The Light in the Attic

The light in the attic has drawn a few eyes from the passerby this day.
This attic, studio room upstairs in the shop is a wonderfully bright room overlooking 4th street S. The room was unfinished, so a little tiffany blue paint, a good sweep and then I stopped. Whats up with that light box on the ceiling? Four light bulbs cast a cold haze over the room. This will never do. A few garage sales later I found a cigar box full of keys, a dozen punch cups, some dessert plates, goblets and several hands full of old silverware. A little drilling, some celedon ribbon and wire and POOF, we had made a chandelier. Instantly it created a buzz. Some begged to climb the stairs to view it, while others wanted to buy it. But this little lovely is staying here with me in the studio at Bountiful Home and Nursery, so more folks may enjoy the light in the attic.

Junk O Rama

For the second summer, Bountiful Home and Nursery will host Junk O Rama. This fund raising event is an artist gathering of collectors who love to re-purpose, reuse and recycle. From many walks of life this junk tribe will sell treasures that amaze.
In tandem with Junk O Rama is Parasols on Parade, another fund raising event. Five market umbrellas have been given to local artisans to embellish. These amazing and whimsical works of art will be on be on display throughout downtown Edmonds raising awareness for the event and to raise money for the Edmonds City flower fund.
We are passionate about beautifying Edmonds with flowers, so what a better way to get involved, then to give to the one fund that really supports Edmonds beautification. So join us on Saturday August 13th for Junk O Rama in the gardens at Bountiful Home and Nursery.

Yellow Roses

In Victorian flower language, a yellow rose spoke of jealousy.
In the Western US, the yellow rose spoke of love familiar, humble, native to the land. The yellow rose is the prairie rose, the remote, the extraordinary in the ordinary. It bears a equal to that of other roses, but also speaks of home, of the too-often-overlooked glories of domestic happiness.
The humble yellow rose was immortalized in a popular cowboy song: "The yellow rose of Texas is the only girl for me."

Hollyhocks

The Hollyhock....'Alcea Rosea', Hollyhocks stand for fertility, for ease of creation and abundance. These plants certain do know abundance when neglected and somewhat forgotten. I can remember my grandmother growing Hollyhocks behind her garage, in a very hot gravely alley in Wapato WA. There wasn't much draw to the alley other then the daily chore of emptying the garbage, but upon a closer look, towering walls of color would overwhelm you. Hers were pink and magenta, and never held onto rust. Originally Hollyhocks were a Chinese flower grown for the savory taste of its leaves. Brought to England in the sixteenth century, these once tastey tid bits now were sought after as fast growing beauties, showing off its stunning and various blooms. Make love a daily habit, the hollyhock seems to say, and something grand and imposing will arise.

Vintage Cards

Vintage postcards have always intrigued me. As a child, the pretty pictures fascinated me, as an adult the message lures me in. Perhaps, more then the message, is the memories that live on in the script found on the side of these tiny treasures. They were first known as picture postcards when they first swept Europe and then the US. during the first fifteen years of the twentieth century. Picture postcards celebrated landmarks, commemorative celebrations, even natural disasters and postcards were printed for every holiday including Labor Day and Groundhog Day. Postcard groups popped up and enthusiasts would conspire to shower loved ones with hundreds of cards. Like email today, postcards were attractive because they afforded a fast, inexpensive and relatively effortless means of keeping in touch with others. They were a way to send your best while writing the least. Many picture postcards were heavily embossed, sporting a structural relief while others incorporated gold and silver foils and some bits of fabric. A postcard wasn't simply a picture; it was a sensuous thing to touch and treasure, a democratic art. Even when postcards were new they were avidly collected. Most postcards sold in this country were printed in Germany.

Today the postcard inscribed with greetings from far-off, seemingly halcyon time are ever more seductive. But what intrigued me as a child still lures me today....that their message is timeless: It is important to stay connected with one another.

Daffodil Narcissus

The daffodil stood for chivalry in Victorian England, perhaps because it sometimes stood in the snow, waiting for the rest of the flowers of Spring.
The crisp bloom's name can be traced to Old English affodyle, meaning early arrival. "The sweet o' the year," wrote Shakespheare, "when daffodils begin to peer."
Garden Lore: Pointing a finger at a daffodil was said to prevent it from blooming. Reputedly, it is unlucky to take a daffodil into a henhouse. Never mix your cut daffodils with cut tulips as they do not agree.

Sweet Peas

This is the time of year we all long for more color in the garden, warmer temps on the lawn and dream of days that are to come. Being the optimist, I love arm chair gardening and sketching the early Spring containers and garden beds. But the one my favorites that speaks Spring loudly are Sweet Peas!
These old fashioned flowers, are once again in vogue. Breaking through the warming soil, these nuggets of sweetness are some of the best bloomers and most fragrant in the garden. Soon the sweet pea starts will be arriving. For those of us who fail to plant near Presidents Day, this is like striking Gold. Once you find them in the Nurseries...Plant Now! Here's a little forecast:
From the large petals of the 'White Diamond Wedding' to the darkest flowers called 'Black Knight' these flowers show off. Fragrant, mixed colors and marbleized blossoms dance atop curly stems. Names like Painted Lady, Old Spice and Knee High, conjure up strong images of flowers from days gone by. I'm especially fond of the Knee High variety as they act as a strong addition to any hanging container. Great color mix with long stems need little support as these beauties climb up the hanging container, but plant a few to hang down out of the container too. Using Sweet Peas as a trailing plant can bring pleasure to the passerby. Picking these flowers regularly for windowsill vases produce more flowers. Always let a few flowers create seed as they will assure your favorites for next year. Stay tuned cause the Sweet peas starts are coming.