Friday, November 29, 2013

Be Inspired #166

We're kicking off this Thanksgiving Week Be Inspired a day early, so we can all spend the day with our families and loved ones. Come join in with whatever you've been inspired by this week, and all the fun you've been working on getting ready for the Holidays, Thanksgiving AND Christmas. Have a wonderful weekend, and don't eat too much pumpkin pie! Here are a few great links from last week, lot's of inspiration going on!


from Jeanette at Creating a Life










Lisa from Create Inspire




Judith from Botanic Bleu





from Betsy at My Salvaged Treasures




DIY Rustic Pedestal
Laurel from North End Loft




Linsey from The Farmhouse Porch



Carolyn from Desire Empire




from Cindy at Custom Comforts








  • Please remember to turn off word verification. I tried leaving comments that didn't go through. I'm sure others have tried also.
  • Please have an individual link back to Common Ground within your post. I'd love to feature you. This is just part of the Party Etiquette.
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  • Please be a follower of Common Ground.

  • I'm so Thankful for each of you!
    Thanks a bunch for making me a part of your week.
    You make life so much more fun and rewarding,
    and bring me so much inspiration.
    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Weekend!
    sending love and blessings your way!








    Tuesday, November 26, 2013

    Just a Little Christmas on the Sideboard

    Since I'm not hosting Thanksgiving Dinner this year, I caved to the pressure of starting my Christmas decorating early. (and I'm so glad I did) I think most of us have realized that to get to enjoy the Christmas Holiday Season it was going to require us to start before Thanksgiving. There...I admitted it. I just cannot get everything done that I want to do when it's only going to last a few weeks. I still have out my Turkey Platters and a few velvet pumpkins, but they are having to share the limelight with a more Christmas-y vibe.




    Here are a few pics from the Hallway Sideboard. I'm not finished, but this is how I'm starting. Some Red Striped Grain Sack Ribbon on my Holly Topiaries with a little blinged out silver for good measure.







    Now, since I hadn't had a chance to share Thanksgiving Sideboard with you, Here it is...these are for those photo archives I've been talking about. Each year I look back to see what I've done the year before.



    I really love my big vintage window and Pier 1 Scrolly Chalkboard 
    as a backdrop for my seasonal displays. It always makes things "pop".



    Here's my preserved Boxwood Wreath, simply decorated for Thanksgiving.
    I'm working now on changing it out for Christmas.



    Say "Hello Handsome" to My Big Boy Tom Turkey 
    that I painted white several years ago.
    He's Large and in Charge!






    I've enjoyed using this black wagon for the last few months of Fall,
    but on to something new for the Christmas Season.


    I know we're all super busy, but I'll still be doing the Be Inspired Party, just starting on Wednesday instead of Thursday morning. I'm not sure when I'll get the party linky up, but come by if you have a minute and join in, We're gearing up for Christmas! Christmas and Thanksgiving posts both are welcome!!


    And for some Shopping fun,
    The link party is up all week.

    Enjoy your week with Family and Friends,
    Love you all,
    I have so much to be Thankful for,
    xoxo

    Joining in on these great parties:

    Daily Cup at Mrs. Olson's



    Today's Sponsor




    The Marketplace: Etsy and Boutique Showcase

    Hi Everyone,
     Welcome to The Marketplace!
    Did you all have a hectic weekend? I'm trying to organize for Thanksgiving company and getting busy with some online shopping. With Thanksgiving this week, and Christmas just a few weeks away, now's the time to find some amazing one of a kind items for gift giving and home decor. Here are some great links from last week's Marketplace for a few ideas:


    from Church Street Designs




    Mademoiselle Tresors





    Third Shift



    Faded Charm




    Laura Ingalls Gunn





    The Zoe Bird




    And Today's Sponsor





    Hope you'll join in today!


    This is a linky party that is for items that are FOR SALE only. You don't have to have a blog to link up. If you have a blog post about your items that's great too, but they need to be available to purchase. Please try to link to the individual item that you are selling if possible. Please be a follower of Common Ground and if you have a blog it would be so nice for you to grab the image below to share somewhere on your blog. (not mandatory, just nice).


