Cat Baskets

Etta Girl has checked several potential napping baskets and settled on this one. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Cat Baskets

If you live with a cat, you know there are a lot of cat gadgets on the market, from cat “trees” to cat “beds.”

Over the years of living with cats, I have found that the best cat “beds” are baskets. Well, cats like boxes, too, but for home decor I prefer baskets. Cats themselves will decide on their favorite so I usually have several baskets scattered around the house at windows so they can choose their favorites.

The most used baskets tend to be ones with lower basket rims so they can curl up and still see out.

All three of these window baskets are currently occupied. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Not all windows are easy to populate with baskets. This one has a short bookcase that provides a good height for the baskets. A good height is usually one that easily allows the cats to see outside. in this case there’s a nearby hummingbird feeder that apparently needs close supervision.

In other parts of the house, I have inexpensive black shoe racks that serve as low book cases in front of chairs facing windows. The shoe racks again provide a good spot for baskets to sit in sunshine, a favorite winter napping spot.

Shoe racks fill in as low book cases and support for cat napping baskets. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

I have our local glass shop cut plexiglass pieces to fit the shoe racks to protect the tops. The shoe racks are inexpensive particle board so the covering helps to prolong their life, especially when I plop a plant on them.

Our local glass shop cuts plastic pieces to protect shoe racks. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

In terms of the baskets themselves, I tend to shop thrift stores, garage sales and consignment shops. I look for three basket shapes; round, about the size of an adult cat; square, again about the size of an adult cat, and rectangle, which allows for two cats to sleep together. Or one very long cat to stretch out in the sun.

The other feature I personally like is a handle, that way I can easily move the basket, and cat, to a new location.

Old pillow sham makes a nice lining for a cat napping basket. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

To make the cat baskets comfortable, I add something soft in the bottom; it can be a pillow sham, an old towel, even an old piece of a blanket. These get washed regularly, usually twice a month.

Some cats will claim a basket as their own; others will share. Half the fun is watching them discover the baskets and make themselves comfortable. And discover they will. It still amazes me that I can try to sneak a new basket in the house and someone will be in it within minutes of it coming into the house.

When not in use, you can use baskets for book, magazine, blankets - they make handy easy to reach storage containers.

One more challenge if you use baskets for cat napping spots. This little oblong basket used to be a napkin holder in my kitchen.

I was washing all of the napkins one day when I found this in it instead.

James A Mess takes my napkin basket out for a spin. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

I can’t blame him, it is after all a basket and he’s allowed to nap in any other basket he finds.

Now to find myself a non-basket napkin holder….

For more gardening, beekeeping, cooking and easy home decor tips, subscribe to Garden Notes.

Charlotte

Cutting Irises

one of the many gifted irises starting to bloom at bluebird gardens. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Cutting Irises

A friend recently shared that she couldn’t imagine cutting any of her Mother’s Irises for inside bouquets. Although a favorite landscaping plant, Irises in flower arrangements tend to be limited to the smaller Dutch Iris variety.

Purple Dutch Iris in a small arrangement with pink peonies and red geraniums. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Early May used to be the beginning of the peony and Iris season where I live in USDA Hardiness zone 6b. This year Iris started blooming a good month earlier than in previous years.

Depending on weather conditions, peonies and Iris tend to be in bloom at the same time, encouraging both to be arranged together in homemade flower vase arrangements. Some years, though, their bloom cycles are out of sync. Iris are still excellent individually as cut flowers and good for easy home decor.

Iris are available in a wide range of colors including white. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Pretty, isn’t it. If it’s pretty in the garden it will be the same in your house. Just one stem in a flower vase can be an elegant addition to a room corner, or arrange three stems in a vase for a pop of color.

To keep them upright, use a flower frog at the vase bottom.

You can also add a complimentary plant like Dame’s Rocket to fill in between cut Iris stems.

Cut Dame’s Rocket in a complimentary color to the Iris make a good combination. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Select complimentary flowers if you want something soothing. This Iris Lap Quilt Throw features complimentary pastel colors. Select flower colors that oppose each other on a color wheel for a brighter flower arrangement.

Burgundy Iris with Dame’s Rocket in a flower vase in my kitchen. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Depending on the conditions inside your house, the Iris flowers may last several days. Cutting them with buds means the flowering will get extended.

