something cool

This past Memorial Day weekend was a scorcher! On Saturday I heard a sound that strung a cord from my memory archives... it was a sweet, playful song (slightly remixed for a new generation-no comment) that made me feel like I was 8 years old again, the coveted Ice Cream Truck! After a long day in the heat, there is truly nothing better than seeing a variety of ice cream and popsicles on wheels heading in your direction! The only thing missing was open fire hydrants showering kids in the street-maybe next weekend... I love living in the city!

When I came across these photos I had to share!

Not everyone can beat the heat...

Sculpture by the Sea fair in Tamarama Beach

Created by The Glue Society

One of my favorites!

Enjoy

West End Farmers Market SUNDAYS 9am-1pm

Come visit Blooming Buds Va and many other great vendors @ West End Farmers Market!
Click here for more info about the market and vendors.
Special Events Calendar coming soon...
Bring the kids & bring your dogs (and bird.)

photo taken by Jennifer Cowham

low calorie kabobs

So easy. Love these.

red onion, cherry tomatoes, hot dogs (low sodium,) and pineapple 

Always Hebrew National.

Off the grill, into the tum!

getting uprooted

Easy glider. Paired on the tree, these seeds will split when they fall, spinning and generating lift to slow their descent.

Credit: David Lentink

We have large Maple trees in the front and back of our house; yes they are lovely, and yes, they can be a pain in the @*%! Let me explain, their seeds are referred to as "helicopters" (because of the way they spiral in air-see above pic,) AND they fill your gutters and lawn with baby Maple trees-everywhere. Today Mike spent time on the roof, blowing all the helicopters out of our gutters (dear lord this smelled foul-beware.)

Oh, and we finally have a leaf blower! Good friends of ours were cleaning out their garage before they moved to NC, and thus we became the proud owners of our new (to us) leaf blower. Woot.

Mike sporting his new leaf blower (and new haircut hehe)

A persistent peony decided to sprout from underneath our dumpster. Thats no place for such a fancy flower-it's moving day.

Currently living in a bucket. Seeking a permanent home...

spools can fool

Spools aren't just for thread anymore... I heart these ideas.

Even Pottery Barn knows spools are thrifty, spool hooks.

Here's a link to make these cute spool holders!

Use them as place cards, picture holders, for organizing/labeling...

Spool candles, once sold at Anthropologie.

Spool vases @ lushlee.

Think outside the box, love this idea!

Unraveling a letter... Check out this DIY project.

Spool inspired furniture... 

and the list goes on :)

what $5 gets you @ a yard sale...

We hit the fancy neighborhood yard sale, and here's what we came up with...

Michael's Pick: After a little negotiating, we went home with this little ladder for $2! Initially I wasn't as enthusiastic about this pick, but now I see the light... It's charming, and I've already borrowed it for a BloomingBudsVa display!

Michelle's Pick: A jute runner from Restoration Hardware for $3! It needed a thorough vacuum and rinse, and I figured if we decided to trash it, no big loss... After scrubbing the border, rinsing it with the watering can (haha,) and several sprays with lysol, this guy may have been worth salvaging! I'm planning on buying some fabric paint and giving the border a new look (future post perhaps?)

not too shabby...

I'm thinking a pale blue border for our upstairs hallway.

Side note: While I waited for the runner to dry, 

I painted this sign for Blooming Buds, and Mike cut it to size.

I love stencils.

West End Delights

After a Sunday spent at the market, here are some goodies I've been enjoying...

A macaroon six pack (includes the flavor, Nutella-woot!)

fresh flowers & Great Harvest Bread Co, "beer & gouda" loaf. 

Sunflowers

love our "F" pitcher!

Fragrant Peonies

Come to West End Farmer's Market!

Scottish Eggs with a Mexican twist

This morning I couldn't decide between Scottish eggs or b'fast tortilla... Problem solved, Scottish eggs + Cholula + tortilla = happy Michelle.

cream cheese, fresh dill, smoked salmon, scrambled egg

S&P, Cholula, wrap in tortilla!

fettuccine + mushrooms

Fettuccine with shiitake baby bella mushrooms & fresh basil from the garden

*The store sold out of shiitake...

Thanks for the recipe Joy! So yum!

fabric & paper, these are a few of my favorite things...

Sometimes change can be small and simple, take our light switch plates for example. All you need is glue, and scissors (my preference, an exacto knife.) Here's some from around our house...

fabric

paper

Let's wrap it up with some paper and fabric!

Try mixing paper with fabric!

surfing the web

Much to my surprise I found Blooming Buds Va featured in a DC wedding blog, United With Love! Check it out.

Handmade Paper Flowers

The perfect keepsake that lasts forever!

BloomingBudsVa

a wedding weekend... it's a long one

On Sunday, May 15th our good friends tied the knot in Hatteras, NC. It was a beautiful, beach ceremony with an oceanfront, poolside reception... loved it! We were honored to be part of such a special occasion, Congrats Liz and Justin!

Our journey began with a couple of nights camping in VA beach at First Landing State Park. It's a beautiful campsite with lots of trees, a gorgeous beach, and hot showers (a must!)

We encountered a rather large fox, an obese raccoon, amongst other fun things...

oh yes, i brought my hoop!

beach thistle

we were being watched

nightime

We brought coffee, but had nothing to drink it from... 

Sooo Mike bought this mug. Another mug to add to our collection, just what we need ;)

Yum, smores!

The Cavalier Hotel 

(where Mike was once a lifeguard, tehe)

it's absolutely charming

I snuck some foyer shots...

If we're in Va Beach then we're def stopping for a sammich at 

Taste Unlimited!

Sooooooooo Goooooooood

Time to hit the road and head for NC...

That was fast! Hello Hatteras.

 The Frisco Pier is not looking so good.

Our cozy beach house 

my step-dad reading

mom's hanging out

The neighborhood

spanish moss

Rehearsal Dinner!

Michael and I were both in the wedding party, 

and we obviously didn't take photos (perhaps we were having too much fun!)

after the main event

And for the ride home, Pierces BBQ filled our bellies with delight!

exit 234 (Lightfoot) off of rt 64

home sweet home

After a 7 hr drive (thank you Mike,) I checked on my plants, clipped a bloom, ordered a pizza

& called it a night!