Are We Green Yet?

No, not yet?  Well, I have a little something that can take care of that for ya! It's an Irish Country setting you will fall in love with!  Sounds dreamy right?   Fair warning though, this post is heavy laden with pictures and is only one of many that are likely to bring out the Irish desire in you.

Follow me later today as I join;

  Cuisine Kathleen for her 8th annual St. Patricks Day Blog Crawl and

 Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

It's bright and sunny here in the countryside and we are full of all kinds of greenery bursting out everywhere.  Inside, I've set the table for St. Patricks day using a mix of dishes that I hoped would compliment a few new items I made especially for this year. 

I have to say personally that I think this is one of the prettiest settings I have done so far.  I was amazed when looking back that I have only done two St. Patricks day settings, one here in 2012  and here in 2011 .  My how time flys when you are not blogging.  LOL!

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year to do tablescapes.   I really don't mean to sound so vain but I think the colors and choices I chose for this setting are "so me".  I am so in love with it!

 It all came together so fast after being inspired by the beautiful embroidered napkins that I made.  But before I let you look at them, let me take you through the setting I chose first.

 I decided to use woven oval placemats to give more texture to my country setting.  I think they are so pretty behind my Lenox Butlers Pantry dinner plate.

For the salad plate I chose this melamine floral dish in a lime green.  Who says St. Patricks day has to be all emerald green anyway?  I like the way the shape and color and patterns compliment each other.

Then I decided to top off my stack with these pretty china bowls I inherited from my grandmother.  I chose them because of their color and the florals to give that country feel.

My silverware is stainless Louisiana by Oneida.

I pulled out the tall green hand blown goblets I purchased one year from an antique store that also sells resale items.  I decided to use the foam shamrock thingys from the dollar tree as coasters.  Cute! Cute!

Speaking of foam shamrock thingys, did you see what I did with the sparkly glittery ones?  So easy!  Oh wait, am I teasing you a bit too much?  Oh okay, I'll share the napkins now.  (big grin!)

Here they are!  So sorry for the tease. Haha!  I just can't help but enjoy a little shanigans for St. Pattys day yall.  I did want you to see how I decided to layer another napkin underneath the white Shamrock cutout napkins.  I'll get back to why on that in a bit.  For now let me show you the pretty clover designs that I embroidered myself with my machine.  These four are from a set of 8 different designs.  I just love this designer.  I love how each clover is different from the other.  The color combinations I chose were so cheery and fun.  I  actually enjoyed watching each one stitch out as it was on the machine.  

I think this one might be my most favorite though!

Yes, the shades of green on my napkins are every bit as vibrant as what you see here.   I think they are just so cool!  So now you can also see why I chose some of the dishes I did and the rest of the setting can't you?  I wanted colors that would pop right along side of the napkins.

I chose the checked green napkins to sit behind the white napkins to add a bit more layers of color and texture because of the fringe they had.

I thought the fringed napkins complimented the fringe on my table runner.....

.....which I discovered is from Scotland when I flipped it over while setting the table.  Sweet!

The stars of my centerpiece are the floral arrangement, hurricane candles and few little mischievous leprechauns.

I even spread a bit more greenery around the rest of the kitchen, well just a touch here and there.

All I need to do now is hop on over to the Blog Crawl and pick up a recipe or two for dinner and I'm all set.  I'm sure there will be a few goodies to choose from.  I can hardly wait!

Thank you so much for stopping by today to check out my St. Patricks day tablescape.  I hope you enjoyed the peek.  If you did, I would love to hear from you if you have a moment.  

My tablescape isn't the only green around here.  Outside the weather is warming already and the tree have buds and amongst the yellow pollen there is green poking up everywhere.  I love spring and cannot wait to share some of our yard with you soon.

I hope you all have a great week and a wonderfully 

Happy St. Patricks Day!

Hugs and Waves!

Easter Prepping and Embroidery

Good Morning!

I hope all of you had a great weekend.  It's was wonderfully busy and enjoyable here at The Decorative Dreamers house.   I certainly do not have all things in order around here lately, seems my projects have been crazily scattered about lately.   I do have a few finished projects though that I'd like to share with you.  

Near the end of last week I finished up a pretty darn cute and very inexpensive wreath for the front door for Easter.  You may recall I have previously used my Egg wreath on the front door, (you can click here to see the link for it).  Well, it was getting a bit worn and I wanted something a little different.  I think I will relocate it somewhere else inside this year.  So, I began to think about how to come up with a new wreath for the front door on a budget.  

