Blue Birds and Garden Life

It has been raining on and off the last couple of days, but I managed to get a few shots of the

garden and our yearly visitors.  The photos are not clear due to raindrops, but I still wanted to share

our beautiful little neighbors with you.  Every year in June our little blue bird guests fly over to 

lay blue eggs in their nests and they are almost ready to hatch.

Do you remember this post?  We managed to get photos that time of the little ones in their nests.

The Bluebirds have had challenges this year with other birds.  The other birds get territorial in
our backyard, so when they see unwanted guests, they try to keep them away.  But the
bluebirds work as a team and both female and male, protect their nest.

I also posted my gardenias which I left out from this post last year.  You can see how

many flower buds they grow and how the weight makes them droop.  These flowers

fill the back patio with a marvelous fragrance and are as potent as the Jasmines on the other

side of our yard.  

Last year they were all malign with spots, disease, and mites.  I've been using

remedies for plants to help them maintain healthy foliage this year.

The biggest challenges have been the gardenias and the hydrangeas. 

Another bush loved by butterflies is the Butterfly Bush or Milk Weed above.  It has a faint 

sweet scent and it attracts hummingbirds as well.  This is a hardy plant and grows back every year.

It is a low maintenance bush, something I love.

The clay urn you see here is the fountain I created last summer, you may view the tutorials here to create your own.  The birds enjoy it, especially on hot summer days.
How is your garden growing this year?

Random Finds

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Today I am sharing some lovely inspirational finds from this past weekend.

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I am in love with everything in this foyer, the door, the dresser, 

and the colors.  Simple and yet beautiful, this little entry nook is perfect for
 spring & summer.  Ways to obtain this design without breaking the bank is
taking an old dresser and painting it with chalk paint to recreate the 

distressed look.  Use an old mirror and paint empty bottles with a bold accent color.  

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I am dreaming of a farm table like this one.  It's on the project list, but all
in due time.  I love to dress my tables with flowers, it makes everything look
classy, beautiful and inviting.  Recreate this look by using old posters as
place mats and fresh flowers.

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 Enjoy your day!

Entertaining Outdoors

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Hey friends, I hope that you are having a wonderful and blessed day, if not,
then I hope these lovely and inspiring outdoor spaces cheer you up a bit.

As you are well aware, I am in the process of
giving our little outdoor space a bit of a make over.  It is a long process due to weather,
but hopefully it will get done before the end of the summer, I hope.

It only needs cleaning up, painting, planting...well you get the idea.
It's not an expensive project, just time consuming, but we'll eventually get there.
In the mean time, I wanted to share these inspiring outdoor entertaining ideas.
Aren't they lovely? 

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This spring and summer open your doors to the backyard or even balcony if 
you have the space, as an extension of your home. The presence of a grand table 
with plenty of chairs transforms an open space into an outdoor dining room.  
Accessorize with what you have on hand, candles, jars, cans, lights,
 banners, tablecloth, runner and flowers.  You'll enjoy it and so will your guests!

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These last three are from Ashley at Little Miss Momma and she creates the loveliest outdoor
entertainment spaces, simple and beautiful for a gathering.

I hope that you enjoy browsing through them as much as I have.

Which one inspires you the most?

Linked to:
Craftberry Bush
Salt Tree
The Dedicated House

Planting Pinata Lavender

www.inspirationsbyd.blogspot.com

This past weekend I stopped by my local hardware store to look for supplies for a project.

As we walked up and down the aisles, I noticed that they did not have all the supplies I needed.

I decided to head over to the gardening section of the store.

And there it was,  Pinata Lavender.  I love lavender for their fragrance and the little things

you can do with them when harvested.  I just had to get some for my garden.  

I posted below how to plant and care for these for those interested in planting lavender.

inspirationsbyd.blogspot.com

These are a mounding perennial which means that they grow and bloom over the spring, 

summer and into fall, then die back to the ground in winter returning in each spring from their roots.

A great tip for planting this type of lavender in borders is to plant them either in the center 

or toward the back since they tend to grow taller than other flowers and plants.  

To make a huge visual impact, plant the same variety and color perennial in one area. 

This is commonly referred to as a mass plantings.  

In combination planters, use tall perennials as the centerpiece surrounded by mounding 

varieties with contrasting flowers and foliage. Then add trailing varieties to cascade 

over the edge of the planter. Annual flowers can be added to fill in between blooming cycles.

• Prepare the area for planting by conditioning the soil. Loosen the soil and incorporate an organic soil conditioner according to directions.  

