Backyard Garden

The backyard garden is looking so pretty lately despite the crazy hot weather we have been having here.  Some of my favorite flowers are beginning to bloom and I thought it would be fun to show you some of them.

But first, a pretty view of the garden looking toward the playhouse.  Which by the way I think next year momma might take over and use as a potting shed since the kids seem to have outgrown the space.

The phlox, one of my all time favorite garden plants, are just staring to bloom.

The shrub roses are in full bloom and look amazing this year!

For the life of me I can't recall the name of this plant, anyone know?  Oh Well, regardless it's looking very pretty don't you think.

And finally the daisy are also in full bloom.  I love daisy's, just wish they would rebloom for me or perhaps stay blooming longer.

Hope you've enjoy this mini garden tour and that your not sick to death of my garden.  LOL!

Enjoy your day,

Robin

Flea Finds

Hello Everyone!

Have you been wondering why I disappeared once again?  I've have this nasty habit of sneaking off with my family to do some camping - - which is where we've been for the past ten days.  It was hot, hot, hot but full of fun.  I can't wait to catch up with all of you but first I've got a mountain of laundry to deal with.

In the meantime, I thought I'd show you a few treasures I've found while the family and I have been out and about.

On a recent trip to Hayward, Wisconsin I had the opportunity to stop by the weekly flea market and do a little shopping.   Like in years past, I found some great deals.

The first of which is this old crate. 

I've placed it on the desk in my dinning room and am using it hold my collection of ironstone platters and extra jar candles.

I was very excited to find this vintage fan to add to my collection.  I love it's creamy white color and it still works too!

Here's me trying to be a little artistic with my camera - - ha, ha.  I have a ways to go but I still thought it was a cool picture.

A new vendor this year was selling bottles . . . only bottles and lot's of them in every shape, size and color.  I'm drawn to both clear and light blue.  After debating and agonizing over which ones to purchase I decided on these four plus one more I'll show you later on.  I realize now I should have probably bought more but at the time I thought I'd hit the jackpot and was getting all crazy at the bottle stand.

Later in the day I found this canning jar and just had to have it.  I of course love the metal lid but the raised design on the sides is what sold me on it.

The small bottle, maybe it's an inkwell, on the left is the other purchase I made from the "bottle man" as I call him.  I was thrilled with this find.  I've been on the look out for little bottle like this for a couple of years now.  I also found the small white dish the postcard is sitting on.  I'm always happy to add to my collection of white dishes.

Looking through old postcard at flea markets is always something I do and this year I was pleased to find this calling card.  I love the eagle and flag design.

I picked up a few more items also that I forgot to take pictures of but I'm sure you'll see them sometime soon in future decorating projects.

Hope you have a lovely day,

Robin

Completed Front Yard Garden

The time has come to show off the new and improved front yard garden.  I'm so excited to share it with you.  First off let me say my photos don't do it justice.  To me the change is so dramatic and I'm thrilled with the results.

To review, the project started with removing ALL the rock from the base of the driveway to the front door.  Dirty, heavy, nasty rock that I thought mid-project was going to be the end of me.

(old photo from two years ago, forgot to take photos before I started this project - bad, bad blogger!)

Next I removed and relaid some of the brick edging and added new section to wrap all the way around the garden beds and down the side of the house on the left side.

After the edging was complete I moved plants around in the existing beds, and then added more plants and shrubs.

Next came mulch and lots of it.  I have to say I just love what new mulch can do for a space.

Now that everything is done I'm loving the view from the kitchen window.  I love the crisp, clean lines between the grass and the mulched beds.

The view from the street is looking good too!  Just ignore those pesky weeds growing between the bricks in the walkway.  I'm a little behind on my weeding!  I'm waiting for the flowers on the street side of the fence to grow larger and fill in.  The plants are a mixer of dwarf perennials (daylilly and meadow sage) and annuals (cherry profusion zinnia - my all time favorite annual).

The house side of the fence has filled in nicely too.  Here's the view to the left  of the brick walkway . . .

And here is the view on the right side.

Closer to the house is what I call the tree garden.  Last year I transplanted Snow on the Mountain to fill in the trouble spot directly under the tree.  I've had a hard time finding the right plant for this space but from the looks of it I may have finally found it.  I love the mass planting of a single type of plant, plus it looks nice with the existing Hosta's and Lady's Mantel.

Snow on the Mountain is such a pretty plant I think.  It can really lighten up a dark shady spot.

Plus I adore the delicate white flowers they have mid-summer.

On the other side of the tree garden is the narrow planting area along the sidewalk leading to the front door.  You probably remember this view since I've shown it before but it highlights the edging bricks, mulch and grass area so nicely.

Here's a better view of the area taken from in front of the fence.  Eventually I'd like to add a few small sized hydrangea's to this area but that will have to wait until next year at this point.

I also added a few stepping stones to give us a spot to get from the sidewalk to the grass area near the front door. 

I'm waiting for some of the shrubs to finish blooming before I trim them.  They are a little overgrown at the moment but who could cut off all these pretty flowers.

I do have one area that still needs a little attention.  Right along the driveway's edge we have had a washout problem from our rain gutter downspout.

I think we have a handle on the problem and soon I'll be filling in the ditch - - once again.  Then I'll plant some more grass seed and fix the mulch next to the fence.

And there you have it. 
A completed front yard makeover.  I'm loving the results of all my hard work.  Makes me start looking for more area's in the yard to start yet another garden.  Shhhhhh, don't tell my husband!

Have a lovely day,
Robin

Fourth of July Hutch

Good morning everyone!

I thought with the Fourth of July tomorrow I'd show off the last bit of holiday decorating I've done around the house.

Like with the rest of the Living Room I tried to keep things simple.

I had this vintage postcard for years and look forward to getting it out every July.  I think it is so pretty.

White dishes with pops of red and blue.  The vintage Pepsi bottle carrier holds two canning jars perfectly.

This calling card was a recent purchase.  I really liked the eagle.

Of course I had to add a few flags.  What's more festive than flags?

The buckets were picked up from Targets dollar section.

And the tiny toy wagon I filled with white stones.  I love this little wagon.

And finally a small wood tray filled with more stones and stars.

Living Room Fourth of July Decorations

I think I've finally finished my Fourth of July decorations.  I was so excited to decorate this year.  Normally we're at Grandma and Grandpa's house for the fourth but with the holiday falling in the middle of the week things are a little different this year.

I may have . . . sort of . . . kind of . . . overdone the decorations in my excitment, please don't hold it against me.  LOL

I went with a simple red and white theme with pops of blue here and there.

I stole the red bench from the kitchen to use as a coffee table again since I still haven't finished my coffee table project.

I'm loving the simplicity of white stones this summer.  I've used them all over my house.  Here a simple white plate holds a candle surrounded by stones and it makes me smile.

They go great with hydrangea's don't you think?

The simple wall hanging I talked about here, hang on either side of the sofa.  Since I'm a long time lover of stars and the color red this was the perfect project to add a graphic punch to the room.  I have a feeling these may stick around a while.

A recent flea market purchase and clock from my collection look great together on the sidetable.

Such a pretty fan don't you think?

On the other side of the sofa, a red painted wood tray gathers up a collection of vintage red and blue covered books, a candle and a vintage canning jar.

I simply filled the jar with scraps of patriotic ribbon to help my theme out a little.

The stagered picture ledge on the large wall holds a medely of red, white and blue.

Even the desk in the dinning room was given a touch of patriotic flare.

What do you think?  Did I go overboard?  Keep in mind tomorrow I'll share what I've done with my hutch.  HaHa.

Hope you have a lovely day,

Robin