Sharing with Sherri

"Tabletop Tuesday"
"Wow Us Wednesday"
"Vintage Inspiration Friday"

A Fall Thrifting Find and Vignette

2011-11-15T13:16:00.000-08:00

It's been such a busy month for me, how bout you?

I told my hubby yesterday that I needed a clone of myself, so she could do

all those chores that seems to take up so much of my time...

and I could spend MY time doing what I love,
like decorating, shopping, creating, and blogging!

Do ever feel like that too?

I did manage to get a couple of Christmas makeover projects
and vignettes finished that I'm pretty excited about...

But before I show you them, I still a few Fallish things left to share.

Luck was shining on me yesterday when I made a quick stop at the local Goodwill...

First of all have you ever been browsing and then see someone else toting around something you would have probably arm wrestled them for? Well thats just what happened when I saw a lady with this candle holder in her hands as well as a couple of faux berry candle wreaths. After I walked around a few minutes looking at other things I discovered she had put the candleholder back!! Yippee!

She probably put it back because she didn't notice this glass hurricane

that was covered in dust and hidden on the back of a top shelf.

Or maybe she just didn't want to touch it because it was so filthy!

I often wear gloves in the thrift stores or keep a pair handy in my purse just for this reason.
At any rate I stood there contemplating whether or not I should also purchase

the filthy hurricane to go with the candle holder,

I wasn't sure if the size was correct and kept thinking if only I had that candle wreath it would be perfect!

So I go up to the cashier and I ask for her opinion on how they look together,
and I tell her it I think it just needs a faux berry candle wreath...
Then just like a magician pulling a rabbit out of the hat, she then reaches down underneath her counter and,
pulls one up and says... you mean like this one?!

Uh... YES just like that one!!

So okay, I'm thinking that same lady must have gotten up to the register and decided

she didn't need the two that she had been carrying around (or the cashier really was a magician!).

Isn't that something?

If I hadn't of said anything to the clerk, she would have never shown it to me.

Don't ya just love it when things work out like that!

As you can see the hurricane also cleaned up beautifully too!

Lucky me!

This is my last Fall... I mean Autumn vignette for the year.

After all it IS still Fall...In fact winter doesn't even start until Dec. 22nd.

...and since we've been having beautiful sunny weather here,

I think I'll just savor Fall for as long as I can...

P. S. Have you gotten your Thanksgiving shopping done yet?

Hubby and I already made sure to get a couple of turkey's so far at 48 cents a pound

with each 50 dollar purchase at our local grocery store.

I love those kind of deals, and am VERY grateful for them!

I just put the extra in the freezer and cook it later on in year!

We are going to try and get one more turkey as well to donate to the local homeless shelter also...

Well friends,

I hope all is going well in your lives, and that you have much to be grateful for too!

Take care, and as always I'm VERY grateful for your visits and comments too!

~Sherri~

Linking to:

Eevy "Ivy" Overs

2011-11-07T18:36:00.000-08:00

Hello friends :)

I managed to get my Halloween things put a way and I even

actually got them down to one storage container like I wanted to

without having to buy a new larger one!

So there I was again with an empty iron rack to re-decorate
The challenge was to come up with something Fallish

and to use things I already had on hand.

I love a challenge...;)

Of course I would love to be able to afford to always use

fresh floral arrangements in my decor,

but of course that would be quite expensive.

So when I use silk flowers or floral picks I always try to add some

fresh greenery, berries, or pinecones, from the yard for that fresh natural element.

There is no shortage of Ivy growing around my house.

See what I mean... here it is growing all over the backyard fence...

I love how the Ivy has intertwined around this tree too.
We've already trimmed away a lot of it, and
we still need to trim much more that is growing up in the tree.

So anyway,
Ivy was my choice to add to this display...

I think it really adds that special touch and

will also last quite long even without water before it wilts.

Ivy always looks very lively and green year round

so it's especially great to use in the Fall

when almost everything else is dying back.

looks great with pinecones too!

I thought I would wheel over this Ivy topiary to show you that I made from a large tomato cage.

I turned it up side down and wired the prongs together to create a pointed top

then added a rusty rooster ;)

Well, that's it!

I'm so glad you stopped by for a visit today,

and I always look forward to hearing from you!

Have a wonderful week!

~Sherri~

Linking to

and

Halloween Display and a Bit of Nostalgia

2011-10-31T10:01:00.000-07:00

Halloween has been one of my favorite holidays for as long as I can remember.
I imagine it has a lot to do with allowing my inner child out to play...

Not that I need much of an excuse to do that, lol!

But I haven't had the Halloween decor out for many moons now,

and pretty much stick to Fall decorating these days.

So I decided to drag out my Halloween stuff, thinkin maybe

I'd go through it and my Christmas stuff too

and have a holiday sale and downscale a bit and try to make some extra money.
Since it had been so long since I had gotten the Halloween stuff out, when I opened the storage container

all of the sudden that inner child decided it wanted to come out to play again!!

Oh look at this... I had forgotten all about you lol!!

I told hubby about my plan for a sale and much to my surprise he said he thought
I should put it out the decorations instead, I guess men get a bit nostalgic too...
aint that sweet?
So with that I was off and running... I mean decorating!

It also helped that I had this wrought iron rack that I didn't have before.

So I actually had a place to display them.

Do you remember it? It WAS painted orange...

(and actually might have been great with the Halloween decor).

But it was one of the things I had decided to paint over the summer.

Luckily the dark bronze still worked well.

Here is the before pic

I had a great time putting this together and it brought back a lot of good memories from Halloweens' past.

I get so nostalgic, especially around holidays...

probably why I have a hard time parting with certain things.

Eeeek a spider!!!
Yep, thats ALMOST what my hubby shrieked when he first found it under the covers...
I'm such a little stinker!!

Here's a faux pumpkin I painted and was going to do one of those cute
decoupaging projects from

"Country Living Magazine"

(like so many bloggers have been doing),
but I couldn't decide what design to do... no surprise there!

Still love this... how could I part with it?

Oh gee, what about these above???
I definitely still love the garden imp on the right and,
the "trick or treat pumpkin on the left.

...and who could resist all these happy smiling faces

Here's Miss Oct. 31st, and Witchy-poo riding a crow, and a couple of spooky cloches.

