Container Gardening Inspiration

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While the weather can’t seem to make up its mind here, I am starting to think about how I want to add some flowers into our landscape this year.  I have two urns {one by our garage door and one by the front door} that I like to change up each year.

Our first year here I used a fern.

I’ve been pinning some inspiration and my daughter has been sending me pins of some that she comes across, too.  So far, these are my favorites.  This one below is in a window box, but could easily be adapted to a container.

I usually use colored and interesting foliage over flowers to keep bees and wasps away from the doors.  This way there is less of a chance of them making their way into the house.  I’m finding it hard to resist this one with hydrangeas though.

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I usually try to use something full, something trailing and something tall.  Geraniums might be a good flower to use; I love them in pink.

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I hadn’t thought of using ornamental grass in a container, but I like it as the “something tall” for a different look.

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I do love a full look though and I did get that with coleus.

I love using Potato Vine and/or Creeping Jenny as my trailing plants.

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I can’t wait to start planting!

Don’t forget to enter the Giveaway for a $50.00 Lowe’s gift card here! Giveaway ends April 5, 2014.

American Dream Builders & A Giveaway

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Have you heard about the new show being hosted by Nate Berkus ~ American Dream Builders?   Love Nate and am really looking forward to seeing this show.  You can even Live Tweet with Nate and the other judges and contestants on the show.

 Hosted by famed interior designer and best-selling author, Nate Berkus, AMERICAN DREAM BUILDERS follows the nation’s top 12 designers and home builders as they compete to be crowned the Ultimate Dream Builder and take home a $250,000 cash prize. It’s the home competition that will change everything!

You can get a first look at the show on Youtube.

You can enter for a chance to win $100,000 in products and services from Lowe’s and a consultation with the winner of American Dream Builders!

Enter for a chance to win your dream renovation at www.nbc.com/lowes. 

You also have a chance to win a $50.00 giftcard from Lowes right here!

To enter this giveaway:

• Leave a comment telling me something you would put in your dream home ~ big or small!

You do not need to have a blog to enter, but must leave me an email address if you don’t so I can contact you.  Winner must confirm, via email, upon notification within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway ends on April 5, 2014, at 12 midnight EST.

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED. 

Each household is only eligible to win One (1) $50 Lowe's Gift Card via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

I have not been compensated for this post.

 

Spring & Easter Around The House

If I wait for the weather to dictate when I put out Spring and Easter décor this year it could be August!   I pulled everything out this past weekend and here is some of the décor around the house to shove nudge Spring along.

I didn’t buy anything new this year because we are budgeting as we look to the retirement years.

On our hall tree in our entryway I placed a nest on a candlestick, some faux lilacs and a child’s Spring bonnet.

My Fitz & Floyd sugar bowl and creamer that I try to find a spot for every year.

This bunny I made many years ago.  I’m surprised it’s held up this long!

The tote on the coffee table in the living room is the same as I did last year.

Except for the glittered eggs, which I won through a giveaway by Heidi Devlin.

I added this lady bunny to our sunroom.  She was a clearance find from last year.

These two bunny pieces I have out all year long {as I do most of my bunnies} on the bookshelves in our sunroom.  They keep company with all my decorating books.

Also in the sunroom, I filled this mini bird cage with some eggs.  My 3 1/2-year-old granddaughter will be playing with this while it is out!

Simple additions in the dining area.

Along with a simple faux floral arrangement for the table.

One of my favorite areas in our home.  Because of the open floor plan you can see it from most of the rooms in our condo.

Finally, on the kitchen counter.  This is pretty much the only addition as I have three chef bunnies that are out all year round in the kitchen.

These bunnies are actually salt and pepper shakers, another Fitz & Floyd set, that work well for this particular purpose.   That’s it until we get a little closer to Easter, when I will pick up some daffodils and/or tulips to add in.  I will probably use them on the dining table in place of the faux arrangement that is currently there. 

Hopefully, this will give Mother Nature the hint that Winter is over! 

 

Quick Wood Tote Update

In keeping with the series I seem to have going recently, this wood tote was also something I had brought to the booth that has been sitting there.  I bought this at a garage sale and, with these wood totes being so popular on blogs, I thought it would go quickly.  I bought it exactly as you see it below.

This one is pretty big ~ it is 30 inches long by 13 inches high.  I brought it to my booth just like this figuring someone might want to add their own touch to it, whether with a stencil, some hand painting, or some vinyl wording.  And that’s what I’m going to do to give it a little more attention.

I decided to go with a Paris and crown stencil I already had.  Just a quick and simple update.  I have a feeling this might not sell and might be coming home with me, so I went with something that I like.

This tote would be great on a long rectangular dining or kitchen table, especially one with some farmhouse flair.  It would look wonderful holding some hydrangeas, a row of candles in mason jars, or some green plants.

For pictures {and to figure out how I might use it} I put it on my living room coffee table with some faux hydrangeas. 

I only had three bunches of the faux hydrangeas on hand, so one end is looking a bit bare.

I’ll give it a coat of clear wax just to buff it up a bit. I’m going to price it at $30.00.  What do you think?  Would it be such a bad thing if it winds up coming home with me?

Linking up with:

Swing Into Spring at DIY by Design

Treasure Hunt Thurs. at From My Front Porch To Yours

Be Inspired at Common Ground 

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Small Table Update

Here is a cute little table that I picked up at a thrift store.  It was in good shape and was neutral in color. I brought it to my booth back when I first rented the space and, while it has come in handy for display space, it hasn’t sold. 

It had some nice little details to it.

I wanted to have some fun with this little table’s makeover so I decided to do both black and white.  I painted most of the base black and did the top white.  I added some white in certain areas on the base.

I used CeCe Caldwell’s Vintage White and Beckley Coal.  If I was any good at free hand painting, I could have had a good time enhancing some of the detailing here.

I chose this image from The Graphics Fairy to put on the top of the table. 

I used the Mod Podge reverse transfer method.  Sanded it a little bit in spots and applied a clear wax.

A totally new look to this little table!  Back to the booth it goes and, hopefully, home with someone!

Linking up with:

Make It Pretty Monday at The Decorated House

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

 

Enjoy Life

A good motto to live by ~ Enjoy Life.  This is what I finally decided to put on the wood piece I picked up at Goodwill {for $3.99} a few weeks ago.  Here is the before.

I scoured Pinterest, blogs and Etsy looking for some wording that hit me as something I would like to see above our front door, which is where I want to hang this sign.  I randomly came across this vinyl while searching.

Ordering a vinyl was the easy way to make this sign, although it took so long to get I had come up with an alternative that would have involved transferring and painting lettering onto the sign.  The lettering finally came before I started the less simple way so I did wind up using it. I ordered the lettering in white because I painted the board black.

I thought it would stand out better and go with the black that is in the gallery lay-out on the adjacent wall.

So, there it is.  A simple reminder to Enjoy Life.

Linking up with

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Treasure Hunt Thurs. at From My Front Porch To Yours

Be Inspired at Common Ground

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage