Spring Garden Transformations

This giant allium is one of the first bulbs to bloom in the spring,
tempting me to visit the nursery and come home laden with annuals.
But I know it's too early, the ground too cold,
and so I look for some fun garden projects while I wait.

For now, three DIY garden transformation projects await!

This metal salesman's sample of a headboard was painted silver when I bought it at a yard sale. 

It's a scaled-down bed measuring about three feet high by one foot deep.

These small salesman's samples were made to scale and appearance

so customers could envision what they would look like in their home . . .

and they were probably a lot easier for the salesman to carry. 

 Here's the "before" picture.

Last year, I painted it white and displayed it on the front porch.

I thought about putting it in this year's yard sale; I didn't really have room for it on the porch.

Then I realized it would look nice in the garden but the white was just too glaring. 

So I spray painted it Stone Gray by Rustoleum. The softer aged look looks perfect in the garden.

The base has a one-foot open area (for a teeny tiny mattress?). 

I positioned the headboard so the bleeding hearts would grow up through that open space.

I'm so glad I didn't put it in the upcoming yard sale pile. It's a keeper.

***

Another garden accessory I've been transforming is this cast iron lion fountain. 

It was painted a bright creamy yellow color which I thought looked too new.

So I painted it the same Stone Gray paint.

Then I mixed the gray paint with a little black 

and dabbed it on with a terrycloth rag to give it a weathered look. 

  

I also used an artist's brush with the black paint to highlight a few areas

like the edges of the fountain and the raised areas on the lion's head. 

It's now about the same color as the stone of the house so it feels like it's always been there. 

***

The last project I've been working on is transforming this little bricked space by our storage shed.

I dug out about a foot of the dirt surrounding the ash tree 

and replaced the space with old bricks found in the alley.
I like using old bricks because 1) it keeps them out of a landfill and
2) the aged appearance complements an old house. 

We made a brick border by cutting bricks in two and laying them lengthwise along the edge.
We used a brick chisel and a shop hammer to make the cuts.
Sweeping dirt over the bricks filled in the spaces between the bricks.

I also moved some rocks from the garden to make a border around the tree.
This gives us a little more room to access the shed and it looks nicer too.
Hopefully, the vinca transplants will fill in the space.
So far, so good.

Apparently, it 's dog-tested and dog-approved.

So, what's on your garden to-do list this spring while you're waiting for the ground to warm up?

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Touring a French Chateau

I can't think of too many things I enjoy more than traipsing through old houses --
marveling at the amazing craftsmanship,

feeling the soul of the house, and wondering about the people who've lived there before, 

so, when I had the opportunity to explore the best surviving example of 

French Renaissance Chateauesque-style architecture in Denver, I swooned.
Step into history at the Croke-Patterson Inn. 

Chateauesque refers to a French style of design characterized by 

steeply-pitched roofs, elaborate towers and spires. 

Designed by architect Isaac Hodgson in 1891, the Croke-Patterson mansion was based
on the 16th century Chateau Azay-le-Rideau in France's Loire Valley. 

Don't you just love the towers?

Inside, I was greeted warmly by the manager, Michelle, who was busy preparing breakfast 

for guests. She turned me loose to look around 

but not before I snapped her picture on the grand staircase. 

The 12,000 square foot chateau was originally owned by Thomas Croke,
an early irrigation developer.

The Croke-Patterson mansion is now a luxury inn complete with 

beamed ceilings, stained-glass and an attached carriage house. 

The three-story Patterson Inn has nine bedrooms, 

and a lovely dining room

where I drifted away in daydreams of a bygone era.

Here's the grand reception hall.

There's even a cozy pub-style room in the basement. 

 Over the years the chateau has been a dance hall, a boarding house, 

a radio station and an office complex. 

What I noticed most about the Inn now was the attention to details, lending it an authentic feel.

Rumor has it that the house was haunted. 

According to legend, Croke only entered the mansion once and was so shaken 

by whatever was there, he never returned.

He sold the house two years later to U.S. Senator Thomas Patterson 

who owned the Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Times. 

Incidentally, the Patterson Inn is located at 11th Avenue and Pennsylvania Street, 

just a couple of blocks from Molly Brown's Denver mansion. 

If you missed my post on the unsinkable Molly's house, you can read about it HERE. 

Oh, and by the way, no ghosts were encountered during my visit!

You can learn more about this luxury bed and breakfast at
www.pattersoninn.com.

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French Country Farmhouse

I have a soft spot for cows.

Those soulful brown eyes.

That velvety-soft nose.

Those floppy ears and knobby knees. 

A little cow creamer, a primitive painting or a milk jug. I just can't resist them.

Not to mention the farmyard adds something special to a French Country kitchen.
Since French Country originated in the country,
it makes sense to have a few farm animals in the mix.

The trick is not to go overboard with the little darlin's. 

A calf here, a chick there. 

