Thursday, May 25, 2017

Crazy for Succulents - A Few Projects Done!

I have been just crazy for succulents and it all started when I indulged myself in planting them last year. You may remember these pictures from last summer....


I found whatever I could around the house and garage to plant them in. We planted large and small succulents in an old vintage Radio Flyer wagon for my husband's garden....



I planted a few different varieties in a large birdbath....



There are petite succulents in my fairy garden....


Some Hens and Chicks dug from a friend's garden in an old galvanized pan....


This year is no different. I will be re-planting the wagon, the birdbath, and the fairy garden with new succulents. The advice I got via the internet on how to winter them over failed miserably.

I hope to find a good variety at good prices at our local public market. They have Flower Days the whole Memorial Day weekend, so we will be there.

In the meantime, I decided to "cheat" a little to make a wreath and planter for my front porch. Michael's craft stores have a nice selection of faux succulents in all kinds of varieties, sizes and colors. Right now they are 40% off too!

I have had this vintage chicken feeder for awhile. I bought it to resell but can't bring myself to do it yet. So glad I didn't! I saw a picture of my project on Pinterest, I think, and knew that is what I wanted to do with it.


Off to Michael's to get some faux succulents....



These faux succulents are unique in that they are attached to a plastic backing...


I just cut them each off of the plastic grid and left a piece of the plastic on to stick in the dirt.



To help make my project believable, I added some potting soil all around the feeder...




Then it was just a matter of sticking the succulents in the dirt and arranging them to my liking.



It goes so well with my new wreath filled with faux succulents...



I found the wreath at a pricey gift shop nearby, so I paid way too much for it. I had to have it! It is made of rusty metal flower pots. I found three of the faux succulents at a Salvation Army store and the other three at Michael's. It hangs on my chippy vintage window.


It makes a nice vignette and it is something different than last year's porch décor.




I never plan to redo my decorating every year, it just happens that way! Really! I find something I love and it replaces the thing I loved and had to have last year.

I know I am not the only one that does that. C'mon fess up!

Anyways, I keep all my décor items from year to year and that is another problem for another post!

On to the side porch. It got some new decor too.

I subscribe to Magnolia Market's newsletter and Joanna offered some free printables to download. They are so cute, so I downloaded them without knowing what I would do with them.

I have no before pictures, just the afters.....





My husband printed them on nice card stock. I bought some $3 white frames at Walmart and painted them English Ivy Green. Because I was too lazy to sand or prime them first, it took three coats!

Learn from my laziness.

Aren't they cute? They are watercolors of potted plants with their names in script.

Of course I had no wall space to hang them so I used a beam. Why not?


The full view.....




We are just getting started on Summer weather in Upstate NY and the porch's and yard and gardens are starting to come together. After I get all my succulents and annuals planted I will just sit back in that Papasan chair there and relax for the summer.

Yeah, right! Scroll back up to where I say I never PLAN to redo my decorating, and you can get an idea of what I'll be up to!!

It's all good and it's all fun.


Happy Summer!!


AnnMarie xoxo

I'll be linking up to these fun blog parties.....






25 comments :

  1. I adore it all! The wreath, the prints and the chicken feeder most of all! Thanks for sharing @Vintage Charm--pinning and sharing on my Secret Garden Herbs Facebook page!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great post! I have gone absolutely crazy over succulents, both real and faux, so enjoyed seeing your wonderful projects here.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnnMarie, love all you projects and the wreath. I just cleaned my front porch last weekend... seems we've had so much wet weather and pretty mild temps too so far (not to mention indoor projects). But, like you, I never intend to switch things up drastically. Having said that, I just bought new wreaths for my front doors, lol. Couldn't resist the bargain! We're all guilty, I suppose. It's that dealer in us, always wanting a deal. ;)
    Have a safe and fun weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  4. They look so nice. I am an avid gardener, so I can relate to the frustration when something doesn't over winter like you thought it would. All my hens and chicks died :( I would never admit it to my gardening friends, but I love these faux succulents. I bought a few in clay pots at Michaels a few months back, and haven't used them yet, but you have inspired me. I will have to look for the ones stuck to the plastic mesh.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow, AnnMarie, I love all your decor - that wreath would have got me, too!! Maybe I have to subscribe to the Magnolia blog so I can get free printables also....those are AWESOME!! I love them! And you planted in a wagon, how ironic I just posted about that this week!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I don't think I would have been able to resist that wreath either. Sometimes you just have to splurge a bit, and you deserve it.

    The printables are lovely, and look amazing! It's been so chilly and rainy lately we've hardly gotten anything accomplished outside. You are putting me to shame! ;).

