Category: Outside

  • Garden Walks, 2009

    Last weekend was filled with flowers. The Oak Park Garden Walk took place last Saturday, and I went by myself (very quickly) to six of the nine gardens included. Then on Sunday, I took Eleanor along to the Park Ridge Garden Walk where we met up with my mom and her two youngest, Ross and Francesca. We also saw six (out of seven) gardens on Sunday, but it took a little longer with three children under five along. ;) Here are a few highlights…

    This was easily the star of the Oak Park Garden Walk. There were 50′ arborvitae surrounding the property.

    Garden Entrance

    When you entered the garden you felt like you had been transported to a different place.

    Garden Entrance

    There were glass spheres in the garden, tucked amongst the flowers. This photo doesn’t capture how beautiful they were — they looked like bubbles.

    Glass Spheres

    There was also a lovely potting bench and bicycle. I’m sure it looks like this all the time, right?

    Potting Bench

    Moving on to some of the other gardens, here’s an awesome bamboo fence…

    Bamboo Fence

    A fun bird topiary…

    Bird Topiary

    A striking white hosta…

    White Hosta
    (I want some of these in my garden too.)

    An old bicycle as a planter…

    Bicycle as Planter

    And a tooth-shaped toy box that was turned into a planter for the garden of a dentist.

    Tooth Planter

    It all just makes me want to do more work to our little garden! Not so easy with a newborn, but at least the planning is almost as much fun as the doing.

    p.s. If you want to see more photos of the Park Ridge Garden Walk, my mom has been posting them on her blog.

  • Up for the Challenge: We Won!

    I wanted to thank you all earlier, but I was waiting until I heard from Better Homes & Gardens…

    We WON! Making it Lovely received the most votes in the 48-Hour Challenge at BHG.com and we’ll be the recipient of a $5000 bonus! We’re so excited, and we’re eager to get started on a few new projects around the house that will now be possible. And obviously, we couldn’t have won without your tremendous support. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

    We WON!

  • Up for the Challenge: The End

    Today is the last day to vote in the 48-Hour Challenge. The timing of the challenge was a bit crazy (coinciding with my ninth month of pregnancy), but Brandon and I took it on and we’re so proud to have been a part of it. Thank you to Better Homes and Gardens for asking me to be a part of the challenge, and thank you to the other participants: The Cottage Nest, The Home Garden, The Wood Whisperer, and of course my friends over at This Young House. We were thrilled to be in such wonderful company, and the other four projects were all incredibly inspiring.

    Here’s a look back at where we started…

    The Front Porch, Empty

    And where we ended…

    Front Porch

    And during the process we went from a married couple to a family.

    On the Front Porch with Eleanor and Murray

    Thank you too, all of you, for your support throughout the whole process. There were times when I thought I was in a bit over my head (*ahem*, porch painting), but the end result and your thoughtful comments made it all worth it. And I truly appreciate those of you that took time to vote for us, whether it was once a day, once in a while, or just once. Thank you.

  • New Porch Details

    New Porch Details

    Just because we had finished working on the porch for the BHG 48-Hour Challenge (have you voted yet today?), that doesn’t mean that we had completely finished. I love the way everything turned out, but there were a few other items that have since caught my eye…

    These green astro balls are fun, aren’t they? I included them in my Great Green Outdoors post back in March, and I had wanted them ever since.

    Spiky Green Balls

    Actually, I just realized that the other two items newly added to our porch were in that same post from March too. The beachcomber outdoor pillow is looking nice on our bench…

    Pillows on the Bench

    And the MYNTA hanging pots look great filled with annuals.

    Hanging Plant Pot

    So there you have it. A home-obsessed person’s work is never done. Although our front porch is. For now, at least. ;)

    Psst… If you could take just a moment to vote today in the 48-Hour Challenge, I’d be ever so grateful. There are only three days left, and it’s gonna be a close one!

  • Have You Voted Yet Today?

    Just a quick reminder… you can vote once each day from now until June 12, and we’d really appreciate your support in the BHG 48-Hour Challenge!

  • Back in Second Place

    We’ve lost our lead in the 48-Hour Challenge again — drat! We’re currently down by 358 votes and slipping a little more each day.

    The 48-Hour Challenge

    You all came through for me last time when we were down and I’m hoping you can do it again… Please vote for Making it Lovely everyday until June 12. (Thank you!)