Autumn Pheasants in the Vineyard?...Oh My!!!

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Hello my friends...I hope you're having a fabulous day!

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It is officially autumn now...my favorite time of the year! I just love changing my home's decor with the different seasons. It's alot of work but I find the change so revitalizing and pleasantly rewarding!

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Today I thought I would share a few of the seasonal changes in my living room. I hope you enjoy! If you would like to take a peek at my french country dining room's new autumn decor...you can click HERE.
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An Autumn Living Room

My olive green living room.

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This room...as well as the entire living area of my home...is done in shades of deep reds, olive greens, and gold. These colors pair easily with the deep, rich hues of autumn so I always enjoy decorating for this season.

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This year...I was trying to come up with something different in the way of my living room's autumn decor. I wanted a warm, cozy, rich and decadent feel! Yes, I said "decadent"! I want autumn ambiance that just sings of violin concertos, vineyards in the rolling hills of Normandy, the lavishness of the french court at the Palace of Versailles, and romance...all mixed into one!!!

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Okay...I'll come down to earth but a girl has to have her dreams! Hehe! I don't have any palace peacocks strutting their stuff

...but how about...

a few pheasants...and pheasant feathers...and grapes???
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Autumn Pheasants in the Vineyard...Ohhhh my!
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A romantic french vignette.

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This vignette is displayed in front of our large living room window.
I always try to do something nice here...this window is situated next to our front door and can be seen easily from the road as well.

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I have a dark cherry sofa table sitting in front of this window...it's a perfect fit! I really love how the window's gold drapes and off-white sheers...seem to "frame" the vignettes on the table.

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French Tapestries, French Courtesans, and French Damask...

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An olive green and gold floral, tapestry-like, table runner is the perfect foundation for this vignette. Ohhh...and the most sought after french courtesan "Antoinette", has graced us with her presence! (and let me tell you...she always steals the show!) Also, a pair of gold candleholders with the prettiest, embossed, brown and cream damask pattern also grace this french vignette!
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Hmmm...it is beginning to feel alot like the french court at Versailles...don't you think?
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A tall floral arrangement sits front and center.

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I found this gorgeous pedestal vase at Hobby Lobby. I love the beautiful mix of gold, silver, and olive green colors. Ohhh...and the small flowers and diamond pattern on the bowl of the vase is simply divine! I used olive green, artichoke looking flowers and trailing grapevines with leaves that have just begun to turn color...for this arrangement. A large bunch of grapes spill over the side of the vase. I love this look!!!
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My tiny glass cloche decorated for autumn.

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A Cloche and Pheasant Feathers
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I adore cloches...any shape and any size! Everything always looks prettier under glass...don't you agree? This cloche is rather small in size and yet it is able to stand its ground in this midst of all this Parisian finery! wink! Miniature acorns are usually showcased under this small cloche for the autumn season, however this vignette was calling for a little added "finery"...pheasant feathers! My honey brought these fabulous pheasant feathers to me a few months ago. I gently stuck each feather under the edge of the cloche so that they would stay in place. They frame out the miniature acorns so beautifully. Ohhh...just look at the warm, rich colors...so autumnal! I topped off the tiny cloche with a gold satin ribbon and copper colored key! VOILA!!!
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A New Look for the Mantel..."Autumn Decadence"
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My autumn fireplace mantel.*
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A Mantel...Autumn Decadence*
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Hmmm...I did say that I was going for decadent! Hehe! I had sooo much fun decorating my fireplace mantel for autumn this year.
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Continuing the theme of French courts, vineyards, and romance...I decided to go all out with my mantel decor! I just adore how it turned out!!!
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Autumn Pheasants in the Vineyard?
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A decorative piece of pottery filled with grapes and two pheasants are showcased...front and center...in this autumn mantlescape.
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I used several different types of foliage...trailing grapevines and autumn leaves make up the majority of the thick foliage. If you look close...you will see sprigs of autumn colored zebra grass, berries of all sorts, acorns, pheasant feathers, and grapes...all interwoven throughout the autumn mantelscape. I also used two ornate gold candleholders with pumpkin colored candles....one on each side of the mantel.
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And VOILA...an "Autumn Pheasants in the Vineyard" mantelscape!!!
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The "stately" pheasants.
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They may not be the proud "palace" peacock...but they are still rather stately pheasants...don't you think?
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He truly is a resplendant pheasant!*
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A closer view of some of the berries, acorns, and autumn foliage.
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An Autumn Hearth
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The fireplace hearth is filled with "autumn plenty" as well.
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 Ohhh...and look...there are a couple of peacocks after all! There is one on each side of the hearth. You can only see there feathers in this photo...shoot! These are vintage metal peacock wall hangings. I loved the pretty copper, gold, and green shades of the metal feathers. So perfect with my autumn mantelscape!
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Ooops...you can see a peek of my secret project that I've been working on...in the corner of this photo. You will be able to see it and read all about it in the next issue (November holiday issue) of the brand new E-Magazine, Belle Inspiration! I'm sooo excited to be a part of this fabulous French magazine! If you would like to read more about Belle Inspiration or sign up for a subscription...you can click HERE.
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Well my friends...I am sooo happy that you stopped by for a visit today! I hope you enjoyed autumn in my olive green living room! I always enjoy your visits!!!
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*I am joining these fabulous parties...
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 Metamorphosis Monday...hosted by Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch.

