SUMMER MINI HOUSE TOUR

I've recently mentioned that I'd be posting a summer house tour soon, and I'm afraid I over-shot that a bit. Consider this more of a "here's a few summer decorations I put out" post.  :)  Since summer is well on it's way, I focused on the living room and entry and called it a day.

For the entry, I left the giant clam shell but removed the orchid arrangement and added a live fern.

When I realized the pot was visible, I scrounged around for something to cover it, and my disco ball ornaments did the trick.  Disco balls truly are for every season!  (See mine used in Fall here, Christmas here, and my big mama ball here!)

I'm certain that this is my favorite summer vignette ever...natural, simple, shiny, and green.

Moving on to the new sofa table, a few weeks ago I showed you 3 ways that I styled it, but here's where the accessories have landed for summer.

This little crab door knocker is my favorite summer accessory.  He was a thrifted find and is missing a leg, I guess someone got hungry.  ;)

My instagram friends saw my new purchase a few weeks ago, but here is my new loveseat in it's home!  I sold the big red chair to a sweet reader for her vacation home, and came across this one at Dillard's for a steal.  I love the lines, and the pillows are hiding a few tufts in the back.

Now let's just talk about those pillows for a minute... my sewing machine was humming last weekend as I made a few new sets for summer.  I've had the spotted Togo fabric for probably a year and made some stockings out of it at Christmas, but that left me without enough for the pillow backs.  So, I used a stripe on the back.  Turned out ok by me!

**Sneak peek at a looming project in the background...we hope to tackle the ceiling first this weekend!

I also made a pair of these pretties thanks to a little help from my friends.  Bethany taught me how to use my sewing machine to do monograms, and Emily found this fabulous fabric and shared the source with me.  It's metallic DENIM, and it's off the bolt at Hancock's!  It's slightly stretchy and such a nice weight.  You MUST see how Emily used it in her home for the backs of the shelves in her Butler's Pantry...gorgeous!

Ok, pillow rant is over, but I'm loving how that simple change lightened things up for summer.

(*If you'd like to try making your own pillows, check out my easy tutorial for how to make a pillow with a zipper, or, if you need a better visual, check out this fantastic video tutorial from Hobby Lobby.  Although they're similar, I actually like this method a little better than mine,  and my sister is the host!  Watch it anyway to check out her cool trick with the seam ripper...)

I made an excellent Craigslist purchase a few weeks ago, and this table was included in the deal.  I wasn't super excited about it until I realized how perfect it would be for this spot in the corner between the couch and the loveseat.  Plus, I really liked the details once I got a good look at it.

The black dresser doesn't have anything specifically for summer, but I'm loving this green tray here with the blue and white pieces and a touch of brass.

The coffee table...

and the Mantel.

You can see my brightened-up peacock mirror, a small lady-vase that I picked up 80% off at Hobby Lobby recently (she was turquoise but some glossy white paint fixed that), and I couldn't resist another Lindsay Letters piece from Hobby Lobby.

So that's it!  Just a few simple changes, clipping some outdoor greens, shopping the house and moving some things around, and we're all summer-ized.

Lastly, I'd like to thank Crane and Canopy for inviting me to design a room featuring their fabulous bedding.  This was my first time for a project like this, and it was so much fun!  You can see what I came up with here.  Don't be surprised if you see something similar around here in the future!

And, many thanks to Heather from Southern State of Mind for inviting me over to her blog yesterday for a little Q&A in her "At Home With..." series.  It's been so fun participating in her Summer Style Soiree series this summer, and I enjoyed visiting while she settles in with her darling new baby.  Thanks Heather!

Whew! That post turned out to be way longer than I anticipated.  If you made it to this point, thanks!  Remember, see you here Friday for July's Best of the Nest Party!

Linking up with: Thrifty Decor Chick

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A PRETTY BOTTLE OF... MOUTHWASH???

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Listerine. All opinions are 100% mine.

It may not make sense why I'm posting about mouthwash on a primarily decorating blog, but with a bottle is this cute, how could I refuse?  Chevron, blue, green...just a few of my favorite things making an everyday necessity a little more fun!

