Pottery Barn to the Rescue!

I have a constant issue with the clutter at the end of the counter in my kitchen.  It's a spot close to the walk-in area from the back door and all the mail gets piled there.  I always have those things I can't decide what to do with and                    

I started using this basket for putting them in...... The opening is a standard 8 x 11 paper size, but no room for anything else...I needed more space to place more items, like my note pads, pens, and the mail pile!

This is my new basket from Pottery Barn...much larger and more stylish!

(The Farina Farm Wire collection)

I also found these wonderful cloth napkins at Pottery Barn that I planned to use as a liner for the basket....

These are extra cloth napkins I also bought so I can change the look whenever I feel the urge!

I also found the Farm Wire candle holder and this adorable clay pot with a sunflower...they have such interesting stuff there!

I lined the inside bottom of the candle holder with the "hydrangea clippings" they sell at Pottery Barn....

Here is the basket with the mail and note pads in it... Hopefully this will work better than my last idea!





  

This glass vase and potpourri are also from Pottery Barn ..yummy scent of  Autumn Spice....

Fall fun at Mom's...

While visiting my Mom I did a little tablescaping with her coffee table....she has a very traditional living room with soft blues, pinks and ivory.  Her table was decorated with her multiple pewter candlestick holders, dressed with Pink candles and small muslin adornments....along with all her blue and white delft pottery pieces... 

She had this new candle holder that we decided would look nice on the coffee table...

It was too short on the table so I located a large 10" wide crystal bowl with a wide flat bottom, turned it upside down, and set this candle holder on top of it...used some tacky wax to keep it from moving...
Mom had a bunch of these candles already so we replaced the pink ones with these dark cinnamon brown ones...
My sister had made these little clustered fall leaf pieces that we slid over top of the candles...I used some ivy sprays she had and grouped them around the crystal bowl to hide it... I think it turned out well!  

This little ceramic bird was already on the table, I put some coarse fake straw in the pewter dish and put the bird on top!  Ain't she tweet!

                      Mom's home is a bit of a time capsule, but we love it!

I picked up this metal pumpkin carriage at Hobby Lobby, and I bought a bouquet of flowers in fall colors.  I stuffed the inside with this coarse artificial straw, then I cut stems from the bouquet, and inserted them into the carriage....I made a small bow and attached it to the top...I put this on the table where the candle holder had been...

Crazy for Sunflowers!

 After taking a look around and noticing how many sunflower items I have..  I have to admit that I must be crazy for sunflowers!!  I do love the cheerful color it brings in...Of course mine are not natural, but I do love them either way...
I found this large verdi finish tin vase at Pier 1 Imports on markdown....I put some sand in the bottom to give it weight and to anchor the sticks and stems....

 I try to incorporate a french feeling to my decorating, although sometimes it's just good ole' country!

I recently acquired this sunflower trivet discounted only because a rubber foot was missing...I fixed that!!

I love the picture on the left with the pottery and sunflowers...It hangs on the wall leading down the stairway from the kitchen...it's viewable from the kitchen and the dinette table.....
My other sunflowers on the right are on my little desk....

Last but not least, sunflowers on a large serving platter from my Rooster dishes called Chanticleer by Sakura.....

Projects.....

Fall Blessings Project...

These are the supplies I started with, a glass plate- painted from underneath with a copper finish. A bag of orange colored moss, a few artificial branches, some ceramic  pumpkins, stacked pumpkins on a stick, and candles.  I only used one candle, turned out to be too many items!

This is the final result....

This is the backside view...

My Bargain Priced Frame Project....

I picked up this frame at T.J. Maxx for $10... I bought a poster with an Italian Countryside picture.  I used the matting that came with the frame to create this multi scene look....         

 This is the poster I selected.  I removed the matting from the frame and laid it on top of it the poster and chose my spot to use.  I traced the outside of the matting and cut it out..

      

     This is a view of the poster after I cut out my selected area...

I forgot to take a picture of the frame before I painted it, but I used a Dark Bronze spray paint on it, then I highlighted it with a Gold paint, by lightly dusting it with the spray paint.  I also masked off the inside edge that already had a soft gold finish to it.