always a project or two around here!

Happy Sunday!

It’s been so nice here in Newport, and the mornings and most of the day have been actually quite cool and it’s really starting to feel like fall.

I’m just waiting for that “Indian Summer” weather to kick in one of these days, but in the meantime, it’s been extremely pleasant here, and perfect for working on some things around the house.

I kind of just wanted to show you what I've been up to this week...

Please excuse these pictures I took with my phone. They’re a little flat and just were intended to show my mom the progress on the dresser in my dining room that I painted with milk paint last week.

But things are finally coming together in this funny little dining room of ours. It actually only has one wall, and this is it. The rest of the perimeter of this room opens up to the living room, kitchen nook and hallway.  

So while my husband was out of town last week, I spent three whole days sanding, painting and waxing this piece [e]. It was originally part of a “suite” of furniture from my husband’s nana and it works perfectly in this room.  

I found the mirror [a] a few months ago at my favorite local thrift store. At first, I thought I scored a cool antique, but when I was loading it in my car, I noticed it was marked Pier One! I balanced each side of the mirror with a pair of vintage majolica lamps [d], also from nana. All they needed where some new oval lampshades.

A few of my favorite black and white plates [b] balance out the look on each side. These are just a collection of some of my favorites that I pick up here and there. And a grouping of white books [c] acts as a centerpiece, for now.

Here’s me just snapping a little pic to show my mom this cute wire basket [c] I had just scored at an estate sale a few minutes before! Only six bucks, and I just quickly filled it with a few velvet pumpkins [d]. I actually found these at Home Goods, and guess what? I pulled off the plastic stems and hot glued some real ones on!

Ssshhh… don’t tell anyone! Did you know they actually sell real pumpkin stems on ebay? Yah, well now we all know!  

Reflected in the mirror, you can see another one of my favorite collectibles, round convex mirrors [a]. If they’re brown when I find them, I usually paint them white with gold accents, but if they’re already black or crème colored, I usually let them be.

The oval mirror [b] is a family heirloom, probably French. 

This little vase of blush colored roses is a sneak peek at one of the exclusive tablescapes I put together this week. I’ll fill you in on it soon!

I’m currently working on an amazing Halloween tablescape in my dining room that’s filled with lots of spooky vintage accents. 

When I saw this blue and white entry on Instagram, I “instantly” fell in love with it and thought this look would be perfect for my front entry, since I already have similar wainscoting.

I’m on my way to Farrow and Ball this morning to look at their wallpapers…

I recently found out through Ancestry that I’m not only 68% Italian, but I’m also 19% French! Ooh la la ! News to me! (They recently updated their DNA data.)

So when I spotted this cute French inspired side door in the neighborhood, it just spoke my language, and I couldn’t resist taking a quick pic. Those French doors, shutters and the little iron gate are just darling!   

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I also wanted to share my most popular post on Instagram this week, and I was thrilled when Roger’s Gardens reposted it!

If you don’t already follow me [here],

I’d love it if you did. 💝

I share lots of extra stuff there that

you won’t see on the blog!

Thanks!!

 ciao! fabiana

fall sweet fall

Perfect white pumpkins are my favorite. I’ve got them scattered around on the table and on the mantle. Real pumpkins bought early are a good investment to me, since they last all the way through up until Thanksgiving.

What kind of pumpkins are your favorites?

Isn’t this sign cute? I spotted it at Joann Fabrics and had to take a snapshot of it because it mentions all my favorite things about fall!

Here’s a not-so-typical fall wreath I spotted at Roger’s Gardens…

and white hydrangeas look great any time of year!

 ciao! fabiana

a favorite new magazine

Country Sampler’s Farmhouse Style is a new magazine that’s instantly become one of my faves! I think you’ll love every issue too because they’re filled with hundreds of gorgeous photos and so many great ideas.

You may have noticed I’ve been a contributor to Country Sampler’s Holiday Decorating issues, and I also have a cute holiday tablescape and my gold magnolia wreath being featured in the Christmas Decorating issue, coming out soon!   

Farmhouse Style magazine is filled with creative decorating tips to create the farmhouse-style home of your dreams! Not only that, but each issue features tours into beautiful farm-style homes and special articles for hosting backyard picnics, weddings and more!

Farmhouse Style recently shared this really fun project with me, and I wanted to share it with all of you.

This is such a cute way to enhance your next tablescape with the charming textures of faux vintage-tin ceiling tiles that are turned into place mats. Such a cute idea!

