Happy Halloweenie!  

Ginger and Cocoa, two Dachshunds from Williamsport, PA, dress up

for their local Humane Society's Halloween fundraiser.  We dog owners

(dog owned-ers!) can really get caught up in the holiday spirit, can't we?

Eclectic Revisited

This chandelier might be taking the Halloween theme a bit far.

It's quite ghoulish but, at the same time, eerily fascinating.

Remember when . . . . . . . .

Carolyn Pierce

. . . .way back in the olden days we Trick-or-Treated

with noisemakers to scare off the ghosts!

And, we put a lot of time into designing our homemade costumes. 

Need some last minute front door decoration inspiration?

Lulu and June Bug

Was there ever a more perfect treat?

The Butterfly Jungle

Make this easy candy corn inspired dessert with

pudding, canned fruit, and whipped cream.  Yum!

I Love Parties

This mummy-inspired cake was made with vanilla fondant

strips and googly candy eyes from the Dollar Tree.

The Halloween tablescape, below, was created with covered cans,

spray-painted tree branch, and construction paper.  So cute.

The Party

tater tots & jello

Create darling Halloween topiaries with styrofoam

balls, straight pins, candy, and repurposed jars.

Martha Stewart

Extend the life of your front porch pumpkin by decorating it with

buttons and bows.  This saves your pumpkin for those favorite

Thanksgiving recipes.  Very fleaChic!

Regardless of how you celebrate it, have a safe and fun Halloween.

Hurricane Sandy update:  I sincerely thank those of you who prayed and uplifted my family during the devastating storm.  They're fine, warm, and (Hallelujah!) had their electricity restored late last night.  We are so grateful.

HURRICANE  SANDY  UPDATE  - With family and friends in harm's way, my mind isn't on fleaChic today.   

It's predicted that the area my son and his family live in will be without power for a week.  They're safe but uncomfortable.  It's frustrating to be so far away from loved ones and unable to help.  I truly appreciate the positive thoughts and prayers being sent out for everyone impacted by Sandy.  -- Jan

Of the many earth-tone colors of Fall, which is your favorite?  Harvest Gold has always appealed me.  


Even when the weather turns dreary, autumn gold is cheerful and uplifting. . . . . .

Potter & Finch

Southern Living

Little Hermitage

Source

Wistfully Country

Jukavo

Source

Heart Beat Oz

Atlanta Homes

Take a cue from Mother Nature - try a few golden

yellow accent pieces to warm up your decor.

Wistfully Country    

(Deep sigh.) 

The week passed too quickly for us.  Why does time fly at the beach but not when you're in line at the DMV? 

As you read this post we're driving back home, leaving the beach and friends behind.  There's just something transcendental about sitting on the balcony, watching dolphins leap out of the water as they make their way up the coast. 

If I can't post any more beach decor I might as well give you a little pre-weekend inspiration with some interesting before and after projects.


For the millions (I'm uber optimistic!) of my readers who work from home, here's
the brilliant makeover of a cluttered spare room  that was turned into an awesome home office:

 

do-it-yourself

Wish I had a sophisticated space like this to write fleaChic!

One of the most versatile pieces of furniture in a house is a console.

It can act as a sofa table, a foyer or entry table, or even as a serving

buffet.  The one below definitely needs a little maintenance, doesn't it?

Before:

After:

Lilacs & Longhorns

We all probably have a piece of furniture that is in less than pristine condition.  Take a risk and improve it with an unexpected color.  The cranberry shade of this sofa table is amazing, isn't it?






Oh, dear.  My first thought at seeing the photo below was, "Is this a pile of dusty old wood or an extremely distressed piece of furniture?!"  

Liebler

Wow.  Not bad for a pile of dusty old wood.

                             Before:                                                   After:

 The paint treatment brings out the intricate

details on this elegant dining room chair.

Vintage plate racks are more popular than ever

and can still be found at fairly reasonable prices.

Before:

 

 

After:

Blue Star Antiques

A paint treatment and new hardware completely transformed the bedside stand, below.  How many times have we seen these useful little cabinets at thrift stores and flea markets?  To the right is an enlarged picture of the details of the paint treatment.

Lake Girl Paints!

Here's another charming yet simple bedroom

re-do that's easily accomplished in a weekend:

A Thoughtful Place

The most challenging aspect of this subtle makeover was hanging

the window treatment hardware.  The new look kind of reminds me of

the beach . . . . . . . deep sigh.

Do blue and white remind you of the ocean?  Me, too.  They're such a clean, crisp color combination and are perfectly suited for nautical decor.

Yes, blue and white are awesome together. . . . . . . .




bhg

hgtv

Darren Helgensen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Even a traditional Duncan Phyffe table can get a nautical makeover:

     Before:                                                                  After:

                                                                                                                                         Blue Star Antiques

Emily Summers


  

Charleigh Mims

Coastal Living

Reclaimed wood is the perfect medium for beach-inspired art.

beachcomber


 

 Victoria Station

 

The soothing sounds of the ocean can be brought
to life with accessories in shades of blue.




 

Even  if that accessory is Flip Flop Moscato.

True.