The Procrastinators Summer Porch Tour!

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I can procrastinate more in the summer than any other time of the year.  You too?

I think it’s the heat.

Now that we’re entering those Dog Days of Summer it’s time to finish our front porch.

I thrilled today to be joining a fantastic group of ladies to share our porch pictures.  We all procrastinated on getting our porches in shape for summer.  Plus one of us is sharing a summer porch on a vacation island…how awesome is that??

I started one end of our front porch and never made it to the other end.  This isn’t the first summer that has happened, but at least this summer I finally tidied up that other end.  Now we can use it for outdoor dining.

The Problem

In my pointed little head, this was the procrastination problem.  A totally awesome rusty candle chandelier…with rebar spikes!

The only way I could get a candle over the rebar was to drill a hole in the bottom.  Have you ever drilled a candle?  I usually do four candles every spring.  Then summer comes and this happens…

I bought hurricanes that fit over the candles, but I’ve was tired of cleaning hurricanes last summer.  This summer I was tired of candles too.

The solution

So I did this!  I had a collection of cigar tubes.  They are like large test tubes from science class.  I gathered four groups of five tubes with rubber bands.  One along the bottom and one at the top.  Then I wrapped twine around to hide the rubber bands.  I wrapped rubber bands around the rebar too.  This gave a bit more grip to the tubes.

Drink of water inside some of the tubes for these beautiful hydrangeas and my candle chandelier is now a flower chandelier!

The tablescape

Now to set the table.  As I’m writing this I realize my table is upside down.  The floral centerpieces are above and the lighting…

is the centerpiece!  We use battery candles around our cabin.  We live in a forest and forest fires are my biggest fear here.

Plus how cool is this?  Battery candles stay lit in a cloche!   Notice the chunky wax on the battery candles??

This is a ceiling light globe with a battery candle inside.  I love the sparkle of this vintage globe.  Maybe someday I’ll use it as a ceiling globe. 🙂  These pictures were taken on a lovely cloudy day.  At night the battery candles really glow.  On the left is a tea light candle wrapped in washi tape.   It is sitting on a napkin ring standing on end.

We started collecting wine corks.  We write the event, date and who we were with on the cork.  This makes for lively conversation.

The place settings

The tablecloth is a piece leftover from a skirt and scarf I make.  Would it be too weird of a dinner party if I wore my skirt and scarf that matched the tablecloth?

This is my favorite chargers.  I made six chargers about 15 years ago.  Someday I’ll make more and write a tutorial.  Until then I used 1/4 plywood.  Cut an 8″ circle and another 12″ circle with a cutout 7″ circle in the middle.  I roughly sanded all the edges.  When glued the large circle on top of the small one.  I added wood filler around the inside edge.  Then painted them white and a coat of cream.  Then sanded back to reveal the white and down to the wood in places.

My favorite item on the table has to be the little-ribbed jar filled with white beans and a battery candle buried to the “flame.”

Plus the floral chandelier.  The red window on the left is where I look out from my desk.  The hydrangea will only last through our cooler and cloudy weekend.  I will leave the test tubes, they remind me of the ribbed glass and add fresh flowers for summer dinner parties.  During the week I’m thinking about wrapping beading around the chandelier.

Hydrangea plans

Oh, I have unique plans for those fresh hydrangeas on Monday.  It’s a bit very strange.  Doesn’t involve drying them, but I will get to use them around the house.  I’ll post the results and tutorial on Wednesday.

Yahoo!  It works.  Click to see what I did with the hydrangeas after the weekend.

After dinner, we can visit on the other end of the porch.  I add rustic summer to that end with baby crib springs my rustic button-tufted ottoman crate and summer tin can banner.

Oh, notice the pillow wrapped with my scarf that matches the tablecloth that matches my skirt???  The pillow wrapping tutorial is part of the 21 Day DIY Challenge Farmhouse Style going on now.

Are you really sure it would be TOO much to match the tablecloth??  🙂

It’s not a proper front porch post without a porch picture of our favorite place.  The rustic crate piece is so handy to stash porch stuff and hold….

dessert!  Like spice cake and spiked coffee!

Now time to party

Projects Listed in Post

Chunky Candles

Rustic Crate

Red Crate Furniture

Baby Crib Endeavor

Votive Chunky Candles

My Repurposed Desk

21 Day DIY Decorating Challenge

Other Porch Projects

Cabin Sparkles

Staycation on our Porches

15 Rustic Porch Ideas

Please enjoy the other porch pictures from my procrastinating partners below.

Petticoat Junktion

Funky Junk Interiors

Roots North & South

House Of Hawthrones

Country Design Style

Postcards From The Ridge

Reinvented

DIY Girl Cave

Kirb Appeal