Guest Post #1

Hi Everyone!   I am taking a much-needed Bloggy Break.  I am also enjoying the first official week of
"retirement" from the Real Estate Biz and spending it with The Hubbs and my Son and DIL and my babies.

But, I didn't want to leave my Everyday Friends just hanging this whole week, so I invited a few Bloggy friends over to write some guest posts.  I know you will love meeting them.  Please hop over to their sites and follow along of you don't already.

Hope everyone has a great week...and I can't wait to talk to you again when I get back.  xxoo

My first guest Blogger is one of my dear friends Suzy from Worthing Court. Take it away, Suzy!

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 Hi everyone!  Suzy from Worthing Court here.

I'm so happy to be visiting with all of you here at The Everyday Home!

I first "met" Barb when I came across her lovely blog via someone's linky party. With a name like Grits and Glamour (her blog's former name) and with me being a Southerner, it was a match made in heaven!  Just so you know, I think grits are the bomb!

I loved Barb's blog and beautiful home from the git-go, but what ultimately pulled us together is that our teeny-tiny home-away-from-home at the beach is close to where Barb lives and she recognized it!

We tried for months and months to meet in person, but schedules never allowed.

I was finally able to meet her and give her a big ole' hug a few months ago!

You see, Barb is the driving force behind the Southern Bloggers Conference.  And I consider myself fortunate to be among a wonderful group of like-minded women that make up the conference planning team!

I've been showing you pics of the beach condo that first drew Barb and I together.  We bought it a few years ago and reno'd it from top to bottom.  It was an ewwy, gooey Dump with a capital D!

BEFORE

 AFTER

Even though the reno is complete and it is no longer an ewwy, gooey place, we continue to make small improvements here and there.  You can read about the kitchen cabinets turned bookcases that my hubby recently built here and here.

I hope you'll stop by and check out my other decor and diy projects at Worthing Court.  I'd love to "meet" you too! Thank you, Barb, for having me over!

Yooohooo! Giveaway!

  
Yoooohoooo!  A little birdie just told me that there is a great $50 shopping spree giveaway being held by Debbie at Confessions of a Plate Addict for "...details!".

If you have been admiring anything in my online shop, you could be the lucky winner and choose $50 worth of merchandise.

The little birdie also said to tell you there is some super-duper cool merchandise arriving any day now that will be added to the shop.

Smart little bird.

xxoo

  Godaddy Promo CodesGodaddy Renewal Promo Codes Godaddy Hosting Promo Codes

Sharpie Markers

Have you ever wondered why manufacturers  give products the names that they choose?

I mean, when you look at this seemingly normal marker, do you instantly think "something harmful which can cut you and cause serious ouchies?"

A sharpie?

Why not a markie?

A writie?

A Create-your-own-customized-dishes-ie?

I mean, surely when they made these little writing utensils... they had to know that they would be used to create numbered coffee cups.

If the makers of the Sharpie were so, well...."sharp" - they would sell a little 
"Coffee Cup Making Kit" that featured a thin marker and some of these...

... cute little packs of scrap booking stickers.

Here is what their Instructions could read, were they to sell these "Coffee Cup Making Kits."

1) Go to Dollar Tree and buy cheap inexpensive coffee cups.

2) Take cups home, and tryout your new French roast coffee and chocolate-covered Biscotti which happened to find its way into your cart at Dollar Tree.

3) Stick chosen letters onto cup.  Get a little aggravated that the sticker package you bought doesn't contain numbers.  Call Martha Stewart a "wirty-dord." 

4) Eat another biscotti.

5) Decide that you can wing it with the numbers.

6) Using a very tiny tip Sharpie, trace around the sticker.  

7) Wipe biscotti chocolate off side of cup.

8) Remove sticker carefully, then color in the letters.

9) Practice the numbers nine times on a piece of paper before feeling comfortable about writing it on the cup.

10) Feel remorse for drinking second cup of French Roast and wishing you had a steadier hand.

11) Freehand the number once twice until you are satisfied with the look.

12) Place in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Enjoy your baked cups.  

Yep, that is exactly how the instructions would read.

I just know the Sharpie Marker Makers knew we Bloggers and DIY'ers would find random uses for their markers, so I am sure that is why they also created pretty, metallic colors.

