If you read my Saturday Meanderings last week, I mention my disappointment with two wreaths I ordered online. Not only are they too small, but the quality is not to my standards. One of the challenges of ordering a product online, is that you can’t see and feel it. Photographs can be misleading, and in this case, I totally fell for the pictures depicting these wreaths. But not one to throw things away, parts of the wreaths are worth reusing.

My Typical Fall Wreath

Purchasing an attractive wreath can be a big initial investment, but if stored properly, you can use it year after year, amortizing the cost over time. In 2019, I purchased this wreath from Tanya at TwoInspireYou on Etsy.

Since our front door is wide at 4 feet, I need a substantial wreath and not a common size. Tanya’s wreath selections come in a diameter of 24, 26 and 30 inches. The beautiful wreath I received is a lush 30 inches. You can tell by the photo that the quality of the flowers and leaves are well made and silk. The frame is a substantial grapevine one.

Unfortunate recent purchase

Recently, when scrolling through Pinterest I came upon this ad:

Look how lush and full this wreath is! And the size looks quite large compared to the woman holding it, right?

So I ordered 2 of them, using PayPal since I have never ordered through this company before. I do not get an automatic confirmation of my order, only confirmation from PayPal that payment has been made. After waiting a few days, still no notification of my order.

I google Home Yard Mart and it’s a bit of a sketchy website. I start to worry and do some digging and then send an email to yet another company about my order. Finally I hear back with a tracking code that doesn’t really lead anywhere. At this point I am convinced my money is gone.

Fortunately, I get my two wreaths in the mail, not really packaged as you would expect.

Not only are they horribly small, but have a plastic frame and with exception of a few pieces, everything is reallly inexpensive plastic. Some of the pumpkins and gourds are chipped. The frame is 12″ in diameter so the overall size is probably 14″. Complete and total disappointment, and not really worth my time to initiate a return.

After stewing about it for a few days, I re-read my post on Autumn in August-Fall Wreath Ideas and Inspiration and got to work on how I can dismantle these terrible little wreaths, but utilize the few good parts.

Softening the Glue

The manufacturer did not skimp on glue, as the pieces are unmovable from the cheesy plastic frame. With my trusty hair dryer, set on high, I soften the glue and ease the parts of the wreath from the frame.

I’ve never done this before so a couple of words of caution. A blow dryer in the highest setting gets hot. In addition you now have melted glue that can also get hot. Keep a bowl of ice water nearby in case you need to rescue your fingers from melted glue (a great tip from one of my readers).

Within minutes I am pulling off the few silk roses and pumpkins. I keep a sheet of plastic from the shipping envelope and lay down the miscellaneous wreath parts and their sticky ends to cool. The colors of the peach and orange roses are quite pretty, but most of the foliage is plastic and not useable.

I end up with 12 roses and 6 gourds/pumpkins.

Laying out the Pattern

At this point, I am still not confident I want to add these elements to a wreath that I already love. So I place the roses and gourds on the beautiful original wreath. I like the pop of color that these add to a deeper, garnet and sage flowers/leaves, so I heat up my glue gun.

The orange and green pumpkins add some interest and texture. I try using some of the plastic greenery, but their low quality diminished the elegance of the wreath.

The “New” Fall Wreath

It is so hard to capture the color of the front door as it changes by the hour. This is an early morning shot with the eastern sun behind me. You will see all the color variations. Not sure why this blue is so hard to capture.

Here is a photo from inside the front hall with the door open in the late afternoon. The door almost looks gray.

Before and After

Actually, I love them both for different reasons. It’s hard to capture what the new wreath looks like in person, but I am so drawn to peaches, apricots, cranberry or garnet colors this fall. The good news is that I can add or remove any of the pieces, as I was very careful when affixing that I didn’t ruin the original wreath.

If nothing else, I feel better about that I didn’t completely waste the money spent on the 2 substandard wreaths.

Happy Tuesday to you! I hope you are enjoying decorating for fall. The light is shifting here and the Autumn Equinox is this Thursday, the 22nd.

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.

I’ve had a few requests to share pictures of the guest cottage interior. This sweet small building sits in the quiet northwest corner of our property and is very secluded from the main house. We estimate the age of the guest cottage to be from the 1930 to 1940. So let’s take a peek.

