I wrote recently about my plans to create a mid-century modernesque landscape in my own backyard. I cited my lack of interest in flowers and favor for organization even in nature as a reason to do so. However, I’m rethinking that logic. I’ve been reading the book, “Eames, by Gloria Koenig” in what little spare time I have, and I was taken by the section on the Case Study houses; specifically the ones done for architects and MCM legends Charles and Ray Eames and John Entenza in the Pacific Palisades. The Case Study houses #8 and #9 were “to share a rolling grassy meadow dotted with eucalyptus trees and rich in wildlife that overlooked the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean.” Sounds lovely, right? Well, in the process of building, the Eameses and John Entenza fell in love with that meadow, and subsequently moved the location of the Case Study houses to the hillside in order to “keep the structures more integrated with the landscape.” Ray Eames was quoted saying, “We’d got to love the meadow and the idea of putting a house in the middle of it seemed terrible at the moment. So that’s how it happened.” I admire how important nature was to them, and that the more time they spent observing it, the more essential it became for them to preserve it. Ironically, I’ve experienced the same pull from nature that I’ve been reading about. My preschool-aged son and I spend a lot of time in the backyard together and we have begun to love seeing lizards, red-tailed hawks, hummingbirds, butterflies and even bees. We have a family of owls nesting in our neighbors untrimmed palm tree, and as a result, we got to pick bones out of an owl pellet found in a plant bed. I remember doing that in science class as a kid and thinking how cool it was. I now find myself making excuses to hit Home Depot, and gravitating towards butterfly and hummingbird-attracting plants when I really went in for lightbulbs. Lantana, Cleveland Sage and California Fuchsia are butterfly and hummingbird-happy plants, drought tolerant, and native to California. With qualities like that, they’re quickly climbing to the top of my planting list. I scarcely think that if I uprooted everything I had in favor of being orderly, that I would get the enjoyment out of the outdoors that I do now. Why not just add native flowers to further enhance the scenery? So if you’re busy planting this October like I am, here are a few ideas should you be in the market for drought tolerant, nature-attracting plants.
California FuchsiaCleveland SageLantanaSilver Bush LupineShrimp Plant – Did you know hummingbirds are attracted to the color red? I had no idea. I just thought hummingbird feeders were all obnoxiously colored that way. Seriously. Shows how much I know. I also had a skateboard as a kid that had the word “awesome” on it. I pronounced it, Ahh-wee-sum for years before being corrected. There you have it.
All of the flowers/plants pictured above are drought tolerant, full sun plants as an fyi. The only exception is the shrimp plant, which needs a bit more moisture – and could be placed in a planter, or in a flower bed that is part sun/part shade.
I’ve been so consumed by my thrifty California adventures and new discoveries, that I’ve completely lost sight of the original purpose of this blog! Blame it on ADHD…whatevs…but I’ve circled back. So here’s an update on our home before & after.
The entryway and staircase had ugly matching glass chandeliers. Out with the old, in with the uh…older.
Entry & Stairs Lighting Before. Not sure what you call this style. 90’s Fugly?Danish modern replacement chandelier. This will make more sense once I get my frame wall going.The Danish chandelier’s identical twin. This pair were found on Ebay. Made circa 1950’s. It was NOT easy finding affordable twinkie chandies with 12-plus feet of chain. WINNING!HIIIIIDDDDDEOUSSSSSSS Brass Chandelier that I couldn’t GIVE away. Seriously, this 8-armed bad boy was generously donated after it sat on Craigslist unloved and unwanted for 3 weeks.Dining Room After: Cloud-like, curvy, creamy and dreamy, this lighting fixture looks almost edible.I love you, cream puff. I don’t mind at all that you’re starting to show up in yogurt joints. I found you first, mi amor.I wanted to strike a balance between old and new without too much of a disconnect. I like to think I achieved that with this room.
Outdoors, our yard is getting a makeover too. The landscaping is an ongoing process. Determined to tackle this alone, I’m getting serious guns from shoveling into our granite slopes. The neighbors probably think I’m bat-crap crazy. “Check this out, Bob! She’s digging to China and cursing at the shrubs again!”
It’s so much easier to hit an estate sale than spend a day performing manual labor. More to that point, our patio recently got some jewelry courtesy of a dirt-cheap find.
Backyard bling. I fully intended on re-covering the seats in teal or turquoise, but that pink is starting to speak to me. “Love me! I’m girly! I match your flowers. POP go my pink seats!”
