A Walk in the Countryside

50th Wedding Anniversary Party

2015-01-02T15:38:00.001-06:00

This past December we celebrated our parent’s 50th wedding anniversary. My siblings and I decided to host a party for them. We had a tight budget, especially since it was right at Christmas and I think we pulled it off very well!

We rental a local hall and did all the decorating ourselves. I borrowed as many Christmas lights as I could find and draped them crosswise, swagging them in the middle. Drapery hooks and paperclips were used to anchor them to the grid in the ceiling. I used clear lights with green cording instead of purchasing new ones and, to be honest, once the clear lights were on and the overhead lights were off, you couldn’t tell the difference.

On each end, we made curtain backdrops for the food tables. PVC pipe was used as a curtain rod and inexpensive sheers as curtains. These were picked up at yard sales, Goodwill and Wal-Mart. I used safety pins to attach the lights on the backside. I had a very long scarf that I cut down the middle to drape over the top. Instead of building a stand, I decided to try just hanging it since it wasn’t very heavy and it worked perfectly. Wire was around each end and in the middle of the pipe. It was then hung from the ceiling using drapery hooks to clip it to the grid work. I made the panels ahead of time at home and rolled them up in a sheet to transport them to the hall. When I saw the idea for this on Pinterest, I thought it was so pretty but after I had it fixed up at home I was worried. It looked a little tacky but once we got up in the wall with the lights lit up, it made the room!

The food servers worked great at keeping the food warm! I purchased them from Dirt Cheap for a dirt cheap price! I paid $3 a piece for them. I purchased the sterno cans from the Dollar Tree. The dinner plates were originally for my brother’s wedding from the Dollar Tree about 5 years ago.

Here are my parents getting ready to cut the cake. My sister made the cake and it was delicious! For the cake stand, I used some food cans, surrounded by lights and red mesh topped with a piece of mirror glass that I already had. To conserve space, I removed the glass from larger picture frames I had and stacked the glassware. Linens were purchased online at LinenTablecloth.com It was cheaper to purchase them here than to rent them!

For the table centerpieces, I used inexpensive vases with pine needles and poinsettias. I purchased live poinsettias on Black Friday at Home Depot for 99 cents a pot. Each table had two vases, two tall glass candlesticks and smaller clear votive cups. All of these I had on hand so that saved money.

The glassware did not all match but was all clear. I also ran a little short on matching flatware but just used a different pattern for one table.

I purchased lanterns and pom poms from Hobby Lobby. I was planning on making them but once I caught them on sale 50% off, it was cheaper to purchase them. I made two large matching “chandeliers” and randomly hung smaller ones. The tulle drapery on the food tables were also purchased 50% at Hobby Lobby. I wanted to do something with the chairs but it just wasn’t in our budget and they came with the rental of the building.

This is the beverage table which is missing the center canister in this picture. I used a large dispenser for sweet tea and used two glass canisters with dippers for unsweetened tea and water. The silver bowl held ice. This corner was a little dark so we someone gave us the two trees to use.

My daughter fixed up this table. There is a cd of pictures playing to music on the laptop. It was suppose to be on the tv but once she made it on the laptop, it wouldn’t work on the tv. The large sign, as well as the invitations were purchased from Zazzle.com.

Here’s my brother and his wife in front of the Christmas tree. I originally had a white tree to use here but when we started to put it up it looked discolored. So I sent my daughter home to take the tree down in the sunroom! We decorated it with gold ornaments and mesh ribbon. The base was surrounded by potted poinsettias. I think the green tree looks better than the white would have anyway.

In case anyone is wondering about the food, I cooked everything except for the cake, which my sister did and the chicken, which was ordered and purchased from a local store. The only leftovers were some chicken, garlic potatoes and rolls. I searched online trying to decide on a menu and found some helpful sites but still couldn’t find anyone’s actual experience. Well here’s mine! This was the menu for 50 people even though about 60 actually showed up! Here’s the menu:

75 pieces of fried chicken purchased from a local store

13 pounds of pork loin (I should have purchased at least another 5 lbs)

15 pounds of garlic potatoes (this was a little too much)

macaroni and cheese (I did not make enough of this. I probably should

have used anywhere from 3 to 5 lbs of pasta for this)

2 super large cans of green beans

1 super large can of corn

1 super large can of peas for pea salad

5 large packs of dinner rolls

3 gallons of sweet tea

2 gallons of unsweetened tea

water

coffee

punch

cake

We received lots of positive comments. I think everyone had a good time, especially my parents!

