Decorating with Owls {rustic, nature, woods}

This season I really had a lot of fun decorating with Owls..... HERE, and HERE.
I love rustic, nature and wood, so what could be better?

Today I had a photo shoot with one very special little owl.

My friend Kat was hosting a giveaway, and I won.

Kat makes these little guys aside from other wonderful works of art.

Well Mr. Owl arrived today.

Can you spy him there on the tree?

He is adorable.

In fact, Mr. Doo's, ran right out to put a nail on the tree for me.

He likes him too!

He really is made so nicely, moss and all.

I do believe he is protected with some sealant on him...but even so, he should be able to take our Carolina weather.

Don't you just love when moss grows on trees?

...wish it were money instead, but hey, it's green!

Kat, thank you so much! Mr. Owl, has a great new home!

He is behind that little bench you see.

When we sit out there we can enjoy looking at him.

XO

We are at full peak here now...so sad to see it go.

One gust of good wind and say goodbye to Fall:(

Have a wonderful day!
I am off Christmas shopping today.
anyone else start yet?

Staining Furniture, versus painting, Phase II of the Outdoor Dream!

I am really going to spread this outdoor dream area out in my postings.
PHASE I HERE
 It is being done all in stages and it has been so much fun and a joy to see my vision all coming together!

These are our new outdoor Adirondack rockers.  Mike is so organized when he has a project to do.

Not me, I would have had every nut and bolt all over the place!

But they would have been together, not saying they would have stayed together!

Today Mike and I spread 11 bales of pine needles around the perimeter or our new deck.  I knew I could not do away entirely without them.

I am OK with it because it still looks rustic, yet I do not have to walk and slide all over them.

I mentioned I would be having lots of color out here.
Instead of traditionally painting our chairs, we went the staining route with color.

Spray painting I have found it chips and peels over time and just not easy to sand off when having to redo.
I am done spray painting outdoor chairs!

Finally a place for my Spanish rustic horse head!

Some people do not care for this horse head, I happen to like it, I just needed the right spot for it,

and now I do believe I found it!

We have plenty of wood for those Fall and Winter fires we plan on having!

Here is the stain brand and name of the color we used.

Mike says the chairs look like a dill pickle...

I love pickles!

After staining the chairs, we applied three coats of polyurethane.

Easy maintenance just wipe up, and perhaps yearly add a fresh coat of poly.

There is certainly more to come out here..but as you can see it is coming along nicely.
Perhaps some pretty plants and containers, mums for Fall, etc.
I can't wait to decorate!

I have a feeling we are going to make lots of fun memories out here to come...

Phase III coming soon.
Have a great night, and thank for stopping over.
JOINING:
Miss Mustard Seed
Show and Tell
Funky Junk interiors
Inspiration Friday
Feather nest Friday
Home sweet home
Open house party
Frugal Friday
Metamorphosis Monday

I had a "dream"

Actually I have had more of a vision, than a dream~.

Our back yard area has always been a bit of confusion as to what to do near our firepit area.

We love to entertain, and often wind up on our upper deck. Which is great, however, when you start getting into more people, let's say more than 8, we are kinda clustered on the deck.

When we go near the firepit area, there is very little comfort and seating for everyone.

I can't tell you how many times one of us have slipped on the pine needles. Although, cozy, and have served the purpose for the 5 years we have lived here, it is time to step it up a notch.

This morning at 7:00 they started...

Here is a little of what I envision...

This looks dreamy!~

and a nice hard decorative surface would be nice too...

Wish us luck!~

Sometimes my visions turn out, and sometimes NOT!~

This is a BIG project. I was surprised Mike was on board right away.

Since we have lived in our home, we have made very little improvements, as the home was new and we have not had to, which is a blessing. I shopped around, did my homework, and knew what costs should be for a project like this, ie...price per square foot etc. I checked out the business with the BBB, got permits, etc.

ALWAYS, check out the BBB before you sign on with a company. I can't tell you how many people I know, have gotten taken, or a bad job done because they did not do their homework.

Have a wonderful day.

NEWBIE party still going on

HERE

Mr. squirell

Well I never intended to gross you girls out or make you sad, in my last post.

After talking to Mr. Mikedoos, he thought we should take care of it.

So here is Mr. Squirrel. 

All good now.

Perhaps the first shot was just a blurr,

or as some mentioned he was just taking some winks at me and flirting.

Have a great night!

XO