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 Table Top Tuesday...hosted by Marty over at A Stroll Thru Life.

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I am also joining Jessa over at A Holiday Haven for her Havest Party.

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Thank you, ladies...for hosting these lovely parties for us to enjoy!
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Well my friends...thank you sooo much for coming by today! Please leave me a comment and let me know that you were here...I'd love to visit back with you!

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*Warmest Autumn Wishes!

Sunday Favorites...No.72

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Welcome to the 72nd "Sunday Favorites"

"Sunday Favorites" is a Sunday meme designed to give bloggers a chance to share a favorite post from the past!!! For more information on how to republish a past post just click on the "Sunday Favorites" info. photo in the sidebar.

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Hello my friends!!!

Welcome to the 72nd run of "Sunday Favorites"!
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I hope that you are having a wonderful weekend! It's been a busy week at my place and I haven't had as much blogging time that I would have liked. Don't you just hate when real life gets in the way of blogging? Hehe...just kidding! It's all been good!
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I have been working on a project and have found myself totally consumed! In part...it involves my new autumn mantelscape. I hope that you'll come back by for a visit on Monday...I'll share a few photos with you.
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Soooo...in light of my recent autumn mantelscape project, I thought I would revisit a post from November, 2009 for Sunday Favorites this week. The post is about the new faux fireplace that we added to our living room. I have always wanted a fireplace mantel to decorate! Hehe! I hope that you enjoy!
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Wishing you all a super Sunday!

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Instructions for Participating in Sunday Favorites

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If you are participating in Sunday Favorites, please be sure to add your permalink and not your general blog address.

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Please copy and paste the Sunday Favorites logo button to your Sunday Favorites post or your sidebar so your visitors will know that you are participating. Also...please link back to the host blog, Happy To Design. This is important because it helps those who are visiting your blog, find the other wonderful blogs that are participating.

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Please do not add your link below, until your Sunday Favorites post is actually published to your blog.

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Thank you so much for your participation!!! I am going to really enjoy going through your "Sunday Favorites" posts!!!

Love ya'll,

Chari

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Sunday Favorites

 My favorite post from: November 15, 2009

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It's Metamorphosis Monday!

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Hello my friends...I'm so happy to have you stop in for a visit today! I

 hope that you're having a marvelous Monday!
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Today I have another update on my faux fireplace project! I really appreciate

 Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch for hosting Met Monday and giving

 us the opportunity to share our latest and greatest projects!
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Please go by and pay Susan a visit and while you're there you can check out

 all of the other fabulous Met Monday participants!!!*

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Part III...A Faux Fireplace Update
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The faux fireplace saga continues! Hehe! Many of you have been following
 the progress of my faux fireplace project...so I will try and not reiterate too much!
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To see Part I...just click HERE.

To see Part II...just click HERE
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My Inspiration Fireplace
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*This is my "inspiration fireplace"!
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 I fell in love with this fireplace the minute I saw it! And...it's not just the
 fireplace...but it's also the warm, rich ambiance of this room that I love!
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*Soooo...when I found a fireplace mantel that I thought would be very similar
 and would work in my living room...the project began!
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The Living Room "Before"
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*My living room is a very long and narrow room. The wall that you see
 featured in the photo above is a wall that juts out into the center of the room. I
 have always struggled with this wall...what to do with it...until a couple of years ago
 when I decided to just go ahead and make it a "focal" point. We added panel
 moulding to this wall and I really was quite pleased with it!
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Then....when I found my "dream" mantel...I decided that this would be the
 perfect wall for my faux fireplace! It already looks like a fireplace should be here
 simply because this 10 ft. wall juts out about 2 1/2 ft. into the center of the room.
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 It's perfect!
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The Faux Fireplace Project Begins
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Step I...Taking the Moulding Down

