Are you a go with the flow kind of person?
You know. When life gives you lemons do you make some lemonade?
When life throws you a curve ball do you fall apart? Crumble at the seams? Or do you regroup … and make a new plan? Set new goals? Strengthen your character?
I’d like to think I was a low key flow ‘er’ type of person …
But the truth is, I like to plan. I need to plan. I live to plan. And when a wrench is thrown in that plan … no matter the size the plan …
… no matter the size of the wrench …
… it throws me off my game. It messes with my mojo.
So when I was greeted with the sight of my twisted and broken starburst mirror* first thing this morning, I should have realized right then and there my day would not be running according to my plan …
A plan that included early morning errands to pick up some herbs to plant in little pots for the screen porch …
… little potted herbs labeled with chalkboard stars. And not just any old stars. Rock star stars …
… I’m trying to boost their confidence in themselves … and me too.
Instead I found myself spending the morning – and into the early afternoon — at the emergency room getting my daughter’s ankle x-rayed (no bones broken; just a sprain).
A plan that included a trip to the grocery store for some fun and flirty flowers to complement the birch tree artwork my daughter and I made for the screen porch …
… and some flowers to adorn the table …
Well, that plan had to be waylaid until the teen son arrived home after school.
A plan that did not include my beloved city living up to it’s windy city moniker …
… which kept blowing my screen porch drapes and hanging drum shade lights to and fro.
A plan that included a mid-morning photo shoot and edit. And putting this post to bed in the early afternoon …
But instead here I am in the wee hours of the night fixing exposure and saturation and sharpening and watermarking …
Good thing I don’t have any plans for tomorrow. Well, that’s not quite true. I plan to park myself here …
… and read.
And I may even reminisce about what this porch looked like before …
… and after …
P.S. Speaking of plans, you should click here and join our multi-blog link party. We’ll be open until midnight CST on Friday, June 1 …
Loving that sunroom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ok, ya that’s a lot of exclamation marks, but I really like it that much.
–Katie
I LOVE screened porches. It looks fabulous! I think that artwork is great nd it’s so nice that both of you made it.
this is breath taking and absolutely AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! looking FABULOUS my friend! FABULOUS!!!!! (hugs)
Fantastic plan! Each time I see blue and red together I find I really like it. Maybe I need to make a plan?
~Bliss~
Your colors look amazing together!! ~Lori
We knocked down our dilapidated old screened in porch when we added our family room – had to because our town is a stickler on square footage.
But seeing these pics makes me long for my very own porch that I could bling out to the max with fabulous, colorful pillows, numbered napkins, chalkboard adored pots, white breezy curtains …
I’d be sipping a tall glass of lemonade (mine would have vodka in it) and relaxing there right now!
Kelly
your porch looks amazing! i love all the colors- GORGEOUS!
Linda, I love the color pallet you used. So refreshing and nice. What did you use for your curtains? That’s a really nice sized porch. I bet you will really enjoy your new decor!
I love the porch…I am in the process of a reno myself! Let have “virtual” breakfast on our porches!! Haha! *wishful thinking*
🙂
Have an AWESOME weekend!
Talk about night and day!! And what a great spot to enjoy yourself! Have a relaxing weekend!
I’m not a very flowy person. I wish I were, but it is what it is!
Beeeeeautiful table!!
My porch envy goes up again!! That happens every time I see such beautiful ones like yours!!
What a great space you created! I love the colors, the flowing curtains, that bench with oh! so many pretty pillows!
Sorry to hear about your thwarted plans! The end result is great though! I love, love, love that you have hydrangeas as your centerpiece! They are my favorite and were the centerpieces at my wedding.
Love your post today and all the pictures! WOW! Some sweet eye candy. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
First of all I think your problem is you’re making lemonade out of the lemons….girl you need to make a lemon martini and throw those plans out the window!! Love the great photos your readers truly enjoy the time and effort you put into each post. Looking forward to the party 🙂
Oh Linda, I’m so sorry to hear about your art deco sunburst … and your daughter’s ankle and the uncooperative wind – I can relate to you on that one. But, your space came out so AWESOME, I am in love with the colors and all of those fab pillows!!
Yeah. I’m not a flow person either.
And, last night…
food poisoning
was not on my list of things I needed the night before my step-son graduates 8th grade.
LOVELY sunroom reveal.
Linda, I LOVE your porch!! What a great space, you did a fabulous job!! Have a great weekend!!!
Um, can I come over and hang out on your porch? It is such a beautiful space. Thanks for stopping by my blog by the way, I’m so glad to have found yours!
