Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Woodland Tablescape


 
The weather is cooler here and it now feels like Fall…finally!  Let’s hope it stays that way!
 
Woodland Tablescape @ A Walk in the Countryside
 
On today’s table, the woodland creatures are out!  I used 2 pieces of burlap as runners on the table.  The water glass shown here is a vintage wheat glass along side the green Dollar Tree wine glass.
 
Woodland tablescape @ A Walk in the Countryside
 
In the center is a Fall garland from Hobby Lobby with leaves and feathers that I inserted some additional pieces of berries and flowers.  The brass wood like candle stick fits right in.
 
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I started the place setting with a rattan charger to add in another natural element.  The bottom green place is from Wal-Mart, it picks up the green trim on the salad plate.  The center plate is a vintage set that I found at an estate sale over the summer.  They are marked J Broadhurst ironstone…Staffordshire, England.  The ironstone is topped with pheasant salad plates that I found at a yard sale.  They are marked Bareuther Waldsassen  Bavaria-Germany.  The napkins were purchased from Dirt Cheap for 50 cents each but were originally from Target.  I love how the blue in the napkins pick up the blue in the birds.
 
Woodland table @ A Walk in the Countryside
 
Here is a better look at the ironstone plate.  It is part of The Constable Series  Bicentennial 1776-1976.
 
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The flatware is Rogers 1847 silverware in the First Love Pattern.
 
 
King's Crown Shebert glasses on Woodland table @ A Walk in the Countryside
 
The green sherbet glasses are from Goodwill.  They are Kings Crown made by Indiana Glass in the 1960’s.
 
Woodland Table @ A Walk in the Countryside
 
 
TIP OF THE WEEK:  Dawn Dishwashing Liquid kills fleas on your pets!
 
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 
Sharing with:
Centerpiece Wednesday @ The Style Sisters
Tips, Tutorials & Tidbits @ StoneGable
Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Thrifty Things Friday @ The Thrifty Groove
Share Your Creations @ Kristen's Creations
Seasonal Sundays @ The Tablescaper
Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Happy Halloween!


"BOO" Halloween Wall Decor @ A Walk in the Countryside

What to do with a leftover purple “B” left over from my daughter’s Justin Bieber stage?  Use it for Halloween, of course.  This was a simple easy project!  In addition to the “B”, I used 2 Dollar Tree plates that I already had on hand.  Using a permanent marker, because that’s all I had, I drew the spiders onto the plates and used hot glue to adhere some spiders.
 
"BOO" Wall Decor for Halloween @ A Walk in the Countryside
It was perfect for this little area in the entry way and what’s even better is that after Halloween the spider webs wash off using a magic eraser!
 
I’m wishing everyone a happy and safe Halloween.  My thoughts and prayers also go out to the people affected by Hurricane Sandy.
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 
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Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here

Monday, October 29, 2012

The Screened Porch–Before


 
I wanted to share the screened porch before it was gone!  I also need some suggestions on what to do with the new space, once it’s ready for decorating.  It was already in a kind of transition stage that I never completed.  The past spring I rearranged the front porch.  I took the wicker set that was previously on the screened porch and put on the front porch.

Screened Porch @ A Walk in the Countryside
 
Everything on the porch is second hand.  The hutch is from craigslist, the table from a thrift store and the chairs from a garage sale.  The only thing I’ve done since moving out the wicker furniture is covering the chair seats with drop cloth fabric.
 
Before screened porch @ A Walk in the Countryside
 
My husband got the wicker sofa in exchange for moving furniture for one of his customers and the cushions will be recovered!  The chair is a project that has been ongoing for a good while.  I wonder if I’ll ever finish it?  The iron frame is actually from a fire pit that was in the trash and I was going to make into a coffee table.  Now all these plans have changed.  The end wall already has a fireplace going in and the long exterior wall now has back to back windows!
 
Before screened porch @ A Walk in the Countryside
 
Back to the other end.  The metal dresser to the right is my son’s.  We plan on refinishing it and it will be moved to his bedroom.  I do have plans to redo this hutch once the sunroom is complete but I can’t make my mind up what to do.  I also wanted to show you a closer look at the screened doors.
 
