Friday, November 12, 2010

Seasonal Makeover on the Cheap

Looking somewhat shabbier in this photo than in reality, lol, I've redone the cast-iron Victorian planters in front of Pink Gardens (if you click on the image to enlarge it, it really does look better). I took out the geraniums (potting them and bringing them in for next year of course!) and replaced them with pine and cedar boughs I cut from trees on the property. I used white spray paint on some leafless branches, and found a bit of Bittersweet to add some color. I also spray painted some dried Sedum flowers to add height to the planters, along with a few ornamental grass stems. I'm not positive I like the way I oversprayed the evergreens with white, I might change those out after a day or two of looking at them with plain boughs. Overall though, without going the whole "red bow, fake Poinsettia" look common to holiday decorations, I think the planters look appropriate for the season. I don't celebrate Christmas, so this is about as festive as I get, lol. Total cost? $4.00 for the spray paint... I have to laugh when I hear about the government  contemplating cutting "discretionary" spending. I've been doing that for the past 7-8 years since I started concentrating on my art.

7 comments:

  1. LOVELY! I SO agree with the fake poinsettia thing. I may have to take a page out of YOUR book and see what I can come up...
    Once again, thanks for the inspiration.
    mare
    ok, I really want to ask, and OF COURSE, don't answer if I have overstepped. Do you not celebrate any holidays?? I remember you said you don't celebrate your birthday (which I so understand) and make a meal to remember your mom on HER birthday. Is this just something that you incorporate is part of the "simpler" lifestyle? Again, don't answer if that is just TOO snoopy!

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  2. Not snoopy at all. or I wouldn't write anything to begin with!

    Each "holiday" is different for me. I don't like the crass commercialism associated with Christmas. It just makes people crazy. Everything about day-to-day life is more difficult in December for that reason. I think Christmas should be a religious holiday, and since I'm not a Christian, I just don't bother. I'll make a nice meal, and probably spend the day on art or writing. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays though. I spend a couple of days making all the food my parents made. A lot of people invite me to their dinners since I'm alone, but I never go. I really enjoy the smells and sounds of Thanksgiving the way I remember it. Other holidays seem to be just Hallmark days to me. fake days to bolster sales of crap no one really needs, lol.

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  3. Thanks Casey, sweet of you to answer my question. I DO celebrate Christmas as part of my faith, HOWEVER, I totally agree with you that it has "taken a turn for the worse" I understand how the tradition began, etc, but enjoy the "specialness" given to remember the particular event my faith is based around. With that said, I think the holiday has turned into a commercial event and not much else! So sad. Thanks for the reminder of why I celebrate...I don't forget, BUT one CAN get caught up in the "gifting" and nothing else. "Christmas" seems to have become a generic word for GIVE ME everything on my list...Thanks for the reminder...I love it when people in our lives help keep us in check and give us thought for self reflection! (did you know you help with that???? well, you do!!)
    mare

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  4. Casey, maybe we could consult with the administration on 'discretionary' spending. I too have cut back and with the cutting back have ended up being able to do more travel which I love without having to incur debt. All those little "everyday things" really add up over time.

    Like Casey I feel Christmas should be a religious holiday celebrating the birth of Christ. But it has been over-run with commercialism which I find distasteful.

    I am not a Christian but I like to celebrate the season remembering friends and family with home-baked goodies and the sending of a Christmas-Friendship card. All of this of course could be done any time of year.

    When I lived in Germany I rather liked their month long celebration. I think Father Christmas came for the kiddies on Dec 6 or there about. Then the four Advent Sundays were spent getting together with family and friend over coffee and sweets. Christmas Day was set aside as a pure religious day.

    Christmas Eve the family comes over to my place for a traditional Mexican Dinner, I plan a funny joke-gift from a grab bag for everyone and a present for the grand-kids. Usually my granddaughter Anna is in charge of putting up and decorating my Bear Tree.

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  5. DITTO WITH EVERYONES COMMENTS. I'D RATHER HAVE A BIRTHDAY CAKE SITTING ON THE TABLE FOR CHRIST THAN ALL THE GIFT GIVING FOR THINGS.

    GRANNY

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  6. Annie: having lived in Germany for a few years, My mother really liked their Christmas traditions too. Every year until she died, she would give me an Advent calendar at Thanksgiving, so I could open a little door each day in December. She died in June '99 and in November I received my last one in the mail! Even with all she was going through with a brain tumor and cancer that had spread throughout her body, she thought to order it from a company and have it delivered by Thanksgiving. I've never opened the little doors on that one. It's staying just the way I received it, magical and unexpected.

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  7. AND A TEAR JUST FELL.

    GRANNY

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