For the Love of Checks

 I have always loved check fabrics…Buffalo check or gingham check, I love them both.  I have checked linens all over my house (red and white, blue and white, green and white, and sometimes yellow and white. I have placed all the pink and white to my riff raff closet for storage). So yes. I’m a bit obsessed with check!

I have purchased a lot of checked linens from TheFoxDecor.com in the past and when I saw this cute bath rug with the red gingham ruffle, I knew I had to have it and the matching shower curtain.

Here’s a few photos of my guest bath decorated with red and white gingham and some blue and white pieces.

I’m just getting a head start in my Christmas decor!! I’ll share more of my gingham/buffalo check decor later. 

The Pioneer Woman

Last night we stayed home to watch the College Football National Championship game.  We are not fans of Alabama or Georgia but cheered for Georgia to win because their Quarterback, Jake Fromm, is from Warner Robins.  Unfortunately, the Dawgs didn’t win but it was a good game.
I set the table for supper using some of my Pioneer Woman dishes and linens.

I love these cheerful dishes, placemats, and napkins.  The flatware is from Pottery Barn Kids.

I’ve been using a lot more red lately...maybe because of the holidays and Valentine’s Day coming up.  The plates and bowls with flowers and dots are brightening up my table during this dreary winter weather.

I decided against traditional Gameday foods and chose to prepare The Pioneer Woman’s Hamburger Soup with a Caesar salad and cornbread.  It’s been so cold and all I’ve been eating is soup.  I will probably be eating nothing but soup until Easter.

Here’s Rae Drummond’s Hamburger Soup recipe:
2 1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 whole large opinion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 1/2 oz ) can whole tomatoes
3 cups beef broth, plus more as needed
1 whole yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 whole red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 whole green bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 whole carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
5 whole red potatoes, cut into chunks
3 tablespoons tomatoe paste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayennne pepper
In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the meat with the onion, celery, and garlic.  Remove the pot from the heat and drain off as much fat as you can.  Return the pot to the heat and add the rest of the ingredients.  Stir to combine then bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, then cover the pot and simmer the soup for 15-20 more minutes, until potatoes are tender but not overly mushy.  Soup should be somewhat thick, but if you would like for it to be more “soupy,” add 1 to 2 cups more broth OR hot water and heat through.  Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt if needed.
Serves 12

Autumn Around the House

Today, My Lady Caroline, who is one of my Twitter friends tweeted that she wished I was as chatty as I used to be on my blog.  Oops, I admit that I haven't been blogging a lot lately--no excuses.  I do spend a lot of time on Instagram now...it's so quick and easy.  Just post the photos and go!  So for those who don't follow me on Instagram, here's a peek at what's been going on at The Roost this fall.

We bought a small house to be near my Mama so that I can scoot back and forth whenever I'm needed to help with her caregiving.  I actually love this little house.  As I am aging, I find that it's important to me to be able to take care of what I have.  The smaller the size, the easier it is!

I'm still using the same Halloween wreath from last year.

I don't decorate with a ton of Halloween stuff like I used to...I just added a lot of orange this year.

Sprayed all my pumpkins gold.

Mary Elizabeth also received the gold spray paint treatment and is decked out with an orange bow--and pearls, of course!

I have cut back on the roosters everywhere, but I still keep a few on the front porch to greet our guests at the front door.  Don't know how long the mums will last.  The pumpkin...well it's kind of a posh pumpkin.  I bought it at James Farmer, Inc. in Perry...

Cocktail hour...more orange.

Tea Time...I love Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Rooibus tea with Pumpkin Spice English Muffins and apple butter.

More orange on the tabletop...

I carried breakfast to a meeting and used the darling Target "Cheeky" plates and to-go cups...

The Halloween tree is up on the porch, decorated witchy-style!

These are my treats this year for the special little trick-or-treaters...

I served Pimiento Cheese Balls at Happy Hour on Gameday last Saturday.  Yes, that's the day the Florida State Seminoles got beat by Georgia Tech.  Of course, I'll never serve these things again!  Bad luck.  I'm VERY superstitious!  But, moving on to the Syracuse game this week.  Go Noles!

Just in case you want to prepare them...I added cream cheese, some chopped cooked bacon, chopped jalapenos, and chopped pecans to Palmetto Cheese and then topped them off with pretzel sticks.

Hope everyone is enjoying Autumn.  Today it was 57 degrees, dark, and misting rain.  I was hoping for crisp, sunny days and cool nights.  I think it's time to get out the boots!  

