Wordless Wednesday... Fun with PicMonkey

(original photo)

(altered with PicMonkey)

Spring + Sunlight = Happy!

The warm spring sun was shining through the window the other morning and I had to grab my camera!

This time of year is so exciting when you live in a region known for harsh winters 

 (although I have to admit that here in New England, we had a pretty easy time of it this year!)

I set up this spring vignette on a little table that sits in the dining area of our small split entry, using things from other areas of the house.

The birds flanking the nest were 'borrowed' from the mantel.

They're such a pretty 'mottled' shade of robins egg blue (a favorite of mine).

I know they're not robins, but they are guarding the three pale blue eggs in the nest until Mrs. Robin returns.

The nest was originally purchased as an ornament several years ago 
(nests in Christmas trees are considered good luck).
I like to keep it in the house year-round.

I love the quote on this frame, "Humor is mankind's greatest blessing," by Mark Twain. The girls were hamming it up one Christmas morning, trying on their new cloche hats, complete with tags hanging down and stuffing still inside the hats to helped keep their shape.
(It seemed an appropriate photo for this particular frame!)

One of my favorite lampshades with a very spring-like pattern.

The sun was shining through the "faux" plant in this cherub planter.

And now the sun has gone behind some clouds, but that doesn't change the fact that
SPRING has arrived here in New England!

Pop over to Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home to visit everyone else participating this week.

Have a beautiful Easter weekend, everyone!

Donna

Cottage Christmas sheep....

...the ox and lamb kept time, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum...

My good friend, Jill, who lives in Ohio, sent me this beautiful little sheep several years ago, and he is now a beloved part of my Christmas decor...

This year I thought he'd enjoy being part of my vintage birdcage display (last year the pink glittered reindeer lived in the cage, then known as the vintage reindeer barn!)


I went all out for this sweet little lamb, hanging a sparkly silver NEST banner on the front of his cage (it usually hangs on the fireplace, but was moved to make way for the stockings and mantel decorations)...


...and I put one of my favorite flocked bottlebrush trees into his cage.


He even has a sparkly bird to sing him Christmas carols...


I think he looks very happy in his vintage cage... maybe even a hint of a smile?


The outside of the cage even got decorated this year....


I picked up these dangly ornaments, discounted by 75%, at AC Moore this past January.


At the time, I wasn't sure where I would use them, but 75% off was too good to pass up! And this year, when I started decorating the cage, it seemed like a good place to hang them.


Cottage sheep says he's really enjoying his sparkly holiday home, and he hopes the reindeer never want to move back in! (They're enjoying their place of honor in the dining room. Pictures to come soon.)


But now it's time to go to sleep... Goodnight little sparkly bird... Goodnight sweet little lamb... See you in the morning... (and thank you, Jill!)



Wishing all of you sweet and sparkly dreams!



Now you must go visit the lovely Cielo at The House In The Roses to see her "Show Off Your Cottage Monday" post, and to find a list of all others who are participating this week!!!
Happy Cottage Monday!!!






Donna

Spring... a time for nesting

I thought I'd do a little tweaking to my dining room hutch...


I got a little mini-lamp from the Christmas Tree Shop for one corner.


...because I've seen so many blogs with lovely little accent lamps on their hutches, and I love that look!

It's a perfect little accent light for at night, when a full size lamp isn't necessary (this little guy takes just a low watt chandelier bulb)...

These photos were taken during the day so you can see the lamp better.

It's surrounded by favorite family photos, two little white bird/napkin rings...

... and, of course, a nest...

...because, after all, spring really is a time for nesting... Wishing you all a happy spring week wherever you are!

Donna

Mantel Makeover...

Not long ago, I gave our fireplace mantel a little makeover...

As you can see from my blog banner, I used to have family photos on the mantel. Apparently that is a huge 'no no' in the decorating world, especially if it's overdone (and since my family photos were also on the dining room hutch, the dining room half wall, and the tops of various cupboards, etc., I'd be hard pressed to argue that I might not have been a tad obsessive... and we won't even mention the photos in the bedrooms)...

So I decided to put some of my family members into storage... (sorry guys - I still love you... honest!)

Just look at this perfectly shabby little candle holder that a good friend gave me this past Christmas (thank you, Jill :)... I wanted to put it someplace where it would really stand out, so I placed that on the center of the mantel flanked by two bluebirds. Now I have tons of white birds around my house, but these are my only two blue birds. I actually got them in the Christmas section of Target this past year. I have no idea why they were considered Christmas decorations, but when I spotted them I knew the colors would be perfect with the painting over the fireplace. And the finishing touch was this sweet little NEST banner that I got on ETSY.

I didn't know what to place on the ends of the mantel, so I finally decided on some tall candle holders and glass vases. This one just has a long piece of creamy white ribbon curled up around the inside. The ribbon was purchased for a project I never got around to doing (typical me...)

And then, of course, I have some of my creamy white buttons filling several vases as well...

So that's how the mantel looks now. I think it's really nice for a change (teeny confession though... by nature I'm a very symmetrical person, so I think the center section with the candle holder and birds is great, but the fact that the sides of the mantel aren't identical mirror images of each other is driving me nuts... be calm, Donna... remember, you're trying to not be so rigid.. to be more open to new ideas, new ways of doing things)...

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if some of the family photos I tucked away eventually start popping up 'here and there' around the house though, because when all is said and done, all the "do's" and "don'ts" of decorating don't really matter if we're not happy within our own four walls, right?

Donna

P.S. Joanne at My Little Cottage in the Making has a giveaway going on her blog for some BEAUTIFUL creamy white buttons and lots of other cottage/shabby goodies!! Be sure to visit her blog to enter her drawing!

Update: I thought it would be fun to add my name to Kari & Kijsa's Mantel 101 list! Since I did a "Mantel Makeover" post not long ago, I'm just linking to that. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's mantels as I'm always looking for new ideas and inspiration!!