"It's ALL My Fault"!

I know I promised! But, I couldn't help myself! I met my husband for breakfast the other day and, afterwards, as I was driving down the road heading to the grocery store, I spied the big, ole Lowes sign. The weather was breathtakingly gorgeous! I couldn't stop. My car just veered into the turn off lane. I seemed to have no control. And, I did it....

I saw the alstroemerias and put two in my cart. I planted a few last year and they are coming back nicely. And, since they seem to sell out rather quickly, I grabbed them while I could. Then, I had to have that large pot of purple petunias to fill in one of the urns when those "still thriving" poinsettias finally decide to bite the dust. And, two more large pots of phlox just because.

I really could have bought many, many more plants as well, but I think the thought of getting out into the garden to plant them brought back the memories of the weeds that seem to be taking over right now and I cut my losses. I am one of those people who can not do anything small in the garden if the whole yard isn't in control so I know I would have been committing to hours and hours of weeding and somehow I wasn't ready for that committment just yet.

And so, I brought my treasures home and they are still sitting right where I put them that day. And now, today's newspaper warns that we might go down into the low 30s this weekend. I knew it. You can count on it. It will all be my fault!!!!

And, I will feel really super guilty if it gets that cold because this guy, his dad and a number of his best friends and their dads are off on a birthday party camping weekend. I lent them a few sleeping mats that we have and tried hard to get them to take my down comforters to stay cozy-the impending weather conditions being all my fault and all-but just received lots of rolling of the eyes. They are guys after all-but sorry, lows 30s are cold no matter who you are!

While I was out in the garden for those few very short minutes, I did manage to pick up a trowel and dig up some errant shamrock plants. These things pop up all over my garden at this time of year. I usually dig up a few and bring them in in a small, clay pot. They look like they are dying for a few days, but if you keep them wet enough, they start to come back-as this pot is doing- and by March 17, I will have beautiful full pots of the lucky leaves. Now if that luck will just rub off so I am not sending my grandson, son-in-law and their friends out into the "frozen tundra" this week just because I once again jumped the "spring" gun, I will be eternally grateful. If not, I will be thinking of them as they pull the icicles off of their tents as I am wrapped up in my cozy comforter in front of a good movie and blazing fire-remember, I did offer to share. Stay tuned! 

"Let's Wrap It Up"....

....in LOTS of green! Just a few things left to show you today and then some random things-come along.

Sorry about all of those RED poinsettias in my "green" post but those things REFUSE to die and since I don't put them in the ground, I can't bear to throw them away just yet. Maybe I should at least move them to a less conspicuous spot but....

Saw this little trick somewhere-can't recall. Just bought an inexpensive, small frame from the dollar bins at Michaels and added the word and a shamrock. Then, I glued a magnet on the back and attched it to the metal bucket. I love it and don't really know why I haven't made one for each holiday that I have this bucket on the front door?!

I just have to show you these crafts from clay pots once again. Since my grand children made them years ago, they remain a favorite. They were so simple yet they are so cute. They are made mostly from painted pots and fun foam embellishments. Have to laugh every time I see that picture of Harrison with his green hair.

The above pot and flower arrangement is one of my biggest pins on Pinterest. It is simply a larger pot and saucer upside down and painted green. I actually painted the black band on these but you could use fun foam or ribbon as well. Since I wanted a true yellow buckle, I cut mine out of foam but you could use a real buckle, scrapbook embellishment or even felt. I then cut a small piece of floral foam and adhered it to the top with floral "tape"-the sticky stuff meant to hold the foam-could probably use any type of silicone glue also-I think hot glue would melt it, but I digress. Then, I simply pulled apart sprigs of small flowers in the appropriate color scheme and stuck them in. I display mine on a tall candle stick to give it a bit more bang for its buck.

That pretty much takes you through the high points of the house this year. I could still tweak a bit, so I will be sure to let you in on any new ideas as I steal see them. Stay tuned.

"Where the Heck IS Uzbekistan"?

There now. Is that a better way to start my next St. Pat's decorating post? I don't want to insult any of my blog readers. Believe me, I am grateful for every one of you! I really never thought this blog would be any more than a way for my family to keep up with my antics if they were so inclined. So, when I started getting more and more views, I started paying a bit more attention to where my readers were. And, can you believe, I actually have many readers in Russia-didn't ever dream they would be interested in St. Pat's decorating. Do they even celebrate St. Patrick's Day? And, I occasionally have readers in obtuse places like Uzbekistan. That sounds like the made up country name used in one of the worst movies my husband and I ever paid to see-"The Mouse That Roared". The only good thing about it was that we were watching it in the beautiful old Fox Theater on Peachtree in downtown Atalanta-but, I digress.

Any way, I welcome each and every one of you, wherever you are! Today we are heading in to the family room and let's catch the few things I put in the sunroom. After looking at the pictures, I realize that the sunroom is once again the poor "step child" of my decorating efforts-whatever doesn't get used anywhere else, goes here. But, again, in my defense, this is the room where I load up all of the "just coming down" decor until it is officially boxed up. By the time that happens several days later, I am exhausted and have no new ideas. All we can hope for is some Pinterest inspiration and LOTS of tweaking to come-we shall see. With my recent realization of how soon Easter will be upon us, I wouldn't count on it! 

Must apologize for all of the lighting and flash backs in these pictures. It was gloomy outside and I couldn't find any place to stand to get a picture and avoid this!

I love this tin pitcher that was a gift last year from daughter #3. It is reading as really blue in this picture and I know you're all wondering what I was thinking but in real life, it looks much more "greenish". Maybe I need to swap out those blue hydrangeas- they actually even look blue in "real life"-sorry.

So there you have it. Almost done. Just a few more pictures to share. I have begun thinking about our "green" fun day at Nana's as the kids are already asking me when we are making green cookies next. Thank goodness for Pinterest. I will be heading right over to my St. Pat's boards when I am finished here. Really so much easier than dragging out years worth of clippings-way less storage involved and no more magazines to buy so way cheaper too. I'm sure there will be pictures involved. Stay tuned.

Green, Green, It's Green They Say....

O.K. O.K. I know, I promised I'd try to stop but it's a gloomy, rainy day (which I am actually happy about because we need this so badly) so a little levity is good for the soul. With that being said, it's on to the kitchen.

This is where the new green pot ended up. I love the "antiquity" look of this thing. Please make note of the beautiful spin art picture gifted me by my very obviously gifted grand daughter-or grand son. They both made one in school and I guess they look so much alike that the "artist" shall remain a mystery. They were both just so excited to give it to me that I don't care who made it, I love it!

I like this little wreath. It hangs on the side of the pie safe. I made it from a clover candle ring that I found at Michaels several years ago and then simply added the little hanger that is actually an ornament for a St. Pat's tree-about the only thing I have never gotten started on and by the time I take down the Christmas trees in my house, I know why I don't do trees for all of the other holidays!.

This is the little vine nest I use through most of the spring. I love the contrast of the purple flowers against all of the green but I am not crazy about the fact that is full of eggs and I am using it for St. Pat's. I had another little ornament that I had picked up at Michaels and nestled it in to cover the eggs and now I am good with it. It sits on the green footed bowl I made several years ago from an old, inexpensive monkey pod bowl and ugly wooden candle holder. Simply glued them together, painted and distressed. And, it is now an item that I make use of many months and seasons of the years!

Plate made from napkin decoupage and wine bottle label from Pinterest.

Here we have an inexpensive mug that I simply filled with greens and flowers and added a glittered leprechaun hat. So easy.

So that is the kitchen-remember, keeping it simple this year. We have a few rooms left to go-and unfortunately, a few puns as well. Stay tuned.

Giving Myself the "Green Light"

O.K. I've got to stop with the silly sayings but, not only is green my favorite color, there seems to be no end of sayings using the word. I could go on and on. Lucky for you, there are only a few St. Pat's posts left to go for this year!

Since we have already been through the living room, let's head to the dining room. I changed a few things up this year but again, most of the decor was done simply with shades of green and no new actual St. Pat things were added.

Once again, I pretty much left this vignette as it was for Christmas and Valentines and simply swapped out the color scheme and number in the frame. As I get older (and slower and more and more tired), I am looking for just this kind of decorating. The wooden crate basket on the table serves the same purpose and makes me feel like I have done what I wanted but with minimal effort. I DO love decorating for the seasons and holidays or else I wouldn't still be doing it! That being said, somehow time is getting away from me these days and I really don't have 4-5 FULL days to do nothing but decorate for a small holiday. Some times I find myself a bit over whelmed by the sheer amount of holiday "stuff" I have. Once I have gotten myself started, I enjoy it but the time pushing myself to get started seems to be taking longer and longer, so SIMPLIFY I must! Hence, the swapping out of small stuff only "trick".

My daughter and I were reminiscing over these photos the other day when we realized How many of the pictures in the frames were taken of the kids the year before when they were actually making that frame. Kind of one of those picture in a picture in a picture kind of things-probably couldn't have done it if I tried-just kind of dumb luck but really "cool"!

Still really love this banner that I made last year. Just hearts folded and glued on to pennants made from maps of Ireland Got this download last year from Lil Luna.

I love displaying this bone china cup and saucer and cream and sugar set that my mom gave me. My mom collected bone china for years and that is what got me collecting as well. This set is covered in shamrocks and was a gift to her from my father who was of Irish decent. My maiden name is Dunphy and it is always fun to see posters out and about from "Dunphy's Irish Ale". My mom began giving me things of hers that she knew I loved many years before her death as she said she wanted to see me enjoying them. Every time I see this set, I am flooded with so many memories of so many times we were together and she used it just because she knew how much I loved it. No matter what anyone else was drinking out of, she always made sure I got bone china!

That's it for today. Really need to get some cleaning done. Funny how I can be content in my decorated house even when dust bunnies and cob webs are a'plenty. Guess Halloween is the only time of year that I can get away with "its parts of the decorating"! See you soon. Stay tuned.