A Cottage Pocket Garden

I love little spaces. 

Maybe it's because I'm the youngest of 5, 

and that's all I could eek out of my family home growing up.

I found all sorts of hidey holes in our yard where I could curl up with an apple and a book.....,

(or a bar of chocolate and a comic.....)

(don't tell my parents)

Sooooooo.....

today I'm going to show you guys one of my terraces....

I know! 

right?

ONE!!!!!

I've got two!!!!!

This is my barbecue terrace.

Not to be confused with my lie on my @$$ and read terrace.

See my grill on the left at the back?????

It's plumbed into the house's gas supply, so I never have to deal with a propane tank.

I am living large I tell ya, 

living

 LARGE!!!!!

Let me show the class how I got to this point of grilling bliss..... 

When I first bought my condo, there was no terrace here.

Just a rectangle of crab grass with no way to get to it.

Not that you'd want to get to a rectangle of crab grass,

unless you're a crab.....

Although, I don't think crabs have lawns.

And if they did.....

I don't think they make lawnmowers small enough for them to use.

Okay, now I'm just being silly.....

Speaking of being silly.....

You wouldn't believe the idiot I have been dealing with over the last couple of days, 

so he says......

WAIT!!!!!

I'm supposed to be writing about design......

I'll tell you about that later.....

BACK TO THE GARDEN!!!!

This terrace is off my dining room.

I changed the window in the room to sliding doors, and now I can get to my new terrace!!!!!

Here's a shot looking into the dining room when I bought my condo.

So I changed the window to this.....

I like it better.

Sooooooo.....

Now I had a way to get outside, I needed to make it purty....

I had a bluestone terrace installed in a round shape.

Why round you ask?????

Because it's more expensive that way!!!!!

The mason has to cut the stone.

why can't I do anything

 the simple and easy way?????

I have had this garden table for eons.

EONS

EONS

EONS!!!!!

I made it out of the top of an old white metal table from 

Scandinavian Design.

For those of you over a certain age.....

(you know who you are.....)

remember that store?????

I put the top on a resin figure of Pan.

I am no longer thrilled with this design decision.

But I have it, it works, so I've kept it.

Didn't look that great with the old, rusty, dirty, white top.

 Ruins the overall look.....

There's old chippy cool.....

And then there was my table.

Then I met Amy Chalmers.

Then I found out about chalk paint.

Then I realized that I was not a prisoner of dirty white tables.

Bwa ha ha!!!!!

So I whipped out the Annie Sloan Graphite.

And painted up this baby.

(first I washed the top with a little soap and water.)

The whole thing took almost no time at all.

Two coats later and it looked like it had a stone top!!!!!

Past the round terrace and grill is my little rose arbor I put up.....

This is how the back looked the first year I live here.

I could see the condo units behind me.

So I planted climbing roses on the arbor I found online.

Installed a Kousa dogwood behind it, 

and have had the association let those round bushes grow up and together.

So now.....

I can't see anyone behind me.

And I hope they can't see me either. 

 I had stone steps added outside the new doors with platforms on either side for my cement dogs.

I tried to fit in all the things I loved when I moved to the condo.

The little tree on the right is a tree hydrangea.

It fills in over the summer and ends up like this in the late summer, early fall....

I ringed the whole area in large hosta that have a wonderfully fragrant flower that blooms in the middle of the summer and perfumes the night air.

I love leaving my windows open in my family room for the wonderful scent.

They have large white trumpet shaped flowers that get really wet and drench me when I'm grilling.

I'm too lazy to trim them back.

Oy.

I've run out of things to talk about.

Now I have to go grill my chicken.

Today is the sell by date on the  package, so I can't put if off any longer.

Latah, Gatah

Redoing the Front of My Cape Home

I don't know why I keep telling you guys what I'm going to write in my next post,

 'cuz I always change my mind.

I was going to start showing what I've been doing to my niece Miriam's chairs.

I even told a really nice fellow blogger, Lisa, who shared some great tips with me that I would write about the tips and show her blog here....

BUT THAT IS FOR THE NEXT POST, or the one after that.....

 (unless something else comes up.....)

However.....

I've had several requests to show the outside front and back of my home up here in the north.

Now that I think about it.

This is going to be a multi-post story.

Let's start with the front.

'cuz that's what you see first.

Unless you're breaking in, 

and then maybe you'd be coming in the back.....

Below is what it looked like when I bought the place.....

I had the stoop enlarged so I could place a bench next to the door.

This is important.

You needs a place to set your groceries when you comes home from the market.

Also, 

being the klutz that I am.....

there was a good chance I was going to fall off such a small stoop

 one of these days.

Then I had the front re landscaped.

Then, half the stuff died, so I had to do it again.....

The first time, I had Shamrock Inkberries planted as the main foundation plant.

That was (I think) 3 years ago.

Then we had a hellacious winter with tons of snow, and they were annihilated.

As were the euonymus planted along the path.

And some of the boxwoods.

And then 

the perennials that I thought were nicely behaved started spreading and taking over the planet.

Watch out for Fake Indigo!!!!!

It turns into a massive garden sucking hog.

Sooooooo.....

It's now at my brother's house, where there is room and it can stretch its legs.

I replaced the inkberry with rhododendrons which have been very happy to come and live with me.

I edged the path with hosta, pulling out the dead euonymus, which I never liked to begin with, but allowed someone to talk me into it.

I know, I know, there goes my rep for being a hard @$$

In between the rhododendrons and the hosta I filled in the space with pink and white knock out roses. 

If you want a no fail rose bush. These babies are the ones to choose.

I decided that I was not around early enough in the spring to control perennials, so I set a variety of annuals around the roses, and they filled in nicely.

So that solved my problems for the front flower beds, and created the English cottage garden effect I wanted.

Next, I got permission to change the color of my front door.

Oh, yeah, and I changed my front door,

The red one was metal and dented and crummy.

The green one is fiber glass and not dented and not crummy.

And I changed the screen door to one that closes, and works, and all that good stuff.

And I added a door knocker.

I am now going to go take a picture of it, and it is night, so the picture is going to be crummy......

See, I told you it would be a crummy shot. Check out the shadows.....

I put a nice new door handle and lock from Baldwin on my nice new door, too. 

Then,

I added a trellis to hang next to the door for the Clematis vines I planted.....

The vines are there.

I see them in the spring.

They grow a couple of feet.

Blow me a Bronx cheer, and disappear.

Oy, OY, Oy, OY.

But I like the look of the trellis, even without any plants on it.

So there!!!!!

This past spring, I splurged and had a drip irrigation system put in.

Then I had new know out roses and annuals put in.

WOWZER!!!!!

Water is just amazing.

Who knew plants needed it?????

So that's the front of my home in Massachusetts.

I still have the back to show.

There's actually stuff to see back there.

Weeds.

Bugs.

My parents.

Latah, Gatah

Maison Decor Comes to Call and Doesn't Bring the Paint.!!!!!

Amy Chalmers of Maison Decor came over to visit yesterday.

She was supposed to bring me the paint I needed.

She sells Annie Sloan chalk paint.

SHE WAS LATE AND DIDN'T BRING THE PAINT!!!!!

WHAT THE #$% IS THE POINT OF BEING HER FRIEND?????

OK, now that I got that off my chest.....

I feel better.....

How are you guys doin'?????

SOOOOOO.....

Amy came over to see what I've been up to.

I showed her the chairs I'm painting for Miriam, which I will be sharing in my next post.

BUT NOT TODAY!!!!!

Today, 

Believe it or not....

I have more stuff to show you in my study!!!!!!!

(If you're sick of looking at it.....

This is Amy's fault, she thought I should share with the class.....)

I finally got the plantation shutters for my windows in my living room and my study!!!!!

I showed you the wood grills I snapped into my other windows to make them feel more cottage-y.

But since my living room and my study are in the front of my condo, I'm not allowed to put them in those windows.

So, I went to my buddies at Back Bay Shutter, and had them install my new shutters.

This helps disguise the contemporary look of single pane windows.

 Here they are closed.

I thinks it's very cozy.

But then, I spent a #$% load of money on them, 

so I better like the damn things.....

 This is what I had before.

These are wooden Venetian blinds.

They were nice but didn't cover the look of the modern windows enough.

But this isn't what Amy wanted 

me to talk about!!!!!

She wanted me to show you guys this!!!!!

 I had a horse nine years ago.

She and I were a team.

We won some ribbons!!!!!

 Her name is Daisy.

She's a good girl.

So I sold her, and now she has a better life with a family.

 We won some ribbons!!!!!!

 Here I am riding her, thinking.....

"Don't fall off, don't fall off, don't fall off....."

She's not pissed off at me, her ears are back in case I have anything pithy to say to her.

She liked it when I sang.

Yes she did TOO!!!!!

I never touched a blue ribbon till she came into my life!!!!!

Except for the blue and white one below,

 but that was for a vignette in the Boston Flower Show, 

and decorating doesn't count.

 I wanted you guys to see how productive Amy and I were yesterday.

Here we are taking pictures of each other.

('course, you can't see me,

'cuz I'm taking a picture of her, 

taking a picture of me, 

taking a picture of her.....)

For those of you who commented on the horse show ribbon I have hanging in my bedroom.

I didn't go to the college shown on the ribbon.

That was the college hosting the horse show!!!!!

Jeesh, 

don't you guys know nothin'?

HEY! like the way this post is meandering around?????

Stream of consciousness.

Or

Unconsciousness....

Can you have a stream of unconsciousness???????

Ow, my brain is hurting.....

Soooooo.....

before Amy left my home, she looked in my inventory that I have with my bidness partner Kris,

 (stored in my special storage in my basement special place that I have that's very special)

 and took some things to sell in her Boston store.

This is a table on a stand that

 I repainted and decoupaged the print onto the top.

 I cut a stencil for the border and painted it with real fake gold.

Every night after dinner, I would go up to my workroom and add another layer of ModPodge on the top so the print would be on the same level as the top surface.

I am now selling this table for what I paid for it.

So you would get 

ALL THIS DAMN WORK FOR FREE!!!!!!

No that's wrong.....

You'd get it for less than I paid.

I'm not including the cost of the print!!!!

I AM 

A GOOD BIDNESS WOMAN!!!

The tray sits nicely on the stand.

Being an idiot, I didn't notice it wasn't in place when I took this shot.

So that's today's post.

A little of this.....

A little of that.....

And a lot of nothin'!!!!!

Latah, Gatah

Making Modern Windows Look Cottagey

If you've been following my blog for a while, you know how I am not a fan of windows without mullions. Actually they are muntins, but most folks call them mullions. 

My father would insist on using the correct word, but what's the point if no one understands what I'm trying to say???????

Anywho.....

I live in a condo, so I am not allowed to change the window style.

Don't these people know that I am the arbiter of taste?????

DIDN'T THEY GET THE MEMO???

Wellllll............

Being the clever vixen that I am.....

I figured out a way to work around this dilemma!!!!

I mainly get away with this, because I am just doing this on the windows in the back, so no one can see them.....

Steve, the associations president, just shakes his head, and has decided to choose his battles......

BESIDES.....

NO ONE CAN SEE THEM!!!!!

My windows are Pella casement windows....

Here is a shot of my sewing/upholstery/project room...

BEFORE THE BIG TRANSFORMATION!!!

 OK, OK, OK....

I didn't clean it up for the photos.....

I am an important and busy babe, and have too much other stuff to do.....

I ordered the snap in wooden grills from Pella.

I just had them look up my order from 8 years ago....

and they were able to get me the correct sizes.....

 Here's the first one installed with my own little hands....

It just pushes into place....

Here's a side by side comparison with two grills installed....

I can't get over the difference it makes to the look of the window....

 All three snapped in place!!!!!

I think it looks tres cottagey!!!!!!!!

 Just had to show you guys the view from the other direction!!!!

 Now I have to make the valence for the window.....

I'm freaking out, 

'cuz I'm running out of projects for my house.

But my niece Miriam

HAS STARTED ME BACK ON HER HOME!!!!!

I've been in my basement for days painting her

 @#$ 8 dining room arm chairs.

actually.....

I've only worked on 4 so far......

I'm doing them in milk paint......

reupholstering the seats......

making pillows for the backs......

I KEEP REMINDING MIRIAM THAT ALL THIS IS FREE!!!!!

SHE REPLIES THAT IT AIN'T!!!!!

'CUZ OF ALL THE ABUSE I'M HEAPING ON HER LITTLE HEAD!!!!

She feels, that that is her payment.

Ha!!!

Wait till she receives the karma bill when I'm old and need help.....

Because that's the only reason I'm doing this.

I hope you're reading this, 

MIRIAM!!!!!

