What's Blooming - Week #4

Last week saw many new blooms opening in the garden.  This truly is a magical time of year and I am amazed everyday that something new is showing up.  I will let the photos tell the story today.  I hope you enjoy them!

Poppies

Clematis

variegated Iris

Columbine (both red and purple varieties)

a small sweet grass that is native to our area and has blue flowers, unfortunately I don't know what it's called

Dwarf Korean Lilac

and lastly, a Spiderwort

The temperatures are going to heat up here this week...I can't wait to see what  blooms this week!

I hope you can get out in your garden this week - Enjoy!!

Cheryl

Linking up @:
Rain on a Tin Roof
A Stroll Thru Life
Our Home Away From Home
From My Front Porch to Yours 
Fluster Buster 
Savvy Southern Style 

Thrifty Finds...

McG is away this weekend having some "guy" time with his brother, brother-in-law and cousin, so I took advantage of this weekend time alone to do something I love.   I love to travel the yard-sale circuit on Saturday mornings and I lucked out today as there were quite a few of sales today, including one that went on for ten blocks! I set out at 8 am because the early bird gets the worm as they say, and I wanted to get there while there was still some good stuff!!

Here are the treasures I found today - these lovely bookends for $2! They are about 5 inches tall and in great condition.

A clock for $3, the mirror was $4 and the wicket tray and the little sign were a buck!  I haven't gotten this lucky in a long time and was anxious to get home and find a place for my treasures.

The clock got cleaned up and found a home on the buffet in the dining room, along with the bookends and some green glass that I have been collecting from the local Value Village.  It is the year for green you know!  These little treasures were not more than $1 each and I've been finding them over the past few weeks.

The best deal of the day I have left for last.  Remember this planter I showed you last week - it had bamboo stakes in the middle that I am hoping my Morning Glories will grow up???

Well the bamboo stakes have been replaced by a large obelisk that I found at a yard sale today for $5.00!!!

That sucker is huge and weighs about 20 pounds...it got a quick spray of oil rubbed bronze spray paint and then off it went to its new home...

I think it was a fabulous day for yard sales - I got some great stuff and I didn't even spend $20 for the whole lot!!

Have you found any treasures lately?  I'd love to hear about them!

Cheryl

Linking up @:
Three Mango Seeds
A Stroll Thru Life
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The Frugal Homemaker 

What's Blooming Week #3 and A Garden Tour

Okay - I'm a little behind on this post since this is a holiday weekend here in Canada - the first long weekend of the summer season - Victoria Day!!

I will get right to what's blooming since this is a pretty photo heavy post...you will get a glimpse in to many parts of my backyard today as well...so here we go!

Here's a planter I put together myself with some wave Petunias, Coleus and planted in the center are some Morning Glory seeds, that once grown, will climb  up those bamboo stakes.  I have a hanging pot of strawberries in this photo as well.

These are some Lillies of the Valley that are blooming in a shady spot of the backyard.

Here is the Solomon's Seal, along with the Trilliums that are still going strong.

  They have a white pod flower that hang underneath.

Here's a glimpse of the side garden along the fence.  Hostas and some Creeping Jenny.

The garden by the shed includes a red Maple and many varieties of Hostas.

Here's a glimpse of the yard taken from the opposite side of the yard.  This area use to be home to our pool.

In the front side garden, the dwarf yellow Irises are in bloom and enjoying their sunny spot.

As you enter our backyard you are greeted by this vista.

In this garden the Forget Me Nots are in bloom.

Here's another little pot I put together myself using variegated Geranium, white Petunias and this lovely purple flower that I can never remember the name of.  I believe it is in the Daisy family.

McG and I have spent most of this past weekend outside in the yard; working hard and visiting with some family and friends.  It was a great way to kick off the summer season! 

Join us again next weekend, when I'll be posting more from the garden!

Cheryl

Linking Up @:
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Embracing Change
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SUMMER is Knocking on My Door!

Okay, so those of you that are faithful followers here know that I love to change up my grapevine wreath. 

