5 TIPS FOR EASY LANDSCAPING

Whether your yard is tiny or mammoth, the idea of landscaping can sometimes be completely overwhelming. Where do you start? What should you buy? Can we even do this? When we had our first two houses built, certain plants and shrubs were in the contract so I didn't really have much to think about. One day there was an empty patch of soil in the front of the house, and the next there were boxwoods, burning bushes, azaleas and rhododendrons. Pretty typical plants around New England. The builders even planted two huge Maple trees out front, as mandated by the city at the time for all new dwellings.

Well, this time around, there were no blank slates, so to speak. Honestly, it took much longer to un-do the landscaping here than to actually plant anything after we'd finished. But we've come a long way in just two years. All those previous years of getting my hands dirty, and making plenty of mistakes - that original "builder's" boring landscaping didn't stay for long!- have helped me streamline what I want my landscaping and yard to look like. Here are a few tips if you're just starting out, or if you're contemplating making some changes. I just love puttering around the garden and putting ideas into practice...hopefully these will be some helpful tips for you.

Tip #1: Make a plan (but be flexible)

Think about what you really want in terms of landscaping, and how much time you want to have to invest in keeping on top of everything. That last part of crucial. I had designed so many mulched garden beds in our last home and every spring I got a stomach ache just thinking about having to tackle those edges yet again.

Identify what areas are just for play- you don't really want to plant a garden bed or a tree right where the kids are going to play soccer and badminton; where you want some shade; a spot where you'd enjoy gazing outside at a beautiful plant, and letting its fragrance waft in through an open window. Do you envision a patio, or a fire pit to gather around? These are all important things to consider when designing your landscaping.

Once you jot some ideas down, head to the bookstore or library- or ask around your neighborhood!- to learn which plants thrive in your area. There are tons of resources to help you make your choices. Now add some good options to your list, or better yet, sketch out some of your ideas with plants in mind, keeping in mind their mature sizes and sun/shade needs. Next, pick up a few plants and shrubs and lay them out where you think you'll be planting them. Keep an eye on them for a few days, making sure they get enough sun or shade. Move them around to get a different perspective, too- much harder to move things after they're planted in the ground. I know! If you're creating a large garden bed, you may not be able to fill in every single spot, and that's okay. It takes time for things to grow, which leads me to the next tip.

Tip #2:  Plant groupings of one plant or shrub for the greatest impact

We've all seen that sad-looking sparse band of tulips around the base of a tree, or the hodgepodge garden where everything is out of sorts because there's just a little too much going on. Plant flowers and shrubs together in a group rather than a single "line" and row for a much greater impact. Groupings of three, five and other odd numbers work best- just one of the tricks of the trade, I guess, because they really do look so much better. I used to think that this would limit what I could plant, but it really doesn't. It actually allows the plant to pop because a group of them stands out far more than an isolated one does.

Now, if you're planning a foundation garden, by all means consider creating a solid hedge-like row to act as a gorgeous backdrop for smaller plants. Some people prefer to stagger the larger plants slightly to avoid such a uniform look- the choice is yours. I love hydrangea so I've planted several in a staggered row on one side of our house; but on the other side, I've kept things more cottage-like, with a bigger variety of specimen shrubs and flowers planted in groups.
  
Tip # 3: Don't overcrowd your plantings

More than likely, the plants you're putting in the ground are going to be much smaller versions of what they'll become. Give them room to grow. Maybe even more than you think. Yes, you'll have lots of "negative space" for a little while, but there's nothing worse than having to deal with a shrub that has outgrown its home in just a couple of years. Use colorful annuals to fill in bare spots, or choose a monochrome theme to add a certain elegance to your garden.


Tip #4: Work with the space you've got

You can't change the pattern of the sun any more than you can will the temperature to stay above freezing in the winter, here in New England anyway. I think it's great to try new things and be a little ambitious once in a while, but if you continually choose plants and flowers that just don't thrive in your area, I'm afraid you'll be constantly frustrated and disappointed.

