Whooo Likes Owls?

My mother and I spotted this interesting owl at a yard sale several weeks ago and whooo could resist him? He is a tin wall hanging with an attractive finish.

My mother owl-ways smiles when she finds a cute bird of this variety and so we considered how we could incorporate him into her autumn décor. An unusual piece and marked just $2, we decided he would be a wise purchase. 

I had this distressed 11 by 14 frame in my stash and my husband added some neutral matboard. I attached a small plastic hook so that Mr. Owl could perch in the frame.

We felt he made more of a statement this way. 

It's a hoot how many owls we found here-and-there around the house. We snagged four of them for the mantel.

The faux branch was a find at MO Botanical Garden when we visited the end of August. I happened to have the birch-covered flower pot (left from some forced spring bulbs) so I stuck in the branch and filled the container with rice. We added small artificial leaves for fall, but will trade them for snowflakes this winter. An owlet is perched at the base and is joined by two other feathered friends (one hand-carved from wood and the other carved from stone) for a trio.

To balance the mantel and complete the owl family, or parliament, we attached this cutie to a little birch wreath we had on hand.

A wise old owl lived in an oak. The more he saw, the less he spoke. The less he spoke, the more he heard. Why can't we all be like that wise old bird?

                                                           Edward Hershey Richards

Zucchini Casserole

This recipe is my grandma's and is always enjoyed by our family. It goes together easily and tastes good! I recently served it with fresh spinach salad and garlic bread.

Helen's Zucchini Casserole

2 cups rotini pasta, cooked and drained

1 medium zucchini, washed and thinly sliced into coins with skin on

sliced pepperoni (I used turkey)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 jar traditional-style pasta sauce

Place 1 cup cooked and drained rotini pasta in the bottom of a 2 quart casserole pan which has been lightly sprayed. On top, add a layer of sliced zucchini so that pieces are touching, but not overlapping. Cover zucchini with a layer of pepperoni in the same fashion. Sprinkle a cup of shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Drizzle about a 1/2 cup pasta sauce over all. Top with another cup of pasta and repeat same steps as above, but this time increase amount of pasta sauce to suit your liking. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until dish is bubbling and top is golden.

For a printable version, click here.

Have a wonderful weekend!

A Quick Project

I recently tucked-in a quick project and that's something I always enjoy! I spotted this little diamond-in-the-rough at a yard sale. Immediately, I could envision it as a refreshed upcycled piece. At about 20 inches tall, it appeared just the perfect size for something like towels or lotions in a bathroom. The rack was 50 cents; the layer of hairspray grime on it was free. 😉

After a good scrubbing and thorough drying, I gave it a fresh coat of off-white spray paint (which is about the same as the original color). I felt the shells needed some depth, though,  so I grabbed my Rub n' Buff. If you're not familiar, it's a wax-based product that you apply with your finger or a soft cloth to a painted surface. After application, you rub the area to achieve a metallic finish. It comes in many colors and I have two. To take a look at a few previous times I have used Rub n' Buff, you can click here. For these shells, I used a combination of both gold leaf and copper.

For show purposes, I tossed a few bottles/tubes on the top tier and rolled-up a hand towel for the bottom. 

I think it's ready to be hung and put into commission. What do you think of my 50 cent project? 

Happy Fall!

It's officially fall! I, for one, am ready for all things related to the season. I love pumpkins, gourds, colored leaves and cooler temperatures. 

This display was part of MO Botanical's décor last year. Isn't it tasteful and inviting? Autumn is supposed to arrive late to our area this year. Our weather conditions will result in the leaves clinging to the trees a little longer and turning a little more slowly. In fact, our height of color is not expected until early November. I have observed other indicators to be pretty punctual, however. Persimmons are already dropping, acorns are "popping", the squirrels are busy harvesting and hiding nuts and the deer are starting to develop their darker coats. This particular season never seems to last long enough and since summer went so quickly, I expect fall to pass at a similar speed. Are you ready for it? I have done a smidgen of decorating and just hung my new print this weekend. Using this picture I took last year while  looking up into our maple, I had a 16 by 20 poster made (you can do the same and don't forget to use a coupon!).

Are you a fan of fall? If so, what do you most like about it? Blessings to you!

'Pumpkin' to Make...

As you decorate for fall, you may want a few ideas of "pumpkin" to make for your seasonal décor. These ideas appeared in previous posts over the past few years and are quick and easy.

How about mini pumpkins made from copper scrubbers? 

You can read about making one by clicking here.

How about a pumpkin made from a roll of toilet paper and fall fabric?

You can put one together by reading the directions here.

These are nothing fancy or elaborate, but are just a little "pumpkin" for you to consider making! 

Getting Ready for Fall, Y'all!

With fall right around the corner, I have the solarium ready for the season. This throw is actually a shawl from Target's Dollar Spot (for $7) that someone told me was available. I dashed in and found that they had a few different patterns, but I was only interested in the cobalt and mustard one. 

I had the sunflower pillow. I made it a few years ago by purchasing a plain pillow and hot gluing on a giant sunflower blossom.

