The Entry is for the Birds

May is Bird Month around here, literally! We have a full nest box on the front porch and wherever I go I can here chirping and cheeping. It's been hard to water the fern and containers on the porch because you may get bird bombed by mom and dad.

Dining Room Table and the French Wagon

Hi friends, this has been a long week or so trying to get outside cleanup accomplished around the house and yard. I have to take it easy and not overdo it physically because I then pay for it the next few days. We have a big yard, and even though we hire out the big projects, porch cleanup and container planting are a job for me. big job.

Spring Mantel and the Hearth Room

Hey there friends, I just realized I hadn't shared the mantel or the hearth room since January and I thought maybe a spring-y update was due.

Spring Coffee Table with Metal Baskets

Hi friends, last post I shared a fun garden-y spring vignette in a vintage birdcage. I love using moss, plants, twigs and blooming branches especially in springtime. I styled it in front of the Holiday Cupboard on the chippy stepstool and now I'm sharing my springtime coffee table with more old rusty garden charm.

Vintage Birdcage Spring Vignette

This time of year, I'm drawn to creating vignettes with plants and all things vintage garden mixed in. Throw in some bird nests, moss, sticks and grapevine; all the better. Then arrange it in/on a vintage vessel.

Using birdcages for vignettes is similar to using a glass cloche, as both cover the grouping. A cloche offers a more clean, pristine look, whereas older birdcages usually give a bit of wear and age and yes the vibe of garden grunge.

Spring and Seasonal Paper Greeting Tags

Once in a while I come across something that really inspires and intrigues me. For my birthday earlier last month my sister gave me a precious gift greeting tag instead of a card. I was totally captivated by it's vintage images and similarities to the vintage inspired art collages that were so popular during the last decade. 

Blessings on Resurrection Sunday

The Graphics Fairy

Romans 4:17 tells us that (the) "God who gives life to the dead, calls things that are not as though they were."

Jesus not only was resurrected from the dead, but He promises that "dead" things in our own lives will also be brought back to life. Health, relationships, marriages, finances. Placing our faith in God can heal us completely. Shalom.

Wishing you all a Happy and Blessed Easter.

Spring Has Sprung

Hey friends, this last week of March I'm still sharing Easter décor, but also considering that the decorating theme will shift to "spring" next week. When Easter is this early on the calendar I like to keep out some bunnies and lambs around to continue to celebrate the transition from winter to warmer weather. 

Sacred Vintage Easter Inspiration

Hi Friends, today I'm sharing a compilation of a few of my past posts with sacred vintage items and religious themes. 

Vintage Botanical Book and Dried Flowers in Decor

Hi there friends, welcome to the March edition of A Lifestyle of Love Blog Gathering. We get together every other month to share how we use vintage items and concepts in our décor. Cindy from County Road 407 is our hostess and this month we're talking about Dried Flowers. If you're coming from Rachel's at The Pond's Farmhouse, where she's sharing a wonderful rustic hydrangea centerpiece, Hello and welcome!

Garden Room Vignettes and Forsythia

Hope you had a great St. Patrick's Day, friends. Starting this week we're now on the slide down to Easter. I've been posting Easter décor for the last few weeks since Easter is in March this year and I'm a little behind on sharing what normally would be until well into April. St. Paddy's Day was cut short this year, unfortunately because I really enjoy it. 

SomeBunny Loves You in the Holiday Cupboard

Back in February my husband decided he was going to combine 2 storage units into 1 larger one, so of course he found a few boxes he thought I might want to go through. Clothes, shoes, pantry items, (eeeck) but two were marked "Easter", so of course I told him to bring them home for me to look through. 

Easter Cloche and the Spring Entry

Back when I first started blogging, (it will be 15 years in June) cloches became popular. Terrariums were the rage years ago, and I think the cloche vignette sprang from that. I've always loved bringing a few items together to form a small grouping, then highlighting the pieces by placing them under glass.

Hop Into Easter in the Cookbook Cupboard

Last week I shared a new pair of moss bunnies on the sideboard. So today the sideboard's furniture buddy, the cookbook cupboard, is getting a little Easter/Spring decorating. I really never have much of a plan, but gather odds and ends together for a little seasonal display on top. The "Cookbook Cupboard" got it's name from the messy bottom shelf and cookie jars that I've had for awhile. 

Moss Bunnies on the Spring Sideboard

Hi friends, Happy March; I hope you've been having a great week. It's been a little hectic this last few weeks for me. My husband decided to combine two storage units, so I've been trying to sort thru some boxes. (enough said) Good news is that I've found a few things I thought were lost, so yay for that.

