My Absolute Favorites For Spring Cleaning The Porches And The Garage

Update: Just noticed that Talbots has made their 25% off sale even better with 40% off any one item and 25% off everything else. You the code SPRING40 to get 40% off any one item. If you missed my spring favorites post, you'll find it here: Getting a Jump on My Spring Wardrobe, Everything is Currently on Sale. You'll find the Talbots spring sale here: Talbots Spring Sale. The temps here this week have … [Read more...]




Porch Decorated for Autumn With Hints Of Halloween

Welcome to the 767th Metamorphosis Monday! I had a bit of fun out on the front porch this weekend.   Having just purchased these black and white striped bench cushions this past summer, this is their first autumn here on the porch.   The cushions are currently on sale in several colors/ patterns here: Bench Cushions and here: Bench Cushions.   Since were only a … [Read more...]




A Beautiful Addition To The Front Porch, Can You Guess What It Is?

Welcome to the 751st Metamorphosis Monday! Quite a few years back I added two benches to my front porch.   If you've been reading BNOTP for a while, you may remember this porch below. I came across this home/porch many years ago in a Southern Homes magazine and it was the inspiration for the front porch that I had added to my home back in 2008. Notice the benches on the inspiration porch. I … [Read more...]




New Screen Doors with a Whimsical Dragonfly & Moon-Stars Design

Welcome to the 690th Metamorphosis Monday! These screened doors have been tucked away in my garage, patiently waiting to be installed for two years now.   They were built to replace the doors you see on either side of the screened porch below.   Naughty mice (rats?) made their own door one cold winter when they decided to homestead inside my large gas grill. … [Read more...]




March Favorites & New “Forever” Furniture for Both Decks

Before I share my March favorites, I have to share this awesome surge protector that I had my computer plugged into when a huge lightning strike happened right outside my office recently. That strike caused a surge that took out my cable modem, my speakers, and my garage door opener, but my computer and printer survived the strike completely unscathed. They were both plugged into this surge protector. I … [Read more...]




2 Great Ways to Hide Those Unattractive, Metal Swing Chains

Recently when I shared how I've decorated the porch for spring, I received an email asking about the covers I have over the chains of the porch swing.   You got a closer view of them in this photo showing the large egg wreath I hung on the porch for Easter.   I've written a couple of posts over the years sharing in more detail about these covers which are really just electrical … [Read more...]




So Whatever Happened to Those Peeling, Bubbling Columns…

Welcome to the 622nd Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! Last October, I shared some photos of my front porch columns and the developing issue I've had with them over the past year. It has been quite a few years since the porch was last painted. Trying to remember--I think I may have had it painted once since it was added on in 2008, but maybe it was just pressure … [Read more...]




My Screened Doors are Ready and I’m Sharing the Exact Cost

Welcome to the 606th Metamorphosis Monday! I definitely had a case of sticker shock when I saw the bill for my new screened doors. Maybe I should call it invoice shock instead of sticker shock. In any case, it took my breath away! lol A few months ago I shared the damage that was done to the doors on my screened porch last winter when some very bad mice (or was it rats?) decided to take up residence … [Read more...]




Butterflies for the Wall & The 2 Screened-Door Designs I Chose for the Porch

Welcome to the 602nd Metamorphosis Monday! My daughter-in-law, Nancy, recently added these adorable butterflies to a wall in the downstairs hallway of their home. She liked them so much, she decided to order two more packages. So there will be a lot more butterflies joining these real soon.   They are subtle against this pale yellow wall and sooo pretty! I love how she arranged them, feels … [Read more...]




Turning Lemons into Lemonade: New Doors for My Screened Porch

Welcome to the 595th Metamorphosis Monday! You know that old saying, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade? Well, today's Before and After is definitely a case of me trying to turn some pretty sour lemons into some delicious lemonade. But before I pour you a glass of lemonade, I want to share some napkins I'll be using later this week in a patriotic table setting, in case you are in need of napkins … [Read more...]




Loved This Lamp So Much, I Bought It Twice!

If you've been reading Between Naps On The Porch for a while, you know I'm a crazy lamp lady. I don't remember when my love of lamps started, but at some point many years ago, I discovered how much prettier, cozier and better the rooms in my home looked by lamplight--the more lamplight, the better! Overhead lighting can make a beautiful room feel cold and sterile--pretty much the opposite of cozy. For … [Read more...]




