On We Go

 I've got some time before I'm off to the 2026 Southeastern Youth Fair where both my grandson and granddaughter will be showing their steer so I thought I would continue on with our tour...especially since we have a "feels like" temperature of 38 outside-no yardwork for me today. Lol Welcome to the kitchen. I have made a fair amount of change in here since I have become addicted to the small "paintings" in places where you might not expect them.

These simple still-life pictures caught my eye as soon as I saw them in HL and I am obsessed with the colors in them. I will probably go back to the "rose" pictures for Easter and spring but then I suspect you will see these back here all the way up to autumn.

Serendipity...when I put this picture in the old carpenter's box I didn't realize how closely the vessel full of sharpened pencils would so mimic the small jar full of my mom and mother-in-law's old silverware.

The infamous pizza paddle that I spent way TOO much time looking for is home again!

I'm realizing that as I have removed some "cutesy" things I have replaced them with things that can probably stay where they are through many swaps with maybe just a simple change of what I put in them-like the small rustic vase on the right. I first bought that for use with my Valentine's decor and now with just some faux greenery, it works here as well for St. Pat's. Maybe if I start doing more of that my swaps won't continue to take me quite as long as they do.

So that is the kitchen for this year. Have I told you just how much I love green? Every room I walk into makes me feel so at peace. I don't usually add too much color for Easter and spring but I'm already thinking that it may be even less this year and I will continue to let the green reign supreme.

Off to start to get ready for the steer show. It's looking to get pretty COOL tonight-like down below freezing at some point-hopefully not while we're still there-so I'm planning to layer up and fingers crossed all goes well. I like cool weather but we Floridians aren't quite ready for that! Lol Stay safe and stay tuned.

Green, Green, It's Green They Say

 Crazy days around here. Yesterday, the skies were pure blue, sun was shining and it was in the 80s. Today it is cloudy, we've had a bit of rain and we are predicted to go down into the low 30s for the next few nights! Today is definitely a "stay inside" kind of day so I figured no better time than now to get this year's St. Patrick's Day tour started.

Instead of starting on the porch as I often do, we'll head into the living room. I had to transplant some shamrocks to fill the porch urns and they're not quite picture ready just yet.

I love this thing but it almost didn't make this year's cut...until I realized just how well it goes with the rusty ceiling tile mirror. I was trying to weed out the "cutesy" but this one just can't go...at least not yet. Lol I still love that mirror so much. I found it at a Junior League Christmas Show many years ago. It is made from an antique tin ceiling tile that has been cut out and then just has a mirror attached at the back. It wasn't inexpensive back then but I'll bet if you found one these days it would be so much more because the price of the original tin tiles has just continued to increase-if you can even find them anymore.

This cutie almost didn't make the cut this year either but, I think I have mentioned before, it is one of my most viewed images. My granddaughters and I made these as gifts for family many years ago. I think I put it on my Pinterest page and someone who has a site featuring children's crafts made from terra cotta pots put it on her page and it just took off from there. She gave me credit for the project and my blog exploded for that month...and still seems to go up every time this picture circulates through "Pinterestland". Lol

Here is the updated view from this angle. I think I do have to admit that I like it better without the corner cabinet. Now I just have to get used to what still seems like a bit of an unbalance to me when I am looking at this wall straight on-it actually doesn't look so bad from this angle. Hopefully a ficus tree in that corner will fill the bill! I took down one of the wall hanging things but am leaving the nails and the one on the other wall until we see what lands here permanently. If anything is going back I'd be happy to use the same nails as both of the things previously here are made of concrete and super HEAVY. And, I'm guessing that lantern will have to find a new home as well...we shall see what my "decorator" says. LOL

This may not be a picture of a thatched roof house in Ireland but I do love the way it looks and feels...and I can pretend if I want to. Lol

I'm definitely liking this shelf better with the few changes I made this year.

So that is pretty much the living room for this year. Thought I'd give you the latest on that old corner cabinet as well...

I think I can live with this. It really doesn't seem as odd as I first thought it might and, let's be honest, I'm happy to have my photos back! Lol

I was hoping to be able to do a bit more photographing this afternoon but it is just too dreary so, I guess I'll think about some lunch and maybe find a good movie. The next few days are going to be busy but then I will have some time since we won't be going to St. Pete-sob-so I'll be back and we'll continue on with the green goodness. Stay safe and stay tuned.

Change Is A Comin'

 Everyone who knows me knows that I am not a big fan of change-unless it is for seasonal/holiday decor. Lol I am at the point in my life where I am very comfortable with how things are and no longer feel the need for constant activity or adventure-in fact, I'm not sure I ever really did. I could definitely be defined as a homebody and even though others may think I am missing out on "life", I don't feel that way at all. I love my home and all of the things that taking care of it entails. I am not a fan of travel but will do so if it means spending time with family. That being said, there's some change in the air. Some of it I am not happy about and other parts of it have got me excited.