    Thanks so much for joining in for the shopping fun.
    Remember this link is open all week, 
    so check back in for newly added items.
    Hope you have a great Thanksgiving week!

    You can also still shop last week's link up
     which is still available here.



    Sunday, November 24, 2013

    A Mantel in "Transition"


    This may or may not fall under the category of
    "What was I thinking".
    I had reached my "orange" threshold last week,
    so all the pumpkins went away. 
    (all my white and green pumpkins were stolen from the front porch
    2 days before Halloween...grrrr...)

    My velvet ones are still in the Dining Room
    but everything else had to go...
    the squirrels will be having a yummy Thanksgiving feast.




    So here is just a little of my transition mantel from Fall into Christmas.
    I love dried Hydrangeas any time of the year;
     they seem to be my "go to" if I'm low on ideas.
    I also love these twiggy topiaries I found a few years ago.
    so presto chango...I combined the two.
    Please don't tell me if you hate it.
    I'm trying to be avant garde here.


    I know it doesn't look very festive, but it was time for a change.
    After Thanksgiving I'll be adding some Holly to the white ironstone pitchers
     and some more Chirstmas-y embellishments.
    This is bare bones.


    So here was the Thanksgiving Mantel, 
    but I've lived with it for the month,
    and I needed something easy to take me into Christmas.
    My Johnson Bros. platter always makes an appearance.



    The longer I blog, the more I realize I'm most comfortable with Nature Inspired decor, and I seem to be going a little more pared down this year...it's still early, so please don't hold me to that.



    So these photos are for my photo archives
    so I can look back next year and know what I did...
    and maybe come up with something new.


    Oh, how I love the Bittersweet.

    And I did think the little turkeys were cute 
    sitting in the silver sugar bowls...

    Hope you're having a great weekend.
    I have more transition peeks coming,

    joining these wonderful parties:

    Mod Vintage Life
    A Stroll Thru Life
    Coastal Charm
    My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
    Cedar Hill Farmhouse
    Dwellings

    xoxo,

    Friday, November 22, 2013

    Be Inspired #165

    Hard to believe it's almost Thanksgiving! I'm having that age old struggle of still retaining some semblance of "Thanksgiving" while trying to get started on Christmas decorating. One less week to decorate and enjoy Christmas is not fair. 

    Abraham Lincoln set the proclimation for a National Day of Thanksgiving and Praise as the 4th Thursday of November. For all his good intentions, clearly Mr. President didn't have to plan the festivities, cook the food, decorate for Christmas or buy the presents, all while trying to really enjoy the Season. It's too close to Christmas and not enough time to "regroup" plans and family. (Just a little fussing at how men randomly make the decisions...just sayin') 

    Oh well, not to be a complainer...
    let's see some fun from last week!

    Chalkboard Turkey Vignette
    from Katie at Upcycled Treasures





    Kristin, from Sophia's Decor gave us two wonderful Fall posts;
    Outdoors Autumn Breakfast



    You'll love Kristin's new Dining Room and her drapes are amazing!




    from Cindy at Custom Comforts



    Distressed Donna Downhome



    Gold Glitter Candles in China Cups
    from Lydia at Pudel Designs





    at Nancy's Daily Dish




    from Jenna at Rain On A Tin Roof



    Anjana from the Corner of Happy and Harried



    Be sure and check out 


    Lot's of great stocking stuffers to choose from!




    So glad you're here!


    Hope you'll join in today for the party!






  • Please remember to turn off word verification. I tried leaving comments that didn't go through. I'm sure others have tried also.
  • Please have an individual link back to Common Ground within your post. I'd love to feature you. This is just part of the Party Etiquette.
  • Please no direct links to Etsy or Advertising.
  • Link up to three of your current posts.
  • Take a minute to visit a few of the other links.
  • Please be a follower of Common Ground.
  • Thanks a bunch for coming over to party each week, since next Thursday is Thanksgiving we'll start a day ahead of time, on Wednesday, then have time to find some Christmas Inspiration throughout the weekend.

    xoxo,