{patio inspiration}

Hello.

Happy Mother's Day Sunday!

I don't know about you but i've been springing back to life again.

I love the beach and I love the ocean.

but there is nothing like a midwestern spring.

It's like a complete renewal of one's soul and spirit each and every spring.

People flock and I mean flock to the local garden centers hoping to make their spaces full of life:)

I made my way to the garden center.

This year....Ivy geraniums caught my eye.

Geraniums always make me think nostalgic thoughts. Thoughts of my childhood when my grandma first showed me the world of gardening.

My love of gardening has never ended!

Remember when we {and I say we, lightly. Really it was my husband and our good friends} build this deck last summer.

It has been, hands down, the best thing we've done to our home.
It's become my super happy space!

I can't wait until the grapes grow over the arbor....in about....20 years:)


and someday we'll add a lovely stone fireplace and pizza oven.....but for today i'll just enjoy the happy space:)
It doesn't look out over a lake or the ocean. But it still makes me more than happy!

We also added the cute little picket fence this year! It was just a yucky chain link! Can't wait until the black eyed susans take over that little space!

Yes...even Ruby likes the deck! She likes to hang out there and dream of chasing squirrels.

I like to sit there and enjoy my glass of vino:)

L.C. likes it too.
but since she's getting older and has arthritis I usually bring out some pillows for her to lay on!

 See how happy the geraniums look!! The flag...the geraniums....all of it...pure happiness to me!

Up next....planting the garden!
Hopefully Ruby doesn't eat all my veggies this year:)

Ruby and L.C. say....have yourself a fabulous Mother's Day!!!!!

{driftwood sailboats}

Good morning!! How are you this Thursday morning?!?!? I know I am splendid.......
It's been hot & humid here......I love it:)

Question for you........ I know....I always have lots of questions!!!!
I wanted to let you know that I am going to try and be a little more involved in the commenting section.
I have been trying to pop in there once in awhile to answer questions, etc. but just wanted to make sure you check it if I do??!?!?!?

Let's see....how's the no vino going......
ummm.....well......ok.....I admit....i've had just a "little" vino once or twice!
Lesson learned.......when you make a goal for yourself be realistic:)
Don't commit to completely giving up something that you love......just learn how to moderate it!
heehee:) :)
and the other thing i've done to moderate the calories is dilute it with calorie free flavored water stuff...YUM!!!!

Alright onto the sailboats:) :) :)
I have seen these on many sites like Maya's Completely Coastal and thought they would be super simple and cute to make:)
I also like to take hostess gifts to people when they invite me over for a PARTY....
and thought this would make a perfect little gift......especially since I made it for people who live on a lake:) :)

I made it out of driftwood from Lake Michigan.....it was so popular everyone wanted me to make them one too!!! So that's what i've been doing......whipping up driftwood sailboats!
You can fashion them anyway you feel like....but I just drilled a little hole on the bottom piece of wood and then glued in the top piece.....I let it dry and then just used thin rope to tie on the sails!!! Stamp them with whatever you like.....and there you have it!

I love them:)
I have been thinking of selling more then just jewelry in my shop maybe things like these sailboats or maybe the buoys......but i'm not sure! What do you think??

Sometimes.....I just like to make things and don't like to feel the pressure about having to sell them....

Oh...fine....i'll let you in on a little dream of mine.......every since I can remember I have wanted to write a craft book!!! Any suggestions on how to get published????? Or where to even start????

I think I have some pretty good and simple ideas.....but I don't know if they'd be publish worthy....

pipedreams.....I know.....do you have them too!?!?!?

This has been the summer of learning more and more about myself.....I have realized that I LOVE to be creative.....but I don't love the pressure of trying to sell things.......

I think that's why I LOVE to blog so much....it's sort of like having my very own magazine!!! It's my favorite thing I do:) :) :) So thank you for all your comments.....I REALLY appreciate them.

Anywho....I should have placed the little starfish higher up....and I did that on the other one I made for my friend.....but I still think it's pretty darn cute!!!!!

I think handmade gifts truly are the best!! I love to get them & I love to give them!!!

You could also put these on your mantle with some twinkle lights...

They just make me so darn happy!!
I even made one for me....I ran out of drfitwood......so I just used some of that old fencing!!
I think it still looks pretty driftwoody...
What do you think???

I put it on my new deck!
So what do you think.....cute or dorky????


Oh & on a sidenote..........I am just so excited.....I found some grape vines for the arbor and planted them the other day!!
They already have little grapes on them:)
It's probably going to take a few years until they get big enough to cover the arbor.....I can't wait:)

Alright....i'm off to make a little healthy breakfast and then head out for a little run this morning!!!!! Talk to ya later:)


"In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different."
Coco Chanel

{sunshine}

Hi there and Happy Wednesday....

I have to say that when you live in the midwest....it really is the little things that make you so happy!!!

It was finally sunny today...for the WHOLE day....and I can't believe the difference in my energy level. I was HAPPY~ Nevermind the snow everywhere....

Just look at that sunset!

I got home from the gym and starting driving my husband nuts with all the projects I want to accomplish by summer:) Good thing he loves me!!!
The one thing I love....love...love the most.....is being outdoors and working in the yard in the summer!

I think i'll start with the pond.

The pond in the winter...The pond after I built it last summer.... and how I want it to look this upcoming summer:) I love all the little plants around the pond...it just looks so cozy and happy:)

Then I found this cute little beach garden...

I definitely want my husband to build some wooden planters that I can put all around the pool and fill them with beach grasses!

Hey....if I can't move to the beach at least I can try and bring the beach to me:)

I think I might even put sand in them so they look super beachy! I'll show them to you this summer!

It is so amazing....one sunny day in January and I am starting to get all ready for spring:)

I am dreaming of just being outside and looking at all the pretty flowers.Oh....I just can't wait! It's like having ants in your pants for spring:)

Lastly...this is a big goal of mine for the summer....but NOT sure if it will happen this year...but remember our little firepit we built?!?!Cute....but what I really want is a fireplace that looks something like this....

with a pizza oven and underneath an arbor like this...
Happiness....pure happiness! Can you get on all that honey?!?!
Poor guy....he doesn't even know what I have planned for him!!!

Well have a happy Wednesday and hopefully it was sunny in your neck of the woods:)

"People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost." H. Jackson Brown, jr.