~ Gardening ... I'm Done.... Really ....

Semi-shade. Morning sun only.

The heat is setting in and keeping everything watered enough is takes time. The mister irrigation is up and running in the front yard, but needs a good amount of tweaking. Rain was predicted, but seeing what has happened in the states hit by tornadoes certainly makes it silly to complain that the rain didn't come further south. My heart and prayers go out to those who are suffering from the after effects of such terrible weather.

I was thinking that I could resist making another trip to any place where plants and flowers know my name and call out to me with enticements of how well they promise to flower for me. With very little work on my part they always say. But I was being strong. Three days without buying a single flower!

Then I found this picture while looking at my past color combinations to refresh my mind of what I might like. I had already bought the purple Persian shield during the last trip, so I only needed just a few others to go with it. Actually I did very well, only about 6 one gallon size lovelies jumped in the truck. That's no bad at all. ;)

So done for today. And I'll try some will power the next time I have the urge for more flowers.

Happy Weekend

Donna

~ Walking Iris - No Leash Required! Neomarica Caerulea Regina

Isn't this beautiful!? The colors are amazing.

I planted these several months ago with only a little hope that they would do well here. So many conflicting sources of information. And unlike my usual times of falling in love with the flower and then worrying later about if the plant will even grow in my area, this time I just saw that it was an iris and grabbed it even without seeing it bloom, except for the tag picture.

It came in a good size pot and was about $16 so I started with just one to see how it would do. Other than African iris, other irises did not seem to like the heat. We divided it in two and put them in a semi shady area which gets strong indirect western afternoon sun. And I guess it likes its new home.

Since it may not be all that cold hardy, we covered it during the 2 or 3 hard freezes over the winter. The plants have more than doubled in size.

According to what I found online, they are called a "walking iris" because the flowers make the leaves so heavy that they descend to the ground and then sprout new little plants where the touch! Oh I hope so. We will see. Nothing is touching the ground yet.

There were a couple of pictures online of this iris in big pots and it makes a wonderful single specimen that way. Really stunning in bloom.

See Y'All Soon~
Donna

~ Happy Friday, Happy Weekend

Instead of buying cut flowers, I usually look for a nice orchid to bring a bit of Spring and color inside. Usually I go right for the white ones, and I did this time as well, but this other color or pinkish violet often makes me change my mind and chose a bit more color. They need so little care and will last for weeks and weeks.

All week we have been outside .. still digging, and now finally mulching. There is a large berm off the side yard that gets monster afternoon sun, so instead of planting more plants that need water, the berm just got a really good dressing of pine bark. Looks nice and fresh again.
The coupons in the last post came in very handy for all the plants and mulch we needed.

Sweet hubby constructed two nice size cedar planter boxes for growing some veggies, greens and herbs. They look so big right now empty, but they will fill up quickly. He has been wanting to do this for so long, but I had to wait until a long list of things was done out back first. He waited patiently. Now I can't wait to put claims on a box for herbs!

Hope you weekend is full of good things!
See Y'All Soon~ Donna

~ Dreaming of Spring

Not really dreaming of spring, since it already is feeling like summer today. Time to get outside before it really heats up!

Sweet Hubby has been busy for weeks building the arbor in the backyard. Other that designing it, I have done nothing towards its construction. Usually I am more helpful, but this time he was happily working alone on it. And I had plenty of procrastinating things to do inside.

The arbor and pool along with beautiful gardens, in that first picture started out as a blank slate for that couple. What vision. Cottage in design and so welcoming.

Our gardening actually began with vegetables many years ago, but has become more shrubs and flowers. The blending of the two is the perfect combination if you are willing to work at it. Vegetables don't always look as pretty as ornamental flowers. People who can pull this off so well are true gardeners.

And a little bit of pretty from the Philadelphia flower show. No large scale flower shows like this near me, but I wish there was. I have loved even any of the much, much smaller ones I've seen.

A simple table and chairs becomes magical with just the right setting, doesn't it.

Doesn't it make you want to get
your hands dirty
and do some gardening?
See Y'all Soon~

~ The Nativity Dog, Christmas 2010

For this year, I am again displaying the older, vintage nativity pieces. The newer sets stayed in the boxes. I'm sure they will find a place again another time. But for this year I longed for the old that brings back so many memories.

If you are an old friend you know that some of the pieces were given to me over 40 years ago by a much loved family member. And this took me on a search for some replacement pieces. last year. Along the way, I found the nativity dog, or actually 3 of them. Last year only the little guy to the left was added to the nativity, of course because he kind of reminded me of Cody Puppy a little bit.

My intentions were to sell my duplicate items. However, when got all the pieces out, having all three pups reminded me of my little family of three, so all three dogs made it to the nativity this year.

Here's a little more from the Nativity Dog.

See Y'All Soon~
Donna

~ Fabulous Blue Antique Ledger Paper

For a long time I have looked for some really old, but hopefully in good condition, antique ledger papers. In Blue. A kind friend had some her shop a couple of years ago, and I used the couple of sheets that I received from her. But the beauty of those gray blue pages stayed with me. And it remained elusive for a long time.

