East Texas Front Porch For Summer

Hello, Friends,

How are you doing today? I hope you are well.

We're doing our best to stay cool here in Texas. 

I don't know that I've mentioned this but the temperature in East Texas is a few degrees cooler. The difference is negligible because the humidity is a tad higher. 

That didn't stop me from playing with the decor on the front porch even though it is a little too hot to sit outside. 

Just like the queen, the flags are up when we are in residence. 

 

The bunting came from Hobby Lobby in 2021. 

When Bill bought the new set for the screened in porch, we brought the two black chairs around to the front. These were an estate sale find for $15.00 each. The little table belonged to my childhood ice cream set. 

The shrub and flower border that lines the porch is holding its own. I chose dwarf nandinas which thrive at my house in town. They aren't thriving but they are doing okay. 

The bench was a trash find. Bill re-did all of the wood. He did three benches in a short amount of time. 

He has since banned me from picking up anymore benches. I love benches. Haha. 

The floral pillow was found at Walmart. I made the little gold pillow with some left over damask. 

The antique rocker is a family piece. 

The slatted rocker was left on the property. 

We have the paint to do the ceiling but it is way too hot for that . 

The walls are Alabaster by Sherwin Williams. 

The wreath on the front door came from Nearly Natural. I just love it. 

A cute truck sign from Hobby Lobby graces the front bed in the summer. 

We need rain. It hasn't rained out there for about a month. I'm watering but it's been struggle to keep the grass alive. Some of it is just fried, which is terrible since we spent a lot of money on fertilizer. 

Hopefully, it will bounce right back as soon as we get some rain. I'm praying for that to happen soon. 

In the meantime, the porch looks cute! 

That is about it for now. 

I hope you are staying cool. 

Katie

Linking with All About Home. 

French And Garden Inspired Baker's Rack

It's not often that Bill comments on changes made around the house but he did on this one. 

What did he think? You will have to wait and see. 

I found this baker's rack out junking. To be honest, I can't remember if it was a thrift store or garage sale but it was only $15.00. We have had it for years. 

"Where is the love?", a song by Roberta Flack was floating through my head as I type this. 

It wasn't living its best life. It got a few hours of direct afternoon sun. All the sun just reflected off of the white and it just wasn't working for me. 

I restyled it. 

I contemplated painting it. I read a post over at Common Ground. Debra had moved her baker's rack. I love how Debra always styles hers. 

I thought about moving it back indoors. 

Instead, I moved it to a new covered spot on the deck and then restyled it. 

The love is back. 

It came with the rusty chippy paint although it's gotten a touch up a time or two.

Old beige tiles were recently replaced with white tiles left over from the bathroom remodel last summer.  

My friend, Judith at Botanic Bleu had utilized a wire basket for some zinc flower pots. I was so inspired by that look. 

I gathered up an old metal refrigerator basket and loaded it with any clay pot that I could find. 

I don't have any zinc pots. 

 I searched the yard, greenhouse and flower tote in the garage for all different sizes. They look jumbled but they are carefully arranged. 

The one with the floral swag is a favorite! 

One shelf wasn't enough so I loaded a Hobby Lobby basket with some more pots. 

It balances out the shelf above it. 

I decorated the rest of the shelves with some little critters and some green majolica planters. A lantern or two was thrown in for good measure. 

The candles are plastic flameless flickering candles. You may be wondering why I'm using these instead of real candles. 

Well, the truth is that this is Texas. Candles will melt into a puddle by 2:00 p.m. on a summer afternoon. 

I've tried real candles in the past. I vow that I'm going to bring them inside so that they don't melt. Invariably, I'll forget and suddenly my candles are all wicked witch of the west on me. 

Moving the baker's rack left a hole by the back door. 

We had the base to my great grandmother's sewing machine. Bill made a top for it. 

A vintage pie safe, my original watering can, a darling bunny and some basil grace the table. I filled an antique transferware pitcher from my parents with clippings from the yard and woods. 

I love bring indoor collectables outside. 

 The cross was a gift from my brother and sister in law. 

So what did Bill think of the change? 

He likes it. 

Be safe! 

Katie 

"I sought the Lord and He answered me." 

Spring Into Summer Porches, Patios, and Outdoor Spaces Blog Hop

Good Morning! 

I want to say a big thank you to Amber at Follow The Yellow Brick Home for putting this fun blog hop together. What a fun theme for a hop.
Her spaces are always amazing.

