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.

!-- start InLinkz code -->

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Fall in my "neck of the woods"

I have been discontent, but I couldn't put my finger on the problem.

Last night while looking at all the fall decor on blogs, it hit me -I don't like the fall display on my porch.

The reason is that fall on our part of the coast is not like the fall I am seeing on blogs.

This is fall at the end of my street - not an orange or red leaf to be seen.

You can tell it is fall because the beach is empty.

I realized that I was trying to decorate like everyone else, but this morning the yellow bench was stripped bare.

The buoys always hang on the house, but I gathered wooden balls and shells to represent a coastal fall.

Some weights and shells were added to the bench and I stole buckets from the guest room.

This photo I saw on Coastal Nest this morning led to the final addition to the bench.

I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Greek Blue and Emperor's Silk on some white scrap fabric to create a banner for the bench.

I have nothing against fall, in fact I loved every single gorgeous day in September, October and now November.

But, fall for me is the Dutch door standing wide open

beachy items on the porch and

a variety of blues as far as the eye can see.

I am now content with a porch which reflects our lifestyle and our "neck of the woods"

 . . . . . . . .

I am joining these fun parties

No Minimalist Here -  Open House Party

From My Front Porch To Yours - Treasure Hunt Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson - Share Your Cup

A Delightsome Life - Home and Garden Thursday

Rose Chintz Cottage - Home

Ivy and Elephants - What's It Wednesday

4 Down, 26 To Go

Day 2 of retirement - weekends don't count - and I think I am getting the hang of it.

The laundry is all caught up, the house is clean and the garden is looking good.

My plan of attack - clean out 1 cupboard each day.

I don't grocery shop or cook and I'm not going to start now even if I am retired - one of the many advantages of marriage to a gourmet cook.

We went for an 4 mile beach walk and were on the water for our first paddle in the kayaks since Steve's surgery - major sunburn.

The rest of the day was spent on my 30 Days of Pinterest project.

The bicycle rim from Save-On Crafts provides a backdrop for my hearts and hands - the simple quote unites the two collections.

The bicycle rim is undecorated on the website so mine is definitely an improvement.

Sunday's project was easy - how hard is it to slap some paint on a bucket?

I have so many "retirement" bouquets to put in my bucket (more were delivered today) and seeing the buckets side by side showed me that I should have put more flowers in my arrangement.

This little project was free and easy because I already had the Ballard Designs tags and Ikea baskets.

The only difference is the color of my baskets.

The BEACH sign is another freebie.

The wood for the sign came from the blue box.  

When I painted it blue, I removed the rectangular lid and asked the shop teacher at school to make it more interesting by adding the curved top.

The Jane Coslick 99 Steps to the Beach sign is larger than mine and I am thinking I might need to find some fencing to add to this area in the front yard.

I wanted to paint 186 steps to the beach (I counted them yesterday), but my piece of wood is just too small.

I had to settle for BEACH.

One of my gifts at the party Saturday night was a $50 Michael's gift card.

I went out today to buy supplies for making felt hearts, crocheting bags and stenciling a tablecloth.

$50 sure doesn't go far these days!

I can't decide which of the projects to start next, but I have to get going if I want to keep making progress on the list.

4 down, 26 to go.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Join me at these fun parties

Lavender Garden Cottage - Cottage Style Party

Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays

Green Willow Pond - What We Accomplished Wednesday