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DIY Succulent Pumpkins

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Hey there friends. Today’s post is my very first nod to Fall. I’m nodding at you Fall but I’m not embracing you, especially after you littered my yard with debris last night.

I’m writing this post as I listen to the sound of chainsaws next door, where my neighbor had two trees go through their roof last night during the windstorm. We were on the far edge of hurricane Irma’s path but we had heavy winds and power outages. All I can say is that I’m very thankful that we were spared any damage to our home.

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Dried Roses & Moss Valentine’s Day Heart

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How do you fill the dark space between the shiny bright Christmas season and the glorious colors of Spring?

My house was feeling a little empty yesterday so I made a trip to Home Depot. As I walked through their quiet nursery department the only flowers they had for sale were Winter Pansies and Flowering kale. That would do!

So I picked up a few pots and came home to arrange them in my vintage strawberry crate.

The cool colors of these plants are perfect for the Winter season.

That project done, my creative juices were still flowing so, not wanting to do any “real” work, I dug through a few boxes and put together this little Valentine’s Day heart.

This was made with dried roses that I often find at the grocery store for $12 for three dozen. Thank you Bi-Lo!

Sometimes I display my roses in vases but, more often than not, I hang them to dry for future use.

I’m sure Mr. OTN wonders at this practice but he never says a word.

He is one good man 😉

My favorite roses to buy are brightly colored ones as they dry prettier than pastels, which can turn brownish in color.

I’ve also been known to collect and dry moss from my yard, especially when we lived in the rainy Pacific NW.

With supplies gathered, I glued both purchased and collected moss to a small wooden heart that I had on hand (you could easily cut one out of heavy cardboard).

The dried roses were then randomly glued in a heart shape atop the moss.

A very simple and super sweet,

Valentine’s Day Heart from me to YOU!

Blessings sweet friends,

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired, InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStoryMaking Your Home Sing Mondays, The Beauty in His Grip What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking,SmallWonder, LifeGivingLinkup, MomentsOfHope, Glimpses, SittingAmongFriends

Tuesday:

TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse, CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles, Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story, IntentionalTuesday

Wednesday:

SavvySouthernStyle, TheBlissfulBee, Posed Perfection, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, ChristianBloggerLinkup, Whole Hearted Home, Mom’s Morning Coffee, Women with Intention, Coffee for Your Heart, MessyMarriage, ThreeWordWednesday

Thursday:

ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, MyRepurposedLife, ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner, PrettyPreppyParty, The Deliberate Mom/Shine Blog Hop, I Choose Joy, Live Free Thursday, Thought Provoking Thursday, PartyAtMyPlace, 100HappyDays, SincerelyPaulas, ThankfulThursdays

Friday:

FrenchCountryCottage, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme, TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday, ShabbyliciousFriday, Sweet Inspiration, Faith’nFriends, Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays, Dance With Jesus

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents, SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

Pumpkins, Roses, and Calgon, Take me Away.

by 10 Comments

Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist is the book I’m reading right now. This book is really causing me to take a step back and re-evaluate the busyness of my life. I am no longer working a full time job, we have no responsibility in our church right now, and I no longer have kids at home that keep me living crazy. My crazy comes all from pressure I put on myself to keep working toward getting everything on my to-do list done. But I never get it done and I never will get it done because I keep adding things to it. That’s simply the kind of person I am.

I have this voice inside my head that tells me that it is wrong to stop and rest when my hubby works such long and crazy hours (don’t worry it isn’t a real voice, just my thinking voice). It also warns me that if I stop and rest I might have to deal with some very unpleasant thoughts about very real problems. Though I don’t share everything about our lives and family here on the blog, we have one. And our family has it’s share of ups and down just like any other family does. However, this particular year has been a hard one. Stress, worry, fear, and heartbreak (You don’t need to tell me to cast my cares upon the Lord or to trust in Him alone because believe me, I find myself in a constant state of casting and trusting).

So I keep myself busy to keep from being overwhelmed . . . or so I tell myself. Click To Tweet

I’m in the process of re-evaluating. What are the things that are really important in my life and what things can be set aside? What are the things I’m doing that have to do with the calling on my life and what things am I doing out of a sense of obligation? What are the things that I do that will best serve God, my family, and my friends? And maybe me too because this might just start with taking better care of me!

I’ve been hesitant to take a blogging break because I’ve been to writer’s conferences where “they” say - those great and all-knowing experts on everything - that to draw back from regularly posting to your blog is certain death, and will diminish all those followers you’ve worked so hard to gain so that One Day, that fabulous book you’re writing will be the buzz among them and they will broadcast the word near and far making it the next best seller and making your name a household word!

Push, push, push, and don’t slow down. Post it, link it, Pin it, Tweet it, IG it, and turn around and do it all again.

It has been slow going as I write the book that I feel God has called me to write. I plug away whenever I can . . . whenever I don’t find myself swamped with all of the other things I feel obligated or simply driven to do.

But wait a minute. What about that verse I’ve clung to so often on this writing journey, “The Lord will accomplish that which concerns me,” from Psalm 138:8? I know I have to put the work into the writing but driving myself mad with the push for likes and follows? Not now. Not at this juncture in my life. Not when I have more important things to fight for. NO!

