Winter Bee Bouquet

A tiny glass bee tops my winter bouquet, the closest thing right now to bees. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Winter Bee Bouquet

My handyman keeps a closer watch on weather than I do. When he old me the temperatures were dropping and we were under a winter watch, I knew what I had to do. Grabbing my flower shears, I walked through my house looking for whatever was in bloom. There wasn’t much but there was just enough.

This hot pink geranium in my business office is still blooming. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I found a hot pink geranium with a sprig in bloom in my business office. The office faces south so I can usually coax flowers through winter from this plant. I love the brightness of the flowers and their rich depth, sure to add beauty to any flower vase.

Checking my den, I found a hanging basket of Lantana had turned from bud to flower. I moved the basket to my kitchen pass through so I could enjoy the plant as I washed dishes.

A Lantana hanging basket has decided to put on a show. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Not much else was in bloom but it doesn’t take much to brighten up a room corner, especially with small flower vases.

I appreciate winter. I am happier, though, with fresh flowers around me, even if is just a sprig. I keep a small long-necked green vase handmade in Germany on my writing desk, where sometimes just a single flower sits in it. The flower has company, a tiny glass bee I found at a St. Louis hand blown glass shop. Didn’t know what I would do with it at the time but it was a bee. Now it’s very much a fixture with whatever flowers I add, a reminder that I miss seeing my real girls hopefully tucked and warm outside.

Winter is also the time I tend to put my Wildflowers Lap Quilt on the foot of my bed. The riot of flowers brighten up the room and add a reminder of the garden to come next year. Some people use these quilts in the summer. I prefer to have them on the bed when nothing else is blooming.

The green vase now also has a little glass ladybug hanging down the side, a find at a local crafts store that reminds me of spring and summer days in my garden. It was going to be a glass charm but I get to enjoy it here more so here it will stay. For now.

The flower vase that keeps me company during cold winter days. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Studies show that fresh flowers do have a positive psychological effect and lift spirits. The research confirms what florists already know; flowers do contribute to our well-being.

Winter bee bouquet on my writing den desk. Cozy. ({Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The bouquet is on a coffee table in my den, adding a nice pop of fresh color in an otherwise cold, winter day.

Ok, it can snow now.

Charlotte

Holiday Decor Ornaments

This favorite Christmas tree ornament now decorates a side table (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Holiday Decor Ornaments

I don’t know how many boxes of Christmas tree ornaments you have but I have a storage trunk full, ornaments that my parents treasured as well as ones kids have made over the years.

Can’t remember what year it was but I know it was one where I was pressed for time. I still wanted to have a little holiday decor around the house. I had the storage trunk with the ornaments open. I realized I didn’t have time to put up a Christmas tree so I picked a few non-breakable ornaments and scattered them through the house.

I have been doing the same thing ever since.

If you are looking for a very easy way to add a hint of the holidays to a room, pick out a few Christmas tree ornaments and set them on tables among your furniture. The little yellow cat ornament holding up a mouse that has mistletoe behind its back gets a place of honor in my house. It’s so charming and so appropriate for a house with two cats who do a very poor job of mouse patrol. Suppose it’s the mistletoe?

Nutcrackers are also a favorite Christmas tradition. I either attended the ballet at various performances around the world or, when I was much younger, was actually one of the background ballerinas in a performance. It’s probably why I have this Holiday Traditions lap quilt throw hanging from a wall in my basement to mark the season - nutcrackers mean Christmas to me.

The nutcracker in my Holiday Traditions Lap Quilt Wall Hanging in basement. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Several years ago I found these mice nutcrackers on sale after the holidays. Seeing how well they stood on their own, I picked up four so that I could have a little mouse band. Last year they “entertained” me from a book case; this year they are on a small bathroom vanity.

I recently asked a friend who was admiring the mice nutcrackers if she noticed that they were ornaments. She had to go back to the bathroom to spot the ornament rings on the top. She said she assumed the rings on top were part of their uniform.

Mouse nutcracker ornaments entertain visitors in a bathroom. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

A friend of mine likes to give family members an ornament a year marking something they accomplished the past year, adding a date on the bottom of the ornaments. Wouldn’t those be fun to set out as holiday decor and to celebrate the years that have gone by.

This snowlady ornament spends all of winter on my desk. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I don’t have that kind of collection marking every year. I do have tried and true ornaments like this snowlady gardener ornament, vintage cat salt shaker and now a bee that are keeping me company at my desk.

The snowlady ornament was given to me when I first became a master gardener 10 years ago. She has sat on fireplace mantels, book cases and a desk or two. This year she inadvertently joined my little vintage yellow cat salt shaker and a happy bee on my desk. I didn’t deliberately put them there, they ended up there as we moved furniture for wall painting. I’m good with the little vignette, though, seems appropriate to have all of them grouped together.

We all have Christmas tree ornaments with memories. Why not have them out, even if you don’t have time, or room, to put a Christmas tree?

This is an easy way to celebrate the holidays and spend a few weeks visiting with the memories these old friends hold.

