It's Lilac Season!

It's Lilac season in our neck of the woods! A few pictures of my favorite things in my yard this late May season.

Sneak peek- I am attending a Botanical Fair this weekend (weather permitting) and, hopefully, will have great pictures of new garden ideas!

Happy Weekend!

Favorite Shades of Yellow

The buzz of bumblebees, sunny days without clouds, fragrant lemons, and friendly yellow daisies, all reflecting shades of yellow.Yellow is the color of summer. Pair it with cobalt blue, fresh grass green, or dramatic black for a sunny decorating scheme. Use it in abandon during these warm weather months and enjoy the smile the color yellow evokes!

Some of my favorite yellow things:

Daffodils in a cobalt blue setting by a window.
Lemon yellow chair- to pretty to sit in.
A collage of yellow on a piece of Portugese china.
The bath essential- yellow rubber ducky.
A box of new crayons- who can resist.
Lemon curd- fill a tart shell with it, and enjoy.

Antique yellow quilt- use it as a tablecloth for the perfect setting.

A Southern Jewel- Fairhope Alabama

Pictures from our newly adopted town- Fairhope, Alabama!

Fairhope, Alabama is an artsy, Norman Rockwell-esque, kind of city. Its quaint downtown, filled with shops, galleries, and restaurants, beckon visitors to browse. The flowering sidewalks, sunny weather, and architecture add to the appeal. Then, of course, throw in a gorgeous waterfront and pier, and this makes Fairhope a vacation spot to live in!

Fairhope, Alabama is located on the Bay of Mobile along the Gulf Shores.

Blooming Tree in May

This beautiful tree gives it all each May. The blooms are lush and full- making this tree a spectacular sight in my garden. I just wanted to share it with you and enjoy its beauty while it lasts.

Summer Fun Kit

Another great idea from the people over at Real Simple:

Summer Fun Kit- my little one did this over the weekend and enjoyed making it as much as I am sure she will enjoy using it this summer.

Unless you're sending your children off to sleep-away camp for the entire summer, you may be worrying right now about what you're going to do to keep the "I'm bored!" chanting to a minimum when your kids are out of school. Day camps and swimming lessons can keep them entertained for a number of hours, but you will still be faced with many evenings and weekends full of warm weather and kids who want to take advantage of their free time.To stay ahead of the game, consider making a Summer Fun Kit. The purpose of the Summer Fun Kit is to have a book with a seemingly endless supply of ideas for summer fun. You'll need to do some brainstorming and decide how much you want to spend on possible activities, but it doesn't require much work after these decisions have been made.

To set up a Kit, you will need plastic sheet protectors, paper, and a three ring notebook. You can either print ideas on the top of each page with your computer's printer, or you can write them with a magic marker. Whatever is the easiest for you, go with that idea. You want to keep the majority of the page blank, however, so that your kids can write about when they completed the activity and provide pictures and reviews in the blank space. You'll want to use the sheet protectors so that you can put tickets and passes in the pages ahead of time and the kids can put mementos into the pages after an activity is completed. (For example, if you have a local pool, you can keep the pool passes in the sheet protector so you don't lose them.) At the end of the summer, your children will have a book full of memories and you'll have notes on what worked and didn't work when you're making plans for next summer.Except for planned vacations or theater productions, I would avoid scheduling when an activity takes place. This will leave the choosing up to your children and give them some control over their summer.

Here are more than 15 ideas to get you started:
Picnic in the park
See a movie on the big screen
Family bike ride to [X]
Sleepover at grandma's
Trip to local children's museum
Afternoon at the zoo
Painting piggy banks at the pottery center
Trip to the amusement park
Watch favorite movie at home complete with popcorn and soda
Create a sidewalk chalk art gallery
Rainy day board game tournament
Morning hike to [X]
Build sand castles at the beach
Paddle boats at the lake
Rainy day living room maze building
Create a puppet show
Family talent contest

Being organized and prepared with a Summer Fun Kit will reduce your stress and help keep your kids entertained. Please add more ideas in the comments section so that everyone can have the best Kits possible!

