Fall Is A-Coming!!!

First day back at school for the kiddos.....

A different slant to the afternoon sun.....

Even though it is still in the mid to upper 90's here, on pretty much a daily basis, there is just a feeling in the air.....

Fall is on the way!!!

Of course, my longing for Autumn is fueled by all the blog posts and projects and photos being pinned.....

But, it is my favorite time of year!  So, I'll be feasting on all the beautiful and inspiring autumnal images my eyes can behold.....like this one!

From one of my Fall posts in 2010 - and still one of my favorite shots from my own front yard!

And, speaking of Fall, we did a little something over the weekend that we generally reserve for football Saturday afternoons.  We headed over to the supermarket and picked up lots of frozen snack foods - finger foods like mini eggrolls, jalapeno poppers, spicy hot wings.  Threw it in the oven and then planted our rears in front of the tv to eat.  No football, just reruns of Duck Dynasty and full tummies!  (Dare I say we were "happy, happy, happy"?!?!?)

We also drove out to check a friends' old farmstead, where Ed goes dove hunting every year.  On the way, we came across a late summer garden right by the two-lane county road.  It was looking pretty rough and grown up.  However, you can see a few big ol' punkins' peeking through the vines! 

Late Summer garden, near Noodle, TX

Not a pretty deep orange color yet, but very large!  Can't wait to be able to set a few pumpkins on the porch.....

What did you do over the weekend?  Have you gotten any of the Fall decor out yet???  C'mon, be honest.  I haven't yet......but, after September 1 (which is this weekend, by the way!!!), all bets are off!!!

Hugs.....

 

Step by Step Seating.....

I have gotten lots of compliments on the way my reupholstered chairs turned out in the dining room.  It was a project that really needed to be done - for a pretty long time!  In fact, the last time I recovered these was nearly 10 years ago!  I don't know why I put it off for so long - it only took about half an hour to do all four chairs......

First, I simply popped the seat out on each chair.....no screws.  The seats just fit in rather snugly.  Simple enough! 

 

They were covered in an animal print that had definitely seen some wear and tear.  They were pretty stained and soiled - but, hey!  It happens!!!

Hardest - and most time consuming part of this project - was pulling all the old staples out of the old fabric!  

To give the seating a little more cushion and pop, I added a bit of low loft batting.  I only cut it large enough to cover the top of the seat - remember, these fit in pretty tightly so I didn't want to add any volume on the sides of the frame.  

Then I cut a piece of the new fabric - just large enough to wrap around and staple onto the bottom of the seat.  In this case, about 3 inches of extra fabric around each side of the seat.  Pulled it semi-taut, and got busy with the Stanley stapler.  Voila!!! 

Here is a better shot of the table runner that I wanted to use.  I love the gingham against the floral!!! 

Now, why did I wait so long to do this oh-so-simple project?!?!?  Such a small change, but makes it all feel so different!  

By the way, this table used to belong to - you guessed it - my Mom.  I bought it from her probably at least 25 years ago when she found something newer.  It is an old draw-leaf table - the leaves are actually pulled out from each end of the table, adding about an additional 24 inches for larger dinners.  I guess I will have this table forever.....just couldn't ever bear to part with it!

Next time you are in my neck of the woods, stop by and we'll sit inside here for a glass of iced tea!!!

Linking with ~

A Delightsome Life's "Home & Garden Thursday"
The Vintage Farmhouse's "Creative Things Thursday"

Hugs, 

Saturday Shopping and Project.....Done!!!

I have been so inspired and motivated by getting finished with the living room, that I am moving on.....

Moving on to do a little more "refreshing" in other rooms of the cottage, that is!

Today, I went out to Kohl's, in order to use a 30% off coupon I received in the mail before it expired.  I think that place was the most packed I've ever seen it.....guess it is all the end of summer/back to school sales!  But, I strolled right past the clothing department......and scored big for the bathroom!

I'm so proud of my bargains - I've gotta toot my horn a little!  

Four bath towels....

Four hand towels.... 

Cotton bath mat....

Shower curtain....

AND 

 Set of full-size, super soft microfiber sheets for the guest bedroom.  

*****************

Total cost after sales and discount - $108.75, including tax.  

Not to mention, I got a $10 off coupon on my next purchase.  (Kinda like Kohl's cash, but a little different.)  At any rate, I have through the end of the month to redeem it, so their gimmick to get me back in the door will definitely work!  

I've been laundering up towels this evening; got the new shower curtain pressed and hung.  Can't wait til daylight (and I get the placed cleaned up) when I can get some photos to share.....

