Update on an old post and a new project - just in time for spring!

Hi there!
To kick off today I thought I'd post some pictures of the vintage boxes I've been working on planted for you to see. The first picture shows a box planted with succulents which are nice because they don't require a lot of depth (or water- perfect for those of us the forget that sort of thing!).  I think it looks great, but I prefer the ones potted with more traditional "southern" plants like fern, mosses and ivy. Being a Southern gal and all thats not too surprising I suppose.   



Project of the Day!

I made this gardening pail and thought I'd share the super simple way to whip one up. I love it because all of  your stuff is in one place and it's cute.  Never underestimate the importance of cuteness.
I've got other "stuff" on the inside right now, however the idea is that the tools all stay secured on the outside and you can put all of your bulbs, lime, fertilizer -whatever - on the inside.



I started off with a plain ol' galvanized bucket that I purchased at the hardware store for about $7.50.

I selected the tools I planned to use and figured out exactly how many spaces I'd need to allow for. For  this one I included a spade, pruning shears, scissors, bulb planter and I feel like I'm forgetting something else, but everyone has different favorite tools so that can be up to you to decide.

Next I chose the rope I was going to use. I used skinny rope so I braided the strands together to increase strength and durability.  If  you use a thick piece you can skip that step. 

Next I used a sharpie pen to mark out the spots I wanted to drill through the bucket.  A tip I would suggest is when drilling use a sharp drill bit so that you don't have to press super hard on the bucket. You don't want to bend it. (then it's not so cute! no one likes a wonky bucket)  The next tip I figured out is to use a bit of masking tape or painters tape (I used the blue kind) and mask off the little areas where you plan to drill and then drill right through the tape.  I found the bit wanted to slip slide around a lot on the metal and the tape helped hold it in place (generally) until I could get a little depressed area started while drilling into the metal.

wear protective goggles!!! 
drilling - metal shards --- need I say more!

Weave your handy dandy rope through the holes and knot on the inside.  Test out each tool in the place you want it to fit to be sure you leave enough slack.  Then you are all ready to load it up and ENJOY! 

I had a stubborn sticker on the front of my bucket and try as I might I couldn't get it all off so I painted a little design over it quick and easy to hide its non-cute residue (then I distressed it of course).   The entire project took about an hour and will keep your potting bench or garage (its a bucket, not a miracle worker!) neat and tidy. Its nice to have everything in one place when you need it and a nice little bucket like this will do the trick.

Maybe I'm more of a once a weeker...

Again Friday is here. Where does the time go?  This is what my day "off from work" would look like in beverage speak. I had so much catching up to do today. Whew!

I have gotten SO much done this week, however very little of it is what I used to rank as important.  I went all week with very little laundry up keep and due to that I am willing to disclose (with a hint of shame) that I sent my son to school at least one day this week in semis.  (Pronounced like semi's) As in semi-clean and semi-dirty ... get it.

I am a big fan of semis for myself (sometimes I only wore something to drive the kids to school...THAT is not a laundry worthy article of clothing) however I do feel conflicted about the kids wearing them out and about. But, lets face it, sometimes something has to give. Sometimes more than ONE something has to give.This week my kid managed to still learn, grow, and continue eating me out of house and home wearing perfectly good semi clean/ semi dirty jeans. So my new plan will be - If the knees look good and there are no food drippings or other obvious dirt I'm gonna be open to letting it ride on the jeans for a second day.  Underware still gets changed daily and yes, you have to take a shower even if you didn't go on the playground if for no other reason than thats when Mommy starts dinner. mmmkay.

This jar has been sitting in our kitchen and I just love these pretty candies and the way Routh's little letter necklace looks hanging there.  It makes me smile every morning so I've left it there.

Started off Monday with this totally spontaneous love note from my 9 year old son. Those of you that are parents of 9 year old boys can appreciate how totally great it is to get something so sweet. Really it was the baggie with the note and a Kit Kat bar, but I ate the candy almost immediately. The heart valentine came home with him from school. The note however was all him and I will keep it as long as I live and I may wear it on my forehead during his teen years.

