spring porch

 Oh, joy and rapture! I finally have a lovely little front porch again! My front porch is like my own little personal space. Not just a reflection of me though, but a chance to be creative, and welcome everyone cheerfully. It's one of my favorite things to do. 

 But I had not done this since taking my Christmas things down the first of January. I had become ill, and my porch stayed dark and empty for months. Every time I looked at it I was so sad. It was definitely a reflection of how I was feeling... but not in the right way! 

 My cousin Shelly to the rescue! She was bound and determined to help me get my porch done before she had to fly back home. She helped me pick out the flowers because I was brain dead and just stood there unable to make a decision. She planted most of the pots and did a lot of leg work while I ordered her around. And she did it all with a smile on her face, even though we worked until after dark. But bless her sweet heart, we did it! 

 It's cheerful, and springy, and colorful, and simple, and just HAPPY. I can't even express how much joy it brings me. See? Once again, we learn that the little things really are the big things. And it makes me smile because every time I glance at my beautiful porch I think of Shell, and all her help, and how determined she was, and how blessed I am to have such a loving friend and cousin :) 

I've already added a few new things too - like this pretty doormat!

~

Thank you again Shell! Love you! ❤
~
P.S. check out how Shell and I now have 
world famous feet by getting onto ToeMail's blog!

Monday's porch

So! Remember my dreary, depressing porch that desperately needed some cheer? I had challenged myself to clean and decorate it over the weekend because I knew sharing it here would give me the push I needed to get it done. I love porches no matter how challenging they can be to work with. I think their effect on the homeowners and those who visit is an often overlooked factor in how warm and welcome you feel upon entering the home.

So........ without further ado, below is the outcome!

First I power washed everything with water since sweeping would not have gotten rid of all the dust. Then I went for a colorful, "room" feel with furniture pieces and primitives, as opposed to a garden feel with flowers and pots.

Since I had a budget of basically $0 the only thing purchased was a new doormat for $15 less a 20% off coupon.

I like using larger pieces instead of little knick-knacky pieces that can look tacky and overdone. I do see a few areas that could use some tweaking, but I often have to step back, look at things, and think for a few days.

And of course since I reused everything I already had (aka shopping in my own house), you probably recognize some of these pieces - either from being on my porch before, or having made them in a tutorial, or even from glimpses inside my house. I really enjoy rotating things in and out so I don't end up getting tired of my favorite pieces. Then when I pull them back out it's like seeing an old friend again. 

So happy Monday! And if you happened to do your porch also, I'd still love to post your "before" & "after" pics!

porch challenge... again!

Has it really come to this? My sad, sorry, excuse for a porch.

I honestly don't think it's ever looked this awful!

~

I've had a few porch challenges on my blog in the past, because when I just can't stand it any longer, showing it here gives me the motivation to get it DONE. Especially in the summertime when it's a trazillion degrees outside and I really need that motivation. You all know that I think no matter how large/small/odd your porch may be, it's still the window to your home - a little preview of it's soul, if you will. Not only is it everyone's first impression of it, but more importantly, it's what welcomes you home. It's purpose may be something different for each homeowner. Functional, comfortable, decorative, inviting, seasonal...... whatever works best for your needs. A front porch truly has the potential to give you the peace and cheer you would hope to feel upon leaving the world outside and taking refuge in your own oasis. Wow. That sounded like a sentence right out of the 1950's. Be that as it may, I still think it's the truth. I adore porches. Much can be done in such a small space. They can pack a big punch. 

SO..... I can't say I'll get it done today, because we've been having a series of 100 degree days that are TICKING ME OFF. Because I'm such a weenie. But Monday is my Ultimate Deadline. By Monday you will see a lovely, cheerful porch that actually welcomes you to my home. And I am out of money big time so I'm going to have to do some major shopping in my own house. Meaning as much as I love flowers, you'll probably see pots being used creatively instead of holding flowers! AND....... if you need a bit of motivation in the life of your own porch, please think of joining me in my porch challenge! I would love to have your company! This is NOT a stressful contest to see who can impress who. This is just a challenge to get off your arse and cheer up your porch. Promise. And if you send me your before/after photos ASAP, I'd absolutely love to post them too!  

