When it comes to gardening, I’m at my best in a puttering-kind-of-mood….and that’s exactly what I did as I combed through the house and garage for stuff that could be transformed into outdoor decor! Old wooden cats tucked away in a closet, seldom used placemats and a table runner in a drawer and artificial flowers in a jumbled mess in the garage….you know how it is.
Yard toys & tools in a basket to keep on or near the sandbox.
This is the 3rd summer for our repainted deck and ancient furniture….but it’s still pretty presentable. All I needed was a few cans of exterior spray paint and fresh pine straw in key places.
These frogs were a gift from my Mom years ago when we all cracked up at this photo of her and I and my husband! I make a new print every year; the grandkids love this display!
My faded cardinal and a sculpted, painted kitty tucked into a $5.00 fern!
If you look closely, you can see unscented dryer sheets tucked everywhere. They really do work in keeping pesky bees and flies etc away!
Weeding, new pine straw and some green touch-up for Mr. Frog! This spot is perfect for a cozy little bench…..going to start scouting neighborhood sales and flea markets soon!
Yellow paint revised the rusted bicycle planter! But instead of a plant, it’s holding my favorite frog statue….representing our fab five grandkids! My photo frames are cheap, filled with plastic rather than glass in case of gusty winds. Weathering means they only last a season, so I’m always checking clearance sales for them.
I added the kiddos’ Easter pinwheels to the mix of faux flowers! Last year’s end-of-season-sale chair cushions are perfect for this oversized bench!
All in all….a pretty good start with the backyard! Next will be trimming the hedges and rose bushes along the sides, laying new pine straw and prettying up the front porch….another fun place to play decorator!
UPDATE: Look at my antique store/yard sale finds!
Found a wooden bench with gothic stencils; but luckily I had last year’s cushion to tie on with pinestraw twine!
Little $3.00 ceramic carrots for the Rabbit Crossing! (We brought this sign back from Sydney years ago; the white faded bunny is a left over Easter Bunny….once brightly colored pink and blue!)
A clearance hanging frame I just tucked into the faux flowers. Love to have photos of the grandkids on the deck!
$6.00 wooden sign ready to hang……pointing straight to the flower garden/veggie & strawberry patch! Oh……and I pinestrawed everywhere…..fresh and ready for summer! Happy gardening!
Read more from Joan Stommen on her blog, Gramcracker Crumbs
Joan Stommen
I am a teacher, mom and grandmother of five. I retired after 33 years in education to help care for my mother AND my daughter's new twins! I write about families, education, fitness, aging gracefully and the bits and pieces of my life. Becoming a widow has given me another platform on which to share my thoughts and feelings. Over the years I've written for newspapers, taught writing skills to college students, classroom teachers and children of all ages. My blog posts have been featured on More Magazine's online site as well as other blogs. I enjoy Zumba, hiking, scrapbooking, reading, subbing and learning to cook! In addition to drafting my parents' love story and my memoirs, I'm looking for a writing coach position.
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