Cuteness....

To cute not to share....

big hugs,
 

Miniature Treasures

I spotted a bag of "who knows what" behind the cash registers at one of the thrift stores I went to recently. I asked about it and was told it had empty boxes in it and some other junk..... Junk? Well by all means, let me see it, I love junk. Firstly, the price tag was $30.00... for junk? hmmmmm.....

 I turned the bag around and saw that it was full of miniatures! Well, if you have ever purchased miniatures you know how expensive they can be. I bought the bag, I just HAD to have them!

Upon closer inspection of all the items, it seems like these would make a great store display in miniature.

 There are miniature baskets, fruit, dishes, pots & pans, tea kettles, bottles, cans of food, clocks, silverware and more...

 Boxes of items still wrapped in the original packaging...
There are tools....

 bolts of fabric and small chairs...

Gum ball machines & jars of candy...

and four wooden store display shelves that are going to be so much fun to stock with all this merchandise.

 What a great bag of "junk." But wait, I found even more miniatures at a yard sale for a couple of bucks. Some of the highlights are two dress forms, cookies, dishes, silverware and even a miniature pirate chest!

 I was on a miniature roll! All that was missing was a doll house..... you know it... I found one! A cute as can be little doll house for only $7.00.

 The front of the dollhouse swings open to reveal the inside rooms. I am going to make-over this little house very much like the Barbie house I renovated. I see wooden floors, lace curtains & wall paper in this house's future!

It is going to be fun to transform this little house into something that my grand daughter and I can play with together.

big hugs,

Lagoon W.I.P.

I have been busy working in my backyard lagoon even though its been miserably hot out there... the results are worth it though. I have an idea of what it is going to look like when its finished, but for the most part I am just going with the flow and making it up as I go along. I did set up my rock fountain, and I must say I love it. It does take a little getting used to hearing water gushing in my yard. My first thought every time I step foot in the backyard is that my pool filter is leaking...
 I also tore out an arch I had over another fountain in my yard. It was a lot to maintain cutting the plants I had growing over it. Here is the before. You can barely make it out with all the little pirates in front of it.... 

Here you can see I've already added some pirate things, more to come! ...My cat Chumley added himself to the decor.

 He adds just the right amount of cuteness in the pirate vignette.

 I just brought home some 16" retaining stones that I want to incorporate into some steps down into the lagoon..... its going to look marvelous (I hope) when I'm all finished.
big hugs,

Tearing it up....

The heat makes me crazy mad.... I hate it..... so whats a girl to do? Why, tear up her yard of course. I decided that I wanted a lagoon in my backyard. Yep, a lagoon. We tore out some of our deck so that I can create a step down lagoon... its going to look fabulous once I'm finished with it. Here you can see the beginning of it.... what a mess. The right side with the retaining stones is all that I've accomplished so far....

I am putting in weed barrier and a drip system before laying down some black wood chips. Slow going, but well worth the end result of not having to weed the planters and water daily with a hose.

One of my friends recently gave me the green locker/trunk pictured below. I love the distressed look it has...
 
My co-shared cat Puss-Puss enjoys hanging out on a pirate chest I've stuck in the yard. Below this chest I'm going to have a small rock fountain.

 I bought this fountain at the Depot.... $200 bucks.... eh gawds, is that what these things cost these days? sheesh..... I am hoping I can get it to look at least somewhat semi natural in the lagoon area.

I have been looking online at different paving ideas. I have decided to stick with using bricks, this serves two purposes... it will match what I have in my yard already, and I can use all the bricks I have stacked on my side yard. I also want to make a large compass in the center of the bricks in this area... it is nothing but an idea at this point, but its on my list!
big hugs,