Miniature Samplers - A Start

I've kitted up a couple of the Homespun Elegance "Miniature Samplers".  I thought I'd stitch the ABC Rabbit sampler, and the Bird Sampler.  I had the linen and floss, so it's just a matter of finding time to stitch.

This morning was glorious and I was up and outside by 7:00am. 

I worked on the front porch - moving plants and "garden art" and creating what passes for vignettes in my book!

  

This is a vignette in green!

The weather forecast called for a storm with wind and heavy rain to move in by 12:00pm.  I finished up about 10:30am just as it was beginning to sprinkle.  Only 20 more plants to pot up!

Herbs, a resuscitated Hosta, and other nameless plants   

Cute As A Bug - Progress

I'm off to a good start with "Cute As A Bug" - though right now it looks more like a Space Alien than an insect!  Really pleased with the color pallet used.

On the gardening front, I've got one area on the front porch beginning to take shape - the fern and hosta bench.

  

Ferns on bench - Hostas below

I also planted out the two whiskey barrels in front of the porch.

 

The Italian Garden

This one has my "Italian Garden" plants which I won back in April.  As they are mostly herbs, I'm going to "deer test" them and see if the deer won't leave them alone rather than munching on them.

The second barrel has a mix of arctosis and osteospermum - both which the deer adore - so I'll need to spray deer repellent.

 

What I Did Yesterday

Last night I finished - finally - stitching "Fly by Night".  I don't know why it took my over six weeks to complete this rather basic design, other than I kept setting it aside to work on something else.  I am really pleased with it - a very simple color palette, and "folk" look.  I messed with the date and initials to personalize it.  I think it turned out well.  The linen was very soft and supple, easy to handle. 

Design - Fly By Night

Designer - Crazy Folk

Linen - 28 count Light Exemplar Lakeside linen

Fibers - WDW

Started - 1 April 2010

Completed - 16 May 2010 

The weather forecast yesterday called for rain to move in by the afternoon.  Luckily the storm was delayed for several hours, so after dinner I potted up eighteen fuchsias.  The poor old fuchsias have suffered something fierce from my neglect.  I purchased most of them a couple of weeks ago, and did not water them as frequently as I should.  They've all revived, but two or three are extremely bedraggled.  

I still need to pot up the two hostas in the back right of the photo.  I won the plants last fall, and over-wintered them in their original pots.  Now, they too are looking bedraggled and are in need of some horticultural love and attention!    

Fuchsias

Cute As A Bug and Plants Behind Bars

I'm back to ladybugs again!  I've kitted up "Cute as a Bug" by Birds of a Feather.  I'm going to stitch it on Dark Cappuccino as the BOAF fabric "Wren" is no longer in production.  The GAST colors are great.

And why, you might ask are these pots and plants in jail - behind bars?  A one word answer - DEER!  I've centered the three largest pots with evergreen trees - the deer won't bother those, but for some summer color, and to placate the hummingbirds, I've also planted nasturtiums, salvia, agastache, and a potato vine - all of which the deer will greedily consume.  Hence "the cage".

     

This is my sedum display.  It is on the back patio and faces west, so gets alot of afternoon sun and heat.  The sedums thrive, and with applications of a deer repellent spray, they are left alone.

I also like to use sedums in strawberry jars.  This green glazed jar over-wintered very well.  I added a coleus at the top to go with the thyme, and only had to replant one of the sedums.

This terracotta planter did not fair so well.  I ended up re-potting almost the entire jar.  The top now has a grass and a sedge.  The sides are all sedums.  By the time I finished up with this "jar", it was getting warm, and it time for lunch.  I'm now back to about five flats of plants to set out, if we stay rain-free, I may have another go at it this evening. 

Be Merry - Christmas in May

Peonies at Lane County Farmers' Market

Yes, Christmas in May.  Or at least, a winter theme - with a May finish.  I began this piece back in February and all was good until I realized I did not have The Thread Gatherer's Silk 'n Colors in Belvedere Garden.  So I ordered it along with several charts and a couple piece of fabric.  One of the linens I ordered was a Lakeside linen and it was back-ordered, so the entire order was delayed and I finally got it a couple of days ago.  

I think it was worth the wait though - I love the variegated look of the snowman's stocking cap.      

Design - Be Merry

Designer - Val's Stitchin' Stuff

Magazine - Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue 2006

Fabric - 25 count Moss Green Lugana

Fibers - WDW, Hat - Belvedere Gardens

Started - 20 February 2010

Completed - 14 May 2010

This morning was a fun morning.  My sister set up the tables and banner for the Lane County Dahlia Society's final fundraising tuber sale.  They were to "open" at 9:00am, but had customers waiting by 8:40am.

We then went to the Lane County Farmers' Market...and the food...oh, the food!  What a great place for breakfast!

  

My sister had the Andouille Sausage Hash...

I had a breakfast burrito with eggs, potatoes, cheese, sausage and sour cream! Yumm!  We then stood in the long line for Hideaway Bakery so we could purchase pain au chocolate.

There were lovely flowers like the peonies at the top of my post.  Also wonderfully colorful veggies - carrots and beets...

Radishes and leeks...

Our last stop - Down to Earth.  I bought four more bags of organic potting soil, and I must confess, not one, but two more flats of plants!  I am addicted to spring - that's all there is to it. 

Birds, Birds, Birds

This birdhouse is outside a window on our stairwell landing.  I'd worried that it was too exposed and would not be inhabited.  But for the last couple of weeks - despite the cats watching from the window - we have had prospective tenants flying by and perching on the stoop.  Yesterday, I caught our "new neighbor" bringing in a piece of grass with which to build a nest.  Though I cannot see it, somewhere there must be a sign which reads "OCCUPIED"!

In keeping with the avian theme, I finished up "Birds" by Heart in Hand.

Design - Birds

Designer - Heart in Hand

Fabric - 32 count Summer Khaki linen

Started - 11 May 2010

Completed - 12 May 2010

And this morning, I potted up several coleus and large fern...still have about six flats of plants to set out...this is supposed to be fun right, not work.  I need to stop being so compulsive, and enjoy the process.

Now, it must be time for a nap!