What to do with vintage birdcages...

They were a huge fad a few years ago, but now they've become a staple in vintage home and garden decor. In the last few years I've bought and sold many of them, but now I'm keeping the ones I have left to sprinkle here and there, in the house and garden. Here are just a few I grabbed for a photo vignette.

We've had parakeets and a conure in the past, but cats and birds in the same household can be a little stressful on everyone. (mostly the birds) But an empty birdcage is a little sad to me, so fill it with something fun and it feels like a cloche; a great place to display plants, candles, flower pots, even dishes, but don't forget the little birdies!

(the backdrop is my antique dressing screen that I papered in pages from an antique French Language Lesson book).

Say Hi to this sweet little guy...

and here's his little friend

I'll be linking up with Debbie's Copy Cat Challenge on Thursday

so here's my inspiration,

The June 2012 issue of Country Living Magazine.

I'll also be partying at these great places:

Faded Charm

No Minimalist Here

Ivy and Elephants

Very Merry Vintage Style

A Daily Cup from Mrs. Olson

Rooted In Thyme

At the Picket Fence

French Country Cottage

My Romantic Home

See you tomorrow for

xoxo,

Inspirational Home Spring Open House

Like I said, 

this week is full of local shop openings and Open Houses,

and I'm the designated community bulletin board...te he!

So just a note to all you local gals,

Inspirational Home is having a Spring Open House 

this week starting Thursday morning at 10am.

An indoors and outdoors gathering of vintage finds

and fresh and fun garden goods.

See this adorable chair slip?

I've ordered some custom ones for my dining room chairs...

can't wait to get them!

A local nursery will be there selling live plants and flowers on the lawn.

Hope you can drop by 

for some wonderful Spring decor and gift shopping.

Vintage Inspiration # 81 RePurposed Garden Cart

I've always loved Creeping Phlox in the Spring. The purples, lavenders, pinks and whites spilling over rock walls and borders have always been a favorite, but something I never had any luck with. Maybe they didn't get enough water, maybe they had too much hot sun, who knows, I've tried many times, just never could get them to flourish...until now.

I planted this old garden cart last year with phlox, some daffodils and a couple of pots of hyacinths. I'd seen one of these filled at Spring Creek Tea Room on the porch, and the glorious color of delicate blooms came back year after year.

This was taken a few days ago when the last of the daffodil blooms was still fresh.

 This was last March, a year ago exactly that I finally put that cart to good use,

instead of just sitting under the deck looking forlorn and neglected.

Take a look at those sad little treadless wheels...

but I think it's happy now, I know it's made ME happy!!

OK, enough about my mediocre green thumb,

 let's see what was happening last week:

Maria from Rusty Hinge shares some wonderful photography 

and her gorgeous display of branches in her old ice cream bucket!

Carrie from Comfortably Carried Away created this 

Bee themed dresser from a Craigs List freebie.

Oh, wait till you see the top!

Home is Where the Boat Is wows me every time, 

Take a look at this wonderful post featuring a vintage seed box.

Cindy from Cloches and Lavender creates 

an amazing wall hanging out of two table leaves, 

You have to see what she started with!

Deserae of Peeking Thru the Sunflowers

shares her love of ironstone with her newest find.

And Daune from Cottage In the Oaks who is my newest sponsor,

 shares an amazing take on furniture that is totally functional.

Gotta see what this baby is storing!

Speaking of Cottage In the Oaks,

stay tuned for a  great Give Away coming this weekend!

and  if you haven't yet entered the Give Away

 from Leslie Janson then click here

(you have until Sunday at midnight to enter)

I'll be joining these weekend parties:

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Inspiration Friday At The Picket Fence

Redoux

Simple and Sweet at Rooted in Thyme

Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense

Hope you'll join in for Vintage Inspiration

please have a visible link within your post

 to let everyone else know where to party.

And if you've been featured at any time at VIF,

Feel free to grab a "featured at" button.

xoxo,

Garden Bunny in the Basket

With all the painting and semi-cleaning I've been doing around here I haven't been putzing with my sunporch very much. So this morning I thought I'd play a little with an old wicker florist basket and some vintage garden goodies.

I think my absolute favorite vintage items are garden related.

The chippier the better in my book.

Here my little bunns is checking out an old garden magazine

 from 1959, and some yellow garden tools. 

(not sayin' anything or anyone from 1959 is old, you know)

and of course peat pots...

who can resist their allure?

I used the large handle of the basket to act as a topiary form

for my trailing ivy which currently resides in an old McCoy planter.

I'm a sucker for good graphics...

Will I plant these seeds?

Probably not, but I DO love me some seed packets

and if they look vintage then all the better!

Ahhhh...morning sun on bunny buns.

It will be in the low 80's all week,

so I have some more outside work to do. 

I still can't find my Easter things...

so it's slim pickens around here for inspiration.

I do have a few things up my sleeve, though.

If you have an Etsy Shop or Online Boutique

or if you just like to shop...(excuse me, who doesn't?)

I hope you'll check out Monday Marketplace and spread the word.

(just scroll down to the next post)

And if you haven't entered the Give Away

from Leslie Janson, you'll want to click here

(she has some great stuff!)

I'll be joining these party gals all week:

Easter Blog Hop

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

Table Top Tuesday at A Stroll thru Life

Dear Lillie Easter Party

Knick of Time Tuesday

Faded Charm for White Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants for What's it Wednesday

Primp Your Stuff at Primp

Share the Love Wednesday at Very Merry Vintage Style

Open House Party at No Minimalist Here

Show and Tell at My Romantic Home

Hope you're having a great week!

xoxo,