St. Patrick's Inspiration in the Cupboard

Hi Friends. Here it is the end of February with St. Patrick's Day coming up, but most importantly Easter is early this year. I'm trying to do a little of "the green stuff", while at the same time bringing out some Easter goodies to get started on Spring. 

St. Patrick's Day Farm Table Vignette

Hi Friends, last week I looked at the calendar and had a huge awakening! Easter is the last day of March this year and it's flying toward us at breakneck speed. I love decorating for St. Patrick's Day as a head start on Spring with lot's of mossy green things, green transferware, bringing out the Spring flowers and packing away all the winter blankets. When Easter falls in March we're possibly looking at a blanket of white instead of pastel Easter eggs and an egg hunt among the daffodils. 

Sweet Spot in the Garden Room

Happy Valentine's Day Friends!

Here's the last round of Valentine's Day décor friends, with the sitting area of the Garden Room. This old crate gets a workout as it seems I use it almost every season. It's the perfect size for this old bench/coffee table, giving me room for a larger element and several smaller ones. I have so much fun decorating for the seasons and holidays; taking time to plan and curate my vintage décor. But have you checked your calendar yet this year? 

Love You More...

Hi Friends, This year thinking about Valentine's Day decorating, I thought I'd try to lean toward some rustic settings. January is usually a time I keep out the more rustic elements of Christmas and winter like "leftover" evergreen trees, pinecones, and winter garden elements. 

Valentines Under Glass

Hello Friends, 

I've always felt Valentine's Day lends itself to a cloche vignette. Gathering small items into one grouping works especially well for a vintage Valentine setting. Mixing ephemera, antique cards, jewelry with dried flowers, and other bits and baubles can become one beautiful cohesive look when it's under glass.

Rustic Tabletop Vignette for Valentine's Day

When I think of Valentine's Day décor I tend to think about feminine, romantic, lacy settings filled with pink, white, and red. Maybe even some sparkle with rhinestones, sequins, and glittery baubles. This year I put together a few vignettes to celebrate, but in the Garden Room on the farm table I wanted to try to incorporate some Valentine looks with a more rustic vibe. 

Love is Like a Box of Chocolates... in the Holiday Cupboard

The sweetest time of the year is here.

I hate to admit it, but I DO love a box of Valentine's chocolates. Of course, a bouquet is lovely too, but I have a real love of chocolate and I'd never turn that down. I get excited over which one to choose first, and the surprise it brings. Forrest Gump's momma was a wise woman. I'm switching out her quote of "Life" to "Love". Sometimes love is a bit of a surprise too.

Winter to Valentine's Day Botanical Farmtable

Hello Friends, I've been tweaking a few spots around here to add some Valentine's Day elements without totally redecorating the whole house. I think having a few strategic vignettes are a good compromise this year. I've been looking through past posts to see what I'd like to do to bring in a bit of romance with vintage pieces.

French Toile and Burlap Dining Room Tabletop

Hi Friends, today, I'm sharing looks in the Dining Room for late winter from the last several years here in our current home. January décor tends to be a little more subdued than Christmas, so color is usually minimal. Often there are a few pieces held over from the holidays; maybe even a little sparkle.  

Warm Winter Scenes from the Garden Room

I'm working this week on a few Valentine's Day vignettes and the Holiday Cupboard, and at the same time I'm still enjoying my basic "winter" décor. Valentine's Day brings back the reds, along with pink and creams, so I'm trying to balance things out without going completely overboard by "redecorating" the whole house. Wasn't I just putting away the Christmas tubs a week ago? 

Love is in the Air Valentine Entry

Hello Friends, are you ready to start thinking about Valentine's Day? Love, Romance, and all that sweet stuff, or are you still tripping over yet-to-be-put-away tubs of Christmas decor? Today I'm part of a great group of gals who are sharing inspiration and some great ideas for celebrating Valentine's Day. Our sweet and talented hostess for the gathering is Laura from Decor to Adore. If you're coming from Lora Bloomquist's Blog, Create and Ponder, then I'm so glad you're here and following the Hop. 

Winter Mantel with White and Neutrals

After putting away all of the Christmas décor I have to admit I'm enjoying the pared down look and feel of January. At first I felt like things were a little bare and blah compared to my usual style, but I wanted a breather regarding decor and life in general. How about you... are you enjoying a little down time these last few weeks?

