The metamorhposis of a porch~

*WARNING~this post totally lacks enthusiasm*
I wanted to participate in the Porch Party but my PC is acting up as usual and I am SO tired sitting here waiting for things to load. I didn't want anyone to click on a party-less post tho.... so here's whatcha get, lol!

Welcome to Rhondi's Porch Party, 2009!

If you'd like to view last year's post, click here. We are just getting our hanging baskets and such on the porch now, so I'd love it if you come back in a month or so and visit again!

But since you're here....I'll show you the furniture I painted on Saturday. Just like the white wicker I had, these were all found in the trash over the years.

This is our house back in 1972. I was fortunate to find some previous owners and they shared these photos with us! This was before the *cough* siding was put on.

Here's a photo from a few years ago before we painted the house, showing the white furniture. I kept the chair on the right, but the rest went to the curb and has already been picked up, yay! Oh, I kept that table too.

This shows the new paint job from last year~I wish the floor would've stayed glossy and fresh forever. First up, Brentwood rocker. Yep. It's filthy and nasty, but I have a thing for them. I can't even remember where I picked it up, hmm...
This table was in the dumpster behind my work~

My friend Kim picked up this curb side beauty for me and I have used it in my office for years. Time to refresh it tho. (Thanks again Kim!)

So here's the *new* furniture!

The mandevillas are just getting started as well~

I'm looking for new cusions; something french country or Mary Engelbeit inspired.

Wish me luck!

There's plenty of left over swirled orange and pink cheesecake cupcakes I made for my sister's bridal luncheon this past Saturday.... help yourself!


Note the missing cupcake...*snort*
I cut a rose that was past it's prime, but couldn't bare to just toss it so I scattered the petels here. This is a rose that we transplanted from my late Grandmother's garden this spring. I had no idea what color they were, so it's very exciting!

Enjoy the rest of your tour, I'm going to bed, lol! I shall visit y'all tomorrow~

Happy Birthday Rhondi! Thank you for being such a gracious host.

FABULOUS FLAG-FLYING FOURTH~

Hosted by Kari and Kijsa! Be sure to stop by their blog and visit the other flag flyers!

What can I say, I get choked up when I sing the National Anthem with my hand over my heart. Or when participants were holding Old Glory while walking in the town parade the other day. And especially when I see a child waving a flag with pride.

So I hope you don't mind, I got rather carried away with this post!

Here is our freshly painted home, ready for the 4th! You can see before pictures here, along with my favorite patriotic vintage dress.

I put this throw on the loveseat as it has a big patriotic shoe on it!

Here's Kevin teaching Nova to bring the flag in at night.
My favorite window cling, which has seen better days. It's starting to crack up in places. : (

Cool tray I picked up for just $1.00!

Here we have a collection of vintage things... A Betsy Ross print, strawberry and velvet hat, jewelry set, gloves, (which go with my Scarlett O'Hara party gown!), a rabbit fur from an old coat, etc...

How about a little patriotic Chrsitmas in July?

This is a tree I put up our first year in this house. We put it in the office upstairs, as we had the downstairs all torn up. I had family serving in Iraq and thought this would be a nice way to support them and our troops at Christmas time. The ornies were hung with yellow ribbon. The whole shebang probably cost around $50 including the white tree. I had a lot fun with it, and made sure all of my Christmas wrap was red, white, blue.

You can see more pictures of my patriotic Christmas here.

Here's a flag pillow in Nova's room~

Oh! And this fabulous vintage table and chairs set that was already painted for only $70!! Nova likes to have tea with Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. (this pic is from when I had just brought it home)

As for me and my family, we are proud to be Amercians.

And I'll leave you with this~Happy Independence Day everyone!

A teasing glimpse of our new house color, and.............

The front porch floor paint! I cannot tell you how much I ADORE this color. It's called Storm Shadow from Walmart. We had used it on the porch of our last home as well. I love how it looks blue or green depending on the light.

I hope we get these blue doors stripped soon!

I chose oil based high gloss this time and I'm just so happy with how it turned out! We were trying to get the last of it finished up last night when a jogger went by. She asked how much I had the house listed for!! I said it's not listed! (We have a sign in our yard advertising the painting company that did our house.) She stopped and did a double take~

Wow, MY house being stalked for once, woohoo! That's a switch! She said how nice it was looking and I was quite flattered.

Just wait till we get the shutters up, that'll really knock the jogger's socks off!

I got another coat on most of it tonight. I can't wait to put the furniture, hanging baskets, and planters back up. I wish everything would've been done for the porch party!

Here's one of this year's mandevillas. It's really starting to climb now! Ignore all the weeds, we've been a little busy with other things! You can see the old porch floor color (and primed patches) here, Nostalgia Green from Behr.

BTW, this trellis is actually one of those cheap corner shelves. I had Kevin take the shelves off and I love how I can "mold" it around the pot. I bought a second one for my other mandevilla this year at Dollar General. Unfortunately it's not exactly the same... oh well~ once they're vined up you won't be able to tell!

Porch Party!

Rhondi at Rose Colored Glasses is hosting a Porch Party today! This will be so much fun~ Be sure to check her blog for a list of other participants, there are over 60!

Welcome to our front porch! Would you like a piece of cake? It's red velvet..... C'mon, just a little slice?

Come on up... watch your step!
Here are pictures of my porch from last year. Our porch should look quite different soon, so please check back in a few weeks. All of our wicker shown here are dumpster diving finds. I found them about 4 years ago, painted them up and they've served us well. It's time for a new set tho. I will keep the chair on the right however. It was found just down the road~ a rocking chair with one rocker missing. So we just took off the other one! I think this one is actually vintage and it's still in great shape. There was one more chair to the set on the left, but it bit the dust a while back.
Here is a before and after of the wicker~

There was a bird's nest in that hanging basket! You can see another nest here.

The Angel Wing Begonia was Kevin's Grandmother's. We have had many starts from this plant and it just keeps going and going~

Here is a Mandevilla~ pink and viney, what more could you ask for?

Are you sure you don't want a peice? No one is looking! Take two!!Our little "grounds keeper"~

Ok, a few more mandevilla shots, I just love these things!

We hope you've enjoyed your visit, come back any time!

You can learn more about our porch here! Thank you so much for stopping by!