5/4/09

Porch Party/ Or Spring has finally arrived in Wisc.!

Welcome to the Porch & Patio Party! Our hostess is Barb @ Grits and Glamour, be sure to check out her beautiful blog@ http://gritsglamour.blogspot.com/ and more of the participants.
Things were looking pretty drab and dreary around here. Even Cocoa was feeling down. Well, in Wisconsin we have to wait a little more patiently for Spring to really arrive. Last week-end , the weather guy finally gave us a green light for planting. Hooray! Today was a sunny and warm 70 degrees.
Looking rather drab and needing some TLC with an itty bitty budget.


The reveal! There are still things to do but I had to bust butt to get this ready.




A different angle.





Hubby painted the old bench red.
Our cushions, recovered with a half yard of outdoor fabric on sale for 4.00/yard. New pillow made by yours truly.

The other half yard of fabric and a garage sale pillow for $2.00.




Same fabric as pillow used to make cover for the bench.



Geraniums newly planted.


The tea-cup planter is from Wally World and the chair was a previous purchase.


Home Goods and a few daisies thrown in.



Hubby painted the old red bench and I added an apple for Applestone Cottage. The yellow wicker holder was in the free box at a garage sale last week-end.



Found the chair at an Auction and hubby painted it apple red.

Even Lily, our high strung kitty looks content. Thanks for stopping, Cindy




















































































































































































































35 comments:

  1. Love your red and white theme. Very pretty!

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  2. I was having trouble finding your comments section, I finally got smart and looked at the begining of your post.

    Love all your porch goodies and especially the vintage lawn chair and the little red wagon sign. I could come and sit a spell and we could dish.

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  3. Love the new red paint and the cushions are wonderful. It looks so warm and inviting. What a great place to sit and relax and enjoy the outdoors. Your accessories are so pretty. Great job. Hugs, Marty

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  4. Cindy - thank you so much for participating today. I love the Before and Afters. You may not have had much of a budget but you had a ton of heart and the results prove that. I love how you used paint to give everything a fresh take..and your cushions and pillows are perfect. Way to go!!!

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  5. So glad spring has sprung for you Cindy! Your porch is lovely, just like I would expect from Applestone Cottage. I love the new fabrics and the red bench. I saw those teacup planters in Wally World and thought they were so cute!!! Wish I could have an iced tea with you on that porch! :D Jewel

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  6. I really like all of the red with the vintage. Happy Spring!

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  7. Your porch is lookin' good! I love all your new touches of red. It looks so fresh and inviting. ~ Robyn

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  8. Cindy, I love all of your touches of red. Your porch looks so inviting and cozy. I could sit out there all day!

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  9. Very nice job of busting your butt to get ready! Love the red!!

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  10. oooh, I love those red shutters!

    I know you will enjoy your lovely porch!

    Happy outdoor living!

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  11. Oh Girl I just love it...all the RED is so you...and the new cushions are wonderful..I would love to be there with you having a Ice tea my friend...I bet we could sit and talk the night away...I love your home Cindy..thanks for coming by and seein my mountain top ha ha!! May you have a wonderful Tuesday my friend...hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

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  12. Great transformation! Love all the red, it's so cheery and inviting! Great job on the pillows, etc!

    Katherine

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  13. Hi Cindy and Kitty's,
    This is all sooo pretty and cheerful! I adore your new striped chair fabric.
    That's gorgeous! Great choice.
    You have a beautiful lawn as well.

    Happy Almost Summer! ~Melissa :)

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  14. Very pretty, CIndy! I love the red, very bright and happy!...Christine

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  15. Beautiful! I love that it's red and cheery! I can't wait to see your plantings, Cindy, I bet they'll be gorgeous!

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  16. Lovely sitting area on your porch.

    Believe it or not - - - it was several degrees WARMER in Eau Claire all weekend than it was 500+ miles southeast here in Indiana!!!

    Funny thing - - - I just took a photo of a tea cup planter very similar to yours to use in a later post!!!! I thought it was sooooo cute.

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  17. Hi Cindy,
    After looking at your beautiful porch and Gloria's beautiful sun room I realized that my porch is rather boring. I tend to focus on the back patio because almost all our outdoor time is spent there. I love your idea of putting a park bench on your porch. Painting it red was a great idea. The small red bench is adorable. Okay well I guess the only cure for a boring porch is shopping. Hopefully I will find some cute things and then I will post my porch too.

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  18. Cindy, the red and white you have carried throughout are so cheery! You have so many nice touches. Down south we would go get a glass of sweet tea, go sit and enjoy! Linda

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  19. I think your porch looks very inviting..and good for you always being creative. I know to well the tight budget and having to be creative to! I've seen those large tea cup planters and I love them.

