It's finally Spring and vintage bottle ideas

Yes, my Grape Hyacinths are finally up, and my Alyssum is in full bloom! One of my clients gave me several starts off of what she had in her garden, and the Alyssum was one of them. If you have a spot where you want low growing flowers that will spread like crazy, then this is the plant for you! I've had to dig quite a bit of it up this year and last, because it will spread through your beds, creating a messy look.
Can you see the honey bee on the last flower on the right, at the bottom? He seems quite happy!

I'm also digging up a very stubborn Russian Sage, because I have new plans for the area it's in now. I gave up after awhile, saving the last bit of digging for my husband when he gets home. (He doesn't know it, yet!)

Here's my little helper in her Home Depot apron.

I can't wait to really get digging inn my beds when I have more time.

I also have some pictures to inspire you on ways to dress up a vintage bottle. I scored a couple of old bottles last year, at the antique market, and one at a yard sale. You also remember the large green glass bottle I bought at the thrift store last week. Well, here are the little darlings all gussied up!


I took a beaded bracelet, and threaded the antique brass butterfly pendant through it, then hung an old gold locket from it's chain, to add some length. Then I clipped on a square earring onto the bracelet, and finished off the top with a gold button.

A close up of the gold locket.

This one below is a blue bottle, rather heavy, and I dressed it with a vintage paper luggage advertisement, a snippet from a french manual, an old button, and then hung an inspirational verse on an old card, strung with an old pearl button. I topped it off with some french ribbon in a yummy purple.

Tag with button


This last one was a small bottle I got for $1 at the antique market. I decoupaged on a torn page from a french book, then stuck on an old Victorian label, then tied on a vintage metal button with red ribbon. Beautiful!

A close up of the cool button

Hope this inspires you to create! Stay tuned for more fun projects in the works, including a custom name banner you can make for your kids room!

Have a Happy Spring!

Spice up your life Sunday

Here's a new feature I'm starting, that will run every Sunday.

Yes folks, stop on by every Sunday to spice up your lives. It's that easy, that good, that fun!

Has your life been stuck in a rut? Do you do the same things, day in and day out? Could you just SCREAM from all the mundane motions you feebly attempt, day after day? No adventure, no excitement, no exileration?

Then Spice up your Sunday is for YOU!

Yes, that's right, stop on by The Cozy Chickadee every Sunday, and get your tip for spicing up your average everyday ordinary life.


I actually got the motivation to start this little adventure from a book, which shall remain nameless, that suggest the simple and everyday things we can do to add adventure and fun to our lives.

I think we get stuck in a rut, and do the same things, over and over. We never shake up the routine, we never step outside the box, we never want to shake things up, or try anything different.

Well this, my friends, is the end of that! Go with me on a journey, to change your routine, your life, your outlook, by doing the simple things I suggest, once a week, and see that you don't find you're living a happier life!

Here's what I mean:

Have you bought the same 2-3 salad dressings, for years on end?


Do you drive the same way to work, the store, your friends house?


Can you remeber the last time you had 2 or more hours, all to yourself, to do whatever you wanted?

Have you tried that cute new restaraunt you keep driving by, or do you always end up at the old standby?

Have you ever bought yourself a new perfume or body spray, or do you just wear the same one?

Are the throw pillows on your sofa or bed the SAME ones from years ago?

Is your closet full of safe, predictable clothes, in the same color pallet as you've always worn?

See what I mean?

It's a proven fact that people who try new things, and shake up the old routine, stimulate their brain on a regular basis, and lead happier lives. Don't be afraid to try or do something new. There are so many cool things out there, just calling your name, if you'll open up and hear them.

I'm going to start with easy things, to give you some motivation to get going. I will be doing these things as well, and reporting back. So let's get started, shall we.

I love this weeks Spice up my Sunday challenge. It is simply this:

This week, I want you to go to your local florist, and pick out some flowers that speak to your soul. Not your regular one that you would pick, mind you! Something different.
I think everyone has a favorite "standby" flower, that they love to pick up or receive now and again. My favorite has always been tulips. Love the cheery colors, the shape, the memories of Spring that they envoke.

