Vintage Watering Cans for the Patriotic Porch

Hello Everyone, we all have a real treat today with a fun vintage Hop. I'm joining today with a great group of gals who love vintage goods and absolutely love using them to decorate our homes and porches. Our friend Cindy of County Road 407 came up with this unique way to share our vintage pieces with the Lifestyle of Love Bi-Monthly Hop. Our theme this month is galvanized tin containers and vintage items. Summer is the perfect season for sharing our metal farmhouse goods with an industrial and garden vibe.

Say Hello to Fall...

Back years ago when I had a few vintage market spaces, I loved decorating with seasonal colors, textures, and items. I also would put together small nosegays and tussy mussies tied with a seasonal ribbon and used them for decorating and sold quite a few each season. I love playing with faux flowers and since I rarely throw away any blooms or branches, they are perfect to bunch together a few odds and ends for a small arrangement. It's even more fun if you can find a vintage container for your posies.

Container Planter Inspiration

I was starting from scratch this year when it came to getting containers planted. Up until last year, I had Geraniums that were 5 and 6 years old, as I would winter them in our basement. So last week I went looking for some container pot inspiration. I was mostly interested in plant varieties that would work for full sun. I do have some shady spaces that I will get to later, but my first round has been for the deck, lower patio, and a large concrete container for the front courtyard.

Fall Front Porch at the New House

The landscaping is in (except for the new maple we're waiting for) and I had time to run by the pumpkin market for a few mums and pumpkins. It's not a huge display, but just enough to make it feel like "home". It's pretty sparse compared to year's past, but all my concrete urns are still hiding out in storage. I also still have to figure out what will fit on the small front porch. I will probably just paint one of my wooden benches the charcoal gray like the door and new shutters. I need some little something out here, but I don't want to clutter up the small space. We still have to repaint the outside lanterns, they have a pretty tired finish that needs spiffing up.

If you missed the before shots of the sad shutters and front door, you can see how the new Benjamin Moore paint, Iron Mountain, really enhances the brick and railing, and pulls it all together.

before

As our contractor so aptly put it. 

"The shutters and door are beyond "distressed, this is "neglect". 

New paint and newly built shutters...so much better.

I had a few Fallish silk florals that I stashed in my basket, then grabbed some wide bright orange ribbon. It helps dress up the porch a little, give some Fall color, and it also keeps someone from being able to see inside, when you're standing at the door. Sorry, I don't like people peeking inside....eck. (I just used one of the large "Command" hooks for this basket)

Hubbs carted over my concrete bench for the rocked area... What do you call this space between the walkway and the garage? This is a popular landscape feature around here. Anyway, I'm hoping to plant some lillies and a few perennials out there when I get time. The boxwood shrubs are baby size, but will grow fast. Now you can see the rock accent areas under the windows, instead of ugly dead shrubbery. yay!

Just imagine that there are lanterns, my concrete squirrels, and a few watering cans... but since we haven't moved in yet, I didn't want to have too much out here.

I found this big concrete container at Lowe's, I hope to use it for seasonal flowers, maybe adding some perennial ivy, next Spring. I'd like to add more to the porch and stairs, but probably will have to wait for Christmas. 

We're just so happy to have all this cleaned up and replanted.

 It was such a mess with dead plants and shrubs. 

OK, that's the extent of my Outdoor Fall Decor, 

not much, but better than nothing...

joining in on these parties:

Treasure Hunt at From My Front Porch to Yours
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home
Feathered Nest at French Country Cottage
The Scoop at Confessions of a Plate Addict
Show and Share at Coastal Charm
Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House
Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

xoxo,

On the deck...

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend, everyone. I just wanted to share a few photos from the deck, and show you a couple of new things that I have potted up this week. This space is right off the sunporch and under my kitchen window, so I always like to keep things tidied up out here, giving me a pretty view while I'm in the kitchen. I can't see much of the rest of the yard from that vantage point, so if this looks presentable then I'm happy.

For some reason, I've lost a couple of ivy's inside, so I headed over to the little corner nursery to see if they had any left. I hate going there in these mid days of July, because all the plants are looking forlorn and straggly. They are shutting down next week, so the nature lover and rescuer in me wants to adopt all the poor misfits and bring them home.

