The Birds Are Back!

Spray paint!
Oh, how I've missed you!
The weather has turned a corner, and I've been a spray painting fool!
Here is a super quick project that I got accomplished this week.

I spray painted some chipped (damaged) birds that I got at GW a bright, cheery shade of aqua.
...spray painted a nasty GOLD (ugh) candlestick that I got at GW

What to use as a nest???
You all know I'm a curb picker... a few years ago, I grabbed two hanging baskets off the curb.  I removed the chains, added white twinkle lights and threw them out in my garden. 

I thought these would be perfect, so
I removed the lights, layered one with leftover burlap.
Added Spanish moss.
The birds flew in.
Closed the two baskets with garbage ties.
...yes, garbage ties.

It is sitting next to our back entry.
Love the pop of color!

A quick easy project.
...okay, really I just wanted to show you that I was FINALLY able to spray paint again!
Happy Spring!

Excuse the mess on the porch.  It hasn't been warm enough to power wash yet!
...just wait--- the word from my secret source (the weatherman) indicates we might reach 70 degrees this week.
Oh, happy day!

Thanks to all of you that have joined my Facebook site for my event planning company!
Pink Cricket Events!  As soon as I hit 100 fans, I'm going to have a giveaway over there on the FB site!

Linking up with Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for SNS!
and with Susan at BNOTP for Met Monday!
Also at Cindy at Cottage Instincts for her fabulous Make It For Monday party!
And with Kimba at A Soft Place To Land for DIY Day!
~Amy

Supermarket Chic!

Hubs used to buy me flowers in the beginning of our relationship.
...then we went almost 2 years without flowers.
Hmmm...

He overheard me telling a girlfriend that I don't waste money on flowers...
because I cut them out of my gardens.
...IN THE SUMMER!
Hubs got it, and now comes home frequently with little bouquets from the supermarket.

Now, I have nothing against big, formal arrangements.
I love them.
I do.
However, I love to have fresh flowers all over my house.
Most spaces in my very informal house would look a little strange with elaborate arrangements.

When I got home from the tax office today...
there were two, sweet little supermarket bouquets waiting for me!
Thanks Hubs.

I love to arrange them in glass vessels...
but sometimes...
I like to use things out of the ordinary.

In my pretend life, when I'm not being a RockStar...
I own a flower shop.
... I wish!

What was the grocery store selling today?
Mini- carnations.
Oh STOP!
Quit being a flower snob!
Carnations last forever, and smell lovely.
So, knock it off.
Quit giving them a bad rap!

 I cut them, divided them...
...and I present...
Supermarket Chic (or cheesy)

Start with two $4.00 bouquets...

Add them to a glass dish with shells.
(This will go in the Master bedroom.)

I use baby food jars ALL the time!

A closer view of the flowers.

Sitting in Monkey's first pair of Chuck's.

...on top of the dryer.

Adds a smile to my face when doing such a dastardly chore!

(again in a baby food jar)

Found an old flour sifter at a garage sale.

Free box!

It normally sits outside and holds flowers in the summer.

Line the sifter with a zip-lock, add water and flowers!

This is now sitting in the bathroom.

Love the crusty, rusty against the silver and white!

Two little baskets that hang on a side of a cabinet in the kitchen.

25 cents for both baskets... oh, how they need spray paint!

Line the basket with a zip-lock bag, and add water and flowers!

Look what was harvested at the farm today!
This will go up to Monkey's room. 
Will he give a hoot if there are flowers in his room?
No.
But, I'll enjoy them!

And there you have it!

Do you ever buy flowers from the supermarket???

~Amy

Linking up with Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special.
Get your fannies over there and join in her 1000 Followers Extravaganza!

Also with Susan at Between Naps on The Porch for Met Monday. 
Fabulous projects over there!

And with Cheri at Its So Very Cheri for Its so  very creative party!

And Kimba at A Soft Place To Land for DIY Day!

