Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Twilight Christmas Home Tour



Welcome to our home!  I sure wish we could have a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and chat!  Visiting with friends is one of my favorite things to do ~ especially during this most wonderful time of the year!  
 Close-up of the door swags :-)

 In keeping with the "tiny house movement", welcome to our cozy little foyer! The Santa music box plays such sweet Christmas tunes. 

Of course, the tree is the main attraction during the Christmas season.  We went completely "old-school" this year.  We had our very first live tree in thirteen years, which we decorated with the large, colored lights - C9 to be exact.  I love that they are so "retro"! 

The large lights are so festive!  The gingerbread ornament is
 the newest addition to my Radko collection.  

Little touches of Christmas are throughout the house!  I love pulling out special Christmas pieces such as the Etta B Santa plate.  Of course, the Nativity scene is one our most treasured Christmas items!  

This vintage ceramic tree is from my childhood!  Does that mean I am vintage, too?  

 These pillows from Target added a cheerful pop of color to our sofa!  The beautiful Christmas quilt is so special to me.  It was made by my mother; however, she didn't quite finish it before she passed away.  My precious neighbor, Ms. Martha, completed the quilt by adding the beautiful binding to it this year.  I love it so much!! 

This simple, burlap table runner was made extra festive by a cheerful green monogram! 

A quilted runner from my grandmother is perfect on the dishwasher.  The Christmas "Joy" picture from Ashley Anthony is another new piece this year.  

 Simple and festive!

This little tree is a bit "Charlie Brownish", but it makes me smile.  I love the tiny copper colanders and tea pots.  

 The Hot Cocoa Bar has been a huge hit!!!
The McCarty bunnies throughout the house got "gussied up" for Christmas with bows! 

Lots of silver and blue add a bit of sparkle in the guest bedroom. 

I purchased this quilted stocking my first year of teaching 
to hang in my very first apartment.  

Seth has his own special tree as well!  A Santa Nutcracker 
counts down the days until Christmas!! It is almost time! 

Thank you so much for visiting our Christmas home!! 
 I wish you Christmas blessings from Buttercup Bliss!
Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving from Buttercup Bliss


*  Simple fall centerpiece * 

Happy Thanksgiving!!  Things are hopping around our house today as we prepare for Thanksgiving.  I love Thanksgiving!  It is such a special time of year when we focus on our blessings.  

I have set the table for tomorrow.  (We will also have people at the bar and on a small folding table!!  I love a crowd! )  I am excited - the more the merrier!  I have had this centerpiece out since September.  The gold square container was a three dollar bargain from Target, as was the striped pumpkin.  I've had the votives for a few years - a little ribbon and twine gave them a fresh look.  (Now that I think about it, the tray and the candlestick are from Target also.  I clearly spend way too much time at Target!) 

 I enjoy using my Spode Woodland salad plates each year.  They go perfectly with my Wedgewood Strawberry and Vine dishes.   Thanksgiving dinner is also the perfect time to use my silver.  It is Gorham Buttercup and I truly love it!.  
I have turkeys, pheasants, deer, hunting dogs, quails, and yes, turkeys!  I love this pattern so much, I may start purchasing serving pieces.  I have this thing about dishes..... But that's the wonderful thing about white dishes - you can totally change the look by using various salad plates!  

I truly hope each of you has a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Our family will be cooking, watching the Macy's parade, and enjoying being together as a family. Tomorrow night we will watch Charlie Brown's Christmas - it is one of Seth's favorite traditions.  I believe I am most thankful that we all live so close to each other.  I know I have said this before, but I truly believe having my father across the street and my sister around the corner has been the most amazing blessing!!  Family is everything!   

"In everything, give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you
1 Thessalonians 5:18

Blessings from Buttercup Bliss! 

Lisa 

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Waco, Baylor, Baseball, and More!


Visiting Magnolia Market was one of the highlights of my summer!

