Easter mantel in green and yellow

I designed this brand-new Easter mantel by "shopping the house" and making use of the chalkboard frames I originally intended for a gallery* (another project started before baby dude was born and just finished!). So I started out with using an old window frame, draped some fabric across it, added the metal cross I love but haven't found the perfect spot for. Then I filled things in with my beloved milk glass plus some other glass from my collection. And a nest! What would spring decorating be without nests! Hee. This particular nest was green grass when my mom found it but now it has dried to a pretty butter yellow shade. You might not be able to see it well in this photo, but there's a vintage mustard jar on the far right that has a smiling yellow sunshine on the lid. So cute!

Speaking of nests, they of course pop up over on my shelves. As does the milk glass and the color yellow to keep the the spring theme going. Now, something funny for you, doesn't the nest perched on the one lower vase look like hair? Hee!

*I am having second thoughts about where I intended to hang these. I think they would have gotten knocked off the wall by kids busting in with backpacks. So for now, they are going to be mine all mine for decorating here and there as I wish. Discussion has begun afresh about painting various wall(s) with chalkboard paint! The kids are all about it!

Growing, growing, growing!

Last year I vowed to do a series documenting the amazingly rapid growth of my favorite bleeding heart plant. By the time that occurred to me we were already at the small bush stage. Next year I want to try and start earlier and get the very first shoots poking up.

However, it has still been a fun series for me. I've been taking a photo of Friday for a few weeks and you can see what kind of explosive growth it undergoes.

May 2

May 9

May 16

May 23

May 31

Bleeding hearts prefer shade. They are perennials so they come up every year and, in my experience, get bigger each year. And they are so lovely with their delicate dangling blossoms. I would recommend planting one if you've got a shady nook to fill.

I think they're pretty

My daughters love to give them to me. I choose to see dandelions as gifts, not as nuisances.

beauty in miniature

Even regular leafy trees put out tiny spring flowers!

spring seedlings / beautiful beginnings

show me some spring…

…on your shelf, that is!

Simple collection of yellow and Easter themed items – saved cards, my silly ceramic chicks, a stuffed bunny, and a bit of a bird's nest.

And of course a whole shelf devoted to my nest collection – hee!

Spring in small spaces

Get outside, keep your eyes open, and expect delight.

Spring in my garden

I am almost sure this pink peeping out belongs to my beloved bleeding heart.

It's green! And it's pink on the tips. Nice touch.

Spring in my kitchen

Inspired a bit by this blogger's challenge to grow something, anything, delighted with this idea, and encouraged by both husband and enthusiastic four-year-old, we planted some sweet pepper seeds. After watering and waiting and watering and waiting I was secretly beginning to get nervous.

And then one day, in one egg shell planter, it appeared. A tiny bent "u" of a pale seedling stem lifting itself from the dark of the soil.

Since then, new sprouts, new leaves, new growth appears every day. An official count is taken and discussions of where to place so many plants this summer takes place over meals. I am still finding it difficult to imagine these tiny baby plants as sturdy stalks producing large, hollow peppers for our happy snacking. Such a miracle!

Nearby, we watch progress as caterpillars ordered from Insect Lore (thanks, Grandma!) crawl around, hang around, quadruple in size, experiment with their silk strings, and at last begin the magic of encasing themselves in their brown chrysalises, each accented by the glint of metallic gold. As soon as they've completed this stage, we'll pin them up inside our butterfly house and wait for our winged friends to emerge.

And if all that isn't enough, we're growing an onion that sprouted in the pantry. Just to see what happens (that's the crazy wild green thing on the right hand side of the above photo).

Perhaps these projects aren't exactly art – but the beauty of our natural world never fails to amaze and inspire me.

Happy spring!

breathe deep

 A spring bouquet for you, simply and loosely gathered in a jar. Lilacs, bleeding heart, and dogwood.

dear dogwood

Every spring I delight in your lovely pink blossoms!

 

welcome, spring

 Elegant extension of new leaves.

Baby Oak leaves are butter yellow. My apologies, dear spring, for neglecting to notice in years past.

budding beauty

The colors of budding trees and their tiny flowers can be quite unexpected.

spring in miniature

The spider plant in my office is blooming! Teeny tiny white flowers that have delighted me in their surprise appearance.

signs of spring – May edition

Beautiful uncurling and unfurling.

I am so enjoying watching the front yard garden return this year. Last year all the plants were fresh babies with lots of space between them. This year things are larger and lusher. I am so pleased with it.

signs of spring – March edition

Once upon a warm March day, we dragged out the new glider, soaked up the long-missed sunshine, and marveled at little sprouts. Before spring finally arrived we had both snow and a random 85 degree day. I think the spring I so actively long for in March actually arrives in May every year. I will have to try to remember that!

The new bench: a gift from my valentine and my vision for a lovely, relaxing summer rocking my baby on it. My little one digs in the dirt (go girl!). And yes, she is indeed wearing pajamas.

So persistent as they poke through last autumn's oak leaves. It occurs to me that perhaps this is why plants come up in sharp spikes and then later unfurl into leaves. They need that sharpness to get started.

What a lovely and unexpected color when most other sprouts are green.

spring in my mailbox

I love these colors together. I can't seem to get enough of a nice lime green as a general rule. And of course it looks lovely paired with a warm purple.

 I have allium bulbs (the flower on the invite) planted and enjoy them every year. They're such a fun round shape perched a top a slender stem. Like a happy little pom pom poof!