Bringing Back The Roses

 The Roses are Back!

As my gardens turn back to green.

I tend to bring out the flowers in the house.

I have collected rose plates, cups and saucer, pitchers, fabric for many years.

You name it, I probably have roses on it.

I was in overload.

So, I put them away.

But.

Lately, I have been wanting them again.

So.

Slowly, they have been mixed in with my white.

On the walls.

New ones found at flea markets.

The always is room for a new one, right.

Favorites enjoyed once again.

Love, the delicate plates.

New made to look old.

Cups ready for a tea party.

All stacked up in the dinning room.

I can't complain too much about the green.
The rose bushes are on their second blooming.
Not as many buds as the first, but still just as beautiful.

How are your gardens growing?

Where We Take Our Shoes Off

Baseball season is officially over.

Has life slowed down.

NO!

We spent a wonderful day with my BFF in life last weekend.

Too many miles between us that one day is just not enough!

Then it was back to work.

On the house that is.

Mr. M. and I are almost done hanging the drywall in the mudroom.

To our mudroom.

This is the entrance from the garage.

The ladder is resting in the soon to be new coat closet.

This is the view looking across from the garage entrance.

The room is not large.

However, it will be very useful.

Please, remove ALL shoes before coming into the house.

I will be so happy when shoes do not have to come inside.

Mud, dirt, snow and wet, can all stay here.

We were able to reuse a window from the remodel.

You can barely see it but, there is an outlet under the window.

For a window light at Christmas time.  

You have to think about these things.

At least I do.

The picture is so dark because we turned off the power to do the work.

My youngest son wants to know how he can go to the bathroom when the lights don't work.

We are trying to get it done asap buddy.

The view from the kitchen entrance.

The wall on the right I plan on hanging a huge chalk board and cork board.

A place to write down daily chores, school events and a spot for the kids to hang pictures and projects from.

As we worked on the drywall, I couldn't help but think of how I will finish it.

Colors, lights, flooring.

I would love to do a brick floor.

So, I went searching.

image here

Isn't this a beautiful mudroom!

I love the brick floor.

I trying to figure out if wood would be a wise choice with so much mud, snow and wet on it.

I have also thought of tile.

I have thought of black and white.

Still thinking on that one.

I am going more towards black with some blues and reds.

I would also like to put up bead board on the walls with a high shelf.

I think it will be easier to keep clean.

I can't wait to get these out of my kitchen!

The kids cubbies are already black, although I am not opposed to painting them a different color.

Black shows as much dirt as white.

Maybe a fun blue. 

I have a dresser and a vintage wall cabinet I also plan on putting into the room, they are great for winter storage.  I would love to build a bench in between the kids cubbies for sitting and removing shoes.

I have been collecting some wire baskets, hooks and containers for the room that I can't wait to bring into the room, soon enough though.

And you, what kind of floor do you have in your mudroom?

Where I Blog.

I was supposed to be joining a party for Where Blogger's Create with Karen from My Desert Cottage.

But!

I was late.

Again.

This has happened before.

Last time I dropped the computer and broke it.

That was bad, very bad.

This year, I was just too busy with BASEBALL life.

But!

I am ready now.

I rearranged furniture.

Dusted.

Put away stuff.

CLEANED!

One of my ivy plants that I am trying to keep alive.

Believe it or not.

Me, the gardener, kills most of her house plants.

I am not giving up.

My favorite corner cabinet.

Full of some of my favorite things, ironstone, silver, buttons and more.

The bottom of the cabinet holds extra paper for the computer.

Fabric pin board.

I was able to move my first ever slipcovered couch back into the room.

I had to move around the computer desk.

Hand crafted wall cabinet full of whatnots.

Simple garage sale find made beautiful with white paint.

It holds lots of my craft supplies.

How do you like my crazy rug. 

I am digging the multi spring colors.

The blue trunk.

I told you, blue is creeping into the house.