Sadly, summer is over for us. Seth began seventh grade two weeks ago.  We enjoyed a wonderful summer together as a family.  My husband and I both work from home so we were able to spend quality time together every day.  Seth played in baseball tournaments through the early part of the summer which kept us pretty busy.  We were able to get away for a quick vacation before school was back in session. Seth wanted to go to another MLB game.  We decided to go to a Texas Rangers game because we could also visit Six-Flags as well. The best part though is Waco, yes, the home of Fixer Upper, is only 90 miles from Arlington!  Now, I don't know about you, but I am fairly obsessed with Fixer Upper. Having a "Chip and JoJo" home would be a dream come true!  However, we are not moving to Waco anytime soon so visiting Magnolia Market and seeing the silos is the next best thing!  This trip was a win-win for the entire family!! 


I have to tell you I was pretty giddy as we set off on our trip.  We left for Waco early on a Friday morning.  We arrived there in the afternoon and checked into the Hotel Indigo.  It is a beautiful hotel in downtown Waco.  I wish we could have stayed there longer.  The hotel staff told us it is the hotel where the Fixer Upper crew stays.  They also told us Chip and JoAnna were there quite often.  I was on Chip and JoJo alert the entire time!  We didn't see them though - I was so disappointed!  

Friday afternoon we set out and toured Waco. We saw the silos right away. We also toured the Baylor campus.  It is beautiful and Seth may want to be a Baylor Bear!  

We were able to enter the baseball stadium which Seth loved.

 The Baylor football stadium is beautiful! 

After our tour of  Baylor, we found Common Grounds and stopped for a quick latte'.  It is super cool.  You may remember the owners were in the episode in which Chip ate the roach!  We were sitting on a bench in the back of the coffee shop when one of the owners, Kimberly, walked by.  I wasn't going to say anything, but Jon stopped her and told her we recognized her.  She was so sweet!  She gave us a wonderful recommendation for a local restaurant where we had a yummy dinner.  


On Saturday morning we were up early to go to Magnolia Market.  It was very crowded, but oh so fun!  The MM employees were friendly and cheerful!  It was hard to decide exactly what to purchase because I wanted everything!!! I bought a sign, hymn cards, recipe/card holder, a cookbook holder, and a t-shirt.  I was thrilled with all of my goodies!  My sister and I are already planning a girls' trip back to Waco so she can visit the shop as well.  

Of course, after driving 440 miles, I had to have a picture in front of the famous sign. 

I love Joanna's style.  I could redo our home in all things Magnolia Market. 

Signs used in decorating seem to be one of Joanna's signature styles and there were many at Magnolia Market.  I simply do not have a space for any of the larger ones in our home although I love their sweet simplicity.  I did, however, bring home the small metal one shown in the picture at the top of the page. "Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly" is one of my favorite bible verses and was used in our wedding. 
 

We made a quick stop by some of Joanna's favorite stores before we left for Arlington.  Junque in the Trunk was too cute!! This 1961 camper is precious!!

If we had had more time, I would have loved to drive around Waco a bit longer to look for some of the Fixer Upper houses. I just knew we would stumble across one while we were sightseeing.  Not to sound "stalkerish", but I would have loved to have seen a few of them in real life! 

I will be back soon to share about the Texas Rangers game and our visit to Six-Flags. Seth had a blast - he is FEARLESS!!!  

Friday, July 3, 2015

Happy Fourth of July!

 

 Happy Independence Day!!!

I hope your holiday weekend is wonderful! We will be celebrating with our family tomorrow with a traditional Fourth of July meal - hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad, and apple pie!!    

Amidst all of family, fun and fireworks, may we pause to remember how blessed we are to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave!!! 


O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea
Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer
God bless America, land that I love
Stand behind her and guide her
Through the night with a light from above
From the mountains, to the prairies
To the oceans white with foam
God bless America
My home sweet home

God Bless America!!  



Thursday, June 18, 2015

In Honor of Fathers



Daddy with Anita and me on Anita's birthday - early 70's.  Can you tell by the decor?
 I am on the right.  :-)

In honor of Father's Day I am re-posting a piece I wrote about fathers several years ago.  We were so blessed to move home this past year.  Living across the street from my father and seeing him each day has been wonderful!  I am so thankful that Seth is able to have such a close relationship with Papa!  Seth and I are also blessed to have Jon!  He is a wonderful husband and he is also Seth's hero!  Happy Father's Day to all the Dads, Fathers, "Daddies", Grandfathers and Papas everywhere!! 

