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Garden, Home & Party

~ My love of gardening, making home comfortable and entertaining friends and family.

Garden, Home & Party

Monthly Archives: January 2014

{Garden} Recipe for growing moss in the garden, and a winner

29 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Gardens, Misc

≈ 21 Comments

Tags

growing moss

The winner of the Carolyn Westbrook book is:

Sheila of Our Bungalow’s 2nd Century:

Happy birthday, Karen! My favorite mirrors are also those whose silvering is losing its luster! When I was a little kid, we didn’t have a lot, and my parents started making use of cast-off family antiques (which now fill my house). I remember them not wanting a mirror because the silver was going bad, but even as a child I thought it had such character. To this day I love old, beat-up mirrors!

Congratulations, Sheila. Send me your shipping information via email and I’ll send the book.

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors and a giveway

I love to work in the garden and living in Southern California I can do this without concern for weather most of the year.  This is something that has great benefit and at the same time leaves me longing for the occasional snow storm or an abundance of rain found in so many other places.

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{1}

One of the many things I admire in a garden is the moss-laden stone where weather encourages this growth.  England comes to mind, but I’ve seen beautiful moss growing on stone benches and planters in Washington state and other regions of the world.  Where I live I have to work at it if I want something to have the patina that comes with moss and rust and such.

On my visit to the Bloedel, Bainbridge Island, Washington last fall I found plenty of beautiful moss, including a moss garden they created.

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{2}

…and then there’s this…England {sigh}

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{3}

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{4}

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{5 ~ Bruges, Belgium}

Recently one of my favorite sites, Design Chic, featured “Marvelous Moss” in the garden, and in the same week I stumbled upon a recipe, in fact 2 recipes, for growing moss on stone or terra cotta (I have searched in vain for the source, but here are the recipes I had copied and pasted for future reference).

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{6}

The moss on this bench is the goal, I love it, especially the rich green in contrast with the white hydrangea.

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{7}

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{8}

I’d guess that moss grows in abundance in the shade of these willow trees.

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{9}

I love this fountain in part because it looks antique and for it’s pond-like basin, so soothing to listen to water dripping gently into water.

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{10}

I’ve seen man-made water features such as this, isn’t it pretty?

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{11}

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{12}

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{13}

I would love a stone wall, maybe one with a better gate, in the back yard.

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{14}

I confess, my sundial is starting to look a bit aged, like this one, but it’s in too much sun to truly grow the emerald stuff.

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{15}

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{16}

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{17}

Garden, Home and Party: Recipe for growing moss

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

{Newton Winery, St. Helena, California}

{As an avid fan of blog-reading and general online fanatic  enthusiast, I’m forever wondering how I survived without all of this information at my fingertips before.}  First of all, did you know you can buy actual live moss spores?  I was very surprised.  {What doesn’t Amazon sell}

If you decide to try the recipe, the first one suggests you can use moss from the garden as a starter, or obtain moss spores.

Garden, Home and Party: Moss in the garden

Adding Moss Works Best On
Terra Cotta Stone or Concrete Containers ~ Stone or Concrete Sculptures

There are 2 ways to go about doing this. Both ways work really well, so choose one that best suits your tastes.

Moss requires an acidic environment to grow, which can be developed by painting a pot with buttermilk or yogurt, that’s why both recipes below have one or the other.
Recipe 1:

  1. Collect mosses either from around your yard or a friends or neighbors (you can also buy moss spores at a garden store)
  2. Finely chop the moss up (or sprinkle in the moss spores into the mix below if you purchased them)
  3. Allow the moss bits to dry up for a couple of days (if you collected them yourself)

Then mix together in a large bucket or bowl:

  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 packages active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup
  • 1-1 1/2 cups dried, crumbled moss

Once the above is mixed together, put the bucket in full sun for three days.

When the mixture is good and smelly, brush it generously with a paintbrush on the outsides of your clay pots. Then wrap the pots in plastic wrap and put them in partial sun.

In two weeks the pots will start to grow mold, and by eight weeks the pots will be nice and furry with moss, and looking very antique and old.
Recipe 2:

  • Blend pieces of dried moss or purchased moss spores into
  • 2 cups yogurt or buttermilk
  • Paint onto your pot with a paintbrush
  • Put your pot into a plastic bag to create a humid environment for the moss to develop
  • Set the pot and bag in a cool, shady spot until the moss begins to form, which will be about 10 days
  • Make sure to plant the container so you will be watering it regularly, which will keep the moss alive and growing.

I know moss growth isn’t for everyone, in fact we had a door to door salesman stop by one day selling some “special” cleaning product.  Before I could stop him, to demonstrate his wonder product he sprayed a part of the brick at our entry and was so proud that it instantly removed the bit of moss that had grown there!

So would you actually apply one of these recipes to a planter in your garden? I think I may try it…I’ll let you know if it works.

{1} tumblr Connoisseur, Oxford :: {2} Garden, Home and Party :: {2 England, 3 England, Yorkshire Dales, 4 Bruges, Belgium} source unknown :: {5} Design Chic via Cheryl Rowe :: {6} Design Chic via la maison gray garden :: {7} Design Chic via Mother Earth Living :: {9} Irene Suchocki Photography :: {10} Haus Design,sadly Barbara has stopped her blog posts :: {11, 12} Pinterest :: {13} Providence Ltd. Design :: {14, 15} source unknown :: {16} tumblr, Connoisseur :: {17} Wasping through the Countryside :: {18} Pinterest

{Home} An honest reflection, mirrors; and a giveaway

22 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Antiques, Collections & Accessories, Decorating, House and Home

≈ 56 Comments

Tags

mirrors

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors, II

This isn’t my first post about mirrors, I really like the beauty they add to a room, large or small, mirrors and the frames around them are always lovely.  In many instances they do double duty with the size enhancing of a room they offer.

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

{unknown}

But it wasn’t until I read my blog friend, Victoria’s {Restoring our 1890 Victorian} post about her “kingdom” mirror that I saw the impressive benefit a really big mirror adds to a room.  This post is for you, Victoria.  Just look at these mirrors, aren’t they fabulous?

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

{Restoring our 1890 Victorian ~ Kingdom Mirror}

A trumeau mirror is the ideal combination of art and reflection…here’s a DIY if you’re crafty and would like to try your hand at making your own.  I would love to find an antique but I hear they are cost prohibitive.  {Maybe Victoria can find one for me on Craigslist}  Since it’s the search that I love I will continue to see if I can stumble upon a steal someplace.

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

A shelf with a mirror behind doubles your collections, right?

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

{New England Home}

Is this a great mirror? I love the black paint on the wall, contrasting with a white framed mirror, tub and walls.

Garden Home and Party: Mirrors II

{Roses and Rust}

I am especially drawn to mirrors that have lost some of their reflection by aging.  There’s something almost magical for me in mirrors that have aged this way.

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

{via}

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II{via}

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II{via}

Garden Home and Party: Mirrors II

{via}

This room is so light-filled and simple…the mirror adds light and the feeling of space, don’t you think?  The clock is a favorite too.

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II{via}

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

Ah, the patina of the mirrors and candle sticks…yes, please.

This vanity mirror is being put to good use…it looks so nice with the mirrored vanity and trash container (under the vanity).  In the reflection of the mirror you can see a diverging mirror.

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

{tumblr}

The mirror below was once a door…I think this is such a great idea.

Garden Home and Party: Mirrors II

{via}

This looks like something out of Versailles.

Garden, Home and Party: Mirror II

Do you have a favorite mirror?  So on to the fun part, a present to one lucky reader…

My birthday is January 27th and  I want to host my first giveaway.  I’ve thought long and hard about just what I’d like to give to one lucky reader.

I lean toward English country / traditional design, but there’s always been a hint of French country influence in my decorating.  Charles Faudree, who lost his battle with cancer this past November, was master of combining the two seamlessly.

A few years ago I was introduced to Carolyn Westbrook, “The French Inspired Home” through a blog site that loves all things French.  {This is where I would install a link if I could remember which blog site it was…apologies}.  So when I learned, a little late, of Westbrook’s newest book, Through the French Door:  Romantic Interiors Inspired by Classic French Style,  I thought it would be fun to offer a giveaway to my readers who may not know of her talents and would love to be inspired by her work.

