The Romantic Mom.com

Valentine Pinspiration

2012-02-14T18:26:00.000-05:00

Some Valentine inspiration from my Pinterest Board.

Hope you have a lovely Valentine's Day with your favorite Valentine(s)!

xoxo

Simple

love ring

valentine ring

SMITTEN!

pillow or sachet

Easy!

Gladys Gets a Ride

2012-02-13T09:19:00.000-05:00

We visited our friends, the Dows, last week and the girls love leading Gladys around, the Dows mini-horse. Isn't she cute?!! She does very well being led around, but hasn't done so well in the getting on riding around department. So when my daughter, Heather, asked if she could go ride Gladys we were a bit skeptical. However, my friend, Heather, said...why not? She doesn't have far to fall! So with that, Heather attempted to ride Gladys....

At first, Gladys refused to stand still...trotting off quickly the minute Heather tried to put her leg over. So Heather calmly patted and talked to her gently. Then she began the process of just putting a leg over, and then taking it off a few times in a row....

Finally after a couple of attempts at getting on, she managed to convince Gladys that everything was just fine. Then to our wondering eyes should appear....Heather sat on Gladys and started riding her around...calm as could be! We were cheering them on...from inside the warmth of the living room, that is.

Heather decided that li'l Heather should now become her new horse trainer! : D

Sure Sign of Spring

2012-02-12T16:26:00.000-05:00

Is Spring in the air...or is it just my overly active imagination...otherwise known as wishful thinking? If I close my eyes long enough and sip on some cool sangia....I've almost got myself convinced! The skunk that was out digging around our chicken coop the other night certainly seemed convinced. Granted, that's not the most romantic sign of Spring, but I suppose I'll take whatever I can get. Skunks and raccoons skulking about are sure indication that winter is decidedly over. Spring is in the air! : D

Introducing my New Website

2012-02-11T15:06:00.001-05:00

Well, I've finally done it! Sorry I haven't posted lately but it's not due to no computer activity. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. But anyway, I have finally gotten a new website constructed for The Romantic Mom....and I'm really excited about it. It's cleaner and much more visually oriented with slide shows on every page. I realize that many of you read this blog and have never ventured over to the actual website but now I'm inviting you to do so. The Welcome page has a presentation synchronized to the music.Here's an introduction:

The Romantic Mom is a visual experience dedicated to interpreting and inspiring L'Art de Vivre into our own family life....however we can creatively and imaginatively seek to do so. We start with our children and our Home Life elevating the simple and special moments of our everyday living into moments worth treasuring and celebrating.

The philosophy surrounding The Romantic Mom involves conscientiously pursuing the art in living....with a certain je ne sais pas quoi.....expanding and evolving ourselves and our family life in a quest for the beautiful, the exquisite, the honest....the romantic.

Perhaps that can give you a taste of what's to come. The music I chose is by Yuri Sazonoff, entitled 'I Will Go On'...which is so exceptionally perfect for where we are in this chapter of our lives. I really hope you enjoy it...and please give me your feedback. I'd greatly appreciate it! : D

Sunday Afternoon Tea

2012-01-29T07:24:00.000-05:00

The day before my daughter's birthday, we began the celebration by having neighbors over for a Sunday afternoon tea. I've always loved the genteel sound of a 'Sunday afternoon tea'....so why don't we just do this more often? As they say in England....I've introduced the practice of afternoon tea....something I don't mind practicing at all!

This plate stand I landed at a thrift store recently....and it happened to be the exact pattern of my rose china. Perfect. And yes, we were feeling quite rosy this afternoon....despite all the blustering outdoors.

Each of the four tea cups above were chosen by my daughters at a flea market in Orono this summer. They love having their own special design. Please note the rose depression glass bowl, too. More on that below....

The cracker plate is a rose depression glass that I just re-discovered in the bottom of a box I hadn't unpacked since we moved up from Texas. I actually found all sorts of treasures in that lone box...that I'll be figuring out ways to use and display....

....and that would be emphasis on the play!

I must admit, all gentility aside, we donned the swimsuits and jumped into the hot tub afterward.

Now that's a tea party! : D

WTW Thursday :: Felted Sweater Dress

2012-01-26T16:29:00.001-05:00

Welcome to WTW (What They Wore) Thursday! Featured above was actually a lady's size sweater dress that I felted, cut at the waist line, and created a girls' size 2-piece sweater dress ensemble. My eldest daughter, Heather, is modeling it here, although it's now been passed all the way down to my youngest (including the pink pom-pom boots). It's so snuggy...and still a big winter time favorite!

And now you can see why it's still a favorite! : D

Pretty As a Pitcher

2012-01-24T18:47:00.001-05:00

I've been out scouting, scoping, and scooping lately....otherwise known as shopping. Some of my treasures (including these lovely little items) will hopefully end up in my antiques stall @ Traditions soon....that is, if I can dare part with them....

We'll see how it goes. Ha! ; )

Bubbling In a Blizzard

2012-01-22T11:56:00.000-05:00

Our first big snow storm came a week or so ago, and right in the thick of it, my girls asked if they could go get in the jacuzzi. Really? Are you aware of what's going on outside?

Just to get the full effect, I took the photo below of the horses in the pasture...

You really want to go get in the hot tub right now....???

OK, why not!

Did they inherit this insanity from me? : D

Birthday Breakfast

2012-01-18T20:58:00.001-05:00

My daughter, Caitlyn, decided on the blue floral china for her birthday breakfast. Somehow it's quite apropos with the white tulips and newly fallen snow....

Yes, Christmas tree is still up....

I suppose because it still feels very holiday-ish! : D

A Winter Birthday

2012-01-17T19:28:00.001-05:00

Yesterday our Caitlyn turned 10 years old. Don't ask us how this happened. We don't know. They grow up too fast. That much we do know. Caitlyn's always been our little sunshine girl with the sunshine smile....something she'll never grow out of!

We love you, sweetheart! : D

Warm on the Inside

2012-01-13T10:00:00.002-05:00

'Tis the season to start warming up from the inside out. Par example, this is a delicious stew or soup my husband concocted over the Holidays. First, he brined the roast overnight (bought locally at Sherburn's Organic Farm in Dexter), then put the whole thing into the crockpot with some water, seasonings, herbs, and fresh veggies (carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, garlic). After a few hours in the crockpot, the broth was beyond description...and the meat just melted under a spoon or fork. All I can say is....

