FOR THE BIRDS..............( a Christmas Miracle )

John says - You decorating bird houses too now?

Suzan says - I certainly didn't - I thought maybe you did !

John says - I don't have time for this nonsense - you said you were too busy last night to get those invoices done - instead you're decorating birdhouses
Suzan says - I DID NOT DECORATE THAT BIRDHOUSE
Suzan says - I just put it outside the front door last night and when I awoke it looked like that !

Suzan says - If I didn't do it - and you didn't do it - O.M.G. !  IT'S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE !!!
John says - It's a miracle that you're not in the nuthouse..................
Suzan says - I've got to call the kids - they simply won't believe this !

When I came back the birds had added a little garland on the fence and put up a wreath -

John says - You still at that thing?
Suzan says - Listen - I'm going to tell you for the last time - it isn't me decorating it - it's GOTTA be the
birds !!!

John says - That's all going to blow off outside you know
Suzan says - That's not going outside - are you crazy?
Suzan says - They made it for me obviously
Suzan says - I can't wait to see what the squirrels come up with !

This takes the place of I WANNA live there Wednesday this week - it's a house after all :)

John says - It's overkill - there's too much on it
Suzan says - You're even complaining about how the birds decorate now?

Have a wonderful day one and all - I have some invoices to take care of............the birds aren't going to do it.

Hugs,
Me


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THE SHABBY ART BOUTIQUE                                 TOO MUCH TIME ON MY HANDS
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SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE                                      LAMBERTS LATELY       

IT'S ALL ABOUT WREATHS................( affordable ones )

I bought the above wreath (12 of them actually ) at the dollar store !!!
3.00 each - they come in silver - gold - green or red.............because the front door is red I chose a gold to put on it - same style - with red bells - but I ended up putting it in the house because it didn't feel right............
All the red ones are in the process of being hung on outdoor windows.

I bought the bells separately - they were 1.50 each and fill it perfectly -
Hold on a sec.........I gotta figure out what they all cost..........
WOW !  36.00 dollars for the wreaths themselves - TWELVE OF THEM !
( you know you need sleep when you have to use the calculator to figure that out - I don't know what's happening to me - brain freeze I suppose )
As you can see they're just tinsel - ( I've got a way to hang them securely so they don't blow all over the place )  but I like the bling and I really didn't want to spend 60.00 per wreath !
Thought I'd share with you in case YOU didn't want to spend 60.00 per wreath either :)
These could so easily be a DIY with a wreath form ( or hanger ) and tinsel !

Have a great one everybody!
Hugs,
me

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GRACE & GOOD EATS

GETTING READY FOR FALL....................in the garden

Good morning everyone !

As much as I hate the fact that it's so close..................I can't keep pretending it's not happening - Fall will be here before I know it. ( Y.U.C.K. ) and I only say that because I really really dread the season after it.

I switched the dining area ( there won't be so many meals eaten out here in the near future sadly ) with the
seating area.................because although this looked nice on the deck - we can't actually sit on the furniture because leaves and twigs and branches and acorns keep landing on our heads whenever we try.  This area is a little protected ( which is why the table goes here in the summer )

And though I still don't want Fall to arrive - I DO like how warm and cozy this area looks.
We sat out there last night - the first time we actually sat for a week !

And as it gets a little chillier at night - I'll bring out a throw for myself because I'm going to enjoy this for as long as it's physically possible................you may even catch me out there when snow starts falling lol.

It must be so incredible to live in a climate where you get to enjoy the outdoor's year round
I added as many candles as I could to give the illusion of warmth and I'm thinking of purchasing a
Chiminea so that we can actually HAVE warmth as well.................

I bought the outdoor carpet at Home Depot in June or July - for 39.00 and it just may come into the dining room for the winter months ( if we ever get the dining room finished of course )
These hold up remarkably well - the last one I had lasted 4 years - 2 of them where I kept it outside all winter long out of laziness )
AND it's reversible - with the other side having the pattern in the reverse colors

I never do much Fall decorating on the inside - perhaps a mantel or two..............some fall floral arrangements - a few throws here and there - but nothing more than that - so this is it folks - this is probably the only post you're going to see on Fall decor from this blog

That blank canvas on the back wall above the sofa ?

I have a plan for it - other than that I'm done !

I'll just sit here all cozy like - staring at the pool - and wishing summer lasted a month or two longer

And if you're still jumping in and out of yours...................

Have a heart - I really don't want to know ♥

Hoping you all have a wonderful summery weekend :)
Hugs,
Me


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HOMESTORIES A TO Z                                           FLUSTER BUSTER
LEHMAN LANE                                                        NO MINIMALIST HERE
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ONE MORE TIME EVENTS                                     CARRIE THIS HOME
KEEPING IT SIMPLE

Our problems are solved !!! ( Plus a DIY Faux Boxwood Wrreath )

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Another Door - where ARE you, Annie Sloan?

Hi Everyone !!!

Some of you may remember when I redid this door  ( you can see the technique I used HERE )

and how I gave it to Caroline from Piorra Maison as a " second store opening " gift

some of you may even remember that I got Annie Sloan herself to sign it !!! ( HERE )

Well - when I bought that door - and 2 others - for almost nothing I might add -  I didn't notice until a week later that he had a few more outside in the garbage  ( he was renovating his house and getting rid of them - lucky me ) they're from a 120 year old Victoria flat - and I decided last night it was time to make one for myself.
This one is identical to the one I made before - 2 others are huge doors with windows on the upper half ( outside in the garden this summer? ) and the last one - well you'll see it at the end of the post :)

I haven't put in any of the stencilling yet - but I will - I need that little chandelier on it :)
And I didn't use the same technique as I did on Caroline's - I simply did a white wash with ASCP Pure White - white washing allows the darkness underneath to show through - very faintly - ( I wanted to write subtle ( y ) subtly - doesn't that spelling look wrong to you ?

and then I decided to add a little shelf to this one

I also had a scrolled metal piece of art

The shelf holds 2 hearts that my daughter Ashley made me a few years ago - I just love them
My ode to Valentine's day

 my rusty old keys

and a small tea light are just enough for this small shelf

The only thing that's missing is..................can you spot it - isn't it glaringly obvious?

Where is the Ambassa-DOOR when you need her?

Annie if you don't get back here - I'm afraid I may have to take matters in my own hands

hmmm - maybe I can transfer her signature on there LMHO

I have a beast of one that I'm working on for the kitchen

John says - Oh c'mon now - this is ridiculous now
Suzan says - Ya think?
John says - How many old doors do you need in one house?
Suzan says - You can never have too many old doors John - never
Suzan says - Ask Annie
John says - Annie who?
Suzan says - ANNIE SLOAN - I'M GOING TO TELL HER YOU DON'T REMEMBER HER
John says - I can guarantee you Annie does not have a house filled with old doors
Suzan says - Well if she doesn't - she'll want to when she sees the kitchen one

We're old buddies after all
Well maybe not OLD buddies - but my eyes a-door-ed her ........................

but she's a million miles away from me ....................
( or I'd get her damn signature )

ARE YOU FED UP OF ME BRAGGING YET?
( ok - I won't tell you that we had dinner with her and her husband also ) 

Have a great one all !!!
Much love,

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