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Thursday, October 29, 2009

It's a Healthy Baby Boy!




Devon Blake Russell was born a short while ago, weighing in at 6 1/2 lbs and 19 1/2" long.
I give my thanks to the Lord above for sending us a healthy baby boy with a head full of hair.
I promise to post more pics as soon as I can.

Grammy is very happy right now!
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Baby Update!

Baby Update!
I am happy to say...and sad to say at the same time...that my daughter-in-law went into labor early this morning. She is doing well, but everyone is very sad that I am not there. :-(
My plane ticket was for Monday, and the soonest I could get it changed to is Saturday.
I will post new pics of our new baby when he is born. They are inducing labor so it should be soon.
Say a prayer....Barb


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Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Tablescape Thursday - Autumn Leaves: Part 3

Welcome to Tablescape Thursday, a weekly event hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.
Tablescape Thursday is looked forward to and enjoyed by so many people, and I would like to thank Susan for being so faithful by hosting this event week after week.
Please make sure you go to Susan's blog to see a full list of all Tablescape posts.
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I am continuing with my Autumn Leaves series by showcasing my breakfast table and hutch.
I gave you a little peek above at my header...so here is the rest of the table...


It all started out with a gift card and a coupon for Bed, Bath and Beyond. I entered the store fully thinking I would buy some miscellaneous objects, such as candles, sheets, towels, etc.
Then, I spied these paisley plates... and in that instant - a tablescape was born in my mind. They were a little pricey at $7.99 for the salad plates. (ouch!) But, I whipped out my gift card and handy-dandy coupon and out the door I went with these little lovelies.
I found the pumpkin tureens at Walmart (good ole' Wally World) for $5 ea. I was tickled pink orange!



I kept the same theme that I have carried throughout my home this Season - Rustic Elegance. I combined wood candlesticks with amber stemware, dried hydrangeas with silk fall leaves.

In the hutch you can see my Churchill wildlife plates.



Burlap fabric, roughly cut with pinking sheers, was used as two runners on each end of the table. Rust colored napkins were placed on an angle between the two square plates.



Lengths of bittersweet berries line the center of the table...

Dried hydrangeas (purchased at the Asheville Farmer's market during our Fall mountain get-away) are accented with faux pumpkins, silk leaves and wheat.



I love these candleholders with the turned bases. I thought the wood element was the perfect way to bring in the "rustic" touch.



Mini, wire pumpkins (purchased on the clearance table last season at Pier 1), hold silk, fall leaves instead of traditional place cards.




Here is a close-up of those lovely paisley plates....





... and here you see how well they coordinate with my paisley tablecloth.
I have had the tablecloth for several months and featured it with a Rooster tablescape.

My kitchen is over-runneth with Fall abundance...
It's even prettier at night when I light the candles and dim the lights...



The gold's and orange's give off a warmth of their own.

The candlelight sparkles off the glassware.

I can't wait to serve Pumpkin Bisque in these tureens.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing my Breakfast Room Tablescape.
If time allows, I will share a few other areas of my home - but to be honest - I am quickly moving into "Grammy Mode" because I leave on Monday for Colorado Springs.
I promise to post pics of Cole and his new baby brother.
Thanks again to all my "Glamorous Followers." I have so appreciated the emails with the warm "welcome back to Blogland," and the good wishes on the birth of my new grandson. I am thankful to each of you.
Happy Fall Y'all....Barb

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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Autumn Leaves: Part 2 Sideboard

As part of my Autumn Leaves series...I am moving into the formal Dining Room and sharing with you the display on our bow-front chest, which serves as our sideboard.

I gathered some of my serving pieces....
a green cake plate, and two small Victorian petit four stands.


Just for the record - before we continue - I thought I would show you what the Dining Room normally looks like.

"Before....in it's "everyday" fashion...."

...a close-up of the sideboard

...my beloved black and white Staffordshire dogs and a few of my pink and white pieces. If you notice, the cloche I am using in my Fall display holds my Waterford clock.

Now let's continue with the Fall setting...


Here's the cloche again, sitting on a green cake plate and nestled on top of a bed of autumn leaves.


The pumpkins and guords are beaded...I love these. I picked them up here and there.




