fall porch

No way!  Are you kidding me?!?  It’s already the weekend before the first weekend in November???

Well, that can mean only one thing . . . it’s time to pull-out the Christmas decorations at the shop.  argh!

Please don’t hold it against me.  We’ve got to play by some of the rules set-up by the big guys.  heck, if you gauge me by most of the “big boxers” you will find me lacking.  I’m sorry.  I am doing my best.

So, today it began and I am amazed at how much we were able to get done.

Around the house we are enjoying the warm glow of the fireplaces, but falling behind on the current holiday season, let alone the future ones. 

I finally got the front porch situated, sort of.  I hung a tobacco basket instead of my fall wreath.  I found several at the flea market a few months ago.  The really cool thing is that they were all marked with  Clarksville, TN.   I was already fascinated with the barns all over Tennessee.

I moved the wicker chairs we once used in the kitchen to the porch.  I tried wrapping the legs with sisal rope (the wicker wrapping has come undone); it probably would have worked if I started the process a little differently, but for now, they could stand a little more attention.

 

A few weeks ago, I participated in a wonderful barn sale hosted by Shirley and Knox Thomas.  When I went out to see the barn—prior to the event—I noticed stacks and stacks of tobacco sticks.  (These are the sticks the tobacco is hung from while curing in the smoking barns.)  Shortly after returning to my shop, I messaged Shirley to ask if I could buy a bundle of the sticks from them.  She happily obliged and even delivered them to me!  I’ve decided to display a bunch of them (7) in the rusty milk can on the porch.

 

Note the planter above.  This was an idea Patty found on Pinterest.  We used a vintage floor lamp and a wire hanging basket with a coco liner.  The Pinterest pic had the planter filled with succulents—it was lovely.  Mine is filled with ornamental cabbages and mums.

 

I need to find a better color for the wicker chairs.  I had painted them a greyish-taupe when they were destined for the kitchen.

 

 

Those tall flowers blocking the view of the porch were a mistake, but I cannot get rid of them.  I think if I took the time to cut them back before they develop those white blooms (which blow around like dandelion seed), I think we’d have far fewer, but . . .

 

The others, the peach colored asters at the front should be named Clarksville official flower.  There are actually more of them than the tall white-flowered things (can’t remember their names) in our yard—on Dog Hill—all over Clarksville, for that matter!  They are prolific.

My yard has more color in the fall than the spring.  Is yours like that?  I’d love to hear from you.  Thanks for sticking with me—especially while I’ve been a sporadic blogger.

Thanks for your indulgence,

a mossy recreation

Yesterday, I posted about a new “room” at Hodgepodge.  Part of the décor we added is this cool new chandelier:

And I promised a little more information about so here we go . . .

It all started when Patty came across a picture of a display in one of our numerous magazines.  (We were trying to remember where we had seen it, but couldn’t come-up with anything definitive—it was about a year ago that she found it.)  She showed me the idea and I swear I went looking for a candidate chandelier that very day!

I found the vintage fixture pictured below that very day, but didn’t create the moss covered beauty you see above until yesterday!

Here’s how I started:

1.  First, I fired-up the glue gun.  While that was warming, I started tearing sheet moss into strips.

2.  Then I started gluing—carefully!  The moss isn’t much of a heat barrier between the hot glue and your fingers.

3.  I decided not to do the inside of the fixture—it would have lost some of it’s definition.  I did do the ceiling cap, though.

4.  The finished mossy chandelier!

5.  Here you can see a shot of the ceiling cap—the finishing touch it needed!

I have not tried to light the fixture—the wiring appears fine.  I feel some very low wattage bulbs might be fine, but I would have to hook a wired extension to it.  For now, we’re enjoying it as is.  I just love the earthy presence it offers hanging there.  I may add a burlap sleeve over the chain, but again, I was in a hurry to get it hung so I could share it with you.

Below, is one more addition to the room we redesigned yesterday.  I found this vintage Woodpecker print by Basil Ede at a flea market sometime ago.  It is difficult for me to pass-up bird prints, but this is a large one and I love it.  It is clear, with no stains or other damage.  I had my picture framer daughter clean it and cut new mats, but we reinstalled it in it’s original frame.  I am thrilled with it.  I’ve propped it inside the opening of the mantel.

I hope you enjoyed this post.  Please leave any comments or suggestions you may have about lighting my chandelier.

Thanks for your indulgence!

I’m linking to Vintage Inspired Friday at Common Ground.  Please go visit!

A Summer Mantel and Table

At Hodgepodge, we pride ourselves on frequently changing our displays and vignettes.  The other day, I decided it was time to change the middle room.  My inspiration—a cool Mediterranean tablecloth and some new cobalt blue hurricanes.

