Fall Picture Page

Picture Page of Fall decorating ideas/items, some you could make and others you could look for similar items at a local Hobby Lobby

Magnolia Leaf Wreath

Topiary in a decorative pot

Flocked Fruit Wreath

 


      

Harvest stock pots for Irish stew, chili, etc.

Pumpkin Candy jar

Cute mouse doorstop

 Mercury Glass pumpkin

         Cottage Oil Lamp

Autumn Leaf Bowl

Inside decor ideas

Outdoor Idea

 

Brighten up your home!

Fresh flowers brighten up any home. It is such a lovely treat to have them throughout the house or in just the main living areas of your home. For the past two weeks I have indulged by having the luxury of fresh flowers everywhere! It is too much up keep and expense for me to do this all the time so I went crazy.  Just wanted to share a few pictures of these beautiful flowers.

This butterfly arrangement stayed on the tea table for quite a while before they no longer looked good. Unfortunately I didn't photograph them on the first few days.

                          The workroom mantel was decorated with about 12 roses in bud vases.

I saw a similar arrangement on the internet and took the photo to the florist and she was able to copy it pretty close. I wanted a white container though instead of a colored one. These were a perfect size for the table beside the bed.

This is a picture from last year.  I floated chrysanthemums in the pool, I may try that again!


All of the flowers had a different look that went well with each room. It was great to see bright colors in one room, traditional red roses in another and pale soft tones in the bedroom. It would be nice to be able to do this all of the time!

Road Trip Finds!

"New" Vintage items for the store I found on a recent week long trip:

I absolutely love this vintage magazine rack. The leather is sooo soft. If this doesn't sell quickly, I'm taking it home. I already know where I would put it! I found a few on ebay, one company wanted a ridiculous amount, $225.00. I won't be selling it for anywhere near that. That overinflated price is quite extreme. Two online had been broken and repaired, at least this one is all original. The wood and the leather look very good. I think I will be using it in the store to very carefully store/display some vintage magazines.

I found these very cute tea pot napkin rings that happen to go with three different sets of china I have in the store. They are hand painted with a lot of detail, especially considering the flowers are so tiny. The biscuit covering is cute

               

This vintage basket took a  lot of work to clean up, it is very delicate and was difficult to get the layers of dust off. It took some time cleaning up the seashells too, they cleaned up quite nice and have a decent amount of color to them.  It has a little catch on it to keep the lid closed. This style and weave were popular during the very early 1980's. The thin blue ribbon surrounds the basket. It also creates a bow of sorts and is attached to an iridescent looking shell.

The doily is in very good vintage condition. Most people collect these because they are hand made and very few people still practice this art.

The beach scene looks like a painting on this little box. It is the size of a jewelry necklace box. Gifting seashell/beach style jewelry in it would be perfect. It could be used as a trinket box.  A gift card would also fit,  it would be more unique in this box rather than using a standard box.

If you would like to check out my latest finds click here:  CardsAndAntiques.etsy.com

Fourth of July Fun Facts

Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776. The Liberty Bell rang out from Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 8, 1776. It was sounded to bring the people out to the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. It was read by Colonel John Nixon.

• 1791 was the year that the name “Independence Day" was used for the first time. It may have been used before then, but that was the first time it was recorded.
• 1801 was the first time a July 4th party was held at the White House.
• In 1805, Lewis and Clark celebrated the first July 4th celebration west of the Mississippi, at Independence Creek.
• Three dates are significant to the holiday. Independence Day was made an unpaid holiday for federal employees by Congress. In 1938, it became a paid holiday, and in 1941, Congress declared it a federal holiday.

•  Here are some really fun Fourth of July Fun Facts about the United States and the way its people celebrate Independence Day.

• Did You Know?

  Over 150 million hotdogs will be eaten at Fourth of July celebrations all over the country.
  That comes out to be one hotdog for every two people.
• 211 million dollars are spent on fireworks every year.
• More than 74 million people will have an Independence Day cookout.
• 30 locations in the United States have the word “liberty” in them. The one with the highest population is Liberty, Missouri.
• In 11 places, the name includes the word “independence”. Independence, Missouri is the most populated.
• Five locations use the name “freedom” with Freedom, California, having the largest population. There is one place named “patriot”, and that is Patriot, Indiana.
• Five locations have “America” in their name, the largest being American Fork, Utah.

Quick Trick to rev productivity

Here is a good reason to log on to yours favorite adorable animal website at work: Scrolling through the images can help you speed through your to-do's. Researchers  at Japan's Hiroshima University found that viewing photos of puppies and kittens improved subjects' speed and accuracy on detail-oriented tasks by an average of 44 percent compared with those who saw snapshots of full-grown cats and dogs. It seems the cuteness of furry little creatures evokes a protective response that enhances alertness and concentration, prompting people to pay attention to the task at hand.

Decorate and Celebrate!

The items above are very cute and are unique fourth of July decor. You can find the items above at Victorian Trading Co.

Boston International American Flag pillow found at Amazon

Patriotic Uncle Sam Hats USA Flag Salt and Pepper Shakers also found at Amazon

 Americana Decorative Pails - Party Decorations & Room Decor sold on Amazon

The 4th of July is right around the corner

 This is such a great time to have a go at patriotic crafts – either for yourself or with kids. Here are some simple and fun DIY crafts to help you celebrate this wonderful American holiday. In most cases, you can use materials around the house or head to the craft store.

Above Picture: Bottle cap wreath. Use foam board paper to cut out circle. Paint bottle caps and hot glue in place. Add ribbon.

Below Photo: Clothes Pin wreath. Use foam board paper, cut out a thin circle. Paint clothes pins, Use stickers for stars. hot glue clothes pins into place.