I actually did decide that I could part with a few things that aren't pictured

But I'm determined to have only ONE storage container instead of two!

Hey, I know... I'll get one larger container...

Ya, that's the ticket!!

Boo wahahahahahaha... ;)

Have a Happy Halloween y'all !!!

I'm joining these blog parties:

"Met Monday"

and

Having a Ball Decorating for Fall!!

2011-10-24T14:26:00.000-07:00

I know I've been away forever it seems,
and I'm sure ya'll have probably forgotten about me,

....but I hope not :)

I really didn't mean to be gone for so long but I've been on a mission
for the past few months trying get things done around the house...
well mostly outdoors and in the yard.

We have a very large yard and have let the pruning go for much too long.

We managed to get a lot done over the summer
but still have more pruning and painting to do...
boo hoo!!

I can hardly believe how fast the time has gone by,
and now it's already the end of October! How did that happen??

We had a really nice summer here
and for once I really kinda hated to see it come to an end.

The weather still continues to be very pleasant but the mornings and evenings are definitely showing the cooler signs of Fall...

I'm lovin it!!

There's nothing like a change in the season to get me in the mood to decorate,

so I decided to take a break from working outdoors to have a little decorating fun!

I have several vignettes I've been playing with and today I'm gonna share my
Fall tablescape with you.

Hope you enjoy it!

Candlesticks make a great base for a cute cloche!

A little Lantana bouquet picked from my neighbors flowerbed
next to my driveway, ...shhhh ;)

This glass pumpkin was a recent thriftin find... perfect for some Fall potpourri!

It didn't have a lid and I'm not sure if it was supposed to, but I thought it needed one and happened to have one that was a nice fit.

You may recognize some of these pretties I've used if followed my blog for long.
I still love them though, and like to mix them up for a bit of a different look.

Thank you for stopping by,
I always appreciate your visits!!
Also, thanks to those of you who didn't give up on me:)
You're the best!

Warmest wishes to you all, and Happy Fall!!
~Sherri~

I'll be joining Linda at "Coastal Charm" for
"Thrifty Tuesday"

and Marty at "A Stroll through Life" for

Also, Kim at "Savvy Southern Style" for

and Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for

Please stop by and visit these fun events for some great inspiration!!

Lilies and Lemonade

2011-06-19T14:33:00.000-07:00

Just popping in to say

that I hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday,

My hunny spent the day yesterday getting the yard and pool area
cleaned up and looking nice
so that he could enjoy a nice relaxing day today.
Only to wake up to this morning to the wind blowing like crazy
and a big mess all over the yard:(

He got up...

took one look outside then jumped back in bed and pulled the covers over his head.

When he got back up again he looked so sad...

See...

I felt so bad for him that I netted the debris out of the pool

and tried to clean up a bit.
I thought maybe a pretty arrangement of day lilies might brighten his day also...
So I cut these and brought them in along with a bit of added greenery.

...and then made his favorite breakfast.

I'm also making a chipotle pasta salad, and green salad to go with BBQ ribs later.

Oh and some fresh squeezed lemonade too!

Yum!!

Hunny is feeling much better now...

See,
he's got some cool lemonade, a new farmers hat, and the remote!
Now what more could you ask for?

Moral to this story...
When life hands you lemons...
Well... you know the rest;)

Y'all have a great day!!
hugs, Sherri:)

Home Tweet Home

2011-06-13T01:10:00.000-07:00

My hunny and I already painted the trim
around the windows on the south side of the house,
and were getting started sprucing up the garden area when we got hit
with our recent rainy spell.

After the storms we noticed that the birdhouse tower I built some 15 years ago
was looking extremely weathered, and either needed to be repaired
or used for kindling next winter!

When I built it, it was supposed to look a bit weathered,
but now it was wobbly and and the birdhouse was rotting,
loosing it's roof and about to fall off the top.

My first inclination was "kindling"!
But hunny said he would try fixing it up.
Well... he got started on it and it didn't take long at all for me to take over, Ha!
After all, if this thing was gona last for another 15 years,
it needed to be fixed up "right", you know what I mean?

Now I know hunny really meant well... but I could tell that the way he was going, that it would be falling down in no time at all.
Don't get me wrong
there are some things he's great at, especially if you're in a hurry. But me, I like to take my time and do a good job on things and not cut corners.
(well most the time anyway).

Hmmm, now where was I?...

Oh yah...

Below is a photo of the garden area I posted back in May of 2009

showing the tower in it's "before" condition (only better).

I removed the birdhouse from the top.
The wood is too rotted to repair...

It just so happened, that I had another birdhouse laying around that was a perfect fit to go on the top! If it hadn't been for that, I probably wouldn't have bothered trying to fix it up because I wasn't up to building another birdhouse this time around...

I replaced several of the the cross pieces that were in bad shape
and added some more across the top.
In fact, don't know why I didn't do that in the first place.
I drilled pilot holes and added screws to stabilize it.

Now... I was also no longer into the weathered unfinished look on it,
plus the replacement birdhouse didn't match the rest of the wood.
So it was time to get the paint and paintbrush out again.

I don't know why but
I've really been on a "paint everything white" frenzy lately!

Bad photo... but here it is all freshly painted!

It seemed just a bit too plain though...

So to add a bit of pizazz I thought a cute sign to hang might just be the ticket.

So...

I found this cute image at the "Graphics Fairy".

The colors were a bit too bold so I did a bit of magic with it on my photo editor

then added the "Home Tweet Home" verse.

Now to frame and hang it,

I used a wood frame from the Dollar Store that I already had on hand.

I drilled a couple of holes in the frame to pull the ribbon through,

and painted it to match.

I tied knots in the ribbon to hold it in place,
and used a thumb tack to attach it to the tower.
Then printed and inserted the birdie print.

I really love how it all turned out,

and I'm glad I decided to give it a new life.

If I was a birdy I think I would happy to make it

"my"

Home Tweet Home!

Well friends, I've gotta fly for now...

So glad you could drop in for a visit,

Please come back again any 'ol time!

Every birdies welcome;)

~SHERRI~

I'm linking up with

"Metamorphosis Monday"

and

"Outdoor Wednesday"

Be sure to visit these blog parties for some inspiration and fun!