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Sunroom Renovations

2014-10-13T15:15:00.000-05:00

After a very slow renovation, the sunroom is almost finished! It has been a year since this project was started. I told my husband that if he finishes this, I will never ask him to do a project like this again!

This is what it looked like before when it was screened in. To see more of the before, click here.

The gas fireplace has been installed and the stacked ledge stone is almost complete here.

Here is little tip for you, instead of using sheetrock between the windows use 1/4 luan plywood. By using this you won’t have to tape and float the sheetrock. After priming, seal with some caulk and paint. So much easier!

My husband used 2 pieces of old lumber that were about 4 inches thick and glued them together to make the mantel. The boards were only 6 inches in width and I wanted a little more depth to the mantel. He also made the corbels. He attached the mantel from the inside of the fireplace using some very long, very expensive screws. He installed some of the tongue and groove pine above the mantel vertically. This makes the ceiling height seem taller even though it is 11 or 12 feet ceilings in here already!

I have the kids here hard at work staining the new pine floor! It wasn’t really that hard! I figured since they were older they could do this now. Before when we did the rest of the house, they were quite a bit younger and I stained the entire thing myself. It wasn’t hard, it’s just rough on your knees and back. After this dries, my husband will be starting on the poly coats.

After the floor is completed, baseboards will go down and some built in cabinets will go on each side of the fireplace. That’s why the crown molding's not completed around the fireplace.

This post was actually written last year. The room is about 95% completed and I will be posting more on it.

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The Scoop Link Party @ The Farmhouse Porch
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Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

Fabulously Creative Party @ Jennifer Rizzo

French Chair in the Sunroom

2014-08-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

My parents recently downsized into a smaller place and I put first dibs on this French style chair. It was in excellent condition, it really was only used during big family gatherings. Too bad the chair didn’t match the décor in the sunroom.

I’m going for a little more rustic look in the sunroom using white and navy.

Oops! Just overlook that place where I forgot to adhere some cording! This fabric is from the local Wal-Mart but I love how it coordinates with the ticking stripped Pottery Barn pillows.

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Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Coastal Charm

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll thru Life

Open House @ No Minimalist Here

Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Furniture Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed

Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

Displaying Vintage Items

2014-07-24T12:35:00.001-05:00

The piano is gone! It took up this entire wall in the living room and might have been played once a year! The balustrade table that was in the office was cut down to fit this wall and moved here. This is the table when we first got it. It has been in an house fire and was headed to the dump, until I got it!

This is it after I cleaned it up and oiled it down a little. To see that post, click here.

Part of me really hated to paint it but the back corner of our living room is a little dark and I was afraid it would be a little too gloomy. Here it is, all painted!

It brightened the corner and highlights the vintage items! The DIY oyster mirror was rehung lengthwise. To see that post, click here.

Instead of being hidden away in the office, the antique table top desk is on display! It’s perfect to display some Louisiana books and the little drawers are perfect for receipts and bills!

The portable typewriter is a recent auction purchase. Hunter has several and I was using one but has stored it away because it was so big. This little portable one if the perfect size.

When not on display, it has it’s own case that is stored below.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

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Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Foyer Updates

2014-07-21T10:08:00.000-05:00

Wow! It’s been over 2 months since I last posted! Time flies and even though I haven’t posted doesn’t mean that I haven’t made changes to our home! The foyer got a few minor updates. I added a few more blue and white pieces to the sideboard. I added the rope ball for a touch of texture and to bring a little southern coastal style to this area.

I was so excited to purchased two of these trivets at the local auction for $2.50! It features a local historical site called Rosedown Plantation. To take a tour, click here.

The boxwood wreath is originally from Target but I purchased it from Dirt Cheap for a couple of dollars.

The sideboard is the perfect size to store my crystal and silver punch bowls. I purchased the basket from Marshall’s and it is the perfect spot for the white tablecloths.

The other size of our small foyer had me stumped for awhile. It’s been changing for quite a few months but I think, for now at least, I am satisfied with it.

The pelican painting, which is our Louisiana state bird, was purchased from the local resale site. The umbrella stand adds a pop of color that I love! It’s perfect to hold our small but growing collection of canes. I’ve been collecting for quite a few years but they were stored in the coat closet. Now they are on display!