Tree Hugger

I'm not a tree hugger.
But I do hug trees.
I love them.
I could ramble on and on about all the benefits from trees...
but you already know all of those things.


Why do I get so attached to trees?


Its the strangest thing.
My parents say it started when I was little.


I begged my dad to plant apple trees...
which he did, because he is a gardner and lover of trees and plants.
I also got a cherry tree.  She was a beauty. 
Unfortunately, she had a date with a lightning bolt.

My two apple trees.

This fall I'll share with you all of the wonderful items we bake!

Monkey with his Grandpa.

Standing in front of the tree that was planted when he was born.

We take a picture every year...

Can't wait to see how big Monkey and the tree are this summer!

I have two trees on my property that I am seriously attached too.

One, is an evergreen that sits outside of our large dining room window.

Two cardinals live in the tree all year round.

When Monkey was a baby, we sat his bassinet in front of the window...

I am telling you-- the cardinals would sit in the tree and look in on him.

Really.

The second tree I'm attached to lives in our backyard. 

She is huge.

And a great beauty.

I find comfort and peace when I look at her.

She provides shade for our whole yard...

...but she doesn't shade the garden.

How does she know that I don't want shade in the garden?

I have been watching this tree for the past 9 years...

...she has doubled in size....reaching way into the sky.

She is a home for bats (don't be afraid), several birds, and several squirrel families.

I need to stop going on about her...

I will take pictures of these two trees when the weather is nicer...

...and properly introduce you to the two ladies.

See how she doesn't shade the garden?

I've said good-bye to my fair share of trees, and I am always upset about having to do so.
We lost a tree on our property a year and a half ago when a little tornado ripped down our street.
All houses were spared.  Only trees were lost.  Isn't that amazing?
I was thankful for the houses being spared, but of course, sad about the trees.

My parents lost a tree yesterday in the ice storm. 
A beautiful tree in their front yard. 
A tree that was planted 13 years ago to replace another tree that didn't survive a storm.
(yes, we have real weather in Iowa) 


Their tree split right down the middle and them peeled off in 4 parts.
Monkey found out, and he cried. 
He was bound and determined that he, Daddy and his Grandpa could save it.
He got the glue and tape and his hammer out. 


Sweet boy.
I was so pleased...
... not that he was upset.  (Don't send me any hate mail)
But that he felt a deep connection with a tree and nature.

~Amy

PS - It is a day about trees.  On the children's tv show, "Big, Big World"  they discussed the importance of trees.
And the beautiful and hilarious, Annie at The House That Jade Built, discussed her new found love of trees today.  Go check it out!

Also, one of my dearest friends, Shannon, (since we were babies) is saving trees in Charlotte, NC.  If you're in the area, check this out. 
Wonder if our love of trees is from all the hours we spent climbing trees when we were little???

She Must Be Stopped

Oh, she is a beauty.
Mother Nature, that is...

(Taken in my backyard tonight)

But, she sure is wicked.

Somebody (probably a man) has really ticked her off.

I sure hope he apologizes soon...

~Amy

Have you done this?

Hello!!!
I’m back.


I’ve been sooooo busy.
Projects?
No.
Vacation?
No.


I’ve been busy with…
a box of Kleenex
a bottle of cough syrup
lots of water…
and my bed.


I had a nifty little summer cold that knocked me down for several days…
…but I’m back!


Today for Outdoor Wednesday I am going to show a few pics of gladiolas in my garden.
I think they are so beautiful, especially when bunched together.

The colors are always so bright.
Now, only if I could find all the glads in my gardens…
Oh, here’s a few...

...and I LOVE this pink one.
Where are all of my glads? I plant hundreds of them...
I space them out, and plant them every two weeks...
for constant blooms.



Where are they???????

WHAT is that growing out of the Pepsi crate?

Over there, under the bench...

do you see it?

It can't be...

It is...

