Front Door Makeover

Last week was a very busy week.  Along with finding a new china cabinet I completed a project I have been wanting to do for some time.  I admit I was spurred into action to repaint my front door with the wonderful drop of cooler temps and a hardy dose of front door envy.    After seeing so many of you transform your doors into something you are proud of I decided it was time for me to just do it!

This is how my front door looked prior to the new paint job.  It is missing the door knocker in this photo because I took it off to repaint it with ORB.

It was a nice tan color that really complimented our house very well.  I have been wanting to repaint the front door black for sometime but have been putting it off because this door was painted with oil based paint, and I totally despise oil based paint.  When we bought the house it had green doors that I changed to this color and they were oil based paint, so rather then take the time and effort it would take to go to latex then, I just used oil based paint again.  I vividly remember it was a night mare!  Oil based takes forever to dry and you really have to have just the right temps for it to apply effectively on an outside door.  I vowed never again!

Thus every time I thought I wanted to change the color to black I hesitated because I wasn't ready to face the process.  Last week though, I decided it was high time to bite the bullet and do the ground work!

I am so glad I finally did!  Here is my door all primed and ready for latex now!  I have to say that this step was far easier then I had been imagining.  I guess with the weather being just right it made all the difference.

I also decided to prime the sidelights too since I don't think I have ever painted them since living here and wasn't sure if they were oil based or not.  I let it all dry overnight, then repainted both the front door and my sidelights the next day.  Here is my front porch now, finally finished and ready for the seasons with a fresh coat of paint.

What a nice sharp contrast that black is.  I just love it!

I have left my door handle and lock brass for now.  I would like to either change it out or repaint it.  I painted my door knocker with ORB as a tester to see how well the paint will hold out before I try it on the handle.  You can just barely see the door knocker in this photo.  It is hiding behind my witch sign.  My wreath has seen several seasons already and really needs to be updated but I didn't want to tackle that this year.

For Halloween I take the lazy way out and just hang this little wooden witch on my fall wreath.  Then afterwards I take it off and it's fall again for the rest of the season.

My front poor is a mixture of fall and Halloween right now.  I really don't go all out for Halloween, but I do have a few pieces that I have accumulated over the years, and consider them classics.

My large clay jack-o-lanterns always greet our guests on the way up the stairs.  I also like to put Mums on the opposite steps but just haven't made it out to the garden center yet.

On the left side of my front door, my old washstand got a little fall fix up.

I have a mixture of old Indian corn and faux corn in the window basket.  I would like to find some larger faux gourds, and pumpkins and such to also add, any ideas where?

Of course my sassy Roo wanted the fall fix up too!  You know he has quite easily gotten into the habit of expecting me to give him special attention each season now.  Be careful what you start!

On the right side of the front door a little fall is mixed in with a little Halloween.

I added this bench recently after moving the planters down at the end of the steps, I am loving how it is another great place to add vignettes.  My iron topiary looks great without the old faux ivy leaves and is a great compliment to the large iron topiary I moved up from the back yard.

They both got a little fall treatment and look wonderful next to my grapevine pumpkin and the electric jack-o-lantern.   But look, I think I may have some trouble going on here.  It looks like an old witch must be around.  Surely that stuff doesn't belong to me!  Ahhh,hhaaaa,haaah,hee,hee!  Cackle-cackle!

It's a Metamorphosis Monday, and things are changing fast.  Please be sure and visit more friends for more changes!  Thanks for visiting today!  Have a great day!

My new China Cabinet

Happy Birthday to me!    Well, actually my birthday is Sunday, but the timing couldn't have been any better on this gift!

I finally found a china cabinet that I really liked, was priced right, and would fit my style of decor.  I didn't end up getting either of the two I showed you or anything close to my inspiration photo.  I also have spent several days running around checking out many thrift and antique stores for just the right cabinet.  I almost purchased one that was a very good deal in great shape but was more antiquey looking then I really wanted so I talked myself out of that one and decided to wait.  I am so glad I did!


 I have been searching Craigs list for some time as well.  Not just my city, but surrounding cities too.   I had been entering the following words under furniture to search for what I was looking for; china cabinet, china hutch, and hutch.  It only dawned on me recently I probably should try just entering the word; cabinet.  Bingo!  By doing this I brought up many more china cabinets I had not seen because they did not list them as a china cabinet.  Some were listed as just cabinets, kitchen cabinets or dining cabinets.  Well that's how I found the one I purchased.  It was listed as a dining cabinet.   The owner had inherited it from her mother and didn't want it any longer.  She also had very unusual work hours that was making it difficult IMOP for her to get it sold.  She said she had it listed at a higher price and had only lowered it recently.  When I first inquired about it, she said we could come after 7:00pm one night or between 9:30pm and 10pm another night.  Not on Saturday, limited time on Sunday, church hours, and etc.  The Mr. was not about to trek across town after 7:00pm, over 45 minutes away, with a trailer in hopes that this might be the one.  Then he said, if she works that late perhaps she goes in later.  Ask can we come early.  So she said yes, I go to work at 10:00am, can you be here between 8:00 and 8:30am?  LOL!  Hubby said yep, I'll take the morning off.  So off we went yesterday with trailer in tow right in the middle of morning rush hour.  Well, it certainly paid off and this is what we brought home. 

