Dinner al fresco

A breezy Saturday evening was the perfect touch for a backyard patio dinner, our trees adorned with twinkling candles to offer an extra special glow.

Upcycled Mexican door

Cristy and I recently finished a project, creating a table to complement the comfy little seating space in our bedroom.








This project was inspired 100% by bloggers. Design bloggers rock!

The original concept from Krisel Keeper's upcycled DIY bench, and the adorable striped rug as a table accessory plus the seagrass rug for the floor from Joni at Cote De Texas.
I purchased the aged wooden door from Adkins Architectural Antiques in Houston and they did a bit of very professional carpentry work for me since the size of the original was larger than I could accommodate in this room.
The raw steel table legs were easy to install from Hairpin Legs.
I know, we need some curtains at the windows. But one thing at a time. ...

Difficult business, this lamp selection task

The collection of images above, with the exception of the mercury glass lamp, is a fairly accurate depiction of the colors, themes and textures in our bedroom. The themes we are trying to keep in mind when selecting items for our home are beach and romance.

This is not to say that we have piles of driftwood or statues of seagulls on every table. The beach theme relates more to selecting items that are uncomplicated. And the romance is the touch of homemade softness, round shapes and weathered patina.

After having been inspired by locating several gorgeous mercury glass lamps, I had hoped to select one for this room, in particular, the lamp pictured, but am not sure if this exact lamp will complement the existing decor.

So, this is my process, considering the elements, both individually and in combination. We will sleep on it for a while and see.

Another pretty lamp

Romantic mercury glass in this feminine shape makes a lovely lamp. From RianRae.

Scenes from the weekend

Last weekend, actually. Marlow has officially emerged from hibernation and spends nearly all his time lazing about the yard. In true kitty fashion.

Saturday night watching tv

Edgar enjoys his program with a soft companion toy.

Clippings from the garden

Memorial weekend, making memories

Something in the air

Something in the air must be telling me it's time get ready for summer. Another fabulous outdoor chair design. Supernatural from Moroso by designer Ross Lovegrove.

Upholstered benches

This lovely ottoman upholstered with a Company C blanket is beyond adorable (Lavender Fields Home Boutique).

The loveliest chairs ever

Even though I'm not actively looking for outdoor furniture, these pretty chairs have captured my rapt attention. (Re-Trouve by Patricia Urquiola)

Scenes from the weekend

The final Round Top project completed - assembling the swag chandelier from the antique lanterns. We are considering whether the lanterns need candles. Not sure yet. I added some sweetness to some jars by adorning them with a simple bow and a charm from my childhood charm bracelet, and enjoyed a beautiful rose in a jar converted to a basket with a wire loop. Weekend simplicity.

Illumination

I've been going crazy for these industrial lamp pendants and reproduction carbon filament bulbs. Primitive design combined with the romance of an earlier era. What could be more perfect to illuminate a small corner of the world?

Scenes from the weekend

household projects, wedding preparation, garden projects. where did the weekend go?

Upcycling

New window treatments in Cristy's office to replace the tired draperies there previously. A clean look with the roman shades and an attempt at creating a transom look with the upcycled cabinet doors.

Scenes from the weekend

Gracyn entertains us with her imitation of a circus dog. Sunday brings a light thunderstorm, and I add a touch of nostalgia to the thrift-store dome by tying my great-grandmother's heart pendant to the handle.

Squirrel feeder

This young squirrel decided it was too troublesome to reach into the feeder to eat, so she just climbed inside. I got this photo as she was taking a break for a breath of air.

Rainy day project

After we purchased a large mirror for the dining room and figured out a way to get it installed securely, it seemed that just a tiny bit of decoration swagged from the top of the frame would set everything right. But what? My inspiration, described in an earlier post (March 12), manifested in the sweet beaded garland pictured here. Old beads combined with ordinary twine, cotton string and bits of leftover lace.

Scenes from the weekend

Birthday brunch with friends, sinfully delicious homemade cake and the sunniest day imaginable.

Inspiration

I have been inspired by the pretty garlands and banners I see in a variety of decorative blogs. So last Christmas, I made an attempt at a starfish garland for one of the trees and was supremely happy with the results. The following project is a variation of the starfish garland theme, but features paper hearts. This soft curtain (overstock.com) adorned with the sweet garland provides a lovely drape behind the bed.

So, my next mission is to create another garland to adorn the large mirror in the dining room. The heart garland is not the answer for this room. But I am inspired by an old beaded necklace of mine whose clasp broke a few years ago. I was unable to repair it but unable to part with the pretty beads. And now, thankfully, I believe that the lovely beads will return to life. My targeted idea (described below) is in part, inspired by decorative trims pictured at decoratingstudio.com.

The results will be far far less elegant than those pictured, but (hopefully) will give my room the touch of homemade elegance that I seek. Work to commence after a quick visit to Home Depot for a roll of rough jute or twine.

Scenes from the weekend

Signs of spring - new tennis balls for the dogs, honeybees and ladybugs.