When we moved in here, we had to deal with what we lovingly called "the pet cemetery" out front. Twenty years of neglect in what might have started out as a lovely little garden area with a few trees really left it unmanageable, unsightly and a pain in the rear to try to clean up. In the end, the best thing to do was simply clear the area and start over. Sometimes a fresh start is the best remedy to any situation. But there are other things that I simply cannot change, like the deep shade on the north side of the house or the severe slope in the backyard.

Try to determine what you need to accept and what you can try to change. Don't be afraid of making mistakes, or of having to change things up here and there. Experience is the best teacher in gardening. I've been designing and planting gardens for over twenty years now, and while I've got certain basics down, there is still so much to learn!

Tip # 5: Take time to enjoy the view (and photograph your hard work!)
 
This one is rather self-explanatory, but in all seriousness, get out there and enjoy those blooms! And don't forget to document your hard work. Some of my very favorite pictures are the ones of my children, smiling beside their "birth" trees, or standing in front of a sweeping mass of pink phlox- you will always have the perfect backdrop for any photos with good landscaping.

I hope this has given you some ideas, or at least a little inspiration. Now go grab a shovel and make something pretty.  ;)

Here are some photos of the landscaping in our current home:

You can see all the empty spaces- and this was before I added a dwarf Rose of Sharon tree toward the left there- but this year, these plants are coming back triple-sized and I'm so glad there's room to accommodate them all.

These Columbine, lovingly referred to as "rocket ship flowers" by our youngest son, are some of my favorites. They take center stage in the foundation garden out front.

These plants may be tiny when first planted (this was two summer ago), but they'll be taking up lots more room in just a couple of years.

After a fall spruce-up... more annuals- like these mums- fill in those gaps beautifully while the main plants and shrubs are still small and growing.

You can read some other posts about our garden transformations by clicking on the links below :
Phase One of the Front Yard Transformation

Front Steps Make-Over for Fifty Bucks

To read about how to create a rock garden and plant on a slope, click here.

The following photos were taken at our former home, where we lived for nearly eleven years. I'm planning on writing a post about creating living fences- prefect for those new construct yards the builders clear cut- and some tips for creating borders and hedges with tons of texture, interest and color. I miss our yard!

The right grouping of plants add an interesting mix of color and texture.

Another benefit to planting specimen trees is the joy in watching their blossoms burst forth each spring. This is my beloved Japanese cherry tree, planted in honor of our youngest son's birth.

 And a variety of trees gives plenty of nesting opportunities- what a joy to watch!

Yet my very favorite thing about landscaping is how you can create special places outside for your family. Not only do things look beautiful and interesting, but the spaces are useful and inviting. Every summer, we sought relief in the shade of a favorite tree in the backyard, and especially enjoyed dragging out beach blankets, books and lemonade for a fun, leisurely afternoon twenty or so minutes.  =)
.

Happy Gardening!

sharing with:
Sew Many Ways 
DIY by Design

SEWING PROJECTS FOR MYSELF

I used to sew clothes for myself All.The.Time when I was younger. I was athletic, fit, and everything I tried worked perfectly, and most importantly, fit. Around the time Ethan was born, I tried to make some things for myself, but my body had changed- I lost most of the pregnancy weight, but things were just, well, different. I tried a few more times but was always less than thrilled with the results. By the time I was running around chasing my three gorgeous boys (all born within 39 months of each other), I had simply given up on the idea. I loved my babies and I loved my life, but a thyroid issue and stress binge-snacking had me not quite loving my shape. It was a really difficult time. I cringe when I see nearly every photo of me from back then because I know I wasn't looking my best, and I certainly wasn't feeling my best.

I've worked hard over the past few years to like what I see when I look in the mirror, and let me tell you, it isn't just about the body. So much is about what's going on in the mind! I don't need to be perfect- and who is?- but I want to be my best. So I've embraced designing and sewing things for myself in the past year or so. And do you know what? I love it again! Such a great feeling.

Here's a sampling of one of my stashes for this spring/summer, and this year, it's going to be all about the dresses and skirts. I'm a tall 5'9" and the things I keep trying on in stores are simply too short. Same thing with pretty tops and shirts, but that's another story for another day. Sorry if this is totally and completely boring to you, but I kind of love it, ha.