(You can check out the whole article in Farmhouse Style’s Autumn 2018 issue)

Here’s what you’ll need for this easy project:

·    2'x4' vinyl ceiling panels*

·    Off-white chalky-finish paint

·    Brown or rust chalky-finish paint

·    Paintbrush

·    Sandpaper

·    Matte waterproof spray sealer

Cut a 2'x4' vinyl galvanized-finish ceiling-tile panel into several approximately 12"x18" place mats. (This panel design yielded four place mats vertically along the short side.)

Dry brush over each place mat with off-white chalky-finish paint, leaving small areas of the metal tones underneath exposed. Let dry.

Lightly dab the corners and outer edges of the place mat with brown or rust chalky-finish paint. Then, lightly brush over the entire place mat, using minimal paint. Let dry.

Lightly sand random areas to expose the metal tones underneath. Finish with a matte waterproof spray sealer.

*Alternatively, small decorative backsplash panels that replicate vintage tin ceiling tiles would also work.

There are so many fun ways to mix textures for country-style success. In Farmhouse Style, you’ll see designs using weathered barnwood and shiplap siding, galvanized metal and wooden troughs, cozy throws and braided rugs, all in one great magazine.

I love their features on how to make the most of flea-market finds. They offer great tips for repurposing items like old tin trays and beautiful dishes, wooden crates, reclaimed barnwood and more for uniquely vintage accents.

One of my favorite things in this magazine are the good-to-the-last-bite recipes featuring farm-to-table freshness and old-fashioned family dishes.

If you're interested in subscribing to this quarterly magazine, visit Farmhouse Style Magazine to start your own Farmhouse Style subscription today, or check them out at your favorite supermarket or book store. 

You can follow Farmhouse Style Magazine on all of these social media sites:

Facebook farmhousestylemag

Instagram farmhousestylemag

Pinterest Farmhouse_Style

 ciao! fabiana

favorite fall tablescapes

The subtle colors of autumn work nicely when a table is simply set with pretty vintage plates, glassware, napkins and natural seasonal accents. Soft greens and whites look great with just a touch of amber and gold.

I love how cozy candlelight scattered on the table expands the ambiance of the party and makes everyone feel more cozy during those cool autumn days and nights. I love to create a low-profile arrangement the center of the table to keep the conversation flowing.

The key to hosting a successful gathering is to plan your tablescape a few days ahead. Lay out your plates, glassware, napkins and everything beforehand and you’ll have more time for family, friends and memories. It's really easy to pull a beautiful tablescape all your elements in place.

These are a few of my favorite tablescapes from the last couple of years. You can see a few similarities in them, but usually I love to really change things up!

Do you have a favorite look for the season?

I'm so happy it's finally fall!

 ciao! fabiana

the pumpkins are here!

It’s that time of the year for me… time to stock up on pumpkins for the season. Roger’s Gardens is only five minutes away from me, so I headed over there first thing this morning to check out their amazing selection.

I need white ones for sure!

They’re always super versatile and always look great!

These are fun!

And, oh my, these blue – gray - green pumpkins are amazing!

Yes, these are real live pumpkins...

so pretty!

Pumpkins scattered everywhere…

and here’s my shopping cart.

I didn’t do so badly...

I plan on mixing in a few faux pumpkins into the mix 😏

 ciao! fabiana

amber glass and pumpkin spice

Happy first Sunday in September! It’s so nice that the temperatures have dropped here just a little bit and that fall really seems like it’s arrived.

It’s my favorite time of the year to bring out what I call my “glass menagerie”. Those are favorite pieces from my collection of different colored glassware that I’ve collected over time, including this amazing amber color.

As you can see I like to use it a lot for fall tablescapes. It captures the light just right and really adds sparkle to the table.

The alfresco tablescape below is one I created exclusively for Romantic Homes. I just wanted to use subtle colors of the season for this table to really make the glasses be the star of the show. 

I love how these amber glasses twinkle with the candlelight and setting sun. These are vintage glasses also called "Depression Glass" because it was mostly made during the 1930's.

Keep your eyes open for glasses like these in all colors, especially at flea markets, estate sales and even on ebay!  

Also featured in Romantic Homes this month are my super yummy Pumpkin Spice Spritz Cookies. You're in for a special seasonal treat with these buttery cookies.

Hop on over to Romantic Homes to get the whole recipe. They’re really easy to make, and all you need is a cookie press to shape these adorable pumpkin-shaped cookies.

Wishing you a relaxing loooong weekend,

and if you have a chance stop by instagram 

and follow me there for all the lastest!


x o  x o

 ciao! fabiana