Garden Statuary

Since I'm running out of room for new plants, this year I decided to focus more on decor and hardscaping.  Well, at least planning for future hardscaping.

I found this statue at a thrift store last spring.  She's about three feet tall and was covered in green and gold paint.  Yikes!

Inspired by classic bronze statues, I toned down that gold paint with oil rubbed bronze spray paint, then dry brushed her with two shades of craft paint.  Then she was sealed with multiple coats of clear sealer.

With less gold and more bronze, she's a lovely addition to the garden.  Check out that curve of her right shoulder!

I think she might have originally been a fountain.

For now, she's nestled between the feather reed grass and the salvia.

Sit a Spell

I was busy this weekend.

Busy with outdoor work but not really working outside.  Saturday was kind of hot.

So I spent the hottest part of the day in the basement, where I'm re-organizing my craft studio, again.

It's really become a disaster, again.  I mean a real obstacle course!  Once I had enough room to work, I made a wreath for the garden.

Isn't the little sign cute?

Originally, it said something along the lines of "My husband said if I bought any more flowers, he would leave me.   I'm sure going to miss that man."  But it was fading and my husband didn't really appreciate the sentiment.

So I repainted it to something a little less offensive.

Next, I turned to a stack of old pillows I had been saving to recover for the patio furniture.

I had found a floral print in a remnant bin at a fabric outlet. I paid about three dollars for about two yards of it. I wasn't one hundred percent certain about the colors, but the price was so great for outdoor fabric, I decided to take a chance on it.

Then I found a geometric print, which coordinated perfectly.

I combined the two for the square pillows.  Check out my lazy trimwork.

I just have a hard time putting a lot of money or effort into something that will eventually be pooped on by some passing bird.  Don't you agree?

That's two projects off my list.  I think I'll set a spell for while for now.

I'm linking up...
Southern Hospitality
Savvy Southern Style

What's Blooming Now

Hello, Daisy!

What's blooming in your yard?  I always plant lots of geraniums.  I buy every shade of pink, but the orange one is my favorite this year.  Unfortunately, I didn't have the settings quite right on the camera, and the bright orange was completely blown. 

So I DIY'd my own Instagram effect with Photoshop.

iPhone?  We don't need no stinkin' iPhone!

I harvested the lavender last week, my favorite garden chore of the year even though I have to deal with the bees.  Sorry fellows, this buffet is closed, but there's a row of rose of sharon bushes about to pop.

We had another bumper crop of oregano this year, which is now cut, dried, and ready the tomatoes to join them in a yummy sauce. 

If I could make a living growing lavender and oregano, I'd be a rich woman.