It's a Spring Thing (I Think)!

Greetings, friends!

Welcome to our "Spring" breakfast area (even though it's in the brisk 40's outside ... blech), where I've made a few, fun changes!

While "Miss Bessie" (the cowhide rug) decided she'd had enough of the wear and tear on her while resting under the table and moved on over to our quieter sitting room, I think the most noticeable change is the addition of a new farmhouse bench! 

I've become a big fan of buying furniture "au naturale" and then painting it to match our decor.  Once my sweet hubs put the bench together, I gave the legs and frame two coats of Annie Sloane's "Pure White," layer of clear wax and then stained the top Minwax Dark Walnut and Red Oak.  I love how it adds to the French Country feel in here!

I'm not *quite* done with it though ... I'll soon be adding a cushion to the top covered in this pretty, checked fabric: 

I think (**hope**) the fabric it will tie in nicely with the panels, bamboo shades and parsons chairs.

Back on the table, I added a simple Spring vignette:

I started with one of my favorite wire trays from Pottery Barn ...

added another one of our cute bunnies from Pier One (that I gave a little burlap collar):

along with a glass apothecary filled with a few delicious *faux* green apples (yum), and ...

of course, added a vase full of *faux* fragrant tulips (thank you, Big Lots)! 

Annnd, well, *what* Spring vignette is complete without a stack of dishes,  colorful napkin and pile o' spoons ... as if we're about to enjoy a fabulous cold treat on a warm, Spring day!  (But, because Mother Nature has declared it still Winter here, that cold treat will have to wait!)  Boooo.

I also added a bit of bling to our chandie, since I don't need it anymore in the sitting room (can't wait to share what I did in there):

The bling chain is from Pottery Barn, and these lengthy *pretties* are actually Christmas ornaments that I simply hung from each arm:

And, there ya' have it ... our Spring breakfast room trapped in Winter!  If you are one of the fortunate ones to actually be warmer Spring temps, would you *please* send them our way?  Thank you!

And, as always, thanks for stopping by!

I'm linking up with:

Savvy Southern Style/WUW

Tips on how to pick your exterior walls for your Home....

1. When selecting exterior paint colors, take the fixed colors into account (like the roof, brick, stonework or any stained wood), and make sure all the colors look good together.

2. Be kind to neighboring properties. Chose colors that won’t clash with the immediate vicinity.

3. A large, boxy house can be broken up by using a trim color that contrasts the body color. A small house will appear larger if the trim is painted the same color as the body of the house.

4. Light colors will help keep a home cooler in warmer climates because they absorb less heat. Conversely, dark colors will help keep a home warmer in cooler climates because they absorb more heat.

5. While color preferences have gone darker in the past few years, light to medium value colors continue to be popular.

6. Remember that colors intensify and look brighter in daylight on the outside of a building than they do on the color chip. For best results, purchase a quart of paint in the color(s) you are considering and brush on a sample.

7. Things that are utilitarian should be painted the same color as that area around them i.e. downspouts should be painted the same color as the surface on which they sit. Feature elements can be highlighted as a whole, i.e. louvered vent.

8. If you know you have any form of color blindness or cataracts, have someone without these conditions assist you with your color decision, preferably a professional color consultant.

9. Some communities have restrictions on what colors can be used on house exteriors, so check this out before you make your choice.

Baadhi ya maeneo ambayo Mr. Joe & Mrs Jossyanne - waliyofanyia kazi - USA

 Unaweza kuitumia hii mbolea ya mulch  kwenye mimea,   maua,  majani, kabla haujapanda, au baada ya kupanda, lazima  gardens ziwe maintained , mara kwa mara,  kama mnavyoona hapo,   kwenye picha  tunaweka mbolea kwenye miti,  ambayo mbolea ya mwanzo iliyowekwa ilishapotea aridhini ,   ili miti , maua au majani yamee vizuri yanahitaji,  mbolea ya kutosha. 

pia unaweza kutumia hii mbolea kwa  mambo mengi, tu yanayohusiana na bustani, za kila aina.   Ingekuwa vizuri   nchini  kwetu  tungeweza kuwa na   viwanda vidogo  vidogo ambavyo  vingeweza kuzalisha, mbolea ya  aina hii maana    mali gafi tunazo  za kutosha na  pia ingezesadia, vijana  kupata ajira.

1 sofa, 5 Looks

Design on a Budget

Living Room Design and Decor

Bedroom Decorating Trends:

Art of Garden

Fabric, Paint and Spring!

You know the deal ... you're in your favorite fabric store ... looking for fabric for, ohhhh, let's say, your son's bathroom, when, all of a sudden, you spot a fabric that would be perfect for your dining room!

Not that anything was particularly *wrong* with the gold fabric (shown below) that you've had in there for the past few years ... wait, on second thought, I guess there was.

There was just SOMEthing about this new fabric that called out to me ... perhaps it was the gorgeous patterns filled with beautiful shades of grey, white, slate blue and a deep "dijon" ...

or, maybe it was because I knew that it would nicely complement the French script fabric on our chairs ...  

along with our furniture and accessories!  

Oh, and don't let me forget to mention it's normally $30 per yard, but, because it arrived from the manufacturer in runs of 3 or 4 yards, it had been marked down to $16 per yard!  Obviously, that pretty much sealed the deal!

