The Porch Swing

Hello Everyone! 

We finally got the porch swing hung on the front porch just in time for our Memorial Day gathering on Saturday.

Let me tell you it was a stinker to hang!  We had to remove some of the siding on the porch ceiling to find the ceiling studs.  The stud finder could not locate the exact location of the studs in the ceiling. 

After two failed attempts of trying to hang it,  I would say it was worth all the hard work. 

I made the seat cushion and the pillows for the swing.  The seat cushion was made out of a piece of drop cloth I had.   

I have really enjoyed swinging in my swing especially the last few evenings with all the hub bub of the weekend behind me.

As always, thanks for your visit and your sweet comments.  They always make my day. 

Gail

Linking this post to the following blog parties: 

Savvy Southern Style for WOW Us Wednesday

DIY by Design for Swing into Spring

Patriotic Wreath Tutorial

Hello Everyone!

  I have had a few inquiries regarding how I made my Patriotic wreath.  So here is my attempt at a tutorial.   

The supplies you will need are as follows: 

• Flag (60” x 30”)
• Grapeview Wreath (16” or larger)
• Wooden or metal star
• Paint optional if you purchase an unfinished wooden star
• Wire
• Wire cutters
• Hot glue gun

Fold the flag in half. (See picture below) 

Cut approximately a 20” piece of wire.  Gather the star end of the flag and secure with wire.  (See picture below)

Attach wire to the backside of the grapevine wreath.  (See picture below)

Now, tuck the flag tail of gathered end inside the grapevine wreath.  I do this so that it lays better against a door.  (See picture below)

Cut approximately a 20” piece of wire and set aside.   Now working on the front side,  lay flag across the size of the grapevine wreath as pictured below. 

Now gather the striped end upward as pictured below. 

With wire, secure to the grapevine wreath running the wire to the backside of the wreath. 

Now attach the star with hot glue as pictured below. 

And there you go, a Patriot Wreath just in time for Memorial Day!

It’s hard to believe that in just a few days, we will be celebrating Memorial Day.  Where has the month of May gone?

As always, thanks for visit and hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! 

Gail

Linking this post to the following bloggy parties:

Kristen's Creations for Share Your Creations

I Painted the Potting Bench!

Hello  Everyone! 

This morning while I was painting my front porch swing in the garage, I started thinking about the potting bench on the screened-in porch.  (I think a lot when I paint and if I’m not thinking…..I’m singing!)  I really like the size of the potting bench and it’s a perfect fit for the screened-in porch.  But I don’t really care for the finish.  So, when I finished painting the swing, I took the paint, paint brush and myself to the screened-in porch and started painting the potting bench.

Take a look at it now……

I used outdoor white paint. While the paint was still wet, I took a rag and wiped some of the paint off. 

Yesterday, when I posted about the potting bench, which you can read about here, it looked like this.

I kept everything the same on the potting bench, except I added a plant inside the dirt bucket.   

I’m so glad today was a thinker day for painting rather than a singing day….LOL!  Otherwise, this potting bench would probably still look the same.  For now, I’m happy with it and will more than likely be keeping this for a while. 

Thanks for stopping by and hope you all have a wonderful day. 

Gail

Linking this post to the following parties: 

Savvy Southern Style for WOW Us Wednesday

DIY by Design for Swing into Spring

Potting Bench on the Screened-in Porch

Hello Everyone! 

For the past year, I have had a potting bench for the screened-in porch on my “list of things to do”.  Needless to say,  I have not gotten around to making it so I did the next best thing….I ordered one from Amazon.  

It’s not exactly what I originally envisioned making, but for less than $100 it will do for now.  

I’m not using the potting bench as an actual garden work station but more as a place to display some flowers, herbs and garden accessories on the screened-in porch.  

 

I placed some clay pots, galvanized tins, watering cans and even little natural elements on the potting bench.   

When I was power washing our deck a week or so ago, I found two wasp nests under the deck railing.   I saved them and placed them on the potting bench.  One I placed inside the clay pot and the other is inside the bulb planter.  

And then yesterday while watering my ferns on the front porch, I found two bird nests inside two different ferns.  I removed them and placed one on the potting bench inside a clay pot and the other is sitting on the front porch.    

I hated to remove them but I need to water my ferns so they will just have to make their little nest somewhere else.

How do you like the reindeer moss covered clay pot that I made? 

So far, it’s doing okay and hasn’t dried out yet.  Inside the clay pot, I planted English Thyme and that is also doing well.   It has grown since I planted it two weeks ago.  

On the bottom of the potting bench, I have a wire basket with more clay pots inside.  I placed three of the clay pots upright so I could plant some Lavender inside the pots….so far so good!     

And of course my garden tool carrier is on the potting bench as well. 

At least I know where all my garden tools are…thank goodness! 

  When I first planted this three weeks or ago, I wasn’t sure how well the plants would do inside this galvanized watering can but they have really grown! 

