Gardening

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Crafting With Scraps

What do paper napkins, a worn-out tote, and paper off-cuts have in common? They’re all part of today’s year-end “ScrapHappy” post, a challenge put forth by Kate at Tall Tales of Chiconia.

My friend Pauline sent me these cat napkins several years ago after a kitten with perfectly divided facial markings stowed away in my husband’s car.

Original art by Rosina Wachtmeister.

We kept her, of course, and named her Tessa. Pauline had the napkins in her craft stash, but once Tessa arrived, she sent them my way.

A tortoiseshell cat lounging comfortably in a woven basket, playfully twisting on her back with a green wall backdrop.

I’ve moved the napkins around my craft room, pulled them out several times, then put them away again. Pauline was a dear friend and a good soul. She was crafty, clever, and wise. We met through blogging. After she passed, these napkins seemed too precious somehow. I can hear Pauline telling me to get over myself and to get on with it, so today I turned two of the napkins into cards.

Early next year, I will send the cards to Pauline’s daughters in New Zealand. I’ve made two, and hope to make a few more.

The tote bag came from my friend Marcia, who lived part-time in Madrid for several years to be close to her son and grandson. I used the cotton tote as intended, but after a wash, it lost its stiffness.

A cotton tote bag featuring a black silhouette of a stretching cat with the quote 'Mi trabajo es dormir, alguien debe equilibrar las energías del planeta.'
Translation: My job is to sleep; someone has to maintain the balance.

The image delights me, and I couldn’t bear to toss it, so it sat for a time, too. I’ve turned that muslin scrap into a toss cushion, using the last of my pillow forms. Kismet.

A decorative cushion featuring a black cat silhouette and a humorous Spanish text that translates to 'My job is to sleep, someone must balance the energies of the planet.' The cushion is sitting on a gray couch next to a purple pillow.

The off-cuts of Christmas paper make the perfect bookmark, and since I regularly replenish a supply in our Little Free Library, I enjoyed using these scraps with some seasonal flair. There is very little “make” here, just a punch at the top threaded with a bit of cord. I stamped “Peace” in black ink, a sentiment worth sharing, and one that offers hope.

And on that note, I hope you and yours are managing during these emotionally challenging times.

You can see what others are up to for ScrapHappy day at the links below.

Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, 
Moira, Sandra, Chris, 
Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera, 
Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,
Viv, Karrin,  Alissa,
Hannah and Maggie

Thank you, Kate.

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A Week of Flowers: Scented One and All

Today is the final day of Cathy’s garden meme. I’ve enjoyed revisiting many of my garden favorites, even if I only managed three out of seven days.

A tip of the hat to the other gardeners who shared photos and checked in all week, and to Cathy for inviting us to share.

As we head toward the winter solstice, we can look back and forward, while enjoying the in between. It’s time for spring and summer gardens to rest, so that they can burst forth with color, energy, and strength the following year. I realized today that most of my spring garden favorites have an intoxicating scent. I’ve gradually introduced seven of the ten most fragrant flowers.

Now close your eyes and imagine the warming earth, bulbs breaking ground, and finally flowers releasing that wonderful scent. Floral scents attract birds, bees, bats, and other pollinators, each fragrance drawing the right crowd. Who’s to say that we don’t play a part as well as we breathe in that aromatic scent, breathing out a bit of energy as we inhale, exhale, inhale, and repeat.

Mmmmmmm

Sweet Peas

Freesias

Gardenia’s in a vase

A colorful floral arrangement featuring white gardenias and vibrant blue flowers, displayed in a decorative cup on a table.

Lavender

Close-up of a lavender flower with small purple blooms, set against a softly blurred background of blue flowers.

Hyacinth

Purple Hyacinth

Thank you once again, Cathy.

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A Week Of Flowers: Nasturtium’s Top Ten

I’m joining Cathy of Words and Herbs, along with other gardeners around the globe, for day six of her winter garden meme. Cathy’s invited us to share flowers from this past year’s garden as an antidote to winter gloom.