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors and a giveway

To enter, simply leave a comment.  I will randomly select a winner and announce it in my post on Wednesday, January 29th.

Happy Wednesday.  I hope your week is going well.

{GHP} They say its your birthday

15 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Personal Information

≈ 23 Comments

Tags

birthdays

Today we celebrate birthdays.  Martin Luther King Jr., Saint’s quarterback, Drew Brees and Mr. B.  (Husband, and love of my life, my raison de vivre)  Some of you may even have the day off from work. 🙂

Since my official weekly blog post day is today, I thought I’d share some images that I believe he would approve of.  A modern collage dedicated to you,  Mr. B.

Garden, Home and Party: Mr. B Birthday

Garden, Home and Party: Mr. B Birthday

Garden, Home and Party: Mr. B Birthday

Garden, Home and Party: Mr. B Birthday

{via}

Garden, Home and Party: Mr. B. Birthday

Garden, Home and Party: Mr. B Birthday

Garden, Home and Party: Mr. B. Birthday

Garden, Home and Party: Mr. B. Birthday

Garden, Home and Party: Mr. B Birthday

Garden, Home and Party: Mr. B Birthday

Garden, Home and Party: Mr. B Birthday

Happy Birthday, Mr. B. (my Mr. Darcy), thanks for everything!

Garden, Home and Party: Mr. B. Birthday

♥ Karen

{GHP} Word of the year 2014

08 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Personal Information, Traditions

≈ 25 Comments

Tags

Word of the Year

I get a lot of post ideas while reading other blogs.  There are so many talented writers and I often gain inspiration for a subject to explore while reading someone’s account of a topic.

This happened on New Year’s Day.  While reading as many of my favorite blogs as I could with a day free of obligation or industry (I was typically behind in my blog reading due to fun with my granddaughter/Christmas celebration) .  When I read Layla’s {The Lettered Cottage} account of her choice of a Word Of The Year for 2014, something she does annually, I knew this word would fit with some of my goals for the year.  As Layla explains,

That’s what choosing a Word Of The Year is all about. You live with it, you let it speak to you…you follow where it leads. There are no rules…it’s just supposed to be a little spark.

With the new year comes analysis of life in the rear view mirror and ideas for tweaking this or that.  The goal is to improve in some small way, or to maintain things that are working well.

Garden, Home and Party: Word for the year

So with that grain of wisdom and inspiration, I decided to go with the word Simplicity as well. That decision sparked the need to share, it’s what we bloggers do, right?  

Clearly, great minds think alike.  I’ve since read a reference for using a word as inspiration for writing.  Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project guru, posted a helpful tip for writers about using a single word to stir creativity.  Posting a single word in your conscious to help with self-improvement holds great appeal for me.

I then came across the post by Ted Kennedy Watson sharing the cover of his new book, Style and Simplicity, An A to Z Guide to Living a More Beautiful Life.  For those who have not had the good fortune to visit one of the Ted Kennedy Watson stores in Seattle, or visited his blog, you’re in store for a treat. This is what he had to say about the title to his book…

Simplicity is such a prevailing theme throughout the book, and the table I set that was chosen for the cover speaks to that word and philosophy.

I even had two dear friends mention in a comment on my blog that one of their goals (respectively) for the New Year is to simplify {thank you, Linda and Gretchen}.  So that will be my goal for 2014.

So, I pledge to give simplicity in life a try this year.  I hope to pare down and simplify my lifestyle in every way I can.  With that, I hope to take more time to relax and appreciate what I have and the great beauty in nature that surrounds us.

Here are some simply lovely images for your viewing enjoyment.

Garden, Home and Party: Simplicity

Garden, Home and Party: Simplicity

Garden, Home and Party: Simplicity

Garden, Home and Party: Simplicity

Garden, Home and Party: Simplicity

Garden, Home and Party: Simplicity

Garden, Home and Party: Simplicity

Garden, Home and Party: Simplicity

Garden, Home and Party: Simplicity

Garden, Home and Party: Simplicity

Garden, Home and Party: Simplicity

♥ Karen

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