Patio Garden

I'm so excited! My very first tomato! Check it out!

I just noticed it today. I'm surprised it's as big as it is. We only potted the tomato plant 2 weeks ago. I didn't think we'd see something this soon. I'm just happy everything is still alive!

Me and the niece had a great time playing in the dirt/planting all our plants. I try every year to grow something, but this is first year I have actual sun on the porch, not complete shade.

This was the first day we planted stuff. I got a mix of plants, bulbs and seeds.

These are all the plants on the sunny side of the patio. The shady plants are still marinating in the dirt and haven't popped up yet. When they do, I'll post an update.

This is the close-up of my pot of lettuce. We planted /threw the packet of seeds on the dirt and they sprouted in 3 days. This is Mescluin, a mix of red and green leafy lettuce and arugula. Right now, they're a little to close together. The  packet says to thin them out. I ate a couple of the leave already. They taste like spicy alfalfa sprouts!

This is one of those "as seen on TV" flower seeds in a box that I got from Big Lots. I'm surprised it grew! It's supposed to be 30 different types of flowers that flower/bloom all season long. We ran out of pots so this blue thing is a plastic tub with handles, that normally holds ice and drinks. I think it'll be pretty once the flowers bloom. It's the right size to sit on the table as a centerpiece.

So, here's the full shot. From left to right, it's catnip, sugar snap peas (with the bamboo sticks), tomato in the corner with marigolds, green onions and marigolds, a green pepper plant with strawberry plants, a pink carnation looking plant with purple pansies, Jasmine and pansies, lavender, peony with pansies, lettuce, tomato with strawberries, and last, in the red pot, a blackberry bush!
In the shade we have fern, astible, and hosta.

I'm excited to have my first tomato and lettuce from my patio garden in a couple weeks! Now to keep everything alive!
Hugs!
Caroline

Dining Table Makeover

I'm really excited at how well the dining table came out!

Look at those legs! The gold spray paint really makes the curves pop.

I don't think I ever noticed how cute the legs were before. I didn't think about taking a before picture until it was half gold. Just imagine a boring dark wood table that was just crying out for a makeover. The top has a black leather look inlay. I bought this a couple years ago at a local thrift store. I had intentions to stain it and the chairs a dark mahogany. I'm so glad I went cheap and easy on this project! A can of  gold spray paint and 20 minutes. Done! It's fabulous! 

Another shot of my fancy swirly legs! 

Please ignore the 70's mirrored dining room wall. Normally I love it, but it makes picture taking difficult.

The table totally matches the gold chairs

The wood veneer wasn't in the best shape, but I still love it, imperfections and all!

Do I need a rug for dining room? Yay or Nay? 

Hugs!

Caroline

Perfume: a discussion

Happy Friday!
This morning I had the wonderful experience of going to traffic court. I'm pleased to say my ticket got knocked down to something resembling a parking ticket with a reasonable/do-able fee instead of the original  I'll-just-sign-over-my-paycheck fee.  Yay! It's always nice saving money :)

My thoughts Exactly on getting a ticket! 

While sitting in the courthouse, waiting my turn with the rest of the general public/traffic offenders, :), I started to notice I couldn't breathe. I figured I was allergic to something or someone in the room. I took extra Zertec and hit the inhaler, twice! It got a little better, but I was still drowning.  The sad thing was, I couldn't pinpoint any particular perfume or cologne that set it off. At least if it was a particular flavor or brand, I'd know for next time to stay away. You know, how some people are allergic to lilies or roses? You betcha I'll stay away from the courthouse! Now I can legitimately say I'm allergic to the place. Ha! :) I didn't feel totally better until I was outside the building. Then I stood on the steps and breathed in some wonderful, clean air! It's nice to breathe

It felt like this.. but with more suits and ties

Anyway... besides getting a look at our justice system, today's post is all about perfume.

It's a leap, from courthouse to perfumes, I know. I was thinking that since I couldn't smell anything offensive perfume-wise, it must be the building. And then back to perfume. What perfume AM I allergic to? Is there a perfume I couldn't smell that was killing me softly? If it didn't register in my nose then it wouldn't kill me right?(Random thoughts while trying to breathe. Inhale.... Exhale.   Inhale... so pardon me if this is silly. Lack of oxygen and all.)

kills on contact

I know what I do find horribly offensive and makes my eyes water from the stench; Polo, the original version. It smells like moldy socks or a hot locker room. Ugh. You can almost smell it now, huh? and... Your welcome. :)
What cologne do you hate? And please share. There's always a great story tied along with perfume. Right?

Tasty, back in the day.

 I don't have a favorite men's cologne at the moment. I remember Men's Eternity was the biggest thing while I was in college. I really liked that one. It seemed that all the good looking men and football players at that time were wearing it. Good looking and smelling good. Nice combo. :) Or maybe the smelling good made the man that much better looking? Either way, I like it!

This may or may not be it.

Then I was introduced to Liz Claiborne's men's cologne by a boyfriend who gave me his shirt drenched in the stuff. It was kinda nice (the smell) but not amazing. I'm sure there's more than one men's cologne in Liz's line. I tried once or twice to hunt down which one it was, but no luck at the cologne counter. oh well, It was a short-lived romance anyway.

Have you ever been in a crowd and someone walked by with the most amazing cologne/perfume on, and you couldn't help but turn around and follow them?

Yum, Right?! Have you ever asked them what they were wearing? or should I ask, Did you actually speak to them?? If so, we want all the details!!

On that note; What perfume/cologne turns your head?  Think about it...


Back when my older sister and I were in high school, we wore Oscar De La Renta. I also had Chanel #19. I thought I was all that with my Chanel! I used to wear Liz Claiborne for women, remember that triangle perfume bottle? And I had a bottle of Eternity for Women for a while too! Remember all these old school perfumes!? I might need to revisit some of these...

I currently have a bottle of Gucci's Envy in the bathroom which I never wear and L'Occitane's Verbena, which I love.

best stuff!

I have a hard time picking out perfume for myself. Well, I should say, something new, that's not from high school. I walk into the perfume shops or Sephora and its a perfume overload, so many choices!! My head spins! I want them all! On a trip to Sephora last year, one in particular that stood out was L'eau D'issy by Issey Miyake. They didn't have the testers for sale in this flavor so I didn't get it. Do you or anyone you know wear this? 

Then I remember most perfume turns to the equivalent of bug spray (or worse) on me. For the common good, I stay away from musk or amber (Amber turns to poop flavor. Trust me on this) Dang that personal body chemistry! I can justify buying a couple testers/samples to see if it'll go bad before I invest good money, or what's worse, buy something on impulse cause it smelled good on the paper or someone else. When I do wear it, thinking I'm smelling good, but really I'm burning off people's noses! I think I'll go get a bunch of samples and start trying out perfumes with the coworkers. Watch out! I might be bringing old school sexy flavors back!! lol 

So... world, what perfumes are good right now?  I'm open to pretty much anything at this point .What perfume do you currently wear? Do you have a signature scent? I'd love to know.  Jump in!
Hugs!
May the beautiful perfume odds be ever in your favor

Caroline