I also found time to cover the seats of the chairs at the dining table.  I've been meaning to do this for a long time.....and I found the fabric a couple of weeks ago, when I was actually out shopping for some living room items. As I prowled through the clearance bins at the fabric store, I found the "gingham" style fabric - soft, buttery gold and a green that was nearly a perfect match for the color on the walls in the kitchen and dining area.  At $9/yard and 60 inches wide, it only took about a yard to cover the seats of all four chairs.

 

Here's a little sneak peek at how they turned out.  I love how my favorite table runner still works with this new fabric......

 And, in between it all, I found time to show a house this afternoon!

Linking with -

Lavender Garden Cottage's "Cottage Style Party"
Alderberry Hill's "Make the Scene Monday" 

Creative Home Expressions' "The Creative Home & Garden Hop"

I definitely feel a sense of accomplishment as I get ready to crawl into bed tonight!  Can I accomplish as much tomorrow?  I guess we shall see.....

Feeling blessed......

Like a Dream Come True......

For months, I dreamed of a new space.....pinned ideas.....visited local furniture stores, waiting for inspiration to hit......

And, finally, it not only hit.....it slapped me up aside the head and said "Work with some of the color palette you already have, girl!!!"  

At first, I was contemplating painting the walls and some of the wood pieces in the living room.  Keep in mind, these are furnishings that I have had for-evuh!  But, they felt dark and dated with the darker fabrics (particularly the black curtains framing the windows) that were in the living room.  Also, although I simply love Laura Ashley GOLD 3 (love it enough to have it in my last three homes!), I wasn't sure I wanted to continue to work around it......

However, when I found the sofa with soft teal, green and gold, I realized that perhaps I could live with the soft gold on the walls.....and some of the items that were already in the room. 

Over the last few weeks, since the furniture was delivered, it has slowly come together.  I carefully went through and selected only pieces that I really liked and eliminated some clutter.  I also fell in love all over again with the wood tones that stayed in the room, since they looked totally different than they did with the colors that surrounded them previously.  And, finally, I have reached a point where I am ready to show it off!!!

 

The curtains were a real challenge for me!  Initially, I envisioned something in a soft teal blue at the windows.  But, these ivory sheers, with delicate embroidery, won me over.  I am loving all the soft natural light streaming through.  They are Laura Ashley, purchased at TJ Maxx, $29.99 for a package of two panels.

I got my little touch of teal in this lamp, found at TJ Maxx ($39.99).  The burlap shade works well and adds another bit of texture to the room, don't you think? 

The biggest change in furniture placement came as a result of putting two chairs in front of the wide front windows, as opposed to the sofa in its old spot.  I used the same mission-style end table that we've had for years.  But this opened up the area in front of the windows tremendously!

The flat screen went up on the wall and we repurposed the base of the hutch and put the top part in storage.  This still gives us plenty of places to stash stuff out-of-sight and provides a solid piece to balance out this long blank wall.   The glass-fronted barrister bookcases shifted over behind the new sofa and contain all the small items and photos that would be out collecting dust otherwise. 

I knew I wanted to keep this painted table because it has the perfect colors to complement all the fabrics in the room.  And, since we don't have a fireplace and mantel, it provides a place for simple vignettes, which will undoubtedly change with the seasons.  This piece was picked up at a colleague's pre-garage sale. 

The piano stayed where it was.  Oh, I tried to move it......in fact, I did move it!  But, it ended up going right back to this spot and it seems very happy there.  The large western print above it went to another room and a soft white framed mirror provided a fresher touch on the bare wall above the paino. 

As with the little green table, the top of the piano provides a surface for a few pieces that will change with the seasons.....a display for vignettes. 

Even the clock was switched out - I found this one with a touch of pale teal at Big Lots ($14.99) and knew it would work better than the darker clock we had before.  

This low round table works nicely in front of the smaller-scaled sofa.  Some of my picture books and birds sit on top and provide a little personality. (Birds from Kirland's, $2.99 each.)

So, you see, only about half the stuff in this room is actually new.  The rest just looks different or was shifted from another room.  Overall, though, I am pleased with how light and room the room feels.  The soft gold walls now provide a warm backdrop for the new color palette and give a soft glow to the room.  Everyone comments on how much larger the room looks!  I just know that when I walk in, it feels welcoming and peaceful.  

It begs me to sit down and study the little details......or, maybe just lay back, relax and do a little of this.....

I'm so glad you stopped by today!

Linking up with ~

Alderberry Hill's "Make the Scene Monday"
Savvy Southern Style's "Wow Us Wednesday" 

A Stroll Thru Life's "Inspire Me Tuesday"
A Delightsome Life's "Home and Garden Thursday"
Creative Home Expressions' "The Creative Home & Garden Hop"

Oh, and by the way, can anybody tell me how to treat my little Kolanchoe plant that it is on the round table, now that the blooms have faded????  Help!!! I do not have a very green thumb and I want to see if I can get it to bloom again!

Hugs to ya!

Janie