So campers.

That's it for today.

Go out side and get some fresh air.

Latah, Gatah

THIS is The Last Addition to My Study.....(maybe)

Obviously you guys can't believe anything I tell you.

Sheesh.....

I thought I was done with my study.....

I REALLY DID!!!!!

The other day I was junk storing with my bidness partner Kris when I came across a little piece of furniture I thought would be a good candidate for redoing to sell in Amy's shop in Boston.

WHO KNEW

that finding another middle aged wack-a-doodle through the world of blogging would supply me with a venue for my creative escapades.

I sell some wonderful things at the Boston Design Center.....

But in my heart is the intrepid junker, looking for stuff to reinvent.

Problem is.....

I've run out of places to put my creations.

sooooooo.......

Amy is willing to be my pimp vendor!!!!!!

Sooooooo......

As I was saying, before I got side tracked,

like I always do,

Wasn't today ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL???!!!

The weather in the fall can be absolutely glorious!!!!!

Ummm.....

Wait.....

I was telling you guys something.

Sooooooo

the weather was really fabuloso, and I wanted to have my windows open, 

and my neighbor behind me had some stupid alarm beeping and beeping and beeping,

And he doesn't live there anymore.

So I had to call his cell phone to let him know.

MEANWHILE.....

I had to keep the windows closed.

OY OY OY!!!

Wait....

That's not what I started writing about......

OH YEAH, 

I found this little sewing stand.

This is how it looked when I was finished with it!!!!!

I am using it as a stand for my printer!!!!

HERE'S THE STORY.....

I had something to hold my printer.

I didn't really think too much about it.

It was something I've had since my early 30's, and we all know how long ago that was........

Not horrible, not great, nothing special.

SOOOOOO.....

This is what I found in the junk store.....

As usual, I forgot to snap a shot before I started working on it.

The finish was really pitiful.

But I loved the shape.

Very 1920's-Louis XVI...MY FAVORITE!!!

The square knobs were stuck to the drawers as if the finish had glued them on.

Pulling them off pulled off some of the veneer, so 

Elmer's wood putty to the rescue!!!! 

Then I mixed up some chalk paint colors to create the type of green that makes my toes curl.

I am slowly purchasing every Annie Sloan color, since I like to mix them to create my own colors.

I think I have bought all I need.

And then the next week, I realize I need 

just one more.....

luckily, Amy wants to come see what I've been up to in my house, 

so I have convinced her to deliver the next color.

Home delivery a la Maison Decor!!!!!

I mixed Antibes Green with Chateau Grey

 to create the soft green for my sewing stand.

Here's a shot of one coat.....

I added the second coat, and carried my new baby up to my study to see if I was going in the right direction......

I was liking it, 

so back down to the basement for the details to be painted.....

I used a mixture of Emperor's Silk and Scandinavian Pink for the accent stripe on the table's edge.

Then I dry-brushed some Scandinavian Pink over it again. 

 Did the same color pink on the balls.

Used old white on the turnings, then repainted with cream, which I liked better. 

I used painter's tape to paint the lines around the drawers. 

Being lazy, I just bent the ends of the tape down at the sides. 

I added Cream accents on either side of the red stripe around the top edge.

I was liking the direction it was headed.....

But it looked too newly painted.

Too sweet.

AND I'M NOT SWEET!!!!! 

So, this is when judicious distressing comes into play.

I find this very scary as I tend to go overboard.....

Then I waxed it.....

AND THEN I FINALLY USED

 THE DARK WAX CORRECTLY!!!!!!!

I have had a real problem with applying it without it looking streaky and too dark and splotchy.

So I did what any self respecting blogging old lady would do.

I GOOGLED IT!!!!!

I found out a really good technique.

first put on the clear wax.....

then set out a dab of both the dark and clear wax on a plate or in a glass, or 

somewhere.....

put a little of the clear on the brush,

then put a little of the dark on the brush,

then lightly apply it using circular motions, and it comes out 

GORGEOUS!!!!!

I replaced the square wood knobs with brass ones that I painted, 

'cuz they looked too new.....

So, now I have a wonderful little printer stand that can hold extra paper and ink!!!!!

And on top of all that, look what's under the top lid!!!!!

So,

I think.....

Now

 I'm finished showing off this room.....

Latah, Gatah

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