Texts of Fall

Hi everyone!

The texts of fall...you know you look forward to it all year long.  There are so many. They are all more awesome than the next. Ah, the texts of fall....

No, sillies, not texts as in cell phones!  Texts as in textures!  Ha, ha - feeling sassy today, I guess. But you know what I mean, fall has so many fabulous textures to it.  The changing leaves, the colors, warm sweaters, crisp apples.  Glorious!

Today I am going to share some of the pretty fall textures popping up in and around the Bluebird household this mid-September.

What kind of "texting" have you been up to this fall?

Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

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Wee Bit of Fall

Hi Everyone!

You would think it was St. Patrick's Day around here, as I have only done a "wee bit o'fall" around here.  It was sizzlin' hot last week, and while it has cooled off, the weather folks are calling for more summer like temperatures in the next days.  All that hot weather makes my pumpkin decor just look a bit limp. 

But alas, it is nearly the middle of September and I decided to at least give a little nod to the glories of fall!  I know now that I have started the ball rolling, there will be much more to come. For the moment, I just spruced up a shelf in my kitchen.  

 

Decided to sneak my Virginia Tech gnome into the vignette.  Not only is he the perfect color combo, but he is a sweet reminder of Baby Bluebird who is studying for her grad degree  at VT as we speak (at least, I hope she's studying, lol!).  We are now a "Hokie" family and proud of it!

That's my tiny, tiny bit of autumn decor here at the Bluebird house. Any fall decor going on in your neck of the woods?

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

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Aged Wal-Mart Olive Bucket Reveal - At Last!

Hi Everyone!

Happy first full day of fall!  I don't know how those calendars keep ticking off so fast, but they surely do!!! It is a fabulous, sunny fall day here in my part of the world - definitely a keeper.

Today I am finally going to show my Wal-Mart olive bucket that started out looking like this:

I told you about my find here.  After applying a bleach and vinegar solution that I found on the internet to help age my bucket, I wasn't overly impressed with my results.  I then used Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner with Bleach and boy oh boy - that is the ticket folks! 

This is what it looked like a few days after the Lysol treatment.  A month or so later........

And here it is all decked out for fall in a little corner of my kitchen.

See the rust and the crusty, chippy finish? Just what I was looking for! (Mr. Bluebird is still shaking his head over that. But hey? Again, I say, is this our first date or something? This should not be a surprise!)

For the picture, I grabbed the quilt I bought when we were in Branson this past spring and just draped it on my hutch, tied it with some fabric and added a little pumpkin basket.  I also added a little sunflower sweatered teddy bear just for fun.  Remember when decorating with teddy bears every where was all the rage?  I add a gazillion of those things.  Now I think this is the only one I have left and he just comes out to strut his stuff in the fall. Times change.

I am not sure where this olive bucket is going to turn up next in my house, but I really do love it a bunch.  With only an investment of a little toilet cleaner and about a month or so of waiting for it to weather outside, I think it looks great.

Wishing you wonderful first week of fall!

Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

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Saturday Sparks

Early Fall Mantel

Hi Everyone!

I've been adding a little fall here and there. My approach to fall decor has toned down dramatically the past few years - just taking a simpler approach.  At least simpler to me! I still like lots of "stuff."  But, I don't enjoy taking it all down and I also really like to showcase some of my favorite fall things, which can get lost in the crowd if you do too much seasonal decor.

The fall mantel, 2014:

Just a woven and metal basket filled up with pumpkins and fall picks. I also added two roosters, lifting them up on vintage scales for a little height and movement in the arrangement.

I also used two large floral sprigs on each side of the basket, and used those cool, tiny, battery-operated light sets - one for each side.  I picked those up for just $2.99 each at Menards - and they even have a timer! Super deal.  I pulled some of the light set away in the picture below to show you just how thin the wire is and how small the lights are.  They tuck right in and the wires cannot be seen.  They give off great light, too.  Can't wait to pick some up for Christmas time - I can think of a jillion places to use them.

*Look to the right and forefront of the picture to see the wires.

There you have it! Simple and sweet - it looks so pretty at night.

I will be adding more fall decor as the season goes on, and of course, filling in with some jack o lanterns and hauntingly fun pieces once October arrives.  Then, it will be the turkeys and Thanksgiving things.  Just love this time of year and all the coziness it adds to the house.

Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

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