Everyday Living

Butterflies, Birds & Bold Bedding!

July 20, 2015~ Decorating

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins”
1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭10

Ever have places that are a “must stop” when you’re shopping? We have an outdoor mall that is my favorite in Birmingham, and I like to go there as often as I can! Doesn’t a girl love to just look around?! Last December, while Butch and I were Christmas shopping, we walked into one of my usuals when I am there….Pottery Barn. It is imperative that I check out the tablescapes and the new products every time I am close to one! As I was perusing the store, I couldn’t help but notice their new and oh-so-colorful summer bedding! Changing out the bedding seasonally is not something I normally do, but this was a fun tropical pattern with turquoise, rust, and golds…absolutely perfect for our master bedroom! So, when late spring came along, so did the new bedding! One thing I love about the colors is that they are appropriate for spring and summer! The pattern is called Fauna and it definitely adds a bit of whimsy! You all know how much I love color…the birds and butterflies are alive in beautiful bright hues! You can see that my walls are peacock blue/turquoise – so the pattern is perfect! I have always loved pillows but as I have gotten older I don’t enjoy putting them on and taking them off nearly as much! This bedding is just fun, and not so serious! As an interior decorator (now retired) I had the best workroom and fabricator that designed and made this silk pillow. It is a braiding technique and it is unique! You know that in the South we are fond of monograms, so it was a must for the bed! I often used monogrammed pillows for clients!
The bedding complements my eclectic Schonbek lamps! I unfolded the duvet to show more of its pattern! A matelasse coverlet always covers the bed! A view through the iron footboard! Thank you for taking time out of your everyday living to visit with us! We enjoy all of your comments!

Linking with Pieced Pastimes , Silver Pennies , Life on Lakeshore Drive , Thoughts From Alice , Mod Vintage Life , Coastal Charm , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia , The Dedicated House , Dwellings-Heart of Your Home , Savvy Southern Style , Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage , From My Front Porch To Yours , Stone Gable , Confessions of a Plate Addict , Worthing Court , Between Naps on the Porch , Cedar Hill Farmhouse , A Stroll Thru Life , The Charm of Home , Cornerstone Confessions , A Delightsome Life , Imparting Grace , Posed Perfection , Katherines Corner , My Romantic Home , Rooted In Thyme , Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, Alabama Women Bloggers, 21 Rosemary Lane, Northern Nesting, Cozy Little House, Rattlebridge Farm, The Turquoise Hom e, My Flagstaff Home, In The New House, Natasha in Oz, Vintage Refined, Karens Up On The Hill, Grammie Time

Simple + Southern Sunday No. 39

July 19, 2015~ Simple + Southern Sunday

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:38-39‬ ‭ “When he shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in him be found,
dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand”
-Edward Mote
sss5 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:19-20 Our hot days and warm nights will soon turn this into “high cotton” Home grown tomatoes from our garden! Rose of Sharon, not really a rose but a hibiscus…hummers love them! Do you think Braden knows it’s National Ice Cream Day? With our temps in the upper 90’s, hope this snow pic from my front yard last winter cools you off! sss6 Allie’s homemade apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! A horse is a horse, of course, of course… And the sun sets on another beautiful summer day…Hummingbirds love the trumpet creeper vine! Ice cream on a hot summer day! The clouds seem endless at the observatory in Jacksonville, a city nearby! One of my favorite publications is celebrating National Ice Cream Day!

“I was glad when they said to me,
‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’”
Psalm 122:1

Linking with Pieced Pastimes , Silver Pennies , Life on Lakeshore Drive , Thoughts From Alice , Mod Vintage Life , Coastal Charm , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia , The Dedicated House , Dwellings-Heart of Your Home , Savvy Southern Style , Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage , From My Front Porch To Yours , Stone Gable , Confessions of a Plate Addict , Worthing Court , Between Naps on the Porch , Cedar Hill Farmhouse , A Stroll Thru Life , The Style Sisters , The Charm of Home , The Winthrop Chronicles , Cornerstone Confessions , A Delightsome Life , Imparting Grace , Posed Perfection , Katherines Corner , My Romantic Home , Chic On A Shoestring Decorating , Rooted In Thyme , Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, Alabama Women Bloggers, 21 Rosemary Lane, Northern Nesting, Oh My Heartsie Girl, Cozy Little House, Rattlebridge Farm, The Turquoise Hom e, My Flagstaff Home, In The New House, Natasha In Oz, Vintage Refined

Our Garden Is Growing!

July 16, 2015~ Outdoors

“‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭32:17‬ ‭

A few months ago, it started off as simply ideas from a Pinterest board. Then, before we knew it, landscapers filled our backyard space for weeks to lay the foundation. Next came many hours of tedious labor by both the workers and my hard-working husband, and we were able to show you the finished work! And you, our readers, have been right there with us, generously commenting on our new garden space with so many requests to post updates! After a few rain showers and a whole lot of sunshine, we are excited to show you how our garden is growing! Please join me as we take a little stroll!

I am contemplating putting a swing under the arbor -but I enjoy using the space for al fresco dining! I had planned to use my rusty iron statutes in the garden but decided to keep them here, instead.

I am loving the picket fence that Butch installed!

The feathery plumes from ornamental fountain grass..if only it was a perennial!

Rusty ornamental butterfly contrasts the vanilla strawberry hydrangeas!

The apricot drift roses continue to bloom! Love the color!

Limelight hydrangeas showing off their lime color!

As the limelight bloom matures, it becomes more white!

Our okra is growing and needs thinning! Okra likes hot temps, so it should be happy!

Sage and lavender are doing nicely! Can’t wait for the fragrant lavender blooms!

My sweet friend, Janice gave me a set of herb garden markers several years ago! Don’t you just love them?

The color of the sunshine ligustrums adds a great contrast to the other greens!

Our resident owl keeps moving around all over the place!

As the blooms mature on the vanilla strawberry hydrangea they change colors! Amazing beauty!

Delicate bloom!

The bloodgood Japanese maples in the rear corners of the garden provide a nice contrasting color!

The thrift planted around the bronze statue is filling in…soft touch hollies will provide green all year. The lantana has struggled and has provided little color so far!

The zoysia sod is thick like a carpet and is a bright green. I would love to do the entire backyard space-maybe next year!

You can see a few lantana blooms here!

The extreme heat and little rain for the past two weeks has required much watering to keep the garden growing!

View from the patio!

Our side porch referred to as the “kitchen porch” with a pair of asparagus ferns on each side of the door and a pot of petunias on the step. Do you see the flag’s reflection in the door?