Onward --- projects of the week.  I've been good at doing them and less good at documenting them which makes for a pitiful blog.  I'll show you what I've been up best that I can.

This is a really cute bench, but if you ask me it looks like it needs a little something more.  So I decided I would make an upholstered bench cushion and a couple of pillows to dress it up a bit.

To begin measure the seat so you know how big it needs to be...duh!

 Then cut a piece of MDF to fit inside the space (you could also use wood, but I would use MDF -No one is ever going to see it and its cheaper). It needs to be just a smidge smaller than the seat itself.

Next you are going to cut your foam cushion to fit the dimensions of the bench.  You can purchase this in a roll at Hobby Lobby or JoAnn Fabrics.  It cuts easily with scissors, but I find an exacto knife to be the best tool for the job.  Love it. Take my advice and just use an exacto or other razor. Its fast and gives you a straighter cut.




 I prefer to use at least 2" foam, but they sold out right before my eyes. (Literally- the lady in front of me at the check out had the last 2" rolls in stock in her cart. I thought I may wrestle her for it, but decided it may not be very lady like.)  I had to purchase the 1" and double it up. I decided to use spray adhesive in between the two layers of foam to discourage slippage.

Once everything is cut and all lined up on top of one another I wrapped some upholstery weight fabric around trimming the corners so they didn't look bulky and gross. I wrapped the short sides first and the long most exposed sides last to cover the edges most visible. I used a staple gun to tack everything in place and then I finished off the underside with (drum roll please) Burlap! Of Course.

That looks a little better. Right? 

Okay - I have two more projects to share, BUT  I have a ton to do to prepare for my very exciting weekend and I've got to go get some beauty sleep and batteries for my external flash so I'll leave you a little picture of another project that turned out SO cute and I'll tell you all about it next time.

I'm off to Elizabeth City tomorrow bright and early and I'll hopefully have something beautiful to share from that trip. Wish me luck! 
 

I sure hope you all enjoy your day!

Nana Pat's Yummy Banana Bread

Good Morning All!

I've got something yummy to share with you.

I love this recipe because its reliable, delish, and it requires very few super common ingredients so I can usually make it at any time and succeed in using up those bananas that didn't get eaten during the week.

I call this Nana Pat's Banana Bread because my dear friend Pat gave me the recipe. She was really supposed to be related to me, but it took us until adulthood to meet... crazy huh?  Must be some sort of snaffoo. We've known each other for about 15 years and how ever long it took us to meet is worth it because she is like family and I love her to pieces. She is one of the kindest most selfless people I know and I know God put her in my path because she is so remarkable and he knew I would need a Nana Pat.  Once I had kids, my kids began calling her Nana Pat and so thats who she is to us - Nana Pat. I think about her every time I make this bread- and lots of other times too!

We Love you Nana Pat!!!

Step one - Make some coffee for goodness sake!
a.) you'll want some with your yummy bread
b.) your bread will likely turn out best if you are thinking straight which happens post coffee in our house



Now the recipe - The measurements I'm giving you are for a single batch but I have 6 bananas that I need to use up so I'm doubling everything as I make it and the photos reflect the quantities of a double batch.  So if you make this bread and it looks like less thats fine - it should be.

3 ripe bananas - I use very ripe - as in tomorrow they hit the trash can ripe.  They are super sweet and best for the bread.

1/2 cup room temperature Butter   also called 1 stick of butter - I'm a big advocate for  butter -In fact if you work for the butter industry and would like a spokes person, I'm available... AS IF butter needs an advocate!!
I digress- skip the fake stuff and bake with real BUTTER!

1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs

(disclaimer - the next 3 ingredients are how the recipe is written however not how I made it... I had begun making this recipe that's so great because I always have these simple ingredients on hand and only after cracking the eggs and creaming the butter and sugar did I realize that I was OUT of  All Purpose flour! ugh! I'm giving you the right recipe and the way I made it so as long as you have flour of either variety you can still make this bread)

oops!