Well the summer weather is just around the corner (it was 82 degrees here today!), so I thought I'd change it out again.  I made a quick trip to the local Dollarama and picked up a few supplies.

Two gerber daisy garlands ($1.25 each)...One pink and one yellow

and 2 pairs of children's flip flops ($1 each).

Since I like to re-invent my wreath for every season, I never use hot glue or anything else to affix things to the wreath.  It makes taking it apart and making another one so much easier!

I just attached the garlands by tucking them into the wreath.  Once they both were attached I had to figure out how I was going to make the flip flops stay on the wreath.  I found some shish-ka-bob skewers in my kitchen drawer and broke them down to about 4 inches.  Then I pushed it through the hole in the flip flop where the toe is.

Then I just pushed the skewer into the wreath.

It all went together in less than 10 minutes! Now that's my kind of project - instant gratification!!

And it makes a great SUMMER statement on my front door!

Are you adding some SUMMER accessories to your home yet??  I'd love to hear about what you're doing!!

Cheryl

Linking up @:
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No Minimalist Here
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Embracing Change

What's Blooming - Week #2

I can't believe a whole week has gone by already!!  There are some of my favourites blooming in the garden this week - I can't wait to show you!

First up - the weeping crab apple tree!  This is in the garden that is directly adjacent to our patio and gazebo.

Here's a closer look at the blooms...they are a soft pink that fades to white.

Next up - the purple sandcherry trees - we have two of these - one at the back fence and another to the right of our deck.  Here's the one at the back fence.  I love the contrast with the yellow of the euyonomous and the green of the cedar.  If you look closely you can see that the hostas are up quite a bit too!

Here's a closer look of the blooms on the tree near our deck.

I have saved the best for last!!  The lilacs opened up this week too - we have a purple bush and a white one.

The white one is right outside our dining room window so they are easy to pick and bring inside.  I took this picture right out of the window.

Here's an arrangement of some of both colours I brought inside to enjoy this week!

and a closer look at these as well...

Aren't they just beautiful and don't you just wish you could smell them...they are so fragrant.  

I love this time of year and the gifts that spring brings!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY - I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!

Cheryl

Linking up @:
Life on Lakeshore
The Tablescaper - Seasonal Sundays
Inspired Living

Re-vamping the Garden Swing

This past weekend we started getting our backyard ready for the summer season. 

 We are lucky that we have several areas to sit and enjoy the gardens.

In the back of our yard we have a small cement pad where we put our garden swing.  We have had it for several years and at the end of last summer the canopy fell apart when I washed it.  Here is a picture of the metal frame - we take the cushions and canopy off each winter and store them inside.

I knew I wanted to do this project on a budget, so I stopped into our local TAG store, which is going out of business, to see what deals I could find on clearance.  They had some outdoor pillows and a matching table cloth that were made from outdoor fabric. I chose a bright orange and white pattern since the seating on the swing is an off-white colour.

The tablecloth was 60x84 and was on clearance for $8 and the throw cushions were $6 each - I bought two.  The measurement of the swing canopy is 50x84 so I knew this size would be perfect.

I am lucky in that McG knows how to work a sewing machine.  His Mom was wonderful at preparing all her kids for life - even her boys learned how to cook and sew.  My Mom is a great seamstress but she never passed those talents on to my sister and I!!  

He measured out for the pockets on each side that would hold the framing of the swing canopy and then stitched them on the machine.  Once we inserted the rods it looked like this...

We then attached the canopy to the swing frame with the bolts...

and then added the seat cushions...(Here's McG - he doesn't like to have his picture on the blog/internet but agreed since you can't see his face)

And finally - here it is, all put together!

It really turned out well and was a great budget fix at only around $25 including the tax! 

 It's going to be a great place to spend some time in the garden.

Are you making over any of your backyard seating this year?? If so, I'd love to hear from you!

Cheryl

Linking up @:
Beyond the Picket Fence
No Minimalist Here
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Craftberry Bush