    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  7. These photos made me happy, so many clever ideas and I love succulents as well, not least because you can go on vacation and they await your return without any fuss.
    Amalia
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  8. So many great ideas for the garden. I love the pot wreath.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Ann Marie, Love this post and so inspired. Your faux succulents are perfect and I love the planter and your wreath is awesome. Your porch looks so inviting and cozy. I love what you did with the prints from MM. I printed them too but did not create with them yet.
    Now I need to get over to Micheal's for some faux succulents. It really helps out here with our high temps. Gotta help mother nature along sometime. Have a wonderful holiday weekend. xo

    ReplyDelete
  10. You are such a 'crafty' person, (in the creative sense;)), AnnMarie! The succulents in your splurge wreath look so adorable! The print project I saw on your Instagram feed first and LOVED it! Your pretty porch is so welcoming; I hope you accept its invitation and 'plant' yourself there, as much as you can, this summer!

    Happy Sunday and Memorial Day, tomorrow!

    Poppy:)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow, AnnMarie, you have inspired me to get moving and start decorating my outdoor space. The weather has been so rotten here, cold and rainy, that I haven't had any motivation, but seeing all of your creative pretties has made me want to go outside...and redecorate! And yes, never plan on change...it just happens! 😉

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnnMarie,
    Just look at you go with those succulents. I just love succulents too, all of those little spikes, crooks and crannies on their waxy leaves. Your creative level looks like it is on an all time high! I feel the energy.
    Happy Memorial Day Weekend,
    Jemma

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love this! Thanks for joining Home Sweet Home!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love that pot wreath. I've been gathering little galvanized pots to make a wreath, but don't have enough yet. When I do I'm going to give it a go. The prints are so pretty, and look perfect on that beam. It's been the weirdest spring weather wise so we're feeling a little behind, but we'll catch up... hopefully.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I am a sucker for succulents as well Ann Marie! Some of the faux ones really look real. I have found that when I buy real ones I buy the hearty ones and just leave them out all winter. Ones like Hens and chicks and even the cobweb ones come back year after year. There are some that are more tender and won't winter over. I love the wreath and the printables are so cute! Thanks for sharing with SYC. You will be featured today.
    hugs,
    Jann

    ReplyDelete
  16. Girl, I am loving that wreath! You crack me up finding whatever you have to plant something in! That is exactly what I would do. I was looking for planters at my house this past Monday and I knew I had some somewhere. Finally I told my husband that he was going to have to give up his wheelbarrow! Needless to say it didn't take him long to find my little planters! Hugs and blessings, Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  17. LOVE your porch. What a beautiful place to sit and ponder your next redo. Love those framed printables and how perfect do they look hanging on your porch. Great wreath and the chicken feeder looks wonderful surrounded by your faux succulents. Hope you bought lots of pretty plants this past weekend, AnnMarie.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I will feature today at Home Sweet Home!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Ann Marie, your porch looks so pretty and relaxing. The layout reminds me a lot of mine. I love how you framed and placed the prints on the porch. They fit the space perfectly. My grandmother always had tons of hens and chickens. I always thought they were so cute but never have planted any of my own for some reason. The chicken feeder is the perfect place to add the succulents..Have a wonderful rest of the week..Judy

    ReplyDelete
  20. Lots of great ideas here for something I want to try. Thanks for the creative ways to showcase these interesting plants. Sandi

    ReplyDelete
  21. I am loving your succulent porch theme! SO pretty. I just blogged about my porch too. Hope you have a great Sunday!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh, so charming, AnnMarie! Love the chicken feeder and wreath - so clever and cute! The framed prints are wonderful, too. I could really enjoy settling down in that cushy chair and watching the world go by......but I know what you mean - there's decorating to be done! Don't work too hard and reward yourself with a tall, cool drink in that wonderful chair at the end of the day! xx Karen

    ReplyDelete
  23. I love your succulents, the prints, the door wreath. All of it! Your porch is so inviting, so charming. Well done, my friend! Hugs.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I love succulents so much, and we have rough winters here, much like you do. I put them in my greenhouse and they seemed to do okay out there, as most of them survived. What did you try that didn't work? I'm curious now! I love love love succulents, but even more, the fake ones, wow! I love the metal chicken feeder that you have, it looks great planted with your faux succulents! Love love love it! :)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment...I treasure each one! Do you know if you are a no reply comment blogger? I love to reply to your comments but sometimes instead of an email there is a noreply-comment@blogger.com. It can easily be changed by changing the setting in your blogger profile to "show email address".