Copper Coffee Pot Planter

2011-06-07T14:45:00.000-07:00

The sun is out today and I think it's safe to say
that the June winter weather is finally over,

and so is the awful flu bug I've had too...

I just went out to take a look around the yard...
Everything is looking so green after all the rain we've had.
My two tomato plants I planted have grown over a foot in the last week,
and have several tomatoes on them!

It's already got me dreaming of fresh vine ripened tomato salsa!
Yum!

With all the wet weather and getting sick,
I'm so behind on getting things done around the house.

I've got to get busy and get caught up.

But before I get too busy...
I just had to show you my latest treasure
I found at a very chic little resale boutique

called "La Bienveillance"
(Well thats the french translation anyway) tee hee!

Now,
some of you may already know that I have a thing for silver,
but maybe you didn't know that I also have a thing for copper.

So when I saw this unique copper coffee pot my excitement level went into overdrive!
Copper with silver...oh my! Well actually it's pewter...
But pewter was once known as the poor man's silver back in the day.

I wasn't really sure what I was going to do with it but I was definitely sure

I had to add it to my collection!

After I had cleaned and polished what seemed like a century's
worth of tarnished crud off of it.
I decided to put it on top of this pewter plate that I already had.
Okay, I like it!
Now hmm... what goes with a coffee pot?
Uh coffee, of course!!
So I filled a cute little apothecary jar with coffee beans
and placed it next to it on the kitchen counter
where my piggy planter had been,

for a bit more sophisticated frenchy look!

Besides... I love re-arranging things to help keep my home feeling fresh!

Here's the coffee pot without the plant so you can see the detail
and design a bit better...

I also like it next to this frenchy biscotti tin!

Well I'd love to stay and chat some more
but better scoot for now.
I've got projects waiting to get done to show you!

Hope you have a nice week, and thanks for stopping by!!
Sherri:)

I'll be joining Marty for
"Tabletop Tuesday" and Kim for "Wow us Wednesday"
please stop by and say hello to them both and check out the
other participants for some great inspiration!

Red, White, and Blue Transferware Tablescape

2011-05-24T16:40:00.000-07:00

Hi bloggy friends!

With Memorial Day coming up this weekend I thought I would try

putting together a tablescape with a bit of a patriotic flair to it.

Most of the pieces I have used in other displays previously...

but being the thrifty girl that I am,
it's always fun for me to try and see if I can come up with
an entirely different look and feel.

just by changing a few things like the tablecloth,
or the combination of dishes and accessories.

The cobalt blue glasses are a new recent T/S find.

Both toile pitchers were bargains from Ross Stores.

This tablecloth which is actually fabric from my stash

really pulls the color scheme together.

The white ceramic napkin rings are also a recent T/S find too!

The transferware plates as well as the creamer and sugar bowl

by Royal Warwick china /"Lochs of Scotland" were given to me

by my dear MIL.

*****

Hope you all have a fantastic Holiday weekend!
We will probably BBQ and hangout around the poolside.

In closing... I'd just like to pay tribute to those who have served

our country and to those that also made the ultimate sacrifice in doing so.

May God bless them and their families as well...

Big hugs to you all!
Sherri:)

Blog parties I'll be linking to this week:

"Nifty Thrifty Tuesday"

Farm Fresh Tablescape

2011-05-18T11:55:00.000-07:00

I had been busy outdoors since my last post enjoying the wonderful spring weather, planting tomatoes, pruning hedges and bushes, preparing to repaint the trim around the windows on the the south side of the house where the paint is cracked, peeling and in desperate need of new paint... Well actually new windows,

but since that's not in the budget it will have to be just new paint for now...

I scraped and sanded till I thought my arms would fall off,
when mother nature decided to bring back some cold raining

winter like weather and brought everything to screeching halt.

My hands were actually ready for a break anyway, cuz they are

cracked and peeling now like the paint!!

Too bad I can't just repaint them too and have them good as new again!

Instead I've been keeping them moisturized and protected till they are feeling better.

While they are healing and I'm waiting for nice weather to return I thought I'd share this tablescape that was inspired by a few new T/S treasures I found.

I found this white cow pitcher at my favorite out of town T/S "Deseret", and you know there's NO way I can pass up an adorable pitcher, lol!
Plus I knew it would make a great addition to the white stoneware I've been collecting.
I added the little copper cow bell myself cuz, well I had one...

and a cow's gotta have a cow bell, right?!

Some of you may remember this oval rattan tray

I bought a while back at the local Goodwill, well can you believe I went back to the same G/W months later and found these matching chargers?!!

Happy dance!!

These white stoneware dishes I also found at G/W.

I love the mixed patterns.

These green and white striped napkins are actually dishcloths from the dollar store!

They were just what I was looking for!

They even came in a pack of two, so I got all four

of them for 2 bucks... happy dance again!

My lil fitz and floyd piggies wanted to join the fun!

They brought some radishes,

and I brought some garlic chives from my garden...

Crackled glass stemware for a bit of glitz, just in case your in the moooo'd to celebrate with a bit of champagne with your brunch.

Cabbage candle holders to add to the theme.

Thats it folks, and guess what? The sun is coming out as I type

yay!

The rest of the week is supposed to be nice weather so hopefully

I'll be painting by tomorrow after things have a chance to dry out today.

Thanks as always for stopping by to visit and

I hope your week is going well!

I'll be linking up with the following blog parties.

Be sure to stop by and visit with our charming hostesses,

and for lots of inspiration!

...and

Sunny Citrus Inspiration

2011-05-02T19:16:00.000-07:00

I never thought for a moment that this wrought iron
bakers/garden rack that I recently got would ever stay painted orange...
but as I started
to play with it and fill it with pretties that I had around the house

the more I was liking it in these fun citrus colors!

So... what do you think???

Wouldn't it look adorable on this cheery porch?!

Where's my paint brush?!

This darling duck had been in my storage closet,

I couldn't seem to find just the right place to put it.

Now it looks right at home...

My first intentions were to paint the rack black or in oil rubbed bronze

or maybe white, and put it indoors.

and still might change it eventually, I'm still not sure...

Decisions, decisions...

