Late Summer Sideboard...

Now that it's the middle of August it was time to change up my Hallway Sideboard. I'm bringing in the colors of Nature's late Summer palette, in exchange for my little wheelbarrow full of garden produce. Golds and muted colors of late Summer are evident in the dried hydrangeas, breadboards, basket, and the little English Cottage tray. 

I've been collecting these rattan lunch hampers for the last several years. I've stacked them on an old white bench to add some height and balance to this long stretch of wall.

We hung this old window a couple of years ago, and I've enjoyed having it as a backdrop for my other wall decor. I love the look of layering vintage pieces, especially mirrors and prints. I found this great Sunflower botanical print last year at Robin's Vintage Suitcase.

My white antique French Ironstone tureen has been pretty much a staple here, finding it's way into whatever season it might be.

The little paper mache tray fit right in to the back of the hamper filled with old china.

Some dried hydrangeas with just a hint of lavender and green are sitting inside this old pottery canister. Anyone know what language this is and what it says?

This pedestal is Staffordshire, entitled "The Meet".

This other little pedestal plate is Johnson Brothers.

The big breadboard is from Antique Farmhouse

 and the smaller ones are vintage.

I think this ought to hold me until September. 

That's when the pumpkins come out...

...and for those of you that think I put things together like a breeze...

this little display took me three days and several renditions before

I finally settled on this one.

what can I say, the pumpkins were wanting to come out.

French Lavender

What is it about the fragrance of Lavender? 

To me it just smells like Summer rain..

My long awaited dried lavender bunches arrived from Antique Farmhouse and I couldn't be happier. It's so hard to find lavender here in the Midwest, and online prices generally run high for just a small bunch. I tried growing my own last year, but bees took over our back yard and built hives in the birdhouses and pool equipment... that was the end of my lavender growing.

If you don't know Antique Farmhouse then you should. They have beautiful items with new "events" daily. Things sell out fast so you have to be quick. I don't think it's available at this moment but keep checking back they may have more in. Anyway, I bought two orders of 3 bundles each, and I could smell that magical fragrance before the box was opened.

...so I had to do a little styling in an old Frenchy basket. Anyone know technically what this basket was used for? Harvesting flowers maybe? I've also used it for wine bottles, and French Baguettes. 

I collect these little gift books from the early 1900's 

and this one has precious illustrations.

We're in the Living Room on one of my Bergere Chairs that I slipped a few years ago. And I wanted to show you my new grainsack that I talked about here. It's heavier than my others and has two yummy caramel stripes down the center. 

 The bundles came banded with rubber bands, 

so I just covered them with some burlap ribbon.

I just used three of the bundles in the basket, so the rest came into the Dining Room and found a spot on the breakfront in a wine crate.

Styling Assistant at the ready...

she didn't want to eat it, just roll in it...

It's been raining for days,

and I'm ready for Fall...

joining in with these party gals:

Knick of Time Tuesday

Inspire Me at A Stroll Thru Life

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Ranch

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

Blitzed on Pinterest at Debbiedoos

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Inspiration Gallery at Ella Claire

It's a Party at DIY by Design

Blissful Whites at Timewashed

What's it Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants 

TTT at Stone Gable

From My Front Porch to Yours

Craftberry Bush

French Country Cottage

The Charm of Home

Shabby Art Boutique

Jennifer Rizzo

Hope you're having a good week,

xoxo,

On the deck...

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend, everyone. I just wanted to share a few photos from the deck, and show you a couple of new things that I have potted up this week. This space is right off the sunporch and under my kitchen window, so I always like to keep things tidied up out here, giving me a pretty view while I'm in the kitchen. I can't see much of the rest of the yard from that vantage point, so if this looks presentable then I'm happy.

For some reason, I've lost a couple of ivy's inside, so I headed over to the little corner nursery to see if they had any left. I hate going there in these mid days of July, because all the plants are looking forlorn and straggly. They are shutting down next week, so the nature lover and rescuer in me wants to adopt all the poor misfits and bring them home.

I don't have very much of a green thumb, so they'd be taking their chances here with me, but I did find a couple of sweet Pink Ivy Geraniums, and these little pink Petunia-like plants. I put them here in this old wire basket with the burlap ribbon that I painted last year.

This is my super old wicker wrapped chair that my mom gave me years ago. It's protected from the elements out here, so it pretties up this little corner next to the door.

