Rusty Fall Garland

Happy Happy October everyone, 

my favorite month of the year!

A couple of weeks ago on one of my Fall Open House excursions, I found this wonderful little Rusty Bird and Butterfly Garland. You know, one of those things you have to have, but don't know for sure where or how you'll use it?

I think I must have tried at least a dozen ideas, then set it aside hoping the right spot would show itself. So yesterday I decided it was time to do something seasonal on the sofa table in the living room. Well... technically, it's not behind a sofa, but it's still such a great little side table which hugs the wall, and offers yet one more surface to decorate.

This table was painted  "off white" a few years ago 

when I went on my furniture painting rampage,

where I painted over 20 individual furniture pieces white.

Usually this spot doesn't get changed up much, but yesterday I was feeling the Fall Decorating Mojo, which has been squelched due to not being able to do anything outside because of the new roof. (which is now done, but today new gutters are being fitted. So that means hopefully, at some point, I'll get my front porch and deck back!)

Love this original oil painting, of an old farmhouse in Europe.

So here are some close ups of the rusted birdies. The rusty garland is intertwined with a faux bittersweet garland, and I cannot remember what these little mini pumpkin pods are called, but they have some cinnamon oil mixed in.

 mmmmm...what a heavenly aroma.

Rust and Fall just go together...

I honestly cannot remember where I found this marble based candleholder, but it weighs 10 tons, so it always stays here. And this interesting old tray has tapestry fabric on it. Looks like "Fall" to me.

This is a hard spot to photograph since one of the twin sofas is sitting in front of it. A talented florist and designer friend made the topiaries for me for Erin's wedding, 15 years ago. And believe me, they have 15 years worth of dust on them, too. ( I hate to dust and will put it off until I can write my name in it. The floors are another story. My OCD floor cleaning fetish always makes everyone nuts.)

If you're local you'll want to make it to the Ozark Art and Crafts Fair this weekend in Ozark, Missouri, starting Friday morning.  There are always some great things to see, buy, and eat... none of which are good for you. 

I'll be joining in on these great weekly parties!

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style, 

Centsational Girl 

Inspiration Gallery at Ella Claire      

DIY by Design    

TTT at StoneGable   

Everyday Home

Share Your Cup at Mrs. Olson's   

The Charm of Home

French Country Cottage    

Rooted in Thyme     

From My Front Porch to Yours   

Craftberry Bush    

Jennifer Rizzo                                              

The Marketplace: Etsy and Boutique Showcase

What a great link-up we had here at The Marketplace last week! I think it was our biggest yet! And what makes it really great is seeing new people and shops, then checking out the links finding items have sold. I appreciate each of you who comes to share their wonderful goods, and then those of you who stay for shopping! Here are a few fun items from last week:

I'm totally in love with these 2 Owl Prints 

from Folk Art by Donna

Perfect for Fall Decor

Beautiful Italian Florentine Wood Tray

The Screen Porch

Such a sweet little model!

Love this adorable face on this Halloween Black Cat 

 all dressed for Halloween.

She's even holding a Halloween Banner.

Morning Brew Soap

from Soap n Such

I just received some of Judy's wonderful Vegan Soaps.

can I say Heavenly?

OK, Heavenly and Amazing!!

Vintage French Kitchen Canisters

from La Croix Rosion
Be sure and check out Liz's wonderful shop full of French loveliness!

And this Altered Halloween Bottle
looks like the perfect potion for romance.

from Marionberry Cottage

Today's Sponsor for The Marketplace is Rose from Rosekraft. Hope you'll run by and browse her shop for wonderfully framed authentic Victorian die cuts and cottage garden decor.

thanks, Rose!

This link-up is for anyone with an Online Store or Etsy Shop, Please only link items that are for sale. You can link up to three items from your shop, and if possible to the individual item. You don't have to have a blog to join in for the fun. Thanks so much for coming by, and remember this link will be open all week, so check back by for new items being listed!

Have a great week, everyone,

Decorating with Fall Naturals

I think we're seeing a trend in decor more and more each season, and that's decorating with nature's elements. I've found "mixing" faux and naturals goes a long way in making my home more inviting and giving it a more uncomplicated and spontaneous feel. There are so many beautiful, well made silks and faux elements that I'll never give them up, but finding that balance of combining the two has become a place where I'm enjoying the creative challenge.

If you read my post earlier in the week, you know that we've been literally neck deep in having a new roof put on our home. This was a more involved fix than just a composition roof, as after a really bad hail storm in June, we've decided to follow what everyone else in our 25-30 year old neighborhood has been doing, and that's replacing wood shake shingles with new super nice top of the line composition shingles. So, I've been under "house arrest" this week, as I didn't want my car out on the street for over a week. I opted to just stay home and not risk a flat tire or worse yet, vandalism.

So, I've had to play in the house this week, when all I want to do is get outside and do some puttering with plants and pumpkins. "Hedge Apples" are pretty common around this area; also called "Osage Oranges", I've been looking at them through different "decorating eyes" these last few years. What used to be a nuisance in the middle of the road, and half eaten messes, now I'm finding their wonderful color and texture to be something worth celebrating.

