When will it be Spring?

This last snow and ice storm threw a lot of us off kilter. Just when we had been teased with some warm days and sightings of crocus and daffodils pushing up, we got hit hard. But they, (the powers that be in the weather world) say we'll be back in the 50's by the weekend. So many people south of us had ice instead of sleet, so I'm grateful for just the cold and snow, not loosing power. Missouri is notorious for March snowstorms, heck, it snowed in May last year!

This week is my Birthday Week. Yes, I celebrate all week, especially when it's so yucky outside that no restaurants are even open! My Birthdays have been "low key" for awhile, just the way I like them. A certain sweet hubby brought me home an armful of tulips in lovely Spring colors, but I didn't even have an ironstone pitcher here to put them in, so they found their way to my little galvanized bucket. 

This was the first time I have used a flower frog. I have several vintage ones, but only one with the metal grid design. It made for a much prettier arrangement, instead of all of them falling over the sides.

I have this little journal in precious pinks and lavender.

"Very beautiful flowers".

This is a little wreath I found last year,

and a few of my old garden tools.

My tiny friend is joining us.

She thinks she's hidden in the twigs.

 I love collecting vintage embroidered tea towels. Now, in the times of disposable "everything", I admire the time and creativity that went in to decorating them.

The light here in the sitting room is northern, 

but in the morning it's just perfect.

I hope "Spring" is closeby, wherever you are...

Oh so tweet!

You can check out more wonderful tulip ideas, 

on my Pinterest Board, HERE

A Big Thank You to everyone who took the time to enter the Give Away last week. The winner of the $35.00 gift certificate to French Bleu Vintage is Cathy from My 1929 Charmer. Have fun Cathy!

I'll be joining in on these wonderful parties:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Inspiration Exchange at City Farmhouse
Treasure Hunt From My Front Porch to Yours
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Sweet and Simple Fridays at Rooted in Thyme
Fabulously Creative Friday at Jennifer Rizzo
Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush
Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

Hope you're having a great week,

Easy as 1-2-3 Custom Look Wreath

It's September, and you know what I'm doing...

This last week I started decorating for Fall, and one thing I wanted to do was put together a new wreath for the Dining Room mirror. I love a lush twiggy grapevine wreath with lot's of naturals and florals, but I don't want to pay a "custom" price for it. So, no matter what the season, I have an easy method to get a custom look.

Here it is out on the Sunporch. I'll be showing you the Dining Room a little later, but for now it's on one of my old "Fall" quilts on a wicker chair.

As you can see it's pretty wild, and pretty big;

Fall berries, leaves and Hydrangeas.

I've been making my own wreaths for years, and I almost always use this quick method.  One of the best things about it, besides that it's quick, is that this method is easy to take apart, redo, refresh, or reuse at another time.

 Start with your basic grapevine twig wreath. 

The more crazy twigs the better...

I like a wild, natural, just picked look.

Since I'm a bad DIY blogger, I didn't even think to get pics until I had that wreath hanging up on the mirror, and at that point I wasn't going to take it apart again to show the steps.

sooo...

I just used a few other elements to show how easy it is..

please don't get confused because there are two different wreaths.

I know...I know....

bad blogger.

End of Season sales are a great time to pick up those basic garlands and candle rings. I think this one was a large candle ring that came from Michaels a few years ago. The basic garland ring is of just little Lady Apples. I added the sunflowers a while back so I could use it on my front door, which requires a "skinny" wreath.

Then start layering. I left the Sunflowers and Black-Eyed Susans on the basic apple wreath then added in some Hydrangeas. You can add any blossom mix you like for your season. A Spring wreath might have Tulips and Lilacs on a Forsythia garland. This one I used faux Hydrangea stems, but on my Dining Room wreath I used real dried Hydrangeas. With faux Hydrangeas I sometimes trim the large blooms down.

Now you can see we're adding layers and depth and a lot of interest

 with the Apples, Sunflowers and Hydrangeas.

This grapvine twig wreath is actually a little small for this garland, but I wanted to show you how it all goes together. Just use some gardener's twine or floral wire to secure the garland wreath to the twig wreath. 

Here's the finished product. I just randomly put this together because

I'll be taking it apart again, but you get the idea.

1. A grapevine wreath for the base.
2. A garland or large candle ring on top, just tied on with gardener's twine.
3. Florals to tuck in for added interst and depth. Sometimes I hot glue them on, other times I just tuck them inside and through the vines.

This one is a little wonky since I didn't secure all the layers... just wanted to show you how easy it is to put a wreath together. I didn't need any special tools, and it doesn't make a big mess.
So here's my original again. It's a little more "Fall", whereas the "step by step" version is a little more "Summer".

You can put together a wreath like this in about 15 minutes.

Super quick and versatile.

If you want to change up your basic wreath each season it's easily done.

Just 1-2-3!

Now, have some fun making your own!

I'll be joining in on these great weekly parties:

Whipperberry
A Stroll Thru Life
Tuesday Treasures at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
The Scoop at Cedar Hill Ranch
Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

WOW Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Inspiration Exchange at Ella Claire
DIY by Design
Homework at The Everyday Home
Stone Gable Blog
From My Front Porch to Yours
Share Your Cup Thursday
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Shabby Art Boutique
Jennifer Rizzo
French Country Cottage
The Charm of Home
Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

xoxo,

Sunflowers on the Sunporch

I'm counting down the days to September...

And I'm transitioning my decor to those early Fall textures and tones. Of course Sunflowers are my flower "du jour" for late August, as they have those wonderful muted colors of golds, greens, and browns that I love so much. My Summer flowers are starting to go, so before long, mums will be showing up on the deck and front porch.

I love having a seasonal wreath on the mirror which hangs on the old chippy door. It always sets the seasonal mood out here on the porch. This is one I've had for a couple of years, but I still love the colors and the "dried" sunflowers look so real.

It's been a slow week around here, since I've been restricted on driving until later this week.  But last week I had taken pics of the settee's new quilt "outfit" for Early Fall. (last week it was "Late Summer", this week it's "Early Fall") So I'm just now getting to show them too you.

Please ignore my messy drawers peeping through.

My ticking pillows are pretty much a staple out here no matter what the season. Their black stripe is so easy to mix with florals and plaids.

Faux Sunflowers in an old painted white wooden ice cream bucket.

My washed gray basket from last week.

A little Sunflower bouquet in a white ironstone pitcher.

My Hull apple things are still out, but come next week,

the pumpkins will arrive... yay.

Always love the colorful illustrations in this little flower guide from 1945.

and now a question...

do you remember this amazing Sunflower Head from two years ago?

I've been trying to find another large one like this for ages. This one still had too much moisture in it and it molded inside the cloche. It made me so upset that I hadn't realized it was happening, and now I cannot locate a source for another one. Does anyone out there grow these that I might purchase one from you? It doesn't have to be this big, but I would love to have another one, and cannot find one anywhere. Let me know if you do or know someplace I could find one. I loved this look!

OK...you guys are in for some fun this Thursday!! Since I was MIA last week, I'm dedicating Be Inspired to my 4 Year Anniversary Give Away. You have to wait, but be here with bells on, Thursday, because I have a Give Away for 2 lucky followers out here. I can guarantee you'll LOVE it!

joining in on these great weekly parties:

Inspiration Gallery
Jennifer Rizzo
The Charm of Home
French Country Cottage
Shabby Art Boutique
A Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Treasure Hunt at From My Front Porch to Yours

House Party at No Minimalist Here

WOW us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House
The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farm

Inspiration Gallery at Ella Claire
DIY by Design

love you bunches,