I stuck in a little cream colored tin tray for some added shabby interest.

So far so good with my Impatiens in the old concrete urns. If the chipmunks will leave them alone they may make it the rest of the summer.

The hail storm over Father's Day weekend killed all my Petunias, and did a number on the rest of my plants. We had ping pong sized hail and it tore most of my potted plants to smithereens. I ended up having to replace about half. And speaking of hail, it also finished off our 30 year old shake roof. Everyone in our subdivision is either getting a new roof, or having major repairs. We're hoping we can get a new roof, but that will take a huge chunk of money, even IF the insurance will help out. It's beyond patching. 

The little black wagon was one of the victims of the hail storm,

 so I had to replant it.

The angel vine and mint are going crazy though.

This is a little metal grocery store display rack that's been in the garage, I pulled it out and planted some old pots with Moss Rose, which works well in the heat and sun. The Petunia on the bottom shelf is iffy. It's a little shaded down there on the bottom, so it doesn't get pounded too much. I guess I'm going to have to quit buying Petunias, they just don't like it here.

On the other hand, the Lantana and Geraniums are flourishing.

OK, so that's what's happening on the deck this week...

And an update on the last post about my Antique Mall space, Hubbs and I went over yesterday morning and packed up all the smalls, unscrewed all the doors and took down the gate, so they're accessible now for shoppers. I had lot's of interest in all the pieces while we were there, and a really nice man came by saying that his daughter was getting married and that the large window would be perfect for a backdrop. So I'm hoping it goes to a good home. I know you all were hoping I would keep it, but it's just huge, and I had it stored in my garage for 3 years, it needs to be enjoyed and used by someone.

Joining in with these parties this week:

Blissful Whites at Timewashed

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Ranch

Knick of Time Tuesday

See you Monday for The Marketplace, 

hope you'll come by and link up if you have an Etsy Shop or Online Boutique.

xoxo,

Summer Florals

I've mentioned how I like to keep my floral arrangements current with the seasons, so a few weeks ago I got around to changing out all my silk flowers to be in keeping with Early Summer. I like the look of "just picked and stuck in a container with casual abandon". To me, that concept makes all those faux flowers look a little more "real" and a lot less "faux".

Daisies are the flower du jour here in the Entry, 

along with some budded branches.

I like keeping this heavy old iron urn here with the sticks,

then I just change out the flowers for each new season.

This is a spot where a "complimentary" print on the console

also changes with the season.

On the other side of the Entry next to the door is my big white wicker basket

filled with green hydrangeas and the grape vine twigs.

That big basket on the little Eastlake dresser keeps the kitties 

from using it as a perch for front porch viewing.

(especially in nesting season)

I have found it on the floor on numerous occasions

when they feel like putting their little furry carcasses in grave danger.

Here's an old basket with wheels that I haven't shared very often.

It still has some faux Dogwood branches, but they were white so they're still here.

(Dogwoods in late June? what's wrong with me?)

In the Living Room I traded out the windowbox for the basket,

now filled with another boatload of green hydrangeas and ivy.

(when in doubt, a hydrangea will work)

(the windowbox is currently back on the Dining Room table

with a Patriotic theme)

Love this old Frenchy look laundry basket.

Last Fall I had a running joke about my mantel...

I had the "Early Fall" mantel,

the "Fall" mantel,

The "Fall/Halloween" mantel,

and then the "Fall/Thanksgiving" mantel.

This would be the "Early Summer" mantel...

Whitewashed Wolff pottery vases filled with

 flowering branches and white Viburnum.

Another hint that it's still "Early Summer" is that there are still "birdie" nests out.

This will change soon.

I have an idea brewing.

Next up will be Black-Eyed Susans and Sunflowers,

with a little color added.

...stay tuned.

I hear thru the grapevine that soon Google Reader will be gone,
so if you follow me there, please switch over to another reader
hanging out on the sidebar.
thanks you all!

Joining in with these great parties:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Inspiration Exchange  at Yellow Bliss Road
Homework at The Everyday Home Blog
Blissful Whites at Timewashed 
Treasure Hunt at From My Front Porch to Yours
House Party at No Minimalist Here
Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
TTT at Stone Gable
The Charm of Home
French Country Cottage
Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush
Shabby Art Boutique
Blitzed on Pinterest

xoxo,