Happy Fourth “Easy Project”

I always love to decorate the baker’s rack in my lanai.

The dollies thought they looked especially pretty for the Fourth of July holiday but they needed something special to hold. My dolls are beautiful creations from Pat at All is Bright.

I can always make the biggest mess for the smallest projects.

I cut stars and sewed them together in the center with buttons. I even sandwiched some interfacing inside to give them a little body.

They were quick and easy and the dollies are happy now!

I’m joining Beautiful Sunday,

Seasonal Sundays,

Sundays in my City,

Mosaic Monday,

and Amaze me Monday!

Do you have big plans for the Fourth?

Literary Friday : “The Shoemaker’s Wife”

I have loved Adriana Trigiani for years now…ever since I had the pleasure of meeting her in Asheville, NC before her first book, “Big Stone Gap” was even on the shelves. She was talking to the lady at the book store about her new book and I just happened to overhear the conversation. I’m not shy….I walked up to her and met her. She is a delightful lady and we have emailed each other a few times over the years. I’ve read all of her books and I think I own them all except this one. (it’s a library book)

I’m reading “The Shoemaker’s Wife” and it’s wonderful! One of those books you don’t want to finish…you just want it to go on and on!

This is another one of my favorite books by this talented author.

You can’t go wrong with her beautiful Italian cookbook filled with delicious recipes and stories of her family.

I’m joining Ricki Jill for Literary Friday.

Have you read any of her books? What’s your favorite? And what are you reading right now?

Hanging a Painting up high “Solution”

When we bought our house in Florida I wanted to try not to ‘junk up’ the area above my cabinets and instead collect some nautical things over time to get the look I wanted. I haven’t really found many things here that would work though. I need to go to the Gulf Coast and look through some old shops there. But I did finally add something this week!

(it looks like the top right hand corner is too high but it’s not….remember I am taking the photo from down below and not level with the painting)

It’s exactly what I had ‘pictured’ for this spot and it was a great price!

I even had my hubby guess and he guessed exactly right….well, almost. He guessed $10 and that’s what the tag said. But it was 60% off and then I got another little discount for being a regular shopper.

I paid a total of $3 and some change!!!

Now hubby just needed to figure out a way to hang it OVER a junction box.

He used a coat hook with a hose clamp to keep the wire from slipping down.

And he did a great job! He has long arms! Thanks honey! (I stood in the living room looking over a wall for this photo)

I’ve made a little start with the ship, a basket of shells and some seagulls flying overhead!

I’m joining Thrifty Things Friday!

Also Katherine’s Corner,

Ivy and Elephants

and Jann for Share Your Cup !

Do you like nautical style décor?

I live in Florida so it’s very popular here!

One little change requires MORE little changes!

My little change was the new shabby chic pillow I made for my bed. (I posted HERE) And then it hit me….I have never been happy with the very top of this small bookcase.

I didn’t want something to come up in front of my Lady of Shallot but the red wooden music box didn’t seem quite right on it’s own. And then I put way too many small items along with it. The more I did…the worse it got!

So I took everything off and started over.

Before…

and AFTER…

I moved the books up a shelf.

And left a little room on the bottom shelf for odds and ends.

Now I like it better. Well, until I walk back in the room and start rearranging it again!

I try to ‘live with’ a new arrangement for a few days to see how I feel about it before I move things around AGAIN! After all….I do have more things to do than move things from one shelf to another. I have BLOGGING! hahaha!

I’m joining Coastal Charm for

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday,

Brenda at the Cozy Little House

for Tweak it Tuesday

and Creative Cain Cabin.

Do you move things around in your house or is this crazy behavior?

Perfect Peonies!

These are such beautiful flowers that I wanted to share them with all of you.

I took these photos at the park in NC while we were there and didn’t want to skip right over them.

I’ve never seen peonies growing here in Florida but our rose bushes are blooming right now.

My hubby likes to cut one for me every day and add it to this little vase.

I’m joining Beautiful Sunday,

Seasonal Sundays,

Sundays in my City,

Mosaic Monday,

and Amaze me Monday!

What flowers are blooming at your house?

Adding a little Romance!

I love having a romantic bedroom with soft soothing colors.

(All of my blog buddies have seen it many times.)

The view out my window is of the beautifully manicured golf course so we chose a headboard that we could see through.

