Tried and True and Little Something New

Is there anyone else out there like me who tends to stick with a certain look anymore?  I don't know about you but sometimes I feel like I am just an old stick in the mud kind of gal.  I  especially feel this way after being overloaded with images from blog land, pinterest, facebook, etc. Geez! But....all in all I have to say I really don't care!  Fact is, I like being an old fuddy duddy.  Not really, but I do know what I like and what look I want to live with on a daily basis.  That is why when it works for me it tends to stick around awhile with just a few tweaks.

That's right friends, I'm showing the den again, mainly to share the mantle and  a few other things that have endured the test of a few seasons.

You know I love a nautical look and it tends to take center stage when the summer time rolls around.

I've used this set up a few times now but I'd like to think I've improved on it a bit.

For one thing my willow candle baskets are shown tiered here and are in perfect symmetry.  I don't know why I haven't thought of doing this before.

I had them sitting on a few other mismatch pieces to get the height until I recently found these pewter candlesticks at a thrift store just last week.

They were cheap, cheap, cheap and a matching pair to boot!  I didn't know at the time where I'd use them but just had to have them.  I am so glad I brought them home.

I got home and saw my shell plate which I already had out and bingo it hit me.  They replaced the other stands I was using and were a perfect fit!  Love when that happens!

I found this pretty pompass looking grass at Ole Time Pottery when we were at the beach.

A few beachy looking balls from Merino's home furnishings.

This is the reality of my coffee table.  Now matter how cutesy I make it.  I end up feeling like it's too cluttered.  So I back it all off and this is what works.  One decorative thing in the middle, magazines, and my laptop.  Yes, that's a kindle sitting there on top of the mags. Hey, it's still reading material okay?  

My most favorite repeat look has been this hurricane candle that I have sitting in this basket.  I did this a few years ago and have kept it ever since.  I see now the stores have hurricane vases with built in wicker stands...hmm?? Wonder where they got that idea?  LOL!

Funny story about the shells.  There are a few shells less here then there used to be.  My grandpup was up a few weeks back and was chomping away on something on the carpet and I looked down and he had a half chewed up a sandollar in his mouth.  Puppys!

Back on the other side of the room.  I've still kept the large lantern on our antique card table.   

It still has the sailboats and bottles but I added an electric candle and few more sailboats I forgot I had.

The other big tweak was to eliminate the bright throw pillows.  I loved them in the store but in my den they tended to just pop out waaayyyy too much for me.  I guess I am just a creature of habit after all.

Okay well, I believe that about wraps it up.  One more tour of the den again for you showing just a few tweaks.   One more update for me!   I am also posting this to replace the link picture of my den on my side bar because I like to keep my most updated looks on there.

Thanks so much for joining me if you did!  It's always a pleasure!

Have a great day everyone!

My Favorite Valentines Projects Past

I am in LOVE with all the cute Valentines decor I am seeing out here in blog land.  You ladies have my heart with all of your sweet touches of red, hearts and roses everywhere all over your homes.  I don't think I'll be putting out too much this year as I have done in the past. 

I'd like to share a few of my own favorite creations from 2011.

This by far was my most all time favorite!

 It was so easy.  I simply put cling on hearts from the dollar tree to my glass block that is filled with lights....

...added some decorative ribbon and I was done!  I really LOVED this one so much!

You can see the original post by clicking HERE.

Here's when I first bought the little clock I showed you in my recent post.  The cherubs were older collected pieces. Aren't they sweet?

I jazzed up some pink Mercury glass Christmas trees to become Valentine trees.

and made a garland for my mantle using graphics from The graphic fairy with paper pink heart doilies.  You can also see the original post for this decor HERE.

And finally in 2012 I painted hearts on a table runner from the dollar tree for a tablescape.  Not to bad, huh?  Speaking of Tablescapes, I will try and share my previous Valentines tablescapes with you later.  They are some of my favorites too.

As I said, I really don't think I'll be doing much this year but you just never know.  I say that and then I start looking at what you all are doing and I'm get so inspired.

I hope I have shared a little inspiration with you today as well. 

  That is why I have decided to join;

Seasonal Sunday 

and

Gratitude Sunday

Pop on by both the above links for more inspirational ideas and blessings.

Have a great week and thank you all so much for coming by!

What TIME do you have?

I am sure by now you have all heard me talk about not having much time.  So....with that in mind let me show you my "I don't have TIME mantle".  Tah dahhh!

I say that because these clocks literally do not have the real time on them.  Haha!  They are lacking batteries and quite possibly a little more.

