Vintage Birdcage Spring Vignette

This time of year, I'm drawn to creating vignettes with plants and all things vintage garden mixed in. Throw in some bird nests, moss, sticks and grapevine; all the better. Then arrange it in/on a vintage vessel.

Using birdcages for vignettes is similar to using a glass cloche, as both cover the grouping. A cloche offers a more clean, pristine look, whereas older birdcages usually give a bit of wear and age and yes the vibe of garden grunge.

How to Create a Floral May Basket

I say a "May" basket, but of course, but this can be for anytime in Spring that you want to put together a fun small basket to give or to keep and use in a small vignette or display. I've always loved the idea of May Day baskets and that inspired me to create these. I'm using two different baskets; one vintage, the other a new basket purchased several years ago. Using the same process, you can create a sweet basket filled with different elements that shout "Spring"!!

Easy Ivy Topiary for Valentine's Day

Hi Friends, hope you all are well and staying warm. And I'm hoping all our friends on the East Coast are safe and staying home somewhere away from the blizzardy snow and winds. Although we're having a sunny day here in the lower Midwest it's still cold and shivery. Anytime I can sit still for awhile you'll find me wrapped up in an electric blanket or throw. It's days like today that make me want to play with some plants and then put out a few vintage Valentine's to brighten up the house and shelves.

The Snowy Day

When we bought this house three years ago we got an added bonus with a finished basement. It's a 1964 brick rancher that had all we needed on one level, which was the requirement. So the basement became my husband's domain with his office, a storage room for him and one for me. It also has a large living space for a big screen TV and fireplace, bath and exercise area. The stairs are easy to navigate, unlike what we had before which were terribly steep and daunting. I was thrilled to have a lower level and the storage; even better because I didn't have to visit it each and every day. 

Winter Botanical Tabletop Garden

Hello Friends and Welcome to a very fun 

and a bit different Blog Hop

that my friend Amber from Follow the Yellow Brick Home

has put together in this very cold and dreary month of January.

Yes, you read it right, it's a Hop where we're sharing 

our "Winter" Botanical and Garden ideas.

Thanks so much Amber, for putting this all together

to share some fun ideas and inspiration for winter into spring.

Front Porch and Landscaping Update

I've been trying to get this post out for awhile, waiting on warmer weather to get some flowers and a fern for the front porch. We had a lot of rain and chilly weather with freezing temps even at the beginning of May. My Cervical Spine problems and surgery have kept me from being able to get plants and flowers potted, so I had to wait for last weekend to persuade my husband to take me out to find some. We tried 3 different places and since I'm about 4 weeks behind on this project all the plants were picked over and way overpriced. I had to make choices in a hurry because the nurseries were crowded and 3/4 of the customers weren't bothering to wear masks. I ended up with a bit of a hodge podge, but at least I have a few colorful blooms.

Vintage Etagere in the Garden Room

I've been feeling the need to putter a bit, so I turned my attention to the vintage plant stand in the Garden Room. I bought this metal etagere when we first got married, so it definitely qualifies as "vintage". (better described as a piece of vintage "junk".) It's had many lives, the last one being outside on the covered back porch here at the new house.

Back Porch and the Potting Bench

This has been the week to finally share my outside spaces... good and not so good. Earlier in the week I posted my front porch that's in the middle of a facelift. That post is a kind of a cringe-worthy "before photo", but I know it's going to get better. So now to the back of the house. I'll show you the potting bench first, since it's the most fun to look at.

Potting Bench and Patio

Seems like it takes me forever to get a task completed lately, I guess that's because it actually does. I've been wanting to finish up here on the patio for weeks now, but I still needed to find a fern and a few other plants for the urns. I have to wait for Hubbs to help me out, so that means the weekend. And at that point, if it's rainy, forget it... another weekend down the drain. 

Vintage Valentine "Love"

I'm getting a few things together for Valentine's Day here in the Kitchen Sitting Area,

 but it's taking me a little longer this last week to get things accomplished. 

So, I thought I'd share a little Valentine's Love while I'm getting the rest of it together.

The Decoratin' O' the Green!

I don't go all out to decorate for St. Patrick's Day, but I do like to tip my hat to the Irish Holiday. I'm sure I have a little Irish blood in me from someplace and I have a daughter named Erin, so St. Patty's always gets a little attention from me around the house...

Patio Seating Area

Hi, Everyone, hope you had a great Mother's Day weekend, 

mine was nice, but pretty quiet.

