in the garden...

sorry I have been silent lately...it is such a busy time of year at our farm

every year I try to grow more food, learn a new homestead skill or two and of course we are always junkin for both our shoppe and our studio!!

OH!  and yes I have some exciting news

I have been creating and writing like crazy and I have several articles coming out in Sew Somerset, Somerset Studio, Greencraft and Holidays & Celebrations, so stay tuned!!!

on a totally different front - we bought a camper that I am psyched to fix up & make adorable

so I have been collecting ideas & inspiration

I am drooling over this

credit  thebeehivecottage.blogspot.com

and this

credit  vintagelady2010

but first I have to get the cabbage planted :)

be back soon, but in the meantime...

here are some fabulously fun planting ideas I am going to try this year

credit Fern Richardson of Life on the Balcony 

 credit twokitties.typepad.com

new projects

wooooo-eeeeeee!  its been busy around this farmhouse!

kinda out of breath...

we are opening our antiques shoppe for its 5th summer season

and hubby and I have been junking, thrifting, cleaning, dusting, fixing, pricing, setting up displays

we. are. tired.

but we love it - its always a big push for opening day and then we settle into the groove and have a blast

I will be happy when we open because I have a list of house projects a mile long once I can move onto them...besides the typical spring gardening push, we need to refresh our porches

source

few minor fixes, new paint, new look

sooo, I have been bopping about online looking for inspiring photos

source

love this one - the overhead light and the accessories - yum!

source

the ceiling color is pretty

source

simple and beautiful

source

would LOVE to renovate our porches to be larger and more useful like this one

source

light, bright & pretty

so what do you like best about a farmhouse porch?

sunday morning

what a wonderfully relaxing sunday morning...

bacon sizzling and
waffle batter in my newly thrifted bowl

spring seedlings coming up nicely

recently acquired vintage dollies & doggies

a yummy pot roast in the crockpot for later

puppy lounging in a vintage blankie & hubby giggling at a movie

easy-squeezy whimsical planters

today I wanted to share a super simple planting project that is very inexpensive but super-cute

find a bunch of used shoes - I especially like to use baby shoes

my mom has used old boots on either side of her steps and they look great

you can even plant up high heels

one of my baby shoes freshly planted with baby succulents

fill your shoes with a good quality potting soil

and then have fun filling them with annuals and succulents!

You kind find used shoes at yard sales, Goodwill, Salvation Army, thrift shops, or sometimes even at the dump (if you have a "sharing" shed like we do).  The key is to find shoes that have a nice shape, pleasing color, etc - don't worry if they are worn & grubby

Photo: Courtesy Gary Bachman on msucares.com

you can plant up a single shoe or a pair of shoes - you can even hang your shoe planter!

I saw someone plant up a 2 rows of shoes and boots and then lined them up on a plant stand - it was adorable

Photo: Courtesy Josh Mccullough on PortlandMonthlyMag.com

happy easter

The spirit of Easter is all about Hope, love, and joyful living.

~ Anonymous.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!