Vintage Infused: June 2012

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Monday, June 25, 2012

My Girly Side.....

do you guys love ruffles & flourishes?

I do.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

The Vintage Infused Look.....

Every home should have monogrammed napkins with the family initials or crest. It’s just proper.

just a little example of one of the new things coming for Fall/Holiday

pillow covers, tea towels, guest towels, shopping bags

all with antique black/white transfer prints

unique & original

just what I promised when I began my web-site

what do you think?

A Committment

yes, I've discovered that blogging successfully is, indeed, a committment.

a committment I will enjoy.

there will be

lifestyle

home & garden

a bit of fashion

DIY

entertaining

as it's Sunday I thought you might like to see some beautiful

vintage art

"Queen of the Night"

Leon Bakst

1922

much much more to come,

won't you please join me?

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Negotiate with the Nusery at Lowes??? YES, YES, YES!

There comes a time when we girls have to share our secrets.

Here's one of my BIG ones!

Would you ever think you could negotiate with the Manager at your local Lowes Nursery?

YES you can!

Here is how you do it.

Have you ever noticed the BIG rolling metal shelf racks they bring out when

you think they are about to restock?

Perhaps this is the case, but most times what they are doing is removing plants that have bloomed up so much that they are taking up so much real estate that Lowes just wants to get them out.

Classic example I am showing you here are these Beautiful Hydrangeas.

The nursery had shoved them carelessly onto the rolling racks and stopped pruning them or really caring for them. They had marked them down from $24 or so dollars each to $19 each.

Still expensive for flowers that needed some TLC.

The SECRET is to find out from the clerks or the Manager when their next shipment of flowers will be arriving. They normally are very forthcoming and are happy to tell you because they need to move new merchandise. Once you know that the new shipment will arrive...for example tomorrow...since they normally come in 1 time a week you return the next day. They are still loaded down with in my case loads of Hydrangeas at the end of Spring and ready to move them out and display

new Summer Flowers or Fresh Hydrangeas.

Look, the ones on the for sale racks even had new blooms, just needed some love!

So I am here to tell you that when that new shipment arrived I was there. The Manager and the GM of the nursery were there trying to determine where to place all their new merchandise. Lots of landscapers may know this trick, but if you are willing to take on a load all at once you are in! They simply needed to unload the merchandise and since to them it has a shelf life and they do not have the time or the staff to care for them or house them they will do these kinds of deals. You just have to be able to NEGOTIATE!

Ladies I am here to tell you that all these WONDERFUL flowers you see here were

purchased for .75 cents each. I bought about 30 Hydrangeas as you can see. I spent an afternoon pruning, feeding and watering them and they were as good as new!

All of my favorite neighbors received a plant just for fun so I could share the wealth.

I spent about $25 DOLLARS Total.

These images are when they were still in pots prior to my poor fiance having to dig me a new flower bed; however we have enjoyed cut flowers in the house for several weeks and

now they are beginning to rebloom in their new beds.

Next Spring I will have a lovely garden of Hydrangeas full of color for $25,

while some might have spent $750 to have a garden full.

They made quite the display in the neighborhood!

MY secret to YOU. Be a Sharp and Savvy Shopper and don't be afraid to ask or negotiate.

They can not throw out the merchandise, they have to sell it even if it is for pennies on the dollar.

Even my baby girl "Prissy" who is a Rescue and is half Dalmatian and half Pitty loves Mommy's flowers!

She is very REGAL when around beauty.

Have a Great Day!

Vanessa

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

1 Gals Trash...This Gals Treasure!!!!

As I have gotten older I have learned to look at things

for what they could be instead of what they are!

Now ladies, you all know I am speaking merely of THINGS & not MEN...

Last week I came across two items that were being thrown out by a neighbor. Thankfully this was a neighbor I knew and felt comfortable enough to tell her that if she did not want these items any longer I would be happy to take them off her hands. She laughed and agreed.

I smiled and thought this will be a nice afternoon craft that will make me smile in the end...and perhaps my neighbor as well.

With 1 can of WHITE SPRAY PAINT it is a wonder what I can do.

So here we go...learning to look at things

for what they could be instead of what they are!

Lowes $4.50, 1 Can of WHITE SPRAY PAINT!

One dirty, heavy, metal table stand.

One dirty, cute wicker basket for perhaps rolled wash cloths

for the guest bath...or just cut flowers on a walk.

5 minutes scrapping old paint, 5 minutes to Spray.

Just 1 can of Spray Paint!

"My" New Plant Stand & Little Wiker Basket.

My neighbor SMILED!

Have a Great Day ~ Vanessa

Monday, June 18, 2012

Do It Yourself Summer Entertaining Fun with Ice & Fruit!

What we are going to do is create an ICE BLOCK for decorating your pitcher for your guests INFUSED with FRUITS of your choice. Today's example will be Blueberry & Watermelon since we are getting close to the 4th of July and I was feeling the good 'ol RED, WHITE & BLUE Spirt of things.

1. Small Paper Milk Cartons are always a great way to make your

Decorative ICE BLOCK for your pitcher.

2. Once you have used your contents of a milk carton, rinse well to prepare for your water and fruit.

3. Today's example again is Blueberries. First place your Blueberries in the carton, fill with water, seal the cap & lay the container in your freezer on it's side so the fruit settles the full length of the ice block.

4. Plan ahead because you will need to freeze your carton overnight, so this does take some prep time.

5. If you choose to have another fruit have it cut and ready once you are prepared to put your ICE BLOCK in your pitcher.

I have shown here the amout of Blueberries

I used for this example.

Choose a large or small pitcher for your table that will show off your ICE Fruit block. I chose more of a vase for this example because I love the color for the RED, WHITE & BLUE theme, plus it was large enough for my guests to all have

a nice mason jar full!

MAKE SURE TO ENSURE YOUR BLOCK WITH FIT INSIDE THE PITCHER'S OPENING.

I share this with you since I learned the hard way

on my first go around. :)

Once you have a good frozen block you will want to sit it in luke warm water (not hot) for about 10 seconds to shock the ice away from the carton's walls. This will allow you to peel the carton off with ease and not leave resedue

on your ready to serve ICE BLOCK.

O.k. you are ready to begin to peel your carton off your block.

MAKE SURE TO HAVE ABOUT HALF OF YOUR PITCHER ALREADY FILLED WITH ICE WATER SO YOUR BLOCK DOES NOT START TO UNFREEZE IF YOU WERE TO HAVE TO FILL THE PITCHER AFTER THE FACT. YOU WANT TO PLACE IT IN SOMETHING ALREADY VERY COLD TO PRESERVE THE ICE FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.