I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I live in USDA hardiness zone 9, which, to my non-gardening readers, means I can effectively garden for 10 months of the year. Frosts are rare.

Close-up of vibrant orange nasturtium flowers surrounded by green leaves.
Yellow nasturtium

It’s not all rosy. We have multi-year droughts, and even in a typical year, rainfall is minimal and seasonal. We might go five or six months without a drop.

I am NOT complaining, just commiserating with gardeners who must step away for a few months till the ground thaws.

Today I’m sharing my garden nasturtiums, and my top-ten reasons for planting them.

  1. They’re in my zone, growing well for months out of the year.
A vibrant garden scene featuring blooming orange and red nasturtium flowers alongside lush green leaves, interspersed with other plants and a few white flowers, creating a colorful and lively atmosphere.
nasturtiums in the garden

2. Nasturtiums self-seed. Plant once, and enjoy their reliable return to the garden.

3. These tender perennials play well with others. They’re happy to grow up between plants or across the patio, but somehow they’re not invasive.

A garden scene featuring a stone fountain surrounded by vibrant orange nasturtiums and blooming hydrangeas in shades of pink and blue, with a wooden bench and fence in the background.

4. They make a fun hiding place for our cat, Tessa.

A tortoiseshell cat observing a garden filled with large green nasturtium leaves and red flowers, with a wooden fence in the background.
Tessa amid the nasturtium and abutilon
A tortoiseshell cat standing among vibrant nasturtium flowers in a garden.

5. They flower twice a year.

Close-up of an orange nasturtium flower nestled among green leaves, showcasing its vibrant color and delicate petals.
orange nasturtium

7. Nasturtiums have beautiful leaves.

A clay sun face wall decoration with green nasturtium leaves and a bright orange flower growing in front of it against a wooden background.

6. The flowers and leaves are edible, cooked, and raw. They’re lovely as a side dressing on a salad or on top of a cake.

8. The rich yellows, oranges, and reds feel like sunshine.

9. When you enjoy crafting and gardening, nasturtiums make their way into your crafting room, where they leave a wonderful impression.

A textured background featuring watercolor illustrations of nasturtium leaves in various shades of green, with handwritten text 'Nasturtiums' in a light orange color.

10. Bees love nasturtiums, and gardeners rely on bees. We all win, and that’s the best reason of all.

Thanks for hosting this fun winter meme, Cathy.

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A Week of Flowers: Looking Back

A picturesque garden scene featuring a hydrangea bush with pink and blue blossoms, set near a stone fountain and a wooden fence.
Pink and Blue Hydrangea

Cathy of Words and Herbs is hosting a week-long meme celebrating the stars of our gardens over this past year. It’s a chance to look back and also to imagine forward, as to garden well, is to plan. That doesn’t mean all goes according to plan, but you learn that planting lettuce in the heat of the summer or forgetting to get your bulbs in the ground on time can lead to disappointment.

Without further ado (it’s day five, but this is the first day I’ve had time to post), here are a few of my garden darlings, and an adorable photo of our grand-pooch.

Our pink and blue hydrangeas are summer stunners. These are known as Bigleaf Hydrangeas(Hydrangea macrophylla).They span shades of fuchsia to cranberry, periwinkle to admiral blue, and even shades of green. It all comes down to the soil pH.

A smiling dog sitting in front of vibrant pink and blue hydrangea bushes in a garden.
Two blooming pink hydrangea flowers with lush green leaves, situated near a window.
Oversized Hydrangea blooms
Hydrangea Fucshia

According to Wikipedia:

“The pink hydrangea has risen in popularity all over the world, especially in Asia. The given meaning of pink hydrangeas is popularly tied to the phrase “you are the beat of my heart,” as described by the celebrated Korean florist Tan Jun Yong, who was quoted saying, “The light delicate blush of the petals reminds me of a beating heart, while the size could only match the heart of the sender!”[36]

Hydrangeas were used by the Cherokee people of what is now the Southern U.S. as a mild diuretic and cathartic; it was considered a valuable remedy for bladder stones.

