Welcome to my Outdoor Spaces tour!
Do you remember that blog post when I took you room by room through my whole house, showing you ever nook and cranny, every organized closet, and all the beautifully decorated spaces in our home?
Yeah…me neither.
That’s because that blog post doesn’t exist, except in my imagination.
There’s a possibility it never will, because my whole house isn’t finished and even if it was
I could probably never get every room clean all at the same time.
We all have our strengths, and house-cleaning is not mine!
I have given you a tour of my farmhouse kitchen,
and I have given you a tour of my farmhouse laundry room,
and my bathroom,
and the guy’s bathroom,
and my teen’s room,
and my favorite space – my guest room (which has now been overtaken by my collage son until he finishes school.)
Since I don’t have one of those whole house summer tours to share, instead, I thought I’d give you a tour of the only clean space I have to offer-the outdoor spaces around my home.
You know…the ones that don’t require vacuuming and dusting. 🙂
My husband built us a new picnic table toward the end of summer last year, but we only got to use it a few times before my college-age kids went back to school and everyone got super busy, so I’m excited to have a full summer to enjoy it this year, and I decided to dress it up so we can start enjoying some meals outdoors.
For a table cloth, I used my blue stripe grainsack fabric. I didn’t cut the fabric, or hem it or anything – I just spread it out and called it good, because sewing isn’t one of my strengths either. 🙂
I thought I’d surprise my family, so I made a blackberry cobbler, and it turned out SO yummmy!
I can bake, when I set my mind to it!
I wanted to use some decor that distinctively says, “summer”, so I added a clay pot with lavender, and an antique Ice wagon toy, which my father in law gave to me. Can you imagine what it was like in the days when you had to have your ice delivered to you?
What in the world did all the sweet tea drinkers do?
The flowers in my stenciled pot were just the right color to set between the bowl of grapes and the lavender (Seed Store stencil available here). My kids couldn’t wait for me to get done taking these photos, so they could take the grapes!
I don’t know if these are weeds or flowers, but whatever they are, I thought they looked pretty, so I put them in one of my upcycled cans.
I had to have some candle-lit ambiance, and these crossbar lanterns from Balsam Hill are perfect. They have a wonderful weathered zinc finish, which makes them look vintage, and they’re made of cast iron, so you can build muscles while carrying them. 😉
They have drain holes for moisture and vents for smoke. They can be used indoors or out, with real or faux candles (I’m using real ones), so I know I’ll use them a lot throughout the year.
You can see a glimpse of my barn quilt on the barn behind the picnic table. I still plan to make another one, but haven’t decided what colors to use yet.
After the table was cleared and the light was fading, I had to go back out and get one last photo of the candlelit lanterns. If it wasn’t for the bugs trying to eat me alive, I would have hung my son’s hammock in the tree and just slept out there…listening to a frog serenade.
No visit of my outdoor spaces would be complete without a photo of the view I love so much of our gravel road. I’ve photographed it in autumn, an early spring, so it was time to get a picture of it with the trees fully leafed out. A bird landed in the middle of the road just as I snapped the photo! You can see the rest of my country road photos here (the unwatermarked versions are available as free printables.)
If you enjoyed this Outdoor spaces tour, you might also enjoy my Christmas Entryway Tour.
Be sure to visit the rest of the blogs on this Welcome Home Summer Tour too! I’ll bet they cleaned their homes for your visit!
Friday’s Tours!
Tours Earlier This Week!
Confessions of a Serial Do-it-Yourselfer
Special thanks to Balsam Hill for providing me with the 2 lanterns. All opinions are my own, and I LOVE them!
You’re outdoor space is a dream Angie. No kidding- it’s what I dream of…love that you used fabric as a table cloth…love that you made blackberry cobbler…love those lanterns that already look lovingly worn- every single photo inspired me my friend . xo
you will need a good workout from lifting those pretty lanterns or a nap ( better get the hammock up) after eating some of that blackberry cobbler. looks yummy. Happy summer!
Angie your outdoor space is just wonderful… nothing like enjoying a meal or in this case blackberry cobbler (looks so yummy) outdoors, sitting at your adorable table.
You have such a beautiful yard for a farmhouse picnic. Your blackberry cobbler looks yummy! You should post a recipe of it, since I have no idea in the world how to make it, but that’s I can think about right now. Or maybe I should just eat breakfast?
Pam, it was a SUPER easy recipe I found at allrecipes.com!
Everything looks beautiful, relaxing, and very inviting. Love your “wildflowers” in a can!
Love the table your hubby made Angie and the setting is divine! Hope you have great summer!
You have such a nice backyard space to enjoy with your family. I love your table setting and your blackberry cobbler looks delicious.
What a beautiful space! I love your yard, your country table and your gravel lane.
Nancy
Looks great! Love the grain sack material !
Sigh! What a beautiful outdoor space you have; I sure wish I had room to spread out like that. Your cobbler looks delicious!
Where did you find the grain stripe fabric? I love it!
Such an idyllic scene…the perfectly set breezy summer table, the cobbler, the tree swing…you are truly blessed! You’ve taken such beautiful captures of your outdoor space, too, that I can just place myself in them…soooooooo serene and beautiful! Your lovely photo of your gravel road reminds me of the road I used to live on as a child…in fact, it was called Gravel Pit Road. Nothing like the trees in all of their glory on a dreamy summer’s-like day!
What a gorgeous table setting and in such a peaceful place, Angie. Those lanterns are perfect and, well, the whole thing! 🙂
WHAT . . . your house isn’t spotless . . . constantly!? Gee – can we be best friends? That way I’ll know you’re just visiting to see me, not my house and vice versa. Those are the best kind – of best friends, right!
Pretty picnic area you have here 🙂
LOL – I’m so glad to hear I’m not the only non-Martha Steward out there, Cheryl!!
Ahhhh I can smell the fresh air from here! I LOVE your outdoor space, Angie! We have a teeny tiny lot of land where our house sits, so I really envy all your beautiful green space. Your table is set perfectly for a warm Summer night, and those lanterns really are quite heavy aren’t they? I chuckled when you said you could build muscles while carrying them…its true. Of course that picturesque gravel road is amazing. I think I would take all my furniture pictures right there. 🙂
What an idyllic setting…it’s calling my name! I’m like you…cleaning is not my gift either. And, the only thing I bake well is cobbler. After seeing yours, I’m going to have to bake some this weekend. I can’t think of a better treat to celebrate the end of school.
Happy Summer! I hope you get to makes lots of family memories at that picnic table.
Anita, your and table setting is beautiful and the lanterns are the perfect compliment besides that scrumptious cobbler lol. Beautiful! Lisa
Angie, what a beautiful outdoor setting! It looks so tranquil and relaxing!
Thanks so much for sharing! You forgot to add the link for the can labels….
What a beautiful outdoor space you’ve got there. I enjoyed the photo of the peek of the quilt. Nice, Angie 🙂
You have such a beautiful outdoor space, Angie, and I love how you decorated it. Those lanterns are amazing and HEAVY~when I first picked mine up I was shocked. Your gravel road view is so relaxing and peaceful ~ I always dreamed of living at the end of a road like that. p.s. Your cobbler looks mighty delicious!
I LOVE your outdoor space and tablesetting – so inviting an beautiful!! I’m on my way over!! 😉
Angie, your outdoor space exudes serenity. In a couple of photos I noticed the gravel road, and it just brings that “away from it all” feeling. Lovely table with the differing hues of purple, and loved the clean lines of the table cloth as well. The lanterns are a favorite of mine, and what a great way to display them in the summer. Great feature on the use of real candles as well. They are defintiely a use all year product.