3 Ways to Decorate a Hutch for Spring and Summer

From reports back home, I know my screened porch is covered in this stuff right now. Ugh.   I'm trying to imagine it looking more like this, though.   There's a hutch on the porch that I always love decorating for spring and summer.   This is the dishware I most often use on the porch: Ma Maison by Tabletops Unlimited, designed by Darrio … [Read more...]




A Lamp for the Recently Added Console and a Spring Porch Update

Welcome to the 530th Metamorphosis Monday! Spring has really come to Georgia. The Bradford Pear trees are in full bloom and the daffodils are beginning to wane, having bloomed for weeks now. Spring flowers and warmer temps have a way of motivating us to get going on some of those repairs and projects we've been putting off. A few months ago I shared how mice or rats had decided to create little doors … [Read more...]




This Was Not How I Wanted to Kick Off Spring

Welcome to the 523rd Metamorphosis Monday! I'm dreaming of spring and some porch time.   But before spring arrives, I'll need to fix this thanks to a very bad mouse. Either a mouse or rat, not sure which, decided to chew his way in through one of the screened porch doors. In an effort to stop the intruder from getting onto the porch and decks again, my pest control guy blocked the hole. He … [Read more...]




Oh, The Surprising Things You’ll See Through a Ring Doorbell!

Back on November 28th, I blogged about my intentions to add a Ring Doorbell to my home for increased security and convenience. If you missed that original post, you'll find it here: Finally Doing It-I'm Adding a Security Camera to my Front Porch. Today I'm sharing how the installation went along with one hiccup I encountered and how I solved it. If you have any questions after reading this post,  leave … [Read more...]




A Wreath Switcheroo: Staying With a Natural Green Wreath From Now On

Welcome to the 516th Metamorphosis Monday! A week or two ago I shared how the porch was decorated for Christmas. You may remember I wasn't thrilled with how this ornament wreath looked against my red door. I'm using it elsewhere, it looks great out on the screened porch.   So, here's how the porch looks now.   I was a little worried at first about the performance of … [Read more...]




A New Autumn Wreath for the Front Door

Summer is still very much with us here in Georgia with temps in the upper 80's and low 90's every day. I love the hot weather so I'm not complaining. Though it's not feeling one bit like fall, I came across a beautiful fall wreath recently that I couldn't pass up. I usually have a hard time finding a wreath I like because often they are just too small. I like a nice big wreath that fills out my … [Read more...]




A Few Porch Updates & A Garden Seat Makeover

Welcome to the 493rd Metamorphosis Monday! Did you go out of town for the July 4th week? This past week always seems like a big week for travel. This weekend has been a productive one for me as I've worked on a few things I've been putting off for a while. One chore I had been procrastinating on was giving the wicker seating group a good cleaning. I've had the two chairs and the settee (all made of … [Read more...]




Deck Updates, Great Deck Cleaner and a Little Garden Whimsy

Welcome to the 488th Metamorphosis Monday! Last week I shared some deck updates I was working on. In between all the big storms we've been having this past week, I've been working on spiffing up the deck for summer. Before In this photo from last week, you can see the decking was super dirty from all the yucky stuff that had fallen from the giant tree whose trunk you can see there at the end of the … [Read more...]




51 Reasons You Need a Screened Porch

  1. Spring 2. Summer 3. Fall 4. Winter (depending on where you live) 5. Shade 6. No mosquitoes 7. No flies 8. No bugs. Period 9. Your dog will thank you 10. Your cat will thank you   11. Ceiling fans swirling overhead 12. Soft music + breezes and birdsong = heaven 13. Rainstorms 14. Sweet tea tastes better on a porch 15. Coffee tastes better on a porch 16. Wine … [Read more...]




A Bottle Tree Makeover for Summer & A Bit of Furniture Re-arranging

Welcome to the 487th Metamorphosis Monday! For this week's Met Monday, I have more of a "Before and Middle" than a "Before and After." See the bottle tree that's out on the deck in this photo below? (View this beach-themed table setting here: Beach-themed Tablescape.)   I love bottle trees, love their folklore and whimsy. If you've never heard of bottle trees, they have an interesting … [Read more...]




Home Water Softeners, Whole House Filters, De-Stressing & A Few Shopping Finds

Welcome to the 486th Metamorphosis Monday! This past week while I was out of town was definitely a challenging one. It all started when I had a plugin update appear on the dashboard of the blog that turned out to be a bad update. You may have noticed some issues last week with Between Naps On The Porch. In the process of trying to fix the issues the bad update caused, my hosting company actually … [Read more...]




Beach Escape

Welcome to the 499th Tablescape Thursday! I almost pulled out bunny plates again today. lol I still had one more table setting in mind using bunny plates, but it was such a gorgeous day and so warm out, I ended up going a completely different direction.   We are headed to the beach for this week's Tablescape Thursday with  a fun beach-themed table setting.   Do you have a … [Read more...]




Tips for Cleaning Pollen Off a Screened-in Porch & A Feeder for Dried Mealworms

Welcome to the 480th Metamorphosis Monday! Yesterday I had a comment from Mark who said: Have a similar porch to yours and we love it already. It is coated in pollen. Do you ever hose yours off??? What is your cleaning routine? We are in NC and the pollen is 3 ft thick 🙂 There is not an easy way for water to run off, like yours, but wondered what you normally do. Normally when I'm using the … [Read more...]




The Hunt for a Pretty Spring Wreath

Welcome to the 478th Metamorphosis Monday! Recently I was watching a YouTube video where the vlogger had just purchased a large, floral wreath for her front door. It had huge hydrangea blossoms all around it, and I loved it. Update: It may have been peonies now that I think about it!  I checked to see if I could order one online for my front door, but was unable to locate the shop. The vlogger had … [Read more...]




A Little Spring Update for the Porch

Welcome to the 477th Metamorphosis Monday! Good Morning! Sharing a mini-Met today that may be opening a big 'ol can of worms. I'm good at that...opening up cans of fat, wiggly worms! See those striped cushions on the chairs in this older photo taken back around the 4th of July?   They were never quite what I wanted for the porch, but worked in a pinch a few years back when I couldn't … [Read more...]




How Did Those Brown Deck Railings Hold Up This Winter? An Update!

Last summer I shared an issue I was having with my white painted deck railings. I love having a white porch and loved my white deck railings, but...   ...I was not at all happy with how the tops of the deck railings were always looking. Even after having them freshly painted, they would be back looking like this in no time at all! Argggg!   It's pretty much impossible to keep … [Read more...]




A New Toy in My Cleaning Arsenal & Bunny Plates for Easter

I follow a few kitty Instagram accounts and they keep me in stitches daily. One account that I follow (bonnieclydekitties) shared the coolest tool for helping keep hardwood or tile flooring clean. I don't have pets now, so I don't have to worry about fur as she does, but I do have a lot of hardwood flooring to keep clean. My whole house is hardwood flooring now, except for one room, my upstairs family … [Read more...]




Deck “Before And After” with “Lodge Brown” Solid Stain for the Deck and Railings

Welcome to the 456th Metamorphosis Monday! Sorry this is going up a bit late. The painters are here finishing the staining of the basement door so I've been downstairs working with them this morning. The makeover of the two decks on the back of my home is complete. I like the brown railing a lot more than I ever thought I would. The stain color is Sherwin Williams, Lodge … [Read more...]




Door & Deck Progress

Welcome to the 455th Metamorphosis Monday. My porch is still a storage area for much of the deck furniture.   I think they will be doing a final coat of stain in some areas either today or tomorrow. After that dries, life can return to normal. I'll be really happy to get all this furniture out of the porch and back onto the decks. lol   Before I share how the deck handrail … [Read more...]




Running Away From Home & A Dragon Finial

Stain decisions...Ugg. I'm running away from home. Today. How I dislike making these type decisions, but it's time and it has to be done. I visited a Sherwin Williams store today near my home to choose a stain color. Shockingly, they didn't have a single stain-chart brochure that I could take back home. They told me they were all out and so were all their other stores. Not one Super Deck sample stain … [Read more...]




Plant Stand Makeover, Forever-Dirty Deck Railings and a Mopnado Update

Welcome to the 452nd Metamorphosis Monday! I've made a decision about which company I'll be using for cleaning and staining the decks. They will also be pressure washing the exterior of the house and staining the door that was recently replaced inside. (Read more about that HERE.) Unfortunately, the door may hold up the deck cleaning since the replacement door was cut too short and will have to be … [Read more...]




A Patriotic Porch & A Refreshing Drink for Summer Gatherings

Welcome to the 435th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you've had a relaxing Memorial Day weekend. Mine was busy, but fun! This weekend I finally took time to reattach the covers over the swing chains.   I had taken them off this spring to wash once the pollen attack was over, and had just never gotten around to putting them back on. It requires climbing a tall step ladder which always yields … [Read more...]




