I'll Take Your Crap, Thank You!

Those that know me know that I have an affinity for junk.  I'm the person that slows down when passing a pile of discarded crap on the side of the road, because you never know what kind of little treasure might be waiting there, disguised as trash.  These are basically the only types of items I like to put in my front yard garden - stuff that can be transformed into something interesting, but nothing of great value that will upset me if it gets stolen or destroyed by the elements.  I've found cement pedestals that have become plant stands and birdbaths, doll beds that have become flower planters, and stairway balusters that have become the bases for bird feeders and houses (and will one day be the body of a dragonfly sculpture, just as soon as I can find some discarded ceiling fan blades to be the wings).

I often find larger treasures such as weathered doors and old shutters that I've not been able to dash off with, simply because I owned a compact car.  Well - I'm delighted to say that is now a thing of the past.  We've finally secured an SUV so that I can pick up whatever damn thing I please.  :-)  I LOVE the new ride.  We were looking for something that we wouldn't mind getting dirty or scratched, and found our perfect match in a friend's busted-up, 2005 Cadillac SRX.  That's right - I'm now the proud owner of a luxury automobile, albeit one that has a big dent on the front passenger side.  I think that makes it even better.  I can ride in my bubble of perfectly controlled climatic bliss while the computer tells me exactly how many more miles I can drive before my next fill-up, AND I can shove a dirty, cobweb-encrusted park bench in the back if I so choose.  The damn thing even beeps if I back up too close to the object I'm about to abscond with.  I'M IN HEAVEN.

It didn't take long to find the first project.  While at a friend's house for a dinner party recently, I noticed his neighbors had just set out a fresh pile of dinged-up furniture.  I've been waiting patiently to snag something to make a potting table of sorts, and I found the perfect specimen in an old, beat-up girlie dresser that was missing a drawer and hardware.  My husband, being consummately accepting of my junk addiction, loaded her up in the back of the Caddy for me (I was wearing a nice dress and carrying a plate of chocolate-covered figs, after all), while my patient and tolerant passengers ate their knees on the way home.

I spent the weekend sprucing her up.  I repaired the drawer runners with some wood glue, sanded her down and gave her a fresh coat of paint.  She also got some new drawer pulls from Home Depot.  The whole thing set me back about $12.  She's now sitting on the front porch, my garden tools safely stashed in her drawers while some of the more attractive pieces show themselves off up top.  I'm pretty happy with how she turned out.

Lemme know if you have any junk you want me to take off your hands, I'll be right over!

Go Happy,
Amy

A Touch of Whimsy in the Garden

The birds have graciously planted many sunflowers for me

I have spring fever, y'all!  Spring was never my favorite season - until I became a gardener.  Now I have to stop myself from going out there every hour to see what has changed and if anything has noticeably grown, because at this time of year the plants and flowers are just exploding.  It's all I can do to concentrate on anything other than plants and planting, to the extent that Adam actually had to ask me to other night if I could please talk about something other than gardening...and it effectively shut me up.  Every time I had a thought or something to share, it was inevitably about how big the corn is getting, how many snow peas we might harvest for dinner tomorrow, or wondering how tall the hollyhocks are going to get and whether they will need staking.  Now he knows what to say to get some peace and quiet.

Now that the garden is in full spring swing, I thought it would be fun to add a little whimsy here and there.  I've always got ideas percolating about how I can turn some junk I found at a garage sale or on the side of the road into some little treasure for my front yard garden.  With all this gardening enthusiasm I've had of late, I've put that energy to good use by finally getting to many of these little projects.  I'm pretty pleased with how they've all turned out so far.

Chandelier Bird Feeder

I saw others like this on Pinterest, so when I happened across a dirt-encrusted chandelier at a garage sale for $20 (it still had the antique store price tag on it, where it was listed for $395!) I knew it needed to be the new upscale restaurant in the yard for my bird friends.  A little cleaning and spray paint was in order, and I made the feed cups from some Trader Joes chicken breast cans which I attached with a little epoxy.  I think it adds just the touch of whimsy I was hoping for, and the birds definitely seem to like it (especially the house finches you see here).

Black tie optional

 Gnome Home

Another Pinterest creation, I've been thinking about adding a little "gnome home" to the tree in the front yard since last summer.  I finally dug up the soil around the tree and purchased the miniature door on Amazon.  It's about the most adorable thing out there.  I planted some alyssum and some dead nettle, and decided to keep the oxalis weeds growing there, too, since they are awfully pretty.

Please wipe your feet before entering

Oh the Places We've Been

Another project I've been daydreaming about since last year was adding a signpost to the front yard with signs pointing to some of the places we've visited over the years.  The most challenging part of the project was choosing which places to include.  I learned a neat trick from another blog about how to add the lettering, and Adam borrowed a post-hole digger from the neighbor to install it for me.  Of course, no signpost is complete without a birdhouse on top (which I snatched for $1 from a garage sale in Indiana while I was home visiting the folks).  Now when I look out the kitchen window I'm reminded of some of our adventures, and the birds have yet another place to perch.

Where have you been?

I hope this inspires you to create some whimsy of your own!  If you need me, I'll be in the garden.

Go Happy, Dear Friends-
Amy