Around the Bend and Into the Past...

I know most of us believe in the term "Serendipity".

ser·en·dip·i·ty

ˌserənˈdipədē/

noun

1. the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.

   "a fortunate stroke of serendipity"

   synonyms:

   (happy) chance, (happy) accident, fluke;  luck, good luck, good fortune,fortuity, providence;  happy coincidence "the consequence of serendipity is sometimes a brilliant discovery"

This little occurrence by chance wasn't by chance at all,

and it started for me about 23 years ago.

Jelly Cupboard Paint Makeover

I've long been a believer that a can of paint can be a room full of mismatched furniture's best friend. No matter where we've lived or what my current style might be, I've always had a mix of odds and ends; new pieces, antiques, hand-me-downs, and flea market finds. Each piece has a story or memory that keeps them there, but sometimes too many finishes, colors, and wear and tear can make trying to pull a room together totally a nightmare.

Share Your Style #14

Hey Everyone, so glad you're here for

  Share Your Style.

Are you all ready for the "unofficial" start of summer? Right now it's rainy and blustery in the low 60's and feels more like October than May. Here in SW Missouri, a sunny and warm Memorial Day Weekend is few and far between. For some reason it's usually rainy and cool. But we know that all the rain brings amazing yards and flowers. Just take a look at this romantic Wisteria covered porch from Little Farmstead, Pictures from Home. Oh, to have morning coffee sitting out there...really beautiful.

Here are a few pics from my posts this week,

I found my little Garden Girl antique fountain and put her in the Dining Room, Planted a couple of Endless Summer Hydrangea bushes for Mother's Day, and started a paint project of a jelly cabinet that will fill an awkward space in the Living Room. Hope you'll catch up with me if you haven't had a chance.

Keepin' it Real, Folks

In an effort to blog more "Real Time"

I had a decision to make.

Do I show you what I'm working on today

...or do I not?

I'm choosing to share a project in progress.

Now I know many of you will want to bop me 

for thinking this needs to be painted.

That's ok, I've taken a few jabs this last day or two.

We talked about "being real" and trying to be more 

in the moment on our blogs.

Not to make a "production" out of every blog post,

or strive for perfection.

But to just be ourselves.

So, I'm sharing what I'm up to today...

I've had this little jelly cabinet for about 30 years.

It's not old (in furniture years) 

and it's been moved all over creation and then some.

It has chunks of wood missing and deep scratches and gouges.

I know, you can't see them from here.

But I need something in this spot behind Hubbs' Chair.

I don't want something dark and "noticeable".

Too much of that already.

I'm thinking "blend in" has become my decor motto.

Especially in a small space

with too much furniture already.

This spot drives me crazy.

Nothing I've tried fits, or looks right.

It's one of those odd spaces, due to furniture placement.

So I need something to take up the negative space

and cover up this wall that feels lopsided.

So I'm in the process of painting it.

First coat is French Linen ASCP.

Not sure where I'll go from here.

But I'm blocking the Hallway traffic 

so I'll have to get it figured out pronto.

Thank goodness for chalk paint.

I did not want to sand this thing.

Have you entered the Canvas Pop Give Away?

Endless possibilities for your own canvas art...

See you all Wednesday Evening for 

joining in with:

Savvy Southern Style

Back to painting.

xoxo,

Create Your Own Canvas Art

So...are you ready for a fun Give-Away?

I need to share a little "backstory" on this. About 6 weeks ago I received an email from a rep at CanvasPop. I know you all have heard of them; their company makes wonderful photographic prints transferred to canvas. I've seen them on other blogs, and have been impressed with their amazing quality of work. They were generously asking if I'd like to send in one of my photos to be turned into a canvas print/image.

WOW, how super!!

Except as you all know and hear me complain about mention, I have very limited wall space in our new home, and I've been taking my time making decisions about wall decor and art. I pretty much dragged my feet on this opportunity and went through all my photographs of the last several years, but could not come up with anything that really grabbed me.

CanvasPop Website.

If you have a minute watch their very cool video!

Then I had a thought...(this can be so dangerous) what I really would love to have would be some sort of vintage image on the canvas. I wasn't sure what that would be or how to get that to work, but I got back with them and asked if it might be possible. The only stipulation would be that the image would have to be something in "the public domain", meaning that the artist must be deceased at least 100 years so it will not still be copyrighted.

Where do you find a vintage image that is no longer under copyright?

I thought I'd give Etsy a go, and sure enough there are endless images available in the format that it takes to have the image copied on canvas. I think I paid $4 for this image to be downloaded to my computer. If you do a Google search for downloadable images you'll find them tons of places. I happen to love vintage images of sheep. What's your obsession? I guarantee that you'll locate many options. 

This is what I chose, but if you want a photo canvas of your kiddos, or your pets, or a perfect sunset from your own photograph, then that's available too.

CanvasPop has lot's of options to choose from and they will customize your canvas to best accommodate the size of your image. This Give Away is for a free 16x20 image on a .75 wrapped canvas. And if you don't want to wait on the Give Away, then there's a 35% off coupon discount available to my readers, you'll just need to use the code COMMON35 at checkout.

Here's the .75 wrap. I chose to have the print extended over the edges, but you can also choose white or black, so that you won't lose any of your original image.

It comes ready to hang, with a professional wire and hardware.

I'm enjoying my little gal here on the Entry Console for now.

Here's How to Enter:

1. LIKE CanvasPop on Facebook
2. LIKE Common Ground on Facebook or become a follower of this blog, Common Ground.
3. SHARE this Give Away image on your blog, Facebook, or some kind of social media.

Then please let me know back here on this blog, Common Ground with a separate entry comment.

Is your brain doing backflips thinking of all the possibilities?

Hope you'll enter, since the you can get so creative!

The Give Away closes Friday at midnight.

I'm joining here:

The Scoop at Stone Gable

Show and Share at Coastal Charm
Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House
Mod Mix Monday at Mod Vintage Life
Wow Us Wednesday Savvy Southern Style
From My Front Porch to Yours
The Charm of Home
Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush

{ The Canvas Art was gifted me by CanvasPop in exchange for an honest review, and I can say they were so nice to work with and exceeded ALL my expectations for a quality product. And they're fast too!}

A Give-Away Heads Up and thoughts from my last post...

First, I want to tell you about a Give Away that I'll be starting (tomorrow) Monday...it's really good and you'll be surprised what it is. I don't do a lot of Give-Aways because sometimes people just don't find them compelling, and sometimes people think they're too much trouble, but I think you'll love this one. Because this one is going to be a new take on something you might never have thought about doing.

And now, I really want to thank each of you that commented on my last post about "blogging". Many of you that left comments are No-Reply bloggers, and I so wish that I could return your individual comments because they have meant so much to me. That's why I did the post on "Friends tell Friends when they're No-Reply Bloggers", just so I can at times give a personal note in response to a specific comment. Thank you all for the thoughts and insights about a subject that is timely and so very important...to not forget who we are as bloggers.

The most important take-away from all your comments has been this: to blog about what you love and enjoy; what feeds your creative soul. Don't get caught up in "the machine" of blogging. To be authentic in each post, and not be afraid to share your thoughts and feelings. I may have ideas for blog posts, but I never do any in advance. What you see on my blog is what's happening in my life, in real time. That a blog post doesn't HAVE to be a major production. Sometimes a photograph and a short thought is all that is needed. Let's give each other permission to take the pressure OFF.

And bottom line, I think we all need to remember that we're here sharing our passions, not engaging in a competition. Let us not be afraid to "be the individual" that God has called each of us to be.

A Garden Girl, some Hydrangeas, and thinking out loud...

 This is one of those posts that is a little of this and a little of that...

just some small things to share with you.

Blogging has changed so much from when I first started almost 6 years ago.(You hear that every day, but it's really true) It used to be that you could confidently share a pretty photo or vignette, how you made a small change on your kitchen counter, or a new "whatever", without feeling like you were supposed to be entertaining everyone. We were excited to show our latest flea market and garage sale finds without feeling "less than". I still love those kind of posts, because honestly, it's those kind of "everyday life" posts that let us in on the real person that's blogging. It really intimidates me that blog posts now are expected to be some kind of major "production", elaborate DIY, or fabulous room reveal. And that if they aren't, then what you may post might be considered as irrelevant, blah, or boring.

(found my sweet little fountain last week)

Don't get me wrong...

I totally love a great DIY, Room Reveal etc.

but I have to tell you...

my life is just not that darn exciting,

 or productive, for that matter.

...and I really don't need or want it to be.

So today, 

I just want to show you where I put my little French Girl fountain,

and that I bought some Hydrangeas...

one pink, and one blue.

Now I just need to pick the right place to have hubby plant them.

 and that for right now they are in my black goat cart 

that I finally found, 

and sitting on the front porch.

'Endless Summer"...

they bloom all summer long 

and then have the most amazing colors come Fall.

 I can't wait to get them planted.

Last year I really missed having Hydrangeas

and Peonies, and Roses, and Black-Eyed Susans...

 Hydrangeas are my go-to flower.

They're beautiful in any season.

 and that my "Little Miss Muffet" is sitting on her tuffet...

taking a bath.

sorry for the cord in the pic.

I'm keeping it real today.

Try as I might, I just can't get "into" Facebook or Instagram.

I know Instagram has real possibilities,

 and it seems like so many bloggers are heading that direction

 because there's less "pressure".

Even there, many blogger photos look "professional",

 and that my little phone pics look silly in comparison.

Oh well,

Let's not miss out on sharing the sweet small things 

of everyday life on our blogs.

Let's not let blogging turn into a "Professional" sport.

Here's to feeling that as people and as bloggers,

 we are "relevant"

...no matter what.

linking here:

Savvy Southern Style

xoxo,