Screened Porch @ A Walk in the Countryside
 
My husband built the doors, there are a total of three.  What I will miss is the hardware. Several years ago, Hunter had a bottle of old hardware that came out of the dairy barn and there was a set of 4 corner pieces.  At first we didn’t know what they were for but found out they came off an old screen door.
 
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Here’s a closer look.  These are reproduction pieces.  Since I had three doors, I found some online and gave the single set to my mom to use on her screen door. I love the special detail that it adds to the doors.  The nice iron handle came from Hobby Lobby.
 
So, keeping in mind that this room is on it’s way to being a sunroom, I need some suggestions.  If this were your sunroom, how would you decorate it?  What colors would you use?  I do plan on keeping the table and chairs, the hutch and the wicker sofa.  Please share your suggestions and help this confused gal make up her mind!
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 
Sharing with:
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm
Tweak It Tuesday @ Cozy Little House
Tuesdays Treasures @ Myuncommon Slice of Suburbia
Twirl & Take a Bow @ House on the Way
Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style
Share Your Creations @ Kristen’s Creations
Inspiration Friday At the Picket Fence
Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

Friday, October 26, 2012

Halloween Traditions & Costumes

 

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It’s almost time for the little trick-or-treaters to be out and about!  It’s sad to think that my kids are too old to trick or treat anymore!  Since we have always lived in the country, we have never had trick-or-treaters at our house.  In order to join in on the fun, we had to travel over to my in-laws.  They always used to decorate their home for Halloween.  The picture above is of one of the family members scaring would-be trick-or-treaters!  The bench was on the sidewalk.  The man to the left is not real but the one to the right would yell “Boo” as they walked by!  There was a lot of screams!

 

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This was their house about 15 years ago.  You can barely see them and the grandkids, they blend in so well with the house.  They totally covered the front of their house with all things Halloween and with the lights off, it glowed in the dark.

 

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This is my precious babies in 1998!  Savannah was actually dressed in an outfit that came off of a Raggedy Ann doll and Hunter was the little Indian!  My mom had made this outfit a few years earlier for my nephew.

 

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Here in 1999, Hunter was Bat Man and Savannah was a princess.  My mil made Savannah’s costume, didn’t she do a great job?

 

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The following year was Cat Woman!  This was an easy, simple costume!  She was already in dance so we had the leotard and stockings.  I just added a little makeup, ears and a tail.

 

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There’s a new sheriff in town!  Hunter already had all the accessories, I just made him a vest out of felt and added a few embellishments.

 

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Isn’t Minnie Mouse just adorable?  Spiderman seems to have lost his face mask!

 

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There it is!  They are in full trick-or-treater mode!

 

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Now this is quite a trio!  A pirate, Darth Vader, and a pink cowgirl!  Have you ever seen Darth Vader wearing cowboy boots?

 

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Beware of the vampires!  It’s funny that I should be writing this as I am watching Vampire Diaries on tv! 

Oh, the memories of days gone by!  Now we’re just sitting at home on Halloween watching scary movies.  Oh well, one day, no time soon!, we will hopefully be blessed with grandkids to celebrate with!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

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Show Us Your Life @ Kelly’s Korner

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Spooky Spider!


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There’s just one more week until Halloween and I thought I’d get in my last spooky tablescape!
 
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It’s a table set for two featuring some recent thrifty finds.
 
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The table is draped in this silver fabric that I picked up at GW for 99 cents.  The black and silver spider web tablecloth is from Dirt Cheap for $4.
 
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The spider melamine plate was also from Dirt Cheap for 60 cents each.  I have been picking up these round silver plate platters from garage sales to use as plate chargers.
 
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The purple glasses are from Old Time Pottery and the small wine glass is Mikasa “The Ritz”, a 25 cent garage sale find!
 
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I added a few spiders to spook it up a bit!
 
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I hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween! 
 
