Patriotic Bottles with a Vintage Vibe

Are you looking for something a little different for your July 4th decor? Something to use on your table for some Patriotic fun with individual place settings, mini flower vases, flag holders or just a little favor for your guests to take home?

I'm always on the lookout for old glass bottles at the flea or antique mall. You can usually find them for a dollar or two. Or if you don't have old bottles any clear glass bottle would work, even screw cap bottles that are now lurking in your fridge.

These are images I downloaded from one of my CD ROMs

 from Dover Publications for July 4th and Patriotic images.

These would be so unique at each place setting with a little American Flag,

or could be used also as a place card if you'd like to get even more creative

in using paper flags with each guests name written on it.

Lot's of fun in a grouping on a stack of old red/white/blue books.

I wanted to put together a few for my window ledge above the sink,

where I always have a few ivy starts growing.

There are some free Patriotic images over at The Graphics Fairy that you might want to try. I just printed mine out, cut them out, and then used Matte Mod Podge lightly to adhere them to the bottle. Be careful not to wipe them with water or get too saturated, or the colors might bleed. Mine did just a little but I liked the vintage look.

Here are links to a couple of posts I did a few years ago with Halloween Bottles and Christmas Bottles. I've also made them for Valentines Day, Easter, and Thanksgiving. A larger image could also be used on bigger bottles filled with colorful candies. I thought that layered red white and blue jelly beans in a larger apothecary jar would also be fun. There are lot's of ways to use them, and they add a easy to make, quick vintage touch to your holiday decor.

Have a great weekend!

Be Inspired #146: Mini Summer Home Tour

Hi Everyone, time for
  Be Inspired
The place to share all the inspiring things you've been up to this week.
Before we get this party started let's check out  some great links from last week!

Mary Alice from Chateau Chic took us on a Mini Summer Home Tour. Each time I see this amazing desk in Mary Alice's wonderful home I swoon a little. One of her favorite ways to bring in Summer is with fresh flowers, here using small containers filled with hydrangeas as accents in the Living Room...

and vintage bottles with whisp-y blooms in the kitchen .

If you haven't visited Mary Alice in a while,

 please go check out her beautiful home dressed for Summer.

Everything Mary from Home is Where the Boat Is does is worthy of a magazine layout. Here she's sharing chalkboard inspiration on the door of her wonderful Potting Shed. Love the ladder with so many garden-y elements!

Deb at Lake Girl Paints created a Tea Stained Patriotic Banner with some canvas and lot's of "smarts", replicating a Pottery Barn July 4th look.

You might not mind washing clothes in this beautiful Laundry Room Makeover  from Kimberlee at The Fancy Shack. Love the beautiful toile curtains and the lantern for lighting.

I've had "bloom envy" each time I look at Kris' beautiful gardens at Junk Chic Cottage. She has masses of petunias that you could get lost in! Can you believe there's a bike under all those blooms?

Doesn't this look yummy and refreshing for a Summer evening? Cantaloupe-Honey Granita from Anjana at The Corner of Happy and Harried.

thanks gals for joining in for the party!

And today's Be Inspired Sponsor is Lucy from

 Bel Monili

Use code COMMONGROUND10 for 10% off this weekend

on her wonderful vintage repurposed and handmade jewelry pieces.

Hope you'll join in on the fun. Be Inspired is open for whatever has been inspiring you this week. Please have a link within your post to be featured. And if you've ever been featured, feel free to grab the image below for your sidebar.

then check out my Friday Party Gal Pals here.

And just a note for next week, which will be July 4.

Hope you'll be here between the Cookout and Fireworks!

We'll be linking up Patriotic and 4th of July fun, past and present, 

plus all your weekly inspiration.

xoxo,

Be Inspired Top Visited Links

Hey Everyone, is it Wednesday already?

Let's see what was happening last week at Be Inspired.

Here are the top three visited links.

Sally from Salmagundi

took us to an Antiques Fair in Colorado,

and shared her great plaid vintage lunch tin purchase.

 This looks like a place I could stay all day.

Amanda from One Girl in Pink

shared her perfect white Shabby Buffet Makeover.

 love that gorgeous blue inside!

