Summer is half over already!!

I haven't been able to get out and work in my flower beds for quite awhile because
the mosquitoes are so bad here in Michigan if you step outside the door they will
carry you away!! No kidding!

I have been debating and debating and debating with myself over whether to paint the teal
chalkboard boards on my pallet planter black instead of the bright teal. I have decided
that I am going to do it. You can hardly see the chalk on this color of paint so black it is...
WHEN I can get back outside to work.

See all these dry leaves? This happens ever year from this crabapple tree. I love the tree in Spring,
but it is awful this time of year and I can't even begin to keep up on picking up the leaves so
most of them stay put and it looks like FALL already.

Did you see my last two posts about my BFF's garden? She is so precise and not a weed in
sight and I am a MESSY gardener. ha ha! Takes all kinds to make the world go round. 

I purchase Rosemary every year because I love it so much!
I just made some Rosemary lemonade this week and hubby loved it as much as I did.
DELICIOUS!

My basil plant is huge this year. It is my very favorite herb along with Rosemary.

My pallet planter spilleth over. lol

I pray that all of you are having a wonderful summer and making tons of memories
with friends and family. I have always been somewhat of a loner, but I find the older
I get the more I just want to be alone most of the time. Not a bad thing. I do enjoy a good
shopping trip occasionally, but even that is getting old.

What are you doing this summer for fun??

I am in LOVE with our latest project...is that possible??

If you follow me on facebook you know that my hubby's factory closed in November of last year with no
warning. He found another job in the middle of January of this year. We JUST got health insurance after
his probation period of 90 days, had it for a week or two and then he got laid off again. He didn't find
another job until about three weeks ago so...I say all that to say this. We TRIED to keep busy to keep
 ourselves sane, but on the other hand we had no extra money to spend so we set out to do a project
with things we already had here.

We just finished up this piece yesterday that we started when he was laid off. I guess you could call it
 a potting bench, but I doubt I will do much if any potting on it as I have a garden shed also.

 I LOVE how it turned out, don't you?

It all started with this piece that we picked up at a garage sale for $2.00! You can't even buy one board
for that price so it was well worth it. I wish I had a before picture as it was a blue gray color with a LOT
of grease on the top and inside. It was previously used for a work bench and was a MESS to say the
least, but I saw potential. Didn't have a clue what I would do with it, but I am so glad we put it in
our jeep that day!

Fast forward a few weeks.   I was browsing PINTEREST and was inspired to make some type of  bench
 with it. If you google "potting benches" you will find one that is similar in nature as far as the top of it,
but more of a creamy color with a tin valance. That was my inspiration.

{My genuine antique English watering can...there is a repro of it sitting on one of the bench
shelves also...but I digress...} 

After we finished it yesterday I initially thought I would put it on the front porch, but there
wasn't enough room where I wanted it. WHO KNEW?? ha!

So we ended up putting it on the back deck for now and I moved plants etc. here,
there and everywhere trying to find the best look.

{I am loving how my tiered herb garden turned out this year!}

This is a side view of the piece. One day I got inspired for hubby to add a window and then another
day I said, "Hey , let's put some shelves on the side of the window". We did that and it sat a couple
more weeks or so. Yesterday, I figured I better get this done or it would be winter before long!!
So we cut and old post in half for the front and added some shelves on the side that I had laying
around along with the brackets.

{The post came from my grandmother's house when it was torn down. I acquired three of them and
love using them for something to remember her by}

When I look at the finished photo, I think I would like one of the shelves that are on the sides a
 bit lower than the other side so it doesn't look so "matchy, matchy", but we can do that
 anytime.

We added old table legs on each side of the window to add more character and they
were the perfect length! We couldn't have planned that if we tried.

I had the "valance" laying in my potting shed for a few years and had no clue what I would
ever do with it, but now I know why I kept it.

A bit of paint and distressing and WA LA...it was done and ready to be decorated!

I didn't want to spend one dime especially since hubs was laid off,  so we just used stuff we already had
except the $2 we spent on the initial bench. I am thrilled with how it turned out and now we can move
on to the next project...whatever that is. I am sure I will come up with something! *SMILE*

This was the photo that I put on facebook this week.
What have you made lately? I would love to know!!
Blessings~

Vintage Barn Market

I wanted to share my friend Marian's store with you. She has rented out a partial store
in Delta, Ohio and named it
Vintage Barn Market.

She has transformed it beautifully!! I love her style, decor and amazing talent!!

{Sorry this photo is a little blurry, but I just had to include it. Yesterday when I was there someone
had purchased all the clay pots in the cubby so they are gone now}

I believe this gorgeous piece above has found a new home already. 

I love her attention to detail and all the nice pieces that she has to sell. I think my home needs
 a makeover. ha! If I was just starting out setting up house, I would come here for furniture!

Isn't the chalkboard saying soooooooo cute!!! Love it! I may have to steal it Marian!! ::)

French style...YES please! 

I love these bags!! I am afraid that I would be constantly broke if I lived any closer to this
 store. ha!

What a table! Look at the detail?? 

Sorry we have glare here, but a professional photographer I am not. Loving the old  fireplace
surround, the mirrors, oh... I just love it all!! 

Marian must work constantly because she is always taking new pieces in to replace the ones
that have sold. 

I fell in LOVE with this bench from the moment I saw it.

I love the table also, but it is too big for my house.  Just look at the detail on those legs!! I have never seen
 a table like this. So GORGEOUS!!

P.S. The bench now resides in my home. YIPPEE!!!!! 

Marian asked me to sell some of my treasures in her store so I was happy to oblige. 

One of my fun little glittery nests...

Marian and her hubby sure keep busy painting and they do an awesome job!

A beautiful beveled mirror!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to Vintage Barn Market today.  If you want to connect with Marian on
facebook you can click here.  Be sure and tell her that I sent you. :)
Happy Wednesday ~

PS Can I ask you for to bombard heaven for my daughters family please?? Life is so hard sometimes,
especially when you least expect it...:(

Fun white finds and creations

It has been awhile since I posted some of my finds so I wanted to share them with you today.

I am still in love with vintage clock faces and almost anything that has numbers on it. I
 found this vintage french white dial in Leslie's french booth at an antique mall up by
where my daughter lives. Off of a phone possibly?? I also purchased the black clock 
face there as well.

Quite the frame...don't you agree? I think it is cast iron. I will figure out something to
do with it soon. I already have some ideas. 50 cents at the Goodwill. Best buy in
a long time at that store. They are usually very picked over.

I found this white shelf at an antique mall for a great price. I have been looking for a
vintage shelf for just the right spot.  This one will not work there , but I couldn't pass it
up! I will figure out where to put it soon!  lol

I snatched these vintage white pots right up when I saw them. I love anything that
has to do with gardening and especially when the item is white. :)

I have been working on some items for the Artisan Fair that I will be in when August rolls around.
I found a very large stash of these heavy duty blank cards at the Goodwill also and I am having
fun rubber stamping images onto them.

I have also used some of them to wrap with vintage lace to sell as well.

I always love to  embellish candles and have been making a few of these for the sale.

Now, I realize the above candles are not white, but wanted to share them anyways.
I found them at Target on clearance. These are the only two I could find and I went
 to several Targets in search for more, but alas...none to be found.

I just HAD to show you my beautiful white impatiens hanging in a basket on my
new fence outside the back door. They are doing wonderful this year. 

Happy White Wednesday to each and every one of you who take the time to visit me.
{I know I am rather early for that this week *smile*}
I can't always reciprocate, but I try to visit as often as I can.
Celebrate life!!