I bought two of these wonderful antique pottery flowerpots a few years ago,

after seeing them at Meloney and Brian's Seed Box Open House.

Anyone know the name for this type of flowerpot?

Somehow I got it in my head they were called "Vanilla" something or other?

You can see just part of Mel's great collection.

Sorry the photo is all blurry; that was 3 years and 3 cameras ago.

back to hedge apples...

I added some other natural elements on the coffeetable on the sunporch, so I at least could make a little vignette. Oh, and I added in a sunflower head that Julie sent me. love it!

Preserved leaves, hydrangeas, and bittersweet all join in.

And of course, anyplace you have sunflowers

 you will automatically have some birdies.

just a little nibble

Here's a really ugly photo of what I've been looking at all week.

30 years of tree debris, dirt, rotten shingles,

and torn off guttering looking out from the Living Room.

See the plywood against the house?

yep, that covered all the windows so it was like a cave downstairs.

I couldn't go down there it was so depressing.

what you can't tell is that this pile is at least 3 feet deep.

uh huh...

And this is what most of my prints and wall decor look like

after 5 days of pounding on the roof.

sort of like how my head feels...

But the good news is that most of the new roof is on and they're working today on the details, so the end is in sight. now for clean up... And making my hubby take me out for dinner!

Hope you're having a great weekend...

we're expecting rain, but I think we're covered.

joining in on these parties:

Blissful Whites at Timewashed
Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm
Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House
Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House
Knick of Time Tuesday
The Scoop at Cedar Hill Ranch
Savvy Southern Style
TTT at StoneGable

xoxo,

Be Inspired #158

Hi Everyone!

Looking for ideas and inspiration for Fall? 

Come share your projects, recipes, diy, decor,

 and more, here at Be Inspired!

There are few things in decor that are iconic to me, and a white cupboard or hutch filled with ironstone is one of them. This wonderful example can be found in the kitchen at Kate's Place. Simple and symmetrical, filled with a collection of brown transferware and white ironstone, I always love seeing how Kate decorates it for the current season.

Great chalkboard in an interesting frame welcomes the Fall Season.

Kate's been decluttering and has achieved "simple" with perfection!

 Anita, from  Far Above Rubies has mixed some beautiful

 dried Hydrangeas with family keepsakes for a "Glamorous Fall Vignette".

Yvonne from Stone Gable gave us a wonderful tutorial for
her beautiful No Sew Fall Leaves Pillow.

Distressed Donna from Down Home shared how she took a plain Jane stained shelf and transformed it into a fun and unique Numbered Cabinet.

Need some Halloween fun? Kelsey from White Cottage Boutique gave us a  Spooky Halloween Village  created from a Dollar Tree Christmas Village. So cute, and I know that the kiddos must love this!

I'm a bird lover as so many of you are, and when I saw this photo of Goldfinches on the Sunflowers I got my thrill for the day. Debra from Frugal Little Bungalow shot this wonderful "in motion" pic of this adorable little guy, while they were having a delicious Fall snack in her garden.

Each Christmas my sis makes the traditional Cinnamon Monkey bread so when I saw this Pepperoni and Mushroom Monkey Bread Pizza from Barb at The Everyday Home I knew I had to have this recipe!

I love my chocolate, and it doesn't have to be fancy. You'll want to check out this recipe from Ms. Toody Goo Shoes for her Plain Jane German Chocolate Cake. Doesn't it look so moist and yummy?

thanks so much, gals, for all the great inspiration!

Today Leslie Janson is in the Sponsor Spotlight,

where you'll find wonderful vintage

 upcycled jewelry, pillows, and home goods.

Hope you'll visit Leslie's Shop for beautiful 

handmade, eco-friendly, one of a kind gifts.

thanks Leslie!

Time to link up the goods!

If you have trouble linking up, be sure you have a link back to Common Ground within your post. (please make sure you have my newer url www.commonground-do.com)That way you're sure to have an opportunity to be featured. Thanks a bunch!!

Hope you're having a wonderful week,

xoxo,

Top Links from Be Inspired

Hi Everyone, it's Wednesday again, Hope you're having a great week with lot's of wonderful Fall weather! Thanks for a super turnout last week with all the Fall Ideas and Inspiration. If you haven't had a chance to visit these links, be sure and run by.

What a wonderful post!
Sunflowers on the Porch

Mary from Home is Where the Boat Is had two posts in the top visited links this week, so I'm sharing both of hers and two other links. She always has magazine worthy photos and posts, here are both of them. 

A Bit of Fall

Cristina from Remodelando la Casa gave us a tour of a wonderful home and cottage in New Hampshire where she and her family spent some vacation time this summer. What a fabulous home and cottage!

And Patti from Old Things New shared a tour of the Queen Bee French Flea Market. It looked like a great show, and Patti had a booth there also, filled with wonderful items. Don't you love those Robin's Egg Blue Pumpkins?

thanks gals!

Be sure and come back tomorrow morning 11ish Central Time for
 Be Inspired!

xoxo,