So, when last we "spoke" I think I mentioned two upcoming trips. The first was to be next Friday which would have seen me and my three girls all staying at daughter #1's house in St. Pete for the weekend and heading to Tampa to see Barry Manilow on what is to be his last tour. Tickets for this were one of my Christmas presents. Unfortunately, even before receiving them, the date was changed after his diagnosis of lung cancer. His surgery was successful and the tour was rebooked starting next weekend. But, unfortunately again it will have to be postponed after his last visit with the doctor who doesn't think he is ready to get back to that strenuous routine and travel.

I am really disappointed because I love my time with my girls not to mention how much I enjoy St. Pete but, hopefully things will work out and I will have this to look forward to once again. My daughter said we could still come but, since she will be here to pick me up for our next trip to Charleston just a few days later, we decided to wait and maybe do something a bit later. 

And that brings me to today. Another change is in the air. I was planning to be outside today to tackle the "mess" that is live oak leaves EVERYWHERE!! 

But, as I was on the way to that I decided to take some pictures of the living room so I might possibly get the start of our tour going soon...and then, I saw all of this. This picture kind of shows how unsymmetrical my living room is. Even where the chairs are now across from the couch don't totally line up. I love this room but wish there was another way I could move furniture for a change-unfortunately, there just isn't if you want to maintain conversation areas. Believe me, both of my "decorator" daughters have tried and we all keep coming back to this. 

I put this corner cupboard here many years ago to kind of balance out the wall. I liked it because it also gave me another display area for pictures. A few years back I started hearing comments about how it really needs to go but I fought back because, after all, it is my house and I can decorate as I like. And, that went on for quite some time until the last time daughter #3 was here helping me with the new things I got from daughter #1 and she once again addressed how "married" I was to that corner cupboard and, for whatever reason, this time I saw it the same way they have and knew it was time for it to go.

Of course, I had no idea that would happen today but I decided to move it out and get a feel for what it will eventually look like. My daughter has decided that a ficus tree would look best there and she told me not to look for one because that would be my birthday gift this year.

And so, I got out my trusty "moving buddies"...

...and off we went. Moving furniture with those things is a breeze until you get to the slate in the sunroom. My intentions had been to put it in my hubby's office and offer it to anyone who might want it. And I got this far and was having a bear of a time moving it ...and then I looked up and the idea hit me. Why not try it here? That way I could still have my photo opportunities and it kind of rounded off the TV unit. Since the slate on the floor isn't totally smooth and level, it isn't as flush to the TV cabinet as I would like and I hoped a simple L-bracket would help me attach the two-except I don't have one the correct size so that is on my list and hopefully this project will be completed soon. I'll let you know if it is a "go" or not.

And that brings me back to this...

The BIG, EMPTY corner is driving me nuts. Fingers crossed that the tree will be tall enough to help balance things to my eyes! And then I guess we will address the things still hanging on the wall-do they stay or go?

And, the next change a comin' involves this area.

I have had this rug for YEARS and still like it but it does kind of fall back more into my love of Mediterranean decor and I was toying with the idea of a new rug perhaps a bit more faded and vintage looking-maybe along these lines.

Not necessarily this exact rug but along these lines...and so, I simply asked those designer daughters for some input and boy did I get it! Yes, it was time for a change and it would be another of my Christmas gifts but, only if I go with their input as to the size. Apparently, the size of my rug is way TOO SMALL. What is wrong with me that I didn't see that? Lol Of course, the larger the rug, the larger the price so that is probably why I went with what I did so many years ago.

In any case, the exact rug has still to be chosen but as soon as that happens, more change will hit!

And, as I looked at the coffee table pictures, I saw another change needing to be made...

...all of a sudden the new vase was "crying out" for some flowers so I put in a small bunch of tulips I had and I think I like it better.

If you have stuck with me this long you deserve a medal because even I am confused but then that is how I roll almost every day these days. Lol I think I am off to grab a quick lunch and then head outside but, instead of raking the leaves, I think I am just going to blow off the deck and scoop a bit of the pool and wait for the rest of the leaves to fall before I start raking. Stay safe and stay tuned and, I promise, I will be ready to start our St. Pat's tour the next time we visit.

Too Late Smart!

 Nothing is going to spoil the fact that today is Fri-YAY again! But, my latest "brainstorm" could do it if anything was going to!

I spent almost all of yesterday out and about and came home with a fair amount of new clothing-which I am starting to stockpile so I will be ready for the two trips I have coming up soon as well as grandson #2's graduation and baccalaureate which will be here before I know it. I really don't like clothing shopping anymore so, if I see something that might work, I grab it when I do and, since I was going to the mall anyway yesterday, I roamed the stores and lucked out. And, with sales and store reward coupons, I actually saved more than I spent!! Lol I love it when that happens!!

