All About Home Link Party #153

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All About Home Link Party!

Let's take a break from the hot, hot, hot and enjoy some fun summer decor and gatherings. Thankyou all so much for coming by each week to share your lives and homes. I love seeing all your great ideas and beautiful inspiration!

Seashell Decor and More

Next week I'll be joining a group where we are sharing Coastal Vibes this summer. Since I live smack dab in the middle of the USA, going to the beach or coast isn't something I've done often. Trying to think... the last time I saw the ocean was back in the 90's. What can I say, I'm not an aficionado on the beach or coastal decor. Oh, but my dad was in the Navy, does that count? 

Anyway, I still love shells and of course the summer months are the perfect time to display a few along with some other vintage decor. Since I've been thinking about them, here are a few pics from the past of my posts with seashells. 

Mid-Summer Entry with Blue and White Transferware Tureen

Hi Friends, I know many of you are "Blue and White" collectors with gorgeous dishware, ginger jars, and amazing decorative Chinoiserie pieces. I admire it and love that elegant and traditional design "look", but I've just never started a collection of it. I think it's gorgeous in the summer when I love using Blue and White accessories. I've stuck to the Browns, Reds and Green patterns in transferware, but I do have one piece that I totally stumbled upon years ago at a flea market for just a few dollars. 

Summer Fun at All About Home #152

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All About Home Link Party!

Well, I'm not going to sugar coat it, this is my least favorite time of the year. Too hot, too dry. Working outside is impossible unless you want to risk a heat stroke. By mid July my brain is fried and wandering toward Autumn and cooler temps. I know many of us are feeling it too. I'll try not to complain... August will look better as we slide toward the more moderate temps of early Fall. In the meantime, (insert happy face) we can all share what we're doing, have a good dose of inspiration, and enjoy beautiful pics of vacations and DIY projects. How about you all?... are you gangbusters this time of year or is it just me?

Thankyou all so much for coming by each week to share your lives and homes. 

I love seeing all your great ideas and beautiful inspiration!

Majolica and Crockery in the Summer Holiday Cupboard

Hi friends, today I'm sharing A Cottage Re-View of my Long Lost Crockery in the Holiday Cupboard in Mid-Summer. I hope you'll enjoy seeing a few posts from years past of fun vintage summer decorating. I love peeking into the archives of my favorite blogs. So many times I've missed that particular post, so getting a chance to "view it again" always brings inspiration and fresh new ideas. Today I'm sharing some of my pieces of old crockery and Majolica.

Mid Summer Formal Living Room; Yes I Have One

Hi Friends, I've been wanting to share our formal living room for a bit, since it's been a while. I don't usually tend to do a lot of seasonal decorating in there. (Many of you may not know this room even exists) Things don't seem to change too much, probably because we use this room so much. The coffee table is right in my husband's sight line to the TV, so whatever I decorate with there has to be compact and not distracting. He tends to keep some of his "stuff" out on the end table along with the remotes so it's always a bit of a pain challenge to clear off his personal area in order to take current pics. Since it looks just like it did several years ago, I just thought I'd "re-share" those photos which were actually taken this time of the year. 

Welcome to July at All About Home #151

Hello friends and Welcome to the 

All About Home Link Party!

Hope you all are having a great 4th of July, enjoying a long weekend and celebrating our country's birthday. Thanks so much for coming by in the middle of a holiday; we appreciate you all taking time out of your week to come and party with us. Sunday we finally had a good (really good) rain after a long month of hot weather. We've been trying to water, but we have a big yard and it's been difficult to keep up with the 90+ temps. It was a refreshing afternoon just watching from the back porch.

Thankyou all so much for coming by each week to share your lives and homes. 

I love seeing all your great ideas and beautiful inspiration!

Red, White and Blue on the Baker's Rack

Hello friends, Happy July 4th Weekend!

I had a few spots with Patriotic decor that I haven't had a chance to share yet. You all know I love decorating for holidays with vintage pieces, so here are a few more pics from the Garden Room dressed up for the July 4th holiday. I like to keep a visual tour for how I decorate each year and then look back year to year to see what I've used and styled. 