Here are my glads...

don't they look lovely?

How in the heck did I NOT plant all of my glads?

How did I NOT notice they weren't growing in the gardens?

Please tell me I'm not the only one that has done this!?!?!

For more Outdoor Wednesday, head over to Susan's

blog, A Southern Daydreamer.

Thrifty Treasures...Seeing RED

A few thrifty treasures... Head over to Kimm's at http://reinventedkb.com/ to veiw other great posts for Thrifty Treasures!

And forgive me for not having any 'after' photos... its raining... laundry is piling up...

but, next week.... I promise... I will have some made over trash...

I had a great garage sale day on Friday... the weather was perfect, there were several sales... so Monkey and I got our change and headed out.

This first picture is of a cute RED headboard we got for $1.00

...this won't be its final resting place... but I stuck it here for now.

Then we came across this RED beauty... again for $1.00

...Monkey test drove it, deemed it to be a winner... and here it sits... stop looking at the weeds in the flower bed.... you know I've been on vacation... it just can't be helped.

Found this little pair of metal wall candle holders for .25

Super cute!

And I LOVE this little pot... complete with faux moss... 25 cents!

We came across another sale that had jeans for $1/pair... found 3 pairs of Levis for Hubby to wear to work. That man will get a rip or hole in his work jeans within the first 2 hours of wearing them..... ugh! I would show you a picture of the jeans, but they are hanging on the line... in the rain. Yes, in the rain.... oh, I didn't tell you that the dryer.... my beloved Harvest Gold Maytag dryer from '73, stopped working? I loved that dryer... and now I'm sure his partner (the washer) will be sad and decide to leave me too... I tell ya, all my friends have new fancy washers and dryers... and laundry centers....

not me..... I NEVER talked bad about my Harvest Gold babies... I never cheated on them and daydreamed of the new fancier versions. R.I.P to my Harvest Gold baby... yes, you are going to be replaced w/ a fancy... shiny... new... updated... computerized model.... but you won't be forgotton. And remember- you went on your terms. I stayed loyal to you.

Panicking all the way to Portland!

Happy 4th of July!

Old rusted motel chair that I spruced up a few years ago!

And our faithful lab that greats us at our gate when we come home!

Well, the sun is down, and our skies are lighting up! And we are once again missing all the fun, as we are traveling this holiday- for the 2nd year in a row! UGH! Not only do I have serious travel anxiety, but we are missing the great holiday of the summer! Monkey is already at G&G's for the week... and hubby is now walking around the house, lost w/o him! The dogs are going nuts because of the fireworks... and I'm hiding in here... typing away!

I'm trying to calm down and relax before heading to the airport. Flying is not the problem... the problem is being away from my home, my son... my comfort! I don't mind a few days... but anymore than 3 days away, I start to get a little panicky! It's not the pillow, or my bed... but the sounds, the feeling... the familiar faces that I miss when I'm away. Don't get me wrong- I love to go and do and see and explore.... just not for more than 3 days! LOL

Okay- hubby found me.... he is now giving me that look.... the look that means, we still have a few things to do... why are you blogging! ha ha.... I need to go find a few 'jobs' to keep him occupied for awhile!

Enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend... I'll be panicking all the way to Portland!

~Amy

Butterfly nets and my friend Georgia

I've had a day of 'nets'. Nets to catch frogs... and a stroll down memory lane- thinking about 5th grade when my class made butterfly nets and did a chapter on butterflies.

Man, was I into it! I even ordered a book about them from the local bookstore.

As much as I loved the chapter on butterflies... it didn't compare to the love my friend, Georgia, had for them.

And to this day....many years later- she still loves them, and has passed her love for them on to her daughter.

Georgia and the kids came over for an afternoon swim today and it was only fitting that these two little butterflies joined us!

Pretty!

Butterflies LOVE coneflowers.
I have them planted right outside of the office window...
I can sit and watch them all day!