If you haven't visited Penny's Vintage Home for her wonderful potting shed,

you'll want to head over. What a perfect party spot!

This wreath is one of the prettiest I've seen!

Thanks gals, for coming to the party!

See you all tomorrow 11ish AM Central for 

Be Inspired,

and if you've been featured feel free to grab the button below.

xoxo,

Summer Florals

I've mentioned how I like to keep my floral arrangements current with the seasons, so a few weeks ago I got around to changing out all my silk flowers to be in keeping with Early Summer. I like the look of "just picked and stuck in a container with casual abandon". To me, that concept makes all those faux flowers look a little more "real" and a lot less "faux".

Daisies are the flower du jour here in the Entry, 

along with some budded branches.

I like keeping this heavy old iron urn here with the sticks,

then I just change out the flowers for each new season.

This is a spot where a "complimentary" print on the console

also changes with the season.

On the other side of the Entry next to the door is my big white wicker basket

filled with green hydrangeas and the grape vine twigs.

That big basket on the little Eastlake dresser keeps the kitties 

from using it as a perch for front porch viewing.

(especially in nesting season)

I have found it on the floor on numerous occasions

when they feel like putting their little furry carcasses in grave danger.

Here's an old basket with wheels that I haven't shared very often.

It still has some faux Dogwood branches, but they were white so they're still here.

(Dogwoods in late June? what's wrong with me?)

In the Living Room I traded out the windowbox for the basket,

now filled with another boatload of green hydrangeas and ivy.

(when in doubt, a hydrangea will work)

(the windowbox is currently back on the Dining Room table

with a Patriotic theme)

Love this old Frenchy look laundry basket.

Last Fall I had a running joke about my mantel...

I had the "Early Fall" mantel,

the "Fall" mantel,

The "Fall/Halloween" mantel,

and then the "Fall/Thanksgiving" mantel.

This would be the "Early Summer" mantel...

Whitewashed Wolff pottery vases filled with

 flowering branches and white Viburnum.

Another hint that it's still "Early Summer" is that there are still "birdie" nests out.

This will change soon.

I have an idea brewing.

Next up will be Black-Eyed Susans and Sunflowers,

with a little color added.

...stay tuned.

I hear thru the grapevine that soon Google Reader will be gone,
so if you follow me there, please switch over to another reader
hanging out on the sidebar.
thanks you all!

Joining in with these great parties:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Inspiration Exchange  at Yellow Bliss Road
Homework at The Everyday Home Blog
Blissful Whites at Timewashed 
Treasure Hunt at From My Front Porch to Yours
House Party at No Minimalist Here
Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
TTT at Stone Gable
The Charm of Home
French Country Cottage
Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush
Shabby Art Boutique
Blitzed on Pinterest

xoxo,

The Marketplace: Etsy and Online Boutique Showcase

Hi Everyone, it's time for
The Marketplace!

Here are some of the great links from last week:

Summer is now officially here 

and before we know it we'll be celebrating the 4th of July.

 I just love this America America Burlap Runner from Sweet Magnolias Farm

What's Summer without the Farmstand and this Farmhouse

Fresh Berries Hand Painted Sign

from Anderson and Grant

These little creatures are amazing.
Just check out the Felted Wool Handmade Fox

from Wild Wood Hollow

 Add this wonderful old Vintage Green McCoy Water Pitcher
to your  summer table. from Vintage Chateau Chic

And speaking of Summer, this

Summer Romance Lace Top and Cami

from Oh Sister Sister

would be perfect for that casual evening out.

Today's sponsor is Leslie Janson who creates one-of-a-kind wonderful

upcycled jewelry and pillows. Her cuff bracelets are amazing.

You'll want to run by and check out her shop filled with beautiful new items!

thanks so much Leslie!

Time to link up to three of your Etsy Shop and Online Boutique items. You don't have to have a blog to join in. Please link to individual items if possible. And please make sure those items are FOR SALE. If you have a blog post about your items or your shop, that's great too, just make sure the items are for sale. If you have a blog it would be nice if you grabbed the image below for somewhere on your sidebar, (nice, but not mandatory) and please be a follower of Common Ground.

Thanks for joining in, and remember this link is open all week, 

so drop back by and check out the new items being listed.