Happy Happy Happy Friday! I hope you find a bit of spring someplace this weekend. Here’s this weeks bouquet! xo, Abbey
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Before: Target plastic trashcan, circa 2000
After: Faux bois Martha Stewart wrapping paper transformation, circa 2008
Cost, $5 (wrapping paper on sale at Micheal’s: $1 and glue $3.99).
Let’s hear it for 2008 and finishing projects!
I’m in need of a bulletin board — something close to my desk where I can tack up reminders and bits of inspiration. I haven’t found anything from the usual suspects (C&B, Staples, etc) that I thought was beautiful and the right size for my somewhat awkward desk area. So, I decided to make one! I’d been keeping my eye out for nice frames on Ebay anyway so when I saw one that was large enough to be a medium sized bulletin board, I bought it ($42).
Next stage, removing glass, applying cork (around $11 a roll at Staples) and foam core backing ($5).
I’ll post as it comes along!
New Obsession: Water Lillies and Container Water Gardens. I’ve started one of my very own, which started as a wee root sitting in a huge container on my porch. I purchased a lightweight 20inch container from Home Depot (to make sure the lilly could be submerged 12-18 inches) and a lilly plant. I put the plant root into the aquatic soil I bought at Home Depot and made sure to really limit the “organic material” ie soil in the water, as soil can cause algee. I left it alone for three weeks, making sure to keep the water topped up. After about two weeks of very little action, lilly pads started poping up! Then, I added an aquatic iris and star rush plant, which I may have done too soon, as the water turned 100% slimmy algae and smelled 100% like a pond. I let it sit like that for a week or so, and then changed out about half the water and the algae cleared up. I then added guppies and two snails, who seem very happy. Now I’m waiting for the lilly to bloom!
Update: Here is some great ‘how-to’ on water gardening from Home & Garden TV.
After a long hiatus I’ve made some new abigail cards, inspired by high school science. They are up on etsy, too. While most of my old cards are from wallpaper or gocco‘d, these are professionally printed and usher in a new era of abigail cards. With school and work and the new apartment I’ve been neglecting craft and my love of making things, so I felt such relief at making these and using my creative brain.
Back in New York, I continued to plant the porch — this container is my favorite to date. I also rescued the white geraniums that were just not getting enough water and transplanted the basil, lemon verbena and sage into organic soil (which I finally was able to purchase in VT) so that we’ll be able to make pesto in the late summer. This container is planted with: Hawaii Sky Blue Ageratum, Pineapple Mint (with lovely white veragated leaves), thrift armeria, white pansies, Johnny Jump Ups, bachelor’s buttons.
I purchased the plants at Chelsea Gardens (expensive but easy to get to), DIMITRIS Garden Center (still expensive, less easy to get to), Walker’s Farm in Putney VT (cheaper, great selection, well established plants) and Home Depot in Brattleboro, VT (cheaper, selection of “staples”, less well established than Walker’s).
What are your favorite container garden plants? Favorite container? Send me pics! Abbey
A sure sign of the coming spring and of my March blues, the gardening catalogs have started arriving. Even though I live in New York City, I took a look and check out these lovelies. Blueberry bushes and shrub roses I can grow in containers on our balcony!! My favorite amaryllis, but grown for the summer. All of this capped off by noticing that the daffodils and crocus shoots are just beginning to emerge from the cold ground.
My cousin Ruth made this flash site which is almost as wonderful as the “dress your pug” flash site she made a couple of years ago! Create away and use that office color printer.
My oldest friend Emily (we met in summer camp when we were 12!!) came into town last weekend and what was supposed to be general wedding brainstorming session quickly spiraled into a full blown down and dirty project of actually designing and printing her save the dates on my trusty Gocco (we’re both get-it-done girls). The image is of a marigold (the key color/flower of her August wedding) and was found online (its a “swamp” marigold). We dragged the stationary store main of 19th Street between 5th and 6th (Print Icon, Paper Presentations, Aruthur’s, Kate’s) and ended up buying the hang tags, brown envelopes and ribbon at Paper Presentations. I love how they turned out and I can’t wait for round two — the invitations!
