By the Skin of my Teeth

 I am just managing to get this last part of the tour in before the big day in two days. If you ever take any decor inspiration from these posts, I'm afraid this one will be way too late to help. I have never cut it this close before but I guess that just means that I have had a super busy month so far and I am OK with that. This weekend was no different but I will get to that in a minute. First, let's check out the guest bath.

I have had a candle here the last few swaps and I love the glow it gives the room at night so fingers crossed I can find a way to keep one here from now on.

I simplified this shelf and added a framed photo I bought for spring but since it has lots of green I thought I could sneak it in here. I also "ditched" the bright shamrock green towel for this darker one and I'm liking it better.

The little water colors that I did last year no longer worked in the living room so they found a home here.

On to the primary with again, just a nod.

And now we circle all the way back to where we should have started. The shamrocks on the porch are full and beautiful now-too bad they will be moving in just three days. Lol

If you see spots of water it is not because we finally got a much needed rain but more so because I had to completely hose down the porch floor, windows and door. The pollen was so thick that everything looked yellow! It seems we went from my pool being covered with leaves to it being green and covered with squiggles but, I will take that any day over still being covered with snow!!

My weekend went pretty much as anticipated. Yesterday my brother ran his race and won his category then we were off to granddaughter's lacrosse game. Don't have any pictures from either except the notice of the game that was on the school's site. Go #00-she actually scored their only score.

Then we headed to the Master Garden Show. It was packed and had so many vendors with so many beautiful things. I actually only bought a nice sized tarragon plant which, for whatever reason, I have been looking for for a few years and haven't been able to find. I would have loved to buy a peach or plum tree but restrained myself because I'm lucky I can take care of what I already have. Lol

Now back to Friday night and grandson #2's lacrosse game. My daughter ended up ordering stuff for a picnic so we didn't have to fight the crowds at a restaurant on a Friday night after the game. When we got there, she informed us that sometime during the game, Hudson would receive either his acceptance or rejection to his application to the University of Florida. And, from that moment on my heart was in my throat because not only is that where he really wanted to go but it is the only place he applied. Thank goodness the wait wasn't too long and I am proud to say that our family has yet another Gator! We may not have taken a win on a game they thought they would win but that couldn't diminish our excitement that night!

Hud with his sweet girlfriend.

So that brings me to today. I have been doing small chores gearing up for the week to come-first the swap and then some heavy duty outdoor things including getting the fountains back up and running after being off since Christmas. Not sure when I will be back but, until then, stay safe and stay tuned.

Almost There!

 The sun is shining brightly today so I was able to finish up the pictures in the family room. We'll see that today and then finish the tour the next time we get together.

I can't tell you how many times I tried this photo but just couldn't get it any better-sorry- but, hopefully you can see the sequin canvas that has been one of my all-time favorite crafts with my grandchildren.

I found this one from last year for you so you can be sure to see. We also made a heart like this for Valentine's Day and I love them both.

I simplified the coffee table this year and I think I like it.

I also left a few things off of the mantle and it too looks better in my opinion.

I have become a bit addicted to the small lights from Walmart. I like the way they brighten dark areas without having to worry about electrical plugs. 

So that is the family room for this year. Again, I love this room at night when all of the lights and candles come on.

Thought I would share just a few other things before signing off. I don't know if I have ever told you, but I kind of pride myself in the fact that I am not one usually swayed by commercials. I won't buy something just because someone tells me to. That being said, I guess I will have to start eating those words because I will admit to watching decorating posts by influencers and when I see them using something I like and think that I probably won't be able to find locally, I will check their links.

That happened recently when I saw someone using "coffee" colored real-feel tulips. I know for a fact that the only place I have found those things locally is at HL and as of right now, they still only have them in pink or white. These silly things totally spoke to me and, even though the price was actually way better than HL, I still didn't get them. I finally-only a day later-decided to order them. I wanted two bundles but when I got on there, there was only one bundle left due to popularity from an Amazon influencer! Lol I was mad at myself but decided that it might be for the best since I haven't seen them in person-maybe they're not all they're cracked up to be. Except, they ARE!