Thanks for stopping by!

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Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

New Old China Cabinet

2014-05-12T10:10:00.001-05:00

Back to the dining room! This is my “new” old china cabinet that I purchased from the local auction. Before I had a smaller curio style cabinet here but I want a taller piece with a little more storage that would match the table.

I love the fleur de lis detail on the doors!

Having this taller dark piece seems to anchor the room. I displayed some silver pieces on top which even gives it more height. Yes, I have cleaned my silver since this pic was taken! My mom made me aware that I all had to do now was clean the silver! Thanks, Mom!

I had to bring a little coastal touch to this room with a big bowl filled with shells for the centerpiece! Love it!

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Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Furniture Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed

Arched Mirror for the Dining Room

2014-04-14T09:08:00.001-05:00

Before I had a gold frame mirror here, which has been in the dining room for several years. I just didn’t like the brighter gold in here. After trying several paint colors on the mirror and after seeing this mirror from Kirkland’s, I gave up on it.

I saw the mirror in a recent post of a bedroom where two of these mirrors were used. I just loved them! Unfortunately, I didn’t pin it so I could share it with you!

It’s very heavy and well made. It measures 48” in height and makes quite a statement!

It’s from Kirkland’s and is called the Sadie mirror. It’s one of their higher price mirrors but there are always coupons and discounts. I knew that even if I changed my mind about using it in here, there were plenty of other places around our home where I could envision it!

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Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

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Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Small Foyer Changes

2014-04-06T12:49:00.001-05:00

The foyer in our home is very small and it can be challenging to decorate. Before there was a small 3 drawer chest.

Once the walls were painted a very light gray, I didn’t like the chest, so I painted it. Since I still didn’t like it, I started watching for a piece at the auction that I could use in this area.

I found the perfect size piece, a small sideboard!

It now holds the punch bowls!

The silver tray was also purchased at an auction and the blue/white pieces are all garage sale finds! The taller legs on the sideboard give the small area a more open feel.

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Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

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Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Furniture Feature Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed

New Chandy for the Dining Room

2014-04-03T13:08:00.001-05:00

Isn’t she pretty?!? She’s got bling but the white silk shade tones it down a little.

To me, she’s vintage yet modern.

I know it looks off centered of the table but it’s not. The angle of the picture makes it look that way.

I purchased it from Overstock.com For this size table, I needed a 20” light fixture but this one is 18”. The shade makes the fixture appear bigger.

If you missed the other posts for the updated dining room, here are the links…

Choosing the Right Table

Seating for the Dining Room

Antique Sideboard

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Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Antique Side Board

2014-03-31T15:52:00.001-05:00

I purchased this sideboard last year with the plan to use it as a vanity in the master bath but those plans never came to pass. After I sold my dining room set, my first thought was that this piece would be perfect for in here.

The elevated legs give it a more open feel and it’s a little shorter in length. I painted it with DIY chalk paint, white washed it, clear waxed and dark waxed it.

I lightly painted with hardware with a spray hammered silver. I choose this color because it tied into chrome on the chandelier.

The dining room is coming together! If you missed a previous post, click on the links below:

Choosing the Right Dining Room Table

Seating in the Dining Room

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Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

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Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Furniture Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed

Seating for the Dining Room

2014-03-27T10:55:00.001-05:00

After the table was purchased, I started looking for chairs. To read more about the table, click here.

I wanted to go with neutral colors and chose this upholstered chair from Overstock.com. In the product description, they are called off white but a customer review stated that they had an oatmeal look to them and they were right! That made them even better!

The tufted backs and linen fabric add a little elegance.

I found these two shield back chairs at another antique store. The original finish actually matched the table but I wanted to lighten and brighten. I painted them with a DIY chalk paint, then white glaze, then brushed on a coat of Hemp Oil.

The beautiful fabric was purchased from a fabric store and was quite expensive. Thankfully, I only needed a couple of yards.

The design has a more modern look with it’s geometric design. The chenille is raised and adds nice texture.

To date, the bench is the piece that took the longest! My husband wasn’t very cooperative in building it! He used four table legs and some 1X3’s. The same painting technique and fabric on the shield chairs was used for the bench as well.

To add a little more detail, I order nail head trim by the yard from Amazon. It was so easy and quick to use. It definitely added a nice detail!