But the more citrus inspiration I found, like this sunny bedding ensemble,

the more difficult the decision becomes.

How creative and fun is this citrus cake?!

Although comtemporary style is not really for me,

I thought this living area decorated in citrus colors looked really fun and tropical...

and with the addition of the palm tree, it reminded me of a vacation right at home!

All you would need is a ...

refreshing tropical citrus drink!

Last but not least check out this fresh and adorable kitchen decorated
with citrus wallcoverings!
How SWEET!

Thanks for stopping by... I always look forward to every visit!!
Sunny wishes to you all!!
Sherri:-)

Btw, I would also just like to thank everyone for their especially
nice comments on my last lilacs post, and to Marty for featuring it on her blog!

This week I'll be joining these bloggy party's:

A Stroll thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday

Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays

Mackinac Island~Lilacs~and~Dreams

2011-04-27T01:11:00.000-07:00

Hi friends,

were having perfect sunny spring weather here this week!

But... unfortunately last weeks weather was a bit on the cloudy and rainy side, so I spent more time indoors, and was hardly able to even enjoy
my favorite lilac bush thats been in bloom and now fading fast.

But before they finally fade away for another year
I wanted to create a table setting/vignette on my patio that is
reminiscent of a special place
I read about in the above issue of Victoria Magazine
years ago called Mackinac Island.

Mackinac Island is a charming place by the sea

in the state of Michigan where Lilacs grow abundant.

Where it's lush and green, and Victorian architecture lines the streets.

Where the people are friendly and smile as they pass by...

Where you can take a horse and carriage ride,

while breathing in the sweet fragrance that drifts through the air.

As I sat in the warm sunshine by the poolside

I imagined myself there at Mackinac Island...

the fragrance of the lilacs at my table, a small Victorian (bird)house,

starfish from the sea, and a cool drink...

The only thing missing was you...

and a horse and carriage!

Maybe next time!

Till then hugs and sweet dreams!

Sherri:-)

I'll be linking up with Marty for

With Kim for

also...

With Kathleen for

"White Wednesday"

Easter Blues Decor

2011-04-21T02:53:00.000-07:00

Easter will soon be here, and as I think of all the families

that will be getting together for their holiday festivities,

I'm once again reminded how much I will miss not being able
to be with my Mom and sister again :(

Before they both moved away I had many

Easter celebrations at my home.

We always had so much fun, and lots of laughter.

I REALLY miss that...

On a lighter note...

I had a garage sale over the last weekend.

I made myself a promise that what did not sell,
would NOT go back in my storage room and I would donate.
(Okay, just a couple of things did;)

Well that turned out to be two truck loads!

Mind you this was an acumulation of close to thirty years of stuff.

So it was long overdue!

Besides I needed the space to keep some of the new pretties I found recently,

like this blue and white transferware platter and bunny with blue hand painting on it!

together with my collection of cobalt blue glassware I put together this sweet little Easter display.

I hope it makes you smile like it did me:)

Some other recent treasures that I've acquired.
are these cobalt blue and white
Lomonosov Russian porcelain teacups and saucers.

I thought they were so pretty and unique!
I had never before seen Russian china until now.

Well dear friends,

I hope you enjoy your Easter holiday with your loved ones!

...and even if you can't be together with them this time,

I hope find something to do that makes you smile!

Many blessings to you, and thanks for visiting!!

Hugs, Sherri:-)

I'll be joining Sherry for her

"Open House Party"

and

Cindy for

"Show and Tell Friday"

Vintage Rabbit and Toile

2011-04-12T00:14:00.000-07:00

Just poppin in... or should I say hoppin in,

to say HI and share a quick little vignette featuring

a little vintage rabbit print and transferware pitcher
(that looks like toile to me)...

The print was not the right size to fit the frame I wanted to use,
so I added the toile background using my photo editor.

Have you happened to notice that I have a thing for pitchers,

not to mention cute farm animals!

I think maybe I must have been a milk maid on a farm in a past life... tee hee!

Now I'm just a MAID !!

wink wink!!

Have a great day Ya'll!!

Hugs, Sherri;-)

I'm linking up with :

The "Easter Party" over at "Centsational Girl"

also, "Tabletop Tuesday" at "A Stroll Through Life",

"Wow Us Wednesday at "Savvy Southern Style",

"White Wednesday" at "Faded Charm",

and the "Open House Party" at "No Minimalist Here"

Favorite Cupboard and Shelves

2011-04-05T02:08:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!
I'm joining Sheila over at "Note Songs" , she's having a party
to celebrate of the heart of the home! Your kitchen!

I've been so busy preparing for it, along with doing a lot of
Spring cleaning around the house that I almost missed it!

Sheila's party was a great motivator for me...

You see, I have been meaning to clean out and re-organize

my kitchen cupboards for some time now.

I have already been going through other rooms in the house

because I'm getting ready to have a garage sale.
Now I can also check the kitchen off my list!

First before I get to the kitchen I gotta show you my VERY Favorite cupboard!

My china cabinet... Some of you may remember this lil beauty I bought from Craiglist.

Every time I look at it, it still makes me smile :D
I also recently added a couple of new piece to it...
including a pretty pitcher that I recently bought at "Ross".

I've also been cleaning out my storage closet and came across this cute basket and urn, and decided they would make a nice napkin and utensil holder.

I was ready for a change from the matching rooster set that was there before...

Now this cabinet probably doesn't look that exciting but it is the most used cabinet in my kitchen. It contains all my baking necessities and spices too!

I love this little two tiered lazy susan, it's great for easy access to my spices and etc.

I use a lot of packaged seasonings as well so

I keep them organized in this little plastic container.

Not terribly cute... but functional.

Maybe I'll find a nifty lil basket or something a bit more cute to use instead.

I also reorganized and redecorated my bookshelf in my kitchen area.

Anyone remember my talking rooster pitchers?! Lol!

Speaking of talking roosters...

My neighbors have recently got a live rooster that has been

driving me crazy with it's constant crowing every morning.

I'm telling you that darn thing starts crowing at daylight and crows

every 8 to 10 seconds (I counted) nonstop for hours! Aaack!

Needless to say my love of roosters is beginning to fade a bit...

But they quiet ones are still sooo darn cute!

