Spring It On

Happy spring! It's the first day of spring so you know what that means. Time to freshen up the mantle!









I'm keeping the look light and airy. Silver mercury glass candle sticks and turquoise mercury glass birds are the right combination. I used the same candle sticks I always keep on the mantle. So far, I've used them on both the fall and Christmas decorated mantles.









A branch and a grass bird's nest with speckled eggs bring in a natural element. Fresh leaves from my yard add more lively green color.




















Now that the mantle is done, maybe I should move on to spring cleaning. How about you? What are you doing to freshen up for the season? Can't wait to see!!

Barb

It's All White Now....

...in my kitchen.






We did it! Over the Christmas holiday we painted our kitchen cabinets, added and painted bead board to the breakfast bar and nook, and painted the breakfast nook and kitchen walls. Whew, what an undertaking! We started this little project the day after Christmas and worked nonstop for 2 weeks.
I returned to Chicagoland January 9th (this is our home in Florida) and just came back this week to finish painting the kitchen island and hang curtains in the nook. In due time, I will find barstools and finish accessorizing the top of the cabinets.


This is how the kitchen looked on Christmas day.
















The day after Christmas...









Wohoo!...New Year's Eve








And today!

















































Don't worry. Those bile green walls are going to get a new coat of gray paint, too.
























See the breakfast nook? Just a little peek until next week.

It was an exhausting overhaul but I'm so pleased with the transformation and I'm excited to share the almost finished project with you. We will be adding 4"x12" white subway tile to the backsplash. We hope to do that soon, very soon.

In the meantime, thank you for visiting with me. This is my first blog post this new-year but I hope to post again soon and on a more regular basis. And, I hope too, to see you around the blogosphere!

Until next time-
Cheers!

Barb

Oh, and in case you're dying to know-
SW 7004 Snowbound on cabinets and beadboard
Behr UL 260-1 Cracked Pepper on kitchen island
SW 7652 Mineral Deposit on nook and kitchen walls

Linking to:

Furniture Feature Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed

The Power of Paint at Domestically Speaking

Inspiration Friday at the At the Picket Fence

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Friday Link Party at Redoux


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

December Is Here!

So, here we are into December. Already! What the heck happened to November? Never mind, no time to think about it. There's way too much to do now to prepare for Christmas. Have you started shopping, decorating, baking, pulling out your hair? Ha!

I'm back in Chicagoland after spending a week in Florida. While I was there I did all my Christmas decorating. The dining room and fireplace mantel are decked, the tree is trimmed and I even did a glittery, gluey Christmas craft. There are a bunch of holiday linky parties these next few weeks and I'll be participating in some of them so I'll wait until then to show you my fully glitzed and glammed (well, sort of) house.

The big news, though, is we hung three pendant lights over the breakfast bar! Yay!! We ordered them online from Home Depot and they were delivered the day we arrived in Florida.

I've looked for two years for something that I thought had a vintage beach industrial vibe. Do these fit the bill? They have a powdery antique pewter finish and although the underside looks white when lit, it's the pewter finish too.

The cords are a little wonky and crooked now but that will work itself out and they will hang straight soon enough. I really like them but I need to get used to seeing them hanging there. Sometimes I see them out of the corner of my eye and think they look like hovering alien aircraft. But really, I DO like them!

What about you? Will I see you at the linky parties? I've seen tons of great holiday decorating and some very clever and festive projects already but I can't wait to see more and I'd especially love to see what you've done!

See ya around!

Barb

Oh, and my brother will be installing a new tile backsplash in my
kitchen while he's visiting for Christmas. Yahooeee! I'm so excited.

Door Decor for Fall

Wow! Lots of love happening here at Curly Willow DIY when Barb showed us her fall mantel in her Florida home. I know she misses being there during the year. So, thanks for showing her the love!!

I know Barb's not a big fan of fall or winter... but I love it!
So, I'm hoping there's love out there in blogland for me too!

I feel very fortunate to live only a mile from an awesome family farm where I can buy all my fall decor at very reasonable prices. I mean where can you buy a huge mum plant for $8. When I say huge.. H-U-G-E!

So, here is door decor for fall. I am all about rustic and natural!
When you say Pottery Barn... I say YES!

pottery barn - YES!

POTTERY BARN - Yes!
(Are ya cheering with me?)

Here we go... 

Everything here is au natural from a local farm.

The mum plant in the flowering basket is ONE PLANT.... H-U-G-E!

