Just Zinnias!

Hi everyone!

I am a woman of few words today.  I will let my pretty zinnias do the talking!

Here's wishing you a  great start to your week!

Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

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September Faves

Hi everyone!  It is amazing to me that in just a day or two, I will be turning the page on my calendar and it will be September. September! How did that happen?  This year has been flying by at warped speed.  Has it felt that way for you?

But, how can I complain when September ushers in beautiful fall weather and brings back all the comfy, cozy trappings of autumn?  There are so many things I love this time of year and I thought I would share with you some of my September faves - both old and new.

First up, this super cute fringed poncho.  Waaayyy out of my comfort zone, but I picked up this poncho in a pretty olive green and I am going to step out of my box and rock this thing for the fall season,  This picture does not do it justice and at under $40, I was willing to take the risk.  I double checked and triple checked if I really could do this look and when I got the approval from Baby Bluebird, who is a fashion blogger at Bows For Justine, I decided to give it a go.  How about you? Are you feeling this fall trend?

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Continuing on with a little more fashion, I am also going to be sporting some ankle boots this season.  Love this style with jeans especially!

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I recently was browsing through Sephora and found myself in the face mask aisle. So many to choose from and at way under $10.00, they are a fun treat.  I am looking forward to testing out this tomato mask that claims to give radiance to your skin.  I could use some radiance! With my continuing weight loss, I am really self conscious about my face - holy x$!Z!! All that excess flab was keeping the wrinkles at bay! Although I am happy to have slimmed down, I feel like my face looks so much older now.  So, I have been moisturizing, serumin-g and facial-ing like no tomorrow!  

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Make it Pretty Monday

Wrinkles aside, the pretty fall mums have been at all of the stores for weeks now. I have shown restraint in not bringing any home yet.  The August sun would have toasted them to a crisp and my fall mums would be finished before fall actually arrived,  But, within the next week or two, I will be bringing home a trunk load of  these beauties for our yard.  

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One thing I really love about fall are the cozy scents you can find in candles and wax melts.  My friend, Jamie, recently became a Scentsy consultant.  Scentsy offers wickless  and scented fragrance for the home at a reasonable price.  I love this colonial inspired scent warmer and am pretty sure I will be shooting Jamie an order for this before fall is over.

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I picked up this Baked Apple Pie scented wax melt from Jamie a few weeks ago and love the long lasting fall fragrance.  Yum!

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Speaking of apple pie, September brings apple season around here and Mr. Bluebird and I love to go to the farmer's market to pick up some yummy apples.  Nothing better than a fresh picked apple! (Except maybe a caramel apple, lol!)

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A delicious fall treat that is made near our home is the amazing apple pie in a bag from The Elegant Farmer.  Beyond delicious, and the aroma of this pie baking in your oven is amazing!  No more pie in a bag for this girl, but I will definitely be picking one of the lovelies up to share with the rest of the family.  Yum, yum, yum.  Yes, this is a yum times three!

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September brings the last Elkhorn Flea Market of the year and I am looking forward to spending the day there.  Love, love, love this market!  One of these days I will show you the treasure I picked up at the August market - it's the bomb!

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I am also psyched about the new elliptical machine Mr. Bluebird and I purchased recently. It was just delivered on Friday morning.  Not only am I looking forward to getting a great work out at home, but I am also going to be converting our guest room into an exercise room.  So many ideas rolling around in my brain for this room.  I am hoping to get started on that task soon!  It shouldn't take too long, as I plan on keeping it simple - but there is painting to do and a cool art project.  Stay tuned!

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Of course, September is the perfect time to start layering in some fall decor - pretty harvest pillows and warm cozy throws.

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While I am cozied up on the couch with my throws and pillows, I will be watching Aaron Rodgers and the Packers on Sunday afternoons.  Hoping the team is Super Bowl bound!  In September, any thing is possible.  

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There you have it, my friends.  Some of the fun things I will be holding dear this upcoming month.  How about you - what your September faves?  What speaks "Fall" in your world?

Thanks for stopping by,

Jane

Linking with these fun parties:
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Inspire Me Tuesday
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Traditional With A Twist: Guest Bath

Hi everyone!

At long last, I have a few more looks at my guest bath decor re-do.  To back track a bit, I decided with Baby Bluebird off in Virginia for grad school, it was time to update her bathroom and make it more guest friendly.  You can see her bathroom prior to the makeover here.