I need a few well-fitting staples in my closet such as a denim softly-pleated A-line skirt, a go-to summer dress (or two, or three!) that can be dressed up or worn casually, and one or two pretty blazers/jackets to pull things together. I made quite a few tops last year- maybe I'll share those sometime- so I'm mostly set with blouses and shirts.

 Since we're barely above zero, and rarely even hitting hitting double digits this winter, dreaming of these summery things is both torture and exciting, ha ha!

I just had to share this cute pic I posted on Instagram a bit ago: we keep taking turns getting sick over here, and Caleb spent one afternoon pouring his little heart into knitting a scarf for Mimi. I LOVE that my boys are secure enough in their "manhood" to embrace crafty things- they are quite talented! All three of them make awesome things.

Speaking of dreaming about spring and summery things, here are the fabrics I'm using this year for custom nightgowns at Rose and Ruffle. I absolutely adore them! So, so pretty! I think #7 and #9 are my favorites. =)
I have more details on my sewing blog- here- and on my shop's site - here. Please let me know if you have any questions about ordering. Thanks!

Summer Fun and Some Home Improvement Details

You know big things are about to happen when there's a toilet sitting in your garage. I mean, really. That's big stuff right there.  ;)

I feel like we haven't tackled any of those last few things on our 'House List' in a while. Honestly, the work outside has occupied every spare second kept us busy. I'll have to add some more photos because the grass is growing now and the whole yard looks so different. Wow. That was a gi-nor-mous project, but now it's time to focus on the inside.

But it's summer. And it's hot. HOT! I guess we'll just chip away at that list as we're able because I am definitely not missing out on summer fun with my kids. A shelf or a door knob (or a toilet!) can wait...making memories cannot. We were so excited about taking just Caleb and Isabelle on an impromptu trip to the zoo and amusement park last night since the older two are at sleep-overs, although I will admit there's a part of me that is never settled when we're off doing something with one or two but missing the other one or two. I know spending time alone with parents is crucial, but as the parent, it's something that's much more challenging than I'd ever have thought. I hate the idea of experiencing something fun without everyone there to be part of it. Am I the only one who thinks this way?

Anyhoo. I glanced at the hours online (why I didn't do this before we made our plans is beyond me) as W was driving home from work only to discover that the zoo closes at 5. It take an hour to get there, and we couldn't even leave before 4:15. Ugh. So we did what any sensible parent who has already hinted at a fun, special time out together does and we ate out and closed down the local swimming pool. I wrote on instagram how strange it felt to not be outnumbered for a change, ha!

Today as we embark on another adventure, I'm not making eye contact with that toilet out there. Well, you know what I mean. =)

Then again, this picture was taken one year ago, and he looks like he's having fun, right?

If you want to see our summer fun shenanigans, you can find me on IG as 'roseandruffle' here.

In sewing news, I made something for myself that I adore (finally) and a denim maxi skirt for I- her official first maxi skirt. I'm both ecstatic and a little sad. It feels like yesterday she was wearing ruffled bloomers and pinafores. Post here.

Hope it's a great day for you!

The Sewing Project That Made Me Curse

I've been sewing things my entire life, and I can attest to that wonderful feeling you get when you pour your heart and soul into a project and all the seams just happen to line up perfectly, the gathers or what have you just fall beautifully into place, and the whole piece comes out even better than you hoped for.

And then there are those other projects. You know the ones. Nothing lines up, this part is far shorter than that part, it puckers in the worst possible spot, you can't get the sizing right no matter how many times you measure, re-measure, and force ask your child to try it on yet again.

Blech.

I thought it would be soooo easy to whip up a gymnastics leotard for Isabelle...I read tutorial after tutorial, arming myself with the necessary knowledge, and I was certain it would be effortless and fun. Hours in, and probably on the third or fourth re-do, a colorful little adjective unexpectedly flew off my lips and I knew that was it. (Yes, I was alone-- no witnesses...phew!) I was done. No more wasted time or resources. Now just catching a glimpse of that swanky, shiny silver metallic lame-- and then the added-on-so-it-might-actually-fit-this-time hot pink crushed panne bodice-- gets my heartbeat going double-time and my shoulders tense up. It's time to put in another Etsy order for a new leotard, especially since I adore the first one that I actually bought.

