Southern Snow - Sweet Autumn Clematis

In this area of South Carolina we have only a few chances to see snow every couple of years, but at the beginning of fall we have sweet autumn clematis which more than makes up for not having the cold fluffy stuff.

 
This year I let mine run rampant in the front and back yards and have been given a glorious display of thousands of white flowers.

They look like snow cascading from the tops of all the bushes.

I wish I had blog-o-smell so you could get an idea of the heady scent from these little beauties.  The flowers are driving the bees and hummers insane.  They are buzzing about madly - darting in and out of the blooms.















 

Sweet autumn clematis is comfortable in both sun and shade, but does like its feet in thick leaf compost.

 It gets pruned to the ground at the beginning of February and then again in June just to trim excess.

It was one of the few plants which enjoyed all the rain we received this summer.

I found this patch high in the magnolia.

The bees especially seem to like this section.  It is partially in deep shade.  

Maybe there is some sense to staying out of the sun!

There is mixture of sweet autumn clematis, ginger lilies, and lantana in this bed next to the patio.

At night the migrating hummingbirds congregate here and have fights over the blooms.

To be so small, hummers can be vicious!

I hope you enjoyed my Southern snow!

Just think - no heavy coats, no boots and no shoveling involved.

See y'all!



On Friday nights and all weekend go to Party Junk 203!

Vintage Pieces

 Just a few vintage pieces picked up as the week went by.  This was my last full week of physical therapy.  I will be glad to get back to painting and shopping!

Now is the time to stock up on blankets for the fall and winter.  I found this Hudson Bay Point Blanket in red and black.  It will go with a previous blanket find. Other blanket find here!  I love them rolled into bolsters for beds.

 There is the blanket standing in as a backdrop for the wood shelf and the three wood plaques.  I did come straight home and work on the shelf.

I promise to show you soon.

I haven't yet decided how to use the plaques.

 A Carom board - no pieces - just the board.  Great hanging on the wall as the headboard for a twin bed.  Or imagine it lying on the floor under a small Christmas tree.

A green wire serving tray.

A gold basket - perfect for fall.

These two seem more spring than fall, but I am sure that can be remedied!

I might go out and hunt tomorrow morning if the weather cooperates.  

Chucks and I do not have anything special planned for the holiday.

I hope you don't labor too much on Monday!

See y'all!






Come party at Party Junk 202!

The Flamingo Candlestick

 I have always thought of flamingos as regal birds.  I love to watch them at the zoo gracefully walking through the water or sleeping with one leg tucked up underneath.

This is my homage to a flamingo.

Though seriously, what would a flamingo do with a candlestick?

Well, it is the thought that counts.

 I bought the base ready-made from the thrift shop.  It had been white-washed.

Of course I wanted more layers of colors.

First I painted it turquoise.

 Then I painted it with my goopy mixture.  You can see the other two projects and the recipe for goopy mixture:
Cottage caddy here
Mason jar caddy here .

 I sanded down the cream color to reveal the turquoise and some bits of the white.

Then sealed with two coats of satin craft varnish.











 

I added a crown of a gelatin mold to its top.

Here the candlestick stands with the tool caddy and the Mason jar caddy.

All were survivors of the goopy mixture!

 Never one to avoid excessive ornamentation, I cut strips of music sheets and dyed them with Distress Stain in three colors.

 The vintage French flamingo image came from The Graphics Fairy.

Le Flammant with her Oeufs et Nids!

 Once the dye dried, I secured the music strips around one of the flat parts of the spindle.

I added a purple button and used turquoise torn cotton ribbon to attach the flamingo tag.

 The gelatin mold was perfect for a candle.

And here it is - a candlestick fit for a regal French flamingo even if she has no need for it!

This is the last of three projects using goopy mixture.

I will use it again.  I like the results!



See y'all!




Come party at Party Junk 202!

Turning Heads

 Friday I went to Tuesday Morning to look for a couple of buckets.  I did find the buckets in a beautiful sage color with rusty spots so I was happy.

BUT as I turned to the checkout my eyes beheld HEADS!

I love heads.

There were three medium-sized ones, and I chose one of them with a slight downcast look.

Closer to the front of the store there was a white painted terra cotta torso.

SCREAM!

Into the cart this babe went.

So I went for buckets and got buckets.

Yes, I did come home with two heads.

Chucks wanted to know where in this house would they sit?

Why, in the dining room, Dear.

 Chucks not-so-gently reminded me I had several painting projects in various stages of completion laying about the dining room.

BUT there was a tiny corner with nothing.

It needed something.

It needed heads!

After turning the heads this way and that way and adding other elements, I came to this pleasing arrangement.

I love them and walk by them as much as possible.

Chucks says they are extremely creepy.

Maybe I will decorate them for Halloween.

Maybe Chucks is creepy!

See y'all!




br /> Come party at Party Junk 202!