{a new project of a frightening kind...}

This super cute idea, was the brainchild of my Mother-in-law, Frances.

She is crafty and creative like that! :)

Anyhow, last night she sent me home with instructions and supplies, to complete this project for her. She wanted "no sew~gluegunned pillows" similar to the ones I made in {this} post.

She purchased 3 pillows, like the one above for $2.50 each at a local "five n' dime" store, along with the orange shower curtain, which was $5. I now have plenty of fabric/curtain left over for other projects or 3 more pillows of my own. She suggested the fabric covered rings could be used for napkin rings!

~~~

Below,

The pillows will be used outside on a settee, so she wanted them encased in plastic bags.

A friend made the "BOO" letters on a cricut machine, using the vinyl/adhesive sheets.

Note: The letters wouldn't stick on the shower curtain very well, even though it is fabric, so we glued them in place with fabric-tac glue. I'm afraid an iron would "melt" the fabric, so letters placed with wonder-under probably wouldn't be an option either. My suggestion...letters traced on black heavy felt and then glued in place.

And ~Voila~

A frightening sight to behold...B.O.O. Pillows!

I know, I know, these are too cute to be scary!

Thanks to Frances, for the great Metamorphosis idea,

transforming these pillows! :)

I may just have to make a set of these for myself!

For more "Metamorphosis Ideas," please visit

Susan, at Between Naps on the Porch!

I'm also linking up to a super cute blog I recently found,

The DIY Show Off!

Be sure to go on over for more great FALL inspiration!

For even MORE DIY Projects, visit Kimba, at A Soft Place to Land!

~~~~~

This past Summer, the post mentioned above highlighting my front porch and "no-sew pillow project" was featured on a wonderful site, Front Porch Ideas and More, you can check it out {here}. :)

~Rhonda

{transformation of the small details}

No big projects or transformations today...

Just an accumulation of little ones here and there around the house,

"Metting it into a Fall Mode!"

First the mantel...

Dressed in autumn color.
{Sorry for the pics, still using daughter's camera}

Found the brass fan screen a few weeks ago at an estate/yard sale here in town.

It still needs to be cleaned and probably is one of the more expensive things I have ever purchased at a yard sale...$27.00. But it is in perfect condition and I've looked for one of these for years!

Moving on the kitchen...
Last night I was down on the floor in my kitchen, taping off the frame of the picture below. {Which was another yard sale find many months ago.}
Ashley walked in and asked what I was doing, and I told her...."making (painting) a chalkboard."
She replied, "Oh mom, that is so old, everybody's already DONE THAT!"
Okay...so I am a little behind, but now "everybody" includes me too! :)

Just need to get some chalk...

Found the cute little dish towel at Walgreens for $1.99.

Added the leopard print ribbon for a more "boutique" look.

On to the Laundry Room..

I used the truck filled with pumpkins, in my living room last year.

{Found it and the glittered pumpkins at Marshall's.}

Added coppery orange ribbon and now it sits above the dryer.

While browsing blogs the other night, I happened upon a super cute blog, full of wonderful inspiration, The Happy Homebody, by Angie.

I borrowed the idea below from her.

You can see her version of my imitation {here.}

If you haven't already, I encourage you to visit her! Her home is so bright and pretty:)

I took pictures of my process, but downloading them didn't work out. Essentially, I used one of the pumpkins from the black truck above. I cut it in half with a super sharp knife, very slowly, so it wouldn't disfigure the glittery finish and shape. For the background paper, I used tan cardstock and stamped it with "G's". Removed the glass from my frame, then hot-glued the pumpkin and ribbon to it.

Please visit...

~ Susan, at Between Naps on the Porch, for more projects and transformations.

~Rhoda, at Southern Hospitality, (Mon),

AND Diane, at A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, (Tues),

for more second-hand treasures.

~~~

"Winter is an etching,

spring a watercolor,

summer an oil painting

and autumn

a mosiac of them all."

~unknown

~Rhonda

{a few new projects...}

Still haven't found my camera, so I borrowed Ashley's.

Not use to her camera, so please excuse the quality of the pics! :)

~~~

Our house will be on a Local NC Festival House Tour in about a month and a half.

When I was first asked, I was very hesitant.

My house is NOT done by a professional, ...just ("inadequate" feeling) ME!

{...and of course all the talented ladies in blogland I sometimes "borrow" wonderful ideas from! ;) }

And our house is nice, but not "brand new," as are some of the others on the tour.

I volley between negative and positive feelings! LOL!

Anyhow...

Kevin and I have been cleaning and working like mad, on various projects.

