#6 Tackling the Jungle

Spring Break is over today and I got most of the things done on my list.

#6 has been eluding me because I developed bursitis and the doctor ordered me to take it easy.

What exactly does "taking it easy" mean?

I knew it meant no gardening.

My body agreed with the doctor and refused to let me garden.

But, Victor came to the rescue.

Victor is our neighbor's gardener and he agreed to come to our house yesterday.

He worked for HOURS tackling the jungle.

He trimmed the ivy and hibiscus, weeded and cleaned up the cobblestones.

I am embarrassed to show the before picture of this section of the garden.

In my defense, I teach middle school and coach volleyball so I don't get home until after dark from October through March.

I had a few plants on hand, but there won't be anymore planting until next weekend.

I wanted some color in the garden so this morning I grabbed the WELCOME sign that has been calling out for a makeover and painted it.

I love Annie Sloan Chalk Paint because the whole sign took only a couple of hours to paint, stencil, distress and put in the garden.

#6 was completed after all.

There is still so much to do, but the garden is looking pretty good.

And, if I wasn't back at school tomorrow, I could follow the doctor's orders and take it easy in one of those blue chairs.

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Makin' A List...Checkin' It Twice

I never saw the entire movie, Field of Dreams, but I like the philosophy - If you build it, they will come.

My philosophy on lists is sort of like that - If I put it in writing, I will do it.

 I am a "LIST MAKER".

Lists of books I want to read
Lists of places I want to go
List of daily "to dos"
Lists of projects I want to complete

We had plans to go skiing in Utah for the Presidents' Weekend, but with Steve's surgery a ski trip was out the window.

I have a four day weekend, but we are lying low - no plans to go anywhere.

So, I made a list.

A do-able list.



Buy flowers
Weed the garden
Plant flowers
Change the mantel
Make white placemats
Make a book for Mary Alice of Chateau Chic
Paint a pillow for Nicole of My Garden Diaries
Paint the watering can
Paint #3 weight
Put away the Valentine decorations
Find fabric in the attic for placemats
Start the laundry area redo
Organize linens
Find a place for unused vases, pitchers, plates, etc.
Redo the dining room shelf
Make a new cushion for the garden bench

On Friday, I took care of organizing the linens, finding a place for the vases and pitchers, and planting a few of the flowers in  the front yard.

First up today was to change the mantel from its Valentine theme.

Center stage on the mantel is always one of Steve's paintings.

This painting is particularly special - JP, KC and me walking on the beach at Hanalei Bay at Christmas.

Steve has had several inquiries about purchasing the painting, but he has said no each time.

The objects on the  mantel were inspired by all the lovely "white" rooms I see.

I gathered up all the white pitchers I could find and set them across the mantel.

A friend dropped off some flowers for Steve so I added the greenery to the end pitchers.

I was going to just use pitchers, but I love my cast iron hand with the heart.

I like that the mantel is simple and fresh.

I might add flowers to the pitchers, but the greenery seems easiest to maintain.

With the mantel finished, I moved onto painting.

I bought the large #7 weight last summer in Laguna Beach and paid too much money for it, but I loved it.

I was surprised to find the small #3 and the large #9 weights the other day at TJ Maxx - cheap, really cheap.

 I already had a green weight, but I figured I could paint one of them a different color.

First I painted the #3 weight red, but it turned out a yucky brown.

I like it in yellow.

And, I went with yellow again painting my old watering can.

I have had the watering can for 37 years - it was my grandmother's - and always wanted to paint it.

I saw one on Pinterest that was painted yellow.

I sanded it a bit, but I look forward to the weather giving it a lovely chippy patina.

The majority of my day was spent weeding.

Cold winter weather, the sun setting before I get home from work, rain...all of those contributed to the condition of my garden.

It was so bad, that I just couldn't bring myself to take a picture.

5 large tubs of weeds were dumped in the barrel before I actually got to plant any flowers in the back yard.

Even after planting a few flowers yesterday and three hours in the garden today, I am not finished planting.

And, I am definitely not finished weeding, but our garden is much improved.

When I started weeding, I couldn't even see the white wall below the window because the weeds were covering it.

After two days of weather in the 80s, tomorrow is not supposed to be as warm.

But,  I have to finish the planting.

I know I won't complete the weeding because I need to finish up the custom book for Mary Alice that she won in my Grow Your Blog Giveaway.

I have painted the pillow for Nicole that she won in my GYB Giveaway, but I have to sew it.

16 items on the list:

6 totally complete
4 in progress
2 more to be completed before I go to bed

First I put it in writing and then I check things off.

Now it is up to the attic to put away the Valentine decorations and hunt for white fabric for the placemats.

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Funky Junk Interiors

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Redoux

My Romantic Home

The Shabby Nest

The Gingerbread Blog

Common Ground