How Does Your Garden Grow?

Is it just me or can May not get here fast enough??

I'm so incredibly ready to get out and work in my yard/garden.  I have so many goals for this year...who knows how many of them will actually be realized...but hey, I should get a little credit for at least setting the goals, right? :)

With the long line of gardeners that I come from you would think I would literally have a

GREEN thumb.

But I'll be the first to tell you......ummmm, I really don't!! 

I had this 5 year plan when I moved into my house, which I would like to preface by saying it was completely unlandscaped with all kinds of dirt and weeds, your basic start from scratch kinda deal.

So let me just tell ya'll how that's worked out!! 
I've now been there for 7 years this spring and I'm just barely starting to get a grip on things!!  And by barely....I really do mean BARELY!!!

The weeds still pretty much have full reign wherever they want.  I can't tell you how many trees I've planted over the years that haven't even made it out of their first season.  Ugh....it's a complete mess!!

But I'm so determined this year to make some headway.  I know it won't be anywhere close to the visions I have in my head, but I'm not taking any more steps backward.  From now on it's up and onward for me!!

One of the things I've always loved about gardens is having something quirky, unique, unexpected and fun.  I love little personal touchs in everything I do....so I went out the my trusty Pinterest resource to see what I could find to help me "get green" and econmical ways to take one step closer to my

grand vision.

And here's what I came up with......

Source of all pictures is Pinterest

 I've always wanted a comfy cosy place to sit (or even take a nap!) on my porch.  Time to figure out how to make that happen!

 Love this inexpensive and unique version of lighting using balloons, glue & string.  Even though these lights would only last one season, they would be so fun and so worth it!!

 I'm one lucky girl that my daddy built me a shed that I was able to use for the first time last summer.  It has been soooo fabulous to have...now it's time to "cute" it up a bit!!  Love the colors, the flower boxes, and all the personal touches on this one.

 I'm a big fan of bird feeders and bird baths.....and how pretty and easy would this one be to make!!

 You can get bundt cake pans at local thrift stores for less than a $1.00....great idea!

 I personally believe that EVERYONE could use an old bike to glam of their garden!

 I have an old fence gate just like this.  Love how it was painted the same color as the flowerpots and how they all just blend together.

 These glavenized containers are darling planters, but putting feet on them just amps up the stayle points!

 I have at least 3 old shovels laying around in my garage....what a great idea for a climbing plant!

 Such a fun way to recycle old tires and put your own creative spin on the paint job!  You could do letters or numbers or patterns....whatever you want!

 An old wheelbarrow that would have just been discarded makes the perfect place for a gorgeous flower arrangement and adds height and volume to your garden!

 Since I have the fun little shed, now I definitely need a potting bench to keep all my potting supplies and have a place to work my magic!

 Another cute potting bench made from plain old palletts!

 What a fun way to jazz up simple stepping stones!

 OK...I think I HAVE to do this just for the cutenss and unexected factor....and so easy too!

 Another version of hand made toadstools.

 And last but not least....isn't this little guy so cute!!  I have a box full of graters so I may have a few creatures occupying my gardens this summer!

Guess it's time to get to work!! 
What unique and creative things do you like to have in your garden?



Upcoming Project

A little Pinterest inspiration for a seriously

SUPERFANTABULOUS

(yes I made up that word, but trust me...it works!)

upcoming project



that's all I'm gonna say......for now!

But have I mentioned.....

I'm sooooo ExCiTeD?!?!

Weekend Work

Had a couple of different projects going on this weekend,

one of which is a fun dresser that is currently in mid-makeover.

Check out ALL the drawers!!

That's not all of 'em.....And these are all just for ONE dresser!!

So excited for this finish.....shabby with an unexpected twist!!

So excited that the weather is warming up, which makes it soooo much easier to

multi-task and get more projects!!

Currently working on the dresser above, a gorgeous custom order trunk that will knock your socks off, a beautiful antique dropleaf table, and a farmhouse table.

AND....just to cap of a very productive weekend....

we scored a dresser on Saturday that we're so excited to get started on!!

Now...if we could only have about 12 more hours of daylight every day that would be just perfect so we could get all these projects done! :)

Making Your House a Home

For a while now I have been feeling like a HUGE change is needed in the place I call

HOME

I think I have gotten so ovewhelmed in the business.....and busy-ness....

of life that I wasn't able to do the little things I loved anymore..

like re-arranging furniture, painting, and adding new accessories that have the amazing effective of changing up the ENTIRE look and feel of a room.

So I don't even like to be in my house that much anymore!

It's not fun....

It's not unique....

It's not creative...

it's not

ME!

It's the me from like, a million years ago!

OK...not that long ago [because if it was I would still look pretty incredible for my age! :) ]

but it's the me from several years ago, the me that was perfect for that time and place but

definitely NOT

the ME I've now become....

Is this making any sense at all??

OK...maybe I'm just a little bonkers in the head,

but my house has always been a HUGE reflection of me.

