something other than a wreath

Whenever the season changes I usually run out and buy a wreath. Wreaths, I feel, make your front door look warm and welcoming. It says, "Hello friend, come on in!" Or it would if it could talk.

Lately, since becoming a surfer of the blogosphere, I've been seeing other ways to make your front door exude warmth, especially in the cozy autumn season.

So I abandoned my typical fall wreath for this $3 metal hanging basket I found at the local St. Vincent DePaul store {fantastic, by the way -- check yours out! Ignore the smell and delight in the deals.}

(FYI: You can also find similar metal hanging vessels at your craft store.)

I liked this one because of the super cute sunflower affixed to the front!

The red color didn't work for me, though. So what did I do? You know it! I spray-painted it, using the same dark bronze color I used for my porch lights.

Then I added three sprigs of silk foliage I got for .99 each at Michael's.

Arranged my foliage...and I was finito! How is that for easy?

All for $6 and about ten minutes.

That includes the paint drying.

Which you know I waited impatiently for. Toe tapping.

What fall decorating project will you do this weekend?

rollercoasters

"Courage is being afraid, but going on anyhow."

Dan Rather

That quote pretty much sums up my day of riding roller coasters.

:o)

before and after: {dining room!}

What follows is my dining room journey...

This was my dining room when we moved into our Victorian, shotgun-style, early 1900's-built home:

The previous owner had painted the ENTIRE 1st floor mustard yellow. Not a bad color, but not my flavor. I wanted something a little more modern. More dramatic. More spicy. But not mustard.

Deciding on the new hue took some time. I knew I wanted green. Vibrant green. But then I thought: perhaps neutral is better...safer. As you can see, we had a range of choices from the very palest olive to a sassy green apple to a bright lime green:

After much debate about what kind of vibe we wanted to have in this very central room, we decided we wanted {vibrant and full of positive energy.} So we went with the brightest, boldest green: Jalapeno Jelly (Valspar)

You can see the color difference from the mustard in this pic:

To get this bright green color to work, I knew my accessories would have to be more natural, less colorful! I wanted to tone down the "Christmasy" look that was created by the green's contrast with my beloved rust-red chairs. I found these natural fiber runners at Target for 14.99 each. Then I fell in love with this wine jug from Pier1. $49.99 - a definite splurge, BUT I had a gift certificate...

{I am a complete sucker for wine jugs.}

I added some bright red silk dahlias and ta-dow: dramatic centerpiece. I feel the bottle and colors work well with my wine theme, including the chianti bottles I display on our bar area.

{The large chianti bottle, by the way, is empty. Was consumed by my beautiful famiglia in the candlelight of an Italian restaurant on the night I graduated with my BA in English. Such a warm memory - I will cherish this bottle always!}

Finally, the dining room is how I want it. (At least, for now.)

The before:

The after:

I will be honest: our choice has been met with mixed reviews. Jalapeno Jelly is not everyone's favorite flavor. Most people give me the: "Oh, I like it! But I'd never choose this color..." Which I think might be a polite way of saying "Um, hideous." :D

But I like it. Hubby likes it.

And really, when it is your home, that is what truly matters.

sweet, solo saturday night

Don't you just love alone time?

Last night was my night alone. Hubby was out-of-town at a friend's wedding party, and since I am still working the night shift {yes, even on Saturday nights} I got the whole night to myself (well, until it was 11pm and time to go to work - drat!)

I love my husband dearly, and I also have a blast hanging out with friends...

...but I luuuurve my {alone time.}

Since babies are looming on our marital horizon, I have to take advantage of alone time. Not so sure I will get much of it when there are kiddos around! I'm sure all you mamas out there are nodding right now thinking, "Tru dat, G" or whatever language you speak in your head.

Here is how I spent my sweet solo hours:

1. Went grocery shopping. Surprised? Well, this was not the rushed, unorganized kind I do after work on a Monday. First, I sat in my kitchen, planned the dinners I would cook this week, and thoughtfully wrote out my grocery list. Then I went to our new, beautiful, swanky grocery store (can grocery stores be swanky?), went to the in-store Starbucks {I consider this swanky}, got my mild hazelnut misto, and strolled at leisure through the aisles. No rush, just taking everything in. Actually reading labels. This is how I like to shop.

2. When I got home I knew I wouldn't feel content about my evening until I did a project, so...I organized my massive pile of recipes I've ripped out of magazines that have been haphazardly shoved in random cookbooks!

I know this seems lame {nerd alert} but it made me feel soooooo goooood to get all these random recipe clippings organized into categories, hole-punched, and place neatly in a binder.

