Thanks Again, BHG.com!

Happy Monday, friends!  I cannot believe that we're already at the end of July!  As much as I love Fall, I don't want summer to end just yet.

Speeeeeaking of Fall ... I was be-YOND flattered (and dumbfounded) when the kind folks at Better Homes and Gardens recently contacted me to see if they could include another Fall mantel of ours as part of this year's Fall Mantel Decorating Ideas feature on their website! 

Here's our mantel from last year and what BHG.com had to say:

Welcoming Fall Mantel

"Becca (adventuresindecorating1.blogspot.com) combined rustic and vibrant elements on her fall mantel, using a metal-and-wrought-iron frame as a focal point for her design. A vintage wooden pheasant figurine, a red fall sign, and small gourds placed under a glass cloche to give her mantel pops of color. Creamy pumpkins, candles, and burlap-wrapped pitcher add to the design, and a garland made from fall-hue wooden beads strung together on picture wire adds a fun layer. The mantel gains a welcoming glow with light-up branches placed in a pitcher alongside faux florals, natural branches, and feathers."

I'm like a proud Mom seeing our little mantel included on their website! When you have a moment, you should take a peek at the other mantels they featured (click here) ... they are fabulous!  And, I'm sure you'll recognize quite a few of them!  Yes, I'm truly humbled to be in their company.

So, again, thank you, BHG.com ... I'm not worthy, but sincerely appreciative!

Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!

Becca

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Fern Stand Table

I found a rather yucky fern stand with great lines and a cheap price...



$1,

 

 so I knew that I couldn't pass it up.


This is the before picture...


Yucky right? Well, I did some painting & creating and this is the shabby outcome of my efforts!


Now, it's just a sweet bedside lamp table. After a new top, I painted black and white check on the inside only of the legs and added swirls

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Hutch Decor 101-107

Before I show you how I have my hutch displayed currently, let's go down memory lane...shall we?





First came the hutch, found at a thrift store. Then I painted it to lighten and freshen it up. I fell in love!

 I used Annie Sloan Old White and Old Ochre Chalk Paint.


Now let's look at the transformations in decor on the hutch...


Hutch 101 - Ironstone Pitcher Collection:


Hutch 102 -

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Free Shopping!

Happy Sunday!  It's that time again for "Let's Switch Things Up a Bit!" 

Today's victim ... the dining room:

Newly painted lamps (AS Old White) that used to be green and in the great room now give the buffet a lighter look:

A blue runner flew on over to the buffet ... it not only serves as a fun pop of color to contrast with our white pieces, but also helps to tie in with the blue plates on the shelves:

It's fun to shop your house to create new vignettes, isn't it?

This glass cloche filled with yummy "faux" cheese, grapes and corks traveled on over from the dry bar in the breakfast area:

... the engraved cheese knives from PB are still one of my faves:

Over on the table, painted candlesticks (AS Old White) ...

A dainty pitcher filled with faux florals:

annnnd, a fleur-de-lis dish:

help to create another simple vignette:

I suppose the *only* drawback to shopping your house is that it leaves lots of empty spaces that need to be filled in in other places ... oops!  Time to shop the house some *more* I suppose ... what a vicious fun cycle!

Sooo, just which rooms are *you* shopping today?!

Thanks for stopping by,

I'm linking up with: 

DIY by Design/Sizzle into Summer
French Country Cottage/Feathered Nest Friday
Thistlewood Farms/All About Color

Becca

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I love Rum Cake!

Happy Friday !!

I'm keeping this short and sweet, but wanted to share something that we've wanted to do for a long time ... we *finally* got new carpet! 

BEFORE:  Not *too* bad ... in PICTURES!  But, up close ... it had a much different story to tell!  Trust me!

DURING:  Goodbye boring, flat builder-grade carpet filled with pet stains, kiddo stains, food/drink stains annnnd, yes, paint stains (not to mention lots of pink undertones, which I never truly noticed until after seeing this picture)!  

AFTER:  Well, hello Mohawk SmartStrand Silk "Rum Cake" carpet!  The fine folks from Lowe's installed it for us, and we couldn't have been more pleased with the installers' promptness, skill and professionalism.

I LOVE how lush and semi-shaggy this carpet is ... the padding is nice and thick, too!  Our Dyson is not quite sure what to do with carpet that it doesn't glide over ... it actually has to work now!  LOL 

We also had Jax's bedroom and "guest room turned playroom" done in this carpet, as well.  Our 4th bedroom (which is John's office) is hardwood.  Yes, this was definitely a "why didn't we do this years ago" project !!  I'm sure many of  you have those types, as well!

I hope you all have a great weekend.  I'm going to go roll around some more on the new carpet!  LOL

Thanks for stopping by,

Becca

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SkyView Back Yard!

This post is sort of crazy in that my young and cute, handy dandy handyman was up on my roof fixing some shingles and he said, "Go get me your camera, and I will take pictures of your backyard from up here for your blog"! Isn't he just wonderful thinking of you guys? To take these pictures, he was standing at the top of the roof right where the arrow is...crazy guy! Since he had my camera, I

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All Ready for Fall!

Yup, I'm all decorated for Fall!  Okay, okay ... juuuuust kidding!  But, I simply couldn't resist the great gathering that Amy is hosting at WhisperWood Cottage.  You can share your Fall decor and projects from last year to get everyone's wheels spinning for the upcoming season!  In fact, your fabulous project(s) could even end up on the pages of "Cottages & Bungalows" magazine! 

So, humor me as I take a stroll down memory lane ... starting with our Fall mantel! 

Even though it took *foreva,* one of my favorite elements was the garland I made by stringing inexpensive wood craft beads onto picture wire ...

Over on the buffet, Mr. Roo took center stage:

And, how easy was it to add a little something to our lantern by nestling a candle in burlap:

Burlap even made its way to our lamp shades, too! 

The breakfast area didn't go untouched, either ... and, those who know me know that our Fall family tree means a lot! 

I always look forward to wrapping it with natural elements (such as burlap, grapevine, pinecones and leaves) and adding special family photos and sayings to remind me what is truly important!

In the neighboring kitchen, a simple word filled a chalkboard (inspired by SugarPie Farmhouse):

Kitchen canisters were easily filled with Fall goodness:

Onto the dining room ...

mixed in with the fun mercury were the white pumpkins that used to be orange ...

that is, until I painted them with Annie Sloane's Old White chalk paint!

Our neutral sitting room was splashed with corals, reds and browns.  And, yes, those are leaf placemats that I layered on top of the mirrors:

I know white pumpkins will be alll over our house again this year, too!  Here is another painted one that I simply placed on a bright orange leaf ... love the contrast.

Lastly, outside ... I made inexpensive pumpkin topiaries to flank our front door ...

and one of my mesh wreaths stood front and center to greet our guests:

As much as I don't want to wish summer away, admittedly, I am looking forward to football, chili and Fall decorating!  Who's with me ?!

Thanks for stopping by ... don't forget to come on over and party!

Becca

I'm also joining:

Savvy Southern Style/WUW

Coastal Charm/Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

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