First year the farm had white pumpkins... $5 each.

Love my little scarecrow!

The wandering jew plants in the urns are from the wedding.
I put gold mini LED lights around the balls, they light up and are super fun!

My hubby is a metal scraper part time. He found these two dented milk cans. FREE!
The burlap ribbon I bought the end of the year last year from Ballard Designs.

Wreath - Hobby Lobby three years ago. Ribbon - Ballards

All leaves, pinecones, and pine needles are all courtesy of Mother Nature!

She's pretty terrific!

So, I'll keep those HUGE mums by the door for a month and then plant them in the
yard to bloom year after year. They will be beautiful!

I'm linking up to

Have a great weekend!

Vicki

PS: Guess who I found huddle next to my house while photographing.

Do ya see him on the top pic... a little frog huddle against the house for warmth!

It's a windy, cold day today. He probably came from the creek right next to my house. This spot is frequented by all the neighborhood kids who try to catch tadpoles and frogs. This little guy got away! I'm happy to provide a safe, warm spot to hide. :)

DIY Wedding- Part 3

Hey everyone!  First, I'd like to say thanks to you for all the positive comments you left about the Florida mantel!  Your feedback is just what I think I needed  and poking around the many great linky parties is getting me into the spirit of this fall season.  I even picked up a couple white pumpkins and striped mini pumpkins to start spicing up me interior spaces.  I will need to get in gear and spruce up my front entry too.    Before I do anymore fall decorating though, I want to share more of what Vicki and I did for Jessica's wedding.   

Randy and Jessica

Dancing it up

I think everything except the catering and cake was DIY.  Vicki, Jessica and I are all long distance from one another, so all the ideas, planning and execution was done through lots of emails, phone conversations, and texting.  Coordinating our ideas was challenging at times.  We worked on projects independently and a lot of the time just hoped for the best.

DIY Chalkboards

Direction sign - cut and ready for chalkboard paint

More chalkboard paint!

The last week before the wedding we were finally all together and worked in a frenzy to get the last details ironed out.  We had an assembly line going in Vicki's living room for many of the end projects.  Vicki's dining room turned into a wedding warehouse of sorts!

Designing and setting up the pew cones

Smiles all around!

Stapling the cones to wooden dowels

Wedding Central!

Where's Waldo?

That's a lot of stuff!

We were a little worried about getting everything to the cottage. But after all the cars were packed, we hit the road with three van loads and two passengers in each.

Van #1, Driver: Father of the Bride and the Groom

Van #2, Driver: Mother of the Bride and Bride

Van #3, Driver: Godmother and brother of the bride

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, once we were at the site, it was all hands on deck.  Vicki and I put everyone to work. We all pulled together and we got the job done.   I would like to say it was  flawlessly executed! 

Working with the caterer to dress the tables

Friends in from Texas and Indiana helping out

Working on projects

Everyone pitched in!

Brother of the bride and Sister of the groom work on the luminaires for the pathway to the cottage at night

After the final walk through before the ceremony, I was able to let out a huge sigh of relief.  I thought everything looked pretty perfect.  It was all I imagined and more.  Vicki and  I were able to thoroughly enjoy the ceremony and reception knowing we did our best. Jessica and Randy thought is was perfect, too.

Beautiful flowers everywhere

Directional sign ready to go! CUTE!

Aisle way was lined with woven pew cones, flowers and burlap ribbon

Favors were popcorn balls in memory of Grandma that past away last summer.
She was known for making THE BEST popcorn balls for her grandchildren.

Seat tag were hung by shutters. This was a freebie find by the father of the bride.

Chalkboard Menu

Tables were dressed in chocolate, khaki, vintage china, ball jars for water with purple striped straws; and
the side of the tent was lined with photos of the bride and groom, growing up
and as a couple strung with twine by clothespins.

Gift table with bird cage holder for cards

Just Married Banner

Beautiful aisle and arbor

Head table dressed and ready for the wedding party.

So, what about you?  Have you ever done a DIY wedding?   

Exhausting and exhilarating?  I'd love to hear about it and see what you did.

Have a super weekend.

Barb

PS: Here's a few fun people pics!

Vicki and Barb

Vicki and Barb with Jess

Two very tired gals. Jess and Vicki! Happy, but tired! :)

Linking up to these parties.


Show and Share @ Just a Girl
Best DIY Projects of September @ Beneath My Heart
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home
Frugal Friday @ Shabby Nest