The Everything Post: Random Fun Stuff Worth Sharing

Okay. This may be the weirdest post I've ever written for BNOTP. I'm always taking pics or saving fun stuff to share with you when you stop by for a visit, but sometimes I never get around to sharing it all.  Often it's because the pics just do not fit in with what's going on at that moment, here on the blog.

Today, I'm sharing a bunch of different topics and pics.

They are all totally random, and I do mean random!  I'm presenting them in no particular order.  We're gonna be all over the place...a severe case of Blogging ADD. There's probably something in this post for everyone.

Here goes!

Check out this amazing Hobbit House in Trout Creek Montana!  .

Click HERE to continue reading...

Beautiful Tablesetting by Bunny Williams at The Mount, Home of Edith Wharton: Welcome to the 162nd Tablescape Thursday!

Recently, I received a wonderful e-mail from Mandy. Mandy lives in Hawaii and on a recent trip to the United States, she toured The Mount, the beautiful home of American novelist, Edith Wharton.

Edith Wharton wrote many novels in her lifetime including Ethan Frome, The House of Mirth and well-known, The Age of Innocence, for which she won a Pulitzer Prize. Mrs. Wharton was also a garden designer, as well as an interior designer.

Click HERE to continue reading...

Hiding Ugly Scratches on Furniture

Monday, when I was playing with the mantel in the family room for a Fall Mantel,

I noticed a few scratches on the armoire you see over in the corner.

Do you see the little dents/scratches in this pic below?

Over the years, this armoire has accumulated small scratches from everyday use.

I thought I'd share a few products I've found that work well to help hide the boo boos that inevitably happen over the years.  By the way, I was not paid or perked in any way to share these products...just sharing them in case you find them helpful.

Click HERE to continue reading...

A Fall Mantel for the Family Room

While we're enjoying all the wonderful "before and afters" from yesterday's Met Monday, I thought I'd share another little metamorphosis I've been working on this week in my family room.

BEFORE:

The coffee table looks so bare now since I "stole" all the books for the office library. lol

This is how the mantel looks year round.  It's decorated simply with a mantel clock, Staffordshire doggies and a few books.

Time to add a touch of fall.

Click HERE to continue reading...

Office Additions: Welcome to 140th Metamorphosis Monday!

Happy weekend!  I hope you've been having a great one.  Mine was happy.  Then it was sad.  My son drove all the way down from Ohio for a visit and to ask his best friend (in person) to be his "best man" next May when he and his sweetie, Nancy, are married.

I always feel so sad when it's time for him to leave and return home.  So, being the amazing, strong woman that I am, ;) I dealt with it in a mature and adult fashion.  First I stopped by McDonalds and bought a Caramel Apple sundae, french fries and a large Coke.

Then I went shopping.

I headed over to Marshalls to see what fun Halloween/fall goodies they had gotten in.  I found a few things I had been hoping to find for the office.

I've had some ideas brewing in my head about how I might decorate the wall space above the sitting area in this room.  I had envisioned a mirror above the chest.  I love, love, love mirrors and have used them in pretty much every room of my home.  I really like how they brighten a space and reflect the available light.  A mirror above the chest would reflect the light coming in through the double windows, as well as the view and greenery of the trees.

Click HERE to continue reading...

Shopping at Urban Relics

How was your Friday?  Anything special planned for today?  I had a unusually busy and fun Friday. I spent the morning visiting a local consignment shoppe and took a few pictures to share with you.  On the survey I recently posted, several folks mentioned they would love to see more shopping/thrifting/antiquing trips, so I think you'll enjoy today's post!

My morning shopping trip was followed by lunch with a friend. Next, I headed home and managed to get all the pics from the shopping trip uploaded to share with you, but I couldn't get the post finished in time to publish it before it was time to head out to dinner and a performance of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. I snapped this pic with my phone this evening, just before the concert began. A few of the performers had just taken the stage and were warming up.

