Christmas In July At Decorator Warehouse

I think I've told you before that we have the most amazing Christmas store right around the corner from us.

Typically, I stop by in August but when I got in the car this morning, my radio station was playing Christmas music. How fun is that? It put me in the mood for a tiny bit of Christmas. 

Additionally, the temperature inside the Christmas store is always frigid which is delightful when it is 98° outside. 

This store always has amazing "over the top" displays. I thought I'd share some them and some trends with you as July wanes to an end. 

A pink and aqua Candy Land type of display sets the tone for the entry.  

A giant gum drop garland drapes across the mantel. 

This would work in my kitchen with my current aqua valances. Some pink items are still in my collection from 2015. Pink was hard to find that year.  If I need anything, I know where to go. 

It's darling and very whimsical. 

A coordinating tree is on display around the corner. 

Mrs Claus' kitchen was right next to Candy Land. 

I am in love with those gingham curtains. 

Gingerbread items are perfect for this area. 

Adorable. 

They used the back side of the window and curtain in a different display with an elf theme. 

Traditional red and white Santa Claus items could be found in this area. 

The staircase is a feature every year. 

Santa adds one more ornament to the elf tree at the top of the stairs. 

A nutcracker stands as tall as the warehouse ceiling. 

The red and blue color scheme is interesting and different.  

Nutcrackers were trending last year in a big way.

I've been tempted to try and paint my own but I'm not a huge nutcracker fan.  

There was some gorgeous blue, white and silver going on. 

There was not a lot of farmhouse decor. 

I also didn't see a lot of bird decor or woodland which are two favorites themes of mine. 

Santa's pick up truck has been gone for the last two years. 

I loved seeing it. 

The wall of chicken feeders is gone too. 

I didn't see any red pick up truck decor. I guess that trend has gone by the wayside. 

They do so much to keep it fresh and new every year. 

Customers can buy the display trees, garlands and wreaths when they close the store in March. 

I think they all take vacation and then begin decorating for the Christmas to come. 

I love seeing what is new each summer when they open. 

I didn't get photos but there was some very glamorous gold, red and gold, green and red, 

There was even some copper, green and gold. Items that evoke nostalgia still seem very prevalent which is understandable after the last year and a half. 

I wasn't tempted by anything Christmas this time. 

I was a little more interested in what they had for fall. 

My fall stuff is a little tired and rumply looking. A Texas summer in a plastic tote isn't kind to decor items. We don't keep mine in the attic because stuff might melt. Even in the garage it's really hot.  My wreath was especially awful and now we have two doors to decorate. 

A fun apple pick was in the bargain section. I'm quite sure these will sell out. 

I love it so I got five of them. 

I have zero restraint when it comes to sunflower stuff. 

I also bought a new mug for my Saturday coffee. 

A fun sign will go on my East Texas porch. 

I can't wait to decorate it for fall. 

It was late October when we closed so the porch didn't get to live it's best fall life. 

I thought Bill and I could make some wood slice pumpkins. 

The galvanized pick up was just so cute. 

I spy some black and white buffalo check. Hobby Lobby still had a lot of that too. 

The orange check ribbon is a fun twist on the buffalo check trend. 

That is all for now. 

August is sunflower season at our house. 

I did some shopping last week so I'll be back with a post sharing some of my favorite sunflower options from Hobby Lobby. 

Here's one more look at the gigantic Nutcracker. 

There is usually too much to take in on one trip. I'll be back to look again when I need a little Christmas. 

Katie 

Here's a look at Christmas 2016

and Christmas 2017

Butcher Block Countertop Progress

Hello, Friends,

How are you?

I hope and pray that you are doing well. 

We started installing the butcher block countertops at our house in East Texas. 

Please refer to this blog page. You can read all about the house, the property and how we are fixing it up to be our cozy get-away place. 

Here are two before photos of the kitchen the day we looked at the house for the second time. 

The first time we looked at it, I was unimpressed so I didn't take a single photo.  

Bill really wanted the property so I was willing to give the house a second look. He could see the potential. 

Upon a second look, I liked the layout of the kitchen. We've never had a peninsula. I love what Angela @ Parisienne Farmgirl did to her 1980's kitchen so I could see some potential. I knew right off of the bat that I would paint the cabinets, install flooring, take down some upper cabinets, switch out the light fixtures, and add butcher block counters. 

We have also added knobs to the doors and drawers and added crown to the top of the cabinets to make them look finished. 

Instead of painting the cabinets a color to coordinate with the olive counters, I ignored them because I knew butcher block was coming eventually. If we were keeping the olive counters, the cabinets could have been painted a creamier white. We didn't hate the counters so that is why we didn't rip them out sooner.  There were more pressing projects to do. 

Why am I going with butcher block? 

Will there be maintenance? 

I wanted a natural product so laminate was never seriously considered. It would have been nice to for someone else to do the install but it wasn't really an option. I feel it is expensive for what it is. 

DIY concrete? Nope. 

Quartz was an absolute no. We had a bathroom counter in that material and it changed color in about two years. We've seen serious yellowing of cultured marble so I was not going to risk that again in a quartz. 

Natural stone wasn't considered either. The cabinets aren't that great, so I didn't want stone on them. Stone is a bit fancy for this house, anyway. We've had stone in town since 2015. It chips and it's hard to see gunk. I think our granite is beautiful but I feel it's a tad overrated. 