At Home in Georgia

Some of you have asked for photos of the new home in Georgia.  Well, it's my same old stuff in another place.  I did leave the flamingos behind in Florida and now we're back to black on the porch...at The Roost!

Since yesterday was the start of hunting season, I set a hunt-theme tablescape for supper.  It's the same dining room set, with a Ballard's chandelier and shades.

The hunt theme plates are by C. E. Corey and I found them at Kevin's.

I decided against using my deer head as a centerpiece and went with antlers.  

Of course, I wore my monogrammed camo pony cap and carried my monogrammed antler tumbler to the gym earlier in the day.

I hope y'all have a wonderful Sunday.  I'm fixing dinner for the family and then hitting the sofa to watch the Miss America pre show and finals!

Hey Y'all!

I just realized a few days ago that I have not blogged in several weeks!  I've been busy getting ready to go away for a couple of of months... tomorrow I'm off to California, Nevada, and then to Georgia to stay with my Mama for awhile!  Of course, Mama raised me to make sure the house was clean when I go away...just in case I don't come back.  "Lord have mercy, you don't want mourners coming into a dirty house!"

So, I've been busy...I Annie Sloan-ed this cabinet in the kitchen.  It's "Old Ochre" and I love the way you can use the paint indoors...there are no paint fumes!  Once I got started, then I had to clean and organize the entire kitchen!

Polishing all the silver...

Went through my stash of paper plates...I'm a paper plate hoarder!  The two patterns in the bottom photo are my favorites.

Then it was on to my paper napkins...I do crack myself up all the time!

Just a few of my napkin rings and place card holders.

I cleaned everything on top of my cabinets.  Only six roosters survived the reorganization plan!

On my way to my friend Lane's house with the stuff that didn't make the cut...I'm not a very good packer.  But, I do love to give Lane my loot, 'cuz she makes me Cuban coffee in exchange.  Worth it!!!

I entertained with a very informal supper.  Pink rooster and gingham dinnerware.

I served strawberry shortcake for dessert.  This is my husband's favorite dessert!

During my cleaning spree, I took a break for "Elevenses Tea" served on the kitchen island.  That little rooster teapot was one of the fortunate roosters to survive my cleanup!

Here's some of the outfits I've been wearing:

'Derby Day' Lilly Pulitzer shift.

Monogrammed 'Havana Good Time' Lilly Pulitzer shift.

'Oh Jackie' Lilly Pulitzer shift.

I can't remember where I bought this comfy orange tunic.  I do love the J Crewlet tortoise cuff with the monogrammed decal I slapped on it.

I loved the black gingham blouse and bright yellow J Crewlet cardi.  Of course the purse, shoes, and belt are all Chanel.  But, the stars of this outfit are the critter bangles from Target!

Today starts the first leg of my vacation...Palm Beach to Palm Springs!

This morning, I served a light Brunch to celebrate the first day of our vacation.  In the words of Lee Radziwill, "Brunch after 11 am is just lunch!"  So y'all make sure you serve Brunch before 11 am!

Getting ready with a little roadie for the trip to the airport...I have a huge fear of flying!!!

Going Yellow and Turquoise on the Exterior

We'll be sprucing up the outside of our cottage in 2013.  Here is a painting that Fifi Flowers did of our home a couple of years ago.

This is the true bland color...it's a yucky pale green.

We still own this house up in Mississippi, but it doesn't look like we'll be going back there for now.  When we lived in this house, I decorated it with a lot of dark woods and now that we are gonna stay in Florida for a bit longer, I really want to lighten things up.

Although I love our black door and shutters, I now want to go with more of a coastal look.

No more black porch furniture...

Just getting tired of this look.

These are the colors I'm going with.  The house will be painted yellow, with white shutters and white doors.  The front and pack porches will be decked out with lots of turquoise, white, and hot pink {yes, that's a cute hot pink} furniture, with some lime green thrown in.

A turquoise porch swing is on the top of my to-buy list!

{Kammy's Korner Photo}

I'll add some cute coastal-themed pillows...

Not getting rid of this sign...it'll probably go somewhere in my kitchen.

We are still "The Roost" and of course, they'll also be painted turquoise!

I'm gonna add a scalloped fence gate for the entry onto the porch...

With a house sign, Jane Coslick-style.

Gotta get back to today's task...taking down Christmas decorations and getting rid of a couple of themes.  I want my garage to stay neat and organized and stuff must go.  Thanks for visiting with me today.