I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection.

~ Sigmund Freud


A few weeks ago I started this post about my father.  It was supposed to be ready for Father's Day -  obviously, you can see that I didn't quite meet my goal; however, I have been blessed with a wonderful father who I treasure so much so I decided to continue with this post even though Father's Day has come and gone. My daddy's name is Terry - sometimes his brothers and sisters call him Buddy.  (Remember I am a southern girl.  We all call our fathers "Daddy" even when we are approaching middle age!  Also, just about every southern family has a "Buddy".)  He and my mother were sweethearts from a very young age.  They married just a few short months after my mother graduated from high school.  My sister was born a year later and my parents embraced parenthood.  My dad was the sole provider in those early years.  He worked so hard driving a truck to earn money to provide for his little family.  My sister and I both learned a strong work ethic from our father.  Daddy was, and continues to be, a wonderful role model for our entire family.

I learned what true love looks like by observing my sweet parents.  My dad was by my mother's side for almost 44 years of marriage.  He stood by her through thick and thin - good and bad - sickness and health until they were parted by death.  My dad never left the house without kissing my mother goodbye - even for a quick trip to the store.  Devoted would be a true description of my father - devoted to my mother and to his girls. 


My mother and father - around the time they were  married. What a wonderful couple! 

My dad has always been supportive and encouraging.  He knew when to cheer us on (band activities, piano recitals, etc.) and he knew when to cheer us up - through heartaches and disappointments in the teen years and other trials that have come as we moved through life. He and mom encouraged us to pursue our dreams with regard to our careers.  I was a teacher when I graduated from college.  I obtained a master's degree after I had been teaching a few years. Daddy was the first to suggest that I go back to school and pursue a doctorate.  I achieved that goal in 1999 with both of my parent's cheering me on!  I remember thinking how great it was that Daddy wanted so much for his girls.  He may not have had the opportunity to go to college, but he wanted his daughters to further their education as much a possible. 

I learned from my dad that things may not always go as you planned, but you must "keep on keeping on".  He and my mother faced some challenges through the years, but their love for each other never wavered. My mother's death shook my dad to his core.  He definitely struggled after her death; however, he has become his old self in the last couple of years. He has found his way back to the daddy I have always known and loved with all my heart.  


I love this picture of my daddy.  It was taken when he was around 18 months old.  He is wearing his daddy's cowboy hat and holding his grandfather's pipe.  

Good fathers always seem to know when to help out and when to let their children figure out things the hard way.  That is true of my daddy.  I think that is a tough thing for parents because we always want to fix things for our children. Daddy was always ready to step in and help when needed - and he still does - but he also knows when his children must learn a lesson.  I admire him so much for that quality. 

I always knew that my daddy was there to protect our family.  That is still true today.  Even though my sister and I are grown, we still believe that Daddy will always be there, waiting in the wings to help us when we falter.  I believe he is my safety net.  Like my heavenly Father, I know that my daddy will love me regardless.  

As a father and a grandfather, my dad knows it is okay to spoil your children just a little bit. We did not have an extravagant childhood, but we had what we needed with special treats thrown in :-).  We did not get brand new cars as soon as we were able to drive.  We did get older cars that were perfect for us!  He and mom wanted us to appreciate the things that we were given.  I will tell you though that when my parents became grandparents, all of these ideas about moderation went out the window - They quickly realized it was okay to SPOIL the grandbabies!!!  In fact, my sister used to say that Santa Claus couldn't compete with Granny and Papa. My daddy, aka "Papa", still spoils Paige, Spencer and Seth.  He just treated Seth to a week of baseball camp at South Alabama and purchased him a new set of catcher's gear - perfect for our budding baseball star.  