Yum! : D

WTW Thursday :: Pinspiration

2012-01-12T12:41:00.001-05:00

Welcome to WTW (What They Wore) Thursday! Today I'd like to share with you some of my recent pins from my For My Girls Board on Pinterest. Enjoy!

take pictures of daughters in your wedding dress
for them to use on their wedding day

up-twist

Velvet-Ribbon Belts

T shirt ruffle dress

DIY headbands

Cute! : D

Ponying the Pony

2012-01-11T13:52:00.004-05:00

The girls have now figured out how to ride together (i.e. get Babycakes to cooperate sufficiently). Heather just ponies the pony along behind Josh and for now Baby seems content to play follow-the-leader...although she pretends to be half asleep while she does it!

I can hear her snoring from here! ; D

Rustic Fence

2012-01-08T09:21:00.002-05:00

This is our new rustic fence that's going up in stages. The first section, completed day before yesterday, goes along the road in the front of our property. Andrew built a platform to handle milling 6-7 posts at a time....and was able to get 3-4 boards from each 8 ft. post. Nice. I decided to have the round edged rails go across this front area....and I'm really liking the effect.

So no stoppin' us now. I have a taste of what this is going to look like....and I want to see it all done.
Need more posts, Harlow! : D

Polar Brrrrs!

2012-01-07T08:49:00.001-05:00

The weather outside is frightful....but the water....is sooooo delightful.

There's really no place to go (except in the hot tub)

So let it snow, let it snow....let it snow! : D

My New Sidekick

2012-01-06T10:27:00.000-05:00

May I introduce to you my new sidekick I'm currently kickin' around with since Christmas? And I look forward to kickin' around with a whole lot more. Right now we're still just getting to know one another. He's actually being rather coy and playing a little hard 'to get' ...while I'm trying not to appear overly flustered and confused at the moment. But he promises to be alot of fun! : D

WTW Thursday :: Sweater Dresses

2012-01-05T08:33:00.002-05:00

Welcome to WTW (What They Wore)Thursday! It's sweater time and I'm always in a snuggy, bulky sweater mood as January rolls on in. My girls love sweater dresses this time of year...the longer the better!

I'm also doing some birthday shopping for our middle daughter, Caitlyn, who happens to be our only winter birthday. Although, the photo above was taken a couple of years back, she's still wearing that red dress (believe it or not). So I went perusing Amazon and came up with these pretties. Perhaps you'll like them, too. Enjoy! : D

And the coordinating sweater for little boys.

Not a sweater dress....but I couldn't resist.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

2012-01-04T11:11:00.001-05:00

Down below zero last night....and still only 4 degrees this morning. Brrrr.

Babycakes says that she has found her nest. And Josh says, "...but this is my breakfast!"

Hmmmm. It's a dilemma....

Or not! : D

New Breakfast China

2012-01-03T10:05:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year Everyone! I wanted to share with you my new china pattern I picked up for myself at Traditions during the week before Christmas....sort of an early gift to myself ; )

This is our table set for our breakfast Christmas morning. I've always longed for a blue Christmas and when I saw these soft blue flowers, I was smitten at once! It's just a partial set with only 6 plates, 4 saucers, and 2 cups but just enough to pull off my blue breakfast Christmas dreams....

Sparkling apple juice, Daddy's homemade cinnamon raisin bread french toast smothered in homemade Maine maple syrup (thank you Post Family!), and my coffee with eggnog....heavy on the eggnog, please. : D

Christmas Bread Pudding

2011-12-28T19:57:00.001-05:00

Bread pudding has become somewhat of a Christmas tradition for me. And I love making it in the crock pot with most of the ingredients from Maine....apples, dried cranberries, and eggnog.
Mmmmm!

Merry Mayhem

2011-12-27T11:18:00.000-05:00

I've come to the realization many years ago that for me, Christmas and Holiday time do not always equate to calm, quiet, relaxed time just mellowing out in front of a fireplace. So I've learned to equip myself with one essential prerequisite in order to achieve actual, undisturbed, unabashed, uncompromised relaxation during the Holidays.....

....wear really large blinders upon entering the kitchen.

And if those don't work, advance to the jumbo-size ++++++! : D

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T14:19:00.000-05:00

~ Wishing y'all a very Merry Christmas from Maine ~

Christmas Eve Day

2011-12-24T23:11:00.000-05:00

We aren't actually able to celebrate Christmas until Monday since hubby has to work all day tomorrow. But we're still getting into that Holiday swing today. The stockings are hung, etc. etc. And we have snow! : D

Inspiration Board :: Holidays

2011-12-24T08:23:00.002-05:00

Recent Pins from my Holidays Board. Enjoy! Countdown is on...

I'm Dreaming of a White....

2011-12-23T09:36:00.001-05:00

We've all been secretly dreaming of a white Christmas....haven't we? Two days before Christmas and we woke up to a white world this morning. Will it stay for another two days? Hope so!

Our front stoop. Ready to put those Xcountry skis to use!

I've been making swags from the leftover boughs at the bottom of our Christmas tree. These I finished last night....still 5 more to go. The pile looks pretty all covered in snow....perhaps I'll just leave it for now.

The wreath that our neighbor brought over, then decorated with the children. Came out very nicely....and it's always fun to make wreaths with Maurice!

It's definitely beginning to look alot like Christmas around here! : D

WTW Thursday :: Bon'A Parte

2011-12-22T18:16:00.000-05:00

Welcome to WTW (What They Wore) Thursday! I found these cutesy outfits @ Bon A' Parte ....however it's been a couple of years back. I still go to them for inspiration though! The other hitch is that they're located in the U.K. At least that's a hitch for me. So why am I showing them?? Well, the bottom photos show some of their recent stuff....plus they're running a 50-60% off sale right now. That's one reason. But we all know that's not the main reason. The real reason is EYE CANDY baby....pure and simple! : D

And here we go below for the recent stuff. (Honestly, I couldn't believe the sale prices....like $7-15.Don't know what shipping is...but sure beats wal-mart!)

And let's not forget our boys. They get to play, too!

Meet Josh

2011-12-21T19:42:00.000-05:00

This is our new horse, Josh, He's a 23 yr old quarter horse that's living with us until mid-summer. Can you say gentleman? He's sweet and he's docile and he happens to be the answer to my dreams....the dream of having a sweet, docile, old horse that my children can jump on and ride around the pasture. This is exactly the way I grew up learning to ride at my grandparents farm in Kansas. Does life get any better? My kiddos don't think so!

And Josh looks to be the answer to Babycake's dreams, too! : D

Romancing the Turkey

2011-12-18T09:24:00.004-05:00

I'm just now getting around to posting our Thanksgiving photos. This is really just the prelim- to our Christmas dinner....both look and feel pretty much the same these days. To us anyway. This year, however, our dinner was actually served on a 'grown-up' table....being that for the past few years I've had the children's set of table and chairs in our dining area. So I must say, it's quite refreshing for me to feel grown-up and mildly sophisticated again. Which brings me around to embracing a new chapter in my life....one where our little ones aren't so little anymore....and my baby/toddler/small ones days have faded into the 'cherished memories' category. Always a little bittersweet but, ya know, I'm looking forward to a new chapter in our lives.

