A Plant for Every Room

Hi Friends, are any of you planting along with me today? No worries if you're not....this post will be waiting for you when you are ready. Here are the final steps for the Lowe's Sponsored Challenge.....Migrating Garden. With all my plants, containers and soil ready....let the planting begin. 

Matching the right plant to the right container can get really frustrating at times. The easiest way for me is to actually hold the plant in the container. It's like trying on a dress, and just like a dress...it looks better when it is not too tight.

Once you have decided that you like the scale and fit of the plant, remove it from the plastic container

Sometimes succulents naturally break apart when you remove them from the original container. This is another example of why I love succulents...a free plant!
I like to use the plastic container as a scoop for the soil. Fill your new container with soil

Make a well for your new plant

Put your plant in place and gently add more soil if needed. Be sure to lightly press down on the soil all around your plant

Dust off the dirt...I like to use a paint brush

Now that wasn't hard. Trust me, this is not beyond your abilities! 

A little more difficult, but still totally doable....is the arrangement of multiple plants. For this one, I like to start with the largest plant first

Then step it down a size

And gently tuck in the smallest plant last

Sometimes, when you remove the plant from the original container ,the roots are tightly bound. Before you replant gently separate the roots.

Once the roots are separated, you can see if you like the fit for your container

It really is that easy. Now for the fun part...travel around your home and find places for your Migrating Garden.
White container grouping...no tray

With a tray

DIY Tray Tutorial

The succulent arrangement

The blue & white grouping

With a plain bottom tray...that a few of you thought should be the third option (I totally agree and am glad you suggested it)

Can you spot the free plant that separated earlier?

Now if this wouldn't make the sweetest hostess or teacher's gift...I don't know what would.

I hope you give indoor gardening a try. I read some study once that said "gardeners live longer". I have no idea if it is true, but if it is...I think this would count!
If you haven't already grabbed your free subscription to some of the many Lowe's magazines...you can do that here. 
Finally, this is a list of my Lowe's Challenges for the year...just in case you missed them, or we didn't know each other back then:
Holiday Window Box Mum's The Word Cleaning Garden Tools Organizing Your Garden Stuff Garden Shed Makeover & Easy Window Boxes Adirondack Chair Makeover & Monogrammed Table
Happy baking, wrapping, or shopping...enjoy the moment whatever it is.

Easiest Plant....Ever

Hi friends, welcome back to my Lowe's Sponsored Challenge.  If you recall from yesterday's tray makeover post, I am working on a Migrating Garden. 
I mentioned that indoor plants don't like me. Here are my thoughts on that;
Plants are just like men....we want to live with the ones that want to live with us! Allow me to introduce you to the only plant species I have never killed...
Succulents!

For those of you who are already in love with succulents, just enjoy the pictures. For those of you who have always wanted to plant one in your home.....as the guy on that tv show says, 

"Let's Do It, People".

First, let me tell you a few reasons why I love succulents.

They have an architectural quality about them

They have a free flowing form

They have a wonderful variation in color (coral edged)

They look like my hair when it's humid

They come in lovely shades of blue-gray

AND....some of them bloom

Without going into the great debate on weather or not this is a cactus....I will tell you that they love dry soil. 
If you are anything like me, can you fit a plant watering schedule into your life? I can't.....so when you look at your succulent and think..."when was the last time I watered that thing"....you know it's time. Container round-up time!
 Here is the fun part....go around your home and pick things that you would like to put a plant in. I decided to have two groupings.
The white container group

The blue & white group

One last thing on the supply list...this soil mix

Now go round up your supplies and tomorrow while the cookies are burning baking we will plant them up together. They make great teacher's gifts.
If you are feeling really ambitious, you can go over to the Lowe's Creative Ideas page and learn how to make this container.

DIY Cement Container Tutorial

I also have a Pinterest board for Container Gardening.
See you tomorrow!
Update - Here is the planting tutorial

1 Tray...2 Ways

Welcome to my final Lowe's Sponsored Challenge for 2012!
The Challenge : Migrating Garden Taking the garden indoors for the colder months. This is quite the challenge because indoor plants hate me......except for one species. More on that later. I headed off to Lowe's for inspiration. For me, inspiration happens by traveling up and down every single isle. 
I could not believe how fantastic this display was. Lowe's is speaking my language in a big way. Completely forgetting why I came, I found myself wanting this entire vignette. That mirror...perfect (although gold paint would be my choice). That pillow is dying to become an upholstered stool. Those urns need to live in my home. AND THEN I SAW IT....

My inspiration....that tray on the floor holding the towels. 
I rounded the corner with my cart....and there they were

They reminded me of this $80 tray. Only, I liked the handles on the Lowe's tray much better....oh yeah, and I loved the price!
If you are wondering what a tray has to do with a Migrating Garden....I'll get there. By the way, I had to take these home, too.

A few more supplies

Tray makeover time. I wanted the handles gold, so I taped them off

Then I taped newspaper over the tray leaving only the handles exposed

Spray, spray, spray....and you have this

I tried to to take out some of the light reflections in my photo.

Now for the fancy corners. I put the hinges in place with a dab of the glue, and then pre-drilled the holes. Please note that I replaced the screws with shorter ones.

