French Farmhouse Table in the Dining Room

My last post I was telling you all about my after Christmas need for a more neutral palette. I always love a lot of color at the Holidays and I sort of overdid it this year here at the new place. I'm kinda over red/green for now. I'll be ready for some red again next month for Valentine's Day, but for now, my eyeballs need a break.

French Country Elements in the Dining Room

My focus on getting back in the decor groove after the Holidays has been on my Dining Room table. At the beginning of the New Year I tend to want to go with more neutral elements since I'm usually oversaturated with color from Christmas. I've been gathering inspiration for a French Country Farmhouse feel that I could use in my Dining Room without going shopping.

All About Home Link Party #21

Hello Friends, so glad you're here  

to join in at the first party of the year at
All About Home!

I hope you all are having a great first week of 2020. I have to admit I'm running way behind on getting things put back to normal here. I had a viral thing (sore throat, swollen lymph nodes) going on this last week that's just derailed me. I'm better, but still not 100%. Not a fun way to start the new year. I'm still looking at a hodge podge of decor, somewhere between Christmas and winter. Hope you're making some headway getting back in the groove!

Making a House a Home: 2019 in Review

During the late Summer of 2018 we made a decision to purchase an older home here in our small Midwest city. It might have seemed like a spur of the moment event from the outside, but we had known since we moved into our previous home 5 years before, that we needed a place with more space on one level. We knew that it would need to be a home in an older subdivision close-in town so it would have a bigger yard to accommodate a house that was more square footage in the main living areas. We found a place, but it was not my dream home to say the least. It would require a lot of updating inside and out, but we made a plan to get to work. That takes me to the beginning of 2019.

All About Home #20

Hello Friends, so glad you're here 

to join in at All About Home!

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas week, but hey, we're still in Holiday mode over here. We took a little break last week to focus on Christmas here at All About Home. Wow, there was so much wonderful Christmas Inspiration I hated to miss a week, but we're back and I still want to feature a few of the fun posts from our last party. Thanks so much for sharing all your amazing Christmas Inspiration this Season!

Welcome Home Christmas Home Tour 2019

This is the first year in our new-to-us cottage and we've had a long year of renovations, updating, moving, organizing, and lastly a major landscape redo. Most of our living space is on the main level and we love having the open spaces to spread out. I like to have a photo journal each year of our home decorated for Christmas. So even though this is a little late, it's my way of looking back on and remembering this wonderful time of year.

Vintage Christmas

Christmas Eve?

I can hardly believe it. 

Family will be here soon! 

There just wasn't enough time to get all the photos shared,

so I'm going to post pics and be light on words,

otherwise things won't get done!

Anyone else in my shoes house slippers?

Quick peek at the Dining Room

 and my favorite corner of the house.

Christmas in the Garden Room Part 2

Hi Friends, I hope you're having a great week before Christmas!

We're back in the Garden Room today and I'm sharing the rest of the room that includes the baker's rack and the church pew. Now that I have the Holiday Cupboard the baker's rack has sort of taken a back seat in decorating. But since I have plenty of junk, great vintage pieces, there's room for more of it now!

Christmas in the Garden Room part 1

I've had a reindeer "thing" going on this year. It actually started a couple of years ago, after seeing some mossy/twiggy type reindeer. I started looking but got waylaid by the house renovation and move. Then, when I started thinking about Christmas decor this year I got busy scouring around for one (or 2)

Christmas Holiday Cupboard and the Garden Room

Hi Friends, time for the Christmas Edition of the Holiday Cupboard. I've had so much fun decorating this old cabinet out here in the sunroom aka the Garden Room this last year. It's the first Christmas styling I've done with it, and I've found a lot of fun vintage goodies to decorate with in my stash. This cabinet was storage at the last house, but now it's been organized to allow me to have some more display space for holiday pieces.

All About Home Link Party #19

Hello Friends, so glad you're here 

to join in at All About Home!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas here, not only on the inside, but on the outside. We're having our first winter "event". A little snow but mostly an icy winter mix, that's cancelled school and made driving pretty hazardous. So it's definitely time to stay inside by the fire and think about wrapping presents and planning for our Christmas Eve gathering.

