Showing posts with label Blue Monday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blue Monday. Show all posts

8/01/2010

A Blue Cottage Veranda...

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Hello my friends...I hope you're having a fabulous day!
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I do believe that the "dog days of summer" are here!
 It's been pretty quiet this past week and I'm feeling sooo lazy!
  We have been experiencing some really hot temperatures here in
 Colorful Colorado. The great thing about Colorado climate is...that even
 though it may get into the 90's during the day...it always cools down to the
 60's in the evenings. Just perfect for sitting outside and enjoying
 the evening!
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*Which brings me to my latest project...
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Our poor little patio/veranda was in such disrepair after this
 last winter. Since we were having out of town guests coming in July,
 I decided it was time for our little veranda to get a facelift! Hehe! Now...
 I don't have any "before" photos. Shoot, I wasn't even thinking about taking
 "before and after" photos to show this sweet metamorphosis...I do apologize!
 However, if you can just imagine...dirty, worn and torn, with absolutely
 no appeal...then you get the picture!
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A Brand New Table for the Veranda...
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This table is what started the entire veranda makeover!
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Honey and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary June 4th.
 We planned a day trip to Denver and honey took me to Home Goods.
  My very first time to go! We found this sweet blue cottagey table
 and a matching end table...for just $69!
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Sooo...the planning, scheming, and decorating began...
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For those of you who follow Happy To Design...you may
 remember a post that I did June 25th. I stated that I was in the
 middle of a summer "mystery" project...shared just a couple
 of photos...and asked if you could figure out what I was doing!
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The photo mosaic above is compiled with the photos from that post.
 If you would like to see that post...you can just click HERE.
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Our Newly Remodeled...Blue Cottage Veranda
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Our veranda is fairly small. The covered area is about 10'x10'...
however we have concrete that stretches beyond the covered area so
 it feels a bit larger. It's difficult to see here but our home has a light gray
 siding with a blue metal roof...so a "blue" cottage veranda is perfect!
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I would love to add an outdoor rug...the concrete isn't very pretty,
 however it probably isn't very feasible considering our veranda is open
 on two sides to the weather. Hmmm...maybe I should paint or stain
 the concrete? Yet another project for another day! Hehe!
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*The Swing...
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I just love our "two-seater" swing! Honey and I have spent
 many a day enjoying the outdoors on this little swing!
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A New Quilt
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Believe me...the cushions and covering over the swing had seen
 its better days. Instead of taking the entire swing apart to recover the
 cushions, I decided to make a quilt that would cover the cushions. I liked this
 idea because I can bring the quilt inside when we aren't using the veranda.
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Fabric Needed...
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Ohhh boy...I was going to need quite a bit of fabric to carry out
 my plans! I wanted to sew a quilt, make a new cover for the swing, and
 recover the chairs that we would use with our new table.
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Soooo...I bought sheets!
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Yep, I did! I found the sheets at Walmart! I purchased two sheet
 sets; 1 twin set and 1 full size set. I was immediately drawn to these pretty
 sheets. Walmart has color coordinating sets. The twin set had the prettiest blue
 and sage green paisley pattern and the full set was done in the exact same
 coordinating colors but with a small floral pattern. They would be
 perfect for my veranda makeover!
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I used the paisley fabric on the front side of the quilt and the
 coordinating small floral print on the back side. The quilt is nothing
 fancy...it's just a "tie" quilt but it turned out just as I had planned!
 It covers the swing cushions perfectly!
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Swing Cover...
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Here is a photo of the swing cover. I took off the ratty, old
 exsisting cover and used it for a pattern to sew a new cover out of the
 small floral print. You can see the old swing cover on my dining room table
 in the photo mosaic above. I'm tellin' ya...the fabric from the sheets worked
 sooo well! I forgot to mention that I only paid $15 for the twin set of
 sheets and $22 for the full set! That is alot of fabric for just $37!
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New Pillows...
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Of course I had to have pillows for the swing!  I used the
 two pillowcases from the small floral set to make the pillows! I
 actually have a real pretty embroidered, blue floral trim to add to these
 pillows...that I still need to sew on! I think the pillows turned out nice
 and now I can take a little nap out on the swing! wink!
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Even the chairs got a facelift!
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These little chairs were made in 1955! How do I know...you ask?
 Because the date was stamped underneath the seats. The metal was black
 and the seats had a red vinyl material on them...they also had
 seen their better days!
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Honey spray painted the chairs white! Already such an improvement!
  I used the paisley to cover the seats of the chairs...love it!!!
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Cottagey Chair Slips...
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The backs of the chairs have metal rungs...not very dressy...or
 very cottagey! Sooo...I decided to sew chair slips! I used the paisley
 for the body of the slips and the small floral print for the ruffle!
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 I just love, love, LOVE how these turned out!
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A Cottage Veranda Vignette
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This is the matching end table to our new cottage table set!
 I really do love this beautiful shade of blue!!!
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A Cottage Veranda Vignette...
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A few potted flowers sit atop a couple of old milk cans!
 Honey spray painted the milk cans white while he was doing the
 chairs. You should have seen what they looked like before....picture
 all black with big ol' orange and yellow mushrooms painted on them!
 Honey said that his brother decorated them during the
 1970's! Go figure! Hehe!
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I love the old crock planter/pot with the faded tulips painted on
 the front. We found this old crock planter in the basement of honey's
 Dad's home when we were cleaning. It's no telling how old it may be! We
 also found the old white enamelware coffee pot in that same
 basement. I love the red trim!
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I added a pretty white oval bowl filled with a few
 green apples to the end table.
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I found this pretty retriculated bowl at TJ Maxx for just $9.99.
 I wove a green and blue floral ribbon through the cut-outs....sooo pretty!
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A View from the Veranda....
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And....this is what you see when you're sitting on the swing!
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We live in the country! There is a big open field behind our home!
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Voila...there you have it! A blue cottage veranda!!!*
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I had some fun making this mosaic! I used Photobucket's "color sketch" effect!
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Well my friends...I'm sooo glad that you came by
 today! I hope you enjoyed the little tour around our veranda!
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I am joining in with these lovely parties today...
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Table Top Tuesday...hosted by Marty over at A Stroll Thru Life.
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*A special thank you to Sally, Susan, Cielo, and Marty...for hosting
 these fabulous parties! Please go over and see what these sweet ladies
 have prepared for us today and while you are there...you can check
 out all of the other party participants!
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Well my friends....thank you soooo much for coming by and visiting!
 Please leave me a comment and let me know that you were here.
  I would love to visit back with you!!!
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Have a fabulous week!
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3/22/2010

