Fall Vignettes with Faux Flowers and a Sweet Floral Gift

This little mishmash post came about because of an empty orange Du Monde Chicory Coffee can. We bought this chicory coffee several years ago and when emptied out, my husband mentioned I might want to save it because of the advertising and pretty orange color. Good call, Hubby! When this fall rolled around I was excited to see how I could use it in a small floral arrangement.  

Layering Elements for a Summer to Fall Entry

This time of year; late August to early September, I'm about easing into the Fall season. Since it's still really hot outside I'm not quite ready for a lot of dark colors, leaves and bright orange pumpkins. I still want to keep it light and bright, but have a subtle change in color to the warmer hues of autumn.

Late Summer Sunflowers in Bloom

August is all about Sunflowers around here...  Mid Summer into Fall is their time to show their happy faces, mingle with some hydrangeas, and wait for some fall leaves to show up. By the middle of July they start mixing in with the early Summer arrangements and as Summer gets closer to Fall, they easily transition from light and bright into early Fall arrangements that are a little deeper in color. 

Early Summer Entry with Bovine Beauties

Despite the gray, rainy weather (and poor light) I wanted to share my late Spring/early Summer entry. Late May is the perfect time to decorate using lovely lush pastel Hydrangeas with a hint of summer that's on the way. 

Lovely Lemony Daisy Arrangement on the Sideboard

Hi Friends. A few weeks ago I wanted to update and give a summer refresh to the sideboard here in the Hearth Room. I'd had a tabletop wooden wheelbarrow filled with my Garden Pot/Seed Packet Wreath and some vintage garden-y things, but it was a little too spring-y for mid-June. It was time for some early summer flowers to make an appearance.

Mason Jar Candy Corn Votives

Hi Friends, are you ready for some Fall Fun? Today I'm joining in with a great group of vintage-loving friends to share how we use Mason Jars. We all love the humble Mason/Ball jar, created in the mid 1800's, and many of us collect the vintage and antique variety. They are still being made today, and while I don't "can" with them I do use them for so many things, from a sturdy little drinking glass (perfect for a lemonade on the porch) to an easy to put together candle holder.

Early Summer Light and Bright Entry

Hi Everyone, time for an Early Summer update here on the console in the Entry. The last time I shared this spot was before Easter, so I thought it was time to bring it into Summer before it started sprouting the flags and Patriotic red/white/blue.

Spring Goat Cart and Contemplating Life at This Moment

I started out wanting to share my French-y goat cart filled with tulips and forsythia, but then I started writing and this post just tumbled out. I'm just a bundle of emotions this last few weeks. It's not the staying home that is the problem because I haven't been out a lot this last 9 months, but I guess it's the idea that we can't, and all the unknowns that go with that. I want to be honest here, and not put on a happy "mask". I think the last thing we all need is being made to feel like the emotions we are dealing with are wrong or inconsequential. Some of us are doing good and handling it in stride, but if you're having a difficult time that's OK too. We shouldn't be afraid to admit it.

Weekend Inspiration: Fall Door Baskets

Hi Friends, this week I'm sharing another Weekend Inspiration with you all since I've been working on Fall-ifying my front porch. I wanted to use my gray-wash door basket for Fall since I had been using a grapevine wreath during the Spring and Summer. It's time for something different on the door with a Fall touch.

Common Ground

Hop Into Spring Blog Hop

Hi Everyone, I'm so glad you're here today to celebrate Spring and join us with our "Hop Into Spring" Home Tour. My good friend Amber from Follow the Yellow Brick Home has brought together a group of Bloggers who love to decorate their homes with the colors and warmth of the Spring Season. If you've come from Stacey at Poofing the Pillows, Hello and Welcome to Common Ground. I'm so glad you are here and following the Hop.

How to know when it's almost Spring...

Of course the weather will be on a gradual warming curve; more days of 60 than of 30. I can see little bits of green popping up, previously hidden in the "monkey grass" along the courtyard sidewalk. The buds on the Peach tree are swelling up, just waiting to explode in a gorgeous pink bloom. But there's one sure way to tell Spring is almost here...

How to Make a Moss-Covered Heart

I love organic decor accessories and using nature to guide and enhance the Seasons and Holidays. I'm  also a fan of layering those natural organic pieces with mirrors and walls, doors and vignettes. Wreaths, faux flowers, branches, and natural elements can come together to create a one-of-a-kind Holiday Centerpiece for your room.

Vintage Finds for Valentine's Decor

The last few days I've been hunting down my boxes of Valentine's Day things and I've located one tub, but the other is somewhere in the vast nether regions of the Arctic Storage; AKA, the garage. Since I'm not into freezing, I'm having to try to rethink some other vintage items that can become stand-ins for my usual Valentine goodies.

Paperwhites in the Christmas Entry

I have a few decorating "staples" when it comes to faux flowers; tried and true floral elements that I know I can use no matter what the Season or Holiday. Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter I can always count on slightly wild and natural grapevine twiggy wreaths, lifelike Hydrangeas, and my favorite for this time of year... Paperwhites.

Styling My Buffet for Fall

I've been trying to spread out my Fall decorating over the last few weeks. It's given me a chance to try out a few different ideas, and also taken the pressure off to get it all done in a couple of days. I used to make myself and my husband crazy by going into a marathon décor frenzy. Now I'm taking my time and looking for inspiration from Pinterest and Fall Magazines from my many year stash.

Creating My Fall Mantel and other Conundrums

I really love Fall. That is an understatement by a long shot. I mark the days off the calender so to speak, until I can start decorating the house. But if there's one part of decorating that I would want to shove to the end of the list it would be decorating the mantel. Yes, you've heard it before, this is my least favorite, and most difficult to come up with ideas for, part of Fall. 

It's even hard coming up with a post title for this. Let's see... "Exercise and the Fall Mantel", "How to Climb a Step Ladder for Fall", or maybe, "Scratching Your Head While Avoiding Small Animals". 

Summer Door Decor in the Sitting Room

I've been "Summer-fying" the kitchen sitting area this weekend, and you all know that means changing up the quilt, pillows, and the florals that decorate the old door and mirror behind the wicker settee. I had this post named "Summer Swag in the Sitting Room", but it dawned on me some of you all might not be familiar with that term... a swag... meaning a gathered bunch of flower stems.  It's not a wreath and it's not in a basket. I guess it gets it's name from being similar to a swag curtain. Fabric that drapes down and is gathered together and sometimes tied with a ribbon. OK, whatever we call it, I have one here on the old door.

Farmhouse Sunflower Tabletop

One of my favorite combinations for Summer is Sunflowers and Ticking... nothing fancy, just rustic and vintage. I thought I'd try something very "summery" this year on the Dining Room table, using one of my old wooden ice cream maker buckets. This old bucket had been a pretty vintage blue/green, but I painted it out in an antique white to make it more "decor friendly". Filled up with faux Sunflowers, sitting on an Indigo Ticking table runner, it says Summer Farmhouse to me.

Entry Urn for Spring

Up until last week I had the urn, here in the Entry, filled with Faux Paperwhites; they are my favorite "go-to" flower year round. Paperwhites fit any season with their delicate orchid like blooms, but I was ready for something a little different so I decided to go with a natural Springtime woodsy look using faux blooming branches, sticks and pussy willows.

Spring Bouquet and the Baker's Rack

Taking photos in the Kitchen and Kitchen Sitting Area can be a little tricky. The light comes from the South and Southwest, so it's often harsh and blinding. I try to wait for a cloudy day, but even then the pics can be lackluster. Late this afternoon I grabbed my camera and changed the lens to try to get a few close-ups with better color... a little better...