Decorating the Sideboard for Christmas

This week I've been sharing Christmas in the Hearth Room, so next I wanted to show you the rest of the room and the antique sideboard. I've always loved the little curved shelf above the mirror, but this is my first time actually decorating it for the Christmas Holiday. A few little British crocks, some white reindeer, and bottle brush trees keep it light, bright and lots of fun.

Christmas Mantel in the Hearth Room

It's my first Christmas here at our new-to-us cottage, and I finally have the fireplace and mantel I have hoped for. I had a few criteria that were on my wish list in a new home: an actual hearth room that had either a wood burning fireplace or a gas fireplace that didn't make me nauseous from gas fumes, a lower mantel that I could actually reach to decorate, and that it would be white. Is that too much to ask for? I didn't think so.

All About Home Link Party #18

Hello Friends, thanks so much for coming by 
to visit at All About Home!

Are you all decorated for Christmas? If you're like me you'll be tweaking and adding bits and pieces of Christmas until Christmas Eve. I know you have tons of great ideas, projects and decor going on, so let's get to the party and share all the fun stuff!

Christmas in the Cookbook Nook

Say Hello to my newest Christmas friend, courtesy of my sister as an early Christmas present. He's so adorable and woodsy I just needed to show him off. I'd been looking for a reindeer for awhile, thinking twiggy or mossy, but this guy is perfect. His grassy covering looks like real reindeer fur. He's a cutie.

Christmas Door Decor and Porch Peek

Hi Friends, do you have your Christmas decorating finished up? I hope you've had some good weather to get you in the Holiday mood. I had to get busy this weekend and put together a few things for the front porch and a change up for my door basket so I could join in with Amber's Christmas Door Decor Blog Hop. If you're coming from Amber at Follow the Yellow Brick Home, I'm so glad you're here!

All About Home Link Party #17

Hello Friends, thanks so much for coming by 
to visit at All About Home!

Thanksgiving was a wonderful Day, and then Friday it turned into "All About Christmas"!
It's probably the same for you all too. I know you have tons of great ideas and decor going on,
so let's get to the party and share all the fun stuff!

Snapshots of Coming Christmas

Are you busy decorating for Christmas?
I imagine most of us are since we're getting a late start.
I'm just sharing a few pics of what I'm up to this
weekend. 

These are just a few snaps of what's happening over here.
It's no surprise that it's vintage and plaid

Hope you're having a wonderful Thanksgiving Weekend!

An Attitude of Thanksgiving

Once in a while I feel compelled to share a more personal thought; this has been on my mind for the last few weeks. I've been reminded that there's more to "Thanksgiving" than gathering with our family and loved ones for a celebration. Thanksgiving is an all encompassing lifestyle. We can choose to be grateful or not. It's easy to be "thankful" when things are going our way, but a little more difficult when life isn't where we'd like it to be. Health, finances, situations and relationships can all be challenging and strained, and we seem to notice it more through the Holidays.

There have been many times I've wanted to ignore this scripture from 1 Thessalonians that says: "Be joyful always, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Not that our circumstances are something that is "God's will" or that we need to be happy about, but that whatever we are going through we can count on God being with us and leading us. Philippians 4:6 reminds us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with Thanksgiving, present your requests to God." That's what I'm trying to focus on this week. Not to be anxious and under stress with my circumstances, but to be thankful that my Father God has a good plan and is in control.

I'm thankful for all of you... thank you for your care and friendship. I'm praying you have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving.

All About Home Link Party #16

Hello Friends, thanks so much for coming by 
to visit at All About Home,
Wishing you all a very 
Happy Thanksgiving!

Weekend Inspiration: Baker's Rack and Transitioning from Fall to Christmas

With Thanksgiving being so late this year I've found myself more antsy than usual to start thinking about decorating for Christmas. (you too, huh?) One thing I know for sure is that I need to make it easy this year. I tend to say that each year then push myself to decorate "everything" in sight. But before I start sharing on the blog how I've gotten started with Christmas and still celebrate Thanksgiving, I have a few pics of the Baker's Rack in the Garden Room that I wanted to post.

We Gather Together Blog Hop

Hi Friends, Welcome to We Gather Together Blog Hop hosted by our friend Amber from Follow the Yellow Brick Home. Amber and I both really love Thanksgiving and I'm so excited to be able to join in with all these other talented ladies to share our ideas and decor in this wonderful Holiday time.