I finally removed my set of encyclopedia's from the book shelf,

and will be adding them to my garage sale.

Do you think that anyone even still uses them these days?!

Anyway, I put this wire basket in it's place.

And guess what else?

The oranges aren't the only fruit that's ripe and ready in the backyard...

Time to get the juicer out again and make lemonade!!

Stop by and join me will sit out on the patio

and soak up some warm wonderful Spring air and sunshine!

See you soon! I hope...

Have a wonderful week!!

Hugs, Sherri :-)

I'll also be linking up with Marty over at "A Stroll through Life" for

"The Well Appointed House"

Be sure to stop by and visit!!

also Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays at Coastal Charm.

Click the the button below for the link!

Tufted Chair & Ottoman/ with Spring Pillow

2011-03-28T00:05:00.001-07:00

It's been a long week of of dreary weather...
But I think Spring may have finally arrived!

Sunny days and warmer temps are in the forecast for this week!

Yay!!

Lately I've just fallen crazy in love with tufted furniture.

So you can imagine how lucky I felt when I found this sweet chair and ottoman recently at an estate sale.

I won't tell you how much I got it for because you'd probably never believe

$20.00

So I just won't tell you ;-)

I love it's very frenchy curved lines and cream colored jacquard fabric.

But of course it just had to have little color!

So, as luck would have it again,

I found two beautiful floral napkins at my local thrift shop

and thought they were just what this chair needed.

One I used to drape over the back in a triangular direction to

show off the Springy looking tulips!

The other I decided would make a great pillow in a rectangular shape.

It couldn't have been any easier!

Just folded the napkin it in half right side together and did a quick machine stitch around the edges, then left an opening to insert the batting,

then hand stitched the opening closed using a

"blind stitch".

I gotta tell ya, that sewing term has taken on a whole new meaning for me!!

I also got this lovely silver teapot that looks oh so sweet

on my favorite silver tray I showed you recently.

They have both found a new home here on the ottoman along with some pretty Camellias I picked from the front yard.

Here's a look at the curved back... Ooo la la!

Well friends,
I've got sooo many Spring projects I want and need to do,

sooo...

I'd better get busy, busy, busy!!

Hope everyone has a great week filled with lots of sunny Spring weather!

Hugs, kisses, and sunny wishes!

Sherri

I'll be linking up this week with several party's

and will add them as they come up.

Thank you to all our wonderful hostesses!

1. "Metamorphosis Monday" @BNOTP

2. "Tabletop Tuesday" @ AStroll Through Life

3. "Wow us Wednesday" @ Savvy southern Style

4. "White Wednesday" @ Faded Charm

It Never Rains In California... But Man It Pours!!!

2011-03-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

We've had a very stormy welcome to spring here in Northern California!

Boo Hoo!!!

We've already had several days of drenching rain along with a night

of howling winds.....and there is more to come!

When I heard there was more on the way I knew I had to do something quick

to bring a little sunshine indoors to get me through it!!

So....

While there was a brief break in the weather,

I went out in the backyard to pick some oranges from our tree...

Here is our tree...

The oranges are ripe, ready and SO juicy and sweet this year!

In my humble opinion California oranges are

THE BEST!!

I just had to pick some and bring them in and make some
delicious fresh squeezed juice!

See me picking them here in my cute little outfit?!! Tee hee!

Hmmm...

While it's storming it might be a good time to go to the Mall
to look for a new pair of shoes ;)

I also brought in some daisies that are in bloom in the backyard and put them in these jars inside my wire basket to help keep my mood sunny during all this rain.

Also put some of my beautiful oranges in a bowl beside my cute green colored glass vintage citrus juicers...

Of course I actually used my electric juicer to juice the oranges though...

I also like my juice pulp free so I use stainer as well!

Just in case the daisies and oranges aren't enough

to get me through the stormy weather...

I had my hubby to build this hot air balloon from one of my oranges,

so we can fly out of here until the storms have passed!!

If you're having sunny skies where you live,

would you mind if we drop in for a visit?!!

Hugs, Sherri:)

I'm linking to

"Tabletop Tuesday"

with our very sweet hostess "Marty" at "A Stroll Through Life".

I'll also be linking to

"Outdoor Wednesday"

hosted by "Susan" at

"A Southern Daydreamer".

Irish Green with a Frenchy Theme

2011-03-16T01:07:00.000-07:00

When decorating a room,
creating an inspiration board is a great way to help you
put together a mood for the look you're trying to achieve.

Even though you most likely won't be able find everything

from your board for your room,

you can get a good start.

Green is not only the color we think of around St. Patricks day but,

it's also the ultimate color of nature.

Green also acts as a soothing neutral for virtually every color scheme,

and it works in virtually every room of your home.

I've collected photos of some things that I'd be delighted
to have in a room decorated in of green.
I've also added a mix of creamy whites
and rich wood tones as well!

This first gorgeous green velvet button tufted ottoman out in front

was the my first piece of inspiration!

Ooo la la!

These gorgeous decorative pillows from

would accent the sofa above beautifully!

More green velvet on this frenchy chair with a lovely patterned design!

I found this wonderful print entitled "Vogue 1909"

on a website with tons of gorgeous free vintage prints.

This print also compliments the pillows above carrying on the peacock motiff...

Click "HERE" to find this print and many more!

How about a very cool and unique green velvet screen accented

with upholstery nail heads.

This pair of elegant vases would look wonderful on top

this very frenchy commode below!

Last but not least look at this incredible chandy with green beaded shades,

crystals, and hanging tassels!

From

"Lamps Plus"

Now after putting all my inspiration photos together I think you can really

get a feel for what this room would look like.

I hope you had a little fun with this idea and will try it doing one of your own.

I know I always seem to be dreaming of that next decorating project!

This is a fun way to do it and not spend a dime!! lol!

Now go get your

GREEN on...

and have a GREAT St. Patty's day!!

Sherri:-)

I'll be joining...

for my first time, please stop by

Savvy Southern Style and prepare to be

Wow'd!!

Our Bloomin Almond Orchard

2011-03-06T22:00:00.000-08:00

Our almond orchard is in bloom again so SPRING is just around the corner!
Yippee!
It was a bee-utiful day when I took these photos,
but just a few short days later a FREEZE WARNING was being forecasted!
Definitely NOT what you want to hear at this time!