Fall Porch

DONE! I'm very happy with how my white pumpkins turned out - both the 2 big fakies and the small real one. And I think I'm liking how my little porch turned out. So come take a tour!
This year I added a few of my antique doll cradles among other things, and I like how they look. I put all the Halloween decor out front and kept the porch "Fall" so it can remain up through November. It looks just a tad sparse (?)... perhaps I need to add a trade blanket or a quilt... or perhaps I need to leave well enough alone :) Truth be told, I would love to do the whole porch in white & black pumpkins with big white candles - wouldn't that be spectacular!!!
Okay, back to reality - LOL :) I approached drawing on each white pumpkin a little differently. The large stars came from a stencil I had made for some terra cotta pots. I used a thin black Sharpie to outline the design onto the pumpkin (making sure it was straight!), and then used a larger black Sharpie to fill in the stars.
This little wreath is really nothing special, but it had lots of color and interest from all kinds of different cones, pods, berries, leaves, etc, and it was very cheerful.
I actually taped off and spray painted a few small orange pumpkins with white spray paint! See the "W" pumpkin? Well, it was lots of fun but you will definitely not be seeing any close-ups! LOL!
As shown in my sneak peek, the other large pumpkin was done by free-handing large numbers in pencil, then I filled the numbers in with different sizes of black Sharpies. That fakie pumpkin material, by the way, was very easy & fun to work with - FYI.
The small pumpkin with all the dots I just drew free-handed with the Sharpies - no pencil required!
Thanks for taking the tour! Hope you liked it! Happy Friday, Happy Halloween, Happy Weekend, and Happy Fall!

Christmas Porch

Porch time! It was actually almost cold today - almost - so I could finally take some pictures of my Christmas porch without the sun blazing and baking everything :) 

So here's my Christmas porch :) It's a little on the cutesy side, which I usually try to stay away from. But the little plush guys have been with us since the Red Power Ranger was a baby 22 years ago... and I know it's nice to see the same familiar things each year :) 
All the other things I have collected little by little over the years, or loved ones have made for me. And of course you'll recognize some of my favorite year-round things too. Being a lover of All Things Red comes in very handy this time of year :) 
Did you notice my great-grandfather's sleigh bells? Look closely :)
This is my favorite shot because you can see just a little bit of everything :) 
When the Red Power Ranger was in Argentina for two years and I missed him so terribly, I turned down a store aisle and found this little tree in it's red pail that reads "Danny's Candy Cane". I think I broke down right there in the store when I saw it. 
Rudolph's nose lights up when you push his tummy :)
My all time favorite box to open is the one that holds these happy Santa's made from logs. My sister-in-law (sister-in-crime) made them and I just love how cheerful they are. 

Porch Challenge Results!

Well all-righty then! The results of my Front Porch Challenge! Above is a reminder of my old, tired front porch.

And here is my new, fun, happy, colorful - and clean - front porch! Yippee! I love it. LOVE IT.

My front door is thanking me because it got a nice orange oil bath. Actually it's thanking my youngest son who did such a good job. And it smells so good too - yum! My coleus plant is a bit embarrassed because I gave her a haircut - so she is flying under the radar near my front door. I do realize the balance is a little off - my wooden bench works better in it's old location, but after a bath in orange oil for her too, she needed to have a turn in the spotlight :)
Let me tell you, I grew up with this sweet little bench. She was in our mountain cabin, and her job was to hold all our games, puzzles, etc. We have been through a lot together. I sanded and re-stained her a few months ago and she looks so sweet and happy. I just love her :)

And would you believe my dear husband brought me these flowers last night! Serendipity! 

The wine rack by the window is a piece my cousin Shelly actually found. I could hardly believe it - the small nameplate reads "Cambria", one of my all time favorite places on earth! Oh, and I guess I should mention that my door mat is made from recycled flip-flops - cool.  
The worn red stool is a favorite piece of mine - and I actually found it in Cambria! And you all know how my vintage croquet balls are the loves of my life :)
I have a small collection of child-sized chairs, and this is one of my favorites because I love, love, love turquoise. The little hand-painted finial is not a finial at all - it's actually a carved wooden vessel that mounts on the wall to hold flowers or whatnot.
Now this is really cool. These sleigh bells actually belonged to my great-great grandfather. He had a team of Clydesdale horses. These bells are one of my prized possessions. 

And now when the front door slams, they make a really wonderful sleigh bell sound :)

Oh, vintage croquet balls, how I love you! Your colors, your textures, your nicks and cracks........ And oh, how any of my readers that know anything about vintage croquet balls are so very green with jealousy, seeing that I own a rare pink one :)  heheheheh ;)