An Unplanned Project

Last week we had a big messy tree cut down.

We had no idea that cutting down the tree would lead to such a big project and a fun change.

June 16 our tree man took down the big tree, but we asked him to leave the schefflera tree.

The schefflera tree (I planted a little 3" plant 20 years ago) didn't look so good without the big tree so on January 17 Steve borrowed a chain saw and took it down himself.

Once I saw that space with just soil, I remembered photos I had saved, but never really dreamed of doing anything like them at our house.

June 18 I laid out a border and planted a few flowers.

The next few days we were busy digging up rocks and tossing them into the fire pit, weeding the area and laying down weed fabric before we spread  9 bags of pea gravel.

On June 22, 7 days after the tree came down, we were finished laying 12 more bags of pea gravel and I set out chairs, but there was just too much blue.

I have always liked vintage chairs like this one I found on the side of the road (it finally fell apart), but a favorite shop downtown, B on Main, sells reproduction versions.

I called the shop and they brought the chairs out the back door to me - surprisingly, I passed on a red chair and chose yellow and aqua.

 Monday afternoon, this little corner of the garden was ready for me to "decorate".

The bicycle got a basket of lavender, the frame was brought down from the attic and I made a wire heart with air plants, but it blends in with the fence.

I want to find a different table, but this will do for now.

While we were working, we kept saying, "we're too old to be doing this", but we are proud of ourselves for tackling the project on our own.

The pea gravel section is 10' x 12' and that's prime real estate in our limited amount of space.

After the messy tree, we can't get over how clean the area stays.

For now there are petunias sitting in the fire pit, but with no tree hanging over the pit, we will be out there many nights enjoying a fire.

The jungle was colorful, but we are so happy to have another nice place to sit in the garden.

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I've joined the party at Shabby Art Boutique

Stars and Stripes

It's the time of the year when I break out all my red, white and blue

and it's that time of the month when Cindy of County Road 407

 chooses a photo for a Pinterest Challenge.

Last year our patriotic Pinterest Challenge was for a porch so it was fun to decorate the living room this year.

 Cindy chose a pic from one of my favorite designers, the fabulous Liz Marie Galvan. 

The focus of the challenge is the tray on the coffee table, but my coffee table is narrow so you won't see a tray on it.

I like using what I have in new ways and nothing was purchased for this challenge.

 The sailboat is from Caron's Beach House and the flag blanket was a gift from my daughter - she knows what I like!

 The blue and white pillows are made from kitchen towels I bought years ago -

they were too heavy for drying dishes, but I knew they would be perfect for pillows.

The pillow in the center, made from a vintage flag, is from Penny and Ivy - a sweet friend gave it to me because she knew it fit my style.

The coffee table got a patriotic look with a wooden soldier I have had since the 80's, a little red wagon from Save On Crafts and a tiny patriotic puzzle.

Asparagus fern from the garden, red, white & blue books and old patriotic paraphernalia create a fun look on the coffee table.



The old shopping cart, filled with colorful balls, is always in the corner, but I added a faux arrangement of red, white and blue flowers.

I had fun with this challenge and now that the living room is decorated in the patriotic colors,

I can just hang out on the beach all summer.

Be sure to visit all the other bloggers to see their adaptation of the inspiration photo.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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Hickory dickory dock

. . . the mouse ran up the clock.

It was time for an update in the guest room even though there have been no guests for months.

Mainly I was ready for a different quote on the typewriter.

 I have lots of clock faces and mice so I decided to use them together.

Rather than a quote, I printed out some images of vintage post cards for the typewriter and added dried flowers.

The mouse door stop was a gift from my daughter, the pocket watch was found at a Paris flea market  and sadly the clock face sits in back because I broke a favorite clock while gathering items for the vignette.

I do like decorating with quotes so I wrote one on a little clipboard.

I googled quotes about time and saw one where a clock face made the O and knew that had to be my choice.

I know all the clocks and mice are a bit silly, but I like silly.

With a goose and a horse thrown in for good measure, I really should call this the animal room.

The guest room is all decorated, but we will be having guests in a few weeks

and I will have to remove a lot of stuff around the house.

My tchotchkes and creatures will be too tempting for these little boys.

Maintaining My Sanity

On March 25, I posted the pic on the left in my Instagram stories feeling like the world had turned upside down.

And now I'm not even sure which way is up.

I'm maintaining my sanity by being creative.

Yesterday I made a tote bag from a remnant of fabric- while I quietly worked, I got my thoughts in order.

Walking on the beach soothes my soul

as does looking for heart rocks.

I start each morning walking around the garden 

to see what has popped up.

I spotted these flowers sticking out of the school yard fence and snapped off a few.

Arranging flowers quiets my busy brain.

I'm making sense of what's happening by reading White Fragility

and feeling positive that we will see change, for the better, in our country.