A Potting Bench for the Shabby Shed

Come with me. . .I have something to show you. . .

On our way, you might want to look once again at how we built the Shabby Shed. . . . and the story behind it. . . .Total cost. . . . $35!

Has it really been a whole year since we built this shed?. . . .How do the days go by so quickly? . . .We finished the shell of the building last summer. . . .and put together a potting table from a yard sale find. . . .That was about all the time we could spare. . . .We do have five acres of land and fourteen buildings to maintain. . . .Not much time for "playing". . . .

As I walked down our drive to the mail box--on a recent Spring day--it struck me that I rarely enjoy the blessings we have with the farm anymore. . . .It's not that I don't appreciate this legacy. . . .I do. . . .My mind is just too busy with keeping everything moving smoothly. . . .thinking ahead. . . .planning. . . .physical work, paper work, bills, phone calls, renovations, repairs.

On that particular morning it was breezy and sunny. . . .a beautiful day. . . .
The birds were singing--the wind was gently blowing through the trees. . . .
I could hear a tractor in the distance. . . .
I looked down at the gravel drive and suddenly I was transported back in time. . . .when I was growing up. . . .when I walked to the farm down gravel roads and enjoyed the silence of the day and the fragrance of
 cotton blooms. . . .

I loved going to the farm. . . .There was just something about it. . . .such a feeling of being a part of something bigger than my own little world. . . .yet, a peacefulness and a calm that's hard to explain. . . .I think I've said before that I relate to Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind, when she picked up that handful of Tara Plantation soil and held it to the sky. . . .
I've thought about doing the same thing. . . .But, that's another story. . . .

Well, I decided that Spring day that there will always be a long list of things to do around here. . . .I should do a little playing along the way. . . .After all, people pay money to come here and enjoy our way of life. . . .why shouldn't I?

This past weekend I had a few extra hours to do just that. . . .We didn't go junkin' away from the farm. . . .I went junkin' AT the farm. . . .

The result? . . . .A small potting area at the Shabby Shed. . . .
It's nothing fancy by any means. . . .I feel most at home with rustic farm style. . . .Plain & Simple. . . .After all, making-do was the norm. . . .not the exception. . .

Baby bed springs stored in the Widner barn by someone(?) makes a handy place for tools, seeds packets and such. . . .A great place to dry herbs, too. . .

The table below is small. . .but, enough room for me to work. . . .We bought it for $5 at a yard sale. . . .added a wider top with palette wood. . . .See A Typical Day for photos of that transformation. . . .

Found the white bowl and bee skep in Our Old Country Store. . . .The bowl has a little crack in it but will work just fine. . . .I love this bee skep. . . .tempted to take it indoors. . . .



Below the table. . . .pots and a watering can are handy. . .
Shovels and hoes within reach. . . .

 

The sun comes up on this side of the shed. . . .goes down on the opposite (of course). . . .The afternoons are shaded by the roof and catch any breeze coming our way. . . .a place of solitude. . . .of unwinding. . . .of reflection. . . .and now a place to "play". . . .

I love it! With the addition of a couple of vintage farm chairs, John and I can enjoy some time in the shade, looking out over the fields and bayou. . . .and I can start working on an herb garden for the log cabin. . . .You know me. . . .I'll be adding and tweaking and "making-do" all summer long. . . .Please do come back again!

Oh!. . . .I need to add one last thing before you go. . . .

Anytime

Don't forget. . . .

Country Whites Weekend starts this Friday, May 17!

Hope to see you there!

. . . from my farmhouse to yours. . .

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Country Sundays--For Mom

Love and Miss You Bunches. . . .

To You and All Dear Sweet Mothers

Everywhere. . . .

I'm Dreaming of a White......Picket Fence

We've had a couple of beautiful, sunny Spring days. . . .It's my favorite time of the year to be outside. . . .Perfect for doing yard work. . . .and to finish projects started. . . . .five years ago?

If there's one thing John and I do well, it's finding bargains with the best intentions to go straight home and put them to work. . . .but then getting side tracked on something else. . . .We have plenty of plans, good intentions. . . .not enough time. . . .

Our white picket fence was one of those projects.

We bought all the parts and pieces five years ago at Lowe's, when they put summer items on sale. . . .paid $3 per section. . . .They were really trying to get rid of them, weren't they?. . . .We were more than glad to take them off their hands. . . .

All winter long I reminded John that this would be the year for the fence. . . .no matter what got in the way. . . .He was all for it, since he wanted them out of the barn. . . .Well, the weather hasn't cooperated much. . . .Looked like we might have a couple of pretty days this week. . . .So, we dropped everything and started working on that already five year old fence. . . .The rooster finally had something to crow about!

After a day and a half, our fence was up!. . . .True, it's not white. . . .yet. . . .and the arch has to be added. . . .but what a difference it made to the rose garden. . . .We both love it. . . .

Now, I can fill it with all kinds of shabby garden decor. . . .which means a trip to the barn to check what's on hand. . . .I've put off visiting the barn this Spring. . . .There's at least ten more projects there--waiting to be done--I know. . . .

Well. . . .we'll get to them one day. . . .I think that's called  "JOB SECURITY?"

. . . from my farmhouse to yours. . .

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After the Rain & Rose Petal Jam

 I was beginning to think it was gonna rain forty days and forty nights!

Yet, I knew something good would come of it. . . .Roses!

The sun did come out yesterday morning. . . .Aunt Mamie's roses were sparkling in the sunshine. . . .What a surprise!. . . .Made my heart go pitter-patter. . . .I grabbed my camera before the rain droplets disappeared. . . .

