Roses and the Effects of Gardens

Hello Lovely Ladies!

Just wanting to share some lovley flowers, as in roses, one of my favorites. I bought some at a market I never go to often, but I had to stop in and their flowers are amazing. I bought cream and pale green tipped roses, lite pink spray roses and baby's breath, too sweet.


One morning my bed looked too naked for some reason, so I put a silver stenciled tray there with roses and a candle. Every time I walked by and saw this, a big smile filled my soul.

 

The purity of white never fails......

 Do I see a heart in that rose??

 

I could never live without flowers in my life. How barren is a soul without them. This is why I became a florist.



I am landscaping the front yard. WE all, everyone, myself, the housemate, the neighbors, the butterflies, the passers by, the insects, trees....all of us, need some beauty in our lives.

Some sneak peaks at the flowers in the front yards gardens.
I'm seeing fun responses from people. First John, the owner, when he pulled up to the house when the plants were in their place, he said....and I quote, and mind you this is "STRONG" language for him......'oh shit'.....so for him, this is huge. :D The stoic neighbor to the right of us saw the magnolia tree I'm going to plant and he was smiling and watching as I unloaded all these things from my car, an unusual response for him, and he asked me what it was. When I told him a Magnolia, he got excited and asked if that is the one with the huge scented white flower, yes I said, he loves that tree! He asked me where I'm putting it and when I told him, he approved. I want only flowering and fruit trees plants and bushes. He saw all the colors and he was impressed. I feel he got inspired. Said he wanted to put 2 in front of his house.
Yesterday as we planted, the neighbor to the left decided to take out some garbage they had sitting in their yard for 2 years. Thank you God! They walked it out to the corner for pick up, On the way out, they pointed to Mussaenda Square with the colorful purslane in the sun beneath and they were smiling. We never see them smile, they are workaholics.....but John saw this and creeped up to me sneaky like, LOL to tell me he spotted them pointing at the beautiful white and colorful square and smiling in joy. John himself was full of smug and smiles, pride and joy too :D
The neighbors across the street when they got home from work, both stood at their door staring our way and gave me the biggest cheesy smiles I have seen from them, and they were waving in a very friendly fashion.
This morning I saw a man walking past and his eyes got stuck on the row of colors and he walked staring and staring. He walked looking backwards, then remembered why he was out there and started calling for his dog again who was lost. LOL
Also this morning the stoic neighbor's wife, came over to ask me about all the plants, where I got them and how much etc, because she sooooo badly wanted flowers and a fountain too like I have. She seemed so sad but perked up when I told her how cheap I got them all for and where to get more. She decided she was going to plant flowers in her space in the back where she likes to sit on her rocker after work. I told her I would help her if she needed it.
I have seen so much in responses to the beauty of the Mother and Her plants, colors and flowers, and that this is the very medicine needed for humanity. I wanted to give at least those near me this medicine through my front garden for all to see.
The night blooming jasmine adds intoxication to the beauty so that all senses are involved and one can understand how real it all is, how powerful and visceral  is Nature, how necessary is Her Beauty.

  
This is the only open magnolia flower. I bought this tree with only 2 buds, many had already been opened. But this variety produces all year round, so we are in for more heavenly Magnolia Scent.

This is White Mussaenda Square, with a variety of flowers in there which should be wonderful when they fill out. I have begonia in both white and pink, vinca in white and fuschia, purslane which are open now, in coral pinks and yellows, a hydrangea and azalea which are dormant right now, but should look wonderful when they bloom again. They should bloom when the White Mussaendas are done.

oh, see that little pigmy date palm in the background? that one never did well, and from now on what doesn't produce flowers or fruit goes. The Magnolia tree is going in that spot.

 Is this color not PURE HAPPINESS people??? It says, ''we are small' but oh so bright! :D:D:D "
 

I will show more pictures of what is planted soon. I'm hoping to get the Magnolia tree in and Quan Yin's garden finished to take all the pics.....hopefully. But it is all so very beautiful already.
 The Bougainvillea, alamander and lantana go all down the fence towards the house, and they do need to fill out.

Plant gardens and flowers everywhere you can! Leave a legacy of beauty.

Thanks for visiting!


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"Brunch is Served, Sir"

A quick post for my lovelies in Bloglandia!

Have lost my groove and juice for weeks now, a combination of circumstances, my ''work'', and this humid/heat.....
but, my natural state is happiness or joy, isn't that nice? I just learned this about myself this past year LOL.....and so when all the outer stuff seemed to be ''handled'', today I woke up with the pleasure of thinking how to create my sewing projects for which I have a few going on at once, and to wash the kitchen lace valances and play with my new thrift store finds. I got what I believe is a Scottish Lace Panel, in cotton, a floral twin blanket with ruffles which I'm going to make into something, I'm a bit excited about....and a cotton lace round tablecloth.......these three were $7.00 total. I have a really good thrift store by me. If I had a shop, I'd be in there every morning!

 

I wish I could put in a movie here of the moving lace, blowing in the sun an gentle breezes......sighhhhh.....

ok LOL....sorry about that! had to pretend these pics were single frames in a slow motion movie LOL




Back to the kitchen.....once I took the lace valances off, there was alot more light coming in and I liked it, plus the scrollwork of the ficus repens shows up sooo much and I love that! I asked the housemate for his opinion too and he liked the light too....so I had to figure out what to put up there to have something at the top to cover the awning view and because fabric softens square windows and I need that. I looked around and realized my beloved favorite of all time gauze linen was finished! horror! and the only piece left was one I was using as a long linen sash/belt was in my closet, and I pulled it out and it works perfectly. I just need to embellish it a bit and I'm leaving it there, it is lightweight, sheer and yet softens the hard window structure, lets in the light and shows my favorite, the organic scrollwork of nature crawling all over the windows in the form of Mr. Repens....that is a very vigorous ficus repens which is full out intent on covering this entire house.

