Sharing Shadymont, My Mountain Cottage

Here are some of the ways I've decorated my mantel recently.  I'm always changing it.  Not just at holidays, or for each season, but all the time.  It's a great focal point in my family room, so I like to keep it looking fresh.    The mantel is one of my favorite places to decorate.  Currently it is decorated in green and white. (as in the first, second, and last photos) Prior to this, I decorated it with white items. I used a half-moon shaped picture, the mitre box I painted white ($1.00 yard sale find/third, fourth, and fifth photos), and of course my little white birds.  They are easily worked into most of the themes I come up with. Shortly after Christmas, I decorated with the cranberry colored candlesticks and platter.  (seventh and eighth photos) I also recently had it decorated with the tulips picture and the silver footed bon-bon dish my daughter gave me. That's four different themes in four months....

I recently used up my ASCP and think I might try my hand at making some.  Here is one of the last items that received a makeover.  It has just sat on a bottom shelf of the book case holding some books.  The other day, I moved the basket that did sit here, and brought this container over to take its place.  This is a terra cotta planter I bought some time ago at a pottery not too far from my home that has since gone out of business.  It was a really neat place, covering several acres.  They had everything you could imagine there.     I really love the design on the planter.  All I did was give a light coat of Annie Sloan Olde White, then quickly brushed some dark wax over it, wiping some off.   I'm really liking this container.  I simply added the same greenery and the single hydrangea that were previously in the basket.   Another simple change I made recently was changing the curtain in the powder...

Just sharing some cute things I bought at the Dollar General yesterday.  I got all these items for $8.00.  They are so cute, or at least I think they are.  This "Welcome" banner was $3.50.  Isn't it cute?   For $2.00, I got this picture. I love the post card picture on it.  So sweet.  Of course this sweet little bird came home with me. ($1.50) I placed the new items with a couple of others for this little vignette in the hallway at the lake house. This butterfly wind chime was only a dollar.  It is a green color, but looks black in this photo. I didn't spend much money at all, and am enjoying the cuteness of these little items.  Doesn't take a lot to make me happy.  When you want just a little something new to add to a vignette, don't forget your dollar stores.  They have lots of cute items. I will be linking to the following: Creative Party Hop at Homemaker on a Dime ...

I often decorate with neutral colors.  To me, they are more soothing, especially in the master suite. The paint color is Classic Taupe, Olympic brand I think. I bought this comforter set at Wal Mart, BHG brand.  It has micro suede blocks of fabric, which I really like.  Just pretend you don't see my CPAP machine on the night stand.  Keeping it real!   The runner on the dresser is the one I made from a drop cloth, and trimmed with burlap garland.   Now pretend you don't see the fan.  :) My husband drove a truck for over 40 years and got used to hearing the truck run while he slept, so we run a fan.  I know there are white noise machines, I have one--not the same.  These french doors lead into the sun room.   The neutral colors are carried on into the master bath.   Love my soaker tub.  I chose not to have jets. The tub surround is porcelain tile exactly like that on the floor....

There's just something about sitting on the front porch.  After working outside for several hours, it's great to have a spot to sit for a spell and relax, and enjoy nature.  Or at least we think so.  Our porches get lots of use.  The front porch is L-shaped, stretching from the front door, around the corner of the house, and half way down the side where there is always a breeze. We love sitting on the front porch in the evenings, and on the weekends after we finish with our yard work.    My $10 table from consignment.  Spray painted this color last year. Extra chair for visitors. The rockers are waiting for a second coat of paint. They were white, but it's impossible to keep the mildew from getting on them in the winter, so I have put one coat of flat black on, and will next put on a coat of glossy black.  Don't look too closely, you'll see all the places I missed.  The white french door goes into the dining room....

I remember when I was a little girl, there was a small family run general store about a half mile from our house.  Things were much safer then, so I often walked to the store to pick up an item or two for my Mom, and if there was a nickel or dime extra, she would let me get a bag of chips or a candy bar.   The store owner would reach into a jar just like this to bring out a bag of chips or crackers.    Do you remember these? Does this bring back fond memories for you? Until a couple weeks ago, my husband had used this jar to hold loose change.  When he was driving long distance he would get lots of change which he would put in a sock inside his suitcase.  When he got home, he would empty it into this jar.  The other day, we decided we would carry the coins to the bank to have them counted.  So I grabbed the jar and placed it high on the corner cabinet for safe keeping.  This jar originally belonged to his Mother....

A few posts back I showed you the magnolia print that a co-worker gave me when I retired.  It's a beautiful print, understated, but so elegant.  Today, I decided I would see if I had a frame big enough for the print, so I shopped the basement and found one.  It was a narrow brass colored frame with a matted print in it.  I took everything out of the frame, and painted over the brass color with white interior paint that was left over from an earlier project.  It dried quickly, so I took a small acrylic paint brush, dipped it in pink paint, and painted one of the grooves in the frame. Once that dried, I sanded it in spots, and this is the final look.  I wanted it to look like a really old frame that had gotten painted more than once, and was chippy.  I think it turned out pretty good.  My goal is to find an ornate shabby frame for the print, but I was ready to have this print out so I could enjoy it. Here is how the frame turned out.  ...