I am 100% sure they knew I would want to write "Autumn Blessings" on the tops of more Dollar Tree cups.

Or, that I would want to take cheap inexpensive, plain candles -

- and write a quote about Autumn by Emily Bronte to create script candles.

So, while I have nooooo earthly idea why they named this versatile little writing tool a "Sharpie"-
I am so happy they not name it a "Dull-ie" because 
we would have missed out on so many cute projects.  Don'tcha think?

XXOO

Autumn Blessings

Do you ever have days that you wish you could stop time, or at least record every single detail to memory?

I had one of those days today.  Nothing extraordinary happened.  It was just "one of those days."

Tomorrow, I go see a Surgeon to decide how to deal with some health issues which are plaguing me.  I should not be worried, but I am. So this morning, I woke up and decided to get some Fall decorating done.  That would make me feel better.

I usually start with my breakfast room table and hutch.

Here is my Fall Breakfast Room Table from a few years back...

You'll recognize a few of these elements above in this year's table.

While The Hubb's got out all of my fall bins, I put some laundry in.  I have come to the conclusion that the neighbors are secretly dumping their laundry in my house when we are not here, because there is no way we can have this much.

While I was doing laundry, my phone rings.  It's my sweet Mama.

"Hey Baby, it's Mama. Whatcha' doing?"

"Hey Mom, just some laundry and working on a tablescape for my blog."

Mama: "Oh, you still doing that?"

Me: "Yep, I am."  <---- trying to figure out a quick way to explain to my Mama how blogging fulfills me.

Mama: "What kind of table you doing?"

Me: "A Fall table.  I have been having a hard time figuring out how to work in my blue breakfast room with oranges and rusts and browns."

(Dollar Store coffee mugs with "Autumn Blessings" using a Copper Colored Sharpie and baked in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes)

Me: "I painted some pumpkins Duck Egg Blue with my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint."

{crickets}

Mama: "You painted what with who?"

Me: "It's a new paint, Mama. Its easy to use and you can paint on anything."

Mama: "I ain't never heard of anyone painting pumpkins blue. You sure that's gonna look right?"

Me: {laughing}  "We'll have to see.  I used one of my new rusty buckets and added some millet.  I think its pretty."

Mama: "Are you using your pretty English dishes with the pheasants and deer?"

Me: "No, I am using the rust ones with some blue bowls." 

Mama: "Well, you're better at that than I am, so I am sure it will be pretty."

Me: "It will be different, that's for sure."

{praying "different" is a good thing}

Mama: "Well, me and Dad are gonna go get some dinner so we'll stop by afterwards, okay?"

{My Mama and Daddy know they DO NOT need an invite...}

Me: "Sounds good, Mama. Y'all be careful. Love you." {you never hang up without saying "love you."  Life Rule # 8.}

Phone rings later.

My DIL: "Hey Mom, how you feel today?"

Me: "A little better.  I am working on a tablescape."

DIL: "Oh, well me and Blake and the kids are coming over and I'm gonna cook dinner for you and Dad, ok?"

Me: "That sounds great, baby. See you soon."

Me: {hustles to clean up kitchen and sweep floor of grapevine, berry and millet bits}

Doorbell rings.

"Hey Mom, it's just us."  

{"us" meaning the loves of my life. Not just any "us."}

Son: "Blue pumpkins?"

Me: "It's a Blog thing."  :)

DIL: "I like it, its different." {there is that word again..."different."}

Grandson #1: "Grammy, how did you grow these blue pumpkins?"

Me: "Magic blue pumpkin seeds."

{crickets}

Grandson #1: {busts out laughing}  "You're so silly, Grammy."

Doorbell rings.

"Yoohoo, it's just us."

{in our family, everyone identifies themselves as "us" and you have to decipher who's voice it is.}

Me: "Hey Mama and Daddy. Come on in, we're in the kitchen."

Mama: "Daddy wanted to see your blue pumpkins that Suzie Sloan painted."

Me: {Annie...Suzie...close enough.}

Me: "Here it is, what do you think?"

Dad: "It's different."  {seriously?}

Mom: "The blue pumpkins look good with your blue breakfast room colors."

{angels sing.  Mama "gets it."}

Me: "You think so?  It's not too different?"

Mom:  "Well, yes.  But in a good way. Who says all pumpkins have to be orange?"

