Be Grateful - Fall Home Tour 2012

Only three weeks until Thanksgiving.

Seems like Fall has come and is leaving, quickly!

I'm so grateful

to Welcome family and friends into my home

for Thanksgiving.

I'm busy making preparations,

as I'm sure many are!

Beautiful Pillow Purchased From Ann of Sutton Place

Come on in...

My Home

Fall 2012

Foyer

Just a Simple Gathering of Candleholders for the Dining Room 

Mantel

Autumn Wreath on Pantry Door

1 Chronicles 16:34 
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

_________________________

Linking Post To:

"Better Late Than Never!" Thanksgiving Inspiration
Linky Party

Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage
Mop It Up Monday  @ I should be mopping the floor
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Make It Pretty @ The Dedicated House
Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm
Cowgirl Up Party @ Cedarhill Ranch
Gettin' Krafty with It @ Krafty Kat
Creatively Tuesday @ The Rusty Pig
Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style
Fall Harvest Link Party @ Fresh Eggs Daily
Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here
Share Your Creations @ Kristen's Creations Online
Inspiration Friday @ At the Picket Fence

____________________________


On another note,
my prayers continue for those suffering from the aftermath of Sandy.

Living on the Carolina Coast,
we are no strangers to the devastation of hurricanes.

Going through a storm in the heat, 
without of power for days, is tough.
It's uncomfortable, to say the least!

But for the poor folks who are without heat,
more than 1 million in New Jersey
and 650,000 in NYC, the Northern Suburbs, and Long Island
that is unthinkable, beyond misery!
My heart breaks for those homeless and suffering in the cold!

There are two great ways to help....

One, by gathering up some warmth to share by collecting socks, gloves and winter hats - for men, women and children of all ages - and sending them to:

Socks for Sandy

P.O. Box 520

Little Egg Harbor, NJ  08087

Please mail by Friday, November 9, since the need is urgent. 

Laura a fellow Blogger at Pet Scribbles and Hometalk member (you can read her story on her blog) will receive all packages and immediately take them to the local hurricane shelter for distribution. Any excess will be given to the other hurricane shelters up and down New Jersey's coastline. 

Another option to help, click the graphic below if you'd like to make monetary donations...

Sprucing up the Front Porch for Fall

Welcome to my Front Porch
decorated for Fall...

After two years of procrastinating deliberating

I finally took the plunge and painted the front doors of our home black satin.

Originally, they were white, 

and several years after we moved here I painted them burgundy.

Strange color, I know,

...but with Stucco siding and a Terracotta Tile roof, color choices are limited!

The burgundy had been a real booger to paint,

but Thanks so Sherwin Williams, and their best outdoor trim paint,

completing this long dreaded task was a cinch!

I also had plans to make orange and white ticking pillows.

But after some more of that "deliberation," 

...I concluded that my old giraffe print pillows were better suited! :)

The terracotta colored urns also got a new coat of paint,
...sprayed with Krylon Plastic Fusion black.
Love this stuff!

Check out what arrived by mail on my front porch today...

A new pillow ordered from the very talented Ann, of Sutton Place.

I'll reveal soon, which one of her creations I purchased!

And....

my "Blogging Calling Cards" {that just sounds so Southern doesn't it?}

 came in from Vistaprint!

The count down to next weekend has begun...

The First Southern Bloggers Convention!

As for this weekend,

yard sales and auctions galore are on the menu!

October is looking good! :)

____________________________________

Linking Post To:
Inspiration Friday @ At The Picket Fence
Potpourri Friday @ 2805
Fridays Unfolded @ Stuff and Nonsense
Saturday Show and Tell @ Cheerios and Lattes
Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage
Mop It Up Monday @ I Should be Mopping the Floor
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps On the Floor
Make It Pretty Monday @ The Dedicated House
Cowgirl Up Party @ Cedarhill Ranch
Gettin' Krafty With It @ Krafty Kat
Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style
Vintage Inspiration @ Common Ground
Share your Creations @ Kristen's Creations
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home
Fall In Love with Spray Paint @ Thistlewood Farmswww.thistlewoodfarms.com/fall-in-love-with-spray-paint-2

Thriftin' is a Hoot!

