Hearts Everywhere

I love hearts

and I tuck them into vignettes around the house

all year long.

But at this time of year, I can blatantly use hearts all over the house.

I have spent the last few days setting out full heart displays in every room.

I made this little embroidered piece when we were in Kauai at Christmas

and this quilt was my project last week - yes, I cheated and machine quilted it.

I bought a rusty metal heart garland months ago

and added it to the dining room shelf.

Supplies from the garage are filling up the guest room

and my rusty red cart is being used as a work table for my creativity.

The cloth hearts are a couple of years old and I just added some string to make a garland for my chalkboard.

I cut a variety of sizes of hearts out of book pages and have been playing with them the last few days.

I've made a couple of three dimensional vertical garlands

that will be put into cute little muslin bags from Michael's

and mailed off to friends tomorrow.

This little spool of hearts is an  experiment - I thought it would look cute draping out of a bowl.

I am not quite finished adding Valentine's everywhere, but scenes like this are getting in my way.

It's difficult to stay inside when Lulu is crying to be taken to the beach.

But, I am determined

to finish fluffing tomorrow

before we head back outside.

Join me at

Share Your Cup

My Romantic Home  - Show and Tell Friday

Rooted in Thyme - Simple & Sweet Fridays

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday.

Off to a good start . . .

Armed with paper, magazines and my ever present diet Snapple,

 I started an August To Do list  - projects both big a small.

I ran a few of my ideas by Steve - I have to move slowly with him especially when the changes involve "his" kitchen - and he likes all of my ideas.

via

Pendant lights and open shelving are two of the items on my list, but the project is on hold until after a little San Francisco vacation we have planned.

Painting a few signs and decorating bottles (I wish I could credit the sources, but I don't remember) are also on the list, but today I wanted something quick and easy.

I don't know where I found this picture of teacups hanging in the garden - I love the whimsy of it all.

I gathered together teacups, keys and metal bits to hang in the garden.

A garland of teacups and tidbits is a totally silly thing to create, but I was feeling silly today.

No one actually sits on this bench in the garden, but it is our view when we sit around the fire pit and lately that has been a nightly occurrence.

So I am wondering just how long it will take Steve to notice that there are teacups hanging across the garden.

I wanted to get started on the signs, but Joshua and Aylin are staying just up the coast in a beautiful house and we couldn't pass up the chance to walk on the nearly deserted beach.

The sunset was spectacular 

and we're going to take Lulu to visit tomorrow.

But, before we hit the beach tomorrow, one of these scraps of wood will be transformed

into this cute sign - again, I don't recall the source.

And, I need to put together packages for the winners of a giveaway I did on Instagram.

July ended slowly in terms of my creativity, but it looks like August is off to a good start!

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Join me at Cozy Little House for Tweak It Tuesday

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One last thing

I have been meaning to mention this for quite some time.

I have always replied to comments from my email and a few months ago I noticed that there were comments on my post that I did not see in my emails.

I try to remember to check the post, but please forgive me if I don't see your comment and reply to it.

Baby It's Cold Outside

Steve and I stayed holed up inside yesterday because it was so cold - 52 degrees.

I know, many of you consider 52 degrees warm right now, but we can be wimps about the cold.

With a fire in the fireplace to make the house cozy,

I finished decorating the tree and then tackled both the front and back yards.

I saw a cute post about decorating with socks on The Quintessential Magpie and remembered that I had mittens in the attic from a Christmas garland a few years ago.

 Metal letters spell out Christmas on the mittens - there wasn't room for M E R R Y.

Last week I painted the Merry Christmas sign on an old cabinet door.

I couldn't get the polka dot knob off, so it remains on the cabinet door.

The metal tree is a favorite purchase a few years ago and was the only Christmas tree in the house for all the years we were traveling during the holidays.

The back yard table is festooned with branches we chopped off the bottom of the Christmas tree.

A little cross stitch heart garland I made years ago found a home on my old chipped window.

The house is decorated, the tree is up, Steve hung the lights, both the front and back yards have a little "Christmas".

Now I have to get busy baking, shopping, wrapping . . . I guess I won't be relaxing this week.

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I am joining these parties today

Sunny Simple Life - From the Farm Blog Hop

Coastal Charm - Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Under the Table and Dreaming - Sunday Showcase Party

Dwellings - the Heart of Your Home - Amaze Me Monday

The Dedicated House - Make It Pretty Monday

Junk Chic Cottage - Creating Christmas Link Party