Patriotic Front Porch in the RWB

I started thinking about decorating the front porch for the July 4th holiday back in late May when I joined in on a roundup for patriotic ideas and inspiration. This house has a nice sized front porch where I have an old train depot bench so there's plenty of room for some fun seasonal and holiday decor. I really prefer using a basket on the door for faux florals with coordinating color and decorative ribbon, but since I have a problem with birds making nests in the basket from late March to June I usually just do a wreath in early spring to summer. I took a chance that by late June the birdie problem would be over. I think I'm safe...

All About Red, White, and Blue at All About Home #150

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All About Home Link Party!

The 4th of July is next Monday, and it's amazing that half the year is past and we're heading into mid-summer. We're having a mini cool off which is so welcomed, since that cuts down my plant watering schedule and the utility bill. Still no rain, but the cooler temps help. Do you all have travel and party plans for the long 4th weekend? I hope you have a great week with lots of fun and family gatherings.

Thankyou all so much for coming by each week to share your lives and homes. 

I love seeing all your great ideas and beautiful inspiration!

July 4th Patriotic Hearth Room

Summer Decor DIY at All About Home #149

Hello friends and Welcome to the 

All About Home Link Party!

I hope you all had a wonderful Father's Day and enjoyed some family time. We're still in the 90's here in Missouri, without rain for a couple of weeks. Way too hot for June. Even the squirrels get too hot by noon to raid the birdfeeders. They'd rather lounge on the patio chairs.

Thankyou all so much for coming by each week to share your lives and homes. 

I love seeing all your great ideas and beautiful inspiration!

Mini Patriotic Makeovers on the Mantel

Hey there friends. I know we all like a good project and DIY, but today I'm going to share with you what happens when things don't turn out quite like we might plan. I'm going to share a behind the scenes pair of mini makeovers that I decided on for the patriotic mantel here in the hearth room. Many of us don't like to share those blah frustrating moments when you have a plan that gets off track. (me included). Personally, I think sharing setbacks and makeovers #1,#2, and #3 help all of us and save some time. Even if we have to cringe a bit and admit it was my best shot. 

July 4th Farmtable in the Garden Room

Last month, I did a little DIY paint transformation with a breadboard to give it a more "subtle" look of gray-washed aging. That one little difference made a big impact on styling further tabletop centerpieces and tabletop tableaus out here in the Garden Room. I like to use more than one element in a tabletop grouping, but I don't want them scattered all around willy nilly. I like to corral those crazy knick knacks and vintage items!

All About Home Link Party #148

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All About Home Link Party!

Summer has come down on us with a heatwave. Now, I know some of you all live in Texas, so you're used to the mid 90's in early May, but I'm just not acclimated for that yet. Watering container plants and shrubs has had me busy every day. A fun little miracle this week, is that I was able to see 4 little fledgling wrens leave their nest box and fly away with mom and dad. I'm a bird watcher for sure. I had a smile on my face for several days! 

Thankyou all so much for being here each week 

and sharing all your great ideas and beautiful inspiration!

Vintage Watering Cans for the Patriotic Porch

Hello Everyone, we all have a real treat today with a fun vintage Hop. I'm joining today with a great group of gals who love vintage goods and absolutely love using them to decorate our homes and porches. Our friend Cindy of County Road 407 came up with this unique way to share our vintage pieces with the Lifestyle of Love Bi-Monthly Hop. Our theme this month is galvanized tin containers and vintage items. Summer is the perfect season for sharing our metal farmhouse goods with an industrial and garden vibe.

Cozy Wicker Seating with Patriotic Color

As you all know, I like to keep things changed up in the Garden Room, and especially in the little wicker seating area next to the Holiday Cupboard and the baker's rack. During June and July it's filled with red, white, and blue accents and decor. I have several vintage quilts and coverlets that get to set the stage with mix and match pillows. 

Hello to Summer at All About Home #147

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All About Home Link Party!

Are you all getting into June and the fact that wow, it's now summer? I've been out puttering in the yard and on the back porch trying to stay ahead of the wildlife. I'm really loving all the great plant and garden posts along with the patriotic tablescapes and decor. Thankyou so much for being here each week and sharing all your great ideas and beautiful inspiration!

Vintage Cottage Weekend on the Patriotic Back Porch

Hi Friends, Happy Sunday. I think most of you know by now, and after 13 years, that I'm not the type of blogger that's into big reveals, major projects and complicated DIYs. I consider you all friends and I'm just looking to share my interests, little decor things that excite me, and my daily life. When I find something I love and enjoy I want to share it with you all. 

Summer Patriotic Cupboard with Red Transferware

June is here and it's time to add a bit of the RED/WHITE/BLUE to the decor around the house and inside the Holiday Cupboard. This year I thought I'd try something a little different by combining my usual "summer" dishes, my French faience, along with the few red transferware pieces I've collected through the years. 

All About Home Link Party #146

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All About Home Link Party!

I hope you had a good Memorial Day Weekend! We've finally warmed back up and the sun has come out. I've been putting some patriotic red/white/ blue around the house and thinking about the front porch decor. Busy week for everyone ...Thankyou so much for being here each week and sharing all your great ideas and beautiful inspiration!

Vintage Cottage Weekend: Spring to Summer Birds in the Garden Room

Hello, my friends. Here we are with Memorial Day this weekend. (so hard to believe) At Vintage Cottage Weekend we share how we use vintage cottage elements in our decorating. Starting in June I'll be decorating with a patriotic summer theme, but for this last week of May I wanted to share a few pics from the Garden Room with one of my favorite late Spring themes. Birds!

Early Summer Entry with Bovine Beauties

Despite the gray, rainy weather (and poor light) I wanted to share my late Spring/early Summer entry. Late May is the perfect time to decorate using lovely lush pastel Hydrangeas with a hint of summer that's on the way. 

All About Home Link Party #145

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All About Home Link Party!

This has been a week where we've been thrown back to late March. Rain, storms, chilly weather... hard to believe it was 90 less than a week ago. Lower Midwest weather can be so crazy. I've had to drag my container plants under cover to keep them from drowning! With school getting out and everyone planning for summer, we know it's a busy time of year. Thankyou so much for being here each week and sharing all your great ideas and beautiful inspiration!

Vintage Cottage Weekend: Seasons on the Potting Bench

I shared the Potting Bench on the back porch a few days ago, so I thought I'd have a look back at a few other seasonal potting bench posts. I love having this outside spot to keep my gardening tools and necessities corralled. It's an anchor piece for one of the seating areas, where we enjoy a break during the day and evening. 

If you missed my last post you can find it HERE

Back Porch Potting Bench

When the weather starts getting warmer and planting time is here it's time to get out on the back porch, do some clean up, and put together the potting bench. With all the trees around, our back porch can turn into a bit of a leaf dump. Starting in early April we get a variety of "tree droppings", which can get a bit overwhelming to stay on top of. Oaks and walnut trees are lovely except when they're dropping helicopters, fringe-y seeds, peapods, pollen... nuts, and oh and leaves.

Gorgeous Home Decor DIY at AAH #144

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All About Home Link Party!

This was the week I look forward to all Spring... container planting time! By now in mid-May, freezing overnight temps are in the rear view mirror and we've had a chance to do a little yard and porch cleanup. I tend to go a little crazy with it, but at least I have my hubby home now to do the "heavy lifting"! For the party features this week we have some wonderful home DIY projects that I know you'll love. Thankyou so much for being here each week and sharing all your great ideas and beautiful inspiration!

Vintage Cottage Weekend: Flower Pot Wreath with a Garden Update

What do you get when you combine vintage French seed packet labels and whitewashed clay flower pots on a grapevine wreath?  Well, you get a wonderfully unique Spring wreath full of vintage garden-y goodness! Over the years there have been so many beautiful renditions of flower pot wreaths; each one slightly different as they take on the decor personality of the creator. 

Patriotic Best DIY and Decor Round Up

Hey Friends, May has arrived and before we know it Summer will be here. (We've been close to 90 the last few days, so it certainly feels like it!) Then it's just a few weeks slide until we'll be bringing out the red/white/blue decor for Memorial Day and July 4th. You know how much I love to decorate seasonally and for holidays, but sometimes I wait till the last minute and try to throw some decor together. Better to get some inspiration and fun ideas for seasonal decor a few weeks ahead of time. Then we can make a great plan for what we might want to create and how to decorate.