• Dig a hole 2 times the width of the root ball and a depth slightly less than the height of the root ball. Allow the top surface of the root ball to rest 1/2 inch higher than the soil line.
• For container grown plants, carefully remove plant by squeezing container and slowly removing the root ball. Never pull on the plant trunk. Instead let the root ball slide out by tipping the container. If the plant is heavily rooted, loosen roots by gently pulling a few away from the root ball. This encourages stronger root growth. Set root ball in hole making sure the top of the root ball is slightly higher (1/2 inch) than ground level. Place soil mix under root ball if too low. Back fill soil mix around plant to ground level and tamp lightly removing all air pockets.
• Water thoroughly to settle the soil around the plant. Add more soil mix around plant if necessary after watering. Apply root stimulator to encourage new root growth and fast establishment.
• Add a 2-3" layer of mulch around plant to conserve soil moisture and eliminate future weeds.
• Fertilize just before and during the plants active growing cycle. Fertilization should begin just prior to new growth and end three or four weeks before the first frost.
• Choose an all-purpose fertilizer recommended for flowering and/or foliage plants. Frequency will depend on the type of fertilizer. Liquid (water soluble) and granular quick release fertilizer, require more frequent application; slow release granular fertilizer requires less.
• Perennials are pruned to increase flower production and new growth.
• Perennials that go dormant should be allowed to die back. Prune them in late winter or early spring. This encourages new growth and flowers.
• Perennials that do not die back completely can be selectively pruned in early spring to remove dead and damaged limbs.
• Removing old flowers prevents the plant from setting seed and encourages new blooms.
• Always water slowly and deeply making sure the root ball is completely saturated.
• Don't water at night if possible. Watering in the morning helps prevent disease.
• Plants in containers may require more frequent watering than plants in the ground. This will depend on plant variety, pot size and soil.

I hope that these are helpful tips from Lowes.

Happy Gardening!

How to Clean Heavy Gunk Off Your Iron

You have probably read tons of advice on 

how to clean your iron, just as I have.  I tried them ALL, but

for some particular reason, none of them worked on my iron.  

My iron does not have the shiny surface that many others have.

I gathered all of these attempts from Pinterest:

I tried the vinegar & baking soda approach, and nothing.

I tried the toothpaste approach, nothing.

I tried the magic eraser, nothing.

I tried the salt approach, nothing.

I tried too many to mention.

Everything failed!

I got so desperate, I almost ruined my iron by trying other crazy ideas

which did not work; ex: SOS pad, yes I got really desperate folks.

Friends, I had lost hope until I tried this!

Yes it is, a Tylenol.  Who on earth would have thought?  There is NO COATING on this tablet!

If you try this at home, make sure to use pliers or metal tweezers to avoid getting

your fingers burned.  I rubbed carefully & used a small towel.

I was pretty skeptical, I honestly did not think a little pill would do the trick...

...but it was truly magic!

Good heavens, makes me wonder what's in that pill?

This gunk was thick and not budging.  I thought that I was going to have 

to live with gunk on my iron.  People, I think I heard a choir of angels 

singing when the gunk was gone.

 Sorry that the clip is sideways.

Now to clean the rest of the stain.

What I did:

1. Set the iron to high heat setting, about 4 or 5. Make sure there is no water in it.

2. Get large Tylenol tablet the white kind with NO COATING, NOT gel.

3. Grab pliers or tweezers to hold pill and rub off gunk.

4.  The pill will begin to shrink, use more if needed.

5. Wipe with damp towel excess gunk.

6. Done!  You may have some remaining stain as mine did,

just keep rubbing until it's all gone.

***NOTE***
Do not use any other tablet other than Tylenol to do this.
Make sure that it does not contain any
coating.  I've had two readers tell me that they had a toxic smell occur,
so make sure that you use the correct tablet.

Inspired by Pink

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Ever thought of using the color pink in your home? I know, I know,
who would've thought?  But take a look at these inspirational ideas,
they look pretty don't they?  Why not brighten up a space this winter
with unexpected touches of pink.  Have you ever thought of bringing in a little
feminine color to your space?  Perhaps not, but take a look at these inspiring
spaces with just a touch of blush.

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I was organizing my closet and came across several pink items for 

the home that were given to me by my Mother-in-Law over the last few years.
They are mostly linen and towels, but bright and beautiful pillows, lamps,
window treatments or candle holders can bring dramatic flair to a ho-hum
bedroom or living room.

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How about paint?  You don't have to re paint an entire room to enjoy
the benefits of bright colors.  Choose one or two smaller pieces of furniture--
bookcases, end tables, cabinets or even a door--and give them an instant
makeover with a coat of your choice of shade of pink paint.

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And don't forget the power of table settings.  Perfect for the upcoming
Valentine Holiday, have your guests warm up to the pink tones by dressing
your table with pink and also serving some yummy pink treats.

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What do you think?
Be inspired and enjoy!