 Now don't get me wrong, I love big beautiful gorgeous wreaths for the front door especially.  In fact if I wasn't trying to be so thrifty I'd most likely have one.  There is nothing more welcoming to me then a stunning wreath on the door. 

 To be frank I just don't have the budget for it this year and I think I want to spend a little more for my summer wreath instead.  That means my Easter and Spring wreath had to take the cut, I'm still very happy with my results though and very happy that Target made it so easy.  I started with these precut felt bunnies and carrots from the one dollar section.  I bought two packages of each and ended up only using one package each.

I spray painted an old grape vine wreath that I had that was also starting to have seen it's better days.  Those old vine wreaths can get pretty dark.  I chose the same mint spray that I used on my washstand.  Then I dug through my faux flowers and found some ferns and a few white babys breath maybe?  This year because of all the winds we have been having I hot glued everything down really good.  I don't want scattered bunnies and carrots everywhere.  LOL!

 The pink Burlap ribbon was actually a dollar tree find back in December.  There was one pink and one turquoise spool in the ribbon bins among the Christmas ribbons and I immediately grabbed it right up.  What a find!  I guess it was left over from the previous season, IDK.  I added this jute ribbon that I saved from a gift I received at Christmas this year.  It looks a lot like the ribbon I used on some of my trees.  I thought it was so cute on the present and since it was so long I saved it.  Looks great here mixed with the pink burlap.

 The little felt carrots are actually little pockets.  I added the jute bows and stuffed each one with the small white flowers.  Wouldn't it be quite pretty with some really nice flowers inside?   Oh well, maybe I will score some after season deals for next year, I really do love it as it is though!

These little bunny silhouettes were just so adorable, I knew immediately how I wanted them to be when I saw them.  As you can see I chose not to use the blue bunnies that were in the pack and just stuck with the more neutral white and grey bunnies.  They also received little jute bows.  So cute!  I think I am addicted to little jute bows.  I love them everywhere! I also recycled the chalkboard gift tag from Christmas for my Happy Easter sign.  Very simple, but very cute!

I spent part of the weekend on my embroidery machine.  I decided to make a few gifts for the little people in my life after seeing so many online in one of my embroidery groups.   I just had to get on board the bunny bandwagon and embroider up a few little presents for my nieces and nephews children.  These small little bunnies were a bargain at Walmart and will make quite the cute little basket stuffers for them.  This was the first time I've ever embroidered a bunny.  I have to say, It wasn't as hard as I thought it might be and I am pretty proud of myself .  I think they turned out really well.  

While I was at Walmart getting the bunnies, I came across these very inexpensive floppy hats and decided to embroider a few bonnets as well.  Actually, I am very sure these will not end up as Easter bonnets but will be summer hats for my family.  I knew at the price they were at Walmart I had better get them right away.  They were only $3.87 each I think, or something weird like that.  I made one for myself and my sons girlfriend and my mother.  The small pink and purple hats are for my nieces daughters.  I found them at the dollar tree.  What a deal!

I got a little fun with the embroidery on my mothers hat.  I decided for her hat I was going to put MiMi on it instead of her initials.  She loves being called MiMi and would prefer it then her initials any day.  I typed MiMi into my software and was skimming though my fonts when I accidentally clicked on this one.  It is a true Monogram font (that is set up for 3 letters) and is called a scalloped circle with the chevron fill.  Since there were more then three letters the font started a new half circle and this is what popped up.  Well, I actually did some adjusting on the letters and shape by elongating them but you get the picture.  I saw a fish and knew this would be perfect for my mother since she lives on the lake.  I she will most likely use her hat at home since she doesn't travel much anymore.  I added a few bubbles and the eye and it was done.  

Now that's what I call fun and adorable.  She will love it!

In addition to the bunnys and bonnets I also embroidered a few other spring items for the house.  This little baby duck and floral basket is just so precious.  This design is embroidered on a printed flour sack towel from Target.  I am really enjoying embroidering on hand towels of all types.  They are very easy to do and so enjoyable.  This design did take quite a bit more time though due to all the different thread changes with the all the colors of the design.  Whew, it really was a lot of time but so worth it to me!

I also really enjoy making quick little embroidery projects too.  I love embroidering on burlap and finding different places and way to use it.  I liked the way this clothesline design looked like it was hanging and wanted to try and keep the same idea so I simply made it to be a banner to hang in my half bath.  I added the word Hello to the design to give it a bit more meaning.