About six or seven years ago, I purchased these wooden clogs at a yard sale.  Over the years, they have moved from the front porch to the back deck to the screen-in porch.  Now they’re back on the screened-in porch and the other day I planted Scotch Moss inside of them.    

 

Not sure how well my moss clogs will do but I will keep you posted.  

I’ll share with you the whole screened-in porch on my next blog post. 

As always, thanks for your visit and your sweet comments.  They always make my day!

Gail

Linking to the following parties:

A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday

The Farmhouse Porch for Cowgirl Up!

Coastal Charms for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Child’s Vintage Metal Rocker

Hello Everyone! 

A few weeks ago, Charlie and I found this little metal child’s rocker for $15 at a flea market.

Isn’t it the cutest thing!  I fell in love with all it’s rust and chippy paint.

For now, it is sitting on the screened-in porch.  

 

I’m still working on the screened-in porch.  

The potting bench that I ordered for the porch came in today and we already put it together.  Now, I need to finish accessorizing it.

As always, thanks for your visit and your sweet comments.  They always make my day! 

Gail 

Linking this post to the following parties: 

Knick of Time for Vintage Style Link Party

Savvy Southern Style for WOW Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday

DIY by Design for Swing into Spring

Garden Tool Carrier

Hello Everyone! 

I finished another project today and just had to share it with you…...my garden tool carrier as I’m calling it. 

  I know you have seen these tool carriers, tool boxes or tool totes (whatever you want to call it) all over blogland and used many different ways.   I bought one at a Thrift Store a few weeks ago with the intent of using it to house all of my garden tools.   I’m always trying to find my garden tools.   I tend not to put things back where they belong….just ask my husband.   Hopefully, this will help….HA HA! 

I’m a bad blogger!   I started painting it and realized I forgot to take a picture of what it looked like before. But, imagine if you will, this tool carrier stained natural with pictures of little Amish people on the front and back. 

First, I painted it white and then I randomly applied two different shades of green all over the tool carrier.     

Once that dried, I went back over it again lightly with more white paint.  I then printed off a graphic I found at The Graphics Fairy and applied it to the front of the tool carrier with Outdoor Mod Podge. 

When the Mod Podge dried, I sanded it and then applied the Annie Sloan Sloan Dark wax to it. 

Now, all I need is for my potting bench to hurry up and get here so that I can place my garden tool carrier on it.  I’ve been patiently waiting for it so I can also finish up with my screened-in porch. 

As always, thanks for your visit and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and a Happy Mother’s Day!  

Gail

Linking to the following parties:

From My Front Porch to Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursday

The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home

Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday

At The Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday

A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday

This Screened-In Porch of Mine….

…….is still not done yet!  I started working on it over the weekend.  The shutter below is the only project that is completed so far other than power washing and scrubbing all the furniture.  

My brother gave me these shutter doors that have been in his basement for years. 

I took them apart and painted only one of them.  

I made my own chalk paint since I ran out of my favorite Annie Sloan Chalk Paint….1/2 cup of Plaster of Paris, 1 cup of flat latex paint and 1/2 cup of hot water. 

I feel as if I’m working at a snail’s pace here!  Hopefully, it’s not raining too hard tomorrow so I can finish the screened in porch. 

Thanks for your visit and hope you all have a wonderful week. 

Gail

Linking to the following parties:

Savvy Southern Style for WOW Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday

DIY by Design for Swing into Spring

Kristen's Creations for Share Your Creations

Patriotic Front Porch

Hello Everyone!  The weather has been perfect here the last couple of days and it felt so good to be outside.  I’ve been busy working on the front porch power washing, scrubbing furniture, washing windows and planting flowers.   

This year, I changed things up on the front porch.  Having a son and son-in-law in the Army, I went with a more patriotic theme. 

I planted a lot of red geraniums. 

I don’t think I’ve shown you this wire wall planter. 

 

It was a flea market purchase a few weeks ago.  I fell in love with it! 

 

Charlie and I just bought this porch swing yesterday.  It is an Amish built.  We need to find the ceiling studs to mount it.  My plans are to paint it white but I have to wait at least a month before I can paint it.  We were told the wood needs to cure.

For now, I placed my coca cola crate wagon on the front porch.  I planted lavender and marigolds in it.

This is the other side of the porch.  All the Boston Ferns you see were purchased at Lowes for $7.50 a piece.  They are huge and so healthy looking.

A table top vignette.  I used an old galvanized watering can and planted a red geranium and a snowstorm giant snowflake inside it.    

I hung vintage Americana buntings on the porch railings.   

Other than a few little things, I’m just about done with the front porch.

As always, thanks for your visit and for your sweet comments.  They always make my day!

Gail

Linking to the following parties:

Savvy Southern Style for WOW Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday

DIY by Design for Swing into Spring

The Polohouse for Favorites on the First

Kristen's Creations for Share Your Creations

Funky Junk Interiors SNS for Porches and Patios