my friend Mel

My friend Mel lives down the street from me.  We enjoy doing mom things together with our kiddos as well as chatting about new projects we are undertaking (she rocks with power tools!).  When she asked me for help with her front bed, I was all over it!

What I like about Mel's home is that it has some characteristics of a California bungalow though we live in the midwest.  They have great ornamental shrubs as well as a stunning Japanese Maple that is a focal point of her front yard garden.

With the plan Mel moved and spaced out the yews under the window.  

The center of the bed is shade while the area around the tree gets sun.  Mel knew she wanted Japanese Forest Grass in the mix and color was important to her too.  

Plants that we started with....

 Purple Moor Grass to the right of the tree

 Catmint around the tree

 Variegated Knotweed or Coreopsis "Moonbeam" to the right of the Catmint

 Japanese Forest Grass in the front bed

When we went to the nursery, Mel selected 3 different types of Coral Bells in dark purple hues to intermix with the Japanese Forest Grass.

She has been busy planting....more to come!

the nursery

My goal was to make all of the art for the nursery as well as repurpose accessories to pull it all together.  I am happy to say that the job is done!  

created tie backs for her curtains out of my grandmother's old buttons

wrap inspiration fabric over mats to create a pop of color in framed poetry art

hang leaf art that I made 

paint mom's childhood shelf with Chalk paint to give it new life

make large paper flowers for over the crib

The flowers were easy and cheap to make...

1. Take a large piece of poster board and draw any size/shape of flower on the poster board.
2. Find paper that you love.  I used sheets of colored paper as well as pages from an old book.
3. Cut the paper into strips.
4.  Flip the poster board over and apply strips to the back side of the poster board (the side without the drawing)  with Mod Podge.
5. Let dry and then cut out your flower.
6. I bent my leaves when they were dry and stuck them to the wall with Command strips.

I was able to reuse bedding I had from my oldest daughter.  A blanket over our rocker made by my mother-in-law, adds to the handmade feeling I was after in her room. It was fun going around the house to find baskets and little trinkets to finish off the room.

My sweet hubby took out the 1980's fan today and installed the Alang ceiling light from Ikea.  It was only 30 bucks!  

--This room is north facing so it is a darker room.  We went with a lighter wall color---Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue....More pics to come....

playing it safe in the front yard

I have been playing it safe in the front yard.  Actually, many people play it safe.  It is typical for people to plant a couple of foundation plants up against their home and finish off their landscape with maybe a tree or two.  By pulling the garden down through the front yard, you create a "scene" from your house and from the street.  So many opportunities are lost in the front yard.  I began thinking about this topic when I would look out my front window and see the cars driving by on my street.  I told myself that I could do more to create something beautiful between the street and my home.  Plus, it gives me an excuse to buy more plants!!!

I purchased this book by Marty Wingate and have enjoyed learning about various ways to create that "peaceful retreat" in both the front and back yard.

 

I always need a starting point with any design.  In my garden, I look to what I need first.  This helps me launch my design.  In the spring I will be looking for a small tree or shrub that will be planted in lines eye view from my living room window. It will exist in an island bed with small shrubs and perennials close to the sidewalk.

Some options-dwarf crab apple or crape myrtle 



Front yard designs that rock....

BHG

BHG

Robert Norris

nilsenlandscape.com

nilsenlandscape.com

kingbirddesign.com

kingbirddesign.com

westoverld.com

troyrhonegardens.com

garden inspiration

 I have always loved gardens.  From as far back as I can remember, I would plan and think about garden designs.  Growing up in Chicago, I remember going to my great-aunt's home for family parties.  Your typical Chicago bungalow filled with lively Italians and FOOD!  What struck me when I was a child was Aunt Tina's garden.  With a cannoli in hand, I followed my cousins out the back door and was mesmerized by what I saw.  Tall brick walls inclosed the small Chicago lot.  Beautiful vines creeping up the old brick and large statues throughout the garden surrounded by flowers and greenery.  A formal design with many of the same characteristics as the garden below.

I knew at that moment, that I wanted an enchanted garden when I grew up.  

Sawyer/Berson Architecture & Landscape Architecture

http://www.sawyerberson.com/Landscape/L6/

decorating for our fall bash

We are having a fall party to celebrate our kids' birthdays before the baby comes.  I think that it's fun and important for kids to see their artwork throughout their home.  The same thing was true for my art students.  They had a hand in creating our art room which, gave them ownership and confidence in the work that they produced in the space.

Fall leaves for our chandelier...

with a sharpie draw leaves on wax paper

mix one part water and one part glue in a bowl

cut tissue paper into small squares and paint them on the wax paper

The food...

 pumpkin cake for the kids

witch hat cookies that my daughter helped me make

scarecrow cupcakes

The stairs...

For our stairs I grabbed some pinecones from outside and tied them up with some burlap and branches.

Our fall mantel...  

Our mantel is an odd shape.  We have a soffit that runs above it so we are limited with height.  Challenges aside I like simple design.  I look for photos and artwork that have sentimental value.  Here I layered a Cezanne print with a fall photo of one of my beans.  The pumpkins are sitting on my grandmother's silver candlestick holders.

Happy Autumn!