If you're coming from Marty's at A Stroll Thru Life, so glad you're here and hope you'll come back to visit again. I thought I'd just put together a late Fall/Thanksgiving Home Tour, which is a grouping of pics from posts this November.

All About Home Link Party #15

Hello Friends, thanks so much for coming by 
to visit at All About Home!

Farmhouse Table Vignette for Thanksgiving

Hey Friends, I hope you're having a wonderful late Fall weekend. It's been a gorgeous last few days with lots of sun, but the leaves are quickly falling and the lovely Autumn colors will soon be gone. I have a few more quick posts to share with you before Thanksgiving. They are mostly just a few areas that I've put together with quick and easy vignettes with some of my fine feathered turkey friends.

Turkey Talk in the Cupboard

When I organized my old cupboard and re-dubbed it my "Holiday Cupboard" in the Garden Room, I knew that Thanksgiving would be a fun display. Vintage turkeys and Brown Transferware plates and platters are really shown off with the white interior and ironstone. My Fall display was the basis and I didn't have to do much to make it be"Thanksgiving".

All About Home Link Party #14

Hi Friends, thanks so much for coming by to visit

 here at All About Home!

If anyone had any doubts about whether it's November here in Missouri, then I'll tell you it has been snowing today while leaves are falling. The wind was crazy and it was a pretty amazing sight. I just stood at the window and "wondered" at how the seasons were sharing late Fall. I love this time of year and all the beauty and creative inspiration that's out there for Thanksgiving.

Subtle Changes Welcome Thanksgiving

I think this is my favorite time of the year to decorate. I love Fall; all stages of Fall. This is the start of the Holiday season, AND of all things warm, cozy and comfy. I'm really enjoying the change of seasons at this house. The trees are beautiful, and even the leaves that are covering the yard and piling up in the back porch have their charm.

Enter Thanksgiving

I had a brief thought of just whizzing by decorating for Thanksgiving and doing a more Christmas look, but in the end I just couldn't get there. I love late Fall and Thanksgiving, and I just wasn't up for full on Christmas. So I compromised a bit and brought out my "oatmeal" tree (looks like oatmeal) and called it good.

All About Home Link Party #13

Hi Everyone, Welcome to November 
and All About Home!

Halloween is in the rear view mirror and Thanksgiving and Christmas are going to be here before we know it. There's so much inspiration out here this time of year. I'm so excited to see what you all are up to and your ideas for your home and decor for November.  Are you heading straight into Christmas decorating, or do you absolutely wait until after Thanksgiving? 

Goat Cart filled for Fall

I can't believe I haven't gotten around to sharing the goat cart that I first talked about weeks ago. After searching through Pinterest for ideas, I put it together with mums, vines, and all kinds of white pumpkins. And then the landscape guys showed up and it all went kaput. So this is what I've had in my Garden Room since. The mums went back to the front porch and I substituted moss orbs and faux pumpkins for the real ones. So much for a fun display on the front porch. At least I've been able to enjoy it here in the Garden Room.

All About Home Link Party #12

Hi Friends, thanks so much for coming by to visit
 here at All About Home!

It's always so much fun now in late October. Leaves are changing, the weather has cooled off, we're having fun with Halloween, thinking about Thanksgiving and even making plans for Christmas. I'm loving all the great seasonal inspiration you all are bringing. Thanks so much for being here and sharing your fun ideas with all of us!

Fall Vignette on the Farmtable

I wanted to have a little fun this week with one of my vintage birdcages and a sassy little blackbird that I've had for a few years. He didn't fare very well during the move, as his cute little paper hat became unattached. I did the easy thing and used some transparent tape to get it back on. Don't look too close. He's almost good as new.

Woodland Creatures and the Late October Hearth Room

As October heads into it's last weeks, I'm tweaking a few things around the house. I'm bringing in a few darker colors now that the heat wave is over, and some heavier textures. Two old friends are joining me on the mantel to add a little woodsy charm in the Hearth Room.

All About Home Link Party #11

Hi Everyone, and Welcome to All About Home!

I think we're all feeling like it's Fall now that we're in the middle of October and our temps have finally come down. All the better to love those wool throws and grab a hot drink to enjoy the party. 

