Kitchen Counter Vignette

Do you have a spot in your house 

where things are moved around...

added and subtracted...

left for days

 because you don't know how to use them in your decor?

...a glorified "staging area".

waiting to be blogged about...

hoping to make the cut?

Wheelbarrows, Wagons, and "Hoo" Else?

Hey Friends, I just wanted to share a few pics with you, as I'm getting the front porch readied for my favorite month... October! I've had some mums out, and my door basket decorated for Fall, but I wanted to wait and share it all with you when I had my French Goat Cart decorated. I was going to use real pumpkins, but I decided to repaint some of my faux stash, and just ended up with them instead. 

Snippets from the China Cabinet

I hope you're having a wonderful Fall Day.

The treetops are changing to various hues of red, orange, and yellows.

It's warm, but you can feel the Fall changes.

I've been adding Autumn to my Kitchen China Cabinet...

The mismatched plates, cups, saucers, and tureens each become a work of art

...when Bittersweet and Leaves nestle around them.

Both the bovine and the birds...

are celebrating the wild garden within the walls of glass.

xoxo,

Grain Sack Fabric Tablerunners

It seems like life continues to be a series of small projects to accomplish, lately. Maybe that's because we've been able to get more things done with organization and unpacking all the million boxes we had, many of which were and still are marked "Decor". eeeck. I try not to overwhelm myself, but plug away at one thing at a time on my long list of "need to do". One of those projects has been getting a couple of tablerunners sewn for the little round table in the kitchen, and then the Dining Room.

Late Summer Kitchen Sitting Area

I've piddled around with this kitchen sitting area post so long,

 that if I don't show you all soon, 

I'm going to be ready to change it up to be the 

"Early Fall Kitchen Sitting Area".

Patriotic Summer Kitchen Tote

With the 4th of July just around the corner, it is time to break out the 

 Red White and Blue!

I've been working on changing up the Kitchen Sitting Area, and giving it a patriotic feel. The kitchen needed a good dose of "Summer" so I'm giving it a punch of RED. I started with the kitchen table, and gave it something different to wear. So here's just a peek at my Vintage Summer Kitchen, with a white tote filled with vintage utensils.

Before they're gone...

We've had a few storms and windy days lately, so I thought I'd better get some photos of my blooming branches before all the blooms were blown away. I had planned on doing this early yesterday before a heavy down pour that I knew was headed our way...but something else came up.

Styling a DIY Seedbox for St. Patty's Day

All it takes is a few sunny days where the temps are 50 and above and you'll find me puttering around with seed boxes, seed packets, and some old gardening tools. This week will be the "official" start of Spring so I'm having fun bringing a little green for St. Patrick's Day onto the Baker's Rack in the kitchen sitting area.

Moss Covered Heart: How-To

I can't tell you how long I've wanted to make one of these. Working with moss can be messy to say the least, but I had found a paper mache form in the shape of a heart at Michael's, so I thought I might as well dive in. literally. I didn't want to run around town looking for supplies, so I hoped that I had everything that I needed in my stash. (I was a little short on moss since I'd used a bunch on another recent project). Yesterday I shared my inspiration for a Moss Covered Heart for Valentine's Day that will go into Spring and Summer.

Valentine Birdies, a Photo Bomb, and a Winner

For me, Valentines Day signals the end of winter and the start of all things Spring in my decorating. Even though the weather sometimes doesn't agree, I put away all my evergreens and snowy winter-y things and concentrate on bringing in a few flowering faux branches, some lighter colors, and start thinking garden and seeds.

Kitchen Renovation in an Historic St. Louis Home

Hey Everyone, I know I promised I'd share more on the little antique Kilim rug and where it is located, but we just got home from a trip to St. Louis (Dr. appt. for me that was a good one) and I wanted to share pics of the kid's newly renovated kitchen. I'm totally kicking myself because these are at night, no tripod, and no wide angle lens. Some are blurry and the colors are a little off, but their kitchen turned out so great I hope you'll just try to "imagine" that a professional" was taking these and not "the mom". so sorry...

A new teapot and a bit of Toile

I have to admit, I have a few small rituals that I really enjoy. Having a few cups of hot tea in the afternoon is one of them. This last week has seen really low temps, so that just adds to the comfort level that having something "hot" to sip on can bring. I'm not a cup and saucer and "pinky in the air" type; I love a generous and heavy mug; something to wrap my hands around.

Toile pillows for the sitting area...