I want you to just wander around, and look at all the different flowers they have to offer, and pick something else beside your regular favorite.

Enjoy the colors, the shapes, the scents, and just being in such a pretty place. Bring them home, and give them a prominent place in your home. Place them in a creative container, depending on your style. Here are a couple of ideas I love:

I believe having fresh flowers in your home makes you feel so good, and adds a cheeriness all it's own.

If you can't get to the florists, or don't have one nearby, the market will have to do, and even they have a decent selection of flowers and plants.

It is finally starting to warm up here in Colorado, and I itch to be out in the soil, digging it up, and getting my beds ready for the Spring. Until I can cut my own fresh flowers, I'll have to make do with some from the store.

If you'd like to take the Spice challenge, leave a comment below, and let me know what you picked from the store. If you post about it, leave the link to your blog, I'd love to see all the pictures.

Have a flowery day!

Spring, Spring, wherefore art thou, spring?

This is what I woke up to on Saturday morning:

SNOW!

We didn't get alot, but it was cold, only 19 degrees, and dreary. Luckily, the beautiful sunshine came out and warmed things up to the high 40's.

Our winter here in Colorado has been fairly mild, compared to other winters, where it dumped on us Big-time (think 2006). That was one of the worst I can remember, with 2 storm, back to back. It left us completely buried for days, and our roads a nightmare for weeks and weeks afterwards. I think my car is still suffering the effects of driving through snow sinkholes 2 feet across!

I thought I'd post a few pictures of my garden last year, for those of us who are suffering from Spring fever, and are sick of the cold weather. My snapdragons, delphiniums, and roses are my favorite, so full of bright, cheerful color.

I'm excited to get out in my garden and start planting. I am totally redoing 2 of my beds, by relocating some of my salvia (I had salvia overplanting issues last year!), and pulling out 2 large Russian sage, to let the Liatrus I planted there last year have some room.

The dang squirrels kept digging up the bulbs, after I planted them, and so I had to keep going out and reburying them! They could smell the fresh dirt all dug up, and knew something was going on, so they wouldn't leave the area alone!

This is not one of MY squirrels; when I went out to take pics of the 59 squirrels that live in MY yard, of course, there were NONE to be found! I borrowed one off of a squirrel picture website. Who knew there were so many squirrel fans out there?

I am an avid birder, so I have no fondness for squirrels anymore. Sure, they're cute when they frolick around the yard, with their stupid little antics, but when they destroy all my bird feeders trying to get the seed out, and gnaw their teeth down on my wood deck, and dig up and eat my bulbs, then they are on my black list!

I have baffles and deterrants on my feeders, but I am really limited on where I can place my feeders, due to the many trees on my property. My inlaws live out in the country, and they get those cute little ground squirrels, you know the ones that look like a chipmunk? They hate them , because they burrow tunnels everywhere, and ruin the lawn.

Today marked the return of Doves to my backyard. I have the Eurasian collared doves, and the mourning doves. I love the way they coo in the morning, so soft and sweet. Soon they will have babies, and bring them into the yard for food and water. Here is a baby from last year.

And a robin, freezing in our late spring snow!

The dove babies are so unafraid, that you can literally walk right up to them, as they are laying in the grass. They just stare at you, so cute and small. I'll post pics of them, when they are finally here. Just today in my yard, I've had Juncos, assorted Sparrows and Finches, Robins, 2 kinds of Doves, Black-capped Chickadees, Flickers, Blue Jays, and a few hungry squirrels. The juncos will soon be moving on, and we'll have spring migration moving through. What do you get in your yard during migration? Comment on your favorite visitor!

Hang in there, it's almost Spring!
(As promised, tonight or tomorrow I will post pics of all of the journals I made, covered with vintage paper ephemera.) I'll also do a short tutorial on how to make these darlings, so start scouring your local flea and antique store, for old paper things to use.