Long Weekend Blooms and Finds.

What a great long weekend! We got a few things done around the house but spent a lot of time relaxing and it was wonderful. Sometimes the weekends feel go, go, go and it was nice to have an extra day to sleep in after a night out with friends, catch a noon Crossfit class, unwind, watch some Netflix, make a nice late lunch and then skip supper. Love those days!

We did a little shopping around town on Saturday and I thrifted these brass candlesticks at $2 for the pair. Score! I had some peach candlesticks left over from a photoshoot and opted for those over my go-to white. Peach is a favorite of mine lately.

I could clean them up a bit but currently I find their aged, tarnished finish irresistable. I can't get enough gold and brass tones in my life these days. Peach and gold.. is this the 90s? Who woulda thought?

I have a plentiful patch of tulips on the side of my house. I'm sure they were planted years ago, long before I ever lived here. Some of them have blooms as big as my head. Or not, but you get the idea. Huge, I tell you! Among them were these pretty pink and white ones which I clipped and brought into the house. Might as well enjoy them while they are still here!

I also cut this lonely tulips blooming all by it's lonesome. Rarely do I see them with so many petals. So pretty! I'm very anxious to see some other things blooming. Peonies and rhododendrons are my favorite!

Back tomorrow with some backyard progress!

Summer Living.

Oh summer! I have such plans for you each year. Project lists a mile long and a sparkling clean house. Then your sun shines and I can't bear to be indoors and suddenly all those ideas some how disappear. I'm certainly not complaining! The weather has been fantastic. I've spent lots of time with my sister, who is home visiting. In fact, today we are heading up to the Eastern part of the island to visit my sweet 98 year old grandmother.

Nothing says summer like fresh flowers. I took Beaufort up to my brother's house in the country to play some frisbee and there were bushes full of peonies. Since he is away working, I clipped them and took them all home. No one there to enjoy them!

Unfortunately, they only lasted a couple of days. I also clipped some little flowers from my garden to put in the sweet bud vase I picked up at Cottage Industry this week. I set it in a round wicker basket on the dining table with my deer antlers. A sweet simple centerpiece.

I picked up some new pillows for the chairs in the front porch. I love them with the green front door. We don't seem to sit out there very often with the new deck in the back. Since it's covered, it's fun to sit there and watch the rain but as long as the sun is shining the back yard is where it's at these days!

Speaking of the back deck. Steph has started the wall project that we had planned for the small deck. It's only part way but I like it already. It really feels more finished, plus it's going to cover the siding that was melted by the barbeque! oops:) We have plans for this part and I can't wait to share it!

Well, off to Souris then a nice supper out with my sister and parents. Have a great day everyone!

This Year's Annuals and a Winner!

What a beautiful weekend! We've been spoiled the last few weekends with sunny skies and warm temperatures. A great treat after a rainy cold week, here in PEI.

We spend the weekend working outside on the deck, landscaping and I found some time to fill my container pots with annuals. Buying flowers and planting is my favorite part of spring. Let me preface this to say that I never have any luck with my pots. I use good soil, Miracle Grow and water regularly but they always seem to look overgrown and sickly. I'm hoping that this is my year. Maybe I've learned from my failures and will come out on top. Must think positive!

Here is what I planted and I'll report back in a month's time on their progress.

Both of these pots are on the back deck and will get lots of sunshine. I chose sun loving annuals. The first pot has the yellow Bidens as well but they are not yet blooming.

The plants include:

Bidens

Purple Fountain Grass

Diamond Frost

Icicles

Blackie Ipomoea (Potato vine)

To my Canadian friends, you have to pick up one of these at Superstore (Loblaws)! $10 for a large pot of mixed lettuce greens. You take leaves as you need them and it continues to grow back all summer. Needless to say, we had lots of salad this weekend. Yummy! Thanks to Jana for the heads up on this one!

Here is the large pot at my front door. It doesn't get as much sun as the ones in the back so I chose shade/part shade plants.

These plants include:

Nonstop Yellow Begonia

Double Impatients

Purple Magilla

Calibrachoa (mini petunias)

Marguerite Ipomoea (limey green potato vine)

I'm crossing my fingers that they turn out well this year. My sister Julie is the queen of container gardening (well.. gardening in general really). Her pots are stunning every year! Apparently, she inherited the green thumb!