I've also been so remiss....at least in my mind anyway....in that over the past several months (years) I haven't put more of that sparkle and romance into my life. I mean, that's the whole reason I started this silly blog in the first place....to actually force myself into focusing on that very stuff. One thing I've slowly come to realize, though, is that in order to add those beautiful finishing touches in life, there really has to be some sort of infrastructure or under-girding in place first. When that important feature is missing or falling through the cracks....well, things have a way of disintegrating rapidly. I know. I know what I'm talkin' about....I'm speaking as the frantic romantic here. I know it all too well, believe me.

By the way, that's (above) one of our last homegrown turkeys we raised last year. It's only a 38 pounder. The biggest ones were around 45 lbs. When you leave your turkeys until the day before Thanksgiving, you don't ever think about one small detail: Will this thing actually fit into the oven? Uncooked turkey is not exactly the idea we had for Thanksgiving dinner.

Anyway, back to what I was saying. So I guess that's what we're putting into place now....that foundation or infrastructure. Generally speaking, the construction phase of anything is not all that pretty. Once it's all there, though, the finishing, romantic, sparkling touches I add can really shine. I won't have to be constantly hollering, "Hey, can you move over a few feet so I don't get all that cr#p in the background, please?" I can just point and shoot my camera without struggling, angling, for that perfect shot....the one that misses the junk, or the clutter, or the big hole in the side of the stall, or the shredded blue tarp flapping around, or the make-shift, ramshackle.....ya get the idea.
Aaaahhhh....how I look forward to that day!

In the mean time, though, progress is progress. And I do relish tossing aside the work clothes, throwing on a skirt....feeling a bit more grown-up and elegant again. So I spread out the table cloth (even if it's not starched and ironed...it's polyester anyway!), sent the kiddos to the woods for fir boughs and berries and into a crystal vase those went, lit the candles (long-stemmed in crystal holders...not votives this time, thank you very much), and set out the china.

Voila! Here's to the sparkling, lovely, gracious and genteel, elegant romantic life!

Oh...and here's to infrastructure! : D

Ornaments and Other Things

2011-12-17T18:20:00.002-05:00

The Holdiays are upon us! Upon me! And I'm still thinking it's only the end of October....it actually still looks like October outside. I haven't posted much lately because we've been busy, busy preparing for winter before snow really starts flying. Is anyone ever really prepared before snow flies?? So what's been going on lately? We've been putting in new fences, a round pen, adding onto the stable, spiffing up the stalls, repairing a bunch of stuff, hauling off a bunch of stuff (junk!), and I've taken on a new booth space at a local antiques shop in Corinna. I'm really pumped to have this new project....more about all that coming up soon.

But we're almost done with the chores. We're also about to take on a another horse (named Josh ....23 yr old quiet, docile quarter horse) that we'll free lease until mid-summer. He's to be brought over on Monday. The kiddos are beyond excited over this new development....me, too! Me, too! Another topic I'll have to go into more about later. After Josh the horse is here and settled in....and he and Babycakes have their discussions.... I can finally relax and enjoy this wonderful Holiday Season.....it is my favorite time of the year, after all. Christmas in Maine is something I always revere....and this Texas girl should never, ever, ever....e-ver ...take for granted. So I won't.

That being the case, I thought I'd share some homemade, and borrowed-from-nature ornaments the children have made or collected....oranges with cloves (and a huge pink ribbon, of course!)....beeswax molds hung with twine (very simple)....and nests gathered from backyard bushes (recognize our pony's hair?).

The sweet little bird ornaments are some my mom passed along to us. I love their tiny pine cone wings and big black eyes. I also found a heavenly fir scented candle this season that I've been burning non-stop. Can't have enough of that woodsy scent! For more images and inspiration, check out my Holidays board on Pinterest....and yes, I'm pathetically addicted to Pinterest....along with the half a million other people. Hope y'all have flatly refused to do what I've been doing....put aside that frantic to-do list....and are actually enjoying, imbibing, and reveling in a relaxing....gorgeous Holiday Season! : D

Inspiration Board :: Bridge House

2011-10-12T11:14:00.002-04:00

I'm drooling over this bathroom!

And this kitchen...

And this bedroom....

These photos are taken from Mountain Living Magazine's Bridge House in Telluride, CO....one of my all-time favorite spots on earth. I first skiied here in the mid-80's while I was in college....back before Telluride resembled anything remotely resort-ish. I climbed my first '14-er' (14,0000 foot mountain) in Telluride and also saw Shawn Colvin there at the Blue Grass Festival back in 1990...before she was anything or anyone famous. She was simply awesome....standing there alone on stage with only her guitar and singin' Steady On. I'll never forget that one.

I've always been smitten with this posh mountain-y, ranch-y, hi-tech home-on-the-range look....lots of wood, stone, glass....ever since my Vail days when I first discovered it. Back then decorating was more along the lines of the Austrian mountain chalet. Now I'm seeing more of a modern twist to it....that I find ultra-cool, indeed! This house is just modern mountain, gorgeous rustic chic...all over the place!

And, below, this is why it's been referred to as the Bridge House....overlooking the San Sophia mountains. Not a bad view, huh! : D

Lake Camp Revamp

2011-10-07T20:32:00.003-04:00

I mentioned a few posts back that we've had access to a little lake cabin just down the road from us. I also mentioned that I couldn't resist doing some of my own re-styling while I was there. After all, what are camps for anyway? Hmmmm?

This IS relaxing! Of course, it is. OK, it's the prerequisite TO relaxation....at least in my book. Relax...Re-style....Re-decorate....Revamp....it's all the same.

Now the fun part of the styling game is that you have to use what's already there....or whatever you might have on hand in the closet (or camper, in my case). No running out to T.J. Maxx and Target....or the nearest antiques mall. Oh no. This is the quickie cheap revamp of the camp. Rule #1: Only use what you have on hand. So here we go...

Before:

After:

This nook,
Before:

After:

Before:

After:

And before we leave the living area, I'll show you this nook on the other side of the couch and wood stove. I moved the rocking chair and side tables over here to hold bags and toys. This is also where we put the trundle bed for our son to snooze on...

Unfortunately, I don't have any before photos of the little bedrooms. Suffice it say, they didn't look like this. One bedroom had no bed at all. The other bedroom with the Victorian oak headboard was facing the other direction and had a blow-up mattress and swim floaty on it.

