A Let Down & an Up Date

I saw one of my favorite bloggers (5 Days Five Ways) post to Facebook last night that she scooped up some cool Parson chairs from Lowes for $49. They are indoor/outdoor. They were TWO TO A BOX, people. I was going to use them for my kitchen table. But they were out. Thus the let down part of this post.

But, they did have some other nice things on clearance.

Here is a picture I have of the front porch as it were 15 minutes ago:

I thought the little chairs were so plain and... little. I want my Adirondack chairs back, but unless I buy wood ones, that's not going to happen. So I met in the middle. A little. 

I love the high back and the way it tilts just a little. Very comfortable to sit in! And I love the detail!

Granted the color/pattern might sting a little come spring, but I will have to find a way to make it work. The chairs were originally $198 for two, but they are on clearance at Lowes for $49. A ton of their outdoor stuff is on sale.

Here's the box in case you want to check them out yourself. =) In the meantime, I am going to go sit on my porch and enjoy a late summer sprinkle. It's pretty outside. If you don't count the humidity.

Happy Friday, peeps!

Fall Frenzy

A personal record, I'd say. Last year I made my fall wreath and posted about my love for fall a whole 10 days earlier. I can't believe I held out this long. While I am certainly in a frenzy to get fall started, I am also a little depressed.

My office is a mess. Ever since we pulled the carpets out of the formals and family room, a ton of items have been thrown into my office/craft room as a temporary home. In addition, I still have furniture (bookcases and a chair) in my hallway. I am hoping the builder hurries up and gets their concrete people to finish my floors so that Marcos and I can then REALLY finish my floors. I don't feel like I can do any inside decorating, as it will all be lost in the chaos and concrete dust.

Of course, that doesn't stop me from starting on the outside of the house. I made my fall wreath yesterday... I wanted to use apples in my theme. I found these cute small crafting apples from 32* North (on Etsy). They were $4.95 for six.

Besides the wreath, I cleaned up the front porch a little. I had to trim (or completely pull out) some of our greenery. It was creeping over to our neighbor's side and it was a mess. Marcos and Alex cut the grass and did an overall yard clean-up. My rocks look muddy because it has been raining like crazy around here, and this area floods. :(

We've had such bad dust storms, that I was glad to finally take a broom to the porch and to also clean the windows. They were nasty!

I know what you are thinking... it's still too green and blue to look like fall, but I am trying... =)

Here's a close-up of the newly decorated seating area.

1] New pillows from WalMart - $12 each (can reuse them for Christmas)
2] New glass top table from WalMart - $15 (got rid of the seventies one I found at Goodwill several months back)
3] Fall flowers - 2 bunches $5 and $2 in a wooden vase I already owned
4] Cheap kitchen rug $5 (it's perfect... if it gets ruined, it only cost five bucks, no biggie - but it DOES add a pop of color)
5] New-ish chairs we had to purchase when the HOA decided to hate on our teal Adirondack chairs - $19 each from Home Depot

For less than $100 - I was able to spruce up, add color, and decorate for the Fall. As I start to clean out my office, I may find more fun fall things to use - you know, as we actually get CLOSER to fall?!

All this will be up through September, because once October 1 hits, it will be Halloween Central around here.

Landscaping / Action

I was on Pinterest yesterday... and I re-pinned something fantastic!  31 Days to Learning Photoshop (for Bloggers). It's the basic, good stuff, that bloggers can USE. I've only looked through a few of the tutorials so far (who am I kidding?! I went straight for the Actions), but I am impressed!

The first (color) picture came straight from my camera. I didn't even go all Picasa over it. The second one is a PS Action from Pioneer Woman (Ree Drummond). It's called 'Old West.'

Of course, I first had to learn what an action was - and how to install them in PS. Thanks to the power of Pinterest and the fantastic series from Suzie, I figured it out!

So, I decided to go outside and get some more untouched pics. Since Alex was working in the yard (we are adding more shrubs and plants), I used that as a focus.

Here is a lovely bougainvillaea bush that Alex planted for me. Love the color! There are two, they both flank that boxwood on the right of the photo.

Besides the front yard, we are still making progress on the back. The drip line and sprinklers are in. We decided to add two new trees to the back. They are mulberry's. I love them! The big green leafs are adorbs.

Obviously, I need to work on watermarks next. They are easy enough in Picasa, but I need to make them more opaque in PS. Thankfully, there's a tutorial for that on Suzie's blog.

:)

EDIT!!!
I couldn't leave well enough alone.
Look, I figured out a watermark!! (also used a seventies action from PW).

It's Isa!!

 

And here are a few more.

This is FUN. I know... kinda late to the bandwagon. But, I never thought I would get THIS far. 