"Spring is..."

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Hello my friends...I hope that you're having a marvelous Monday!
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Today I thought I would share a Spring vignette from last year. It has lots of pretty springtime blues and greens. Hope you enjoy!
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A Springtime Vignette

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A vignette I created on my dining room table to "Welcome Spring".
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As you can see, most of Spring's pretty pastels are present here...soft pinks, buttery yellows, beautiful blues, and gorgeous greens! Spring is when life's alive in everything!!!
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The floral placemat is one of six that I made a few years back...perfect for a Springtime table...don't you think? In the background is a leafy ivy...for that needed green! We can't have Spring without those greens! I also added a couple of silver candleholders with white pillar candles...and two mercury glass candleholders. Two sweet white birds have graced us with their presence...front and center. On the right hand side of the vignette, I added a pretty Spring plate with a little bunny and his watering can (a Debbie Mumm design). On the left hand side sits a glass egg with a little bunny inside!
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A cloche on a pedestal with a little nest and eggs and two bluebirds is the starring attraction in this springtime vignette!
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A close-up of the little bird family! I tied a pretty blue and white gingham bow around the top of the cloche. I thought this ribbon was so pretty...it has tiny little yellow flowers on it!
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I love Debbie Mumm designed dishware. This pretty dessert plate has the sweetest bunny with a watering can...ready to water all those springtime flowers! I love the border of this plate with its green and pink stripes and black and white checkerboard pattern!
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I found two of these beautiful eggs at Hobby Lobby last year. They have the cutest vintage pictures on them...this one has a little girl holding her bunny! The egg has a sparkly, diamond dust coating...so pretty!
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The glass egg container that sits on the left hand side of the vignette. I just adore this little white bunny that is sitting on a pretty blue flower! Look...the bunny is holding a little ladybug! Too cute! Hehe!
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My "artsy" photo.
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A Springtime Vignette Mosaic