Bold Spring Color at All About Home #143

Hello friends and Welcome to the 

All About Home Link Party!

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day. Ours was quiet and I puttered on the back porch doing a little clean up and giving my Potting Bench a fresh coat of paint. May flowers and color are busting out all over. We have  some wonderful Spring color in the features today. Thankyou so much for being here each week and sharing all your great ideas and beautiful inspiration!

Vintage Cottage Weekend: Mother's Day Blessings

Hello dear Friends, I know you all have a busy day today for Mother's Day, so I just wanted to drop by and share a few quick pics from previous Mother's Day posts. I want to wish you all a beautiful day filled with love and family and joyous memories of Mother's Day past and precious hopes for the future.

Lilac Basket Centerpiece with French Faience

I like to keep floral arrangements seasonal and updated, especially on the farmtable out in the Garden Room. Most often I use faux and silk flowers in a vintage basket or in my vintage ice cream bucket. Sometimes I create a tabletop tableau with other vintage pieces if it's a holiday or special occasion. With the change of the calendar to May and we're into late spring, lilacs have been grabbing my attention. It was time to change up the forsythia branches of last month for a late springtime mix of variegated purple lilacs and a lovely stem of yellow iris blooms. 

Welcome to May at All About Home #142

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All About Home Link Party!

Hurray, Welcome to May, the official "let's get planting" month. Time for back porch clean up and to refresh the Potting Bench with a new coat of paint. I'm looking forward to the trips to the nursery for some container plants filled with geraniums. I hope your month is off to a great start. Thankyou so much for being here each week and sharing all your great ideas and beautiful inspiration!

Easy Patriotic Decor With Vintage Flags

Hi Everyone, thanks so much for coming by for Vintage Cottage Weekend! You may be wondering why you're seeing patriotic decor in May, but I'll be joining with a great group of bloggers next week for a patriotic roundup of DIYs and decorating, I wanted to share an updated version of some Easy Patriotic Decor that I've created in the past with vintage flags. With summer kicking off for Memorial Day later this month, then July 4th coming up, now's the time to start grabbing ideas for porch decor, tablescapes, and vignettes that are fun and easy to put together with a patriotic vibe.

Spring Themed Prints in the Hearth Room

I gave my hearth room a mini refresh for spring this last week with a couple of spring themed prints, and moved a few pieces around on the mantel. I usually keep one of my lamb canvas prints on the mantel but thought I'd try out this framed bird poster as something a bit different.

All About Home #141

Hello friends and Welcome to the 

All About Home Link Party!

April is a gorgeous month with all the green popping out in nature. (and around here some crazy amounts of pollen!) Next week is May folks, and summer will be sneaking up on us. Thankyou for being here each week and sharing all your great ideas and beautiful inspiration!

Vintage Cottage Weekend: Wild Victorian Wreath

Hi Friends, today I'm sharing a wonderful wreath that's a bit of a different take on a natural look for Spring. This is the perfect time of year to look to nature and the outdoors for our decor inspiration. What we might see in a leisurely country walk; bird nests, vines, wildflowers, and moss all come together here with an antique wooden frame for a wild and beautiful Victorian look.

Spring Vignette on the Cupboard Top

Once a holiday is over and all the obvious "holiday decor" has been packed away, it always seems bare and bland. I gathered up the bunnies and Easter related pieces and they are now safely tucked away till next year. A "Spring" refresh is always easier for me than other seasons, because vintage garden goodies can easily fill whatever holes might have been created when the Easter eggs and bunnies said "bye-bye".

Spring Potpourri at All About Home #140

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All About Home Link Party!

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter Day and Weekend! We had a quiet day at home, but the weather was disappointing, and felt like early March. Cold and Rainy. I've really enjoyed all the Easter fun and posts recently and now we're moving into late Spring. Before we know it Summer and gardening will be here. Thankyou for being here each week and sharing all your great ideas and inspiration!

Moss Covered Cross for Resurrection Day

Good Easter Morning Friends!