Now that we will be "showing" the house, I notice more and more little things that need attention and repair. Such as the stool above. We have two, one on each side of the sofa. One was in good condition, the other...not so much.

They were a Big Lots find four years ago, and aren't "fine furniture," so I was reluctant to have them recovered. After toying with the idea for quite awhile on slip-covering them, I finally decided to tackle them with my trusty glue gun.

I purchased burlap fabric and brown trim, and went to work....

~I "heart" burlap!!!~

Continuing the upholstery process...

They turned out really cute!
They aren't as light as they appear in the pics, but my only regret, is that I didn't use a little darker burlap for more contrast. They blend with the wall and floor.
But for the total price of $10-$11, {$6 for burlap & $4.50 brown cording trim}, I am very pleased.

I also made pillows for two of the dining chairs, from the fabric used for my window treatments.

I actually sewed these instead of glue-gunning them! :) LOL!

I added a small ruffle on the one side of each pillow, facing out.

Again, I apologize for the pictures...

On the buffet, I added dried pale green hydrangeas to the pitcher, that I purchased off of eBay. They are very fragile, but beautiful!

I'm off to do a little closet cleaning now!

Hope you are all enjoying the 1st Day of Fall! ~Rhonda

{ramblings}

I haven't flown the coop,

still around.

But it appears my camera has taken legs.

So, until it turns up, I don't have a lot to share.

~AND~

Speaking of "legs,"

I found the super cute idea below on the web last week and saved it my computer.

Would love to try these....

Or how about the beautiful planter below bountifully filled with greenery and a pumpkin.

Definitely trying this idea, also "borrowed" from another online source.
So in case I'm not back before tomorrow,
Happy 1st Day of Fall!
{Picture below~My Fall Vignette on the Foyer Table Fall '08}

~Rhonda :)

{Copy Cat Met ~ Fall Vignette}

I found the silver tray below at a second hand shop awhile ago.

Because of it's rather large size, 19" x 29," it was easy to spot on the bottom shelf of an overcrowded booth. My heart began to leap as I pulled it out! I was just crazy about this piece! :)

It is quite heavy, and I almost dropped it when I saw the price on it....ONE DOLLAR!!!

Being too cumbersome to carry through the store while continuing to browse, I left it at the front desk. But I was so afraid someone else would latch on to my treasure, I kept circling around to make sure it was still there! :)

However, in spite of it's grand size and intricate design, the silver finish was in really bad shape!

I tried to clean it, but to no avail did it look any better.

So in the style of "Nell Hill", I spray painted it black.

I'm not above copying a really good idea! :)

The tray was then used as a base for one of my fall vignettes.

The black serves a wonderful grounding for the vignette and looks so rich against the deep FALL colors!

For more Thrifty Finds and Transformations,

be sure to visit

Susan, at Between Naps on the Porch

~Rhonda ;)

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." - George Eliot

{Intimate Autumn Dinner for Two}

The days are gradually turning cooler here in the Carolinas.

Fall is in the air and I am loving it!

To celebrate my most beloved season, a simple intimate dinner for two awaits....

Centerpiece...

Large Glass Pedestal Piece ~ Yard Sale (Bargain of $5)

Ceramic Pumpkins & Potpourri Filler ~ Dollar Tree

Acorn "vine" ~ Big Lots (Several Years Ago)

Place Setting...

Dinner & Salad Plate and Bowl ~ Tranquil Glen by Noritake (Everyday Wedding China)

Flatware ~ Forks & Spoon ~ Gorham (Passed down from FIL)

Knife ~ Wallace (Christmas Gift from Parents)

Green Goblets ~ Thrift Store Find

Monogrammed Napkins Butterfly Napkin Rings ~ eBay

Etc...

Sugar and Creamer ~ Vintage Candlewick Glass (Gift from MIL)

Tall Candlesticks ~ Tiffany & Co.

Green Tablecloth ~ Big Lots

Burlap remnant ~ Walmart

~~~

For Dessert,

I don't have a picture, but would like to share a recipe that I tried over the summer for one of our gatherings. Everyone loved it, and would be perfect for the dinner above.

It is very simple and very quick, ...and very tasty!

Apple Cobbler

2 cans apple pie filling

1 box yellow cake mix

2 cups pecans, chopped

1 stick butter, sliced thinly

Grease a baking dish and pour 2 cans of apple pie filling in it. Top with yellow cake mix and nuts. Thinly slice butter and lay on top. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
~~~

For more beautiful Tablescapes, please visit Susan, at Between Naps on the Porch.

And for more delicious recipes, visit Gollum tomorrow, for Foodie Friday.

~Enjoy!