Charlotte

Rooting Pussy Willow Branches

Love being greeted by this flower vase full of pussy willow branches. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Rooting Pussy Willow Branches

Talk about doing double duty!

I found these pussy willow branches several weeks ago and brought them home with the intention of trying to root them for plant starts.

For many years I’ve had pussy willow shrubs on my short list of plants I want to add to my Missouri limestone hill garden. I am sure the drawings I saw as a child of little kittens springing from pussy willow branches has shaped my decision. Not that I expect that to happen, mind you, but I love the little fluffy soft buds that sit along the stems.

Last year I bought one on sale to mark the grave of my last cat, Margaret, who died just shy of being 21 years old. She was a constant companion, often injecting herself in the middle of whatever I was doing. I miss her dearly still, especially the places she would drape her tail. I once almost sewed her tail into a blouse I was mending. She waited right before I started sewing to drape her tail over the fabric in front of the sewing foot. Oh, it was deliberate, she was a master at it. It was her unique way of getting my attention!

These lovely pussy willow branches sat in my garage for a couple of days until the weather turned colder. Knowing full well they would not survive outside, I decided to keep them inside in water to see if they would sprout roots. Not having a good place to set them aside, I placed them in a nice vase and made the pussy willow branches into the centerpiece of a coffee table. And they look stunning.

I took these pictures just before I changed the water in the vase.

Pussy willow branches in a flower vase waiting for roots to sprout. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I change the water every other day. It gives me a good opportunity to see if any roots are starting to sprout at the end of the stem’s growing nodes.

Roots should sprout from the growing nodes at the end of the stems. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If they do sprout, I have pots ready to get the rooted starts into soil so they have time to grow before May, when they will get moved outside.

If nothing grows, I am still enjoying the pussy willows as a centerpiece.

And believe it or not, neither one of my current two cats have yet to knock it over.

Charlotte

Easy Christmas Tree Stand

This new Christmas tree stand can be set up by one person and monitors water level. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Easy Christmas Tree Stand

Christmas can be all about tradition. For many years, this was the time of year when I reluctantly engaged in Christmas tree wrestling, that long-standing ritual of several people trying to squeeze a live Christmas tree into a flimsy metal tree stand. For a number of weeks, the Christmas tree stand doubled as a cat-watering spot.

Well, no more struggling to set up a Christmas tree.

This brand new Christmas tree stand is easy and simple to use. One person can get a fresh cut Christmas tree anchored in it, just hold it in place and step on the pedal. Once secured, fill the reservoir with water.

No assembly required.

My cats haven’t tested it with their “cat climbing the Christmas tree” test yet but the base is heavy once filled with water. it also comes with a heavy duty cable ratchet clamping system that is designed to keep the Christmas tree upright. I may be betting on the tree standing up this year.

The smaller water tank has a floating water level to easily monitor the water. No more trying to stick a finger into the Christmas tree stand center through a pile of presents and a Christmas tree skirt. And a cranky cat napping on top of the presents.

The octagonal stand is also nicely compact, leaving more room under the Christmas tree for the model train layout.

At one point I had three different sized Christmas tree stands. This new Christmas tree stand fits trees up to 5.5 inches in diameter and 11.5 feet tall. That should cover most favorite Christmas tree sizes with one stand.

Time to move on to finding the burnt out bulb in the string of Christmas tree lights!

Charlotte

Tiny Christmas Trees

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

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 Christmas 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 on the west coast in an apartment. 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.

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.

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. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

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 enjoy the hunt to find different ones and mixing and matching.

This miniature Christmas tree used to keep me company at my last office:

Tiny Christmas tree decorating my den coffee table. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The tiny Christmas trees can be found at thrift stores and hobby stores as well.

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. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Once decorated, you store them with ornaments on. When ready to use again, they are all set to add the flavor of Christmas to any room.

As renovations take place in my den, I have this miniature Christmas tree in my basement. It’s a more traditional miniature Christmas tree with as many non-breakable ornaments as I can find. I added a few glass ornaments over the years in direct relationship to my cat’s interest in the tree.

The little salt and pepper shakers add some whimsy and will make their way back upstairs once my kitchen is no longer a temporary storage space for my den.

Basement Christmas tree collecting salt and pepper shakers around it. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Several years ago, I made one 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.

The prognosis for my den repairs being completed before Christmas is poor. But even in the middle of home renovations, you can easily add these little Christmas trees and enjoy the holidays. So no excuse, even if you live in a small apartment. Time to get your Christmas tree up, regardless of size!

Charlotte

Frame Christmas Cards

Framed Christmas cards preserve memories and easily add a touch of holiday. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Frame Christmas Cards

One of the easiest ways to make holiday decor and repurpose memories is to frame Christmas cards. It is also a quick and easy way to add a little holiday vibe to any room without taking up too much space, time and money.

When I used to travel for work, these little framed cards were life savers. I usually didn’t have a lot of time to decorate but loved having some holiday reminders around me. These framed Christmas cards took 5 minutes to distribute and quickly brought Christmas into any room. They soon become a holiday tradition, especially the “where do I put them this year” part.