My daddy will tell you that my mother played the biggest part in raising Anita and me.  In fact, I have heard him tell a story of someone saying that he had two wonderful daughters. My daddy's reply was "I can't take credit for them, Janell (my mom) raised them."  That could not be farther from the truth.  While it was true that my daddy traveled a lot with his job, and my mother did most of the day to day duties that come with raising children, my dad was a crucial part of our upbringing.  He and mom were united in their desire to raise us in a Christian home where we were taught the values they embraced.  My father modeled his belief that family comes first, hard work is a good thing, it is important to be generous, to help others, and to treat all people with respect. 


This was taken about four years ago (about seven years ago now) Spencer, Me, Nini, Seth, Paige and Papa

Jon and Seth - This is a recent picture.  It is amazing to see how much Seth has grown!! 

To sum it up, amazing fathers just seemed to instinctively know when to praise and when to punish, when to save and when to splurge, when to cheer their children on as they follow their dreams and when to encourage them to show restraint.  I am so blessed to have an amazing man as my sweet  father.  I am so honored to call him Daddy!  I am also blessed to have married Jon.  He is a wonderful father to Seth and to his "big boys", Matt and Drew!


I love my father as the stars - he's a bright shining example and a happy twinkling in my heart. 

Adabella Radici

My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me. 

Jim Valvano

This week I am joining the following parties:

 Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace


Thank you for visiting Buttercup Bliss,
Lisa
Saturday, June 6, 2015

Guest Bedroom Renovation



You may remember that we have been renovating/refreshing our home since we moved in late last summer.  Today I am sharing our guest bedroom.  It is one of my favorite rooms in our home.  I love the peaceful color - Sherwin Williams Rainwashed. We added crown molding to add character to the room.  Our guestroom is usually the only "prissy" room in the house.  I live in a house of boys so "girly" is not something I get to do very often (which may explain why I adore clothes, jewelry and purses.) In the past I had a guest bedroom that was pink and green, so this one is definitely toned down a bit. 

Just for fun, let's look at the "before" picture.  This was taken right after we bought the house. The color was a bit bright, and I am not a fan of ceiling fans in bedrooms.  


The monogrammed pillow shams and the Mississippi pillow are two of my very favorite pieces.  The shams are simple, white quilted Shabby Chic shams from Target, but my sister's friend, Katie, of Mississippi Stitches, made them gorgeous when she monogrammed them for me.  She also made the wonderful Mississippi pillow.  I am a proud Mississippi girl! 

The Euro shams and the duvet cover (folded at the foot of the bed for a pop of color) are both from Pottery Barn.  The fringed burlap bed-skirt (shown in another picture) is from Ballard Designs.  

I firmly believe that beautiful art doesn't have to be outrageously expensive.  The two pieces by the window are pages from a calendar that I had framed.  The calendar featured original art that was auctioned to benefit the University of Mississippi's Children's Hospital.  Obviously, I couldn't purchase the original, but the prints from the calendar are wonderful when framed!! 



The chifforobe was one of the pieces we purchased AK (After Katrina!)  I still love it!  The sewing machine side table was a Valentine present from my husband a few years ago.  This room is filled with other things I love such as McCarty bunnies and art from Mississippi artists.  The print above the small table is by Mississippi artist, Wyatt Waters.  

Of course, a prissy chandelier was needed to make dress up the space. 

The beach painting is an original that was painted for me by my good friend, Diane.  I distressed the simple brown frame so it would better suit the beach scene.  

 Old family photos are hung to the right of the bed.  Baby pics of my mother, father, and grandmother are so special to me! 


I hope you enjoyed "visiting" our cozy guest bedroom.  Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that this bedroom has a walk-in closet!  It is perfect for storing my "alternate season" clothes and decorative items, and various other items too special to be stored in the attic.  

I am excited to be featured by Kris of Junk Chic Cottage on her Saturday Spotlight Series: Life Behind the Blogger.  I would love it if you would hop on over @ 
Junk Chic Cottage: Saturday Spotlight Series


I am also joining  the following parties:

Amaze Me Mondays @ Dwellings
Show and Share @ Coastal Charm 
Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style
Share Your Style Block Party
 Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace

As always, thank you for visiting Buttercup Bliss! 

Lisa