Let's Plant Something!

"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow." 

- Audrey Hepburn 

My morning quote and picture that I shared on Facebook today spoke of gardening and later in the day, I just happened to find myself at the garden center!! Two actually! 

So we had to come home and officially kick off the spring 2020 gardening season! I recorded a live Facebook video planting some succulents in upcyced containers. Hope you enjoy and get inspired to get outside and plant something this spring! 

Rust is a Must!

Of course it is... Rust is a must! A new collection of must-have rustic treasures and tees have hit the websites recently!

I love all things

• tattered
• shabby
• cracked
• chippy
• old
• worn
• rusty
• weathered
• vintage

Yes, yes, yes! We do love all these things on the list above and decided to create a t shirt with this design! At first we had the white shirt below, but honestly I seldom wear white, so I added the graphic to the silver tee above. I figured I can't be the only one, so there's options now. I've also done it on a turquoise baseball tee, as someone's request and loved how it looked on it as well!

In case you missed our recent announcements, we have also added a NEW website: www.RustandRomance.com 

Our etsy shop, gypsyfarmgirl.etsy.com is still up and running and the items have been listed on each site, so you can shop wherever you prefer. If you are on Facebook, you can shop directly from our page as well! 

 Speaking of rusty, weathered and worn things... we've created some door wreath alternatives with old wheels and garden rakes

And because we can't let old barn tin go to waste, just because granddaddy's old hay barn came down in jagged and torn pieces, we made tin birds with keys for wings and bottle cap eyes. This is the first time the tin birds have been listed online. I've made the birds on yard stakes before, but the shipping cost was outrageous for a big box, so we just sold those in person at our events. The last time we made birds, we decided some would be on wire hangers, so they can easily be shipped and you can hang them anywhere you want to! With two sizes, I'm calling them the "mama birds" and "baby birds!" 

 I had random shapes left after cutting the birds out and decided to make butterflies, using keys for antenna and a spindle for the body. These have had some identity crisis as they've been called butterflies, dragonflies, and even bumble bees... I'll let you decide what they are!

 Now even though we love rust, sometimes we need a little sparkle! These new stainless steel water bottles have the glitter effect with vintage style graphics. We never leave home, without taking water or tea with us. With it being summer time, I often need more than one cup, so these water bottles are great to take a refill. When we were at our show last week, I filled my big tumbler with ice tea and took two bottles of water in my bag. I love that they are stainless steel and reusable. There is a very limited quantity of these, so grab them now!

Tips for Planting Flowers in Washtubs (or other large containers.)

Today, I'm sharing another one of my spring planting videos! This one shows how I plant flowers and ferns in vintage washtubs and large upcycled containers. 

Here's a little video I shared on Facebook, showing how I made this planter. 

I've had questions in the past, wondering how I can still have pretty flowers in late summer, when it's so hot. Well the answer is that I change out the plants! I arrange multiple pots in one large container and can change them out seasonally. I have doubts that the ranuculus will last very long, but they were so pretty, I wanted to give them a try. When they fade, I'll remove the pot and can add in something new. In the fall, we can add pumpkins and mums, and the display will always be evolving and changing.

 The ferns are very full and have cascading foliage that covers the edges of the container and hides all the plastic pots. Sometimes I do add some mulch around the edges, so that you don't see the mechanics and it looks like one big planting.

You do have to pay attention when watering, so that all the different plants get watered.

 I had the large enamel dishpan in the yard (from when I had the dishpan snowman) and I decided to prop this one up in the back of the planter.

So that's one of my secrets to having pretty flowers almost all year long. Hope you are enjoying the videos and ideas. 

Until next time, happy planting! 

P.S. The full gazebo reveal will be coming soon! 

Happy Spring!!!

 Hello, Spring! You make me sooooooo happy! It's my absolute favorite time of the year! Spring flowers, magical light, fresh air, new life, warmth, did I mention sunlight and flowers, being outdoors more, green grass, renewed energy, not freezing to death... It's a happy time of year. This winter has been tough, but brighter, happier days are ahead, I just know it.

For the last few weeks, I've been gathering up a few plants when I'm in town and starting to work in the yard some. Dang, it's been a mess and needs some attention. Anyways, here's one of the rusty, bottomless buckets! I recycle and use trampoline springs to hang the buckets (and sometimes lanterns) in from the gazebo. We brought in a tool box with random items in it one time and the springs were a part of that collection and they've been put to use.

I had to go on a supply run for my shop, but somehow my truck turned into the garden center on the way home ;) I found a few things I've been wanting and came home and was able to work in the yard for a little while! 

Did I mention fresh air, sunshine, and playing in the dirt? Oh it was magical and peaceful! 

I created a little video on how I planted herbs in this old bird cage. Hope you enjoy it. 

(I really need to work on my video skills, but hey, we try. My phone cut off and I had to start back up...#reallife) 

 For the time being, the birdcage is hanging from the gazebo. Not sure if that's where I'm going to leave it or not, as I'm still planting a few more things and getting everything arranged like I want it...

Is this not the tiniest little fern you've ever seen??? It was so cute and I just had to have it, because I knew it would be perfect for that clay pot! 

Stay tuned, I promise to share more gardening pictures, videos, and tips this spring. Until next time, Happy Spring and Happy Planting! Go get your hands in the soil! 