Satin ribbon and bittersweet berries tied loosely around the top...


This is one of my favorite platters. It is Italian and in the style of Majolica. I have two of these, and I use them for serving my turkey and ham at Thanksgiving.


I placed a white guord inside my mini cloche...

Isn't this just darling?



I wanted a patterned tablerunner, but all I had on-hand were solid colored ones. I remembered I had some striped, satin curtain panels in my linen closet. I folded it in half and it worked beautifully.
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I hope you have enjoyed seeing this display. Join me tomorrow night as I will be joining Susan's Tablescape Thursday at
Between Naps on the Porch.
Happy Fall Y'all....Barb

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Monday, October 26, 2009

The Autumn leaves...are gently falling...

The Foyer - Part One

I am happy to report that The Garrett Home is officially decked out in all of its Fall finery. The final chore remaining is putting away the myriad of boxes and containers.

Some of you may have forgotten that my son and daughter-in-law are expecting my second grandson. She is sue on Nov 5th, but the full moon is Nov 2d. :-)

I will be leaving next week to go to Colorado Springs to await his birth.

So, over the next few nights, I will be sharing my Fall projects. The blog header you see above is a sneak preview of my breakfast room tablescape I will be showcasing on Thursday for Susan's Tablescape Thursday at

This is the bombe' chest on the right side of my foyer. I will share pics of the left side later, with the antique bench. Hint: lots of pillows!

A rust-colored silk runner is topped with two glittered pumpkins. The larger one I simply placed on top of a gold-leafed footed bowl, and added a pre-made silk candle wreath.

You guys know how I love to fill my candleholders with food as a filler. Cornmeal, sugar, coffee beans....don't ask me why. It's the cook in me I guess.

I mixed brown sugar and cinnamon and added it to the bottoms of these amber-tinted candleholders. I wanted to see if the heat of the candle would release some of the aroma from the sugar and the cinnamon.
I'm not all that sure that it worked, but it sure is purty. :-)


I added my pheasant feather wreath to the mirror, hung with a pretty sequin-trimmed ribbon.

I bought two pheasant pitcher's at HomeGoods. One is on my breakfast area hutch. My new fixation is pheasants. Who knew!

If you missed my Fall Porch Makeover, please scroll down and see my lastest post. In the meantime, I thought I would share some pics I took tonight to give you an idea of what how porch appears at night.

...a close-up


...and what you see coming up the walkway.....

Thank you for coming along with me on these mini-tours of
The Grits Home.
See you tomorrow night.....
Happy Fall Y'all....Barb

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Sunday, October 25, 2009

Met Monday: Fall Porch



Welcome to Metamorphasis Monday, hosted by our wonderful friend, Susan at
Please make sure you stop by Susan's beautiful blog for more "Before and After" tranformations.
For this week's Met Monday - we are going to head out to the Front Porch....
I am a little behind schedule on my Fall decorating, but we woke up this morning and made the decision to get our Front Porch ready for Fall.
We cleared everything and gave it a good cleaning...washing away the Summer dust and cobwebs.
Here is the Summer "before" pics...
Bill and I have enjoyed lots of Summer evenings out here. We sat by the lamp light at night and read...at least until the mosquitoes drove me in. :-)



... a side table covered in a Summery chintz...

...comfy rockers....


.... cushiony pillows....

But with the changing of the Seasons, the Sages and Reds
were changed over to...
Gold and Orange...

The cedar trees we had planted over the Summer were replaced with faux boxwood topiaries, which will be easier to care for.


Twinkling white lights, a large burlap bow and bittersweet berries add Autumn texture and color.


The white rockers were replaced with brown rattan chairs and ottomans.
Fall inspired cushions replaced the Summery designs.


Quilted throws are tossed on the back of the chairs for cooler evenings.

Side planters, running over with ivy, get some Fall touches with pansies, pumpkins, and a Seasonal rake.


Bill and I will enjoy morning coffee and after-work drinks in the coming weeks...
Our new red door perfectly frames my Fall wreath...

Stop by and see us....I have fresh loaves of Pumpkin Bread and homemade Apple-Pecan Butter.
Happy Fall Y'all....Barb


I have posted this Project on:


Whisperwood Cottage





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