Going to the Chapel...

well kinda - just not me - I've already been there and done that.  Actually, I have missed you all so much - I'm still here and well - it has just been an amazingly busy spring.  Jus' to fill you in -

I just completed another incredible spring in the greenhouse - it was so warm so early this year that it just flew by - but oh my - it was crazy while it lasted.

 And I've been spending a lot of nights at the ballpark and I wouldn't have it any other way - I love watching my lil' slugger play ball.

 Plus, I have been working on some weddings - one of which was just today - so that is what I mean when I say...

 We are going to the chapel - 'cause we are - I mean I'm gonna take you there in the next several days - sharing with you some of the fun I've been having working with a super sweet couple on their special day.

Hope everyone has been doing great - I'll be catching up with you all real soon. 

A Sweet Surprise...

Hello friends - today I'm sharing with you a lil' surprise from one of my dear friends, sweet Ms. Linda!

 See, I've been meaning to make one of the coolest wreaths around these days - a burlap one of course, but time just hasn't been on my side as of late - but now, I won't have to - because I was gifted one this week.  Isn't it cute?  I just LOVE it!  Thank you thank you Linda!  She made it out of two wire frames and looped her burlap ribbon in bunches of three and tied them on - I love the free form of it.

 And I just thought it would look perfect in my kitchen over my mantle.  Now, she also had a beautiful red burlap ribbon on it tied with some dainty flowers - but since I didn't have red in the kitchen (for now anyway) - I removed it and laid in on a table in my den.  So I actually got two gifts in one.

 Some other things on my mantle for now are my three lil' pots of grass (IKEA) along with a white platter from the Goodwill store, a vase from mom and one of my favorite pictures of my son - which I move from room to room all the time.  Plus I have three gray pears - on clearance from Hobby Lobby in a dish - I suppose I have this thing for three's - I'm seeing that pattern often in my home.

 Beneath the mantle is a bench I've had for a while with a pillow from Home Goods and the pitcher is as well.  I can't wait to be able to put fresh flowers in it - but some airy yellow ones will have to do for now.

 I love the chippy paint on the fireplace - it was just like this when I bought it and I love it!

 Right beside the bench is a basket from Peddlers Mall filled with some of the walking sticks Shaun's dad use to make.  He would find the wood from various trees with the grapevine wrapped around it and whittle away until he got it just right.  He made so many - each unique and he gave away countless ones.  It was kind of his thing - if you got one of his walking sticks - you knew he loved ya. 

 This is one he made for my son - he wood burned his name in it for him. We even found one in the shop that he had made for Casen before he passed away that he had not given him yet.  It simply said "Love, Poppa".  We treasure them.

 All lined up in a row.

 This is right to the left of my refrigerator - maybe it is an awkward place for a fireplace mantle but I love it there - for now anyway ;-)

 You can kind of see the relation to the rest of the kitchen here.  A lil' something I learned the hard way when building my first and LAST home - most standard cabinet depths do not accommodate new refrigerators - as you can see.  This is one thing I so wish I would have stuck to my guns on changing - but we were anxious to get in.  You know how that is.  So I encourage any of you who may be in this stage of home building - keep this in mind.  Other wise it will stick out like a sore thumb - like mine!

Oh well, just ramblin' a bit - I still do LOVE my kitchen so I don't mean to complain.

Linda - thank you again for making my day - you made me so happy!

Now everybody - get your burlap out and get craftin'!

Happy day!

My Rye Grass...

...o.k. I know I'm a few days late on Easter but I so hope you had a blessed one.  

I told you I'd share with you my lil' pots of grass I had grown for my simple Easter table so here are some pictures for ya.  Now, the first few are what is on the table now - just three simple baskets lined up in a row.  I just like the simplicity of them.

I just simply put them on my burlap runner. 

 You can see I finally got my table antiqued - no more BRIGHT white - even though I love white - it was a bit much.  My son actually said it hurt his eyes to do his homework on the table - I think that just sounds like a good excuse - how 'bout you?  However, I'm still looking for the perfect chairs.