Recently I was fortunate to find a gorgeous ledger full of these stunning handwritten pages, and in perfect condition. But as usual, there is much more that I can use all by myself. So I have it listed in the newer shop.

Olivia Blue Vintage & Supplies on Etsy

The color is gorgeous. So subtle. And that handwriting! I thought I heard somewhere that they don't teach cursive writing in schools anymore??!! I can't image.

The tree is up. And the lights are almost on it. One string short again because one of the longest strands was half burned out. You know "they" do this on purpose. I don't mind being slow to get it done this year. I'm clearing out as I go along. Another trip to the GoodWill is in the immediate future. Anything out the door (of my own choosing) is a very good thing.

Have a Bright & Cozy Day!
See Y'All Sooon~
Donna

~ A Little More Gardening

In the deep, deep south nothing holds up to the heat but the very strong and then it takes water, lots of water. Sweet hubby is holding up better than I am. It is finally bearable about 6:30 at night. Odd time to garden, but I can get twice as much done.

For a while it was nearly impossible to find the more red pentas instead of just the lighter pink. The red goes better with my color combination. What a performer! With the array of tiny star shaped blooms it's always dependable.

I love pots filled with flowers, plants and small trees. This year I got a late start, but the pots are really blooming beautifully after just a few weeks. I forgot how much work they are to keep looking good. Some needed watering more than once day until they got a bit more established. They cannot go one whole day with being tended to with a big drink. Though wonder Disney crews work all night to keep their pots so fabulous.

ThR simple coleus, so pretty. I use them for the quick punch of lime green. Usually he gets deadheaded so that it will last longer and fill out more. But he was determined to bloom. Then I remembered how delicate and lovely those blue shoots of flowers are when it is in bloom.

This little blue/purple guy loves the heat, he just wants enough water to keep from getting too thirsty.

Fortunately I bought a couple large pots years ago. Some days I think that they would look so good painted to look like old concrete. But it would be difficult to turn them back to terracotta. It's tough when you love two (or more) different looks and have to choose.

See Y'All Soon~
Donna

~ Rosemary & Time, Again... Too Hot To Garden!

When I first posted this it was Jan. Now it's August. How did that happen? It's time to slow time down again. The heat has been a unforgiving, and I know it's not a good time for planting. It's actually more remarkable how many things can take the heat, if you water them twice a day. The small patch of new grass was incredibly perfect, until today. Now it needs some help. I remember why I don't add grass to the landscape. It just seemed to be needed in one place though.

The beautiful rosemary in the picture below was moved outside by the back door for a few months,and did fabulous, until I got busy with other things and just forgot to water it or give it any attention. I'm going to put it in the yard and see if I can nurse it back to health. But getting more herbs planted will have to wait.

For now, a little repost from when the pretty rosemary first came by.

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After holidays, most of us either miss the decorations and ornaments because the house looks empty, or you are thrilled to have less clutter. For me, it feels like a breath of fresh air, and it reminds me to start the year fresh. Time to start anew again.

I love the smell of rosemary. Usually at Christmastime you can find some really pretty cone shaped topiary rosemary plants. (Lowe's, Home Depot and many garden shops carry them.) This one has been sitting on the window sill in the kitchen where I can see when it needs water and it has been doing very well. It's really wonderful in the living room window, but we'll see how long it can stay there without me forgetting to water it.

The pot is terracotta which was painted a few years ago. First I painted it a creamy white, then aged it with some brown/taupe glaze and added a bit of mossy lime green to imitate the moss that would be growing on a pot left outside.

A little word of warning about these Santos cage dolls. I have recently seen them being sold as "vintage" and they are not. Although they look a little older, they are being made today and imported. Sticking a vintage label on them seems to garnish a higher price.

See Y'all Soon~
Donna

~ Outdoor Living Spaces

As I go through the one million and one pictures I've saved over the years, most of the garden and outdoor spaces photos are still beautiful. Unlike decorating inside, outdoor spaces are usually less likely to fall victim to how trends go out of style. Sometimes you can tell an approximate time period from the colors or the materials being used.

(Poynter Landscape & Construction)

This particular outdoor living area will be just as beautiful 20 years from now as it is now. I kept this picture because of the slightly different design of the arbor. The arched piece joining the sides is really a nice detail. We are using pavers right now too, so I was happy to find this picture with this lovely step design.

See Y'All Soon~
Donna

~ Blue Bedroom Inspiration

What a week. I haven't been this dirty every single day in a long time. Or this tired. We've been digging and planting, digging and planting for days. After several trips for plants, more plants, mulch and sod, the backyard is looking better. I just have to remember that it's a big job, and it can't be done in a week. Or even in a month, or two.

One thing for sure, you appreciate a nice comfortable bed at the end of long day of digging. And if it's in a beautiful room, it is even better.

Nothing new happening inside these days. And the bedroom is way down the list of things to do. However, these pictures just popped up from my old files. Thought I'd share them.

