FALL CHANGES AROUND THE HOUSE

After pleading for help with a good recipe for turkey burgers I am now equipped with enough information to eat them every night for a month.  Which I might do because even though I am creative around the house.........the kitchen is not my area of expertise.  

I always say that I put one in just for resale.

I am full on with getting everything ready for my room install at the UMCH.  I met the electricians yesterday to change out the overhead lights.  The painters are coming on Thursday.  I am vacillating on my paint color.......thinking maybe I should go darker.

Butch with Oak Street Electrical donated his time to change out the 3 lights and move the cable for me.  It seems like everyone is pitching in!

Going to Ikea today for some power shopping....not really looking forward to dragging all of the boxes off shelves but it's gotta be done.  I did go yesterday to look at everything I need and write down the info.  That should make it easier.

Or not.  Could get distracted.  

And now the reason for this post.....one more picture of what has been happening around here.  The only new thing I bought is the black vase on the top shelf [left bookcase].  Ikea.  6.00.

Still working on a few things.......waiting for a nice sunny day to take some pictures.

Kick Tuesday in the butt......

Shafreaka

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MY FALL MANTEL

In the summer I use my white slipcovers and then in the fall I do the big changeover which requires the energy of Superman.

A few trips to the attic....maybe I put them away clean  and maybe not.

Thank goodness last spring  I did because I have the mother of all colds and it required every last bit of effort I could possibly pull from my body.

How do you Moms do it with a cold???  I rarely remember my Mom being sick in bed....she just plowed through.  I feel like I have the Keebler Elves inside of me making snot like there is no tomorrow.

I guess that's what over the counter meds are for.  Of course I get to the cold and flu isle and it's like my IQ drops to an all time low.    I mean....seriously just trying to figure out which one to buy puts me in a dither.  I mistakenly took something the other night before bed and did not realize until the next morning that it was the non drowsy version.  Crikey, I was up all night.

But....back to what is important.

In the fall I take down the large oil over my mantel.  This keeps me from getting tired of it.  I know you guys have that same affliction.

Here is what I came up with.

I think I have said this before but the Magnolia leaves will last forever...especially since I put them in water.  Lucky for me I have 3 trees in my backyard so I can change them out when needed.  Nothing new here people....

I bought those galvanized tubs at Scott's a couple of years ago for about 20.00 each.

I decided to leave the green shutters up pretty much because I did not feel like trying to find another place for them.  Besides...I do like a little color in a room.....

You can see in the background I revamped my bookshelves.  I do not do this but twice a year.  It's exhausting getting all the crap out and then putting the leftovers away.

Not to mention the part where you have to keep looking at it a million times to see if it is working.

I am saving the rest for another post.  

Why not.

Here is a picture of my new purse.

I love the vintage look of it.  You can see more styles here.

That is all I can squeeze out.......gotta go blow my nose.

I hope everyone is healthy right now....

Sheriky Freaky

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Fall changeover.....part 2

I think before I finish up with pictures of my changeover, I have a little something to say about styling and changing your decor.  Just like in fashion, they are now updating home decor at a more rapid pace.  Where  people used to re-decorate every 10-15 years....then every 5-7 years, it almost seems like after a couple of years a room can seem dated.  In my opinion that just means  it is so much more important to carefully choose your larger items like upholstery and such, making sure that they are neutral enough to withstand the trends.

In fashion the basics such as black pants and a good pair of jeans can be re-accessorized without always starting over.  A new pair of boots, scarfs, jewelry and a great bag will do the same thing as taking a room, changing out pillows, and a few things to freshen it up.

I only changed out one piece of furniture, a table for 39.00.  Everything else has been achieved by shopping my home, hitting some retail stores and moving things around.  The good thing, is in the spring when I put the white slipcovers back on, I probably won't put all the things I removed back in the same place.  So it will again look different!  To me this is fun, but I have friends who take pictures of how their house looks so they can always put it back together the same way.

I say, get in there and move it around!

Ok...on to part 2 of what has been happening around here.