“Dogs and cats living together” is so cute, I framed it! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Some of my favorite Christmas cards were original ones. This “Purrfect Christmas” card was signed by the artist so I found a modern frame to balance the vintage one in the background from my grandmother.. Together they remind me of the cats that have been and the cats of today; think of it as a feline version of A Christmas Story.

Each Christmas card has red berries - Purrfect Christmas has a sprig of mistletoe, the vintage cats have holly so I added a little tree with red berries to pull the vignette together. This greets me every morning at the bottom of my stairs and easily sets the tone for the day.

Doesn’t that cat with mistletoe look happy?

This was a favorite Christmas card from several years ago now framed. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Over the years I have saved a little stack of favorite Christmas cards with my ornament collection in case I need to quickly add one to a room for holiday decor. I have two cards that are handmade and three-dimensional I will frame without the glass.

For the more challenging cards, hobby shops also have tiny easels you can use to quickly display the cards.

People don’t send Christmas cards as much now so I treasure the favorites I had framed like this cat watching Santa Mouse.

Santa mouse has been a favorite framed card for over three decades now. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

This charming framed Christmas card has spent many years with other cat-related Christmas cards and decor. This year, it’s getting a new spot among my little collection of deer figurines in my basement. It now sits on a table next to my sofa where I can easily see it before I settle down. Yes, if it makes me smile I tend to keep it.

This year the card has found a spot with my little deer collection. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Rethink Christmas cards as little works of art that can easily bring the spirit of Christmas into your house. It’s an easy way to preserve a memory and, In a frame, they will keep giving back year after year.

Charlotte

Salt and Pepper Shakers Decor

Charming vintage made in Japan turkey hen and gobbler salt and pepper shakers. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Salt and Pepper Shakers Decor

When I was traveling a lot for work, I used to get my exercise walking through nearby antique shops. It was a good distraction from the busy, mentally-challenging days and I enjoyed getting distracted by the vintage items.

One year, as I was dashing between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I decided I didn’t want to miss out on decorating but had to come up with something quick and small. At one of the antique malls in Washington D.C., I found a couple of ceramic figurines I could sneak under a tiny Christmas tree on my desk. To my surprise, I discovered they were salt and pepper shakers that spent a few weeks on my Milwaukee, Wisconsin office desk until I could get them, and myself, back home.

I don’t know about you but I was used to seeing salt and pepper shakers as tourist souvenirs with the names of a town on them. The fact that I could find some I liked that didn’t have writing on them was a delightful discovery.

Once home, I found I could easily pair them up with my collection of vintage framed post cards I change out through the year, quickly giving me a seasonal vignette with frankly very little effort.

Now that I work full-time at home, I can’t tell you how many years those postcards and salt and pepper shakers have given me joy and helped me mark the passing of time. They are a good reminder to not only enjoy the moment and celebrate the season but also to appreciate the good fortune of being alive and well. It’s a reminder some of us need from time to time.

And it’s not just any salt and pepper shaker. It has to be ones that do one very special thing - make me smile.

A few of my salt and pepper shakers that bring a smile when I see them. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Although most are offered in pairs, I have several single salt or pepper shakers just because I like them. One of the first ones I added to my collection was this vintage mouse eating cheese.

Possibly my favorite salt shaker, a vintage mouse eating cheese. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I also like salt and pepper shakers that are not a matched set. This rabbit pepper shaker, for example, helps to welcome Easter holding a pretty big carrot salt shaker.

Rabbit with carrot salt and pepper shaker set. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

And who could pass up these dapper ceramic cats playing music?

Musician cat salt and pepper shakers from my collection. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The salt and pepper shakers make sense to have in a kitchen and they also make quick decor in bathrooms and other small spaces. Don’t forget a working office desk where you don’t want a lot of clutter but still want a little holiday spirit.

They are also easy to change out and to store. My whole collection fits in 4 shoe boxes.

So which is which? In case you want to add salt and pepper so you can use the shakers, the salt one has the least amount of holes, one, maybe two. The pepper shaker has the most, usually three or four holes.

As I was shopping for a basket for one of my cats at a local thrift store today, I came across this charming vintage set of ceramic salt and pepper shakers from Japan. I love the turkey colors and the fact that the little hen is very much her own distinct shaker. They are the latest additions to my little collection.

This vintage salt and pepper shaker set has two distinct ceramic figures. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The vintage turkey salt and pepper shakers are now sitting in the place of honor in my kitchen, welcoming me and anyone else who may come in. Visitors who have plopped down at my kitchen island inevitably get drawn to this little tableaux, often commenting on the vintage postcard and sometimes peeking at the bottom of the salt and pepper shakers. There is something about these little ceramic pieces that makes one want to pick them up.

When shopping for vintage, always check the bottom for any distinguishing mark. Yes it does add value but to me it also contributes to the story of where and when the salt and pepper shakers were made.

These vintage turkey salt and pepper shakers date from the 1960s-1970s. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I was thinking if you can still find some, these would be fun to give as a gift that one could add to every year. You don’t need a lot and they can easily be stored without taking up a lot of room. I keep mine organized by seasons so I don’t have to paw through shoe boxes looking for ones that are appropriate for the season.