 My goal last week was to finally get the lower level patio sitting area cleaned and put together so we can have a place to sit and relax. This is under the deck, so it's somewhat covered, but not waterproof. I found the two seat cushions and bench cushion online at Lowe's, and they were just what I wanted. They're outdoor friendly and have the look of heavy linen or hemp in a dark khaki/taupe color. I wanted something neutral, that would match most of my pillows and quilts, and not show pollen/dirt/or grunge and I think these will work out fine.

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.

Potting Bench Progress

Hi Everyone, hope you all had a great weekend...

I've spent most of my time outside this last week. First, working on getting the container planters filled with flowers for the deck, patio and front yard, then coming up with more things for the potting bench area. 

A French Country Inspired Spring Brunch Buffet

Hello Everyone, 

we're all so excited to start off this special week of our

 Share Your Style Spring Blog Hop!

This week all eight of us will be sharing some fresh new Spring Inspiration and we hope you'll share what you've been doing to transform your spaces for this brand new Season.

Daisy Botanical in the Entry

Just checking in to say Hello, as this may possibly be my last post for awhile. We leave early next week for my appointment with my new cardiologist. After all this waiting, I'm starting to feel a little anxious about it all. I've spent all week checking to make sure all my records have been transferred from three different sources, and it doesn't help the situation for calm when one of them keeps giving me the run around and putting me off... not surprised, it's their usual.

Getting the house listed and all the little details have about done me in. We've been trying to finish up, but now that Summer is here the garage has turned into an oven. My poor hubby tries to do things after work, but it's still too hot. Honestly, we're too old for this...word to the wise, downsize and get your junk dealt with before you are too sick or tired to mess with it. You AND your kids will be thankful. Do I sound tired and grumpy?

Time for a change in the Entry this week. I had a couple of raw canvases that I'd brought home with me from the other house. I love their natural oatmeal-y linen look with tattered edges and nails. I thought a botanical of daisies looked perfect attached to the front. 

Speaking of daisies, I had planted Becky Shasta Daisies and Black Eyed Susans several years ago and have babied and babied them, but they've been slow to get growing...until now. Now there is a profusion of them, just getting ready to bloom. Hope I can enjoy them just a little.

Google Images

We've had quite a few house lookers, so hope good news will be soon.

We're ready to move on to the next chapter in life.

Feels like we've been stuck in this one for a little too long.

My little heart topiary needs to be trimmed up,

 but I'm enjoying the wild look.

Little birdie is back on his bookstack.

 Yep, definitely needs a trim.

That's some good ol natural patina there on this clay pot.

just can't replicate that.

I'll try to check back in next week and let you all know what's going on. This has been a hard week, as I'm having some fun new heart related symptoms that have kept me in bed most of the week. I know this is just a "season" that God is allowing me to walk through, but it's hard nonetheless. I've missed the last year of my life feeling like doggy doo, (see...I still have a sense of humor) and I'm ready for whatever it takes to get well and get this behind me. 

Thank God for a husband that is my best friend.

He has a lot on his plate right now.

Almost forgot...this week is my 5 year blogging anniversary.

Here's my first post.

Keep up the good thoughts and prayers, I wish I could get back with each of you individually, and give you a big hug and squeeze. You all mean so much to me, and I'm super grateful for you all being there. I've been trying to keep up with your blogs, even though I haven't left comments...I've still been there. OK, this is sounding pretty pitiful, so I'll say...love you guys, talk soon.

Violet Vignette

Just wanted to share a little Spring Happiness with you this Sunday.

I was going through some of my old Easter and Spring postcards and found a few that had Violets and Pansies; some favorite lavender Spring flowers. I had a few silk violets in a peat pot so I put together a little Easter vignette on top of my armoire in my studio.

Moss bunny in a wicker basket, a vintage fern mister, and a white matte vase with angel vine.

Last week I received a precious soldered necklace from my sweet friend Rita of Mammabellarte. It was one of those "just because" little gifts that make it especially endearing. Little Bluebirds are happily perched among roses. Rita knows how much I love Bluebirds. 

Someday I hope I can tell you how much you all mean to me,

your friendships are such a blessing.

Hope this put a little smile on your face today...

Happy Sunday, Happy Spring!

Joining in on these lovely gatherings:

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

Sunday at Home with Thoughts From Alice

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday from Coastal Charm

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse

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,