Long Way Home, Via Nell Hill's

Lots of flooding going on in Missouri, which is how we normally go home to Texas from Illinois. 

 To avoid the flooding, we decided to take the long way home. West to Iowa, Southwest to Kansas, and then down through Tulsa to Texas we drove. Luckily the route was close to Atchison Kansas, so we took a little detour there.

One of Nell Hill's stores is located in Atchinson. We were there waiting for the store to open at 10 on Saturday morning. As luck would have it, the store was having a 50% off Christmas decor sale.

The reindeer cloche and stand was less than $10. The metal holiday ornament signs were less than $3 each. 

 I bought two of the metal ornament signs--not to decorate with-- but to use as inspiration to make a wooden sign for the kitchen wall next year.

After I got them home and saw how cute they looked, I regretted not buying more to decorate a tree with.

Ribbon was 50 % off and I couldn't pass up this plaid, with wire sides, for just $8 for the whole roll. The reverse side of the ribbon has a chalkboard look saying 'BELIEVE'. At Nell Hill's, they had a Christmas tree with this ribbon wrapped 'round and 'round in a spiral.

The horse head hooks were not on sale, but I couldn't pass them up. I have been on a quest to find something similar for our bathroom hand towels to hang on and look forward to finally hanging them up.

 I fell hard for this rejoice sign, which was considered Christmas decor and 50% off. I'm going to hang it up for a short while, even though Christmas has passed. The metal angel goes out to the front and the signage part has brackets to the right of the words, which is where it will attach to the wall. The colors are perfect for me, though I may paint the angel a different color so she will show up better.

The rooms at Nell Hill's store are set up with furniture in various room settings. In one area, there's a kitchen setting with a large chippy farm table that has a large old ladder hanging over it, taking the place of a chandelier. Three barn-type lights hanging from the ladder provide light over the table. I was smitten!

 Rejoice! 

I think that will be my "word" for the year. I've downsized clutter, spent 6 months going to the gym almost daily, lost some weight by eliminating "white foods" from my diet...surely it's time for a little rejoicing this year!

As we pulled away from Nell Hill's in Atchison last Saturday, I was a little sad. I knew I would not be back to that out-of-the-way area ever again...but, then I remembered there are more Nell Hill stores over in Kansas City, and you just never know where we'll end up on one of our future road trips.

Thanks for dropping by!

Let's Party Here:
Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Here are some things I've been looking at this week.

As if she wasn't already one of the cutest actresses

around, she shows up with the cutest haircut too.
If I were younger, this would be my hairstyle today.

Besides looking at haircuts, I have been

reading all the way back to the beginning in

a lot of blogs that I follow.

My most recent obsession is

155 Dream Lane

Quite a while back, Dream Lane painted two

craigslist chairs about the same time that I too

painted the upholstery on a chair. The only

difference is her chairs (shown above) turned

out perfectly and the setting she created with them

is highly pinned. My poor chair is still waiting

for that last coat of paint and a little wax to

make her, if not perfect, at least presentable.

Also, while you're at Dream Lane, be sure

to check out the Christmas décor she creates

each year. I truly love the Christmas balls she

created one year with old sweaters and buttons.

Another favorite blog for great inspiration:

Nell Hill's Blog

When I saw this Fall wreath on Nell Hill's,

I knew I had to find some fun ribbon and

make this for our front door. I have the

flat basket she used as the base, but have

never been able to figure out how to use it

until now.

Like most of you, I love Fall and find it

a time to get things done that have been

hanging around far too long. Just needed

a little inspiration to get me going.

Thanks for dropping by!