After the new panels were hung (and I squealed), I turned my sights on our humongous mirror that was now calling out for a bit of attention.  It wanted to be fancy like the new fabric.  So, with a small craft sponge brush, I gave it two coats of gold paint (that I had on hand) ... hurray for free projects!

Of course, I then had to add a few eggs to celebrate the season!

And, naturally, the table was next ... 

I brought out our sweet bunnies (from Pier One) ... 

and, scattered a few speckled eggs on the runner in pretty shades of blue, green and cream.

New fabric ... a *pizazz-y* mirror ... and a touch of Spring!  Just what the decorating doctor ordered!

Now, a-BOUT that fabric for my son's bathroom ....!  LOL

As always, thanks for stopping by ... come on over and party here:

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia/Tuesday's Treasures

Savvy Southern Style/WUW

Sio kweli ukishapanda miti ama majani ndio umemaliza kazi.....

 Kuna  garden maintenances, lazima zifanyike na kila mara, kama vile plunings,  trimming,   cutting downs un wanted tree limbs , gardens ili zionekane nzuri  lazima matunzo yawepo,  kama vile unavyofanya car services, na  gardens hivyo hivyo. 

From:

Mrs Jossyanne 

Landscaper

USA

Mbolea ya black mulch kwa ajili ya mimea

    Hii mbolea inaitwa black mulch, mbolea hii hutokana na miti iliyokatwa ama kudondoka, majani yaliyodondoka, wanyama waliogongwa barabarani, ama kufa, kwa ufupi mizoga....miti ya x-mass ikiisha muda wa kutumia, inakusanywa na kiwanda huisika hupita kukusanya, ni mbolea   nzuri sana kwa mimea, maua miti majani, nk, na ina rutuba sana kwenye mimea  ya aina yote. Husaidia sana, kuifahidhi  maji,   ardhini kwa muda  mrefu, sana hata wakati wa jua kali.   

Tunaitumia  kwa wingi sisi ma landscapers, in  northern states, i am not sure in southern states, ila kwa ujamla ni mbolea  yenye    rutuba sana. 

Huku kwetu, hatutupi vitu....hua vinakusanywa na kutengeneza vitu vingine.....na pia inasaidia sana sana, kuweka jiji safi....

Mimi binafsi hua ninafikiria kipindi cha x-mass ile miti ingekua inakusanywa , ama hiyo mizoga barabarani na kutengeneza hii mbolea, na ingesaidia ajira kwetu sisi watanzania pia.....

From:

Mrs. Jossyanne 

Landscaper

USA

Kitchen Storage.......

Top 5 Design Mistakes in Small Spaces....

Dulux Color Combination

How to hang wallpaper on your walls

Flowers Are Blooming in the Kitchen!

I truly canNOT believe that we're only a few weeks away from Easter!!  Weren't we just sharing our Christmas decorations?

Don't get me wrong ... was I sad to have replaced our white "Christmas-turned-Valentine" tree with something a bit smaller?  Nope!

Was I bummed when I "borrowed" our silver bucket filled with branches from our sitting room and filled it with faux dogwoods to help create our Easter tree?  No way!

Was I more than glad to dust off our Spring bin ... unwrap the sweet ornaments gathered from my favorite "haunts," such as HomeGoods and Pier One(?), along with ...

scatter extra eggs at the base of the branches?  You betcha!

Was I happy to have spotted these cute "EASTER" blocks at Home Goods last month, knowing that they'd be a great, inexpensive addition to a Spring vignette?  You *know* I was!

And, I'll give you one guess if I enjoyed pulling these cuties out of their hiding spot in our bookcase cabinet to let them welcome Spring!

This little cutie (from Pier One) was more than ready to hop on out of the cabinet, too:

Yes, looking through the branches, you can spy Spring vignettes scattered here and there!

Can you tell I'm MORE than ready for Spring?!  Now, if it would just GET here!

While I patiently wait for its arrival, I'll enjoy visiting all of your Easter/Spring goodies!

Thanks for stopping by, sweet friends!

I'll meet you over here:

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia/Tuesday's Treasures
A Stroll Thru Life/Tabletop Tuesday
Our Home Away From Home/Tuesdays At Our Home
Savvy Southern Style/WUW

Fox Hollow Cottage/Hop to It Spring Thing Link Party
Setting for Four/Project Inspired Linky Party

While I patiently wait for Spring...

Yesterday we set our clock ahead by an hour.
The days are getting longer.
As I look outside my window I see a white blanket of snow which doesn't seem fluffy any more.
Tiny rivulets flow down the paths.
A gently breeze seems to take over the quiet stillness of winter.
A season in transition.
An anticipation of Spring....

Having moved to Minnesota in late July last year, we have been able to enjoy Summer, Fall and Winter.
Now as I patiently wait for Spring outside my window, few corners at home seemed to have already welcomed the season:-)

 Vintage Oleographs, fresh flowers and silverware.

A sparkly twist on the Oleographs...

 Attar perfume bottles from Old City Ahmedabad sit pretty on a vintage tile...

A floral mirror work dupatta provides the perfect background.

 Rose perfumed tea lights...

Look who just made an appearance!

Priya Sebastian's Charcoal Artwork doesn't have an orange wall backdrop but holds the same position in our study.

Wishing all of you a beautiful season of fresh flowers, soft green grass under your feet and blue blue skies!

( Images by Arch)