When the trees are in bloom we basically hold our breath and pray for good weather.

Too much rain or cold or wind will keep the bees from leaving the hives to pollinate.
They need plenty of warm sunny weather to do their thing!

But a FREEZE could destroy your whole crop!

The early variety was in full bloom

while the later varieties were only about half way or so.

Look at the bloom on this baby!!

I always think of the blossoms as being pink but actually
the buds are white and the center of the flower is pinkish.

Above you can see one of the sets of hives on the right in this photo...

Black plastic tarp is used to cover them so the bees will stay warmer and

more productive.

Well I think we escaped the dreaded freeze for now...

My hubby has a little test he does to check for freeze damage.

He splits open the base of the blossom where the nut is formed,

if it has turned black then it's all BAD!!

But... so far so good!!

Now we just pray all else goes well for the rest of the year...

Thanks for coming by!!

Hugs, Sherri:)

Please stop by Susan's for

"Outdoor Wednesday"
for some outdoor inspiration!!

Silver Tray Treasure!

2011-01-25T11:36:00.000-08:00

My latest trip to Goodwill was a lucky one indeed!

Sometimes I even think I hear the store calling to me when there is a wonderful treasure there just waiting for me!

This large footed tray with gorgeous repousse detailed edges took my breath away when I spotted it! Though heavily tarnished I knew with a bit of polishing with my Wright's silver polish cream, I could bring it back to it's sparkling glory!

No that doesn't say $499.00 it says $4.99. Woo hoo!

Although I have seen similiar repousse silver trays on

e-bay for much more that 500 bucks!

Here it is all polished up and ready to serve up a lovely tea!

I like to leave just a bit of the tarnish in the crevices to bring out the wonderful detail!

Serving up some tea or goodies on a lovely silver tray is a perfect way to treat yourself, or make that special someone in your life feel extra special!

***

We are having some wonderful sunny weather here!

I have started doing a bit of early Spring cleaning around my house!

Also my hubby and I have been busy helping his Mom with some sprucing up
around her house too!

Funny how a little sunny weather inspires me to clean!

How bout you?!

Have a wonderful week!

Sherri:)

I'm linking to
Table Top Tuesday
Hosted by Marty from "A Stroll through Life"
So please stroll over to visit her
and the other participants for some lovely inspiration!

Mosaic Monday~Matinee

2011-01-10T02:46:00.000-08:00

My kitty is always posing and either looking so cute or silly

I thought wow this cat should be on T.V. or maybe even in the movies,

hmmm....

Cue music...

They're gonna put me in the movies....

They're gonna make a big star outta me...ow!

We'll make a film about a ~~man~~ cat who's ~~sad and lonely~~ (fat and sassy)...

...and I'll I gotta to do is act naturally...

Well I'll bet you I'm gonna be a big star...

Might win an Oscar, you can never tell..

The movies gonna make me a big star,

cuz I can play the part sooooo well!

Well I hope you'll come and see me in the movies...

Then I'll know that you will plainly see...

The ~~biggest fool~~ (cutest cat) that ever hit the big time...

and all I gotta to do is act naturally...

♫ ♫ ♫ ♫

We'll make the scene about a ~~man~~ (cat) whose ~~sad and lonely~~ (fat and sassy),
and beggin down upon ~~his~~ (her) bended knee,

I'll play the part and I wont need rehearsin...
all I have to do is act naturally...

repeat chorus...

Starring.... my kitty

Produced by... Yours truly

Music by... Ringo Starr and The Beatles

Linking to
Mosaic Monday

Have a wonderful day darlings.... Mwah, Mwah!

Bea-u-ti-ful Buttes

2011-01-05T00:30:00.000-08:00

After a long rainy New Years weekend of putting away ~~all~~ most the

Christmas decorations the sun finally came out!

Hubby and I decided to go for a drive today out to our almond orchard

at the base of the beautiful Sutter Buttes.

The velvety slopes have already started to turn a lovely shade of green with

the abundant amount of rain we've had!

I couldn't resist the opportunity to get out and enjoy the warm sun

and take a few photos of the mountain surroundings.

Moooo!...

I don't know WHY I have to moo at cows when I see them...

but I can't help myself!!

a little photo magic...

The Sutter Buttes are the worlds smallest mountain range.
They were formed a million and half years ago by this now extinct volcano!

Hope it doesn't decide to wake up someday!!
I'll bet the people who work in the radio station up there
on top of it hope the same too!

A secret little culvert we discovered.
Love all the moss growing on the stones!

More photo magic!

A grazing horse becomes a painting!!

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and places to pray in,

where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul. –John Muir

Such awesome beauty!

An abandoned cat my hubby has adopted and brings food to.

He's such an ol' softy....

Inside our orchard... by next month these trees will be covered

in beautiful pink blossoms!

So glad you could stop by!

I hope you enjoyed the scenery as much as I did!

I'll be joining Susan at a Southern Daydreamer for

Outdoor Wednesday

Pop over to visit her blog for some more outdoor fun!

Warm sunny wishes to you!

Sherri:-)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 2011

2011-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

~A Time for New Beginnings~

"This is a time for reflection as well as celebration.

As you look back on the past year and all that has taken place in your life,

Remember each experience for the good that has come of it
and for the knowledge you have gained.

Remember the efforts you have made and the goals you have reached.

Remember the love you have shared and the happiness you have brought.

Remember the laughter, the joy, the hard work, and the tears.

And as you reflect on the past year, also be thinking of the new one to come.

Because most importantly, this is a time of new beginnings
and the celebration of life."

~***~

Taylor Addison

Wishing you a year of Love, Laughter, Good Health and Happiness!

Hugs, Sherri :-)

Heirloom Christmas Tablescape

2010-12-22T19:26:00.000-08:00

A Joyeux Noel to you blogging friends!

Thanks for joining me for what will be my last tablescape for the year of 2010!

Wow!

Hard to believe a year has past since I last ~~said~~ typed those very same words for 2009!

(For a peek at that tablescape click on the

Snow White Doves tablescape on my sidebar.)

