Time for a trim

We all love some before-and-after shots, right? Especially when it documents proof of your progress after a project takes longer than you expected (read 2 hours) and gives you an extremely sore back. Well, I hope the results are worth it. 

Here is our backyard. I just recently did some work on the edge of the grass that was creeping into the "alley" or whatever that gap is....ahhh, inheritance of landscaping from previous homeowners. And I also trimmed up the climbing Carolina jessamine at the back left.

But the project of the day was tackling that horribly shredded and yellowed mass of foliage at the base of the tree near the center. I affectionately call it "the tree tutu."

Last summer's drought really ravaged the poor plant (can anyone identify what it is, anyway?), but I was determined to try and rescue it.

So, here you are folks. All those deep green leaves were hiding beneath. 

It was a real chore to individually trim out all the dead leaves. But, I keep staring out the window at the vast improvement it's made.

Now for some color in the backyard other than brown and green. More on those adventures later!

Robin Bird Birthday Party

A bird theme was a natural choice for my mother's 50th birthday celebration. After all, her name is Robin! Held in the autumnal outdoors at Daingerfield State Park in East Texas, family and friends gathered for a weekend to honor this wonderful woman.

Gift Table | I created this framed 8x10 collage tribute in Adobe Photoshop, using scanned photographs from my mom's childhood layered with digital scrapbooking papers and embellishments. Going along with the bird theme, the text in the collage is a passage of selected verses from the Book of Matthew, Chapter 6:

"Look at the birds of the air ... are you not worth much more than they? ... Do not worry then ... for your heavenly father knows you need all these things. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will take care of itself."

The wooden frame is from Michaels. Paired with a simple glass Mason jar full of wild goldenrod and a sea blue table runner on clearance from Target, the gift table was complete.

Place Settings & Centerpieces | Guided by a color palette of yellows, blues and browns, a gingham fabric covers the picnic table and large glass jars filled with goldenrod and tied with ribbons serve as centerpieces. Small baskets (bought at Cost Plus World Market on 90% off Easter clearance) were filled with raffia paper and sprinkled with faux robin's eggs. Casual plates--already on hand--reinforce the color scheme.

Dessert | Adapting a recipe for Hummingbird Cake from Country Home Magazine, these cupcakes feature cream cheese icing topped with toasted almonds and coconut for the "nest" and three M&Ms Premium Chocolate Almond candies that mimic the speckled blue of robin's eggs. The cupcakes were displayed on a Wilton Cupcakes and More Medium Dessert Stand.

Happy 50th birthday, Momma!