Category: Garden
Create, Garden

A Faux Living Wreath!

July 20
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A faux living wreath might sound strange…but  it’s a fun alternative that’s maintenance free!  Inspired by living succulent wreaths, this DIY can withstand sun, shade and zero watering.  You don’t need many supplies to make this cheerful decoration either.  And with the right faux materials it will withstand all the elements of the outdoors making it fun to hang on a garden gate, shed, or your door!  If you’re intending on giving it a garden flair…some mini yard ornaments will be a happy addition too!  Let’s get creative decorating our outdoor spaces!

faux fun with succulents!

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Garden

A Simple Garden…Tips & Ideas!

May 20
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A simple garden is just about all I can handle!  I do love gardening but I am far from master-gardener status…in fact, I’m really not very knowledgeable at all.  But I have gained a little experience over the years tending our flower beds and little veggie garden.  We began growing vegetables several years ago when the boys were little…hoping to get them to eat what they grew.  And do you know it actually worked!  Each year we all chose our favorites as well as something new to plant.  And that trial and error not only helped the kids learn to experience new foods but also helped me determine what I could actually grow in the space I had.  So now I have it down to a simple science that serves us well!  If you feel like you don’t know anything about gardening, don’t have the space, or think it’s too much work…I’m happy to share some of my simple tips and ideas that might inspire you to give it a go!  I’m still not completely confident with my gardening skills or have grand spaces for growing, but I’m really glad I didn’t let that stop me.  Come along with me on a tiny tour of a simple garden in my backyard…

a simple garden provides plenty of simple joys!

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Create, Garden

November Garden

November 4
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November reminds me a little of January…since both follow major holiday decorating, they can also leave your home feeling a bit barren after all the decor comes down!  But honestly, I actually enjoy the refreshing break…time for a quieter, more understated look in my home until December comes calling!  I also love the colors of fall…reds, yellows, oranges and the soft hues of dried wheat and grasses!  A table or buffet can look lovely with a pumpkin or two mixed in with branches & berries of the season, simply letting the beauty of nature shine.  And since I love sticking with natural elements throughout the month leading up to Thanksgiving Day, I thought some simple greenery might help to freshen up my rooms until it’s time for the holiday tree!  I’ve always wanted to create a coffee table terrarium and it seemed like the perfect time to add some green to my autumn color pallet!  All you need is a glass container, some mini plants, and your own personality!  See my first November DIY…a tiny garden fit for my table!

time for indoor planting…

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Garden

The Power of the Flower

September 12
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When my family arrived last Friday to help us celebrate the centennial of our home, my parents brought with them bucket loads of cut flowers from their gardens!  Now I knew my mom was going to cut some of her blooms so that I would have some fresh flowers for the party…but I didn’t expect how many actually showed up!  Several weeks ago I shared my mom’s beautiful gardens…I guess I should have known that there would be plenty pretty posies for cutting!  I LOVE using flowers whenever I can…they just seem to make any space look lively and fresh and can make any event look grand!  It doesn’t really matter whether it’s a full blown celebration or just a casual dinner at home, a bouquet of flowers can do wonders!  I definitely planned on using several bouquets for our gathering, but was AMAZED at what I was actually able to work with…thanks to my mom & dad!  So before I share ALL the centennial fun, I’d like to show you how we created some sweet and simple bouquets that did more than just look pretty!

beautiful & bountiful blooms…

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Celebrate, Create, Garden

Paint and a Pineapple…

July 25
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I LOVE paint!  It can transform any ordinary item into something special!  It’s really one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to make a decorative change…and in my opinion, there’s not much that’s off limits!  Summer is one of the best times of year to have some fun with the colorful stuff…you can spread out the drop cloth and have at it outside!  I’ve got a long list of items that I’d like to change with a can or two of paint…patio chairs, stools, some metal trays, and flower pots.  But the other day I decided to try something unexpected…a pineapple!  I’m sure you may have seen similar ideas before…if not painted pineapples maybe pumpkins or gourds, but I’ve been on a pineapple kick lately so I thought I’d give the tropical fruit a new look! Even though it’s a temporary display if you use fresh produce, it’s completely worth it…and in many cases, you can still eat it after!  See how easy it is to create something wonderful with paint and a pineapple!

unexpected paint job!

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Garden

Stroll Through the Garden…

July 18
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I’m sure you can gather from my recent posts that we had a wonderful visit to Michigan…hitting the beaches and getting a little retail therapy in the shops of Grand Rapids, Ludington, and all the places in between!  But we also had time at the end of each day to relax at the home I grew up in.  However, the word “relax” isn’t in my youngest son’s vocabulary so we also spent some of those hours playing whiffle ball in the back yard!  But time in my parent’s yard is wonderful time spent…the garden spaces are filled with beauty and inspiration, a perfect place to unwind and enjoy–after the ball game of course!  I always love to see what new additions might be growing in the garden each time we visit!  And this year my mom was asked if her garden could be on the tour for the local Garden Show, so she had already been working hard to make it picture perfect before we arrived (even though it always looks that way, in my opinion).  I know she’s modestly believing her gardens aren’t what all the ladies might be expecting on the tour that takes place tomorrow…but I think you’ll agree with me when you see the images I’m going to share that hers might actually be the highlight of the show!  Have a peek…

garden inspiration…

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Garden

Flower Power

June 10
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If I had to pick one thing to make my spaces feel fresh, look lovely, smell wonderful, and just make me happy…it would have to be fresh flowers!  Whether it’s a huge bouquet or just a tiny one, it really is amazing how those pretty posies can make a room seem joyful!  And it’s almost summer now so we can incorporate pots of wonderful blooms on our patios or any sunny location!  I’m lucky to have some flower gardens in my yard but a lot of our property is in the shade…which doesn’t produce lots of blooming color!  But I find that even vases filled with fern and other foliage can still do wonders for a room!  Of course, you can always stop by the local florists to grab some cut flowers and now the farmers markets are abundant with inexpensive bouquets of what’s currently blooming!  These are great options for when there’s not much to choose from in the yard or for anyone who doesn’t have access to a garden.  So no more excuses!  Go get some cuttings from the yard, a blooming planter, or treat yourself now and again with a bouquet from the store…

see the power of the flower!

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Create, Garden

May Day Delivery

April 25
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I hope everyone enjoyed the wonderful, springlike weekend we had!  It didn’t remind me of summer like the previous end of the work week did–but in my opinion, it was almost perfect!  Crisp air paired with hot sunshine…pretty much a dream!  And finally the garden shops are filling up with colorful flowers–just in time for May Day!  I know I got started a tad early last week reminiscing about this fun, and sadly, sometimes forgotten holiday…but if you want to deliver a sweet basket of blooms to someone special–you’ve got this week to get ready!  This Sunday is May Day…and as I promised last week, I’d like to share another really easy way to create a basket full of springtime joy!  So take note and see how simple garden supplies can transform into a smile-maker!

get ready to welcome May!

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Create, Garden

April Showers Bring…

April 20
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Can you believe that it’s approaching the end of April already!?  We’ve had such a roller coaster ride with the temperatures that it really makes me feel like I don’t even know what season it is from day to day!  But the reality is that spring has sprung and May is on its way!  One of my favorite memories as a child is making May baskets with my mom and secretly delivering them to the front doors of neighbors and friends as a springtime surprise.  I love this tradition and still TRY to keep it each year!  Even though it may not always be in a basket or delivered as a ring-and-ditch, doorstep surprise…each year I choose a different friend and offer up a tiny bunch of posies to celebrate spring!  I’ve discovered that delivering May Day baskets is a tradition that is unfamiliar to some.   I grew up thinking it was as much a holiday as Valentine’s Day…and if you’ve never celebrated it before I guarantee that it’s as much fun to deliver as it is to receive!  Last year the May Day elves left me a darling gift hanging sweetly on my doorknob…and though I figured out the identity of the lovely girls who left it…part of the fun can be the wonder!  However, today I’d like to share a fun and easy way to offer up some springtime blooms that you can deliver by hand.  I decided to share this a tad early so you can be prepared for the fun…May flowers will be sure to brighten someone’s day!  See how easy it is to spread the love…

deliver a May Day bouquet!

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Garden

Sprout!

April 15
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Even though we’ve had the weirdest weather recently, preparations for spring and summer must move forward!  We were teased with summer-like temperatures early on only to have spirits crushed by freezing winds and even snow!  But the reality is that spring and summer will eventually get here and I need to be ready to plant my garden when they do!  Each year my family decides what veggies we’re going to plant in our tiny garden…and though we now stick to mostly planting our favorites, we always try one new addition!  But this year we’re trying something we’ve never done before when it comes to planting…we’re starting most of our garden from seed!  So when we got home from our trip to DC I literally froze my fingers off at the potting table trying to get this garden started!  No matter the cold temps, working with dirt is a messy job so it HAD to be done outdoors!  But the wonderful thing was knowing that these tiny seeds would soon be a reminder of what’s to come…sprouts mean springtime!  And while we wait until they’re big enough to plant in the ground we had some fun with another whimsical project involving seeds…

it’s time to start planting!

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