Since then I have grown through blogging and have grown even closer

to the blogging friends I've made.

We've shared so much with each other...

Our hopes our dreams and sorrows... Our prayers for brighter tomorrows.

Thanks so much to all of you for becoming such an important part of my life!

Now before I wind up in a puddle of sentimental tears...

Lets get on with the show!!

This tablescape was inspired by a collection of pretties

that has been passed on to me by very special people in my life.

Also, with things that have been collected by me that will be passed on in the future!

Silver tray chargers all thrift store treasures that I've collected.

My centerpiece is made up of a glass Princess House cake stand

with a smaller silver stand on top of that.

A pretty set of silver candlesticks, gorgeous lace tablecloth,

and silver compote dish all from my sweet MIL.

I added my glass votive holders and votives.

This sweet double heart shaped silver tray and lovely silver salt and pepper shakers
as well as the lovely silver basket shown above,

were all gifts from my dear long time friend Mary.

Need a special looking bottle of wine for your holiday party?

Create your own label, like I did here!

You could even make it personalized and add some

jingle bells or a pretty bow for a wonderful hostess gift too!

My wonderful Momma gave me this beautiful set of
Onieda's "Baroque Rose" pattern silverware that she had for about 43 years.

Of course,

I had to use some floral, and berry pick for accents and

as well as cut fresh pine from the yard!

Crackled glass stemware were Goodwill treasures!

Red plates from Marshall's this year.
Placemats I've had... can't remember where I bought them!

I think they came from Gottschalks, before they went out of business!

I hear they may be re-opening soon, wouldn't that be great!

White ironstone dinner plates here along with my green majolica plates.

I also used wide sheer glittery ribbon

to cover the the napkins for an extra special look!

***

I'll be joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch,

as well as Marty from A Stroll Through Life

who have both been excellent hostesses for the past year

and such an inspiration to us all!

Please stop by and visit their blog's for

Tablescape Thursday

and

Tabletop Tuesday

... and thanks for joining me!

For...

Well friends, that wraps up this final and (my favorite) tablescape for the year!!

I hope you enjoyed it!

May you have a most blessed Christmas and a very Happy New Year!!

Big Holiday Hugs to you all!!

Sherri :)

Christmas with Touches of Nature

2010-12-20T00:31:00.000-08:00

I decided to keep my Christmas decorating simple this year.

Mostly by adding natural elements found right in my own backyard.

Here I made a cute lil homespun Christmas display on my black chair.

By just taking a faux berry wreath then added some pine greenery underneath it.

Then adding my favorite yelloware mixing bowl, tossed some lemons in it along with the leaves, and an accent of bit more pine and berries.

As you can see I couldn't leave well enough alone.

Of course I had to add a couple of bows and a pick in the the center.

This diplay was done on my butcher block table next to the black chair.
I used more mixing bowls, lemons,
and more berries and greenery on a large plaid napkin.

I had also been wanting to do one of these greetings from my scrabble letters
every since I saw it somewhere else around blogland!

18 point word score!!
Hmm... should of went with "JOYEUX NOEL"!!

I bought this lil piggy years ago in an antique shop, it's actually is a cookie jar and I had just about decided it was time to retire it when I heard it oink and say...
Hey I might look cute as a planter, won't you give me another chance?!

...and you thought I was just a sucker for roosters!!

A Fitz and Floyd Christmas plate here,

and a cute lil rooster/hen? votive holder I bought last year at Ross,
also a potted silk amaryllis.

Oh and more pine and real berries.

I also added some of these cute lil holiday tags that were in my

Victoria "Holiday Bliss" magazine.

This wicker star planter, was a thrift store find.

I had been on the lookout for a cute set of reindeer and spotted these at yard sale, down the street from my house.

My sweet friend Mary gave me this wonderful lil treasure.

After deciding to retire of some of her stuff.

I love the chippy rustiness of it!

I knew right away just what I would do with it!!

Pine cones and greenery!

Thanks Mary!

Well thats all folks!
I hope you all are having a very happy holiday!
Love and warm wishes, Sherri:)

I'm linking to the holiday's edition of
Metamorphosis Monday ...
hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

also,

Tabletop Tuesday

hosted by Marty at A Stroll Through Life

Head on over for some awesome inspiration!

A White Ironstone Christmas

2010-12-08T15:24:00.000-08:00

I hope you everyone had a very nice Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately we had some sad news just before Thanksgiving...

My 92 year old father-in-law passed away.

He had only been in our family a few years but he was a very special man

and will be dearly missed.

My hubby and I have since been spending alot of time with his
Mom trying to help her through this difficult time.

Now here it is already over a week into December!

I'm just now starting a bit of decorating for the holidays,

but having a hard time getting into the holiday spirit:(

I did put together this little vignette with some white Ironstone pieces I've been collecting for a while... and it helped cheer me up!! Yay!

The cutout vase was from Target.

The branch and pine greenery from my backyard, (free)!

The white ornaments and snowflakes were from the Dollar Tree

These little musical angels were also from Dollar Tree!

Aren't they sweet?!

I considered spray painting the branch...

maybe in white or bronze but couldn't decide...so I left it natural.

What do you think?

***
UPDATE...
I decided to spray paint the branch after Cathy's suggestion, and before Sue said I should leave it natural. It honestly didn't make a huge difference but I do think it stands out a bit more nicely painted...

Branch painted with Krylon's oil rubbed bronze spray paint.

These two pitchers I bought just the other day at my favorite local T/S!

The cabbage plates were from Marshall's a while back. I thought they looked nice in the background to pull the white and green colors together.

I like to mix cut fresh greenery with artificial picks
it helps give them a more authentic look.
These picks above were also from the Dollar Tree.

And yes... My very first official real cloche!!
I got so excited to find this one at G/W!
Looks so cute on this white Ironstone plate with this little green bird,
and a green and white gingham ribbon bow on it.

This little cut work votive holder also from the Dollar Tree

looks cute alongside the cut work vase.

Here's another little display I did in my open kitchen cabinet ...

Love my whimsical little Bailey's winking cups...
Hmm... Baileys and coffee, always sounds good
on a cold winters night around holidays! ;)

I had been wanting a cute soup tureen, and finally found this one with a fruit motif
that went well with my kitchen decor.

