The Honest Company

I recently received package from The Honest Company . The Honest Company has created baby, bath & body, and cleaning products with non-toxic, chlorine-free, sustainable and plant-based materials.

Honest products are not only designed to be safe and sustainable, but beautiful, fresh, and fun. Their designs are inspired by our everyday lives.

The Honest Company was started by a mom and a dad who, like many modern parents, were increasingly worried about products made with questionable chemical ingredients. But the alternatives they found were often expensive, inaccessible, bland, or ineffective. In response to this clear need for something better, they created The Honest Company to ensure that parents (or anyone for that matter!) could easily find natural and non-toxic eco-friendly products that are beautiful, effective, and affordable. From customized product bundles to diapers and wipes to an ever-expanding line of cleaning and personal care products, you can find everything you need at Honest.com and have it delivered directly to your front door.

I tried the shampoo and body soap. The smell was a little odd in the beginning, but I warmed up to it.

It left my skin and hair feeling great and I would definitely use it again.

I like the idea of using eco-friendly products in my home. I even use them in my designs and design for clients.

One way you can use eco-friendly designs in your home is to think local. There are numerous artist, artisans, and furniture makers who utilize reclaimed sustainably harvested local woods for their designs, as well as environmentally friendly manufacturing techniques.

My favorite piece in my home is my dining room table. The table was made by John Duffy of Stable Tables.

John uses reclaimed barn wood and other hardwoods to create beautiful, quality custom pieces for his clients. The legs he used on my table were salvaged porch posts from a 100+ year old home. I knew as soon as I saw them, they were meant for me! 

Up-cycling is another way to be green in your designs. I frequently purchase second hand or find a piece on the side of the road. A fresh coat of paint and it's ready for a whole new life!

So, if you're ready to start an eco-friendly lifestyle, click here to give it a try

Click here to become a member of The Honest Company community and start your free trial today.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Honest Company. The opinions and text are all mine.

{ The Girl's Bathroom }

Camille and Lucy have their own bathroom. They don't use it.
Ridiculous, right? All the kids squeeze into the smaller bathroom. It makes it easier to fight with each other that way.

I'm determined to change that. Or may be I just like giving myself another project. Either way, here's the plan...

Pretty simple. But a huge step from where it is now. Sorry, not brave enough to show you the "before" shot yet.
There is a stall shower, which I will camouflage with a brown ticking shower curtain from Pottery Barn.

I'll add some girly fluff and get some color started in the room with these towels.

The room is extra large, so I want to use a large area rug in the center.

I also want to add some industrial elements, like plumbing pipes for towel racks.

I know I'll be making lots of trips to HomeGoods too for giant baskets to hold laundry, towels, and little girl nonsense. The bigger the better, right?

I'll also be replace the current vanity. A little somethin' like this might work well.

Miss Mustard Seed

So, raise your hand if you're happy this wasn't a Christmas post.

Still a few days left to be discovered in Philly! Click to enter.

Brisbane: Is your house ready for a Magazine story?

A beautiful house we photographed last year in Brisbane's south by designer Anna Spiro.

Beach Vintage's Simone shared her story with us for the Aust. Womens Weekly.

Anna Spiro's own home which we did for Vogue Living. Below Ivy and Piper's Melanie Parker in her Brisbane home for Real Living Magazine.

A Brisbane house by Lily G we shot last year which made the front cover of H and G! Left, another Lily G house.

I'm heading up to Brisbane to photograph some gorgeous houses (with one of Australia's top photographers) for the glossies this week... and I have space for one more!

If you think your house, or a friend's, is worthy of a magazine story, send me some photos as quick as you can.
What  we are looking for:
A house with style that has lots of decorating ideas with a high level of finish. It can be modern, traditional, funky or glam.
We also look for at least 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, a kitchen, living area, dining plus an outdoor area if appropriate.
It has to be in the Brisbane area.
Send your pics to me at:
catherine.robin@bigpond.com

{ Make some Magic this year }

When I was little my family would pick Pollyannas on Thanksgiving night. I was the youngest in the family and absolutely LOVED it. I loved it because there was a twist. The twist was that the gift had to be MADE, not bought. And I was a maker!

My brothers didn't love it as much. They were teenagers and not interested in "crafts". But they played along. Although, some years you might receive a beautiful pair of leather boots that they would try to pull off as "home-made". But some years they would play along and bake a cake or something. Everyone always hope my sister's husband, Bob, would draw their name. Bob was a carpenter and always made fabulous gifts.

