So Excited ~ Take a Look at This!

Source: houzz.com via Susan Freeman on Pinterest

Remember when I told you that I was trying to decide what to

do with the outdoor sink on the back porch of our new house in 

Texas?  Well I was searching through Houzz for pics to add to 

my idea books when I found this!

I love this idea!!!

So I will add a new hutch top and change the faucet
to an oil-rubbed bronze one something like this ~

And it would be great if I could add a copper sink ~

But that would mean that I would have to change

the top too.  Soapstone perhaps?

source

Of course if I did this I would create an integrated sink and counter

 top like this and eliminate the copper sink.  Wow ~ this is starting

 to get pricey, so unless I want David to tease me forever about our

"million dollar" outdoor sink (he's prone to exaggeration) I will have to

 figure out how I can do this in a thrifty way and still get the look I want.

If you want to see more of my Houzz idea books look here.

Now back to work.  On this holiday weekend I am going through

closets and weeding out clothes we no longer wear and giving them

to charitable donation sites.  I would love to sit and chat with you all day

sharing decorating ideas and recipes etc, but I can't.  So while you all

are having fun gardening and grilling outside or going to picnics,

think of me purging excess stuff from our cottage!

Oh and an update on the sale of Mom's house ~

We have an offer!!!  I'll keep you posted about our decision.

Happily Joining ~

Seasonal Sundays

Sunny Simple Sundays

Bentley ~ I am looking at your overflowing toy basket ...

can you part with any of these???

Have a Fun and Safe Weekend Everyone!

Susan and Bentley

Favorite Things I Can't Leave Behind

I am a very sentimental person.  There are things that I have

collected that may not have much value to anyone else but are 

dearly loved by me.  When I saw this little bird in an antique 

shop, I fell in love with him.  He's so sweet and dear and he

is coming with me to Texas.  Just can't bear to leave him behind!

Tiny little salt and pepper shakers that just managed to find their

way into my dear little cottage.

A vintage toast rack, a tea cart a favorite tea pot.

Various mismatched plates and linens and vintage silver spoons

from my grandmother.

Pillows of all shapes and sizes.

Serving dishes.

A favorite book tucked away for safe keeping.

Sure do wish I could wave a magic wand to safely and

instantly move all these favorite things!

Bentley is exhausted just thinking about having to follow me from room

to room packing up all of these favorite things!

We are Happily Joining ~

Pink Saturday

A Favorite Thing

Big Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

How Do You Know When You Have Too Many Dishes?

When it's time to start thinking about packing them all up to move

to Texas!  Yikes!!!

Bentley ~ your mama is a confessed dishaholic!

Big Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Beyond the Destruction and Loss ~ Glimmers of Hope

Growing up in the suburbs just north of Chicago, I remember many,

many tornado watches and warnings.  When I first saw the Wizard of Oz

as a young girl, I fantasized about what it would be like to be swept up

by that funnel with my little dog Bonnie Heather MacGregor just like

Dorothy did with her Toto.  

But life is not fantasy as we all grow to learn.  There are times when
 loss and devastation seem to be more than the heart can bear.

There are not adequate words to express the sadness I feel for those
who have lost everything ~ most especially their loved ones.

For parents hanging on to hope that their children will be found
alive.

Please keep these suffering souls in your hearts and in your
prayers.

Yet despite the heartache there are glimmers of hope.

Stories of thankful parents finding missing children, like the one of Miguel and Veronica Macias.  They found their 8 year old daughter Ruby safe
after the tornado hit, but their 6 year old son Angel was missing.  With the
help of the pastor and members of their church, little Angel was
found with minor injuries 5 hours later.

And heartwarming stories of those re united with their
beloved pets.

And for those who tirelessly help bringing aid and comfort
to those in need.


It is at a time like this when we realize we must pray,
do what we can to help and to remember that despite the
terrible loss and heartache there are glimmers of hope
that keep our spirit alive.

God Bless all of the residents in Oklahoma
who have endured this terrible storm.

No parties today.


Big Hugs,
Susan and Bentley

How Would You Tweak This???

The covered patio in the back of our new house in Texas

has this nice outdoor sink, counter and cabinet.  When I 

first saw this I thought to myself ~ this would make a 

cute potting bench.  That was before I saw the potting shed

tucked away in another portion of the backyard.  So now I

am torn.  Potting bench or part of an outdoor serving area?

Source: countryliving.com via Susan Freeman on Pinterest

Remember this fabulous potting bench from Country Living Magazine?

Love the shelves with the vintage brackets.  Now it just so happens that

I have two pairs of vintage wrought iron brackets very much like 

these and whatever I do, be it potting bench or serving area, I will

use these brackets to put two shelves over the sink.

Source: google.com via Susan Freeman on Pinterest

Of course David wants an outdoor kitchen.  However, a potential
outdoor kitchen will have to move farther out on the patio because
beautiful long windows currently flank this sink area and I do
not want to cover them up.  I am thinking that I could put a small
refrigerator in the cabinet which would be easy to do because the
power is already there.  That would make a nice beverage serving
station.   I'm thinking this through and welcome your ideas.

Need to run, I am showing my Mom's house to another
prospective buyer this afternoon.  Wish me luck!

Happily Joining ~

Tweak It Tuesday
Inspire Me Tuesday

Bentley ~  I am getting so excited about our move to
Texas.  Are you?

Big Hugs,
Susan and Bentley