Sunday, October 6, 2024

Gardening . . . . . . With Vintage China

Greetings lovely friends & readers

Thank you all so very much for your kind & encouraging comments on my last post.  Not one of you told me to get over it & get on with it (like The Mr did) & I do appreciate your kindness with all my heart. You are right dear friends, nature is resourceful & I am sure it will all return to its former glory again given time.

I have been continuing on with my mantra of tackle one small corner at a time ... so it all doesn't feel so overwhelming.

Captured last week - the Magnolia tree in full bloom & look at that wonderful blue sky  💙
 
I pulled this old red cupboard out of the woodshed - I'd not used it for a couple of years & it was looking tatty & unloved.  I gave it a good scrub as I wanted to change the colour. 
You can read a bit about this cupboard in * this post *.

The green block of wood in matching colour is to ensure the enamel sink sits straight, not on a slant
 
I painted it with my (Resene) Green Paddock paint & then gave it the same stencil treatment as before.  I love this soft sage green colour.
The old vintage enamel sink had been languishing behind my garden, overgrown for a number of years - I used to have it planted with succulents.  I hauled it out & scrubbed it thoroughly.  
This whole vintage china idea came about because my friend Joyce had cleaned out her china cabinet & given me a box of china oddments, some of them chipped or cracked, but still beautiful.
I planted the enamel basin with a punnet of blue & white Lobelia & then I tucked some of the chipped china cups & plates into this.

 I also lined the drawer with a black rubbish bag & planted blue Lobelia in this.
I planted a small thrifted soup tureen with succulent cuttings from around my garden, to sit in the middle shelf.


I'd already washed the walls of my house so I changed out the vintage plates I'd previously hung there in pink, green & red colours ...... & instead hung Joyce's blue china plates - I liked the change of colour way & the soft green & blue palette.
 
Once the pansies in my big square planter finish, I'll plant blue & white Lobelia in here too.  
 
I'm really liking the softer colours out here.  Note to self - give the wooden chest of drawers a good wax (!!) 😉
 
I had a couple of Lobelia leftover so I planted an old cast iron kettle & a hanging wall pot that my friend Jane gifted me last year.
 
All the while that I worked out on my deck Blackie slept on an old trunk that I was trying to in the process of carting over to my Cottage for storage.  Though it looks like Little One is sleeping beside him, he is actually down on the deck but is pretending that he is asleep beside "his friend Blackie". 

 
I have been trying to clean up the mess close to the house & trying not to look at the mess further down the section. I filled in a large trench with top soil & sprinkled some grass seed over it.  You can see in the photo top left that it rained heavily & all my grass seed washed down onto the driveway & left big channels.  I found an old piece of downpipe & shoved that up into the guttering pipe & this redirected the water directly onto the driveway.  You can just see my 2nd lot of grass seed coming through in the top right pic.  (this would grow a lot faster if a certain large black cat stopped lying on top of it!!)
 
I cleaned out my worm farm & filled 15 bottles with worm tea, I gifted some to friends & neigbors as this is prime feeding time for plants.  I snapped a photo of a Tui in my maple tree which is yet to get any leaves on it.  I love all the birdlife in my garden. 
 
To say Thank You to Joyce for the china, I made her an apricot & coconut fudge slice as I knew this was her favorite.  It's school holidays here in New Zealand so I made Chocolate Fudge, & Rice Bubble Crisp for my Grandsons last week. 
 
