I started my career as an interior designer when we finished remodeling our home that was built in the 1890s. I loved the space planning, choosing finishes and decorating every little inch. It was trial and error, and we made mistakes, but I learned a lot along the way. Along with being a learning process, working on our home was also a hands-on project. We did everything ourselves (actually, my husband Tom did all the building and heavy work, I did the fun stuff!). I’ve had the decorating bug ever since I was a little girl, but I wanted to know everything about design, so, as a result I returned to college (Mount Mary) for a second degree in Interior Design.
I’ve been collecting antiques and vintage furnishings forever. My favorite shopping places are flea markets, antique stores and of course, Goodwill. I love DIY projects and saving money by taking an object and re-purposing it into something beautiful and useful. I’m also an amateur photographer, love to travel and study French (J’adore tous ce qui est franҫais)!
Although I love to entertain, I’m not much of a cook. My party philosophy is "if the table looks fantastic, it doesn’t matter what you serve."
My weekly column for Amazing Goodwill and my design blog, Design Coach, are about all things design, living a stylish life and entertaining (like setting a great table). I share DIY projects, decorating and design tips, as well as ideas and secrets.
If you have a specific question for Merri, feel free to email her at askmerri@goodwillsew.com.
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Yes, another mason jar DIY idea. There doesn’t seem to be an end to what you can do with canning jars! Goodwill always has a steady supply, so they make inexpensive gifts. If you need a last minute idea, or forgot about the kids’ teachers, this decorated jar will only take a few minutes and the kids can help.
I don’t know if you know this about me, but I’m the Christmas Queen. I love everything about Christmas, (except baking cookies)! Instead of baking, I prefer to make ornaments for my tree and as gifts. This year it’s Santa belts with a dash of glitter.
As much as I like to change things up during the holidays, I always seem to come back to tradition. I love red-and-white decorations, ornaments and dishes. For this year’s Christmas dinner table, I stayed with the basic three: red, white and green.
I use chargers and placemats a lot when setting the table. They not only add a colorful layer, but set the theme for the rest of the table.
The Christmas tree is the focal point of any holiday decorating. It doesn’t matter if you have a 12-foot blue spruce, or an artificial table top tree; how you decorate it says a lot about your personality and style. I personally think you can never have too many trees, but that’s just me. But, if you need a small scale tree, or if you just want an extra one, this twinkle ornament tree is so easy, and the kids can help!
If your family is large, chances are you have a kiddie table for Thanksgiving dinner. If that’s the case, keep the kids occupied with crayons and markers (they can decorate their own tablecloth) and have them make turkey napkin rings. They’re so cute, you might want them at the grown-up table, too.
My favorite meal of the year is almost ready to eat. I don’t know which part I like best. It’s a tie between mashed potatoes with home-made gravy and left-over turkey sandwiches on fresh baked rolls. But before we sit down to eat; we must set a proper table. When setting a holiday table, I learned where to place the knife and fork when I was a kid. I hope parents are still teaching their children the correct way!
When Halloween is behind us and the candy has all been eaten and the costumes are packed away, don’t forget to celebrate fall! One easy way to transition from Halloween to Thanksgiving is to hang a nature-inspired wreath on the front door or entry.
When I was a kid, the best part of Halloween was trick-or-treating in the dark. I’m so glad neighborhoods have gone back to celebrating Halloween on the actual day and at night. That’s half the fun! If you expect little goblins and witches to ring your doorbell, be sure to welcome them with a scary light, or two.
Halloween is getting close! It’s time to start planning table decorations for your big party! I love dishes, especially those made for holidays. But, it isn’t really practical to invest in, and store sets of dishes for every occasion. So, this year I decided to decorate my own Halloween plates. Spider webs seemed appropriate and easy to do.
We put a lot of thought, time and effort making creative and unique Halloween costumes for ourselves and our children. But don’t forget your four-legged friends. Cats and dogs also like to be center-stage when the festivities start.
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