Family Chic

I picked up a few feet of the thickest rope I could find at Home Depot (about $3.00 per foot) and hot glued it to a soup can to create this vase.

I'm obsessed with Vespa scooters lately - this Starbucks coffee bag grabbed my eye at the supermarket for that very reason. When I was through with the coffee, I cut the bag in half and used it as a vase. It holds water without leaking.

When making this simple arrangement this morning, I included the seed head from a clematis vine I have growing in my front yard.

This stage of the clematis bloom is tremendous - almost more beautiful than the flower.

For this arrangement I used clippings from my limelight hydrangea. I use this flower most often in its early bloom state.

A young limelight hydrangea bloom.

I also used clippings from my sage plant - this dusty green leaf adds texture, color and scent.

You don't need a lot of room in your yard to let your kids have a some room to grow plants - give your child a large pot and let them create a small garden of their own.

I told Jane how many plants would fit in this planter - we went to the garden center and she picked out the plants.

After you put in the soil, stand back and let your child plant. Children love to garden on their own. Jane was really thrilled with this project.

We used to have a dining set out here, this year we switched things up and created an outdoor living room. We are loving it.

No walls to hold me back - I brought on some serious color and patterns. I am attracted to crewel work, ethnic prints and neon colors - they are all at work in this setup.

I picked up a 4 piece iron patio set at a rummage sale for $100.00. I left the chippy paint finish - but I had to come up with the cushions.

I had new canvas cushions made for the sofa and pulled together some colorful options for the chairs. The seat cushion is from World Market ($35.00) and the homemade pillow is made from a vintage towel.

I like to create living walls in my garden - our deck has no railing, instead it is surrounded by boxwood and limelight hydrangeas.

Marigolds in a tin tray make an inexpensive and cheerful centerpiece for my table.

A mixture of thrift store and World Market pillows give me that bright, bohemian look I am drawn to.

An old ladder now serves as a plant stand.

Fish tank gravel in neon pink acts as a decorative mulch for my potted plants.

Fish tank gravel is cheap and comes in great colors - I got mine at PetCo.

A table holds old pots and plants.

Instead of cut flowers, a marigold plant is tucked into a thrift store vessel to create a decorative touch for a recent party.

I'm always thinking of interesting ways to elevate plants - it is important to create height in the garden. This plant stand was once a lamp base. I took out the electrical parts and now use it as a perch for plants.

An architectural remnant hangs on my fence.

Every living room needs a fireplace. A little bit of surrealism is alway fun - I created a fake fireplace in one of my garden beds.

Pick up a set of andirons at a thrift store, throw down some gravel, add some logs and it's done.

Garage sale finds create another seating area on the lawn.

Use what you have to furnish your garden room - flip over a basket to create a small table.

Make the most out of your outdoor space - it doesn't have to be a huge financial drain. Take the time to check out thrift stores, rummage sales and mix what you find with great deals from places like IKEA, Target and World Market.

Jane's favorite is flat leaf parsley.

You'll need a sunny window - pack in as many plants as you can and your window box will be overflowing with an abundance of flavorful herbs. You won't even have to leave the house to get to them.

This is green living - a sod topped garden table.

Coasters not needed here.

You'll need a metal table with openings in the top for drainage and a strip of sod (a 4 foot piece is a about $4.00 from Home Depot). Put sod on ground with soil side facing up and place table upside down on top of sod.

Using a sharp knife (my husband used a drywall saw), follow edge of table and cut out sod to fit the top.

To keep the soil intact while maintaining proper drainage, I put down a layer of burlap underneath the sod.

Give it a good watering and continue to keep it moist with regular waterings.

I'll let you know how long it lasts.

My kids want the job of watering the table.

Glass replacement globes - purchased in the lighting section at Home Depot for $4-$7.00 each are lit from within using LED candles.

Just place LED candle under globe and you've got a flickering orb of light you can place almost anywhere in your garden.

Set them on the ground or rest them on top of an urn or pot.

An ordinary jar that once held olives is wrapped in old paint brushes to form a different kind of vase.

You'll need a lot of paint brushes, a jar and some rubber bands. If you don't happen to have enough paintbrushes on hand - try your local dollar store - mine sells packages of 12 for under $2.00. Get a bag of rubber bands at Office Depot.

Stretch 3 or more rubber bands over jar and tuck paintbrushes in all the way around.

A simple paper bag wrap covers the pot of an ostrich fern. I love the texture of the paper and the dramatic look of the leaves.

I love to decorate with perennials. I picked up an ostrich fern at my local garden center for about $11.00 and wrapped it in a wrinkled grocery bag (the same bag I used to make the runner for my table last week).

I just cut the paper bag down the side and cut out the base so it could lay flat. I wrinkled it up and wrapped it around the pot - stapling it shut where the ends meet.

Set pot on a dish and wrap bag around it.

Beauty can be simple.