On the topic of flowers, I also have to share a peek of the potted azaleas in my dining room. I picked up this pot at Superstore a few weeks ago and it's continuing to bloom. Such a great pop of color.

And finally, thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway courtesy of Empire Patio Covers! The lucky winner is Melanie @ Live from B5! Congratulations! I'll be in touch with the details!
 

Pretty Things.

We went out to get some groceries yesterday after work and I wandered into the floral department, where I usually end up. It was blustery outside and wintery weather was forecast overnight. When a storm is brewing, I buy flowers. It's the perfect way to bring some life into your home when it's miserable outside.

I picked up a bunch of green mums, in honor of St. Patty's day, some pink carnations and pink baby roses.  I'm certainly no florist but I love the look of bunched together blooms, so I went to work. I was able to make 3 arrangements and a few little posies. We've got pops of life everywhere we look. So what if it's only me who appreciates them? :)

Contrary to popular opinion, I adore carnations. They are inexpensive, last forever and are oh-so pretty grouped together. Remember Carrie and Charlotte scoffing at the idea of a man bringing carnations on a first date? Appalling! I once shared that opinion but have changed me tune. I've shared this before, but it's worth a read.

 

In other fun news. Look what arrived? We ordered iPhone cases from Society 6 and they finally came. While very pretty (well not Steph's - it's a mixed tape *funny*), they are somewhat cheap and super slippery... or slippy as we say here on PEI! I'm scared my phone is going to slide right out of my hands. 

I really love it but will pretty win out over function? We'll see.

What about you? Do you treat yourself to anything? Flowers do it for me. What's your treat?

A Pop of Plumage.

We had a rather nasty storm in the forecast for Friday night into Saturday, which didn't quite materialize. Thank goodness. In any event, I planned for a quiet weekend at home and went ahead with it anyway!

When there is a storm coming, I always buy myself some flowers to brighten up an otherwise miserable day. Here are my flowers on Friday. I love my tulips!

I just finished reading The Great Gatsby so I finally got to put it out on display. Such a pretty book (on top of the pile). Time to by another Modern Classic? Problem is, I have a rule that if I buy them, I have to read them and I really want to get into the Hunger Games. Hmmm. I guess I'll wait. I picked up the shy owl last week at Winners. He's been moving around the house a lot because he looks so cute everywhere!

Saturday, I got to work priming some pieces that have been on the to do list for a while. Today, I painted those pieces. I don't mind painting. In fact, I'll pretty much paint anything if it will make it pretty. However,  I tend to paint everything white. It took me some time to get used to this:

Martha Stewart Plumage. It's bright and dark but I'm loving it! It's all part of my dining room makeover plan. I don't know when we will get a change to get in there and paint the walls but small things are changing, here and there. A splash of teal for instance! 

Here is a little peek for now. I'll be back soon to share the little makeover with you. Promise

Here are my tulips today. After having a chance to open up. So pretty.

Have a great week! I'm off to watch the Oscars!  

Pure Project: Hand-picked Pretties!

I'm participating in Lauren's Pure Project Series. It's an attempt to make your house more organized and more fun! The first project is to find flowers and put them in a vase in your home. Seems simple but she suggested in on Monday and I just did it today.. oh well! I'm trying!
There doesn't seem to be a whole lot blooming at home but I found these last night while we were out for a walk. It was dark so I reached over the fence and stole borrowed a few blooms. My punishment? The stems were covered in thorns! Should have know!
Anyway, here there are!

sweet and simple!

Yesterday, my sisters and I shopped in Charlottetown for the day. Of course, we checked out Winners and scored some great stuff. I spotted one thing I thought I'd share.

I think most of us still share a love of imperial trellis fabric and wallpaper. Unfortunately, it's expensive. Yesterday, I spotted these duvet covers (along with a couple of other great patterns as well).

While I don't need one, I started thinking... what about using the fabric for pillows, or curtains? A twin duvet was only $29.99! You'd never buy the fabric for that price! My friend Em has the trellis one in a purple-grey and it's really nice!

Again, I can't sew but maybe someone else can and will run out and snatch up the duvet??