This was opening night for their performance of Beethoven's 9th, and it was absolutely wonderful!  They also performed from Wagner's Ring.  Soprano, Christine Brewer was wonderful! If you live in the Atlanta area, be sure to go...you will not be disappointed!  The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus took the stage later and filled all those chairs in back...it's a huge chorus!  Amazing performance...truly a magical evening.

Shopping at Urban Relics:
It's been a long time since we went shopping together.  Recently, a friend told me about a wonderful consignment shoppe, Urban Relics.  They carry unique pieces, both consignment and new.

So come on in...let's look around!  This painted chest immediately caught my eye.  Wouldn't it be wonderful in an entry, living room or even beside a high bed in a bedroom?  It would even work well as a small server in a dining room.

Urban Relics reduces the price on an item every 30 days.   This chest was originally prices at $360 when it was first consigned.  On September 23 (yesterday) the price dropped to $324.  After another 30 days, it will go down again as indicated on the tag, if it's still here.

Click HERE to continue reading...

Welcome Fall with a Colorful Autumn Table Setting: Welcome to the 161st Tablescape Thursday!

Though the leaves on the trees are still very green and the temps reached well int the 80's today, I was so in the mood to for a fall table setting.  Besides, Friday is the first official day of fall.  

I've always wanted to create a table setting with magnolia leaf chargers.

Click HERE to continue reading...

Gallery 63, Auction Kings

A few days ago I attended an auction with my friend, Maryellen.  The auction was ITP as Maryellen likes to say: inside the perimeter...meaning in Atlanta.   It's been years since I went to an auction and I've never attended one quite like this.  The auction was held at a place called Gallery 63...have you heard of it?  Just look at all those wonderful chandeliers!

As you can tell in the pic below, we were sitting fairly high up.  We were sitting on wooden bleachers and it turned out to be an awesome vantage point for viewing the auction.

Gallery 63 auctions are apparently a pretty big deal.  Turns out, they are on the Discovery Channel every Tuesday evening at 9PM!   See the camera man below?  Their show is called Auction Kings.  Have you seen it?   Since I watch so little TV, I only subscribe to basic cable so unfortunately, I don't get the Discovery Channel.

Click HERE to continue reading...

Bamboo Rug for the Upstairs Family Room: Welcome to the 139th Metamorphosis Monday!

Happy Metamorphosis Monday!  How was your weekend?  I've had a fun one.  A friend and I attended an auction, something I haven't done in ages.  Didn't buy anything but I captured a few pics I'll being sharing later.

Survey:
Thanks so much to the 589 Dear-hearts who have taken the short 9 question survey I posted HERE.  I'll close out the survey Monday night at midnight, so if you haven't taken it yet, there's still time.   I truly appreciate all your input and your unbelievably kind words.


Metamorphosis Monday:
For this Met Monday, I'm sharing a small metamorphosis in my upstairs family room.  This room is often known as a "bonus" room here in the south.  It's called a bonus room because it's a large area over the garage that some home builders finish out and some do not.  When this space is finished in, it's feels a bit like a "bonus" space, thus the name.  I'm using my bonus room as an upstairs family room/spill over guest room...trying to make it as multi-purpose as possible.

I've been gradually adding hardwood flooring to each room in my home and there are just two rooms left to go: the guest room and this upstairs family room.  Since this is a fairly big room, 16' x 24' not counting the dormer windows, it's going to be one of the more expensive rooms to hardwood.  It's pretty low on the old priority list...somewhere below renovating all three bathrooms and adding built-in shelving to the "some day library."

A few months ago Wuslu had a "Deal of the Day" that I just couldn't pass up...a large bamboo mat.  It was a bit of an impulse buy, but worth the risk since I was pretty sure it would look great in either the upstairs family room or out on the screened-in porch.  In the picture below, you get just a glimpse of the rug I've had in the upstairs family room for the past 16+ years.  It's an inexpensive sisal rug...I think I paid $69 for it all those many years ago.

