Organized Clutter

Outdoor This & That 13: Spring Blossom Macros

2013-06-16T10:16:00.000-05:00

I will be the first to admit that I am not a great photographer. I have taken photos of my flowers for 20 years, and I thought the photos were good for an amateur.

I had never even heard of macro photos. I always thought you had to have a really expensive camera with the really thick lenses to take those cool close ups. Come to find out you can get decent close-ups of flowers with just a point and shoot camera.

Victorian Ruffled Pansies.

Dwarf White Columbine.

So glad I bought some fuschias this year. This is the Swingtime in galvanized buckets.

This fuschia is just starting to bloom. It's in more shade.

This is a "Blackie" Fuschia. Also just starting to bloom.

These are Ajuga Reptans on the side of my deck with a few creeping phlox still in bloom.

I have these Calibrachoa Cherry Star in a terra cotta pot. I did not boost these colors.

Fuschias are beautiful, but I think the pansy close-ups are my favorites.

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Fertilizer Tips & Tricks That Work For Me

2013-06-13T13:05:00.000-05:00

With a very short 3 to 3 1/2 month growing season here in northern Minnesota, I need a little help with the blooms. I seldom use much fertilizer at all until the temps warm to at least the mid 70's during the daytime.

Here is how I fertilize my flower pots and gardens:

1. At Planting Time

I sprinkle a scoop full in each planting hole, stir up the hole a bit with the hand digger, and plant. I use this timed release granular fertilizer on all new annuals and perennials.

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Vintage Cameras and Books

2013-06-13T08:36:00.001-05:00

Seems like the small camera collection that I started last summer eventually migrates to a stack of books...

Like these Reader's Digest condensed books from the 1950's.

A Dozen Fun Ways to Plant Hen & Chicks (Sempervivum)

2013-06-12T06:05:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite little succulents is the sempervivum, houseleek, or hen and chicks.

They are hardy little perennial succulents that grow in almost anything that can hold at least a small amount of dirt. Here are 12 ways that I have used hen and chicks in my gardens:

1. In barnacles in a terra cotta pot of New Guinea Impatiens.

Update on the Framed Pots

2013-06-11T10:08:00.000-05:00

One of my first outdoor posts this season was a framed lobelia plant. I had just found this square frame for $11.

This is early May. I planted the bedding plant in a small galvanized pail hanging from a wire. A hole was drilled through the top of the frame for the wire which connects to the pail and to a hook hanging in one of our birch trees.

No leaves on the trees yet. (Just fall leaves on the ground from last year that needed to be raked up!)

Return To The Prettiest Window Box In Town

2013-06-09T14:36:00.001-05:00

Last year I treated you to the most beautiful window box in my town, and here it is again this year! It is created and maintained by my sister in law at her office building.

If you want to put together a show stopping, riot of color window box then take notes, because this is it!

Starting from the right petunias, geraniums, million bells, verbena?, diamond frost...

Pansy, dahlia, petunia, Marguerite daisy, verbena...

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Variegated Solomon's Seal - Perennial Plant Association 2013 Perennial of the Year

2013-06-07T05:43:00.000-05:00

My house faces north so I am well acquainted with shade plants.

At least ten years ago, I purchased a package of bare root Polygonatum Odoratum Variegatum, better known as Variegated Solomon's Seal.

I just discovered this little known plant is the Perennial Plant Association's 2013 Perennial of the Year. If you would like to read more about this versatile shade plant from Purdue Yard & Garden News, click here.

These are my Variegated Solomon's Seal in a bed under my bay window. The hostas in this bed emerged much later this year with our cool spring. One is visible at the base of the Solomon's Seal.

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Outdoor This & That 12: Bike Wheel & Berry Masher

2013-06-06T08:19:00.001-05:00

Last summer I started the "Outdoor This and That" blog series. Basically it is a group of garden ideas and garden updates that I group into a weekly post or twice weekly post.

Decorating a Covered Patio with Vintage Collections

2013-06-05T11:53:00.000-05:00

I love decorating with collectibles, and the outdoors is no exception.

First croquet balls in a wire basket and bocce balls in a glass jar. Also a vintage Minnesota license plate from 1956.

What Have I Bought Lately?

