Decorating for spring

Hey all! Hope you had a good weekend. Even though the calendar says it's spring, it was like 30 degrees here all weekend. (At least it was sunny!). Where is this spring they speak of?

It might not feel like spring outside, but at least it looks like spring inside. Maybe this will encourage some warmer weather around here. I can dream, right?

Here's our dining room looking all springy. I made some paper dogwood blossoms using Martha's directions, except I made mine using 3-, 2.5- and 2-inch squares. I just used regular ol' printer paper, and made some leaves out of green cardstock. Then I hotglued them to a branch I found in the yard.

Here's a close-up of the flower (please excuse the reject decorations in the corner). They're like the easier paper flowers to make in the world.

I put the branch in a big mason jar and held it in place with river rocks and wine corks.

In front of the jar is a $1 silver tray from Target, with some jute and two white pillar candles nestled in. So cheap and easy! I added two bud vases I already had, which really brought out the green in the leaves and added a little symmetry.

Note: I'm not dumb enough to leave these candles lit! All that jute is surely a fire hazard. But they look purdy all lit for the picture.

I made another dogwood blossom branch for the living room, this time with pink flowers. I love how the branch's curvyness complements the shape of the vase.

For more spring color, I filled a few votive holders with green, blue and white sea glass.

I also did a little rearranging with stuff I already had on there, like this adorable flower-shaped bowl from Goodwill. I love the color and the petal shapes.

Above the console table, I put a little spring on the floating shelves. Another branch from outside got prettied up with two paper flowers (also from Martha) I made for our wedding. And everyone teased me for keeping them -- ha! They really do come in handy (like for this paper topiary I made for Valentine's Day). And isn't that turquoise vase to die for?

I printed off this cute Be Happy print from blog Sprik Space and mounted it on some cheerful scrapbook paper. Note: I got a virus after downloading this print, so please, download at your own risk. But I think it's so cute, it's worth it. The hubs might disagree. 

I like how the color complements the vase. Behind that, the weathered frame I bought at a flea market.

On the shelf below, I moved a photo I took a few years ago on a camping trip from the gallery wall in the kitchen, and added a simple white candle and a cutie little bird that usually lives in the upstairs bathroom.

All together now:

I'm already thinking that frame would look fab with a cute little DIY wreath hanging from the center.

And here's it all with the table:

And it isn't spring without gerbera daisies. Nothing makes me happier than these happy, bright flowers. I bought a bunch at the grocery store and used them with some recent Michaels finds to bring some spring to the room next to the kitchen. A branch adds some height and interest.

Gah, look at that sweet little guy! (I love birds.)

I put the rest of the flowers in a mason jar with some seashells in the bottom. They add some happiness to the phone table in the living room.

How can you feel glum while looking at these cheerful fellows? They will surely help us beat the winter, er, early spring blues. Now if only the rest of the snow would melt...

I'm linking up to Centsational Girl's Fair Weather Forum: Spring Decorating and Cleaning. Stop by and see all the warm weather decor! 

Speaking of cleaning, this is what the rest of the living room looked like while I was decorating and taking photos:

The hubs got inspired to go through all his books and get rid of not enough some. I'm sure they'll be lots more spring cleaning and organizing in our future.

Have you decorated for spring yet? 

I'm also linking to the DIY Showoff Project Parade!