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Archive for the ‘Home and Garden’ Category

I’ll freely admit it – I’m a sucker for mason jars.

You can use them for so many fun and unique purposes (and jars, turned blue with age are my favorites!).

mason jar crafts book

Lauren Elise Donaldson has a book out called Mason Jar Crafts that features an array of interesting ideas for using mason jars. Everything from gifts and decor to storage ideas and lighting are included in the book.

mason jar drink jarNot only does she give you great ideas (personalized drink glasses for a party – love this idea!), she also provides step by step directions for completing the project.

Mason Jar treatsHere’s another fun party idea. I can picture these at a tailgate party or an autumn gathering.

Mason Jar Piggy bank

This piggy bank is cute and a project simple enough to do with your child. You have the opportunity to teach your young one a craft, but also some “dollars and sense” about money.

Mason Jar christmas cranberry

The holiday section, in particular, tickled my fancy. Love, love, love these jars with cranberries and vintage art. So festive!

The book, available through Ulysses Press retails for $14.95 and can also be found on Amazon.

The author is a photographer, stylist, and design blogger in Los Angeles. For additional crafts and ideas for creative living, visit her blog at LaurenEliseCrafted,com

She Who Needs to Make Something with a Mason Jar!

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Sorry – but I seem to be in a sunflower mood this week.

Here are a few photos that are inspiring my current love for the bright, cheerful flowers!

pale yellow sunflowers

sunflower_red

sunflower_yellow

sunflowers 3

sunflowers against blue skyShe Who Is Digging the Cheerful Colors

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In our travels on our vacation, one stop took us to an heirloom garden where flowers and veggies popular a century or so ago were featured at Fort Vancouver in Vancouver, WA.

garden arch

It was quite lovely.

purple poppy

There were plants that looked familiar and then some that we’d never seen before, like this gorgeous purple poppy. I want some of these!

artichoke

The artichokes grew in spiky splendor along with staples like corn and potatoes.

hollyhocks

They had the loveliest hollyhocks, growing contained where they were supposed to. While I gazed on in admiration, I saw Captain Cavedweller shudder. One year his mom and I both planted hollyhocks… apparently about three times as many as we should have and both of our yards were quickly overtaken with the towering blooms. I’ve been banned from ever again in this lifetime planting hollyhocks (I my mother-in-law was, too) so we have to admire them from afar.

flowers bright

I fell in love with this bright flower. I just loved the color and, of course, realized later I forgot to right down the name of the plant.

flowers against sky

Anyone have any ideas? The way they bloomed against the summer sky was absolutely gorgeous!

She Who Loves Seeing New Things

 

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What seems like a lifetime ago,  I had a very nice backyard.

tulips-1It was a green oasis, filled with colorful blooms.

cosmos and blue skyThey made my heart happy.

melon blossom

We also had a small garden space where I could grow the veggies and melons that whispered to my heart, calling out “It’s summertime, enjoy!”

Then one cold winter day, our septic system decided it had done it’s duty for enough years and completely died.

Lucky homeowners that we are, we had to put in an extensive system that encompassed our entire backyard.

That translated into nearly every inch of the backyard being dug up and destroyed.  A few rose bushes, a butterfly bush and a hydrangea survived.

Barely.

septic grass before destructionThis shows the beginning of the destruction.

septic right side done

And what it looked like once the system was installed.

What it still looks like, much to my dismay.

Captain Cavedweller and I, due to a series of unfortunate events that would make Lemony Snicket proud, have not yet restored order in the wasteland that has become our backyard.

Since we are still in a state of dirt and destruction, I thought I’d ask for any ideas and opinions on how you would landscape the area. We’ve got a completely clean slate to work with.

Would you add a dining area?

Fire pit?

Terraced flower beds?

We can’t put down anything too heavy or that will sink deep roots.

What are your thoughts?

I’d love to see your ideas. Just post a comment below.

She Who Is Tired of Seeing the Sahara out the Kitchen Window

 

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