Thanksgiving arrangement

Do you still have a few pumpkins hanging around?  We had lots of them so I carved a few to use as a festive vase.

 

This is so quick and easy I thought I would share, the possibilities are endless.

 



First carve out your pumpkin of choice, it doesn't have to be perfect.

Find a container that will fit snugly inside, I used a small mason jar for this one. 

Add your flowers and enjoy.  A perfect addition to your holiday table or as a hostess gift.

 

 

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 

 

The Seasons Under Glass

When I put my winter "snow globe" together last year I didn't really plan on changing it out for the seasons the way I have. 

Pinterst is a constant source of inspiration and it got me again this summer when I saw this butterfly cloche from Martha Stewart.  And since we have a strong love of butterflies at our house I knew it would be a perfect project to try out.

Martha Stewart

 For example, we had a Monarch butterfly for Halloween last year....

A Butterfly Party  this spring....

And of course checking out the real thing at a butterfly garden is a favorite. 

 

This brings me back to that butterfly cloche from Martha and why I just had to recreate it.

 

 

I had everything I needed for this project so it was easy to put together on the fly.  After gathering up some sticks from the yard and a few of the little one's special rocks I made a stick tee pee held together with hot glue. 

I also used a few pieces of tree bark to lay around the bottom and cover the hole in the middle since my base is an old clock.  I loved this display and was sad to see it go but fall is here and it was time for a change. 

After carefully pulling the butterflies off and before throwing the sticks away I tried out a black bird that we had in our fall/Halloween bin just to see....

Me and my little helper liked him there so I added a pumpkin and left a couple of the rocks and tree bark and called it done.  Now that is what I call an easy fall decoration.


Sharing this post with Young House Love  for the spring pinterst challenge.

Stella & Dot Giveaway Winner!

A huge thank you to Heather Visalli our Stella & Dot stylist for hosting a wonderful giveaway!  The winner of the Paradise stud earrings is......

 

 

Lisa!  Congratulations!  Contact me to claim your prize.  Thank you to all who entered. 

Stella & Dot giveaway

I am so very excited to announce a new sponsor for Sixty-Fifth Avenue, my good friend and Stella  & Dot stylist, Heather Visalli!

 

 

If you are new to the fashion forward accessory company Stella & Dot you are in for a treat!  I'm sure you will fall in love with their gorgeous pieces like I have if you haven't already.

Stella & Dot has something for everyone and half the line is under fifty dollars.  That makes it easier to build your accessory wardrobe. 

 

One of the first things that attracted me to the line was how lightweight the earrings are.  I have a pair of dangle earrings that I wear all the time because they are so comfortable, I forget I have them on.

A picture is worth a thousand words so here is some of my favorite collections Instagram style...

 

Stacked bracelets...I love this look.

 

 

Show off your personal style by creating a charm necklace.

 

 

To launch our collaboration, Heather is giving away a pair of Paradise Stud earrings.  These fun, fresh and pretty earrings have gold plated petals with white beaded accents. They would be perfect for any outfit adding a sweet, vintage look. 

Actress Anne Heche prepping for a TV appearance, rocking her Stella & Dot Paradise Studs!

 

TO ENTER: Pop over to  Heather's site and come back telling us which piece you would love to own in the comment section. 

FOR A SECOND CHANCE: Tweet, Facebook, Post or Pinterest about this Giveaway.  Let me know leaving a second comment. 

This giveaway is now closed.

First Grade

Well I tried my best to hold on to summer but it slipped away like I knew it would.  This summer was different.  This was the summer before our daughter would be in school all day.  Our one and only baby!  I won't go on and on about how fast this time went by, I will just say time flies when you're having fun!

This picture sums up how I was feeling the few weeks before school started.

 

I wasn't really worried about how I would survive without her during the day, but how she would adjust to it all.  Would she have friends to eat lunch with?  Would she miss me and feel sad?  Will she like her teacher?  Would we like her teacher?  So many questions and uncertainty.

 

 

Please don't get me completely wrong though, every once and a while I would get excited and even a bit giddy about my new free time. 

 

 

The things I would be able to accomplish in a day would be amazing!  The possibilities...endless.

 

 

So far I have not accomplished the world, but I did spend a memorable afternoon looking though thousands of baby pictures.  I must have needed a good cry that day.  I will save the videos for another time.

 

We have been through seven full school days and have answers to some of our questions.  The little one is doing ok as a big girl and that makes this Mommy very happy.

 

I have a fun giveaway coming up this week so check back.  Have a wonderful Monday!

 

Fairy garden 2012

Can you believe it's July already?  I really don't want this summer to fly by so I'm holding on tight!  Our little one was in half day Kindergarten last year so that means a full school day for her in the fall.  Not sure I'm ready for her to be such a big girl! 

Speaking of summer, we put the finishing touches on our fairy garden last weekend so I snapped a few pictures to share with you.

Our past fairy gardens were planted in a container so this year we tried something different and planted it under our maple tree. 

I got tired of throwing all the plants away every winter and starting over again in the spring so we
decided to plant everything right in the ground.  The groundcover should come back year after year and will be a lot more economical.

The river rock was an after thought when we realized a border was needed to keep the grass out and to help protect it from getting stepped on. 

The grass started blending in and it was looking a bit messy.

Much better don't you think?  Here are a few more pictures I had fun taking with my new camera...

And just for fun...here are the past fairy gardens....

Our first fairy garden- to read the full post click here.

Herb garden post here.

Fairy garden party here and here.

That concludes our fairy garden tour, thank you for coming.  Stay cool, it's a hot one!


Sharing with The Magic Onions fairy garden contest.

a new Potting bench

The other day I ran out to do a few errands, it was a beautiful day with birds chirping loudly and the sun shining bright.  I decided to take the long way and enjoy some quiet time when I came upon a garage sale.  I popped in just for fun and found this rusty old work table just waiting for me.

A little backstory...does anyone remember the potting table we put together a couple years ago using a barn wood door and a 1970s kitchen table?

Well, I pulled it out of the garage planning to give it a fresh coat of paint when I decided I wasn't loving those country legs since our house morphed into a craftsman style cottage. 

I was craving something a bit more streamlined...still rustic, just different. 

When I found out the "rustic" wood top came right out of my new find I knew it would be really easy to spray paint, perfect!  First I used a wire brush to get all the loose pieces of rust and paint off.  Then I went over the entire piece with sandpaper to make sure it was all cleaned up.

I used Rust-oleum rusty metal primer and two coats of painters touch flat black, also by Rust-oleum.

This workbench was sitting in storage for many years unused, now it has a new life as our potting bench/buffet for the grand total of twenty dollars including paint. 

Every summer I grow basil along with a few other herbs, this year I bought this cute boxwood basil and paired it with a small boxwood shrub, both from Home Depot.

The top of the table was going to get cleaned up with my palm sander but I think I like the ickiness of it for now, it adds character.

Now the hunt is on for a different side table, something made of wood would be a better fit with all the black metal going on here.

Sometimes taking the long way home will lead you to your next treasure.  Happy hunting!

 

Sharing with Cassie @ Primitive & Proper  Check out her blog for lots of furniture projects!