Decorating the Top of the China Hutch

Does anyone remember last week when I said I was on a creative roll?  That was when I showed you my picnic basket vignette.  No?  Well, that's okay, that just means you probably haven't stopped by in awhile.  Can I just remind you that I'm still here!  I'm still blogging and styling and have lot's to share. I know I fell off the grid while I was working but I'd like thank those of you especially who have remained constant and faithful blog friends.  It really means a lot to me!  For the rest of you, I'm sending out a sweet reminder that the door is always open around here and I do enjoy hearing from you! So, I hope you come on in!

We are back in the dining room ladies, where I was inspired to create this little vignette on top of my china cabinet.

Here's what inspired me!  

I have seen these herb boxes all over blog land and wanted some for so very long.  I about flipped when I came across them at a Decor Warehouse that I visited with a friend last month.  They were priced so well, that it was no doubt they would be coming home.  I had no idea they would end up in the dining room of all places but I love because it keeps my dining room from looking too formal.

After hanging the three boxes on the wall I needed a place for the fourth box and decided on top of the china cabinet was perfect.

I stored a few platters that I rarely use in the box to give it even more height.

The I also decided that the top of the hutch was a great place to store those other pieces I love that I rarely ever will use too.

I added some greenery and few flowers for color and a nice summer show and I was done.

I love to say it was as easy that, but...that would not be the whole truth.  You see the top of my hutch is very arched.  Getting my vignette set the way I envisioned was a bit of challenge.  I finally ended up using cotton batting of all things to create height and a flat surface where I needed it on the curves.  Pretty crazy huh?

Wanna take a peek inside? I added some color in here too!

This butterflie dish and the forget me not dish were my MIL's.  I just love these!  

Speaking of sweet look what I saw out of the window when I was snapping pics of the hutch.

Do you see her now?  Isn't she just precious!

Speaking of precious, did you happen to notice my new plant?

I had been wanting to get a real plant for my stand in the dining room for awhile now and was thinking of getting a fern until I discovered this at Lowes.  There was only one and of course I snapped it right up.  It's a good thing I did because I had several ladies asking what it was and where did I find it?

It's called a Lipstick Twister, or Aeschynanthus Radicans to be more accurate.  I just fell head over heals in love with those lacy little ringlets.  It does have blooms that will look much like lipstick. 

It requires indirect sunlight so this little spot in the dining room will be just perfect. 

I am joining the following parties today;

Inspire me

Fertilizer Friday

If you happened to stop by thank you so much! It's always a pleasure when you do.  I love company, don't you?

 Be sure and come back again real soon.  I've got several more projects I've been working on for the booth and have lot's to share!

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!

Fall Decor in the Dining Room

Happy Friday everyone!  I hope your weekend is off to a great start.  Mine is all about work again but I have only one more week to go and then I'm off for a vacay.  I cannot wait!

I thought I'd brighten things up a bit by sharing a little more of my fall decorating in the dining room.  So far this year, most of my fall decor has been all about using what I already have.  Now don't read me wrong.  I did not say I haven't bought anything new this year just that I haven't shared much of that with you yet.  LOL!

Welcome to the dining room!

  The cute little sign is one I bought from work when they went on clearance.  I am thinking I may give this sign a little more aged patina if I ever get the time.  So far though, it looks just great to me as is.

Several ceramic pumpkins from last years trip to the dollar tree sit in a painted bread basket...

...next to one of my vases I had on the fireplace mantle.

  I switched those out for another great find.  I will share the fireplace mantle fall decor with you another day.  

My dining room cloche got the fall treatment too.

Do you see what I've caught under my cloche?  

Three adorable little pesky squirrels!

These two on the bottom we inherited from my FIL.  One is a wood carving from an older pastor of their church.  Don't you think they all look so mischievous?  I sure do!

I added the other vase from my fireplace mantle to the top of the dining room china cabinet.  The baskets stay on top of here year round.

I also added the boxwood wreath I made last year and just a small bit of beaded fall garland.  You can see and read the post about my wreath here.

I kind of feel like I would like just a little something else up here but not sure exactly what yet.  So for now, it's working for me.

So there you go!   Just a few more simple vignettes.

Thanks for stopping in.  And a big thank you to all of you who have inspired me to get busy on my own home and pop out the fall decor.  I am really enjoying it!

Have a great day and a wonderful weekend!

A Fall Lantern

Today I am off so I have the time to pull out a few things.  The first area to get "Fallified" is my lantern.  This was quite fun.  I am so glad I bought this thing because now I feel like I now have a dedicated seasonal decor area.

Here it is all completed!

So what do you think?  I used everything I already owned in this vignette except for the ribbon.

I bought this plate last year from Marshalls.

This year my little urn to the left got a boost of  height by adding the darker grass that I used in another arrangement last year.

The willow pumpkin was my mothers that she didn't want and last year I added the orange lights.  I had it on the front porch last year but never really turned it on.  This year it's inside where I can enjoy it.  Fun!

Yep, uh huh, here's the same picture at a few more angles.  LOL!

I got this ribbon from Joanne Fabrics just the other day on my day off when I went to the new Home Goods across town.  Let me just say that was some experience.  The crowds were crazy!  You would have thought it was black Friday.  Gee! 

Here's just one thing I came home with from our new Home Goods store.  I just couldn't resist this fella, could you?  Can't wait to move him outside.  I made a few more stops that afternoon at a few more of my favorite shops on that side of town and boy did I rack up.

I'll be back to share those finds and more fall decorating with you another day.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

I hope you have a wonderful afternoon!