Weekend in Photos

This mild and beautiful winter we've been having has me feeling Spring fever like you wouldn't believe! In addition to scheming for the major backyard overhaul we will begin this year, our house got a bit of early spring cleaning this weekend. In hopes of bring a little green into our house, I purchased the fern pictured above and started snipping blooms from our Camellia! And other than a good ole' Sunday splurge of Belgian waffles (a family fave!), some play time at the park and lazy morning snuggles with Claire, our little princess got her ears pierced this weekend ( Which you can kind of see in the bottom left photo)! All-in-all it was a delightful few days. Here's to hoping everyone's week is off to a great start!

A Little Surprise

I was completely delighted last week when I walked out on the front porch and noticed a pretty little bloom on the liliums we planted this Spring! I've been patiently waiting for them to bloom, after what seems like months and months of sprouting green stalks (which are now over 2 feet high!). Apparently the last week of sunshine and  90 degree weather was exacty what these little guys needed to come out of hiding! Which is more than I can say for our tomatoes, which, if we're lucky, will be ready to pick when we return from Seattle...but for now, I'm happy to enjoy these pink beauties while they last!

It Finally Happened...

My roses came back in full bloom!!

But before I get ahead of myself, allow me to refresh your memory. Back in January I was advised to prune our way-overgrown rose bushes from this:

All the way down to this:

And to be honest, I wasn't convinced they would really come back with a vengeance this spring.

But then I had some hope when I noticed a little growth in late February:

Though still not enough to make me a believer. That is until what seemed like overnight the rose bushes were suddenly full and lush green. And finally, last month I notices an abundance of these:

Sorry no picture of the rose bushes as a whole, but believe me, they are so much healthier than in picture #1 up on top. And within a few sunshine-filled days, I was graced with these amazing blooms lining my front yard:

Again, sorry for the lack of pics of the whole thing! Just imagine these multiplied by twenty and you will start to get a mental picture.

Last weekend I cut two dozen roses (pictured above) and spread them in arrangements throughout the house, and then cut another dozen for my mom, and incredibly, I hardly dented the abundance of flowers left!I think it's safe to say there will definitely be no shortage of fresh blooms in my home for the next several months. Happy day!

{In Bloom}

I got home yesterday afternoon and decided to take a peek at our front patio to see how all our plants were doing and was so delighted at what I saw! Spring is definitely in the air! My succulent garden is flourishing, I found another surprise bloom on the plant next to our front door and my roses are growing like crazy! So naturally, I busted out my new toy (aka: the Canon) and took a few shots of everything.

Enjoy a little peek at what's blooming at our house!

{lovely succulents}

{new surprise bloom}

{flowering Meyer lemon tree-apparently that's a good thing!}

{gardenia}

{one of many rose bushes ready to bloom}

Have a lovely weekend!

{Happy Spring!}




 

Just wanted to stop by and give a shout out for the first official day of Spring! Hope you're doing something fun and festive to celebrate the greatness of the season!

Personally, I cant wait to sip on iced americanos, enjoy the first of my early girl tomatoes and catch the next Alameda Antique Faire!!

Happy Sunday!

Heavenly Dreams

I just wanted to share this little tip with you today, in case you are looking for a fresh way to bring Spring to your home. I recently tried a version of it and was really pleased with the results.

To bring a lovely hint of lavender into your bedroom, simply launder your sheets with Meyers lavender detergent and then throw in a lavender sachet or two when you transfer them to the dryer. Voila! It's as simple as that and I bet you sleep like a baby!

I only included the lavender sachets when my sheets went in the dryer because I have a brand new bottle of the detergent we currently use and did not want to spend money on something I didn't need. The results were still a welcome hint of relaxation as my head hit the pillow, and I'm sure including step number one would only increase the luxurious aroma.

Happy Spring cleaning!

image/via

A Taste of Spring

I love how Spring has a way of bringing nature indoors. Where it's warm enough to open all the windows and enjoy the fresh air, all kinds of flowers are popping up around the house and fresh herbs and produce are suddenly right at my fingertips, straight from my backyard. Doesn't get better than that!

While our tradition is to wait until the first official weekend of Spring to plant our herbs and vegetable garden, we decided to get a head start since we will be out of town next weekend. Not that I am complaining as my favorite springtime cookbook is on the counter, just begging to be opened!

And on another gardening note, my camellias have taken off this past week and are now covered in beautiful blooms. And might I add that after looking at the price of a mature camellia at the nursery this weekend, I am so grateful that we already have two!

I am utterly delighted by the beautiful, cheery colors currently surrounding our abode!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Happy Monday!

A Blooming Surprise

While the overall landscaping of our house needs some serious TLC, it's pretty evident that someone, at some point, really loved this house. I say that because little surprises keep popping up all over the place. The most recent find has got me all sorts of giddy!

This weekend (before all the rain came in), we spent some time planting several Spring bulbs as well as replanting some other previously potted plants. Here's a picture of what it looks like after taking out a large, unsightly bush and planting our gardenia and hydrangea. Keep in mind this is after it rained loads, before we moved the huge pile of green waste and that there is still much to do...

See that gigantic plant in the corner? We had no idea what it was and actually talked about replacing it with something else. That is until my Mom, in all of her gardening wisdom, suggested that it looked like a camelia.

So we left it alone and patiently waited for it to bloom. Well cripes, I am just head-over-heels with what I just discovered about our front yard friend this weekend! It is indeed a camelia with these hot pink blooms!

