Couldn't Wait Any Longer!

I just couldn't wait any longer. The rain was starting to get to me and I needed a change. So what better than to get rid of "spring" and bring on the red, white and blue! Let's start in the living room. The sun is actually shining so bright I had an even harder than usual time getting pictures today so I hope the reflections are not getting in your eyes...might just be "one too many" mirrors in this room also?!

The front entry is pretty much as it usually is for the 4th. I like to use my old typewriter as often as I can so everything else kind of fits around it.

I don't know if you've noticed, but I have taken to just leaving the mirror here all seasons and if there is a wreath, it simply goes on top. I used to move it for certain holidays but, in fitting with my "simplify" rule, I am trying to leave certain things in place all of the time and just add or subtract the embellishments. I really still love this wreath that I made. It is simply a grapevine base decorated with the geraniums and then various picks that I found at HL. I made this a few years ago but I think I saw most of the same picks there just the other day.

I made these "firecrackers" many years ago. I love vintage holiday decor and I "knocked" this off from some site-it could have been Traditions- and I still love it. I just covered a piece of mailing tubing with a print out of the Declaration of Independence, glittered up some round card board shapes for the top and base as well as a star and #4, crimped a piece of paper and and shaped it into a circle and printed up the date banners. Then I glued it all together and topped it with a firecracker pouff that I think was a decorated tooth pick for hors d'oeurves. The framed picture is a download of a chalk board picture that really looks true to life in person. I didn't use the glass so it has the matte look of a real chalk board-and way better than anything I could have ever drawn.!
 

I am always happy when I find a "reason" to use my typewriter in my decor and what better "writing" than the Declaration of Independence for the 4th of July. I downloaded it and printed it on parchment and then ripped the edges. I was feeling pretty proud of myself when one of my grand children-and it was one of the youngest ones-asked me why I had a hand written document coming out of a typewriter! Not to even mention that the first typewriter wasn't invented until 1868!!

I made these pillow covers a few years back. I think it is a PB knock off. I just made a simple linen cover and then painted on the flag. And since it is just a cover, storage is so easy!

This flag holder popped up on my FB memories the other day. It was something I had wanted to make for a long time but, since I wanted to do a number of them for gifts, buying the "ball feet" at Lowes made them kind of expensive. We just happened to be on a Mother's Day trip to the "Fancy Flea" with Jen one day and one of the booths had a huge barrel full of antique ball feet...and I think they were $3 each! I couldn't grab them up fast enough! Here's a throwback to where they started.

The miracle isn't that the flag holder is still here, the miracle is that I can REMEMBER where I store it every year. It is too heavy to go into any of the containers that I have to lift onto shelves and too tall to go many other places. I made them in 2015 and in 2016 it took me forever to find it!! I haven't forgotten again since! The framed flag was another freebie. I had the frame and flag. I simply took the flag off of its dowel, coffee stained it and when it was dry I wrote the words to the Pledge of Allegiance on the white stripes with a fine Sharpie pen.

I still love my Bethany Lowe knock-off banner that I made-although I did find out after the fact that mine is about 100 times larger than hers. Hers was actually made to use on a small feather tree. That being said, I don't have a feather tree and I love mine where it is!

This was the easiest craft ever. I just cut a piece of 4th of July patterned scrapbook paper, downloaded and printed the flag and double matted it in red and blue and then attached it to the paper with foam tape so it stood out a bit. I already had the small black frame and all of the papers so it really was a free craft!

 

So that is the start of my 4th of July decor for this year. I promise I have more changes in the other rooms. For some reason, I like the living room the way it is...that said, I do have some adventures coming up so if I should find some new treasures and change anything, you'll be the first to know. Stay tuned.

Let It Rain!!

Since our rain started a bit later today, I had a chance to make a quick trip to HL and Michaels. I loaded up on 3 yards of black burlap and more paint. If I am "rained in" the rest of the week, I am good to go now. I can actually start my Halloween crafting. And, if by chance, the rains don't come or I get better offers, I can put this aside until next week...or the next. After all, there's no hurry!

I was laughing at myself because I'm always rushing a holiday when I turned down an aisle in HL and saw this!

Guess I'm not the only one! Lol. Stay tuned.

Alpha and Omega

It is one of those days. The rains are coming-and probably will be for the rest of the week-and I am once again having so many mixed feelings. I LOVE a good rainy day week as much as the next guy BUT, only when I have my projects in line! Now don't get me wrong, there are MANY, MANY things that could be done inside this house. But, again, I am weird in that way-and, apparently, many others as well. Lol I can only do things when they are in my "mental" calendar. Very seldom can I talk myself into doing something if it doesn't "feel right for that day or time". Does anybody else "get" that?

And so, I am aching to start my Halloween burlap projects. Except, I haven't gotten the supplies yet. I was going to run to Michaels-who, by the way-is having a really good sale just today and tomorrow-but the rains are really coming down and between my eyes and the traffic out on State Road 200, I am just not doing that today!

And so, I thought of what my next project could be. I really wanted to get out into the gardens and get rid of some of those pesky weeds that are once again appearing...but, guess that's not happening today either. I did grab an umbrella and head out to pick the small bouquet of fresh gardenias still coming my way. I am sad to see the end of the gardenia harvests for this year but more than happy to see the beginning of the beautiful hydrangeas!