If you're like me this first week of January, you're wandering around the house looking for something to "change up". I loved my Red Tartan Plaids in the sitting area for Christmas, and I wasn't even tired of looking at them, but at the same time I needed to clear out the Christmas decor and make January "fresh".

Christmas Milk Carrier Centerpiece

I had a lot of fun decorating the kitchen and adjoining sitting and kitchen dining area this year. I still have Christmas decor I haven't located, so I tried to make use of the things that I could find. I brought out one of my old milk carriers to hold a Christmas Kitchen table centerpiece. I'm a sucker for any kind of carrier, tote, basket, especially when they're filled with seasonal kitchen goodies. So I grabbed some red transferware, a red Holly tea towel, a candle, a tiny ironstone pitcher with boxwood, and a faux paperwhite... instant centerpiece!

I needed to get the "feel" of what Christmas could be like in here. Having just moved a little over two months ago, I'm still trying to decide how to decorate this space. I added one of my kitchen valences to the window for a little color, and so RED and some PLAID seemed the way to go. I still don't have prints up or any wall decor. I have a ton of boxes labeld "prints" and "mirrors", so I need to wait to get them all unpacked before I start hanging things up. I don't think I've lived with bare walls this long, ever.

My Toile pillow, some Tartan wool throws, French ticking pillows, and a PB pillow dress up the white wicker and add to the Christmas color.

My Sheep Head and my French Country frame are on The Chippy Old Door in the corner. I wanted to add some color in, so I choose a French Country fruit wallpaper design to use as a backing. It adds just the right amount of Christmas reds and greens. Click HERE to see what I did last Spring and HERE, this Summer with these two.

My chandy with the vintage Shiney Brites, garland, 

and a birdnest. I did this specifically to drive the kitties crazy...

Let's just say the bird's nest was found on the floor a few days ago.

hmmmm....

just sayin'...

I'm so glad my "Sunporch" baker's rack and wicker set are in a warm spot at this house. The sunporch at the old house was just too cold this time of year to enjoy, other than looking at it...brrrrrr....

Even the vintage pitchfork got a little "Christmas"!

Extra ornaments found a basket for display...

If you missed the China Cabinet fun, Click Here

I added a Christmas Home Tour of this year and the Christmas Home Tour from 2013 links to the "Pages" section under my new Christmas Header. See what was going on last year if you have a minute. Those pics are a sweet memory, but I'm glad to be here, at our new home. Just wish I could find my spatterware coffeepot and Santa Mug!

Have a great weekend,

Hubbs and I have a grocery shopping marathon to attend.

joining in with these party places:

Shabby Art Boutique

French Country Cottage

Common Ground for Come as You Are Linky

xoxo,

Christmas China Cabinet and a Winner!

When you go through a move you just have to expect that things will change. Room sizes, function, and wanting a different look all cause the upset of the proverbial apple cart...even down to kitchen cabinets, dishes, and how you display things. While we were at the lease house, I used my vintage pie safe in the kitchen to display some seasonal and holiday items along with a frequently changing array of transferware and ironstone. But I decided to use the pie safe downstairs for a kitchen grouping, and bring back my Antique White China Cabinet that matches the table and chairs.

The China Cabinet and table and chairs had been in storage this last year, so I was really glad to see them all again!

In the past I'd had my French Faience in this cabinet with my blue crystal and odds and ends of floral teapots, cups and saucers, and some Depression Glass. But when we moved and the "Holiday Cupboard" was sold (boo hoo) I needed a place to decorate seasonally with dishes and to enjoy my different sets of Transferware.

I put out my Brown Transferware when we first moved in this Fall. I kept thinking I'd change it out for the Red but time got away from me. So there are only a few red pieces on display. But I added some Christmas fun with vintage bottle brush trees and a few of my Putz Houses. My cows and creamers, and then lot's of vintage ornaments are making it a little more Christmas-y.

Doesn't everyone need a few "Christmas Cows"?

These two vintage egg cups are perfect bottle brush tree holders.

I mainly have bits and pieces, not full sets of my Transferware, but since I mix and match, it all gets stacked together.

More Christmas details from around the house, coming soon.

 If you missed my Christmas Home Tour, 

you can check it out here.

Time to announce the winner of the 

$100 Gift Certificate from Treetopia...

Congrats to Julie Marie from Idyllhours, 

She was one who guessed correctly,

 It was the Moonlight White Tree.

thanks to everyone who entered!!

Joining in at these party places:

Cedar Hill Farmhouse for The Scoop

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday

Cozy Little House for Tweak it Tuesday

Coastal Charm for Show and Share

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday

Hope you're having a great week,

xoxo,