A Few Ways to Transition a Dining Room to Fall

No matter the season, I usually start the change-ups in the Dining Room. That's probably because I get an idea for a tablescape or something new to do on top of the DR table, and that kind of gives me a theme and direction. This year I pulled out a new piece of gorgeous Fall looking fabric that I bought last year but never ended up using. 

10 Tips for Transitioning to Fall

Looking through blogland this last week, it's been filled with posts about transitioning our decor from Late Summer into Early Fall. Our individual methods may be similar, but each person has their own unique style and ideas to make this a fun and easy change-over. The fact that bringing out the Autumn decor is one of my favorite things to look forward to, makes this a special time to savor and enjoy for me.

Out and About... and some fabulous old grain sacks and fabric

Hi Everyone, I wanted to do a quick post and share a few snaps from a day out this last week. It was my Birthday and my sis and I headed out for lunch and then a stroll through The Vintage Peddler, here in Springfield. LOVE this place!!! (yes, I actually dragged myself out of my stupor to go have a chicken salad sandwich and peach tea, then do some shopping) These are phone pics, so sorry for the lack in quality. Hopefully all the great vintage goods will make up for bad photos.

Gathered #4

It's been a while since I shared one of these mishmashed posts, so

  Welcome to another edition of

Random Musings of a Wandering Mind...

Finally... Checked Curtains in the Kitchen

I've had a project that I've wanted to get done for literally months. It's not that it's a huge one, but knowing myself like I do, I didn't want to tackle it until I was feeling better. I have a tendency to want to see something through in one sitting, and I didn't think I could accomplish a new set of curtains in one afternoon.

Summer Favorites: Ticking Stripes and Sunflowers

I found the most wonderful antique ticking stripe settee last week while browsing the web, but I was using my IPad and it was in the wee hours of the morning. I was having trouble when I tried to PIN things, so I couldn't find the image until just now. But all the hunting I did for it got my inspiration going once more for one of my favorite seasonal combos...all things Ticking Stripe and Florals... Mainly bouquets and arrangements with Sunflowers. So I thought I'd share with you some photos that just say "Summer" to me...

This is a photo from Worthy Goods Blog from 2014.

Crazy how seeing something can make such a big impression.

This had me on the hunt for some Ticking Fabric.

If you get a minute drop by for more inspiring show photos.

A French Country Inspired Spring Brunch Buffet

Hello Everyone, 

we're all so excited to start off this special week of our

 Share Your Style Spring Blog Hop!

This week all eight of us will be sharing some fresh new Spring Inspiration and we hope you'll share what you've been doing to transform your spaces for this brand new Season.

A Temporary No-Sew Table Runner

...or the "I'm lazy 

and I don't want to sew this right now",

table runner.

Last week I was sharing with you all my love/hate relationship with my sewing machine. That I'm not too fond of sewing, but I find myself frequently needing a change-up in decor with pillows, table runners, curtains etc. And actually, my sewing machine is (a) over at the storage unit(s), (b) it's too cold to go hunting for it, (c) I'd have to bribe my hubby to go spend an hour or so messing with it. (Do any of these excuses sound reasonable?)

Around the house and a photo bomb...

This is turning out to be a busy weekend. The big kids are here for their 20th high school reunion ... yikes...just saying that makes me feel old. And Sunday is my last day at Relics Antique Mall, so I'll be clearing out whatever is left of the booth and call it done. I've loved the experience of having a space, but for the last several years I've had to do things on my own, and that part isn't fun. Time to move on to new things, and I'm looking forward to having that day each week to catch up on some other projects that need taking care of.

And speaking of flea market shopping, I found this great little "God Bless Our Home" cross stitch recently.

I have a little soft spot for "homestyle" cross stitch pieces; I created my share back in the 80's and 90's. I always admire the amount of time the stitcher put into the piece and when I see them for just a few dollars I always want to rescue them and give them a new home. I found this one a few months ago, but the dark frame didn't work for me, so when I painted my kitchen table it got the ASCP treatment.

The browns and golds and orange on the shutters made me think to put it out here on the sunporch with the other late summer colors. I tried several places but it ended up on the baker's rack.

And while I was digging through some cabinets yesterday, I found a good bunch of tan striped ticking that I bought last year for a table runner....totally had forgotten about it. So now maybe I can get that made since I'll have a little more time.

LOVE this wonderful wreath!

So, while I was out in the sunporch takings pics, 

who shows up for a little nibbling of the greens?

hmmm...which one looks tastier?

I guess we all need our fiber...

joining in on these parties:

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings
The Scoop at Cedar Hill Ranch
Knick of Time
Savvy Southern Style

Hope you're having a good weekend!!

xoxo,

The Unseen...

No, that isn't the title to a new horror movie,

although, there have been times when this room looked like

 it might be from that sort of B-Movie set.

It's just the lower level guest room, which isn't used very often, and mostly is the storage room for massive pillow explosions and wayward quilts.

I think that I've considered showing this room once or twice, and maybe I have, but usually it falls in the "off limits" category of blogworthy spaces. Today I was cleaning and fluffing getting ready for the kids who will be here next week, and I realized that I didn't think I'd even shared this old white cupboard that was spiffed up a little to hold some of the overflow of my quilt stash.

