Garden after the rain
It seems that it has rained here for 40 days and 40 nights. Every time I wake up - boom! - more rain! The garden loves it, but the new blooms aren't too fond of pounding rain. Just as they open their little flower faces, the rain either pelts their little petals off or bends them low until they are lying in the mud. Weather forecast says … [Read More...]
End of a chapter….
I haven't posted this week because I'm going through a big change: today is my last day at my job. And I don't have another one. Yep - I'm laying low for a while. My job was great - I mean look at what I got to see everyday... I mean seriously. I WORKED there. It is a beautiful museum perched at the edge of the … [Read More...]
This is NOT going well
I am so disappointed. I had such high hopes for this project, but it is just turning out badly, badly, badly. Why is it so hard to paint these lamps? I mean, I've painted lamps before - and it turned out pretty well. And it took me practically no time at all. But this project is different. It is taking FOR-ev-ER and the results are … [Read More...]
An amazing story of antique wisteria and garden karma
When I was a very young girl growing up in suburban New Jersey, my mother would sometimes take me to a place called the Van Vleck estate in Montclair. It was a huge and mysterious place - its perimeter was surrounded by mounds of rhododendrens that were tucked behind tall, black metal gates. Beyond the gates, there was an Italiante villa … [Read More...]
How NOT to paint a basket
I found this cute little basket at the dump the other day and brought it home.... It was nice and sturdy and had strong handles... So I thought I could load it up with mail in my hall... And here it lived for a week or so until I decided that I just HAD to paint it... Silly … [Read More...]
$79 dining room sideboard
As part of last fall's renovation-that-wore-me-out, we turned our old kitchen screened porch into our new dining room. Before it was done, I knew I wanted to have a sideboard for that space to hold all of our tablecloths, candles, etc. I loved the look of this piece from Thrifty Decor Chick: The color, the legs, the … [Read More...]
A morning visit to the garden: fringed tulips
Its so nice to watch a new garden rise in the spring. We did a lot of planting last year, and this spring we are reaping the benefits of our hard work. Of course, there are always little oops moments that appear - this is too close to that, there is too much space here, that died. Little details that make a gardener's to-do list always … [Read More...]
Ugly – really ugly – lamps
I have this odd thing for ugly lamps. I truly cannot explain the attraction, but I get all daydream-y when I see a lamp (or OMG a pair of lamps!) that look like monstrous freaks of design. Here's a pair of lamps I came across several weeks ago at our local ReStore. Now really. Look at those. The curves have potential, but the brass … [Read More...]
Botanical junking: happy little weeds
We broke our lawn mower last fall. Ran right over a big old rock and bent the blade. Lesson: you can't mow rocks. But it being fall and all and thinking "well, its gonna snow soon anyway", we dealt with it by promptly parking it in the back of the garage and ignoring it. So of course come spring our lawn sprouts up overnight and when we … [Read More...]
French country nightstand transformation
I scored this sweet little nightstand (and its partner three drawer chest) for a song. I've wanted to do a transformation on a French provincial piece for a while, and was delighted when I found these pieces. They sat in the garage all winter, but this spring set up my fancy-shamnsy sawhorse-and-plywood workbench in the backyard and got to … [Read More...]
Hi – I’m Maggie and I created Crunchy Diva to share my creative adventures with you! I’m a design junkie, treasure hunter and sucker for all things reclaimed, restored and repurposed. 
