Autumn Comes to the Porch

I've been playing outside today, bringing a little fall to the porch.  During the summer it looks something like this. (See the porch during summer, HERE.  View this tablescape HERE or click on Tablescapes at the top of this blog and scroll down to the "Floral" table setting category.)

Because the porch is all white (for the most part) it's a blank slate for anything you can dream up.  For the 4th of July, it looked like this. (4th of July porch, HERE.)

It was time to add a little "fallness"  to the porch.

I couldn't decide where I wanted the ribbon-covered pumpkin.

(Tutorial for pumpkin can be found HERE.)  It started out behind the swing.

I was trying to capture the late afternoon sun coming in across the shimmery be-ribboned pumpkin.   Instead, the screen in the window gave the pumpkin an odd textured, bulls-eye look.   lol  Not quite what I had in mind.

The wall to the right of the swing definitely needed something.

So I stole the wreath from my fall decorated mantle in the family room.

Somehow Halloween crept out onto the porch.  Love the title of this book.  Can you guess what it's about?  Hint:  It's about "sick" people like me.  ;)  You'll find it at Amazon, HERE.

I love sunflowers.  It's just about impossible to stare at sunflowers and be unhappy at the same time.  I picked these up at the market earlier today.  They are a little different from the ones I normally buy.  I LOVE their frilliness.

I couldn't decide what to do with the hutch.  It started out with a faux leaf garland across the top, but I eventually removed it.  It just felt a little too busy.  (Hutch painting tutorial HERE.)

I swapped out the summer platter that normally hangs above the hutch, for this one with fall colors.

Swapped the summer china on the hutch for plates with more of an autumn feel.  Started with this lantern...

...but ended with this one.  Umm, I think I like them both on the hutch. The floral arrangement on the door is the same one I used last year for fall, HERE.

The only thing I purchased for fall this year was a lantern from Old Time Pottery.  I was inspired by the beautiful lanterns from Pottery Barn in THIS post.

This shabby, old chair holds a sunny red geranium all summer.  (Old chairs make great plant stands.)

For fall, it's sporting a sunshine yellow Chrysanthemum.

If you could grow sunshine in the garden, this is what it would look like.

A view yesterday as the sun began to go down.  I feel an attack of hot cocoa coming on, don't you?  The only question is, one dollop of whipped cream, or two?

Happy Fall!  See you tomorrow for Tablescape Thursday!

Links referenced in this post:
Summer Porch
4th of July Porch
Summer Tablescape with Magnolia Centerpiece
Ribbon Pumpkin Tutorial
Hutch Painting Tutorial
Family Room Mantel Decorated for Fall
Pottery Barn Porch with Black Lanterns
Lantern on wicker coffee table and tealight lantern on hutch are from Colonial Candle

Spring Fluffing...Just Getting Started...

Rhoda at Southern Hospitality is having a Spring Fluffing party! If you've never visited her blog, you are in for a wonderful treat! I haven't done a lot of fluffing for spring just yet, but I did change the basket of flowers on my front door for a bit of fun!


Come on up on the porch for a little closer view...

Some spring time silliness!

Found this wreath at Pier 1 right around Easter, two years ago...

I'm getting sooo excited...you can really see spring popping out all over here in Georgia!

Happy Spring Fluffing! Click HERE to stop by Southern Hospitality for links to more spring frivolity!
Thursday is Tablescape Thursday! Mr. Linky will be up and ready for your link tomorrow (Wednesday) evening by 9:00 PM...see you then!

Changing of the Seasons...A View from the Porch... Welcome to the 8th Metamorphosis Monday!

I am awaiting a metamorphosis. I know it's coming, but I'm afraid I am not waiting very patiently. This past weekend the temps were in the 70's here...oh, what a tease!

I stretched out on the screened-in porch this weekend and looked up...this is what I saw.



I do love this view. It's kind of nice seeing the "bones" of the trees....they really are beautiful against that gorgeous blue sky!



Then my view metamorphosed to this! WUMP...that's the sound of 15 pounds of furry love landing right on top of my tummy! :-)

Now, if I can just be patient one more month, another metamorphosis will take place.



BLUE MONDAY:
I am excited to be participating in Blue Monday!


One of my co-workers shared this priceless pic of her son, Connor, with his new puppy dog. Happy Blue Monday! :-)




Can't wait to see all the great "before and afters" posted for this Met Monday!


Happy Met Monday and Blue Monday! If you are participating in Metamorphosis Monday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. If you aren't sure how to obtain your permalink or have any questions about using Mr. Linky for this post, just click on the Metamorphosis Monday logo in my sidebar for detailed instructions.

Don't forget to copy and paste the Met Monday logo button to your computer so you can add it to your side bar and your Met Monday post. That way visitors will know that your are participating in Metamorphosis Monday.

Please be sure to link back to the host blog, Between Naps on the Porch, so your fellow bloggers who are participating today, will get lots of visits, as well.

Please do not add your link below until your Met Monday post is actually published to your blog.

The following blogs are participating in this Metamorphosis Monday:

Winter Blues

A little birdie told me you had the winter blues...


So I was thinking...since Old Man Winter is here to stay for while, instead of fighting those winter blues, why don't we just embrace them.


Come on over here; I have the perfect spot for you...a comfy blue chair...


And a nice, hot cup of tea, served from a Blue Willow teapot...


How about a fluffy, soft pillow...


With a pretty, blue wreath design...


And of course, you'll need a great, blue book to go with your hot tea. Here's one of my favorites, Winter House by Charlotte Moss. Amazon says, "a Winter House is a place to recharge your body and your spirit....the perfect reference for creating your own winter sanctuary."


Winter House is full of beautiful pictures that will warm your soul...like this one. ~~SIGH~~


So, here you are...relaxing with your Winter House book...in your cozy, blue chair...


In the warm glow of a blue candle...tucked into a little blue candle holder...


With a little, blue birdie resting sweetly on some lovely, blue doilies...crocheted many years ago by my Mom :-)


I'll just tip-toe out now...enjoy those winter blues! :-)

A Purr-fect View from the Porch...

Does anyone remember this? It was the main pic for my screened-in porch posting when I posted it on Rate My Space. This is the summer view. {{{BIG SIGH}}}


When I stretched out on the settee this past summer and looked up, this was the view...

For the past few weeks, the view has been changing with each passing day. The green has given way to yellows, reds, browns and golds....and before long, it will look like this.


I will miss the lush green, but it's kind of nice to see the bones of the trees....they really are beautiful against that gorgeous blue sky, aren't they.

And then it will happen...one of those rare, warm Georgia days...right in the midst of winter. I will venture onto the porch and stretch out on the settee and look up.


This is the view I usually see next. :-) I'm not the only one in this house who misses sun-filled days...out on the porch.