I recall the first time we toured the house with the realtor. When we opened the side door to the guest cottage, you couldn’t see in as it was packed from floor to ceiling with stuff. After some substantial cleaning and a second visit, we did get a glimpse inside only to find the entire bathroom ceiling on the floor and in the tub. Apparently, a roof leak several years earlier caused the collapse and the debris was left for years. Sigh.

Here is a photo of the guest cottage when we bought the property back in 1999. The guest cottage became the first building to undergo a complete renovation, as we needed a place to work, meet with contractors and put up guests who were courageous enough to visit our job site.

Size and Space

The guest cottage is approximately 576 square feet and has one bedroom, one bath, a living room and eat-in kitchen. It has everything anyone would need including a washer/dryer and its own parking space.

The guest cottage has the original single paned window on a rope and pulley system. Note the large roof overhangs which keeps the direct sun off the sides of the cottage. Old green shutters are from France and a thrifting find. The front door overhang is a custom made piece to help accentuate the front entrance. It is clad in a type of shiplap-style siding before shiplap became so trendy.

Behind the cottage is a very large, mature Hong Kong orchid tree which provides a colorful backdrop with its fragrant purple blossoms.

By the front door an old vintage/antique mailbox hangs below the lantern. To see how I updated this sweet old mailbox, click here.

Interior

When you enter the front door you arrive in the living room. There is no foyer or hallway. The floor is carpeted with a thick berber rug. Vintage wood framed pictures of mallards hang on the wall. A skirted table sits in the corner allowing additional storage below.

To the right of the sofa is a small scaled secretary with a writing desk. The wing chair provides extra seating.

Though not ideal, the wicker coffee table is a $35 find at a second hand store. I really need to find a rectangular or oval table. The pull-out sofa and loveseat are Ethan Allen purchases from decades ago (really..) and covered in Sunbrella fabric. Same with the wing chair.

Since the guest cottage is heavily shaded, the living room tones are neutral with soft blue accents.

All the accent pillows are from a previous Pottery Barn purchase but you can find beautiful pillows online for great prices, like these 2 gorgeous ones here for only $14.99!

Across the room from the sofa is a distressed white console and a wall for the television.

The Bedroom

The bedroom’s grand carved headboard is from an 1897 Victorian house I owned in Alameda, California.  The previous owner left it in the master bedroom and it has moved with me to each house ever since. 

Lampshades and decorative pillows are from Pottery Barn.  The matelasse coverlet and sheets are from J.C. Penney. I really love this coverlet and I’ve been unable to find another one. The skirt to the bed is the same coverlet but in white. The edges are scalloped and it is a nice weight.

The JC Penney store by us has closed and not sure what their status is~but I always had good luck with their bedding.

The Bathroom

The full bathroom has a stackable washer/dryer and plenty of storage. The mirror over the sink is from an old dresser and the wall lamps are added to the frame. Walk-in shower and plenty of storage in this small room.

Kitchen

The kitchen is actually a pretty good size and is fully equipped with a gas stove, refrigerator, dishes, pots and pans and silverware.

An antique drop leaf table allows more dining for guests. Both the kitchen and the bathroom have engineered hardwood plank flooring. It’s hard to believe that something with this small square footage has everything you need!

The journey to the guest cottage is a bit magical as the walkway is through an arch of vines. During the spring, the arch is covered with fragrant white clematis. Not only do our guests enjoy their privacy tucked away in this corner of our property, but we do as well.

I hope you’ve enjoyed peeking into the guest cottage! Happy Wednesday!

If you enjoy this post, please share or save on Pinterest.

Sometimes I get into a rut and do the same table decorations over and over again. With a few minor changes, you can use many of the same things and mix up the look of your July 4th table. All of these items I have on hand. Since I am proud to be an American, I love the look of red, white and blue and what they represent. July 4th is a time of celebration and the more colorful the table, the better!

Table #1

A few months back I ordered these melamine dishes from Cailini Coastal and I am finding many ways to use them. They work especially well, as they provide the major source of blue to this July 4th themed table. Here is the link to these dishes, however, I just found a very pretty set on Amazon for less cost ($35.47 for a service for 4).

Layering the tablecloth

Whether you choose to use a tablecloth or not, when I do use a cloth I like to layer it. These very affordable Indian block print cloths from Just Darviny is the prettiest shade of blue. For the top layer, I use a white, vintage lace one.

The blue shade in the plate is different from the blue in the tablecloth, so I use the white topper and the white melamine charger (from The Enchanted Home) provide enough distance between the two.