I have made plenty of things with no "real" pattern before, and I guess this one was just not meant to be! (I was going to insert a "ha" there, but alas, I am not ready to laugh about it just yet...) I can't even bear to share a picture of the poor thing, thinking ahead to spare Isabelle some future humiliation.

So we just made some homemade granola to ease our troubled minds, and wouldn't you know, the blog post for that recipe is April 10, 2012! I thought that was kind of neat. It was a rainy day then, and Jonah was home sick; Ethan has been home sick this week, and it has rained off and on since Monday evening. Weird, right? Stuff like that makes me glad I write down all the little details.

Ethan and I were bonding over The Matrix this morning while I finished up this sweet little dress...at least not everything was a bust this week! ;o)

I really like the polka dots with the chevron band. I think I'll put it in the shop, but it might be missing something-- a bow maybe? Any thoughts?

Oh, and I will soon have something new to share about our house soon, but for now enjoy this grainy pic...

Bathroom One, almost done!

Have a great week!

A Design Question For You...& Other Stuff

Wow, things are really getting done at the new house!

And I am SOOOOOOO tired!  :)

I have a very important question at the end of this post too, so please help!

Jonah chose this gorgeous blue for his bedroom- it's called Rendezvous. Um, yeah. Lovely, ha!

He did an excellent job painting! I was a little nervous at first, but he did great!

 This is the first time Jonah has had his very own room in over 7 years! It's ginormous, too, with beautiful trees outside the windows and so much light.

The sellers were generous enough to leave the bunk beds, but, well...thanks but no thanks. I think their glory days were long gone. That sucker is outta here now!

 

 And that apricot colored wall back there? Gone!

That was also the color of the heater, but a can of appliance epoxy spray paint fixed it right up.

I thought I'd just throw this one in because it looks so fabulous. Talk about one hot mess!

 

And I had to throw this one in because it's just cute. This is what some of us do while others are working.  =)

It was my birthday on Tuesday. Nothing like a hurricane to make a girl feel super special! Which I totally did, and the party lasted for almost 2 days! Oh wait, by party I actually mean NO POWER.  Fun fun! But we had ice cream cake and I got a new camera! I've mentioned (more than once I'm sure) that it would be nice to have a fall-back camera that isn't quite so beefy and cumbersome for everyday shots. Sweet, right? I had had big plans to do a few special things on my birthday day, but the storm kind of threw a wrench in those plans. Maybe next week...

I was also surprised with flowers by a sweet friend! Thank you Kristen! xoxo

They are currently perched on the counter top in the new house- smelling so deliriously wonderful- where they needn't fear flower predators, I mean, the cats. A few blossoms and leaves took one for the team, but I think they'll make it.

The next day it was time for this...

 I know, I know, not a great picture, but we had so much going on! We walked through our new neighborhood to meet people- we have lots of friendly neighbors! I didn't even finish Isabelle's Princess Fairy costume, but the sweater hid that- I'll have to take a "real" picture- it is just the cutest thing!

And now for The Question...

I'm in a real pickle here, so I'd appreciate some feedback. 

Is it okay to have ultra bright white trim and a creamier, softer white for the door?

Here's a picture, though it doesn't do a very good job illustrating what I'm trying to show you:

I've only painted the raised panels so it's kind of difficult to even see the color tone, but I don't know if I can make it work. I prefer the creamier white, but I do not prefer having to go back and repaint every.single.door.casing, so I was hoping I could get away with it. Any thoughts? Can I get away with it?

I just have to clarify- I know the severity of the hurricane and the damage it caused. Losing power is nothing compared with losing your home. I get it.

Thanks for your help!  =)

A Helpful Hint for Sewing Smooth Hems

I inherited the love of sewing from my Mom. With Easter quickly approaching, I'm reminded of our special mother-daughter tradition of picking out a new dress pattern and fabric for what would become my Easter dress. It's a tradition I'm happily continuing with my little girl!