2013-06-03T09:06:00.002-05:00

In the last couple weeks, I have purchased these items:

This chippy barn door. $30.

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Covered Patio Vignettes

2013-06-02T17:20:00.000-05:00

The temps dipped to 32 degrees F last night here in northern Minnesota. I did not cover or carry in plants. I get stubborn in June. I didn't plant too early so "give me a break here". It should be safe to plant. Luckily my plants fared well.

Do you collect vintage garden hand tools? I do. I have them in my "Eat Raisin" crate with a peace lily and my rusty iron lady.

Adding Some Interest to Uninteresting Chair Cushions

2013-05-31T08:01:00.000-05:00

I have two adirondack chairs on my front porch covered patio.

2012

I have had these chairs for many years. Over the years I have purchased various outdoor chair pads for them. The thinner one piece outdoor dining chair replacement pads work best for comfort. The thicker pads are too bulky. In the past, I have had covers for these chair pads custom made with velcro closures so they could be laundered.

This year I purchased $10 worth of burlap at JoAnn Fabrics and covered them myself. I was going to use a no sew glue or fusible webbing but decided to just pin it on with large safety so I could re-use the burlap. I ironed the burlap, and then wrapped it like a present.

The cushions seemed a little blah, so I got the idea to add a rooster graphic keeping with another little project I have going.

I've Been Featured in the Bloglight!

2013-05-30T06:07:00.001-05:00

A wonderful honor was bestowed upon me this week. I was notified by Miriam Illions that I am to be featured in Hometalk's weekly Bloglight Series.

Whether you want to share your own creative DIY projects, ask the pros and community members for answers to your DIY questions, or just get some really great DIY ideas, Hometalk is the place!

I find Hometalk much more up close and personal than Pinterest, and much more concentrated on home enthusiasts.  With help from Hometalk, you can make your house a HOME, and have so much fun doing it!

A bit about me:

Why I became a blogger...
I have always been interested in home decorating and flower gardening.  About 20 years ago I started collecting vintage treasures (kind of like my Mom), and I found it a challenge to work my collections into my home and gardens. I was inspired at first by various country decorating magazines and also HGTV. I especially loved "Decorating Sense" with Joan Steffend, where decorators were given the task of a room makeover for less than $500.  It was my first taste of "Trash to Treasure" decorating, and I liked it. Then grew to love it.  I was even influenced to decorate my outdoor spaces, especially my gardens. Mary Randoph Carter's book "Garden Junk" was one of my favorites.

When my older children and grandchildren moved 300 miles away in 2011, and my youngest child was off to college in 2012, the need to fill my spare time with a fun hobby of sorts, (even though I work selling furniture four days a week) resulted in "Organized Clutter" in December 2011.

Why "Organized Clutter"...
The name for my blog "Organized Clutter" came to me quite naturally. I sometimes refer to my decorating style as "Organized Clutter". It's not hoarding if it's organized, right?

Junk gardening, my most popular niche... Since a blogger begins a blog with zero followers, it is really slow going in the beginning. I hit my stride with my junk garden posts. They were well received in blogland, and they had even better success on Hometalk. My first very successful post on Hometalk was my version of the popular "fairy garden". As a thrifter/collector/junker, I threw together a "kitchen fairy garden" with what I had on hand.

Some of my most popular Hometalk posts and projects...

This Hometalk post of 2012's Kitchen Fairy Garden has over 10,000 views.

My most recent Hometalk post is 2013's Kitchen Fairy Garden. Just planted last weekend!

Adding interest to your garden with junk was another Hometalk favorite.

One of my favorite Hometalk posts featured my front yard flower border.

I had a two Christmas crafting projects that were received very well.

My Book Page Christmas Tree on Hometalk.

My re-purposed yardstick tree was well accepted on Hometalk.

About blogging... I try to post to my blog 2-3 times per week. Sometimes a little more during flower gardening season, or holiday seasons when I have extra decorating and crafting to do.

I have met a slew of creative and talented people in blogland and on Hometalk. I admire you DIY ladies who use the power tools. It would make things easier if I did. I wouldn't have to bother my husband with my sometimes "goofy" ideas. My DIY creativity far outweighs my DIY abilities, but I do love the challenge of dreaming up a great re-purpose or an up-cycling idea with my thrifty finds.

