Weekend Garden Parties and a New Blogger

Linking up with Tracie over at Fishtail Cottage and Tootsie for the weekend garden parties.

Hubby has some raspberries...

Hummingbird Bush, I forget it's real name, in the blue bottle garden.

The Lacecap Hydrangeas are so pretty.

Silver Falls Dichondra is taking over my block wall.. over look the bright sunshine.

Here's a tangled mess of Silver Falls....

Crown of Thorns

I cut a few Mophead Hydrangeas to bring inside.  This one is in the foyer.

This one is in the half bath.

Today is the last official day of the school year!!!!!!!  Hooray!!!!!

If you have a minute please drop by and say hi to my daughter, she is a newbie blogger. I'll have to say though her post today is questionable to being blog worthy, lol.

Amanda in Wonderland

WOYWW

Linking up with Julia over at

Stamping Ground for that mid week peek of crafting spaces.

Special order going out in the mail today.  (rear view mirror decor)

Special order being delivered today.  (Asian theme tiles, click FB to view)

Over the holiday weekend the girls and I tried out hand at salt dough ornaments...

The two photos below are what I am finding at my work space more and more.

Busy teenage hands....

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The sound of rain and the clash of clouds woke me this morning.  Hopefully my gardens will be blog worthy tomorrow.

Bloomin' Tuesday ,Randomness, Surprise & an Update

Linking up with Jean for Bloomin' Tuesday.

Dwarf Canna - Delish!

I love to let the garlic flower..

Reminds me of a stocking cap from a Dr. Seuss Book..

Pileated Woodpecker on the house.

Mississippi Kite
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The girls get out of school for the summer this week, yippee!  We have so many projects planned.  Number one is getting the downstairs apartment painted, decorated and organized for crafting...

Yesterday our oldest daughter that lives in Daytona Beach surprised us with a visit.  I was on the upper back deck, watering containers when I glanced through the window pane on the kitchen doors and thought to myself, that looks like ...oh my goodness..that is...AMANDA CHALAE'... she had camera in hand to capture my expression.  She got all of us real good...what a precious surprise!

We walked around the yard and she wanted to take some photos of  me....sigh.   I wanted to show you how she can make collages with her phone, cool huh?

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We were also blessed with a visit from DH nephew and his adorable girlfriend, they were visiting from Mississippi

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My in-laws seem to be adjusting a little more everyday to their new living arrangements.  Thanks to all of your good wishes for them.

Slowly but surely I will be around to catch up with the recent activity in your world.

**Remember to have a moment or two of silence in honor of this Memorial Day.**

WOYWW

This WOYWW meme is rating right up there in my mind with some great gardening memes.  My regular readers know I love to garden and also try my hand at different art/craft techniques.  On Wednesdays over at Stamping Ground you can join and post What's On Your Work Desk....all desks, kitchen tables, couches, coffee tables, and I have even seen an ironing board, as a work space are welcome.

Random collages using ceramic tile, they are fun to work with...hopefully I'll get better as I plug along.

On the kitchen table, inks, case of mason jars filled with jewelry making tidbits, tools, papers, rhinestones....you get the picture, literally. (wink)

This tile has been inked, and embellished with paper, rub-ons and rhinestones then sealed with mod podge...today it will get a coat of Dimensional Magic.

This is my first collage tile..a gift to one of our daughter's Art teacher.  Same concept as above.  See how shiny it is?  That's the dimensional magic.  Photo below, all tissued up and ready to be delivered.  She loved it by the way....

Note:  I apologize for not visiting very much this week.  (I plan to correct that)  We have had a detour in our life's journey as of late.  My in-laws are adjusting to moving into an assisted living facility and some health issues have come up...I have been trying to help make sure their needs are met.  God willing they will celebrate their 59th wedding anniversary on the 29th, (my husband's birthday too)

Great Quote

Look what my daughter just made for me, cool huh?

Cottage Garden Party & Fertilizer Friday

I am linking up with Fishtail Cottage for her Thursday Cottage Garden Party and Tootsie for Fertilizer Friday.

We have been receiving rain every afternoon the last several days. It's been wonderful, ready for a couple of dry days now.