The Mr milked for 4 days last week & when he'd finished he dumped his stinky cow mucky overalls on the deck for the cleaning fairy that lives here to wash & clean again (!!) 😉  Within 5 minutes Madam Pippi had come along ... sniff, sniff, oh yes how wonderful ... rolling round in it & then falling asleep - absolutely no class at all that ginger girl !!! 😲
 
We have computer issues dear friends  - it has taken me 3 days & lots of chocolate to manage to write this post going between my computer & The Mr's laptop.  I am not sure when this will be resolved & I am also having trouble commenting on some of your posts, but I will keep trying & hopefully eldest son can come & fix it for me (tho' it was not sounding positive by his last phone call).
Thank you as always, for your ever welcome visits here today,
Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead,
With much love & friendship to you all,

 


23 comments:

  1. Your magnolia flowers are a stunning colour. Love the chest makeover and your use of china, what a great idea. Your baking looks delicious! xx

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  2. Whey-Hey! Here we are...Bright and early, the the mornings
    are getting darker though..and getting colder, and worst of
    all...the Virginia Creeper's leaves are on the turn...! : (

    I picked up our local 2025 calendar on Thurs. The theme next
    year is 'pets', l sent one in of Fudge, Wendy sent in two, one
    of Fudge, and one with Fudge with the Collie....And! And! They've
    printed them all...HeHe! Hooray! For Fudge..!x

    The Magnolia tree looks lovely to...in full bloom, hopefully, everything
    else will follow suit..it'll take a while, but, you'll get there, after all, it
    looks as if the furry three are all chipping in to help... Bless! ! :)xxx

    The old red cupboard looks very similar to my bedside cupboard,
    Though mine is a bit taller, l bought it three years in a charity shop...
    £20...it's solid wood, and pink...of course...what else...! :).

    And..the decor on the walls, the plates, trowels etc...look great...!
    And yes...I love Lobelia to..especially the trailing verity, though it's
    been quite scarce, not managed to get hold of it that much, but,
    it always looks nice in a hanging basket..!

    Well...Nearly nine o'clock, best get on...lot's to do in the kitchen,
    my most favourite room in my home...
    Thinking of you Julie, keep at it...nice and steady mind, and don't
    work the furry three to much, take care now...and Happy Christmas...
    Oh! No! Sorry! HeHe! Not Christmas just yet is it...God Bless! :O)
    🎅 🎄 🎅 🎄 🎅 🎄 🎅 🎄 🎅 🎄 🎅 🎅 🎄 🎅 🎄 🎅 🎄 🎅 🎄 🎅

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  3. Great post again , you are so creative , I love what you do,
    Enjoy every moment , life passes so quick .
    Big hugs June,

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  4. Your magnolia is glorious. I love the upscaling of the cupboard - that sage green is so subtle and sets off the blue lobelia perfectly.
    I hope Blackie didn't require a bath after sleeping on the mucky overalls - how funny to sleep among that smell.

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  5. I'm pea green over your gorgeous Magnolia, Julie; it's a beauty. Love too the rusty basin and how you made it more beautiful with the plants and teacups. Visiting your place is always inspiring.

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  6. So glad you could post. The new colors on the porch are indeed lovely soft. I'm not partial to red, but any thing blue first, then that shade of sage next are really restful. We did get your comment and email, so we are glad a few things of yours have floated over the million miles for us. We are still having warmish weather but to be cold enough to run the furnace mornings every day now. Hope that grass seed takes hold and hides the mess made previously. Don't suppose it would be a good place to sprinkle lots of mixed flower seeds. The baked goods certainly sound and look tasty. Aren't these folks happy. and kitties galore! Always nice to see what they are up or down to, lol. Lynn and Precious XX

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  7. You're so good with all your planting ideas. I really must take a leaf out of your book next year when I'm planting out. The little green cupboard looks an absolute treat.

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  8. That magnolia is a stunning tree. Your porch is looking beautiful - you do have such a creative eye for upcycling. The garden will get better - little steps and a bit of help from nature. The tray bakes look delicious too. Cats are such a law unto themselves, aren't they? But we love them!
    Have a good week.
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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  9. I just love your upcycling and always come away from reading your blog with a head full of ideas (some make it to fruition). Its surprising how quickly the lawn etc will bounce back but of course there will be a lot of hard work for you first, one small space at a time and I'm sure you will have it sorted. Those 3 furry friends will surely help in some way? Why do they love smelly things? its the same with the dogs rolling in the smelly stuff in the paddocks!!! Have a great week Julie - Pam x

