A Secret Garden

There is a shady little strip of land

at the side of my home. It isn't seen by many so I like to think of it as
my secret garden.

I've decorated it with odd little pieces of yard art. Because of it's less than ideal location,
plants struggle to grow and what plants do grow
become dinner to the snails that live there.But it is still a favorite little spot of mine,
to sit and ponder, or simply to walk through and smile.

While You're Up

"While you're up..." ---a term used by a seated individual at the beginning of a sentence addressed to a standing individual, generally followed by a request or favor to do something a little more than what the standing individual had originally planned.

EXAMPLE:

"While you're up on a chair dusting shelves . . .would you straighten and rearrange a few things too?"(Disclaimer: In this example I was both the seated and standing individual.
But you get the point, right?)

Hot Books

THE QUESTION:

What do you do when you have
a few too many stacks of old books
and a burning desire to change
the look of your fireplace?THE ANSWER:

A Thrifted Nook

I have an unusual little nook in my family room. It's a small spot in between the fireplace and the hall. One of my first furniture thrift store purchases for this home was this bookcase. I fell in love with it's shape and size the moment I saw it.

It was the perfect piece for this nook. I filled it and topped it with more thrifted items. Yes, everything you see here (with the exception of the large finial)
were thrift store bargains costing no more than a dollar or two. Even the beautiful framed photograph of doorways
was a thrift treasure. It just proves that
it doesn't have to cost a lot to decorate
even the most unusual spaces in your home!

Backyard Bargains

With the heat of the summer upon us, I was feeling the need for a gorgeous summer centerpiece. Not wanting to spend any money, I walked through my backyard to find what was in bloom. I grabbed my clippers and nipped off a few blooms from my butterfly bushes, then added some grasses for filler. Now I have a wild, bountiful, beautiful, and free bouquet.Since seashells evoke the feeling of summer, I thought I'd add one into my seasonal vignette. Of course, I couldn't resist giving the backside a glitzy little makeover

so that it would be as pretty on the outside as it is inside. Then I finished the setting with a little ceramic bird candle holder,
adorned with an old key tied on with rope.It gives me a thrill to add beauty to my home
without spending any money!

God Bless America

Home of the Free

Because of the Brave

Flag Mania Mantle

HOW TO DECORATE A MANTLE

FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY
Directions:
Step 1---Place as many flags as possible.
Step 2---Stand back and ENJOY!