Summer Mantel-Part II of Home Tour

On Thursday I shared with your pictures of our summer entryway and now I would like to share with you the mantel. I've seen a lot of nice mantels in my day and if you're like me your mantel is the focal point of your living room. Because we live in a california split style of a home, our front room has high ceilings so there is a lot of space above the mantel. Right now it is set up nicely but eventually I plan on making a massive mirror to put above the fireplace, or maybe I can find one on my thriftstore hunt for cheap.

Here is a pic of the top of the mantel:

The big black mirror is one that I bought on sale at Hob Lob probably about 10 years ago. I got it for a steal and have displayed it in several places throughout the house. It has been painted several different colors over the years and I love it because it is so versatile.

My accent color is aqua/turquoise and to keep the entire living room looking cohecive I placed this color all through the room with my accessories. The black candlesticks are another versatile piece that I have had around for awhile. They look great in summer settings like this AND during the fall with orange for Halloween.

The basket to the right adds texture and is the large matching basket/vase to the one that I have displayed on the bottom of the entryway table from my post on Thursday.
I chose to separate them and not display them together since I was already displaying the candlesticks in a group. I thought it would look too rehearsed if everything was displayed in pairs.

The accessories to the left of the mantel are misc items I picked up along the way. The plant and blue plate are from a local home decor shop called Nell Hills, and the white ceramic piece is a candleholder I got from WUSULU. I love these blue plates....up close you can see the intricate design around the edge.

Here is a pic of the hearth:

To the left I have a tall iron candlestick pair displayed with the the aqua/turquoise candles to continue bringing this color around the room.

Then I just used a basket I had and added some grapevie balls, rope balls, and some moss balls I made this spring. I LOVE THE MOSS BALLS! They are easy peasy to make and add great texture and color to your home!

I also took a miniature bowl rack that was intended for use in the kitchen and repurposed it as a plant stand to add height to the right side of the hearth. Then I added a black plaque that says "family" and another blue plate for a pop of color and interest. I totally {LOVE} using one accessory in different parts of the house for interest. I try to make my decor as versatile as possible so that I get MAXIMUM enjoyment out of the stuff I buy. After all, $$$$ doesn't grow on trees ya know! :)

And here is the entire mantel again for a recap:

So there ya have it. Our entry way post from Thursday, and then the mantel from today. Most of the pieces I already had and I tried repurposing accessories and regrouping things to add pops of color and interest. I hope you are able to make your accessories as versatilE as possibe and continue to get enjoyment out of them for many years to come!

Have a great weekend and stay cool!!!!

Jennifer

Summer Entryway-Part I of Home Tour

The time has come and its sorta overdue at this point, but today I am going to share with you pics of our entryway. Most of the accessories in our home are pieces I have collected over the years from hand-me-downs, garages sales, thrift stores, and road side rescue. My parents rasied me with second hand items and it became who I am. I find beauty in old things, things that show wear and tear. It makes me think about who originally made or purchased the item and I wonder what they were thinking at the time. Did they buy the item out of necessity or did they see style and use it to accessorize their home?

And after I redo a piece, even if by simply repainting it, I often wonder what the original owners would think of it now? Sometimes I chuckle to myself thinking these people would flip out if they saw what I just did with their stuff! LOL

Anyways, so on with the entryway. I have been meaning to post this for some time but I kept fussing with the details and felt it was never ready to show but now I'm pretty much done and giving up on making very many more changes at this point.

When you walk into our home we have a long wall where we have a sofa table that I change out seasonally. The table is a dark brown/black color with black hardware but I added contrast with light, shabby chich/coastal style accessories. I have had the metal flower bucket for probably 10+ years now and the faded hydrangea stems. To soften up the metal I added a band of burlap around the bucket. I had plans to stensil something on there but for now, it is what it is. The pitcher I bought from AtHome America 4 years ago, the white urn is a thriftstore find, and the lantern I bought from WUSULU about 6 months ago. (see my earlier post).