Washing Benches at O’Dark:30, Birdie Nesting, Hat Storage and Garden Updates

I awoke this morning long before daylight. The numbers on the ceiling showed 4:00. Apparently my body is still on Morocco time which is 5 hours later. Ugh. After laying there for about an hour, I gave up on sleep and got on up. So what do you do at 5:00 AM? I gave both the benches on the front porch (and the porch itself) a good wash, they were seriously covered in pollen.   I took this … [Read more...]




Brad Nailer for a Small Gate Repair & Deer Ate My Violas!

Welcome to the 415th Metamorphosis Monday! I've been on a mission the last several months, really going all the way back to last summer, to clear out anything and everything that I don't use on a regular basis. That has included going through all the closets in my home. There are 12 closets in this house: 10 upstairs and 2 on the main level. That's not including the eve storage off the upstairs living … [Read more...]




A Little Porch Decorating to Celebrate the Holidays

Happy Weekend to you! Hard to believe Christmas will be here in just 9 days! I've had the porch decorated for a while now, but just haven't gotten around to sharing photos of how it turned out this year.   Probably the biggest change for this year are the benches I added to the porch this past summer.   I never realized how much I would enjoy having them here. They are the … [Read more...]




Create An Autumn Porch That Will Invite Guests To Linger

Welcome to the 397th Metamorphosis Monday! Even though it's still nice and warm here in Georgia, the mornings are feeling wonderfully cool. I come downstairs each morning and throw open the doors to the screened porch and let the cool morning air fill the house. Some days are so nice now, I can leave the doors open all day.   This weekend I went ahead and hung my favorite fall wreath … [Read more...]




A Front Yard Makeover With Boxwood Shrubs, Benches & Copper-Roof Dovecote

Welcome to the 384th Metamorphosis Monday! A while back I started a big makeover for my front yard landscape. Bushes were removed and transplanted to the back yard and a Japanese Waterfall Maple was transplanted to another area of the yard. The tree is doing well in its new home, as are the shrubs that were transplanted to the backyard.   It's taken me a while to add shrubs back. I had … [Read more...]




Landscaping with 4 Varieties of Boxwood Shrubs

Welcome to the 383rd Metamorphosis Monday! Looking forward to all the wonderful Before and Afters for this Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Memorial Day to  you. This weekend I've been working out front. When I last left you, I had a couple of shrubs in the ground. See them there in the back?   Today, this side looks like this. Yay for progress! So far I've planted 5 Green Beauty Boxwood, … [Read more...]




Two New Benches for the Front Porch

A few days ago I blogged about ordering a couple of the Luciana benches from Grandinroad when they were having a good sale on their outdoor benches. (View that post here: Whimsical Garden Bench for the Front Porch)   As mentioned in that previous post, my front porch was built from this photo found in a Southern Homes magazine many years ago. This is the beautiful historic home at Gainesway … [Read more...]




Progress is Messy!

I think it's official, I have just a few too many irons in the fire. lol If I write something completely nonsensical in the next few days, just know it's because there's a lot of stuff going on here and my brain may be on overload. It's good stuff, but it's going to get crazier before it gets better, I'm afraid. Today I went to visit my bushes. If I go to Pike Nursery one more time, they will probably … [Read more...]




A Whimsical Garden Bench for the Front Porch & Some Landscape Updates

Welcome to the 382nd Metamorphosis Monday! See that chart below? Yay, for sunshine! Finally, the re-varnishing of the screened porch floor can start tomorrow. It was scheduled for almost two weeks ago, but the weather has not cooperated. Finally, we have sunny days ahead.   Boxwood Shrubs for the Front Yard Landscape While I've been awaiting sunny days, my focus has returned to the … [Read more...]




Makeover a Hutch with a Nautical-Beach Theme

Welcome to the 395th Tablescape Thursday! Recently I de-pollened the porch and gave it a little spring makeover.   I dressed the porch hutch with my fave porch dishes: Tabletops Unlimited, Ma Maison.   For this week's Tablescape Thursday, I decided to give the hutch a little beach makeover using a dishware I purchased back in right after the porch was … [Read more...]




Screened Porch Updates: Welcome Spring!

Welcome to the 376th Metamorphosis Monday! The past couple of weeks have been busy ones. With friends coming to stay for a few days, I threw it into high gear and cleaned all those places that never seem to make it to the top of the cleaning list...things like shutters and molding. During my cleaning frenzy, even though the pollen siege wasn't quite over, I wet a tissue (a la Mom) and tried to get … [Read more...]