If you have followed my blog for any length of time, the autumn arrangement probably looks very familiar to you. Fall colors really speak to me, so I always enjoy putting it all together.

One tiny piece of preparing for autumnal equinox is accomplished. Now I need to plan out the rest of the house! 

Are you ready for fall, y'all?

Tuesday's Tablescape

How would you like to enjoy some tea on the patio?

Would you like to use these lovely pieces? This set was shared with us from my husband's side of the family. Great Aunt Betty owned this hydrangea pattern teapot, plus the dessert plates, cups, saucers, creamer and sugar. Although I never had the pleasure of meeting her, I am told she loved pretty things. If this set is any indication, I'm of the opinion that she had great taste!

It's the time of year when real hydrangeas begin drying in place on the shrubs. Many people enjoy snipping and preserving them for decorative purposes.

I wish you could have joined me for this 

little outside par-tea ! 

Summer Evenings Rock

rock: 

   *minerals that have been cemented, squeezed and heated or melted and cooled together 

     *a slang phrase of praise or encouragement conveying "awesome"

Nothing beats a little evening time on the patio and we try our best to do just that each day, if possible.

Several times this summer I have intended to share something unique from our patio. Look at my candle trio.

They may look a bit like baked potatoes at first glance, but they're real granite stones. My husband got them for me as a gift last Christmas after finding them through a boulder company. I think it's clever the way they were drilled out in the center of the rock so that tea lights could be inserted.

Although unrelated to the candles, here are pictures of our new patio umbrella and cushions which we replaced last May. 

No matter how hectic or crazy or stressful the day, everything seems better while sitting on the patio enjoying the garden,  watching the wildlife and listening to nature's symphony of crickets and treefrogs. At this point of the summer, the flowers are tired and spent, the orchestration is a bit more sparce and nighttime falls earlier each day. 

 Still, we think summer evenings "rock" !

Tuesday's Tablescape

It's apple season, so a perfect time to use my new-to-me placemats! My aunt gave them to me and I think they are adorable.

My apple-shaped vintage glass snackset plates are resting on top of solid white dinner plates.

A centerpiece of faux apples and a vintage linen complete the table.

I have a fondness for vintage pieces and this cloth belonged to my great grandma. She then gave the apple print textile to my mother decades ago and she shared it with me a few years back. We calculate it to be about 70 years old.

I hope your day was apple-lutely wonderful! 🍎

National Teddy Bear Day

Did you know that September 9 is the day that teddy bears are celebrated? This iconic childhood toy came about after President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear during a hunting trip. From what I have read, a black bear was tied to a tree so that the president could shoot him. Even though Mr. Roosevelt was an outdoorsman, he refused to fire his gun since it would have been inhumane to kill the bear under such a circumstance. This incident popularized bears and when a stuffed animal in their likeness was created, it was named in honor of Theodore Roosevelt. Yet today, the teddy bear is a common toy for young children. I still have my childhood bear.

I do believe he was a gift from my grandparents when I was a baby. You can see that he no longer sits up very straight or tall and his fur looks a bit worn, but he has been around for many years. While I was fond of him and my other stuffed animals, I was always preferred playing with my dolls.

My other teddy bear is actually a Boston terrier bear and was a 40th birthday gift from my sister and her family. He, by contrast, does sit up straight and tall and he still has thick and soft fur. How about you? Did you have a teddy bear growing up and, is he still around?

I hope you had a "beary" good day!

Little Things to Make You Smile

I love butterflies and thought I was familiar with most of those common to our state, but this was a new one to me. Meet the pipevine swallowtail. 

Isn't it a beauty? We found several of them feeding on the roses at MO Botanical Garden on a recent sunny day. Although lovely to look at, pipevine swallowtails have the good fortune of having bitter-tastng body fluids and so they are typically ignored by predators. 

As we strolled the garden, we enjoyed seeing a few pieces of the Chihuly glass which has been on permanent display since the exhibit was at MO Botanical back in 2006. I was drawn to the color combination in this section of the lily pad pond.

Just as I was taking this photo, though, I noticed something flitting about on the water's surface and discovered a drowning dragonfly. I grabbed a small twig and fished him out to safety. He is shown below recovering on the concrete edge.

I decided it would be best to leave this little guy in some nearby shrubbery where he could camouflage.

This "guard frog" was in our backyard this weekend. While my husband was mowing, he discovered the little amphibian in the opening of one of the bluebird houses we have at the edge of the woods. This was the best shot we have because each time he tried to step toward the house, the frog would disappear inside!

I cropped the below picture in an effort to show you a closeup. A few weeks ago my aunt shared a "guard frog" she had at her home in FL so it made me laugh when I heard that we had the same experience last weekend!

Don't forget to see and appreciate the small things in life! They will make you smile.

Tuesday's Tablescape

I hope you had a nice Labor Day yesterday. I find it hard to believe that it's September! I enjoy the late summer blossoms that come this time of year. 

Those blossoms, arranged in a vintage watering can, are what inspired today's tablescape. 

You have seen these plates used for previous tablescapes of mine. I love the rich colors.

Are you ready for September?