Sharing Shadymont, My Mountain Cottage

LOTS OF PHOTOS This old black wash pot was my mother's. She had many uses for it, and it sat outside under a pine tree for many years. She used it to cook large amounts of food to freeze, and it had been used for things like washing clothes years before.  A fire would be built and the pot was placed on the fire. I'm not sure, but it may have belonged to my grandmother before it came to us.  I'm sure it's at least 100 years old, I know for sure it's 64, because I am, and I remember it always being there.  At any rate, it has set in my basement for a number of years, and I decided it was time to bring it out and enjoy it.  At my old house it hung on a wooden frame and I filled it with flowers in the summer.  My husband helped me get it to the front of the house yesterday, and we filled it with plants-red fountain grass, dianthus, and sweet potato vines. That's lantana in the 2 small concrete pots. It sits in this small area between the front porch and the sto

I love Pinterest.  I know most of you do too.  I found this simple-to-make bench and knew we had some concrete blocks left from a retaining wall we had built to keep the pole barn from flooding. We had 9 blocks left, and this project requires 8. All I had to purchase were 3 4x4's ($10.97 each) at Lowe's. I also bought 2 seat cushions at around $22.00 each, but I had a $10.00 off coupon, so that was a good savings.    Materials needed: 8 concrete blocks     (already had) 3 4x4's @ 8' each     $32.91 2 seat cushions         $44.00                                           $76.91 Minus coupon            -10.00                                $66.91 The photos are self-explanatory of how to make this simple bench/sofa.  I already had the 3 pillows I used, and also the paint I used on the blocks and 4x4's.  It is actually a darker color than it appears here.  I used the color recently to paint the garage and stairwell walls in our home. The only inst

I sure could use one!  It's not for me though, but for that big ole wood tool box I've painted every color of the rainbow.  I love this piece!  I gave $20 for it several years ago at a tiny shop nearby.  They didn't stay in business long.  Wish they were still there.  Anyway, I was in the mood for a project, so I used some lavender chalk paint (Waverly) brand that I bought last year at Wal Mart. Here are photos of the many transformations this tote has seen! Originally green Then white, with rooster Next, blue Pink, with fleur de lis Now, it's lavender with each side decorated differently.  All the decorations can easily be removed. It currently sits on the screened porch table, ready for its next makeover!!  It's a fun piece to change up. Sharing here: Share Your Style Share Your C up Thoughts of Home       Home Sweet Home @  The Charm of Hom e Shabbylicious Friday @ Shabby Art Boutique Simple & Sweet F

I showed you all the fabric I found at the Good Will here . That wasn't the only thing I bought.  This beautiful bowl was my other treasure @$5.22.  An employee was just putting out items, and this bowl was one of them.  A lady grabbed it the minute it went on the shelf.  I commented to her that she would certainly enjoy it.  She asked me if I wanted it, and I told her no, that she got to it first.  I didn't think any more about it, but on another pass down the aisle, I saw her put it back on the shelf.  This was a good while later.  So...... you know the rest!  It's mine! I didn't get a photo before placing the dried hydrangeas in it, but the photo above shows the inside of the bowl. At first, I placed a lot of hydrangeas inside.  But I later took the pink ones out and used them in the dining room. (I'll show you later).   Then I decided to only use the blue and white ones. I have this on the hall tree.  :) I'm loving this

I had been watching the Good Will for fabric to cover a chair we had in the master bed room.  The original cover was a light blue velvet.  You can see it below. Tuesdays are Senior Discount day at our local Good Will store, and I love to go and see if I can find any great deals.  I hit the jackpot in fabric.  I got all this fabric for $5.90!!  (2 large bags at $2.95 each)  I figure this slipcover cost me less than a dollar based on the yards and yards of fabric in those bags! I plan to use the bottom 3 remnants to make drapery panels for the bedroom and bonus room.  But I chose the navy/maroon stripe with flowers and birds to make a slip cover for the blue chair.  This project took about 11 hours all totaled.  It's not easy for this seasoned girl to crawl around measuring, pinning, cutting...... WOW, am I tired!  I might use the remaining pieces of this fabric to make a ruffle for the bottom.  I just didn't feel like doing that today. Here is the chair no

One morning last week, I awoke at 3:30 AM, wide awake, so I got up.  I had laid a tiny scrap of fabric that I had left over from the two curtain panels, I showed you here .  I had laid on the dining table, and as I went to move it, I thought about what that tiny scrap could be used for.  I went into my sewing room, to put it away, and there was another small scrap.  Sewn together, they might make a small lamp shade cover.  I sewed them together, and used binding from my stash as a hem because there was so little fabric.  I sewed elastic around the top part, pinned on a bow from grosgrain ribbon, and here is the final product. This literally took only 10 minutes or less. On my most recent trip to the Hen's Nest Consignment , I found this wonderful crate.  It could be used for so many different things.  They had dishes stacked in it.  It would make a lovely holder for extra towels in the guest bath, but right now, it sits under the end table near "my spot", and

It's Spring at Shadymont.  Today is quite cool, but the flowers are blooming, the trees are budding, the hosta has popped out of the ground, and the tulips have come and gone.   These two photos were taken from my daughter's yard. For two and half days last week, I worked on making a slip cover for my daughter's sofa.  The sofa is a green and red plaid one that we gave her several years ago, and had already been used by my MIL.  It no longer matched things in her family room, so she ordered blue and white ticking, and I used it to make a cover. It turned out pretty good, and goes with the blue denim sofa and red/white gingham chair and ottoman she has in here.  She's changing her decor style from a beachy vibe to farm house.  I will share everything when she is through and allows me to.  She's doing a fabulous job. Here is a table she found last week at a nearby consignment shop. It's all beat up and so full of character.  It weighs a ton