Grace & Favor – A Life Worth Living

Monday, June 13, 2011

When You're Away

Mr. Hubby and I just returned from a wonderful cruise to Alaska.  It was a week of breathtaking scenery and new experiences.  When I returned home after traveling through four time zones....I just thought there were only three and after that you just fell off the end of the earth I saw our home in a new light again.

My point in all of this is how do you view your home when you return from vacation?  To me everything looked so warm and inviting and I think I was seeing some things with a new "eye" and what the possibilities might be to improve.  I had just finished staining my porch floor when we left, a major task and one I might share later after I recover.  I had put a few things out on the porch the week before we left because I was having company from out of state and wanted things to at least be presentable.


This is a little corner of the porch where I sit when I have a moment.  I recently found that after years of struggling with not being able to put pictures, etc. on the siding (hubby would have gotten the vapors if there was a hole in the siding) the Command Strips work great!!!!  I put this picture and clock up this morning and love the look of it.  Now my mind is spinning with other ideas of how I might use these little gems on the porch.


This sweet potato vine is doing well and I love the new orb I picked up at the floral wholesaler a couple of weeks ago.  The candle is a faux one that has an auto timer on it from QVC, Flameless Candles, I love to look out in the evening and see the candles flickering on the porch.

I had a box filled with old chipped Blue Willow that was sitting in the basement, I brought some of it up and filled a wicker planter with it then added a few flowers in some of the cups. Hope this qualifies for Susan's Metamorphosis Monday!




I'm joining Susan today for Metamorphosis Monday
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26 comments:

Unknown said...

wonderful ! I love this wicker piece you turned it into a work of eye candy art
KAT

Amanda said...

love that! and I too LOVE coming back home from vacation- I like to smell my house and see it like Im seeing it for the 1st time, (I always thought I was just weird-glad to know someone else feels the same way)

Anonymous said...

What a fantastic idea!!
You rock gurlfriend! Can't wait to see the vacation photo's of the cruise to Alaska!
Your porch is lovely, I can relate to hubby not wanting holes in the siding my Mr would have a cow too!I Love command strips!

Hey I'm having my first giveaway June 15th!
Sure hope you can join us(HappierThanAPigInMud),we are having a cookalong with the Pillsbury Doughboy and I'm giving away a Pillsbury cookbook and a doughboy.
~JO
Lazyonloblolly

Michelle said...

Beautiful, Miss Char!!! I do love the idea of the faux candles flicker outside, that would make me happy.

So glad you had a great cruise. I am not one to want to go on a cruise but I think one in Alaska would be wonderful.

Debbie said...

That is absolutely fantastic. I love it.

I would love to take an Alaskan cruise, too.

jennifer said...

I hope you're not trying to grow more dishes!!

Unknown said...

I Love it! So pretty... perfect for a glass of tea... Maybe when we retire I can go on an Alaskan crews! :)

Sounds wonderful!

~Liz

Paula@SweetPea said...

Welcome home! Glad you had a good time on your trip.

Your porch looks so inviting. You've made it look like an outdoor room. Now that you know that command strips work, you can change your decor on a whim!

Kelly J/Hunters Hill said...

Good to know about the command strips!! Char you have an incredible eye for things, everything looks so warm, inviting and just lovely ..... I need to fix up my back porch sitting area now!

Jennifer M, love the comment about Growing Dishes :-P

PAINTORDIG.blogspot.com said...

Your planter is just beautiful! I love the touch of the blue willow! Glad you found a way to hang things, it looks great!

The Tablescaper said...

I too tend to look at my home differently when returning home from vacation. Love the idea of the chipped in the planter. It looks great!

- The Tablescaper

Heidi said...

Very nice! I love your basket! When we come home after being a way for several days I always think, "Oh, I love our home!!!" The next thing I think is, "Oh, I am SO GLAD I cleaned the kitchen before we left!" Hugs, Heidi

April D said...

Your porch is lovely, and the planter with dishes idea is GREAT!
So very peaceful and pretty. VERY welcoming!
Happy Tuesday!

Designs on 47th Street said...

Char,this just warms my heart to see these pictures of your porch. Just such a comforting sight. I love your black wicker stand with plants and old dishes. Great idea!! :)

Some day just maybe we will take an Alaska cruise. Sounds so fun.

Hey, I need to know about Command Strips. Do tell. Can these be purchased just anywhere? I didn't know about them and would love to hang things on our siding with Mr. Brown Socks having a cow!
Donna

Cathy said...

I love the blue and white in the planter. What a great idea!

Martha said...

Love your porch and what a great idea to do with that blue willow! I think it's really very clever!

Kathy said...

my friends Dick & Karen were on a cruise in Alaska too, wouldn't that be wierd if you were on the same one! Anyway love your blog, coming from Kims'

Sharing with Sherri said...

Oh yes, cruising IS wonderful! My hubby and I have gone on a couple, and loved it! Although I don't recommend going to the Bahamas in Oct. I highly recommend the Southern Carribean in April, it was so wonderful, we didn't want to go home!!!
I'd love to hear more about your Alaskan cruise! I've heard it's breath taking!
But of course there's no place like home... Your porch looks really cozy and I love the potted plant and orb.
But... Wow! I REALLY love what you did with your chipped china, it's just adorable and very artistic looking!! I'm a big fan of blue and white china.

So glad I stopped by to visit!
~Sherri:)

Light and Voices said...

I click my red shoes and then we arrive back home. I love to travel; but there is no place like home to me. I am glad you had a wonderful time in Alaska.
Joyce M

SquirrelQueen said...

I love what you did with the Blue Willow wear, that make s great looking planter.

Diana LaMarre said...

What a great idea. The blue Willow makes such a unique container and I think the whispy fern is the perfect plant for it.

The French Hutch said...

I know exactly what you mean when returning home from a trip. As soon as you walk in the door, it just clicks. I love how you've decorated your porch. It looks great. Love the sweet potato vine on the topiary form and I just love what you did with the blue willow. I'm visiting over from Wow us Wednesday. Happy Summer.

~Emily
The French Hutch

Stacey said...

Very pretty! I stuck plates in my window box last year. You are reminding me to do that again. :)

It's Just Dottie said...

I am so in love with blue willow. I have a huge collection. I loved your photos.
Smiles. Dottie

Kaye said...

your porch looks so invitingg! The candle looked real to me - I never would have known that was a flameless one. Just beautiful!

Pat said...

Your blue willow dish vignette is just about the most inventive thing I have seen in a long time. Just fabulous! I have that same wicker stand in white. It was in my nursery when I was a baby, I am in my 50's!