The vintage turkeys salt and pepper shakers will soon make way for a Christmas theme, then the snowmen couple will keep me company in January. So easy to change them out and still keep a seasonal vibe going.

I found this reindeer one last year on sale after the Christmas season at a local thrift store. It reminded me of one of my favorite holiday throws, Reindeer Games Throw and Quilted Wall Hanging. That look on the reindeer salt shaker also reminds me of some of the dog friends I have, especially after they have done something they should not have done.

Doesn’t this little reindeer with an ornament on its head make you smile? (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

One of my antique collecting friends recently said people don’t collect cookie jars and salt and pepper shakers any more. I told her I can understand cookie jars, they take up a lot of space but there still is room for special salt and pepper shakers.

Charlotte

Turtle Kitchen Towels

These are busy turtles every day of the week. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Turtle Kitchen Towels

I love turtles so when this vintage kitchen towel design popped up, it was a natural for us to make a set.

Some of us learned how to embroider on muslin kitchen towels. They came pre-printed with favorite designs or, in my case, we made our own starting with the kitchen towels, then adding favorite designs. From cats doing a variety of home chores to these busy turtles, each day of the week has a different activity.

Love Mama bathing baby turtle, such a sweet scene. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The handmade muslin kitchen towels easily absorb water and are excellent for drying dishes. They are also fun to have hanging in a prominent spot so you get to see them as you walk in to the kitchen.

This custom set is sold but we have some others still available such as Bluebirds Birdhouses Kitchen Towels, another favorite garden visitor.

Here’s a sneak peak at what turltes are doing on these handmade kitchen towels every day of the week:

A turtle a day makes your week go by fast! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Don’t these bring a smile?

Charlotte

Fall Dried Flower Wreaths

The free form fall dried flower wreath on my apiary storage door. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Fall Dried Flower Wreaths

It’s that time of year when we unpack sweaters, stock up on hot chocolate, and in my mid-Missouri hillside home, pick dried flowers. Not just any dried flowers, they have to be unusual, interesting and hopefully edible. If they have color when they dry, even better. And I don’t pick all of them out of a flower bed, I leave a good half or more for winter bird food.

These dried flowers are how I add color, and texture, to the dried wild grapevine wreaths I have either made or bought at thrift stores. The wild grapevines are now protected on public lands but you may find some growing in your own backyard. These are the vines that sometimes pop up in undeveloped areas and grow small clusters of grapes late in spring.

Grapevine wreaths are also simple to make; the most challenging ingredient is time to allow them to dry. I then give them a spray of clear polyurethane to help preserve them since I leave them outside on doors and walls.

This deck wreath is a bit of a mess but I can’t currently reach it to reorganize what is in the wreath. The black ladybug has a welcome sign at the bottom. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To start, I keep an eye out for any evergreen boughs that have been cut down. If they have pine cones still attached, even better, the evergreen helps to provide a back drop for the rest.

Wild yellow indigo turns grey by August. Dried hydrangeas also nicely fill in space and, if dried correctly, can also add color. To dry, cut off the flower heads; tie with twine and hang upside down to dry. How long depends on how humid conditions are when you are drying them, I check that the stems are dry before using them.

For a spot of blue, something a little more lavender than this blue double wedding ring quilt, I pick up Russian sage cuttings, they are airy flowers once dry on sturdy stems. Dried lavender would also work, as would any other flowering herbs.

Dried Russian sage, hydrangeas and sun artichoke seed heads give this garage door some color. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To give my birds a treat, I include pyracantha berries, those are the bright orange ones. A friend gave them to me after trimming her pyracantha bushes.

Dried native flowers, such as any of the sunflowers, cup plants and black eye susans can also bring in a pop of color and give birds a snack later in the season.

I love adding abandoned birds nests to my wreath. One year, the nest was even re-used! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I don’t find these all at once, they get added and layered as I go along. I pick up hand fulls on walks and when friends are doing garden pruning.

Over winter, birds will clean some of the berries. Other wildlife may help themselves to the rest. By spring, the wreaths will be cleared and left with a few sprigs. I will compost what remains and enjoy the simplicity of the clean grapevine wreaths until late summer, when the search for new decorating material will begin again.

It’s a quest for balance. Spring and summer bounty is plentiful but winter is sparse. Having the riot of colors in my fall and winter wreaths are a promise of more growing seasons ahead.

Charlotte

Pumpkin Decor

I’m sticking with a cat pumpkin on this one! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Pumpkin Decor

I met one of our new neighbors earlier this week and had a great time checking out her 9 - yes, nine carved Jack ‘O Lanterns. She said she bought some for her children and when other neighbor children popped by, she picked up a few more. Pumpkins, not children!

There is something quite delightful about carved pumpkins. When my brothers and I were growing up in Southern Illinois, we used to be creative with our carved pumpkin faces. We were not fond of horror or fear so ours tended to be more whimsical.

Regardless of the design, make sure to leave the seeds outside for a wildlife snack. If you want a snack for yourself, you can also dry the seeds and roast them. No point in wasting them!