Along with my collection tranferware dishes.

Well it's a start, but I have much more to do! I hope I can get it done soon or Christmas will have already come and gone!
Time just seems to go by so fast these days!

Maybe I'm just getting much slower than I used to be....
Nah, couldn't be that ;)

Hugs, Sherri:)

I know this is not the traditional tablescape
but since it does have dishes on a table I'll be linking to

Tablescape Thursday

Thank you to Susan our sweet hostess from
"Between Naps on the Porch".

I'll also be linking to
White Wednesday
with Kathleen from "Faded Charm".

as well as
Hooked on Holiday Tours

Okay one last one ...

Marty's Christmas Cloche Party

Please visit all these wonderful blog events
and the other participants for some wonderful inspiration!!
Thanks!!

Happy Thanksgiving~ Sweet Friends!

2010-11-25T01:47:00.000-08:00

"I’m Thankful for You"

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time
for focusing on the good in our lives.
In each of our days,
we can find small blessings,
but too often we overlook them,
choosing instead to spend our time
paying attention to problems.

Starting now,
let’s be on the lookout
for the bits of pleasure in each hour,
and appreciate the people who
bring love and light to everyone
who is blessed to know them.
You are one of those people.
On Thanksgiving,
I’m thankful for you.
Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving My Sweet Friends! Hugs, Sherri:)

Athena Ironstone Fall Tablescape

2010-11-17T19:19:00.000-08:00

This will most likely be my last FALL tablescape for the year.

I must admit that I'm getting hooked on doing tablescapes though!

They really are sooo much fun!

This tablescape was inspired by these ironstone dishes, the pattern is called Athena. They are still available at Pier One Imports.

The Ironstone centerpiece vase with the little cutouts in it came from "Target".

I'm not sure if it's still available or not.

The berries and greenery in the vase came from a bush in my backyard!

Don't ask what kind of bush... cuz I don't have a clue what it's called lol!

But it sure has gorgeous orangey colored berries on it this time of year,

and they go excellently with these orange napkins from Kohl's!

Most of the other items are T/S finds of course!

Including the this wonderful runner and leaf patterned tablecloth.

The beautiful sage green placemats were a gift from my blogging friend Cathy!

I was so excited about finding these beautiful vintage amber colored stemware!

They are a perfect compliment to the amber tone in the dishware and tablecloth.

This is the dinner plate.
The gold chargers were a gift from several years ago.

I love this yummy smelling mosiac glass candle I bought last year at Kohls,

I do believe they also had them this year as well!

I also love this very cool ELIXER amber glass vintage bottle I found while
treasure hunting!

Of course you know I had to include a Rooster...

This cute ironstone tureen was another T/S treasure!

One last look!

Oh, I almost forgot about mentioning the cute little Sun shaped frame

I used as a trivet, I thought it went well with the Star shaped chargers and

added a bit of a Celestial feeling

The cute little ironstone dish and cutout votive holder when put together

kinda look like a flower don't they?!

Well friends I hope you enjoyed your visit today!

As always.. I do love to hear from you!

So don't forget to leave me a comment!

Thanks!!

I'll be linking up with Susan @ BNOTP for

Be sure to stop by to visit her and the other participants

for some creative tablescaping inspiration!

~***~

We're supposed to have a cold rainy weekend here,

and I'm looking forward to curling up in front of the fire with my new issue of ...

...to start looking for some inspiration

to start

Decking ~the~ Halls!!

Hmmm....

Decking ~the~ Halls...

Actually the halls are about the only place

I don't do any Christmas decorating lol!

What are your plans for the weekend?!

Hope it's a good one!

Hugs, Sherri:)

Little Changes in my Master Bath~

2010-11-14T20:49:00.000-08:00

Hi there friends!
Making little changes in my home is something I love doing,
and never seem to tire of.

Today I'm showing you some of the changes I've made in the Master bath.

I previously had a large gold framed picture above my tub that I decided to change with a smaller one without gold frame .
It seems more in scale and doesn't compete so much with my wallpaper.

I also decided that it was time to launder my window treatments, up until now I had only vacuumed them for fear they might not launder well.

But I had finally made up my mind though that I was just gonna do it,

and if they didn't survive, well then so be it!

But as it turns out they washed up beautifully!

Then I also decided to remove the blue trim and bow

from the valance that I made for a bit less fussy look.

Then I discovered that I could also take apart the faucet knobs on the tub

and I repainted the polished brass rings on them with

Krylon's Oil rubbed Bronze spray paint.

The photo above is the way it looked "before".

The light fixture above the mirror was looking a bit dated in the polished brass finish,
so decided to paint them.

It was a subtle change, but I like it!

I just got a piece of newspaper and loosened the fixture a bit to tuck it behind it to keep the paint off the wallpaper. I used acrylic crafters paint called

Metallic Taupe by "Folkart".

I used a one inch paint brush and stippled it on like you would a stencil.

Fixtures "after".

I also decided it was time to make a change with this other gold framed picture.

What do you think?
I'm really happy with how this turned out!
Much lighter and frenchy looking.

I got this free vintage picture from the

"Graphics Fairy blog"

It started out looking like this..

but then I played with it using my photo editing program until I changed it into shades of blue with touches of green to make it a perfect match for my bathroom wallpaper!

I also love the fact that it say "Violettes" on it

since my wallpaper and fabric design is called

"Sweet Violets".

I'm joining our sweet hotess, Susan and the other participants for

Metamorphosis Monday

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful week!

Hugs, Sherri :-)

Embroidered Chenille Table Runner

2010-11-09T12:20:00.000-08:00

Just popping in to share with you this

gorgeous rich looking dark brown embroidered chenille table runner

that I spotted the other day at "ROSS".

It screamed take me home with you!

So since it was only $9.99

How could I say no!

I gave it a nice home (for now;) here on my dining table...

Love the rich bouillon fringe!

Too bad they only had one or I would have bought two
and made matching place mats to go with it!
Oh well...that's the way it goes sometimes!

Hope all is well with you and yours!

Are you still enjoying Fall?!

Or are you all ready to start decorating for Christmas?!

Me, I'd like to savor Fall just a little bit longer...

I'm joining our wonderful hostess Marty for