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I am joining in with these two fun filled parties today...
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Blue Monday...hosted by Sally over at Smiling Sally.
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Mosaic Monday...hosted by Mary over at Little Red House.
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Thank you, Sally and Mary...for hosting these fabulous Monday parties for us! Please go by and visit these dear ladies and check out all of the other party participants! I know that you'll be glad that you did!!!

Well my friends...thank you so much for coming by today! I hope you enjoyed my Springtime vignette! Please leave me a comment and let me know that you were here....I'd love to visit with you!!!

2/28/2010

Lovin' Those Teacup Blues...

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Hello my friends...I hope that you're having a marvelous Monday!
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Today I am joining in with the "Blue Monday" and "Mosaic Monday" parties. You will find the credits for these lovely parties at the end of my post!
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Ohhh my...it seems that I am always running behind! Today I wanted to show you another one of my "After Christmas Sale" treasure finds. Yes...I'm just now getting around to taking a few photos and posting these little pretties! I hope that you enjoy!!!
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Lovin' Those Teacup Blues...

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I found these pretty teacups and saucers at Tender Heart Treasures during their "after Christmas sale". I had a two-fold reason for purchasing these pretty blue and white teacups...1) I really do need teacups! 2) I have nothing...absolutely nothing...blue! Well...they seemed like great reasons...don't you think? Hehe!
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There were four different patterns available. I just looked at the Tender Heart Treasures online website in hopes of telling you the names of each pattern, however...they were no longer available! I will include the website address for this sweet little shop...they have some really pretty things over there and are very reasonably priced!
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Teacup #1

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I just love the sweet bird and beautiful flowers on this teacup! It reminds me of Spring. Ahhh...Spring!!!
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For the photos, I am using a beautiful lacy metal charger plate that was a gift from my dearest friend, Gloria (Happy To Be). Gloria, I have already gotten "miles of use" out of these sweet charger plates...I just love them!!! Thank you again, my sweet friend! The white napkins, with the gorgeous lace, came from Target...from their Shabby Chic product line. And...once again, we are at the table in my red French Country dining room.
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Teacup #2

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Oooh...another sweet little bird...he is resting upon a rose! Do you see the little butterfly?
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Teacup #3

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This teacup has a beautiful bouquet of flowers!
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Teacup #4

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More lovely flowers! I love the pattern of the flowers on the saucer! Sooo pretty!!!
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Lovin' Those Teacup Blues...

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The 10 oz. porcelain teacups come with a porcelain infuser...so sweet for brewing the perfect cup of tea! Here in the photo mosaic, you can see the teacups with their infuser and lid.
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I did mention that I found these pretties during the "after Christmas sale"...didn't I? They were on sale for $4.95 each. Not too bad!!!
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Well my sweet friends...are you ready for a cup of tea?
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I am joining in with these marvelous Monday parties...
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Blue Monday hosted by Sally over at Smiling Sally blog!
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Mosaic Monday hosted by Mary over at Little Red House!
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Thank you dear ladies for hosting these fabulous Monday blog parties! Please go by and see Sally and Mary, I just know that they will have something special for us today and while you're there you can check out all of the other Blue Monday and Mosaic Monday participants!!!

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Well my friends...thank you so much for coming by today! Please leave me a comment and let me know that you were here...I'd love to visit with you!!!