This and That This Week #15

I recently discovered this enthusiastic gardener who along with her husband create videos showing her ideas for planters, and many other subjects.  This one caught my attention so I decided to give this design a try.  Here is the link to the video where I got my inspiration Garden Answer- April 25, 2017. I don't normally copy ideas but what really made this intriguing to me is the perennial Sweet Iris plant she used in it.  As I've learned she often uses a perennial in her annual planters which is totally a new idea for me!

My planter is white so that's a big difference but I found an assortment of the same plants she used and put it together very similarly.  Unfortunately all my flowers aren't blooming at the moment but soon enough it will look more and more like hers.  She has a ton of videos on Facebook and YouTube    .  I noted one of the videos has been viewed over 1,800,000 times! 

I have a very large white rooster I found at Cracker Barrel about 6 years ago.  I've been asked numerous times where to get it but of course there are no more of them.  I was at Hobby Lobby the other day and look what I found!  It's really close to the same look although it is smaller.  I even copied the store label in case it would help anyone that wants to find it. 

This is a link to a post where I talked about finding another white rooster which also shows a picture of mine.  Click "here" 

I've just begun to fill my planters with annuals.  I have a bunch more to go. This is what keeps me happy and busy during the summer.

This big terracotta planter from Mexico was gifted to me by my hubby for Mother's Day.  I spotted it at a garden center and fell in love with it.  It's pretty large and I stuffed it with a bunch of annuals.  Can't wait to see it as it starts to fill out more.  I'll be update things like this on my garden blog.

We are just now starting to get heavy pollen here and the trees are dropping their debris everywhere so my deck is messy!

While on a trip up to Petoskey we stopped at Monarch again and I spotted a huge glass cloche on display.  I was again inspired when I saw this zinnia plant inside of theirs.  I have a big cloche too and decided it was time to create a new look for it.  Extremely simple but I like it! 

I updated it by adding these wooden beads. 

So that's my This and That This Week! 

Rainy Day Coffee Table

It's been a full day of rain today which forced me inside but I got a chance to focus on the living room so that's a good thing!

It's not even 2:00 but the cloud cover has made it dark inside so I turned on some lights.  The coffee table setting was bugging me.  I hadn't given any thought to it for a good while.

I fussed a bit with the cloche and decided to turn the cast iron urn into a candle holder.  

I pushed my faux ivy plant down in the center and spread the vines around and then snuggled the candle holder on top.  I was looking for something taller for this vignette and adding the books underneath gave me what I needed.

I took pictures at various intervals so the time on the clock will keep changing!  (I had TCM on and watched Butterfield 8 with Elizabeth Taylor- so I was occasionally distracted) I wanted one of those wooden bead necklaces to lay somewhere but couldn't find what I liked.  I decided to pull out some of these deco balls from a jar I usually have them in and spread them around inside the cloche.  It'll do for me!

 I kept the birds and books in play.

I got a notion to use my antique looking keys.  I tried real hard to have them fit inside the cloche with the book and clock but it wasn't to be.

The sun started to break through late in the afternoon so I captured a brighter picture.  I do believe the rain has passed now too!   

Do you like rainy days to play inside?  Did you get rain this weekend?  

Joining: 

Inspire me Tuesday 

Thoughts Of Home On Thursday 

Dishing It & Digging It 

Spring Fever - Living Room Shuffle

Well I just had to do something! 

It's only 42 deg. outside although the sun is out and it makes it appear like it's much warmer it's a bit chilly to do much.

The biggest thing was moving the sofa and the striped chest over here making an angle facing the tv.

I put the game table here where the striped chest was.  

The Étagère pretty well stays in place here all the time.  I put a little bed down inside the basket and one of my kitties loves it!

In front of the sofa I have a new cloche on the tray.  I got an offer from Balsam Hill with a good markdown on these antique brass accented cloches along with free shipping.  I got the 11" one but there are two larger sizes- the tallest one is 24.5" tall!  These are really made well.  The whole bottom of the base is covered with a nice quality velvet and they have a good weight to them.

I moved the bunny rabbit that was here over by the fireplace.  I put my little clock underneath for now- haven't gotten any other ideas for it yet but you know how that goes.  I had the little ceramic leaf with bird for some time but never brought it out in this room.  

 The two leather recliners were given opposing positions across the room from each other.

Dan can sit over here with less in the way now.  He's an audiophile and loves to listen to music.  In the evenings he uses headphones so I can watch tv.  The way I had it before he had to navigate around a much larger area with his cord the included two chairs and an end table so I decided to give him his own little unobstructed spot.  In fact that was the real inspiration for the change in the layout.

You can see here how the chairs and the sofa were before when I did this arrangement back in February.

He's got it all to himself now.  I hope he likes it when he gets home!

So that's my Spring Fever-Living Room Shuffle!

Kitchen table cozied up!

A few posts back I showed you a cute little cloche I saw at a store. 

By coincidence I already owned the

mirrored tray that was used for the base of this design so I was part way there already!

 This is my version! I used a much

shorter candlestick. Mine is a mercury

glass piece and I set 2 small candle rings around it.  

 The red bells actually jingle!