The little clock that I purchased last year really does just need some batteries put in the back.  The larger clock was given to me from a friend who thought I might like to try and do something with the frame.  I think she told me the clock was broken but thought I might like it because she thought the frame looked somewhat nautical.   I've had it put away for some time and only recently pulled it out this morning after thinking that maybe I should buy a big clock from work to go on my mantle. 

I have seen clock parts at Michael's recently so I know I can easily buy the part for the back if it does not work.  But upon closer inspection, I suspect that maybe she gave this to me because of the bubbles in paper.  I think I can fix this with a little modge podge.  What do you think?  I would love to hear your thoughts about if MP will flatten the paper facing on the front of the clock.

My "Emerald" green (yay-yuh, I'm on top of it) vases have been sitting all alone on my mantle after I took down the Christmas decor.  After I added the clock, it all came together really quickly.

After pulling in a few more elements from around the house...

...And a splash more of that "Emerald" green, I was done.

I really was inspired by two bloggers for this mantle setting.  I picked up a few ideas from Gail's Decorative Touch and from Saavy Seasons by Liz.  Thanks ladies!  Can you spot your ideas?

I had intended to leave my mantle blank with the vases only but I am so glad I didn't.

 I love how this turned out and I love that I found TIME to keep visiting some of my favorite blogs to peep at and gain such beautiful inspiration.

   I hope I can get these clocks up and running soon.   I still can't believe I actually had all of this just sitting around the house and didn't have to spend a dime for such pretties.  I love when that happens, don't you?

 Please be sure and remember to let me know if you think the modge podge will do the trick on the paper bubbles on my clock, okay?

Thanks so much for stopping by yall!

I think I'll be joining the following parties this week and maybe a few more too;

Tabletop Tuesday

Gratitude Sunday

Have a beautiful week!

Sailing into Fall

Hey Yall!  It's Fall! 

I know many of you have been waiting a long time to be able to say that right?  Well now you can!  Woohoo!  Since it's officially now fall and everyone will be getting out their fall decor I'm sure your are going to be seeing lot's of festive seasonal decorating.  You've already seen many of my fall touches around the house but I haven't shown you this one yet.

It's just a tad different from the usual.  For many of you this may not even seem very fallish at all.  But to me, my fall mantle decor not only seems fallish it's reflective of our own personal lifestyle.

  Many of you already know that my husband and I have a sailboat that we keep in the water at the lake.  While most people think of sailing as a summer sport it's actually more of a fall and spring sport around here.  Our summers are incredibly hot with very little wind and not often a lot of fun on a sailboat.  We have a motor boat for the hottest times of the summer but love our sailboat so much that we even sometimes go out during the summer and tough it out.  So I am sure you can imagine how excited we get when the cooler air comes back with fall and the winds pick up a little more.  That is why I just could not remove the sailboat from my mantle decor just yet.

Here's another peek at the little sailboat I found this summer in a consignment store at the beach.  I just love how weathered it looks.  Just like our old boat!  

I decided to remove all the other summer items and bring back these bottles that I bought from work awhile back.  

I thought the colors of these bottles were just perfect for fall, don't you?

When I see these bottles I can not help but think of a few songs for some reason.  I am reminded of the songs, Time in a Bottle, by Jim Croce and Message in a bottle, by The Police.  LOL!  IDK why?  I'm kinda funny like that!

Because I had the glass bottles on the mantle I decided to add my glass pumpkin here too for just a touch of fall.  The pumpkin on the left I have had for quite some time.  After adding it to the vignette, I decided it needed just a bit more.

So I went on a search for another glass pumpkin that was just right and look what I found at Kirklands.  It's blue and green and was just perfect for my mantle.  Sold!

The floral arrangements were another lucky find at another consignment store just recently.  I just loved how they looked and thought the bamboo holders were a perfect fit for us too.

I added the fall leaves to them for a bit more color for the season.

So there you have it friends, this is how I decorated my mantle for Fall this year.  I know I had planned not to change out my mantle for the season but I just couldn't help it.  I am glad I did because it must be bringing me a little more good fortune too.  I am going to be able to be in a regatta with my husband and friends next weekend.  I can hardly wait!

 I hope to share more photos from that with you afterwards too. 

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you enjoyed seeing a glimpse of my own style for fall.

I'll be back again tomorrow with a peek at a few more traditional fall touches.

I hope you are able to get out and about and enjoy this beautiful season too!

Have a great day everyone!