And there you have it! A lighter less bulky table and chairs!

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Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

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Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Furniture Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed

Choosing the Right Dining Table

2014-03-23T11:51:00.001-05:00

Here’s a good tip, a pedestal table can give you the same seating as a four legged table but it looks less bulky and is better for a smaller space. I didn’t really think about this until I started looking for ways to make our dining room seem more spacious.

Before the dining room seemed heavy. Does that make sense? The furniture was too bulky and it was all dark. It over powered the small dining room.

It’s actually a little better in the room after I painted it a lighter neutral color. I finally took the plunge and put the set up for sale. It sold fairly quickly and then the fun began. I had a fairly good enough of what I wanted. Pinterest is full of amazing inspiration.

I found exactly what I was looking for at the local antique mall. A Duncan Phyfe style table with a mahogany brown finish (I did not want anything too reddish). The table is smaller than the other table but this one has a butterfly leaf stored inside of it.

There was a few nicks on the finish but I revitalized it using the process I shared with you last week. To see that post, click here.

It’s all shiny, pretty and definitely less bulky. The dining room is almost complete! I’ll be sharing more later this week!

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Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

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Open House @ No Minimalist Here

Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Furniture Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed

Revitalizing Furniture

2014-03-20T08:46:00.001-05:00

I discovered an easy way to revitalize furniture. Furniture that has a stained finish and has that dry look can be made to look almost like new!

Before the four Victorian chairs had some nicks to the finish and were in need to some moisture to the wood. I first cleaned them with TSP substitute which made them look better but I took it a few steps further. I used a stain pen to cover up the nicks. After they dried good, I used an old cotton sock and Wipe On Poly.

This stuff is great! After revitalizing all four chairs, I put them in the booth and they sold it two days!! Here’s another piece that I used the same process on.

Instead of using a stain pen, I used a rag with stain and wiped over the top of the table.

The larger spot can still be seen if you look hard enough but it is much improved after staining and using the Wipe On Poly.

This sweet little Victorian table is in the master bedroom and now it just shines!

The Wipe On Poly is so easy to use. It doesn’t streak and it dries quickly. This process is perfect for those pieces that you want to retain their original finishes!

I originally learned of this process from Pinterest. To see the original link, go to two twenty one .

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Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

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Open House @ No Minimalist Here

Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Furniture Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed

Fine Art from Posters

2014-03-16T10:06:00.001-05:00

Isn’t he beautiful? I am so in love with this picture! It’s called Great White Heron by John James Audubon. Guess how much I paid for it?

$13 Yes, you read that right! $13!! I already had the frame, it actually came with a picture that has been over the couch for several years now. Since I was getting tired of the print but still loved the frame, I started watching for Zazzle to put their posters on sale 50%. I use Zazzle quite a bit for ordering invitations, business cards and posters so I enrolled for the few shipping for a year for $9.99 and it has been well worth it.

I just measured the size of the frame and order that size poster. The colors are beautiful and it looks like an expensive piece of art.

To fill in the area on both sides, I ordered some oyster plates from Amazon.

John James Audubon is well known in this area, so to me, this is also a little piece of local history! Audubon lived here for several years tutoring a young lady as well as working on his drawings.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Share Your Creativity @ It’s Overflowing

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Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

DIY Checkerboard Table

2014-03-09T20:13:00.001-05:00

I’ve had this small table in storage since last year. (Sorry for the small picture but it was taken with my phone and when I go larger it’s blurry.)

I purchased it from it from Goodwill and immediately had the idea to paint a checkerboard on it.

Using a ruler, I drew a checkerboard with 2 inch squares. I used cookie cutters and traced the stars. I then painted it with craft paint and sanded it down to give it a worn look. After a coat of stain, it was finished.

I planned on putting it in the sunroom but it didn’t look good so to the booth it went!

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Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

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Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Furniture Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed

On the other end….

2014-03-02T16:44:00.001-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, I showed you the vintage piece I used for the other end of the sofa. To see that post, click here. This end has a little more room if the right side of the French door is kept closed, which is usually is.

I recently purchased this vintage school desk and had plans on putting it in the booth to sell. After seeing it here, I think I may keep it awhile!

I plan on keeping an eye out for more croquet ball to display on top.

The seat is a perfect place for stacking magazines and books. The sunroom is slowly coming together and is definitely my most favorite room of the house!

Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll thru Life

Open House @ No Minimalist Here

Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Chic by You @ {ChicByTab}

2014 Trash to Treasure Sale

2014-02-20T08:27:00.001-06:00

Guess where I’ll be tomorrow? That’s right, it’s Trash to Treasure time! Ever since they announced the date, it has been on my calendar.

This is what it looked like when they first starting setting up in early January. This is maybe a third of the actual space. There’s a whole lot of goodies that is going to be packed in here!

Everything from furniture, old and new….

dishes, cookware, applicances…

Even some local furniture dealers donate pieces!

All pictures are from their Facebook page, to see more, click here. Below are the posts from the past Trash to Treasure sales:

Trash to Treasure Sale 2013

Trash to Treasure Finds 2013

Trash to Treasure Sale 2012

Check back next week to see what I found!

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Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Recycled Towel Rack

2014-02-17T10:20:00.001-06:00

I wish I could take credit for coming up with this clever idea but I can’t! I found this towel rack at the local antique store before Christmas and wanted to share it with you.

The top piece is an old level and the other part is the side legs of a chair.

A piece was added to each side to allow space for the towel to hang. Even the color is perfect! It looks like a black coat with a red coat on top with some distressing.

As soon as I saw it in the store, I pictured it in this spot between the hutch and the closet door in the sunroom. To see more about the screened closet door, click here. Thanks for stopping by!

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Open House @ No Minimalist Here

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Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

Exterior Wall Light as Indoor Wall Sconce

2014-02-10T09:39:00.001-06:00

I still haven’t decided if I should put some type of light or chandelier over the small table and this area of the sunroom needed some type of artificial light source. My son has a wall light over the head of his bed that he made from an outdoor wall light that I liked. I tried to talk him out of it but he wouldn’t let me have it. So I went to the local Home Depot and purchased one very similar. His was silver galvanized which was purchased from Lowes but Home Depot carries the same style with a black finish.

Instead of installing it directly into the electrical system and using a light switch, I wanted to be able to move it myself it I wanted to. He purchased electrical lamp cord and a slider switch thingy. I would have preferred another color besides the gold but this was all I could find at the time.

I tucked the wire behind the map, letting the switch hang below it. To see more of the plantation map, click here.

I think the black fixture looks better than the galvanized one would have in this room.

I think the style and finish really fits in this room! It costs less than $30, which includes the light at $20 and the cord and switch. Thanks for stopping by!

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Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

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Open House @ No Minimalist Here

Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

End Table for a Small Space

2014-02-03T09:34:00.001-06:00

What to do when you have small space but must have an end table to set a beverage on? Improvise!

I remembered this wooden barrel in my booth. It’s the perfect size and adds a little rustic to the room. Now what to do on the other end?

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Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll thru Life

Open House @ No Minimalist Here

Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

Furniture Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed
March Before and After @ Thrifty Décor Chick

Sunroom Mantel

2014-01-13T10:16:00.001-06:00

How to decorate a mantel for Winter? I don’t know but the mantel in the sunroom is really not a Winter mantel. Maybe you could call it a religious mantel?

The main piece here is the vintage embroidered Psalms art.

and my King James Study Bible.

Or it could just be called a collection mantel since there is a collection of oil lamps.

Or how about just a vintage mantel since all of the pieces with the exception of my Bible are old pieces? I think I like that better!

Sharing with:

Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll thru Life

Open House @ No Minimalist Here

Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

Save on Shipping at Ikea

2014-01-09T09:15:00.001-06:00

Ikea’s Ektorp Sofa

I really wanted a white slipcovered sofa and Pottery Barn was out of our price range so I kept searching for alternatives. Locally, I found one at Rooms to Go for $900 but when I found Ikea’s Ektorp sofa, I knew I had to figure out a way to get one! Buying it online was too expensive due to Ikea’s shipping. I think it was like $330 for shipping alone which was almost the same price as the sofa!

Ikea

Apartment Therapy had a great post on where to shop for Ikea when you don’t have one close to you. To see that post, click here. They mentioned a Blue Bag in Kansas City but a reader commented about one in New Orleans. Since that is closer to me than the Houston store, I checked out their website.

The process was very easy! I went online to Ikea’s website and put the sofa on a wishlist. I then emailed the wishlist to Blue Bag. They sent me an invoice which included the price of the sofa, tax and their shipping price. I paid the invoice on Monday and by Thursday, I had an email stating that my order was ready for pick up! Their shipping was $100 versus Ikea’s $330!