If you follow this link to Cathy’s page, you will find other garden bloggers sharing their favs.

Thank you for hosting, Cathy, and for all the goodwill.

My Left Hip
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My Left Hip

After several years of near-constant pain and impaired mobility, I had my right hip replaced in February, followed by a new left hip earlier this month. I’m relieved to have both surgeries behind me.  To pass the time, I cropped a photo of one of my new joints, added a pair of eyes, and created a less clinical image of the new joint.

X-ray image of a hip joint replacement with a smiley face added for a whimsical effect.
Screenshot

Today, my in-home PT assessed my balance using the Berg Balance Scale, and I scored 47 out of 56. A score of 41-56 indicates low risk and independent walking. I’ll take it.

Over the next four weeks, I could dislocate my hip if I move it past a 90-degree angle, which, in garden-speak, translates to averting my eyes as the weeds sprout. After an unusually mild November, we’re finally seeing true fall weather, including rain. All those weed seeds have been waiting in the wings for their grand entrance. 

They’re unlikely to go to seed any time soon, and the wet ground will make removal easy when I can finally kneel in the dirt, so for now I must bide my time.

As I heal, I’m able to take photos from a standing position. Mike’s also taking me on daily drives for a change of scenery. Nature is a balm.

From the car window, I watched a crow enjoy a slice of sidewalk pizza in nearby Los Gatos.

A crow standing on a sidewalk enjoying a slice of pizza, surrounded by fallen leaves and greenery.

I snapped this view of Silicon Valley in the misty fog at the top of Harwood Hill in San Jose.

A foggy view of Silicon Valley from the top of Harwood Hill in San Jose, with greenery in the foreground.

Heteromeles, commonly known as toyon, are native to our California coast. Not only do they provide food for birds, bears, and coyotes,

“The plant has been used as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease by indigenous people of California, and recent research has found several active compounds that are potentially beneficial to Alzheimer’s treatment. These include icariside compounds, which protect the blood-brain barrier and prevent infiltration of inflammatory cells into the brain.” Source Wikipedia

A close-up view of bright red toyon berries contrasting against lush green leaves, with a textured grey wall in the background.

The brilliant red berries brighten autumn’s grey days.

These Canada Geese were impervious to the rain outside the Cambrian Community Center. It must be nice to have a built-in raincoat.

Two Canada Geese in the foreground with several others in the background, surrounded by fallen leaves on a rainy day.
Two Canada Geese standing on green grass, with patches of fallen leaves in the background.

Closer to home, a neighbor’s cat named Thor visited our front deck.

A fluffy cat with blue eyes sitting on a wooden surface, surrounded by green plants and purple flowers.

This potted alstroemeria recovered well after a broken pipe nearly drowned the plant. Once the roots dried and the heat of summer passed, it made a full recovery.

A potted alstroemeria plant with green leaves and a single pink and white flower blooming, set against a natural garden background.

I plan to follow in the plant’s footsteps and make a full recovery as well.

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ScrapHappy for Christmas Cards

I’ve been making paper Christmas trees from scraps and using them to create Christmas cards. I’m sharing here for Kate’s monthly ScrapHappy day.

A collection of handmade paper Christmas trees crafted from various shades of green paper strips, arranged on a white background.

It’s been a fun process cutting slivers of paper at an angle, then arranging them on two-sided sticky paper. I started making them in August. When I have enough, I use a metal die to cut the shape. Each tree is unique.

A collection of green paper strips and pieces arranged in a scattered manner on a brown surface, some peeking out from a transparent envelope.

Included in the mix is a handful of Christmas trees made from vintage postage stamps. I think of them as scraps, too. 

A collection of unique Christmas trees made from green vintage postage stamps, arranged on a white background.

For the cards themselves, I embossed white paper using an In the Pines embossing folder, then matted it with another green paper scrap.

