Vintage Picnic Items for Decor

Vintage drink carrier and picnic basket.

Found this post in the draft folder. Thought is was cute for summer.

Vintage picnic decor should make us all feel summer can't be too far away.

The dry sink has been re-done with a vintage drink cooler and picnic basket for summer.

I love the graphics on this old drink cooler.

Can you just imagine a picnic lunch of fried chicken carried in this old picnic carrier?

Moved a tin with red rolling pins out here.

Summer is coming and picnics are such a fun way to spend a day. Food just tastes better out of doors.

Sharing at some of these parties.

Fall Fix Ups

We have had a busy couple of weeks. I have been out of town two weekends in a row and I am not used to being away that much. Yesterday, we did a major Sam's club run and I made some freezer meals and then dinner and so I am wrung out. Ever feel that way?

The house is set for Halloween now and I want to just sit back and enjoy October now. We have homecoming and two Halloween parties coming up. No costumes yet for hubby and I. I am think the t-shirt that says, "This is my costume." 

Went to a pumpkin patch and farm and had a good time with my little one. I just wanted one of each pumpkin and squash.

We watched the hungry dear eat some dropped apples up in Cambria.

Gorgeous sunflowers at the market.

And though I was scared, I decided to try some root touch up on my grey roots. I am trying to now go every other month for a color. I am very happy with it. I have highlights so my roots are a little darker but hey they aren't grey. Saves a lot of money to go half as much.

Welcome to My Front Porch

Welcome to my home and my front porch. Nothing fancy, just a typical California ranch entry way. I love to decorate it for all the seasons.

 When we moved in and painted the house, I knew I wanted a red front door. The door was actually white with a real dated blue and white glass. We found a piece of salvage leaded glass and had it put in.

The little swing on our porch was hung by my husband's grandfather in 1958. We cherish it and repair it as needed but it is the perfect size for this spot. I love to watch my kids outside or enjoy a cool drink in the evenings just swingin' away.

All the decor on the porch comes from things we have collected over the years. The wood boxes were unearthed from the garage. A hint of the egg laying chickens outback greets you when you arrive.

I love watering cans and flags. I try to work them in everywhere.

We actually have changes in store for the porch. My brother, a brick mason, is going to brick it over and enlarge it a bit. The old concrete is showing its age and I am excited to spruce it up.

When May comes around, the flags come back out for the summer. Memorial day to Labor day and the red white and blue is flying proudly at our home. 

 Thanks for coming by and taking a little tour of our front porch.

A New Cozy Corner

I just repainted my bedroom and I love the peaceful calm colors we chose. We have a small bedroom having switched with our older girls, giving them our old master which was at the front of our house and not private with teens coming and going. We have loved being in the far back of the house where it is quiet and cozy.

All I did in here was paint. Linen White by Behr. Other than that most was already in the house.

I did pick up these two chicken paintings on clearance. They matched the color scheme well. An antique child's dry sink is my nightstand.

The paintings have a saying, "The rooster crows, but the hen delivers the goods." So true. I love to climb in bed early with my laptop or a good book and just unwind.

 We wanted something natural over the bed so I fell in love with this Smith and Hawken wreath from Target.

I have to admit my hubby as usual arranges everything and he took a garage sale chair and made a cute vignette with an old rag doll and a thrifted candle lamp. The bedding and everything else I already had. This room can be dark but this color has brightened the space and I just say, "ahh" when I walk in here.

My room is indeed cozy, but we love it and keeping things minimal helps this space to be relaxing and cozy.
My little candle lamp is set on a timer and each night it clicks on at dusk and there is always a warm glow in the corner of my room.

Mother Nature Party

Changed up my dining table display to a collection of warm yellows and all things bees. Our yard here is abuzz with all our citrus in bloom. Some spring bee decor was in order.

I found this sweet little pillow on a clearance rack at a favorite haunt.

You can't have bees without a bee skep. You can find one here.

A sweet little watering can holds golden flowers.

I love the battery operated flicker candles available now. Safe to burn when you have a little one in the house and they last forever.

Affiliate link in this post.

Decorating Those High Spaces

If there is a horizontal space in this house, I am going to decorate it. I love to take the tops of our tall furniture and create little vignettes. This is a great way to squeeze out extra display space.

Disclaimer: I can't take credit for these as my hubby arranged the spaces but I told him to find a place for these things and he is 6'4" so he doesn't require a ladder. I sort of helped direct him right?

This tall cabinet has been in our house since we were married. The little barrow still needs a little something there in the middle. You can see the new crown molding is still not painted so it shows the wood filler. I am almost done in my bedroom and will move to the molding next and then my kitchen. Can't wait to paint that.

This collection of odds and ends is dressed in more prim colors.

The basket was 50 cents from the thrift store.

Even the top of a small shelf gets an old chalkboard and a little lamb for company.

I already showed you this space before. The top of the china cabinet is not even safe.

Old Toys

Aren't old toys the best? Made of quality materials and bright colors. I love to use them in display.

My husband's old Tonka trucks from when he was a boy give a ride to my little Mia doll.

They are still used by our littlest one but only in the house as we don't want them to get rusty out in the yard. I bet a toy from now would never last that many years.

This rough around the edges little sewing machine was picked up for a few dollars at an antique's store about twenty years ago.

This top is from the early 60s. My husband said it was always at his grandma's house when they were growing up. All the little ones used to and still do play with it but I have it in a tray of goodies when not in use.

Linking to:

Twice Owned Tuesday

Rednesday

Wow Us Wed.

Blue Cricket Design

BNOTP

Common Ground

Thrifty-things-Friday

More Red and Green

My love affair with red and green seems pretty evident when I am looking through all my photos when I am loading them onto the blog. Thought I'd share some more lovelies today.

Funny I never realized I was always buying red and green rolling pins until I displayed them all together in this crock.

Cottage Bedroom Peek

Finally all the green paint is up on the walls in here. Cottage style bedroom was the plan for this room. Only took a week. I am now working on the trim. Just new fresh white paint. This bedroom is small but we are so much happier in our cozy private spot at the back of the house. We gave our two oldest girls our room that was larger with a sitting area but it was right next to the front door which we hated. Teens coming and going all the time was not ideal. This way they have a place in their room for video games and watching TV separate from their sleeping area. Anyhoo on to my room.

The picture above the bed is from our first house when we first got married 22 years ago. Brought it out to use in here. We are going to hang lots of vintage plates on the walls.

We chose a vintage green color. It comes across a little blue in the pics. I love it. Spruce Green by Benjamin Moore. Of course I need to change some of the bedding as it CLASHES. We have a lot of projects going on right now so I need to do the bedding changes on a budget.

This lamp I picked up already painted red at the thrift store. Found a shade I like the shape of but would love to cover in fabric.

I love the way the green makes my white shutters pop. 

Isn't this little light switch dressed in beadboard cute? Lowes. I am getting these for the kitchen for sure.

Vintage plates waiting to be hung in the room.