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    1. Thank you so much Pam. I think it will take me until next spring to sort the garden out but I will just chip away at it one area at a time. The rains we have had are making my grass seed grow really well so that is a plus. Wishing you a lovely week too Pam xx

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  10. Wow Julie, through all that mess you ARE turning it around and it's looking great, pat on the back. Look at the those cats, slowly getting better together. Your magnolia trees look so beautiful, ours have finished flowering, but it looks like my pink rose is just about to open it's first bloom! Yay! The red cupboard is looking fabulous in it's new coat of green paint. Lots of love xx

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  11. I love everything you've done. It is all so pretty. Gives you lots of good things to focus your attention on that are not ugly! (I have to do that a lot around here.) I love red, but the green you used and your treatment is so much better! And your magnolia - GORGEOUS!!!

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  12. Julie your Magnolia is beautiful. Shining brightly over you! Love the blue china plates on the wall. They compliment the soft Green Paddock colour with blue planting. Look’s Stunning. A lovely entrance to your home & garden…

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    1. Thank you Sandy. The strong winds we are getting this week are making short work of the magnolia blooms but it is lovely while it is in flower. Yes I love the sage green combined with the blues too Sandy. Wishing you a lovely week dear friend xx

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  13. Your old cupboard and sink look fabulous Julie, it kinda reminds me of the a day we had each year at primary school, not sure if you did it or not, but we would fill up old kitchen pans with soil and put flowers on top with old bits of broken crockery, I cannot remember what those days were called, but they use to get judged , and we got first, second or third prizes, kids from the country use to bring in their pet calves and lambs to, anyway I digress. Love your wall of plates, and its good to see the little one being tolerated from a distance.

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  14. Oh the drama of your garden. And the cupboard painted up as new is a beautiful colour.

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  15. What a beautiful make over of the red cupboard to the green - and the beautiful lobelia everywhere will be a glorious 'show' in no time - they look very pretty now, newly planted!
    Cats are funny creatures - one never quite knows where they will sleep, or how they will 'get on' with one another!!
    You have a 'washing fairy' at your place too - my daughter loves hers, that does the five week days, and she takes over in the weekends ;) Although the 'fairy' is heading over to Gisborne for a few days later in the month, and then house sitting for two weeks after that....
    Yes, the weather has been totally unpredictable of late - not the best for trying to re-establish grass - well done on your ingenuity in re-directing the water from the down pipe.
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  16. Your Magnolia is stunning! I am always amazed at your beautiful clever upcyling. LOVE the sage green and the china additions is inspired! And ohh your deck wall....big sighing here! Delicious baking...yum! Why do animals love stinky things lol! Rainy day here and my garden of neglect is loving it. Hugs from across the ditch xx

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  17. The Magnolia looks wonderful. Truly Spring here when you see that. Oh my goodness, Madame Pippi, R E A L L Y .
    Love the green on the cabinet Julie, looks super.

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  18. You have made some really beautiful areas in your garden and veranda.... how clever to put some chipped china in your plants. The magnolia is just splendid. keep going one corner at a time on that new grass
    Hugz

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  19. The magnolia is beautiful Julie! Love the china in the refurbished cabinet. Hope the washing fairies did a good job with the work overalls!! Seems all animals like stinky things, dogs are much the same, although they will roll in it more, Miss Pippi at least has some restraint!! Your baking looks wonderful too - slow and steady in the garden is the best.

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  20. Julie! The cats are hilarious! We've been allowing Timothy a bit of supervised time in the back garden and he likes to roll in the dirt! Your outdoor redone furniture is amazing! Well done! I like the colors you choose! I pray that your garden encourages you more and more each day! You are such a clever person! xo

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  21. I hope your computer issues are sorted. Your red box makeover is stunning, what a transformation! you get so many things done and still manage to cram creativity into every corner of your day! please post about your worm farm and worm tea - I have heard of nettle tea but not worm tea. Betty x

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