We haven't finalized things for Easter just yet, but I did make Isabelle a cute little summer dress the other day with some leftover cloth in my stash. My friends are all sweeties and have gushed over the clothes I make, and they really loved this one! (It has a gathered back with a sweet little ruffle.)

 Circular skirts can be a little bit of a pain, though, because they don't fold nice and flat in a narrow edge for the hem- no problem if you use a serger, but I prefer not to, so when I'm ironing up the first fold for the hem, I often get tiny "bubbles." I like the kind of bubbles you blow, not the fabric kind that muss up my hems.

Here is what I do to alleviate the extra fabric so I get a smoother fold, thus smoother hem.

I snip the edges. Then I take my time with the iron, allowing the snips to move and stretch where they need to as I'm ironing in the fold. You'll see little spaces where the fabric pulls apart to fit, and that's exactly what you want.

And if it's a particularly unforgiving fabric (won't stretch or doesn't have any give), I snip it again, forming teeny triangles. None of this will show in the finished hem...unless you're second fold is too narrow, but we'll save that tutorial for another day.  =)

Please note- I do not advise you to try this with fabrics that are prone to fraying. No, that would leave you in a heap of a mess for sure! This works best with cottons, blends, and other non-fraying materials.

{nice & smooth}

There you have it! I still get the occasional "bubble," but since I'm a recovering perfectionist, I'm not going to let it ruin my day. When I'm sewing something for someone, those stitches get a lot of love, and that's what really counts!

linking up on these awesome blogs...
DIY by Design 
Hope Studios 
At the Picket Fence 
Sew Many Ways

How to organize (completely re-do) a kid's closet for CHEAP!!

Good Monday morning to you all!

We are on our first official day of February vacation...some of us may still be in our pj's.    :)

My mister and I have been tackling some organization pitfall areas in our home these days. It happens every year around this time, when we've been stuck inside staring down the same irritating things for what seems like an eternity. So it's good in a way, kind of forces us to do something about it.

Our big project this weekend was revamping our roomies' room, more specifically, their shared ~ and rather modest 41"~ closet. We couldn't be happier with the results! Well, maybe the price tag...we did this all for around 75 buckaroos!

After a trip to Target, a couple hours putting together the pieces, oh, and a fresh coat of paint (from Kitchen MIScolor #2)...voila!

I must add that our pride took a slight hit because these are not primo-quality pieces here, folks, but they serve a purpose and they are sturdy. And while my mister can build something much better, we decided to put his skills to use elsewhere. It still hurt a little, though, until the whole project was completely finished in one afternoon (minus the painting of course.)

Really disliked the yellow in the kitchen, but it's a fantastic burst of color in this room which gets virtually no sunlight from November until March.

We were also fortunate that the existing shelf/clothing rod fit peeeeeerrrrrrfectly atop the two new stacked shelving units. These two units came with wooden dowels to fasten one to the other, and also some mounting bracket-thingys to secure to the closet wall. The shelves are also adjustable {plus} but they do not secure in any way {not so plus, as I found this out the hard way}

We all love it ~ even the boys are super excited about it!

I wasn't loving it too much when the original contents were vomited all over the room, the hallway, and even 

our bedroom! Purging hurts! Isn't that always the hardest part?

This is actually a shelf unit we used as a nightstand, and not it's sideways...and perfect for putting those silly wire shelves to work! Please note that this shelving unit is different from the ones we bought and stacked ~ these shelves are screwed in place and therefore don't...collapse when placed sideways, ha.

This is what the closet used to look like. Ugh. Not functional, or organized at all!

I did, however, love the hanging thingy for putting their outfits together.

But they're big boys now, they don't really need it.

I have to include this because it cracks me up.

I guess it's exhausting watching  me folding laundry, which obviously I'm taking a little break from at the moment.

Oh, I almost forgot. These two boys also needed a better place to hang their bathrobes and such, since their clothes are so long now they puddle onto the floor on the hooks we have in the hallway.
This is how cute it used to look. Sigh. Lately it had just been a mess.

