Hometalk'n 'Bout Window Treatments

Make sure you read all the way to the bottom for an exciting announcement!

When I first discovered and joined Hometalk, a little over a year ago, I had no idea what an amazing community I was becoming a part of!

I was thrilled to find a place where I could ask any question related to my home that I wanted to and would actually receive an answer.

Five Simple Wow-Worthy Place Cards for Thanksgiving

Ready or not, here it comes y'all - Thanksgiving that is!

No matter how much planning and preparation I do ahead for Thanksgiving, the one thing that I never remember to do is to create place cards for everyone.

It's too late by the time that I think about it, so inevitably, everyone is stopping me to ask where they should sit as my harried self is pulling the last bits of dinner together.

Hoping to avoid that problem this year, I've put together a roundup of 

simple to do, yet wow-worthy place cards to inspire me.

Enjoy!

Remarkably Domestic

Sunday Worship

via

Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

I Pet 5: 8-9, NIV

Chic Chateau Showhouse - Other Bedrooms and Baths

Last week on the Chic Chateau tour, we looked at the master bedrooms and bathrooms of the two showhouses.

This week, we're touring the other bedrooms and bathrooms in the home built by R & K Custom Homes.

Upstairs Bedrooms and Baths

Designed by Beth Moore, Penny Causey, Julie Hartsell and Judy Wilson, Bella Designs

How to Easily Add Display Space to Your Mantle

When it comes to fireplaces and mantles, I have several pet peeves.

One of them being the shallowness of prefab mantles.  My mantle only has a mere 7" of space from front to back.

A Fall Festival at the Beach

If you follow me on Facebook, you know that I went to the Autumn With Topsail Fall Festival this past weekend.

The weather couldn't have been more perfect!

Sunday Worship

via

A wife of noble character is her husband's crown,

but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

Prov 12:4, NIV

Chic Chateau Showhouse - Master Bedrooms and Baths

Are y'all still enjoying the Chic Chateau Showhouse tours?  Today's tour continues in the master bedrooms and master bathrooms.

First up is the home built by R & K Custom Homes.

I know that I keep showing you these same exterior shots, but I like knowing which rooms go with which house.

Master Bedroom and Bath

Designed by Lynn Tester, Lynn Tester Designs (lynn_tester@yahoo.com) and 

Sonja Healy, Sonja Healy Designs (shealy@triad.rr.com)

Behind the Scenes of the Southern Bloggers Conference

What a LARGE time I had at the Southern Bloggers Conference this past weekend.

I came away from the conference elated, inspired and exhausted.  I learned so much and have so many things that I want to put into practice.

I'm sure you've already seen lots of pictures from the conference.  The pictures that I'm going to share are mostly from behind the scenes.  

Conference Booklets being put together on Thursday evening.

L to R - Rhoda from Southern Hospitality, Barbara Bussey from The Treasured Home and Barb Garrett from The Everyday Home

My Fall Mantle

I had a lot of fun putting my Fall mantle together this year.

I gave it a bit of a rustic look by using some metal stars that I've had for a long time.

Sunday Worship

via

"You shall have not other gods before me."

Exo 20:3, NIV

Chic Chateau Showhouse - Dining Rooms

Happy Thursday everyone!  I'm heading down to Raleigh tonight to start setting up for the Southern Bloggers Conference that is taking place this weekend.  I'm so looking forward to meeting those of you who are attending.  You have no idea how excited I am!!!  Okay - down to business...

I'm back with the third installment of the Chic Chateau Showhouse room tours.  From the response and features that I've been getting, y'all are really enjoying this series.

We'll visit the dining room in the home built by R & K Custom Homes first.

Dining Room

Designed by Katherine Rowe, Katherine Rowe Interior Design

(kjrowe@bellsouth.net)

Fall on the Front Porch

It really took me a long time to get my Fall decorating mojo on this year.  I planned to get it all done over Labor Day weekend, but it's so hard to be inspired to decorate for Fall when it's 90+ degrees outside!

But, finally we had some cooler days and even cooler nights and that really revved my Fall engine, especially when it came to decorating the front porch.

Knowing that I had a group coming to go shopping for Furniture Market samples in High Point was a big incentive too!

I was so tickled when I found this cute outdoor flag.

I hope it helps to make you feel welcome when you approach the house.

My pumpkin wreath has seen many a Fall season on my front door.  Every year I think it will be its last, but I spruced it up and here she is once again.

My front porch is long and narrow.  Plus it is surrounded by railing and shrubbery.  Makes is impossible to get a shot of the whole thing that isn't obscured by the railing, even with a wide angle lens.  So I'll show you one end at a time.

To the left of the front door, sits an urn with the grapevine pumpkin that I added this year.

And here's the little sitting area off to the right.
Totally off topic, but did y'all know that I have trouble with my left and right?  I know which is which, but I have to stop and think which hand I write with - that would be my left.  Can't tell you how many times I've given people the wrong directions!

Would love it if you'd come set a spell!

I'll be partying here:

Fall Around the House at The Inspired Room

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Meet Me Monday at You Are Talking Too Much

Motivated Monday at Be Colorful

Tuesday's Treasures at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Cowgirl Up on Tuesday
Twirl and Take a Bow at House on the Way

Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

DIY by Design on Wednesday

Uncommonly Yours on Wednesday at Uncommon Designs

Show and Share on Wednesday at Southern Lovely

Tutorials Tips and Tidbits on Thursday at Stone Gable

Show Me Extroidinary on Thursday at The 36th Avenue

Grace at Home on Thursday at Imparting Grace

Open House Party Thursday at No Minimalist Here

Share Your Creations on Thursday at Kristen's Creations

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Tickled Pink Fridays at 504 Main

Flaunt it Friday at Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

Feature Friday at Blissful and Domestic

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

Overflowing with Creativity on Sunday at It's Overflowing

Sew Darn Crafty Sunday at Sew Many Ways

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming

Sundae Scoop Party at I Heart Naptime

The Shopping Trip was a Blast!

As promised (on Facebook), I'm back with some pictures of our High Point Furniture market sample shopping trip this past Saturday.

This was our destination.

It may not look like much on the outside, but it is filled with bargain awesomeness on the inside.

Jeremy (the owner) giving the scoop on something or other.

Cute chairs.

Deep discussion.

Striking a pose on a gorgeous wicker couch.

Jeremy didn't have exactly what Ms. M was looking for, so she's looking through one of his catalogs.  That's Ms. T and my sweet stepdaughter, Ms. B on the right playing with Ms. K, my youngest granddaughter.

Here's an action shot for ya - examining some beautiful bedding that Jeremy had.  Wish I had gotten a better pic of it.

Jeremy is starting Ms. K early.  Here she is ready to "check us out".

Loading up some chairs that go with a fabulous dining room table that someone scored.  We're talking major deal here, y'all.

And here we are - all shopped out and ready for some lunch!

Now I can't wait for April 2013 so that we can do it again!

Oh - would you like to see what I brought home???
A ginormous basket, a round tray, couple of chargers, two wicker beehive thingys (love!), a large tureen, two cheese stands (these have Pottery Barn tags on them), a box of mossy pine cones and two cute, Frenchy linen tea towels.

Total spent = $59.50.
Score!!!