Wishing it were fall...

I'm itchin' to decorate for fall. I'm counting the days until we get to take another trip to the cabin (and it WILL be fall there!). I'm ready to be done with temps in the 90s and the heat index being over 100. 

So in the spirit...I've starting my annual hunt for decorating ideas. Here are a few that I have filed away...

Love this! I'll have to see if I can drum up an old wheelbarrow or wagon and do something like this on the front deck.

These would be pretty on the mantle...

Simple garland made from pine cones, open weave ribbon and rope.

More pine cones! This wreath could go all the way thru Christmas just by changing the ribbon - or not...if you're not stuck on traditional colors.

I wonder if I could pull this off using my old milk tin...

Love the stacked benches...I think i'm a Prim girl at heart....

See a theme?  

Heavenly...

This could use some work, but it's a starting place...I do have 2 red rockers at the cabin...

LOVE the old gate and the wall pocket - I might let go of my mirrored stars over the mantle for something like this...although it would look just as good over the bench on the front deck.

Here are a few photos from years (many) past of the FL house in various stages of Fall Dress...

Ok this one was more Halloween - obviously. It is weird seeing my house with a blue door.

The giant wreath that used to hang in the middle of the front wall...

Obviously fall in FL since everything is still green and I have to use fake pumpkins and mums Totally not exciting...

I wish Autumn would just hurry up and get here...it's one of my most favorite things!

Project Update - mail organizer

HERE is my blog post from July 30 (my how time flies...) when I mentioned running across THIS blog post on Beth's blog.

The short version of the story is that Beth and I both bought this ugly vintage doohicky that I have decided is a mail organizer.

When Beth posted her project, she had recently picked hers (top photo) at her local Goodwill. I picked mine (bottom photo) up at my local Goodwill...a year ago! How weird is that?

So Beth turned her ugly plastic faux wood vintage treasure into an adorable organization piece for her quilting!

She went PINK! A girl after my own heart...

And my Heritage White spray paint is still MIA...and I haven't gone to buy more. So I used what I had on hand. And I SWEAR I took photos during the process and yet there don't seem to be any. Such is life...i'm out of memory cards to look at.

First I washed it, then gave it a quick sanding with a sanding sponge. Then I rinsed it off and let it air dry. Then I hung it from a plant hook in the Cedar tree in the back yard and sprayed the heck out of it with a rusty brown color primer (that is actually for metal).  Then I found a can of spray paint that I cannot remotely fathom what it was purchased for - it's only half a can, so we used it on something. The color is a pale metallic gold. Turns out it was more metallic than I thought. I don't have anything in my house this color...woo hoo! Mystery paint!

So after the primer was dry, I coated it with this gold paint. I didn't care for it. At all. So I distressed the high areas with my trusty sanding sponge. Still not loving it. Then it sat on my desk untouched for a few weeks where I would give it dirty looks while I was playing Scramble on FaceBook. 

This past weekend I decided I really needed to do SOMETHING with it. So I whipped out my trusty brown ZIG dual point and detailed all the little grooves. 

There are a LOT of little grooves...better, but not quite there.  So while I was staring at my supplies I did what was natural. Grabbed my brown ink pad. 

I use it for EVERYTHING.

So I went to town on the high spots with my ink pad and ended up with...

 

This...which was then given two coats of clear, even though the ink doesn't seem to be coming off. Just to be on the safe side!

I don't love it, but it's a zillion times better than it was!

What's in bloom?

It's been a rainy weekend here in O-town. Oddly, it hasn't forced the cirnums to bloom...maybe later this week.

However, the Gloriosa Lilies are starting to bloom!

I love my outdoor rug...simple and gorgeous!

I love how they look like little campfires!

Nothing blooming on this side yet, but they will...I really need to hang a trellis here for them to climb.

Also blooming in the back 40...

Down the side yard...

Even the liriope is blooming...

Mmmm snacks for the iguana girls!

Magazine Deals!

I get most of my magazine supscriptions thru Publication Station. I can't believe I used to pay upwards of $30 a year for Southern Living! Today I received notice that all the Auto magazines are on sale. $2.75-$8.50 a year! I like to do gift subscriptions when they come up cheap like this - I'll order it and then print out a card with the magazine logo and add it to the gift or a stocking. What's super awesome is that you can usually order up to THREE YEARS at sale price! If you already get the magazine, they'll extend your current subscription. They're usually pretty quick to get the magazines coming too.