I put a bottle brush tree inside with

some faux snow and decorative 

red and gold ornaments.

I madly dashed for my camera because the sun was out! I only have a short window of opportunity to grab a shot like this! We get a limited supply

of the sun during the winter months here!   I didn't even notice it's shadow on the wall until I put the picture on my computer!

   

As you can also see I've decked out my chandelier with a wreath I hung upside down and fix with green tie wraps.

I loaded it with clear, white and red ornaments this year.  I piled on some silver edged pine cones and added my red checked ribbon for some extra pizzazz!

I'm enjoying my mornings and seeing this every day! I use these vinyl 

placemats to keep the tablecloth 

clean! This is a live shot in the A.M.!

Thanks for stopping by!

I'm joining Susan at 

Between Naps on the Porch

for 

Metamorphosis Monday 

   &
Tablescape Thursdays 

and
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life
for
Table Top Tuesday  

 

First Fall Decorating

I've finally created my first "fall" project!  This weekend the road side stands had pumpkins, gourds and corn stalks for sale.  I didn't get the corn stalks yet because I had my car and needed something better to transport them in but I'll be back!

This is the rear entrance deck area which we use the most to come into our home.

I usually make some kind of arrangement here because we are the ones to see it the most.  I don't have a formal entrance- we have a side/front door but it's narrow, so this is my presentation area.

I used my rooster (Pier 1 Imports) that I have a welcome sign attached to now.  I tried to add some creative elements too...so here we go!

I added some fleur-de-lis elements too...Notice the fun shaped gourds I found! I was like a kid in a candy shop!

 I took this picture two days before I finished with everything.  I had leaves that had fallen on the deck laying about...we had winds last night the swept them away!  Anyway as soon as more leaves fall it will look better again!

Some pumpkins had a blueish tint and some a pinkish tint.  

This pinkish pumpkin was so perfect it looked like ceramic! 

I brought out my glass cloche and added a small gourd to it!  I'm thinking I should add something else but I haven't decided what yet. This stand I've got it on is vented so it won't build heat or retain moisture which would ruin the little gourd.

Behind it is another flower pot on a stand with a big mum that added a little more dimension to my design.

This is my view as I walk out the back door...

 Like I said I couldn't resist all the fun shaped gourds! 

I loved these flat white pumpkins....they had stacks of three different colors on top of each other that looked great too!  I already had the ceramic bird and I added the ribbon and the faux fall pick for a bit more enhancement!

 I hope you like my first fall decorating!

I'm linking with

Between Naps on the Porch for

Metamorphosis Monday
and
The Dedicated House for
Make it Pretty Monday

 
I was featured!  Thank-you Kathryn!

Hoppin' party-with a 2nd addition!

I began this tablescape with the focus 

of joining the 

Easter/Spring Cloche Party 

over at A Stroll Thru Life but I also wanted to do a tablescape and join
 Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursdays!

I also wanted to do a St. Patrick's Day

post but fell behind, so I combined a couple of themes!

I figure it this way, rabbits would love to eat the clover and I think it looks very spring like so I included my table runner with it's clover or should I say shamrocks!

I have to tell ya this is a hoppin' party! These bunnies have been raiding nests and collecting eggs!  They've been captured 

and revealed under these cloches!

This little one is begging ever so nicely to 

get let out!  Don't worry I'll 

let her out soon!

This one fell asleep! I suppose it was from all that hard work collecting so many eggs!

This one has it made because she's got plenty of flowers to munch on!  

Isn't she a cutie!  

We're going to have some of the Irish Potato Soup we keep reading about and of course a traditional corned beef dinner!  

These bunnies have landed right on the napkins!

I think they look pretty cozy, don't you?

Like I said it's a hoppin' party!

My Bordallo Pinheiro dinnerware pieces add some garden magic, which I think is what attracted these bunnies in the first place!

Thank-you Marty for having your Easter/Spring Cloche Party- and Susan for Tablescape Thursdays glad

we could attend!

Can't wait to have our dinner!

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Thurs. March 15th

I am adding a 2nd part to my posting. 

A friend of mine in New Mexico sent me some pictures of a tablescape she put together for St. Patrick's Day.  Betty's not a blogger yet, but I'm working on her!

 She pulled together a cute table and found some unique "greens" to use! I like these candles and I see some daises were included too!

Her pot of gold is adorned with this leaf

laid inside. I like her cute little basket which I think she put some crackers in for that little leprechaun!

  Ahh, I think he's been here...see his hat on the chair!

I like this leaf shaped bowl too!

The cool glass of water with lemon and lime looks real inviting!

Her linen napkin and the placemat share the same coloring which look great with the green.  I like her layered plates and the green cabbage leaf underneath is perfect for the traditional cabbage and corned beef dinners we so often make for the occasion!

I think she did a great job!

Now Betty we have to get you to start blogging too!

Dishes by:  Large plates, bowl and small bowls are Fitz and Floyd, Florentina

Salad plates are Crate and Barrel, Cypress

Leaf Placemats are by RAZ

Flatware: Italian Countryside

Stemware: Noritake-Breeze (green)

 

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Thank-you for joining me

Hop.....Hop.....Hop on over and 

join the parties!!