And so, as I walked around pondering whether I wanted to do a movie marathon or not today, I realized that I have a lot of errands to take care of later in the week and then grand daughters #1 & 3 coming next weekend...and, since we WILL hit June 1 this week, I could very well get started on my 4th of July decor. It is a bit early-even for me-but I don't think the decor police will be paying me a visit any time soon...and, it IS my house and nobody else has to see it if they don't want...and so, off I go. Hopefully the excitement of that will brighten this VERY dreary day. Stay tuned.

And so it begins!

P.S. I did have a super fun surprise yesterday. Daughter #3 and her whole family called to see if they could bring over food and have a "game day" at my house. Are you kidding?! Couldn't think of anything I would love more! And so, we had many, many laughs and fun times-many new memories were made! I always marvel at how something so simple and impromptu could produce as many cherished moments as "events that we plan, cook, clean and shop for can! It truly is the little things!

P.P.S. I did pick up 3 of these beauties (currently sitting out in the rain waiting to be planted in the porch urns) the other day as well. I kind of like my plants on the front porch to match the theme if possible. As I was in Lowes looking for new plants, I saw exactly what I was looking for-some vinca pots of individual colors but the price was high because they were in plastic, decorative pots that I wouldn't have used...so, those got put back down. Then, I saw the same plants in small, individual packages for $2.98 each...much better and I thought I might be able to get away with just 6 of these smaller plants...so, about $18. But then, I looked up and hanging on a special display were baskets full of all three colors (red, white and blue of course) and, at least 6 plants per pot. The best part-wait for it...they were on sale for $5 each!!! Yes please, jump in my cart!! So glad I looked up because until then, I thought I was pretty smart to find the small plants. Lol

P.P.P.S. Why does JUST THE SIGHT of these colors make my heart skip a beat?? I'm ALREADY wishing away summer!!!

Thinking Ahead

As I have done in the past, I'm starting to get my ducks in a row for Halloween gifts and crafts. Since I am NOT a summer person and pretty much prefer to stay around my house and yard during the "dog days" and, since I want all of the free time I can have in the autumn to just ENJOY, I like to get some of this stuff done in June, July and August. I have started looking and here is what I have come up with. Was there ever a doubt that one of the ideas would be a burlap door hanger? I am hooked on this "new to me" craft. I am pretty sure I will go with a witch's hat...maybe a shoe. I like parts of each of these so my design will be some kind of a compilation.

Just in case you don't want to make your own door hanger and you see one of these you like, I have posted the source when I could find it.

I love the shape of this one...in fact, the more I look at it, the more I like it all! It is actually done on metal screening and is available from abossard-etsy store.

This one comes from etsy at Nancy'sDoorDecor.

I am also leaning to the simplicity of this one from the etsy store at swirleeburlee.

This source is pretty obvious. I like the dangling spider.

I think I like the big dots on this one if I go for the shoes.It is actually painted on wood and is a tutorial from DecoArt.com.

You know I love the traditional orange and black. This one is at the etsy store of samthecrafter.

I don't know-this shoe has "attitude" and for some reason it speaks to me. It is from chellebellescreations.

And I found this guy...we shall see. He was from James Goodwin but was sold out the last time I checked. I think he would be fun to replicate and a lot of the supplies could probably come from the Dollar Store.

I'm not finished looking just yet but this is a good start. I keep looking for some NEW ideas but apparently I am the only one thinking about Halloween just yet...does that surprise you as much as it does me? Lol. Stay tuned.

P.S. Spoiler alert. I just realized that even though these are large, if I started with black burlap and just gave them a coat of black, satin spray paint, the actual painting of the details would be so much less than usual on one of these door hangers. I may end up making a bunch and using these for my Halloween gifts. Decisions, decisions!

Give It to Mikey...

...he'll eat anything! Remember that old commercial? The catch phrase was "give it to Mikey. He'll eat anything". Well, in our house, it is "give it to Nana. She can fix anything". And, I've got to say, that over my many years, I have done a pretty good job of just that. Somehow, my perfectionism (which I truly didn't "own"-or even realize I had-until very recently) forced me to not only put back together but then "fill in all of the pieces" no matter what. I have glued together broken ceramics many, many times. And then, I fill in the pieces with caulk, glue, spackle...whatever works before laboriously mixing paints to match the missing pieces just perfectly. I will say that many times you really can't even tell that there was a break.

I have also fixed many a Blankie. I think I have posted about this before. When our first grand daughter was born, one of her gifts from us was a Blankie with her name monogrammed on the front. She loved this thing and it became a CONSTANT companion! And so, when grand daughter #2 came into the world, the "tradition" had to continue. We have gone on to give all seven of our grand children (as well as children and grand children of all of our friends) one of these special gifts at birth and I have gone on to replace many an eye, nose or blanket binding. They rubbed on this satiny binding so much that they literally wore it away. Of course, a few dog "nibbles" have added to my to-do list but none quite so much as this time!! After Caitlin left the last time, this is what I saw when I went into my office!! What's a Nana to do?

I actually still have a bag of eyes and noses in my sewing basket but there is literally NO fabric left to even begin to catch around the features. I might be able to stitch an under-lining of some stronger fabric but I'm truly not holding out much hope. I actually have a spare Blankie on one of the kids' bunk beds that was made before the birth of a friend's little girl (according to all ultra-sounds) who turned out to be a little boy and I had to buy another. I'm wondering if Caitlin would be OK with a complete head total transplant!?

This one really has me stumped. But, as you know, I like a project. Wonder if they're doing head transplants on Nanas these days too-it might help me come up with a solution. Stay tuned.