A SATURDAY SURPRISE...

We were on the quest 

for a spray can of white chalk paint.

  We went to every paint store in town 

and no one carried chalk paint 

in a spray can. 

 We finally found an Ace Hardware 

that did 

but they were all sold out of white. 

 No thank you, 

cream will not do.

We have been wanting 

a smaller island in the kitchen. 

 As you well know by now,

 we have had a few 

and none have worked. 

 The working part of the kitchen (above)

 is pretty small

 in comparison to the whole kitchen 

and nothing has seemed to work out.

  I've been trying to get

 the Captain to take a trip to Ikea 

for the longest time...

...as I love

 the Ikea sideboard we have 

but he firmly believed that 

we wouldn't find anything

 we liked there.

So, by chance, 

we stopped into our local consignment shop 

and he picked out this 

cute little number and 

guess what, folks? 

 It is an original Ikea product! 

and that is why 

we want the spray can of chalk paint.

  So this is the simple story 

of the Saturday surprise. 

 I got to go to Michael's 

(who was also out of white chalk spray paint)

 but who can leave Michael's 

empty handed? Right...

...and I came away with 

these two little sweet things

 and we went on to Home Depot

 where we did find the paint, 

and then to In-N-Out Burger

 where we had dinner, 

and you know 

how happy that

 makes me.

I can't wait 

to get the little island painted 

and put in place 

which means there will be a few changes,

 yet again,

 in the kitchen.

Besides dreaming about the kitchen, 

I have put a couple of touches of fall

 in the parlor.

  The velvet pumpkins, 

along with some faux ones, 

sit on the marble table

 in front of the settee. 

 It looks pretty at night 

with the lamp lit 

in the background.

The mantle 

gets the honor this autumn

 of showing off the garland 

which has been adorned with 

sunflowers and zinnias 

that have been dried 

throughout the summer.

I pulled this old Christmas wreath 

out of the closet 

and after removing the red bow 

and adding a few of the dried flowers, 

it is a close match 

for the garland.

I love

 the earthy look and feel

of it all.

  
(I am fully aware that red candles are not what is called for here, but they were all I had, and I am not known for my patience when something needs to get done NOW!!)

"September

 is dressing herself in 

showy dahlias and splendid marigolds and

 starry zinnias."

Hugh MacMillan

Here is Santa #4. 

 I tried a little 

different approach on him and 

changed up the color 

of his coat...

...I'm not sure if I am liking it.

  In my mind, 

Santa is always wearing red. 

 That is just the way it is 

and has always been.

Maybe

 we will just call him 

Father Christmas.

Have a great week.

...Judy...

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TAKING THE PLUNGE...

Well,

 I've gone and done it!  

I've taken the plunge! 

 I've gotten a head start on

 fall decorating.

Last week, I misspoke,

 when I said I was 

taking the liberty of 

bringing a little bit of fall

 to the Cottage.  

I am now taking the liberty 

of taking more than a little bit

 but not as much as there will be 

in the future.

I always have such good intentions...

to savor each season and 

don't get ahead of myself 

in the decorating department.

  But, then 

the summer is too hot and too short,

 the winter is too cold and too long...

...spring and autumn 

just seem to show up 

at the right times and 

it is very hard 

to ignore them.

So, 

I have let myself 

go with the flow and 

here we are!

 Outside of Christmas, 

I think autumn is my 

most favorite time of the year.

  I have always

 enjoyed the fall colors and 

tend to decorate with

 the old tried and true.

Orange 

is not a word I enjoy.
 However, 

I tend to think of it as 

an elegant rustiness,

 a color that fits in beautifully 

with all the

 rich jewel tones
 of autumn.

The sitting room 

is as far as I have gotten this week. 
 Last week 
I did a little in the entry (here). 

 I have tried to make it

 comfortable and homey 

without covering 

every available surface.

  

Some times 

that is a hard effort for me but,

 I do think

 I am getting better!

The quest 

for the perfect Santa Claus 

continues and 

here is #3 in the collection...

...a little 

tattered and torn...

...very cartoonish

 but sweet.

Happy September

and

YEAH TO WALMART !!!

and

We do send our thoughts and prayers 
to all who have been impacted 
by Hurricane Dorian and 
the victims and families
 of that horrible boat fire in
 southern California.

...Judy...

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SUMMER STILL...

Summer is definitely still here 

but, at times,

 there is a feeling of fall

 in the air.

 Leaves are steadily covering

 the floor of 

the Secret Garden...

...and the zinnia blooms 

are showing signs of slowing down, 

along with the old-school phlox

 going to seed...

...and one last picking,

 among the store bought blooms,

 keep us satisfied until

 next summer.

I really don't approve 

of shutting one season down

 before it is time. 

 But, 

some coming attractions 

just can't wait 

so I have taken the liberty of

 bringing a little bit of fall

 to the Cottage.

 These little owls 

were a purchase from Antique Farmhouse. 

 I just couldn't

 resist their cuteness.

The Chinese Lanterns

 are now a mass of brightness 

peeking through a jumble of 

greenery, phlox and spirea in the garden.

  A sure sign

 that fall is almost here and 

they make a very autumnal statement

 in the scheme of things.

I "borrowed" the lamp

 from the Captain's library. 

 I like the feel of it

 for fall

 along with the wreath 

I made a few years ago 

out of coffee filters.

 This is the Limelight hydrangea bush 

when we first planted it two years ago. 

 It had a few blooms

 which I picked and dried...

...here are those

 same blooms

 today.

Last year 

it didn't grow much bigger and 

there were only a few blooms and 

they dried like this.

All summer long, 

sitting on the front porch,

 we kept smelling this 

soft, wonderful scent and 

didn't know where it was coming from. 

 One of the Limelights stem 

was bent so when I picked it,

 I found out what that scent was. 

This is the third year 

the bush has been in place and

 I never noticed it smelled so beautifully.

  I think there will be 

another bumper crop of dried Limelights

 again this year.

Did you notice 

the reflection of one of the paintings 

I attempted last week? 

 Well, I tried another similar one and 

it did not turn out well. 

 I also tried another, 

with different subjects and 

it was no good either. 

 I have decided 

that painting Santa's

 is my niche 

as I did this one and

 am pretty pleased, again,

 of how it 

turned out.

 

 

 

 

He is a little different in style. 

 A round, quirky little fella 

who seems to take his job 

of carrying Old Glory 

quite seriously.

 
 
 

I want to thank you all 

for your kind compliments. 

 They mean a lot to me and 

I am now on the lookout 

for more Santas.

 

 Be prepared 

to be 

overwhelmed!

 

...Judy..

 

 

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