August Mantel and Hearth Room

Hello Friends and Welcome to August!

I've mentioned before that August used to be my least favorite month of the year. Oooh, I felt bad that I gave it such a bad rap, especially since ALL my husband's family had birthdays in August. (strange...) It's just that I really get tired of the hot weather by now, which is usually dry and oppressive, and the older I've gotten the less able I am to handle hot weather. But a couple of years ago I had a change of heart in my attitude.

It's the whole glass half full approach. I'm now looking at August as my "pre-Fall" month. That is, the time to change things up from Spring pastels, Summer Patriotic colors and reds and move into the season of deeper hues, golds, deep greens and the "gourd colors". Notice I didn't say the "P" word. 

I love Fall and look forward to it every year! 

Last week I shared my new Kilim pillows that have more deep "earthy" colors. Today, I'm showing my August mantel with Majolica and the rest of the Hearth Room. I've kept my mantel "basics" the same and I just add the seasonal accessories.

I'd love to have more Majolica pieces, but I try to find them at a somewhat reasonable price, which often means a crack or chip. Living in the Midwest, even those pieces are hard to find and not particularly cheap.

My heavy concrete alter candleholders

antique iron stove door.

Gosh, I really love this space.

 My TV is hiding behind the armoire doors.

Sunflowers are making their appearance and are starting to take over the house.

My matelasse quilts always stay on the sofa and chair.

Between me and the kitties, someone is always lounging around with their feet up.

Before long there will be some subtle changing leaves and branches making an appearance here on the mantel. Does your Pinterest feed start to look like mine in August? I'm sucking up some early Fall inspiration over there.

We had the air ducts cleaned this week, so hopefully that's the end of people inside to work. So now it's just a really nice handyman outside working on the windows and painting trim. He'll be here for awhile since there was a lot of work to be done. We haven't gotten started on the landscaping as yet, and it really needs attention. The crawl space work and plumbing blindsided us early in June, so we're behind schedule on everything else. I hadn't done much cleaning since workmen were in and out for over a month. I finally got the wood floors cleaned, and boy did they need it. 

OK, Hope you have a great weekend, 

joining in here:

 Celebrate Your Story at Celebrate and Decorate

Happiness is Homemade at Blue Sky at Home

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

Tips and Tutorials at Home Stories A to Z

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Homestyle Gathering at Serving Up Southern  

Keep in Touch at Let's Add Sprinkles 

 Talk of the Town at Knick of Time

Turnabout Tuesday at My Wee Abode 

Share Your Style at French Ethereal 

 Style Showcase at Shabby Fufu  

Vintage Charm at Our Hopeful Home

 Wonderful Wednesday at LeCultivateur 

Thursday Favorite Things at Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Grace at Home at Imparting Grace