Autumn Abounds Recap, Linky Party and Incredible Giveaway

Happy Monday!

It's time for a fun Fall linky party and incredible giveaway (be sure to enter down below).  I mean ... WOW ... just LOOK at what you could win!

But, first, I want to say thanks so much to all of you who took the time to visit our Fall homes ... I was happy to be a part of it ... we all truly appreciate your company!  

If you happened to miss any of our Autumn spaces, feel free to click on one of the following links:

Fox Hollow CottageThrifty Junky and Free Fireplace Mantel

At The Picket Fence House Number Pumpkin Topiary

Jennifer Rizzo You Can Paint A Pumpkin Canvas Art

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia Rustic Fall Mantel

Domestically Speaking Apple Popper Recipe

Yellow Bliss Road Autumn Breakfast and Free Printable

At The Picket Fence Decorating A Fall Mantel

Setting For Four Sparkly Fall Mantel

Cupcakes and Crinoline Sweet Potato Apple Soup Recipe

Adventures in Decorating Colorful Fall Mantel

Ella Claire Sparkling Cider Recipe 

JoJo & Eloise DIY Mens Boutonnieres

French Country Cottage Autumn Office Reveal

Debbiedoo's How To Be Your Own Van Gogh; and 

Sand and Sisal Pumpkin Apple Bread With Streusel Topping.

Now, I don't know about you, but I would LOVE a chance to win the following gifts (too bad I can't enter, but YOU can)!

$250 World Market gift card

$300 faucet from Pfister

   

  Teal and Lime custom mood board valued at $300

$25 Decor Steals gift card

$25 to Antique Farmhouse gift card:

$100 Minted giftcard

ENTER HERE!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now, let's get this party started ... can't wait to see your fabulous and festive Fall decor!

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Fall Around the Dining Room

Happy Monday!

I'm excited to be part of the "Fun Around the House" virtual tour where 11 other bloggers and I are sharing parts of our Fall homes over the next two days!  So, go grab a cup of "coy-fee," get comfy and start touring!

*     *     *

WELCOME to our Fall dining room ... all decorated for a big fancy meal that we'll never eat in here.  Yes, admittedly, we don't dine in this room ... at all ... ever ... never.  Obviously, that needs to change.   

Maybe it's time I "ring the dinner bell" and have family and friends actually *break bread* at this table!  I'd be happy to pluck the faux pumpkins from the pretty bowls (that I recently purchased from Home Goods) and fill them with a yummy Fall soup.  The wine and water glasses are just asking to be filled, and the napkins are ready to get dirty:

And, as we all laugh and talk with our mouths full, maybe ... juuuust maybe that's when I'll point to the "1 second craft" I added to my centerpiece (from Kirkland's, filled with faux hydrangeas, pumpkins and burlap) and entice everyone to share their favorite "holiday traditions."

After we're done sharing traditions and family memories from years past, I just might have to turn everyone's attention to the chalkboard I pulled out and propped on our sideboard, where I attempted to add a simple saying of "thanks":

Hopefully, the soup bowl filled with chicken chili or the gold "blingy" candlesticks will distract our guests, and they won't pay too much attention to my "wonky" handwriting:

If not, no worries ... I'll just quickly point out these cute black and white plates (also from Home Goods) that I pulled out ... hoping to complement the chalkboard!  And, of course, mention how I love how the pops of orange work so well with these colors, too:

Then, I'll share with everyone that, besides being grateful for wonderful family and friends, I'm thankful that these floating shelves, filled with these seasonal plates, haven't come crashing to the floor!  

Yes, this just might be the year that we actually enjoy Fall harvest in here.  If not, maybe the pretty "HARVEST" garland from Home Goods that I hung in front of the window will make people "think" that we are!  

As we say here in the South ... "HAPPY FALL, Y'ALL!"

Thanks so much for visiting our Fall dining room!

