~Garden Lights~

This is a thrifty little project that is so easy!  My friend {and creative muse} D'Ann saw these little garden lights at a local antique store.  We knew we could make them for next to nothing!

D'Ann's hub is a contractor, so he takes lots of old light fixtures featuring these little jewels out of homes as he remodels.  Between the ones we could get from him and some purchased at Goodwill and other thrift stores, we had quite a variety to work with!

So here is what you need:

• globes from old light fixtures
• solar garden lights (these are at Walmart for $1 during the spring/summer months)
• shepherd hooks (got these on sale 40% off at JoAnn's)
• wire (D'Ann's hub had the wire we used, but I have seen it for sale at Lowes)

Start with using the wire to make a handle.  We used wire snips for this part.  We cut two pieces of wire, one for the handle at 12 inches and one for the part that goes around the neck of the glass globe at 10 inches.  

There really is not an exact science to this.  We just made loops on each end of the 12 inch wire, then fed the 10 inch wire through each loop and twisted the 10 inch wire around the neck of the globe.  

Next, we disassembled the solar garden lights.

You have to pull that orange tab out for the lights to start working.  Once this was done, we put the clear plastic covering back on.  Then we just sat the whole thing down into the neck of the glass globe! The clear plastic part is essential because it will help keep the light in place.  We actually tried to do this without the clear plastic thing and hot glued the black solar part on top of the globes....FAIL....don't waste your time hot gluing....it doesn't stay!

And here is what it looks like with the solar light in place.

The last step is to determine where you want your garden lights.  I chose the path in our backyard.  It was still light when I put them in, and I got busy and forgot to take pics at dusk with them lit up!  Will try to remember tomorrow and update the post!  I just went outside to look and I LOVE the soft light illuminating the path through our shade garden/backyard!  Of course, it is way too dark at 10:00 PM to get a decent picture for you!  But here they are when I put them in.

A FUN and thrifty little project!  Hopefully you can make a few of these for your own garden! 

~Summer Blessings to All~

Linking to some great parties!

~A Patriotic Dining Room~

Our dining room is one of those places we rarely eat.  It ends up being the place I can create seasonal table vignettes.  This summer, I decided to create a patriotic themed dining table. {excuse the dog's crate....should have moved it out before my little photo shoot :)}

While browsing in IKEA recently, I noticed a really fun table centerpiece idea where stacks of books with the covers torn off were bundled together and strewn across the middle of the table with candles in silver candlesticks sitting all throughout.  My original plan was to recreate that exact look.  So off to Goodwill I went in hopes of finding some great hardback books.  The "color of the week" was green, so I looked specifically for green sticker books to get the half off deal.  I was also looking for books with not-so-perfectly white pages....moldy, yellowed, uneven pages....bring it on! My plan was to wrap these with some fun burlap-y red and blue ribbon and twine.  Then my friend D'Ann suggested that I mix my no-cover books in with some red and blue spine books to get more of a patriotic feel. I was pleasantly surprised to find when I removed all the book jackets that many of the books I purchased had either red or blue covers/spines!  So, $13 later.... this is what I ended up with....

Keeping it real.....pardon the dust! :o)

And so I had to change up the dishes too!

Linking up to some great parties!

~Summer Blessings to All~

SUMMER TOUR OF HOMES

 Summer is the time I can think about my home.  School is out and I am free for the next seven weeks not to think about my school.  So when I saw that The Shabby Creek Cottage was hosting a home tour, I got excited to go everyday to check out all the beautiful homes. I also got excited about pulling out my 4th of July decor and sharing the most recent updates we have done in our home.  I am constantly changing things up.  The last blog home tour I participated in was in 2011.  I looked back at that post and I can't believe how our home has changed!

So WELCOME to our home in the 'burbs north of Atlanta!  

While I would love to have a "character" home, I do not....we have a "cookie cutter"  home in the suburbs.  So I do the best I can to give the inside of our home some of the character it lacks on the outside.

Come on in!

~THE FOYER~

~THE DINING ROOM~

~THE LIVING ROOM~

~THE KITCHEN~

~THE FAMILY ROOM~

~THE MASTER SUITE~

~DAUGHTER #1'S ROOM & BATH~

~DAUGHTER #2'S ROOM & BATH~

~THE GUEST ROOM~

~THE LAUNDRY ROOM~

~THE BASEMENT~

~THE BACKYARD & DECK~

Hope you enjoyed visiting as much as I have enjoyed visiting other homes on the tour! 

~Summer Blessings to All~