A Beautiful Real Farmhouse

Farmhouse decor is the current trend in home design.  New homes are being built to look like they have been around for years.  You will see words like rustic, vintage, old world, being used in home decor. Some homeowners want a "new" house with the character of an older home. They love the look of an older home but want all the newer amenities.  I want to take you on a tour of a real farmhouse!  This beautiful place has been the home to my husband's aunt for a very long time. She spent years working on this place and it is truly a house made from love.

I couldn't think of a better name for this homestead.  They were "Dunmovin"!

Just enjoy the beautiful scenery as you travel down the gravel driveway. 

I took this picture through the car windshield. 

Yep, there is even a red barn.

Now you get a first glimpse of the house in the distance. 

Do you see the log cabin in the background? We will get to that later.

Oh I can just picture Scarlett O'Hara coming out on that balcony during the barbeque!

I am drooling over that screen door. 

This is my husband's cousin, come on in for a little tour.

Beautiful wood doors!  Can you get a glimpse of the antique pump organ?

Beautiful foyer. Why didn't I take a picture of the stairway?!

To the right of the foyer is the formal living area. She is able to keep up the Christmas tree all year.  I wish I could do that. 

Another antique wood door.

This is a view from the dining room.

Now let's go back outside to see the gardens.

This gate leads to the back garden.  We are in a drought right now so everything is brown and dry. 

This gate opens to the front of the house.

Look closely and you will see a beautiful weeping willow tree and a gazebo next to the pond. 

A touch of whimsy.

Remember the log cabin that you can see as you drive up to the house?

I would love to have this in my backyard. 

Now let's go inside.

This antique woodburning stove still works. During family gatherings at Christmas, she has apple cider simmering on it.

Such a cute wall display.

This is such a clever idea to display a collection of glass lantern globes. 

This stairway leads to the bedroom loft.  I did not go upstairs because I had on heels but the next time I visit there, I will definitely take more pictures. 

I hope you enjoyed this tour of a real "farmhouse"!

Ya'll come back now ya hear!

Stitch Fix: Your Personal Shopper

Today I want to share something different from DIY.  Who would not like to have a personal shopper?  Have you heard of Stitchfix?  It is an online personal shopping site.  It is geared toward women who just don't have the time to shop and put together stylish outfits and to those who don't like to shop for clothes (or you just want a surprise to arrive in the mail every now and then).  I have tried it several times and have always liked what was picked for me. You fill out a profile with your style and size and then schedule when you want your "fix" to arrive.  

I'm like a kid at Christmas when my "fix" arrives.

It is nicely packaged.

They even include  suggestions on how to pair your items.

I received five items and each one fit perfectly. The quality of the fabric is good too. This jacket was my favorite. I have been looking for some time for an Anorak jacket that actually fits. 

This sweater is so cute and soft and I love the suede patches on the elbows.

This flannel shirt was so soft and the sleeve length was just right.

It is so hard to find jeans in a petite size that have the right length.  These were just right!

Everything fit and I liked everything! You have 3 days to decide what you want to keep or return.  They include a postage page envelope for all returns. There is a  non refundable $20 styling fee and if you purchase any item, the $20 styling fee is deducted from the price of the item.  If you purchase all five items you will recieve a 25% discount.  You aren't charged until you go to the Stitchfix site and respond on which items you are keeping. 

Now the downside of it.  The clothes are a little more expensive than what I would normally pay.  If you like to shop in stores like T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Ross etc. then this is not for you.  Remember you are paying for a stylist to pick out your clothes based on your profile.  I usually keep only one unique item to cover the styling fee and send everything else back. 

This time I chose the sweater with the elbow patches so if you live in the Florence area, this winter you will be seeing me wearing the patches on my elbows!  

Hey, I found an online thrift store and will report on that soon.  Now that's my kind of shopping!

My DIY Faux Pas

In my last post I mentioned that my decorating faux pas had to do with magnolia leaves. 
I thought I had it all planned out perfectly. 

This was my inspiration piece. Of course I found it on Pinterest and of course I pinned it to my Fall Decorating Ideas.  I even have a magnolia tree in my front yard.  

 I picked some of the prettier leaves off the tree and I turned a container upside down because I needed something to attach the leaves on.  I even washed the leaves with DAWN dish washing detergent to get off all the dirt and BUGS!

I had to tape the leaves all around the container because they kept falling off.

It looks really tacky at this stage.

Then I placed the pumpkin on top.  I loved it!

Perfect!

I even put little wax on the leaves to make them shine!

Well, I guess I didn't wash the leaves well enough because in just a few days the leaves were turning yellow and I found BUGS!  So I threw the leaves away and did this instead:

So much for my Pinterest inspired decor!