Alley-oop! Urn Transformation

I almost fell off my bicycle as I was cruising a neighborhood alley

and spotted these two cement urns next to a dumpster.

The generally accepted rule of alley etiquette is if it's by a dumpster, it's OK to take it.

So, while Ron road back to get the car, I guarded my new steals, I mean treasures. 

Here's a Before and After picture!

They were quite heavy and in excellent shape. 

Except someone had painted them a sickly yellow color.

So Ron sprayed them with a graffiti remover and let it work.

Then gave it a good scrape with a stiff brush.

And finally hosed it off.

Wow! They looked brand new!

Actually, Ron did too good of a job.

The urns were bright white with no character.

They needed to be "aged."

I know you can use moss spores to get this look but where the heck do you find them?
I'd read about aging concrete with coffee grounds so I thought I'd give that a try.
Just rub wet grounds across the concrete and let it sit for 15-20 minutes.
You might have to do this a couple of times until you get the color base you want.

The coffee gives it a subtle brownish-gray hue.
Brush off the coffee grounds and throw them in the garden. Worms love coffee!
Then I smudged some brown concrete stain here and there with my finger.

Finally, I took a dab of black acrylic paint and mixed it with the watery brown cement stain.
Using an artist's brush, I outlined some raised features to define them.
I also smudged the darker paint here and there for a mottled look.

It will take years for the urns to become pitted and worn
but at least they don't look brand new anymore.

And you can't beat the price!!

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Rose Chintz Cottage, Between Naps on the Porch, Cozy Little House, Coastal Charm,
Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time,
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Why I Love Old Houses

When you buy an old house, you're not just buying an old house. 

You're buying the house's history too.

The families who have lived there before you. 

The toys they left behind in the attic. 

The old papers stuffed in hiding places. 

The memories drifting through the air like wispy ghosts.

It's one of the reasons I love old houses. 

Our little house was built in 1907, making it 109 years old.

The streets were still dirt then
and our big trees were just saplings trying to survive on the dry prairie.
A streetcar ran from the city to the end of the line in our neighborhood 

which was way out on the edge of town. 

Now we're only a quick ten minutes from downtown on light rail.

One of the previous residents of our house was the mailman. 

He kept the horse he rode to deliver the mail in a stable in our back yard. 

Maybe that's why I have a lush garden today!

What do I love in my old house?

I love the wooden floor in the dining room that creaks every time I step on a certain board. 

I love the stairs that groan with every trip upstairs but not down.

I love the cracks in the old plaster
even though I've asked Ron to fix that big one by the front window.

I love our tall windows with the original glass, wavy and pocked. 

And the ones with original stained-glass. 

I don't love the ones with broken sashes that weigh a ton and are hard to open. 

That's on the honey-do list too.

I love that the walls in our second story are lined with old Rocky Mountain News newspaper plates, padded with stuffing and tacked onto the old boards for insulation.

I think this plate is dated 1914!

I love the small room tucked into the basement
where the original coal-burning gravity furnace, now converted to gas, lives. 

With massive arms reaching out in every direction like a giant metal octopus, 

it still does a fantastic job of heating the entire house.

I love discovering a boy's report cards hidden in the basement behind the furnace. 

Seems his grades weren't very good. 

He also hid two champagne glasses
which we put in the dishwasher and use for special occasions. 

He must have been an ornery little boy.

I love not knowing what we're going to find in the attic when we rearrange boxes to store more
stuff in there. So far, we've found toys, paper dolls and a baby's sweet little dress. 

I love this velvet headband, shop-class fish, and ceramic perfume bottle.

As we celebrate the 4th of July with its family traditions passed down through the generations, 

my thoughts drift to this old house's history -- its families, its quirks, and its memories.

I hope it's still here in another hundred years 

and someone finds something that may cause them to wonder about me.

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Designthusiasm, My Soulful Home, Redhead Can Decorate, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings,
Rose Chintz Cottage, Between Naps on the Porch, Cozy Little House, Coastal Charm,
Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time,
A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, The Vintage Nest, Peonies and Orange Blossoms, Poofing the Pillows, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Rooted in Thyme, Charm of Home, French Country Cottage

Textures in the June Garden

June is a great time to observe textures in the garden 

before it becomes so overgrown you can't see anything but plants.

Like this dainty pink soapwort, a delicate contrast with gravel and stone.

Ostrich ferns are fresh and feathery in June.

In the mile-high sun of July they'll soon be turning brown and crispy. 

These airy columbine stand out against a dry stream bed and brick path.

Some old mill stones topped by an unusual rock add hardscape interest to lush landscaping.

Garden textures really show up when leaves are backlit by the sun.