Here’s a more traditional carved Jack ‘O Lantern with a tea candle inside. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The traditional carved face is still a favorite although my younger brother Steve used to carve out a huge mouth out of proportion with the rest of the face.

Now this carved witch pumpkin with a star to guide her would be more the speed of my other younger brother, David, who has an aeronautics master’s degree. He probably would adjust the witch’s broom angle to make her ride more aerodynamic. Oh, yes he would.

Flying witch has a star to guide her! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I usually have pumpkins sitting outside in my garden in fall but time got away from me this year. The last time I had a carved pumpkin in my yard, squirrels had a grand time eating the pumpkins from the inside.

Bet they will have fun when they spot this pumpkin display!

All together, now! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Great fun to have more kids in the neighborhood. Most definitely a treat!

Charlotte

Mouse Toy Installations

Shirley Honey with her latest installation, Two Mice on Coffee Table. 2019. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Mouse Toy Installations

It’s officially fall and I’m not the only one decorating my house for the new season. I came home earlier this week to find someone else had carefully added toy mice decorations to my living room.

This was not the first time.

The artist known as Shirley Honey has made other installations over the years. There was a toy frog left in the middle of a sink in her early days; I think she was trying to find her aesthetic. Then there was a thin blue ribbon left in one of my shoes that was curious and posed a bit of a problem when I tried to wear them. She seemed to think the ribbon should remain inside the shoe because she kept returning it to the shoe whenever I had the shoe off.

She regularly spreads toys over the hallway rug with periodic moments of - well, artistic brilliance may be too strong a word but there does seem to be a design of some sort with the toys she drags out of her toy baskets.

I don’t know how many cats have an artistic aesthetic for home decor but Shirley Honey seems to have an extra dose.

She leaves several toys at the bedroom entrance every morning. I know which ones are her favorites by how often they show up. The arrangements are fine until I find one that isn’t a toy. Shirley Honey has been known to leave a dead mouse in the middle of the toys.

When Shirley Honey first started, I made the gauche mistake of removing the items. They were returned where they had been initially left. Err, I mean installed. And Shirley Honey sat next to them, staring at me as if to say they didn’t leave until she moved them.

I got the message.

The artist known as Shirley Honey making sure I don’t disturb her art work. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If you have lived with cats, you know how unique their personalities can be. Shirley Honey was a rescue, I found her on my deck one hot August, possibly one of the cats my neighbor complained was living in his compost pile. The vet said she is part Maine Coon, which explains why she is always ready to play and invents her own rules. These installations were all her idea.

After a period of time, the artist herself may move them elsewhere or, better yet, not mind my doing the clean up but she does decide how long the installations stay. If I try to move them too early, she will return the items where she originally put them.

Now that I am properly trained, I leave the artwork untouched. After all, who am I to know when the installation has lost its artistic and viewing value.

This time I took photos and ran an errand. When I got back and went to check on her curled up in her favorite napping spot, I found another work of art. Apparently this toy mouse decor look is a personal fall favorite.

The artist known as Shirley Honey with a toy mouse installation by her chair. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

No, I didn’t put it there. And I didn’t touch it.

If I could just convince her to return the toys to her toy baskets…

I have to confess, it is a cute home decor look having the toy mice next to the napping cat. Maybe I’m starting to understand her artistic point of view?

Ah, the life of a feline artist.

Charlotte

Pumpkin Lady

My pumpkin lady greeting visitors to my fall front door. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Pumpkin Lady

There something about the changing of the seasons from summer to fall. This year people are jumping straight to halloween decor but I like to enjoy the fall colors first.

One of my very talented friends who likes to make rustic decor gave me this pumpkin lady, a lady’s head on a stick that fits right next to the long pumpkin.

At first I thought she was also going straight to Halloween with her eyeless face. Halloween is part of fake scaring I don’t particularly enjoy, life is scary enough as it is but I can get into the spirit - so to speak.

I found a good spot for the pumpkin lady and her pumpkin retinue, by my front door.

This was my pumpkin lady originally, without eyes. Gave her a Halloween vibe, didn’t it. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

After sitting next to the eyeless pumpkin lady for a couple of days, I decided I need to make a change.

With the help of a black magic marker ,I gave her some friendliness in the form of pupils. Such a simple change but makes a difference, doesn’t it.

I carefully marked, then filled in some eyes to make her friendlier. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

With some dry bittersweet to fill in the space around her, the pumpkin lady is now giving visitors a nice welcome as they approach my front door.

Dried bittersweet keeps the pumpkin pile, and pumpkin lady, company. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The dry bittersweet helps keep the handmade head over the long, gooseneck pumpkin body.

I may add a couple of little flying ghosts once I am ready for Halloween, then back to the pumpkins for a Thanksgiving theme.

I may need to make her a little scarf and hood if she’s going to spend winter outside, maybe add a little Christmas tree in place of the bittersweet. Or a train engine in Christmas colors.

Did I mention I like to keep my home decor easy and flexible?

