Spring Garden

It's February! Time to get your sun hat on and head out into your gardens!

Today we're exploring the time-honored tradition of bell jars.

More after the jump!

DIY Retro Patio Sign: Part 2

Last week I made a retro sunglasses cafe sign, and now I'm posting the follow-up:

Instructables after the jump!

Miscellany

mis·cel·la·ny

ɪsəˌleɪni; Brit. mɪˈsɛləni/ Show Spelled[mis-uh-ley-nee; Brit. mi-sel-uh-nee]

–noun, plural -nies.

1. a collection or group of various or somewhat unrelated items.

So I've been thinking lately that there are things I'd like to say here that are unrelated to DIYing and crafting. Personal things. Opinions, thoughts, and other assorted crap. But I don't want to overrun the blog proper with my blah blah blahing.

To this end, I've decided to take one day a week, Thursdays to be specific, and post whatever is on my mind. I apologize in advance, because this is probably going to end up being mostly lame. Fortunately it'll only happen once a week, or until I get distracted and forget about it.

Lately I've been thinking about gardens. It's the predominant focus of my projects lately, and there's more where that came from. My mom and I went to a local nursery recently, called Crickelwood, and it blew my mind. It's the coolest place ever. The weird thing is I had no idea it existed. I think most people in my town are probably unaware it exists. I've driven past it dozens of times on the way to my dentist's office and I never noticed it.

Suddenly I need a blue door.

It's called the Secret Garden by those who work there, and until now, I guess the secret was pretty safe. It's barely noticeable from the street, even when you know where it is. Once you enter through the front gate, all tucked away underneath purple bouganvillea, it's like you're in another world.

Pictured: so many things that I NEED.

Like, I want to live there. Everything is green and cool and beautiful. If I could relocate every part of Crickelwood into my own yard, you best believe I would. As it is, I can only hope that the beauty I found there will somehow, in some tiny, fractional way, transcend my clumsy attempts at recreating it and that I'll be able to reproduce some of the charm of this place.

Odds are slim. But as ever, I won't let that stop me.

Do you see that bench? I need to read a book there.
By the way, that green frame is like, five feet tall.

 I mean, seriously, why can't I have this?? You know, aside from the labor, expense, and time it took to build it from scratch. Is there a Crickelwood in your area? Or rather, is it there, but you've never noticed it?

DIY Potting Bench

This is how I spent my 4th of July weekend!

Well, not the WHOLE weekend, just a few hours. I also spent a goodly amount of time eating corn on the cob and watermelon. And I admit, I DID spend the lion's share of my time in the pool, squirting my kids in their faces with a Super Soaker until they banded together like Voltron and flipped my floating lounge chair over.

I think we can all agree, that's how the Founding Fathers would have wanted it.

It was a great weekend.

And here we are now!! Together again. Any Monday that finds me staring fondly at something I made despite my criminal lack of formal training with power tools is a good Monday. I made this. I love saying that.

Make one with me, after the jump!!