Now that my kids are getting older, I think we may start this tradition in our home.

Throughout the month of December I'd like to help you MAKE something. There's nothing like a home-made gift. Even if you think you can't do it, or it wouldn't be up to the receivers standards, you need to try.

I guarantee  if the receiver will love it. They'll love the fact that you took time to create something. Even if it turns out as a total flop, you'll get a huge laugh over it and you'll create more memories then you would have with store bought gifts.

So, here's a little snippet of what you can look forward to here on The Painted Home this month.

I've been crafting and hot glue these little tidbits since July.

Each item will be show with simple instructions, so even those of you that are all thumbs will be able to follow along and make at least ONE gift this year.

Don't forget to check pinterest. I get so much inspiration there.

Check out my Christmas Board here.

{ The Dining Room Issue of The Painted Home Magazine }

Well, it's finally here.

I've wanted to create an online line publication for some time now. So I did.

And here it is. I hope it gives you some great ideas to use in your own home and most of all to take chances.

I take just as many chances in real life as I do do here on The Painted Home.

I just can't take no for an answer. I like to think that I'm an optimist.

As I type this I'm listening to the Beatles, All you Need Is Love. I'm not even a huge Beatles fan, but man, do I like this song.

There's nothing you can do that can't be done.

Nothing you can sing that can't be sung.
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy.
There's nothing you can make that can't be made.
No one you can save that can't be saved.
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you
in time - It's easy.

The words sum up my thoughts on pretty much everything. Just do it. I'm a doer. If I have the slightest thought or inkling that I could do something I just get started on it. Whatever it might be. Cooking, painting, building something, carrying something that should really take 2 people, sending an email to an editor of a magazine, you name it, if the thought crosses my mind, I'm on it.

But, here's a secret...I have no idea what I'm doing.

I have no idea what people are talking about when they speak blog lingo, or anything at all about computers, facebook, HTML's, twitter, what are you talking about?...I wing it. I wing everything. I just have an instinct and I go with it. I'm just as amazed as you are that I am where I am. I'm flabbergasted when I find out how many people read my site, or follow me on facebook, instagram, twitter, or send me an emailing telling me how inspirational The Painted Home has been to them. Me? I pinch myself most of the time.

So, now it's your turn. Go. Go with whatever it is that you've been wanting to go with.

Write a book, install your own brick patio, travel the world, join the circus, change jobs, cut your hair, cut your lawn, get married, or don't, try yoga, get braces, be yourself.  Just go. Do something. You'll be so glad you did. (an hum the Beatles song all day today)

You'll find there aren't as many rules as you thought there were. ;)

click to preview our latest issue!

I hope you're inspired!

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{ DIY Tips & Tricks For Thanksgiving }

Today I had the chance to share some tips and tricks for getting your house "Holiday Ready".
Jenn Fredrick from Good Day Philadelphia came to my home to chat a little about things you can do that have big impact and little money to prepare for the upcoming entertainment season.

So, if you didn't catch the show I thought I'd share a little here...
my fav. The rustic table setting.

with fresh cut black walnut chargers

I added stripes of black striped burlap webbing from burlapfabric.com

I tied the silverware up with a black toile napkin, and some springs of pine nestled in a paper cone.

The place cards are made of vintage book paper and logs. I drilled a tiny hole into small logs and inserted a twisted wire to hold the name card.

I added these paper ornaments to the back of the chairs for an extra little pop.

In the center of the table I placed glittered and paper wrapped candles on a silver tray with pine cones and logs sprinkled around about.

Another centerpiece I showed was this one made from mostly vintage Christmas balls.

An easy trick to add some interest to your food display is to add different heights.

we ate all the cheeses while filming.

We added a drink station for kids too.

So easy, which by the way, I need to stop saying.

Gallons of cider poured into a glass container.

Piles of country fabric.

Apples and pears galore.

A simple hand written sign.

And mason jars with brown and white striped paper straws.

The mantel needed to be spruced up a little.So I added a few things.

like these mason jars filled with green lentils.

See anything you'll try for turkey day?

See where I get LOT's of inspiration - my pinterest page

Also, if your an upcycler, don't forget the contest we have going on...

sharing at