Charlotte

Surprise Yellow Roses

Two small yellow roses I found blooming in my hillside garden. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Surprise Yellow Roses

We’ve had record hot temperatures this September in Missouri, it’s hard to even think about fall being literally just around the corner. My hillside garden is now struggling for lack of water, something I hope will soon be remedied with a forecast of cooler temperatures and possible showers.

With everything struggling, I was thrilled to find two little yellow rose buds popping up in one of my garden beds. I plant onions around all of my roses to keep unwanted bugs away and I had missed harvesting onions from this particular spot. That means the roses were in great shape and there was no bug evidence on the flowers themselves.

Studies show that fresh flowers are good for the soul and contribute to our happiness. I know I try to have fresh flowers in my home whenever I can but this hot spell has been challenging. With these new yellow rose buds, I had something I could add back to my favorite spot for flowers, the center tray in my kitchen next to my island.

Once inside, the rose buds started slowly to unfold. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I keep small flower vases that nicely fit the space on the tray. The rose buds fit right in quite well and started to slowly unfold.

The center is where bees visit to pick up nectar and pollen. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The yellow roses are lovely open, I now get to see the center where bees collect nectar and pollen. also found a great use for a tiny handblown honeybee I picked up at a glass factory earlier this spring. I added a tiny wire to the copper stem so the bee could visit the yellow roses.

I found a use for this charming handblown glass bee, to keep my flowers company. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I have such nice memories of spending time with family when I see that bee, I do believe it will now spend its days keeping other flowers company in the small flower vase.

Do these flowers make me happy? What do you think?

Charlotte

Mum Bouquet

Yellow mums from my garden bring a hint of fall into my den. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Mum Bouquet

One easy way to bring fall into our homes is to have a fresh bouquet of chrysanthemums. It doesn’t have to be very big, some of the smallest flower vases with a tiny sprig of mums will do. These hardy, easy to grow flowers also make nice long lived cut flowers. You can extend their time in a vase by changing the water every few days and keeping them away from heat sources.

If you are having a fall gathering outside, mums are natural bug deterrents so scatter small pots of mums around the gathering area. Then give them away at the end as a thank you gift.

If they are in the right conditions, you may also find mum stems sprouting tiny white hairs, which are roots. If you see roots, you can plant the stem in new potting soil and grow more mums. Keep hydrated. Within a couple of months, you will have a new mum plant you can move out into your garden next spring.

Garden hardy mums will return from year to year once established. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Garden Hardy Mums v. Florist Mums

Garden hardy mums are perennials. Once established, they will come back year to year. You can sometimes find them in the fall to add to your garden. They come in a range of colors from yellows; white; pink through lavender, orange and brown in a variety of flower shapes.

If you plant them in the fall, you will need to water them through winter a couple of times a month to keep their roots moist as they get established.

If you think ahead, spring is a better time to buy mums and get them planted. Then they have a good three of the four seasons to grow and establish themselves.

A little mum start this year can easy grow into a nice size plant next year. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If you already have established mums, you can take cuttings, put them in water and plant them in new garden areas once roots appear.

Florist mums are grown in greenhouses and usually don’t survive exposure to cold weather. They are fun to have in the house for awhile; potted mums will usually last longer than cut mums.

Charlotte

August Lilies

One of the truly fragrant hostas, Hosta plantaginea, is also called August Lily. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

August Lilies

Just when I thought August was the month for surprise lilies, a fragrant North American cousin of the tropical Amaryllis we all buy around Christmas, one of my neighbors introduced me to a lovely second fragrant garden flower called an August Lily.

The name is where any similarities end.

The garden trend for several decades has been away from plants with fragrant flowers but I prefer to have plants in my garden that have a distinct aroma. Besides being a beekeeper, which means I am trying to add flowers that will attract my bees and feed the resident butterflies, the scent is what makes the flowers special. I also enjoy having cut flowers in my home.

My neighbor Elaine gave me a couple stems of these fabulous blooming hostas noting the scent is similar to jasmine. So it is, and that is only one of several reasons why these hostas are unusual.

"August lily” Hosta plantaginea, was first imported to England in 1790, and to the United States afterwards. It originated in China and is the southern-most naturally occurring hosta species, which make sit more heat tolerant. Most hosta species are from Japan and Korea.

The flowers are enormous by hosta standards, 6+ inches long and snow white, as compared to 1-2" long and purple for most hostas.

Virtually every hosta has flowers that open around 7:00 am in the morning. Hosta plantaginea opens at 4:00 pm in the afternoon.

The other curious difference is that this hosta blooms in August. Other hosta species I have bloom April-June.

So delighted to have this wonderful addition to my garden. The scent lingers nicely in a room, not too strong. It was a lovely way to be welcomed into my kitchen the next morning.

Thank you for such a lovely addition to my Missouri hillside garden, Elaine!

Charlotte

If Cats Could Talk

A gift towel from my friend Margaret, makes me smile every time I see it. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If Cats Could Talk Kitchen Towel

Doesn’t this make you smile?

Of course cats wouldn’t talk even if they could. And I would argue my cats do talk but that’s a discussion for another time.

This gift kitchen towel makes me smile every time I see it. It not only reminds me of the friend who gave it to me but the humor of my cats talking to me and the Siamese cats we grew up with as children.