Iris are lovely landscape plants but they shouldn’t only be used there. Iris also have a place inside your home to brighten a room, and your spirits.

For more easy home decor, gardening, beekeeping and cooking tips, subscribe to Garden Notes.

Charlotte

Tiny Christmas Trees

The tiny tree and framed Christmas gift card welcoming visitors to my kitchen. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Tiny Christmas Trees

Some of you spent Thanksgiving weekend decorating your big family Christmas tree, one of the many traditions some US families have over Thanksgiving.

There was a time when I did that, then circumstances left me without the time to get a large tree up for several years. That’s where the miniature Christmas trees snuck in, some less than 12 inches tall but ready to quickly add a hint of the holidays to any room.

These tiny trees started several decades ago, when one year we as children decorated a tiny tree for our grandmother who lived in an apartment on the west coast. I can still remember the fun we had making the tiny garland, star tree topper and painting some of the tiny ornaments.

Grandma loved it and wrote us every year thereafter, thanking us for the Christmas tree that fit on her living room table. Her biggest challenge was keeping her cat from playing with the tiny ornaments.

this was my office christmas tree now keeping my framed postcard cats company. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Her tiny tree inspired me to make one for my office desk one year. We used to have an office decorating contest so there was some incentive to do something more than hanging a stocking on a door knob. I didn’t have a lot of room on my desk so I made myself a tiny decorated Christmas tree with tiny apple ornaments. Then it was on the hunt to find ornaments, which I added every year.

Another tiny Christmas tree is very easy, a favorite little Christmas card that finds it way somewhere in my book cases:

This card of dogs and cats around a Christmas tree finds a place somewhere every year; next year I may frame it. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

The most challenging part of making these tiny trees is finding the small ornaments. Thrift shops and hobby shops often offer a complimentary collection although I looking for different ones and mixing and matching.

I also found this charming tiny tree with glass charms at a local thrift store. The tiny size is perfect for a table ornament as long as paws don’t play with the glass charms.

Tiny Christmas tree with glass charms decorating my dining room table. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

And you can make your own from scrap lace and ribbons. These 12 inch trees caught my attention at a local antique mall:

Miniature Christmas trees made out of lace remnants. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Once your tiny trees are decorated, you store them with ornaments on. When ready to use again, they are all set to quickly add the Christmas vibe to any room.

I also have a small collection of salt and pepper shakers that add some whimsy to my kitchen. If you don’t have room for a small tree, look for seasonal salt and pepper shakers. Don’t buy just anyone, you want sets that make you smile like this reindeer balancing an ornament.

the whimsical reindeer holding an ornament is a salt and pepper shaker. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

These tiny trees also make great gifts. Several years ago, I made a tiny Christmas tree for a friend getting married and added little cards with good wishes as ornaments. She recently told me it’s still the first Christmas decoration she sets out when she decorates for the holidays.

For more tips on gardening, beekeeping, cooking and easy home decor, subscribe to my weekly Garden Notes.

Charlotte

Think Small for Christmas

mouse family add a fun christmas theme to a fireplace mantle. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Think Small for Christmas

Over the years, I’ve watched friends go all out for Christmas, decorating lawns after filing their homes with massive fake trees and garland, then spending months taking them down and renting storage units to keep them until next season.

I’m all for traditions but I also think it’s time to rethink our Christmas consumerism.

How about going small for Christmas decor, adding repurposed items with a favorite theme. Nutcrackers, snowmen and Santas are all easily available in a variety of shapes and sizes. If you love dogs, look for dogs as an ornament theme.

The little mouse mantle collection in the photo started several decades ago when I was traveling for work. They were fun to find at thrift shops and easy to carry home. I kept a photo of the collection handy to compare sizing and ensure the new items would fit in. I didn’t always find one but it was fun looking.

See the little girl mouse in the bed upper left? The ornament was 25 cents at a Milwaukee, Wisconsin thrift store because the bed had a missing leg. A little wood dowel and glue and the ornament looks brand new.

Frankly the little mouse scene has expanded slowly but the treasure hunt has been half the fun.

smaller door wreaths can be fun and easier to store. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Smaller Wreaths

Christmas wreaths can be overwhelming after the holidays. I see them discarded at local thrift stores and recycling centers.

