When Bad Things Happen to Good Plants

If you've been reading my blog, you know that my hydrangeas plants in my backyard are one of my favorite things.  They are my absolute favorite plants and this year I have spent a great deal of time and energy really working on them.  I go out early each morning before getting the kids ready for camp and water them and take care of them.  They really have flourished this year.

I have had so many gorgeous flowers on these bushes.

I have thoroughly enjoyed cutting the flowers each week and arranging them in vases.

This past weekend, the lawn cutting service we use did their mid-season clean up.  It's where they come in and trim back all of the hedges and trees that have started to look overgrown during the season.  Let me start by saying...usually I am home and I am out there pointing out what they can cut and what they can't cut.  At first glance when I got home from my daughter's tournament, the backyard looked beautiful all neat and manicured.  Then I went outside to get a better look.

This is what they did to my gorgeous hydrangeas!!!   

This is what they did to my gorgeous roses!!!

I literally cried.  Then I wrote an email to the lawn service...then I cried some more.

I know there are so many other terrible things in the world and that this is probably low on the scale of things to be upset about, but I doubt there will be anymore hydrangeas on these bushes this season.  I'm less sure about the roses.  One thing I am sure of is that I'm so disappointed and downright annoyed.

I did get an apology email from the owner, saying that he now has explained to his "guys" what to cut and not to cut, but that usually I am home to point these things out. Really?  Is he blaming me?

Who cuts flowering bushes??? Midseason???

This was Edward Scissor Hand gone bad!

Okay...I'm done with my ranting and raving.

What do you think the chances of getting flowers back this season are??

DON'T FORGET TO STOP BACK TONIGHT AT 8PM EST 

FOR MY SIZZLE INTO SUMMER PARTY

-Judy

Sarah Richardson

Sarah Richardson is one of my favorite designers.  

She is a Canadian interior designer and has been a part of a few different shows on HGTV.  

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Her style is light and airy, but always effortlessly elegant.

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These are some of my favorite rooms that she has created.

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Hope you enjoyed the eye candy!

-Judy

It's Official

Yep - I'm officially on Twitter! I have been thinking about it forever, but then yesterday my friends Heather and Vanessa of At The Picket Fence did a post about a Twitter party that was going on last night and it was just the incentive I needed to take the plunge.  You know what...it's lots of fun.

I'd love for you to come follow me on Twitter at DIYbyDesign1.

I will follow you back!

Have a great weekend.

-Judy

My New Ethan Allen Table Has Arrived

On Saturday our new kitchen table arrived from Ethan Allen.  When we renovated the kitchen, almost five years ago, we wanted to buy this table from Ethan Allen.  At the time, after all the issues we had with the renovation, we decided to just hold off on buying a new table.  Over the years I have looked around, but this table was still the one that spoke to me.  

So a few weeks ago we finally just took the plunge and bought it.

I just love it! 

Here is our old table, which had a light wood top. 

The new table is much larger (56" round plus a 20" leaf).  For now we are keeping the chairs.  I have my eye out for new chairs, but I haven't found exactly what I want just yet.

I don't love the dark rug under a dark table.  I spotted this rug on Joss and Main.  I looks like it is the perfect colors.  They also have the perfect size...an 8' round.  What do you think?  Is it too funky?  Here's what Joss and Main has to say about the rug...

"Whether you have a passion for the French countryside or an enthusiasm for historic farmhouses, the beautiful Paisley Rug is exactly what you need to complete your interior design. Bountiful charm, remarkable details, and a myriad of colors and patterns, this rug is fresh and full of character. The hand-tufted New Zealand wool blend is constructed of a full loop pile that has a distinctive, hand-hooked appearance, completely in keeping with the informal beauty of classic country décor."

They make it sound perfect for my country french kitchen.

Now I just need some beautiful placemats.  

If I can't find some that I love, I will just make them.

Can't wait to hear what you think of my new table.

-Judy

Sizzle into Summer - It's a Party #75

Welcome to this week's Sizzle into Summer party.  I can't believe this is party #75!!  As usual, last week's party was filled with tons of inspiration.  Here are this week's features:

HOME DECOR:

Buttercup Bliss shared the summer changes she made to her guest bedroom.  

With a bedroom this gorgeous, your guests may never leave!!