Next, I wanted a contrasting bottom for the tray. For this, I used poster board and some fabric.

Cut the poster board to fit the tray, and wrap it with the fabric

Here is my custom tray

But the title is 1 tray 2 ways....so....here is the other version

Do you have a favorite? I can't decide. 
I'll be back tomorrow to show you how I selected my containers for my Migrating Garden. In the mean time,  click on over to the Lowe's Creative Ideas page where you can find fun projects like this wooden snowflake ornament.

Wooden Snowflake Ornament Tutorial

They use the same drill I use. 
I recently heard that if you live in a building with a handyman,  you are supposed to give him a holiday tip! I am the handyman handy-woman in this building.....wonder what my tip from my family will be? Update - Here is how I selected my containers Update - Here is my Migrating Garden on the tray

Fall Display

****Update, this giveaway is over...here is the winner***
Thanks for coming back and checking in on my progress with my Mum's The Word challenge. If you missed the first post, you can go here.
Remember Lowe's has sponsored me to get creative with chrysanthemum's.  I hate waiting for the reveal...don't you?
Here is what my entry looks like now

That's me in the pink reflecting in the door. Now let me show you how I put this together. 
I had these old baskets in the garage

A little black and white paint and now they look like this

A hollowed out foam pumpkin painted white, on the right.

Then I decided to get a bit more creative. I picked up a stencil with some small interesting shapes

Blue paint, a stencil brush....and now I have this

A Ginger Jar pumpkin. It's that touch of whimsy that makes me smile.

A fresh new doormat

But the one thing...if I had to pick just one....that make's me so happy
Is saying goodbye to this

The transformation of this ugly threshold is here. 
A few more mum's and pumpkin's, and cabbage, and gourd's, and pepper's...

And my front went from this

To this

AND NOW...WHO WANT'S TO WIN A LOWE'S GIFT CARD?

There are five (5) ways to enter 1. You must be a GFC follower of my blog (1 comment)
2. Tweet about this giveaway with link and #LowesGardenClub       (1 comment)
3. Pin this Lowe's Gift Card Giveaway image above (1 comment)
4. Click over to the Lowe's Creative Ideas site, come back and tell             me what project inspires you (1 comment)
5. Do #4 again (1 comment)
This contest will end Tuesday, October 9th at midnight (EST). The Gift Card will be sent directly from a Lowe's representative. **Linking to Cottage & Vine**

Paint The Ugly Threshold

Here is my Lowe's Sponsored Challenge: Mum's The Word! Decorate any part of your home or garden with chrysanthemum's. Get as creative as you like.
As soon as I opened this one, I knew what I wanted to do...
My front door

But wait....I can't just decorate this place without fixing that thing that has been bothering me for years! 
See it? 
It is screaming at me..."I'm so ugly!"

No, not the dead Lamb's Ear.

This

I have hated this aluminum threshold from day one. 
I even tried to make it black with Rub N Buff.
Big fail

Since I wasn't sure how to fix it after my Rub N Buff disaster, I asked the guy's in the Lowe's paint department.
First, you need to remove as much of the metal wax as possible 

  Next

I used this tape

To protect the door and bluestone

Prime

2 coats of paint

And you have this

But I'm STILL not done. As long as we have gone through all of this trouble, let's seal the door properly.....Winter is coming!
Look at where the door meets the bluestone

I like this one

While you are at it...check all around the door for additional air leaks.
Apply the caulk and wipe off excess

Now, I'm ready to decorate the front area. Come back tomorrow to see how I finished this area. That is when you can enter the giveaway. In the mean time, click on over to the Lowe's Creative Ideas site for more inspirational projects.
****Go here for part two and the giveaway!**** 

Organize Your Garden Stuff....Part Two

Yesterday, I told you how Lowe's challenged me (and sponsored me) to organize something. You may remember that I cleaned my tools before I organized them. If you are wondering how I decided to tidy up the inside of my shed....here is a clue.

This might be a good time to tell you that the disorganization is what lead to my bypass pruners obsession....but aren't they clean?
Now you need to see how I got here...It all started like this.

This is not staged....wait, it gets better

You know it would look so much cleaner if we didn't keep those golf clubs....just sayin.
On the other side, you ask

Do bikes and crutches go together?
Here is the best part, until this challenge...I didn't think it was that bad, well....compared to my garage.
Starting with this wall, I added two studs

A friend of mine used to say that the stud finder would go off every time he walked by it.
A trip to Lowe's for some pegboard cut to size (thank you Lowe's man who obsesses over measurements more than I).

Install the pegboard

Go ahead....add some trim around it....it's a girl's shed! 

Recognize the trim? You know how I like to use door casing.
Next, I added these full length shelves

Now this side looks like this

Can you see the bucket of oily sand? 
What about the other side? I'm so glad you asked. Using this system...I hung the bikes and the golf clubs.

Yes, that would be a 10-speed bike. It's vintage, and so is the man who doesn't rides it.
Other tools

I fell in love, that sounds a bit weird...with these hooks! 
As you can see, I have room for more tools...yeah.

Let's review....I went from this

To this

Now let's play a game....what is this?

For more great ideas, check out the updated Lowe's Creative Ideas page.