As for the white linen/runner, it is a napkin that I bought from Pier One about two years ago. It as a beaded pearl border and I absolutely fell in LOVE with it when I saw it! The three sectioned tray in the middle is a chip and dip tray that I used to display some sand and a candle. It too is from AtHome America from about 5 years ago.

Then of course the frame. I was so EXCITED when I found this frame at the GW. It was brown and U.G.L.Y. but I knew I could transform it with a little white spray paint, so it came home with me. It is really ornate and in good shape. I was lucky to have snatched it up when I did!

The three piece serving tray turned candle holder is also full of a lot of ornate design, but in muted tones. Here is one side of the piece that has seashells and the other side in the picture below has a sea hourse.

This picture below is of the bottom shelf of the table. Sometimes I add floral to this lower shelf and sometimes I don't. This time I left the floral out and relied on the texture of the baskets to for interest. The baskets juxtapose the hard surfaces of the glass bottle (which I found at a thriftstore) and the blue ceramic water pitcher.

This pillar top (I think its called a capital...I can't remember...art history classes were way too long ago) but it is a Ballard knock off that I also found at a local thriftstore, and the candle urn is a citronella candle I got on clearance last fall from Pier One for next to nothing. I seriously think I MAY have paid $2 bucks for it. Doncha just love deals like that?!? OH, and I don't burn the citronellain the house peeps....just clarifying b/c there will be someone who will wonder if I do. LOL

Here is another picture of the entire table:

I am happy with the way it all turned out and SUPER excited that I used what I had and the only thing I bought was the candle in the lantern. The rest of the items I had on hand and it was just a matter of pulling it all together.

Tomorrow I will show you the rest of our front room and the summer mantel. Tonight I am hosting this on Cheri's blog hop Its so Very Cheri

Until tomorrow/a la manana,

Jennifer

My New Handbags-My Version of WIWW

Ok, so I was going to post a WIWW post but this is not actually what I 'wore', but its what I am going to wear! (My version of "WIWW")!

I have been wanting to show you some pics of my outfits so you can get a better feel of my style but I don't have anyone here to take my pic and I have yet to figure out how to set the timer on my camera....soooo, today's post is about fashion accessories AKA new purses/handbags {YEAH!}....and what I am going to wear.

Here is one of my new handbags. I love the color GREEN so this one naturally caught my eye and I had to make it mine! Esp since it was Ann Taylor and BRAND NEW for a whopping $3 bucks!

This nex bag is another Ann Taylor and it has a wooden handle with a pink and green floral....which I {LOVE}. Both of these purses are small so I will use them when we go to the local outdoor concerts and plays this summer so I don't have to take my big purse that I normally carry around. (Check out my post called Thrill of the Hunt from March to see my current bag).

Then there is this gem. I absolutely LOVE brown and blue/turquoise together and think this one will look great in the fall when I wear jeans. Its a clutch style with a small handle so it will work out great for me on the weekends when we go dancing with our friends or somewhere where I only need a few things like my ID, cr card, and lip gloss. I can also use this one as a makeup or toiletrie bag when we travel. At $1.99 you can't go wrong!

I also found a cute lime green aligator print belt with a silver buckle. I plan on wearing this a lot in the fall with my cardigans and a lime green flower pin that I have. Hopefully by then I will know how to work my camera timer so I can take pics of me with it so you can see what everything looks like pulled together!

Then last but certainly not least is my FREE bag, yes I said FREE! A friend did not want it so it was given to me. Hello! Um, yes, I will take your NEW bag WITH the price tag still on it for FREE! Thats a no brainer!!! LOL .....not to mention I love aligator print and I think it will look great in the fall as my primary bag since its a nice taupe beige/brown color.

So here is my loot all together and I can't wait to start using some of these pieces! For a total of about $15 dollars for ALL of it, I am THRILLED! :)

So there ya have it. My thrify handbag finds for What I AM GOING to Wear Wednesday!

Easy indoor project with the Cricut

It is HOT HOT HOT outside AND windy...AGAIN! (wind wind go away and come back another day NEVER)! LOL

So needless to say I can't finish painting and that is what I have most to do. My paint projects are falling behind but I had a quick indoor project today that I wanted to complete using my Cricut.