So let’s get started with the mantel.

Phase 1:

Somewhere to start . . .

Phase 2:

The addition of a garden element and the cobalt hurricanes

Phase 3:

More garden elements (the urn, Spanish moss and a bird’s nest).  I moved the large hurricane onto the single book to raise the height compared to the smaller hurricane.

Phase 4:

Addition of the bolster—moved the nest.  Added candles to the hurricanes.

Phase 5:

Final touches—the doily under the short hurricane.  Then a few more items in the statue urn—saracina lilies and some raffia for a casual addition to the nest.

The rest of the vignette was updated with the new tablecloth and setting.

I think this turned-out beautifully!  It is a table I’d be proud to present to my guests.  I’d love to hear your thoughts . . .

but wait, that’s not all!

My favorite addition to this vignette:

 

Check back for more on this lovely moss covered light fixture!

Thanks for your indulgence!

Mint Juleps for Mama

when:  May 10th

time:  all day (see below for specific activities)

Everyone’s invited—this event is for Mamas

and anyone who has one!

It’s time to celebrate the time honored traditions of the Run for the Roses and Mother’s Day. As far as I know, we are the only boutique that combines the two into a celebration known as

“Mint Juleps for Mama.”

This year we’re adding a little more to our celebration to include informative seminars, demonstrations and activities throughout the day.

For some participatory activities, you may wish to try our mini-workshops we’re calling:

“Make and Take”

Our first project opportunity will be to make Bird House Wall Art with Ryan and Travis. The project only takes a few minutes and will lend itself to many decorative uses in your home. They will offer this Make and Take at 11 AM and again at 5:30 PM. A small fee of $5 will be charged and pre-registration is encouraged as space is limited.

 

bird house wall frame

We will offer mini-workshops to learn a basic application for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ and waxes. There is a fee associated with this class, but for this special event, the cost is only $5—one-sixth of the regular cost of $30. These projects will be available at 11 AM, noon and 1 PM. Sign-up when you get to the shop and we will assign you a time to start.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Make and Take

At 6:15 PM we will have Nancy Telford, RN, MSN, here to talk to us about flower essences and essential oils for the home. Nancy’s nursing experience spans more than 30 years, but for the past 23 years she has extensively studied mind-body health, energy therapies, and natural therapies that promote balance and health. You can find her at holistic health care practice, Radiance, on Jefferson Street downtown.

Nancy Telford

Jennifer Stewart is also going to talk with us about Mindful Housekeeping. Jennifer is the owner of Jen’s Housekeeping. She is an advocate for the environment and chemical-free alternatives for safely cleaning your home. She can be found at Jen’s Housekeeping Service on Facebook every day and at Hodgepodge at 6:45 PM during this event!

Jennifer Stewart with her daughters

We will also be hosting Elizabeth Vaughn of Artistic Works by Lu. Elizabeth reps this beautiful line of handcrafted jewelry in the Ft. Campbell/Clarksville area. She will have her entire selection of gorgeous jewelry available for purchase at Hodgepodge from 5 – 8 PM.

Artistic Works by Lu

Refreshments will be available throughout the day, but—in an attempt to appear civilized—the Julep punch won’t be offered until after five.

So tell them family it’s “fend for yourself night” and join us!

fall front door decor

(my article for The Leaf Chronicle—written for Oct 30th—actually, written for the 23rd, but not run until the 30th.)

Well, apparently resubmitting your column for a second run, a mere four weeks after its original publication is frowned upon at this newspaper. Go figure!

Yes, my editor contacted me—unfortunately, after I had walked away from the computer for the evening—to let me know that the article I submitted was run back on Sep 11^th. It was a crazy time in my life and frankly I’ve pretty much lost an approximate two week period around the middle of September. I thought I had started but never submitted it, so I just updated it, sent it to Stacy and left for the day! Oops!

I’m not sure if this is going to get done in time to run on Oct 23^rd, or if it will run the 30^th, so I need to come-up with something quick and timeless. Considering the season, I think I’ll share a few fall decorating tips.

When we think about changing our décor for the seasons, our thoughts often go to our front entrance first. Many of us like to hang a wreath representative of the season, which is a great start. Seasonal wreaths can be purchased at a variety of locations, as can the supplies to make your own. Whether purchased or homemade, wreaths are often the harbinger of the new season for most home decorators.

Additional options for the entrance include pumpkins, mums and cornstalks. While I love a large, traditional pumpkin for carving jack-o-lanterns, I prefer the heirloom pumpkins, such a Cinderella and Lumina (white) varieties. The Cinderella variety is especially perfect for stacking. I like the stacked- look atop a large urn or planter, but is works just as well on the ground; for a little more flare, you can add a twist of vine around the stack.