I placed the trees in the center of the card in some cases and to the right of the center on others. I couldn’t decide what I liked better, so I did both.

Two handmade Christmas cards featuring embossed white backgrounds with green and gold borders. Each card has a green tree design and a translucent vellum overlay with the text 'peace on earth'.
Two handmade Christmas cards featuring embossed white backgrounds with green accents. Each card displays a distinct paper Christmas tree and a vellum overlay with the phrase 'peace on earth'.

Full disclosure: the vellum stamped with “Peace on Earth” isn’t technically a scrap, just part of an open package, but I like the effect, and I know we all appreciate the sentiment.

A Christmas card featuring an embossed white background, a decorative tree made from vintage postage stamps, and a translucent vellum overlay with the phrase 'peace on earth'.

If you would like to share your own crafty creations, please get in touch with Kate.

Please have a look at other ScrapHappy posts at the following links:

Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda,

Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, 

Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,

Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,

Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera, 

Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,

Viv, Karrin,  Alissa,

Hannah and Maggie

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Celebrating the Gardeners of In a Vase on Monday

A dozen years ago, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden started a meme called “In A Vase On Monday”, or IAVOM. She wanted to challenge herself to regularly cut and arrange flowers and greens from her garden. She also challenged fellow garden bloggers, launching a wonderful garden blog meme. It’s a simple concept: cut flowers from your garden, arrange them in a jar or vase, and share them virtually with others. Gardeners post from the UK, Germany, the US, and other parts of the world. Charming, eh?

I’ve enjoyed sharing a garden vase, off and on, over the years, but I lack the dedication of the Monday Vase die-hards. I applaud all of you.

I’m sharing two vases today that highlight my joy of blogging. For me, it’s about the community formed through sharing photos and words, about finding your people in this sometimes fractious world. “In A Vase on Monday” does just that.

I’ve followed Cathy at Words and Herbs for close to 14 years. She posts a beautiful vase most Mondays. 

The vase below holds crocheted flowers, a Mother’s Day gift from my youngest son; however, kitty’s “scarf” is an intended bookmark, straight from Cathy’s crochet hook.

Cathy mailed several crocheted bookmarks for our Little Free Library all the way from Germany. Sweet, right? I placed some of her bookmarks in our tiny library; one became a gift topper for a friend,

A crocheted sunflower with green leaves attached to a decorative envelope featuring a floral and turtle design.
Flower bookmark
A ceramic cat vase wearing a crocheted scarf, surrounded by colorful blooms in a garden setting.
Crocheted bookmark/cat scarf

and this one is now wrapped around my kitty vase and will become part of my vase rotation. Please enjoy Cathy’s extraordinary garden at Words and Herbs. 

This second vase is a treasured teacup, a gift from my university friend, Carrielin. I’ve had it for forty years. In mid-October on Eliza Waters’ IAVOM post, I spotted the same cat design. I checked with Eliza to confirm, and sure enough, it’s from the same collection of porcelain art, Couer Minou-ettes, by Portuguese designer C. Pradalie. The pieces aren’t rare, but even so, it delighted me to spot the same design, with flowers, from a fellow garden blogger. Eliza shares from her beautiful garden most Mondays.

If you would like to see what these gardeners and others have shared in a vase today, please follow this link to Cathy’s blog, then check the comments for additional vase posts.

Happy Anniversary in-a-vaser’s.

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Wisteria: Know Before you Grow

Wisteria symbolizes longevity and grace. For years I longed to have one in our garden. Aren’t they stunning? They need space to grow, though, and space is always at a premium in the garden, because nature abhors a vacuum, and this gardener feels compelled to plant any available earth.

A charming garden scene featuring a stone pathway, a wooden bench with colorful cushions, a whimsical little free library made from wood, and vibrant greenery, including wisteria flowers hanging above.

Then opportunity knocked.

