Spring Snowballs

These are my kind of snowball.

It is my favorite season of all.

I know I post too many pictures of them, but it is a very short season.

I have them planted in almost every garden.

This bush has baby shoots underneath that need to be dug out.

I will move them to a new garden and water them good for the rest of the summer.

This crazy bush is in need of a good trim.

After the blooms are done, of course.

 I also have to trim some of the clematis vines from it. 

They hang to the ground, they are so big and fluffy.

Of course, you can't have a snowball bush without the spirea bushes.

This bush we can see from our kitchen window.

Hard to believe I gave it a hardy trim last year.

Like the snowball bush this is another viburnum bush, I love the hydrangea look it has to it.

Anyone in for a snowball fight?

I am joining Tracy from Fishtail Cottage for a Garden Party.  

If you have not visited her gardens yet, you must, they are a sight to behold.

And, I am joining Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday.  

No one feathers their nest like Courtney!

It has been a while, I am also joining Cindy from My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

We're Not Irish, but I Still Love Green

I worked on the living room mantel yesterday while home with a sick little guy.

I traded in the red books for some green ones.

Nope, we are not Irish.

But, I do love green.

For St. Patrick's day the kids find trails of gold chocolate coins.

This year I am going to try something a little different.

If you MOUSTACHE it will involve a green marker.

When I was a kid, my dad would paint shamrocks on our faces for the day.

I think my mom also made some kind of Irish dinner that I still don't like.

One of my favorite indoor garden angels.

Baby tears in ironstone.

Love the plant but it seems I tend to over water it, so each year I get a new one.

The moss M I made several years ago.

You can make one too with a letter and some sheet moss from Michael's.

You may have noticed I went with simple.

Books again, and other greens I could find around the house.

I went to a local nursery last week and stocked up on several new ivy for spring.

Green, white and silver.

One of my favorite combinations.

How about you? 

Do you decorate for St. Patrick's Day?

I am joining Courtney from French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday.  

Let me say, if you have never visited her blog, you must, you must.

I am also joining Debra from Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday, who is always has incredible displays in her home.

And my last party of the day is with Cindy from My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.

If you can think of a party I am missing, please let me know.

When I get home, my cocktail glass will be waiting. 

Getting Ready for the Holiday

I am joining the new WHITE party BLISSFUL WHITES WEDNESDAYS at Timewashed.

I am almost finished getting all of the trees up.

Now I get to make them special.

I love looking through my boxes to see what new ornaments or decorations I bought at the end of last years Holiday season.

Take a peak into the dinning room.

Dinner by tree light is always the best my kids will tell you.

Looking at the front door from the kitchen.

Looks like Santa had to much spiked eggnog. 

One of my favorite decorations.

A simple snowman. 

An ornament from years past I made for the kid's teachers.

The staircase decorated with new linen stockings I made last year.

Are you having fun getting out your decorations?

Each box is like opening a Christmas present, so much to decorate with and trying to figure out where to put it.

Oh, I wanted to give you an update.  

I was a good wife and did not rip up the carpeting, although I think he secretly wished I had.  

Then he wouldn't have to do the work.

We are replacing all of the carpeting in our home with pine floors, however, the wood we want is on back order and will not be in until December 20. 

 I may be crazy but I will wait until after the holidays to tear my house apart.

Anyway, who doesn't love a good cleaning, organizing and DIY project in January.

Make sure to stop by and enjoy all the wonderful whites at Timewashed.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Only Two Days Until the SPOOKTACULAR DAY!

My absolute favorite Halloween decoration.

So cute, just ready to trick or treat.

I'm not ready!

The kids are out of their minds excited for the Halloween party we are giving for them and their friends.

So far the list is up to 17 kids and about 8 adults and the list could still grow!

I think I am crazy.

You see, I have to tell you a secret.  

I have never given a kids party before!

Oh, I have done parties, lots of them, even birthday parties for my kids.

BUT, I have never done one that was geared towards kids.

I am not in my element.

I am planning, oh, lots of planning.

In fact, if you ask my sisters, they will tell you I have turned into

THE PARTY NATZIE!

I am dictating all that needs to be done.

I am up to my neck in lists.

Lists for food.

Lists for things that need to be bought.

Lists for things that need to be made.

Lists for things that need to be cleaned....moved......chopped....cooked.....it never stops.

But, that's ok.

Because, I know when my guests arrive, I stop, put down that last minute thing I was doing and I have fun.

I am mostly ready in the living room.

Mostly.

I am just loving the white and black with pops of orange. 