I have to share a couple weird/freaky/twilight zone experiences that have occurred recently where I felt like my grandmother Faye (to whom this blog is dedicated) has sent me a little “hello” from the heavens. This blog is about my fixation with MCM and personal home make-over first and foremost, but if you haven’t noticed, it’s about life too. I don’t profess to know how this is possible, but it’s just bizarre how my grandmother continues to remind me that it’s all about her. When I started this blog, my mother laughingly said to me, “Wherever Nana is, she’s jealous.”
Faye was fabulous in every way. She worked hard, lived hard, partied hard. As a result of that, she was taken from us before her time. Difficult as she could be, she was still “Nana” and my mother and I miss her so. She would tell you that the good looks in our family came from her. If someone excelled at any one subject, she would spin you a tale about how she practically invented whatever it was. She was a Leo to the extreme. Proud, brave, talented, vivacious….and a man-eater. All that said, she had inner demons that she battled her whole life-but you’d never know it with her beautiful and witty exterior: She was Fabulous Faye. Ask her how she was, and she’d throw her head back like an old film star and say “Just Maaarvy.”
A Young Fab Faye
Two weeks ago, I sat across the kitchen table from my father as a commercial for the psychic series, “The Long Island Medium” played in the background. I said to him, “Do you think that’s for real?! Wouldn’t it be so cool to know what Nana had to say to us!?” He shooed the comment away immediately, stating that the bible says not to mess with or “conjure up” spirits. I dropped it because no one can out-quote the bible like Dad. Also, he’s really scary.
Cut to last week when I stopped with my family in Lake Elsinore to check out a couple thrift shops. While in Elsinore, we broke for some grub and directly after, decided to pop over to just one more shop before heading to San Juan Capistrano for the day. This particular shop was the least of my favorites; a little on the rough side, and I went in expecting to smell more than I found. That seemed to be the case until I got to the housewares section. There, all bundled up was a full set of my grandmother’s exact china, Bamboo Knight by Sango from Japan. My uncle had purchased the china as a gift for her while he was on leave from the USS Midway in Vietnam. Totally mid-century. Totally gorgeous. I’ve only ever seen it one other place: my mom’s house. The whole set was for a steal. I thought, how cool is that to find Nana’s china in this little place!?!? Cool coincidence, but no big deal, right?
Bamboo Knight by Sango
Then this week, I decided to become an Etsy shop owner so I can share my finds with the world – at great prices. I haven’t launched yet, but in my research and preparation to do so, I was scouring the internet for comparables of one ugly metal mailbox on a piece of driftwood. I picked one up at the last estate sale I’d gone to, secretly wondering why people buy this crap. Alas, I concluded, “what the hell, I’ll give it a whirl. I don’t like it, but someone will!” I now understand it would be of the “Jere Era.” Previous to that discovery, I was laboriously searching Ebay and Etsy…”brass metal mailbox sculpture” “metal mailbox sculpture on driftwood” and for some reason, NOTHING was coming up. Etsy’s search engine was giving me a “no results found” message. Even today, I can do the same thing and find two or three like-items using the same exact terms. However, on this particular day, it was not happening. I just knew I’d seen one before! In my desperation to research fair pricing and get my hideous mailbox posted, I decided to broaden the search by entering a simple “metal mailbox.” In the 100 results I got, everything BUT what I was looking for came up: I panned down the computer screen irritated at this point, seeing mailboxes of all kinds, mailbox numbers, house numbers, pictures of mailboxes…..then BAM, one single tiny golden icon caught my eye like a beacon of brass light. I immediately clicked on it, and it was exactly what I was looking for. It was priced at $12 plus shipping. I was a bit disappointed from a selling standpoint then something else caught my eye: the name “Faye” in the product description. I noticed there were more pictures to view and clicked on the one with the signature “Faye ’76.” My heart dropped as I looked at the signature. It was MY Nana’s signature. MY Faye. I showed my husband who rolled his eyes at me and lovingly said, “there’s no way.” I thought to myself, “He’s right…no way, too unlikely. Why would she sign it? She didn’t make it or anything.”
Said Sad Ugly Mailbox – soon for saleBaby Brass BeaconSERIOUSLY!?!?!?