The bushes are absolutely covered with rose buds, ready to open for Mother's Day.
They never fail to be in full bloom for this special time of year.

Do you remember when everyone wore roses on Mother's Day?

Red roses if your Mom was still living. . . .

White roses if she was with the Angels.

My Grandmothers, Aunts, and Mom made our corsages
with roses picked from their own gardens. . . .

We'd wear them to church where the very air smelled of flowers. . . .

That's why Aunt Mamie's roses are so special to me. . . .We brought her five bushes to the farm a few years ago. . . .I'm almost certain a couple of them were my Grandmothers. . . .They're a sweet reminder of those precious ladies. . . .

Is it any wonder that I LOVE ROSES!

Speaking of which. . . .

What an unusual jam recipe I found. . . .

but I love trying new things, don't you?

Til Next Time!

. . .from my farmhouse to yours. . .

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A $2 Ten Minute Slipcover

How about a quick and easy slipcover for Spring and Summer?
This one is so easy and fast. . . .It takes no time to put together. . . .I came up with the idea while shopping a Goodwill Friday in Jackson, TN. . . .All green tags were half price. . . .I spied a sheer, stripped curtain with a green tag and headed right for it. . . . Slipcovers have been on my mind ever since the post Farmhouse Chic Slipcovers. . . .thinking along the line of sheers so that the chair could still be seen through the fabric. . . .giving an airy, summery look to our Garden Style Bath. . . .

The panel was $2 with the discount. . . .I couldn't buy fabric for that!

I wanted things Plain & Simple, so I chose only three basics for the slipcover--a chair, a sheer curtain, and cotton tape. . . .The pleater tape was thrifted a couple of months ago. . . .not to pleat drapes. . . .to use with my crafts. . . .There was yards and yards of it. . . .

I basically wrapped the chair like a package, using straight pins and safety pins to hold all in place. . . .

And, utilized the cotton tape to cover the pins, and for a decorative tie. . . .knotted. . . .with streamers falling down to the side. . . .

Gathering the excess fabric to the back, a bow added a bit of "Farmhouse Chic" to the Plain & Simple. . . .

A vintage lace tablecloth laid across the chair's seat. . . .easily removed if I want.

Ten minutes later, it was done!

John kidded that it's too fancy for a farmhouse. . . .No, it's not! I told him!--with a laugh. . . .

A man's home may be his castle but a woman's home is her individual style expressed. . . .Women, no matter what the era, strive to make their homes comfortable and pretty for their family. . . .as well as for themselves. . . .It's a sweetness we add to life. . .

This little slipcovered chair makes me smile when I walk into the room. . . .John, too. . . .but he'd never admit it. . . .

Once again, thrifting has proved to be a good thing.

. . .from my farmhouse to yours. . .

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Country Sundays--For the Birds....

Our Feathered Friends need a gathering place, too. . . .

Don't they?

Sunday Blessings

from

Sew an Apron from a Vintage Skirt & Collar

A bit "romantic" isn't it?

An apron fashioned from a linen 80s skirt,

a vintage crocheted collar,

an embellished lace piece salvaged from a 90s knit top
(remember those days?)

and a few additional yards of scrap lace.

A couple of months ago, I began working through a stack of vintage linens, stitching with Sew Thrifty a Find--a Singer Tiny Tailor that I thrifted for only $10. . . .The stack is getting smaller. . . .and I've grown to love the "little green machine". . . .

I've almost exhausted the pile of linens--all but a few scrap pieces and a bunch of crocheted collars. . . .I'd laid all aside for a time while I took care of planting a garden and other Springtime "chores". . . .one of which being cleaning out closets. . . .That's how I ran across my Mom's white linen skirt from the 1980s. . . .the fabric was beautiful. . . .the hem was of cotton eyelet lace and tucks. . . .

 As I looked at her skirt again for the first time in a couple of years, I thought how it reminded me of Downton Abbey. . . .a touch of Victorian. . . .

Hmmmmmm. . . .

I needed an apron from that era.

Should I use Mom's skirt for it?

I glanced at the linens pile and saw the other pieces needed. . . .

a collar and that beautiful lace piece I'd kept for years,

knowing that one day there would be a use for it.

Gathering all up, I headed for the sewing room.. . . .Just a short break from closet cleaning. . . .

First thing, the elastic was removed from the back of the skirt.

Measuring 4 1/2" from the side seam, I tore the skirt on each side. . . .Then serged the edge and stitched it under.

The left-over piece from the back formed the lower part of the bib. . . .

Turning the hem of that piece with the scallop side out, 

I was able to utilize the tucks in the center. . . .

a little extra detail.

The crocheted collar worked out beautifully. . . .I simply stitched them in all in place.

and, added the embellished lace piece. . . .

For tie ends, I measured twill tape long enough to make a pretty bow in back,

securing to the apron with large vintage buttons.

The skirt already had slit pockets at the side. . . .No need to add more.

The hem seemed a little plain once the bib was finished. . . .Digging in a box of lace, I found a couple of possibilities. . .

Much better. . . .

In less than two hours, the Victorian era mannequin was wearing her new apron. . . .

I'll be eyeing those lace collars a little differently from now on. . . .Never quite knew what to do with them. . . .I doubt that I'll be buying any, though. . . .Out of curiosity, I counted mine. . . .Eleven was the number. . . .Too bad I only found one linen skirt. . . .
So far. . . .
 
There are more closets and tubs to sort through. . . .No telling what treasures I'll find!
It will be a TREASURE HUNT!
Much more fun than cleaning out closets. . . .

. . .from my farmhouse to yours. . .

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