Fall Decorating Party!

All it took for me to whip out my fall decorating magic wand, was a rainy day and temperatures below the 90's! 

I was so excited to begin my fall decorating I completely tore apart my dining room and redecorated with fall colors!

I gave my mother in law my corner cabinet so I hauled in this darling hoosier cabinet I had in the garage. I found some cornucopia baskets at the Pink Door today for cheap, I shabbied them and stuffed them full of white flowers with fall leaves delicately mixed in.

 I wanted to blend whites with shabby fall colors, I am still on the hunt for some beautiful gold and orange roses!

Of course I could not resist adding a pretty garland to my chandy!

Now, I must find a fabulous fall tablecloth and napkins to create a beautiful table setting.

 Ok, now I will show you my corny stuff that I do for the kids...
This is my little cutie pumpkin, he blinks on and off (also covers up ugly cords in the corner)

My son LOVES little light up houses (to be honest so do I). I found this little darling at a tag sale yesterday and I could not pass it up!

Please bear with me, I adore change, mainly because as a busy mom so much of my day is filled with routine. So yes, I change up my home and my blog header...at least you will not get bored visiting me! Please let me know how you do Shabby Chic "Fall" at your home.

The seasons in my life are ever changing and my home tends to reflect this...

This Shabby Vintage Chic is partying with 

 My Cottage Charm at

http://mycottagecharm.blogspot.com/

A House in the Roses at
http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/Thrifty Thursday at 

http://lbratina.blogspot.com/

Cindy at Romantic Homes for Show and Tell Friday

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Have a lovely and blessed day!
Hugs,
Olivia

Shabby Chippy Whites

Welcome!

Today I am celebrating White Wednesday and showing off some very Shabby Chippy Whites! We all swoon when we find an antique piece with its original patina...

 This statue is an old French or Italian hunter, made of white metal and used to decorate the end of a stairway post. I found this at a tag sale, the lady who sold it to me said it had been in her family for years but she could not figure out what it was.

I rearranged my entryway and created a mirror collage above my white buffet!

I shabbied this darling frame and then hung two smaller shabby mirrors inside! I loved how it turned out!

I also picked up this darling little lamp, shabbied the base and found a home for it in my birdcage!

Oh, I just love Shabby Chippy Whites! The cross in the center my husband got for me a long time ago, it is one of my favorite pieces.

I have been working on several projects so check back for some before and after pictures! 

Whoo Hoo! We love Shabby Makeovers!

Enjoy more white Wednesday at Faded Charm

http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/

Squishy Hugs,

Olivia

Good Morning!

I love my first cup of coffee! I make a strong pot and then mix in two different types of flavored creamer.

This morning it was chocolate and french vanilla. Yum!

I have a busy Monday morning and I am praying that the "heavy" things on my to do list are handled w/ minimal stress. I am taking as much "me" time as possible while the house is quiet to do some blog hopping...my little escape for the moment.

I stumbled upon a cool blog

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

with all kinds of interesting ideas on how to use your junk (treasures) in interesting ways.

So, the wheels are turning in my DIY head! Hopefully I will get to work on some projects today! 

This green cabinet has been sitting in my garage for months, we started to strip it and the paint got stubborn and the weather got hot so I gave up for a while.

I have the perfect spot for it in my dining room corner, I recently gave my step mother in law my corner cabinet for her dining room because it was the perfect size for what she needed and my garage is looking like "hoarder" material. Part of it is stuff for my flea market booths...but still. It is time for me to REALLY start my day. I hope yours is lovely!

Hugs,

Olivia

Happy Pink Saturday!

I am relaxing this morning with a cup of coffee before I start my very busy day! 

This week we have had my husbands father and family visiting for the first time from out of town. What a blessing it has been to have them travel the distance to spend time with us!

 My husband and I both come from divorced parents so as you can imagine there are some tricky situations for all of us. While playing hostess this week I realized something...

as a Christian, God has forgiven me...therefore we must forgive one another.

If we do not forgive, we run the risk of carrying around pain and anger that will overflow out of our hearts dumping bitterness into our lives and the people we love. My prayer is that you may take and dump your troubles to God and be refilled with his love, so that you may water the garden of your life with love, peace and happiness no matter what challenges befall you.

I recently finished the movie Wuthering Heights,by Emily Bronte, what an interesting story that was! I have been on a British Victorian movie kick of late and like most everything I do, I dive in head first! No minimalist here!

As fall approaches look for more pink and white pumpkins gracing my home!

Don't forget to make it fabulous! Grab my Button! Isn't is cute!

Please stop by and visit our darling hostess, Beverly at
http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/ for more pink goodness! Have a lovely day!

Be blessed and be a blessing!

Hugs,

Olivia

Shabby Shutter Window Frame

Welcome! I would like to share with you my fabulous Shabby Rose Window!

For this window, I painted a frame several coats of white, distressed the frame and shutters with sandpaper and then rubbed a mahogany colored stain over the white. My husband attached the shutters and underneath I used a pretty cottage rose print! Yes, I am fluffing up my living room!

