I'm always finding unused canvases at thrift stores – the planned work of art not even started is apparently a common occurrence - but canvases at craft stores are inexpensive, too, with one of those coupons that are issued weekly. The only other items I used were sticker letters in two sizes (I used foam letters, but any letter stickers will work), latex paint and chalkboard paint (I've used flat black paint on some past chalkboard projects, so it would probably work too, but I had found a cheap can of chalkboard paint).

It's pretty self-explanatory, but you can find more details on the blog if you need!

#diy

brunnera, carpet bugle, epimedium and bishop's weed are doing well there, but I'm looking for more. I was happy to recently discover HGTVGardens.com and their plant finder tool which is easy to use and has specific information on which plants will do best in whatever conditions I enter. (Of course there's lots of other things on the site like tips, landscape ideas and photos from gardeners all over the country, in addition to a whole farm-to-table section! But oh, man, is the plant finder tool fun!)

And I found three new plants for dry shade to look for: foamflower, saxifrage, and wild petunia. Now, I just have to find where to buy them!

#spon

I was given a choice of three items to make over and I chose a Wayfair lampshade, because I've wanted to update our shades for awhile. Since one aspect of the challenge was to choose a theme (either geometric pattern, incorporate rope, or black & white) I decided to use twine (does that count as rope?) and apply it in a simple geometric pattern with a diy-er's best friend: a glue gun.

And I LOVE the results! The new, textured shade not only updates an old, upcycled lamp, it provides a great decorator touch to our son's blue and brown bedroom.

Here are the steps I took:

1. Measure the circumference of the shade (this was 16″) and divide as evenly as possible (pretty easy at 4″ for this size) to figure out how far apart the pattern lines should be. In order to make it easy (I thought...) I made a diagonal paper template.Then I used a pencil to trace the lines in one direction. I didn't need lines in the other – and actually realized I didn't need lines at all and ended up erasing most of them as I went along! So here's the easy way (a case of do as I say, not as I do): mark 4″ intervals at the top of the shade and bottom and then mark the center point of the shade at each diagonal imaginary line (just use a pencil to make small marks as guides). You can always draw a light pencil line if that helps you visualize – just be sure to have a good eraser on hand!2. Use the glue gun to attach the twine to a mark on the top (start at the back of the shade) with just a dab of glue, let cool a few seconds and then pull the twine to the next mark on the bottom edge, not the one right below (otherwise that would be a straight line, wouldn't it?) to create a diagonal line. Picture #3 shows this better – just ignore the lines I made, it's better not to draw full lines, if you can help it. You only need to use a bit of glue at the top, center point, and bottom – otherwise you'll see a bunch of messy glue along the twine lines. Cut each piece of twine after you've finished gluing and move to the next one.3. After finishing the twine in one direction, glue the twine in the other direction, adhering and cutting the same way as the first. Try not to glue the twine to the very top and bottom edges of the shade – it works better to leave room for the finishing rows, though you can go over the twine if needed (see top of photo #4).4. Finish the shade with 2 or 3 rows of twine glued to the top and bottom edges, as shown. Try to keep your lines of glue as thin as possible to minimize glue-mess (is that a term?) along the finished twine edges.

It did take me a few hours but it was worth the "wow" it adds to the room! Thank you Wayfair and Hometalk for letting me participate in this fun challenge! #DIYChallenge

winter better with the cover of the previous season; 3)birds eat the seeds of the dried flowers; 4) and roses and plants need spring pruning anyway. But mostly it's because I've lost my desire to be in the garden come November, lol!

So March and April are all about cleaning up, pruning, and catching those weeds before they become established. Here are my tips for spring cleaning flower beds:

1. Start with the tallest, most overgrown plants first. In this case, the roses and clematis. I cut all of them down to about 2-3 feet. The roses are shrub varieties and we have such a problem with black spot here that I find it's best just to cut the roses back hard. They flower later, but tend to be much healthier (at least in the beginning of the season...sigh). These clematis grow many feet every year, so I cut them back to keep them sized for the trellises. They are obviously the kind you prune in spring, but honestly I've never been able to keep the different types of clematis straight.

2. Prune evergreens if needed. Pruning and shaping will be easiest now, before the perennials grow bigger and make reaching the evergreens more difficult.

3. Moving from one side of the bed to the other, pull weeds and cut off any dead plant parts.

4. Take the time to prune or cut back any existing perennials (see specific examples below).

5. Edge the bed, if needed. If it's a grass border, it will always be needed. At least if you live in the Pacific NW.

6. Lay down newspaper and cover with a mulch of compost or bark.

How are you getting your garden ready for the new season?#Springfever

Using the main colors from the art - white and green - I pulled things from around the house to compliment it, including a sweet ivy heart topiary (get it: heart = love, ha!). Adding clear glass candleholders and only a couple pops of yellow round it out, yet keep the focus on my favorite part: the art. A truly simple mantel is always my favorite! #SpringFever

and the toughest perennials that truly do come back every year.

These lists of my favorites are not unusual, hard to find, or expensive. I can't justify spending large amounts just to have the newest or most unusual plants. I look for beauty, longevity, and low initial cost all wrapped up in the easiest care possible. And these all fit the bill. They include:

-Boxwood

-Hydrangea

-Spirea

-Rudbekia

-Sedum

-Stella d'Oro daylily

Plus a few more. What would you add to the lists?