Wispy love-in-a-mist seems to float in the air.

A copper rain chain contrasts with purple larkspur flowers and seed pods. 

Delicate orange poppy petals are striking against blue Turkish veronica.

Denver Bronco colors! 

Ahem. Have I mentioned the Broncos won the Super Bowl this year?

This little chickadee in my fountain almost looks like a soft water color.

Before your garden is crowded with blooms, take a moment to observe and savor its textures.

***

P.S.  Apparently, my subscription service is still not working for every post.

If you missed last week's post on the Denver Botanic Gardens 

(An Urban Oasis Waiting for You),

please scroll on down to read it!

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Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page. 

Thank you!

Linking with:

Designthusiasm, My Soulful Home, Redhead Can Decorate, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings, 

Rose Chintz Cottage, Between Naps on the Porch, Cozy Little House, Coastal Charm, 

Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, Bella Rosa Antiques, Savvy Southern Style, 

Knick of Time, A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, The Vintage Nest, 

Peonies and Orange Blossoms, Poofing the Pillows, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Rooted in Thyme,

Charm of Home, French Country Cottage

An Urban Oasis Waiting for You

In the heart of this bustling city lies an urban oasis  --  the Denver Botanic Gardens.  

Twenty-four acres of plants from around the world, breathtaking works of art,

a peaceful Japanese garden and tea house, and an amazing conservatory.

One of my favorite things in the gardens is this Victorian steel conservatory.

My friend, Melanie, took this picture of me. 

I feel like I should be on the cover of a romantic English novel!

The main conservatory houses tropical plants, a restaurant, and a research library. 

The iconic cement and glass roof was patterned after the ribs of a water lily.

I love this shot of the water lily pond. It reminds me of an Impressionist painting.

There's even a French potager garden.

Besides acres and acres of beautiful plants, amazing artwork is scattered throughout the gardens.

I think art displayed outside looks completely different than it does in a museum. 

Plants are framed and highlighted in unique ways with wood, cement and water.

And, of course, the gardens look their best under this gorgeous blue Colorado sky. 

I could spend hours in this magical place . . . and I have!

The gardens are open in the summer from 9 am. to 8 p.m. 

and are located at 1007 York Street in Denver.
Every month is a new experience. 

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Designthusiasm, Redhead Can Decorate, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings, Rose Chintz Cottage,
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A Stroll Thru Life, Bella Rosa Antiques, Elizabeth and Co., Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time,
A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, The Vintage Nest, Peonies and Orange Blossoms, Poofing the Pillows, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Rooted in Thyme, Charm of Home,
French Country Cottage

Bringing French Country Home : Patio Reveal

My French Country patio is taking shape. 

Flowers have been planted, boxwood in big pots have been trimmed,

and pillows have been fluffed. 

My goal this year was to give the patio more of a French Country feel.

So out went the twig fence and the heavy black iron table and chairs.

In came the white bistro set and a more open yet intimate space.

A thrift store mirror turned on a diagonal and attached to a trellis panel
gives the impression you're looking through a hole in the fence into a secret garden.

Where an old door once covered the fuse box, 

a weathered trellis now lends an aged look to the patio and repeats the trellis theme.

 It will look prettier when the flowers have filled out.

Another trellis was added to the house to frame the fountain. 

I recently planted a honeysuckle vine below the fountain, hoping it will twine around this feature.

A rusty fence, some lanterns and a pot of pansies edge one side of the patio.

I thought the colors of these pansies were so delicate,

as if they'd been tea stained.

A few accessories add a French farmhouse flavor.

And this cast iron lion-head planter provides a touch of elegance
although it looks like this asparagus fern is tickling his nose! 

A new addition to my "Ethan Alley" Collection -- a chippy little bench,

perfect for my herbs.

A birdbath welcomes feathered friends,
close enough to the patio for us to observe their joyful baths.

As dusk falls over the patio, it's time to share a glass of wine . . .

light the candles . . .

and switch on the string lights for a soft romantic glow. 

Mmm. It's a good night on the patio, French Country style.

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On a Personal Note . . .
Happy 1st Blogiversary to me!
I can't believe I've been blogging for a year already.
It's been so much fun and has given me a new challenge.
Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my posts and leave me a comment.
I love hearing from you and so appreciate your support and your friendship.

***

Linking with:
Designthusiasm, Redhead can Decorate, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings, Rose Chintz Cottage,
Between Naps on the Porch, Cozy Little House, Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse,
A Stroll Thru Life, Bella Rosa Antiques, Elizabeth and Co., Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time,
A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, The Vintage Nest, Peonies and Orange Blossoms, Poofing the Pillows, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Rooted in Thyme, Charm of Home,
Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage