A Wee Bit of Green

At our house, the St. Patrick's Day tradition begins with a breakfast that benefits a local charity.  There are bagpipes, girls dancing traditional jigs, celebrities serving coffee and lots of merriment.  So, with that in mind, there have to be a few decorations for the celebration.  Here's the mantle this year...

 


A close-up of a little leprechaun hiding in the ivy...

It looks like a few of the bunnies have come out to celebrate the day too...their friends will be joining the decorations soon too.

The coffee table sporting a few clovers...

And even though this little guy doesn't look green in this light, he has a certain greenishness to him...

I also spotted a very creative idea by a fellow blogger for transforming an ordinary cupcake into something extraordinary.

If you'd like more information about her process, click on this link http://helpinglittlehands.blogspot.com/2012/03/clover-cut-out-cupcakes-from-heart.html and tell her highpointcircle sent you.  

Happy St. Patrick's Day

a little early, but ideas to think green about!

As always, thanks for reading.



Linking Up With
Boogie Board Cottage
A Stroll Thru Life
Homemaker on a Dime
Between Naps on the Porch 
Coastal Charm
Thrifty Decor Chick
Cedar Hill Ranch
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia 
Faded Charm
Primp 
Very Merry Vintage Style
Savvy Southern Style
At The Picket Fence
Funky Junk Interiors
2805
Homemaker on a Dime
Boogieboard Cottage
DIY Showoff 
A Simply Klassic Home
Fox Hollow Cottage
Cuisine Kathleen 

Copycat Mantle

Here's the Christmas mantle this year.  It is a big departure from last year.  I wanted something calm and relaxing and decided that would best be accomplished by neutralizing the elements and by referring to a mantle picture from Pottery Barn's 2010 Christmas catalog.  Yes, I'm a catalog nerd--I hold on to them for years when I find something I really like.  So..........this is it..........

 Pretty simple, maybe a little merry & bright?

I began by deconstructing last year's prelit wreath.   I then hung the wreath directly on the glass of the map that sits in this spot most of the time.  It is very heavy and will support the wreath hanging on it without topping forward.

 Here's a close-up of the left side of the mantle.

 Here's the right side of the mantle.

The lit wreath--during the daytime.  

 I still can't get a great night time picture of lights--

working on my skills, they just aren't there yet.

This was my inspiration photo, courtesy of the Pottery Barn Christmas 2010 catalog.

Just a side note, this blog post about drove me crazy with problems--one thing after another, but it is done and I am just stubborn enough not to give up.  Hope it was worth the effort for all of you who bother to read my blog.  I appreciate you more than you know.  Robin

Linky Parties

My Romantic Home

Between Naps on the Porch

From My Front Porch to Yours

Debbiedoos

LaurieAnna's Vintage Home 

The Charm of Home

Common Ground

Keeping the Christmas Spirit Alive, 365 

Dittle Dattle 

Coastal Charm 

A Stroll Thru Life

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia 

Faded Charm 

Southern Hospitality

Funky Junk Interiors 

Sally's Fall Home

I had a meeting at a lovely lady's home last Tuesday and asked if I could snap some shots of her home to share here.  She graciously agreed and the result is a precious home curated over time.  Enjoy!

This was the first things that greeted our group as we arrived.  On the other side of the expansive porch was another arrangement with a white wicker porch swing that sported a darling black and white polka dot cover.  It was too cute.  Then we stepped in...

This arrangement was even more delicious in person--made by the homeowner.  She didn't like how it turned out, but we all would have taken it off her hands, if given any encouragement!

This mantle used to be black.  I loved the simplicity of it--just made my blood pressure lower looking at it!

When I glanced into her dining room, this greeted me.  I love the tray (I have one exactly like it in white) and the arrangement on it--stunning combination of color.

As I turned to go to the deck, this little combo caught my eye.  I loved the tray, then the book, the candy corn...on up.  The layering is something I'll try to keep in mind for my own house.

As I left, I could not believe this sight--a lantern on the back of the door with a battery operated candle glowing inside.  If copying someone else's idea is the most sincere form flattery, consider yourself flattered Sally--this is in my idea file too.

This picure shows the door a little more true to color, but the camera didn't pick up that wonderful candle glow.  Sally's walls are not orange, as the other picture shows.

I hope you enjoyed another home tour of lovely fall decorations.  I am certainly having a good time providing them and hope you find them inspiring too.  Thanks for reading and stay tuned--I am touring some historic homes and will be snapping pictures, if allowed.

Linking up with

My Romantic Home

Funky Junk Interiors

At the Picket Fence

The Charm of Home

Boogie Board Cottage

Between Naps on the Porch

Dittle Dattle

Coastal Charm

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

A Stroll Thru Life

The Harvest Queen Is Here!

Welcome to my home.  I hope you feel welcome at the front door and can come stay for a cup of wassall.  I enjoy company, especially during the colder months!  If you come back at Christmas, you can enjoy a nice hot cup of cocoa with homemade marshmallows!  Well enough greetings at the door, come on in.

This little lady on the bombay chest calls herself "The Harvest Queen" and I think the title fits her, don't you?  She's used to spiders in the crops gathered in, so to make her feel at home, I hang a couple on the lamps while she's visiting.  She's also quite fond of orange pumpkins--how about you, do you prefer orange or white pumpkins?

The Harvest Queen requires a wreath or two to make an appearance, so being a gracious hostess, I set one on the hall tree next to her.  The crow heard the Harvest Queen was visiting and flew in to see her.  They both usually depart together--they're the best of friends.

I think we can leave these guests and journey on to the living room and have a look at some of our other visitors.  Like most of you, this mantle is always a challenge to decorate when the Queen is in town--she's wonderful, but a little testy!  She's been preferring a little less the last few visits and sometimes it is difficult to cut back, don't you think?  She hasn't commented on it yet, so I'm not sure I got it right.

It is difficult to see all the elements on the mantle from this angle, let me show them to you--up close and personal.

Mr. Owl in his glory.  Really, the animals take over in the fall when the Queen is here and we enjoy having them all--just watch where you step!

Some relief from the critters here.

details, details

and more details

Now there is just one more spot to visit and I'll have to say goodbye for now.

It really is true...when the Queen's away, the mice will play!  And play they do, they tease that poor jack-o-lantern half crazy!  Look at his face in this picture--craziness!

I've got to go for now.  Please come again...remember in December homemade marshmallows and hot cocoa (and all the animals and the Queen will have moved on).  Thanks for the visit, oh, just wipe your chin, you have wassall spices on it! 

Happy Fall!

Linking up to

http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

http://kristenscreationsonline.blogspot.com/

http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/

http://www.504main.com/

http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/2011/09/outdoor-pizza-oven-newbie-party-started.html

http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/

The Summer Mantle

It's that time of year when the reservations are made for our annual Florida trip and the countdown begins for one of our favorite weeks of the year.   It only seems right that our house starts to resemble the beach--just a little bit.  Each year I try something different on the living room mantle and this year, I had a little help from my friends, by way of gifts and garage sale sleuthing--thanks Stacey.

Meanwhile, other spots throughout the house get doses of the sea too.  I have noted that this seems to be the year Pottery Barn jumped on this beach trend, but we've been doing this for 10 years already.  Maybe Pottery Barn should hire me, ha, ha, ha.

Because my last post was sooooo long, I'll just leave you with the pictures this time.  As, always, thanks for reading, especially with the problems blogger has been having.  Have a great loooong weekend!  Robin


I've linked up with The Lettered Cottage http://theletteredcottage.net/ideas-for-summer
to see hundreds more pictures of mantles for summer and The Faded Charm cottage  http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/