Live Love DIY  transformed her bathroom into this beauty.  You must stop by to check out the before photos to truly appreciate the after.  It's quite a transformation.

FURNITURE TRANSFORMATIONS:

Dixie Delights  made her own nautical coffee table for a fraction of the price of one she saw in a retail store.  It looks just perfect on her porch.

Turnstyle Vogue transformed an oversized 1930's drum table that had seen better days (ooh, it was a mess) into this treasure.  Hope you will stop by her blog...

she has so many awesome furniture makeovers.

CRAFTY CREATIONS:

First Home Love Life gives a step by step tutorial on how to create this "zinc" initial.

Dixie Delights  created this super cool, DIY oyster shell chandelier.  

Stop by her blog for the step by step tutorial.

TASTY TREATS:

Are you looking for something different to do with chicken?  Mostly Foods and Crafts shared her recipe for Indian Butter Chicken.  Sounds yummy to me!!

The Corner House Blog shared her recipe for the best chocolate chip cookies. 

 I'll be trying this recipe out for sure.

If you were featured, please grab an "I've Been Featured" button (you can now find my buttons by clicking on the buttons tab right under my header).  Now let's get started with this week's party.  I can't wait to see what you have been up to.  Link up anything you have been working on...home decor, sewing, crafts, organizing, baking, recipes etc.   I will keep this link open through Friday.


<a border="0" href="http://www.diybydesign.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipw62ZdrKpNmaJdWF0-T8fM7RV9-cuZSxfrIWZ_j8O996HWzXChosS5wOVixR0OXFygAvhfK7VB34IUIgHiT38YyF7GxGTfXiPhdmuMMlhadOaxv_VUL8kw37m08BRwJqtn31mvleXUpzi/s128/18542134351.jpg" /></a>

A few rules:

1.  Please become a follower (if you already follow me on Google, I would love for you to follow me on Linky Followers as well).  

2.  Please grab my party button above and display it either on your sidebar or somewhere in your post.  This way word can spread about the party.  The more people at the party, the more fun we will have.

3.  Please enter the link to your actual post, not just a link to your main blog page.

4. Please visit others who have linked up.   Everyone works hard on their projects and blogs...let's show each other some love by visiting each other.  Let's have some fun and hopefully make a few new friends along the way.

Ok...Let's Party

-Judy

One Cloche - Two Ways

My friend Marty from A Stroll Thru Life is hosting a summer cloche party.  In honor of her party, I started to play in my kitchen to come up with an idea for a cloche display.  I actually came up with two.

I put together this vignette in one corner of my kitchen countertop.

  Under the cloche I added some faux green apples and yellow pears.  

On the other side of the vignette, I added more yellow and green accents.
Yep...California Pizza Kitchen is one of my favorite restaurants
 and I love to try to make their pizzas at home.

I was having so much fun, that I created a second vignette by swapping out
all of the yellow and green accents for coffee accessories instead.

This time under the cloche I set up a mini espresso stand with an old-fashioned 

espresso maker and two cups and saucers.

A sugar and creamer and a Caffe sign round out the vignette.

Which do you like?

Thanks Marty for hosting.

DON'T FORGET TO STOP BACK TONIGHT AT 8PM EST 

FOR MY SIZZLE INTO SUMMER PARTY

-Judy

Dinner Napkin Pillows

Happy Monday.  It was a gorgeous weekend here in New York.  

However, I did take a few minutes to come inside and sew together some pillows.

These  have to be one of the easiest pillow projects ever.

It all started when I spotted these pretty napkins at Home Goods.  These beauties were $9.99 for four napkins, which would make two pillows.  These napkins have a nice weight to them with ridges.
 I knew they would make gorgeous pillows.

I took two of the napkins and pinned them together, wrong sides together. 

Since the napkins are finished on all four sides, I followed along the sewing line from the napkins and sewed three sides together.

Once the three sides were sewn together, I stuffed it with the pillow insert.  With the insert in the pillow, I put the pillow back on the sewing machine and sewed the fourth edge to finish the pillow.

Within a few minutes, I had two new pillows for my living room sofa.  

If you can sew a straight line, you can make these too.

If you can't sew a straight line, you could still make these using fabric glue.

Can't wait to hear what you think.

I always love and appreciate your comments.

-Judy