Its party time!!!

Pool and Water!!!!!

I planned this wonderful event and we had fun!!!!

The Decorations

This is the green corner of my garden.

Chairs and Cushions from Target

Afton Chairs

Bird Pillows

Outdoor Seat Cushions in green

Green Garden Stool by Sam’s Club

 

This is the orange side of the garden.   Sorry the photo is funky, I was really taking a picture of the garden stool for my sister.  We decided to use a navy blue garden stool instead.  Thank Goodness that SAMS Club had the stools on sale.   Yahoo!!!!  And speaking of clearance, I got the second set of chairs on clearance.  AND I got the last two chairs.  Yahoo!!!!

 

Coral Afton Chairs by Target

Navy Blue Cushions by Target

Orange striped lumbar cushions by Target

Navy Blue or Orange Garden Stool

 

I made these seat covers for these chairs.  I used the same material as the big chairs and sofa.  I love these folding tables from Lamps Plus.   I have the navy and the light blue ones.  The candle holders are from Joann Fabrics.

Monterey Table and Chairs in Ocean Blue and Sky Blue

 

 

 

 

 

So I wanted to add some extra things on my patio cover.

In the morning the sun beats down on you that I decided to make an awning to cover the area.  It was a tricky process.  The material was not really wide enough, but the angle was also wonky based on the patio curving.  So I actually make a long strip of fabric and made a rod casing at one end.  I ended up putting a cheapo curtian rod in the end and dropped it onto the rails.  It was fell between the slats and stayed put.  At the other end I looped it over the end rail and then ran it behind a rod that holds the curtains.

I also added some patio lights.   I just attached them to the slats by using a plastic tie cord.  But the cool part was we added the lights to a switch that we can turn it on via remote.

And of course there is the overhead ceiling fan.  Which I love!   A great find at Lowes!

Patio Fan

Remote Light Outlet Switch Set

I had a pile of old vintage signs and I wanted to put them somewhere in the yard.  I finally found this cool bench from IKEA to hang them on.

The only problem with this bench is it is suppose to be anchored to a wall.  I did not want to that so I got creative and my brother helped me add braces to the back.  So now it is real sturdy

The bench opens to store stuff, what I dont know.  But one day I will put something in there.  LOL

IKEA Applaro bench

Vintage style tin signs

So since I was projecting the movie across the pool, I needed to have a larger screen than I wanted.  But it is pretty awesome.

It is a portable screen that I can take camping, or over to another persons house as well as let friend borrow.  Very easy to put together

Visual Apex ProjectoSCreen144HD Portable Movie Theater Projector Screen

 

Candles placed in holders  (these are awesome remote color changing timer candles perfect for outdoors)

Games placed out, and appetizer plates are ready.  These plates are cool because they are melamine and look like paper plates.  Very cute.

The mason jar makes a wonderful flower vase, it is from World Market which is AWESOME!!!!

 

Cards Against Humanity Game

Melamine plates

Mason jar Vase

Outdoor candles

Box of towels just waiting to be used.

Drink central…. Mason jar for margaritas and some Raspberry Lemonade for those who don’t want booze.  Of course I had to use paper straws.  Reminds me of the past.  LOL.

 

I actually did not have enough matching plates and stuff so I had to go out and get some new stuff.   LOL  No problem!

Most of it came from World Market but the bowls were from my local Vons Grocery store.  Of course I had mason jars already!!!

Fiji Melamine Plates and Bowls

Green Mason Jars

Hotel Dinnerware

Napkins

Acrylic Glasses

I replaced the old outdoor rug with this awesome one from World Market.

Penny, my sweet pooch had to bring her chew toy out for the party

Outdoor Rug from World Market

Music was playing from the speakers that I hung from the patio.  I dont have a picture but believe me.  We listened to 1950’s tunes from Amazon Prime (love Prime and the free stuff you can get)

Wireless Speakers

To hang all this fun stuff from my patio (curtain rods, speakers, ceiling fan, solar lights) I use these AWESOME hooks.  Nobody has these, nobody, thankfully this man created these hooks, I love them and use them all over my patio.