I don't have very much of a green thumb, so they'd be taking their chances here with me, but I did find a couple of sweet Pink Ivy Geraniums, and these little pink Petunia-like plants. I put them here in this old wire basket with the burlap ribbon that I painted last year.

This is my super old wicker wrapped chair that my mom gave me years ago. It's protected from the elements out here, so it pretties up this little corner next to the door.

I stuck in a little cream colored tin tray for some added shabby interest.

So far so good with my Impatiens in the old concrete urns. If the chipmunks will leave them alone they may make it the rest of the summer.

The hail storm over Father's Day weekend killed all my Petunias, and did a number on the rest of my plants. We had ping pong sized hail and it tore most of my potted plants to smithereens. I ended up having to replace about half. And speaking of hail, it also finished off our 30 year old shake roof. Everyone in our subdivision is either getting a new roof, or having major repairs. We're hoping we can get a new roof, but that will take a huge chunk of money, even IF the insurance will help out. It's beyond patching. 

The little black wagon was one of the victims of the hail storm,

 so I had to replant it.

The angel vine and mint are going crazy though.

This is a little metal grocery store display rack that's been in the garage, I pulled it out and planted some old pots with Moss Rose, which works well in the heat and sun. The Petunia on the bottom shelf is iffy. It's a little shaded down there on the bottom, so it doesn't get pounded too much. I guess I'm going to have to quit buying Petunias, they just don't like it here.

On the other hand, the Lantana and Geraniums are flourishing.

OK, so that's what's happening on the deck this week...

And an update on the last post about my Antique Mall space, Hubbs and I went over yesterday morning and packed up all the smalls, unscrewed all the doors and took down the gate, so they're accessible now for shoppers. I had lot's of interest in all the pieces while we were there, and a really nice man came by saying that his daughter was getting married and that the large window would be perfect for a backdrop. So I'm hoping it goes to a good home. I know you all were hoping I would keep it, but it's just huge, and I had it stored in my garage for 3 years, it needs to be enjoyed and used by someone.

Joining in with these parties this week:

Blissful Whites at Timewashed

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Ranch

Knick of Time Tuesday

See you Monday for The Marketplace, 

hope you'll come by and link up if you have an Etsy Shop or Online Boutique.

xoxo,

Patriotic Bottles with a Vintage Vibe

Are you looking for something a little different for your July 4th decor? Something to use on your table for some Patriotic fun with individual place settings, mini flower vases, flag holders or just a little favor for your guests to take home?

I'm always on the lookout for old glass bottles at the flea or antique mall. You can usually find them for a dollar or two. Or if you don't have old bottles any clear glass bottle would work, even screw cap bottles that are now lurking in your fridge.

These are images I downloaded from one of my CD ROMs

 from Dover Publications for July 4th and Patriotic images.

These would be so unique at each place setting with a little American Flag,

or could be used also as a place card if you'd like to get even more creative

in using paper flags with each guests name written on it.

Lot's of fun in a grouping on a stack of old red/white/blue books.

I wanted to put together a few for my window ledge above the sink,

where I always have a few ivy starts growing.

There are some free Patriotic images over at The Graphics Fairy that you might want to try. I just printed mine out, cut them out, and then used Matte Mod Podge lightly to adhere them to the bottle. Be careful not to wipe them with water or get too saturated, or the colors might bleed. Mine did just a little but I liked the vintage look.

Here are links to a couple of posts I did a few years ago with Halloween Bottles and Christmas Bottles. I've also made them for Valentines Day, Easter, and Thanksgiving. A larger image could also be used on bigger bottles filled with colorful candies. I thought that layered red white and blue jelly beans in a larger apothecary jar would also be fun. There are lot's of ways to use them, and they add a easy to make, quick vintage touch to your holiday decor.

Have a great weekend!

A Vintage Flower Wagon

I've been seeing photos of some adorable vintage children's wagons being filled with flowers this Spring; some planted, others just holding the pots. I had this little guy, here, that I found a few years ago to fill with pumpkins and mums, but it was just sitting in the garage all forlorn, so I brought it out to the deck and decided to liven it up a little.

It's just not Summer without Red Geraniums, so I had to include a few of those, then Million Bells, Petunias, Lobelia and Marigolds. I wanted it to be bright and colorful, since the wagon itself is black.

