American Honey Home: May 2015

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Painted Metal Tray & Lemony Treats

We had a yard sale at work last week and I of course did some shopping while I ran the show. I got lots of VHS movies for the camper, a couple purses, a Thanksgiving tablecloth and this silver handled tray. It was in pretty rough shape and couldn't be polished back to good, so what did I do?

Painted it of course! It looks pretty sweet all painted in white. The handle wouldn't stay standing so I tied some bright yellow lace onto it so that it would help the handles stay.

Of course it needed something more. So I made some Lemonies aka Lemon Brownies. Here is the recipe I used from My Daydream Kitchen. I didn't have any lemons so I used some lemon oil and Realemon juice. I also added some white chocolate chips to the batter. They taste so fresh and are yummy!

See, now doesn't my little tray look even better holding a batch of Lemonies? They match the lace perfectly! The brownies are sitting on a doily for food safety and to add to the charm.

And it has been so hot here suddenly, that I have been craving thirst quenching drinks like Peach Iced Tea and sweet and sour lemonade. Since I was already using Realemon juice for my Lemonies, I whipped up some lemonade following the recipe on the bottle. I get the big bottles from Costco and they usually last me awhile. This recipe is simple and only requires 3 ingredients--water, sugar and lemon juice.

I love putting my fresh lemonade into these French Lemonade bottles. Two batches of the lemonade recipe fills these bottles and there is even a little left over to have a glass to enjoy. I've got to go pour myself a glass right now!

If it's hot and steamy where you are, or if you just wish it was, whip up some of these delicious lemon treats to help keep you cool!

Linking up with:
Submarine Sunday
Amaze Me Monday
Cooking & Crafting with J & J
The Art of Home Making Monday
Show & Share
Make It Pretty Monday
Roses of Inspiration
Brag About It
Inspire Me Tuesday
The {Not} Just Homemaking Party
Swing Into Spring
Wow Us Wednesday
What's It Wednesday
Vintage Inspiration
Share Your Cup Thursday
Share Your Style
Simple & Sweet Friday
Feathered Nest Friday

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Graduation, flowers & fun purchases

What an extremely busy week I had! Graduation at the college I work for was on Saturday and we worked a lot of hours getting it all ready. We prayed for no rain and got our wish though it was a bit chilly and there was lots of wind. But we made it through the busy week of events and we did it all without a manager to guide us.

The first event of the week was a retirement party for the president. Here are the centerpieces I made. I wanted to highlight the past 6 years of his time as the president and searched high and low for different photos to put in these flower pots. Everyone loved them and I will be giving the photos to the president and his wife.

Next up was Commencement Eve Dinner. This is a special dinner and I got to buy fresh flowers to use in the centerpieces. I tied some purple tulle around a black box and inserted a little gold bling in the bow. Then I arranged white hydrangeas, yellow roses and purple daisies into a vase that I put inside the box. They were very pretty and guess who got to take the flowers home?

Me of course! I took all the roses and made them into one big bouquet. They look so pretty on my rose clothed dining room table.

I made another bouquet with the hydrangeas and daisies. I am hoping that the hydrangeas will dry nicely so that I can save them.

I took two of the blooms and transplanted them. I hope that it will work and that I can get some hydrangea starts to plant. But if it doesn't work, I think I will be okay!

Today when I was at the hardware store with Cody picking up a sprinkler, I turned around and saw these in the canning section. Lids and straws for wide mouth Mason Jars! I got a set because I just couldn't pass them up for $5.

I love drinking out of Mason Jars and these will be great to take up camping next weekend. I also picked up these cute red gingham plates and napkins from Dollar Tree. These will be perfect for our first camping trip of the year next weekend for Memorial Day!

I recently started watching Parenthood on Netflix and I just love Monica Potter. After Googling her, I found that she has a store that is absolutely adorable called Mrs. Potter Home, It is just my style, and is probably yours too! I bought myself this super cute beachcomber bag in jade and gray from her site. I love the size of it and will use it all summer long to take on camping trips and what not. You should check out all the pretty things she has for sale, I am sure you will find something you love!