I think it turned out a bit Shabby and Rustic! Just Darling!

I have worked up quite the collage of "Decor" around the Shabby Shutter Rose frame!

I am striking out in a different direction, but I am really loving it....

as long as there are Roses, Shabby, Chippy, Victorian, Dangly Crystals YOU KNOW I AM A FAN!

As I discussed in the last post the chairs have been left dark to blend with the dark brown leather sofas...

of course, I am still in limbo as to whether I should shabby them or not???? The sofa is to the bottom far left, this vignette is part of my new "Cottage Victoriana" (is there such a thing)???

Anyhoo, the pretty blue mirror found a home above my side table.

 

Normally, I would not hang this many things on one wall...my husband likes it & I like the change what do you think?

Oh yes, and THANK YOU for all of your comments and encouragement! I am a busy mommy and I do not have time to visit all of you as much as I want but I promise I will be by to see you soon!

I am partying with Cindy at Romantic Homes

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

and Connie for frou frou Friday

http://connie-livingbeautifully.blogspot.com/

Have a lovely and blessed day!

Hugs,

Olivia

Victorian Romance Obsession!
With fall around the corner I have begun to add some darker pieces into my normally "white" Shabby decorating style. This vignette, I used an old dark door and hung a piece of lace over the panes, topped with a pretty Shabby white mirror.

I have also fallen in love with British Victorian movies such as,

Wives and Daughters

Inspired by the Victorian Homes in the movies, I have decided to blend my Shabby Chic with some Victorian flair. 

(PLEASE BEAR WITH ME, IT COULD ONLY BE A PHASE!)

I have a bit of a challenge in my living room, I have painted everything off white and I have two very large beautiful very dark brown leather sofas that I want to use until my kids are older. So, I am trying to blend cream accents with darker woods.

 My die hard Shabby Chic ways are going astray...plus I am craving color like crazy!

For example I painted this beautiful mirror I picked up at a tag sale for $3 a  pretty bluish green. I am not sure where to put it yet.

I also picked up these two dark brown chairs for $2.50 each and it is all I can do to refrain myself from painting them white...maybe pink or blue... what do you think?

I also picked up this beautiful rose ottoman for $5 at a tag sale... for fall I think I might leave the fabric and just shabby the legs...

I am off to do a little more Romantic Victorian Dreaming!

Have a relaxing blessed Sunday!

Hugs,

Olivia

Thursday August 18, 2010

Shabby Pink Pumpkins!

That's right I am ready for FALL!

I love traditional colors...but...for my home Pink Pumpkins appear everywhere!

Yesterday, I did some junk haulin treasure hunting and purchased a whole van full of vintage windows...

 That's right, I filled up my van with a ton of old windows at an AMAZING DEAL(less than $1 each)!

This morning I panicked...what in the world am I going to do with all of these windows??? 

WHAT WAS I THINKING???

Sooooo, I whipped out my paints and brushes and hand painted pumpkins and flowers on TWO of them. One in traditional colors and the other in Shabby Pink Pumpkin colors!!!

 Listen, I am not a "fabulous artist" but I love to paint and decorate!

Clean your window, find some pretty paints, use stencils if you like (I did on the top). Use lots of color and blending! 

Most importantly HAVE FUN!

 Who can resist a little pink during the fall...

I moved my "desk" to the end of the hall and decided to add my little stool and Shabby Pink Pumpkin window...

what do you think?

I am not sure this is where it will stay but it does fit nicely!

Check back for more amazing fun DIY projects! 

I will be partying at the Shabby Chic cottage
http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/Show and Tell Friday with the lovely Cindy

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

and 

the darling Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

 Have a lovely and blessed week!
Hugs,

Olivia 

Monday August 16, 2010
Shabby Chic Storage Idea!

Hello! How many of you have little projects tucked away in your garage or storage area? I redo alot of furniture so it is no surprise that I have many spare furniture parts lying around!

In this case I decided to make use of a lonely dresser drawer that had little future prospect besides collecting dust. Now remember, I try to make use out of EVERYTHING I have. (Budget Savvy Girl!)

I took this old dresser drawer (I had already sprayed the front with white spray paint) I finished it off with brushing on 3 coats of regular old semi-gloss white paint from Wal-Mart.

I love to keep lots of pillows and throws scattered around my living room so everybody feels comfy, but every once in awhile I like to spiff it up and I just do not have room for a quilt rack and there is alot of extra space under the bench in my living room so this drawer fit perfect It could also be used under a side table for magazine storage, if you are a magazine hoarder like me, it might be a good idea!

I have 2 very large queen size chenille blankets (tag sale finds) folded up and stored in this drawer, so there ended up being lots of room!

I just love thinking up new ways to tidy up my little Shabby cottage!

I will be partying with Cielo today for Show off your Cottage Monday at

http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/

Have a lovely day!

Hugs,

Olivia