At the end of the day, whether my book is picked up by a publisher or self-published, whether it reaches thousand, tens of thousands, millions, or a couple dozen people, the message in my book will get into the hands of those it is meant to. Our Pastor asked a question last week that really hit the nail on the head for me, At life's end what will matter most, the number of likes you've gotten or the amount of love you've shown? Click To Tweet

So I’m taking a little break. I don’t know how long it will be but I need to take a little time for self love in the form of self care. Lord knows, I need it! My family needs it too. Even if I can’t be present with them they need my prayers. So I’m drawing away for a time to do the next right thing.

I already had a few posts planned so I will pop in from time to time with photos and maybe some news of what is happening in my world. You can also follow me on Instagram where I will be posting more often.

Be still and know that I am God.

I’m looking forward to it.

Blessings friends,

P.S. I hope you liked my French Country Pumpkins and Roses. Pretty things make me smile 🙂

Don’t forget to PIN me!

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired, InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStoryMaking Your Home Sing Mondays, The Beauty in His Grip What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking,SmallWonder, LifeGivingLinkup, MomentsOfHope, Glimpses, SittingAmongFriends

Tuesday:

TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse, CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles, Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story, IntentionalTuesday

Wednesday:

SavvySouthernStyle, TheBlissfulBee, Posed Perfection, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, ChristianBloggerLinkup, Whole Hearted Home, Mom’s Morning Coffee, Women with Intention, Coffee for Your Heart, MessyMarriage, ThreeWordWednesday

Thursday:

ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, MyRepurposedLife, ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner, PrettyPreppyParty, The Deliberate Mom/Shine Blog Hop, I Choose Joy, Live Free Thursday, Thought Provoking Thursday, PartyAtMyPlace, 100HappyDays, SincerelyPaulas, ThankfulThursdays

Friday:

FrenchCountryCottage, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme, TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday, ShabbyliciousFriday, Sweet Inspiration, Faith’nFriends, Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays, Dance With Jesus

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents, SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

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My Secret to Great Looking Arrangements Using Faux Flowers

by 28 Comments

I am thifty. Yes I am. But I also like my Faux Floral Arrangements to look good! And while I’d love for my home to be filled with fresh flowers all the time, I don’t have the budget to replenish them each week.

Do you want to know My Secret to Creating Great Looking Arrangements Using Faux Flowers? In this post I’ll share with you the Spring Basket I just put together for my front door.

I started with a door basket made from loosely woven vines and lined it with some sheet moss.

Then I tucked in some really nice looking purple and pink sprigs of faux lavender purchased at Michael’s, and some little sprigs of white flowers from my own stash. The basket, the moss, and the flowers were, so far, very inexpensive . . . especially with coupons. I only shop Michael’s with coupons and I have the store App loaded onto my iPhone so I never forget my coupon at home.

The next addition to my basket, and the crowning glory, were three gorgeous faux tulips.

Buying a few realistic flowers to add to the less expensive flowers IS my SECRET to creating a gorgeous arrangement.

Having a few stunningly beautiful flowers tucked into an arrangement really makes it special, as they draw your eye directly to their beauty. These particular tulips look so real that you want to touch them and, when you do, they even feel real!

While realistic looking faux flowers can be expensive, I only needed three for this smallish basket, and they will last for years to come.

Last year I got to go to the LA Flower Market (pics HERE). It is HUGE . . . blocks and blocks . . . and the prices are unbelievably LOW (unless you include the airfare to LA). My local source for faux flowers is Twigs, in Greenville, SC. Their single stem flowers, swags (like my kitchen swag HERE), and pre-made arrangements are fantastic. I like to go there just to walk around and soak in the beauty!

So were my beautiful tulips a little expensive? Yes. But since I’ll have them for years to come they were, in the end, a very thrifty find. If you liked this post please don’t forget to Pin It!

Now, do you know what would make my door pop even more? Color! Yes, I’ve been pinning pretty doors to my Exterior Door Colors Pinterest board for awhile now, so watch for some changes coming up soon!

Happy Spring y’all!

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
UnderTheTableAndDreaming, TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive,
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:

A Junky, Mossy, Lacy, Easter Centerpiece!

by 23 Comments

Easter Centerpiece 009Fresh Spring flowers. A mix of hydrangeas, tulips and heather.

For an Easter Centerpiece does it get any better than that?

Maybe . . . if you add in some wonderful vintage “junk” . . .

. . . like old lace, a faded children’s book, an ironstone bowl and an old wooden strawberry crate.

Then gather up some other items from Easter’s past, like decoupaged eggs . . .

. . . and these adorable nesting bunnies.

I wish I could say the flowers were from my yard but the only thing blooming this early is my heather. I gathered together an assortment of my favorite blooms from the floral department of my local grocery store and created a custom arrangement.

For a period of time (when my kids were at home) I was doing this every week. Somehow I got out of the habit.

It is an inexpensive way of treating oneself and I think I need to reestablish this old routine. Flowers for Mr. OTN! Yes, I’m sure he would agree 🙂

As a final touch I added a couple of crystal candlesticks . . .

. . . and placed it all atop a table runner made of moss.

Here is one final view looking down from above through my “Wreathed” Chandy.

Isaiah 43:19 KJV - “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?”

Awww . . . the season of Spring. New things on the horizon. I wonder what they will be?

Blessings,

My Signature-001

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
UnderTheTableAndDreaming, TheDIYShowoff, TheTablescaper,LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SuburbsMama,
ThreeMangoSeeds, NiftyThriftyThings,
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday: