Front Porch Decorating



    My front porch was in very sad shape. This is what the poor rockers looked like. They really need refinishing.


    Restained and looking so much better. See the white chinese garden stool. That's the famous one from Big Lots. It needs painting too, and the poor dead plants replaced.


    This is what I used to transform the chinese stool.


    First it got two different colors of green.


    Then a little stain was sponged on for character. I finished it with 2 coats of Clear Gloss.


    Ta-DA!!! New front porch. Much better.


    A view to the front door.


    The wreath got a little redo too.


    Some pillows and a new fern, now this looks inviting.


    Of course a little critter had to be added.


    The stool is just the perfect size for a couple of glasses of iced tea.






    Since we live in Arizona, of course we have desert landscaping, but the porch still looks inviting.


    I am also linking to:
    Today's Thrifty Treasures @ Southern Hospitality
    It's So Very Creative @ It's So Very Cheri
    Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch for Metamorphosis Monday.


    Sunday Showcase @ Under The Table And Dreaming


    The DIY Showoff

    P.S. WOO-HOO!!! I've been featured on UNDER THE TABLE AND DREAMING Sunday Showcase. Click on the button on the top of my sidebar to see other features. Fabulous creativity and inspiration galore.


    Thanks so much for stopping by. I always appreciate your visits. Be sure to stop back by for Table Top Tuesday. I will have Mr. Linky up by 5PM Monday evening. I hope you will link up and join the party. Remember, it's for any kind of vignette on any surface.

Post Title

Front Porch Decorating


Post URL

http://netdesignworld.blogspot.com/2010/04/front-porch-decorating.html


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Starting One Project and Finishing Another

    First, we have a new blogger that I would love to introduce you to. Her name is Connie @ Dare To Dream. Her blog is lovely and she has such a great talent for thrifting, crafting and recreating. I hope you will go by and welcome her to blogland.

    Now for my projects:

    I have been wanting to paint the rockers for the front porch since last year, but you know how crazy men get about painting wood. So in order to preserve peace in the house, I decided to just re-stain them. They really are looking so bad.

    After a good sanding, I mixed some stain with some poly I already had and gave them a couple of coats and they look so much better.


    See that white chinese stool, it's the same one from Big Lots that you have seen around blogland. Next is to paint it, replace all the dead plants and add some more, a couple of pillows and the porch should be a little more inviting. Always more projects to be done.


    Now to finish a project for the Master.

    This is our bedroom and it had a couple of unfinished projects that I wanted to get done.


    I had painted an old lamp that I'm using on the round table, but it still needed something, so I wanted to add some trim to the shade.


    There were some really good tutorials around that showed how easy this was and it really is. A little braid around the top.


    Then I added a little fringe around the bottom. Looks much more interesting.


    Now doesn't this look so much better.


    Now to add a little trim to the pillow.


    I like this much better too.


    Ok, I am happier and I think this area looks a lot better.


    Ok, on to the porch and get that finished. Thanks for stopping by. I always look forward to your visits. Hope you will join me for Table Top Tuesday. Remember, it's not just for tables, but any surface where you create a vignette. I will have Mr. Linky up by 5PM Monday evening. See you there.

    I am linking to:
    Transformation Thursday - The Shabby Chic Cottage
    Strut Your Stuff Thursday - Somewhat Simple
    Get Your Craft On - Life As Lori
    Show And Tell Friday - My Romantic Home
    Frugalicious Friday - Finding Fabulous
    Frugal Friday - The Shabby Nest

Post Title

Starting One Project and Finishing Another


Post URL

http://netdesignworld.blogspot.com/2010/04/starting-one-project-and-finishing.html


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10th Table Top Tuesday - Prof. Designer Kit. Staging



    Thank you so much for joining Table Top Tuesday. I really look forward to seeing all the wonderful vignettes you've created.

    I have a wonderful friend who designs and stages million dollar homes for a custom builder. She was visiting and when I mentioned I was redoing all the tables and bookcases in the Familyroom, and the Kitchen was next. She said, let me do it. Yippee!!!! Of course I said yes, and teach me while you do it. Now I certainly don't have a million dollar home or accessories to match, but boy did she go to town shopping the house. Sorry lots of pictures, but I thought it was interesting.

    This is what the kitchen looked like when she started.


    This is what she created, version One. I couldn't believe that she did three versions.

    Lesson #1. Since this is the view you see from the Dining Room, she wanted something to draw a person in. She chose to put my tureen on the counter since it really catches your eye.


    Lesson #2. Tie the kitchen into the rest of the area. This is a napkin with colors that tie into the FR and BR. She used it to ground the tureen.


    Lesson #3. Since I just redid the coffee table, end tables and bookcases in the family room in what she called a sort of Bahama-Ralph Lauren style, she wanted to take most of the country out of the kitchen. She started with the corner since that is the most predominant area in the kitchen that you see first.


    She mixed some green apples in with the lemons since I didn't have limes and kept the scale and grapes.


    She kept this scale with the cheese and grapes, wheat and the little basket of eggs.


    She took an old world container and filled it with dried hydranges and beaded grass. A little rooster and she was happy.


    On the left of the stove, she created this little vignette. She wound some ivy inside and outside of the wire cloche and placed the rooster next to it.


    On the far right corner of the kitchen, I told her I had to keep the bread box since it holds all my cookbooks and my mom made it. She thought it was a little country, but smiled and said we'll make it work. Gotta' love her.


    She even redid my rooster planter for the breakfast table.


    Version Two -

    She put the rooster planter on the island and redid the rest of the counters totally different.


    She added the small rooster, some grapes and placed the rooster planter on a platter.


    Since I had to have it, she moved the bread box over next to the coffee pot.


    Then she created totally different vignettes on the counters.


    The plate Bill sent me, a cookbook, wheat, scale and the old malt mixer all seem to go together.


    This old malt mixer was one my mom had when I was a kid. My children, grandchildren and I love to make malts. So good. It has always been next to the coffee pot before.


    The corner got some changes too. She stood the wicker tray as the backdrop, added the green jar, a wicker placemat to ground everything, a cork pear and apple and an apothecary jar full of pasta.






    She liked all the counters now and thought the old world theme was working with the rest of the room, but she wasn't pleased with the island, so she created another vignette.


    A cookbook opened up, one of my tortoise chargers filled with wisks, measuring spoons and cups and my special oils in an iron carrier, some grapes and she was happy.


    Totally different look.


    Version #1


    Version #2


    Version #3


    She did all of this is about 2 hours and kept me laughing the whole time. She just shopped the house, pantry and all the kitchen cabinets. I was totally fascinated at her creativity and imagination.

    Which is your favorite?

    I am also linking to:

    Nifty Thrifty Tues. - Coastal Charm
    Toot Your Horn Tues. - A Silly Little Sparrow
    Do It Yourself Day Tues. - A Soft Place To Land
    Woo Hoo Wednesday - Always Nesting
    Works For Me Wed. - We Are That Family
    Spot Light Yourself - It's So Very Cheri
    Those Special Touches Wed. - Imparting Grace

    Thanks so much for stopping by, I always appreciate your visits.



    Be sure to link up to Mr. Linky below. I can't wait to see what all you've created.

Post Title

10th Table Top Tuesday - Prof. Designer Kit. Staging


Post URL

http://netdesignworld.blogspot.com/2010/04/10th-table-top-tuesday-prof-designer.html


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