Way, way back in the beginning of 2002, my husband and I were looking for a new house. We had just about grown out of our first cottage and were ready to find something better suited for our growing family.

The goal was to stay in our current neighborhood, close to the beach, but we knew it wouldn't be easy.

Thrift store cutting boards have become my favorite new decor obsession. They're super cheap, easy to find and even easier to completely makeover.

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Last weekend, the temperatures soared to almost fifty degrees after a solid week of single digit days. It was so nice outside that several of the thrift stores in our area decided to host sidewalk sales. My husband and I had been dreaming of warmer weather, so we were game.

I didn't really need anything, but it was a perfect excuse to go shopping.

And that we did.

I'm kind of a no nonsense girl when it comes to the creative arts. While I don't mind the process, I'm more of a product oriented DIYer. When it comes to painting, sewing, decorating, it's got to be easy or I'm not giving it a go. And those are pursuits I really enjoy, so you can imagine that when it comes to cooking, I'm downright lazy.

I look for every shortcut out there and take them all. Sometimes it works out really well, other times, it's kind of a mess.

Last week, I laid out my plan for the new year and it was all about simplifying my life. I outlined the ways I was going to streamline my decor, my diet, my exercise routine and my daily plans. I even mentioned my budget, as an aside.

My mom always said that it's not polite to talk about money, so I added it with a bit of trepidation. After all, I don't usually discuss finances on my site, unless I'm telling you how much I didn't spend on something.

I'm kind of cheap when it comes to decor.

Valentine's Day banners are one of my all time favorite home decor crafts. It's funny, I'd never made one before I started blogging, but since then, I've been compelled to put one up every year. There's something about them that just makes me smile.

However, if you ask me why, exactly, I don't think I could give you one specific answer.

A few years ago, I looked around my home and realized that much of my beautiful decor was choking me. Decorating had always been my passion, but suddenly the volume of accessories and accent pieces felt overwhelming and I decided that a lot of it had to go.

I wanted only my very important treasures and the lovely lines of our cottage to stand out. I was tired of things falling on me when I opened a closet and I didn't want to spend my entire weekend dusting anymore.

Nope. I was done with all of that.

Hello friends and Happy 2019! I have something a little different to kick off this new year and I hope you enjoy it.

Today, I'm joining my creative partners from our Upcycle Sharin' Facebook group for a challenge where you could win prizes with values up to $150.

Well, folks, it's hard to believe, but we've come to the end of another year. What's even harder for me to believe is that this is my sixth...yes, sixth...Exquisitely Unremarkable wrap up. And even more unbelievable is that today's installment is the 500th article I've published.

500. Yikes that's a lot of words...

Create a custom wall hanging or painting by transferring your design onto a stretched canvas with iron on fabric sheets. Super simple DIY...

With each Christmas that passes, I seem to simplify my holiday decor a little bit more. Gone are the days of ornaments stuffed in baskets and Santas on every surface. I'm done wasting precious hours setting it all up, taking it all down and dusting it all in between.

That doesn't however mean that I'm a decor Grinch.

On the contrary. I still love to decorate my home for Christmas. I'm just a whole lot more discerning now.