Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Sunflowers...

I've always enjoyed changing out my decor accessories with the seasons. I like to keep things fresh and current, and seasonal change ups help curb my getting bored with my surroundings. A woman with too much time on her hands? well maybe... but I've always been this way, even with much more going on than I have now. The "color" of the seasons invigorates me, and keeps me motivated, and just plain puts a smile on my face.




This time of year I really love moving toward the darker colors. The rich browns, golds, greens, and just a hint that Autumn might be coming. Sunflowers have always been a summer favorite, with their vibrant golds and browns. They let me know that soon the mums will be blooming, a leaf will be turning orange, and that the long hot days of summer will surely come to an end.


No secret here that Fall is my favorite time of year. I gravitate toward the warmer color palette. I think we often choose clothing and decorate our surroundings in colors that harmonize with our "physical" color palette.  
Back twenty or thirty years ago when finding your "Season" was all the rage, I confused each person that tried to categorize me. I accentuate the red in my hair. Have green eyes, but my skin is darker and I turn brown in the summer. I land in the "Jeweled Autumn" category. Rich warm colors with a just a hint of pink. 




So bringing my Sunflowers into decorating is what I've been doing this last week. In changing out the window box on the Dining Room table (one of my favorite flea finds of all time) I also wanted a darker, more organic table runner. I found this wonderful piece of linen with black grain sack stripes and had them cut me 3 yards. I just folded it in half width-wise and left the raw ends as they are. 




I happened to find the perfect needlepoint pillow last week in Ozark at The Feathered Nest. It's a wonderful store that has vendor booth space and also new items. It has an earthy organic Country French vibe. I don't think the pillow was "new", I think it was in a vendor space. Anyway I grabbed it up and now it's setting on my old church pew in the Dining Room with some black ticking pillows and a scalloped matelasse coverlet .



Keeping my background in neutrals
 makes it so much easier to decorate for the seasons.


Using vintage and more organic accessories helps bring down the "ornate" factor in here. Deep down I'm not a frilly fou fou person. I like the mix of elegant and casual; French "court", and French "countryside". 





Here's one of my black tole trays that I purchased  last month when I was on a roll,  and a white ironstone "swirl" pitcher that my mom gave me when she downsized.


Nubby, yummy grain sack goodness.



Now, to just keep the cats off of this...





And speaking of sunflowers, I wanted to share again this wonderful dried sunflower head that I found last year. I wasn't able to keep it, because mold set in, I guess from being under the glass. So if any of you are growing and drying these large sunflower heads please let me know, I'd love to buy a few from you once they are harvested. 



Last Fall in my Living Room






So, what are some of the ways you love
 to decorate with the seasonal changes?


If you haven't entered the French Bleu Giveaway 
then please click here


I'll be linking up with these great parties:



Praying for rain...

32 comments:

  1. Oh what beautiful sunflowers bringing sunshine to your home! Love the ones in the white box... so pretty! Have a blessed day dear friend, BIG HUGS!

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  2. LOVELOVELOVE the sunflower under glass
    Beautiful
    xxoo
    Pam

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  3. I love the colours of fall too and am about to do the same as you - bring in some more colour. We have newly painted the house BM's Hepplewhite Ivory and I love it. A change from the yellow we had and more neutral too. I love your dried sunflower head and hope you can replace it. Blessings, Pamela

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  4. Your dining room is stunning and I adore the large sunflower arrangement you have on the table. So pretty. The dried head is fabulous and under a cloche it looks like a wonderful piece of architecture. Thanks tons for joining the party. Hugs, Marty

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  5. I adore sunflowers and your pillow is pretty. Tomorrow when I am out of town my blog will visit a field of sunflowers. I change things up every week and sometimes seasonally lovey.

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  6. I love sunflowers too, hence why so many of my posts have been about the sunflowers!
    I have some drying and more to come, large and small...
    You are right, they do remind us, even when it may get hot that Fall is not too far behind....
    Love that pillow!! What a find.
    Nancy
    http://wildoakdesigns.blogspot.com

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  7. Debra everything is beautiful. My precious Motherinlove adores sunflowers! Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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  8. Debra,
    Oh, dear friend...I do L O V E Sunflowers...so I have taken f o r e v e r to comment!!! Like you, I've spent the last few days bringing in the hues I most adore...reds, golds and sage greens! But just in snippets...Fall is still quite aways off!!! It has hard NOT to bring out the "ghost" pumpkins, but I managed to refrain...for the time being, that is! (wink! wink!) Your new Sunflower pillow looks stunning in your dining room! Love, love, love the new table runner!!! You always inspire me, dear friend! Stay as cool as possible!
    Fondly,
    Pat

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  9. I love the sunflowers, in fact, I just was blogging about them today too! Love your pillow and that gorgeous planter on your table! I'll be bringing in some sunny flowers real soon, they have a way of making the transition from summer to fall cheery and colorful!