When our young Magnolia became infested with scale, I tried to save the tree by manually scraping the scale into a bucket —an arduous, odiferous task. The scale quickly returned, along with ants. I pruned away the center, looked at organic options, and eventually contacted an arborist, but it was all for naught.

It’s tough losing any tree, but here was my chance to grow a Wisteria vine. We repurposed an arch from the back garden, placed it at an angle in the front garden, and planted the vine. The first year of growth was underwhelming, as it often is, but in the years that followed, the vine took off. It flowered vigorously in early Spring, then sent out a second set of blooms later in the year.

A vibrant Wisteria vine with cascading purple blossoms, growing over an arch in a garden, with a fenced area and other plants in the background.

At some point, though, the tree went from vigorous to invasive. I couldn’t keep the tendrils off our roof, our neighbor’s roof, a nearby tree, and so on. Clearly, I should have done my research, as I recently read that it is “known for its vigorous and potentially destructive growth.” Now they tell me.

I get attached to plants and trees, and this was no exception, but I’m pragmatic as well. Risking life and limb, damage to the house and the tree nearby meant it had to go.

It was labor-intensive. I started with small garden shears, graduating in size to the base of the tree’s substantial girth. I tried digging out the roots, then Mike had a go, until it became apparent the roots would need to be removed by a tree stump removal service.

A landscaped yard showing a pathway leading to a house, surrounded by green plants and a small tree.
Space after removing Wisteria

The space looked empty for a time, but I’ve since planted several succulents that had outgrown their pots. They took to the spot immediately, and by next Spring, they will be well established. They’re also water-wise plants that don’t require much fuss. The freesias came up quickly around the stone walkway, but it will be several months before they flower.

A close-up view of a garden bed featuring various succulent plants and green shoots along stone pathways, with mulch covering the soil.
View of a garden with a large Magnolia tree, featuring a stone walkway and various plants, including succulents and freesias, set against a suburban street.
Walkway facing street

Lesson learned: know before you grow.

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Halloween

It’s Halloween. One of my favorite times of the year. Our neighborhood draws a crowd (500 children at our door last year), a slow-and-steady parade of little ones starting around 5:30. This little guy gets a different kind of treat.

A squirrel stands near pumpkin scraps in a garden, surrounded by ferns and a tree.

Mike spent the day carving three magnificent pumpkins. It takes him hours, but he enjoys the creative process.

We attended a Halloween party on Saturday, renting costumes from Natasha’s Attic. I didn’t have the time or energy to create one this year, and that’s ok.

The Las Vegas party theme lends itself to many things. We dressed as 1920s mobsters, light on the mob part.

I stopped by my sister’s today and took pics of her wearing a witch’s hat, a gifted orange scarf, and a hand prop on her shoulder. We’re peas in a pod.

I bring out my collection of hand-crafted pumpkins each year. They have an international flavor, one sent as a gift from Cathy in Germany, another made by Randi, who hails from Norway, and the third, a gift from my friend Stephanie. I bought the velvet ones at a craft fair many years ago.

A collection of hand-crafted pumpkins displayed in a metallic bowl, featuring various colors and textures, including knitted and velvet designs.

It’s the creative fun of Halloween that I like the best. Making costumes over the years has always been a joy. It’s fun decorating, too. Making cards for Halloween is a more recent endeavor, and we once grew pumpkins till a nasty infestation of squash bugs put an end to that after two or three years.

A friend sold these cardboard haunted house kits earlier this year. It was a lot of fun putting it together, and a bit of kismet when I realized I had the perfect tray for it. The three figurines were a birthday gift this year. Can you believe how well they fit in?

I turned 66 earlier this month. On Monday, I’m having my left hip replaced, nine months after replacing the right one. I’m feeling my age. That said, my love of Halloween keeps me young at heart. If you celebrate, I hope that’s true for you, too.

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Filoli Fright Night: Searching for Trolls

A wooden troll sculpture holding a flag, set in a garden during twilight with trees in the background.