Daddy also moved the rope swing to a new location....

more swing out, more action! : D

Feeling Like Fall

2011-10-02T18:17:00.001-04:00

We've been enjoying days of Indian Summer...temps even into the 80's for late September! It's been just too good to last. This weekend has ushered in the rainy cold and Fall is behaving more like its predictable self. I love this time of year, though, despite all the gray dreariness we have today. I especially love a Maine Autumn....when the sun shines into October blue skies, red crisp apples beg to be picked, evenings spent around an open campfire, out come the warm woolen mittens, long striped scarves, and bright stocking hats....simple pleasures become the Fall fare!

So to get ourselves prepped and pumped for this Fall season's fun, I thought I'd share some photos I took last October while we were still living the cozy camper life on our beautiful 40 acres of land....

Bring on a fabulous Fall! : D

A Horse-Lover's Home

2011-09-28T15:06:00.002-04:00

My friend, Lori, is very much the horse-lover....how can you tell? Just take a look around her house. In the above photo we have a carved bust of a horse behind the couch....

The antique bicycle horse...and practically all of those framed photos on the cabinet (and every other place around the house) have horses in them, too...

And in the entry we have a painting of horses in the pasture in front of her house...which, by the way, coincides with the Babycakes that's out there now....

Hi Baby!

Upstairs we have more horses in the fox-hunter wallpaper border in her daughter's previous bedroom (now a guest room)...which happens to coordinate with these cheerful broad stripes in the upstairs bathroom....

There's another antique rocking horse next to her desk, and a huge horse painting in the living room. Anyway, I think you get the general idea. So while we're at it, I'll continue to show you more of this lovely horse-lover home....

We're still upstairs and this is the room I enjoyed during our stay. I helped her hang the taupe curtains...that was my idea....softens that window a bit and looks great with that lampshade. We decided that her son wouldn't mind too much....since he's off to college anyway. Do guys even notice that kinda thing? Maybe he'll notice how great they look with that lampshade! : D

Back downstairs I'll show off her new granite counter tops that were installed while I was there....all in less than 24 hours, I might add! A friend of Lori's turned her onto this company that deals in granite remnants and over-stocks. They came in on one day to measure the whole kitchen, then on the scheduled day, they replaced the whole deal and included the under-counter sink. All in one day! And for a fantastic price to boot! Don't they look great!

And the new sink and faucet....I love all those graceful curves!

Now, down the stairs to the basement....

This is the very nicely appointed workout room that I actually put to use while I was there....and, yes, all those unused muscles did rebel....and this is why she stays in such beautiful shape. Now let's head outside....

She's accomplished some pretty landscaping around the house....with spilling-over window boxes and containers on the outdoor deck and pool area....

Asheley lost one of her first front teeth...you can see the gap from here!

Once it finally decided to stop raining and give us some gorgeous weather, this was the kiddos' favorite place to hang out....and mine too! : D

To The Lake Shore

2011-09-25T10:19:00.000-04:00

It's a gorgeous sunny day today...and may even hit the 80's! We're off to the lake shore....a cute 'n cozy lake camp (cabin) that we have access to for the next couple of weeks. Turns out it's right around the corner from us....less than 2 miles away. Yet it feels very remote and wonderful! The children can ride their bikes over while I haul the stuff. There's a wide-bottom canoe with wooden paddles and a bright yellow paddle boat that the kiddos have been cruising around in....over to a small island where a bald eagle is nesting!....and calling out to the loons that dive under and pop up all around the boats. Of course, I've mostly enjoyed taking in the deck action, redecorating the inside of the little camp (sorry, can't resist!), and cranking up the wood stove in the evenings. What a treat....and great way to bring in the Fall! : D

Gone Fishin'!

Daddy also rigged up a rope swing to launch out over the water....

The deck and screened in porch above. Christmas lights glow in the evenings inside the porch. I also brought over the citronella candles to light up the deck....and ward off the occasional mosquito....

Burgers are served! : D

Ahhh....Our New Spa!

2011-09-23T15:58:00.002-04:00

This Fall....and winter... I felt the need! But not for speed. In fact, quite the opposite. I felt the need for spa...aaaah! So we began searching craigslist for used hot tubs and finally found this one that was still in really good shape and at a really good bargain. So while the kiddos and I were away in New Hampshire, my husband went to pick up our 'new for us' hot tub, built a platform, and had it ready to install by the time we got back home....

Then came the base for the platform to sit on....and strong enough to handle 3000 lbs. or 5000 lbs. or whatever it is....it's heavy!

Next came the very easy part....putting down the plastic flooring panels. Don't they look nifty? I like simple and easy....

This was the tricky part....actually getting the thing off the trailer. Andrew jacked up the trailer with the farm jacks to where it was even with the platform. Then we rolled the jacuzzi onto some long sturdy metal tubes and moved it into place....

Done! And in its new home...ready and waiting to be all hooked up and heated up and doing its jacuzzi spa thang....that it does so well!

And boy, does it do it well! YAY! As many of you have guessed already, I'm very much an outdoorsy kinda gal. However, I'm also very much a pamper me and let's do this thing right, relaxed, and resort-like outdoorsy kinda gal. This being the case, I've really enjoyed decking out our deck....and its new ambiance has been so inviting and wonderful! We've been using it like it's never been used before! It's great eating and relaxing and entertaining outdoors....enjoying the nice end-of-summer weather and soaking in the scenery. However, as I've been mulling it over....I knew that something was still missing. I soon decided that our lovely little deck really needed a jacuzzi spa at the end of it. And ooooh! I was soooooo right! : D

WTW Thursday :: Embellishing Pink Baby Pantaloons

2011-09-22T11:47:00.000-04:00

Welcome to WTW (What They Wore) Thrusday! Last week I promised to post the details on how I embellished the little pantaloons that went under the apron onesie dresses. These leggings came in a size 0-3 months package of 2 that I bought at Target. There were other soft colors to choose from including a light heather gray (if you want to go for more earthy or neutral colors).