Here's a better view of it.  During the process of creating a home office, I pulled the sisal rug into the office to just see how it would look.  (By the way, I've pretty much decided against having a rug in the office.)  The rug had darkened a fair amount over the years.  Even after turning it over, you can still see where the trunk sat on top for so many years.  See the faded rectangle in the middle?  It's much worse on the other side...the side that's been up all these years.   Of course, when the trunk is in place, you can't really see that.  But, when I spotted the "Deal of the Day" at Wuslu I couldn't resist replacing this tired old rug.  So, come along and tell me whatcha think about the new upstairs family room rug.

Come on in and check out the new addition.

Click HERE to continue reading...

Tutorial: Carved Watermelon Party Centerpiece

Carved Watermelon Party Centerpiece

This past Tablescape Thursday, I shared a table setting with a carved watermelon centerpiece.

For a party many years ago, I cut the top off a watermelon and hollowed it out to hold fruit.   That was cute, but I've always wanted to try my hand at carving one into a fun shape.

The cookbook below provided the inspiration I needed for this centerpiece.  I've had this cookbook for many, many years and I've always admired the carved watermelon on the front.  I've carved designs in pumpkins as shown in THIS post where I managed a reenactment of the burglars sliding on the ice-covered stairs in the movie, Home Alone. ;)

Click HERE to continue reading...

Talk To Me

I so appreciate each and every dear heart who stops by and shares a few moments of their day with me here at BNOTP. In fact, I appreciate you so much, I'd like to know what you enjoy reading when you visit and what you would like to see more of in the future.

I've created a short 9 question survey to learn more about what you want to see/read when you visit BNOTP.    This is your chance to have a say regarding future posts so please take just a moment to share your thoughts anonymously.

You don't have to answer all 9 questions...but please answer as many as you have time to answer. The more information I have, the more I'll understand what you enjoy reading when you visit.

I'll read each survey personally and will take note of all your suggestions and ideas.

Also, I believe the survey is set up so you can take it anonymously, if you prefer.  I don't think it requires a name.

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and suggestions!

Click here to take survey

Sneaking in One Last Summer Tablescape: Welcome to the 160th Tablescape Thursday!

If you've been reading BNOTP for very long, you know I love summertime. I'm always a bit sad to see it go.

Since the first day of fall is still a little over a week away, I wanted to share one last summertime table setting here on the porch.

I had fun creating the centerpiece.  It's carved from a small watermelon.

Click HERE to continue reading...

Doris Day Movie Fashion Style: Pillow Talk and Lover Come Back

Thanks so much for your help in identifying some of the hats in yesterday's post.  I loved your comments!  So much fun to find you enjoy the old movies, too.

It wouldn't be fair to share all the great hats Doris Day wore in the movies, Lover Come Back and Pillow Talk, without also sharing the fabulous dresses with which they were paired.   After watching these movies, I can understand why there are whole blogs dedicated to vintage clothing and recreating those looks for today.  They truly were wonderful.

I've shown both the front and back of these delightful styles when possible.  Unfortunately, I discovered Doris rarely stands still in a movie.  She is almost always in motion, so a few pics are just a bit blurry.  Hope you enjoy these glimpses of the casual, elegant and sophisticated fashions for women between 1959-1961.

Brief Synopsis:
Lover Come Back, starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson was released in 1961 and was their second film together. Tony Randall also had a big part. In the movie Carol Templeton (Doris Day) and Jerry Webster (Rock Hudson) are big time rivals, working for competing advertising agencies. Much of the plot/fun in this movie revolves around the old theme of mistaken identity...which is also a big theme in the movie, Pillow Talk.


Lover Come Back:  The Fashion

You may recognize the hat from yesterday's post.

Love how the jacket opened in the back.

Click HERE to continue reading...

Vintage Hats and Doris Day

I'm a picky movie goer. I don't like scary, sad or super intense movies.  Just give me something romantic, funny or inspiring and I'm happy.  A couple of years ago, I purchased this "Romance Collection" set of movies starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson.  It included three movies: Pillow Talk, Lover Come Back and Send Me No Flowers.

