Paper Logs

Watching the TV show "B Organic", I saw how to make logs out of newspaper! How cool is that! I went to our recycle bin and collected all our papers and started. Start with a small dowel and go in sections of the paper, not sheet by sheet. The secret is to roll tight, so start rolling on the dowel, and about halfway down the paper add in another section, making sure to alternate sides that the folded edge is on. I did this until I had about a three inch in diameter roll. Take string and tie the log at both ends and slip out the dowel, and Voila you have a paper log!

So from now on I will never recycle my paper, these logs are just perfect for our fire pit or the fireplace! Also I was surprised at how heavy they were, I hope you will try this great idea, and it's free!

Fun Things I've Been Doing

I have been working in the yard so much, trying to get everything in order for spring planting. The Oaks in Florida shed their leaves in the spring, along with the Magnolia leaves, so much raking! Cutting back all the dead wood, I waited for the plants to leaf out so I would know how far to cut things back. It has been so warm that all my spring Azaleas, Day Lilies, Amaryllis have already bloomed. I have decided that I am going to decorate all my pots before I do any planting, so I started a small mosaic project, a flower pot, it wasn't really a mosaic, as I used  those glass globs and made a the pattern, it did make the pot a lot cuter!

Then on Pinterest I have been seeing all these flowers made from paper, so I thought I can do this! There were all kinds,  Roses, Daffodils, huge Flowers, then I saw that one of my Facebook friends had made some beautiful Roses and put them on a wreath. So that did it, I was ready to try it, I found a tutorial and proceeded to try and make the flower. This was so frustrating because the newspaper was so flimsy, and I kept burning my self with the glue gun! But it all came together and didn't look too bad, not like a beautiful Rose but good enough, I sprayed it Light Lavender. After looking at the tutorial again trying to figure out why mine didn't quite look like a Rose, I noticed a big part in the instructions that I had not read, the part where it said use the pages from a BOOK! Ahhh now I see, the nice thick paper pages from a book! (not flimsy newspaper). Well I was still pleased with my attempt, but will have to try and make this the right way.

Finished my Easter Decorating !

Down to the wire, but  all is done! I started with my dining room table scape, using an Asian silk scarf that Barbara Marshall brought back from her recent trip, as my base, Moss covered rabbit topiary, Yellow daffodils in a white swirl glass vase, White wooden bird house, Verdigris metal frame, Terra Cotta rabbits, Small ceramic box with petite rabbit, jewel eggs, and a Teena Flanner paper mache Rabbit.

My Easter mantel for 2012,  Hope you can see the little moss covered rabbit topiary on the left and take notice of the cute birdhouse in the arrangement. Oh and I love my little wire plant stand with the pink roses, too cute! Perched atop is another one of my paper mache bunnies.

Spring in the Garden is Early

Normally this time of the year I would be enjoying my Azaleas, but alas, they have already bloomed! We have had such a warm winter, and this week they said we might hit 90 degrees! So now when I went out this past weekend I noticed all the plants that usually bloom in late May or Early June, are already busting open! My Yellow Alamandas is bloom, my White African Iris are in full swing, and my Double Watermelon Amarillos are now open full! Just had the yard sprayed with weed killer and the fertilizer is already down too. Next is my favorite part, shopping for annuals and getting red mulch for the beds, it just makes them look so finished.

A Great Artist is Born...Maybe...continues

Thought I would share the latest on my adventure into painting. This has not been easy, but I am pleased with my efforts so far. I'm sure this will change again, as I just keep tweaking! The two faces on the left are what I like , not so much the one on the right, so I know that will change. I am surprised at how these faces have come about, I thought it would me a more ethereal looking scene, but a little more realistic looking than I expected. If you refer to my inspiration photo, there isn't quite the amount of detail in the faces, I just can't seem to go there.

But I am going to keep at this and hopefully I can come up with a painting that  I'll be proud to say "I did that"!

Gracie's Marker is Finished.

I finished Gracie's marker today. The purple broken hearts are so appropriate, because mine surely has. This has been a very lonely time in the garden, I find myself actually talking to her as I work. This is the first mosaic that she has not walked on or rubbed up against, but will now lay under. I put it in the spot she liked to sleep on, so if she was here she would be laying on top of it. RIP my precious Gracie, I will be with you in the garden.

Making a Marker for Gracie

I have been trying to come up with a marker for Gracie's grave site. I have decided on a 12" x 12" stepping stone. I remembered I had a statue of a grey cat in the back yard, actually it looks quite like Gracie.I will use it in the design. I have sat for a long time just looking at the square of concrete, hoping to have some kind of epiphany for the design. But I keep looking to the left, and there is the towel that Gracie had just laid on. She was by my side for every thing I did in this yard, I mean every plant, every mosaic, every project, always having a comment to add. Just being here in the garage, I find it so quiet, it's like the "fun" has left the yard. I have the collar that she wore, there was a small purple heart with her name on it, I will try and use the purple heart design, put her name on the stone and make sure there is enough room for the grey cat statue to sit. A white tile background will look so pretty too. I'm posting a picture of what I have so far.