~ Decorating Progress Pics! ~

In the past week, great progress has been made in changing my home decor from summer to fall and I thought I'd show you some of the pictures that I've taken thus far!

First I wanted to show you where the tobacco basket, that Pam made, ended up after I moved it from above my pie safe...I think it looks really nice here in my bowl rack...I always thought that the back of the basket was even prettier than the front anyway!...that sign up top was made by Kath...the Lover's Knot Towel and the Iron Hook CandleHolder are wares that are available in my shoppe:Speaking of the pie safe...remember in my last post I showed you a picture from Pottery Barn?...well this is my version...I seem to be having a "thing" for white pumpkins this year so I bought a couple of their wood pumpkins and a mercury glass tealight holder, had a couple of their pumpkins from last year, added some raffia, some resin cornstalks I've had for years, and the hooked pumpkin mat I got last year, it was made by Stephanie!...it nearly matches my new rug on the wall so I couldn't help but add it by leaning it against the jug lamp:My coffee table display is the same as last year cuz I really enjoyed it...the Large Rustic Chopping Bowl is an item that I offer in my shoppe as well as the Pumpkin Spice Wax Bars...the pinkeep pillows were made by Tina, Barbara, and Melissa:
My dining room table looks similar to last year too but this year I'm using a "new" olde wooden bowl that I purchased a few months ago...the Mock Mice Teeth II Table Runner and the Bittersweet Garland are available in my shoppe:
Here is a ladderback chair full of fall dolls...3 were made by my dear friend Karen as well as the wee Harvest pumpkin sitting on the lap of a doll made by Lori...the large doll is from Arnetts, the doll on the right was made by Betty, and there's a little pumpkin pillow made by Barbara of Turkey Hollow and the little pumpkin in the foreground was made by Barb Stein:
On the fireplace mantle is my favorite stack of boxes and my favorite pumpkin lady along with a couple of wonderful pumpkins made by Barbara of Turkey Hollow and the wood turned items were made by Don and Pat of Olde Bittersweet Farm:
Just below the mantle, this display is on the right side of the hearth, which is where the boot bench is now sitting after the new little doughbox table took its place, LOL...the sunflower hooked mat was made by Lori:
Then just to the right of that, in the rocking chair there are 2 pillows made by Barbara of Turkey Hollow and there to the right you'll see my new little doughbox table that I wrote about in my previous post:
Here's a close-up of what I have displayed on it...I think it's pretty...the Bittersweet Baby Flowers are available in my shoppe:
On the breakfast nook table I've got some faux white pumpkins and a leaf garland in an olde basket sitting on my favorite olde checkerboard...the Seven Snowballs Table Square is available in my shoppe, it reverses to the opposite color and I'm going to flip it over for Christmas!
Did I tell you that I am having a "thing" this year for white pumpkins?...I think I already did, LOL:
This is what's on my foyer table, I think it's perdy...the sweet white basket was made by Pam, the candle, the fixins, the mums, and the wee pumpkins are all available wares in my shoppe:
The lovely brown leaf, I've had for a couple of years, it was handmade by one of the Schneeman ladies:
I change that sign above the blanket crane according to the season too:
On my black stepback is another pumpkin lady that I love, the Autumn Splendor Block Quilt is available in my shoppe as well as the beautiful Hearth-n-Home Potpourri you see around the candle...the Mums are also available as is that Framed Felt Pumpkin you see up on the shelf in the left corner:
Well that's what I've got so far and I'm not done so stay tuned!...I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's decorating pics so get busy y'all! LOL...have a great week!

~ Time To Share ~

Good Sunday afternoon!...well I was fixin to watch the NASCAR race on TV that is up at Watkins Glen, NY but it has started raining there and the race is now on rain delay so I thought I'd use this time to make a blog post because I've got a couple things to share...but first I must say that this day has gotten off to a bit of a rough start...woke to the sound of beeping battery backups that we have on the computers...the power had gone out due to a storm moving through and was out for a couple of hours...we were hearing that sound of arcing electrical transformers and when the power came back on we realized that something blew the circuit board of our stove...GREAT!!...now we have to look for the part to replace...hopefully I won't find another appliance that is blown!

On a much more positive note, I recently purchased a hooked rug that I've been searching for for quite some time...I've seen this rug in various places...the Country Living Season's At Seven Gates Farm book, someone's Picture Trail (can't recall who I'm sorry to say), and I believe my good friend Pat has even hooked this particular rug...I fell in love with the pattern because it's got hearts and flowers as well as a dove which stands for peace which I love plus the colors looked to be just about perfect for my home...I've been searching ebay and etsy off and on for about a year now and came across it once but the auction had already ended!...dontcha hate when that happens?...then one day a couple of weeks ago I was browsing through my bookmarked antique links and saw that Faye over at Early Country Antiques had this rug pictured and my heart skipped a beat!...I quickly emailed her to inquire about it and lucky for me it had not already been spoken for so now it is mine!
...this particular rendering was made by Jennifer McKelvie and the colors are indeed perfect for my home:
...ever since I got my primitive pie safe, I have envisioned this very rug hung just above it, and now it is!...I feel so fortunate!
The other thing that I wanted to share was this cute little dough box table that I had my hubs make for me recently...my good friend Linda has an antique one that is to die for that I just love and I got to thinking...why don't I just have hubs make me a small one that will fit the space I have in mind for it!...I searched up some pics of different types of dough box tables on the internet and gathered some dimensions, then came up with the measurements that would fit my space, and went over everything with hubs...last weekend he bought the wood and whipped it up...then yesterday he finished it for me...it's painted black, distressed, then rubbed with Tudor Brown Briwax...that really gives it a nice look...even though it is nowhere near as cool as an olde antique, the price was right and it fits the space perfectly!...it's going to be against the wall above that little footstool you see in the background...I pulled the dough box away from the wall so you could see the cute shape it has:
...the lid comes off and I have a nice little storage area...we can always use more storage can't we?
...I think he did a really great job on figuring out how to make the shape of it exactly as I wanted!
Lastly, I wanted to share with you a picture that I just can't take my eyes off of...it's from the Pottery Barn website and I'm using it as my computer's desktop wallpaper!, I just love it!...I think I'm going to order a couple of these pumpkins:
...I love Pottery Barn...they always have stuff that blends well with antiques and primitives...and I love their stylists, I always find their pictures inspiring!