1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour

you can add nuts if you like - I don't bother.  Thats it. 
Pretty simple huh? 
Since I was out of AP Flour I skipped all three of the above ingredients and used Self Rising Flour.  Self Rising has the salt and soda already incorporated so if you use Self Rising flour leave out the salt and soda and the conversion is equal to what is called for in All purpose. mmmkay.



So then  I got to thinking that since one of the reasons I love this recipe is its simplicity maybe I should just make it this way all the time.  That reduces the ingredients list to

3 bananas
1 stick butter
1 cup Sugar
2 eggs
2 cups Self Rising Flour (and I like to add a touch of vanilla, but its optional)

Mash up your bananas - They look pretty gross from here on.





Cream your soft butter and sugar together and then add eggs one at a time

Stir in Bananas and then add your dry ingredients and mix well.

Put all of this in a pan that has been sprayed or greased with oil and then dusted in flour.

 Bake at 350 degrees for 60 min.

My double batch yielded 1 large loaf, 1 medium loaf, and 12 muffins. I like to do it this way because the loaf takes an hour to cook and I'M HUNGRY! So the muffins are done in about 17 min. and we can all chow down and enjoy the loaves over the week as a quick bite before work and school. If I were making a single batch I would do a small loaf and muffins for the same reason.  

 Near Instant Gratification.

Tip for the loaf- when you have about 20 min left put a piece of tin foil over the pan (don't wrap it just use it as a sheild) to keep the top and edges from getting too dark. The 40 min mark is the magic  number.

Voila'

ENJOY your bread and your day!



Boxed In

I hope everyone has had an awesome week. We managed to stay pretty much snow free this week which is nice because we are running short on make up days at school right about now. 

I am not doing such a great job of posting daily. Please forgive me - I haven't worked out my blogging time management yet with my regular resposibilities. 

And honestly -- I've totally been really busy. I've made custom cushions and pillows for some assorted outdoor furniture for the garden center. (I'll post pics once I've got everything pulled together. I want to offer you the ta-da! moment and since I've been doing all the sewing at home and the furniture pieces are at the shop thats not currently do-able.)
I've been going to my handy dandy new job that I'm so loving. I've painted a new table for my home office (which I scored on Craigs list WITH 2 chairs for $10.00 total - don't hate!) I'm going to do a whole post on my office re-do at some point. I'm pulling bits and pieces together. I also have selected and purchased paint for the walls AND I made a Valentines Day music mix! I Love that!
(So see I haven't been slackin' off.)

Don't be fooled by all of this initiative the truth is I think I'm procrastinating on recovering THE chair.
I know ... I'm a looooo-zer! 

What can I say. 
I even put it up on the blog to hold myself accountable.

I'm going to do it.
I am.
no kidding.


For all of you people that are living under a rock (and that are reading THIS blog.... its like all 12 of you)I'm thankful for all 12 of you btw! 

anyway - THIS MONDAY is Valentines Day! Just so I know I offered up a reminder - don't say you didn't know. Hurry it up and whip out your red and pink construction paper and make something sweet for all those people that ya love. They'll love ya even more for making something so nice for them.

I wanted to post some photos showing you the boxes I've been working on at the garden center.  They are really lookin' cute (if I do say so myself) and they are going to look spectacular once they have plants in them.

Above is before I had a chance to work my magic... or damage depending on how you choose to look at it.

Step one was a little gravel love to rough them up even more and a couple of coats of avocado paint.

over the green went a little more paint. something in the turquoise family

I'll admit that I thought these boxes were great to begin with, however I was inspired to work up some painted boxes like these while in Asheville at the Antiques Barn. 
I saw an old box that had so much character and the paint on it was an off color that only comes from layers of other colors under the top coat. 



This is one color scheme I used.  Its several (at least 4-5) different layers of paint and then I glazed it with a dark finish (I removed most of the glaze).  Picture this finished off this upcoming week with some hand painted typography. Its gonna rock!