I had every intention of painting this china cabinet black with a distressed finish.  However, the Mr. really likes this cabinet as is and wants me to wait and see how much I like it first.  I'm good with that, but I have to tell you I just went out yesterday and spent a fortune on ALOT of very good black paint from Sherwin Williams, that I've already used on another project I will show you Monday.  LOL!

  There are no cracks,chips or gouches in the wood.  However there is a bit of a problem with one side glass that is cracked, and the two wooden panes were removed because she was going to repair it, then changed her mind.  I have the panes to put back on it as soon as we replace the glass, so that's not an issue.  Compared to what I had been looking at this is a breeze to fix!

I just love the shape of this cabinet and all the details too!

Nice thick moulding on a beautifully arched top.

Interesting detailed moulding!  We think this piece was from Poland because of the paper tags on the back.

That design looks polish to me for some reason.

Yes there is two different tones of wood color here though it is not nearly as dramatic in person as it is on these photos, but you can tell a difference.  Interesting!

I just love bunn feet too!

A nice big chunky key and window paned glass doors.  Although those wooden panes would be quite easy to remove if I decide I do not want them, but they are staying for now.

And the Mr.s favorite part is how well it is made.  It even has these wonderful latches on the opposite door that does not lock with the key on both the top and bottom doors.  Isn't that special!  LOL!

  Now the best part of it all was the price!  Would you believe we purchased this very solid wooden china cabinet for only....(drum roll please)...$100.00.  Yippee!  I love that!


I have to admit it though I will miss the hunt.  I certainly did some damage on the hunt too.   I am talking about wallet damage.  While scouring several antique stores looking for just the right china cabinet, I came across the (3) Lenox china dishes that I showed you here.


 Sitting there on a bottom shelf in a musty old dusty antique store under stacks of other china was my beautiful Butlers Pantry Gourmet dishes.  I about fell out!  I recognized the edge of the dish straight away and thought I was hallucinating.  My heart was just a thumping as I was unstacking them.  They were quite a deal at $10.00 a plate.  I tried to get them lower but the old man would not call the vendor (he never will) so I bought them anyway cause I knew they were well worth it!  Can you believe it?

And if that wasn't enough, I also found these at another Antique store.   I was looking over one booth very carefully when there again on the bottom shelf  I spotted these hand blown goblets.  They were being sold as a set of 6, priced right, and with 15% off I purchased the set of six for $15.05 and that included tax!  Can you believe that?

 So now you know why I am going to miss the hunt.  I will surely miss all the extras along the way!  LOL!  So check those bottom shelves yall, you never know what might be hiding under there.

We just brought the cabinet inside late last night after I gave it a very through cleaning so please don't flip about the arrangement inside.  I was just moving things over from another piece and had to put them somewhere.  I will be doing lots of rearranging in this room today!  Fun, fun, fun!

I will miss seeing my mirror on that back wall for sure but I am thinking it will look great right here, so that whole look there is going to get a bit of a change again!  Whew, am I going to be busy!

Sorry to be so long winded but this was a story I thought you thrifters might really want to hear the details of.  Thanks for hanging in there with me if you did and be sure and join all the other thrifters over at Debbiedoos for her Garage Salen Party.  There's always great stories of amazing finds at this party!


Hope you all have a great weekend!  I certainly plan on it!  Thanks for visiting today!

B is for Black

So sorry I am running behind Teach!   You see I had to wait on my ride again from cousin Mary!  She's as nice and helpful as she can be but she's on her time you know!  Yes mam, I know you know what I mean! 


Yes mam, I got my homework done and am all ready to turn it in!  Here ya go, it's B is for Black, just like these here black spray paint cans.  Cousin Mary keeps these on hand all the time, she says you never know when you might need em.  They are the cheap kind that are great for top coats and touch ups.

 Yes mam, I do know this is no longer rainbow summer school.  No mam I am not being sassy, it's the truth!  Well yes mam, I probably could have done better then that but I was pressed for time ya see.  Why is that?  Well I 'll you why.  I am still trying to handle my antsy cousin Mary.  The poor thing, as if she doesn't have enough to be worrying about right now.  She opens the door one day and finds this laying by the front door.  She says it's an Omen!  I said, that ain't no Omen, that's just an old black hat!

