Jun 30, 2012

My 4th of July Back Yard



What a day! I meant to decorate my deck and backyard for the 4th of July this morning and have this post done by noon. 

Hah!

That was before my husband snuck off to work before helping me hang bunting. And that was before I had to take Tucker to the emergency pet doctor for an eye injury that
luckily didn't turn out serious.

Oh well, life happens. And here I am.
 
(I apologize in advance for a gazillion photos. I was really having fun!)

My husband built the deck off the family room about twenty years ago (He also built the family room! Thanks, Hon.) 


There's a wall of windows that looks onto it. 

My back yard is a tiny inner-city sized back yard with an old fashioned alley behind it and a ninety foot tall Black Locust Tree smack in the middle. It's impossible to photograph all of the yard at once because of the gargantuan tree trunk, so I am only able to show lots of little snippets. We love the tree's shade here in the hot Idaho high desert, but the tree is a challenge to landscape beneath as it battles our poor flowers and bushes for light, water, and nutrients. I'm in-awe of other blogger's lush yards full of huge colorful blooms. Sometimes I think I should be growing sage brush!


Diane at The Checkered Apple got me fired-up to decorate for Independence Day when she hosted her Patriotic Link Party. Next to Christmas and Halloween, it's now probably my newest favorite holiday for decorating. 





I was able to buy some inexpensive decorations at the dollar store and Taipan Trading Company. Of course, my favorites are still the homemade ones and only lack of time stopped me from making more than I did. There's always next year! The decorations I made are the bunting, the pillows, and the tags and centerpiece for the table.

This is the garden shed (yup, my husband built it.)






This is the back of the yard. It's a work in progress until the new Karl Forrester grass and flowers fill in. 



And this is the other corner of the yard with the new hostas I divided and spread around this spring. 


You might remember my hookah pipe birdhouse bath

This ceramic pie plate full of marbles, aka birdbath, was inspired by the gorgeous terracotta one Kelly at Eclectically Vintage made and that was repinned on my Pinterest 185 times! (I'm not showing hers here because mine is a sad, sad imitation of greatness, but you should definitely go check it out.)


Remember my sign of summer? It's still hangin' around.

This is one of the few yard decorations I've ever purchased from a store (Taipan Trading). It adds interest to a very boring wall and eventually will be joined by a recycled pallet wood table below.


Hydrangeas are my favorite flowers, but I kill them faster than a shootout at the OK Corral. This is my hydrangea. 
 

Our twenty year-old window box broke this year, and the flowers are a bit slow to accept this new one. 






I borrowed these pillows from the front porch. 
























My 4th of July bunting is made from Jo-Ann's fabric doubled for stiffness with iron-on fusible webbing, cut out with pinking shears, then zigzag stitched onto bias tape. 



Tomorrow, I'll be sharing my 4th of July Front Porch! 

Tucker was so patient while I took photos today, so I thought I should give him a shout-out. 


Good Boy, Tucker! 

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you're having
a great weekend! 

Favorite 4th of July DIY projects

Easy 4th of July Pillows

I'm partying with these cool blogs! Come join the fun! 


The Checkered Apple
Someday Crafts
Nifty Thrifty Things
DIY Showoff 
Between Naps on the Porch 

8 comments:

  1. Laurel, you've really outdone yourself! Your yard looks fantastic with all of your patriotic touches here and there. I love the buntings and your patriotic tablescape. Your napkin holders are so cute too! And thanks for sharing those graphics! I may have to copy your idea! Can't wait to see the porch!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh my gosh Laurel, your yard looks amazing!! I'm coming right over. Okay... it will take me a few days to get there. :) LOVE those big windows looking out on your yard, the scrumptious fence, garden shed and huge tree! Your 4th of July touches are perfect. Love how you've done up the spa, the little pinwheels in the flower pots and your bunting is adorable. How many feet did you make of that? Looks like it goes around the whole yard! Your table is so cute; love that centerpiece. I see Tucker is tuckered out by it all. I couldn't keep up either! Awesome job! :) Oh, that little blue birdhouse with the bell is sooooo cute. Love it too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your yard is so charming! What wonderful touches everywhere you look! I especially love the bunting and the pinwheels! You are definitely ready for a 4th of July party!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Everything looks beautiful and so inviting...I want to be at your house for the 4th! Blessings ~ Judy

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow! it all looks great. Good job on your tablescape. I wish I were hanging with you in your back yard it all looks so charming. Props to your hubby on the shed love it! Happy 4th enjoy.

    ReplyDelete
  6. So fun and super festive! You did an amazing job! Love it! Hope you had a happy 4th! TGIF! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hullo - I love your bunting and pinwheels :) Could you point me somewhere to learn to make these? Could you possibly give me the dimensions for your bunting triangle shapes please? Many thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sorry ... I didn't give you my email address to sent the above information to! It is: shazdamazda@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comments. I love reading your thoughts! If you would like an answer to a specific question, please email me via the link on my sidebar. Thank you!

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.