I am very satisfied with my purchase! It’s comfortable and the size is perfect for the narrow sunroom. If it holds up good, I’m thinking about purchasing the matching chair. To read more about the assembly, click here.

Sharing with:

Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll thru Life

Open House @ No Minimalist Here

Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

New Ikea Sofa

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Ikea’s Ektorp sofa is the newest addition to the sunroom! Since we live 5 hours from the closest Ikea, I ordered though Blue Bag in New Orleans. They charged $100 for shipping versus $330 that Ikea was going to charge. We still have a 2 hour drive to New Orleans but we just made a day of it and enjoyed ourselves!

It came in two boxes and fit in the back of our extended Trailblazer.

The sofa itself came in one big box. You can see the seat cushions above and the cushions for the back were vacuum packed. The slipcover came in a small box. We had to assemble the sofa but it was super easy. It took us about 20-30 minutes from start to finish including the slipcover. I had read about others having a hard time getting them on but we didn’t have a problem at all.

On the way home, we stopped at Pottery Barn and cashed in my gift cards from Christmas! I chose the ticking stripe and Inspire pillows.

A couple of months I found this knitted throw at Dirt Cheap. Instead of paying about $80 at Pottery Barn, I paid $5!

The Inspire pillow is prettier that it looks on the website. The website picture didn’t clearly show the different blues used in the writing.

Did I mention that I LOVE my new sofa? I do and the price was fantastic! I’m just hoping that it holds up well. I’ll keep you posted!

Sharing with:

Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll thru Life

Open House @ No Minimalist Here

Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

Christmas Snow Decor

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Initially, I planned on using a more nature inspired theme though out the house, like I did in the sunroom. To see that room, click here. But after unpacking the Christmas décor, I found an entire set of new ornaments that I had purchased last year after Christmas. The box was big enough to decorate a 7 feet three plus I had purchased some individual boxes to match as well.

After seeing them, I did remember that I wanted to add a little more blue to the decorations since my curtains and accents are blue in the living room. The set has polar bears and snowflakes, so I decided to use this theme in the living room, foyer and kitchen.

My old one was huge and took us so much space and it took almost all day to get it up! This one is a 7 1/2 slim tree that is prelit and is easy set up! Wow, I can’t believe how much timed I saved! It was so easy! I plan on trying to get another 1/2 price after Christmas.

To go with the snow theme, I purchased some glitter felt from Hobby Lobby and several packs of felt snowflakes from the dollar tree. It was so easy to make! I cut out a large circle, cut one slit to the center and hot glued the snowflakes to the edges! You can’t get any easier that that!

The theme is continued on the mantel. The old stocking holders didn’t match and I found the snowflake holders that the dollar tree. Faux snow was used as a filler in the glass cylinders and well as being sprinkled over the garland.

It looks like little snowdrifts!

I also used the spray snow in the can. It was so much cheaper than buying a lot of floral sprays.

Instead of running garland down the top of the cabinets in the kitchen, I randomly inserted faux branches. I mixed in live cedar and magnolia leaves and spray them with the faux snow. The branches were actually from the bottom of the Christmas tree that I used in the sunroom. Since I put that tree in a galvanized tub, I didn’t use the last row of branches. To see the sunroom, click here.

Thanks for stopping by! Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

Sharing with:

Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll thru Life

Open House @ No Minimalist Here

Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

The Scoop Link Party @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

Fabulously Creative Party @ Jennifer Rizzo

Christmas Tree Party 2013 @ Thrifty Décor Chick

A Walk in the Countryside

50th Wedding Anniversary Party

Sunroom Renovations

French Chair in the Sunroom

Displaying Vintage Items

Foyer Updates

New Old China Cabinet

Arched Mirror for the Dining Room

Small Foyer Changes

New Chandy for the Dining Room

Antique Side Board

Seating for the Dining Room

Choosing the Right Dining Table

Revitalizing Furniture

Fine Art from Posters

DIY Checkerboard Table

On the other end….

2014 Trash to Treasure Sale

Recycled Towel Rack

Exterior Wall Light as Indoor Wall Sconce

End Table for a Small Space

Sunroom Mantel

Save on Shipping at Ikea

New Ikea Sofa

Top Post of 2013

Christmas Snow Decor