These things are beautiful. I don't have any others that have the buds and blooms in different stages of opening. I literally just got these at my front door and threw them into this vase. At this point, I'm not sure where they are going or what vessel they will be in but I am sure that I love them...so much so that I went right back to see if I could order more and apparently I really did get the very last one available. They are still out of stock!

And then, talking about getting things off of my porch...daughter #3 texted and said to be on the lookout for a birthday surprise delivery and before I knew it, this had arrived.

It is a 6' ficus tree and just what this corner needed after the removal of the corner cupboard. I went out yesterday to find a basket for it but none were to be found so, until I find just what I want, I bought an inexpensive substitute. It is dark green so it will work for a few decor swaps and if I still haven't found what I want, I think I will try doing a faux finish of some sort on it so, we shall see.

This corner needed something because of this...

This room is so hard to decorate because it is not symmetrical...and we all know how I feel about that. Lol The difference between the chairs and the corners of the room are not the same and that drove me crazy-hence the reason I had originally put in the corner cupboard. I now see where that was the wrong choice-after oh so many years-but something had to go there and my designer daughter says that she uses these trees often. It is a really nice faux tree and on quick perusal, you might think it is real. The only problem with real ficus trees-which I have had in the past-is that if they are not 100% happy where they are, they can lose every leaf they have overnight-ask me how I know. Lol

It is doing its job and I love it...and my continuing birthday surprises as my birthday month goes on. Lol

I am off to grab a quick lunch before getting ready for my brother and sister-in-law. They will arrive and we will head to my grandson's lacrosse game and then out to dinner. Tomorrow my brother has an early race and then we're off to my granddaughter's lacrosse game and then on to the Master Gardener's Show and Sale. Should be a busy few days but I'll be back to wrap up this tour before we're having corned beef and cabbage and drinking green beer. LOL Stay safe and stay tuned.

On To the SUN!

 I'm back as promised and today we are heading into the sunroom-the much aptly named SUNROOM because today the sun is shining into this room so brightly, photos were almost impossible-but, never-the-less here we go! Welcome.

As I look at these pictures, they strike me as really sparse in decor but, I am trying to abide by my goal of simplifying so I didn't hang much this time and this is always the one area I try to keep minimal so we can function in here without having to move a thousand things so...it is what it is. If you look closely, it does "whisper" St. Patrick's Day. Lol

I'm happy I can use this bargain candle that I found in Michaels again. Between it and the other candle on the console, this room glitters so nicely at night. And, next to the candle is a beautiful sun catcher that granddaughter #3 made for me. I think this is the best room for it because the reflections will be spectacular-I just need to find just the right place where it can hang.

And I thought I'd share the one little spot in my bedroom. I seem to keep moving this bench between here and the foot of the bed but I think I'm leaning towards leaving it here because it gives me one more spot for decor. I don't know why but this makes me happy.

My plan after returning home was to get caught up on things and those things included getting out into the yard and cutting off everything that didn't make it over our winter weather. It actually took more time than I thought for my back to recover enough for me to attempt this project but, today was to be the day. 

I was going to start with the places that I see the most often like the terraced garden by the pool and the vine over the pergola that I'm sure you saw out the sunroom photo until....my favorite weatherman posted that we may be in store for one more really cold hit. I don't think we will get down to freezing again but, after killing so much last year by being too premature in my efforts, I have decided to wait and see if things change before starting the overhaul.

But, while I was out there I found two things that although you wouldn't think so, actually make me very happy. The first is this bush I bought two or three years ago.

It was absolutely beautiful when I bought it-full of dark green leaves and blooms that remind me of the lily of the valley that my dad used to grow. And, for once, I read the planting details and did just what it said but, although it has hung on, it has been anything but beautiful the last few years. I am happy to finally see some new leaves coming and some more blooms.

And, my Meyer lemon that I covered during our freezes only to have the cover blow off during heavy winds might not be as dead as I thought. You can still see some of the many baby lemons that are now frozen solid hanging on plus a few yellow leaves but you can also see new growth on some of the branches. Of course, it will probably be a bit of time before I see more lemons again but I am just happy to see this and optimistic to see what comes.

So that is where I will leave you today. Believe it or not, I still have more to catch up on from being gone only four days so I am off to do that. I'll be back and maybe we can finish up our tour. Until then, stay safe and stay tuned.