Why was it the only brass mailbox I could find, though? I immediately called my mother who told me that Nana very well could have made it. She hadn’t remembered seeing it, but that Nana considered herself an artisan. Besides all her other positive attributes, she was very artistic. In previous years, at rehab stints she would do art projects and sometimes bring them home. And the year 1976? She would have been in rehab at that time. Still critical of my own foolish hope, I went back and looked up where the Etsy shop owner was located: Monterrey, California. Planted just south of the San Francisco and San Mateo areas where my grandmother lived much of her life. Of course, I immediately bought it. Is there any question that I had to have it? I’m giving it to my mother as a gift. I can attest to the fact that it is an amateur sculpture evidenced by glue spots and imperfections. It’s hers. I just know it is. Mom’s since viewed the signature and can’t swear on it, but she says it’s a definite possibility. I can’t guarantee it’s hers, but it is. I peed a little when I saw the signature, alright? It’s hers. You know what, though? It doesn’t matter either way. One thing that is absolutely certain, is someone somewhere knows how much she is missed….and we’re being blessed by discovering little pieces of her every now and then – even after she’s left this world.
In retrospect to my last blog, (Vintique-New Favorite Destination) it wasn’t exactly fair to my readers who are not southern Californians. I’m not patting myself on the back here, but I have readers in Spain, Alaska and Ireland for goodness sake! Certainly people outside of my direct area would love to know where they can get affordable MCM stuff too! I would not like to be known as yet another egocentric American. For my loyal readers near and far, ’tis for you a lucky day indeed. Behold! There is something called Etsy.com. Anything you can imagine wanting is on Etsy.com. Generally and comparatively speaking, I find Etsy prices to be lower than that of Ebay’s. Etsy is the new black my MCM friends…so jump on the bandwagon and let’s go for a ride!
Did you say you wanted to refinish some crusty old chairs? Check out AtomicLivinVintage for amazing retro fabrics.You need legendary Eames chairs in electric blue? Search Eames Chairs or lookup LustFoundVintage. You’re welcome. (These are NOT cheap, but if you’re a collector, I will assume you’ve got more means than I. Good for you.)What’s that you say? You need to buy your favorite MCM blogger Franciscan Atomic Starburst Cream and Sugar Set for Christmas because you know she’d love them and know they’d match her pretty new plate? $30 dolla will make her holla! Check out TheCottageCheese.Do you have boobs like Joan from Mad Men and really need a red-hot MCM dress to wrap them like presents for the upcoming holiday season? You’re in luck at VintageBeats. There ain’t no shame in your game….work it, girl. I’m jealous.Do you have a best friend who knows Disney’s “We are Siamese if you please..” by heart? I know I do! Here’s vintage Siamese wall art for you crazy cat people. See Thrifitti. Like when hear baby cry, there be milk nearby. Enter MIDOBSESS at checkout and get a 10% discount for midcenturyobsession readers! Thanks, Thrifitti!
So do it! You know you want to. Do it. Do it. Do it. Go to Etsy.com and enter mid-century _ whatever__. I can tell you….it will be there.
A few weeks back, a friend and I journeyed to Lake Elsinore hearing tales of a place called Thriftique. (See August Archives “She’s Thrifty Thrifty Thrifty”) We heard a rumor that Thriftique would be launching a new store to be called “Vintique” just around the corner. So to get my husband and child to go along with yet another “treasure hunt” I used a “quick pit stop” in Elsinore as a ploy to do some investigating. So en route to San Juan Capistrano, we pulled off at the much-anticipated “Vintique.” SUCKERS! Our pit stop turned into a time warp. What a joyous occasion!
The fab owners graciously allowed me to take photographs and drool all over their premises. It must be said: Vintique has it all: French country to kitsch, Victorian to mid-century modern. You will find reading rooms for young and old, sewing and fabric rooms, there is something for everyone. Whatever makes you hot, baby….come get your fix at Vintique. I’ll just shut up and let the pictures do the talking….but before I do, can I just say NEW FAVORITE PLACE!??!