I still have so many other projects I want to get to on the embroidery machine but I have to stop every now and then and get back to living.  It's so fun though!

Sunday, I put everything aside and spent some time with the Mr. and we went out on the boat.  I will try to share some of that pretty soon as well.  Thank you so much for checking in today, I hope you enjoyed your look into my world.

Wishing you all a great start to the week ahead,

Hugs and Waves!

Freshly repainted Front Porch

Good Morning!  It's been quite beautiful here over the last few days with warmer then usual temps and I have been in spring prep mode.  I am craving color and sunshine, how about you?

I  really would rather be sharing pretty Easter decor today but I haven't quite made it that far.  I am getting there but I'm just a little behind schedule.  It's all good and I don't mind a bit though, because I have been busy taking care of a few much needed home improvements.

One big project is just about complete now and then the fun porch decor can soon begin.  Our poor front porch (shown above and below) has been in a major need of new paint job.  These first two photos show the deck stain and how it was starting to become a bit stripped of it's color.  Originally, it was painted in a solid stain from Sherwin Williams called Monterey Tan.

I have enjoyed that wonderful subtle khaki color for many years.  This year I decided to punch it up a bit though and go a bit darker.

I am so glad I did!  I am still using Sherwin Williams Super Deck solid stain but the darker shade I went with is called Tobacco.  It's still very much in the same color family as the previous color but is a deeper, darker and more richer color.  I know it's hard to see much of a difference in these photos but trust me its there.  I love how much of a contrast it is now then previously.  

This color has renewed my love of my front porch.

I would prefer not to have these wooden floors on this porch at all.  They are quaint but they require quite a bit of maintenance and I'm not getting any younger.   I'd rather tear them all out and poor concrete, but that's the way the house came and that's the way it staying.   I'm dealing with it because spending money on concrete is not in my game plan these days.  

The new color of the porch now compliments the roof. I keep toying with the idea of shutters but am leary due to the fact they will likely collect spider webs and dust and I'm not crazy about that at all though I do think they would look nice.   I also really do love my black door and really don't want to repaint but gosh it looks as if it could use some color too doesn't it?  Hmm???

Oh well, maybe I will wait until I get all the porch furniture back in place to see if I need more color.

You see, I've repainted a few other outdoor items as well.

Do you remember my little green wash stand I had on the front porch shown here from a fall post many years ago?  Well, it has spent some time on the screen porch for a few years and is all set to move back to the front porch again.

  Here she is waiting for the all clear to return to front porch.  I gave her a beautiful new update as well.  She went Mint!  I like the sound of that, kinda catchy....she went mint.  I love the crispy clean look of this color.  It's not too far off from the green which I really enjoyed by the way but it's so much fresher looking.  

Since the weather was so nice I and I was on a roll I could help but find one more paint project I wanted to tackle.

If you look closely in this picture above you will see there is an old bench right next to the potting table.  It's one of two that I had that my husband had made for me for our very first home.  It's nothing special and quite worn,  It has splitting wood and layers of chipped paint as well as overspray from all the paint projects I completed using this old bench.

As rough as they are I have never been able to part with them.  I no longer try to sand them way down.  They are old and so only a light sanding along the top with minimal amounts of work will do.  I like to think I am just adding on to the layers of joy that they represent to me.

Yes, it's a lavender bench!  Can you imagine the fun I am going to have picking out flowers for the back decks this year?  I can hardly wait.  Come on Spring, hurry up!!!

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I am so pleased you did.  If you'd like to leave a message, I'd love to hear from you. 

 I'll will be back again to share more as soon as I can get out of all these paint cans.  It seems I couldn't help myself at the paint store when I discovered their mistint pile.  But that's another day's story.  I hope your having a great week dreamer friends!

Hugs and Waves!

Open Shelves in the Kitchen

Good Morning!  What a lovely day!  Just kidding!  More like rain, rain go away, come on back another day. Oh well, what can you do?

Well, you could come on in, it's nice and dry inside and cozy comfortable too.   I promised I would be back to share a few of our latest projects.  Today we will take a peek in the kitchen.   I am linking this post up with;

WorthingCourtBlog for The Scoop 

and

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday

 I have been checking out lots of pictures on the internet of open shelves after deciding that is what I wanted in my kitchen.  There are so many gorgeous displays out there!  I don't know if she'll see this post or not with all the other hundreds of links but Suzy's (seen here at Worthing Court Blog) kitchen shelves were a big part of the inspiration for my shelves.  Thank you so much for the inspiration to go with a stained wood finish.

