summer fun

I know that this doesn't have anything to do with houses, paint or design but I just thought I would share this picture of my son Finn. It has been a very hot summer here in the northeast and Finn decided he wanted to have some fun in the sprinkler. I grabbed my camera and thought I would take a few pictures of him while he was out trying to cool off. This one was my favorite as it captured that exact moment when he got that first blast of cool water, pure exhilaration, happiness and summer fun! I wish I could bottle up that moment and feeling he had at the time. Everytime I look at this picture it just makes me smile!

Repurposed candle holders

I am so excited about my new lights! Not sure if I should call them upcycling or repurposed? But anyway, I wanted to find something different to put up in my foyer and kitchen and really didn't see much that I liked, or if I did it cost a small fortune. I had seen one in Ballard Designs that I really liked but with everything that we have to do around here in our new "old" house I did not want to spend the money on it. Instead I used the light for my inspiration as I searched around from shop to shop. Below is the light from Ballard Designs, it is their greenhouse light, love it, but didn't love the price.

Ballard Designs

Then I found this in a great shop called, Cottage Home, near where I live. It was actually a candle holder that I thought would look great hanging in my foyer instead. (again, upcycling or repurposed?) 

So, I haven't gotten it up yet but couldn't wait to share how it looks.  I have a great lighting guy who took off the bottom part, which I now can still use to put candles in, and wired the top part for me. I am waiting on a medium sized version to put up at the top of the stairs in my landing so they match. It's a great size, about 20" tall and 12" across the bottom, hard to tell from the picture.

I am employing my father to come hang it up for me over the weekend- can't wait to have it up! I will post a picture when it's done.

I also wanted to find lights for my kitchen to replace the very "colonial" looking, punched tin light that is existing.  I found two of these beautiful candle holders at another local shop named Kaly, and will hopefully have the two of them hung as pendants in the kitchen, over our island (not as easy to hang in an old house with only one existing wire).  

I also have the two metal bases that came with these to use for candle holders as well, so I think all said and done- totally worth the investment of doing all three. And truthfully, I spent a third of the cost on my foyer light then the cost of the greenhouse chandelier from Ballard's. It's great to find unique pieces that inspire you to use for one of a kind pieces.

For other great ideas, go to Jennifer Rizzo's blog to see what creative ideas are on her Friday linky party, I've linked up with this post. Also on, Feathered Nest Friday, on French Country Cottage