Late Fall Lookback...

Last day of October, so I start thinking about tweaking my Fall things to head toward Thanksgiving. I got to looking back at my pics from last year at this time and I realized I didn't have everything "Thanksgiving" together in one blog post. So, to get things rolling and before I let all the turkeys out of the gate, I thought I'd share a post with the highlights from last year.

Blogger's Seasonal Harvest Tour

Hi Everyone, and Welcome to the 

2016 Bloggers Seasonal Harvest Home Tour

this week, presented by Cozy Little House

Early Fall Entry with a new Chalkboard Print

With each new season I try to create a vignette that's something a little different than I've done before. That's not always easy because there are tried and true elements that I'm happy with and just look "right". The lamp, the clock, and the shutters and mirror; those are all part of this spot. But I love to play with faux flowers, and then add a seasonal print, painting, or needlework... and what's a Fall Entry Vignette without at least one pumpkin?

Summertime Seashell Vignette

Since it's still Summer, I wanted to try to use my antique Blue Willow Transferware Tureen here on the Entry Hall Console. I've had it out with some other "blues" for my Patriotic decor so, I hunted down some of my shells to replace the summertime potpourri.

Vintage Blooming Prints and the Consult

I don't have a lot of "blooms" around here yet. I've been putting off planting containers outside until I felt more like taking care of them. Some days I don't get much accomplished except laundry and putting something easy together for dinner. I'm really missing the color of my spring containers full of Geraniums, Million Bells and Lantana. So for now, I'm enjoying these old prints on the console in the Entry. Hopefully, I can get some plants out in a few weeks. It looks sort of bleak and forlorn around here.

Christmas Entry, In and Out...

Hi Everyone, are you in overdrive this week, trying to get ready for Christmas? I'm making progress, but I need to start wrapping gifts. One thing I realized I needed to do was to share pics of my Entry and front porch. I've had to get them over a span of several days, and because of the blah weather they've not consistently turned out. So, again today, I gave it a try. I'm just an "accidental photographer", meaning it's an accident when I can get good photos...

Nature Inspired Autumn Urn

I've had this Nature Inspired Autumn Urn in my head since last Spring, when I picked up a Victoria Magazine Special Edition, called Victoria Classic French Cottage . I'm hoping it will become a yearly publication, because it was filled with wonderful features of French and French Inspired Cottages. There was one particular image that completely captured my imagination, from an article called Living With The Past.

An October Entry

My house tends to look a bit overdone if I'm not careful;

especially this time of year.

OK...most of the time it's a little too cluttered.

Blame it on blogging and enjoying sharing it all with you.

Fall Birdies

Does that title sound like I've lost my marbles?

Like a crazy cat lady that spends all her time bird watching with her felines?

don't answer that...

Hope you all are having a great Labor Day Weekend. We stuck close to home except for a fun trip on Saturday to a new winery in the area. I'll show you a few pics and share a link with you soon. They also have a sheep farm, so that was the real draw for me. We've had a heat wave this last week, and it's supposed to break in the next few days. We had such a wonderful taste of cooler weather earlier. Hopefully, that will bring us back to the 70's. gosh, I'm more than ready. 

Entry with a Vintage Sunflower Print

I hadn't done much if anything, different with my Entry Area since I received the wonderful Sheep Print from Canvas Pop, earlier in the year. But now it's time for a little more "Late Summer" sprinkled around in here. 

Canvas Pop Print

Styling a Sofa Table

...when you don't want a lot of clutter.

Early Spring Entry and New Lighting

Since we've moved here to the new place I've been thinking about new lighting on the hall console. I'd had my previous gold tone buffet lamp for over 13 years, and once we moved here, it started to look a little "out of place". The gray shutters, white washed mirror, and silver tray were all telling me something "antique gold", was just one too many colors and textures for the space.

Side Table/ Conservatory Vignette

I'm still in the process of finding spots for some of my decor pieces. I don't have near as much space to display things as I did at the other house, so I'm thinking "rotation" might be the answer. My husband bought me this little table top "conservatory" several years ago, and it's always fun to change it out for the seasons. I had it on my hearth in the living room before, now it's taking it's turn on the little "entry hall" dresser that I use for a side table.

Entry Dressed for Valentine's Day

I'm so glad it's February! January felt long and cold and boring. To me, January feels like trudging through mud, creatively speaking. I'm ready for some hearts and flowers, chocolate, and little cupids flying around. So...I'm glad it's time that we can do a little fun decorating for Valentine's Day.

New Rug for the Hall...cat optional

Hi Everyone, hope you've had a good week and are having some fun this weekend. I finally made a decision about Runners for the Master Bedroom and the hallway here next to my office and Hubbs'. I went back and forth, but in the end I didn't feel like I wanted a black rug for the hall; I needed something that was lighter, but on the same scale, and wool like the other's I had ordered last Fall before we moved in. I needed the colors to coordinate, and I was hoping some taupes and grays would match instead of trying to go ivory or tan.

Christmas Entry

Hi Everyone! I know most of us are having a busy weekend, between last minute shopping, runs to the grocery, and baking up a storm...but I wanted to share a few pics from my Entry, inside and out.

Looks pretty familiar right?

I'm using a lot of the same elements here, as I did at the old house.