First, I sewed the eyelet trim around the bottom of each leg using the sleeve arm on my sewing machine....it just fit! Next I cut a small rectangle from the lace trim I used for the sash on the apron dresses and folded it accordion-style as tightly as I could. I ran it under the sewing machine (a little bunchy!) but held the 'bow' together enough for me to wrap the pink embroidery floss several times around the middle....thus completing the little 'bow' look. I sewed the lace bow to the outer seam of each pantaloon. Voila! Done! Too easy....too cute! : D

I Might Have a Goat Farm....IF

2011-09-20T10:33:00.000-04:00

IF....it looked like this goat farm! I happened along this place while walking the dogs on a side street in NH. This is in Mont Vernon....although it could be Sweden! Is this detailing perfectly idyllic or what?? OK I guess something like this could...just maybe.....actually persuade me to get a goat! : D

Everyone Gets a Ride

2011-09-18T18:47:00.000-04:00

Yep, all the kiddos...big and small....got a turn riding Baby. These photos were taken over a week ago on her 3rd day of training. Lori gave me an update today. Babycakes is moving forward and off the leg really well now. She moved her into a slow canter on a low incline and says that she's very balanced....in fact Lori can't believe how balanced our little horse is given her inexperience! They've been on a few trail rides now....over stone walls and thru some streams. Baby's got a good head and doesn't rush but picks her way very carefully. Lori's still amazed at how balanced and how well she holds her head. She says that if Baby was just a wee bit faster and a couple of hands taller, she'd be asking to buy her from us! The cutest thing is that Baby must be enjoying this as much as Lori since she literally runs to Lori in the pasture. As I'm sure you know, this is all major music to my ears!! : D

1. Heather

2. Caitlyn

3. Andrew

4. Asheley

5. Me

6. And of course, Lori, her favorite

Heather's Day in the Chair

2011-09-16T17:04:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago I became Deb, the red head....briefly!...very briefly!...due to my attempt at hair color from the box....big mistake. However, the silver lining to my ill-fated vanity landed me in the capable hands of Katie who masterfully turned my disaster into a very natural looking strawberry-blonde. And yes, I'm lovin' my new look!

I'm also lovin' the hair salon/spa that I discovered right in my own backyard. I had noticed the sign before but only as I was whizzing by going one way or another. Tamara owns the Wavelengths Salon & Day Spa right here in St. Albans...and what a bit of heaven we found here! It's in a renovated farmhouse...so tastefully decorated right down to a cozy fireplace they keep cranking during the long winter months...super-friendly people....and lots of wonderful hair and spa treatments to choose from as well. And to think I would've probably never ventured thru these doors if not for that debacle in the box. Serendipity reigns again!

So once Mom got the royal treatment, my daughter asked if she might have a turn in the chair. Katie had a gentle color treatment that we decided would be perfect at lightening Heather's hair around her face....to blend in with all the summer sun streaked hair she has in the back. Heather also wanted very much to use her own money that she's been saving to pay for her first trip to the salon herself. My little girl is growing up!! Can I handle this??

Well, even if Mom couldn't, Heather sure could....and soon she had her moment of reckoning....hair cut, highlight, under the dryer, washed....and of course styled....

Yes, that's me in the mirror....snapping away with the camera! (And my hair a day after Katie made it beautiful!)

Ooooh! Look at those pretty highlights!!

The finishing touch....headband in place.....and isn't she lovely!

Thanks Katie, you're fantastic! : D

WTW Thursday :: Onesie Apron Dress

2011-09-15T10:23:00.001-04:00

Today's WTW (What They Wore) Thursday features the pink onesie apron dress I made recently for my friend, Sarah's Tea Party Baby Shower. These little onesie dresses were such fun....and so easy to put together (even without a pattern!)....

An eyelet ruffle and lace sash.....and tiny fabric rose at the neck....did the trick!

This one is similar to the lavender apron dress in the background....only the apron is not as wide and gathered. It's more along the lines of the handkerchief dress I saw on Amazon. Stay tuned, next week I'll show you the details for the cutesie pantaloons I embellished to go under the dresses....since it is creeping up on Fall, ya know! : D

Babycakes Boot Camp

2011-09-13T21:54:00.002-04:00

Babycakes is still at Pony Boot Camp....of the cowboy boot persuasion, that is. And she's doing really well. These photos were taken last Wednesday when it was still rather wet and drizzly. She got shoes put on for the first time and behaved like a little lady....for the most part anyway. So she's all decked out now. She's not going forward real well yet, and moves like a 'drunken sailor' as Lori puts it. But she's trying to balance the weight as well as figure out what all this nudging is all about....keeping up a pretty good attitude overall, I must say....especially for a li'l girl who's very much accustomed to doing her own thing all day long! Of course the kiddos are all thrilled to cheer Baby on from the sidelines! : D

Heather's the lone spectator today...

Baby finally manages a trot!

Good girl! Now that wasn't so bad, was it??

Rainy Daze

2011-09-11T09:50:00.000-04:00

Been rather drizzley and cool the past couple of days....rain, rain, rain....but nice weather to have a lazy lunch out on the ver-AHnda...

WTW Thursday :: Lavender Apron Dress

2011-09-08T07:46:00.000-04:00

This is the lavender skirted onsie dress I made recently. The skirt is made from cotton flannel that I gathered and applied with a lace sash...

Next, I added a lavender bow I tied from ribbon for the neckline and then sewed a cloth rosette to a couple of matching ribbon lengths I stitched to the lace sash on the skirt front.

Once I stitched the bow into place at the neckline, the knot on the underside felt a bit rough and scratchy, so I decided to hand stitch a tiny rectangle of felt over the rough spot. Only the softest of softest for baby skin!

Perfect!

Babycakes Goes Traveling

2011-09-06T22:09:00.002-04:00

My friend Lori in New Hampshire wanted a horse to ride this Fall....and I happen to have a horse that needs to be ridden....and trained. So she brought trailer up on Saturday 'cause we decided it was time for pony school. Baby loaded up for her first big trailer ride on Sunday. We were hoping for a very uneventful 4 hour trip...and fortunately that's what we got! She liked the riding part OK....but not the standing still part....

It's OK, Baby, we're almost there! We got in about 4 in the afternoon. So this is her new home for the Fall. She'll be getting lots of schooling and trail riding....and she's soooo excited. Can't you tell? Well, we're excited for her....even tho she's already guessing she's a back to school pony. It's not all bad...she's discovered that Lori has pocketsful of peppermints! : D

My Recent Project :: Onesie Apron Dresses

2011-08-27T06:21:00.010-04:00

I'm ashamed to admit that it's been a couple of years since I pulled the cover off my sewing machine and actually completed a sewing project. Unbelievable. Somehow I put these little onesie apron dresses together in one afternoon....and I'm quite ecstatic over how they came out. These dresses with the matching pantaloons were the gifts I brought for Sarah's Tea Party-Baby Shower.

