Fall Mantel

(I want to thank Alderberry Hill and Boogieboard Cottage for featuring this post!)
Hi, everyone!  I've been reluctant to say goodbye to summer, but with the cooler temps and the changing leaves, I can't resist any longer.  So in the spirit of the new season, I made a few changes to 'fallify' (is that a word?) my mantel.

I left most of the mantel vignette the same, just tweaked it a little to bring in some fall flavor.  'Keep it simple' is my motto.  First, I stamped these little tags then clipped them onto my shabby white frame with my new glittery clothespins. (I got these on my Columbus trip, and I love them!)

 Then, I replaced a dried hydrangea that was in the enamel container with branches. 

Next, I added these tiny pumpkins that I got at a sale last year...they're not real (I think they're made of resin) but they look close to the real thing, and I still think they're adorable!

Finally,  I replaced the chippy candle holders that were on the end with a metal crow that I'd forgotten was in my basement. (Yes, I could open a shop in my basement!  My friend Suzanne said that my basement would make the best/most stylish episode of 'hoarders' ever! Ha! :)

So that's it!  Like I said, I'm all about keepin' it simple!  But I think it still gets the message of 'fall' across.  (Just for comparison, here are some pics of my mantel before the changes.)
Thanks for stopping by!  Until next time, have a wonderful day! :)

I'm linking to these great parties:   Twigg Studios
                                                  My 1929 Charmer

                                                  Debbiedoos
                                                  You Are Talking Too Much 
                                                  Alderberry Hill
                                                  i should be mopping the floor
                                                  Sunny Simple Life
                                                  Boogieboard Cottage 
                                                  The Dedicated House
                                                  Coastal Charm
                                                  My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia 
                                                  Cozy Little House 
                                                  Shabby Art Boutique
                                                  Cedar Hill Ranch
                                                  Knick of Time
                                                  Get Outta My Head Please
                                                  A Stroll Thru Life
                                                  Jennifer Rizzo
                                                  DIY by Design
                                                  Primp
                                                  The Brambleberry Cottage
                                                  The Vintage Farmhouse
                                                  Have a Daily Cup of Mrs.Olsen
                                                  Rooted in Thyme
                                                  Common Ground
                                                  Fresh Eggs Daily
                                                  aka design
                                                  live laugh rowe
                                                  Lavender Garden Cottage
                                                  Stuff and Nonsense 

Home Sweet Home

Hi, everyone!  As many of you know, my mom and I own a little shop, called Home Sweet Home.  We carry what I call 'recycled homegoods'...a mix of vintage, farmhouse, industrial and rustic furniture and home furnishings.  A lot like my house!  So I thought I would share some recent pictures from our shop...
A local artist made these little pumpkins especially for us...this is the last one left!

Isn't it the cutest thing ever?

We just brought in bunches of dried hydrangeas...they're my favorite flower (besides lavender!)  They make such a statement wherever you place them.  We've used old coffee sacks for curtains, and placed one on a vintage ladder.

This huge, heavy metal basket is one of the coolest things we've seen!  I'm tempted to keep it (hazards of the job-ha!)  

Here is a little vignette in front of an old, chippy door...

 A gorgeous wicker loveseat surrounded by neutral accents...

I'm lovin this old metal bread box that my mom found...so many possibilities!

Well, that gives you a glimpse of our little shop.  You can see more pics and like us on our Facebook Page Home Sweet Home Decor.  Thanks so much for stopping by...I appreciate you all so much!  Have a fantastic week :)
I'm linking to these great parties:
                                             Twigg Studios
                                             Sunny Simple Life
                                             i should be mopping the floor
                                             Boogieboard Cottage
                                             Shabby Art Boutique
                                             My 1929 Charmer
                                             Debbiedoos
                                             aka design
                                             A Lived in Home 
                                             Kathe with an E 
                                             Knick of Time 
                                             Coastal Charm
                                             The Ivy Cottage Blog 

More Fun Finds

Hi, everyone!  I'm continuing to show you the fun treasures that I scored last Thursday and Friday in Columbus.  Some of these items came from the Country Living Fair, and some from the other shops that we hit during our shopping bonanza!  So here goes...I've been wanting one of these for awhile.  I've seen them called feed cups, or grain buckets.  I just think they're cool!  I got this one at Heritage Square Antique Mall.

Not sure what these are, but I thought they were SO cute, and fit in with my little bowling pin collection.  I got them from Polly at Georgie Emerson.

This cool bucket was also from Polly's shop.  Love the castors!  I put it beside the fireplace with some old maps in it (also from Polly)-I thought when it gets cooler, it would be a fun way to store some firewood.

This old crate came from Country Living and I love its rustic, imperfect charm!

 I just threw some dried hydrangeas in it, which I also just bought (I need to arrange them better-ha!) and placed the arrangement in the center of my dining room table.

Also from Country Living...this little divided drawer.

...and this old bicycle basket to hold magazines...

This fun little canteen came from the antique mall...

I've hung it over the shoe rack in the hallway.

I thought this rack was really unusual.  I filled it with some other goodies that I got on this shopping trip (old bingo cards, a wooden weight, and lavender from my friend's yard.)

And of course, the word that sums it all up...

