a cool palette

It's going to be in the triple digits this week here in NC and I am not looking forward to it. All I want to do is crawl into the briskness and coolness of these pieces by Luci Everett. Aren't they the loveliest reminder of a refreshing spring day?

Luci Everett's flickr, blog, and website.

(discovered via {frolic!})

living favors

Image courtesy of project wedding

The post on Project Wedding about DIY Little Pots of Moss was the best idea for a summer shower (or wedding) favor I had seen in awhile. There are a couple of favor ideas I....favor, actually, and this is definitely one of them.

For my sister's shower I am painting small terra cotta pots in a pewter color and planting whatever tiny flower is available in beds from the nursery inside it. I'll finish it off with a bow and either a flag or tag- have not decided yet. Basically, it is the Project Wedding craft with some slight modifications.

In my hunt for ideas using terra cotta planters I came across quite a few great versions....

Seedling Kit Favor photo courtesy of etsy

Potted plant favor/place marker courtesy of my DIY wedding day

Potted Thyme Favor courtesy of elephantine

Potted Succulent Favor courtesy of saltlakedesignergal

I will post photos of the project when it is wrapped up. Keep your fingers crossed the results are as lovely as these examples!

Thursday, a garden shed, and Etsy

poster by joeseppi

Just to be clear, I am not going to be decorating any regular old shed for today's post. I am going to be designing a lovely (but still practical!) garden shed like the one that I fell in love with in July. A cozy place of escape as well as place to store those necessary tools - is that too much to ask for?

Practical and pretty necessities:

I'm pretty sure that using this will make you handier.
rustic yet refined tool box via cottagefarm

One for herbs, one for flowers.
vintage garden baskets via storybookcharm

Everything must have its place.
oak shed pegs to hang garden tools by FuturePrimGarden

Things need to be clean - even in a shed.
gardener's pot brush also by FuturePrimGarden

Perfect! (but pretend):

Can I get this in my size, please?

miniature garden shed shelf (1/12 dollhouse scale) by JaynesArt

Shed mate:

If there must be a mouse, please let it be this one.

field mouse by Marjji

A place to rest and read:

After a weary day of planting, one needs to sit...
rustic tin roofed wooden bench via polkadotHOME

...and rest one's weary head...

French burlap slips for pillows by PetitCoterie

...catch up on some reading.

1951 Better Homes and Gardens Garden Book via AttysVintage

A shelf full of vases:

Because one needs lots of vases for freshly cut flowers especially if one is very fancy.
lady's head vases via headsup4u

In addition to the poster at the top of the post,

for decoration:

How beautiful sheds can be!
"turn the corner autumn" photograph by AnnWilkinson

Not for planting, but for framing. 1920s antique seed packets via HummingbirdEyes

Weathered beauty.
"Behind The Tool Shed" photograph by photoamato

Can someone cut this soda bottle in half for me?

terrarium madebymavis

Terrariums can be so elegant, so simple. Yet, there is also something so wonderfully geeky and elementary science project about them - watch what can grow and thrive with the right amount of water and warmth and sunlight! They also seem to be the perfect kind of greenery to have in your home if you lack a green thumb (this is not that hard) or have pets and babies who will eat anything they can get their hands (or paws) on. Beauty, brains, and an easygoing nature... it's the dorky science kid who's become a prince.

The madebymavis terrariums are quirky:

or a drop of simplicity:

I also love this set of hanging terrariums (more raindrops) via sfgirlbybay:

And these mix media pieces, by artist Thomas Doyle, are just haunting. I would love to have one tucked among a few traditional terrariums and then watch people stumble upon it (be sure to click on the links to see the pieces in greater detail).

"Acceptable Losses"

"They draw you out"

(discovered via: boingboing)