What if you aim for small, easy to reuse artificial wreaths instead, something the kids can decorate with small ornaments and you can easily store.

I now keep my small door wreath collection on pegs inside a closet door.

framed christmas cards can easily set the theme. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Frame Christmas Cards

Christmas cards may be going out of style but you can still find them at grocery stores, pharmacies and the US Post office.

Look through the cards and buy a favorite one to frame. Better yet, if you get a favorite card in the mail or digitally, head to your local thrift store for an inexpensive frame. See how easy it its to add a touch of holiday cheer in book cases and table tops with a framed card.

And while you’re at it, go through your ornament collection and pick one to add with the framed card. You can easily make fun matches and give your Christmas ornaments a second purpose.

tiny christmas trees are versatile as table decor. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Miniature Christmas Trees

Finally rethink needing a large Christmas tree. I now have several miniature Christmas trees that store in a box and can quickly and easily bring the holidays to any room, literally in minutes.

The small miniature tree ornaments are fun to find through the year. Thrift stores and resale shops are good places to look.

Once the miniature trees are decorated, they can be used as table centerpieces, easily located in well-used rooms such as kitchens and bathrooms, and take little room to store.

By the way, the “toys” around the miniature Christmas tree are salt and pepper shakers and a couple of ornaments without their hooks.

The only challenge at my house is the ornaments are cat toy size so I keep a close eye on inquiring paws.

Why bring this up now? So you can shop after Christmas sales, one of the best times to find small Christmas decor for next year.

Charlotte

Surprise Lilies Bouquet

Burgundy vinca flowers add a pop of color to this surprise lily bouquet. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Surprise Lilies Bouquet

Fresh flowers are the easiest way to update a home. In mid-summer where I live, one of my favorite flowers makes an appearance: surprise lilies.

Surprise lilies, also called Resurrection Lilies, are North American cousins of the tropical Amaryllis popular around the holidays.

Surprise lilies are perennials. Once planted, they return every year until the bulbs grown too thick. Then the bulbs need to be dug up and divided.

Surprise lilies pop up mid-summer without leaves. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

I plant surprise lilies along paths and in unexpected garden spots so they surprise me, too.

Native pink phlox with surprise lilies in a gift bouquet. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

About the same time as surprise lilies bloom, native pink phlox are also in bloom, a lovely combination in a vase.

I also look for inspiration on my deck and found dark pink Vinca in bloom. You can also add a variety of other flowers to add a pop of color.

Surprise lilies will last a good 2 weeks in a flower vase. Pick them when they are still in bud to get longer vase life.

Charlotte

Handmade Postcard

Handmade postcard framed and ready to hang by my front door. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Handmade Bluebird Postcard

There are so many good things about this it was hard for me to decide where to start.

First, you can make a postcard out of most anything. The key part is the size and where you place the address on the back side. In this example, my neighbor drew the line down the center and observed the postal service requirements of address, and stamp, on the right.

You can easily make your own postcard by observing spacing. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Secondly, this is a hand painted bird picture. My neighbor texted that she was hoping she got the bluebird blue color correct - she did. But even if she had not I was not going to tell her, I love these colors and the effort she put into coloring it.

Bluebirds are neighborhood residents and inspiration for my custom gift company, garden and apiary. We tend to see the most often in winter when trees are free of leaves and it’s easier to spot their bright blue color.

These painted birds remind me of the cross stitched ones in my custom Bluebird quilt.

Love the bluebird blue color in this Bluebird custom quilt. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Thirdly, this is a perfect example of something you can make into charming wall art. I added a black line on the right side of the design to balance the borders. I could also have just gently removed the black lines around the other three sides by cutting them off but it was less of a risk for me to just add a fourth black line.

I added a line on the right to frame the hand painted scene. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Finally, find a complimentary background paper and frame. Sometimes you can turn the sample paper in a frame over to fill in around the center design.

You can find interesting and inexpensive frames at thrift stores. I pick a few up when I find them so I have them handy for projects like this one. Chose a modern and a vintage frame to have something to balance whatever you decide to place in the frame. Some people like to have everything framed in the same frame, which is a design option but not practical if you want flexibility to add items as you find them - or get them mailed to you.

Hang the handmade postcard where you can enjoy it daily. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

And here it is again, hanging in the little reception area by my front door. I keep a few seasonal decor items there and see them as I walk up and down my stairs.