If you have a porch with columns, tying a bunch of cornstalks to the columns is an easy adornment. After you get it secured to the column or other support, you can embellish it with ribbons and other decorations. This year, I first wrapped a large piece of burlap around the stalks, then several piece of tulle knotted at the front with the final touch of a ring of rusty skeleton keys, tied on with jute. If you’re stalks are short on corn cobs, you can tie a bunch of Indian corn at the front, too.

A collection of mums in a variety of pots, mixed with the pumpkin and lanterns or large mason jars are the perfect vignette for the entrance of any home. If you’ve got steps, scatter the assembly along one side. No stairs to you porch? Introduce a variety of heights by perching the pumpkins and lanterns on stands, inverted flower pots or hay bales. I would recommend leaving a few of your pumpkins un-carved—or “restock” your display after the jack-o-lanterns start to collapse—to carry your décor through Thanksgiving.

Well, I was going to share more, but didn’t even get past the front door! Next week, I’ll move the fall décor inside.

Thanks, as  always, for your indulgence!

Not the front door, but I love this . . .

getting ready to get ready!

My article for The Leaf Chronicle for Sep 4th—sorry for the delay.
Now that everyone has their home adorned with branches and sticks, as put forth in last week’s column, I guess it is time to offer up a few other ideas.
Perhaps you’re ready to introduce a touch of fall into other areas of your home. Again, no need to go all out in one decorating frenzy, your transitional decorating should be exactly that—transitional. If you’re like me, you probably need to start with a good, thorough cleaning of the house. I think it’s time to prove that my base boards are, in fact, white. I’m also going to perform a serious assessment of the contents of my wardrobe; it’s time to make some donations to Goodwill! These actions will allow me to feel more comfortable about adding my fall decorations to the mantels and other surfaces. I’ll also be able to starting adding my fall clothing to our wardrobe—which is really our closet, as our “closets” aren’t deep enough to accommodate a standard hanger and are only as wide as the door. (Yeah, I’ll go toe-to-toe with someone lamenting their lack of closet space!)
Okay, so what I usually end up doing is cleaning as I decorate. I decide which room I’m going to tackle and I start cleaning as I put away anything I won’t be using for the new vignette. Many basics remain, but some things are set aside for the season. I use books all over the house—their titles are often related to the season, but sometimes they’re chosen for their color and size.
You’ll also find candlesticks and pillar stands throughout the house, but the colors of the candles will change. I have a plate stand that holds four tea cups and saucers—I change the china I display with the season.

Here you see my tea cup stand, an unpainted ceramic pumpkin and several other accents for the mantel.

Here is a tight shot of the of the amber bottles and an orange book entitled, coincidentally, “Hodgepodge,” (a gift from my dear friend, Taylor)—so it meets the title AND colors  requirements.  In the right hand corner you see and old Ferry Morris Seed ad I had framed.

During the summer I don’t use tablecloths, but beginning in the fall, I’ll usually drape something across the table. I also tend to leave the table top empty during the summer, but now I’ll add a centerpiece. I’ll start with our sugar mold candle holder, but I’ll elevate the display as Thanksgiving and Christmas approach.

You can see from this pic—

the only thing I’ve left on my table this time is my beer!

Part of the cleaning process is shaking the dust off of the silk and dried flowers. This is when I have to really evaluate how much life is left in these items—especially the dried flowers. I prefer to dry without preservatives, but that really limits their display life.

My all-time-favorite display—the perfect example of dried hydrangeas that have given their all and will be retired this year.

This is also a good time to take inventory of my glassware and dinnerware. As I prefer to use vintage items for my table settings, the search for replacements isn’t always a quick one. If I’m going to need a new turkey platter or gravy boat for my holiday table, I need to start looking now.
I like to make notes about those needs on index cards and stick them in my purse/wallet, that way I have it with me whenever I happen upon some possibilities. Notebooks are good, too, but they take-up a lot of room and I tend to get frustrated and toss them out of my purse. Chandelier prisms are another thing I am constantly replacing, so I trace them on the index card, so there’s no confusion about the style and size.
I figure, with my typical approach to cleaning/decorating and the amount of “free time” I’ve enjoyed lately, I’ll have my pumpkins out in time for the Easter Bunny to hide some eggs behind them! I hope your decorating efforts are quick and easy.
I wrote this weeks ago—the decorations made it to these locations . . . yesterday!  Just slightly before the Easter Bunny!
Thanks for your indulgence!

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