Wow everyone, we had a big increase in link-ups last week, and it's so great to see the party growing. It gives us all a chance to get to know more people and see more inspiration that's going on as we're coming up to Halloween and Thanksgiving. 

Fall Front Porch and Landscape Beginnings

With temperatures in the 80's and 90's till a week ago, it's taken me a bit to get my front porch decorated for Fall. I didn't go all out this season because I knew that we would be starting our landscape work here in October... and then last weekend we had a killing frost that took out my flowers out back. Thankfully I went ahead and covered the mums out here, not really thinking it would get that cold.

All About Home Link Party #10

I think most of us have had that long awaited cool-down in our areas, but unfortunately ours came with a killing frost. I lost all of my outside plants in the back that weren't covered. Lantana and zinnias and some geraniums didn't make it. Fortunately I had the mums out front covered so they survived. Nothing like going from about 90 degrees to 30 in a day! Hopefully we will now stay in the 60's and low 70's for a while. I just hate it when it goes from Summer to Winter overnight!

Hi Everyone, and Welcome to All About Home!

Weekend Inspiration and Fall Favorites

I'm totally dating myself here, but when I was thinking about a title for this post other than "Weekend Inspiration" the phrase "Wayback Machine" just popped into my head. If you're under 55 there's a good chance this will fly right past you, but since this is a post I'm sharing of some of my favorite Fall posts and pics from the past, somehow it fit. (do you remember Mr. Peabody the Dog and his sidekick Sherman on Rocky and Bullwinkle and his WayBack Machine?)

Rustic French Fall Decor

Light and Bright Fall Entry

I'm really loving this Entry Hall at the new house. It's light and bright and traditional with just a hint of pattern in the wallpaper. It's so easy to decorate and fun to try out new elements. This Entry Hall is always flooded with light no matter the weather, so for early October I've wanted to keep that lighter look. As we head into later October and November I'll bring out the deeper colors and prints, but for now I found a couple of British vintage prints with a lighter palette that had been in my bathroom at our previous house.

Embracing Fall in the Garden Room

Hello Everyone, 

Welcome to the Embracing Fall Blog Hop!

Our good friend and Hop Hostess Amber, from Follow the Yellow Brick Home has gathered some of us together to celebrate our love of Fall. If you're coming from Christi's beautiful Fall Porch at Our Southern Home, so glad you're here and following this fun Hop. Of course I'm super excited to be participating in this Hop, because well... Fall is my absolute Favorite Time of Year! Thankyou Amber for putting together all this inspiration!

All About Home Link Party #9

Hi Everyone, and Welcome to All About Home!

I'm super excited that we're having a week of bona fide Fall weather here in SW Missouri. Today has been beautiful, with rain and cooler temps over the weekend. Fall decor is getting off the ground a little late this year since it's been so hot all across the US. I know we'll all feel more like celebrating Fall when it actually feels like it! Whether you're an Autumn devotee or not, we're glad you're here, we'd love to see what you've been up to.

Weekend Inspiration: Fall Door Baskets

Hi Friends, this week I'm sharing another Weekend Inspiration with you all since I've been working on Fall-ifying my front porch. I wanted to use my gray-wash door basket for Fall since I had been using a grapevine wreath during the Spring and Summer. It's time for something different on the door with a Fall touch.

Common Ground

The Fall Dining Room and Needlepoint Pumpkins

It's now October, but since the weather hasn't been very Fall-like, I'm still feeling the need for the "lighter version" of Fall Decor. When I was first adding Fall to the Dining Room I was going for Fall colors, but not anything dark and heavy. I don't want a bunch of that when it's 90 degrees outside. I started thinking about maybe using a vintage print on the buffet that had all the Fall feels, but still added some lighter color and a little "white".

All About Home Link Party #8

Welcome Friends, glad to have you here to party!

September has just sped by, and it's hard to believe it's the last day of the month. I always look forward to September since it's the beginning of all things Fall and usually the weather does at least a small cool down. But this year it's just been mostly hot and dry and really NOT at all like Fall. BUT there is hope for next week... low 70's and rain... YAY!!! 

No matter the weather, I think we've all realized it IS Fall now, 

and we're decorating and nesting no matter if it's 90 degrees or not!