When the movies arrived, I was too busy to watch them so I tucked them into a drawer and promptly forgot all about 'em.  About a month or two ago, my movie craving returned and I had myself a Doris Day/Rock Hudson movie marathon weekend.  I'll do a post soon showing the houses in the movies...they were a delight!

One of the most enjoyable parts of my movie marathon was gawking at all the wonderful hats and dresses Doris Day wore, particularly in the movies, Pillow Talk and Lover Come Back.  Today I thought we'd take a little hat tour.  I made an attempt to identify the various hat "styles" but I wasn't able to find all of them in my  research online.  If you recognize some of the styles, please share the names in the comments and I'll add that info. to the post.

If you enjoy this "hat" tour, you'll find a post showing all the wonderful ensembles/outfits Doris wore in these two movies, HERE.  You'll also find this link at the end of this post, too.


Lover Come Back:  
Lover Come Back, starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson was released in 1961 and was their second film together.  Tony Randall also had a big part.  In the movie Carol Templeton (Doris Day) and Jerry Webster (Rock Hudson) are big time rivals, working for competing advertising agencies.    Much of the plot/fun in this movie revolves around the old theme of mistaken identity...which is also a big theme in the movie, Pillow Talk.

Doris is very much the career/business woman, and she has a wardrobe that must have made women seriously green with envy when this movie was released.  In today's post, we're just ogling the hats.  I can't wait to hear what you think about these.  I've led a sheltered hat life...had no idea there were so many styles!  Here are just a few from the movie, Lover Come Back.

1.  Cloche Hat:  I believe this style is called the Cloche Hat.  It was apparently very popular because you can find them pretty easily online if you Google "vintage cloche hats."

2.  Bubble Hat:  It's pretty easy to understand where this hat got its name.

Click HERE to continue reading...

Beach Front Condo Renovation, Part II: Welcome to the 138th Metamorphosis Monday!

Suzy and her hubby purchased a small beach-front condo and completely renovated it from top to bottom.  I shared the Before and After of the entry hall (with bunk beds) and the living room/sitting/dining area in THIS post.  Today, we're touring the Kitchen, Master Bedroom and Bath.  Prepare to be delighted!

Here's how the kitchen looked prior to the renovation...very dated.

AFTER:  All the rooms received new paint, laminate wood flooring, and new ceiling fans.

Wow!  Such a wonderful renovation of the kitchen with painted cabinets, new appliances and a gorgeous backsplash.

Click HERE to continue reading...

Beach Front Condo Renovation, Part I

Recently, Suzy, who blogs at Worthing Court, shared a wonderful renovation of her beach house.

When Suzy and her hubby first purchased their beach front condo, it was in really rough shape.  Suzy looked out at this gorgeous view, closed her eyes and envisioned what this home could become.  The transformation is astounding...truly beautiful.

Before
This was the view as Suzy entered the condo.

Before:

This small condo is just 500 square foot, but it was the perfect size for a little beach getaway.  Here's how it looked once they completed the makeover.  Wow!

Click HERE to continue reading...

A Good Year, Dining in Provence: Welcome to the 159th Tablescape Thursday!

A Good Year, Starring Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard

Tablescape Thursday:
A few months ago I had the opportunity to see the movie A Good Year starring Russell Crowe as Max Skinner and Marion Cotillard, as Fanny Chenal.  A Good Year is a British romantic comedy based on a book by Peter Mayle.  He also wrote, A Year in Provence .   A Good Year has been described by some as the male version of Under the Tuscan Sun.

The  majority of the scenes in this film take place on a vineyard estate in Provence (southeastern France) so the setting is truly beautiful.

Even with the somewhat predictable story-line, it's worth a watch if for no other reason than the beautiful scenery.

Click HERE to continue reading...

Build a Desk for Your Home Office: Welcome to the 137th Metamorphosis Monday!