I swiped the idea from this outfit I found on Amazon. At first, I wanted to use handkerchief skirts, too, but realized that this baby girl was due the end of October and would definitely be needing warmer outfits by then. So I opted for long sleeved onsies, some soft pink leggings to embellish, and chose flannel for the skirts. I already had the lace and discovered it went perfectly over the gathered apron skirt....so off I went! I'll launch into more details on each outfit coming up soon! : D

Deck at Dusk

2011-08-26T20:45:00.000-04:00

We're really enjoying our deck now....and I'm especially enjoying it at dusk. I love sunrise but gorgeous summer sunset evenings like this are still my 'best' (as my children say : D). I've done more rearranging as well. The other evening when my friend, Heather, was over, we went to Sawyers for hot dogs and ice cream. Then cruised over to Wal-Mart. Ya know, the evening out just isn't complete without a trip to Wally World. OK, you have permission to slap me now. As I was saying, we decided to wander thru the garden section and would you believe they had the 7 piece dining table and chairs on display....and on sale!....that matched my new deck seating? Yes they did! It was also the last one left....

So I did some re-calculating...and more rearranging....and finagling...and finally decided the next day that I could indeed fit that dining set into the scheme. Believe it or not, this is the very first dining table our family has ever had where everyone can actually fit at the table! And we're lovin' it.

And me?...especially at dusk! : D

WTW Thursday :: Onesie Dress

2011-08-25T07:03:00.004-04:00

Hopscotch Designs Isabella Dress

Welcome to WTW (What They Wore) Thursday! I'm gaga over this onesie apron 'Isabella' dress I found....another creation by Hopscotch Design ...the wonderful styles I've been highlighting this month. And yes I'm absolutely gonna copycat this idea! How amazingly cute and clever is this?? A vintage-type handkerchief gathered and attached to a pink onesie with a white grosgrain ribbon tied at the sides. Simply sweet! : D

Hopscotch Designs Isabella Dress

See more of WTW Thursday

Last Days of Summer

2011-08-24T13:27:00.001-04:00

It seems lately that our last days of really warm summer weather are waning. Last week my friend, Heather, brought over her boys, her new baby girl, and the flower power sprinkler. The kiddos had a blast...getting blasted! And that was our last really warm day. Perhaps we have a bit of Indian Summer left, but Autumn seems to be creeping around the corner. I'm always glad to take full advantage of these last days of summer!

And say hello to Baby Anna in her sweet pink outfit...and with the big slobbery perfectly adorable grin. I was quick enough to catch it. Yay! Summer...baby smiles....sometimes life feels like one fleeting series of fabulous moments. Grab 'em while we can! : D

Deb, The Red Head

2011-08-22T13:39:00.000-04:00

This will be your one and only chance to see me as a red head....so you better look fast! Although my husband wants me to keep it this way....hahahhahaha. Very funny. I decided to 'lighten up' this summer, and finally got the guts to break open the package promising golden locks yesterday afternoon....yeah, the one I bought on sale like 2 years ago that's been staring at me from the bathroom shelf all this time. However Revlon Colorsilk had other ideas for my hair than the 'lustrious golden blonde' that it promised. Hopefully I'll attain that 'lustrious golden blonde' soon....when I can locate that certain person with the right chemicals to turn orange into blonde. And you're very generous and kind to say this is strawberry blonde....I say it's orange! Green Gables here I come! : D

Visions of a Tea Party

2011-08-20T15:32:00.001-04:00

Last Sunday the gray skies cleared, the threat of rain disappeared, and the day dawned gorgeous for our very first Garden Tea Party in Maine! The girls wore their matching dresses....with doll dresses....and could hardly contain their excited giddiness over the grand event. It's the kind of thing that makes little girls' heads swoon...and this tea party-baby shower surpassed all their little girl tea party dreams!

This is Mandy above, our lovely and inspired hostess.

She orchestrated the party for her sister, Sarah....

Sarah, the radiant Mama....and Mama-to-be again....posing with her daughter, Evie.

Our girls found a doll and dress to match Evie's as well, and she hardly let her dollie out of her sight!

So let's get this show underway, shall we? First the decor and groupings. Mandy always makes these outdoor festivities at the Post Farm beautifully countrified and lovely....from harvest parties to surprise anniversary celebrations....and now to tea party showers! She has such a special touch...

The Decor...

Next...

The Goodies...

And

The Gifts...

Let's not forget the guests (and beautifully attired!)

The Guests...

The Post Family girls....

Mothers and Daughters....

Me and Asheley

Me and my girls

Sandee and her daughter, Hannah.

(She also has 3 other darling daughters running around)

Sandee finds a sun hat....now she's officially ready to have tea!

Mandy planned for the boys of course.

They had a hobo picnic...with the requisite hobo knapsack lunch hanging on a stick....

And some little girls can only handle so many frills and so much fun....

before they get totally tea-partied out!

What a perfect day....and the question just has to be asked:

When do we get to do it again??

WTW Thursday :: Hopscotch Apron Dresses

2011-08-18T09:20:00.002-04:00

Hopscotch Designs Girls 2-6x May Dress

Back View

Hopscotch Designs Girls 2-6x May Dress

Welcome to WTW Thursday! Lately I've been into the apron dress thing....and in future posts you'll see why! So today I'm still highlighting the Hopscotch Design Dresses. Theses cute little numbers make any little girl swoon....along with their mothers....don't you agree? And this week is no exception. I refer to it as the gathered apron dress....a pretty eyelet apron over a ruffled skirt. I can't resist! Styles today also sport spaghetti straps that look so wispy and cool.....perfect for the long, hot, humid month of August...

Hopscotch Designs Girls 2-6x May Dress

Back View

Hopscotch Designs Girls 2-6x May Dress

Then there's this sweet thing called the Fantasy dress....any little girl's fantasy with an embroidered overlay and plenty of tulle to make it perfect for spinning! : D

Hopscotch Designs Girls 2-6x Fantasy Dress

Back View

Hopscotch Designs Girls 2-6x Fantasy Dress

See more of WTW Thursday

Tea Party Bunnies

2011-08-17T14:54:00.004-04:00

Beatrix Potter and her quaintly dressed animals have nothing on our tea party bunnies! Here we have Blackberry and Dream, our girls' baby bunnies, dressed and ready for their own garden Tea Party.

By the way, speaking of tea parties, we attended our very own sensational Tea Party-Baby Shower this past Sunday ....that I seriously can't wait to go on and on about. It was at our friend's, the Post Family Farm, in a field surrounded by queen anne's lace, golden rod, and purple-pink clover. Mandy was our lovely hostess....decorating tables with vintage china and lace table cloths....she went all out as usual! The girls wore their matching dresses....and doll dresses. It was too much fun. I'm still getting the photos loaded....but I'll have it all up very soon. In the meantime, our little bun-buns will show-off their fine tea party frocks!