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The first step was to take the panel moulding off the wall.
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 Yes...I agonized a bit over this decision...I really, really did like my
 panel moulding! It just didn't work with the fireplace mantel though...besides
 the fact that it wouldn't allow the mantel to sit flush against the wall...it also really
 looked "busy" to me!*I must admit though...after taking the moulding off
 of the wall...I wondered if I had done the right thing...it looked pretty
 "rough" at this stage!
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*Step II...Patching & Repainting the Wall

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The first thing I did after removing the moulding was to patch that wall and
 repaint! After doing that, it was a bit easier to picture the "finished" project!
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A "Real" Faux Fireplace
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*From the beginning of this project, I had established that I wanted my new
 faux fireplace to look as "real" as possible! Actually, I could have just placed
 the fireplace mantel right against the wall and on top of the carpet. But...I
 wanted more! I wanted my fireplace to look real!!!
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Step III...The Hearth

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Now it was time to concentrate on making this beauty "real"!
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I really didn't want my new mantel to just sit on the carpet so my honey
 built a hearth for the mantel. He used 3/4" MDF and built a box with a ledge
 on top...painted it black...and VOILA! I now have a fireplace hearth!
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After setting the mantel up on the hearth...in place...I decided to paint the
 wall behind the mantel black...to look like the firebox. So what do you think? Is
 it looking more "real"? I think that my faux fireplace project really started to
 come together at this point! I was very pleased with what we had done
 so far...but...it was still lacking!

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Step IV...A New Tile Surround

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I did say that I wanted this faux fireplace to look "real"! Hehe! Well...the
 fireplace needed a tile surround so honey came to my rescue once again! He's the
 bestest honey ever!!! Thank you, Russell!!!
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We had some left over tile from our bathroom floor project from a couple
 of summers ago...just enough to use for a tile surround for the fireplace! Honey
 just took 1/2" plywood and cut it to the shape of the fireplace opening...and then
 added the tile to the plywood. Ooops...I almost forgot to tell you...the tile was white
 with a gray marbling, so I had him spray the tile with a flat black spary paint. I really
 wanted to do a faux finish on the tile and decided to use a gold metallic paint. The
 photo above shows the tile surround...ready for my faux finish! Yep...it's right
 on my kitchen bar...it's where I do my best work! wink!
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*Faux Fireplace Complete!
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Taaadaaa!!! Here it is...in all its glory! My completed fireplace!
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Ohhh...and here is my latest treasure find...new chairs!
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 I found two of these pretty chairs on Craigslist...they are perfect for
 this area in the living room. Before, I had a matching love seat and sofa here.
 I was never really happy with the arrangement because the furniture was just too
 big for this narrow space! Sooo...out went the sofa...we took it to the upstairs guest
 room. Now I just have the loveseat and these two pretty chairs...they fit perfectly
 and now this end of my living room looks larger and more balanced!
 I'm very pleased!!!
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A frontal view of the fireplace with its new tile surround!
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Now you can see the faux finish that I did on the black tile...using the
 gold metallic paint. The metallic is really picking up the light from the photo in
 this shot...it's really not quite this shiny. In fact, the photo below better
 represents the true color, etc.
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I do really like how the metallic picks up the light though...
it's really pretty!
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See how the metallics are picking up the color from the
 carpet...a beautiful effect!

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A close-up of my new chairs! I am thinking about refinishing
 these little beauties though! Hmmm...another project for another day!
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Well my friends...my faux fireplace project is finished and I'm very pleased!

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Now I'm ready for the fun part...decorating that fabulous mantel!
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Stay tuned...maybe there will be another Met Monday post in the making!
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Thank you so much for coming by today and taking a peek at my finished
 project! Please leave me a comment and let me know that you were here.
I would love to visit with you!
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Warmest autumn wishes!

Delicious Autumn...An Autumn Buffet

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Hello my friends...I hope you're having a fabulous day!

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Ahhhh...Autumn! Delicious Autumn!*
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I read a quote the other day that I would like to share with you!
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*"Delicious Autumn! My very soul is wedded to it,
and if I were a bird...I would fly about the earth
seeking the successive autumns."
~George Eliot~
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*Delicious Autumn...An Autumn Buffet
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My autumn buffet in my french country dining room.
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Autumn is delicious! It enlivens my very soul!
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I feel like the bird that George Eliot wrote about. If it were possible...I would fly about seeking the successive autumns! After the long, hot, "lazy days of summer"...when that very first autumn breeze makes it way in...I just feel alive! I don't know about you...but I never get much done when it's hot! Hehe! I feel invigorated...energized!
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I even feel like redecorating everything! Hehe! I enjoyed the light whites and the bright spring greens of my summer decor...don't get me wrong...but I was ready for a change! Sooo...in comes the warm, rich colors of autumn! Ahhh...Autumn! Delicious Autumn!
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Ahhh...delicious autumn! How about a few autumn pears? Or maybe grapes...or berries?

