Garage sale gems - Pros and cons of garage sales

Some weeks ago we decided to drive some and find garage sales at the weekend. I like thrift stores but that time I was a bit sceptical that we would find something nice or something we actually need (as I really did not want to buy some good-looking useless stuff).

What I learnt from two weekends of garage sale experience:

- you have to go early in the morning

- you can find a good bargain when you least expect it

- sometimes people want to sell their oldest, worst, broken things for an expensive price

- I still don`t understand why they think somebody will buy a doll without one of its legs...

- ...or a table with the same `qualities`

- occasionally you drive some miles and what you find at the garage sale is an empty table (still in the morning :( )

- however, if you are lucky and you look for quality products, you can dig out pretty nice objects

Here are some things we found (and actually needed too):

Gorgeous present from my husband

I must have been a good wife if I got this yesterday! :)

ps: Clinique has a good promotion in October. Check it out.

Mamey seed / the process of growth

Mamey seed / the process of growth:

Before:

 (This is the picture you might have seen in an earlier post before I planted it.)

---------------------------------------

After:

(And here we are, 10/9. A strong and brave warrior is trying to come out. This warrior is a small mamey plant.)

Next day, 10/10.

This morning, 10/11.

Replanting marigold and basil plants

Yesterday was a good day for planting some of the fast growing plants in the balcony. The marigold and basil plants were too crowded in their first pots so I separated the little plants, mixed and fed them some new soil with cow manure/compost and now they feel much better (me too).

The types of soil I use:

I use this when I don`t want to dirty my hands and nails. I usually forget to use it...

When I am in the mix....

 Mixing the planting soil and the cow manure. A bit smelly....

Some (not so) tiny marigold plants...

 

When they are in their new and more comfortable place...

  Aaaaaand here comes the basil....Look at those long roots!

Strong and tall plants...

Their new pot...

After they got thinned...

  Growing, growing, growing...

I believe I will have enough for pesto... :)

Plant update

All our plants are growing really fast now. I will have to replant and place them to bigger containers soon.

Let`s see which plants are the winners of the growing contest this week:

Tomatoes

Marigolds

Hot peppers

Dill plants

Basil plants

You will see how I planted the marigolds and the basil plants to bigger containers in my next post.

See you!

Old glasses turned into new glasses

Hello Guys,

Today`s post is about home decoration. As now we have our own place, I will write more and more posts about decorative processes. I will try to be creative and will try to put down everything step by step.

My (first) project (documented on my blog) here is how to turn old glasses into new, nice looking, decorative glasses/vases.

We always go to Home Depot these days and buy Rust-Oleum Metallic Spray Paint. It has good quality for a reasonable price.

You don`t have to do anything else just:

1. choose the glasses you wish to use (try different shapes and sizes)

2. clean the glasses (I soaked them in water with vinegar and soda bicarbonate)

3. remove any remaining glue, sticker, paper from the surface of the glass

4. dry it well (your paint will not stick if the glass is wet)

5. go outside (!!!!) because your entire room will have the color of your nice looking glass. spray paint is not home-friendly :), it stains its surrounding surfaces

6. even if you go outside, you should put down newspapers all around the place for an easier clean-up. also, put heavy objects on the papers because the wind comes and will not stop until it blows your entire project far away and/or the newspaper sticks on the wet surface of the glass:)

7. use gloves (you have to protect your skin and your nails)

8. use mask so you will not inhale the spray paint

9. do not forget to shake the paint bottle before using it

10. very important: work fast! always move the surface you paint or the spray bottle otherwise your paint will be dripping (own experience :) )

11. wait until the first coat of paint is dry and spray the surface again for better coverage

12. wait until your work dries completely (and some more) so your decoration will not be smelly inside your home

 

Hope you like them! 

Autumn in Coral Gables

I took some photos last Sunday afternoon. We have been living in Coral Gables for 3 weeks now and I have to say: it is a beautiful place.

We have a public library, a youth center, a running field, two golf courses, a botanical garden, a butterfly garden, a Venetian pool and many, many brilliant other things.

However, what amazes me most importantly every day is the nature all around us here, in Coral Gables. I just took a short walk around the Coral Gables Public Library last weekend and I did not have a full minute when I did not feel the urge to shoot a picture.

So all in all, here you are, autumn (or fall, whichever you like) how we see it here in South Florida in 2013.