Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Hello, my friends! 

We are in the midst of celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas! Well, kinda. Our daughter has been sick the last few days and we have been pretty low key. 

She is feeling a bit better, so I thought I would take a moment to wish you all a bright Christmas season! 



We don't begin our decorating until right before Christmas, because we use fresh greenery that hopefully lasts until Epiphany!
Here is a small vignette in the front hall. Fresh bay garlands and wreaths. We made the glittered pinecone tassels. I will post a tutorial. It was simple and really fulfilling. They look so decadent! It smells like heaven! I promise to show more soon!

xo

Andie

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Time Marches On

I hope the Holidays find you in good health and good spirits, my friends!  

Because we prefer to use all natural decorations, we typically don't decorate for Christmas until the week of Christmas Day.  

The Holidays this year began on a sad note and I feel we needed something to cheer us up.  

Our sweet Mabel passed away on November 11.  She was diagnosed with aggressive cancer a month prior.  

  Mabel died in my arms on a Saturday morning.  

I know she is with her friends in heaven now, but I would trade all that I have to spend one more day with her.  




I dusted off an old faux tree we had in the basement and added just a few ornaments.  
I placed it in a silver urn I found on Craigslist a few years back.  
The Moravian star light fixture that hangs in the sunroom adds the perfect touch! 



Our silver nutcracker collection is growing and this seemed the perfect place for them.  That is, until Delores finds them!  
...and she will, oh she will.  

Our hearts are heavy.  There is no way around it.  However, if one truly believes in the Spirit of Christmas, then we know that Mabel lives on.  
We choose to celebrate her life and the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ.  We choose to create new Holiday memories in spite of the aching in our hearts.  

In a few weeks time, we will continue our tradition of finding the perfect tree, wreaths and garlands to grace our home.  

This year, there will be one less stocking on the mantel, but one more angel in heaven.  

With Love, 
Andie

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Looking Glass

I have an affection for mirrors.  I had no idea.  However, upon reflection, it is quite apparent. 

No more puns.  I promise.  

Mirrors have the ability to make small rooms look larger, dark rooms seem brighter and they literally double the beauty of what they reflect.  

When I hang mirrors, I am careful to situate them opposite of something worth their reflection, be it a window, a painting, a favorite objet d' art, even another mirror.  

While perusing these photos I also noted that I seem to like painting mirrors, for the finish of over half of them has been altered.  Thank goodness for chalk paint!  I never could have accomplished so much without it!  

I have mastered the art of looking at a mirror without looking into a mirror.  
Like vampires do, I'm sure.  
But their hair always looks so nice.  How do they do that?  























Mirrors have a presence many other pieces do not.  They can be unobtrusive or they can be a the focal point of a room.  
In the dreary winter months, when light is scarce, a mirror, or several, can direct the rays of the sun into a room that might otherwise be somber.  In summer, mirrors invite the reflection of blue skies, butterflies, birds and flowers, so it seems as if you are outdoors, among them.  

Now, imagine the walls of these rooms without mirrors. The glow of light in the mirror disappears, the depth of the reflection, gone. 

They really do make a difference!  

xo

Andie







Saturday, September 2, 2017

Divine Gardens...

Summer is waning.  I'm never ready for this.  
I love every moment spent in the gardens.  I never want it to end!  

They certainly have come a long way since I woke in the middle of the night with an idea that would take years to come to fruition...Truly, they will never be finished but the soul is there. I can feel it.  


View of the East garden gate from the parterre...leading into the Shakespeare borders.  

Front entry.  Many neighbors have decorated for Autumn but I wait until Autumn arrives.  

East Limelight Hydrangea hedge...

View of parterre from house, facing the street, toward East Limelight hedge...

View of parterre from street.  The trees will soon grow to the point that our gardens will be hidden and the homes encircling us cannot be seen. 



My garden is a dear companion and I will miss her as she sleeps.  

I know that she will miss me as well.  For in Spring, she comes bearing flowers and blooms that spill confetti, which catches in my hair and falls gaily to my feet!

