Candlelight in the Summer

Hello everyone!

I've always loved candles.  I prefer simple white candles in a clear or frosted container or chunky pillars grouped together.  I love the ambiance that candles provide.  I also don't think they should be reserved for holidays only.

With it being too hot to burn a fire in the fireplace, I like to light candles instead.

I've placed several on my coffee table and mantel and really enjoy the soft light they put out.  

On the front porch, I placed my favorite lantern between the two rocking chairs.

We like to sit outside at night and listen to the sounds of crickets as the candle burns softly.  It fills the porch with soft light that only a candle can provide.

Do you like to burn candles in the summer too?  

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kelly ~

Linking to:  Wow-us-Wednesdays

Good Reading

Hello Everyone!

Happy Friday!  It is Father's Day weekend now.  Do you have any special plans for the "man" in your life?  We plan on having a relaxing weekend and cooking out.  

I wanted to share a few new magazines that came home with me recently.  They are just the thing for sitting on the porch and pouring over for some great decor inspiration.  

The one on the left is all about summer living.  Quite appropriate right now, don't you think?  It is full of water front homes that have a bit of coastal cottage decor.  Here's a peek.

This home is located in Canada and the owners own a home interiors shop.  It's an amazing home!

In the next magazine, it's full of cottage style in my favorite shades of "white"!  There are some bloggers homes featured too that you will probably recognize.

Marilyn Thompson's home from A Beautiful Mess.

Dusty Lu's home.

Miss Mustard Seed's home.

So, if you're looking for some great summer inspiration, these magazines would definitely fit the bill.  The magazine with all of the blogger's homes featured is actually an Autumn issue though.  

Also, thought I would share a new pillow design that I used in my kitchen.  I'm loving adding a little bit of pattern around my kitchen table.

It coordinates perfectly with the place mats and other pillow I'm using in here.

Hope you all have a great weekend!  

Thanks for stopping by.

~ Kelly ~

Garden Style

Hello everyone!

I realized that after looking at my bedroom and bathroom that I favor a garden style in there.  I love decorating with greenery and flowers.  

I recently received a green and white pillow cover that I ordered from Etsy.  I planned on using it with the monogrammed pillow.  I think it makes the perfect companion pillow.

After looking at pictures of my bedroom in my last post, I realized that a lamp with a burlap shade would look better in place of the pharmacy lamp on the other side of the bed.  

Do you do that too?  Things look fine in person, but then when you see them in pictures you see something "off".  That's what happened with me.  So, this lamp came up from the basement and now looks better than what I had in here before.

My bathroom hasn't changed too much.  It still has floral prints and a vintage cottage style that I love.  All with a garden style sensibility to it.

I noticed that when I looked out the window above the tub I got an interesting view of the garden below.

It's really coming along!  We should be able to harvest squash and tomatoes soon.  We have peppers and cantaloupe growing as well.  The peppers are already being eaten!

Oh.........and forgive me, but I just wanted to share something new in my garage now.  My husband just bought it for me yesterday.

It's a 2013 Ford Escape Titanium.  My newest love!  We are planning a day trip somewhere later this week to enjoy it.

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kelly ~

Chippy and Green

Hello everyone!

Remember in my last post that I moved my distressed dresser out of the family room?  Well, it ended up here.

Along with the dresser moving here beside the bed, I added some pops of green that were once in my family room as well.  The purple moved out of here and into the family room instead.  I just swapped things out!

I brought my monogrammed pillow in here and set it on the chair.

My green throw is now draped over the bench.

The dresser that was on the left side of the bed switched places to the other side.  

All of this is possible now since the walls and furnishings of this room remain neutral.  

Greenery replaced the purple flowers and to my surprise, my husband finally repaired my antique chandelier hanging over the bed!  

Now all of the lights work perfectly!!! I've had the chandelier for years but it never worked right until now.

I like how the green and brown accents in the room coordinate with the cow canvas hanging over the bed too.

Do you have fun plans for the weekend?  We're just taking it easy.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!  

Thanks for stopping by.

~ Kelly ~

Cottage Comfort

Hello everyone!

As you know, nothing stays the same around here too long.  One thing remains constant though.  White slipcovers adorn most of my furnishings.  I can't help it.  It's just what I love.  I decided I wanted a more balanced look using my slipcovered furniture in my family room.  So, rather than having them flank the fireplace (that already had large pieces of furniture beside it) I moved them adjacent to the sofa instead.  That meant I had to move the distressed chest of drawers out of the room entirely.  It is now residing in the master bedroom.  I really like it there.

With the furniture in new places, I made a few changes with the pillows and also the accessories on the coffee table and mantel.  

Doesn't that always happen?  

I even moved my bench in here to put in front of the fireplace.  I draped a throw over it for softness.

The bench used to be in the dining room.  

I'm liking the way the room feels more balanced now and the fireplace isn't so crowded.  This is a challenging room to arrange furniture in due to the many doorways, windows and fireplace.  

My mantel now has purple flowers and candles with crosses on them.  

The green topiaries relocated to other places.  

Everything I like to decorate with can fit in almost any room on the lower level.  I like that it flows easily from room to room.  

Yesterday was my husband's birthday too.  We had a fun filled day of going to the pool, seeing a movie and going out to eat.  Here is the birthday cake I made for him.

I am recovering today from all the activities!  LOL!  

Hope you all are having a great week so far.

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kelly ~

Blue and White

Hello everyone!

I hope everyone has had a nice weekend so far.  I hope that everyone that was in the path of those terrible tornadoes that hit Oklahoma and Missouri are safe too.  I couldn't believe that more storms hit that same area in such a short time. It seems that every time I turn on the news there is something devastating to see these days.  

I wanted to share a change I made to the plates on the wall in the foyer above my bench.  Remember my blue and white plates (from Homegoods)?  Well, they now reside in the foyer.  You knew they would eventually move to another spot in my home, didn't you?  

I figured with the blue and white grain sack pillow on the bench, the plates should match too.  I used to have brown and white transfer ware plates here.

At a local consignment store, I found these cute little blue and white plates too.

They are marked "Myott Finlandia" on the back from Staffordshire England, 1982.  I couldn't believe I found something that wasn't made in China!  LOL!

I also changed out the cushion on the bench with this scalloped matlesse coverlet draped over it.  I like the softness it gave the hard lines of the bench.

Recently I purchased this cute blue and white grain sack tote from Decor Steals too.  It hangs on the antique chair in the foyer for now.

Guess our summer activities are in full swing now that June is here!  School is out and the heat and humidity are here to stay.  We've been to the pool already but the water is cold!  The kids don't seem to mind it though. I'm looking forward to our beach trip in July.  I'll be ready for it by then.

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kelly ~ 

Decorating with White Book

Hello everyone!

I just recently found a new decorating book that I love!  Here it is........

Even the cover is unique because it looks like it's made of wicker!

It's full of wonderful inspiration using white color in your decor.

Here are a few samples of some of my favorites in the book.

Are you drooling yet???

This is a newly released book from Country Living.  Love it!  I highly recommend it if you're looking for a new book this summer.

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kelly ~