Eyeballs, eeeww.

I love the eyeballs on the plates.

Each year I just get out the glue gun and re-glue them on.

Then pop them off at the end of the season.

Such pearly whites!

Doesn't it look like the bird is picking his nose.

Hahahahahahaha

The two pumpkin heads on the cabinet are new this year.

Little miss witch has to be up high.

The poor girl has been with me right from the start.

Both of her teeth have rotted off, and one of her legs has to be fixed each year.

But, I love her.

I actually managed to finish several pillows from shirts and sweaters that were last years undone project.

More little pumpkin heads hanging around.

There are five.

Mini skeletons, there is always something fun you can do with them.

Thanks for stopping by to visit my spooky living room.

So, I have to ask, do you do kids parties?

What is one tip you have learned that you could pass on to me.

I am also partying over at Common Ground, My Romantic Home and French Country Cottage.

Do You BOO?

I am neck deep in Halloween decorations.

I have completed the invitation for my kids first Halloween costume party.

Two of the kids have their costumes are just can't wait for the spooky day.

And you.

DO YOU BOO?

While I am busy getting ready for this year's Halloween party, I thought I would show you some pictures from last year.

The picture above is the fireplace mantel in the dinning room.

I do reuse most of my decorations from years past, but I try to mix it up.

Bats on the wall.

A cheap effect and one I have already started working on in the living room.

Witch in the front yard.

So, how about you?

Are you having fun decorating for Fall or Halloween?

Parties of the week.

Common Ground: Vintage Inspiration Friday

Craftberry Bush: Halloween

My Romantic Home: Show and Tell Friady

New Whites in the Dinning Room

I finally finished my dinning room chairs.

It wasn't really a daunting project, well maybe in my mind only.

Four chairs to paint.

4 Times x 4 chairs.

Sand and stain.

Remove the 3 layers of upholstery.

Add a layer of cotton batting.

Reupholster in simple white fabric.

Sew four seat slipcovers.

It sound like a lot, but really, each chair only took 2 days to paint.

One day to reupholster all of the chairs.

One day to make several of the slipcovers.

All in all, I think I finished the whole project within 2 weeks with lots of swimming breaks in between.

The best part is that I had to purchase nothing.

The chairs came free from one of my cosigners at my old shop.

I used fabric I already had, a cheap lightweight cotton denim from Walmart.

The paint was some I had used on some of my interior walls.

First, two coats of flat paint, a coat of Annie Sloan Old White and the top coat was semi-gloss.

You may be wondering why I painted the semi-gloss over the Annie Sloan.

The first chair I tried to like the chair before the semi-gloss, but I did not like just plain waxing.
I used my go to method of using semi-gloss and either let life (meaning 3 children) distress a piece of furniture or sand and stain the furniture.

Simple ruffled slipcover.

Look at those legs!

Ballarina ties on the back.

I like the look with the full slipcovered parson chairs, my newly slipcovered white chairs and the vintage farm chairs.

Now, if only I could do something about that table!

How about you?

Have you finished any projects lately?

I am sharing my white chairs with Kathleen from Faded Charm for White Wednesday.

and

Miss Mustard Seed for Furniture Feature Friday.

and 

Courtney from French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

and

Cindy from My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.

BLUE.....Yes I Said Blue

I actually bought blue.

Yes BLUE!

Even I can't believe it.
I thought that blue was just not my color.
Especially after I tried using it so many times.
I guess I can take it in little doses.

I went shopping at TJMaxx looking for some color to bring into our 1/2 bathroom.
I found blue and lots of it that day.



Come in and look at the changes I have made.

A beautiful BLUE transferware plate found at a local thrift shop.

I replaced a picture with a vintage white mirror from my bedroom.

 Blue and green hydrangeas and some sea shells with a little blue.

A beautiful beach oil reproduction.

I just kept coming back to this picture.

It was the final decision to go with the blue.

The rest just fell into place.

A new blue pot. 

A partial view from the mirror above the sink.

Surprisingly I think the blue is here to stay, at least for the summer.

The good thing about all of my choices,

 I can take them down and change them out for a different color.

Yesterday I found some beautiful towels with brown rosettes, the dinning room perhaps.

So have you been brave and tried a color outside your comfort zone?

Did you watch the WALK?

We just finished watching Nik Wallenda walk across Niagara Falls.

Although we live close enough to see it in person, we watched from the comfort of our living room.

Amazing what a person can do if they set there mind to it.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

I am joining Show and Tell Friday, Vintage Inspiration Friday and Feathered Nest Friday.