Anyway - the hubs is going to be home in a few hours. Must. Start. Dinner.

Later!

Lanscaping stuff

The husband and the oldest kid worked their butts off in the backyard yesterday! We now have a completed sprinkler and drip system installed!! NO MORE WATERING OUR TREES BY HAND!

Here's a pic of our news trees... They were free, from our local electrical company. All I had to do was attend a tree workshop!

This one has grown at least 2 feet in the past 2 months. They are fast growing, thornless Mesquite trees. Perfect for our desert!

So, we are finally making progress on the backyard project. And when I say "we" I truly mean the dynamic duo, Marcos & Alex. I just supervise. ;)

Creep

First of all - Happy Sunday!

Even though the weekend is almost over - there is a little something to be excited about!

Nic is FINALLY starting school tomorrow.

I really need to get him a haircut.

And a back-pack.

OK- enough about that... Feelin' a little stressed about my to-do list today.

Let's chat about something more creepy.

As in my purple lantana.

It's creeping onto the sidewalk.

And I have one creeping into my neighbors yard.

As much as I love summer - and was looking forward to it all Spring-long,

I think I am just about ready for cooler weather now.

There is so much I want to do in the front yard (i.e. replace said creepers) -

but it's way too hot to do it now.

The husband and I want to add more plants/flowers

to help make the yard look fuller and more colorful.

This is our "newer" red push tree.

It needs to be pruned.

Is that the right word?!

All those little "branches" at the bottom of the tree need to be taken out.

I am conflicted.

One person told me to gently cut them off.

One person told me to tear them off, so that they won't grow back.

What do I do?!

Mushroom soup, anyone?!

This is our second mushroom of the season, people.

They freak me out.

I love mushrooms - but the kind you buy at the supermarket.

Not the kind that sneak-up and freak me out.

Such an odd shape, too.

moving on....

My Ash tree is growin' and growin'.

Bet you don't even recognize her.

In January, she was a twig (using the term loosely) with zero leaves.

Now, she's filling out and growing up.

Soon she will want to wear mascara and face powder.

Oh wait, that's Isabel.

moving on...

The husband and I had to drop some trash off at one of the large containers the construction workers use (a blessing when living in a new community and have trash to get rid of). After we dumped our stuff in, we saw two pallets laying next to the container. I've been looking for pallets for awhile. And I didn't want to steal them from behind a store or anything (I don't look good in stripes). But since these were laying next to the garbage, I figured they were fair game.

I made Marcos get them and put them in the back of the truck.

I have plans for these babies.

Plan 1: A sign for my kitchen.

Plan 2: A sign for my porch (for Halloween)

Of course, I think Mr. HOA guy was driving around this morning and lingered his creepy stare a little too long. I am sure we will get a note about these being visible to the WORLD.

I had Alex move them into the garage.

Well, off to get started on my to-do list - which includes coupon cutting, grocery shopping, hair-cutting, and back-pack shopping. Fun.

P.S. The pictures are lonnnnng and skinnnnny. I can't find the charger for my camera and the battery is kaput. So I am using my new KODAK Touch video camera - which also takes pictures. Just not as nicely as my Panasonic.

I guess I should add "find camera charger" to my to-do list.

/sigh

A woman's work is never done, is it?

A little too close for comfort.

Or should I say: A little too close for pruning?!

I love neighbors.
I love trees.
I do not love where my neighbor put their tree.

I think living in a cardboard box behind Costco would be much easier right about now.
See that large EMPTY spot - bottom right of the pic?!
Yep, my sod is gone.

After today - with quite a few dudes working out there - I hope to have better news!

Happy Friday!

Keep your friends close and your trees even closer [evidently]!

A Small Change

I went to WalMart the other day.

I couldn't pass up some green.

So I've moved my twigs & sticks into the entry way.

For now.

And decided I was going to go with a palm.

Well... two, to be exact.

I still need to "plant" them in the planters...

I have to fix the fact that they are not exactly

the same size.

It's killing me.

But once that's done - I think they are a sweet addition to my lovely front yard.

Wait.

I said "lovely."

What the heck?!

Yep. Landscapers are back and they've made a HUGE mess.

This momma is not very happy right now.

But, I will save that for another day.

Happy Tuesday!

I Spy

As I was chatting with my mom last night [hi, mom!] I realized I never shared a pic of my citrus trees. Shame on me. Here they be:

I guess they look more like twigs, eh? But... look at this picture below.