No matter what might be here on the Entry console while I decorate for Spring and early Easter fun, during Easter Week I love to bring out my moss covered cross to display. I never want all the cuteness of bunnies and chicks to overshadow the real meaning of Easter/ or Resurrection Day.

Vintage Cottage Weekend: Easter on the Baker's Rack

Hello dear friends, I hope you're having a lovely Easter Weekend! Easter is often chilly and rainy here in SW Missouri and it seems this weekend is no exception. How many times when I was a kiddo did we have to wear a winter coat over our pretty new Easter outfit? 

French Country Easter in the Dining Room

Hello Everyone, are you all ready for Easter? We'll probably have a quiet Sunday around here and just the two of us celebrating at home. I'm so glad you're here today because I'm joining in with a few friends to Celebrate Easter with a fun Hop hosted by my sweet friend Amber from Follow the Yellow Brick Home. Let's find some fun and inspiration for Spring and enjoy this wonderful time of Easter Week.

Garden Room Sitting Area and Easter on a Tray

Hello Friends and Welcome to the Easter On A Tray Blog Tour, hosted by our sweet friend, Katherine, from Katherine's Corner. Are you ready for some fun and inspiration on how to do a quick nod to any holiday or season? You'll see some wonderful ideas on how to decorate a small space or add a beautiful compact decor vignette with just a few items. 

Happy Easter Week at All About Home #139

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All About Home Link Party!

We're so glad you're here and sharing all the fun of Spring and Easter. I've been loving all the wonderful ideas that you all come up with week after week. The gorgeous tablescapes, creative DIY's, lovely decor, and yummy recipes give us all joy and inspiration for us personally and for our homes. Thankyou for being here each week to share your blogging fun. I'm hoping you have a happy Easter week and a blessed Resurrection Day!

Vintage Cottage Weekend: Spring and Easter Mantels

Hi Friends, today I'm sharing a few photos of my Easter Mantles through the years. To be honest, decorating a mantel has always been a challenge for me, no matter what the season. One reason is that at two of my previous houses the fireplace and mantels have been ginormous... and since I'm a vertically challenged gal, that always meant dragging out a step ladder and climbing up precariously to make adjustments. The mantel at this current house has been so much easier to work with. No ladders here and slightly more compact in size so it doesn't have to be a monumental task. These first photos are from last year and I'm using my favorite Spring canvas sheep print, who has shown up on the mantel each Spring these last few years.

Vintage Linens in an Easter Vignette

Hello dear Friends, I'm so glad you came by today because I'm sharing a few ideas about using and displaying vintage linens in our decor. If you love "vintage", then you probably have at least a few pieces of old linens in your cupboard or cabinets. Old tablecloths, napkins, lace and embroidered pillow cases, quilts and tea towels are easy to find at flea markets and estate sales. Often after many years they are still in good shape, but may not be practical for daily use. So many are still pretty and can be used for a fun vintage vignette or display.

Cottage Garden Easter in the Holiday Cupboard

Hi Friends, Springtime is non-stop fun in the Holiday Cupboard. First comes Valentine's Day... then St. Patrick's Day ...and now Easter. The green transferware and Ivy dishes are still here from St. Patty's, so they make a pretty "garden-y" base, dish display for the pastels of early Spring and Easter. I added a few pieces of my French faience to bring in some florals along with a gorgeous tulip pitcher, my vintage cauliflower teapot, cabbage veggie tureen, and a majolica rabbit themed pitcher. 

All About Bunnies at All About Home #138

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All About Home Link Party!

Today the bunnies have taken over! Dishes and tablescapes, a tiered tray and an adorable little napkin technique using vintage hankies. So fun for Spring. Easter will be here in a few weeks and you all are sharing so many gorgeous ideas. Thanks so much for coming by and joining in with the Link Party, we appreciate you all being here!

Vintage Cottage Weekend: Dining Room French Country Easter

Hi there Friends, thanks so much for coming by our Vintage Cottage Weekend. I've been working in the Dining Room the last few days to bring out some Easter decor. I found a new piece of fabric for a tablerunner that I'm so excited about. I love a brown and pastel floral for Spring, so it's a fresh new subtle look for my table. But before I shared this year's look, I wanted to take a look back at last year's Dining Room with French country vibes for the Easter season.