Oustside, we just kept it simple this year, as I haven't been able to decide how to decorate the narrow front porch. It's not big enough for much of a bench, but I have a few things in mind for this Spring. I'm just using my Christmas topiaries that are lit up at night and I kept my basket on the door; just added in some evergreens and used some of the plaid ribbon, that I've used inside.

A family vintage sled decorated, at least gives a little bit of Christmas.

With this ribbon, 

I'll be able to keep this basket arrangement for a little while.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

I'm still waiting for Santa to deliver a few presents,

and then I need to get busy wrapping.

Even the fur girls send out a 

Merry Christmas!

joining in on these Christmas parties:

A Stroll Thru Life
Stone Gable
Coastal Charm
Cozy Little House

xoxo,

New Lighting for the Entry

One of the first things I noticed about our new house when it was on the market, was the lighting. How about you, do you look twice at the light fixtures?  Beautiful and functional lighting fixtures are like "house jewelry"; they add pizazz and set the mood for the spaces they're in. You can take a plain box of a room, and give it character and direction for decor with a chandelier, sconces, a pendant, and even table lamps. They can literally "light up" your rooms!

This was the Entry (below) when we first bought the house. The light fixtures, especially the one here in the Entry, were pretty much "Plain Jane". Nothing wrong with it, but it just wasn't memorable. The Entry is our chance to make a statement, and this one really didn't have much to say.

I had packed up my chandelier from our previous Dining Room, and had found a small Frenchy chandy for the kitchen, but what I really needed for this house, was Entry Lighting. I had my heart set on a lantern, but it needed to be in a dark bronze finish to match the rest of the metal accents. So I started searching the Internet to see what was available. About that time, Lamps.Com contacted me about checking out their lighting. I was thrilled because they graciously sent me this wonderful lantern, the Larkin Three Light Pendant Lantern by Kichler that made my Entry go from blah to beautiful!

(I love the illumintation shadow on the ceiling!)

Just take a look at some of the wonderful Entry Pendants and Chandeliers that are available from Lamps.Com. On trend and beautiful... and they won't break your budget! This first one is my Entry Lantern, only in brushed nickel.

Here are more great Entry Pendants and Chandeliers from Lamps.Com that are available. These are some of my favorites and most are under $300.00.

As you can see, they have so many wonderful pieces;

 something for every decor style and budget.
Here's a direct link to the Kichler Lighting page.

If you've been thinking of updating your lighting, or just want something more functional or eye catching, check out Lamps.Com. Be sure and check out the new links for Furniture and Home Decor that Lamps.Com also has for you. I have a link on my sidebar to get you there.

Stay tuned for more on my new lantern when I decorate the Entry!

Joining in at these parties:

The Scoop at Worthing Court
Show and Share at Coastal Charm
Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House
Inspire Me at A Stroll Thru Life
Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

( I was compensated for this blog post, but all the opinions are my own.)

Have you entered yet?
Then CLICK HERE

Daisy Botanical in the Entry

Just checking in to say Hello, as this may possibly be my last post for awhile. We leave early next week for my appointment with my new cardiologist. After all this waiting, I'm starting to feel a little anxious about it all. I've spent all week checking to make sure all my records have been transferred from three different sources, and it doesn't help the situation for calm when one of them keeps giving me the run around and putting me off... not surprised, it's their usual.

Getting the house listed and all the little details have about done me in. We've been trying to finish up, but now that Summer is here the garage has turned into an oven. My poor hubby tries to do things after work, but it's still too hot. Honestly, we're too old for this...word to the wise, downsize and get your junk dealt with before you are too sick or tired to mess with it. You AND your kids will be thankful. Do I sound tired and grumpy?

Time for a change in the Entry this week. I had a couple of raw canvases that I'd brought home with me from the other house. I love their natural oatmeal-y linen look with tattered edges and nails. I thought a botanical of daisies looked perfect attached to the front. 

Speaking of daisies, I had planted Becky Shasta Daisies and Black Eyed Susans several years ago and have babied and babied them, but they've been slow to get growing...until now. Now there is a profusion of them, just getting ready to bloom. Hope I can enjoy them just a little.

Google Images

We've had quite a few house lookers, so hope good news will be soon.

We're ready to move on to the next chapter in life.

Feels like we've been stuck in this one for a little too long.

My little heart topiary needs to be trimmed up,

 but I'm enjoying the wild look.

Little birdie is back on his bookstack.

 Yep, definitely needs a trim.

That's some good ol natural patina there on this clay pot.

just can't replicate that.

I'll try to check back in next week and let you all know what's going on. This has been a hard week, as I'm having some fun new heart related symptoms that have kept me in bed most of the week. I know this is just a "season" that God is allowing me to walk through, but it's hard nonetheless. I've missed the last year of my life feeling like doggy doo, (see...I still have a sense of humor) and I'm ready for whatever it takes to get well and get this behind me. 

Thank God for a husband that is my best friend.

He has a lot on his plate right now.

Almost forgot...this week is my 5 year blogging anniversary.

Here's my first post.

Keep up the good thoughts and prayers, I wish I could get back with each of you individually, and give you a big hug and squeeze. You all mean so much to me, and I'm super grateful for you all being there. I've been trying to keep up with your blogs, even though I haven't left comments...I've still been there. OK, this is sounding pretty pitiful, so I'll say...love you guys, talk soon.