Yay! Memorial Day weekend is upon us and I can't tell you how much I need a three-day weekend! I hope you all have a great week!

Linking up with:

Submarine Sunday

Art of Homemaking Monday
Show & Share
Share Your Style

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Silk Peonies in the Spring Corner

When I was at the Dollar Tree the other day, I noticed these pretty silk peonies. I didn't pick any up and I couldn't stop thinking about them. Since I don't have any real ones to enjoy, I went back to get these silk ones and they will never wilt away and die!

I am definitely missing their sweet scent, but I do have some Peony Petals wax in my warmer that helps make up for that.

When I was at JoAnn's, I also saw this pretty glass jar. I am thinking of painting it white so it will look like milk glass with the little hobnail design it has on it. This jar also has a handle so I could hang it from something as well. I tied a piece of soft pink tulle around it and set it on a pink paper doily on top of my vintage crate.

I love this corner of my living room where my vintage, chippy white door lives. I enjoy decorating it to go with the season or holiday and today it is definitely ready for spring!

This yellow rose bunting that I made a few years ago is such a fun piece. I still have some of the fabric that I used for it left and it is fun to use it for other craft projects.

I have had this wreath for years and it is still looking good. It ties the pink peonies and yellow rose bunting all together so nicely.

And here is the whole corner for you to see. The door has a twin on the patio and I purchased them both for $10 about 5 years ago. I have said it before and I will say it again, that was probably the best $10 I ever spent!

Wishing you all a Happy Mother's Day. To those like me who wish to be a mother but are unable to, I wish you peace and comfort on this day which is one of the hardest days of the year to go through.

The Art of Home-Making Monday

Amaze Me Monday

Show & Share

Make It Pretty Monday

Sunday, May 3, 2015

For the Love of White

It's funny how one thing leads to another and suddenly you have a collection that you didn't really mean to start. That collection for me just happens to be white stuff. And since I don't have a china hutch, my husband hung these shelves in the dining room so I would have a place to display all my pretty white things.

A vase that was etched with roses especially for our wedding holds a white candle. I won the framed print a few years ago and painted the plastic white frame to hold it. The white candlesticks are a thrift store find from years ago.

I always wanted a clamshell serving tray like this and I found this one at a vintage barn sale a few years ago. I could see myself collecting a bunch of these because they are great for decorating and for parties.

A sweet apothecary jar with a white metal stand and my altered gumball machine that I painted white and decorated with vintage jewelry finishes up the top shelf of white.

An empty frame is flanked by glass bulb jars that hold white coffee filter roses. There are 2 of those thrift store candle holders on either side of the shelf. The vintage salt shaker ornament was something I won a few years ago as well and I keep it out all year round.

This candelabra was a wedding centerpiece. I love the twisted metal and the crystals dripping off the candle holders. The key in the background was another thrift store find that I painted white and distressed. A vintage glass flower frog holds frosty white roses.

(Wow these shelves look dusty, but I promise they aren't...they are just stained. No one ever sees them from this angle!)

This clock had apples on it and wasn't too cute. Some white paint and a few bread dough roses and it is so much cuter. The dried rose on top is Cody's boutineer from our wedding day. The cast iron finials were purchased from 2 different places. My bouquet of roses candle holder has a sweet little ballerina sitting on top of it.

This candelabra was a bright shiny gold Home Interiors piece. My mom gave it to me many years ago and the first thing I did was paint it white. So much better! A tiny oval mirror sits inside a white frame to the side and a little pot of soft pink roses finish off the bottom shelf.

My white chicken wire shelf has a little vignette on top of it that I loved creating. A vintage scale, 2 altered vintage bottles, an old cabinet card and some wasp nests sit on an eyelet runner. Inside the cabinet are some treasured teacups and cookbooks.

This is my favorite wall in the house with all the pretty whites I have going on here. Although I don't love the green wall, I do love how well all my white treasures stand out on it. And of course, I am always on the look out for more pretty whites to add to my collection!