Now it's time to tour the Fall spaces of these incredible bloggers whom I'm blessed to call my friends ... you'll be amazed by their talent!

Dawn from Creative Cain Cabin:

Kelly from Eclectically Vintage:

Ann On Sutton Place:

Kim from Savvy Southern Style:

And, Laura from Top This Top That:

I'm also joining:

Stone Gable/Tips and Tidbits


Thanks for your visit ... I'm off to start touring!

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How to EASILY repair old fancy frames!

Have you ever

           come across an

old frame that

               has some missing

fancy decoration?

Now you can easily fix it!



First you purchase this product


at Hobby Lobby. It's pricy so use your 40% off coupon. Take a friend and have them use a coupon too to get them both 40% off.


I started with this old frame with a corner piece missing it's fancy scroll work.  I picked

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A Fall Vignette that Didn't Cost a Penny!

While I absolutely love holiday decorating ... thanks to a minimal budget, I love *free* holiday decorating even more!  That's why I was happy to have created a vignette on our sofa table in the great room with things I already had on hand.

Whether it's with a bowl of *seasonal* autumnal goodies, filled with faux pumpkins I've gathered over the years ...

or an inexpensive plate from Wal-Mart's BHG line that I scooped up last year (and, happy to say that they're at Wal-Mart again this year, too).

After spending time perched on the bookcase in our sitting room last Fall, this fella (from Michael's) came back for a return appearance ...

and, a lantern, once filled with nautical rope during the Summer months, now has faux leaves in its place ...

with a Fall *crown* made out of picks and leftover ribbon from last year.

Sparkly, little crows, complete with witches' hats, flew on out of our Fall bins and over to branches I recently snatched from the woods, 

annnd, a metal hammered bucket, filled with holiday pillows last year, became a comfy resting spot for a few faux pumpkins this year!  

All of these things came together to create this:

FREE!

Now let's see if I can get away with spending zero dollars finishing the mantel on our porch!  Wish me luck!

As always, thanks for stopping by!

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Pot Full Of Happiness!!

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I have a confession.......

Yes I am obsessed with recycling, lotus and Buddha  and this post is combo of recycling and lotus obsession.

My husband had a sudden desire of drinking natural cold water of a clay pot last summer. So we got this black pot but it had some leakage problem so was lying unused. Then one day I just picked it up and without even a proper plan in my mind I just painted it blue. Then it was lying like that for a week because I had no clue about what to do on it. 

Then my obsession with lotus came to rescue and I painted a blue lotus on it. It was looking very beautiful and suddenly it has become 'pot full of happiness' :)

Then bit emptiness was there or something was missing so one pink lotus came to give it company and it was
'sheer happiness'

Pink one became my favorite. Getting dried and getting ready to get a coat of protective layer so that I can use this pot as planter and can keep it outside as well.

Here is a complete look. Adding cheer and pop of color to my balcony garden.

A closer look. Looks mesmerizing whenever I look at this pot. Lotuses look so real and happy.

Enjoy some more views of the pot :)

It looks wonderful indoors..................

as well as outdoors.........

I have a beautiful baby pink Bougainvillea that I'll plant in this pot. That will be icing on a cake and all of you wonderful readers you just stay tuned to see whether bougainvillea will add the charm to pot or pot will enhance the beauty of bougainvillea :) Will be a fun to see that!! Till then you can suggest me a nice and appropriate name for this pot :)

Wish you a very happy and creative weekend ahead!!

Take a look of all my DIY projects here.

Update: I have planted bougainvillea in it and this is how it looks.........

  

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Helpful Hubby!

See him up there?




He is the most helpful Hubby! Along with his helpfullness, Hubby gives himself to me all day for my birthday. Basically, I GET TO BOSS HIM AROUND!


Remember when I had painted the upper fireplace white to match the mantel (way back in February), but lacked the finishing touch...trim? If not, you can see that post HERE.


 So I asked Hubby to cut and install the

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