What's Growing... Enchanting Succulents

Succulents in a Vintage Wooden Box

How I love this time of year! Creating garden pots, finding new flowers to plant and seeing the gardens come to life again! I am definitely in my element.

Lately, my obsession is succulents! They lend themselves to all sorts of interesting containers.

How charming to plant a succulent in a vintage wooden spool! I LOVE it!

Or a antique marmalade jar!

This darling succulent is in an old silver bowl, with a painted stone ... dream!

Vintage milk carrier from the 1960's with glass milk bottle and succulents.

The sky is the limit creating your miniature succulent garden.  Simply add a layer of tiny stones, found at the dollar store or an aquarium supply center. Next add a layer of potting soil, the succulents and I added moss around the plants.

Water and fertilize once a week during the spring to fall. They like sunlight but prefer not to be out in direct sun outside, perhaps a covered porch.

Hope you enjoyed my little sweeties! xo

Memorial Day Thanks

Today was a lovely day and I took advantage of the nice weather to take a bike ride. Pedaling along, I passed a property decked out in American flags, it was a wonderful show of patriotism on Memorial Day.

I salute the brave men and women who have served and are serving America for our freedom. Heartfelt wishes to the families of those who have lost loved ones serving our country.

My thoughts also were of a recent trip to the war memorials in Washington DC. At the World War II memorial several veterans were in attendance in wheelchairs and many people approached them to offer thanks. It moved me to tears.

There will never be enough words to show appreciation... and I offer my thanks and gratitude.

What's Blooming: Lily of the Valley

I love the flowers of May so much! Three decades ago as a newlywed, my backyard had a massive patch of Lily of the Valley eventually obliterated for the swimming pool.

But good news! Today as I was poking in the garden, there was a little patch of these fragrant beauties!  Hooray!! I love them ... the darling little bell shapes, the heady aroma, they are just so sweet.

In France they are called Muguets des bois, doesn't that sound romantic? Along with the tradition of giving Lily of the Valley as tokens of love, the Victorian meaning in the language of flowers was "You make my life complete"

If you celebrate your birthday in May, the Lily of the Valley is your special birth-month flower!

The Lily of the Valley is an enchanting flower and I am enjoying the splendiferous perfume of my lovely bouquet.

In jewelry the Fleur de lys is a stylized Lily and it's no wonder I love those too!

Happy May, Happy Spring and Happy Birthday May babies! xo

Visit my Etsy shop to view this lovely bracelet:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/226378223/vintage-fleur-de-lys-ornate-charm-800?ref=shop_home_active_1&ga_search_query=lily

My salvage garden projects

Garden Decor

So I've been busy as a bee... the weather is awesome and it is time to get the gardens in shape.

Part of gardening for me includes the fun decorations augmenting the flowers.

A while back I "picked" some old green shabby screens with lots of character, much to the chagrin of my family.  This week, I had a burst of inspiration. With new screening in place, I painted the happy wildflowers. Design is three dimensional with screen flower petals and glass beaded centers.

Project #2 is the salvaged FLOWER sign. I raided the scrap bins in the basement!  Great fun being creative with the lettering, however, this project required help from my beau ...I really need to learn how to use a screwdriver! 

I love summertime and of course... F L O W E R S! 

xo

It's all about the lace...

This big glass jar is in my craft room, stuffed to the brim with all kinds of vintage lace! Pretty much daily, the vintage lace in the jar spills out as I search for the perfect pieces to decorate cards, boxes, clothing, and the repurposing project of the moment...

To say I LOVE lace is an understatement! Tatted, crocheted, embroidered, applique, bobbin, machine lace... Ohhhh my! Every table, shelf and surface in my house is embellished with a lace doily or some kind of vintage lace embellishment.

When out treasure hunting, at an estate sale or antique mall, a bag of lace always finds it's way home to co-mingle with the lace in the glass jar!

Of late, I have been having fun embellishing vintage bottles with lace, vintage ribbons and tidbits from my collections! I am in my happy place creating and here are some of my projects...

Green Vintage Bottle with Vintage Lace, Ribbon and Old Green Bauble

Vintage Violet Bottle with Vintage Lace, Ribbons, China Stopper Filled with French Lavender

Altered Glass Bottle with Vintage Lace, Millinery Flower, Blue Bauble and Candle Wax Dripping

Repurposed Vintage Lace Bottle with Ribbon and Trinkets.. a Gift for my Friend.