common ground

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Looking back, toward Thanksgiving

Boy, am I thankful for that extra hour today...I've been trying to play catch-up since getting back from St. Louis, and I'm behind on almost everything. So today I thought I'd just share a few pics from year's past Thanksgivings. It's such a short season, that sometimes I don't get a lot of photos of how things transition from Halloween to Thanksgiving, and then on into Christmas.

Planting Paperwhites, which is a tradition I've had for the last 8 years or so.

(remember, you can click on the image for it to become much bigger)

Setting up a small tree in the Dining Room right after Halloween, which then became known as my Autumn Tree. Filled with woodland creatures, owls and berries, I think I love it as much as a Christmas Tree.

My urn on the Living Room table went from Pumpkin

to multicolored dried Hydrangeas and preserved leaves.

A shot of my Hall Sideboard for Thanksgiving

and a few of the Entry and another small tree in the Living Room.

And last year's Dining Room table with some paperwhites

in an ironstone tureen on simple white burlap.

I've mentioned before how this blog has really been a virtual diary of my seasonal decor. I'm working on a vintage Thanksgiving tablescape that has been really fun putting together. I love the colors of this Thanksgiving Season... bringing in the jeweled tones of Autumn, with just a hint of Christmas to come.

Hope you're having a wonderful Sunday.

I'll see you tomorrow for

If you have an Etsy Shop or Online Boutique

please come link up some of your items currently For Sale

then stay to have some shopping fun!

joining in on these great parties:

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

A Stroll Thru Life

Coastal Charm

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farm

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Savvy Southern Style

xoxo,

Friday, November 1, 2013

Be Inspired #163:

Hi Everyone and Welcome to

Be Inspired!

The proverbial apple doesn't fall far from the tree in the case of my daughters, they both love vintage. In the case of my older daughter, who has a degree in computer illustration, she not only loves pillows, but has a fondness for black cats.

She doesn't know this yet, but this pillow may possibly disappear.

I think this is a likeness of the Black Cat Fireworks image from years ago.

This was waiting for me when we arrived.

Her Dining Room table

Window sill in kitchen.

OK, on to the fun of last week's great links.

Here are a few that I loved.

LOVE these wonderful Joss and Main Slipcovered Chairs

that Cindy from Dwellings recently purchased.

I featured this fabulous French Lantern

from Laura at Decor to Adore earlier this Spring.
They recently installed it, just gorgeous!!

Kimberly always has the wow factor when she decorates; indoors or out.

She shared her new home's Fall Urn at Serendipity Refined

Wonderful outdoor shoot of this vintage Fall Farmhouse Table

from Denise at Pink Postcard

Preserving Leaves with wax paper

from Ann Marie at Musings of a Vintage Junkie

You'll love Lana's fabulous French Script Chair

at European Vintage.

Audrey from Timeless Treasures and her hubby created this amazing Dugout Wooden Trough. You'll want to see the start to finish of this great project.

So delicious...Pumpkin Funnel Cake

from Cara at Craft Dictator

Thanks everyone for coming by to share the inspiration!!

Hope you'll link up today for some great Fall Fun.

Today's Sponsor

Sweet Magnolias Farm

Have a fun day, and don't eat too much candy!!

xoxo,

PLEASE have a visible and individual link back

to Common Ground within your post.

Thanks so much!!

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Top Visited Links from Be Inspired

Time to check in to see who had the Top Visited Links last week at

Be Inspired.

If you haven't had a chance to visit then run by and say hello.

Julia from Vintage With Laces
shared her wonderful studio decorated in Black and White for Halloween.
This Altered Cabinet Card is just one of her beautiful creations.

Take a peek at all the fun Orange Sweater Projects

by Nici from Posed Perfection

Debra at Frugal Little Bungalow shared her many baskets
and gave us a peek at her wonderful bungalow architecture and decor.

You'll love the wonderful paintings in this post

Thinking About Carmel by the Sea

from Tammy at My Flower Journal.

Thanks for the inspiration gals!

Hope you'll join in tomorrow morning for

Be Inspired

11ish AM Central.

xoxo,

Today's Sponsor
Bel Monili

Here's a Note from Lucy, owner of Bel Monili:

Hi Everyone, Tomorrow is my end of the month sale AND it's my birthday! I'm running the sale Thursday, October 31 (my 33rd birthday! eek!) through Sunday. Use coupon code birthdaybel20 at www.belmonili.etsy.com through Sunday, November 3, 2013 to receive 20% off of your ENTIRE purchase of $10 or more. Since it's Bel Monili's birthday, purchases of $50 or more will receive a FREE 3 pack of pearl bobby pins as a gift, and purchases of $100 or more will receive a FREE quote bracelet of your choosing! This is the perfect time to get your holiday shopping kick-started at bel monili, where you always enjoy free domestic shipping. Happy Halloween!

Sunporch Shenanigans

There's a little more fun going on in the sunporch this week that I wanted to share with you. I always have an ivy that sits in my wicker floral container, ok...funeral basket. I hate saying funeral basket. Is that the only time anyone ever had one of these delivered? I guess they were the closest thing to "disposable" back then. so anyway... back to the funeral basket...

I like to keep mine "upbeat" with some seasonal decor thrown in for fun.

So this month it's been an "ode to black cats".

I love any color cats,

but in my lifetime I've had several of those sweeties

all named...

wait for it...

"Blackie"

I also had an adorable white kitty named "Whitey",

but today we're talkin' black kitties.

I think they get a bad rap.

My last "Blackie" was one of the sweetest girls around.

hmmm...this one could be a tuxedo.

but we'll just say it's black.

My girls were out here helping with the photos and trying to get a nibble

from the Angel Vine I just brought indoors.

They're naughty that way.

I found a wonderful little Elementary Reader a few years ago and used it to make some fun prints. That's a copy of the original 1920's page with another black cat and pumpkin image on top. I've always loved children's book illustrations from the 20's and 30's. When I was a kid, my grandmother had all my dad's childrens' books from the 30's. It broke my heart that someone cleared out the attic stash and threw them all away.

In just a few days, we'll be gearing up for Thanksgiving and the turkeys will take over. So for this week the owls and black cats, are still on the loose. Even one of my lambs wanted to join the festivities out here by sporting a new scarf...

don't tell him it's just a ribbon with a little glitter...

This is my second post today, the first one was "unscheduled" when I got these photos and texts from my daughter. Just wanted to share them and have a laugh, if you haven't read that post, CLICK HERE