Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Picking Lilacs and Hanging Vintage Saucers

This is such a wonderful time of year. I always say that I love every season...but there is something to be said about Spring. Almost every day brings a new gift from the garden.


I just love bringing Lilacs in the house. They smell so wonderful and look so pretty too.


I only wish I had a whole field of them!

I have been spending the last week working on sprucing things up outside so that I can enjoy my outside areas even more. I have been working on the inside a bit too.

I always find saucers at Goodwill for .99 cents and sometimes they are so pretty I cannot resist them. I finally decided what to do with them.


I put them above my kitchen sink--in a floating formation.

My husband cut some wooden blocks for me in different heights which I glued onto the back of the plates. I used the Velcro picture hanging Command strips to attach the plates to the wall. I am happy with how it looks--now I want more!
 

 


My last post it was raining so hard the yard was flooding. Tomorrow it is suppose to be 85 degrees. That is Oregon for you--never quite sure what next week brings!

I just can't get enough of the Wisteria...


Sitting on my back patio I love to listen to music and just soak in all the beautiful blooms.


Have a wonderful day!

 
 Thanks for visiting!

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Spring Garden in Oregon

I love living in Oregon. The weather is just perfect here for growing so many things.


We do have our sunny days but we have many rainy Spring days. To me rain equals green...and I like green.

I went outside today...with a raincoat and umbrella...to take some pictures of how the gardens are doing. Fez seemed quite worried about me as he stared out the window at me. I think he was quite sure I had lost my mind going out in the rain.


The Wisteria is the star of the shows these days at our house.



I am amazed and delighted by how many blooms it has this year.

Other things are just getting ready to be the next star of the garden...

My climbing Eden rosebush looks like it is going to be awesome this year and the buds are making me excited for roses in the house!

 Remembering my beautiful Eden roses from last year...



Our Lilac bush in the back is once again not doing so well. A lot of dead branches and not as many blooms as I would like. I am guessing the bush is as old as the house--something like 30 years old. Anyone have any suggestions for bringing new life to an old Lilac bush? I know it is not liking all the rain we have been having recently.  The blossoms are so gorgeous--I don't want to lose it.



The Lilac bush in the front is having an okay year but not as many blooms as it usually has...the blooms on that one are a very deep purple.


It looks so pretty near my snowball tree which should be beautiful soon too.



The Peonies are all budded too--the burgandy should bloom any day and then comes my favorite...pink!
 
 
 My husband has been busy with some outdoor projects.

I love this Petunia tower he built me and I cannot wait for it to be covered in blooms.



He also built himslef a stepped strawberry planter and a new water feature.


I really enjoy water features because I love the sound of running water and also it brings the frogs! I love the sound of frogs when I sit on my back patio in the evening.


Jerry uses our old fence boards to build so many things!


All this rain is causing puddles behind my dry back patio.
 
 
Even with the rain--I so love spending time in the gardens.



To end this post I thought I would share this sweet angel I found at Goodwill.


I actually kind of like the finish she has...but I always think angels look more heavenly in white. She will be getting her makeover soon :)

Thanks for visiting!

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Wisteria and a Lovely Easter Weekend

The Wisteria is just starting to bloom...I love this time of year in the garden.


The blooms are still only about half bloomed but they look amazing already. Purple being one of my favorite colors I love Wisteria.

The below photo is taken out of our living room window. So pretty!


I have been so busy being the Easter Bunny this week. The Easter Bunny who sews.

Instead of a Easter basket I made this tote bag for Janae with all her fur babies on it.


I put candy in it too. She loved it.

I made Easter dresses for Chantel's guinea pigs and she posted this photo on Instagram.


They look so cute!

Chantel Babysat Jaxon on Saturday and as always it was so fun to have a 2 year old around the house!


His Mama has lost her hair now and my brother in law shaved his head too. Thank you to all praying for Kirsten.


Please continue your prayers. She has a hard battle going on right now but I have faith she is going to come through it.

The kids were happy with their Easter baskets...


Jerry and I were pretty happy Janae brought us Easter baskets too :)


We had our second annual dog Easter egg hunt. We put lunch meat into eggs and the dogs find them and eat the lunch meat.



A tradition that is fun for all of us!

I told the kids it looks like a pet faire or something at our house! As we were eating dinner outside I looked around to see all the dogs and the guinea pigs and Janae's bunnies hanging out in the backyard too.


Oh...and I can't forget to show the pretty deviled eggs Chantel made for dinner!


It was a lovely Easter weekend at our home...and I hope it was at yours as well!


Thanks for visiting!

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Experimenting with Chalk Paint

I have had the painting bug for many years. I love to paint things. I love how things look painted.

I found this frame at Goodwill for .99 cents. I always pick up frames like this--mostly to use on my Christmas tree but sometimes to sit around the house.


I wanted to do a 2 tone look and it didn't come out exactly like I wanted it too. But I still like it and I am looking for advice on the next one.

First I painted it in Provence.


Then I painted it in Old white (24 hours later). Then the day after that I oh so lightly sanded it with a fine grit sanding block.



The blue didn't show thru as much as I wanted it too and so I cheated and dry brushed a little blue on. I like it but I wish there was more blue.


I am thinking I should have waxed over the blue areas I was going to sand before painting the white. Anybody know? Maybe the dry brushing is the way to do it.

It is still pretty though. I do so need a new picture of my kids all together. Sorry kids--I know it is torture but we need a new picture.

I found something else at Goodwill that I love--


This has knots and things that make me think it is handmade. I just love it I think it is so pretty...and only $2.99!


Then my new desk--so excited about it. I think the guy at Goodwill thought I had lost it though. I sometimes feel like I need to explain myself to the workers. Wyatt and I saw this desk in the morning and I thought about it all day and then went back that afternoon and got it. Thank goodness it was still there. I hate when I have "didn't buy it" regrets. This is going to be my next Annie Sloan Chalk Paint project. 


Like I told the guy at Goodwill..it will be beautiful when I am done! I already had the chair--been in my garage for years and it is perfect with it I think. The desk is super heavy and well built. My husband thinks it is really old.


My husband is in the process of fixing the broken piece on one of the drawers. The desk was only $9.99. I have great plans for it!

To end this post a little public service announcement...

I am a huge fan of Oxyclean and they now have a new detergent additive and laundry soap. I had coupons and go them and I was so impressed! Just thought I would share.


Thanks for visiting!