But on Easter Sunday - the baskets were filled with eggs and my son put some lil' Peeps Chicks in there.

 And the bunny really looked like he was protecting his grass. 

We were able to celebrate Easter in our new home with our family.  We really missed Shaun's dad as it was our first Easter without him but as always - he was with us in spirit.  And Easter really is about HOPE anyway so we took comfort in that.

Have a fantastic Thursday!

Cathy

Just in time for Easter...

...you can have beautiful lil' baskets of  rye grass for your table.

Here's How-----

All you need is a container and a liner if necessary.  I used plastic for these inexpensive baskets but you could use pretty spring color pots with saucers.  And lastly, you'll need some annual rye grass seed- available at your local home and garden center - and if you are near me - you can purchase it at Central Farmers Supply for just pennies.

Use some good quality potting soil...

 Generously scatter seed on the top of the soil...

 Then, cover lightly.  I actually use a product called Redi-earth which is a great germinating media - but soil is fine - just do not cover very thick.  A good rule of thumb when seeding - the soil used to cover the seed should only be twice as deep as the seed is wide.

The seed will germinate in about 3 days and

 in about two weeks - it'll look like this - which a lot of people say looks like a chia-pet...

 But its nothing a pair of scissors and a lil' hair cut won't fix... Actually you may have to trim it several times.

 Then you can nestle eggs or lil' chicks in your basket for your Easter dinner table.  This basket is one I started for my friend, Julie.  I have started my own baskets but they aren't quite ready yet - when they are - I'll share my table with you.  It'll be our first Easter in our new home!

Rye grass likes lots of light - so keep in a sunny window sill or sun room. 

Have fun - growing grass!

Happy Spring!

A "thing" for green...

Yes, after looking around the house a bit today - I have discovered I definitely have a "thing for green".  It's the perfect neutral - don't ya think - it goes with anything and everything and I love it.  Here are just a few of my favorite "green" things...

My lil' green pillow and my favorite green enamelware pan...

...just green accents pieces...

 ...a green pitcher with some green grass (that's too funny - I see it still has the price tag on it ;-)

 ...sweet lil' green topiaries under a green cloche...

 ...green pears...

 ...pots of greenery...

 ...another green ball...

 ...green grass in my green bathroom...

 ...a distressed green dresser...

 ...guess what - another green topiary - I love topiaries...

 ...my green kitchen cabinet...

 ...we eat out of green dishes...

 ...and I love my green soup tureen my sweet sister bought for me...

 ...and most importantly - I loved green so much - we built a GREEN house...

 ...and not only do I live in a "green" house - I work in a real GREENHOUSE!

Yes, my friends - I really do have a thing for green!

Enjoy this beautiful day!

Trying to make it "home"...

...now, don't get me wrong.  I'm loving our new house and I'm extremely grateful but I will admit, it is a lil' awkward feeling at times.  See, my old house - was that - OLD - and I loved that it had imperfections and dents and dings.  And I didn't care to put a nail in the wall and miss the stud and nail and nail again till I found it - anybody else done that? Plus there is just "built in" character with an older home. So here we are in our new house - and my hubby would just lay down and die if I didn't hit a stud - and I scratched the hardwood floor the other day and that wasn't good either.  So I've gotta get past it - the newness that is.  So as for now - I'm just looking for ways to bring things in that mean something to me or have a neat story.  So, today I thought I'd show you the table that again - my sweet Papaw, Ronald made me and a few of the things that surround it.

I moved that kettle momma got for me to the kitchen and placed it in front of that old print my dear friend, Kim gifted me.

 Tucked under this table is just a simple basket of blankets.

 One of the best things about this piece is that the top was an old door out of the cabin that my precious late, father-n-law gave me. I love the gray wood and making it into a table was a great way to use it I thought.

 The legs - just old 4X4 fence posts also graciously given to me by Robin.

 And there it is - a neat old table/island that has found it's home for now, in the kitchen. 

 A basket of bulbs - fake of course.

 And the perfect size lamp for a night light.

Just trying to incorporate the pieces that make it feel like "home".