Linda I hope this weekend brings much better flow for you. BTW your screened porch is lovely. You did a perfect job.
Lovely! Is the curtain fabric special outdoor stuff, or just regular old fabric?
Wow it looks great! Thanks for stpping by my blog, I am a new follower on linky followers and I will be back on the 29th!
Hi Linda…
Great job…love the new look. I too have a screened in porch which was the most drab place in the world the first 4 years in our house. I would actually close the vertical blinds (gone now) just so I didn’t have to look at it. But we painted and added curtains too…now it is such a wonderful place to entertain.
And lucky you…yours is done in time for the holiday weekend!
Have a great holiday and enjoy your beautiful new porch area!
I’m so sorry about your mirror and your frazzling day and I’m glad your daughter had no broken bones, but your porch sure is pretty. Have a great day parked in that beautiful space.
Linda…
Thanks for stopping by 21 Rosemary Lane and leaving your comment. You are just too sweet. I am following you now as both a LF and on GFC. So looking forward to seeing more of your creations! Have a lovely evening!
So, so pretty and such an air of fun and relaxation. I would spend hours out there with my Kindle. 🙂 Great job!
Sorry about all the mishaps and I hope your daughter is ok. Have a wonderful holiday weekend!
Pat
I love your porch and that lemonade looks delicious!
It was very windy here, too. And it was annoying! 🙂
Your porch looks fabulous. I am a teeny bit (or maybe a lot) jealous!! I have always wanted a screened porch, I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to this dream! You are one talented gal!!
Maggie
http://www.thehellonheelshousewife.blogspot.com
Linda! Shut the front door? Or the back door! Or maybe the screen porch door (does it have a door?) I love it, the aquas are super pretty (also my favorite color so I’m partial to them) and the drapes and hanging pendants just make it perfect!
I’m a planner too, I’m only a flow-er on vacation:)
Jessica
stayathomeista.com
Oh my, it’s so perfect!! Hope you don’t mind, but I’m coming over! I’ll even bring champagne to help melt your stress away. Sorry the day was so rough (hope your daughter’s ankle is better soon!!), but the porch looks amazing! I’ve pinned it. Twice. For good measure.
Your porch looks fabulous! Since you are in Chicago, I might have to come for some of that lemonade!!!! 🙂
Sorry about your mirror, glad it’s the only thing broken, no bones. What an amazing transformation of your screen room (it’s more than a porch to me) I had a hard time choosing A pic to pin! Sure caught the wind in the drapes pic. I’m here everyday, though the 29th is our 36th anniversary….. Janet
Love this! We have our Kitchen Fun and Crafty link party going on now and would love for you to share this!
http://kitchenfunwithmy3sons.blogspot.com/2012/05/kitchen-fun-and-crafty-friday-link_24.html
Adorable porch! Hope you got to sit and park yourself on that chair!!!
Oh my goodness, your porch is AMAZING! Hope you got to sit in that chair as planned and relax! And whoa, did I see that you are an AXO in the comments? I KNEW we were kindred spirits!!
xoxo,
Meredith & Gwyneth
What a day you had! I’m glad you have this peaceful beautiful area to relax and unwind. You deserve it! You’ve done a beautiful job, Linda! I love your daughter’s art work, your happy table setting – every detail!
This turned out beautiful!
You rarely see screened in porches in Southern California but I love the idea of them. In Sweden they are called Verandas. I’d love to have a wall to wall glass room off my living room and a french door between the rooms. Then I’d make it sound proof so I could read and relax while my daughter and my husband watch Horror Films. lol This weekend she had a 2 day slumber party and he joined them for a Horror Festival. I stayed in the back of the house with my computer and also a new book. 🙂
I love what you have done with your porch. It looks very relaxing!
Oh….I’m definitely having screened porch envy right now, Linda! What a charming place to kick back! Love the transformation! 🙂
xoxo laurie
Your porch transformation is simply amazing. The curtains really change up the entire look and make it feel so cozy. And I love the colors you used, too. I’m a flower. Life is giving me lots of zucchini and I’m making zucchini cake!
Wow! What a difference a little color can make. Just beautiful!
Truly amazing, Linda! Your details from top to bottom are spectacular!
It’s gorgeous! Love all the pillows and the rock stars 🙂
Thanks for hosting this Linky Party! Your screened porch is beautiful. I love the colorful accents and sheer curtains.
I’m more of a planner, although sometimes I can go with the flow. But if I have my day planned out and something comes along to mess it up, I crumble. Unless the something that comes along is better than what I had planned, than it’s great!