Mix them in with your rustic baskets and your copper pots

to warm up a room of stainless steel appliances. 

Roosters and French Country just seem to go together, 

whether it's in a real farmhouse or a modern farmhouse kitchen.
(I won this painting by an elementary school art teacher in a silent auction.)

Maybe it's their bright yellow, orange and black colors.

Or perhaps it's their cocky strut that says, "Look at me!"

I've been searching for just the right ceramic rooster forever.
They're either too big, too colorful or too expensive.
But, at the recent Vintage Whites Market, I found him.
Love at first sight. Sigh.

Roosters not your cup of tea? Try chickens.

 Cuddly chicks or hefty hens, they instantly warm up a cool room.

You can spice up your French Country kitchen with other farm animals,
whether it's sheep, geese, pigs or goats.
I have a set of four of these outdoor placemats with a different farm animals on each one.
So darling!

They'll make you smile every time you look at them
or at least until the cows come home!

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April in Paris . . . or is it?

April in Paris Denver

This lovely white-blossomed allee could easily be lining a sidewalk somewhere in Paris. 

But actually, it's in Denver, Colorado. 

Everywhere you look in the city at this time of year, these white crabapple trees are at their peak.

Puffballs of pure white against old bricks make me think of the French countryside in spring,

while this lovely tree framing a private courtyard

reminds me of some of the hidden gardens of Paris. 

Here's a little test.
Is this photo in France or Colorado?
(No peeking at the answer).

Answer:  It's actually in the Denver Botanic Gardens.
Did you guess correctly?

One need only stroll down a street in Denver's historic Baker neighborhood

to be reminded we are not, in fact, in France

but, on a quaint street in Colorado in early April. 

Lilacs are just beginning to open and share their intoxicating scent

next to this stately Victorian in Baker.

It's still a bit early here for perennials to bloom

but these gorgeous red tulips in my own garden have sprung to life already.

I have to remind myself that, although it was a lovely day for an early spring walk in Denver,

I could wake up to a foot of snow tomorrow.
And that's exactly what happened in the mountains!
This photo shows a fresh April snowfall on Mt. Evans,
elevation: 14,240 feet rising above our neighborhood.

Photo by Ron Boyd

Happy Spring!

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Quiet Time - April 2017

Sending you a few quiet moments.

Water lilies at the Denver Botanic Gardens

float on calm waters like an Impressionist painting. 

"A flower blossoms for its own joy."  -- Oscar Wilde

Have a beautiful day,
Pat

French Country: Alley Shopping

I'm fortunate to live in an old part of the city that still has alleys,

and, over the years, I've found some amazing things . . .
finds tucked in next to a dumpster, sitting pretty atop a garbage can,

or even boxed up nice and neat like these old mason jars.

I'm an all-season alley shopper, whether it's on my bike in the summer . . . 

or bundled up in the winter, I'm always on the look-out for discarded treasures.

I'm not embarrassed to say I've rescued quite a few pieces from the landfill 

and given them a new life. 

After a little DIY, some sandpaper, or a touch of paint, 

I've created some unique items to add to my "Ethan Alley Collection."

My absolute favorite alley find has to be this amazing baker's rack
recently discovered while walking my dog.
I scurried back to my house to get some help loading it into my car
and prayed nobody would beat me to it.
It was a tight fit but we made it home without getting a ticket for an open hatch.
Don't be surprised if I end up buying a little pickup truck one of these days!

The baker's rack was in great condition, only one screw missing, some rust, a bit of chipped paint,
all of which made it even more desirable.
Initially, I had plans for it inside but once I saw it on the patio, I knew it was home.

It was a perfect fit!

Here are some more of my alley finds. 

This curvy ottoman got a complete overhaul. (If you missed that post, you can read about it HERE).

While out for a neighborhood walk, we spotted someone
headed for the dumpster with an old frame.
"You're not going to throw that away, are you?" Ron and I whispered at the same time.
Circling around the block, we went back to the dumpster after he'd left
and retrieved this charming framed picture.

A couple of rocking chairs for the porch didn't always look like this.

Want to read their story? Click HERE!

A painter's scaffolding found propped against a dumpster 

was the foundation for this unique garden bench.

My first DIY paint project. Want more info? Read about it by clicking HERE!

Can you believe we found this cement angel in the alley behind our house?

We gave it a new home on our patio.

These are the glass mason jars discovered in the first picture. 

Remember this fabulous find? Two matching urns for free!

Check out their makeover HERE!

I recently saw these exact same urns in a fancy antique store for $275!

This old ladder was leaning against a dumpster but not for long.

Even the cafe sign was an alley find. 

The list goes on.

We've also retrieved a pair of Adirondack chairs that just needed some support,

an iron windowbox that needed some posies,

a pair of pretty patio pillows that needed a bench,

and some chippy window frames that needed a new home. 

I hope you have alleys in your neighborhood too. 

Happy alley shopping! 

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Charm of Home, French Country Cottage