Identity Crisis

Let's move on to the dining room today. In keeping with my "simplify" mode, it is pretty bare minimum - for me that is. Lol

I still love this table runner that I found at HL. It has a linen look and then the embroidered shamrocks. I'm not sure it would hold up well to washing but since it is just on this table for decoration and not around when food arrives, there are no worries for spills or stains - at least not yet.

I still love the counted cross stitch Irish blessing that I made oh so many years ago.

Here's last year's canvas shamrock craft that I made with the kids.

So right about now you might be wondering why this post was titled "Identity Crisis". Well, here is why my house is a bit confused right now...my Christmas cactus is blooming. This plant has done this for the last few years. I'm guessing it is because I bring it into the house when I decorate for Christmas and I think it misses all of the natural light it is used to here in the sun room. This year it actually produced a number of buds but they all quickly dropped off. Then, when the Christmas decor was packed up and the plant returned to its usual home, it wasn't long before I saw new buds starting to form and it is now in full bloom.

And, while Christmas is in the sun room, St. Pat's is everywhere else including the pile of goodies for the kids' scavenger hunt prizes that is starting to grow on the dining room table...

...which is right next to the Easter treat I bought myself the other day. It came from HL and reminded me of the shamrock runner that I love. Plus, it didn't hurt that it also very much reminds me of the water color pillow cover I have from PB. I think it will look nice when it takes its place on the dining room table in a few short weeks.

 
 And so, at the moment, there are three holidays in evidence in my house. Things are a bit confused but that's OK. They all make me happy and, after all. isn't that why I do this craziness? My house doesn't mind - and neither do I! Bunnies are on the horizon. Stay tuned.

Begosh and Begorrah!

It is a fine day indeed! At least I think that is kind of how "begosh and begorrah" translates. The sun is dappling into the kitchen through the sun room windows (although there would probably be many more rays if I would get out there and wash those windows after the mess from the hurricane and this year's heavy pollen inundation!) and it is a cheerful place to be. Wish I had some lovely concoction to be cooking but I will have to settle for a scrambled egg breakfast and get on with my day. Before I head off to projects yet to be determined, let's get a look at this year's kitchen decor.

I love keeping this old, handmade carry tote on my counter. It kind of serves as a "baker's rack" for small items. I definitely find that if keep all of these things easily at hand, I am much more apt to use them often. And, after all, why would one buy a leprechaun plate or shamrock coasters and straws if not to use them? Lol Looks like I have an empty cubby there...maybe I need to go shopping.

My brain is working hard to come up with this year's St. Pat's weekend with the kids. Seems that when we would normally do it, this group will be skiing in Utah on their spring break. Since Presley has asked me about their visit and their favorite - the leprechaun clue scavenger hunt - already, I have to see how we can make this happen! The weekends in March are already full so it might take some creative planning on my part.

I am not using many of my "free" downloaded printable art any more but I am a sucker for those Irish sayings and blessings and just can't seem to get enough of them!  If you're observant, you saw a few in the living room and you will see more to come.

These simple plates are still one of my favorite kid friendly crafts. This one uses napkins but we have done them with printed tissue paper as well. The design just gets put on the back of the plate with Mod Podge and then I usually give them a shot of clear coat after they have dried just to make them a bit more durable. Somehow, no matter how wrinkly the papers go on, they can be smoothed a bit and dry just beautifully. Our favorite way to present them was with the plate full of some yummy holiday treats. The front is food fine and then just use a damp cloth to clean off any crumbs.

Here are some pictures from the last time we made these plates in 2016.

I found this silly little leprechaun candle holder on sale at Michaels a few years back. It makes me smile when I look at those faces so it continues to "make the cut" every year. As I said, I am trying to simplify my decor a bit, but if something makes me happy, it will always have a place in my home...and my heart! It's the little things!

I love this Irish blessing that Becky did in counted cross stitch for a middle school project in 1985! I'm sure some day she is going to want it back but I put it out every year and just keep my fingers crossed...