Sorry about your sunburst mirror and your daughter’s ankle – on the positive side, better that the mirror is the broken one! No cast required 🙂
I love everything about your porch, especially the pops of turquoise & red 🙂 The cushions are fantastic, and I LOVE the birch tree painting that your an your daughter made 🙂
I think parking yourself out there should be a daily plan 🙂
Kelly
I love the pillow with the huge pom poms around the edge. Did you make it?
It is so pretty, I would spend all day in there. Thanks for linking up.
OX
Kristin
That is beautiful! Did your plans also include having me over for a drink on that patio? Because I can make sure that happens.
Relaxing and reading on your porch is a plan I could handle with ease and aplomb.
What pretty, pretty pictures! Love them! I feel you regarding plans. I love them, but I find that they always get interrupted. lol. Anyhoo, thank you for the visit and sweet comment @TheDedicatedHouse. It means the world. Wishing you a grand evening. Toodles, Kathryn
Your day was just unreal for sure, however, the porch is absolutely stunning. What a huge transformations. I totally love it all. Thanks tons for joining TTT. Hugs, Marty
Your screen porch looks amaaaazing! What a cozy cute place in which to hang out all summer. I’m so glad your daughter is okay, but ick on a sprained ankle. Poor thing. We organize our lives to the minute and then what happens? Life! I so sympathize with you on this unexpected day. Still, you pulled it off! Your porch really is darling.
What a day.
Your porch is to drool for. Those cushions are to die for, §:-)
Great transformation.
Greetings,
/CC
Awesome transformation
Wow, I can not believe that’s your porch in the city. Amazing. I love what you have done with it. Thanks for sharing, liz
Amazing porch! I would love to see the before photos. Some day, sigh, I will have a screened in porch for now it is open. After the day you had yesterday, relaxing on the porch sounds like a good plan. I think most of the time I’m a lemonade glass half full kind of gal, but there are those days when I totally lose it for a minute and then need to chill and regroup. Thanks for being a co-host of this wonderful party. There are so many wonderful porches, gardens and bloggers to meet!
Amazing! I love the stenciled numbers on the pillows and napkins! I really wish our porch had screens!
SO gorgeous!!! I love it!! I am featuring this on my blog tomorrow! Thanks for linking up to Classy Clutter!
Mallory @ Classy Clutter
I’m not sure if I left a comment or not before on this…and there are so many comments, since this porch is sooo beautiful, and it’s late, so I’m just writing another comment! Yep, this porch deserves two comments anyways! It’s that great!
–Katie
This porch is soooo beautiful! And this is totally what I needed to hear! I am a planner too, and don’t deal well with wrenches and just got one, so thanks for keeping it real 😉
Now that is just one amazing porch – so wonderfully fun, bright and happy!
This is wonderful Linda!! I would live out there!! 🙂 Thanks for supporting our link party ! Featuring this tonight on our FB page!!
I absolutely LOVE this! Great project! I’d love for you to link up to my first ever linky party, Ta-Da Tuesday 🙂 check it out HERE ! <3 from your newest follower, I'd be delighted if you'd follow back!
Linda, love, love, the porch it is so inviting….I know you will enjoy your time spent their! Well Done.
When I click on pictures at link parties, your name comes up a lot, so I’m a new follower!
Love your work,
Deb@LakeGirlPaints
I love the transformation. The porch is so inviting and alive now! The table setting is so pretty and I love the numbered pillows. Congrats on your feature at Creatively Living!
Sharon @ mrs. hines class
I love porches and I really love your’s! Sorry about the mirror. ~ Maureen
Thank you my friend for linking to Hot Fun in the Summertime. ‘Ya know you were first….. the first couple links were us trying to figure it out!
You. Are. The. Best.
~Bliss~
Thank you so much for linking to the Hot Fun in the Summertime Blog Party. Your screen porch is awesome. Love all the numbers and the turqoise and red plates.
Wow what a great transformation – your screen porch is now up there with awesomeness! Thanks for sharing at Sunday’s Best. Glad to know you are a fellow chicago blogger!
What a beautiful porch and such a fun table setting. Love the napkins with the numbers! Did you make those? Happy Summer……….
The after is really nicer, lovelier and livelier. I really like that chair you’d be sitting on to read! Would love to have the pillow 🙂
If you don’t already, might I suggest adding flour sack towels to an already beautiful room? I didn’t see any, as far as I can tell, and I think they would be a wonderful addition! You have done such a stupendous job on it already!
You have the most gorgeous screen porch! I am so jealous and inspired at the same time! Thank you for your great site and wonderful blog post.