Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Vintage Chair Makeover for the Garden~

Hi Friends~
Yesterday I shared with you my treasure hunt haul
and this wonderful vintage chair was among that loot!

I could not believe my luck when I found this treasure.
It was just what I was looking for to makeover for the garden holding a potted flower.

It is sturdy, has great details and just the right size.

So I began the makeover
by taking out the seat
which revealed a perfect size opening to hold a flower pot!!

Next I gave the chair a dry brushing
with honeysuckle bloom.
I wanted the old finish to show through
and look distressed at the same time.
I used a stencil brush for the dry brushing.





Look how the details really pop with this technique!


The opening fit a flower pot perfectly.


And here it is in the little meditation garden with
St. Francis!
Love, Love!!
A coat of varnish so it will last
and enjoying the addition.

Remember the oval flower basket
I also found on the treasure hunt?
It holds these two darling
Daddy's Little Girl Rose pots.

joining


Thanks for stopping by today.
See you next time with more
Southern DayDreams
from Texas.

Ya'll Be Good!!

Celestina Marie







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Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Tuesday Treasure Haul

Last week on a staycation,
I had the chance to head out for a treasure hunt at one of my favorite
Fort Worth, Texas Antique Markets.
 
I would have loved to take pics inside the mall to share with you
but they frown on that, so my goodies is all I can show!
 
 
It was a good day!

 
Loved this gorgeous little brown and white
transfer candy dish.


 
These tiles are 6 inch square and were on sale for just a few dollars for
the set of four.
Love these for trivets.
Behind those is a flower basket with the perfect rust and patina!

 
This is what I was looking for.
A vintage chair for my garden.
I found this at another shop on the way home.
So glad we stopped.
Love the animal print fabric but it will have to go for the makeover.
 
And look at this darling burlap and birdie stenciled pillow.
It was only a few dollars and cheaper  then it would be to create it myself,
but it will get some great embellishment!

 
Look at there darling fairy paintings done on reverse glass.
I have plans for these too.

 
Could not pass up this sweet little shabby drawer and the spice jars of buttons.
More plans for these sweeties too.

And, be still my heart. More white pitchers.
Gotta love these!!

 
One of the best little glove boxes I found in a long time.
You know I will have plans for this gem!!

Vintage and charming to find this old time classic set.
They are perfect just the way they are and will
shortly go to my etsy shoppe.

Love this lumbar pillow and it had to come home with me too.
 
So there you have it,
my haul for the day!!
 
Come back tomorrow and I will show you the chair in the garden makeover.
 
Wishing you~
Southern DayDreams!
 
Celestina Marie
 
 
 
 
 


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Friday, April 25, 2014

Almost There!

Hi Friends~
 
I titled this post "almost there" because
that's how I feel about my cottage garden and the replanting of most everything this season.
Since our big fence project and taking out 20 trees,
we are nearly back to having the garden looking pretty again.
 
When I say 20 trees, I don't mean small trees easy to remove.
I'm talking, huge old cypress, evergreens and more.
All planted from the previous owner and by the pool, which was not ideal.
Not only for the debris that falls, but the roots systems going towards the water.
 
 
Anyway, fast forward to this moment and I finally have my cottage rose garden
with so many roses, I lost count.
Thankfully all made it through our cold winter except
my rose archway which painfully had to be taken out yesterday.
But replaced with a gorgeous Trumpet Vine which brings humming birds.
A few days ago this bush was full of buds just waiting to burst open.
 
Today, this was my greeting when I stepped outside.

Lovely double knockouts!
******
In one corner we planted a gorgeous Red Holly.
It stays green year round and the birds love the berries.
I painted my little French bike red to stand in front.
Mr. Frog just loves to sun himself sitting on the bike seat.
 
*********
 
My very vintage step ladder also got a brush of red and distress.
Perfect for my little outdoor critters to live with a visit from
a little lizard now and then.
The little drawer box was another little treasure built by my son with old fence pickets.
I painted it white and added some aqua polka dots for fun.
Begonias like it here.
 
