Phase 2 of The House Behind The Trees ~ The downstairs #TeelsBuildaHouse

So we are starting the downstairs ... I HATE to say basement because we had a basement in our old home, where you opened a door and went down stairs separated from anything else. It was a finished basement complete with a bedroom, craft room, family/game room and we spent a lot of time there ~ our oldest son moved down there in jr high and stayed through high school ... until we finished the master suite in the attic then he moved back up to the bedroom floor with his brother and sister.  So here our downstairs is open to the rest of the house, you can see through to the outside from the top of the stairs going down because we have a wall of windows down there as well.  We really didn't plan to have a kiddo down there but since we are having to do a switch-a-roo with rooms (I'll explain later) he is moving home soon and will be downstairs. Anyhoo, our downstairs will house our main family room, our middle sons room, a full bath and kitchenette.  I thought it would be fun ...

ST. PATRICK'S DAY ... it's on a Friday this year! So whether you’re Irish or simply Irish at heart, you’ll love celebrating St. Patrick's Day with shamrock-inspired decor, a big platter of corned beef and cabbage and a whole lot of green! Here are some home decor ideas to gt your home ready for the big GREEN day!

Bells of Ireland Vase
Long stems of bells of Ireland in a green or white vase create a beautiful, classic St. Patrick's Day touch. Offset the vase with antique green books and vintage croquet balls, as Ireland is one of the founding countries of croquet.

Green Vegetable Centerpiece
Create a creative St. Patrick's Day centerpiece with green veggies and white candles. To make, stretch two rubber bands around a pillar candle, then tuck green beans or asparagus under the bands. Cover the rubber bands with satin ribbon. To make the artichoke candleholder, cut the top and a bit of the center out of the artichoke. Set the candle in the hole.

St. Patrick's Day Wreath
Turn a simple grapevine wreath from plain to charming just in time for St. Patrick's Day. Embellish the wreath with crafty clovers made from an old green T-shirt, sheet music, and scrapbook paper. To make the clovers, cut heart shapes from your green fabric and patterned paper, then glue together for a layered effect. Wrap twill ribbon around wooden discs and glue buttons to folded green printed ribbon for a few smaller accents. Hot-glue everything to the wreath, including a pennant banner made from scrapbook paper and chipboard letters.



Potted Paper Clovers
Don't forget to decorate the dessert table. Make a fun and simple paper-clover centerpiece using only green card stock, skewers and a terra cotta pot.



Four-Leaf Clover Door Hanging
Bring a bit o' luck to your home with this simple but eye-catching St. Patrick's Day door hanging. Start with wooden shamrock shapes (available at most crafts stores). Use spray adhesive to attach a variety of green scrapbook papers to the wooden shapes; let dry. With a utility knife or scissors, cut out the shamrock shapes. Apply Mod Podge with a foam brush; let dry. Attach the shapes to a length of ribbon using glue dots; add scrapbook letters to each one. Top the hanging with a wooden "luck" cutout.

Yarn-Wrapped St. Patrick's Day Vase
Repurpose a wine bottle into a pretty St. Patrick's day craft. To make, wrap green yarn or embroidery floss around the neck of the bottle, securing the loose end underneath the yarn as you go. End your wrapping an inch or so from the bottom of the bottle; secure with a dab of hot glue. Use a variety of different green ribbons to tie on a seasonal St. Patrick's Day tag.

Green Planters
Decorate your home this St. Patrick's Day with a natural green collection of planters that celebrate your family. Select a glazed planter with smooth, straight sides. Print a family member's photo, enlarged so that the head is roughly the height of your pot. Cut out the head, then trim across the top of the forehead. Cut a piece of clear contact paper a few inches taller than the pot and wide enough to encircle it. Peel off the backing. Center the head, facedown, on the top edge of the contact paper. Wrap the contact paper around the pot, smoothing any bubbles as you go. Trim the edges with scissors or a crafts knife. Add a green plant that creates a hilarious looking hairdo.

Rainbow-Theme St. Patrick's Day Mantel
Tissue paper flowers surround a chalkboard for a pretty Irish-theme mantel decoration. To make each flower, stack eight sheets of colored tissue paper, making sure to line up the edges evenly, and accordion-fold (each fold should be 1-1/2 inches wide). Wrap a piece of wire around the middle, and round the corners of the horizontal stack with scissors. Carefully separate each sheet, pulling it toward the center.
Adhere the flowers around a chalkboard, and add St. Patrick's Day phrases -- don't forget to add a pot of gold-wrapped chocolates!

Celtic Stencil Art
Beautiful Celtic stencils and a box of paints are the secrets behind sophisticated St. Patrick's Day art. Lay the stencil on a sheet of watercolor paper using painter's tape to secure. Fill in the design with acrylic paints or watercolors, using a light touch to create light and dark areas for depth. Let the paint dry. Lay the design on crafts paper to give it a matted look; display in a simple glass-clip frame.

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