-use something as a candle-holder - the possibilities are endless! These bloggers have come up with some clever inspiration and ideas for candles:

Ruffled: DIY eco-friendly favors - how to for soy wax candles

Two Twenty One: wine cork candle holder - love this idea!

Burton Avenue: lighthouse candle holder - how to make

Polish The Stars: snowball candleholders - with epsom salt

Dottie Angel: a cluster of gleeful jam jars... how-to - crochet

Completely Coastal: decorating with candles - beach style

Kimber's Craft Day: spooky candles - for Halloween

project: plate racks

{that's mine}

Do you have a plate rack? Would you like to have one? These bloggers have come up with some great ideas and inspiration for plate racks, take a peek:

Willow Wisp Cottage: inspired by plate racks - eye candy

Blue Roof Cabin: rustic plate rack - and it's black too

Cart-Wheels: 365 days of coffee + DIY cup display - with a drawer

My Repurposed Life: repurposed crib into plate rack - great idea

The Shabby Farm Chick: spectacular find - countertop plate rack

Nest. Nesting. Nested.: DIY plate rack - how to build

Tidbits From The Tremaynes: this blows - cabinet to plate rack

Urban Grace Interiors: plate racks - inspiration

project: giveaway

It's been 1 year of blogging at
Inspire Me Heather!

To thank my followers for a creative and fun year,
I would like to offer a giveaway of $50

paid to you through PayPal for you to spend on Etsy!
Yes, it's like - buy your own present.

I really, really appreciate you following me here
and I wish you good luck on the giveaway.

I have the simplest of rules:

1. Leave a comment that you are a follower of
Inspire Me Heather.
New followers are most welcome!

2. Post my above giveaway with a link to this post
or put it on your sidebar
and let me know by leaving a comment.

If you win,
would you please let me know what you bought on Etsy
(and if you don't have a PayPal account
we'll make other arrangements,
I'll get the $50 to you another way!)

Yup, that's it!

project: stairs

{loft & cottage: my nailhead stair runner}

Hi, I'm Casey from Loft & Cottage. Thanks so much to Heather for having me here today to draw attention to an often-overlooked part of the home—the stairs! In my own home, one of my favorite big-impact projects was painting and then installing Ikea runners and nailheads on the stairs to the third floor. It's so easy to update an ugly or plain set of stairs cleverly and creatively and affordably. Here are some of my favorite ideas:

Loft & Cottage: paint and rugs and nailheads, oh my! - my chevron rug stair redo

Casa Sugar: rope-wrapped balusters - chic, fun embellishment

Ella Boo & Co: paint & numbers - awesome paint & stencil project

Southern Hospitality: the down & dirty on the stair project - learn how to do it all here

Remodelista: DIY stair rope banisters - totally creativity and a little nautical vibe

Sunset: another cool handrail - never would have thought of this!

Trendir: stair riser decor - a few ideas to jazz up your stair risers

project: kitchen cabinets

{my modified Ikea cabinets}

Todays post is about kitchen cabinets - painting them, modifying them and some neat ideas too. Have a look at what these bloggers have done in their kitchens and let them inspire you to update those cabinets!

W Design: it's just paint - painting dated oak kitchen cabinets

The Creative Crate: my{kitchen cabinet} transformation - adding beadboard!

Three Boys: kitchen makeover for $50 - by painting

Between 3 Sisters: how to install an in-cupboard pot rack - so clever

Pumpkin Pie Painter: kitchen update... continues - painting cabinets with chalk paint

The Vintique Object: painting kitchen cabinets with young children around - no mess

See Cate Create: how to paint and antique kitchen cabinets - her way

project: about me

Hello everybody - I've won an award!

Thank you Beauty & the Green, you are such a sweetheart

The rules for this award is:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave the award to you

2. Share 7 things about yourself

3. Send it along to 15 other bloggers and let them know you have awarded them!

Ok here's my 7 things:

1. I have purposely done a really bad job washing windows because I don't like to do them, Hubby does them now!

2. I get up at 3:30 - 4:00 am without an alarm to get on the computer

3. I hate eggs - yuck!

4. My hair is always a mess - long or short - I wear hats a lot

5. I haven't read a book in years (not counting childrens stories)

6. I love painting and have painted my entire house inside and out

7. I run like Phoebe on Friends

Now for some bloggie luv:

I'm sending this award on to 15 fabulous new-to-me bloggers and I picked blogs that all have less than 100 followers. Go on and check them out:

Little House Of Projects

Two Yellow Birds Decor

project: letters and numbers

{Vintage Printable}

Here's some creative posts by bloggers on letters and numbers. Please have a look at them and tell them I sent you! Did you make a project with letters and numbers? Let me know by leaving a comment, thank you!

A Time For Everything: alphabet wall - love, love, love it!

The Virginia House: letter making tutorial - burlap inspired by Restoration Hardware

Straight Stiches: ABC...easy as 123 - pillow tutorial

Life, Crafts, and Whatever: wire wrapped letter? oh yes I did - looks great too

Junk Fest: I'm such a copycat - grocery sign

Daydreams And Pretty Things: Roman numeral sign - looks great

That's My Letter: "P" is for personalize - how to paint words

project: shower curtains

{GRAIN}

Here are some fabulous ideas and solutions to shower curtains - from making them fit to making your own popular retail version. Check out what these bloggers have posted and let them inspire you:

{So Much} Jane & Eugene: raising the bar - lengthen the curtain with ruffles

The House Of Smiths: shower curtain extension - with fabric or a bedskirt

Buttercream And A Sewing Machine: bed sheet to shower curtain - yes!

Classy Lady Blog: Anthropologie inspired shower curtain tutorial - for $5.oo

The Uncluttered Lifestyle: DIY ruffled shower curtain - tutorial

Barely Measured: before and after DIY shower curtain - how to sew

Taylor Made: DIY Anthropologie Flamenco shower curtain in sunshine - gorgeous!