A couple of others. I'm also doing red and a drabware/putty color that I seriously
L-O-V-E.



Here are some other pictures of all my little boxes.

Won't they be so great all planted with herbs for window sill/counter top herb gardens.  They will make an awesome hostess gift-- hint hint. I know where you'll be able to pick these little beauties up pretty soon. I'm shameless huh? wink wink.

If you like them- Thanks!
If you love them pick one or two up at Rountree Plantation! Once they've worked their plant magic it will be so much more than just an old box!

By the way here is a picture of my new desk pre-paint. More to come!

Enjoy your day!

Figuring this out as I go...

I am super excited to tell ya'll that I'm going to be working a few days a week at Rountree Plantation!

Cool Huh?  I'm pretty excited.

For location information and hours you can find them at
http://www.rountreeplantation.net/gallery-work-examples.html

Rountree is a wonderful garden center here in Charlotte, NC and they have been around FOREVER. The staff there are knowledgeable and offer unique, hard to find plants.  They have so many beautiful things there (I love their Pottery!) and the staff  is so talented especially all the fine folks that put together the assorted pots. There is such an art to assembling a perfect mix of texture and color - then add to that the plants have to tolerate the same conditions -its definitely a talent.

I don't mind admitting that my skills don't lean in that direction. I have a bit of a brown thumb.  I don't kill something right out of the gate I let it suffer a while and die a slow death.

Not intentionally of course - I'm not evil! I certainly wish I wasn't such a gardening novice. Most of the time I don't even know what went wrong.  Did I drown the plant - starve it? - did it die of thirst? Maybe I should talk to it more? I'm never really sure.

SO - I guess you're wondering why in the world they would hire me.  Well what a good question.

 I'm going to be working on the retail end of the business. Merchandising and keeping all the fun goodies that I'm not destined to kill looking fresh and ready to be snapped up!

I'm hoping that I'll be able to share some of the cool stuff there and projects that I'm working on with you.  Right now I'm antiquing some boxes that will be turned into planters and I'm reupholstering some benches.  I'm going to post on that in a day or two.  Until then I'm going to share some awesome prints that are online and free!!

FREE!! Who doesn't love free?

One of my favorite blogs that I'm following (translate - addicted to) is The Graphics Fairy.  She ROCKS.  Today I'm going to try to link up to her page, but bear with me because I'm figuring this out as I go and its a bit bumpy from time to time.
A perfect example - you can "grab" a blogs button to offer a link on your page and show your support for them too. Its great networking and they look nice on your page.

WELL! 

First of all how do you even get a button and Second of all ... I've tried grabbing some of my favs to link you up to them and I can't seem to do it! Its a little frustrating. What makes it so frustrating is it seems really obvious HOW to do it and yet I haven't been successful. hummm.

Maybe I should seek out a blog on how to blog. That sounds pathetic. Do you think there is an "Idiots Guide to Blogging"? Oh well... I'll get it eventually.

This will link you to a beautiful, down-load able ? and FREE image of a gorgeous hydrangea. Its from the fall, but maybe it will serve to inspire you during these cold winter days.


http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/2010/09/instant-art-printable-download-blue.html

She (The Graphics Fairy) also has really fun vintage Valentines and Easter images that are so great.  Perfect for a little inexpensive festivness.  Be sure to make use of the search engine on her page too. She has something for everyone.





I sure hope you all enjoy your day.

I may need my head checked!

I am pleased to be on the approach to Valentines Day.

Many of my favorite holiday moments involve food. 

Its true. 

Valentines Day is no exception.
I am a live to eat kinda girl- not an eat to live kinda girl.

I respect the heck out of you fine people that manage to not have a love affair with food. I don't understand you, but I respect you. I'm sure your thighs are smaller than mine and you probably don't ring in each new holiday season with yet another list of items that are destined to serve as complete temptation day in and day out for you and the rest of your family.