Last year at this time we were getting ready to have our wooden floors put in...we were moving furniture out of the living room, dining room, and study, then painting, etc. etc....when all was said and done it was the very end of September and I lost an entire month of enjoying my Autumn decor because I didn't even get to start until the first of October!...so this year I'm getting a head start...I've got all my summery decor put away...tables etc. all dusted and polished...I always enjoy having a clean slate when I bring out my seasonal decor...that is my fun!

Alright, I think that about does it for this time...have a great week everyone!

~ August? Really? ~

Wow I can hardly believe that it's August already! I've been so busy purchasing and receiving New Wares for my shoppe that I haven't had much time for anything else! I'm starting to think about how I'd like to decorate my home for Fall...we do love our Autumn decorating don't we? One thing I know for sure is that I'll be using these Magnificent Mums somewhere, they're a new item and I love them!
I'll also use this Artificial Bittersweet Garland, it's a favorite of mine, it looks lovely in a basket or strewn atop a cupboard.
Then there's this adorable primitive sign! Oh my there's just so many wonderful things to choose from out there isn't there?
Just the other day I received a hooked rug that I've been wanting for ages....haven't taken pics yet but I will and I'll be sure to share...have a great day!

~ Happy Independence Day! ~

Our flag is just so beautiful isn't it?...I love this country!!...yesterday hubs and I drove out to Luray, VA, which is a 2 ½ hours drive each way, to attend a bluegrass music festival...despite the heat and cruddy bugs, it was quite enjoyable!
We toured the caverns years ago with our boys and this festival was just across from there on the grounds of their museum...I wish I had brought my camera because inside the museum there were all sorts of items from the 1800's!...the drive was thankfully uneventful and we enjoyed the music and the beauty that is Virginia...the festival would have been perfect however if it were held in the Winter...there would have been NO BUGS and all you'd have to do to be comfortable is to wear a coat or put on some layers!...why the heck everyone has to do everything in the summer is beyond me! LOL

I've been busy busy busy purchasing and adding New Wares for my shoppe...summer is just speeding on by and before we know, it will be time for us to get out our Fall decor HOORAY!!...we do love our Autumn decorating don't we?...I am so excited about the goodies I've got coming and I'll be adding them as they come in so I can keep on top of it all.

Now about the 4th of July...I know that fireworks are illegal in many parts of the country but not here in Hanover County, VA...and boy do people take advantage of that!...there are types of fireworks that ARE illegal and what I don't understand is why the heck do they make something illegal and not enforce the law??...in our subdivision, the houses are 20 feet apart yet there are people who bring in illegal fireworks, the kind that shoot up into the air and explode, which drives me absolutely insane!!!...are these people not afraid of burning their house and their neighbors' houses down??!!...I have called the police, the fire dept. and yet it continues year after year...I just don't get it!!!...ok well there's my rant for the day, LOL...I am pretty much a nervous wreck on 4th of July evenings worrying and wondering if one of those bombs is going to explode on our roof or on the houses next door roofs...we had 2 houses burn down on our block last month and it was a frightening thing to see...the fire started in the garage of the first house and was so massive that it quickly spread to the house next door...it was horrible!

Gosh...that's not a very good note to leave this blog post on now is it?...sorry about that!...I just wish that people would be satisfied with going to see the professional fireworks displays that are absolutely everywhere all around us here and not insist on shooting explosives up into the air...it's downright dangerous!

Here's something better to leave you with...a picture of the display that I have on our breakfast nook table...the flag was a gift last year from and made by Pat of Olde Bittersweet Farm ...it's on a turned wood base and very special to me...I've got it sitting on a really olde checkerboard along with some faux herbs and strawberries...the strawberries were made by Carol on ebay, she makes lovely things!...and I love the Seven Snowballs Table Square, it's available in my shoppe...it's reversible to red with the pattern in the linen, which I plan on using for Christmas!...an olde wooden bowl, and antique food chopper, complete the display....be safe and enjoy the day!

~ New Summer Decorating Pics ~

I know how much we all love looking at each others' decorating pics so I've gone through and uploaded a bunch I've just finished taking around the house. I've posted them over on Picture Trail. I hope you enjoy!

My Picture Trail