Aluma Hangers

FOOD

We had ribs, cowboy beans, Potato salad, berries and a tart for dessert

My sister made the potato salad.  My MOM use to make the best potato salad and when we eat this it reminds us of Mom.  Same with the cowboy beans.  A favorite from Mom.

We played Cards Against Humanity and laughed and laughed until the food was ready.

My brother laughing and having fun!!

 

My Sister Janice and her husband Barry.  Barry won the game!!!!  You can see th awnings behind the curtain rod from this shot.  As well as the other stuff hanging from the patio.

 

After dinner we swam and goofed off.  When the sun went down, we watched a movie on the screen.

We watched the Homesman.   What a great movie with Hilary Swank and Tommy Lee Jones.

We had popcorn, and movie snacks.

It was a good party, we all had fun, and the dishes went unwashed until the morning!!!

If you have any questions about my decorating or recipes, please let me know.

 

 

So spring is in the air, and my head turns towards gardens, outdoors and pretty things placed in my backyard!!!

I had seen on pinterest, many watering cans with jewels coming out of the spout and I wanted to make my own!   I must have been thinking about this for 8 months.  Today I sat down to do it and it only took me less than hour and it was super easy.    8 months planning.  1 hour to make.   LOL, isnt that always the way it happens.

 

To start with I searched for a watering can.   My neighborhood is Southern California is definitely not a rustic antique, flea market kind of town.  Goodwill charges a fortune for basic junk, and finding any gems is basically impossible.  So I resort to Amazon!   Amazon will find me a watering can.   I first searched for a rustic galvanized watering can but then decided to go with a enamel coated watering can is an assortment of colors.   The trick of this purchase is you could not guarantee which color you would get.   Lucky for me I got the color I wanted, a nice cool aqua.

To find your can, check out Amazon here.

There are 5 delicious candy colors available, but it is random so keep an open mind.  Of course if you live in a wonderful place with fun junk or awesome flea markets go for it!

Make sure you get a watering can that the spout head comes off either by screwing it off, or prying it off with tools.  Just make sure you can get it back on.

 

GATHER SUPPLIES

I found crystals and acrylic crystals at a variety of places, JoAnn Fabrics, Michaels, Amazon and Hobby Lobby.  I think they even have beads at Wal-Mart.   I just grabbed beads that were clear or blue (so it looked like water).  I had wanted to have some drop crystals for the end so I actually used some crystals that I had from QVC (Valerie Parr Hill).

I also got some 30 gauge wire.   Definitely can buy that at the places I mentioned above.

I doubled my wire and either did a small bead at the end of the jewell to keep my jewels from falling off

or if the jewels were chained, I just ran the wire thru the top and added more crystals.

 

I then just created different strands with a variety of jewels.  Some were all clear, some mixed with blue.  What ever tickled my fancy.

I really used no tools except my fingers.  I just placed each bead on the wire and then added another until I was satisfied with the look and length of the strand.

Taking one strand, I inserted into the sprout hole and pushed it thru until it went out the back opening.

I did this with each strand mainly focusing on the inter circle of dots on the spout.  However you can choose to use all the holes or focus on the outside holes with the one middle hole.  Really it is up to you.

 

I decided to stop at 6 strands because some of my beads were very bulky.  If you are doing many small beads you may want to do more

 

Once I had all the strands into the spout.   I decided to twist the stands together and tie it into a knot.  Then I twisted some more to tighten up the strands to the base of the spout and then I bent it onto itself to keep it from coming apart.  At this point I forced it back into the spout opening.

 

Now I twisted the spout head back onto the can

And now I am finished.   Oh my goodness it was so fast and easy.  Have no idea why I dragged my feet so long to make this project.

 

I had gotten a shepherd hook from JoAnn Fabric for 50% off to hang my can off of.  The weight of the jewels automatically tilted the can so it looked like it was watering.  Cool.

 

Here I am watering my rock….LOL, only kidding.

This is where my flower plate garden is going.  So far I only have one flower plate, but have the supplies to make several more.

 

 

 

 

In this pic you can see my lone flower plate.  No I did not make this one.  I bought it off Etsy.   You can also see my solar cattails that glow at night.

As soon as I get my flower plates done, I will share with you the process!

 

Thanks for looking!!!