The backing has a hook for easy hanging.

“What a Wonderful World” indeed with such a thoughtful neighbor!

Charlotte

Year 2022 Color Very Peri

Perennial vinca vines feature a periwinkle blue flower. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Year 2022 Color Periwinkle

Actually Pantone, the color setting company calls the 2022 “new” color “Very Peri,” a combination of blue and lavender that looks like periwinkle to me.

“Displaying a carefree confidence and a daring curiosity that animates our creative spirit, inquisitive and intriguing PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri helps us to embrace this altered landscape of possibilities, opening us up to a new vision as we rewrite our lives. Rekindling gratitude for some of the qualities that blue represents complemented by a new perspective that resonates today, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri places the future ahead in a new light.

“We are living in transformative times. PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri is a symbol of the global zeitgeist of the moment and the transition we are going through. As we emerge from an intense period of isolation, our notions and standards are changing, and our physical and digital lives have merged in new ways. Digital design helps us to stretch the limits of reality, opening the door to a dynamic virtual world where we can explore and create new color possibilities. With trends in gaming, the expanding popularity of the metaverse and rising artistic community in the digital space PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri illustrates the fusion of modern life and how color trends in the digital world are being manifested in the physical world and vice versa.”

So basically we will see this color being used in a variety of trends, from home decor to clothing.

Since “blue” is a rare color in nature, the periwinkle blue vinca vines I have on my limestone hillside add a lovely blue tone to my spring and summer garden. It’s been a personal favorite for years.

Pantone’s description of this color is very poetic and, interesting. I’m not sure I see all of what they describe in this “new” color but it is very pretty.

So why is this pertinent? The color will appear in clothing, bedding, Christmas ornaments and a variety of home decor so if you want to be trendy, this is the color to embrace.

Charlotte

Small Christmas Trees

This tiny gift Christmas tree came in a 3” box; the fun is now finding ornaments. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Small Christmas Trees

There is no reason why you have to break the bank, or your back, to have a Christmas tree. Whether you don’t have space, or time, or money, for a standard-sized Christmas tree, you can still have the sentiment that goes with having a Christmas tree by choosing a tiny one.

For many decades I decorated for Christmas with large, people-height Christmas trees. Then for a few years I spent the holidays at hospitals with sick family members. When I was back home during the holidays, I found myself enjoying the 5 minutes - well, make that 10 minutes counting locating them - it took to find my tiny Christmas trees.

Trees have special meaning. From the beauty of the Tree of Life to the simplicity of snow-covered Cedar trees, trees are an easy way to bring nature inside.

This tiny Christmas tree has kept me company for many years. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Tiny Christmas trees don’t take up a lot of storage, or display room; can easily be located and re-located, around the house, and once you have them decorated, you don’t need to take the decorations off.

Are you re-thinking your Christmas tree yet?

You can have lights on tiny Christmas trees, these are battery-operated bee lights. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

People now are downsizing. The younger generations are not wanting to accumulate as much “stuff” so this approach helps keep the holiday spirit without needing a storage locker.

With current lighting options, you can also give your tiny Christmas tree a glow. The tiny tree in the photos has a string of battery-operated lights with bees.

In terms of ornaments, they can be challenging to find. But without putting pressure on myself, I enjoyed the hunt for the tiny tree decorations. Keeping an eye out at thrift stores and antique malls one can find the smaller ornaments, especially during off season.

My latest project is the small Christmas tree from a friend at the top of this post. The tree will keep us company in the den, assuming the cats don’t remove the ornaments as toys.

Now sometimes we don’t have time for a tree, even a tiny one. Here’s a simple option I’ve also used a couple of years when I just didn’t do much holiday decorating. Find a card, or image, that means something to you and frame it.

Framing a lovely favorite Christmas tree image also works. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

For some years, this little framed Christmas tree was the only holiday decorating I set up.

A decorative tin with a Christmas tree can be multi-purpose. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Look for tins for holiday ornament storage and you can also repurpose it for easy home decor.

Remember it’s not how much you add to your holiday decor but the reason for the season.

Charlotte

Tiny Simple Bouquet

Pink vinca join white mums in this tiny glass basket vase on my den table. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Tiny Simple Bouquet

It’s easy to think one needs to pick up a flower bouquet to have fresh flowers at home. But even a couple of flower sprigs can brighten up a desk or table if you have a glass basket to fill.