I contend everything we surround ourselves with should have wonderful positive memories. If the memories are not reaffirming and supporting, repurpose them. Over the years we have made custom quilts out of loved ones clothings, photos and mementos.

And we should concentrate on those places where we spend every day and most of our time - bedroom, bathrooms and kitchens.

When I was growing up I learned to embroider making kitchen towels. Those memories prompted me to carry handmade muslin kitchen towels made by hand, and embroidered, here in Missouri. How can you look at long eared puppy days of the week kitchen towels and not smile, especially with every day having a different dog adventure?

Another reason to surround ourselves with things that make us smile.

Charlotte

Foot Stool Gift

The refinished and recovered walnut foot stool presented as a gift. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Foot Stool Gift

One of my beekeeping friends surprised me with this recovered foot stool as a 5th Anniversary gift for our local bee club.

I found the fabric several years ago at a conference auction for our state beekeeping association. The upholstery fabric piece was not very big but I loved the elegant embroidered bees on a solid tan background.

Having far too many “projects” to tackle, this friend volunteered to help me with a few including reclaiming this walnut stool.

I found it at a local thrift store. I kept it by the side of my bed with a towel covering it so my older cat Margaret could easily jump onto the bed. Margaret was prompt about bedtime at 10 p.m. but at 20 years, climbing on top of the bed became a challenge.

When I mentioned to this friend I had a stool that needed some tender loving care, it took me several days scouring the house to finally remember it had been sitting all along next to my bed. It was the towel hiding it that threw me off.

The original upholstery was a green solid fabric with a gold trim. See why I kept a towel over it?

This was the original foot stool as I found it at a thrift store. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The renovated stool not only has brand new fill and bee fabric but my friend tripled the gold cord around the fabric edge to finish it off. The gold cord came from my mother’s arts and crafts supplies stash.

Stools are great to have around the house tucked under chairs and sofas. I like to pick up unusual ones to keep my chairs company. They also come in handy for my aging cats who like to spend their days curled up in easy chairs in sunny windows. My latest find has a drawer in the middle, the better to stash cat toys.

This renovated stool is now back beside my bed, a nice addition to my bedroom. It is also a lovely reminder of our local bee club reaching the 5 year mark, as well as the beekeeper who made this look SO much better.

Thanks, Jessie!

Charlotte

Spice Jar Storage

Repurposed spice jars hold precious items such as favorite cat treats. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Spice Jar Storage

If you still have that set of spice jars in a box somewhere, go dust it off. Repurposed spice jars make wonderful storage containers and look good while they are at it!

I first collected spice bottles for storing flower seeds. They also work well for rooting hormone powder and small plant ties. The one challenge of using these jars for gardening is that they are easy to get lost in flower beds so I have moved on to using recycled plastic bottles.

I still save some for favorite cat treats scattered and hidden throughout the house. They are the same treats in all of the repurposed spice jars but my cat Shirley Honey insists on taste testing all of them. Just in case.

One of the reasons I like using repurposed spice jars is that they make it easy to nicely store items in the open and easily keep contents organized.

Take my garage, for example. Hey, it qualifies as being inside. I have a work bench at the back where I keep a rack of spice jars holding some of my more popular repair items. I do fine as long as I don’t remove one and take it somewhere, then forget to return it. See reference above to using these jars in gardening.

Seeing that empty space in the rack does remind me to go looking for it, another benefit of using spice racks for storage.

Old spice jar rack keeps screws and nails nicely organized. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

My mother had several repurposed spice racks in her small house. I inherited the one she had in her sewing room, a simple wooden one with plastic containers that fit along the side.

She didn’t have the jars marked on the lids so I now am used to looking under rosemary for sewing machine needles.

This is my mother’s old spice jar set keeping the sewing area organized. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Before re-using, wash them in hot water with Dawn detergent to remove any spice scents.

And since I mentioned spices, these jars can also be used to save dried herbs, which are the foundation of cooking spices.

I found this spice rack last year and made good use of it, storing the most important dried herb in my house first: catnip.

Spice jars can also be used to hold - well, spices! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

This set can be cleaned and re-used, writing the new dried herb on the lid.

You can find spice jar sets at thrift stores and sometimes on deep discount at home decor outlets. Buy them on sale because the herbs don’t hold their flavor for more than six months or so. By the time some of these sets are available for retail the spices are well on their way to loosing their flavors.

Charlotte

Mice Kitchen Towels

Unique handmade kitchen towels featuring mice from Bluebird Gardens. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Mice Kitchen Towels

Well, all my mice are gone.

These are charming, hand-embroidered mice on our handmade muslin kitchen towels, a throw back to vintage designs and days of the week towels with different scenes.

One of my first projects when I learned to embroider when I was 9 years old was a kitchen towel set with dogs in different scenes. Since then, I have not only embroidered a variety of other designs but had my eye on this set in case it didn’t sell.

The kitchen towels are also handmade from brand new cotton muslin.

Take a peek at some of the scenes depicted on each of the handmade muslin kitchen towels. This one shows a very industrious mouse.