The Centerpiece

A simple blue and white vase with patriotic color flowers fits the bill. In this photo the flowers are faux, however, the closer we get to the holiday, fresh flowers in red, white and blue will be more available. Here is a very pretty vase on Amazon, along with a pre-made bouquet of flowers.

Additional Decor

Do you recall the paper garland I made a year ago? If not, here is the post. I use this garland and drape it around the centerpiece to add more color to the table.

Firecracker Candles

Aren’t these candles cute? The long wick probably isn’t the most practical but it fits with the theme. For safety sake, I place them in a small glass votive. I bought these years ago and cannot seem to find anything similar online. The original manufacturer is TagLtd out of Chicago.

I place several around the table.

Napkins and rings

Vintage lace napkins and a simple red and white striped ribbon, complete the place setting. Lots of good ribbon selections here.

Finishing touches

The wine and water glass are Waterford crystal and the flatware is Wallace Napoleon Bee, a very versatile service.

Table #2

Using the same garland, I hang it above the table. Centerpiece vase and flowers are the same.

Tablecloth

A round, red 60″ checkered cotton table cloth offers a big pop of color. The blue and white star paper placemats from Hester & Cook are versatile as they are used in the paper garland and as an anchor for the place setting.

Glasses and flatware are the same as the other table. Dishes are from Pottery Barn~white with a gold rim. No charger this time as often with a placemat there isn’t enough room for one.

Napkins are from Williams Sonoma and I often use these same napkin for Valenitine’s Day and Christmas. I found these really sweet white and red napkins on Amazon~a set of 12 for $21.99.

A different color ribbon is used for a napkin ring. Great selection of patriotic ribbon here.

Firecracker candles

Using the same firecracker candles, I put them in brass candleholders from West Elm. Again, this is another purchase that has been used over and over again in many of my entertaining tables.

I find it interesting how geometric this table is due to the tablecloth and placemats. It is far more colorful than the first one, but I love how cheerful it is.

Do you have plans to celebrate July 4th? I hope this post inspires you to do something to celebrate the birth of American independence and our nation. There are many ways to stage a table using the same pieces and elements.

It’s affordable to get pieces that you can dress up for any holiday. Using patriotic colors can transcend multiple holidays ~Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day. Red can be used for Valentine’s Day and Christmas too.

Happy Tuesday, my friends! Thanks for joining me today.

If you recall, last year I added a new paint color to the front door. It is the perfect color for Spring and Summer. Surprisingly this shade of blue also works well for Autumn and Winter. Since tulips are currently blooming in the bulb garden, it seems appropriate to hang a tulip wreath on the front door. Join me today to make a tulip wreath.

To see the front door color post for details, click here.

Michael’s is having a great sale on faux flowers and I scored 4 bunches of pink tulips for less than $20.00. See here or you can get them from Amazon here. Initially the goal is to make an all pale pink wreath.

The challenge with our front door is that it is 48″ wide. Standard-sized wreaths tend to look a little dinky. So when I do create a wreath, abundance is the key. Naturally I did this DIY project out of order. It would make the most sense to start with your wreath frame and then determine the quantity of flowers you need. However, I didn’t want to buy another wreath frame and did some digging in the garage to find this 26″ grapevine one…..after I purchased the pale pink tulips.

All you need are a few simple supplies.

• A Wreath Frame
• Faux Flowers
• Glue glue (if you don’t have one see here)

For a nice selection of grapevine wreaths of different widths, click here.

Realizing that I may not have enough pink tulips to fill the wreath frame, I find some darker pink tulips that I had on hand from another project. With 4 bunches of light pink (14 stems each) and 2 bunches of dark pink (also 14 stems each), I have a total of 84 tulips. Before I start a project I want to make sure I do not run out of materials. Been there. Done that.

Having wire cutters makes this job a lot easier to get through the plastic covering and the wire underneath. These are super affordable and you can order them through Amazon here.

I start working on 1/4 of the wreath, knowing I can use 21 stems in that portion. This gives me a sense of what density of flowers will work. Most stems tuck easily and securely in between the grapevines.

Don’t discard the leaves as they can be added to the wreath for fullness or just another pop of color. I hot glue the leaves randomly. Personally, I really don’t like using a glue gun because I tend to burn myself far too much. On this wreath, I use minimal gluing.

As I am styling it, darker tulips are added for contrast. If you follow me on Instagram, I try to post a story daily and show these types of DIY projects in action.

Continuing to add tulips around the entire wreath, I leave a space for a ribbon. Using the leftover bow from Valentine’s Day, I find that I don’t like it. The pink in the ribbon looks a little flat to me.