TIP OF THE WEEK:  To keep colors from running, add a little epsom salt to the rinse water.  To keep lint at bay, add a little vinegar to the rinse water.  I have been doing this for years and it works!!
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 
 
Sharing with:
Share Your Creations @ Kristen's Creations
Tips, Tutorials, & Tidbits @ StoneGable
Centerpiece Wednesday @ The Style Sisters
Let’s Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen
Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life
Fall into Fall Party @ DIY by Design
Thrifty Friday @ The Thrifty Groove
Saturday Nite Special @ The Funky Junk Interiors
Seasonal Sundays @ The Tablescaper

Sunday, October 21, 2012

DIY Jug Lamp


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Remember when I shopped the dairy barn and found all those old jars?  Every since I got them, I’ve had visions of lamps in my head!
 
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I got plenty of the brown jugs but there were two taller bottles like in the picture above.  I did have some serious cleaning to do on these bottles!  They been setting in the barn for many, many years!
 
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This is the piano in the living room.  I used one of the jugs with some faux leaves and on the other end is the lamp Hunter made from one of the jugs.
 
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I purchased a white drum shade from Wal-Mart.  I was going to cover it but I really like the white contrast with the dark brown of the lamp.  Basically, Hunter used a wine cork as a stopper and used it to hold the lamp hardware.  It was very similar to how he fixed the jar lamp.  We did not drill a hole, the wire extends from the top.
 
The needlepoint picture in the middle is a recent find at Goodwill.  They have had it for quite awhile and now that Fall is upon us, I thought it would make a nice touch with its band of  vivid Autumn leaves.
 
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I’m sorry that my pictures are not better.  This corner of my living room is so hard to get a good picture of!
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 
Sharing with:
Share Your Creations @ Kristen's Creations
Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm
Cowgirl Up @ The Farmhouse Porch
Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style
Thanksgiving Traditions At the Picket Fence

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

A Rose Red Halloween


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Welcome….we’ve been expecting you!  (I borrowed that line from Stephen King’s Rose Red movie!)  Our hostess today is sure to rattle your bones! 
 
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She has set the table in anticipation of a few selective guests!
 
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On the menu…..an all natural dish of BRAIN!
 
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The beverage of the evening….
 
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Mary’s Blood with Added Arsenic by Jekyll Brothers!!  (Cherry Kool-Aid with a little red food coloring!  You can get the label here.)
 
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Black roses from her garden adorn the napkins!  I wonder what she’ll serve in those Royal Red (by Anchorware) dessert dishes?
 
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Wicked!  Her salad servers are skeleton hands!  She doesn’t let anything go the waste!
 
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The Zombie Feeding Area!
 
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Eyeball hors d’oeuvres anyone?
 
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Our hostess hopes that you had a wickedly good time!
 
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Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you enjoyed my Halloween table!  After seeing Cindy's table this past week, I remember this bride skeleton that I had packed up and decided to get her out for a litte dinner party. To see Cindy's Haunted Dining Room, click here.
 
Sharing with:
Centerpiece Wednesday @ The Style Sisters
Let’s Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen
Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Share Your Creations @ Kristen’s Creations
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home
Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life
Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Master Bedroom Retreat


 
Welcome to our master bedroom!  There have been a few updates since these pictures were taken and I was planning on taking new photos this week.  I am falling a week behind!  I thought the Show Us Your Room Party at Thrifty Décor Chick was next week, not today!
 
 
The bedding is from JCP and made by Chris Madden.  It actually consists of two sets, the Natchez damask pattern and the silky gold set.  The curtains are also from JCP and made by Chris Madden, Mystique, in the ivory color.
 
 
This area has changed.  The chair and table are no longer here and has been replaced by a settee.  The color on the walls is Old Gold by Laura Ashley.
 
 
The wood floors are new tongue and groove pine that we installed throughout the entire house.  We stained it with a mixture of Gunstock and Provincial stain.  This is one area of my house that I am still satisfied with and have no intentions of changing it anytime soon!
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 
Sharing with:
Show Us Your Home at Thrifty Décor Chick
Share Your Creations @ Kristen's Creations
Inspiration Friday At the Picket Fence