My Favorite Chest Is On Sale & An Update for My Deck

Yesterday I stopped by Pier 1 to look at their outdoor furniture. I really need to replace the table and chairs I currently have out on my deck. I didn't find the outdoor set I wanted but while I was there, I noticed they have my favorite chest on sale. I purchased this chest a few years ago when I was creating my home office. Back then, I searched and searched for months for a chest to go beside the … [Read more...]




Install a Long Swing-Arm Hook for Hanging Plants or Bird Feeders

I have several bird feeders hanging off the pergola that extends over one of my decks. The feeders hang from long swing-arm hangers. The hooks work great for hanging squirrel-proof feeders because the length of the rod helps deter the squirrels. They also keep the feeders out away from the deck, which keeps the decks cleaner and encourages the birds to come dine. Since my decks and porch are a full story … [Read more...]




A Waterproof Wicker Outdoor Lamp For The Porch

Welcome to the 370th Metamorphosis Monday!   When I added a screened porch onto my home in 2008, I knew I wanted to light the porch at night with just lamp light, no overhead lighting. I love the ambiance lamps give to a space. Once the porch was complete, I ran around the house borrowing lamps from various rooms until I could purchase lamps that felt suited for a porch, particularly a porch with … [Read more...]




Porch Questions: Porch Season Is Almost Here

Welcome to the 369th Metamorphosis Monday! Right now the porch looks like this, minus the green leafy backdrop.   But sometimes it looks like this, only not this dark. My photography skills weren't the greatest when that photo was taken.   Summer of 2014, I took down the sheers when I had the porch freshened up with a new coat of paint. After the painting was done, I decided … [Read more...]




Create a Hot Cocoa Bar for Winter Entertaining

Happy Holidays to you, dear Friends! We're out on the porch today and I know it's a little chilly. Don't worry though, I have just the thing to warm us up. Step right over here and belly up to the bar--the Hot Cocoa Bar, that is. :)   I've been envisioning a Hot Cocoa Bar for years out here on the porch, but I could never quite gather together all the bits and pieces I needed to create it, … [Read more...]




A Small Change Can Have a Big Impact

Welcome to the 359th Metamorphosis Monday! Have you ever noticed how we sometimes develop blindness to something in our own home? We walk right by it every day and after a while it just blends into the landscape of our homes and we don't see it anymore. I know I've done that many times over the years. Recently I shared a picture of my porch decorated for Christmas. While working on that post and … [Read more...]




7 Christmas Porches

Welcome to the 355th Metamorphosis Monday! Ahoy Matey! As  you read this, I'm somewhere out floating in the Caribbean, hopefully NOT in the Bermuda Triangle!!! ;)  I'm off sailing with the The Property Brothers, Drew and Jonathan Scott on their "Sailing With The Scotts, Ultimate Design Cruise." I have lots of posts ready for you this week. If I can find a Wifi connection, I'll also share some photos … [Read more...]




How To Refurbish A Rusted Old Bistro Set

Welcome to the 349th Metamorphosis Monday! This cool fall weather has me itching to get outside and do a little sprucing up. Lately I've been noticing the bistro table I love to use for outdoor dining was starting to show its age.   I normally use a tablecloth when dining here but the rest of the time the table is uncovered for everyday use.   This set is made of metal. When … [Read more...]




The Porch Hutch Gets a Makeover For Spring and Summer

Welcome to the 319th Metamorphosis Monday! This has been the wackiest week with 75 degree temps on Wednesday, snow on Friday and back up to 70 on Sunday. Has the weather been this up and down where you live, too? With the warm temps returning yesterday, I spent some time out on the porch cleaning a little and getting it ready for  the warm days ahead. After cleaning the dust and grime of winter off … [Read more...]




Decorating The Porch For Christmas

One of my favorite places to decorate for Christmas is the front porch. It's the first "room" friends and family see when visiting , and at Christmastime it's so much fun to make it feel extra special and inviting.   When decorating, be it inside or out, I always love a mix of fresh greenery and faux. Fresh greenery gives you the scent while faux gives you the look you want while saving you … [Read more...]




Replace Your Old Doorbell For The Upcoming Holidays

Happy Friday! Got any special plans for the weekend? Will you be doing any DIY projects around the house or maybe decorating for the holidays? Speaking of DIY projects, about a month ago I completed a small upgrade that I'm super excited to share today. I've noticed from time-to-time over the years that my doorbell was looking pretty decrepit. I tell ya, doorbells get no respect. lol They get installed … [Read more...]




