Phew!

I no longer have the ugliest yard on the block!!

Thanks to landscaping plans drawn up by my dear friend Darren (as a much belated birthday gift -  in 2011 from my parents), and help from various family members...

 
I now have a respectable looking front yard... 
  
Every time a neighbor came over for a friendly chat, I was secretly hoping it wasn't with ultimate motive of kindly requesting I get on that.  Thankfully that was never the case and despite my multiple expressions of gratitude to their patience, they all maintain they didn't mind and that it didn't look as bad as i thought (they're total liars - it looked really bad).  

After the water main project of 2012 was complete and we installed the sprinklers in the back yard, all it took was a couple of weekends to make it more presentable.  For your pleasure, here are some befores and afters: 

Before - July, 2011)

After (October 2012):

A different angle (July, 2011): 

After - now:

Now in the before pictures, perhaps things don't look as bad... some pretty river rocks, a smattering of Jasmine and some birch trees... The setting sun creates a little ambiance and you think... 

"it can use some work, but its really not that bad."

You're wrong.  

it was that bad. 

In terms of what I planted... Here's a quick list: 

• 14 New Zealand Flaxes (3 of which will get transplanted to the backyard and replaced for something flowery)
• 7 Hydrangeas
• 5 Agapanthus (peter pan - the baby ones)
• 3 Agapanthus (the big ones)
• 8 cat mint (nepeta) - this is similar to catnip. My kitty goes bonkers for it
• 3 Penstamon 
• 9 Coral Bells
• 7 Loropetulum
• 4 Lentana
• 12 Bacopa

I added a layer of redwood shavings (over landscape fabric) to make it look prettier and prevent weeds from coming in.  I also added some stepping stones between the driveway and the walkway as I found walking across that part of the yard was not necessarily encouraged, but also not uncommon amongst visitors.  
 
Hard to believe it, right?  I'm chomping at the bit for things go grow in.  I have a few more things left on the front-yard-landscaping-project... but those things will all come in due time:

1. Replace three of the five flaxes along the porch with something more flowering - perhaps some rosebushes?
• transplant the flax to the back yard
2. Buy and Plant a Japanese Maple in front of the porch (sooner rather than later)
3. get a pretty white picket fence (not joking on this one - measurements have already been made)
4. Replace the driveway... but at 1210 square feet... no matter how ugly tar and gravel is... that project will have to wait until after I tackle the kitchen
5. Wait for it all to grow in!

 
 PS - Have you noticed the Halloween decorations?! 

Getting Jiggy with it

Lately I’ve been into the big chunky necklace phase (trend?).  I never thought I could wear the big chunky necklace… at first it all felt wrong – I’ve always been a delicate-necklace-with-sentimental value kind of girl… but with something loud, and colorful, turns out I was the last to realize that it was just matter of time… and with anything fashion related (per my experience), you just gotta put it on, walk out with confidence and own it, baby!

When It started with one colorful bauble, then two.. and now I have more than I can handle (but really, a girl can never have more than she can handle)

Historically I’ve used a cutesy key holder for my necklaces, but with my chunky, loud, statement necklaces, a cutesy key holder wasn't holding it up anymore.

 

Earlier this year, on a design blog, I came across a silhouette / bust concept, that I thought might just work.  So earlier this month after a filling dinner at an Italian restaurant, I had my first date with a jig (jig saw, that is).  

First I found a silhouette online… Resized it to 11” x 17”… printed it out

Next I traced it on a piece of plywood

Then I got jiggy with the jig saw

Before I placed her on my wall, she got a facial (with sandpaper) and a coat of make-up (paint)… 

 

See how well she compliments my Mini-Me?