I got this glass jar with lid for a whopping $1.99 at the thriftstore a while back and I had visions of using my vinyl to jazz it up so it came home with me.

Since it is glass it is a piece that can be used throughout our house in any room and can be used for each season, so I jazzed it up with my FAVORITE emblem, the fleur de lis and added it to Mr.Chaos' bathroom vanity to hold extra soaps and bathroom supplies. It is also next to the tub so it makes for easy access for grabbing lotions and potions while you soak in the tub....I can't tell you how many times I had to get up after soaking to get the soap or shampoo because I forgot to put it by the tub, so we desperately needed a little storage next to the tub and this guy will do the trick!!!

 

 

All you have to do is clean the glass jar, (Mr.Clean dry eraser gets the waxy crayon price tag right off in one sweep....I LOVE the dry erasers!), then chose your image...I knew I wanted fleur de lis so I used my "Sophisticate" cartridge and cut a piece of vinyl to fit the mat, loaded it into the Cricut and press go. Eeasy peasy for an indoor project on a HOT and WINDY day!

If you have not worked with vinyl, you will be amazed at how creative you can get with just a peel and stick. This project was an easy one and I kept it simple since I want to use this jar in multiple places around the house, but you can get fancy pants and be creative with this too! Tonight I'm linking up with Cheri's blog hop at Its So Very Cheri.

 

 

 

 

Jennifer

Also linking up to Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts.

BBQ Boutique

In Kansas City we are known for our BBQ and steaks, so needless to say there is an abundance of BBQ restaurants here, but I enjoy going to one particular place called Summit BBQ. Why is Summit BBQ better than the rest?......wweeelllll, let me tell you it is because it is family owned for one thing, and the food is good, but you may be suprised to know that the restaurant is also a BOUTIQUE! YES, that is right, a restaurant AND boutique! You can SHOP and EAT BBQ at the SAME TIME! WHO KNEW!?!?

Summit BBQ is located in the southern part of the city in a suburb called Lees Summit and its right off of 50hwy. When you walk in the hotess stand is all decked with seasonal decor and homewares that are for sale.



Then as you are seated by your hostess you are taken to your table and there are all sorts of little vignettes and rooms to walk through.



Here is one of the jewelry displays.

Once we're seated I make my rounds discovering all the little nooks and nitches the owners have set up with all sorts of cool things.



Here is a butterfly made out of grapevine and moss. Very cool and unique!



Here is another vignette with an old dresser. I spent probably a half hour just looking over everything in this room. There were burlap lined baskets, pottery, wrought iron pieces, old buckets, candles, stensiled pillows...the place was PACKED with FABULOUS pieces and I wanted EVERY

one of them! LOL

Oh and I loved this picture and necklace!

And take a look at this ADORABLE chaddy all decked out wth a rustic look. Those are twigs nestled in there for a "nesting" look. It was a really cute chandalier!




And yet another vignette set up with so many gorgeous pieces! I was in HEAVEN!





Finally I had to go back to the table and order my food and eat. (who wants to EAT when here is so much shopping to do???) LOL



So the shopping is great and fun, but the food is good too and served in generous portions that allow you to have leftovers and enjoy your meal a second time around. {YUM!}




Even the cashier station is decked out with style! I don't know how the waitstaff can walk around there all day and not go crazy buying up everything?!?!

After eating, Mr.Chaos was a sweetheart and didn't let me leave Summit BBQ empty handed. He bought me a yellow necklace that I was eyeballing earlier in the night.

So if you are in KC, or just driving through, you HAVE to check out Summit BBQ on the south side of the city in Lees Summit. The food is good and you will highly enjoy miandering through all the little rooms and vignettes set up with the coolest, cutest, homewares and jewelry a girl could ask for!!! They even sell lotions, soaps, and what not too!

Did you discover any new places this weekend? Is there a place you would like to tell us about that is similar to this? I'm always up to learn about places to visit when I travel so please, do share!

Happy Monday!

Jennifer