I am so grateful to be featured in the Hometalk "Bloglight", and for all of you who read my blog. Thanks from the bottom of my heart.

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Another Kitchen Fairy Garden

2013-05-27T07:23:00.002-05:00

Last year I posted my version of a fairy garden all put together with vintage kitchen junk. It did real well for me on my blog and on Hometalk. You can see it here newly planted, and a return to the kitchen fairy garden here.

This year I have used the kitchen fairy garden theme but with a new and improved look. At least I think so.

Welcome! Let's look around, shall we?
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A Whimsical Outdoor Kitchen

2013-05-26T08:36:00.001-05:00

By now, if you follow my blog, you know I have a new potting bench with a vintage cast iron sink.

I would love to say I made it, but I didn't. My friend, Jodi Mann of Mann Made Signs and No Place Like Home Again created this beautiful potting bench.

A Re-Purposed Country Potato and Onion Bin

2013-05-24T11:46:00.002-05:00

I bought this pine potato and onion bin last weekend at a garage sale.

Baked Ravioli Lasagna

2013-05-22T18:13:00.000-05:00

One of my cousins had pinned this recipe for Baked Ravioli to her Pinterest recipe board, and I had re-pinned it to mine.

I am calling it Baked Ravioli Lasagna though, because it tastes a lot like lasagna even though it is much easier to prepare.

Link to Pinterest Source Amy Lynn/Tasty Kitchen

In Search of More Junk

2013-05-21T08:18:00.000-05:00

I am disappointed with our crappy Minnesota spring and long winter, but I have nothing to complain about when I think of the weather disaster in Oklahoma yesterday. I pray for the families that lost loved ones, their livelihoods, and homes.

We have had rain now for about 5 days in a row. I haven't planted any more flowers. I am hoping to hit it hard this weekend when sunshine and warmth are forecasted for Memorial Day weekend.

I did hit a few rummage sales, consignment shops and antique shops and found some fun buys.

A juicer on a stand for $4. I have seen these planted with annuals on pinterest and in blogland.

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Pressing Garden Matters

2013-05-17T11:41:00.000-05:00

Today I used the old wooden ironing board that I painted white last weekend in a vignette.

Is There Such a Thing As Too Shabby?

2013-05-14T14:29:00.002-05:00

I remember when I first started accumulating distressed furniture and accessories. My children worried that we were poor. Truth be known, we certainly were not rich, but not poor either.

I liked a coordinated, but not perfectly matched home. The look that you get through years of collecting, and not buying the matched sets of anything.

After being inspired by the gardening book "Garden Junk", written by Mary Randolph Carter and also magazines, I adopted a garden junk theme of my own.

Over the weekend, I was taking my garden junk out of our shed.

I hadn't yet disbursed it to various parts of our yard, and my gardens, and I was kind of taken aback at how my precious "junk" looked pretty junky. Without pretty flowers, green grass, and green leaves on the trees, my prized possessions looked dingy and depressing.

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Garden Junk: Tea and Toast on the Patio

2013-05-10T08:26:00.000-05:00

My $5 Penn Air vintage electric toaster becomes a planter today in a vignette on my front patio.

This was a really neat old toaster and I had a small pang of guilt putting dirt inside but it only cost me $5. That's cheaper than a flower pot!

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Framed Lobelia Bucket

2013-05-05T14:03:00.000-05:00

I planted my first annual of the season today even though there are no leaves on the trees, and our lawn has not greened up yet. I think my annual will have to spend the nights in our garage for a while.

The barn wood square frame at the right of this garden junk photo, was purchased a couple weeks ago.

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Framed Vintage Powder Tins

2013-05-03T13:03:00.000-05:00

I have a small collection of vintage powder tins that I displayed on the vanity in my bathroom.

Here they are in a previous bathroom post.

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Much Work To Be Done Outside!

2013-04-30T13:56:00.001-05:00

Due our extra long and very snowy winter, today is my first day working in the yard. There is much work to be done.

The front yard flower border that was still under snow last week.
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Buying Garden Decor

2013-04-28T12:49:00.002-05:00

Even though I work at a furniture store and receive an employee discount, I don't purchase many home accents or accessories at work mostly because I like to go vintage.

This iron rooster is a recent purchase from the store.