Summer Living Room

I think I'm well behind everyone else in sharing their Summer mantel and general Summer decor.  That's ok, I'm pretty sure I'll be behind everyone else when Fall rolls around too! : )

The other day I showed you the vintage trunk coffee table  I finally finished. As much as I love this piece, I will be selling it. But I'm going to enjoy it in my living room for a few days more.  

I promised to show you around some of the other Summer details in this space, so be prepared for lots of photos. Grab some coffee or iced tea and let's have a little visit in the living room today!

 

The piano is actually between the living room and eating area. I don't think I've shown the piano since  Christmas time!
It was overflowing with winter goodies back then, but in the Summer months I like to keep the decor to a minimum here.

 I try to keep the colors pale and light and decorate with our nature finds and some pretty glass.

My vintage window is just propped in front of the mirror with a botanical print tucked behind, and a chunky white candle in an old pickle jar in front. You'll be shocked to know I already moved the other candle :)

Ticking stripes (even brown) always seem summery to me.

Vintage sheet music wreath still holding together after all these months!

Over on the faux mantel I turned over a heavy aqua glass vase, and thought it hinted at the look of those gorgeous glass fishing floats I've seen all over online. Use your imagination ; )

Driftwood, a bird's egg shell and a rusted piece of boat chain all gathered on a recent trip to our local lake, and an abandoned wasps nest from our own back yard make for my idea of perfect Summer decorating elements. 
 

 

 

This wall map and globe are well used during our school year, but for now they can just look cute tied up with burlap and sitting in a vintage galvanized bucket! 

Back in April I won my first ever giveaway, and showed you the pretty linens I was able to choose from the Frugal Ain't Cheap Etsy shop. Daniela makes the prettiest kitchen towels, and I ended up using the two larger ones as curtains in our t.v. cabinet in the living room!

I mentioned before how badly this cabinet needs to be repainted, but I'm holding out for some nice paint that's on my wish list.

  

Directly across from the sofa is a little white dresser (currently holding games and art supplies) with a vintage tool box on top. There are certain "junk" pieces that I never get tired of finding new places for, and this tool box is one of them. I bought this for just a few dollars at a farm sale many years ago. It's been used in three homes, indoors and out, and I still love it!

Here it is on my front porch two homes (about 10 years) ago. It's much more sun faded and weathered these days. 

 

I've been in Colorado for about 19 years and LOVE our lakes, rivers and of course, pine cones!
But I was born and raised in southern California and summertime always has me longing for the ocean. I'm really hoping we can get there some how this summer! I decided I'd put together a little vignette in honor of my love of Summer in my current home state and all the beautiful beach memories I have from my California home.

 Don't you just love the term "rustic"? It has served me so well when I make something, stand back to take a look and think, "Oh crud, that's a total mess!" "Look how charming and RUSTIC" -haha.
I decided to make a quick little stamped banner on a worn canvas scrap. It came out pretty crooked (rustic), but I like it.

"Pine Cones & Seashells" represent a tiny bit of what I love about Summer in my two states. I attached it to a piece of an antique door and hung it in front of my crib panel chalkboard. 



 A favorite photo of my kids on a very special California beach trip is clipped to the rusted latch that fell off the tool box, and sits next to a Colorado pine cone that my daughter gave me.

I'm so glad you stopped by to visit me in my Summer living room space! I wish you a beautiful Summer weekend, my friends.

Blessings-

Jeanette 

Come party with me over at...

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home 

Be Inspired at Common Ground 

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage 

Party Junk at Funky Junk Interiors 

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch 

The Scoop 

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style 

Blissful Whites Wednesday at Timewashed

Tutorials Tips and Tidbits at StoneGable 

Share Your Cup Thursday at Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson 

Vintage Trunk Coffee Table

If you've been following along with me for awhile you might remember a few weeks back when I decided to tackle a project I'd been putting off for some time.

You can see that post over here.
I promised to give you an update when it was finished, so here it is-




My vintage steamer trunk turned coffee table!

 Something you won't be surprised to hear if you've been following awhile: I wasn't going to spend any money on this project. 
If you're new here, welcome to Creating a Life, where this broke single mommy does nearly every project on a zero budget! It really is lots of fun : )

I used some white latex paint I already had to paint the outside of the trunk, including the metal latches and the scrap of leather handle still hanging on. I could have removed the leather piece, but I kind of liked the way it looked. 

I used metal legs from a stool I've had over 20 years (leftover from my retail furniture store days). It had been broken for a really long time, and I was happy to find a new use for the legs.

I used a couple of scrap boards left from my DIY Air Conditioner Screen on the inside of the trunk to give me a sturdy place to screw the legs into from underneath. I decoupaged them with vintage sheet music so they would blend in a bit better with the other papers on the inside of the trunk.

  
A sadly under used antique trunk now has a whole new life as a unique and useful piece of furniture with storage. I love that.

 

Later this week I'll show you a few more of the summer touches around the living room.

Thanks for reading!

Jeanette

Sharing this week at...

Blissful Whites Wednesday at Timewashed

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch to Yours

Tutorials Tips and Tidbits at StoneGable 

What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants 

Share Your Cup Thursday at Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson 

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home 

Be Inspired at Common Ground 

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Party Junk at Funky Junk Interiors 

Pretty Things at twelve O eight

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch  

Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill 

Creative Bloggers Party at Homemaker on a Dime 

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life 

Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

Tweak It Tuesday at Cozy Little House 

Knick of Time Tuesday  

The Scoop 

Junkin' Joe Upcycled Treasures at The Cottage Market 

Inspiration Monday at twelveOeight 

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed

Junkers Unite at Knick of Time  

Party Junk {storage ideas} at Funky Junk 

 

Savoring Summer

Last August, my 15 year old was beginning to teach me how to start a blog. Yes indeed, not too proud to learn from a teenager over here : ) 
I know I was completely annoying, but she taught me alot, and I'm thankful, and I'm still here!
I did a couple of "practice posts" while I was trying to learn what the heck I was doing. This is a re-post {I use that term loosely, since I hadn't told a soul, except her, that I even had a blog when I originally posted this} of the second ever post I ever wrote. 
Anyway, just for fun I thought I'd take you back to last summer for a little cookie picnic by the river. A funny note about that "expensive" bottle of lemonade- we bought that several years ago on a trip to California. I saved the pretty bottle, and now we refill it with homemade lemonade when we want to make ourselves feel like we're doing something more festive! A little silly, I know.
Hope you're having a great weekend! 




Summer is slipping on by, and we aren't ready to let it go....sigh. 

We're grabbin' hold of some sweet summer memories with a cookie and lemonade picnic at the river park.

Recipe for these easy and delicious cake mix cookies here

  

 Pretty vintage glasses and linens always make things feel a little more special.

We stopped on the way to the park to cut some wild Sunflowers
on the side of the road.

 

  
Lots of space to run after we finish our cookies : )

  
The frogs were the highlight of the afternoon for my critter-loving 8 year old!

  
~Wishing you all the beautiful summer dreams you can grab hold of, my friends~

Jeanette

*Re-posted from August 15, 2012