Tuesday’s mouse kitchen towel is industrious and irons. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Not to be concerned, on Wednesday the mouse makes up for all of the work by taking time to enjoy the flowers.

Wednesday’s mouse enjoys flowers on this unique kitchen towel. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Not that I confess to having a favorite mouse but this dapper Sunday gent has a nice happy vibe to him, don’t you think?

Dapper Sunday mouse in our unique kitchen towel set. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

This the last set of unique made in USA muslin kitchen towels, we made two sets and sold another set before it was even posted with one of our Sleeping Cats handmade quilts.

Once admired for the last time, into their shipping box with a little bow to keep them together.

All tied up and ready to ship! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

So glad these handmade kitchen towels have a new home!

Charlotte

Water Ring Protection

Easily protect wood furniture with glass tops. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Water Ring Protection

A friend recently bemoaned that a party at her house ended with a number of water rings from drinks marring her grandmother’s antique furniture. I have a few of those myself but I also have a plan to prevent that from happening again.

This look familiar?

Water ring damage to a wood radio cabinet can be fixed two ways. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Makes you want to cringe, doesn’t it. I know it does me.

Even if you have coasters, and hand them to people, and place them under their drinks, for some reason glasses end up on wood leaving their mark.

The good news is that I know how to fix those water rings with Howard Furniture Refinishing products, which we offer in these handy Furniture Refinishing Gift Kits. To make it easy for you, the gift kit has everything you need to refinish one piece of wood furniture, something we have been doing with Howard furniture refinishing products for several decades now.

Before I refinish, though, I take another step. I order a glass cover so that I have it in hand before I start the refinishing process. This way I make the repairs and protect the piece of furniture from future damage with glass and don’t get caught up in forgetting to get the glass - or putting it off - after I get the piece refinished.

To order the glass, take careful measurements knowing the glass cutters will get the glass piece as close to the size you provide them as you can. You can get glass pieces cut at any glass store. If in doubt, go in and chat with them to find out what they can do and how they like to handle furniture pieces.

When I started with one of these folding round tables, I cheated two ways. First, I took the table in so they could get the correct measurements and secondly, I ordered the poly plastic as opposed to glass. I wasn’t sure how safe it was to put glass on a side table that easily folded over. Turns out what was a good call especially when two cats are chasing each other and decide to take a nose dive from the chair into the side table.

The plastic protects the center of the side table and easily falls off without breaking when the table is knocked over. I keep it in place with one of the rubber feet used to keep pictures on walls.

If unsure, try a poly cut first to make sure it will work with your furniture. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

For non-moving tables, I still drag those into the glass shop for them to take the correct measurements, especially ones that have odd shapes. Be ready to chat about where the furniture piece came from, my glass shop loves to hear the stories behind the furniture pieces and sometimes make me an offer to buy it from me.

No such luck, the ones I have I plan to keep.

There are two sizes of glass available, at least at my glass store; 1/8th inch and 1/4 inch.

I order the 1/4 inch for those pieces of furniture that will get a lot of wear, mostly coffee tables.

This is a vintage 1920s art deco table I can now easily use without worrying the top will get damaged now that it has a glass cover.

Take the furniture in to get a good fit with unusual shapes. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The 1/4 inch glass also makes excellent tops for unusual furniture pieces, such as using trunks for tables.

Trunks are great places to story extra bedding and handmade quilts. We grew up moving and each child was given one trunk to hold all of our precious possessions, which may explain why I like trunks. I have them for storing Christmas decorations, bee club materials, handmade quilts and a tiny trunk that holds a plastic bag with catnip toys. My cats get very excited when the tiny trunk comes down from the bookcase and the toys come out.

I found this trunk at a sale at a neighbor’s house and had it stored in my basement for several years storing wrapping paper. The trunk has a multi-level surface so adding glass makes it flat and now usable as a coffee table and side table.

Not sure what’s stored in there now, I should check.

Repurpose trunks as side tables by adding a glass top. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

This is a new white cedar trunk that someone embellished by adding feet and lettering on the top. I liked the trunk for a coffee table in a guest room so added 1/4 inch glass to protect the top. This way if the plant gets over watered or someone spills a drink, it should not damage the trunk finish and lettering.

Trunks with glass also make handy coffee tables. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Simple 1/4 glass pieces like this cost $25-50, which to me is an excellent investment to preserve the older wood pieces I have.

To clean, I use a glass cleaner and newspapers, just as one would clean window glass.

If you don’t like the edges, you can ask them to round them off for an additional fee. I don’t tend to get them rounded off because they fit snuggly on corners and I don’t have any young ones in the house.

Glass corners can be rounded if you don’t like the basic cut. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

It’s simple enough to get those corners rounded for another $15-30 per glass piece.

Those quarter-size clear circles are provided free and they keep the glass off the wood so that the wood doesn’t get scratched.

The last time I was in the glass store, I said something tot he effect that I have all of my surfaces protected in glass now and may not be coming in for awhile. The glass employee carrying the glass piece out to my car said “nah, you’ll have another project in here in no time.”

How right he was!

Charlotte