That plate is mine. You see it? Look again. A little closer now. You know the one. Atomic. Green and Blue. Bought it. TOO LATE!! BWaaaaaHA HA HA HA!!!! It’s MIIIIINEEE!!! ALL MIIIIINEEEEE!!!!!!!!Cutesie closet for vintage clothesThis clock is still there, as far as I know. It was plugged in, I couldn’t manage to pull it out as I struggled with the desire to seem aloof. What I really wanted to do was rip it out of the wall and shove it in my shirt so it can be with me always. Always. But I am a law-abiding citizen, and far too classy to show my hand.Quiet cozy reading room anyone? You can’t see it, but there’s a little chair in the corner where you can sit and read. Okay seriously. Someone has researched about how to market to consumers. Suck them in. Make them feel special. Make them feel like they neeeeeeeeeed that book. Smell the dusty pages. Feel the paper crinkle between your fingers. It’s soooo vintage. “Take me home. I will teach you much about the world….”Exhibit A….I was sucked in by the children’s books. Couldn’t resist their charm. This book came with the inscription hand-written inside: “1977 – To Dorothy, because you enjoyed this book when you were little. Love, Mother.” TEARDROP!!! Somewhere, someone named Dorothy is glad Mother is gone because she’s a total SH*T for donating this book! It’s okay Dorothy, my baby is going to love it too.I loved this one because my Irish hubby sings this when he makes tea. “Polly, put the kettle on” was new to me until I heard him sing it. Now I know he’s not just a crazy foreigner….Polly actually DID put the
kettle on.
The story of my life: Too much taste, too little time.The only time I actually wished I could sew….was in this store, spying the dress forms.Ties and Fabric Galore. You have to see it to believe it.So much to peruse…so little time.
If you’re a local reader, you’re in luck. Lake Elsinore’s Vintique is just a drive away. If you’re not….get your own fave! Seat’s taken!
I will open my heart and home to anyone who wishes for a day jaunt to Vintique. Let me be your guide. Really. Holla at me.
I’m busy! Whaddya want from me?! I’m attempting to blog at least once a week, and so far, I’ve managed that. Some of us have to work, run to the hospital to see their new niece, and drive all over SoCal looking for hot deals on even hotter vintage furniture.
So over the past weekend, I did just that. My gas bill tells the story true. My brand new niece was born early, but healthy. She’s the newest addition to my human family, and I’m so proud. She’s in the NICU, but she can already breathe on her own, and she’s gaining weight like she’s Samoan.
Super Scarlet
Another thing I’m so proud of? My other newest addition: Baby Display Cabinet. I talk to her too. O-Zo Bo-Bo Doh-Doh, You’s such a perdy girl, sweet cabie wabby! Make my stuff-sies look sooooo nice!
She’s a pretty girl! (Picture presumptiously lifted from the great folks at the Sleek and Simple Lines Blog)
And since I feel so terrible about depriving the world of my fabulous posts that I know everyone has just been salivating in waiting for…let me give you a little hint on this Monday evening. Mondays are the day that Fab.com features vintage everything. In fact Fab.com calls it “Vintage Mondays,” and of course, I subscribe to the emails. This week, a pair of vintage wooden candlesticks were featured at a discount for $75 down from $110 retail. (See http://fab.com/sale/10879 if you’re interested)
I mean no offense to Fab.com. More so, my apologies in advance to the featured sellers “Vintage Junkys” from my much-loved Texas. I love anyone who loves mid-century modern, and mostly anyone from Texas. Hey Man, we’re all friends here, but if you pay $75 for a pair of wooden candlesticks, you have to be higher than a kite. Down from $115? Is that right? When did we become so stupid as consumers that we’d spend our hard-earned money this way? If you have $75 to spend on wooden candlesticks (even if they were once firmly placed in George Michael’s butt – I’ll give ya $40) you must be makin’ it rain – and you’re very welcome to send your oh-so expendable income my way.
My unsolicited yet extremely valuble advice? Get off your butt and hit your nearest thrift store or Goodwill. I don’t care if Jesus himself carved those bad boys, you opportunistic Vintage Junkys. The proof is in the pudding. Check this:
Wooden Candlesticks found at Angel View Thrift
“1.99, are you outta your mind?” NO! You’re out of YOUR mind, Fab.com.
BAM!
Eat me
And so…the moral of the story today kids, is that you’ll feel MUCH better in this economy having paid $2 bucks a piece, when your vintage candlesticks are lonely and collecting dust with no candles to complete them because Scentsy has the market and p.s….no one makes long skinny candlesticks anymore unless you live in Transylvania.
Which leads me to this: REASONABLE SELLERS ON ETSY.COM FOR ALL VINTAGE MUST-HAVES. That and more to follow next week (or maybe this week if I’m feeling feisty). I’ll share with you folks NOT on Jay-Z’s budget where to get great stuff at great prices.
One of the things on my “bucket list” to accomplish/conquer in life is refinishing wood furniture. It should be said one of my favorite places to be is the Home Depot. I have been known to ask for power tools for Christmas. No…I do not have testicles in case you were wondering – but I am working on a really cool beard. I just happen to love working with my hands. Funny enough that my preoccupation with mid-century furniture has allowed me the opportunity to explore a bit of a sidebar hobby.