As of July 13, Target started carrying this exclusive new design packaging for Listerine bottles in 4 refreshing flavors... Cool Mint, Fresh Mint, Arctic Mint, and Fresh Citrus. I'm using the Arctic Mint, and loving the taste.  It's strong enough that I know it's working, yet it's not so powerful that my mouth feels like it's on fire.  ;)

As of this week, we have a braces-wearing-kid, and I'm looking for every tool possible to make it easier for him to keep his teeth and gums healthy.  It's reassuring to know that with Listerine I'm choosing the #1 brand recommended by dentists!  Speaking of the kids, although there are register marks inside the lid for the amount to use, I used a Sharpie to mark that line a little more clearly for them so I know they're getting just the right amount.

Normally I keep health and beauty products stashed out of site in the bathroom, but these new designs are too pretty to keep behind closed doors.  To keep high-use items at my fingertips while still looking pretty,  I like to keep them in pretty containers, like these thrifted milk glass goblets. Also, for years and years I've kept a cake pedestal on my bathroom counter for perfumes, loose jewelry, etc.  I think it adds an extra little sparkle and helps keep the counter clear and tidy.

What do you think your favorite flavor would be?  The citrus sounds intriguing to me, but I most often stick with good old mint!  So, the next time you're in Target (and I know you all are, often!), don't forget to look for the stylish new packaging.  And if you're a savvy shopper, Save Now with Target Cartwheel!  These designs are only available for a limited time, but wouldn't they be fun to stock up on and use for stocking stuffers?

**This is a sponsored post, but all words and opinions are mine.  I am very picky about the products I choose to share with you, and only select those that I truly approve of and think you will like too!  

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BEST OF THE NEST LINK PARTY... POSTPONED

I apologize for my tardiness in posting today, but just popping in to let you know that this month quickly got away from us, and we're postponing the Best of the Nest party until next Friday.  So, good news, you have one more week to get those fabulous projects posted!

The summer heat has finally become oppressive here, so we're trying to beat it by hitting the bowling alley this afternoon.  Wish me luck...the kids are pretty tough opponents!  I'm also fluffing a bit this weekend in between basketball games, adding in some summer (since it's half-way over).

See you back here next Friday, August 1, to link up.  Do you have any fun weekend plans?

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A DREAMY PATIO WOOD DISC WALL

Anyone who is reading today who is also a blogger totally understands when I say that one of the best things about blogging is meeting and establishing a connection with new friends.  Especially when you have a chance to meet those friends in real life!

Lisa is one of those friends for me.  She's a fellow ministry (pastor's) wife who stumbled across my blog a while back.  She reached out and contacted me and we've enjoyed an e-mail friendship ever since.  It was a happy day last March when we had the privilege of meeting her family and spending a little bit of time together at their church (which was so much fun and inspiring!).  Since I had already been following her on Instagram, I knew she was in the middle of a fantastic project, which we chatted a little bit about that evening.

After our time together was over, I anxiously kept an eye out for her to post her finished project, and when she did, it took my breath away!  Lisa graciously allowed me to share it with you today, too...I knew you all would love it as much as I do!  So here's the result of many hours, many hands working together, and lots of muscle and patience!

Can you even believe it?  Is that not one of the most amazing feature walls you've ever seen?!?

Lisa also kindly offered to share a description of the process to create this wall, so here's what she said:

I consider myself a "crafter" and minor home "DIY" participant, so when I got an idea on Pinterest for a Wood Disc wall, I knew I would need some help in making it happen.  I gathered my idea possibilities and recruited a friend who is skilled with tools and we went to work.

1.  Get logs that are varied in size and discarded in the woods.  Ours came from East Texas when a forester discarded some pieces. We used Pine and Oak because I liked the look.

2.  Set up saw horses or a platform to cut the logs with a Miter/Chop saw (14", I definitely had to have help with this).  A chain saw can be used for smaller pieces but doesn't work evenly on larger ones.

3.  Dip wood in a bucket of sealer.  We used Polycrylic.  This keeps wood from being invaded by insects and keeps the color consistent.

4.  Allow wood to dry propped up.  We got hasty and hung some that were wet and it was fine, but watch for drips on your patio.  This sealer is water based, so it will wash up but can be a hassle.

