Orange Lilies and FOLK Magazine Winner!

Out in the yard water Sunday morning, I took these pictures of my favorite orange lilies.

 This lily has three layers of petals in vibrant orange shades.

Just about all the other lilies have finished blooming, but this lily continues to bloom.

And now the moment you've all been waiting for! The WINNER of the FOLK Magazine Giveaway is...

Donna from Cottage Days! Issue V, the Southern Issue is coming to you! (I'll email you for your address.)

Thank you all for your encouraging words and support for me as my first pictures were published in FOLK.

Celebrating Being in FOLK with a Magazine Giveaway!

I am still excited about my pictures and submission being in FOLK Magazine! I learned about FOLK through Donna from Funky Junk Interiors and saw their call for Southern stories, pictures, and travels for their Summer issue (issue V) on Facebook.

We had travelled to the Ennis (Texas) Bluebonnet Trails last year and had previously shared the pictures here on my blog and with some of my Facebook friends. Several people encouraged me to submit my pictures to magazines, so when I saw the call in February, I started typing and submitted my pictures and story. Ben, the Editor of FOLK, emailed me almost immediately saying he loved my piece! All kinds of squealing and jumping up and down commenced at that point, as it had always been a dream to have something published. At this point, I only told my husband and kept the secret for 2 1/2 months. I was scared something would happen, my pictures wouldn't make the cut, or something crazy like that...so I didn't tell anyone. I never expected to have my first submission to be accepted by a magazine.

I watched my mailbox with anticipation. I was off  work the day the first magazine came. I ran back from the mailbox like a kid, ripped open the package, and opened the magazine to where I thought my article was. It wasn't there...My two page submission had been moved from the original location that I saw in the proof, but I found it near the back of the magazine instead. At this point there was lots more squealing and excitement when I saw my pictures in a national magazine! The very first time I submitted a story and pictures, I got published! It was a dream come true and a check on my bucket list!

I purchased additional copies of FOLK for some of my friends and family and will be giving away one copy right here to YOU, my blog friends! You are the ones who have supported me with all of your sweet comments and words of encouragement when I share my pictures, projects, and stories, so I want to give back to you. All you have to do is be a Gypsy Farm Girl follower (Blog, Twitter, Pinterest, or all 3) and leave a comment here, telling me you would like to win a copy of FOLK Magazine. I'll pick a lucky winner next weekend.

Please note the Giveaway is for one copy of ISSUE V of FOLK Magazine and is sponsored by ME. I will mail the magazine to USA residents only. The magazine is available at Barnes and Nobles or you can check the FOLK blog for independent bookstores near you.

Our sweet dog, Trixie even made it into FOLK!

12 Creative Junk Flower Containers

My yard has a rustic, junk yard theme this year, using recycled items for creative flower containers. I have shared several of my junk planters this spring and wanted to give an update on the flowers and share some new planters. Donna from Funky Junk Interiors is hosting a garden themed linkup this weekend with the opportunity to win a subscription to FOLK magazine, so I thought now would be a great time to share 12 of my creative flower containers.

While using this style chicken feeder for a light fixture has been popular recently, I planted flowers in mine! I honestly never though this shallow container would hold up to the east Texas heat, but it has done really well and become one of my favorite containers in the whole yard.

,

 This wheelbarrow holds a whole flock of hens and chicks! Do you see the chicken feeder hanging from the rose arbor?

 The rustic bottomless bucket is still growing good and the petunias have really taken over the wash tub. I originally had planted ranuculas in with the petunias, but they didn't hold up very well.

 My nepthytis seems to like living under the gazebo in this trash ditch rescued water jug.

The pansies occupy this old crock, but I feel as if the June heat will soon over take them.

The springeri is nestled in this old Gulf can and the water jug and watering can holds spider plants. An old rusty popcorn tin holds the aloe plant.

 The spider warts are blooming in the mornings and the oregano is harvested occasionally from this washing machine tub that is hiding a plastic pot.

I rearranged things this week and moved this English Ivy to the gym locker basket on the old vintage bicycle. I'm excited to see the zinnias and cosmos blooming beside the bicycle.

I am glad I went with a junk theme this year in my yard. I like seeing all the rusty containers much better that a bunch of plastic or styrofoam pots, plus they cost much less than purchasing new planters!

Psssssst...

Psssssst...The Fly on the Flower says to stay tuned as there is a FOLK Magazine Giveaway coming soon!

I promised to giveaway a copy of FOLK magazine to celebrate my pictures being published, so stay tuned for details of the giveaway.

Hope y'all are having a great short work week!  

I'm in FOLK Magazine!

So I've been keeping this little secret since February and its been killing me...I submitted a story to Folk Magazine during the winter and found out my pictures from the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails would be included in Issue V of FOLK Magazine!

I didn't want to tell anybody in case something happened and my submission failed to make the final cut. Today, I went to the mail box and there was two copies of FOLK with MY pictures and editorial piece in it! I got two whole pages with seven pictures! Our dog Trixie even made it into the Southern issue.

Somebody please pinch me!

It was a dream to get to see the Texas Bluebonnets in person and a dream to one day have my work published in a magazine. I get to scratch two things off the bucket list now!



This is a picture from the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails this year.

We enjoy driving the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails and getting to see all the beautiful wildflowers in bloom during the spring. We returned this spring and took even more pictures. To me nothing says Texas like Bluebonnets and Longhorn Cattle.

To find out more about the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails you can visit their website.

To see more of my pictures from the Bluebonnets Trails, when I originally published them on my blog, please click here.

This issue of FOLK magazine can now be found at Barnes and Noble bookstores and independent bookstores across the country. Check out the FOLK blog to find locations near you.

(When the rest of my order arrives, I will be doing a give away of one issue on my blog!)