This morning I was ready to dress up my den table where I am doing a lot of writing. I don’t have a lot of plants in bloom inside so I scoured what I do have and found my reliable pink vinca with several blooming sprigs. Those don’t survive winter outside but they are happy inside and reward me with blooms throughout winter.

Then on a garden walk, I found a white chrysanthemum still in bloom and cut off a couple of stalks. Doesn’t take much!

Charlotte

Last Zinnia Bouquet

This Dahlia joins the last Zinnias and Golden Dewdrop shrub flowers from my garden. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Last Zinnia Bouquet

I picked the last of my tiny zinnias for a cut flower bouquet for my den. I do it every year, a tradition of sort to mark the end of the growing season. While looking for a zinnia flower or two still blooming around the garden, I also collected dried seeds for planting next year; another wonderful tradition. Having that stash of seeds represents hope and the promise of a new growing season.

Of all of the flowers I grow, I confess zinnias are a favorite. Between their bright colors and ease of growing, as well as attraction to pollinators, they are hard to beat. I try to have some growing even if just in pots. Which is where I found this batch of zinnia flowers since the flower beds have been trampled by a construction crew.

Some hardy wildflowers have also survived the heavy foot traffic. I know since this is the end of the growing season, many will be going dormant. As long as their roots are hydrated and undisturbed, they should return next year.

That lovely peach and yellow flower front and center is my second dahlia to grow in pots this year. This plant will be coming inside and hopefully will keep blooming through the winter season. There are few things that brighten a room more than a bouquet of fresh flowers.

One year I tried to bring zinnias in a pot inside but they didn’t make it. I will just have to wait to see more of them after I plant seeds next year. And that’s a very lovely thought!

Charlotte

Halloween Welcome

This is a cute welcome to the season where I get to see it every day. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Halloween Welcome

If you have a small space you walk by or see frequently, this Halloween Welcome vignette is a fun way to bring in the spooky season without having to store huge decor items. And you can easily transition to the next celebration with similar small items.

Small bookcase at house entrance doubles as storage and display space. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

This is a two-shelf book case with a mirror I use at the front door as a miniature mudroom. It holds my gardening hat, gardening shoes and gloves, a couple of blankets, fish food and an extra set of socks or two. On the top shelf I like to have a small bouquet of fresh flowers and something seasonal such as this Halloween Welcome vignette.

The ceramic mouse is an old salt shaker I found in a yard sale box for $1 when I purchased clay flower vases. Makes me smile every time I bring it out of its storage shoe box.

The vintage post card is a print from something I found online, and the photo frame was a thrift store purchase also for $1. The spider is plastic and a gift, it usually spends its time outside on my front porch next to my seating bench. The little pumpkin is made out of chenille fabric and serves me well for Halloween and Thanksgiving.

You can certainly go bigger, which I have done in the past but I find these small items have been the most sustainable for easy home decor over the years.

When through, I tuck them back in a shoebox and bring out the next small seasonal decor, a nice way to mark the passage of time and to have something fun to welcome you as you walk by. As we all spend more time at home, get the kids involved in making the inspirational collection with things they already have; it doesn’t have to be new things you buy.

Charlotte

Witch Spells Decor Book

White paint on a black painted recycled book and witches are in business. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Witch Spells Decor Book

A friend surprised me with this cute Halloween decor and it tickled me so much I’m passing it along.

Now I don’t advocate any of those odd decorating trends with books, from reversing the book spines to wrapping them all in the same solid color paper. I personally don’t mind the different book colors because I want to find my books, that would be more like a mean trick than a decorating option for me.

However, this cute Halloween decor idea made me smile. The book has been spray painted with black matte paint, then lettered with white paint on the front. The orange ribbon was to reflect the gift so I left it on, orange is a good fall color.

This gift is so easy to make I have contemplated buying black paper to cover a book and then adding white letters to the front. Or I should be able to quickly paint the letters on the black paper. That way the original book is preserved for later use and it can easily do double duty for Halloween decor.

Either way, it’s now time to concentrate on some of those witch spells!