Great Wedding Idea

I just have to share this product from Lillian Vernon. I think they are a great idea. What a fabulous pace card setting for a wedding! They are beautiful filled with your favorite flowers- no need for a centerpiece with these on the table! Add a couple of disposable cameras for those candid photos, and you are ready for the big day! They would make a fabulous keepsake as well.

Lillian Vernon Mouthblown Vases (set of 6 for $19.98), or 2 sets for $14.98 each!

Images of Spring

Images of spring from my own garden...

Hostas unfurling in the cool spring air.

Hyacinth flowers so heavy and fragrant with bloom, they cannot stand upright.

Forsythia changing from yellow blossoms to spring green leaves.

Look outside this spring and enjoy the wonder of nature!

Mother's Day Wishes

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Mother's Day Gift

I have to share my Mother's Day gift with all! I received it a bit early, and thought what a great craft for all those Little Ones on a rainy day.

Simply fill a container- they used tins with foam and covered it with wax paper (green of course), or a moss would work. Assemble the button flowers out of bright colored buttons and wire.

Arrange them in the dirt (stryofoam), and voila- a Button Flower Arrangement.

These would also be darling as a favor for a garden party...

Garden Art

Absolutely love this picture! Use your garden clogs in a new way- as a border or art in your garden! Recycling with a purpose and a great, funky look!

Daisy Clogs from Gardener's Supply Company for $26.95

DeClutter Steps

A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place!

Spring is here in full bloom and we are trying to get the clutter under control while spring cleaning our spaces. This can be an overwhelming task and can seem never-ending. Just think of the junk mail you get everyday! Decluttering can be broken down into user friendly steps. Here’s a quick list of easy to follow clutter-busting steps that will simplify your life, and your spring cleaning!

1. Pretend that you are moving
This is the easiest step to get rid of unwanted items. Mark a day on the calendar, and that is your pretend move day. Now ask yourself these questions- If you had to move, would you take it with you? Do you really need that third hair dryer, or all of those books? Its time to pare down. Donate what you do not need. Bring gently used items to a consignment store and make some unexpected cash. Have a garage sale. Just make sure that once it is out of the house, it stays out!

2. Keep only what you love
Ask yourself, do you really have to keep it? If not, go ahead and get rid of it. Put more focus on things that truly make you happy. By organizing your favorite momentos, you will actually look through them! Group collections together- easier to display and clean.

3. The benefits of less
Less stuff equals more time. With less stuff, there's less to clean, organize and dust, leaving your house uncluttered and cleaner. This is motivation!

4. Learn to love containers
Containers instantly add order to chaos, and are the secret weapon of organizers everywhere. Clear containers are the best to use, since you can see the contents inside. Do not forget to label what you put into those boxes!

5. Everything in its place
When everything has a place on a shelf, in a cabinet or in a bin, you will have less counter top clutter. There should be a home or place for everything, or throw it out!

6. Remember the two-year rule
If you haven't used something in two years, chances are good that you will never use it again. Donate, recycle, sell, but get it out of your house. This really applies to clothing. Two years and out unless its a classic like the "little black dress".

7. One in and one out
This is my favorite "rule" by far. It’s very simple- if you buy a new t-shirt then toss or repurpose an old t-shirt. It makes for a simple, clutter free existence.

8. Maximize your storage
Not enough closet space-then maximize the space you have. There are all kinds of helpful items these days that help you make the most of small spaces. Ottomans with removable tops for toys, baskets for under the bed, and compact bags for linens are just a few of the ideas available.

9. Organize by bits
Its going to take awhile to go through the whole house- so go easy on yourself and take it one step at a time. Small accomplishments, like a clutter free utensil drawer, are rewards all by themselves!

10. Rewards
Every job has its perks. Not only will you have a cleaner, more organized house; but a more simple, carefree life as well! If this isn’t motivation enough, then treat yourself to small incentives after each task. Dinner out, because the kitchen cabinets are organized, a new lipstick after throwing out old cosmetics, or a great book to fill in all that free time you now have, are small things that put a smile on your face. Go ahead- you have worked hard for it!

I compiled more ideas in my book "50 Steps to a Clutter Free Home and Lifestyle" - check it out at http://www.declutterbook.com/