Happy Labor Day weekend!  Have you been relaxing, grilling out...or taking advantage of the long weekend to get a few things done around the house?

I'm excited to share a fabulous DIY project for this Metamorphosis Monday.  Recently, Traci who blogs at the fabulous blog, Beneath My Heart, created a wonderful desk for her home office.  She did such a great job, her sister had to have one, too.  Traci got to work building one for sis and lucky for us, she's spilling the beans on just how she made it.  I'm thrilled to welcome Traci to BNOTP for this Met Monday.  Take it away, Traci!

Hello! My name is Traci, and I blog at Beneath My Heart.

I am so excited to be hanging out on Susan's porch today! I was so honored when she asked me to guest post on her blog. Susan's blog holds a special place in my heart because it was one of my mom's favorite blogs and one of the first blogs I ever read. So to be sharing one of my projects with you today is a HUGE thrill for me!

Thank you, Susan!

If you have never been to my blog let me tell you a few things about myself.

I am the mom of 4 amazing and very active boys!

I am married to the Ultimate Handy Man.

Click HERE to continue reading...

Tour the Apartment and Greenhouse in the Movie, Green Card

Take a Tour of the Beautiful, Historic Apartment in the movie, Green Card

While putting together a recent post listing a whole bunch of my fave decorating and design books, I came across my copy of The Conservatory Book by Peter Marston.  This book is filled with pictures of beautiful greenhouses. The book reminded me of another beautiful greenhouse, the one in the movie, Green Card.  Green Card is a romantic comedy, written, produced and directed by Peter Weir, starring Andie MacDowell who plays Brontë Mitchell, and Gérard Depardieu who plays Georges Fauré.   In the movie, Georges is in a difficult situation because his visa is about to expire and he will have to return to his home country, France.

Brontë, a horticulturalist and an environmentalist, is also in a predicament.  The Manhattan apartment of her dreams with a to-die-for greenhouse, has become available for rent, but the board of trustees overseeing the apartment building only rents to married couples.  Brontë isn't married.  You can see where this is going.

Brontë and Georges get married for the sole purpose of achieving their individual dreams: Georges gets to stay in the country and Brontë gets her dream apartment with a beautiful greenhouse.  They have no plans to live together and go their separate ways after they exchange vows.

As you might imagine, things go terribly awry.  The movie is funny, sweet, romantic and has a surprise ending.  The majority of this movie is filmed in the apartment and it becomes an important character in the movie...a charming, captivating, wonderful character...especially the greenhouse.

The entrance to the apartment is one level down from the rest of the apartment.

Whenever anyone stops by (like Brontë's parents in this scene) they ring (or the doorman) rings on the little call box on the wall to the right.

Click HERE to continue reading...

August 2011: A Look in the Rear-View Mirror

Thanks so much for sharing your fave decorating and design books in the comments on this morning's post. I love the fantasy "Buttonchief7" shared in her comment. Made me laugh! I think I have the same fantasy.

Here's a little recap of all the events here at BNOTP for the month of August, complete with links in case you missed a post or would just like to revisit it.

Thanks so much for visiting and reading.  Without you, there would be no Between Naps on the Porch!  ♥♥♥ you!  Yeah, I know that's sappy...but I still mean it.

Tour the Real Up House:
We toured the real "Up" house built like the house in the Disney Pixar movie, Up.  It's for sale so you can live in your own Up house.




Near Abductions:
I shared the two times I was almost abducted as a child. Your comments on that post were so moving...thank you for sharing your stories.

Click HERE to continue reading...

Favorite Decorating and Design Books

I started collecting decorating and design books many years ago when I discovered I could buy books online for around the same price (sometimes less) than a magazine.  I still love decorating magazines, but who can resist a great design book for just pennies on Amazon and half.ebay.com.

Recently I added a mini-library along one wall of the office.

I gathered books together from all around the house, including the family room.

The bedroom...

And the upstairs Family Room ...

Click HERE to continue reading...