Summer Porches & Decks Blog Party

I am participating in the week long blog party, with Wednesday’s post having a theme of “Summer Porches & Decks” hosted by Kim from Savvy Southern Style.  However, I don’t have a porch or a deck ~ I have a screened gazebo and a patio, so I am showing those off.

When you come outside the sliding glass doors that are off the kitchen side of the house {which are the doors we use most often} this is the view.  To the right is some lawn and a raised bed, which I’ve shared before when it has been covered in snow.

My patio runs the full length of the back of my house and paths run off the patio.

One curvy path leads to the shed and, back behind the doors we came through, the path leads to the steps to the pool and around to the gate that leads to the driveway.

Behind the white fence you see here is our in-ground pool.

Here we are at the gazebo.  I have my fairy bell outside the door as well as one of several cherubs I have in the yard.

I’d love to give you a tour of the inside of the gazebo, but I didn’t have time to clean it up. 

Here is a view looking back to the patio and the sliding doors from the gazebo.

Next to and just behind the gazebo is a Weeping Willow tree.  I grew this tree from a branch of a Weeping Willow tree that had been in our yard and was a victim of The Great Hurricane of ‘95.   I set up the round glass table underneath it for the Mad Hatter Tea Party linky that I am participating in on Saturday, so you are getting a sneak peek here!

I’m sure there is lots of eye candy and inspiration, so I hope you will visit all the party participants!

Kathy

Summer Paint Projects Blog Party

 

I wanted to join in on the Blog Party kick off over at Debbiedoos but haven’t done any painting for outside projects recently.  I did do a few things last year and this caddy was one of them, so I am reposting it.

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Wine Caddy to Plant Holder

Last week I shared this wire wine bottle caddy that I had gotten at Goodwill.  I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it as soon as I saw it.

Here it is spray painted white.  I used Krylon and the can said it is good for metal, wood, etc.  I hung it on a tree branch and was able to get most of it covered this way.

And here it is with faux geraniums I had stored in my basement.  These are, surprisingly,  done very well, and they are in tall, narrow terracotta pots {which you can just see through the wire}.  I got them at Hallmark about eight years ago.  You can’t really see the handle in this picture as I put the flowers on either side of it, but I can pick it up and put it anywhere I feel I need some color.  Even if it is faux!

I’ve already put it in my gazebo and am eager to get this season started!

The Blog Party continues all week!

Kathy 

Father’s Day Shopping

My Father’s Day shopping brought me to TJ Maxx and you know I had to look in the home section while I was there!  I think I was pretty good and just left with these items for myself.

I wanted to take a picture of this lamp on my dresser, but it’s still in the garage and it is a rainy, cloudy day here.  It will be used on the dresser though and I think it will suit it nicely.

Love the linen shade and the detailing to the base. The lamp was $19.99!  

I next found this cute little creamer with the “Milk” label plate on it ~ $3.99.  Had to get it for that price!

Lastly, I almost walked past the mugs when I saw this “Keep Calm and Carry On” mug also for $3.99, so that hopped in the cart, too. 

All in all I think it was a great Father’s Day shopping day!

Kathy

Yours For $3.9 Million

I saw this gorgeous house online and wanted to share some of the eye candy that makes up the interiors of this home.  

Beams appear throughout in a few of the rooms.  Check out that ceiling light fixture!

Interesting detail on the ceiling where the light fixture sits in this dining room picture. 

Love the beams again.  This portion of the kitchen looks like it opens right up to the dining room.  It looks like the refrigerator is enclosed in cabinetry {to the right next to the ovens}.

This looks like a view of the kitchen from the dining room.  What a great decorative element above the stove!

More beams.  I labeled this a “library” when I saved the picture, but it looks like it is more of a home office.  Love the desk and the built-ins!

Huge laundry room!  What a great space and there is enough room and surfaces to do more than just laundry here.

I think you can really appreciate the expanse of stone in this house by looking at this stairway.  I like that is ironwork and not wood used on the railing.

What a great porch for both entertaining and just relaxing on.

I’m going to guess that this is a wine room.  Love those doors!

Great window and chandelier {from what I can see}.  I like that it is not overwhelmed with furniture in here.

Love the size of this bathroom, although it looks like there’s a lot going on with the detailing on the pieces.

Another bedroom.  No beams this time!

I noticed that there is not too much in the way of pictures or wall décor of any kind {there are a few but not as much as you might expect with the expanse of wall in this house}. The accessories are also very minimal.  I’m guessing they had it staged before listing, although they could just be minimalists!

*Picture source yahoo real estate

Kathy

A Stroll Down Tea Party Lane

My final Restore piece is up for its project and it is the actual cabinet door {not a little sample piece like the others}.  I had decided to do a saying on it that says “Tea Party Lane”.  I knew this was the right way to go after I came across Vanessa at A Fanciful Twist’s Mad Hatter Tea Party invite!

I printed off a font and size that I liked and positioned it on the raised panel of the cabinet door.  My intention was to get carbon paper and trace it onto the door and then use craft paint and paint pens to fill it in. 

That wasn’t working for a few reasons.  One,  I couldn’t find carbon paper easily and the office supply stores are not in my regular driving paths.  Second, I came into my right mind and realized that my shakiness will not work to my benefit on this project.  It would look like I spiked my tea by the time I was done with it!

So I went with a shaky person’s best friend ~ vinyl!  I contacted my favorite vinyl Etsy seller Empressive Designs and asked her if she could customize one of her listings to my needs.   This listing to be specific.

Carisa is always very helpful when I need to get vinyl done.  Most of the time I just tell her what I’m looking for and the size of the surface and she sends me the perfect thing.  She did not disappoint!

Here it is with the hole for the knob still exposed.  I didn’t even paint the cabinet door ~ it was already white.   

I want to add a ribbon {probably black} and a picture hanger on the back.  It’s a little heavy to just rely on ribbon to hold it, but the ribbon will give the impression it is hanging from  it.  To cover the hole I searched for something that worked with the “tea party” theme.  It took me a couple of weeks, but I found this little teacup and saucer at a local tea room that opened up near the day job.

I put it on with hot glue so if I find something that I think works better I can take it off.  I found one teapot knob on the internet and I didn’t care for it.  I wanted to try one of those half teacups that are used for nightlights, but it would have been too big.  So unless I find some cute little piece somewhere, this is how it will be staying for now.

I don’t know.  It’s not thrilling me. What do you think?

I’m so glad I went with the vinyl, though, because I think it turned out much better than I would have done.  {Of course, I found graphite paper at Michaels the day after the vinyl came}!

Kathy