Patriotic Mantel and the Summer Hearth Room

Welcome to Summer friends, I hope you are able to enjoy it and not have to stay indoors because of the intense heat. We were watching TV and endless commercials with people enjoying their "Summer" activities outdoors and I lamented to my husband that "I love summer except for the heat". I guess that's how it's always been. I've just been able to handle it until the last several years. 

Antique Sideboard with Blue Transferware and Ironstone

I've been trying to take my own advice by taking decorating at a slower pace. I'm changing things up with the seasons, but also trying to not let it overwhelm me. During early summer I love using patriotic elements and color for décor, but adding flags to a basic summertime "look" goes a long way for me. 

Summer Holiday Cupboard with Patriotic Flair

When June comes around I gather my vintage dishes and a few elements that are red/white/blue and restyle my old pie safe cupboard. A few pieces of red transferware mix it up with my French faience pottery dishes. Then when I start decorating for July 4th holiday I just add in some small memorial flags. Presto, instant Patriotic décor.

Summer Patriotic Door Basket with Ticking Fabric Ribbon

Last week I worked on getting my front porch presentable and decked out with a Patriotic Summer vibe. During the summer months I keep a red/white/blue theme with pillows, flowers, and my door basket. I add in flags the last couple of weeks of June into July and then remove them after that first week of July. That color scheme works throughout Summer until late August when I start bringing in some sunflowers and early Fall colors.

Patriotic Front Porch in the RWB

I started thinking about decorating the front porch for the July 4th holiday back in late May when I joined in on a roundup for patriotic ideas and inspiration. This house has a nice sized front porch where I have an old train depot bench so there's plenty of room for some fun seasonal and holiday decor. I really prefer using a basket on the door for faux florals with coordinating color and decorative ribbon, but since I have a problem with birds making nests in the basket from late March to June I usually just do a wreath in early spring to summer. I took a chance that by late June the birdie problem would be over. I think I'm safe...

July 4th Patriotic Hearth Room

Mini Patriotic Makeovers on the Mantel

Hey there friends. I know we all like a good project and DIY, but today I'm going to share with you what happens when things don't turn out quite like we might plan. I'm going to share a behind the scenes pair of mini makeovers that I decided on for the patriotic mantel here in the hearth room. Many of us don't like to share those blah frustrating moments when you have a plan that gets off track. (me included). Personally, I think sharing setbacks and makeovers #1,#2, and #3 help all of us and save some time. Even if we have to cringe a bit and admit it was my best shot. 

July 4th Farmtable in the Garden Room

Last month, I did a little DIY paint transformation with a breadboard to give it a more "subtle" look of gray-washed aging. That one little difference made a big impact on styling further tabletop centerpieces and tabletop tableaus out here in the Garden Room. I like to use more than one element in a tabletop grouping, but I don't want them scattered all around willy nilly. I like to corral those crazy knick knacks and vintage items!

Easy Patriotic Decor With Vintage Flags

Hi Everyone, thanks so much for coming by for Vintage Cottage Weekend! You may be wondering why you're seeing patriotic decor in May, but I'll be joining with a great group of bloggers next week for a patriotic roundup of DIYs and decorating, I wanted to share an updated version of some Easy Patriotic Decor that I've created in the past with vintage flags. With summer kicking off for Memorial Day later this month, then July 4th coming up, now's the time to start grabbing ideas for porch decor, tablescapes, and vignettes that are fun and easy to put together with a patriotic vibe.

Flags and Teapots in the Patriotic Holiday Cupboard

Hi Friends, wow, it's so hard to believe that the July 4th holiday is just around the corner! Are you getting into the Summer groove? A few weeks ago I brought out my traditionally summer French Faience and exchanged the Green Transferware in the Holiday Cupboard here in the Garden Room.  

Patriotic Holiday Cupboard

Hello friends, I'm ready for a little patriotic flare around here.

 I've really missed getting to go to the fleas and antique malls,

 where you're sure to get a big helping of the RED/ WHITE /BLUE! 

So I'm going to dish up a little of my own.

Easy and Instant Patriotic Decor

Today I realized if I didn't make a little effort to put together some decor for the 4th, it would really be too late. I've been enjoying decorating with a Patriotic theme for my whole life, and I didn't want this to be the year to not continue. The 4th of July holiday epitomizes the feel for summer fun... trips to the lake, cookouts, family get-togethers. When I was a kid that meant that there were always family gatherings with fireworks, a grill, and several buckets of homemade ice cream. 