Munch, munch....love those dandelion leaves! : D

My Garden @ Sunrise :: Continued

2011-08-10T16:41:00.003-04:00

Well, it's been damp and rainy and continuing to stay cool today, tho the last couple of days have been glorious sunshine. I'll now conclude the stroll we began through my garden at sunrise.....always a perfect time to stroll when the dew is still on the grass and bit of a chill still in the air. Last summer we managed to construct and plant 8 raised beds lined with paths. Raised beds, of course....makes that impertinent little task of weeding so easy to deal with....almost relaxing! I'm not kidding! Just plop down on the log along the raised bed and the weeds simply pull up with the slightest tug...sometimes even a pinch! Truly!

the lovely kale

squash blossoms...

One of the kid's favorites: banana peppers!

Strawberries...

and lots of wonderful red onions and leeks

These shots of the garden are no longer at sunrise...but views I took mid-morning capturing the whole lay-out. I soooo enjoyed this garden last summer...along with the herb bed on the other side of the camper. This was the largest garden I had thus far attempted. How is it that gardens bring such a great feeling of accomplishment....and the yummiest salads ever! : D

WTW Thursday :: Hopscotch Design Jumpers

2011-08-04T15:52:00.001-04:00

Hopscotch Designs April Dress

Welcome to WTW Thursday (What They Wore....as in the cute kiddos)! I was looking for some ready-made outfits that rivaled the darling Amy Butler patterns and fabrics....or one of my all-time favs, Anna Maria Horner.

These happy jumper dresses are by Hopscotch Design on Amazon....and definitely make me smile just looking at 'em. Many of them include Super-Saver Shipping which even makes my pocketbook smile! Hope you enjoy these cutesy creations....and all without even having to gather a ruffle or dust off the sewing machine! : D

Back View

Hopscotch Designs Girls 2-6x April Dress

Back View

Hopscotch Designs Charlotte Dress

My Herb Garden @ Sunrise

2011-08-03T15:36:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite past times would be walking my garden at sunrise. It's a delicious, evocative way to wake up....and something I'm quite missing this summer...tho my outfitted deck is somewhat making up for it ; ). This is the raised herb garden I put in last summer over on our land....

I was extremely pleased with all my fragrant herbs that really took off...especially the basil !! Along with marjoram, thyme, Italian parsley, chives, shallots, rosemary, dill, mint, and a few dwarf phlox for some color...

Since we were attempting the whole back-to-basics, going green, livin'-off-the-land fringe, granola kinda thing last year, this blue barrel is how I watered my herb garden part of the time. We emptied the gray water from our outdoor washing machine into the barrel, then my husband wheeled it over to my garden to let it slowly soak into the bed. I must say my herbs seemed to enjoy this process immensely...and process it was!

The dill, parsley, chives, and shallots

Shallots, basil, rosemary tucked in behind the basil

(not really enough light for the poor rosemary I'm afraid)

The marjoram (smells heavenly!) and sage

And the colorful dwarf phlox

Next I would wander over to the large garden where we built a series of raised beds separated by paths I lined with wood chips. Here we grew tomatoes, various squash varieties, sunflowers, lettuces, green beans, banana peppers, onions, and leeks. I also planted a few flowers but those were rather delayed in their blooming. And yes, that's the porch swing in the background that my husband assembled from poplar and cedar logs. I would eventually plop myself there....soak in the bird song....and sip my coffee. Ahhhh!

To be continued....

Picking Raspberries

2011-07-30T19:26:00.001-04:00

Last summer on our land, the children and I spent warm summer months picking the wild berries that grew prolifically along the edge of our woods. By far my favorite are raspberries. I know...lotsa seeds....but I still love 'em best. They were the first to come in and lasted essentially all summer long. What a treat!

Despite the flying, biting insects and sticky, clinging bushes...it was always worth the effort. These lasted about as long as it took to hike back up the hill and put them in our bowl of breakfast cereal. In other words, not much of a shelf life. Or the children would jump off their bikes, pop a handful into their mouths...and then off they'd go again. Just one of those sweet and fleeting indulgences! : D

WTW Thursday :: Dollie and Me Dresses

2011-07-28T20:28:00.002-04:00

Dollie & Me Girls 7-16 Dressy Dress,Blue/White,8

Some of you may have already stumbled across the WWW: 'What I Wore' Wednesday thing. So spinning off that theme, I decided to start my own WTW: 'What They Wore' Thursday....They as in what my munchkin kiddos are wearing....or cutie outfits I come across.

These are the Dollie and Me dresses the girls chose for a Tea Party we've been invited to next month. They're beyond excited. And these dresses are beyond adorable....quite reasonable as well. My daughter, Heather, had gotten a $50 gift certificate to Amazon for her birthday from Florida grandparents, so she decided she wanted to put it toward matching dresses for her and her sisters. Great idea! They'll all match and their dolls will match, too! How perfect is that? Too bad they didn't have one in my size. Oh well! ; ) The dresses I've featured here come in sizes 2-6x and 7-16 (tho many of them went only up to sz 12). They also carried ballet tutus, nightgowns, and play outfits along with assorted others.

Take a look at more of these darling dresses....the ones I'm most partial to anyway. Even at the cool, disdainful, little-girly-stuff-is-totally-beneath-me age of 16, I'd still be secretly drooling over these...even if I didn't admit it to anyone! Of course, I'll totally admit it now...and live it out thru my little girls! : D

Dollie & Me Girls 7-16 Dressy Dress,Pink/White,8

Dollie & Me Girls 7-16 Dress Up Dress,Pink,12

Dollie & Me Girls 2-6x Dressy Monsoon Print Dress, Pink/ Multi, 6

Dollie & Me Girls 7-16 Dressy Monsoon Print Dress, Pink/Multi, 8

Dollie & Me Girls 7-16 Solid Monsoon Chiffon Dress, Purple/Multi, 8

Inspiration Board :: Kitchens

2011-07-27T07:26:00.000-04:00

Found @ this HB slideshow:

Denise's Garden

2011-07-25T18:16:00.000-04:00

My friend, Denise, has continued to ramp up her efforts in the raised bed garden she put in a year or so ago....with fantastic results. If you haven't already discovered raised beds, you have no idea what you're missing. Seriously! I refuse to go back to any other way of gardening ....totally spoiled now. And Denise refuses as well....especially now that her garden is looking absolutely idyllic! As you shall see. She put in the pebble gravel this year and the cedar bench was a handcrafted gift from a friend in Canada. She struck upon the brilliant notion of setting it at the back of her garden. Once you sit in one of those seats, I can tell ya, there's no getting up again.