The thing that took me back to the mall was actually some coupons the sales clerk in Yankee Candle gave me the last time I was there. She gave me the two you were allowed for $12 large candles but, once I was in there, a different saleswoman took a liking to me and "snuck" me another so, between those coupons and a $5 reward bonus I got three large Yankee Candles for literally less than the price of one these days! I always have to chuckle when these kinds of things happen because I can remember coming home after having a day like this and telling my husband "look how much I saved"...and him always jokingly saying "and look how much you could have saved if you hadn't gone at all". LOL

After those two successes, I hit Target and HL in hopes of finding a few specific things. I found most everything I wanted with a few tweaks to the actual want list.

Everything here is from Target with the exception of the unfinished wood tray-more to come on that in a minute. Here's where some of it ended up-on the bench in my bedroom.

Since I had finished my St. Pat decorating but still needed a few little fill ins, I grabbed that pretty faux plant from Threshold and then the table runner and small dish from their $ Spot. And then I spied that brown vase. It is just the size I need as a fill-in to my many Pottery Barn vessels that I have collected over the years. I don't usually give in to trends but I love urns, olive jars, pots, etc. so much-and actually have since way before they became trendy-that I am really loving all of the decorating reels I see where they are becoming a beautiful focal point in all rooms. I have so many but this one caught my fancy and it was way less expensive than the ones I get at PB!

So now let's address the elephant in the room-at least in my room. I have been wanting another round wood tray-this time wood toned. I have this one in my family room that I painted and it works for many vignettes but I felt I wanted one in wood tones for other areas.

I was hoping to find one locally because I am not a fan of ordering online sight unseen ever since my "Christmas tree" disaster! But, without going way more places than I had the energy for, that wasn't going to happen so I started looking at all of the typical places online and to get the size I wanted I would have to spend more than $100. Some things I would definitely splurge for but this wasn't one of them. I came close with this from Crate and Barrel.

But, it really wasn't as large as I wanted and with shipping and handling, it was a pretty fast "NO".

And so, when I was in HL and not finding one ready to go there either, I headed to their spring unfinished wood section and grabbed another of these. It is the same as the one in the family room but that one I painted with white chalk paint so there were no issues. This one is 18.3" so that is wonderful but, the edge of the tray is not one piece of wood but many pieces of thin ply glued together and I didn't think I would like how that looked.

And so, my genius self decided to go over the sides with wood filler. My filler was a bit dry so I used water to smooth it down and I thought it would leave just enough filler to give the sides a solid wood appearance. And, it did.

I let it dry and then took it outside to sand and then that is when I started to think about how this "new" surface would accept the antique wax I was planning to use. I kind of knew it would be an issue but forged ahead because, after all, it is Fri-YAY-a day for only fun things! Lol

Of course, once I put the first of the wax on I realized that it would be a problem. It went on fine but once I went to wipe off the extra, it kind of wiped everything off. And then I spotted the INSIDE of that tray edge which of course presented the same "multi-layer" look. Not sure why I hadn't thought of that before-but, I guess my "stupidity" worked in my favor this time because I hadn't mucked that up with the wood filler.

And so, I am here:

 I am waiting for this to dry entirely because every time I try to move it I leave fingerprints and have to keep going back. The inside edges are darker than I like but there is no getting the wax off of that very absorbent area. The middle looks OK but the edges-which you can't see here-leave much to be desired. Once it is good and dry I will either go back around the edges and try to jerry-rig them into acceptance or possibly get out my power sander and just try to sand off every bit of the filler. Of course, I'm afraid if I do that, I might jeopardize the rest of it as well.

I'm going to take a break and grab some lunch and come back with fresh eyes in a bit-and I will let you know. Try not to fall off the edge of your seats that I know you're all sitting on right now. LOL

I am back. I ended up dry brushing and fudging a bit on the sides of the tray and I am OK with it. After all, it was about $9 on sale so what was I expecting? Lol I am giving it a number if coats of a clear matte sealer in hopes that the wax doesn't chip off of those sides...fingers crossed. It is far from perfect-in fact, once it has all cured a bit, I might go back and do some more touching up but for now it serves the purpose. I just put it here quickly so you could see but changes are probably soon to come.

And, here is the latest update on this cutie. 

The one bloom is so heavy I needed to prop it and I added the cute little leprechaun and shamrock that granddaughter #5 made all by herself for me many years ago and I still love!

So that is it for today. I am probably going to be outside all day tomorrow-or at least until I fill all of the garbage cans-because the live oak leaves are coming down fast and furious and I can hardly see the pool deck let alone the water in the pool. I'm not sure if this is because of our cold temperatures but it sure seems earlier than usual.

Hopefully then I can start out tour because I will be gone for four days at the end of next week to go see Barry Manilow in concert and then four days the next weekend to visit granddaughter #2 in Charleston and go on the Junior League Garden tour in Summerville. We also have the Southeastern Youth Fair starting today and my brother and sister-in-law are coming for a visit on Tuesday so life will be busy and full and I will enjoy every minute-and, of course, I will share my pictures so you can join in on the fun. Stay safe and stay tuned.