Eye of Newt and Toe of Frog, Wool of Bat…

Eye of newt and toe of frog, Wool of bat and tongue of dog... Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble. Macbeth (Act IV, Scene I) ~William Shakespeare Eeek! It's like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's movie, The Birds! Only, in this case it's The Bats! I've had this image saved on my computer for a year or two. I've always wanted to duplicate the look on my front porch for … [Read more...]




A Spooky Halloween Hutch

Welcome to the 296th Metamorphosis Monday! Did you have a good weekend? I spent mine getting a few things done here around the house. I also played a little out on the porch, changing the hutch from its summertime look to something fun and just a tad spooky!   Postcards From The Porch Before I share the hutch update, I wanted to say a big thank you to all the lovely folks who took time to … [Read more...]




Night Sounds From The Porch

I absolutely adore owls! They are sooo beautiful! Last night I was working late in the office when I heard two Barred Owls in the trees out back. I grabbed my camera and ran down to the porch to see if I could capture their hoots for you.   I thought about using my phone to record them but I knew my camera would pick up the audio much better. Unfortunately, you can't see anything because it … [Read more...]




Electrical Cord Covers Hide Metal Swing Chains

Welcome to the 290th Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? Hope it was relaxing and fun! I had some friends over for a little cookout on the porch and we had great time together. Speaking of the porch, recently I had it freshened up with a new coat of paint. It had been over 6 years since it was last painted. After the porch was painted, I noticed the covers on the swing were looking pretty … [Read more...]




How Much Does It Cost To Build A Front Porch

When I first moved into my home over twenty years ago, it did not have a front porch. It looked very much like all the other homes in my neighborhood. In the early 80's when the homes in my neighborhood were all being built, porches were just not important to builders. I guess they thought no one really cared about them anymore. Over the years as I welcomed friends and family into my home, I began to … [Read more...]




Screened-in Porch Freshened Up With Paint

Welcome to the 287th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! Hope you had an awesome summer weekend! I was fretting a bit over mine, wondering how I would be getting a post ready for Met Monday since I dropped my computer off for repairs early on Friday and when last I checked on Saturday, they still haven't gotten around to working on it. I was 4th in line, now 2nd, so hopefully they will be repairing it … [Read more...]




Has To Get Worse Before It Gets Better

That woman you see, the one walking around muttering and looking distracted...yeah, that's me. I know it has to get worse before it gets better but I still don't especially like it. The porch that normally looks like this...   ...currently looks like this. I just keep reminding myself, chaos is a sign progress is being made. The porch has weathered well for the past six years despite being … [Read more...]




Tree Form Tardiva Hydrangea Adds Privacy and Screening To The Deck

Every year I spruce up the deck a bit for the spring/summer season. I've delayed this year because I've been getting estimates for having the porch and decks pressure washed and painted and it didn't make sense to buy plants and fill up all the pots if they were all going to have to be moved, come painting time. Once plans for a Memorial Day cookout got underway, I threw caution to the wind and started … [Read more...]




After The Party

Welcome to the 278th Metamorphosis Monday! It's 4:00 on a Sunday afternoon. Three friends will be arriving for a cookout in one hour. Everything is ready. Somehow the party faeries have all conspired in my favor and I'm actually running ahead of schedule. There may even be time for a few minutes on the porch alone before the guests arrive. I open the refrigerator to pour myself a cold drink and OMG, I … [Read more...]




A Cure for Sagginess

Welcome to the 274th Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? Hope it was grand! I spent much of my weekend pouring through One Man's Folly, a book I had pre-ordered and have been eagerly awaiting its arrival. I rarely pre-order a book but this one sounded like it was going to be amazing from the articles I had read online. Oh, my gosh...is it ever! Such a wonderful book! I have so enjoyed every … [Read more...]




The Summer Porch: Beach Cottage Decor

Welcome to the 272nd Metamorphosis Monday! It's been beautiful here so I've been playing out on the porch. This is how the hutch normally looks during the spring and summer months. I usually have a variety of white pitchers displayed along the top and my fave porch dishware, Tabletops Unlimited. Ma Maison by Dario Farrucci, displayed on the shelves.   I get a lot of comments and e-mails … [Read more...]




Decorating the Porch for Spring

Welcome to the 266th Metamorphosis Monday! This weekend was so nice here, especially Sunday. I threw open both doors to the porch and spent some time enjoying our 70+ degree weather.   I did a little pre-spring cleaning, dusting off a few things in anticipation of the warm days to come.   Recently, I came across this little bird feeder in Lowes. It has a rope attached and when … [Read more...]