Patriotic ReView

Hi Everyone, I'm always surprised at how fast summer flies by. This weekend will start a wonderful extended weekend for many of us, lot's of family and casual fun inside and out, so here are a few photos of one of my favorite Holidays, Independence Day! 

Centerpiece Basket with Vintage Flags

This last year I've been all about "decorating" the easiest way possible;

How to give a little flavor of the Holiday or Season without going over the top.

Scenes from the Patriotic Sitting Room

Hi Everyone...can you believe the 4th of July is next weekend?

Before it's come and gone, I thought I'd share with you

 a few pics from the Kitchen Sitting Area

where I've added a few flags and some Patriotic Color.

Easy Patriotic Accents with Vintage Bottles

I've been gathering a few of my patriotic and red/white/blue items to 

bring a little July 4th fun to the Kitchen Sitting Area...

More from the Patriotic Sitting Room

Here's the rest of the pics from my little Kitchen Sitting Room, 

all dressed up for the

  July 4th Holiday.

Gotta have some red geraniums and a flag.

Patriotic Sitting Room

One of my favorite times to really go over the top in my sitting area decor is for the 4th of July. Patriotic decor is a natural when you have white or neutrals as a backdrop. I love layering on the old quilts and pillows in some red/white/blue. I've been trying to give this kitchen room sitting space the feel of my old sunporch, since I don't have one at this house.

Patriotic Summer Kitchen Tote

With the 4th of July just around the corner, it is time to break out the 

 Red White and Blue!

I've been working on changing up the Kitchen Sitting Area, and giving it a patriotic feel. The kitchen needed a good dose of "Summer" so I'm giving it a punch of RED. I started with the kitchen table, and gave it something different to wear. So here's just a peek at my Vintage Summer Kitchen, with a white tote filled with vintage utensils.

Clad in Liberty

I wanted to do something different in the Dining Room this year to honor the July 4th celebration. I think we all love vintage dress forms and I think they're the perfect way to "dress up" any Holiday. I have two in my office/studio that I keep my vintage necklaces on, but this one little gal had been used in one of my antique mall spaces, but was now relegated to the garage stash. 

So I invited her in to take center stage for a 

Real Vintage Patriotic Display

I think she's beautiful all decked out in her Patriotic finery.

A vintage lace scarf, triple strands of 60's costume jewelry pearl beads, and one of my vintage clock necklaces add to her girlish charm.

As for this display, it is a vintage flag draped over my dress form. I would never destroy a flag by cutting it up for clothing. All the flags I use are over 50 years old, and have been placed where they will not be harmed or treated disrespectfully.

I was inspired by these wonderful images 

that you can find on my Pinterest Board, Red/White/Blue

And now, on to the rest of the Dining Room

My white vintage windowbox is back, now filled with white Geraniums 

and little old parade flags for the July 4th Holiday.

 I'm using my French Grain Sack with a red stripe as a tablerunner

on top of some bleached burlap for some extra coverage.

I searched the web for "vintage look" flag pillows, and while I found some great ones, nothing had the old look I was hoping for. Then, when I was getting my parade flags out of storage I realized one was loose from the "pole" so I just added it onto this old ticking pillow that my husband's grandmother had made about 60 years ago. So easy and gave me that perfect aged vintage look...'cause it is!

Sitting on my old church pew and white matelasse cover

I think she may stay here in the Dining Room where she can

 challenge me to find other ways to decorate her for the seasons and Holidays.

Don't forget that Be Inspired will be going live early this week.

Gather up all your Patriotic posts, old and new, and come link up  here at 

7 PM Central Wednesday evening. July 3rd.

see you then!

Just a note on my thoughts as to how I choose 

to display antique and vintage flags,

 that I shared last year:

"About my use of the flags in decor, and this is my personal opinion: because these flags are antiques and relics, and not "dedicated to service or actively commissioned flags" I don't feel it's wrong or disrespectful to use them as I have. They have been salvaged from flea markets, antique malls and swap meets, etc.  where I found them boxed, folded, and wadded up in corners and under tables. So my use of them in display, to me, is perfectly respectful and honoring of my love of Country and the American flag."

Joining in on these weekly parties:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Inspiration Exchange at Yellow Bliss Road
DIY by Design
Share your Cup 
From My Front Porch to Yours
House Party at No Minimalist Here
The Charm of Home
Stone Gable 
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Shabby Art Boutique
Knick of Time

Hope you're having a great week!
xoxo,