Morning light comes in the windows.

I was still able to keep the slipcovered chair in the room.

Lots of seating for children who like to come and sit while I blog.

The couch and chair are favorites for reading and playing hand video games.

A cute basket filled with faux floral.

My favorite florals, made by me.

I love all the spring colors.

I love the vintage barkcloth fabric on the pillow.

This is what you see from the living room.

The cow throw is so soft.

My sister had one and I fell in love. 

 I was lucky to find one just like hers.

Surrounded by pretties.

The small rose pitcher I found at a flea market this past weekend.

I think it I may have to go through my stash in the basement and bring up some more of my rose plates, cups and platters.

I am in need of a little fresh color.

A favorite vintage hat, ironstone pitcher and vintage camera.

If I ever get a tattoo, I think it will involve roses and a hat.

I hate needles so it will probably never happen.

I have loved this cabinet forever.

Ever since my best friend and I saw it at a flea market and she saw it first. 

And took it home.

It looked great in her kitchen.

Until she had to move.........it couldn't take it with her.

I bought it, she knew it would be loved.

THANKS SARA!

I love the latches, they match our kitchen ones.

I have filled it with storage and some of my pretties.

There are tons of stored craft supplies behind those doors.

3, one of my lucky numbers.

A favorite picture of my youngest son.

Little shoes.

I hope you enjoyed my blogging room.

Thanks for visiting.

Time for a New Wreath

I hate to admit it but.

I just replaced my winter wreath.

Even though the color had faded from dark green to light brown.

None of the needles fell off.

So, I left it alone.

Until today.

You see, I like to let my boxwood's get all bushy.

It makes for lots of good trimming when I need or want to.

Today I wanted to.

In fact.

I made two!

This is the small one.

I hung it on a cabinet knob for now.

I have a feeling it is going to travel the house until I find the right spot.

The second one is large.

Huge!

It is hanging in the front entrance for now.

Not sure where it may end up.

I love my new wreaths.

I know why I didn't make any until now.

Time.

I have a little extra now that baseball is winding down.

Last game for the kids is on Saturday.

Oh, don't worry though.

I'm not done with baseball yet.

Mr. M. gets his turn now.

Starting Tuesday, we get to go and watch him play.

I can handle that.

Once a week.

Pure baseball heaven.

And.

I get to see him have fun like a kid.

Thanks for stopping by.

I hope you are having a great summer.

Time to catch up on my weeding.

New Garden

Maximizing my time.

This week I am back to my normal work week leaving me with two days off.

I was finally able to fix the fire pit and plant the new garden.

This is the path to the fire pit.

It was originally red sand left over from a pool installation.

I hated the sand, it stained everything.

Today we will finish the far right corner and put the chairs back.

As for the kids having a place to play in the sand. 

 I think I have talked Mr. M. into building a sand box, seeing as that tree house has still not been built.

I washed the stones last night.

They look and feel like the pebbles from Olcott Beach.

I am glad I choose to go with the larger stone.

The left side of the garden was just planted last year.

Each year I will add a few plants until it looks like a full lush English garden.

No room for weeds.

This is the start of the new garden.

I have two flowering ornamental pear trees.

A Thuja Green Giant tree.

Two Limelight hydrangea bushes.

Several blue berry bushes.  That the birds have already discovered.

A Catmint plant.

 Some creeping phlox.

Boxwood bushes.

A pink rose bush.

Lavender.

Delphinium.

Foxglove.

One of my ROCKS.

I left plenty of room to add 6 of my arborvitae bushes that are in planters for the summer.

After two years of being in planters they are a nice size for my gardens.

Next year I will go with boxwood bushes in my planters.

I took these pictures in the morning so I wouldn't have the blaring sun, only problem, fog.

Oh well. 

At least my garden is planted and I can enjoy our 4th of July party/birthday party.

Thanks for stopping by.

I hope everyone has a wonderful July 4th.