Around the house...

Hey you all...

hope you're having a good weekend!

I thought I'd just share some of the sunporch tweaking that's been going on this week. There's been a hint of Fall around here, as the weather has cooled off a little this week, and the "light" is changing. You know what I mean...the angle of the sun shifts just slightly and the light starts to change. Shadows and colors and even the blue in the sky takes on a subtle difference from Summer. 

This week has been a little slower and I've had time to think about a few things out here. One in particular is this basket hanging on an old screen door that I've had probably for about 10 years. It was a dark sage green and it really needed to be freshened up, so I gave it a coat of some taupe/gray "test" paint that I'd bought last year when painting the master bedroom.

then I did a wash in a darker gray craft paint mixture...

then highlighted it again in the taupe.

...an easy fix for something that was dusty and a little blah looking.

Some faux sunflowers brought it up to season.

I don't show this corner of the sunporch often 

as this little wicker tea cart has a habit of getting too cluttered.

hmmm... that might be why you're only seeing the top part...

(you might laugh at a funny story from my first few months of blogging.

and you'll also laugh at the photos.

 I think that was 3 cameras ago.Just click here)

But I have a cute little vintage metal shelf

 that holds a few of my English Cottages...

that I haven't shared for awhile.

sugar and creamer and salt and pepper.

a candle and another salt and pepper.

Here's an old celluloid thermometer and butterfly print

 that was a salesman sample for advertising...

is tucked into my wicker floral basket along with an ivy.

...and here are the last of the hydrangeas that

had already started to wilt on the shrub.

these purples are so pretty.

That bush started out white, 

then the tips started to change to pink

and now this deep magenta.

The blooms haven't been big this year,

 but the color has been spectacular.

You might have noticed that I've already changed out the quilts and pillows to more of an Autumn palette. I'll share more of the "Early Fall" sunporch changes this next week.

so tell me...what are you doing this weekend...?


Joining in on these great parties:

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm
Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House
A Stroll Thru Life
The Scoop at Cedarhill Ranch

xoxo,

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.

Sweet September

A turn of the calender page,

a few days of rain from Isaac,

and I'm in Full Fall Mode.

I've been bringing out the Fall and it's found it's way to this old train case. A 3 dollar find from the flea, whose mirror was broken, so I mod podged a calendar art page on the inner lid.

 I'm feeling the more muted hues this year.

Silks and natural hydrangeas share the space

on my wicker trunk in the Entry.

A velvet pumpkin from last year;

I'm hoping to add a few more soon.

( a few of you have asked if I made this, but no, sorry to say

I saved my pennies for it. Love them, but they are a little pricey.)

Hope your first weekend of September is wonderful,

even if the sky is gray...

xoxo,

I'll be joining these parties:

Thrifty Finds at Southern Hospitality

Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House

Knick of Time

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Table Top Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Nifty Thrifty Finds at Coastal Charm

Around the house...

I've had a few things I wanted to share with you, just little things around the house. Some small additions and changes, so I thought I'd lump them all together in one post. I found this wonderful pillow last month in Ozark at one of my favorite stores, The Feathered Nest. It was made by one of the owners; hand painted in a wonderful Old World calligraphy style. I use this in the Master Bedroom, but I brought it into the Dining Room for better light, then paired it up with a couple of my flea find pillows, that I use on the sunporch.

Can you see "Paris" on the bottom?

Loved the back closure with raw edged ties.

While Anne was here we did a little shopping downtown and I found this great wicker trunk. It's really a nice size for some storage. (just as long as I don't put something in here, then forget where it is...I've been known to do that once or twice.) It was just $30. I see these frequently, new and used, for about $75, so it felt like a good buy. 

I wanted to give it a French Gray wash, so I used a little spray paint,

 but that wasn't doing it for me, so I did a dry brush of antique white and gray latex.

I think I'd like to try a French stencil on top or the front...

not sure, but I'm thinking about it.

AND, finally some photos of the new floral pillows I made for the Living Room sofas. They're pretty plain, no fancy schmancy stuff, but just what I wanted to bring in a little different feel for Fall.

We're having a little rain this weekend; we are still so far below normal. But here in Missouri, September is a rainy month. You won't believe this, but with the cooler weather, look what I have in the back yard...

The extreme heat and drought almost killed the hydrangea bushes this year, but they're trying to rally in the more mild temperatures.

I'm joining in with these parties this week:

Thrifty Treasures at Southern Hospitality

Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Make it Pretty Monday at the Dedicated House

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

Table Top Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House
Knick of Time Tuesday
Cedar Hill Ranch
Faded Charm
Savvy Southern Style
Stone Gable
At the Picket Fence
2805
Stuff and Nonsense
French Country Cottage
Shabby Art Boutique
Rooted in Thyme

The Charm of Home
Shabby Art Boutique
Jennifer Rizzo

And if you haven't entered the Give Away

 with Tattered Goods then click here

Keeping all of you in Issac's path in my prayers,