Summer Decorating Ideas, (After 4th of July)

 I'm enjoying the summer sunsets and evenings, but if I'm being completely honest, it gets so hot and humid in our area, here in Northwest Florida, that by mid-summer.... I wish I could move... and I say that every single summer. lol!  Every day is almost 100 degrees (with the heat index), and I've been guilty of wishing for cooler temps and wishing summer away on some days. All that to say, that our summers are very long and my summer decor will be here for a while, so I like to change things up a little bit through the summer months. The day after the 4th of July, I took away the patriotic decor and changed out some things here and there.  I'm usually ready for something different for the rest of summer....

Here's how things are looking right now....

In the sitting room the English country garden theme continues with a few little changes here and there....

This wreath is one I made several years ago, from an antique (torn and very worn) cutter quilt that I found for $1. It was easy and fun to make...I cut the pieces of quilt that was salvageable, and tied the pieces around a wire coat hanger...I am so happy I could repurpose that old quilt into something useable again...someone spent so much time making it....

George likes hangin' out with me in the sitting room...he says hello....

And here's the changes in the living room and dining room, the hydrangeas will stay a little longer, but will soon be replaced with some creamy white crepe myrtle looking faux flowers...that's what I'm seeing a lot of blooming here in our area....and over the weekend I was lucky enough to find some, while thrifting.....they were brand new and were 1/2 off...two bunches for a total of $4 (I should have taken a photo of them to show you)....

This early 1900's post card makes me think of what summers should be made of......maybe some time to do some leisurely things like painting in the English Countryside....

a few seashells always bring back sweet memories of summertime...

and a few nature inspired vine balls and moss balls and river rocks in the coffee table bowl.... that remind me of a summer vacation, close to nature in the Great Smoky Mountains, near beautiful creeks and waterfalls....

 

In the kitchen and dining room I changed out the plates, flower arrangement and throw pillows too...

The flower arrangement is one I already had....the flowers came from Walmart several years ago in a bouquet bundle...I simply cut them off the stems and placed them in this yard sale wicker basket find....I think I've got about $14 in this arrangement.....

Emma and George are napping on the wicker loveseat at the dining room table while I take some pictures for you today...Emma says hello...

But then went fast to sleep again, to join George for an afternoon nap...

I hope you are having a beautiful, fun and restful summer season....

Until next time...

Stay creative! 

Joining these fun blog parties:

Vintage Charm Blog Party hosted by Cecilia from My Thrift Store Addiction &

Kathleen from Our Hopeful Home

Thursday Favorite Things  hosted by Katherine's Corner, Eclectic Red Barn, Follow The Yellow Brick Home, Crafts a la Mode, & An Artful Mom

Announcement, Taking A Break From YouTube and Video Filming....

Hello Sweet Friends! 

I want to make an announcement here at my blog, for those of you who also visit me both at my YouTube channel, at Christie's Mobile Home Diary and here on my blog. 

First, thank you so much for your support of my YouTube channel and my blog...I appreciate you very much, and that's why I feel that it's important that I make this announcement. 

I will be taking a break from YouTube and video filming for a while. I will however, still be sharing my photographs here on the blog, of my home diary and decorating, as usual. Let me explain....

For the sake of my husband's privacy, I don't want to share too much, but I will say that my sweet and dear husband Robert, has had some health problems recently. He's just 55 years old, and had a heart attack, and he had two stents put in, on May 21, 2023, shortly after completing our bathroom remodel project. He is doing much better, but I want to spend as much time with him as possible, as I'm sure you can understand. I've loved my YouTube journey, but the truth is, filming for YouTube and editing the videos for YouTube takes a great deal of time, and in all honesty, I am getting so tired, that I can't do it at this point....so I feel unable to keep that up, at this time. I hope to still make seasonal home tour videos, (for the four seasons of the year over there, if and when I can).

I will still be decorating and sharing my home diary here....I love sharing things, and joining in on blogging parties when I can, plus I like to keep up with the changes that I make around our home, so I can remember how I did things in the past....for my future decorating, lol!

