The Wearin' of the Green

Since there are only four weeks between Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day, I like to get the red down and the green up as soon as possible. It doesn't hurt that the green usually coincides with springlike weather for our neck of the woods. I love green. It looks so soothing and "clean" to me so I have no worry rushing the holiday. Besides, two minutes after St. Pat's it will be out with the shamrocks and in with the bunnies - but the spring green can just stay where it is! That one is another of the easy transitions...and, the older I get, the more I am loving anything easier on this old body. After 2 days full days of decorating followed immediately by two full days of yet more gardening, my bones and muscles are giving me "what-for" today...but I digress. Welcome to the start of St. Pat's 2018.

As you can see, the poinsettias are gone and the pots are now full of purple loveliness. Don't ask me why purple doesn't bother me for St. Pat's but red does???!! What you aren't seeing in this picture are the thousands, hundreds, dozens, lots and lots of new plants that I put down that all required a hole to be dug first. I really wish I had counted but, many of the pansies I would have normally bought were already sold out so I had to buy those packages of 6 little plants. I like a variety of color so that meant many multi-packs to be planted. And then, because we had a pretty cold winter (at least for us), all of the mums I had in pots all around the yard were also thriving. And, even though they do kind of "say" autumn to me, if they are in the ground and no longer high lighted in pots, I am O.K. with them as they continue to bloom. So, that meant more holes and planting. And, I also bought a bunch of geraniums that were on close-out for $.50 each and a few other "pretties" just because. I guess what I am trying to say is...I dug more holes than I care to think about! But things look so much better today. Still lots of fresh leaves missing but they are returning slowly but surely!

The entry looks pretty much as it did last year.

I still love the vintage postcard banner that I made a long time ago and the moss covered shamrock that the kids and I made a few years ago. I didn't realize it until I was hanging it but the burlap ribbon ties in with burlap in other places in the room...just a "lucky" coincidence!

Vintage and postcards and script...oh my!

I almost didn't put out the leprechaun hat this year - at least not in the living room. But, I think I have shared before - this hat is the most highly visited image I have on my blog so I figured maybe someone knows more than I. It is just a bit too "cutesy" for my simplified decorating these days but, because I love that old green balustrade so much and it doesn't fit where it used to because of a new lamp, I figured I would give them a go-together on the couch table and I like it.

My grand daughters and I made this hat as gifts for family many years ago. I found the idea in some old magazine - want to say maybe "Woman's World"? Because it is made with terra cotta pots, some other blogger who posts kid friendly holiday crafts picked it up and gave my blog full credit when she posted it. It is kind of amazing to see how quickly social media spreads! At first, I had no idea why my silly little family blog was getting so many visits. Then, I figured out how to track those visits and I saw what was happening. It was fun to get my 15 minutes of fame. In fact, blog visits are already picking up as St. Pat's is approaching and I'm guessing this little baby is why once again! Lol
 

Have I mentioned how much I love green - wink, wink. The colors in this picture just make my heart happy!

If you look closely, you will see another burlap bow and burlap background on that subway art. This really wasn't planned but I'm happy to see it happened! And, the lampshade isn't burlap but its close enough to count in my book - score again! Somehow I feel more "decorator-ish" when things repeat in and around the room and look like they were actually planned rather than a lucky happenstance. Lol

I love those little vintage postcard people. I have two for Valentines and this one from last year for St. Pat's. I got them from daughter #2 and she found them at Hobby Lobby. Think I need to check this year and see if they have any others. Crazy how something so small can make my day!!

Before I go, I thought I would show you my first harvest from the newly planted pansies. I love pansies and, lucky for me, the more I cut, the more I will get. I try to get out there almost every morning and dead head as I go as well. Before long, I won't be able to cut enough - but, that is usually when it starts to get too hot and they will be gone until next spring - funny how that always works out.

I have so much more to share. Please stayed tuned...and come again.