DIL: "Mom may start a new trend.  Maybe I will paint some pumpkins pink for Miss C."

Doorbell rings.

"Hey, its just us."

Me: "Hey, sis. Come on in."

Sis: "What y'all doing?"

Mama: "Admiring Barb's Suzie Sloan blue pumpkins."

{me laughing so hard inside I can hardly contain it.}

Me: "Y'all want something to drink, I made pumpkin bread....."

Yep, Autumn Blessings.  The perfect wording for my new Dollar Store cups surrounded by Duck Egg Blue "Suzie" Sloan pumpkins.

I love my family.  I am blessed.

{here is a little sneaky peaky of my Autumn-styled hutch...}

xxoo

Sharing with:

Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday

Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tablescape Tuesday

Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday

Heather/Vanessa @ at the picket fence for Inspiration Friday

Please stop by all of the amazing Linky Parties and check out everyone's wonderful projects, and say hi to these equally amazing ladies for being such great hosts every week. 

"Let's Go Shopping Saturday!"

"Let's Go Shopping Saturday!"

I did not realize that I have an affinity for original commercial packaging.

I don't like keeping dishwashing liquid in its "Dawn" bottle, for example.

I don't like keeping bars of soap or bath salts in the 

original packaging. They are so much prettier 

when stored in a glass canister. 

{source: Homegoods}

The same goes for laundry soap.

Look at this beautiful example ...

{source: pink postcard}

So, imagine the ideas that have gone through my head ever since I saw the Milk Bottle Carriers which I carry in my online shop "...details!"

Here is the larger 3-Bottle Holder -

One of these could easily hold a large bottle of olive oil and two vinegars.  How pretty would this look on your kitchen counter?

Or, one for laundry soap, one for clorox and one for fabric softener.  THAT will spice up a laundry room!

Originally $26... this weekend, while supplies last they are 20% off!

----> $20.80

Same for the 6-Bottle Carrier.

I can see this filled with salt, pepper, dried basil, rosemary and other spices.  All within an easy reach, and soooo much prettier than....well, this...

Just saying.  :)

The 6-Bottle Carrier is regularly $18, but again - while supplies last - they are 20% off, too.

----> $14.40

Supplies are limited so get one while you can.
* Prices will be reflected in the Shopping Cart.

Simply go to:

www.detailsforhomeandgarden.com

I would love to see what you do with your Milk Bottles and Carriers.

Happy Weekend, Everyone!

xxoo

Easy Fall Crafts

I love easy.

"Easy like Sunday morning."

So I thought I would share with you some easy

Fall crafts I have saved to my Pin-spiration files.

#1) Let's Get "Twiggy" with It!

Look how pretty a collection of twig wrapped candleholders look.  Wrap them with raffia or burlap ribbon for even more texture.

Visit The New Hom Ec for more info.

#2: "It's a Wrap!"

Look how darling this felt drink sleeve is.  I love the little button enclosure.  This is definitely on my Crafty To-do list.

For instructions, go to BHG.

#3: "Book 'em, Dano"

You may have seen these Book Pumpkin on other blogs, but Creations by Kara gives a really good tute.  

#4: "Connect the Dots"

Forget a carved pumpkin that won't keep.  Instead, decorate your craft store pumpkins with dots and other designs.  

Get easy instructions here.

#5:  "This Will 'Leaf' You Breathless"

Dollat store candles can now be blinged with real leaves.  How pretty is this grouping?  I have candles.  I have Fall leaves.  I just got an idea!  :)

BHG shows you how.

#6: "This is 'A-corn'{y} Project"

Alex, I'll have "Acorns" for $1000?

Answer is:  something I love almost as much as I love fall leaves.

Look at this frame.  It is covered in Fall 

loverly-ness.  BHG shows you how.

#7: "Take Note"

Are these handmade notecards "aweshum" or what?  I would love to make smaller versions of these for name holders on my Thanksgiving dinner table.  Fab idea!  Another BHG idea.

#8: "Pumpkin on a Pedestal"

Dollar Store glitter pumpkins never looked so "countrified."  This project will take you less than 10 minutes.  Its Glitterliscious.  

Let me show you how!

That's It!

Eight great projects.  All inexpensive and easy.

Which ones do you wanna try?

  

xxoo

Sharing with Vanessa and Heather @ at the picket fence for Inspiration Friday