January Tabletop with a Quilted Runner

I think many of us this week are literally freezing our tootsie rolls off. Winter has finally hit us here in southern Missouri and we had a bit of a mini blizzard. It was so cold that even the birds and squirrels didn't want to come out for their late afternoon snack. Blowing snow and low temps have made me need to keep busy getting my house back to normal after Christmas.  

7 Easy Tips to Transition Your Home to Winter Décor

Okay, I can't really say that these are mine alone. Because all you have to do is take a look on Pinterest to see that there are a bunch of bloggers who follow these same tips to change up their Christmas décor to a cozy, comfy, feeling of winter.

Common Ground Top 10 Posts

Welcome Friends, as I share a bit of what happened here during this last year, 2023. Here are my Top 10 reader favorite posts, not in any particular order. Thankyou so much, each one of you who comes by to visit and is a part of my blog and life. It's been a long journey this last 14 years and I'm grateful to have spent it with you all!

Last Minute Ideas for a New Year's Eve Tablescape

Hi Friends, I wanted to share a few images and ideas in case you are thinking of an impromptu New Year's Eve dinner or small celebration. I'm not a "tablescaper" like some of you, but I thought it would be fun to see a few vintage inspired tablescapes and gather some common themes that will work for a last minute plan.

Heavenly Holiday Entry

I've realized at Christmas I lean toward a white and ethereal look on the entry console; white lights and white and neutral colors with a light and bright look. For Christmas this year I've tried to bring out a few pieces that are some of my early Christmas décor that I haven't shared for years. 

Holiday Dining Room with Holly Topiaries

Hello Friends, Wow what a weekend. Filled with family and so much fun and so many blessings. I hope you all had an equally Happy Christmas. I'm playing "Christmas Catch-up" this week, trying to get in a last couple of Christmas posts for my video diary. I like to do this for myself even if it's on the back side of Christmas. I try to mix it up each year so I won't get décor lazy. A Home Tour each year gives me a visual of what I've done for Christmas décor. Hopefully, you might enjoy it too. 

Welcome Home Christmas Tour 2023

Many Christmas Tours are done at the beginning of the Season, but since it's a work in progress here from late October until Christmas Eve, it becomes a pictorial blog diary of our home at Christmas room by room. 

Garden Girl for the Holidays

Over the years I've picked up a few old garden statuary pieces, but I can't let them be outside in the elements any longer. Some of them have survived for about 100 years, so they deserve to be in the comforts and safety of shelter. I found this precious Garden Girl fountain around 13 years ago in a little hole-in-the-wall antique shop in St. Louis. I spied her in an alleyway along with many other old pieces. Her graceful lines and sweet face called out to me. 

Reindeer Games on the Christmas Mantel

In middle November while browsing ideas for my Christmas mantel I came across a pair of woodsy reindeer that checked all the boxes for decorating my large hearth room fireplace. I had told myself that I didn't need any new decor items, but well... they ended up on my Thanksgiving mantel, then stuck around for Christmas.

Christmas Front Porch

Invariably I get down to the last few days before Christmas and I start running out of time to share all my pics of Christmas around my house. So here are a few from the front porch. We went through a really cold snap about the time I was decorating it, so it sort of got lost in the fact that I wasn't going to turn into a popsicle working on more fluffing.

Out-of-the-Box Vintage Christmas Tree and "The Mystery Box"

One of the first things I do as I start thinking about an upcoming season or holiday is to start with Pinterest and spend time reviewing past posts and photos. We all have pics from Pinterest that we consider our favorites; those that come to mind each season. For me they are in the "vintage" category and I revisit them each year for a fresh new look and take on décor themes and ideas that I can include in my own seasonal décor.

Christmas Cheer in the Cupboard

Welcome Friends, to Christmas in the Holiday Cupboard! Each upcoming Christmas Season you'll find me playing in this old Pie Safe and transforming it to the Holiday Cupboard. It's one of my first decorating spots that I look forward to each Christmas. I love to bring out the red transferware, and this year some Tartan Plaid Christmas plates from Pottery Barn are added to the mix.

A Homespun Kitchen for Christmas

Hey Friends, Welcome to a fun gathering today, as I'm joining in with a great group of gals who are sharing their ideas and inspiration for a Homespun Christmas. Thankyou to Laura at Decor To Adore for putting this great group together. If you're coming from Lora's place at Create and Ponder, thanks so much and I'm glad you're here continuing the Hop!