This wall where my shelves are used to be home for my bakers rack.  It now resides on the screened porch.  I decided I wanted to move the rack and add shelves after I moved this table in the kitchen.  This used to be my dining room table.  After I got a new formal dining room table last year I moved this table to the kitchen and the large round table to the den.  I still have a beautiful refinished smaller round table that is now upstairs in one of my sons old rooms.  I can't stand to think of parting with it yet after having done all the refinishing on it.  I have a table on the screened porch and two outside around the pool.  I seriously have a table overload problem!  Anyway, let's get back to the shelves.

After searching around for weeks for just the right size and style of shelves for this wall I finally decided to go with a stained wood look.  I like the warmth of the look especially in my all white kitchen.  

My first choice came with the purchase of these wrought iron brackets from Hobby Lobby.  They posed quite the challenge trying to determine which way I wanted them mounted as they could be mounted with a longer undermount or a shorter undermount if you flipped them around.  As you can see I liked the longer undermount.  It was also a job picking out the wood because I wanted a more rustic look but the Mr. wanted sturdy.  So we settled in between and went with unfinished maple.

  After my husband cut the sizes I wanted I stained the shelves myself using Minwax, in English Chestnut.  Sounds perfectly European doesn't it?

Staining the shelves was the easy part, hanging them was a bit of an ordeal.  You see there is a light switch on this wall near the doors.  I know, what a terrible place for the switch but there it is.  We agonized for several hours on where to put the brackets on the wall in relation to where they would be mounted on the shelf and how centered the shelves were on the wall.  Sounds easy in theory but in reality it was anything but.

Finally after way to many debates and discussions, they were mounted.  Yay!!!

I love my shelves!  I am still not 100% sold on this table in here.  I would love something with more storage but it will also have to be up on legs so as not to block the vent on the floor below.

 I know many of you may be thinking I should just paint the table a nice shade of grey or blue or white or something like that.  But honestly y'all, I love this table as it is, I'm just not sure I want to keep it in the kitchen here. I also think I would regret it instantly if I repainted it.  It's just a cheap old table I picked up from Ross one day some time ago but I still love it.  I  love the primitive and rustic uneven paint job on the legs and side.  I especially love the fruit basket on the top, though at times it does make for a very busy vignette and requires a table topper.

 Today no topper required though.  I am so happy to have another fun place to share some decor in the kitchen.  I thought you might like to see a few close ups of my shelves as I have them set today.

I set the table up to serve as a buffet style arrangement.

The first shelf I decided to use to bring in a little more pop of green for St. Patty's day.

It's going to be so fun changing out a few things on here for Easter.  I'm thinking just a few small changes though.

This was another small project.  I have several of these small faux herb pots I got years ago from Michaels.  I finally did a burlap update to them.  Easy peasy and so cute!

Of course I had to keep one of my roosters up on the top shelf.  Cock a doodle do!

I'm still in love with my rustic old clock purchased from Hobby Lobby one year.  I still haven't even bothered to put a battery in yet either.  LOL!  Some things never change.

So what'cha think?  I hope you like.  I know I do.  Yes, it's lots of pics here today but I hope you have enjoyed the peek.  I have a few more small adjustments I've made around the kitchen that I will share another day.  

What I like the most is that I think it's kinda got that farm house look (that's so popular right now) but also a bit more on the Frenchy side which is what I'm really trying to aim for here.  Again, I keep imagining a more French Meditterean style in my head if there is such a thing.  Somebody please tell me there is such a thing!

I've been rethinking the way I want to use my kitchen a lot lately.  The changes I've been making are more about how I want to live and how I want things to function not just because I've seen another person doing it.  Trust me,there will be no barn doors in my kitchen.  LOL! 

   Let me be clear though.  All kidding aside, seeing what others are doing is so very helpful.

 THANK YOU!!!

 It helps spur the imagination and also helps fuel the determination.  I am so grateful for you who share.  It's part of why I keep sharing too. 

I cheated and used Picasa today, still struggling with getting photos out easily on the blog without.  I hope to get another post done soon so come on back if you like.  Still could use any advise on what photo uploader to use now as well. (see previous post)

Thanks so much for stopping by today dreamer friends!

Hugs and Wave,