St. Patrick's Day Farm Table Vignette

Hi Friends, last week I looked at the calendar and had a huge awakening! Easter is the last day of March this year and it's flying toward us at breakneck speed. I love decorating for St. Patrick's Day as a head start on Spring with lot's of mossy green things, green transferware, bringing out the Spring flowers and packing away all the winter blankets. When Easter falls in March we're possibly looking at a blanket of white instead of pastel Easter eggs and an egg hunt among the daffodils. 

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...

Vintage Watering Cans for the Patriotic Porch

Hello Everyone, we all have a real treat today with a fun vintage Hop. I'm joining today with a great group of gals who love vintage goods and absolutely love using them to decorate our homes and porches. Our friend Cindy of County Road 407 came up with this unique way to share our vintage pieces with the Lifestyle of Love Bi-Monthly Hop. Our theme this month is galvanized tin containers and vintage items. Summer is the perfect season for sharing our metal farmhouse goods with an industrial and garden vibe.

Garden Room Farm Table in May

This time of year in late Spring, we just don't know what each day's weather will bring. Even the weather forecasters aren't sure. One day it's sunny and 80, the next day it pours rain all day and is in the 60's. I took these pics in April and wanted to get a few more of the Garden Room this last week, but I decided to just go ahead and share them before tulip-time was over. 

Farmtable Vintage Bucket with Tulips

Do you have a spot that causes you to be continually thinking about the next fun change-up? The farm table in the Garden Room is one of those spots for me. After all the Easter bunnies and forsythia were put away, I wanted to use this big bundle of white faux tulips before (real tulips) were a thing of the past. Spring flowers and shrubs just don't last long enough!

A Little Cottage Romance

Hi Friends, I challenged my decorating "self" this month to do some Valentine's Day vignettes with pinks and soft pastels instead of a lot of red. No sooner do I put away the reds from Christmas than they're back again for February and Valentine's Day. I wanted to keep the Baker's Rack romantic and feminine, so I used my antique china teapots and some of my English Cottages to keep things sweet and homey.

Kitchen and Sitting Area Fall Home Tour

I think I've shared the rest of the house last week on two Fall Tours, so today I have some pics of my Kitchen and the little Sitting Area that adjoins it. It's my favorite place to decorate for the seasons, and I seem to spend most of my time here, so come on in! 

2 Spring Totes

Hi Friends, I hope you were able to catch the Spring Home Tours this last week. So much inspiration! I shared my Kitchen Sitting Room and Living Room on Wednesday, but there are a few items where I'd like to share a bit of detail.

Share the Love...

I don't go "all out" for Valentine's Day. I don't think many of us do unless we have kiddos that have fun with it, and expect to see decorations for every holiday that comes along. I enjoy bringing some reds and pinks and vintage items into the decor, especially here in the Kitchen Sitting Area. That's the place where I can indulge my holiday decorating gene to the fullest. 

(It's a Chilly) Christmas on the Front Porch

Welcome to our Home for Christmas!

I think we're all having below normal temps this last week.

Actually, it's been pretty chilly around here for the last several weeks;

chilly enough to keep me from wanting to spend time outside

 fiddling with Christmas decorations and my camera.

Decor Philosophy for Cupboards, and Life

It's been said, more than once, that I can't leave a flat surface alone. Meaning that I have to "decorate" every square inch, and it wasn't often said with an affirmative attitude. I think I may be a little better than I used to be. When you have goodies you love, they just cry out to be used and appreciated!

Easy Fall Centerpiece with a Galvanized Watering Can

I love a centerpiece on the Kitchen Table, 

and I usually have a small wooden tote here, 

but recently I've had to admit, a tote may not be very practical

 when you have to move it several times each day.

 Filled with dishes, a candle, tea towels, or a small ivy, it can get unwieldy...

 and then it becomes an accident waiting to happen!

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.

Potting Bench Progress

Hi Everyone, hope you all had a great weekend...

I've spent most of my time outside this last week. First, working on getting the container planters filled with flowers for the deck, patio and front yard, then coming up with more things for the potting bench area. 

On top of the Cupboard...

We've been working hard lately to get more boxes opened and unpacked, so we'll have space to bring more over from storage. It's a domino effect, with storage shelving going into the basement storage room first, then organizing the garage and getting Holiday tubs and decor stacked up and out of the way. I'm finding things that honestly I didn't remember I had... and probably don't need. But that's beside the point, because I'm now having to go through box after box of "stuff".

I am finding some of my favorite little things, though.

French Garden Inspired Frame

I've mentioned before that vintage garden goods have always been my favorite kind of "vintage". I love it all, but I have a real soft spot for old garden tools, wagons, ephemera,...anything "seed" related, etc. I've had to pack up most of my garden goodies for now, during our move, but I've kept a few little things to play with and decorate my baker's rack in the sitting room.

When we cleaned out my in-laws garden shed a few years ago I confiscated several old garden tools, and I've had my radar up for a few different ones recently. (more on that next week) These little ones below are of the "mini" variety that I use with my tabletop wheelbarrow. I've been collecting garden inspiration on Pinterest using the old tools, and thought I might try a little summery wall vignette with an old empty chippy frame from my stash.

Inspiration for a French Garden Frame from the Graphics Fairy

I have this hanging in the sitting area in the kitchen.

I'll share the rest of the summer garden baker's rack next week.

I included a mini bee skep among the flowers in the old watering can. I recently bought a little bigger one, (that I haven't shown you yet). I've had this little one for ages, complete with "bees".

My Black Eye'd Susans are really blooming crazy this year,

 so I thought I'd do a little nod to them on this.

Hope you're having a great weekend.

We have a contract on the house, YAY!!!

joining in at these parties:

Sundays at Home with Thoughts From Alice 

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

Show and Share at Coastal Charm

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

xoxo,

Bunny Silhouette Pillow and Forsythia

I've always planted a forsythia bush or two at each home we've lived in. The last home; the one we are moving from, already had been honored. Several years to be sure, as it is massive and strong. The woody limbs eventually forced over our wooden fence, so we trim the back a little more. But then more trimming means more growth.

When I see buds appear I know Spring will be here soon. I almost missed it this year. I saw buds one weekend, and by the next, they were blooming. So last week I cut a few branches to bring home and enjoy. 

My older daughter bought me my first galvanized watering can quite a few years ago. Restoration Hardware, one of her favorite places, had a line of vintage inspired sprinklers and garden goods. I was thrilled, and that started me on my quest for old ones.

So now I have to share my bunny silhouette pillow that I nabbed at Leola's Home and Garden Open House a few weeks ago. Pam had several, all uniquely different. I loved the brown vintage look floral, so I grabbed it first thing!

Looks like he's ready for a tasty nibble.

so cute!

At least with this "new" watering can I don't have to worry about leaks.

Everything is greening up, but lot's of pollen.

  I have a Bradford Pear in the back yard here.

Can't wait for it to be in full bloom.

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend. 

Joining in on these parties:

Sundays at Home with Thoughts from Alice

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Inspire Me at A Stroll Thru Life

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

It's a Party at DIY by Design

xoxo,

Bel Monili

Upcycled Vintage Jewelry and Accessories