Hubby has tomatoes!

Nasturtiam in a strawberry planter with Toffee Twist, I have two of these planted the same.

I have had this Stokes Aster for about 15 years or more.  It came with me from my previous home.  About a month ago I moved it as it was smothered by a Lacecap Hydrangea.  Very impressed by the way it handled the move, no attitude whatsoever.

Black and Blue Salvia

Another photo of this Mophead because I think it's gorgeous!

I have posted the purple and the light pink with the yellow center Glads, now this fuschia colored one is blooming.  I also saw some red peeking out of another one yesterday.  AND I have about 60 or so more bulbs... :)

Althea or Rose of Sharon Double

I wish you all could see this Althea Single in person, Wowzers!

Enlarge this drawing....p-e-r-f-e-c-t-! Our youngest drew it...

I finished this set of four tiles last night, just need to pour the resin now.

Played around with these two tiles as well.  Ignore the dominoes, they turned out too dark.

I want to thank everyone for all the encouraging words about my crafts.  It's like gardening, you learn by trial and error.  I do hope to enter some craft fairs come fall.  Clicking the wheelbarrow photo in my sidebar will take you to my FB business page.  Let me know if you have a business page so I can like it.

WOYWW

Well, What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday?  To add your work space or nose around, like I love to do, click Stamping Ground ....

Since I had that migraine a couple of weeks back I tidy up my table every evening.  Too much stimulation is just not good for the psyche, no matter the age.  As soon as school is out the girls and I will be completing  decorating the apartment downstairs for my work space...

Alcohol inks, tiles, tools, and mason jars filled with jewelry embellishments. 

Stamped pendants, completed necklaces, earrings in progress and a decorated outlet cover.

Some of you have inquired about my Facebook Business page, please click the wheelbarrow photo above on the right and it will take you there.  (All tips are appreciated as I am new to this)

See you on the super internet highway as I begin my WOYWW visits!

Bloomin' Tuesday

I hope all the Moms in blogland had a wonderful Mother's Day, I know I did!

Drop on by Jean's and join Tuesday Garden Party.

All of the Hydrangeas are beginning to bloom, below Lacecap.

Hibiscus with a lot of buds waiting there turn.

I so love seeing the Callas every year.  This bloom is almost perfect.

Side view.

Althea aka Rose of Sharon single is loaded and then some.  

A few more pieces that I have been working on.

Alcohol inked tile.

My first two metal stamped jewelry pieces...This is fun!

I do have a FB business page now, if you would like to look around or heck, even like me, click the wheelbarrow photo on my right sidebar.

If the Lord's willing I'll be posting and snooping at work spaces tomorrow!

Flaunting over at Tootsie"s Place

Want a an agressive fast growing ground cover that loves hot dry areas?  Here's you one, Mimosa Pudica aka Sensitive Plant.  The leaves fold up when touched.  (I know that feeling sometimes)

Neglected containerized Blue Fescue grass I started from seed a couple of years ago....looks just fine to me.

Be still my heart the Astible is in her second year....looking forward to her leap year!

This Hydrangea has surprised us.  It was purchased two years ago and remained in a container until about a 6 weeks ago.  She has remained pink and has about 6 flower heads!!

The ever dependable Althea aka Rose of Sharon is starting to open..it bloomed for several months last year.  I have two very small white ones in the back of the gardens, wonder when they will bloom....if you remember sending them to me, please refresh my memory I owe you another thank  you!

Here are one of the plants that I fall in and out of love with almost daily, Four O'clocks.  I have to garden at 4 in the morning to see their beautiful blooms or smell their sweet fragrance, sigh

Last year my husband bought me two containers of dwarf Cannas, I love them.  The other are pink.  They mix will with a lot of other plants and containers too. (i also have a little over 200 bulbs to still plant, pretty sure I am going to save some of them for the fall)

Some of my latest pendants, magnets and keychains..

We have been receiving some much needed rain.  The last few weeks of breaking record highs in the 90's and triple digits was NO fun at all!!  A little cooler now...
So drop on over at Tootsie's and wish her a Happy Birthday!