For Valentines day I always bake some sort of cutie pie cupcakes and I'm not ashamed to tell ya that I just LOVE a cupcake.  Last year I did some that were so simple that it hardly bears a mention except that I just treasured each time I ate one.  They were made of simple yellow cake with pink vanilla icing and sprinkles that were all different shades of white, pink and red.  They were SUCH a TREAT! Sometimes its the little things in life, ya know?

Okay, lets get down to business.  For today's post I'm going to show you a project that is one of the ones on my list of to-dos (and has been for about 8 years. Maybe even longer than that).




TA DA!
Its a lovely little thing right?
I know, she's a mess.


This chair was generously handed down in my husbands family from his Grandmother to his Sister and then to us. Its a deep chair and I've been convinced for (ever) a while that it has potential. But lets be honest... ITS TIRED.  Its tired on every level. The cushions. The fabric. Those sweet little legs are even looking a little worn out!

Aren't these details great! I love the carved wood on this piece.

Oh, poor girl isn't looking very good at all!



So! Whats a cheap gal like me to do?

Try to recover it of course.

I think I may need my head checked. 

I'm not convinced this is the most practical "first" in this genre due to a number of factors (one of which is the tufting and another one of which is the piping on the cushion), but look on the bright side - my possible disaster can be your entertainment. Come along on this little ride with me. It may be just tremendous. I'll show you every step of the process from tearing it down to putting it back (even if one of those steps includes a ride in the back of my car to the upholstery shop!) Wish me luck.

Enjoy your day!

Burlap, burlap, and more burlap.... are you intrigued?

Okay so today I'm posting several projects that are all made of BURLAP!!

(I know pretty exciting isn't it?)

I "came into" some twice used burlap coffee bags and I'm determined to make something worth while out of them.

Project numero uno!

vase/planter

For this project I used burlap (of course), scrap ribbon, a recycled canister (mine is from italian bread crumbs), hot glue (which is one of my most favorite things right in line behind spray paint), and I stitched a hem so I guess a sewing machine.

I measured the depth of the canister top to bottom and trimmed the burlap a quarter inch shy of that.  I wrapped the burlap around being sure to overlap the originating end.  I hemmed the raw edge and hot glued everything in place on the canister.  I then trimmed the top and bottom with scrap ribbon - thats it! 

Project number two!

pillows! shocking - i know.

It just doesn't get any easier than this.  Cut two pieces the exact same size and stitch around all four sides about 1/3 or 1/2 inch from the edge. Be sure to leave a small opening so you can put the stuffing in.

(a tip- pull apart the fiberfill a bit prior to shoving it in so it doesn't look all bunchy on the inside of the pillow)

Once the pillow is stuffed and you close the opening with a matching stitch start to fray the edges by using a pin or a large needle to pull the loose threads away from the body of the pillow.

Once the edges are all frayed out you are done!

(For the heart I just stitched it onto that panel before assembling the pillow and the flower was met with mixed reviews in my house so I'm not so sure anyone will want to duplicate that, but if you do stay posted I'll give you all the details in another posts one day real soon!)

Project number three!

place mats

I decided to try to whip up some coastal inspired place mats.  I cut two pieces of burlap the same size per place mat to serve as the front piece and the back piece.  I set aside the back piece of each place mat so that I could paint on the sea creatures.  When painting burlap be sure to put a drop cloth/table cover underneath because your paint will bleed through.  I chose to paint 2 in warm colors and 2 in cool colors. I kept the designs super simple.





I cut a smaller piece of muslin to layer inside the front piece and back piece of burlap.  I made a burlap sandwich with a muslin filling and then stitched all the way around all four sides.

  

 I chose a lime green stitch for these. I think its pretty cute. 

I frayed the edges on these just like I did on the pillows.

One more burlap flower.

 I used tule on this one. Its a little like a rustic valentine?

 Oh well.

I guess that sums up my adventure in burlap.

 I'll let you know if I come up with anything else thats cute. 

AND BURLAP! 

I asked my pup what she thought of all this burlap madness...

She couldn't be bothered to respond.

Enjoy your day!