How to Plant Succulents in a Vintage Chicken Feeder

It's summer in East Texas and that means three things: it's hot, it is dry, and some of my spring plants were looking sad. When I saw a nice mixture of succulents and mini cactus at the store last week, I had to grab up a few! They thrive in the hot and dry conditions and forgive me if I get busy and forget to water a day or two. 

I knew I wanted to plant some of the cactus in a vintage chicken feeder, like I've done in the past. It has been a couple years since I had a chicken feeder with succulents, so it was time to plant one again and I thought I would share a few tips on how I plant in them. 

 I gathered my plants and started to do a video, but I was a hot, stinky mess and decided nobody wanted to see a video of that, so I hope you can follow along here. The chicken feeders are a shallow container, which means it will not hold a lot of moisture or be able to accommodate plants with deep roots. That's why the small cactus plants are perfect for this!

 The chicken feeder on the left is planted with Hens and Chicks, creeping Jenny, and some volunteer phlox.

 Now here's the trick that most will miss, if they don't know how the feeders work. Take notice to the gap in the wire frame. You can grab a hold of the bars on each side of the gap and squeeze them in and lift out the top frame from the bottom piece!

 Now you can start planting in the bottom tray, without having to work them between the bars!

 I purchased 6 small plants - I think they were considered 3 inch plants. I also used one small succulent I had in a planter from last year. Sometimes they will survive over winter here in Texas, some times they don't.

I don't have the names of each variety handy - although I want you to take notice of the barrel shaped cactus that looks like it has two arms reaching out. I had a similar shaped cactus a few years ago and one morning I walked out to the prettiest pink bloom ever. This cactus will have white blooms and I can't wait to walk out  one morning and find them!

 Now, slip the cage piece over the plants and be careful to work the plants between the rails.

 Now, you can either display the planter on a flat surface or you can add a hanger.

I save all the hangers from hanging baskets. It's seldom now, but occasionally you find a wire hanger. I simply wired the hanger to the feeder and made a quick hanging basket. Easy peasy!

Then I was able to hang it under the arbor, as the set was setting through the trees. I watered the plants this evening and they will forgive me for not watering for a few days.

I'll have a few of the rusty chicken feeders with me at the Mineola Antique Fair, so you can plant your own or repurpose them anyway your heart desires. 

I'll also have the two tall galvanized chicken waterers  that can be used as plant stands, hanging baskets, etc. We've even created a flock of tin birds that will be at the fair this week! (For the time being, I'm keeping my pig feeder / flower container / pedestal.) 

A tip if you want to use the tall watering can as a planter - I turned a few clay pots upside down in the tower and set the basket of springeri (asparagus) fern in the top opening.The pots keep the plant from sinking to the bottom of the container. You can even put a saucer in there to hold water Also, the lip of the hanging basket didn't want to fit in the galvanized container, so I simply took my scissors and cut it off!  

So there you have it - a few tips for flea market style gardening, using vintage farm related containers! 

Christmas in the Gazebo

Grab a cup of coffee and pull up a chair for a tour of our gazebo decorated for Christmas!

Once again, everything is rustic, rescued, and repurposed. 

The decor took on a very natural / garden / flea market style theme this year. 

If you have a few minutes, you can watch my video, as I show you around the gazebo or you can scroll down to see more pictures. I attempted to do a live Facebook video, but the lighting just didn't work out correctly. Wish I could have chatted with everyone as I was videoing...

 

 I used objects that were all found or taken from nature. I gathered pine, cedar, twigs, berries, and pine cones from the farm. I trimmed limbs that stuck out in the paths (as in nearly scratch the truck as you drove through the gates) and added them to a artificial tree and adorned many other objects with the fresh greens. After Christmas, I'll add all the branches to the compost bin.

A twiggy tree top! Instead of glittery ting and branches like some use, I preferred to use sticks and berries for a nature theme. 

 After we got the gazebo, I purchased 3 bushes in small, one gallon containers (because I was on an extreme budget.)  It's hard to believe just how big those little bushes have grown! The bicycle used to sit way out in front of them - now the bush grows through the bike. The lily that is in front of the bike was gifted to me by my mail lady. 

Now for a few daylight pictures, so you can see some different details.

When I was delivering Thanksgiving flowers, one of my sweet friends gifted me some fresh grapevine they had trimmed from their yard. I decided to hang it on the door and then nestled in the Christmas tin sign.

I found this candle stand while out junkin' recently and decided it would go on the gazebo for the time being. 

I loved this metal scroll work fixture for a long time and decided to hang it up this summer. 

For the Birds...

Now, if you recall, last year I had an upside down Christmas tree hanging where that rustic fixture is now and I had a cardinal the would stay in the tree every night. (click the link to read about it.) The red bird family went on to raise babies in the bush beside the gazebo. That's their little nest tucked in the Christmas tree! I've had the red burlap birds for several years and decided they should go on this years tree.

The handy hauler has a load of fresh Christmas greens and berries.

The bottomless rusty bucket - it still has the original flower pot wired inside it from when I did the how to post several years ago. There's still some herbs left in the pot from this summer and I just added the cut branches into the potting soil. 

My rusty, junky wreath from years past returned again and graces the front of the bicycle.

So there you have a tour of our rustic gazebo. 

What is your favorite part? 

P.S. Stay tuned, as I plan to share another video and details from my glamper Christmas!