Screened-in Porch Decorated For Christmas

Welcome to the 255th Metamorphosis Monday! This weekend I played out on the porch, decorating it for the Christmas season.   The trees are all bare now, definitely looking like winter on the porch.   A view from the other end...   I used things I already had for the most part. The table was decorated simply with live greenery, a sweet glittery deer, … [Read more...]




Getting Stuff Done & It Feels Good!

Doesn't it feel good to finally get "stuff" done that's been needing to be done for ages? I know, the list is always endless, but at least I can finally check a few things off. Yesterday, I left you with a painted screened door, but before it could be installed it needed to be re-screened.  It just barely fit into the back of my SUV, but thankfully it did and off we went to the screening … [Read more...]




How to Paint Doors Like a Pro

Welcome to the 249th Metamorphosis Monday! One of the most basic DIY jobs we face at one time or another is painting. We've all painted a room or two in our time, haven't we? Paint truly has the ability to transform a space taking it from so-so to sooo beautiful! I've never been afraid to paint walls but doors have always been a bit of a mystery for me. More than once I've painted a door to … [Read more...]




Fall Color for the Front Porch

Still waiting for a bit cooler weather to transplant the Japanese maple and to landscape around the porch, but at least the porch is a happy place!  Can't wait to get those shrubs in around it. It shouldn't be long now. We've been waiting for some cooler days and I think they are here. In the meantime, I'm trying to imagine the Georgia red clay splashed up onto the brick is a lovely fall accent. … [Read more...]




Paint Your Porch Ceiling, Haint Blue

When I added a screened porch onto the back of my home five years ago, I was very tempted to paint the ceiling haint blue. For years I had seen homes all over the south with porch ceilings painted a soft, sky blue. I ultimately decided it wouldn't work for my porch because of the gable ceiling. You  may remember this home from our tour of Isle of Hope just outside Savannah Georgia. It's sporting a … [Read more...]




Decorate in White for Fall

It's late summer and the temps are still warm here in the south, but in the evenings there's a hint of fall in the air.   Yesterday I shared a new lamp I had just added to the porch. It's painted one of my fave colors, a soft green. I love the color combination of green and white. It feels so fresh and so alive.   I have a hutch here on the porch and it's painted in the same pretty … [Read more...]




Porch Lighting: Create a Cozy Atmosphere with Lamps

Welcome to the 241st Metamorphosis Monday! Five years ago when I replaced my seen-better-days-deck with a screened-in porch, I purchased white wicker furniture, including a wicker swing for this space.  I couldn't really find any lamps I liked so I just decided to use lamps I already had thinking I'd eventually replace them with something better. It's only been in the last couple of years that I've … [Read more...]




A Brick Walkway Redesign

In my front yard, there lives a Southern Magnolia, Grandiflora. And grand she is! I didn't place her here. Even with my limited knowledge of gardening, I know better than to plant a Southern Magnolia 10 feet out from a house. (Remember when the yard looked like this?)   Let's take a little ride in my time machine. The year is 1989 and we are house hunting or "trying out houses" as Chip who … [Read more...]




Boxwood Topiaries for a Traditional Landscape

Welcome to the 240th Metamorphosis Monday! How's your Labor Day weekend going? I hope you're having a fun one! Well, it took some doing but I finally found a couple of matching boxwoods for the planters I purchased recently for the front porch area. Remember these large containers I purchased a couple of weeks ago?  They replaced the too-small concrete pots that had been there for … [Read more...]




Paint Your Front Door Heritage Red or Peacock Blue

Recently, I had my front door freshened up with a new coat of paint.  The final coat of paint went on day before yesterday.  We ran into a little problem but finally found the solution...more on that in a sec. I stayed with my beloved, Benjamin Moore "Heritage Red."  I still love that color for a front door. Since the front door was being repainted, I decided to make a few changes.  I decided to remove … [Read more...]




A Gardening “Before and After”

Wow, crazy day! This post was suppose to be up hours ago but so much has happened today, I'm running way behind.  I've decided to go ahead and sod the back yard at the same time the front yard is being done.  Since the job has grown, we've decided to wait and start it on Monday. Monday will be prep day and Tuesday will be install day, barring no more rain. The sod farms can't cut sod when it's standing in … [Read more...]




A Tabletop Greenhouse for Growing Herbs

Welcome to the 227th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! Hope your weekend was wonderful! Today for Met Monday, I'm sharing a small update out on the porch.  I don't often change things out here since I'm pretty happy with it, as is.  If I make a change something else usually has to leave. A while back I made an update to the small oval table under the Summer Breeze sign.  You may remember, it got … [Read more...]




