Planter Planning

Does this ever happen to you? 

Once spring starts, you are feeling happy and ambitious with your container gardening plans. Online you go......in search of the perfect pair of planters (Peter Picked a Pepper)....and you find them!!

So excited am I...are you...into your virtual basket they go

AND they are 'sold out'!

This has happened to me too many times to count. I have learned that late winter is the time to plan your outdoor living items....planters in particular. 

Since I have no idea where or what my next patio will be, I will be refraining from purchasing, but dreaming and planning away.

I love everything about the entrance to this London flat.

Via

And here ya go.

Thos. Baker Planter / Smith & Hawken Planter

Wayfair did it again with this beautiful maintenance-free version, or this one. (note: this has been updated since the original planters have been sold and the post is several years old).

Learn from my mistakes and start your planter planning now. How do you like those Photoshop skills? Did you notice the color of the prices match the different planters? 

#ThingsToEntertainMeLateAtNight

One Room Challenge Now

This idea came from Elisa of Fancy Free Me.  When the last One Room Challenge came to an end, she asked me if I would do an update post....just in case a few people had not finished....or decided to make some changes.

So let's 'snap out of it', as Cher once said!

I know, it is freezing in most parts of the Country...but we need to move on....or at least I do.

I have been missing the One Room Challege, and I hope you have, too. I have also been wondering what ever happened.....

Did Michele ever finish that fireplace insert?

Stephanie left us hanging at 80% completion.

Did Elisa hem those drapes?

Did Layne paint her floors?

It has been two years and approximately 150 rooms....I want to know what they look like now, don't you?

Tiffany, Lisa, Kim, and Mary Ann have all moved.....

A few people have had babies...and don't even get me started on Shareeeeky Freeeeeeky!

Did you ever notice how Jennifer ignored her fourth wall in this challenge? I guess she though we would not notice? Come on, Jennifer....show us that wall!

Please join me on Wednesday, February 26th for the One Room Challenge Now Linking Party! Just in case you are not familiar with how to link up, read this.

If you have done more than one room.....feel free to link each one up.

And if you are looking for motivation to finish a room, join us in the next round!!

Since I am only one blogger....go tell your friends because misery loves company it is more fun working as a group!

Will you be linking up or joining in on the next round?

 

Photoshop Fun and a Vote

I decided to learn Photoshop before the second half of my life begins. I have always wanted to expand my graphics by removing backgrounds, layering images, and adding text. I am on day four of my 30 day free trial with Elements 12 and I think I like it.

I must say, it is not intuitive at all. In fact, I had a telephone conversation with my favorite graphic designer for some advice. For my first collage, I thought it would be best to stick with one color scheme, in this case turquoise. 

DB Bag / Turquoise Ring / Bracelet / Kate Spade Readers

Obviously, I am on the verge of enormous graphic design success... Or at least I won't embarrass myself with my tinkering.

And speaking of graphic design success, The Pink Pagoda has been nominated for the Design Bloggers Hall of Fame Award.

She is in the category of Best Design Blog Graphics, Photography, and Presentation. 

I can't think of a more deserving person or blog for this category. 

In honor of her nomination, and the fact that it is Award Season, I made this photo collage.

Yes, I know....she is so lucky I was not nominated. I'm sure it will be a tight race between us next year ;-).

You can vote for Jennifer here.

Do you know how to use Photoshop? Any tips?

 

Orchid Exposition

I love looking at orchids. Every time I visit a Botanical Garden I make my way to the Orchids display. The last time I was able to see an abundance of Orchids was when I visited the New York Botanical Gardens. Wow, I just checked the date of that post, and it has been too long.

Next month, the Annual Pacific Orchid Exposition, the largest Orchid show in the United States, will be taking place in San Francisco. The show is running February 20-23 and I am sad that I cannot attend. In a few years, when my daughter goes to college in the Bay Area (my plan, not hers) I will make sure to visit her while the Orchid Exposition is open. Hopefully it will coordinate nicely with the Fancy Food Show. 

All Images Courtesy of the San Francisco Orchid Society

Aren't these pictures stunning? Have you ever attended a flower show?

 

Coastal Living, Take Me Away

Raise your hand if you have A-N-O-T-H-E-R snow day!

Yes, the call came in the wee hours of the morning. Two teenagers and a dog. Although our driveway gets plowed, or walkway does not. I actually enjoy shoveling it with my son. Since I don't play video games, and know nothing about NASCAR, it is one of the few things that we can do together....and laugh. 

Other than the walkway, I am sure there will be a whole lot of laziness going on. 

I subscribe to Coastal Living, and because of that I can read it on my iPad too. Magazines on iPads are great for taking screen shots and blogging about them :-).

I am looking forward to reading it end to end. 

All images via Coastal Living

I know I will miss these days, so I am going to enjoy the time and remind myself that life really is short.

How are you spending the day?

 

Pretty Pajamas

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

My husband has the day off today, so I can have a late pajama morning... 

sans coat to hide them. 

Yes, on a freezing cold morning, I have been known to stay in bed a little longer... resulting in my throwing a coat over my pajamas and dropping the kids off at school. Don't worry, I am usually dressed and out of them by 10am.

Yesterday, I found these pretty pajamas on One Kings Lane. I am in desperate need of a pretty new pair, and I think the colorful floral ones will take me into Spring. 

My life is exciting and full, I know. 

Do you have pretty pajamas? Do you stay in them after 9am?