Sea Shells for Summer

Just a few photos from around the living room.

I decorate with shells in the summer months.

I thought I'd share because won't be long till it all changes to fall stuff.

I bought that little ocean life painting off Ebay.

It was painted in the 30's or 40's.

It's very nicely done and I love the original frame.

We are in the dog days of summer now.

So hot.

I've been trying to clean up things in the backyard.

It's been neglected while I was working at a store.

There just was no time and I was exhausted or working on my days off.

Doesn't take long for vines to take over.

I've been cutting and pulling.

The weenies are enjoying me being home...they want to go in

and out all day long..drives me crazy but a good crazy.

linking up at Debra's party at Common Ground

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A Winter's Mantel

 I was so slow in getting a new display up on the mantel after Christmas.

I loved my Christmas Mantel and wasn't anxious to take it down.

And since it was all trees and snow...I thought it ok to leave it a little while.

See it here.

 But last week I decided enough was enough...and down it had to come.

I really had no idea what I was going to put up.

But then I remembered I'd recently been given a few more silver things...and I decided silver 

was a good theme.

I kept out a couple of glitter snowflakes.

The silver coffee pot was a Christmas gift from my sister. 

She knows to pick up anything silver for me at the flea market.

When she called to tell me she'd found me something. 

I told her..."You shouldn't be buying me anything. I don't need a thing."

"But...but..", she said, "It's a silver coffee pot!"

"Oh", I said "In that case, yes I need it and I'm so glad you bought it for me!"

 After Christmas my friend Petra was doing a big clean out of her kitchen.

You know getting into those bottom cupboards that stuff just gets shoved into?

She had bags and bags of things going to Goodwill.

 But she had a few things set aside that she knew I'd want.

That included two silver trays.

Yes, please!

The frame I painted awhile ago but I don't like the color. I'll be repainting it.

But the color works well in  this arrangement. 

 At Christmas I had icicles hanging from my scones and loved how they made the sconces appear larger.

Don't know why I didn't do this before...but I dug some old crystal garland and prisms out

and dressed my 1930 sconces up. I added the aqua colored beads for now too.

They will probably change when I do the Valentine Mantel. 

I'm loving the dangling sparkle on my old sconces.

 Small faux succulents add a little color.

This silver has just the right amount of tarnish....but then it will get to be too much 

and I'll have to polish. 

I can't believe Petra gave me her silver trays but she does have lots of other nice things. 

She really didn't need them...but I do!

 Took a shot of the chandelier in the room...

I am having so much fun photographing in here ever since I painted the room. 

Everything looks better with the new wall color.

See that burnt out bulb? I hid it in the above photo...

That bulb had been burned out for awhile but not the others.

So before Christmas, I climb on a step stool to change it out.

When I put the new bulb in....there was a popping sound and all the lights went out in the living room.

Ugh....

I checked my breakers and one had blown.

I have two breaker boxes....a big one outside and a little one in the kitchen.

The big one was fine but the little one had a burnt fuse.

Thankfully that fixed the lights in the living room but now my dimmer switch does not work 

for the chandelier and I assume that socket still doesn't work.

I put the old bulb back in.

I'm scared to try a new bulb again.

This chandelier is very heavy. It's the only light in the house that I had professional installed.

It was just too much for me to do alone.

Now I guess it will have to come down....be checked over and rehung.

Which sounds like a big job.

So it's probably going to stay like this for awhile.

So expect to always see one dark bulb in my chandi for awhile.

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My Easter Mantel

I put this mantel together last week but it needed a rabbit so I didn't show 'til

I made a trip to Pier 1 and bought this cutie.

I took his ribbon and the silly eggs that were glued to him off.

Immediately, he looked better.

Here's the long view. 

I just kept adding things until I had a little garden vignette.

The wreath I got last year at Pier 1 after Easter at 90% off!

What a deal! Especially, since I'd wanted it when it was regular price.

Oh..I've been having fun the last few days helping people put together their Easter table decor at work.

A nice lady came in with her Mother today and they were getting pretty things to make 

her Mom's house ready for Easter.

She wanted two lanterns to put on the table.

I suggested three...with one of them being larger and filling it with a little nest and a sweet bird.

She thought I was a genius with this idea.

I didn't tell her it was a standard decor item on the blogs.

I just let her think I was a decorating genius.

They were very happy leaving with several sacks of Easter goodies.

I buy a few packages of eggs every year too after Easter...

a person can never have too many faux Easter eggs.

This isn't even all of them. I limited my palette here to blue, green and yellow.

I still have lavenders and pinks in another basket.

See how sweet that bunny is? He was really tacky when he had his ribbon and eggs glued to him.

Such a small thing can make such a difference.

I've also decorated the dining room buffet for Easter and am working on the 

dining room table. I'll show that soon.

Oh...I love Easter stuff and the promise of Spring!

Don't forget to enter the EpicLinen Giveaway here.

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