Charlotte

Handmade Wreaths

Every fall this grapevine wreath gets news greenery and dried flowers. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Handmade Wreaths

As we all spend more time at home, adding handmade wreaths are a quick and easy way to update doors and walls to reflect the new season.

I have a number of wreaths I have used over the years to easily update my home decor. The largest one is a wild grapevine wreath that hangs on my front porch. This time of year, I enjoy collecting flowers and greenery to give the wreath a fresh look. My favorite find so far is a birds nest.

No need to get so complicated. A seasonal wreath can be as simple as this fall-colored wreath I found at a local thrift shop.

A simple wreath of artificial berries can also easily add a fall flavor. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

When I think of fall, I think of the orange and green tones of Halloween and the bounty of Thanksgiving so this wreath should work well until Christmas. The berry-like wreath needs something on the left where it’s sparse - not much into ribbons but that would be the quick fix or maybe something dried would work such as little bundle of pinecones. Half the fun is trying to come up with something new!

Now these handmade wreaths do not need to be complicated, sometimes simpler is better.

Wild grapevine wreath from my property with a few trimmed boxwood greens. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Simple wreaths can also be an easy way to update a room or door.

Charlotte

Salt Pepper Shaker Decor

An old silverplated platter in my kitchen holds pens and this sweet vignette. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Salt Pepper Shaker Decor

As we continue to adjust our living spaces for more and frequent use, repurposing salt and pepper shakers into easy home decor is a good option to brighten a space with little effort.

A friend gave me a vintage ceramic mouse holding a piece of cheese salt shaker many years ago. The little ceramic brought smiles every time I saw it so I started looking around for other salt and pepper shakers. Salt and pepper shakers are small enough to easily store and take little time to set out in a small space.

I didn’t find them often but when I did, I brought them home to be added to one shoe box and to quickly update a little corner of my kitchen.

This particular spot is the first thing I see when I walk into the kitchen and keeps me company when I am working at the kitchen island.

Last Christmas, another friend gifted me with these charming ceramic bears with a honey pot salt and pepper shakers.

These gift bears with honey salt and pepper shakers are the perfect size for this space. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

So cute and the perfect addition to my glass flower basket with a handblown glass bee flying over the flowers.

A little handblown glass bee flies over the flowers in the glass basket. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

It takes me about 5, maybe 10 minutes if I have to pick new flowers - to update this little kitchen corner.

Sometimes I put out a new salt and pepper set for a new season. Other times a new set comes out to celebrate a special occasion. It’s so easy to do and has minimal impact on the rest of the space.

And did I mention the fun it is to treasure hunt for them?

Charlotte

Cut Iris

Cut Iris

A friend recently shared that she couldn’t imagine cutting any of her Mother’s Irises for inside bouquets. Although a favorite landscaping plant, Iris in flower arrangements tend to be limited to the smaller Dutch Iris.

Purple Dutch Iris in a small arrangement with pink peonies and red geraniums. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Early May is the beginning of the peony and Iris season where I live in USDA Hardiness zone 5. Depending on weather conditions, peonies and Iris tend to be in bloom at the same time, encouraging both to be arranged together in homemade flower vase arrangements. Some years, though, their bloom cycles are out of sync. Iris are still excellent individually as cut flowers and good for easy home decor.

Iris are available in a wide range of colors and sizes. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Pretty, isn’t it. If it’s pretty in the garden it will be the same in your house. Just one stem in a flower vase can be an elegant addition to a room corner, or arrange three stems in a vase for a pop of color.

To keep them upright, use a flower frog at the vase bottom.

You can also add a complimentary plant like Dame’s Rocket to fill in between cut iris stems.

Cut Dame’s Rocket in a complimentary color to the Iris make a good combination. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Select complimentary flowers if you want something soothing. This Iris Lap Quilt Throw features complimentary pastel colors. Select flower colors that oppose each other on a color wheel for a brighter flower arrangement.

Burgundy Iris with Dame’s Rocket in a flower vase in my kitchen. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Depending on the conditions inside your house, the Iris flowers may last several days. Cutting them with buds means the flowering will get extended.

Iris are lovely landscape plants but they shouldn’t only be used there. Iris also have a place inside your home to brighten a room, and your spirits.

Charlotte

Peony Bouquets

These white peonies are the first to bloom in my garden this season. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Peony Bouquets

If there is one flower that represents Mother’s Day for me, it’s iris with peonies keeping them company as a close second. Both perennial flowers tend to bloom at the same time, bringing a lovely pop of color to USDA Hardiness zone 5 gardens where I live.

Peonies are very easy to grow, it’s one of the reasons they are found in cemeteries. Once established, the require little care as long as they are planted correctly. Peonies that don’t bloom have been planted too deeply. The root needs to be settled no more than 2 inches below soil.

Peonies also make lovely flower bouquets. Once cut, shake them gently to remove any ants. Place them in a vase with water away from heat. You can cut them in bud form and watch the flowers unfurl inside.

Charlotte

Small Flower Vases

Small flower vases easily add beauty to a corner or a desk. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Small Flower Vases

We tend to think of fresh flowers as those bouquets one can purchase at floral shops and department stores, or of extravagant declarations of love with huge over the top floral arrangements.

Flowers in a garden come in all sorts of colors and sizes, and some flowers are tiny and delicate and still worthy of enjoyment. Wild violets and miniature roses are small flowers that will pack a punch in a vase and last a long time.

Start by finding small containers you can use for the flower vases. Double check that they will fit the space where they will sit - the top of a desk, a side table or book case. Once you know the container fits, focus on adding the flowers and greenery.

Little chicken creamer, toothpick holder and old glass container make nice small flower vases. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Small containers for other purposes often make excellent flower vases. Toothpick holders, fun (and cleaned out) makeup containers and even small creamers are all great candidates for small flower vases. When you go shopping, look for small teapots without lids and small glass and pottery containers. If they are in the shape of a basket, even better.

By combining the flowers with another small decor item, the two items can make a nice statement without taking up a lot of room. I like to have the small flower vases on my writing desks, my kitchen island and on the entryway bookcase. I place them in spots where I will spend time or see them as I move around the house.

The vintage wooden bluebird in the photo reminded me of one of my favorite embroidered bluebird quilts. Actually anything named bluebird has my attention considering that it’s part of my business name. Bluebirds are also a sign of happiness so it’s good to have something handy that reminds me of what’s good in life.

Having small flower vases handy to enjoy those smaller flowers means you can more easily bring them inside. There is no better way to brighten a room than with fresh flowers, regardless of the size.

Charlotte

Cat Baskets

Etta Girl has checked several potential napping baskets and settled on this one. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Cat Baskets

If you live with a cat, you know there are a lot of cat gadgets on the market, from cat “trees” to a wide variety of cat “beds.”

Over the years of living with cats, I have found that the best cat “beds” are baskets. The cats themselves will decide on their favorite so I usually have several scattered around the house at windows so they can choose their favorites.

The most used baskets tend to be ones with lower basket rims so they can curl up and still see out.

All three of these window baskets are currently occupied. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Now not all windows are easy to populate with baskets. This one has a short bookcase that provides a good height for the baskets. A good height is usually one that easily allows the cats to see outside, in this case there’s a nearby hummingbird feeder.

In other parts of the house, I have inexpensive black shoe racks that serve as low book cases in front of chairs facing casement windows. The shoe racks again provide a good spot for the baskets to sit in sunshine, a favorite winter napping spot.

Shoe racks fill in as low book cases and support for cat napping baskets. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I have our local glass shop cut plexiglass pieces to fit the shoe racks to protect the tops. The shoe racks are inexpensive particle board so the covering helps to prolong their life, especially when I plop a plant on them.

Our local glass shop cuts plastic pieces to protect shoe racks. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

In terms of the baskets themselves, I tend to shop thrift stores and consignment shops. I look for three basket shapes; round, about the size of an adult cat; square, again about the size of an adult cat, and rectangle, which allows for two cats to sleep together. Or one very long cat to stretch out in the sun.

The other feature I personally like is a handle, that may I can easily move the basket, and cat, to a new location.

Old pillow sham makes a nice lining for a cat napping basket. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To make the cat baskets comfortable, I do add something soft in the bottom; it can be a pillow sham, an old towel, even an old piece of a blanket. These get washed regularly, usually twice a month.

Some cats will claim a basket as their own; others will share. Half the fun is watching them discover the baskets and make themselves comfortable. And discover they will, it still amazes me that I can sneak a new basket in the house and someone will be in it within minutes checking it out.

