To Dye or not to dye

I am fevershly trying to finish Halloween costumes. I dyed one costume. On a sad note, it did not turn out the red I was looking for but on a happy note, my washing machine did. Haha. Sad. The fabric I was dying did turn out a really nice shade of pink. We will just make it work. Thank you Tim Gunn. One of my other costumes really could get me on Project Runway or maybe a low budget version. I couldn't believe it stayed together and fit! More to come on that manana! 

Falled up the place

I recently wrote a post about outside fall decorating here. I pinned all these great ideas and then when it came down to it, I realized it would cost me a small fortune to outfit my whole front porch with pumpkins. However, I bought new flowers for my pots and it really falled up the place. Yes, falled, as in spruced up the place...? Its reaching, I know.

The galvanized pots my husband found underneath the house after we moved in. The former owners were into flowers, plants, trees and especially camellias. Lucky for us! He, of the past homeowners, brought cameliias in from California and grafted some in to already existing camellias. He also tagged each tree, which some of the names can still be seen. Its fun to walk around the yard and try to find the tags and ohh  and ahh over the names. And the point was..... Oh, yes, the pots. I have 2 in front and 2 on my back steps.

crotan, pentas, marigold, sweet potato vine, tea olive, dusty miller, lariope

I am also thinking of putting more eye popping pillows on the chairs out front. These are the two fabrics I have been looking at...

this picture does not do this fabric justice...

So, thats the end. Happy Thursday. In and out of sleep this morning, I thought it was Saturday... weird. And to see autumn inspired front door decor( say it 3 times and its yours!) check out my Autumn Board.

Gator Nation

Gator Nation

My house, being a seminole house, cringed a bit when I made this. However, it looks really nice and I like the way it turned out. And let's face it, as far as colors go, I like the orangeys and blues better than the golds and the garnets.  I am thinking about doing others. What say you?

Before and After: A Face recently "lifted"

Hello. I talked about this DIY the other day but I didn't put up Before and After photos. Oh, the horror! Everyone loves a good before and after photo whether its a bedroom makeover, Stacey and Clinton redoing the frumpy Mom or a face recently "lifted." So, here are my before and afters of my home ( without paint and with.)

Before:

orange brick( the day girlie #1 came home)

door had been painted but this was just the beginning!

 After:

view from the bridge across the street at dusk

doing sparklers with Girlie #1

the day Girlie #2 came home

pond across the street

I Am with you while you sew, drive through Starbucks, and clean your tub

Over the weekend, I had a few spare moments and decided to sew. I made this darling skirt for my daughter. And I didn't have to iron a thing! I love when that happens.

While I sewed, I watched this amazing video about 50 times. I also cleaned my bathroom this weekend, and I watched this video. And when I was waiting in line at Starbucks, I watched this video. While I am typing this, I watch this video. Yes, there is a theme. But it is so powerful and the Lord has used it in so many peoples lives.  Come to Me....I am all you need!

Pretty day, pretty pics

It's Friday. I need some inspiration. Or rather a place to let my mind wonder and my hands rest. These pics can do just that... Maybe they will spark a new creation???

All pics are from my Pinterest Board: Inspiration.

Enjoy your weekend!

Rick and Kate

Gosh, I love this show. I have been catching up on my stories as my husband calls them. I have also been cleaning up my house or rather mentally cleaning it up so let's face it, its a wreck. I loved going on va-kay but will it take me all fall to readjust???

So nothing to report in the blog world. 

But my stories...

Beckett, Castle( although now we are to Kate and Rick!!!), Dan-o, Gloria and Jay, April and Andy             ( although you will always be Bright to me) Sue, Brick, Rador and Rusty, and I miss you Annie and Auggie!

Hmm...I think I might watch a bit...

Never liked the science fair

Ugh, The science fair. The term makes my stomach do a little flip. I can't even remember what I did...Actually, I think I did the token laundering a sock using different detergents. Its called Consumer Reports, people. No need to figure out which one works, call your dad, get him to look it up, and bam! Its ______( fill in the blank with whatever laundry soap works the best because lets face it, its a lot about opinion.) But I digress...

sweet potato vine!

 I am doing my own experiment. My yard is being over taken by Sweet Potato Vine. Love the stuff. Its easy and it looks great and covers up weeds. I started pulling some out the other day and while it hurt to get rid of a growing plant, I decided to repurpose it, so to speak. I have so much of it in my yard because I keep seeing other places where it might work and its taking over somewhere else, so I just keep putting more and more in my yard. If you are local and need some, please let me know. Seriously.

sweet potato vine, roadside

So while laying it out by the street the other day to let someone pick up or the trash people haul it away, I decided to throw some above the ditch. Its weed city and lots of poison ivy. I am going to let it take over there and while I did not dig holes, I am hoping some of it will "catch." It has certainly worked in other parts of the yard. Now grow!

Here is to clean white socks!

The ultimate DIY

Daddy and Girlie doing sparklers 

I love the outside of my house. When we moved here, we always talked about painting the outside. After a few estimates, we realized it was more money than what we wanted to spend. So in time, I decided to do it myself. Talk about the ultimate DIY! While my daughter napped, I would paint. I did it in sections. I would pressure wash a section, prime it and then paint it with Benjamin Moore's Warm Stone. The shutters are a paint I mixed up myself ( one was too dark, one was too light and voila-my new color! a nautical blue) The door is Behr Golden Cricket.

A few days after Girlie #2 arrived

We live across the street from a pond and a field. We joke that the field is a part of yard and the best part, the city comes to mow it:) The view from the field to our house is awesome. I love it. And I love viewing out our windows at supper at the field and do a little bit of people watching. Its quite enjoyable.
Happy Friday!

walking bridge over pond with field in front and my house

A Cornucopia for The Avengers

perfect! they even  made one for me! via BHG.com

Pumpkins all lined up via Southern Living

sad its a little pic but love the velvet aubergine via  Better Homes and Gardens

I am working on the autumn decor at my house. I always want to have every pumpkin, gourd, squash within a 100 mile radius on my front porch. And I adore the richness of the colors of fall...pumpkin orange, cream, aubergine, plum, brown, taupe, mustard, rust.  I am not into the Halloween theme but more of the harvest look but not a cornucopia on my front porch or anything. No offense to the cornucopia lovers out there. So, I "pinned" for about 2 hours last night ( sorry folks, its what go me through The Avengers, however, it was very funny in parts)  and I have a new board called Autumn. Go check it out! I also picked up some felt. On a side note,  felt is my new decor supply of choice. We shall see what I come up with. More to come!

Pumpkins and Potties

Hi. I am back. We have been out of town for many days at the coast. Glory! It was so nice. Now back to life, back to reality. Not sure what that looks like since I have been gone for so many days. Laundry, toilets need cleaning (what a happy orange potty!), yard needs to be mowed, and on and on it goes! I have been to Publix and Fresh Market 3 times in the last 24 hours. I am trying to spice up the idea of cooking. Egad.

On another note, I am excited about doing some pumpkin decorating since it is October. Oh, October, how I have missed you all these days.

I will post something more fun tomorrow. Its a date!