Fall Colors + Front Porches

I mentioned last week that I wanted to spend some time cleaning and updating our outdoor spaces to bring a bit of fall, and this weekend I was able to do just that! My dear mama came over on Friday to lend me a hand (I'd be lost without that woman. #thankGodformoms, can I get an amen?) and we set to work arranging mums, scavenging for branches and doing some good old fashion piddling. (That's Southern for rearranging/decorating if you're stumped.) I am beyond pleased with the simple, rustic result and the red, orange and purple hues of the coming season. Elliot and I spent the majority of Saturday on the porch swing enjoying the breeze.

A quick tip about the mums that my wise mama passed down to me: leave them in their plastic containers instead of actually planting them in pots! You can surround them with dirt (see the pot to the right of the front door) or just place in a larger container. They will be fine for the month or so that they are out on the porch, then I will plant them in a flower bed beneath Elliot's window. The ones from the past two years have come back and are flourishing!

Happy porch weather!

xoxo

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Spring Fever // The Home Edition

The warm sunny days filling the weekends lately have put me into serious cleaning and organization mode. Like every other home owner I know, I have a laundry list of projects, updates and DIYs for our house. Unfortunately, being nine months pregnant hinders some of these projects, so I've turned my attention to the things I can currently complete. Husband recently helped me update our couch's end tables via this Ikea hack, and I am so pleased with the end result. Now my sights are set on updating the rest of our living and dining room furniture and revamping our front entrance... and perhaps completing a few outdoor projects along the way! 

Smitten Studio Garment Rack DIY

Cement Planter DIY

Antler Water Hose Hook {I think husband can make this}

Wooden Planter DIY

Bleecker Side Chair - Jonathan Adler for JCP

Walton Sofa - West Elm

West Elm Emersen-Inspired Buffet - DIY

Restoration Hardware-Inspired Shelving - DIY

I've been eyeing dining room chairs for a while, and these Jonathan Adler ones are pretty perfect with the wooden base and nail head trim. Also for the dining room, I think some industrial wood shelving would make a neat alternative for a bar or bar cart. As for our patio, I'd like to make some simple modern planters to house some of our favorite plants and make a cool garden hose hanger for the side of the house since the current one is an eyesore.

Do you have any spring projects or updates in mind?

{All products and links can also be found here.}

xoxo

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Hen Party

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Since husband and I eat eggs regularly we decided last fall that we wanted to have our own chickens. After a bit of research, we found some locally and started building our coop. Since it's early days, the coop has come a long way, but we are still improving it. The original design cost us under $50 since we used a lot of material we already had. But with all the cold weather and wind, we have decided to spend little more time and money on making the girls a better home and are in the process of remodeling their coop. 

We plan to create a new coop and run off of the side of our existing shed. We will use treated siding that is weather proof (unlike the plywood) and attach a dog kennel that we already have to use as a run. We also already have some tin roofing and will purchase a couple more pieces to allow for a roof over the run as well. We have an old ladder and perches that we currently use, so those will go in the new coop, too. Our nesting boxes are made of plywood, but you can easily use anything for a nesting box! We plan to add a couple windows to the front of the coop, which are easy to find at thrift stores, but we happen to have a two old ones that we can use. The final touch will be a red lamp to promote egg laying during the winter months and will provide a little heat for the cold winter days. {We have actually already added the light to the current coop since it's been so bitter cold at night. We turn it off during the day when it's a bit warmer.}

Currently we have three chickens -- a Buff Orpington and two Araucanas. Interestingly, the Araucanas are Easter egg layers, meaning they lay teal or pink eggs. We lucked out and got one that lays teal and one that lays a pale pink egg. They all taste the same, but it's a fun conversation piece and they look great sitting on the counter! And after our new coop is complete, we plan to get two more ladies.

We feed them traditional food which does contain wheat and corn, but we also give them plenty of greens and vegetable and fruit scraps. They spend a lot of time scratching around in our yard, so they get plenty of protein. We are researching making our own food which would be free of grains, but it may not be very realistic given the fact that we don't have access to some of the ingredients. I'll keep you posted on what we find out.

Do you have backyard chickens? If so, any words of wisdom or funny stories?
xoxo

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Secret Garden

One of my favorite places to sit and read or share a cup of coffee and conversation is my parent's backyard. We spent countless hours outside as children, helping dad cut the grass and build walkways or helping mom plant window boxes and create beautiful flower beds. It is amazing to look back now and see the transformation of their back yard. {I even remember planting the cypress trees that now reach as high at the second story of the house!}

A love of gardening is definitely a trait I received from my mother. There is something so peaceful about a garden, being surrounded by all that greenery and life. And there is something very cathartic and fulfilling about seeing years of hard work turn into such a beautiful escape.

xoxo

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Outdoor Spaces

One of the most exciting things about purchasing a home is the potential for creating a really incredible outdoor space. A place for grilling and entertaining, curling up in the sun with a book, planting an herb and vegetable garden, and simply enjoying nature. Lately I've been scouting deck design websites and bookmarking some inspiring spaces that I'd like to emulate. Here are some of my current favorites.

{all can be found here}
xoxo

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green thumb

when i was little i used to spend hours on end in the garden with my mother. she would show me the correct way to pot flowers and plant vegetables, always with steadfast patience and a smile. i never once saw her go back and redo something that i had more than likely messed up.

my favorite part of the day was picking the vegetables, especially the radishes and beets. it was so fun to pull the green, leafy tops and watch the red bulbs fly out of the dirt. there wasn't a radish within ten feet of me that was safe. and although i am certain that in my childlike eagerness i plucked most of them before they were ready, my mother never became irritated with me.

these are some of my favorite memories... the days we would spend gardening together.


living in the city it is often hard to connect with my inner outdoorsy girl. it's great to go to the park for a trail run and plan weekends in the mountains camping and hiking, but i often miss the small indulgences of growing up surrounded by nature.

one of the ways that i try to regain this is with my little back porch garden. there is something so soothing about being surrounded by living plants. i love the feeling of seeing something grow, of nurturing little seedlings into beautiful flowers or useful fruits and herbs.

{sweet basil is perfect for summer pizzas, caprese salads, and homemade pesto.}


i look forward to having a "real" backyard garden one day, full of vegetables and fruit. squash, zucchini, broccoli, cucumbers, spinach, strawberries, watermelon, and tomatoes galore.

do you have a garden? if so, what are you growing these days?
xoxo


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