Monday, May 17, 2010

CATCHING UP, A BIT OF RANDOMNESS AND A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!


Oh my! I had no intention of going a whole week without posting. But, as is usually the case, everything and nothing kept me from posting. I say "everything and nothing" because it was just that - being very busy and being very lazy.

Last week started out pretty busy with work, weeding and what-not. I also spent a good deal of time last week getting the house ready for Son No. 1's return home from college. I have to admit I can't imagine a 20 year old guy really cares how clean the house is when he comes home from school. And, if he really doesn't notice, at least the house is clean, right!?

Son No. 3's baseball schedule is taking up at least half the weeknights these days. And combining all that with stepping up my workouts
(getting in 5 days last week with a couple marathon
workouts eating up 2 hours each!)
. . . the days just flew by.

Also, I have to acknowledge my youngest little man's birthday today.

What a bad, bad mother!
This photo is the most recent of Owen. I almost couldn't believe it when I was searching for a pic of him for this post. Think I better get the camera out tonight!

Can't believe my baby is in the last of his tween years, turning 12 today. How did that happen? He celebrated Saturday night with a sleep over. If I could have just bottled the energy of eight, 12 year old boys running around outside until 10:00 p.m., I could live to be 150!

Tonight we'll have a quick (because there's baseball tonight) family dinner with his requested chicken parm and cupcakes for desert.

My Peonies are starting to bloom.

I've looked forward to their arrival all spring. They are my absolute favorite flower. I wish they bloomed longer. They have the most fantastic fragrance, and their soft petals feel like the most smooth silk ever. I love to literally bury my face in their blooms. I cut the first few blooms and brought them in. I wish you could smell them!

I have a trio of blooms in inexpensive Ikea vases right above the kitchen sink where I can enjoy their beauty and take in that fantastic fragrance while washing dishes.

Another multi-votive holder caddy thingy groups more individual blooms on the kitchen table.

A little project I finished up this week was these cute herb plant markers.

I purchased super-inexpensive wood shims from Lowes. Give them a quick, thin coat of spray paint.

Printed out the names of the herbs I have potted in a font I liked.

By rubbing pencil on the back of the paper, I can transfer the letters onto the shims.

Using a detail brush, paint the letters. Some of the shims have really rough surface, so that along with my lack of artistic ability and equally lacking penmanship, the results are a very primitive-looking marker.
Just what I want!

Give them a good spray of acrylic sealer, and they should be good to last the season.



I've been wanting to share these two books with you all. I've had these books for quite some time, and still love to grab them off the shelf for gardening inspiration from time-to-time.





The authors, James Cramer and Dean Johnson, were once contributing editors at Country Living magazine. After some Google research, I couldn't find any results on what they're up to these days, but their style stays timeless for me.

I've always preferred a casual, whimsical gardening style, and they have captured that feel in these two books. I went a little overboard with the photos of pages out of the books, but these books are fabulous. I don't think you'd be a bit disappointed if you were to purchase either or both!

The following group of pics is from
WINDOWBOXES






This next group of photos is from
SEASONS AT SEVEN GATES FARM





















Thanks for visiting!
Leave a comment so I can get to know you.

10 comments:

Kerin said...

Hi Carla!
Sounds like you have been so busy!
I love the plant markers. Easy and adorable :)
Thanks for sharing the peonie pictures with us......they are gorgeous, and I love the way they smell!
Have a fun day today:)
p.s. Love the books too. Beautiful photo and so inspiring.

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

Love your plant markers and how easy you made it to do, Carla! Your peonies are gorgeous! I have a couple of bushes myself, but I rarely bring them in the house {I understand ants love them and in the past I always missed a couple ~ yuck}. I just admire them outside.

Hopemore Studio said...

Baseball is such a commitment, but I love it when the kids are playing sports. I hope your young man has a great day!

The plant markers are darling, unfortunately my garden is a home for weeds, not herbs, at the moment.

Love all the planter ideas, mostly the rusted colorful trio of pots..what is it with me and rusty thing?

I hope you have a great day!
Angie

Terry said...

I'm so jealous of your peonies! Mine are even close to blooing yet..I love your plant stakes, very clever and very cute!

Darlene said...

Morning Carla,

I love your herb plant markers, they turned out great. Your peonies are just GORGEOUS!!! I too wish I could smell them.

Those books look WONDERFUL and I am going on the hunt for them right now!!!! Thanks for sharing. Hope you are having a great day.♥

Paula ~ castleandcottagesigns said...

Very inspiring photos from those two books! Love, love your peonies...why don't I have any of these??
A very Happy Birthday to Owen!!

Anne Lorys said...

Hi Carla!

Your peonies are just lovely!
And those herb markers are genius, I'm totally stealing them. :-)

I just wanted you to know that I'm so thankful that you went ahead and left that comment on my cubby post, I LOVED hearing your thoughts!

Hugs for a happy week,
Anne

Linda (Nina's Nest) said...

The herbpots and markers are so cute! But the peonies are just breathtakingly beautiful! Linda

M.L. @ The House of Whimsy said...

Oh what glorious pics you've shared here!! And your peonies should win a prize...such a happy flower!
Happy birthday to your youngest. I admire your courage in having a sleepover full of 12 year old boys.
Take care,
Mary Lou

marie said...

I was looking through your blog today and realized I missed this post ~ now how did that happen?!

Sure sounds like you have been a busy gal!
Enjoy it all ~ they grow up so fast, don't they! Happy Birthday to your son ~ eight 12 year olds!! Wow! Have you ever seen the commercial where the Dad says something like "I don't know why they call it a SLEEPOVER!!" Isn't that the truth.

Your peonies are amazing ~ I love the single bloom in the vases and I love your plant markers too! What a great idea and simple too! (I also love simple!)

Those books look great ~ just the look I love for my yard.
I'm so excited because I found both on Ebay ~ total for both including shipping....drumroll please...$10.95!!!

Thanks for sharing about them!

Related Posts with Thumbnails