Totally legit company! I currently get the following magazines that i've ordered thru PS for next to nothing: Weight Watchers, Everyday Rachel Ray, Southern Living, This Old House and Popular Mechanics. So I'm off right now to order MM&FF for Mr. Paisley (ok, and myself, we share)

For a limited time only

Our entire Automobile/Cars/Trucks/Bikes category is
ON SALE NOW!

5.0 Mustang and Super Ford $7.00/yr
ATV Rider $6.25/yr
Car and Driver $4.50/yr
Chevy High Performance $7.50/yr
Circle Track $5.00/yr
Dirt Rider $3.50/yr
European Car $6.00/yr
Eurotuner $7.00/yr
Four Wheeler $3.50/yr
GM High Performance $7.50/yr
Hot Bike $3.75/yr
Hot Rod $5.50/yr
Modified $8.75/yr
Motorcyclist $2.75/yr
Motor Trend $2.75/yr
Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords $3.99/yr
Popular Hot Rodding $5.50/yr
Racer X Illustrated $7.75/yr
Road & Track $4.75/yr
Road Racer X $6.75/yr
Super Chevy $3.75/yr

We accept all major credit cards, check, money order and PAYPAL.
 NO DEBIT OR GIFT CREDIT CARDS PLEASE!!!

Publication Station

Morning update

Mr. Spider must have packed up and moved on in the night because there was no trace of him...err her ? or the web this morning...so no dew covered web shots sparkling in the morning light...

Happy Friday everyone!

Rain RAIN go away...

I pulled into the driveway at 6:42 this evening and the rain started coming down at that exact moment. We got a good, steady, soaking rain - great for the yard since it's been so hot. The heat index was 110 today before the rain...welcome to summer in Florida. While the rain was steady, it didn't qualify for torrential downpour status...the thunder and lightening on the other hand...HOLY BUCKETS! The windows were rattling. Things on shelves were rattling. The iguanas were on point (funny how animals are keenly aware of the weather). The rain finally let up about 30 minutes ago and Mr. Paisley went out back for some reason and someone has been busy...

This is not for the squeamish! It's creeping me out just thinking about it. Spiders...I HATE them. They give me the willies. Anything larger than a pencil eraser and i'm done. Blech! So here's what's been going on out back this evening. Looks like the bats have a little competition for dinner tonight.

Seriously? Do you see the size of that thing? I have no idea how I will ever get to sleep tonight knowing that it's practically right outside my bedroom window. Are you imagining how big that web is?! The gray blob in the background is a Mustang. The umbrella over the hot tub is a 10' spread! ACK!

Mr. Paisley suggested that I get up in the morning and take better photos when it's all covered with dew...ummmm yeah. I'll think about it. I'm sure it would be amazing, but ummm we'll see how well they come out with the zoom lens from the deck.

And on that note...I think i'll link up to the Outdoor Wednesday party at A Southern Daydreamer!

ACK!

Nutty Maple Muffins

So this recipe was in my most recent copy of Simple & Delicious - it sounded good and I have this big counter hogging gorgeous Gloss Cinnamon Kitchen-Aid Mixer that doesn't get used nearly enough. So I picked up the  missing ingredients when I went to Publix over the weekend.

makes 1 1/2 dozen

1 egg

1 C (8oz) sour cream

1 C maple syrup

1/3 C canola oil

2 1/2 C Oatmeal Crisp Almond Cereal

1 1/3 C all-purpose flour

1/4 C brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

2/3 C chopped pecans

In a large bowl, whisk egg, sour cream, syrup and oil; stir in cereal. Let stand for 5 minutes. In another large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and baking soda. Stir in sour cream mixture just until moistened. Fold in pecans.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 375 for 18-22 min or until they pass the toothpick test. Cool for 5 min before removing from the pan, then move to wire rack. Serve warm.

I make a mess when I bake...

egg, sour cream, syrup, oil and cereal

I was feeling patriotic...

Now I have the rest of a box of cereal to eat...

Into the oven....

Voila - Nutty Maple Muffins.

My thoughts...they stick to the paper cups really bad. The muffins are moist, but something isn't working for me. I think it might be the cereal. More specifically the thin sliced almonds that are in the cereal. They are slightly better the next day. I *might* make these again and trade out the cereal for chopped apples (because I happen to have a bag of apples laying on the table). I'm also curious how these would come out using fake maple syrup (like Mrs. Butterworth) vs. the real deal (brown maple flavored water LOL). Hmmmm....

Stay tuned for thoughts on the next (altered) batch.