She's planted raspberry bushes along one side of the garden and may extend those eventually. And her daughter planted a flower bed in the center that will continue to bring forth blooms late into the summer. Lovely! My favorite feature, though, is the potted geraniums in the wooden buckets. So please excuse me, will you, while I take at least 47 shots of those....

I'm sure everyone can concur that it's impossible to get enough angles of red geraniums in wooden buckets....BUT....I'll practice temperance and stop for now. ; )

So here's the view from the bench seat in the garden. Gorgeous and very regal feeling as you survey the kingdom....homestead Kingdom. And it's a beautiful acreage, too. I'll follow the kiddos out to the barn where the pony, Jessy, hangs out along with her little sidekick, Ebony, the mini-horse....

Their barn is painted the perfect red. When I have a red barn, this will be the red....the one and only red....no other red will do...

Hope you enjoyed strolling Denise's grounds and garden with me today...and hope you're inspired to keep tweaking your own garden get-away. I know I am! : D

Cinnamon Says 'Cheese'

2011-07-24T07:12:00.001-04:00

Meet Cinnamon, our 'orphan' duck. I haven't gotten much on the duck, so decided it was his turn in front of the camera. Say 'cheeeeeese' Mr. Duck! My friend, Heather, tried hatching out some duck eggs earlier this Spring and only 2 of them hatched. Then one of those little chicks died, so all she had left was one li'l lonesome duckling. She asked me if I might want to take the lone duck for the kiddos (she has a whole passel of large ducks)....and naturally, how could I refuse? The kiddos have adored this duck. From the time it was teeny, it has followed after them as fast as it can waddle....and used to go for long swims in the bath tub (and yes, it's outdoors with its own swimming pool now).

Since we weren't sure if this was a 'he' or a 'she' duck, we've called it Cinnamon....or 'Cimmanon'....as I hear it on many an occasion. ; ) Secretly I was hoping 'he' would be a 'she' so I could have lots of nice big duck eggs. Alas, a drake it is....with his deep quack and beautiful dark green feathered head. At least he's a handsome duck. And provides lots of entertainment. Perhaps we can find him a duck wife and eventually have a little duck family waddling about....and chances are I might even get some duck eggs, too! : D

Decked Out

2011-07-23T15:30:00.001-04:00

Our deck is a nice deck....with a nice view. However, we just haven't been taking advantage of it like we should be....especially this time of year when the weather is beyond perfect. And don't you Mainers even begin to tell me that 92 degrees with a cool breeze is hot. Sorry, I'm from TX, this is not hot. No, it's not. Don't argue with me, I know what I'm talkin' about here. Now that we've got that settled, I am absolutely tickled pink, purple, and tan-with-dark-brown-accents over my new deck makeover. Tickled!! : D

It all started last Sunday when the children hauled off the metal table and chair set to have a picnic under the birch trees. And that is, by the way, the perfect-o spot for that set. That, however, left a wide open empty space on the deck that was just begging for something....something comfy and elegant and refined....and relaxing....and resort-mood-invoking. Something that says, "Just sit right down here, take a load off, and enjoy this view....now!"

Unfortunately, I don't happen to have that kind of a resort-decor budget, generally speaking. So, generally speaking, I try to piece together what I've already got...or happen to grab from a yard sale....or just do without (until I can grab it at a yard sale...heh heh).

Monday, we went to Wally World and I meandered out to the garden section to see if any flowers might help my dilemma. I didn't find flowers (except one hanging basket) but I did find lots of herbs and veggie plants marked 50% off. Big score. As you might be guessing, those weren't the only things marked 50% off either

As we strolled back thru the patio furniture area, I spied this set marked ridiculously low....and couldn't believe my eyes. At first I thought it was just for the one table. But then I was shockingly informed that no, it was for the whole entire kit-n-kaboodle set....along with all those comfy all-weather cushions....and even the accent pillows. No. Way. And on top of that, it was all assembled and we could load it up in the truck, scoot home, and eat our tacos that evening sitting on those very chairs.... in all of about 2 minutes (the time it takes us to unload those babies outta the back of that truck). Be still my heart!

But I'm not even done yet. I know I'm being obnoxiously long-winded on this....but what are blogs for anyway?? And when it comes to decorating re-do's, I'm never at a loss for words. This area on this end of the deck is just begging for one of those scrolled metal firepit stands. I'll wait on that till the weather cools off a bit. I readily confess that it is way too warm for fires at the moment....only at the moment, tho.; )

And this end of the deck is just begging for one of those outdoor 4x6 all-weather rugs....perhaps with some sort of scroll motif on it. And a couple of citronella candles. I also needed some more planters...like big ones. But I didn't want to pay $15 or $25 on big plastic planters. As I was cruising the clearance aisle, I noticed some large plastic round hampers that had a basket weave design to them way up high on the tip top shelf. I drug them down, scanned 'em and they came up at $2.50. Score again! I'll definitely keep you up-to-the-minute on any new deck designs and features.

Now before you think I've gone completely budget-busting bonkers, take a look at that grill there. Can you believe my husband just got that at the dump for nothing? Yep, the guy had just bought a brand new grill and was about to leave this one at the dump....with the butane tank attached. Works great....just fired it up and hamburgers were ready in a jiffy. So Wally World rocks. I detest Wal-Mart for over 100,000 reasons, but this week, it did indeed rock in my book. Addendum: If you ever, ever catch me saying, "Wally World rocks" again, please slap me. : D

Camo the Coops

2011-07-22T18:46:00.008-04:00

I've been searching for ways to Camo the Coops, so to speak. Translated that means keeping the chickens and bunnies beautiful. Beautifully kept coops and runs....and maybe no one will ever know it's actually a little umm....less than pristine??....in there. I know...major understatement. The image above I found doing a search for 'flowers around chicken coop'....this suffices, I'd say.

Another beauty here.Found @ Homestead Revival. Click on her blog link to find more nice ideas.

This isn't exactly a chicken run but it could be in my mind...just substitute the picket fence for posts and chicken wire. The flower border would dress anything up! Image is from Ash Lawn Highland Found @ Chiot's Run a chronicle of an organic garden.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Martha's Pets- Martha Stewart Pets

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Martha's Homes

Then of course there's Martha Stewart's Palais de Poulet. She came up with that phrase, not me. I could never hope to out-clever, out-create Martha....as much as I may try! Or not. But I'll steal her ideas for sure!

Roses over the chicken coop....luv it! And she says, 'The cutting garden adjoins the coops; all weeds are fed to the birds, as are all grass cuttings.' Precisely what I'm thinkin'.

Flower Power Chicken Coop products are eggselent!

And oh my!....I want this pin! These people have got the idea....Eggsactly!! : D