On the walls

We don't have much.  On the walls, that is.  I recently took a photography class, and for our last assignment I went out to take some photos of our downtown area. 

The sky was so beautiful!  When I saw how these turned out, I knew I had to hang some.  So....enter Michaels' 'Barnwood Frames'

I bought all they had in stock during a 55% off sale....an 11x14, and three 8x10s.  I wanted to use three of them on a little wall in our living room, so I did the 'craft paper' trick to figure out the placement of the nails:

Somehow, it worked. 

Then I managed to find a mat for the 11x14 for just $2 at Hobby Lobby.  Score!  Now I just need to take a portrait shot for the middle frame. 

I wish I'd thought to take this picture during the day!  You get the idea.  I also got a 16x20 Barnwood frame for the other side of the dining room opening, and a matching mat at Hob Lob.  Tip - matting is much cheaper there than at Michaels!  Hang anything lately?

Thanks Value Village

Sometimes I go to Value Village on a nice lazy Saturday and walk around looking for gems.  Sometimes I get lucky.  I got lucky this weekend when I found this little cutie:

It is always half off everything in the store on the weekends, so I got it for $7.50.  Unfortunately, the top is a plasticy laminate, but the legs and bottom are gorgeous wood - and the lines are fab!

I used my beloved Howard Restor-A-Finish and Feed-N-Wax on all the wood, but I'm considering painting the top a glossy white because I really don't like the dark 'fake wood' look...for now, I just removed the price and shined it up until I figure it out. 

I think it looks pretty good in this before and after.  The wood on the bottom part is just beautiful.

I had planned on using it for a coffee table in my woman cave, but it's a bit too small in diameter and too tall....so it's acting as a side table in there for now.  Just don't think about drinking red wine on my couch.

To the people in my hometown, thank you for thinking pieces like this are 'outdated' and leaving them for me!  Smooches.

A new tree

When I went to find a replacement shrub for picky picky Annabelle a couple weeks ago, I also was fortunate to find some cute Japanese Maples left at half off.  I was a little tired of seeing the 'Charlie Brown tree' all summer....

Shaun couldn't get it out fast enough!  Oh, and those sunken, sad grasses got tossed as well.  They never really lived up to the image in my head. 

I felt so bad seeing the tree all tiny and dead on the grass. 

We enlisted the help of my dad (and his truck) to go pick up the tree, and he also lent his expertise while planting...the dude has seriously planted dozens of trees in his life. 

He was so happy to help, he actually dug his bare hands into the bag of manure we bought to mix into the dirt.  I think he was pretty revolted when he realized what he did.  Tee hee!

The new addition is an 'Inaba Shidare', and it is only supposed to get about 8 to 10 feet wide and tall.  I love the lacy leaves and upright habit.

It's so hard to photograph, but I assure you it is cute!

Next up....moving some poor astilbes that have been engulfed by our gigantic hostas. 

You can hardly see them peeking out of there...so that will be part of my weekend.  Have a great one, peeps! 

Annabelle's high maintenance

Whoops, I thought fo sho I had posted this week, guess I dreamed it.  Anywho, I've been busy in the yard.  This time of year I go a little crazy and start ordering hundreds of lily and allium bulbs and then freak about where to put them all.  I'm a sucker for the pretty catalogs, I tell ya!  Before all my bulbs arrived, I wanted to get my 'foundation' shrubs addressed.  Mainly, the always-dead-looking Annabelle hydrangea in the corner here:

Why so droopy, Annabelle?!  No matter how much water it got, the stupid thing ALWAYS looked like this.  When I planted it here, it was closer to fall and there was a lot more shade at this spot.  During the earlier months though, it was baking.  So, I picked this new bright-shade spot for her, by the AC:

Those coral bells never bloom in the shade, and I don't really love them anyway, so I just got rid of them.  I got them for free from our neighbor, so I didn't feel too bad about tossing em.  We have a very scientific way of removing dirt without a wheelbarrow around here.  Observe:

Yup, Home Depot buckets and random broken plastic storage bins.  Please don't try this at home, it really sucks the big one.  Anywedonthaveroomforawheelbarrowinthegarage, here is Annabelle all uprooted and still sad:

And here she is looking slightly better still pretty sad in her new home.  I'm really psyched that one day she may cover up that stupid white downspout extender that I have yet to address.

To take her place, I got myself a beautiful sun-loving Weigela, 'Red Prince.'

I already have a stunning 'Wine and Roses' Weigela on the opposite side of the yard, along with three tiny 'My Monet' Weigelas, so this is a welcome addition to the landscape!

I guess I stick to what I like!