Love it! :)   Well, that's most of my finds.  I got a few other things, but these are the ones that I've gotten placed (at least temporarily) in my house, and have gotten pictures of!  Thanks for stopping by and hanging in with me...have a fantastic week!
I'm linking to these wonderful parties: Southern Hospitality
                                                       The Dedicated House
                                                       Cozy Little House 
                                                       The Ivy Cottage Blog
                                                       The Ironstone Nest 

Country Living Finds

My head is still spinning from all of the fantastic 'junk' that we saw at the Country Living Fair!  There were SO many things that I would've loved to have!  One of the hardest things for me was deciding what to take home, and what to leave there.  As a bargain hunter by nature, sometimes I have to override that urge to save, and splurge a little if something is extra unique and calling my name. Something like this...

This is my favorite find of the day!  It was sitting across the aisle, filled with potted mums, and was calling, no yelling, my name!  (Remember how I hear voices of things calling me?)  I LOVE locker baskets, and this is what it would look like if a very large locker basket and a stand (which I love stands, too) had a baby-a very cool baby!

 It was so unusual, nothing like I've ever seen, and although I wasn't sure what I was gonna do with it, or where it was gonna go, it had to be mine.

It has this perfect patina (a little bluish green on it), and is a cute size-not too big, not too small.  For now I've tucked it next to my shelving unit in the living room...we'll see if it stays there...?

There were SO many fabulous, industrial stands and display units at different booths (some very similar to this Literature Rack-isn't it great? or this Rotary Magazine Rack which would be such cool storage for my hoards of home decor magazines!)  I have a weakness for these, but most of them at Country Living either weren't for sale, or were WAY over my budget, so I happily settled for this little guy! Any other ideas what I could use it for?

 Here's another one of my fun finds of the day...

Some sort of large metal thing (maybe to do with a farm or chickens or machinery, or does anyone know?)  I just love its rusty crusty goodness, and thought it would make a fun cloche!  Many vendors had cool rustic pieces, made of wood or metal (a lot like these Decorative Accents, which I love!)

 

I've placed it over a bird that my hubby and I got during a weekend get-away a few years ago in Pittsburgh.  (These birds were at a little specialty home shop there before I started seeing them pop up at some big name stores.)

For now, it's on our cat Bobbi's sleeping spot in the sunroom...who knows where it will end up or what will eventually be under it...?

So there's a taste of my weekend finds, starting with these 2 goodies...what do you think? More to come soon!  :)
I'm linking to these wonderful blogs:
                                            Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olsen
                                            Rooted in Thyme
                                            The Brambleberry Cottage 
                                            Katherine's Corner
                                            The Ironstone Nest 

Shopping Bonanza

(Thank you to Sunny Simple Life for featuring this post!) This past Thursday and Friday I had so much fun-tons of shopping, eating, and laughing...what could be better?  My friend Suzanne and I have been friends since kindergarten (that's a 40 year friendship!!)  We have an annual tradition: I drive about 2 hours to Columbus (where she lives) on Thursday, and we shop til we drop; then I spend the night, and on Friday we get up early, grab something yummy at Tim Horton's, then head to the Country Living Fair, where we shop even more!  But before I get to our shopping adventures, I want to show you a few pictures that I snapped of Suzanne's house.

 The vintage typewriter was her grandfather's, and the lavender was snipped from her own yard. (I was happy to go home with my own little bunch that she snipped for me!)  This green cabinet is in her office-it's gorgeous and filled with lots of goodies that she's picked up at flea markets and antique stores!

Next to the cabinet is this little vignette. The fantastic bouquet of dried hydrangeas was also grown by her.

This little nook is in her kitchen right behind the sink.  The stand was a housewarming gift from my shop, and it looks perfect here!

Here is a cute and colorful area of her living room.

Ok...now on to the shopping!  We started out at Heritage Square Antique Mall, where we spent a couple of hours gathering up treasures.  Next on our list was Polly's new shop Georgie Emerson, which we rushed to, hoping she'd be open...and we just barely caught her as she was closing up!  She graciously let us back in, and we were so happy that she did!  She has the CUTEST store in the cutest space! (Check out her blog for more info!)

It was filled with fun stuff, and we found a few goodies to take home with us! (I'll show you all of my 'spoils' later!)  Polly is such a sweetheart, and we always enjoy chatting with her!

She told us that we had to check out a shop down the road called CornerSmiths.  Wow, what a fun shop!  It is owned by a mother-daughter team, and they really have an eye for merchandising! (Check out their Facebook Page!)

They had tons of unique items, and we didn't go home empty handed from there, either!  (I sure wish this huge drawer unit was mine-do you remember how I feel about drawers?!)

The next day was Country Living heaven!  It's such a feast for the eyes, with so much inspiration everywhere you look!  This huge cornstalk wreath was so eye-catching!

I loved this whole display, as it was such a stunning palette of black and white!

This was an enormous glass case filled with beautiful treasures...so creative!

 I was hoping to take many more pictures, but we were so caught up in the shopping frenzy that I didn't take the time...however, I will take pictures of all my finds from these 2 days, and share them with you soon!  Hope you all have a wonderful week!

I'm linking to these great parties:

Twigg Studios

                                                       I Should Be Mopping the Floor
                                                       Sunny Simple Life
                                                       Debbiedoo's
                                                       Boogieboard Cottage
                                                       Shabby Art Boutique
                                                       Alderberry Hill 
                                                       Get Outta My Head Please
                                                       Knick of Time
                                                       The Farmhouse Porch
                                                       Coastal Charm
                                                       Primp
                                                       Lavender Garden Cottage