3. Settled in on the couch, indulged in a "meal" of veggies, Triscuits, and {delicious} roasted garlic hummus, while flipping through two magazines I splurged on {Martha Stewart Living and House Beautiful - to inspire!} and watching a chick flick I grabbed from Redbox.

Perfect night all to moi.

So my question is:

What do you {or would you} do with an entire evening by yourself?

I would love to know! Leave a comment below...

:o)

PS: When in Rome=worth renting - very funny, very cute romantic comedy. I was weak - from laughter and Josh Duhamel. ;)

{take a moment}

We have {so much} planned for this weekend...it is kind of exhausting just to think about it! Dinner out with friends, a wedding celebration, our annual King's Island date {bring on the fear and adrenaline rushes!} However, I am determined not to let the weekend fly by in an instant...but slow it down and enjoy every moment.

{roadside wildflowers in minnesota}

Even though your weekend may be packed with events, take a moment to just relax and enjoy something beautiful. Even if it just reading the paper and sipping your coffee on Sunday morning. Which is lovely in and of itself.

:o)

porch light redo: {green to gorgeous}

I love green. Grass. Eyes. Salad. Grapes.

But not light fixtures. Please no.

However, our lovely little fixer-upper came with two outdoor light fixtures that are a hideously ugly green color that has caused me to shield my eyes every time I have walked up the front walk.

Okay, they are not THAT bad.

They did go really cute with our hideous green plastic screen door...

Well, the green door is gone now, as well as that pretty sky blue step. Praise Jesus.
But we still had the lovely green fixtures:

I have been wanting to buy shiny new, more modern fixtures for the longest time, but have been too cheap waiting for just the right moment. {picture me in the outdoor lighting aisle at Lowe's, staring up in wonder as the motion sensors blink on....off...on...off...}

Sigh. Not in the budget.

Then recently my good friend Beth blogged about her recent fantastic spray paint experience on her blog Between Three Sisters {check it out - she and her 2 sisters (hence the name) blog about DIY home projects, fantastic recipes, and more! }

Check out Beth's link {HERE} to learn her simple how-to on re-doing your own outdoor lighting with a can of wonderful spraypaint.

Today I decided to try it myself! I picked up a can of dark bronze metallic spray paint for around $7 (they have all different shades of metal) at Lowe's. I followed Beth's instructions and was surprised at how easy {and cheap!} this re-do was.

Removed the bolts and screws.

Laid the paint-splattered, dismantled green parts out on newspaper. All set to spray paint!

Beth was a lot neater than me in taping paper around the base of fixture -- but it all worked out!

Then I just spraypainted to my little heart's content. Two coats.

I love the result!

From gaudy green, to a much more classy dark bronze look. Without spending at least $80 on a set of new lights. If you haven't yet discovered the joys of spray painting things to make them "new" all I can say is: just do it once...you will be hooked! :)

Thank you for the inspiration, Beth!

Now it's time to get out the fall decor...and perhaps make a few new things?

JOY!

{oj and hugs}

{tofufortwo}

The past three days I have felt, well, like crap.

Achy, feverish, zero energy {like walking, zombie-like, from my computer to the bed took a lot of effort} and no appetite. Which was scary, because if I am not hungry or at least thinking about food there is definitely something gone awry.

I don't like taking medicine, unless it is the natural kind. Or I am dying. So I tried pumping my system full of vitamins and lots and lots and LOTS of orange juice.

Also, I have been working the night shift for the past week, with no day off. The only thing about the night shift that kind of stinks is, well, it is at night. I've decided it is not natural to be awake at night. I'm not a bat, after all. So perhaps this had something to do with my immune system being out of whack. (Coffee and Red Bull all night for 7 days straight can't be good, right?)

Finally, today around 7am two of the fabulous ladies that work 1st shift came in with their typical big smiles and great attitudes. {I don't know what makes them so happy but I LOVE them for it!}

I must have looked pretty dang awful because they said, "You need a hug."

These sweet, older ladies give me a hug every day, but this morning I tried to warn them: "I have germs...you may not want to hug me today." They looked at me like I was crazy and said: "That is exactly why you need a hug!" And they both gave me the biggest, nicest hugs ever.

You know what? It's been a couple hours, and I am actually feeling much better!

Must've been the hugs.

{bodyelectrictoday}

and the OJ...

{nutritious}

...but probably mostly the hugs!

Oh, and my {fantastic, amazing, patient} husband letting me spend the past two days sleeping on the couch, flailing and kicking him in my sleep while he watched football.

His hugs are pretty good, too. :o)

So now I am better, and my craziness industriousness can resume as normal.

Happy Monday and many ((HUGS)) to all of you!!!

(They really do help.)

:o)