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  10. Oh, yes, the old color analysis parties! I'm an Autumn, too, but definitely no pink shirts for me! By the time mid August rolls around, I'm so ready to add some autumn touches around the house. Your dining room looks great with the addition of sunflowers! And cats.

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  11. You have a great artistic eye Debra, because you are so great with the decorating and the photography of it.

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  12. Debra,
    Your sunflowers look so pretty in your box! I am normally loving summer.But it has been so hot and dry I am actually looking forward to fall.Not sure what I will do this year.I have been adding more and more white around here.I really LOVE those white pumpkins! LOVE your sunflower cloche!
    xx
    Anne

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  13. Your sunflowers are a nice way to start to introduce Fall into your decor, Debra! It's been hot as anything here and I feel like Fall is so far off. I enjoy the Summer, I just wish it wasn't so humid!

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  14. I saw this on Pinterest before I got over here to look at it and I love it!! Already pinned that gorgeous centerpiece! I am wanting to pull out the sunflowers here too. I am getting ready to start thinking late summer into fall!
    Sherry

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  15. Simply elegant! I love the pillow, and the arrangement in the window box is gorgeous! Love visiting your place!

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  16. Debra, your taste is simply impeccable! Your home is stunning, and each and every detail is absolutely lovely! What a joy to have a look around!

    Hugs to you, sweetie!
    Have a lovely Thursday!
    Becky

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  17. We love ourselves some sunflowers too! Your table is beautiful Debra :)

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  18. I'm telling you girl...separated at birth. I'm a fall girl as well, from my home to my wardrobe to my eyeshadow! I guess I like living on the dark side...lol!
    If you get any responses on your sunflower requests...share. I'd love to have some as well. Here they just burn up before they look anything like yours under glass.
    And while your sharing...where on earth did you find that fabric? I love it so much, I think I want to marry it!
    XO
    Deb
    P.S. I can always count on you to bring color into my life along with beauty.

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  19. Debra, I just love your home. I would have snatched that pillow up in a hurry. Love the ticking piping. It looks so cute on your church pew. I pulled out my sunflower and watermelon items this week. A mix match of end of summer and beginning of Fall. You know that I love that box on your table and the linen was a fab find. I put a large sunflower head under my cloche for Marty's party. I noticed today that it was starting to grow a bit of mold. Sat it out in the sun to dry better, we'll see. Thanks for sharing with Share Your Cup.
    Hugs,
    Jann

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  20. What a gorgeous room, the needlepoint cushion complements the table decoration beautifully. I was admiring that gorgeous flower arrangement when you showed it in an earlier post.

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  21. The sunflowers are lovely, especially the table decoration. I'd love to find grain sack material like yours, it'd be so versatile to work with. I usually ring the changes of seasons by changing the decor a little, but I have been a bit lazy thus year. We're still only half summery, and it's nearly the end of July!

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  22. Ooohhh, your centerpiece is gorgeous!! (and I love your cat, too :) A beautiful room!
    Susan

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  23. love the sunflower in the cloche, and the beautiful pillow and centerpiece esp., debra, but it is all gorgeous:)

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  24. Gorgeous, Debra! Thank you for sharing at Potpourri Friday!

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  25. Debra,
    You have a very lovely dinning room and the sunflower center piece looks very pretty. I love sunflowers too. The dried sunflower in the cloche is wonderful idea too.

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  26. I love sunflowers too, and forgot to grow some this year. I just think it's great how you have so many in that white box on the table, they are just beautiful like that.

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  27. That pillow just drew me right in. If I had been in that shop, we would have had a fight for that pillow. You probably would have won but I would have tried. It is so beautiful, almost 3D. I too, love sunflowers. The one on the table are perfect and I love your runner. Perfect combinations.
    Blessings, Ginger

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  28. I think I really like sunflowers with that dark brown. Usually people have sunflowers paired with more green and it's not my fav. As for the display of them in the wood tote, that is gorgeous, so just goes to show one has to know what to do with 'em.

    ~Bliss~

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  29. Beautiful. The pillow reminds me of one I used to have. Unfortunately I left it outside and it got sun damaged. But I did love the way it made my front porch look.

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  30. Thanks so much for sharing this inspiring post on Simple & Sweet Fridays. The sunflower pillow is just the right touch to bring in the fall season coming soon. Very cute idea with the sunflower under the cloche, might have to copy you on that one. Thanks for the beautiful tour.

    Jody

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  31. Thanks for linking at Shabbilicious Friday last week Debra.

    Your gorgoeus room has been featured this week :)

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  32. Beautiful!! I am hosting a Giveaway to win a 50 dollar gift card to the store HomeGoods. It would be great if you stopped by and entered. Thanks Anu

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