I might not be much a blue person, but this bedroom really draws me to it. There are things I'd change, but the feeling is so soothing, even though there is not blue bedroom in my future.

As with most showhouse rooms, this one doesn't actually look lived in. But the architecture and colors are still nice inspiration.

See Y'All Soon~
Donna

~ Dining Chair Upholstery How-To Part 2... The Top Front

There are two different ways that I did the front top of the chairs even though they were all cane backs. The ones that came from the thrift store in the last post were so cheap that it didn't matter if I stapled or glued the fabric and trim to them. On the other hand, I did not want to do anything that could damage the wood or cane of dining rooms chairs, or be too difficult to remove later on. So they did take a little longer to do.

For the black and antique white chairs, I made the template to the size of the back, cut the fabric, fit it to the back and used a staple gun to attach the fabric to the front of the chair. You will use the same wood on the inside of the cane that I showed you in the last post, and here.


After that you can hot glue or fabric glue the trim in place to cover the staples or brads holding the fabric. Really easy!

But for the dining room chairs I needed something different. These chairs have been changed over a dozen times through the years. Sometimes with splurge fabrics or just as often with a sale or bargain fabric. This time I found a fabric I loved that was already quilted. I knew it would stay for a longer period of time. But it still couldn't be permanent nor did I want to harm the wood of the chairs. My disclaimer is this, pros who do upholstery for a living probably do not do it this way. But it was perfect for me!

Since the fabric was quilted I did not need to add a layer of batting as I would have done with either method to give the fabric some cushion and body. After I cut and played with the fabric until it fit the inset area perfectly allowing an inch all around, I turned the edges and stitched around them.

The I taped the fabric gently to the front and I carefully sewed the piece on to the cane by taking tiny stitches to from the front which would not show to a more wide and probably messier look to the back. It was covered up with the fabric as I showed in the last post so it didn't matter what it looked like on the back. This is made easier by the fact that the cane has the holes in it of course.

Hope you all have a great weekend,
~ See Y'All Soon

~ Dining Chair Upholstery How-To ...The Backside of A Good Chair Tale

After the last post about the 2 twin chairs, I got questions and emails about how to do the finishing upholstery work on them. Although I am not an expert at upholstering furniture here are some tricks I've learned along the way.

This post is for the back, I'll be back with a shorter one for the front.

I started with a nice, older Thomasville cane back chair. A much better version of the ones in the last post. But they are all made in a similar way and can be covered to update, change or to cover up in the case of the really cheapy ones. This one I've had since it was new in 1986 as part of a set. I still love them, the pecan wood is beautiful. I would not paint them, but I've changed the fabric a few dozen times. The lime green and brown toile that is on them now is still one of my favorite fabrics.

When you look closely, you will see that the cane is on the front and then there is a piece of wood holding it in place from the back. Turn the chair around and look at the back and you will see the the cane is snuggly inside that area you just looked at on the front.


This is the view from the back. Gently push the cane away from you. See, there is a tiny space.That is where the fabric goes. You have about a half inch of room. So you do need to cut it pretty close, but this isn't that hard at all.

Start with a larger piece of paper at least the size of the back of the chair in order to make a template. I've used newspaper in a pinch, but be careful of the ink getting on your hands and then getting on your fabric.

Lay this piece of the paper that you cut about the size of the opening plus a few inches, against the back of the chair and draw a template for the area of back of the chair where the cane shows through. Use a pencil to draw along the edge as your press the paper against the chair. Try to make it the exact size of the opening. Cut it out, try it on for size, and if it's not quite right just start over again, it's only paper!

TIP: After you have your drawing, be sure to mark the template FRONT as the SIDE FACING YOU as you draw, and mark Left & Right. The opening will be a different from side to side. And you may want to center a pattern. The front will be the front side of the fabric.

Now take the perfect fitting template and make a new one by using a ruler and just mark line or dashes around it, about 1/2 inch larger. Connect your dashes and cut it out.

After you see that the fabric is the perfect size, cut a piece of fabric to test. You can make the test piece out of cheap fabric like an old sheet or muslin. You want to make sure that it really is perfect before cutting your actual fabric.

Lay the test piece against the chair back and center it so that it is the fabric is 1/2 inch past the inset area on all sides. Tuck in a little on each side to make sure you don't have too much excess fabric, then remove. Cut the actual fabric now using the the paper template that you have adjusting if needed after seeing how the test piece fits.

Now, gently push the fabric into the area between the cane and the back of the chair, with a blunt tool. A butter knife from your eating utensils works well, or a large flat head screwdriver.

Your are "stretching" this piece, which means that you start at the middle of on side and go to the middle of the opposite side, and then the middle top and middle bottom. Back to the beginning side, tuck and go to the opposite side. Then you work your way in a little a time 3 or 4 tucks then go the opposite side. This will keep the fabric centered, too.

The fronts of these chairs were done differently than the thrift stores ones, but I'll show you both ways in the next post.

~ Happy Friday!
See Y'All Soon
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{ALL ART WORK AND TEXT IS COPYRIGHTED
© DONNA COURTNEY, THE DECORATED HOUSE}