August Mantel and Hearth Room

Hello Friends and Welcome to August!

I've mentioned before that August used to be my least favorite month of the year. Oooh, I felt bad that I gave it such a bad rap, especially since ALL my husband's family had birthdays in August. (strange...) It's just that I really get tired of the hot weather by now, which is usually dry and oppressive, and the older I've gotten the less able I am to handle hot weather. But a couple of years ago I had a change of heart in my attitude.

Stars and Stripes in the Hearth Room

Hello Friends, Hope you're having a wonderful

 Independence Day Weekend!

Late Spring Change-up on the Mantel

The move brought to the surface so many things that had been misplaced and displaced, and I want to share one more of those items that has been buried for the last almost 6 years. 

An Easter Mantel in the Hearth Room

I haven't gone all out for Spring and Easter decor this year because I really don't have a lot of my dishes and seasonal pottery unpacked. Back in August when I started packing up all the seasonal dishes and decor I had no concept that we wouldn't be fully moved in until Spring. It's probably a good thing that I was ignorant, otherwise I've had been even more stressed out about the whole process. 

Layering Decor in the Hearth Room

We are getting furniture in place and unpacking "decor" throughout the new place, so I've been trying out ideas and moving pieces around. One of the house projects that made a big difference in looks and functionality in the Hearth Room was a beef-up of the concrete mantel. Not sure why it would have been made of concrete, but the big problem was that it was a very narrow ledge and wasn't proportionate to the size of the fireplace. You can read about that project here. The update is a huge improvement.

New House Journal: Slipcovered Sofa Set and Mantel Makeover

We're making a lot of headway at the new house, with several things coming to completion. The hardwood floors were installed before Thanksgiving and the finish of the carpet install was this afternoon. I'll share those once I get decent pics. Right now I have something hiding underneath plastic drop cloths that I'm anxious to share. One of my favorite things on my check list is the long awaited delivery of my new Slipcovered Sofa Set. Big Yay.

Spring Home Tour 2018

Hi Everyone, and welcome to the 2018 Spring Home Tours hosted by our friend Marty from A Stroll Thru Life. Marty herself is putting the finishing touches on her lovely home and has taken us on her remodeling and decorating journey this last year. Thanks so much for including me in the tour, Marty. If you're here from Far Above Rubies, I know you enjoyed Anita's amazing one-of-a-kind vintage eclectic home filled with wonderful color and pattern. If you've missed part of the Home Tour, I have a list of participants at the end of the post.

Easter Mantel with a Vintage Touch

Since changing up my fireplace mantel is like climbing Mt. Everest, I try to keep things a little easier to decorate. If I find a piece that works well up here, it tends to stick around for awhile. The mirror, wreath and Monogram are staples here, keeping those in place, I can more easily find elements that fit the season or holiday.

October Fireplace and Mantel

 Hi Everyone, Happy October! This is my favorite month of the year... I can't believe that I didn't come jumping smack dab in your face to announce it! Well, yes, I can... this has been a long week already; more to that later. First I want to share my little owl friends that I've had for several years. They are excited to be back taking center stage on the mantel.

Creating My Fall Mantel and other Conundrums

I really love Fall. That is an understatement by a long shot. I mark the days off the calender so to speak, until I can start decorating the house. But if there's one part of decorating that I would want to shove to the end of the list it would be decorating the mantel. Yes, you've heard it before, this is my least favorite, and most difficult to come up with ideas for, part of Fall. 

It's even hard coming up with a post title for this. Let's see... "Exercise and the Fall Mantel", "How to Climb a Step Ladder for Fall", or maybe, "Scratching Your Head While Avoiding Small Animals". 

Summer Change-ups in the Living Room

Hi Friends, can you honestly believe that it's June? It's officially Summer, and I just got my container plants for the porch and patio done this last week! Someone asked me not long ago why I don't show my Living Room more often here on the blog, and I said that it's because things never change up in here very much. Basically all I did for "Summer" was to replace my sofa pillows and add the new white and chippy wicker Demi-John I found a few weeks ago. 

2 Spring Totes

Hi Friends, I hope you were able to catch the Spring Home Tours this last week. So much inspiration! I shared my Kitchen Sitting Room and Living Room on Wednesday, but there are a few items where I'd like to share a bit of detail.

Cozy Winter Living Room

January is all about warm and cozy for me. Find a comfy spot and snuggle up with a blanket and a  cup of hot tea or cocoa and a good book. Part of my January routine is to make things visually cozy and warm so that means I bring out the fuzzy stuff. Leopard print pillows and my leopard print throw for my chair and ottoman are basics. I like to focus on neutrals and textures here in the living room, and then using the leopard print as my little touch of fun.

Antique Rocking Horse on the Mantel...

I thought I'd share a few more pics of my antique rocking horse

 on the mantel, that I showed yesterday in the house tour.

My Mom was telling me this week, how she and my dad answered an ad for it in the paper, around the time of my second or third birthday. This was before the age of the heavy plastic bouncing horsey on a big metal spring. I'm old, but I'm not as old as this horse so don't go making me older than I am! Mom said it was an antique when they found it, but it still had it's tail, mane, saddle and the red wooden stand that it set on. It had been stored in one of our barns, so between then and the time mom gave it back to me, the humidity, cold, (and mice) probably took it's toll.

A Mantel, a Living Room, and Whatever's Left for Thanksgiving...

Hey Everyone,

today I'm going to share the rest of the Thanksgiving decor. Yes, there are bits and pieces left that have not yet made it here on the blog. I hate it, but November 1st to the day after Thanksgiving is hard to navigate in the blogging sphere. I think most of us are coming to the conclusion that there just isn't enough time to relax, celebrate and enjoy Christmas unless we get a jump on decorating. We rush around and make ourselves (and our families) crazy the moment we clean off the table and put the Turkey leftovers in the fridge.

On the Mantel with Pears and Pumpkins

So, I had to look back through my list of posts to see exactly when I had last shared what was happening on the mantel. Last Christmas? you're kidding me? Basically, I've left the main elements the same and have just changed up a few things in the center. I have to drag out a step stool and climb around to work on this monster, so it's just been easier to ignore it.

"Village Churches" Mini Makeover

I think many of us collected the various "Village" Houses and Churches back in the late 90's. I know that I concentrated on finding just the white churches, without giving in to the obsession of collecting a whole village of people, shops, churches, houses, and figurines. Last thing I needed was one more "collection" of anything...

Snow Owls on the Mantel

It just wouldn't be October on the Mantel without my little Snow Owls. A few years ago white owls were the latest addition to the Fall Scene, and that reminded me of what a fad owls were in the early 70's. All the poor homely little ceramic owls that had been packed away or sold at garage sales started to make a comeback on the shelves of flea markets and antique malls. They were still homely, but I had a plan...

Summer Mantel with Sunflowers

This time of year I'm captivated by Sunflowers.

They are the symbol for late Summer, relaxation, casual dinners al Fresco, 

and all things French Country...

and I love to have them taking the stage on the mantel.

Easter Mantel

I was thinking about the fact that I don't have a lot of "Easter" things out when I realized I probably haven't shared my mantel since Christmas or right after. I bought some new pussy willow stems and white blooming branches for Spring-i-fying the pottery vases, since I couldn't locate any Spring branches here at the house. I think my second tub of Easter goodies that I had from last year is buried somewhere in our basement storage room (story of my recent life).