Solar Post Caps for the Decks

Exhausted!  That describes me today. Every year or two I have a company come out to pressure wash the decks and screened-in porch.  The process is exhausting but everything always looks great once it's done.  I had to take the sheers back down.  I also covered up the outdoor speakers and the table since it was too large to really move anywhere. The outdoor wicker was moved onto the deck. Table … [Read more...]




Cover Metal Swing Chains for a Softer Look on the Porch

Welcome to the 222nd Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend?  We had nice weather here and I decided it was time to get to work on priming the new screened door out of the porch.  While I was priming it, I had a "uh-duh" moment.  I wish it had been an "Ah-ha" moment, but unfortunately it wasn't.  No, it was definitely an "uh-duh" moment. I suddenly realized in the midst of priming, there was … [Read more...]




Summer Breeze Makes Me Feel Fine

I couldn't stand it.  It was a gorgeous day yesterday and the porch was calling, begging me to come out and play.   Pollen, you are not the boss of me! I liked Lisa's idea from yesterday's post of just covering the seating areas with sheets during this high pollen season.  Then when you want to enjoy the porch, you just remove the sheet and replace it when you're done.  Sounds like a plan! The fans … [Read more...]




A New Screened Door for the Porch

Welcome to the 221st Metamorphosis Monday! Thanks so much for all the wonderful comments you left on Friday's post. I'm so grateful for all your well wishes and prayers...please know that. I'm way behind in responding to e-mails so if you e-mailed me in the last week or so and haven't heard back, I hope to get caught up on my e-mail correspondence over the next few days. Each day I'm getting stronger and … [Read more...]




Inching Toward Spring: An Update for the Porch

Welcome to the 215th Metamorphosis Monday! For this Met Monday, I had planned to post a tutorial for the fun napkin fold I used in last week's St. Patrick's Day table setting.  I know several folks asked for that and I promise that will go out in my very next post, which should be tomorrow.  For this Met Monday, I have a little change out on the porch to share, one I've been needing to make for a long … [Read more...]




Screened-in Porches: How Much Do They Cost to Build?

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is how much did it cost to build your screened porch? With spring just a couple of months away, I thought I'd share all the details, facts and figures, in hopes it will help answer some of the questions I know many folks have about adding a porch. Having a screened-in porch had always been a dream of mine.  We had a small screened porch at our very first … [Read more...]




Make Pumpkin Topiaries for an Autumn Porch

Welcome to the 195th Metamorphosis Monday! Right after I added a front porch onto my home around 4 years ago, I bought some faux topiaries from a local store here in Atlanta.  I would have loved real topiaries on the porch, but I knew I'd never remember to keep them watered and they probably wouldn't survive in the shade of the porch. The faux topiaries turned out to be an expensive mistake.  They … [Read more...]




Greet Your Guests with an Autumn Basket

Welcome to the 190th Metamorphosis Monday! Ever since I came across this picture of Mary Carol Garrity's front door with this eye-catching, unusually long basket, I've been hooked on decorating doors with a basket of flowers.    This photo is from the book, Nell Hill's Decorating Secrets and it is an excellent book.   I think I have every book she's written and I love them all.  Highly recommend … [Read more...]




A New Lamp for the Porch

I love lamp lighting.  Actually, I'm pretty obsessed over lighting in general.    I never use overhead lighting, unless I'm just turning it on for a few seconds to find something I've dropped.  One exception is a chandelier on a dimmer switch...those can really create a nice mood in a room. Pretty early on in the process of decorating/furnishing the rooms in my home,  I discovered how lamp lighting … [Read more...]




A Shell Wreath for the Summer Porch

Welcome to the 177th Metamorphosis Monday! Greetings!   I'm excited to share a small change on the porch for this Metamorphosis Monday.  Recently, while shopping in HomeGoods I came across a wreath I have been hoping to make for a couple of years now.   It all started when I saw this shell wreath online a couple of summers ago.   I really wanted to make one since I have lots of nice, big … [Read more...]




A Beautiful Mosaic Planter for the Front Porch

Moving a blog is a lot like moving in real life.  Do you remember the last time you moved?  You know it's going to be a big job but you really don't know how big until you are in the thick of it.  And while in the midst of it, you probably think to yourself, "I'll never do this again."  Once you're all settled in your new home, you're happy you did it.  I'm not quite to the happy stage, but I'm getting … [Read more...]