5.  Hang 3/4" pre-painted treated plywood backer on stucco wall, secured using 2 1/2" screws. Wood discs will mount more easily to the plywood.

6.  Nail wood discs to wall starting at the floor and moving up.  We had 5 distinct sections and did a section at a time.  We used a nail gun for speed, with18 gauge 2" nails.  I highly recommend this as it makes the project go more quickly.

7.  Fill in gaps with smaller pieces as desired.

Lessons learned:

You need more wood than you think.  If you work in stages you can prepare the wood and let it cure.  We worked quickly and the wood shrunk, leaving gaps in between.  It doesn't bother me but my friend would still like to rework the pieces.  Since we painted the plywood dark underneath the gaps aren't an eyesore.

* * * * * * * * * * 

Lisa, thank you so much for sharing your beautiful patio with us, and thanks to EJ for the wonderful photos!  If you all have questions, leave them in the comments and I'll see if Lisa can try to reply there with answers.

My one and only attempt at a project like this was very short lived (bugs!), but I've had a wood disc project in mind for some time.  Maybe some day I'll get around to it!

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BRIGHTENING UP MUTED GOLD: SPRAY PAINT OR RUB 'N BUFF?

I recently had a few gold-ish pieces that I wanted to brighten up, so I thought I'd share my process with you.  First up, these pinecone lamps.  I've had them for several years and they're still a favorite, but they were starting to seem a little blah...too dark.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to use spray paint, which I knew would give a more solid, uniform look, or Rub 'n Buff (R&B), which would leave some variation in the color.  I started with the R&B, because I could always spray later if it wasn't the look I wanted.

Here's how it turned out:

I did like the little bit of variation, but it wasn't brightening it up as much as I wanted it to.  So, I opted to spray them after all (Rustoleum Metallic Gold).  I've fallen in love with these lamps all over again!

I've also had an eye on my peacock mirror (from Pier One a few years ago) for a while...the gold finish was beginning to seem a bit Old World to me, and I wanted to freshen it up too.  However, I knew on this piece that I did NOT want it to have a flat, solid, spray painted look, and that R&B would be the way to go.

Here's my tip, which I think I shared before with my kitchen chalkboard calendar, but it's worth repeating.  On heavily textured surfaces, I like to use an old toothbrush to apply the R&B.  Just the tiniest amount on the brush will spread over a good area before you need to apply more.

Here you can see the difference in the gold tones (I was using "Gold Leaf" R&B this time):

And here's a sneak peek of it all finished up (and I just noticed looking at the photo a few spots I need to touch up!):

I'll show you all of it a little later when I share my summer tour.

So, it's really a personal preference and depends on the look you're going for as to which is better.  Do you prefer one over the other?

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A ROYAL TABLE INSPIRED BY PRINCESS DIANA {SUMMER STYLE SOIREE}

This summer is flying right by!  We're already to our third installment of the Summer Style Soiree today, and this project was inspired by none other than Princess Diana.  Many thanks to the lovely Heather (who has a darling new baby boy!) from Southern State of Mind for organizing our party!

When I think of Princess Di, the first thing that comes to mind is that classic sapphire ring, followed by all of the royal dinner parties that she must have hosted and attended.  So, for my project this month I combined those two thoughts into a tablescape.

I set a royal table.  Well, as royal as a busy, thrifty, suburban housewife mom can get!

I borrowed a few pieces of this gorgeous richly colored china from a friend,

and just happened to have some giant "ring" napkin rings.  I altered the center stone (with some nail polish!) to give the illusion of a sapphire.

I had a large, low, candlelit centerpiece in mind, and achieved a similar look with fewer flowers by spreading 3 bunches out into multiple small glasses used as vases.

My newly refinished brass tray acted as a good base to pull the centerpiece together.

Start thinking about next month, when our style inspiration will be James Dean.  Hmmm....  

Be sure to check out the projects from my co-hosts today!

Amy from Blissful Bee

Amanda from Dixie Delights

Angela from Life in Velvet

Carmel from Our Fifth House

Jenna from Rain on a Tin Roof

Heather from Southern State of Mind

Now, did any of you have a project inspired by Princess Di?  We'd love to see them!

An InLinkz Link-up

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