It is a source of pride...

A way to express myself without words...

A place of comfort...

A place that is mine.

And it's time to focus on that again!

It's time to get back to basics,

to get rid of the clutter,

to SIMPLIFY

and to actually LIKE my house again!

Since I'm on a VERY tight budget, I have a game plan in mind

(kind of a weird but definitely unique plan that I'll share in the coming weeks)

to make some changes.

For now I'm compiling some

INSPIRATION

in the form of pictures...

just a small collection of ideas that I love,

cozy, cottagy, cute and charismatic pictures that speak to me and hopefully will say to others, 

"I bet YOU know EXACTLY who lives here!"

Sources of all pictures is Pinterest

 Love a bright pop of color on the front door.

 This wooden screen door adds so much charm.

 My front porch has a huge, ugly slab of cement like this.  I don't think I'd paint the address numbers, but this gives me some ideas on other things I could do to make it look better!

Nothing better than a cozy room with lots of throw pillows and sofa slipcovers to say, "Come on in!"

 Need a good place to store those things that get thrown on the floor or the nearest couch when you walk in the door, and this is perfect for small spaces.

 I don't need a huge space to eat so I love that shape & size of this table.  The pops of color are a nice touch and the bench makes for some comfy lounging.

For the logest time I've wanted to paint my kitchen cabinets blue, but they are custom and since I probably won't stay in this house forever, I think this may be a dream that will have to wait for my next house.

 My kitchen is not very big but a small island like this would be perfect extra counter and work space.

 I've always love the idea of consolidating work/craft space into a closet so that the room can still be used for other needs such as guests or extra bedrooms.

 Another small workspace....that might actually work in my kitchen.

 Just loved this one for the twinkle lights! :)

GREAT idea to use the dresser at the foot of the bed!!

Loved the simplicity of the scrapwood headboard whitewashed and embellished with bunting

Another great use for upcycling windows.

 Love the look and great for storage.

 Been wanting to paint my floors now for quite some time and just loved the brightness and fun of this pattern.

 Always drawn to stripes...might even try this on my outdoor patio.

 Speaking of patios, I'm on a mission to turn mine into an extension of my house.

 Love the idea of painting the inside of a door to add some color to any room.

 Love the stripes, love the steps, love it all!!

 Another creative -- and simple -- way to jazz up some steps.

Adding color to a room by painting the banisters...hummm, might have to give this some thought!

I'm so excited to get started on making my home more cozy and more ME!! 

Stay tuned to find out more about

Step 2:  How to get the $$ you need for some, if not all, of these fabulous projects!

Ch-ch-ch-Changes

The only constant in life is Change.......

or so they say,

RiGhT?

For some people change can be a really scary thing....

like really, REALLY scary.

I wouldn't say we fall into that category,

but I would say that sometimes we don't try things because:

1.  There's only so much you can do with only 24 hours in the day.

2.  There are so many others whose talents and ability far exceed ours...how could we possibly measure up to that?

and

3.  What could lil' ole me really contribute to help or assist in another's creative process?

But ya know what????....

I think something has finally clicked in this little pea brain of mine...either that

~~OR~~

I've completely lost my marbles......

Because I think it's finally time for a change....

a BIG change!!

(at least it's a big change in my book!)

This blog started out as a way to showcase our refinished pieces,

a hobby that is where our {heart} definitely is!

And that is something we will never stop doing....NO MATTER WHAT!!!

But creativity is in our blood....

it makes it nearly IMPOSSIBLE to sleep at night

because my brain just doesn't know how to

S.T.O.P.

and so it's FINALLY time to start steppin'....

even marching right out of that comfort zone and taking a chance,

cuz it's just what we gotta do!

I have about a ga-zillion

(ok, maybe that's an exaggeration...but I promise you there are A LOT!)

of notebooks around my house filled with lists and ideas and projects and plans......

more than I could ever possibly complete in one lifetime,

but I don't want to lose them because who knows,

maybe one day I might be able to make my idea a reality!

So rather than just keep all those ideas to myself,

I want to share whatever I can with anyone else who wants to listen,

even if someone looks at my ideas and says,

"Been there, done that..."

Cuz maybe somebody has,

but maybe....just maybe.....

there is someone who hasn't thought of that before,

or didn't know how to do that before,

or didn't even know they wanted to do that before.

Heck...I figure if nothing else,

I'll have a good way to organize these crazy overflowing thoughts in my head

and give them a place to stay other than my crammed little brain.

We will definitely continue to post our Fabulous re-Finishes and available Furniture items

but watch for more

DIY's

How To's

Home & Garden Projects

Craft Ideas

and anything else we happen to try out....

We'll even share if it's a total flop,

cuz sometimes it's nice to share in both our successes,

and also in those projects that don't quite turn out the way we thought they would

(ya'll know we have 'em!)

We'll share it all here

and hope it will be of some benefit

to someone....

somewhere!  :)

So excited to start this new journey and so happy to share it with you!