Bucket Brigade

It has been over a month since I posted so I am happy to be joining a fun group of bloggers for the April Pinterest Challenge.

Thanks Cindy of County Road 407 for hosting the Pinterest Challenge.

The inspiration photo is from Cottage at the Crossroads.

I've got a bench and lots of buckets and I knew this would be a really fun challenge.

As I gathered buckets, I was a bit surprised to see how many I have - this isn't all of them.

I cleaned off the garden bench we paid $1 for years ago - definitely not for sitting.

I usually go for reds and yellows, but this visit to the nursery was "take what you can get".

I made the mistake of taking a break and reading on the chaise - nothing else got done that day.

The next morning I began hanging buckets on the bench, but I wanted the foxglove to be the tallest plant.

I scattered buckets around the bench and filled them with plants.

My focus is more on buckets than topsy turvy, but this definition is fitting.

 I was given the idea for doing something and created something my own.

I kept the bucket theme going on the porch.

I have a lovely view from the window seat, 

but this view of my garden from the living room windows is my favorite.

You've seen my take on the pic from Cottages at the Crossroads - I hope you check out all the other posts.

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Do it already!

In my early days of being on Pinterest, I came across this quote.

via

I decided then and there, that I would actually follow through on ideas that I had pinned.

Recently, I created a board on Pinterest titled, "Do It Already!" and I have been trying to do one or two of the projects each week.

Yesterday's project was to alter this chalkboard 

to look like this sign I pinned from  Town and Country Living last Christmas.

A couple of years ago, I painted a mirror with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and turned it into a sign.

For the last year, the BEACH sign sat in the garage until I turned it into a chalkboard for Aylin and Joshua's wedding.

One week after the wedding, the chalkboard went nautical for a baby shower.

Getting the right shade of green was the most difficult part because the green chalkboard paint I found online turned out to be a mint green.

Writing on this chalkboard was easier than the others because I gave myself lines.

I didn't want to copy Jennifer of Town and Country Living completely so I separated my upper and lower case setters and added numbers.

The chalkboard will be used at Christmas, but I wanted to show my sister who arrives for a visit today.

Flash cards dress up the chalkboard and a box of quotes seemed appropriate for the vignette.

I need to finish creating one quote card for each letter of the alphabet.

But first, we have to finish redecorating the kitchen which is inspired by this kitchen on my "Do It Already!" board.

Pinned from

The shelves are hung, but both the walls and the shelves need a fresh coat of white paint.

The pendant lights arrived yesterday - now we have to wait for the electrician to rewire the ceiling.

After my sister's visit, our pantry door will get a facelift of a full chalkboard.

Pinned from

Steve has to okay every change I have make in his kitchen and he likes the idea of a chalkboard to write his grocery and To Do list on.

We are off to San Francisco next week to visit our daughter and one more item on my "Do It Already!" board will be completed because we have reservations at Chez Panisse and we are all excited to finally eat there.

So, I am curious about my blogging friends - are you on Pinterest and do you do anything with what you have pinned?

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a little garden house

For a long time, this little corner of my garden has gone unchanged.

But, because I finally spoke a dream out loud, this spot has been transformed.

I have been pinning cottages to my Pinterest board, "garden houses", for ages.

Last summer when I saw my friend Lisa's garden cottage (I wrote about it here) I began dreaming.

So, when Steve asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I sent him this photo - I can't locate the source because Pinterest has blocked the link since I originally pinned it.

That same day, Steve sent me an email (with a photo of this door) telling me that the wheels were in motion for my little garden house.

Even though I watched our dear friend Manny and his helper building the little house,

as did Lulu,

I still can't believe it is a reality.

The door was a donation from our good friend Mark.

The sides of the house are 8 foot tall windows that someone was throwing out (still in the box), but Manny grabbed them - they sell for $1000 each and we paid nothing!

There is still a lot of work to be done and I am being patient.

The house was primed yesterday, but our painter was called away for an emergency and won't be back until next week.

The original plan for this little 4" x 6" structure was for storing all my decorating tchotchkes, but there is actually room for a table and chair.

There is so much work to do - the entire garden area is a jumbled mess,

but I finally have my own little "garden house"

and my Pinterest boards for inspiration.