Events at Filoli sell out quickly, so I was thrilled to get tickets for five of us to attend the second-annual Filoli Fright Night. We knew it would be fun, as all their events are, but it was full of surprises that exceeded our expectations.

The evening included a first-floor tour of the house, done up to the nines with Halloween-themed rooms.

A warm, inviting scene featuring several black lanterns with glowing yellow lights placed along stone steps, surrounded by lush greenery and illuminated by soft lighting.

The library featured flying book pages and an owl made from paper feathers, along with the usual, beautiful decor.

Interior of a library with shelves of books, featuring a centerpiece of flying paper pages and a portrait on the wall.
A small mouse in a witch's hat stands at a tiny table with a miniature birdhouse, placed on top of books by Edgar Allan Poe.

The dining room, set for fictional guests, was more warm and cozy than spooky, with gorgeous table settings and an over-the-top dried floral arrangement at the table’s center.

A beautifully set dining table adorned with elegant tableware, tall floral arrangements, and multiple candles, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for a festive gathering.

As you entered the kitchen, a counter displayed three cakes: a black-iced tower with a replica of a beating heart, a wedding-style white cake that would make your hair stand on end, and a third confection, lost to memory, but equally impressive.

A kitchen counter adorned with various cakes and desserts, including a tall black-iced cake shaped like a heart, surrounded by decorative candles and intricate plates.
A dimly lit kitchen with green lighting, featuring a variety of jars, herbs, and candles on a table, along with Halloween-themed decorations and carved pumpkins displayed on shelves.

I shared space with a skeleton in the foliage drying room, then wandered over to the great hall.

A skeleton wearing an apron stands next to a wooden chair, surrounded by an array of dried plants and herbs, all illuminated with a green light.
A beautifully decorated fireplace featuring Halloween-themed decor, including purple lighting, black crows, and ghostly figures, surrounded by dried branches and flowers.

The lights in each room set the mood in shades of purple or green. The house is extraordinary, even when it’s not Halloween.

Interior of a Halloween-themed room at Filoli featuring a large decorative birdcage with artificial crows, surrounded by various plants and purple lighting.

We finished the house tour, then exited toward the gardens, strolling by the reflecting pool and then onto the grounds.

A beautifully illuminated garden at night, featuring colorful lights surrounding a reflecting pool and various plants.

A bluegrass band played in the center of the crowd, with several guests sitting around small fires. Fields of carved pumpkins lead us to the gate, and we set off to look for the wooden trolls.

A nighttime scene featuring a pumpkin patch with illuminated carved pumpkins scattered among hay bales, and guests exploring the area.

We managed to find five of the six trolls, not because they’re small, but because it was dark with curving trails, eerie sound effects, and darkness. No sane person would step off the lighted trail.

While searching for the trolls created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, we came across a “crowd” of pumpkin-headed scarecrows. At first, and from a distance, we thought they were parking attendants in the far-off lot. Boy, were we wrong.

After an hour or so, we stopped along the trail for hot cocoa and hot cider. We spotted another troll, then proceeded along the trail to discover a glow-in-the-dark, banana slug art installation, yet another surprise of the night.

A nighttime view of a glowing art installation featuring numerous large banana slug sculptures illuminated in bright green, amidst purple lighting and trees in the background.

We posed for and took lots of pics before eventually heading back toward the house. I can’t wait to see what they create next year.

The Trolls: 

The artist behind the Filoli trolls is Thomas Dambo, a Danish artist known for creating giant troll sculptures from recycled materials. The current exhibition at Filoli, “Trolls: Save the Humans,” features six larger-than-life trolls. Source: Filoli

Here’s a bit about Filoli:

Filoli is a 654-acre historic estate in Woodside, California, featuring a large Georgian-style mansion, 16 acres of formal gardens, and hundreds of acres of natural lands. It was originally a private residence built by the Bourn family, who named it after their motto: Fight for a just cause, Love your fellow man, Live a good life. Today, it is a non-profit public attraction managed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, offering tours, seasonal events, and educational programs. Source: Filoli