I cannot believe it. When I was out watering and digging and scaping the land yesterday, I didn't even see these little buggers. It wasn't until one of my son's friends came over and I was showing off the greenery that he pointed them out. [I think he was secretly hoping I'd offer to make him a mini-margarita. I don't sever alcohol to 15 year olds, good sir. You have to be at least 16 and a half. I kid, I kid.]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So... I've been working a little bit on this room... Don't judge my metal diamond placements. Eventually there will be a very large mirror back there. And eventually I may realize the diamonds just don't work - and will have to move them. But for now - they show effort. And progress. And that makes me happy. I love them because they are supposed to be square - but I made an executive decision to make them diamonds. Because of the diamond shapes in my chairs. [deja vu - but at least I got a better picture this time!]

Goodwill shopping a few weeks back allowed me to score something pretty COOL!

It is, I believe, an old radio cabinet. I think. That's what I am calling it.

It's a lighter color than my table & chairs. But when I really look at the two, side by side, they do share some of the same tone. I just wasn't going for an all dark, all wood room. Remember, the other half of this room is the formal living room. Which we hope to make-over into a little library. And totally copy her design, here.

I plan on take some dark wood tones into the "library" in picture frames and books. And then I need to somehow bring some light, cream colors into the dining room to try and make this all work.

The cabinet does need some help. The insides were torn out and it has no back. Mr. is going to help me fix those problem areas and then we have to decide on if we are going to leave it alone, or paint it or stain it.

I originally thought I could paint it the color green that is in the curtains. I saw a REALLY cool example that I loved. And now I can't find it on the net, anywhere. Then I wondered if I should play with the indent, and paint that cream - and the rest green?!

Then I wondered if I should sand and stain the top, the beveled part of the doors and the bottom trim piece a nice mix of ebony and dark walnut.

Now I am wondering if I am out of my ever loving mind.

Do YOU have any thoughts on the subject?! [on the cabinet, not about me being out of my mind.]

I have plans to put a large framed picture above the cabinet... and maybe add a lamp... Give it a bit of height. The room will also, eventually be getting crown molding. So, weigh in. Let me know your ideas [so I can steal them, too].

Alex and Isa both had a friend spend the night - so I am off to get breakfast started. The line at Dunkin Donuts is sometimes long - need to get there early. =)

Have a fab Sunday, people!

P.S. WAIT - don't leave. I just thought of something. Do you think I should bring that light fixture [above the dining room table] down a bit? Is it too high?! Thanks! ;) I owe you one! Anytime you want some design advice... Well. Nevermind.

Two Tipus and an Ash Tree

You were supposed to read the post title to the tune of one famous Christmas Carol. Can you guess which one? Moving on. It's Spring! And as a new homeowner, I am LOVING the color green!! I know we don't get Winter as bad as some folks do, but we do get our share of brown.

The Mr. and I have been working really, really hard on our backyard landscaping. We thought the toughest part would be getting the digging dug (hehe) and the plants and trees in the ground.

We. Were. Mistaken.

The hardest part??!! Keeping those suckers alive. We have a different watering schedule for each type of plant and tree. We haven't yet put the watering system in the backyard (like we have one in the front)... so for now, the kids and I ARE the watering system.

I planted a new vine this morning!! It's a Lady Banks Rose vine. The mini-rose (which really look like carnations, I must say) are yellow - my favorite!

Isa has a game today - so we will pause on the scaping of the land to go cheer her on, but once we are back home, it's back to work. I LOVE the idea of Spring Cleaning. Actually getting to it is another thing. But I am feeling very motivated today! Here's a tour of our GREEN! - staring with the front yard.

My boxwoods. Love them. Here's what it looked like 4 months ago...

And now!! I love that white flower!!

Remember this bad boy?! A few months ago he was all nekkid...

Look at him NOW!

Now... moving on to the backyard. We recently put in a dog run... and wanted to hide it a little. So we purchased five bushes to start. Eventually they will grow together and form a hedge of sorts. We hope.

And CONGRATULATIONS to us - it's TWINS!!

We recently bought two Tipu trees. Up first is Twin A.

And here is Twin B.

Dead.

Okay, not really dead....

I spent some time outside this morning giving it some TLC and all of a sudden I noticed this...

I swear it wasn't there when I started out! Maybe the extra love really worked!!

When we planted the trees they were exactly the same. Now that we know how to properly care for them (thanks to the fine folks at our local nursery) I am sure they will flourish in no time. They are in the evergreen family and when full grown are considered lush shade trees. They will grow to a very large size!

Anyway... tour's over! I have to get Isa to her game! I will post pics of that tomorrow...

And I will also have a post about my formal living room. I bought a Radio Cabinet (I believe) at Goodwill a few weeks back and I need some advice on what to do with it. Paint? Stain? Both? Nothing? See? I will definitely need your help! So be prepared!!

Happy Saturday - and Happy Spring!