Patriotic Summer Porch Tour

How’s it going you guys? I’m super exited you’re here today. It’s so nice to finally feel rested after spending time at Loblolly Manor. I swear there’s nothing like a holiday to give you an extra reason to work really hard during the week so you can enjoy every last drop of the long weekend.

I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate today than to share the patriotic front porch with you. I normally stick to neutral colors throughout the house but on the porches it’s fun to add a little color. The Fourth of July weekend has always been a special holiday at our house. It makes me think about the different places we’ve traveled and lived as a military family. It didn’t matter if we were on base or off, the entire weekend was filled with festivities.

When I was working to put this year’s summer porch together, I was thinking about all of the fantastic people living in small towns across the country. As I shared last week, my hometown is so tiny there’s no Target, movie theater or even a bakery. It’s putting up corn in the summer, floating down the river in a canoe and hanging out with family and friends.

My grandpa gave me this old chicken coop a few years ago. I need to put it on casters so it can be a mobile drink station. Has it been crazy hot where you guys are? It’s been nuts here. I swear I’m drinking gallons of Crystal Light with frozen berries every day. The glasses are from Kirkland’s and we use them all of the time.

I bought this scale in Mount Dora. It’s one of my favorite pieces. It’s big enough to use as an extra serving tray for different kinds of fruit to put in drinks. Just make sure you line it with paper towels or a cloth napkin first. The berries will stain so keep that in mind.

I also bought this wicker settee in Mount Dora. It’s holding up pretty well for a vintage piece. The red and white pillow cover was made from a quilt scrap I picked up at a thrift store.

The blue chair pads set me back $2 each and the pillows are made from an old curtain panel.

My poor flowers are totally over this hot and humid weather. I keep thinking any day they’re going to spring back up. I’ve been trying to plant them container garden style to see if they’ll grow a bit better.

I’ll share more about the wicker couch and old trunk with you later this week. They’ve both been given a little makeover. You can’t have a patriotic summer porch in the South without adding red velvet cupcakes. I’ve yet to meet a sweet old lady that didn’t have her own secret recipe. That cream cheese frosting is just so good.

The old milk bottles were a Mount Dora find too. My mom picked up the white cake pate for me at a yard sale in our hometown. It was $3. I don’t know why but I rarely see white cake plates back home. They’re mostly glass.

This is such a great spot in the mornings specially to let the dogs play while we’re relaxing with a cup of coffee. You can’t see it but right behind this wicker couch is the makings of our salsa garden. We’re gearing up for a salsa making contest with my cousins. I can’t wait to see how they all turn out.

I hope you guys have the happiest day. Rest, relax, enjoy your friends, family and the fireworks too. It’s the best way to celebrate! I’ll see you on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram and back here on Wednesday to share how I gave the trunk a makeover.

Many blessings,

CoCo