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  20. Something about red outside that makes you smile. This is really nice and I could have a glass of ice tea and sit a spell.

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  21. What a nice colorful place to sit and relax. The after is definitely the place to be. Debbie

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  22. Cindy, I would be as content as Lilly on your porch. It is absolutely charming and sooo inviting. I love that pillow you made-how smart to add that band of fabric across the middle. Love your red auction chair and that tea cup planter is so cute! Applestone Cottage looks like such a welcoming place. laurie

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  23. Hey Girlfriend...

    Well...with a big ol' glass of iced tea in hand...I'm here for the party, Girl!!! Hehe!!!

    Your front porch is looking beautiful, my friend! I hear ya about getting a late start...those southerners always get a head start on us! Hehe!!! I would have loved to join the party but have not even touched anything outdoors yet!

    You know...I just adore all of your gorgeous red!!! And I love that cute little red bench...you decortated it so beautifully Darlin'! Ohhh...I have the sister to your pretty green pitcher...hehe!!! Anyway, I just love all of your freshly painted red...it looks so pretty to go along with the red window shutters!!! And you know, it's those beautiful white wicker rockers that just set all that red off!!! I love the feel of them...so quaint and charming...just perfect for Applestone Cottage!!! Your new red & white striped cushions are beautiful...and all of your new decorative pillows!!! The little wall pocket planter is really pretty...love all the daisies...they just say Spring, don't you think? Girl...I love, love, love your big teacup planter...I haven't seen any of those at our Walmart...I'm going to have to keep an eye out for one...it's darling!!!

    Well Sweetie...I say, come on Spring...I'm so ready for it! Your beautiful porch at Applestone Cottage is charming!!! I sure enjoyed my iced tea and chat...

    Love ya,
    Chari

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  24. gorgeous, as is everything at applestone cottgae

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  25. I'm glad that spring has finally sprung in your neck of the woods. I love all the red on your porch. My favorite is the little red bench & the tea cup planter. Too cute!

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  26. Yea! I'm glad you're getting spring, Cindy! I envy that because we're getting summer temps! That cup and saucer planter is darling. It's so cute in red. Love your porch, and I'm happy you're going to be able to enjoy it!

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  27. Hi Cindy! I love your porch...so springy! your touches of red are perfect...so you! That teacup planter is so cute! And I loved seeing Cocoa and Lily! They look happy out on the porch! Mine head straight to new cushions of any kind. Have a wonderful Mothers Day, my friend!...hugs...Debbie

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  28. Oh love the red! Everything looks so nice. Makes you just want to plunk down in a chair with a nice tall glass of iced tea! I'll be right over! :)

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  29. Hello Girlfriend...

    Whewww...think I'll just take a load off and have a seat in one of these pretty chairs with the new red & white cushions!!! What's up today, Girlfriend? Bet you're gonna be busy now that your little nest has another little chickadee in it again! Hehe!!! I'm rejoicing with you...so happy that your daughter is back home!!! Is this the daughter that just had the birthday or do you have another daughter?

    Well Sweetie...so happy that you came by my place today...as always, I just love when you come for a visit!!! Thanks so much for the sweet compliments!!!

    Sending my very best wishes to you for a wonderful Mother's Day, my friend!!!
    Love ya,
    Chari

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  30. You did such a marvelous job! It looks so bright and cheerful and very welcoming! I love all the bright colors. I can see sitting there and enjoying a lazy afternoon!

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  31. looks like a really inviting spot to get comfy! You have done a marvellous job. i like those cushions too! Very exciting colours!

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  32. Wow, Cindy, I don't know how I missed this gorgeous porch post on tuesday! It looks BEAUTIFUL. The red just POPS out and hollers "It's summertime, folks, break out the sunglasses and lemonade!"

    I love how you pay attention to even the smallest details... so pretty!

    And thank you for your kind words of sympathy on the loss of our little dog Connie. She was very precious to us, and I'll miss her a lot, but am grateful to have been able to give her a loving home for the last years of her life.
    Thank you --
    And Happy Mother's Day!
    Cass

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  33. Oh your porch looks wonderful! I would sit out there all day long. We had that same bench and I wanted to paint it but John put it in the fire. :-( I need to get my hubby out with the paint brush too!

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  34. May you have a wonderful Mother's day my friend...hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

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  35. Good morning Cindy!
    Well I sure have to agree with you abouot the Wisconsin weather - I live in Southeast Wisconsin and we finally got some nice weather.

    Love your porch - it's very inviting I must say.
    karen

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Welcome,
I would love to hear from you. Come back and visit anytime. Warmest Wishes, Cindy