Oh, y'all, I so love decorating and making little changes in our home and making it feel cozy... and I love to use all of my thrifty vintage stuff in different ways, as the seasons change outside, or whenever I want to change the feel of the rooms, which for me seems to be often. It's just always such a fun and creative outlet for me, and I hope it inspires others, the way others have inspired me with their creativity. 

Well, thank you for reading this long post. 

God bless each and every one of you, and keep you safe and in His care. Never forget, you are loved and in His hands. Keep trusting in Him, He has a good plan for your life and He loves you. 

Until next time...

Stay creative and have a beautiful day my friends! 

Romantic Country Cottage Summer Secret Garden Tour

 Summer is definitely here, the temperatures are soaring outside.... so today, (before my poor plants have had it with the heat lol!), I wanted to take some summer photos of our little potted shade garden area that's underneath the oak tree...it's an area I often refer to as my secret garden, because it has been an oasis retreat for me since we added the garden bench a few years ago. It's a place to relax in the shade a while, and talk to God, and read my devotional and sometimes look at some magazines....

While you're here please do have some tea cookies, grapes and a cold glass of lemon water...

I hope this post inspires you to take some time for yourself today, to just enjoy the simple pleasures and joys of life. 

Until next time...

Stay creative and have a beautiful day! 

I'm joining these fun blog parties this week:

Vintage Charm Party hosted by Cecilia at My Thrift Store Addiction & 

Kathleen from Our Hopeful Home

Thursday Favorite Things hosted by Katherine's Corner, Eclectic Red Barn, Follow The Yellow Brick Home, Crafts a la Mode, An Artful Mom

 

I Was Featured...A Thank You To Some Awesome Ladies!

I could hardly believe my eyes....but I was featured at two blogs this week...

First, at Vintage Charm Party.... I'm so happy to be included, and I want to thank the talented and sweet Cecilia, from My Thrift Store Addiction Blog, for featuring my Summer Home Tour Post for her June Feature this week, over at Vintage Charm Party. Her blog is full of thrifty inspiration and she has been featured in many decorating magazines, and she has an Etsy Shop, where she sells some of her thrift store finds and upcycles, she also is a Christian author, and has written two books. 

I was also featured at the All About Home Blog Party by the talented and creative Debra, from Common Ground...I am so honored to be included over there at her blog. Debra's blog has inspired me for years, and I love her beautiful home and her decorating! She is an amazing lady. 

If you'd like to see the other features this week, and visit the participants at the Vintage Charm Party, or join in at this weekly blog party, you can click HERE to head over there... for lots of home related topics, decorating, and thrifty junkin' finds inspiration! Also, head over to the All About Home blog party HERE. Thank you again so much Cecilia and Debra....I so appreciate you ladies picking my post, and including me in your features this week! You truly made my day!   

To see my Summer Home Tour Post you can scroll the page or you can click HERE

Thanks for visiting with me! 

Until next time...Stay creative and have a beautiful day!

Our Bathroom Remodel

 My husband finished our bathroom remodel/ makeover recently, so I wanted to give a tour of it...

 Here's how everything turned out in there....

He painted the cabinets....

added new backsplash, new sinks and faucets...

Painted the shower curtain rod and added new shower curtain hooks...

Painted the tub...

This is his side of the bathroom...we have split sinks...

He took down the light fixtures and other bathroom accessories (the towel hangers and toilet paper holder) and painted them....

We are loving the bathroom makeover and are happy with how things turned out in here...it looks so much fresher and better than it did. Paint can do wonders. I think it looks so pretty! I'm so proud of my sweet husband and thankful for him, and for all of the hard work he put into this bathroom remodel project. I really love all of  the improvements he made in here. This post was a lot of pictures, so I didn't include the before of the bathroom, I have a Before Bathroom Tour here on my blog though, you can click HERE to see that post. 

 Thanks for visiting me!

Until next time...

Stay creative and have a beautiful day!

Joining these fun blog parties this week:

Vintage Charm Blog Party the party hosts are Cecilia from My Thrift Store Addiction & 

Kathleen from Our Hopeful Home

Thursday Favorite Things hosted by Katherine's Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home, Eclectic Barn, Crafts a la Mode, & An Artful Mom