I recently moved into a new home that with it, came a wooden cabinet in the garage. This cabinet is probably only 20 years old – about as old as the house…and had seen better days. I figured what better piece of furniture to practice on than something that will stay in the garage? If I totally botch it up, who will know? That’s right, no one! As for my knowledge of refreshing wood, it was extremely limited. I pulled my information and inspiration directly from one of the funniest blogs I’ve read: The Brick House by Morgan Satterfield
So I used exactly what Morgan suggested one use to re-beautify wood:
Murphy Oil Soap, Watco Teak Oil, Howard Feed-N-Wax, Lint-Free Rags and Fine Sandpaper.
I was very happy with the results:
Cabinet De GarageYucky Water Marks de el Cabinet de GarageBefore SandingSanded Down Cabinet-Go with the grain!
Post sanding followed by a bath in Murphy Oil Soap, it was on to the teak oil.
The wonders of Watco
Word of warning re: Watco Teak Oil. Make sure your location is well ventilated. I probably should have had a fan on in the garage. I was convinced that I actually was super woman after giving that cabinet a sensual oil massage.
No more water marksPost Howard Feed -N- Wax Glow
As for the results, like I said, I was quite pleased. I did manage to get the water rings off of the top of the cabinet and paint off the side, however, the black marks weren’t effected. Regardless, because the wood has been “fed” it’s looking a lot sexier to me. There was at one point where I was in the garage sanding that sucker down, listening to music and I thought – I could do this all day long! At long last, I’ve found my happy place! Despite finding another potentially enjoyable and rewarding hobby, refreshing wood wasn’t a life-altering experience. That being said, I do feel more confident now moving on to furniture I find in my thrifting and estate sale-ing travels. Perhaps I can start a small business bringing illustrious MCM wood furniture to the world! I think I’d be pretty happy with that too.
Hemet, CA: Some hear the name and shudder. Driving through Hemet’s heat during the summer does make one wonder, “Is this what hell will feel like?” Well, I sure am glad I won’t have to find that out!
Someone very close to me who shall remain nameless refers to the desert (i.e. Hemet) as the ‘land of the dirt people.’ I suppose the reference refers to the topography being much like one would imagine the surface of the moon, and the populous’ general propensity for leisurely activities that are geared towards fun with dirt: dirt biking, dirt camping, and 4-wheeling in dirt.
Let it be known that this week, I spent an entire afternoon by myself in Hemet with the purpose of thrifting. I have to say, I found Hemet to be quite enjoyable. There are, for those of you interested in a day trip, several excellent thrifting opportunities there. Every one of the people I encountered in my travels that day were friendly and talkative. It reminded me a bit of being back in Texas. Unpretentious and humble, Hemet and it’s people have plenty to offer.
As for you local thrifters, be sure to hit Vintage Treasures Antiques on E. Florida and stop in to see Henry. His passion for collectibles and well-made vintage furniture is evident when he talks. I scored this House Beautiful November 1955 edition featuring Frank Lloyd Wright for $5. The laughs I’ve gotten just reading the old advertisements have been priceless.
House Beautiful November 1955 – dedicated to Frank Lloyd WrightWhat are all these b*tches so excited about? It’s silverware!False advertising: I know my husband does not look lovingly at me when he’s helping me put up curtain rods. He should be bleeding, there should be gnashing of teeth and little dialog bubbles with swear words above their heads.“Furniture for Christmas. The Gift that 83%* of homemakers want.” 100% of me will take vintage furniture for Christmas. Hint Hint, Loving Husband
Among other thrifting opportunities, within 5 square miles, there is Angel View Thrift, Salvation Army (where I scored a 16″ vintage drum lampshade I needed for $2 and a coffee table for $10.) Goodwill, and Hemet Hospice. Word to the wise, Goodwill doth smell of pee pee. If you can hold your breath long enough, you might be able to grab a couple tchotchkes for your home. Pictured is the mid-century magazine rack I got for $7.99…..and then I ran outta there like I stole it!
Mid-Cent Mag Rack
That’s all for now friends….happy shopping to you all.
P.S. I would love to see some of my readers thrifty scores!
