Sharing Shadymont, My Mountain Cottage

   I was shopping the basement for something to make a wreath for the front door and ran across this old straw hat. It had been given to us at a community event several years ago.  Spray painted it red, added a ribbon I already had.  So now I have a patriotic item on my front door. I continued to shop the basement and came across these hydrangeas. I remembered I had a tall red metal vase that I bought a long time ago at Micheal's, so I put the hydrangeas in that, added a flag, and now my front porch is ready for July 4th. Cost:  Zero, Zilch!! Couldn't forget to add some red white and blue to the screened porch. HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!! I'm linking up to Thrifty Thursday at Bloggeritaville.  Come by and see what's going on in the ville!

Today I would like to share a blog/etsy shop with you. While caring for her mother, post-stroke, Faye came up with a brilliant idea and is selling the product in her shop.  It's the answer for keeping food off clothing while dining, made especially for the disabled.  Please stop by and take a look.   Oh, you'll enjoy her writing as well. To see her product, go here: www.etsy.com/shop/ NAPKINECTION /    To read her blog, go here: http://napkinection.wordpress.com/2011/05/

I had the weekend to myself so I visited a few shops.  I didn't buy very much, but I really like what I found. I found this little caddy in a consignment shop called "The Hen's Nest".   It was $5.99.  It's really well-made. Using the small jar to hold tea lights  I bought both of these for less than $7.00.  One is a Ball brand, and one is Atlas Brand.  The small one didn't have the lid, and the lid on the tall one won't come off.   I think they look great in the little jelly cupboard.

My siblings and I grew up poor.  We had enough to eat, a decent home, but no money to spend.  We had a large vegetable garden and learned to help Mama prepare and freeze the veggies to eat in the Winter months.  Wonderful food.  Little meat, but we didn't really miss it.  We lived in a rural area. During the Winter months if the water pipes froze we just had to wait until they thawed to have running water.  Thankfully, we could still get water by drawing it from the well.   The well was in an outside building that we called the well-house,  that also housed the wringer type washer, and the wash tubs. While poking around in the basement the other day, I found our old well bucket.  This bucket was tied to a rope, lowered into the well, then pulled up once it filled with water.  There was a round wooden windlass with an iron handle that was used to pull the bucket up.   Once the water was brought out of the well,  it ...

Today on my lunch hour I visited the little Chic or Shabby shop near the office. Just look what I found.  This "shabby-fied" little stool.  Isn't it just so cute? That's not all.  Take a look at this.   This sweet little cherub.   She's painted pink.  So feminine. And my favorite purchase: Is this not adorable?  The greenery wasn't included so I stopped by Dollar Tree on my way home and bought their little pots of greenery and some moss, came home and popped the greenery in the pots, surrounded them with moss and Viola!  The little plants look real to me.  I just love this! I paid $40.00 for all the items combined.  Not too bad! I placed everything on the table in the sunroom and just love it!! The pearls belonged to my MIL.  Do you love this as much as I do?  I absolutely adore this vignette. I am linking to these great parties: Feather Your Nest Friday at French Country Cottage  Thrifty Things Friday at the T...

As you come up the drive, you will see the front wrap around porch.  There's also a small stoop at the mud room next to the garage. From the rear of the house, the screened porch can be seen.  This was once a deck, but stayed so hot all day we couldn't use it, so hubby had it screened.  Now it gets lots of use. I will admit that we have yet to spruce everything up on the porches for the summer, but I wanted to join in on the blog party anyway. This is the front door with a wreath I made earlier this year. Here are shots of other items on the front porch. This little table was one of the first items I bought from consignment.   It was originally painted beige and had fern leaves painted on it.  I painted it Valspar Mediterranean blue a few weeks ago. The rockers are in major need of paint.  Hopefully soon!  :) This is a shot of the stoop going into the mud room. Follow me through the house to the screened porch.   I recently covered t...

Today I went to Kirkland's looking for a new print for my breakfast nook.  The "grapes" print just wasn't doing anything for the rooster theme I have going on right now.  The selection wasn't great for roosters, but I keep looking and found two painted on burlap and stretched over the canvas, so I decided I'd give them a new home. They have a definite French feel. Brought some greenery into the vignette, and used thrifted place mats for a runner. I switched out the plates in the plate rack for these with a French flair. Couldn't leave out the rooster tray! It's hard to tell but the rooster lamp has a gray and white toile shade. The white rooster lamp was a consignment shop find. This photo captures the entire wall. Isn't he a handsome fellow? Love the look of this! The new wall decor made a much needed change in the breakfast nook.  They weren't thrifted, but they were a great bargain at $ 20.00 each. I w...

I was just thinking about how much I love roses.  My mother loved them too.  She had several bushes in the yard.  I've never had any luck growing them, so I depend on the faux ones to satisfy my love of them.  Let's take a little stroll through the house and some former posts to see where all I've used them. Roses from my hubby.  They look like velvet. Little fairies dancing in the roses. A beautiful angel gift from a friend.  She looks so pretty with the roses bouquet. You've seen this several times, but it is one of my favorites.  Total cost was 2 or 3 dollars. This cabbage rose plate is a consignment shop find.  The mug is from Avon for Breast Cancer Awareness. This little trinket box was a gift from a friend of mine a number of years ago. At one time my living room furniture was covered in roses.  This room is now my dining room.  I need to sell this sofa and loveseat.  They're stored in the basement...