Instead, I remove the bow and continue adding more tulips to fill in the gap. Much better!

So here is the finished tulip wreath! I think it looks so cheerful on the front door. I believe you could use any faux flowers. Wouldn’t lavender and white hyacinths or yellow daffodils look terrific too?

Since the wreath looks so nice, and goes with the thriving pink geraniums from Valentine’s Day.

Happy Tuesday! Spring has sprung and hopefully, everyone’s weather is improving. We are, of course, in the midst of our beautiful season so every day seems better than the one before.

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.

Well, I’m a little late on posting this today but thanks for being here with me! Have you ever had one of those weeks where the minute you open your eyes until your head hits the pillow your day is chock-a-block full? That was my week! Every single day. So little time for blogging and beautiful things, but now we get a chance to look back at the week’s events and cherish the good stuff. It’s time for another Saturday Meanderings.

Daffodils

Check out your local grocery store to see if they have daffodils. Here at Safeway, you get 2 bunches for $5.00 (10 stems each) and quite honestly, they look a bit dead. It’s hard to even notice them as they are in a large cardboard box sitting next to the floral displays.

But after a quick stem trim and an overnight in water, look how they perk up and show their gorgeous yellow faces! Now where can you get such a cheerful bouquet for just a few dollars these day?

Also, if you are feeling blue, yellow is a wonderful healing color. Just having these in a vase that I can view several times per day makes me smile.

Another Target find

Even though I am trying to downsize, there are just some things at Target that I cannot resist. In searching for a new wreath look for the front door for March, this Threshold this preserved boxwood wreath is a winner. And it’s priced at $45.00, which seems reasonable to me. It is approximately 22″ wide and you can find it here. What is nice about this wreath is that it is so versatile for multiple seasons.

For March, I did add a leprechaun, a pot of gold and a few shamrocks (carefully as I did not want to damage the boxwood). I am hoping it is not too juvenile, but perhaps whimsical?

In the dollar section by the entrance, you will find these adorable moss flocked bunnies in various sizes. It will be fun to use them in Spring or Easter decorations.

Nothing says spring like cherry blossoms and these stems are so life-like. And you can’t beat the price at $5.00 per branch.

New Netflix Series

This new Netflix documentary is one everyone should watch. Especially those of us who are very trusting. Definitely something I want my children to watch and learn not to seek a roommate from Craig’s List.

It reminds me of the Netflix series Dirty John and The Betty Broderick story, both true stories and a 2-part series. Some people are not who they portray. Those are must sees too!

Flowers

In light of all the terrible news and strife in the world, here are some pictures of what is blooming in my yard. I find joy and peace in knowing that nature continues to provide us with gifts of hope.

Don’t you feel like petunias and pansies don’t get the attention they deserve? Right now, I have various colors of both flower showing their delicate petals. There is something about their softness that radiates a sense of calm.

When walking by the bulb garden, you can sniff the intoxicating scent of the hyacinths. To me, they are the first sign of Spring here.

I hope to do a post on my rose garden as it beginning to be so beautiful this time of year. Here’s just a glimpse at the Julia Child yellow rose that is blooming.

Chicken Mentality

Our hen house has four large nesting boxes for the hens to lay their eggs. Help me understand why the chickens need to fight for the same box? Here are 3 hens trying to lay their eggs on top of each other. They aren’t happy and peck at each other, but it must be a hierarchy thing? Go figure.

Fun New Shoes

Buying shoes is a bit of a challenge for me as I have a bunion on my right side. Narrow shoes pinch and hurt so it’s a bit of a gamble to buy shoes online. However, I like the look of these Cole-Haan, feather-weight shoes. The color combination is fun and so far, they are comfortable with the right socks.

An Amazing DIY

My friend, Rachel from The Pond’s Farmhouse, is so incredibly talented and seems to have endless energy. Look how she transformed this thrift store lamp into something that resembles a lamp you would spend hundreds of dollars on at Pottery Barn.

I only wish I had an ounce of Rachel’s talent. Her post will make me look at thrift store lamps in a different way. You can see it here.

Well, that’s another wrap up of Saturday Meanderings! We are heading to the opera tonight, compliments of my daughter, Julianna. This was one of my Christmas presents and we are looking forward to going out.

Have a wonderful weekend. I hope it is filled with relaxation and peaceful moments.

If you missed my posts this week, you can see them below.