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An old gray distressed table tray filled with autumn florals and berries...sits at the far right of the buffet.
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I love this tall pitcher with grapes...
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the leaves are done in all the beautiful colors of autumn. I found this pretty pitcher at Hobby Lobby.
It was marked 80% off...if I remember correctly, I only paid $4 for it!
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Three autumn pears sit atop a stack of autumn leaf plates.
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 Ohhh...and do you see the two autumn birds? Their little wings are formed with embossed acorns and oak leaves.
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Two of my newest cloches made of wire.
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I love the gray distressed finish of them! They look so frenchy! Hehe! The shorter cloche is sitting upon a silver pedestal plate. I added a few autumn berries and a yellow-gold pillar candle. Another sweet little bird makes up the handle of the cloche. I love it! The tall wire cloche stands a very stately 30 in. in height. I added a couple of autumn floral picks and more berries to this cloche. It came with the little urn that its sitting upon.
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And there you have it...an autumn buffet in a french country dining room!
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I am joining these fabulous parties today...
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 Table Top Tuesday...hosted by Marty over at A Stroll Thru Life.

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 Rednesday...hosted by Sue over at It's a Very Cherry World.

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I am also joining Jessa over at A Holiday Haven for her Harvest Party.

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Thank you, ladies...for hosting these lovely parties for us to enjoy!

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*Well my friends...I'm so happy that you came by for a visit today! I realize that I have shown my buffet (or at least parts of it) for the autumn cloche party a few days ago...but I wanted to share the buffet as a whole. Hope you don't mind! I would love for you to leave me a note and let me know that you were here...I'd love to visit back with you!

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Warmest Autumn Wishes...

Autumn Metamorphosis in the Dining Room...Autumn Dishes!

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Hello my friends...I hope you're having a fabulous day!

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Ahhh...Autumn! I love the changing of the seasons!

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Everything is changing at my place! Not only are the greens of summer slowly giving way to the warm, golden hues of autumn...OUTSIDE...but the very same colors are changing INSIDE my home as well. This is true of my dining room at least. The light whites and bright spring greens that dominated my summer's decor have now given way to the warm, rich colors of autumn!
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Welcome to autumn in my french country dining room!
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Yes...the days are beginning to grow shorter, however the warm afternoon sun is still making its daily debut shining through the dining room window. I love how the rays of the sun look shining through the gold draperies...spilling upon the window bench and pillows!
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Just a couple of weeks ago...this little window bench was dressed in green! A row of fluffy white and spring green pillows could be seen. Now...enter the golds, reds, and warm toasty browns!
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Autumn leaves and brown willowy grass now fill a gold pitcher. Sitting upon the white column...they make a grand statement that autumn has arrived!!!

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My Summer China Hutch...

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The light whites and spring greens of summer on display in my china hutch...*have given way to...*the warm, rich shades of autumn.

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My Autumn China Hutch...

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My very first "act" of autumn...was to change out the dishes in my china hutch.

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The darling little toile bird that seems to be sitting upon a nest of red, green, and gold ribbon and trim...is actually a tassel! Kristen from Kristen's Creations made this beautiful tassel! I love it and it really dresses up my china hutch!

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You know...I really do love my white and green dishes but it's so sweet to be able to bring out my autumn dishware to enjoy for awhile as well!

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Yes...autumn has found its way into my little french country dining room! I'm enjoying the warm, rich colors of the new season! (Ps...my next little project is to find some pretty fabric to cover the back of my china hutch. Ahhh...a girl's work is never done! Hehe!)
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I hope to share more of my autumn dining room with you this week...so please come back again for a visit! I love having you, my friends!!!
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*I am joining these lovely parties today...
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 Metamorphosis Monday...hosted by Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch.

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Tea Pot and Tea Things Tuesday...co-hosted by Pam over at A Breath of Fresh Air

and Wanda Lee over at Silken Purse.

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Thank you so much, dear ladies...for hosting these lovely parties for us to enjoy!

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Well my friends, I'm so glad that you dropped by for a visit today! I hope you enjoyed seeing the autumn metamorphosis in my french country dining room...and a few of my autumn dishes! Please leave me a note and let me know that you were here...I would love to pay you a visit!

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*Warmest autumn wishes!