With Owls being the "in" thing this year,

I've been in search of one while on my thriftin' excursions.

Way back when, I had a history teacher who collected owls,...

WHOOOO knew they'd ever be popular again!?!

What a hoot...

I found one at a local thrift shop, $1.99.

Great price, cute piece,

but personally, I thought he needed a little makeover to "update" him,

...give a new Autumn look!

I mixed together orange craft paint and just a smidge of Annie Sloan Old White.

I figured the AS would help the paint adhere to the owl,

but what I didn't figure, was that he would come out peachy pink.

Bless his heart, that just wouldn't do...

So, I added a coat of straight orange...

And he turned out to be quite a handsome fellow,

perfect for the season.

After I take down my Fall decorations, I plan to give him a coat of AS Old White,

...he'll be ready for Spring!

And that, my friends, is why I find that Thriftin' is a Hoot!

Besides the thrill of the hunt, 

 you can experiment and makeover things that didn't cost a lot.

If they don't turn out well, not much is lost!

But if they do, it's like Christmas, ...pretty exciting! :)

My other finds for the week,

came from the yard sales Saturday...

I'm tempted to keep the Vintage Cosco Stool, 

but I think all of these finds will probably be going to my booths!

Hope you all had a productive thriftin' weekend! :)

___________________________

Linking Post To:

Thrifty Treasures   {The Farewell of the Year Edition} @ Southern Hospitality
Mop It Up Monday @ I should be mopping the Floor
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm
Gettin' Krafty With It @ Krafty Kat
Share Your Creations @ Kristen's Creations
Vintage Inspiration @ Common Ground

____________________________

Verse of Encouragement:

 ^"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NIV

When Less is Not Enough ~ Fall Mantel 2012

 “Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depend on simplicity.”

- Plato 

Last Fall, I was all about keeping things simple...

uncluttered...

the less is more adage...

I think it was a stage of life I was in,

my daughter had moved off to college for her first year,

and I felt a little empty ...a little lost....

and so I decorated as such...

Does anyone else go through these stages and decorate accordingly?

{Below, my Fall Decorated Mantel 2011}

I enjoyed the simplicity of last year's mantel,

it served it's purpose...

But the "good rhythm," as Plato quoted,

just had to be jazzed up a notch this year. 

Yes, I'm fickle that way,

...guess I'm in another stage in my life! ha!

So, I brought out the arrangement below...

an oldieeeeeeeeeeeeee!

If recollection serves me right,

I think it came over on the Mayflower! ha!

Added an Autumn dried wreath, 

{another that's been around awhile}

over the mirror.

Also regrouped the candles, and added burlap ribbon for texture.

It's still not too busy,

just a little more interesting!

Many wonder why I go through the trouble to decorate with each passing season,
not you other bloggers of course, you know..., you get it...

For one I enjoy it,
but secondly,
it's makes my family feel special.

My daughter relayed to me just after she started school again this year,
that the one weekend she felt the most welcomed and glad to be home,
was last fall when she walked into the house
 decorated in warm, cozy colors and decorations of autumn,
and pumpkin spice scented candles were burning!

As a mom, that's all the incentive I need! :)

Welcome ...October  ~~  Enjoy Your Weekend! 

"There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on,

 and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings, as now in October." 

-  Nathaniel Hawthorne

________________________________________

Linking Post To:

Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage
Met Monday @ Between Naps On the Porch
Make it Pretty Monday @ The Dedicated House
Mop It Up Monday @ I should be mopping the Floor
Favorites On the First @ The Polohouse
Cowgirl Up Party @ Cedarhill Ranch
Gettin' Krafty With It @ Krafty Kat
Wow Us Wednesday @ Southern Savvy Style
Centerpiece Wednesday @ The Style Sisters
Share Your Creations @ Kristen's Creations
Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here
October'fest of Fun - Fall and Halloween Mantel Party @ Foxhollow Cottage


My Entry to Make It Pretty Monday's Link Party
and Open House Linky Party is sponsored by