Now mind you, I sure didn't tell her that looked like an old witchy poo's hat to me!  That might upset her some, especially since I think old witchy poo would love it around cousin Marys house.  Mam?  Why is that?  Cause she's got so much black around that house that's why!  Just look here!

She done painted all her kitchen chairs black this summer.

That was right after she painted the bar stools black.

She painted those barstools black cause she's got that black counter top ya know.

Do you remember she also painted that bakers rack black?

Yes mam, she sure did!

Several years ago she painted this old wicker set black and put it on the front porch.  That wasn't one of her brightest ideas.  No mam, that paint started chipping and flakin and she finally moved them inside.  She's says she doesn't know what she gonna do with these old things now.  I bet old witchy poo would know what to do with this here set!  Yessiree!

No mam, I'm not done yet!  Cousin Mary painted this little bench black that's beside her favorite chair.

Yep, she painted this hutch too!

Yes mam, she painted this desk black just recently and that mirror years ago and the coat rack for that matter too, it used to be white.  She is a painting fool!

As if painting everything black wasn't enough, she's even gone and bought stuff in black.  When she had to replace here outdoor table this year, she went and bought this black one.

Don't even get me started on how much she loves these black end tables she bought about 7 years ago.

Or this little black sofa table.

Or her beautiful black wool rug as she so lovingly refers to it!

Yes mam, now I bet you can see why I think old witchy poo might be around here!  That old witchy poo thinks with all this black around here she'd be right at home.  No mam, I don't want to warn cousin Mary, because she told me she's got two big projects she working on right now.  That's why she agreed to drop me off.  See she's on her way to the paint store right now for some more paint.

Mam?  Heehee!  You are certainly on it aren't ya teach..yep, she's going in for more black paint allright!  Why if I didn't know better, and I was a guest in cousin Marys house and saw all that black right after seeing that black hat on her porch... shoot!  I'd think old cousin Mary and old witchy poo might be one and the same!

Hey wait a minute now teach?  What you saying?  Mam?  I mean, what you got me saying here now?

No mam, I didn't mean that!!!  Whew!  That's all!

I best be quiet now so we can see everyone else homework over at Alphabet Thursday.

Have a great day Teach! 

Little Missy

I've Fallen for Lenox

I've been working on this very special table scape all summer.  Well maybe not all summer, but definitely since our vacation in July.  When we went to the beach this summer I hit the Lenox Outlet like I always do.  This year I came across an idea for a whole new look for my table settings using Lenox for my everyday settings as well.  I say as well, because I have been a Lenox girl since the day I married.  My first set of Lenox is the Charleston pattern, you can see one of my table scapes using that collection here.

While at the Lenox Outlet  I picked up four salad plates that were a closeout pattern that I absolutely fell in love with.  I was perfectly content to just enjoy these four salad plates paired with other dishes I already own.  However, when I was checking out the sales lady pointed out some dinner plates that these salad plates would compliment in another pattern that was sure to be around awhile.  Although I did not buy the dinner plates that day, we looked at them together and it was an image I could not get out of my head.  You know the feeling, love at first sight! 

Well, it's been about two and half months since I first saw these plates together and I have since come across four more salad plates bringing my total to eight.  I also now have four of the dinner plates I was introduced to as well.  Three of those I unbelievably found in a stack at an antique store recently and one I purchased retail to complete the set of four dinner plates.  Hopefully my Christmas wish list will deliver more dinner plates and serving pieces.

So with out further delay I want to share my newest everyday dinnerware collection.  I think you will love and "fall" for this pattern just as much as I do.

Here they are!

They are a beautiful slightly off white china.

With a beautiful scalloped edge.

The dinner plates are Lenox Butlers Pantry Gourmet.

Just try and tell me you don't love the edge on this dish!

 I have paired it with salad plates from Lenox Accoutrement's Cornelia Cream.

It has the same colorings with a damask border.  I just love these two patterns blended together.

The Butlers Pantry pattern by Lenox actually has several different settings. There is the original Butlers Pantry pattern and then the Butlers Pantry Gourmet that I have.  They are meant to be used together and offer a beautiful blending of dishes that coordinate well together.  Also, for all my Rooster loving friends out there, they even introduced Rooster plates in this pattern.   I am so excited about this pattern and how many variations it offers in one collection.  You can check them out at Lenox.com if your interested.  I am not being offered anything to promote this, just sharing my newest love with all of you .

Careful though, or you might be FALLEN in love with Lenox too!

Please be sure and visit many more beautiful tablescapes at

Tablescape Thursday.

Thanks for visiting, wishing you a beautiful Fall!

Mary