When not in use, you can use baskets for book, magazine, blankets - they make handy easy to reach storage containers.

One more challenge if you use baskets for cat napping spots. This little oblong basket used to be a napkin holder in my kitchen.

I was washing all of the napkins one day when I found this in it instead.

James A Mess takes my napkin basket out for a spin. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I can’t blame him, it is after all a basket and he’s allowed to nap in any other basket he finds.

Now to find myself a non-basket napkin holder….

Charlotte

Hibiscus Bouquets

One of two hibiscus bouquets keeping me company in my den. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Hibiscus Bouquets

Earlier this spring I forgot to trim my hardy hibiscus growing like small trees around my house. By the time they started to bloom mid-June, the limbs were long and starting to hang to the ground. I was afraid they would break off in a storm.

One of my hardy hibiscus trees where the limbs have grown too long. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Around where I live, hardy hibiscus are grown as bushes that are allowed to grow 8 feet tall and quite bushy. I prefer to have mine trimmed to grow as small trees with the greenery at the top busting out in flowers.

Today some of the branches were just too long to be safe for the plant so I started to trim them back.

Trimmed hardy hibiscus plants growing as small trees in my garden. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggin)

In the trimming process, I ended up cutting off some lovely flowers, both currently in bloom and still budding.

At first I thought I could just slip these into the composter. Every time I walked by the pile, though, I saw those blooming flowers and couldn’t resist. I removed the spent flowers and made two bouquets of the cuttings to take inside.

In the past I have had varying success bringing hardy hibiscus cuttings inside. They are so pretty they are worth the effort. Budding flowers will be in bloom tomorrow so these hibiscus bouquets should last several days before the blooming flowers run out.

In my garden, I have three hardy hibiscus colors: purple, pink and white. I also have Missouri’s native rose mallow, a white hardy hibiscus, growing in one of my new flower beds. Those may take two more years before I see a white flowers.

in the meantime, I have these white hardy hibiscus blooming.

White hardy hibiscus currently in bloom, so pretty. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

There are a wide variety of hybrid hibiscus currently on the market. One of my brothers has striking hybrid hibiscus in bloom with flowers the size of dinner plates.

My hardy hibiscus are less exotic and smaller but still pretty. They grow in both sun and shade with a little more preference to sun.

One of my hardy hibiscus that turns from pink to purple. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Once planted, hardy hibiscus grow back year after year. They can also spring up where you don’t want them so it’s a good idea to cut off the flower heads before most of them go to seed.

I do leave a few on for the birds. Cardinals in particular seem to enjoy the seeds!

Charlotte

Live Table Decor

A Missouri tree frog is live table decor on my deck table. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Every since Memorial Day weekend, when I put this repurposed birdhouse out on my deck table as a flower vase, a little tree frog has been living in the birdhouse. These are the spring peepers, tiny green or grey frogs with suction-cupped feet that welcome spring in mid February with a loud chorus.

I didn’t put him there.

He moved in all on his own and seemed quite content to share a few minutes every morning with me. I enjoy a cup of tea on my little deck before temperatures make it uncomfortable to be outside this time of year.

When I peeked to see what the attraction was, I found the tree frog inside the tiny plastic cup that held the flowers, usually geraniums cut from my potted deck plants.

As the forecast called for hot temperatures, I decided to give him his own hot tub and added a second small plastic cup full of water.

Didn’t take him long to find the larger body of water and settle in.

The deck table tree frog settled into his little birdhouse hot tub. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Over the weeks, I replaced the flowers and added water, all the while the tree frog was in residence.

I checked the birdhouse around 10 p.m. and found it empty. The tree frog must have been out at a bug drive in. They eat insects including mosquitos.

The next morning, the resident would be back at the birdhouse entrance.

Missouri tree frog in residence in my repurposed birdhouse. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Several people have asked me how to attract frogs to birdhouses. My best advice is to provide a water source in a safe spot like a repurposed birdhouse and see what shows up.

Enjoying some cantaloupe and a glass of sun tea with my little table top friend. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

One last thing. If you do get a little tree frog to move in, don’t bother or otherwise touch him. You can easily spook them by trying to get interactive and noisy.

Remember this is their home and should be a safe place for them.
Our gardens are homes to an interesting variety of animals, including these charming tiny tree frogs.

Charlotte