***********
 
Soon it will be hot enough to spend time here.
And lots of time here~
Listening to the water bubbling.
This season I repainted the fountain pots with a fresh coat of paint
and outdoor varnish.
 
************
 
Mr. CMDesign  has also been working hard in the garden,
and his latest project was to place this squirrel proof birdhouse
up on a wood pole.
I really must get some pics of the squirrels trying to figure this house out.
They are so mad their free lunch went away.
Now the little birds are happy again.
Right below the bird house in this garden section,
 is a beautiful St. Francis statue.
I searched forever for him~
He stands 3 feet tall, holding a little bird and a birdbath.
 
Another big project was to add this enclosed pool pump house for the equipment
to the side yard.
 
I found a little sign at one of my favorite garden shops
and repainted it, changed the words, added a few shells and hung it on the side
of the pump house.
 
It points the way in case I get lost and need to be reminded to
take time to relax and enjoy ~~ Life Is Good!!
 
********
 
More to share from my garden next time.
But before I go,
Just wanted to thank you for the sweet comments and emails about the potting bench
my son built and I shared in my last post.
 
Also, for the comments about training a knock out to be a climber.
I don't have any great tips for this except to say,
in Texas, I have tried this in several pots, but I think it would work just the same in the ground.
 
Start by letting the bush grow tall and long towards the back section where you be adding
a trellis and helping the long vines to weave through.
To the front of the bush, just trim to size and keep contained.
That's it!!
Here is one I have in a large pot along side my studio near the bench.
*just a note, if you are planting roses in pots, they need to be fairly large*
 
 
 
Did you know you can do this with potato vine too?
Yes, here is an example I started.
 
To the back of this large pot of impatiens,
I have 3 little potato vines planted and an iron trellis hanging on the brick.
 
 
Looks like this~

 
In a few weeks this trellis will be full and lush with the vine.

 
I'll take pics and share later when the trellis is full.
 
Till then~~
 
Wishing you~
Southern DayDreams!
 
See you next time~
 
Celestina Marie


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


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Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Welcome to the Potting Bench~

Several years ago my talented son
built me this potting bench and surprised me with it for Christmas.
 
I can still see how happy he was, when he had me come out to the garage
to find this wonderful gift on Christmas Eve.
 
It has been such a blessing in my garden and I enjoy it so much.
 
Thank you RJ, I love it and I love you!
 
 
Each year, I am so excited to pot my flowers here
and plan my herbs to grow.
 
 
To the right I have started a climbing rose in ivy
from a knockout rose.
I found that you can train them to be a climber
and they do very well.
 
 
To the left is my hydrangea garden and just beginning to grow.
In a few weeks they will be 3 to 4 foot high.
 
 
Above those is a flower box Mr. CMDesign
made for me several years ago to place under my
vintage window painting.
I filled it with silk hydrangeas.
 
 
To the front of the climber, I have a pretty pink tea rose.
Lots of sun in this spot so they do wonderful
right in a pot.
 
 
 
This year I painted these sweet little herb markers.
I found these chalk board like shapes in the dollar bin at Michel's
and hand painted the herb names, glued on popsicle sticks
and brushed on some outdoor varnish.
 
 
Strawberries are growing and I can't wait for the first pick.
 
 
Pretty rose buds just fill the climber.
 
 
And this sweet stone robin watches over her nest in the ivy pot.
 
 
I think this one is calling for lunch~~
 
 
While this sweet garden angel shows her little bird white Impatiens,
 
 
and another is taking a springtime nap.
 
 
Best of all, my potting bench has a little fairy that loves to just hang around.
 
 
Yes, I so enjoy my garden's potting bench and all the wonderful
memories it has given me over the years.
 
Thank you for stopping by to visit today.
 
See you again soon with more from the spring garden.
 
Blessings always.
 
 
Celestina Marie
 
joining
and thank you Deborah for featuring my boxwood wreath
from last weeks party.
and
Etsy Cottage Style
 
 
 
 


 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




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