Bamboo Baker's Rack plus Herbs.

I haven't had a Bamboo Friday post in ages. 

This was supposed to be ready on Wednesday but here you go - let's call it Bamboo Friday.

(It's been a Summer for the books and this is about all I've accomplished but I am really enjoying it!)

(You can see The Bucket in the background!)

I found this bamboo baker's rack a couple of years ago for less than $20.00 at Goodwill. It had 2 glass shelves and I managed to break one along the way :(  It happens. 

It was temporarily housed in my work area and so I just had wooden shelves cut for it. 

I recently decided to relocate it to my screened in porch as a home for potted herbs. 

Since I'm going to put plants on the shelves and I would be worried about the weight (especially when they were wet) 

I decided to keep the wooden shelves and not have glass ones cut. 

I also wanted to give it a coat of paint. This particular piece had some pretty rough, porous looking areas and I think it needs the protection the paint will offer.

I put this thing on saw horses and turned it every which way to paint it.

 It has so many nooks and crannies and curves.

 You just have to give it a lot of light coats from multiple directions.

I use this dark green spray paint for my porch and yard furniture. 

It is as close to the dark, Charleston green as I can get in a can.

And, 1. I don't know why there are drips on that can. I never have any trouble with this paint. It's the best coverage I've found. #notsponsored but boy, do I wish someone would send me free spray paint :)  2. That table is obviously on the 'need to paint' list! Ha!

Then I slid it in it's new spot and started filling it up with plants,

 blue and white (of course) and some other thrifted finds. 

I think that this spot will get enough morning sun and afternoon light to keep some potted herbs happy and give us great access for cooking. 

I think it will be a great spot to bring the herbs in to from their Summer spots out in the yard and winter them over. I'll keep you posted on Instagram.

And guess what popped up on my FB marketplace this week?

The exact same baker's rack with all the glass shelves.

 Not a bad price at all!!

I'm headed to the garden center for a few more herbs and some potting soil!

Do you have favorite herbs that you grow?

National Thrift Shop Day!

I saw on Instagram earlier that it is #nationalthriftshop day.

That's a holiday I can get behind!

So in honor of the day I decided to post about one of my "newest" vintage finds.

 My husband actually found this wicker couch. 

In perfect condition.

 For $45.00

He sent me a picture and I loved it and then I said don't get it.

 I really didn't have a spot for it. It's big and solid and heavy.

 The cushions needed to be recovered. 

You can't keep buying fabulous vintage wicker if you don't have a place for it - said no one ever. 

But I did. And then I was sorry all night!! I won't do it again. 

#pinkypromise

I told him I made a mistake but it wasn't meant to be because I'm sure its gone. 

Trying to be philosophical and self - soothe. 

(Didn't really help but I was trying to be an adult about it.)

But he went back the next morning, it was there and he got an over 50 discount so- tada!! 

It was mine for under $40.00!!!!!!

Then last week before we had a large group over I decide to stay up half the night 

and make some slipcovers for the cushions 

which were in good shape foam-wise but the fabric covers were not good at all.

Here's a pic taken at 11 p.m. as I was getting started. 

Porch light is all the light to be had for the photo op!

So it was late, last minute and, oh yeah, I don't sew.

I'm a sewing faker. 

#truestory

#confession

However, we have the internet and I found this amazing tutorial and I followed it.

I used a drop cloth from Sherwin Williams that I had on hand - cause, you know, midnight.

I couldn't believe how amazing the tutorial was.

 It was quick

 ( I still have to go back and finish the handstitching on the back. A few still have "temporary" safety pins. It was midnight on Thursday before we had forty people for dinner on Saturday, so... pins) and I think they look amazing.

And worked a lot better for me than the $45.00 plus fabric quote I got per cushion when I started pricing "real slipcovers!" 

And then since I was in a major time crunch I decided to pull down my "stash" and make envelope covers for some IKEA pillow forms I had on hand!

#thisishowiroll

This vintage beauty is big - stretch out and nap big. 

Don't worry- I sprayed the cushions with wrinkle relaxer before everyone came over. :)

#thisishowiroll

Thank you Thrift Shops for existing!!

I'm glad you got your day!!

PS. Can you spy Biscuit in a couple of pics??

He is our porch dog. He loves it out there!!

Hydrangea Love!

(taking a little break from all the ORC chatter!)
I love my hydrangea bushes.

A lot. Probably more than I should.

 I had to dig them up and put them in pots a few years ago because

 I really love my two big Goldens as well and they are not easy on gardens.

The hydrangeas outgrew those pots and this year my handy husband

 used pallet wood and a plastic bin to create some great big planters.

An aerial view: We decided to build around the plastic bin to help the wooden framework hold up better and to allow for legs on the bottom so that we could level the planters on sloping ground.

We looked at a lot of ideas on Pinterest and then just went for it.

 I'm sure there are some good DIY's to follow if you want to make some. 

We didn't take step-by-step pics because there is a ton of info out there already!

They are very simple and rustic. 

We knew they would be covered by the plants and 

we really didn't need anything too formal or fancy. 

I just needed a very economical way to get really big planters. 

The pallets were free and the tubs were less than $5.00 at Wal Mart.

 Seriously, nothing swanky going on here.

And look at how the bushes have taken off!! 

They are covered in blooms about to burst into color!!

I'm obsessed!!

The hydrangea behind the pond is in a huuuuge pot and is loaded with buds this year, too.

I add something to the dirt to convince my blooms to be blue but I have lavender and pink blooms this year anyway! I think it must be all the extra soil added to those huuuuge planter boxes. I'm just happy to have so many blooms - whatever the color!

And this hydrangea bush is Limelight and makes all the other bushes green with envy!

#summerinthesouth

Pondering...

I've been thinking about ponds lately.

I guess I've been pondering.

#apologiesforthepun
#thiscouldgoonforever

 #wereapunnyfamily

We have two small water feature/ponds in our backyard.

I have these ponds because little goldfish ponds are a part of my 
childhood Lowcountry South Carolina memories. 

I love to be near water.

 

They basically flank each end of our screened porch.

 The idea was the soothing sound of trickling water wherever we sat.

 

Fifty weeks out of the year they are fabulous.

Relatively care free, soothing sounds 
and a flash of a bright orange fish from time to time.
But in the Spring the dreaded "pond cleaning" weeks 
cause me to think crazy" get rid of the ponds" thoughts.

Luckily I get past that.

This year however one must be moved for a variety of reasons and the other sprung a leak last year that could not be repaired from the top side and without removing all the rocks and some plants to lift up the liner and assess the situation. Oy!

Soooo, there is no soothing trickle of water while as we begin 
to venture out into our backyard for Spring.

 I am in my rainboots knee deep in mud in our ponds.

I'm beginning to think those crazy 
"get rid of the ponds or one pond is more than enough" thoughts.

But to keep my eye on the ball, so to speak, I have been pinning some pond inspiration.

This is the Charleston garden of the late Emily Whaley.
If you love down-to-earth Southern women and hearing their thoughts on everything including gardening, then read her delightful book.

 

So while my pond situation looks like this I'll keep my eye on the inspiration photos :

All of the  pretty images in this post are from my 
Garden and Yard Pinterest Board.

You can find the original sources there.