So we'll have maintenance. I say "we" but I mean me. Bill will count on me to care for the butcher block. 

I've oiled a sample to see how it holds up to coffee, oil and wine. We won't be cutting directly on it so cuts are not an issue. Little surface abrasions won't bother either of us. 

Let's get in to the nitty gritty of the install. 

Removing the old counters was not difficult at all. They were held in place by some long staples so they essentially popped right off. 

The first section went in without any problem. Bill started with the easiest part first. 

He used the old piece as the template. 

He was done with it by breakfast. 

He had to run to the hardware store for a new saw blade on the second piece but once cut that went on with out issue.  

He did the wide peninsula next.

The glue holding the blocks together didn't hold in two places. 

We were able to cut most of that end off but we weren't happy with the quality. The piece really needed to be re-glued and clamped together but we feel that it will hold now that it is on the cabinets. 

The wall is not straight so it took some finesse to get it in place. He didn't use the old piece as the template and he regretted that a bit. I think he may have used geometry but I'm not sure because I black out whenever math comes into play. 

At this point we should have stopped but we had accomplished quite a bit and we felt buoyed by the success.

In my concern about the curved wall, I made a stupid, stupid design decision. Bill acquiesced since he was tired and concerned too. The countertops are heavy, so we got physically tired pretty quickly. One of the other sections had some additional flaws so rather than use it, we pieced in a small portion of counter under the coffee cabinet.

It was late, we hadn't had dinner. Water was in sight so Bill proceeded with the sink cut. 

He cut the template but the saw had kick back and marred the wood. 

We went to put in the new sink and the sink was broken on one corner. 

Because I was exhausted and over it, I said the old sink would be fine. Bill reinstalled the old sink. It fit in the cut out but didn't cover the flaw caused by the saw. 

I was disappointed but too tired to even know that I was disappointed. 

The next morning, I knew we would not be happy with the pieced section under the coffee cabinet and the cut near the sink. 

We could live with both problems, but I knew we would be kicking ourselves that we didn't take the time to do things right. 

I wasn't happy about the old sink. There was a look that I wanted and the stainless sink wasn't going to cut it. 

Bill quickly came up with plan B. The section around the sink will be removed. Bill will make a cut in the middle of the sink and join another section there. That is what we should have done in the first place.  That seam will be easier to join than the other seams, fingers crossed. 

He exchanged the sink so we will be getting a new sink and faucet. He made that call in deference to me which is very sweet.  

Work will continue this weekend.  

I noticed immediately that the new counters brighten the space. The old countertop seemed to suck light out of the room. There is very little natural light in this room. 

I've oiled the finished section of counter. I plan on a two more coats just to be on the safe side. 

I'll keep you updated on the second weekend of countertop DIYs. 

Until then, stay safe. 

Katie 

 

Late Summer Sunflower Inspiration

Hello, Friends,

How are you? I hope this finds you healthy and well.

There comes a day during every summer where the temperature reaches a certain degree and that is it for me. I long for fall weather. That day came a week or so ago. I thought East Texas would be a little cooler than our house in town but the humidity makes the temperature difference insignificant. In an attempt to rush the cooler weather, I engaged in a little late summer decorating.  

Sunflowers and other yellow flowers are creeping into the vignettes. 

I've been smitten by the sweet brown eyed Susans that line the highway and dot our property out in East Texas. We've been able to pick them weekly for an arrangement for our screened in porch. They are so fun and cheerful and they dry well too. The pop of yellow echos the sunflowers that are blooming in my raised beds. 

I'll try to keep my chatter to a minimum and you can enjoy some late summer sunflower inspiration. 

A few little brown eyed Susans will be sprinkled in as well. 

Sunflowers and touch of brown transferware congregate on the shelves of the dish dresser. 

The garden room is my favorite place for a bit of seasonal decorating so it got the largest concentration of stuff. 

Hobby Lobby has several different styles of sunflowers. The year round sunflowers were $11.99 before a 50% discount. The fall sunflowers were $12.99 and they are currently 40% off. The only difference seems to be a minuscule amount of autumnal color on the petals.  The leaves are a different green and look more olive than bright green. This was a no brainer. I went with the bunches that were $11.99 regular price. I try to buy when they are on sale which is every other week. Dollar tree also has sunflowers sometimes. They aren't bad looking for a dollar. There were some bunches of brown eyed Susans. They were $5.99 regular price. 

 I always prefer real flowers but sunflowers don't last long enough. Faux is the way to go for just everyday decorating but I'll spring for the real thing if we are entertaining. 

The dining room got a few bits of decor. 

The corn teapot belonged to Bill's Granny Vi. 

We found the little painting in Florence. We got an apple from the same artist. I stuck them away when we got home from Italy and forgot about them. What a fun souvenir. 

A few vintage chickens were called into service. 

Hobby Lobby had the cute sunflower cocktail napkins. 

The rooster ornament came from Italy two years ago. 

I searched the internet for old graphics. Popping a graphic print in an antique frame gives it instant age. 

It is one of my favorite sunflower graphics.

That is about it for now. 

Come back to see the countertop progress at our country house. 

It's going well but it's a bit more finicky then we thought it would be. 

See you soon. 

Katie