So that's it for the kitchen this year. We have a few busy weekends coming up so I know all of this holiday loveliness will get much use. Can't wait. Stay tuned.

The Wearin' of the Green

Since there are only four weeks between Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day, I like to get the red down and the green up as soon as possible. It doesn't hurt that the green usually coincides with springlike weather for our neck of the woods. I love green. It looks so soothing and "clean" to me so I have no worry rushing the holiday. Besides, two minutes after St. Pat's it will be out with the shamrocks and in with the bunnies - but the spring green can just stay where it is! That one is another of the easy transitions...and, the older I get, the more I am loving anything easier on this old body. After 2 days full days of decorating followed immediately by two full days of yet more gardening, my bones and muscles are giving me "what-for" today...but I digress. Welcome to the start of St. Pat's 2018.

As you can see, the poinsettias are gone and the pots are now full of purple loveliness. Don't ask me why purple doesn't bother me for St. Pat's but red does???!! What you aren't seeing in this picture are the thousands, hundreds, dozens, lots and lots of new plants that I put down that all required a hole to be dug first. I really wish I had counted but, many of the pansies I would have normally bought were already sold out so I had to buy those packages of 6 little plants. I like a variety of color so that meant many multi-packs to be planted. And then, because we had a pretty cold winter (at least for us), all of the mums I had in pots all around the yard were also thriving. And, even though they do kind of "say" autumn to me, if they are in the ground and no longer high lighted in pots, I am O.K. with them as they continue to bloom. So, that meant more holes and planting. And, I also bought a bunch of geraniums that were on close-out for $.50 each and a few other "pretties" just because. I guess what I am trying to say is...I dug more holes than I care to think about! But things look so much better today. Still lots of fresh leaves missing but they are returning slowly but surely!

The entry looks pretty much as it did last year.

I still love the vintage postcard banner that I made a long time ago and the moss covered shamrock that the kids and I made a few years ago. I didn't realize it until I was hanging it but the burlap ribbon ties in with burlap in other places in the room...just a "lucky" coincidence!

Vintage and postcards and script...oh my!

I almost didn't put out the leprechaun hat this year - at least not in the living room. But, I think I have shared before - this hat is the most highly visited image I have on my blog so I figured maybe someone knows more than I. It is just a bit too "cutesy" for my simplified decorating these days but, because I love that old green balustrade so much and it doesn't fit where it used to because of a new lamp, I figured I would give them a go-together on the couch table and I like it.

My grand daughters and I made this hat as gifts for family many years ago. I found the idea in some old magazine - want to say maybe "Woman's World"? Because it is made with terra cotta pots, some other blogger who posts kid friendly holiday crafts picked it up and gave my blog full credit when she posted it. It is kind of amazing to see how quickly social media spreads! At first, I had no idea why my silly little family blog was getting so many visits. Then, I figured out how to track those visits and I saw what was happening. It was fun to get my 15 minutes of fame. In fact, blog visits are already picking up as St. Pat's is approaching and I'm guessing this little baby is why once again! Lol
 

Have I mentioned how much I love green - wink, wink. The colors in this picture just make my heart happy!

If you look closely, you will see another burlap bow and burlap background on that subway art. This really wasn't planned but I'm happy to see it happened! And, the lampshade isn't burlap but its close enough to count in my book - score again! Somehow I feel more "decorator-ish" when things repeat in and around the room and look like they were actually planned rather than a lucky happenstance. Lol

I love those little vintage postcard people. I have two for Valentines and this one from last year for St. Pat's. I got them from daughter #2 and she found them at Hobby Lobby. Think I need to check this year and see if they have any others. Crazy how something so small can make my day!!

Before I go, I thought I would show you my first harvest from the newly planted pansies. I love pansies and, lucky for me, the more I cut, the more I will get. I try to get out there almost every morning and dead head as I go as well. Before long, I won't be able to cut enough - but, that is usually when it starts to get too hot and they will be gone until next spring - funny how that always works out.

I have so much more to share. Please stayed tuned...and come again.