I am ecstatic to have another beautiful choice of fresh flowers from my own yard. Imagine how much money I'm going to save on blooms this year! While it still has plenty of time to show its beautiful self, I was able to cut off two vases worth!

So I would like to say thank you previous homeowner, whoever you are, for leaving us this pretty little surprise!

Tis' The Season

The season to plot out our garden! PS-We are that couple totally geeking out in the garden section of Home Depot-we're cool, we know. On the top of my gardening list this Spring - planting a Meyer lemon tree! It's been one of those desires I tucked away for when we were finally homeowners. And now that it's a reality, my garden department geek-ness has only grown. I bet you didn't think that was possible.

It has only fueled my obsession that a few friends have generously shared heaps of their excess crop. Which, of course, has got me dreaming up all the amazing goodies that could come from having my own supply of lemony goodness, like Meyer lemon marmelade and Meyer lemon pancakes. And if I'm in the mood for savory, Meyer Lemon risotto with Roasted chicken with Meyer lemon sauce. And don't forget about sweet endings like Meyer lemon cake and dare I even go there...Meyer lemon brulee! Sorry, have I gotten carried away?

I didn't think so either. Thanks for understanding.

So lovelies, with Spring right around the corner (18 days, to be exact!) what are your gardening aspirations?

image/via

April Happenings

I know you can only read so much into my tone, but know this: I am completely and overwhelmingly giddy when I say, HAPPY APRIL! It is after all, my very favorite month! And not just because my birthday is next week (although it does contribute quite a bit), but Spring is in full swing and I am running my first half marathon on the 18th (and hoping to finish in 2 hours)! And something I haven't mentioned yet, I am currently becoming a certified yoga instructor(!), something I've always wanted to do and am finally pursuing at the request of several clients at the studio. In just a few months I will be teaching my very own yoga classes (which you should totally come to if you're in the area!). Clearly you can see, this excitement is legit.

And as for today, I'm just watching my back for suspicious April Fools' play:) Have a lovely day!

Quite the Quandary

I'll admit it, I'm a total sucker for picnics! But I've got to say I'm oddly stumped. In my search for a new picnic blanket, I've come up empty handed. What's the deal? Does nobody make pretty, inexpensive picnic blankets anymore? I've tried all the usual suspects: Target, Etsy, Vera Bradley, even other blogs and I'm at a loss my friends.

So I've got to ask, what do you use as a picnic blanket? Any ideas, suggestions and picnic blanket finds would be greatly appreciated!

All In A Days Work

Happy Spring! I hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Our was perfectly delightful. Complete with gardening, spring cleaning and rearranging the house to be Spring ready!

Once we were done with the patio I sat outside reading my new magazines and savoring the pretty view while Abby sunbathed. I just love the freshness and colorful blooms that come with the season!

Here's a peek at our weekend projects~

Just getting started and Abby wanted to be a part of the action. My handsome husband mixing the soil.
Our weeekend purchases to spruce up what we already had.
Herbs!
Pretty succulents
Lovely blooms!
My gardenia:-)
And when we were done outside, I decided it was time to bring some Spring inside as well. I used things I already had to freshen up the dining area as well as the entry table, kitchen, bedrooms, bathroom, and living area! I love what a little rearranging can do for your mood!

Here's a little glimpse at the dining area~

I also started brainstorming some diy projects I'll be working on in the next few weeks. Can't wait to show you my progress!

Much Excitement!

Happy Friday! Today holds much excitement for me, the most obvious being that it's the last day of the work week and the last day of Winter! All I have to say about that is peace out and bring on more sunshine!

And the second and biggest excitement I have today comes from the call I received from my Dad early this morning letting me know I am a big sister again to another BROTHER! His name is Nicholas and everyone seems happy and healthy! A huge congratulations to my Dad and Rebecca! Sending you all my love and kisses! Can't wait to meet the little guy!

And finally, I'm looking forward to a delightful, sunny, SPRING weekend! In honor of the glorious occassion, we're going to plant new herbs, take Abby to the park, maybe hit up a few garage sales and just enjoy being outside!


Have a lovely weekend!

In-Season: Home

With the coming of each new season, it only feels natural to spruce up my living space with a few fun accents that make the space feel fresh. And with Springtime comes brighter, cheerier colors and apparently everything birds! Here are some finds I am just smitten with lately.

Welcome friends into your home with this incredibly sweet eco-friendly bird doormat by bambeco. And while your checking this out, take a peek at some of their other delightful home goods.

And now that Spring is so close, peonies are soon to show up! And who doesn't love a vase (or two or three!) full of these gorgeous blooms?

I am very fond of new pillow covers as an easy way to transition throughout the year. You might even say they are a minor obsession! When I found these by plumcushion I instantly fell in love. Then I saw the price tag and they quickly became purely inspiration .


And so I found a more affordable option with a similar look by Kainkain. A comparable substitute, wouldn't you say?


After Cup of Jo did a giveway from My Sparrow last week, I went crazy for their site! You really should give it a looksie. They have a fabulous selection of jewelry, home furnishings, fabric and so much more! My favorite finds were these bird paper weights that would be such a cute accent on a side table and the lovely owl pitchers pictured below. So, so cute!



I know it isn't reasonable for most of us to buy new bedding every season, but why not do it on a smaller scale and switch out just the shams? A much more frugal option that will still liven up any bedroom! I really like these Woodland Organic Shams from Pottery Barn. And they are on clearance!


And finally, put some pep in your step with this Smoldering Hues shower curtain by Anthropologie. Those fun colors could help anybody wake up happy!