In came a very pale gray paint -  a first for me.  I am sold and really love this color!  Here is the view as you walk in.  I chose navy, bright green and crisp white as my accent colors.

This room has been painted and some of the accents had been placed for several weeks now.  It just did not seem finished to me and although I wanted a clean, streamlined look, I felt it was lacking a bit of charm and personality.  In came a collection of Blue Willow platters that I had gotten from my mom, who just recently downsized. It was just the traditional character this room needed - in my humble opinion, any way!

I also like the green accents, although the towels photographed horribly!  They are the color of the green demijohn bottle, but for some reason I cannot get them to photograph in their true hue. Ugh! The large platter, which is actually Flow Blue with a gold band, is my favorite and takes center stage over the mirror.

I am not a huge Blue Willow fan, but the platters I have are really quite beautiful and are the "real deal" - not reproductions.  My mom loved her Blue Willow and I am sure she will be pleased that I put her platters to good use in my home the next time she stops by.

The Ralph Lauren lamp I picked up at Home Goods is what started the re-do ideas flowing for this room.  It is the perfect size for a bathroom and I love the traditional feel.

I bought a  Yankee Candle scented oil plug in today at Kohl's, and now the room is filled with a fall scent.

This green demijohn is one of my faves and I picked it up for a great deal - under $4.00!

I shared my upcycled, silver sprayed garden stool in a previous post.  It is a cozy, yet practical accent for this room. I am looking forward to it holding magazines and a glass of wine during a hot, bubbly bath!

There are still a few changes to be made in this room: a new light fixture is going in Labor Day weekend, along with hardware for the vanity.  I also have the linen closet to show you, which has received the pretty treatment as well.

For now, though, I am enjoying the clean, fresh and lighter look of this room and the traditional twists in the decor.  I've just started painting our master bedroom - you know how one thing leads to another!  I hope to share with you soon.

Thank you for stopping by,

Jane

Linking with these fun parties:

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Grace at Home

In the Spotlight @ Junk Chic Cottage Today!

Hi everyone!

Way back in June, sweet Kris of Junk Chic Cottage, asked if I would like to be part of her Saturday Spotlight: Behind the Blogger series.  Would I? Do chickens have lips?! Is the pope Catholic?!  Of course I would and after a few months, today is my day over her at her place.  Somebody pinch me because I am feeling all kinds of fancy because of it!

Kris is a talented and all around great gal, who just happens to have an incredible blog as well.  She very generously gives up her space every Saturday to showcase a blog and introduce them to her readers.  Be sure to stop by and check it out - it is worth the read!

Thanks for stopping by - and be sure to hop on over to Kris's to see what I have to say and to see her wonderful blog.

Have a great Saturday!

Jane

Guest Bath: First Looks

Hi everyone!

As you know, I've been working on our guest bath lately and I have to say it is coming together a little slower than I had hoped. That's not a bad thing, though - it's just the way it is. I do have a few things I can share with you. And of course, our new puppy doesn't always cooperate when I want to get things done!

First, it was uncharted territory for me to choose to paint this room gray, but let me tell ya I am smitten. I want to paint everything this color!! Not really, but I do love it.  

One of my stumbling blocks in finishing this room was the garden stool I purchased. Unfortunately, the green was all wrong for this room and I needed a plan B.  Enter an old stool I had outside that had seen better days. A little wire brushing, clean up and silver metallic spray paint and voila! The perfect garden stool for this room.

Old stool before:

The garden stool I had planned on using. The green of the pouf is the accent color I am using and you can also see that, although pretty, the green of the stool misses the mark big time.

Here's my old, crusty garden stool all spruced up with spray paint - a much better fit than the olive green stool,  don't you think?

I chose a very simple, white with a navy accent shower curtain.

The sun was flooding in the morning I took this picture. You can see the slight contrast of the flat gray with the glossy white trim.

I decided to keep the cheap behind the toilet storage cabinet for now. It's not a wow, but it serves a purpose and provides a display area as well. If the "right" replacement comes a long, I will snatch it up, but at the moment this works.

 

I love the green depression glass bowl filled with bath beads - luxurious fun.

There is more to come for this room - lighting, cabinet hardware, more decor. I will share better pics of the wallcolor as well, so stay tuned.

Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

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What's In My Tub?

Hi everyone!

What's in my Tub is a whole bunch of inspiration for my guest bath re-decor that I am starting on this week. I hadn't really planned on doing this room right now, but I was in Home Goods last week and well, the rest is history.  You have no doubt been there.