It's not but just a few inches deep, so I had to use peat pots for the Geraniums and some of the others that were larger plants with more root base. Then I just filled the whole wagon with potting mix to help hold it all together. My husband drilled a few holes for drainage before starting, and that will help this Fall too, since water always collected in the bottom around the pumpkins.

My picket fence gate from the sunporch came out as a photo background.

Here it is last Fall on the front porch, and then a few others 

from my Pinterest Board, Wheelbarrows, Carts and Wagons.

LOVE the idea of using one for Herbs.

 I just have a few other things to get potted, 

most of it is done.

Now, I just get to wait and see them fill out.

I'll show you how it's growing in a few weeks.

Hopefully it will be spilling over the sides to cover up the pots.

It's been nice having more room on the deck now that the Monster Gas Grill has been adopted by the kids. We went to Academy Sports and Outdoors and found a little charcoal grill on sale yesterday. My husband said that he'd never thought of me as a "cheap date" until that purchase. Hey, doesn't take a lot to make me happy...sometimes.We grilled filets, and they were heavenly. But we've decided not to tell the kids that we went "cheapo" on the cooker. Bigger is better in their minds. Not me, I just want a steak that tastes like "steak".

joining in with these party gals:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Inspiration Exchange at Ella Claire

Share Your Cup Thursday at Mrs. Olson
Tips and Tutorials at Stone Gable
French Country Cottage
The Charm of Home
The Scoop at Cedar Hill Ranch
Simple and Sweet at Rooted inThyme
Garden Party at Fishtail Cottage
Funky Junk
Blitzed on Pinterest

Hope you're start of Summer was a good one!

xoxo,

What's Growing On...

Between the late Spring and snow in early May, to the every other week out of town doctor visit trips for hubby, I'm way behind in getting plants potted and the deck and outdoors spiffed up. I was able to get a few containers put together for the deck this week, but it's been slow going. (so many of you have asked how he's doing and it's also been "slow going", but he's making improvement little by little. Thank you all so much for asking, and for your prayers)

I was able to winter one of my mint plants, and after cutting back the unusable winter growth, I'm just now getting some new leaves. I use mint every day in my green tea and lemonade or my new favorite Crystal Light Mojito, club soda, fresh lime and mint. So easy, tastes like it's alcoholic cousin, no calories, and creates a party in your mouth!

(angel vine)

My small urns are planted with variegated Impatiens...

always a favorite, and so easy.

We recently gave our humongous gas grill to our daughter and her husband. I'd never liked using it; I swear I could taste the "gas" on the steaks. (they don't notice it.) The deck is now 3 times as large without that eyesore taking up so much space, and we're on the hunt for a smaller charcoal grill. One that actually produces a great tasting meal. 

These are a couple of the new containers filled with Million Bells, Geraniums, and Verbena. I winter my Geraniums, but this year when we were gone for a week with my hubby's surgery, they became a salad bar for the rabbits...nibbled down to the stubbs. So getting them back will take a while.

In the front yard, Iris are blooming. I transplanted them from my m-i-l about 5 years ago, and they've not been much on blooms, but this year I have some beautiful ones.

I'm also having Peony blooms for the first year,

but the ants are loving them too.

A Knockout Rose that creates a little secret sanctuary for the bird bath.

The robins love it, and have a great time flopping, chirping, and cooling off.

This rose bush has gone nuts this year.

 A few just potted red Geraniums with "soon to be trailing"
Verbena next to the garage.

And more Impatiens in the twin urns on the front steps.

It looks pretty bare out here without color, 

hopefully, the Impatiens will add some soon.

(If the brick looks wonky, it's because I "cloned" out the house number plaque)

Last year this Hydrangea was all but dead. The drought and temps in the low 100's almost everyday caused it to wilt and killed the blooms. It was so disheartening. No matter how much I watered it, the bush just couldn't take the heat. But I started treating it with coffee grounds, and it rallied late in the season.

Now, it's covered in little immature blooms...

and I'm so excited.

This may be it's year!!

joining in with these parties:

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

The Scoop at Cedar-Hill Ranch

A Stroll Thru Life

Knick of Time

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Savvy Southern Style

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend,

xoxo,