She conducts a chorus of birds to awaken me in the morning and an ensemble of chirping crickets, baritone frogs and sonorous toads to lull me to sleep at night.

Yes.  I will miss her.

Until then!

Goodnight, sweet friend.  

xo

Andie

Sunday, August 20, 2017

Winner Announced...and photos of the Garden!

Thanks to all who entered the contest!  We put all the names in a basket, some more than once, depending on how many platforms you follow and we are pleased to announce that Teddee Grace is the winner of Veranda Entertaining!  
Teddee, please send me your address so I can get it out to you right away!

Don't despair if you didn't win because I have lots of book giveaways planned this Fall!  

Speaking of Fall, I am not ready for it.  Some of my friends are looking forward to chilly nights, colorful, crunchy leaves and Pumpkin Spice Latte.  I may have to avoid them for the next 30 days.  lol  I still have so much work to do in the gardens...and I love every second of it!  

In the meantime, please enjoy these photos of the fruits of my labor.  








xo

Andie

Sunday, August 13, 2017

A Giveaway!

I haven't done a giveaway in forever!  

The holidays will be here before we know it!  

I have decided to give you the opportunity to own Veranda's new book, Entertaining, filled with pages of ideas and beautiful photos for inspiration!  

If you don't already follow this blog, please do so, also please follow me on Facebook and Pinterest.  Then come back and tell me you did!  Each follow on social media gives you another chance to win!  
Please post once for each follow. 
The links to Facebook and Pinterest are on the right→ 

The winner will be drawn at random one week from today, Sunday, August 20th at 9am, Central Time!  

Hoping you are well!  

See you next Sunday with the name of the lucky winner!  

Good luck!  


xo

Andie

Monday, August 7, 2017

Delores In the Sunroom

I wanted to move the candlestick on the table a bit more to the left but Delores had other plans.  
Delores was a rescue kitty. The shelter planned to euthanize her because it was claimed she had bitten her owner's child.  
She was extremely frightened in the shelter and bit her handler.
I begged. 
They relented. 
She has never bitten any of us.  
She has a playful nip that many young cats do but she never bites. 

We are so blessed and grateful be a part of her world.  



View of the sunroom from the breakfast room.  
Most everything in this room is from Craigslist, except Delores.  She came from Heaven.  lol  

xo

Andie

Sunday, July 30, 2017

This, That and the Other...

Funny.  It didn't seem like I had been gone very long. 

Rather than try to explain where I was, I figure I will do it with pictures.  lol  

These are all the projects I am currently working on...well the ones I stopped to take photos of, anyhow.  
There are lots more.  Lots and lots. 

Also, my account was, once again, hacked.  They didn't do anything with it.  They just had control of it and I didn't.
Interesting hobby.  Hacking things just to hack them.  


Then Handsome Husband fought the law of gravity and the Law won.  
Eight staples in his handsome head. 

 He fell out of bed.  Nothing more.  He asked that I mention Ninjas may have been involved to make it seem more manly.  
If you see him please indicate that I mentioned Ninjas. 


Then that whole thing with me passing out on the expressway due to carbon monoxide poisoning.  No Ninjas were involved.  

...and months of relentless vertigo, not from the carbon monoxide. Or Ninjas. 
On the bright side, we have had brain scans, chest scans, scans of scans and scans of those scans.  
They found nothing amiss.  


Onward...to
...

The home that Craigslist built...




Back courtyard...a work in progress...

...and the library.  The desk formerly belonged to Rush Limbaugh's uncle.


library

Delores "hiding".

West garden path and perennial border...

Painting garden furniture...

Painting indoor furniture...



Trimming the parterre...

Remember when the parterre was a wee baby?





The chest from my last post finally made it up to the master bedroom!




Front terrace

Working on a Craigslist chest makeover...

Adding ormolu to the secretary...


...and more ormolu...

Cleaning up the mystery thing...

We named this chest "Belle" after Beauty and the Beast.  It reminded us of the beautiful set.  


Hoping this post finds you in good health and good spirits!

I am off to try to train Ninjas to dust and trim hedges.  
I mean, if they insist on hanging around they may as well be useful.  

xo

Andie




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