Our newly dubbed "guest bath" was Baby Bluebird's bathroom all of these years.  I remember when we built the house and our then nine year old helped pick out all of the details - the counter top, the lighting, the flooring, the paint color.  It originally was a pretty electric blue with green and purple accents and silver leafed dragon flies applied randomly around the room.  It was pretty cool back then!

Over the years, it has gone through a few cosmetic changes - it was briefly a Sponge Bob theme that I surprised her with while she was away on a junior high field trip.  I thought it was cute, but it went over like a lead balloon.  It was bright orange with a hot pink ceiling during high school and most recently it was a light pink, with old Hollywood shower curtain and ballet prints & accessories.  It has been that way for awhile now and it was really starting to look tired. Here is what it looked like:

It was really cute, but with Baby Bluebird nearing 25 years of age and off to graduate school in Virginia for the next two years, it is time to go a more sophisticated, less thematic route. Not to mention, she took the super cool "Towels" bin with her! (Check out a my post about this bath here.) I've decided to go with a more contemporary/traditional look compared to the rest of my house.

Of course, a good scrubbing and a new paint job is first off the bat.  All shined up this morning, with spackling and taping up for this afternoon (if the new pup will let me do it).  I chose a very light shade of gray for the walls and a crisp, gloss white for the trim.  I am toying with painting the vanity, but on the fence for now.  

So, with no further adieu, take a look at "what's in my tub?"

I apologize right off the bat for the bad pictures - the sun was streaming in like crazy and I just couldn't get anything better!  But, I digress.  Here are some of the things I have pulled together for the room.  My color scheme is navy, green and white.

I fell head over heals for the Ralph Lauren vanity light and I can't wait to see it in this space.  The other patterns and the simple Hotel shower curtain keep things a little more contemporary.  I also lucked into the garden stool, which will be great for holding a glass of wine during a soak in the tub!  It was a bargain at just under $40.00 - you all know how expensive those things can be.

I am just loving the blue, green and white combo so much.

I also bought a new hamper (to the right) and a few new storage bins for the linen closet.  

A new light fixture is in order for this room as well.  The current lighting's finish is starting to deteriorate and it is terribly dated on top of it all. I have a few in mind, and this one is definitely a contender.  Hoping for a Labor Day weekend install for the lighting (of course, I have to pick one out and get it home for that to happen!).

It has been hard to come to grips with the fact that Baby Bluebird has moved on and most likely will never live at "home" again, except for vacations and visits.  I think this re-do of a room that was "hers" will be a cathartic experience - if nothing else, it's an excuse to decorate! (As if I need an excuse, ha ha!).

Stay tuned for updates on progress.  With the new puppy, I am predicting a slow go. but end of next week for sure...I think....I hope.....I don't know!

Thanks for stopping by,

Jane

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Kitchen Slice

Hi everyone! 

I have been working on my kitchen re-do the last few weeks and wanted to share a "slice" or two of what's been going on. Although I still love my deep, rich color palette, I am on a mission to lighten up my walls and create an airier look.

Let's take a look at a  "before" shot, shall we?

Here's a view of the kitchen and the hall leading to our entry. Both have received a major lightening up!  The black china cabinet was sold at my rummage sale and is now living a happy new life at a sweet friend's house.

And, drum roll please....

The new, lighter and brighter color! I am really loving the soft green. I picked up the whimsical cow at a local garden center earlier this year.

The junk du jour above my cabinets has a new presence with the lighter backdrop.

This is where the china cabinet used to be and I 've started working on the wall display. There's a pretty cabinet in a fun color that you can't see in this pic - saving that for another day. Mr. Bluebird has a few things he has to help me with before this wall is done. The old crusty grate covers our return air and is one of my favorite finds. I have a second one that will show up in my living room reveal later this week. You can see a peek of the living room and the accent wall with the fireplace.

I love this vintage  leaded glass window that I found at a flea market and it was the catalyst for the lighter color scheme. Mr. Bluebird attached some eye hooks and chain to the frame and I hung it in the window above the sink.

Love! And....it still keeps the room light and bright. It is probably my favorite bit of farmhouse charm. It's so pretty at night from outside when the lights are on and we are lounging on the patio.

The new, green wall color has a warm undertone to it and looks great with the creamy cabinets.

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I am loving the changes and look forward to finishing up the last remaining little projects and sharing the whole room with you soon. Later this week, I will show you the new, lightened up living room...the circus look has been banished! Woot!

Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

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