 So we did this exciting thing...

Wow, right?

Wait for it...

Ta-Da!

I know a small thing of hooks probably doesn't get people really thrilled, but it makes me SO happy! I even had the hooks in my hand, thinking ahead to priming and painting a board, then screwing in the hooks, etc etc etc, so I wised up and just bought the darn thing at Target. It was on sale, and it probably would've cost me more to make it! Again, it's the pride that gets ya!

Lastly, here is a glimpse of the awesome color that Jonah picked out all by himself for a woodworking project he and his dad are going to do this week. That was a BIG deal for me, but I think he chose a great color!

Okay, really lastly, here is another glimpse of the hallway project I mentioned a couple weeks ago...I'll give it a proper post soon!

Have a great week!!!!!!

Linking up to the following fabulous sites...
Between Naps on the Porch

Sewing, Sprucing Up & Recycling...Works in Progress

My mind is a-buzzing these days, thinking of all kinds of projects and things I want to do in our home.

But...I get so overwhelmed, so I'm going to try to pace myself. We'll see how long that lasts!

Some of my friends make such cute things with Mod Podge and canvas, and I wanted to try my hand at it. Let me tell you, there were tears involved. Many tears. I don't love the end result, but I like it; there was a small rip on the canvas so I added the ribbon to cover it up, and that 3-dimensional part became my favorite!

The real problem began when I didn't have the color pink I wanted for the canvas background, so I got into a spot of trouble when I tried to combine red and white. It's not terrible, but it isn't great either.
I surprised myself when I actually took the time to cut out stencil letters for templates! Well, maybe it was because I kept making mistakes and wasting gorgeous scrapbook paper. You decide.  :)

{I don't know why, but all my pictures are coming out fuzzy after I edit them in Picnik...anyone else?}

And the tears? The mod podge kept bubbling up in all the wrong places! I thought for sure I'd ruined the whole thing, which meant I'd wasted an entire afternoon on absolutely nothing, argh. But that M.P. is some magical stuff ~ the bubbles vanished, the pieces of paper that wouldn't lie flat are now perfectly smooth. Magical, I tell ya!
I want to make another canvas with a scrapbook ballerina...I think that would look so adorable for my little girl's room!

I painted Isabelle's room a pale pink last spring, but I just couldn't find anything I liked for her walls, so they sat nekked since then.The good ol' Dollar Store has come to the rescue yet again with some really cute fairy princess wall decals.

Also, I have to say I got used to seeing all those pretty tissue paper pom-pom flowers suspended from the dining room ceiling from Isabelle's party, and I knew I was really going to miss them! So...I decided to hang a few in Isabelle's room, and we both love how they look!

 {Isabelle's beautiful antique window all ready for Valentine's Day}

 {Leftover birthday balloons are lots of fun, too}

**I've misplaced the special picture that usually hangs above her bed- I don't know where I put it when I went to switch the frame! Seriously losing my marbles!**

In my bedroom, I finally finished a project ~ new valances and shams-but-really-just-pillow-cases. I'm really happy with how they turned out.

Oh, I guess I didn't take pictures of the pillows. I added a ruffle to the opening; the valances are lined with cream satin, which I'm not sure how I ended up with ~ I've been on a mission to use what I already have, and though satin isn't a typical lining fabric, it worked great for this project!

Hmm, that wall above the bed looks a little bare. I'm thinking of adding something round, maybe nature-inspired, and making one more pillow with a big ruffle-flower sewn in the center (like the one I made on Isabelle's dress)...I think I may be getting a bit obsessed with them, ha!

I hear Caleb barking upstairs, so I wonder if we'll be getting to church in the morning. Poor guy had a fever earlier. Speaking of barking, just this very second, Ryder started barking and it nearly scared the pants off me, ha ha. Normally he reserves that for more important matters, like the vacuum cleaner. And the poor cats.

Linking up with these awesome crafty blogs...check them out!

Sew Many Ways 

At The Picket Fence

Sew Can Do
The Girl Creative