Here is a before shot of a corner that now looks pretty darn bland to me :)

And now after a few changes

The only thing new is the small black table that I purchased from Homegoods and the floor lamp from Target.  I wanted the one in the next picture....

So bad...but the price difference was 110.00.  Dang...now after seeing it again I STILL want it.

I had the Ikea white pillows and throw from last summer.  I also had the artillery basket for about 10 years.  I have used it off and on.....AND, the pictures came from another bedroom.

Nothing new here except that little electrical box from Home Depot that the candle is in.

The glass jar thing had coral in it and I just added some old books and a bundle of raffia.

OK...this I've had forever.....the wooden bowl.  I took some old books and tore off the covers, tied them with twine and threw a cream beaded necklace over them.

Another before shot

Had it all.....
The other side of the console.....before

After

I got the phone last month at Scott's.  It was one of my 20.00 purchases...

Before......

What's new here....the frames [Michaels with 40% off coupon],  the pictures I had purchased from Scott's a while back.  I was never sure where I was going to use them but here they are!  The 2 glass jars that I will put candles in are from Target.
We are almost done....Am I losing you?????

I have had this sign in my room for at least 15 years.  It is so funny that old signs [especially black] are kind of trendy right now.

Hang in there...we are almost done.  The basket from West Elm.

Close up of the hide which has been in almost every room now!

We're done...I swear!  For now anyway!  Ha Ha, we know it is never done.  Want to hear something funny?????  The only thing my husband noticed was the black table!  Swear.  Cause it is near his chair.....That's good in a way....:)

OK...stay tuned for the keeping area and the kitchen, that's how I roll.....can't stop now.

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The "Oh NOT so simple act of changing the slipcovers"......Part One

Well......after shopping my whole house, my garage, and my attic and some drawers I think my episode of "fall styling" is done.  Could I have done more...absolutely but the whole purpose is to not break the bank. Oh yea.... you know I could.  Once when my husband and I were in the car driving to Florida [5 hours and no where to hide!] he and I were talking finances [I rather wrassle with an Alligator] He looked at me and asked "How much money do you think we will need for retirement?"  My reply: "Is that a trick question?"

A few before with afters....  

White slipcovers, art over mantle which I do LOVE and posted when I found at Scott's.  It will be back in April!

 Switched it out to a tobacco basket that I had gotten at Scott's for 25.00  Added the candle sticks that I already had, as well as the hand and mercury glass object.  Also, see the clamp light over the bookcase???  That is my take on some industrial which you can buy at Home Depot for about 6.00...and the good thing is that they work.  I only put a 40 watt bulb in for soft light.

Another shot of before....you will see lot's of different things in my bookcases as I change them if I have 10 min to spare :)

And after....

Another before "summer" shot

More summer color....

The flax slipcovers that start the whole "gig".  I did buy the black and white pillow covers [west elm] had the cow hide [from another bedroom] had the burlap pillow.

 Here is a close up of the tray which I got at Target.  It is actually a mirror and it was on clearance!

Just re- accessorized a little by adding the rope ball [had it].

 The lampshade was an old one I had in the basement and I just cut strips of burlap and used stitch witchery to iron the strips together.  The took it and wrapped it around the shade and secured with hot glue.  Yep...had the burlap also.  But...did get the lamp at Target on clearance for 20.00.  Even better!  I actually had a lamp, but I liked this one better.

Another shot of the pillows.

Here are some closeups of the bookshelves before

And after....

 The only think that is new is the black vase on the very top.  West Elm.

 I had some old books that I just tore off the bindings.

 I had all of this also, so I just took the paintbrushes [from Michaels purchased a while back] that had been in glass jars before and put them in this bowl with some black stones.

Here is the other bookcase.  The only thing new is the small black vase which I also purchased at West Elm.

 Stay tuned for part 2 that I will post  tomorrow!  I hope I have given you a few ideas that you can do seriously by just shopping your own house.  OK...so maybe I did get a little carried away, that is my personality!

I have read all the post about  "Nategate".  Good and Bad.  You know what...in the long run I think most people [when pressed] will say it was a memorable experience.  I wish I could have been there.  Am I bitter........you betcha!

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