Adding some bling

In the middle of all my fall posts and decorating, I found the funnest hanging crystals to hang on my daughter's chandelier.  Do you ever find one of those deals you just can't pass up, this was one of them.  Seriously a dollar each...not per crystal, per grouping.  It stopped me in my tracks, since I have been looking for something like this for a while now.  I already had the beads that were draped along the top, but I always thought it needed a little more.  This was perfect.  Great find...and who doesn't love a little bling!

Fall on my porch

One of my favorite places to be is on my front porch.  I love treating it like another room in my house.  I have been slowly putting out all my fall decorations these past few weeks, and I love the change of season it brings to the porch.  It has been unusually warm here and my flowers are still hanging on.  It feels like I am still in between seasons, but in the next few weeks I'll have my planters cleaned out and my lanterns hung. I can hardly wait!

A touch of fall

I love the fall. The smells, colors, food, cool crisp days, the color of the sky. You name it, I love it. It is defiantly my favorite time of year! I am so excited to begin my fall decorating. My fireplace mantel is one of my favorite places to decorate.

Usually I put a full leafy garland and drape it across the mantle, but this year I wanted to go a little more simple.  I found these oversized leaves in packages at the dollar store last year.  I was decorating for my daughter's baptism, and placed them on the tables.  I found them in my boxes, and decided that they would be perfect to give my mantle a new look.  I think they make it look a little more updated and modern.

I love tipping over baskets and adding leaves to it int the fall.  It makes me feel like those fall days you spend raking leaves and jumping in.

I found these candle sticks on clearance in the yard department in our Fred Meyer.  I decided that instead of matching pumpkins this year, I would mismatch my pumpkins and add a rod iron pear I usually have in my kitchen.

I love adding a touch of fall in my kitchen as well.  I added some fruit and pumpkins to my hutch in my kitchen.  You can never have enough pumpkins I say.

Last, I have to show a picture of my kitchen table all done and decorated for fall.  I found this great burlap table runner at Tai Pan and new I had to have it for my table.  Happy Fall!

Is there anything I won't paint

The title of this post makes me laugh.  While my hubby has been gone out of town on business, I took the opportunity to paint my kitchen table.  I have been thinking about it for a while now.  All the finish was coming off, and it just looked old.  I had to put a table cloth over it just to hide the ugly top.

I sanded the top and legs with very rough sand paper.  Then I cleaned it off really good and rubbed a product called liquid sand that I swear by.  I have painted a lot, and I mean a lot of cabinets and furniture in my day, and the paint sticks onto this product so well that there is never any chippage.  I used a good enamel wall paint, the same black I used to paint my island and range hood.  Then I went to painting the chairs.  Not quite so fun.  I prepped them the same way, but I wanted them a different color.  I first painted them a mocha color I have on my hutch, but it just didn't look quite right.  I decided to paint the red over it, and I loved it. I was the most nervous about chipping paint on the legs as they banged each other and the table.  I decided to distress the heck out of them to make them look old anyways.  Why not. I finished up with three coats of poly just to make sure we can actually eat on it.   Here is the finished product.  I still need to put my centerpiece on it and a runner, but I am waiting to make sure it is good and dry.  It was a fun project, and only took me a couple of days.  Not bad at all. 

By the way, the reason I titled this post the way I did, was because of my dear family.  I called my hubby and he laughed and said he wasn't surprised I was painting the table.  He said there is probably nothing I wouldn't put a coat of paint on.  Hmmmm.....maybe, maybe not.

Flowers, words, and playing in the yard

It has seriously been too long since I have had time to think about or do anything on this blog.  Summer has been fun around here.  I have been having a great time with the kids, but I am starting to get a little excited about school starting.  Time alone...time to think...time to be creative!  Can't wait.  Just this past week, I have had a little time to finish a flower arrangement I wanted to do for my kitchen table.  I found the vase at Hobby Lobby and decided to fill it up.  I know...  the colors are fall, but they are my very favorite colors and make me happy all over!  My ultimate goal...before winter...is to paint my kitchen table.  Can't wait for that project!

I am still working on my son's room.  I wanted to put some vynil up on the wall, and was looking for the perfect quote.  I had a great one about character...very inspiring I thought.  My son was begging for this one.  Seriously begging.  Well, it's his room isn't it.  I bought it, and put it up above the magnet board.  I think it looks good and is funny in a quirky kind of way.

I have been having a great time in my yard too. It's summer, we must not forget about all the outside fun.  I love my yard this year.  The weather has been cooler and rainier than normal, and the flowers are beautiful. I love just sitting outside, listening to the kids play, and enjoying a good book!  Happy weekend!

Friday Favorites

This Friday I decided to post a couple of my favorite things. I am a sucker for old doors and windows. This window is my absolute favorite.  It not only is my favorite window, but I have my favorite fabric behind it.  A red toile quilt pattern.  I made window treatments out of this in my old home, and had just enough to put it behind my window to take with me.  My second favorite is this old door I found at a local antique store.  I put a wreath on it, added a painted letter, and put on a  vynil saying.  I love how it turned out, and it fills a long wall space perfectly. Well, the weather is hot, and smoothies are calling.  Have a great weekend!

Magnet board

Do you remember this ladder I had left over from my son's old bed?  I had something in mind for what I wanted to do with it in his new room.

I decided to turn it the other way and make it into a magnet board for above his shelf.  I just took sheet metal, cut it to the size of the openings, nailed them on, and trimmed the bottoms out with quarter round wood.  I decided to leave two empty for shelves to put fun things on...he has already decided it is the perfect place to display his old pine wood derby cars.

Here it is with the desk.  Don't you just love the mini water cooler?  It kind of makes me shudder, but it is seriously his favorite thing in his room. 

I got some wall shelves from Target. They came in black, but I sprayed them the same chocolate color of his stripes.  He chose some of his things and artwork to display next to his bed. They also work great as an end table.  I also found some fun furry pillows today at TJ Maxx.  I love a great deal!