I began to make a brunch and as I was about to serve it up, there was this wooden tray I had washed in the dish-rack, and I thought it was perfect to serve a sandwich. I love to make things interesting. I have to. If I'm going to do the same things every day, then I have to be creative with them. The Japanese excel at this, crafting and using the most beautiful stonewear and serving utensils for every day use. But today, it was a lovely accident, and I grabbed the wooden tray just because it was there and fit the sandwich, layed down a shabby serviette in blue because it was for the housemate John, and then I fell into the giggles in love with the delight of it! LOLOL.....so I went for the camera and I don't have the time or patience for staging people, only when something really ugly shows up and yells at me through the lens do I move it, but otherwise, pics are as they are.....
so here is the delight for the day....

"Brunch is served, Sir" :D:D:D

 A mushroom and onion egg sandwich. I used lavender and Herb de Provence and cream in the eggs this time. Extra flavor came from grated Parmesan cheese and Jamaican Scotch Bonnet hot sauce, which is more flavor than heat. LOVE!!

layed the shabby serviette onto the tray, put the sandwich on it, and covered it up.....

I like to keep things interesting, and when I presented this to him, he did have a huge grin and giggled a bit himself!
please scuse the unsavory t-shirt there, I'm not into photoshop.....but he was a happy camper in this moment despite the HIGH humidity and heat in AUGUST in Florida, the worst time of year and have to find ways to keep him happy because he was muttering under his breath about the heat and having to dig up [at my insistence] those old bushes that ARE NOT FLOWERING.

 ......so that I can plant bougainvillea in their place,

....because I want flowers and color like this......







 

            

Thanks for visiting. Count your blessings.




     

New Sliptop in Georgette Rasberries and Roses

Hello Everyone,

How are all of you?
I am keeping busy sewing and making flower arrangements and all kinds of indoor things until this season of sorrow passes....:D that is the sorrow is the sadness of such continued hot/humid weather, after many days and months of it, becomes a bit of sorrow....but it shall pass.

Here is a new top. I decided to experiment with sewing on what they call ''on the bias'' as I do notice from some things I have purchased that this cut does wear much better, it flows and moves better and hangs with more waves. I need that! lots of waves! LOL.....so I decided to torture myself and try to figure this out as well, on my own, by myself, on my own lonesome self!!........and I studied a piece I love to wear which I cannot anymore because I wore it to death, and saw it was cut in angles.....great.....the very thing that torments my brain the most.....math. But I did it after many hours, I saw how to cut my fabric with the singular and only shot I have, to cut once!, and I cut it the way this one piece was done, but this fabric was so very difficult to keep together to cut evenly, and that is another reason I love linen, it sits and stays well doesnt slip and slide and you can cut it easily. Still I continued. Used every trick to keep it in one place, but working on the floor as cutting table is painful. Can't wait till I can get a place with room for a cutting table and sewing room.....properly. Also, close to the homestretch, after sewing one piece on an entirely WRONG place and having to stitch by stitch take it off and sew it onto its proper place, I thought again, I am so done with teaching myself, and sewing myself. Wish I had a seamstress for this. I prefer designing then wearing......skip the sewing altogether but it wont work that way :D However, this one is done and I am onto 2 more pieces today.
I bought this fabric so many years ago I don't even remember when, decades. But it was inspired by a very pretty feminine country floral dress I saw an actress wearing. I can't believe I've carried this fabric around all these years! But I finally decided to make a soft flowy top with it and I'm going to make another shorter one with the 2 pieces I have left from being cut. I like this one, it feels so light I don't feel it on at all! I have to check to see I'm wearing something LOL . Its a kind of Georgette I think, in antique tones of beige's and raspberries......with little raspberries and roses on it in actuality. It is much prettier in person. I think this is something that has more color in it than anything else I have....I'm just so much settled into my white/ecru tones....both in the house tones and in my wardrobe. But this is very farm-country shabby, pretty and romantic. I love it! lol

 I love feminine touches, it makes everything better. :D  I had some things lying around and this is usually my criteria for what I use, is what I have or can create from what I have. And I had this bow in cheesecloth sitting in my dwindling lace basket and I loved it on this top, but it was too white, so I tea stained it, and now its perfect! LOL I liked it both in the front and on the back, but left it in the back, which is usually neglected but not in my world. The front got a little bit of lace, not much else. I want this piece simple. The base of the straps in the back have a little knot for interest and a extra flowing length for movement. Gotta have movement.

I added a crochet sweater to it which I did not make, I bought at T J Maxx, and this one has such long ties, I criss crossed it onto the back. Nice to keep a chill off when going into those air conditioned stores. The pants I bought at a Renaissance Faire, but I did add the lace :D:D:D

 I think I'm going to wear this alot. it feels like I'm wearing nothing and is so pretty.

After I finish the smaller top I'm going to make now with the leftover cut pieces, I'm going to try making a Kimono with some fabric I found in my old stash, such a beautiful reversible aqua blue and sea green! I love those two colors! and it has gold embroidery and a beautiful border. I think it is meant to be a Kimono which will look so very chic over some white linens........alot like this inspiration below.....I absolutely adore this picture of Yasminna Rossi with all the greys, especially her hair! the white linens? after my very heart and the grey kimono looking top is gorgeous! I am going to make one with the fabric I have, and if I am successful will find a beautiful grey fabric to make another like this picture.

Thanks for visiting!


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