The house is coming along nicely, thanks to relentless searching, but in part thanks to some really groovy sellers I’ve discovered. If you love mid-century as much as I do, you know how hard it can be to obtain if you’re on any kind of budget. (Common man? Budget? Crack? You’re welcome.) Featured this week is one of my very favorite blogs, “Sleek and Simple Lines.” This husband and wife duo attend garage sales and estate sales to rescue mid-century treasures, bring them back from the brink of despair and restore them to their original glory. As far as price points go they’re somewhere in the middle, between Craigslist and a retail shop. Pretty fair in my mind, considering all the labor that goes into restoring these beautiful pieces. What’s more, you can spy fabulous mid-century modern, atomic and Danish modern gems from the comfort of your own cardboard box. The Sleek and Simple Lines blog itself is something to behold. Sweet morsels of mid-century are beautifully staged with detailed descriptions so that you know exactly what you’re buying. (Thus, no after-high remorse) Be forewarned. The drool-worthy photos displayed on this blog can be addictive. I find myself returning to the site again and again, just to see what new things have been revealed. (And it leaves me with the shakes for that which I cannot have)
I found my extremely rare Adrian Pearsall drreeeeam of a chair from the Sleek and Simple Lines website. In fact, when I needed a formal dining room table that would by itself be an excuse for a good soiree, you can probably guess where I found it. Not only that, but it was delivered with a smile to my front door step for a modest fee. Bring it, Don Draper. I’m ready for the party!
Said Atomic Table
The folks at Sleek and Simple are very fair on their prices, but more importantly, they’re just good people. If any of you mid-century junkies are in Southern California, you need to do yourself a favor and check these guys out!
Being that I’m sooooo generous, and not at all afraid you’ll snag the next bump before I do…..(sigh) here is where you can get your kicks: http://www.sleekandsimplelines.com/
Disclaimer: Make sure you’re sitting down. This stuff will blow your hair back!!!!
That is the question I asked myself when glancing over my back yard today. I actually felt silly when it occurred to me to search on Google and I was bombarded by results. In my defense, I’m still new to the mid-century realm. How was I to know it translated to landscaping? (If by chance you too are looking to clean up your yard in MCM styling, see Houzz.com. It’s an excellent resource for ideas.)
I’ve got the inside on lockdown. It’s nowhere near done, but, I know what I want, I have a vision and I will not rest until it comes to fruition. However, when you step outside, you will notice the huge disconnect between the inside, and my front and back yards. It’s like someone else’s idea of a pretty garden with dainty red and white flowers in the now overgrown flower beds, and big messy trees planted everywhere. And shrubs. Ugly, round, nondescript shrubs. Not unlike the excruciatingly dull guy you once dated. ‘Will I keep him around because I have nothing else going on right now…or will I just admit he bores the crap out of me and give him the heave-ho?’ Years later, I am experiencing that same struggle: Mr. Right verses Mr. Right Now (er, shrub)? The other glaringly obvious issue is that my home is located at the bottom of massive naked slopes. When I wake up in the morning, hear the birds chirping and get to feeling proud like I too, am walking on sunshine; I look into the backyard, and a faint voice interrupts my minds song….”You suck, Brooke. What are you smiling at? Look at us. We’re naked. Have you no shame?” I won’t even discuss the wood fence that is between our home and our neighbors. It would have fallen down by now except for the big tree it’s leaning on.
The Hiiiillls are alive with the sound of faillllluurrrre
Needless to say, I’m in Home Depot CONSTANTLY. As new homeowners, we really ought to buy stock. The returns lady knows me by first name. I arrive at Home Depot fully sure of what I need, don’t see it, and desperately start grabbing at the substitute flowers I know will die in a month because they’re only 88 cents! This gal is a sucker for a deal, even if it’s not at all what I came to buy! Emphasis on sucker. I actually bought petunias today….more for the neighbors benefit than my own. Who doesn’t like flowers, right? I should mention I don’t particularly enjoy them. Unless the flowers are very fragrant, or planted en mass in an arboretum, I’m not a fan. I would much prefer those slick clean lines that I’m obsessed with; even outdoors – in the form of perfectly spaced ornamental grasses. Like a spreading garden pest, my kind of crazy overtakes other areas of life. Nothing goes untouched by the vines of insanity.
Falling Fence, Ugly Shrub
I just want to know one thing: Where are you when I need you, Ahmad Hassan with Yard Crashers? Why must you forsake me? Can somebody help me please!?!??! Oh, yeah, and I need you to do it for free too…..I’m a do-it-yourself-er, but this is one project I need some serious help with. Until I meet said landscaping legend, here are some ideas I spied online that I think might be do-able later this fall:
Huettl Landscape Architecture seen on landscapingnetwork.com“Retro Ranch” by Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Design
midcenturyobsession 