 

This week, I searched my stash of vintage fabric, lace and trims to create a new pillow for my bed.

I love the way it turned out…all frills and lace!

(a ‘shocking’ peek under the lace!)

I always make pillow covers now because there is NO WAY you can get another throw pillow in my linen closet. It’s quick and easy, too!

Here’s my ‘stash’ that I’ve been collecting.

And how about that vintage button in the center?

It was an old ‘clip on’ earring...

hubby cut the back off and I glued it onto a brooch pin!  

I’m joining Time Travel Thursday ,

and Thrifty Things Friday!

Also Katherine’s Corner for Favorite Things,

Ivy and Elephants 

and Jann for Share Your Cup !

Is your bedroom soft and soothing…and romantic? How many pillows do YOU have on YOUR bed? heehee!

June Note Card Party “Florida’s Horse Country”

We enjoy seeing the beautiful horses here in Florida and I thought they would make nice note cards.

“Ocala, Florida is considered the Horse Capital of the World. Learn more HERE. We are one of only four major Thoroughbred breeding and training centers in the world. They are Newmarket (England), Chantilly (France), Lexington (Kentucky), and Ocala. Also, Florida follows only Texas and California when it comes to the total number of horses (all breeds).”

These were taken through the windshield of my car on the way back from the mall.

And these are the wild horses in Payne’s Prairie.

Read more about them HERE 

and see more photos online, HERE !

I’m joining Vee at a Haven for Vee

for the Note Card party!

And for my regular readers, would you please click HERE to see the post I did this morning. I don’t usually do 2 posts in one day and don’t want you to miss this one! Thanks!

Thrifting for Art?

Do you expect to find fine art at your local thrift store?

How about this 50 cent purchase?

They might be considered ‘quirky’ art.

 

After all, I love anything made out of shells.

For 50 cents, I can afford to buy quirky. If I can’t find a perfect place to put them, I’ll just donate them back to the thrift store.

But what about $5?

I walked right up to this little painting at the thrift store and it was love at first sight.

(it says Art Guild, Brooklyn, NY Fine Oil Painting)

And $5 is a great price….the frame would cost more than that. I love shopping at Hospice Thrift store. It’s such a good cause and you know your money is going to help others right in your own community.

This is the wall with doors going into my walk in closet on the right and master bath on the left.

Of course I love my beautiful swan, made by Raggedy Angie. I’m not sure I like the scarf on my jewelry armoire though.

 

And I bought this painting for the frame but I've kept the pretty lady…for now.

I’m joining Coastal Charm for

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday,

Brenda at the Cozy Little House

for Tweak it Tuesday

and Creative Cain Cabin.

Have you found any art at your thrift store lately?

A ‘Sweet Ride’!

 

‘Happy Father’s Day’

to all of the special Dads, especially

my sweet hubby, sons and son in laws!

Wish we were all riding in ‘style’ today!

(photos taken of a vehicle at the park)

Enjoy your special day!

I’m joining Beautiful Sunday,

Seasonal Sundays,

Sundays in my City,

Mosaic Monday,

and Amaze me Monday!

My Happy List…while I catch my breath!

We’ve been traveling again so I am catching up on emails and blog visits!

I stopped at Ricki Jill’s and saw her happy list so I thought this would be perfect for my ‘Welcome Home’ post! All in random order!

1. I’m happy and thankful to have 2 homes. I love them both! But I’m a summertime girl and love the summers in Florida! I also love to travel back and forth…up and down the road! lol

2. My hubby is a good driver and the trip is lots of fun. We stayed at the Hampton Inn again and I am ‘happy’ to report that we had another towel animal in our room and it was not a pig…it was a swan! My girlfriend Chatty Crone was curious about that and so was I!

3. It is green here and the horse farms are gorgeous. Thanks Vee for complimenting my mountain banner. I have changed it again with a photo I took about an hour ago! lol I hope you like it!

4. Cell phones and computers….it’s so nice to stay in touch with family and friends when we travel.

5. I am happy I brought back some of our pottery to put in our entertainment center. I’ve been playing with the arrangement today! (and doing laundry!)

6. And I’m happy for all of YOU…you stick by me even when I travel and disappear from blogland for a few days.  (what did I MISS?)

(Horse photos and banner pic were taken this afternoon.. here in Florida.. through my windshield!)

What makes you happy today?

Are you loving the summer time weather?