Once upon a time it had had doors and a drawer that actually worked. When I found it the doors had been literally ripped off their hinges and the door frame was splintered. The drawer was just a nailed in front, but I didn't care, 'cause I was going to use it for the quilts...or possibly for my booth space "display".

I just added some molding around the edges, painted it out, found some pretty frenchy drawer pulls, then put it to work. These are only about 1/3 of the quilts, the rest are in an old armoire in the family room, where the light is bad. (you haven't seen that one either...)

love this set of old wallpapered hatboxes.

Do these pillows look familiar? Actually, I found these two just last week that match the other set of this great toile. So, now I have four...yippee!!

Old floral still life from the 40's.

I fell in love with this Ralph Lauren yellow floral 12 or 13 years ago and still use it. Some of the sheets and pillow cases are threadbare, but I LOVE. that. fabric. and so it stays. The quilt is one that is a "Flower Basket" pattern put on backwards. Too much pattern makes me dizzy in my old age...

OK, just wandering off the beaten path a little today. I STILL have more of those "unseen" places, give me time, I might get them presentable...maybe...

I'll be joining in with these parties:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Tips and Tidbits at Stone Gable
The Inspiration Exchange at Yellow Bliss Road
Blissful Whites at Timewashed
Share Your Cup at Mrs.Olson's
From My Front Porch to Yours
The Shabby Creek Cottage 

Rooted in Thyme
The Charm of Home
French Country Cottage
Redoux
Craftberry Bush
Shabby Art Boutique
Blitzed on Pinterest

xoxo,

Around the house...

I've had a few things I wanted to share with you, just little things around the house. Some small additions and changes, so I thought I'd lump them all together in one post. I found this wonderful pillow last month in Ozark at one of my favorite stores, The Feathered Nest. It was made by one of the owners; hand painted in a wonderful Old World calligraphy style. I use this in the Master Bedroom, but I brought it into the Dining Room for better light, then paired it up with a couple of my flea find pillows, that I use on the sunporch.

Can you see "Paris" on the bottom?

Loved the back closure with raw edged ties.

While Anne was here we did a little shopping downtown and I found this great wicker trunk. It's really a nice size for some storage. (just as long as I don't put something in here, then forget where it is...I've been known to do that once or twice.) It was just $30. I see these frequently, new and used, for about $75, so it felt like a good buy. 

I wanted to give it a French Gray wash, so I used a little spray paint,

 but that wasn't doing it for me, so I did a dry brush of antique white and gray latex.

I think I'd like to try a French stencil on top or the front...

not sure, but I'm thinking about it.

AND, finally some photos of the new floral pillows I made for the Living Room sofas. They're pretty plain, no fancy schmancy stuff, but just what I wanted to bring in a little different feel for Fall.

We're having a little rain this weekend; we are still so far below normal. But here in Missouri, September is a rainy month. You won't believe this, but with the cooler weather, look what I have in the back yard...

The extreme heat and drought almost killed the hydrangea bushes this year, but they're trying to rally in the more mild temperatures.

I'm joining in with these parties this week:

Thrifty Treasures at Southern Hospitality

Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Make it Pretty Monday at the Dedicated House

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

Table Top Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House
Knick of Time Tuesday
Cedar Hill Ranch
Faded Charm
Savvy Southern Style
Stone Gable
At the Picket Fence
2805
Stuff and Nonsense
French Country Cottage
Shabby Art Boutique
Rooted in Thyme

The Charm of Home
Shabby Art Boutique
Jennifer Rizzo

And if you haven't entered the Give Away

 with Tattered Goods then click here

Keeping all of you in Issac's path in my prayers,

Autumnal tones in the Dining Room

I always look forward to each new season;

Fall is winding down and winter is almost here.

Having a neutral backdrop has made my seasonal decorating 

so much more enjoyable.

Subtleties of color and texture can be felt more easily.

and one small change can make such a difference.

These brown transfer plates hanging below the sconces

 have been up since I repainted the dining room last year.

I've kept things mostly earthy tones, using "nature" as my teacher.

I remember when I was newly married, a magazine article

which featured the elements of Country French style.

Funny, I don't know where that article is now,

but I remember the jest of it.

It was how Country French married the rustic

and utilitarian of the countryside with the elegance of the Court.

I've always loved "elegant" tempered with "farmhouse".

I like Old World baskets tucked underneath and on top, 

holding essentials like linens and pottery;

The feel of antiquity being at home with the practical.

I wanted a new tablerunner, 

or something to change out my late Fall table.

I had it in my mind, trying a dozen different things in here.

Then I dug through my material bin

 and found this elegant piece of muted floral silk.

I didn't have enough, so my elegant silk

paired up with a utilitarian drop cloth for the ruffle.

And a chenille tapestry pillow tops an old crazy quilt 

with a velvet border on my old church pew.

I painted this church pew white last Spring;

Before, it had been black.

...love the white.

As you can see a small tree is up waiting for it's decorating.

(right after Thanksgiving)

I love layering vintage mirrors; multifaceted reflections.

My sheep and lambs are always here on the buffet

 in their special place.

Tomorrow I'm showing "the details" of this room.

Hope you'll come back.

And if you haven't joined in for the 

All Things French Give Away

then click here to enter!

I'm joining in with the parties this week,

Between Naps on the Porch

Cottage and Vine

The Tablescaper

Tomorrow, It's in the Details...

xoxo,