If you are coming from Decor to Adore, welcome. Laura has such a cute house and garden. I love that blue tablescape.

I love indoor throws and pillows used outside. The other day, I grabbed side tables, an ottoman, quilts, and throw pillows to create a cozy space for coffee and wine drinking this weekend.

We love spending time under our new gazebo on the deck. 

We've been very busy this spring working on our outdoor living space.
When we bought our house, we had a small covered patio. It wasn't a very useable space. There was enough room for a small dining table and a porch swing. When we had teenagers, Bill enclosed the room with a sliding door and windows. We lost our patio but we gained a quiet space where we could escape from video games and garage bands.

We still needed outdoor living space so Bill built our deck. It's huge. For several years we used a cantilever umbrella for shade. It shaded the love seat or the two chairs but not both. It wasn't a great solution and it finally wore out. Instead of replacing it, we opted for a cover of some kind.

The Sojag Gazebo by Messina is sturdy enough to handle our Texas wind but it's light weight enough so that it won't damage the deck. We ordered ours through Costco. Similar - here.  

We put it together ourselves and still managed to keep our marriage in tact.

Mosquito netting was included with the purchase and it's a must since we live on the edge of a wooded area. 

There is something about a cover that offers protection from the sun but it also gives boundaries to the seating area, so the space feels more like a room.

It was overcast and cloudy on Friday morning. I pulled out some fun, homey looking elements and decorated the space. 

The cushions are made for the outdoors. The pillows are not made of outdoor fabric but I bought some Never Wet that I'm going to try out. I don't want the pillows to mildew.

It started to sprinkle while I was outside. It wasn't one of the driving rains which are common in Texas so the space didn't fall victim to damp cushions. 

The candles provide ambience and mosquito protection for any stragglers that have found their way into the gazebo.

We've had blue and white for quite a few years and black and white seemed like a fun change.
Greens looks amazing with black and white.

The accent colors are endless with this scheme. I love the deep red of the miniature rose.
It came from the grocery store. Once the blooms are spent, it will get planted in the ground.

The citronella candles were a gift but they came from Walmart.

The pillows on the love seat came from Pottery Barn. I just love their pillows.
I always feel like they are a fun splurge.
The quilts proved a colorful touch but they are also available in the event of a dip in temperature.
That is rare, though, during a Texas summer.

That is it for now.
 Be sure to visit Carol at Art and Sand. She has such a beautiful yard on the coast of California.
You will not want to miss the other blogs on this tour.
Katie

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

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Follow The Yellow Brick Home

A Stroll Thru Life

Common Ground

Our Southern Home

County Road 407

Decor To Adore

Let's Add Sprinkles

Art and Sand

Botanic Bleu

The Crowned Goat

Petite Haus

My Thrift Store Addiction

Celebrate and Decorate

Bluesky at Home

Lora Bloomquist

The Tattered Pew

Thistle Key Lane

White Arrows Home

Welch House 1900

Decorate and More With Tip

 

The Wannabe Fall Front Porch

Have you ever had something on a wish list that never came to fruition? 

One of my "must haves" when we bought this house was a front porch. 

It just goes to show that "must haves" sometimes are not meant to be. 

I've drooled over pictures on the internet of big front porches. 

Pumpkins, corn stalks, throws and boots tumble all over the image in a veritable wonderland of fall splendor. 

My porch? Not so much. 

I was trying to sleep one night when inspiration struck. 

That happens to me a lot. 

I don't know where Bill went but I always do this kind of stuff when he isn't home. 

I shop when he isn't around. 

Shopping with a banker isn't all that productive.

That's all I'm going to say about that. 

I decided to create the illusion of a front porch by removing one of my Dwarf Nandina. 

They aren't so dwarf anymore after 26 years.  

There was an old park bench on the side of the yard creating an illusion of courtyard. 

Not so successfully, if I can be honest. 

 I laid some flagstones down and moved the bench around to the newly cleared area. 

 The stone foundation keeps the feet level and out of the dirt. 

I had fun styling this! 

I  feel like I have a veritable porch wonderland of scarecrows, pumpkins, a throw stolen off of the couch, mums, and the rainboots that live in the hall closet. 

Bill thinks it's cute. 

He firmly declared that no one would sit on it. 

Who can sit on it?

I need room for my  boots, throws, pumpkins, scarecrows and mums!

Katie