Saltwater Sounds Weekly: The Garden Party is Just About Over

Welcome to Saltwater Sounds, a collection of ideas, tips, and inspiration. This is where I share everything happening in the world of Shiplap and Shells, what’s to come, and the inspiration I’ve found from other bloggers around the web.

THIS AND THAT

I hope you’re having a great weekend so far.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my Sunday weekly wrap-up. I like to compare this weekly blog post to Instagram stories, casually sharing things that I wouldn’t necessarily share on a normal post.

There are so many garden pics I share here that never even make it to any other platform so you’re getting at least 50% more pics on Saltwater Sounds.

I’ve been absent from Instagram for over a week now. After being back from our 23-day boat trip I have been trying to play catch up. A big part of what I’ve been working on is content for the holidays which are coming up so quickly. And of course, trying to put the garden to bed for the winter.

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AROUND OUR BEACH COTTAGE

Are you in the nesting mode like me right now?

The little lamps around the house are lit. The fall candles are lit. And I’ve been organizing like crazy lately.

I turned on the heater in my office yesterday. There’s no turning back.

I don’t really spend a lot of time working on the house during the summer because it’s all about the garden, so fall is a great time to settle in and bring on the cozy.

Painting the Kitchen Island

So I’ve made the decision to paint the kitchen island white until spring. I know, it’s very boring. But I have some new wooden barstools that I’ll share next week that will look really good against the white. Plus, it won’t compete with all the Christmas decor that will be going up soon.

Then, after the new year, I’ll paint it again with a more lively color. Thank you for all of your suggestions. They were so good that I’m finding it hard to make a decision. But you’ll be the first to know.

Leaded Glass Find at Vintage Show

Do you remember when I found 3 leaded glass pieces at the Coeur d’Alene Vintage Market Days last July?

The Master Carpenter who works on our boat, made wood frames to hold the glass. We used a few leftover pieces from the reclaimed ceiling project in the hallway. It all looks so good together!

There’s one that will go in my bedroom and will actually be white.

AROUND THE GARDEN

This is about the last area of the garden that still looks decent (pictured above) right now. The rain and seasonal changes have taken their toll on a big portion of our outdoor spaces.

As you can see I still need to bring in the umbrellas for the winter.

It’s time to say farewell to the cut flower garden. We spent the weekend pulling out most of the annuals and started replacing them with spring bulbs.

We have one more raised bed that still has some life in it for another week or so.

We harvested the remaining tomatoes from the garden on Friday. I have put them in paper bags with an apple inside to get them to ripen. Bananas work great too.

I literally had baskets of tomatoes. We’ll see how they do. It was a good year.

Many of the annual flower heads were saved so we can have seeds to grow next year.

I will miss all the gorgeous flowers both in the garden and in my home. I made 3 bouquets just last week for birthdays and a hostess gift.

Looks like I’ll have to make more trips to Trader Joe’s for flowers now.

As you can see by the looks of the purple asters, we have had some very heavy rainfall which is basically taking out the perennials like dahlias and asters.

I was smart enough to move the mums off the patio and under cover on the deck so they’ve been saved.

Garden Chores for the Remainder of the Month

These next two weeks will be very busy out in the garden. Here are just a few things I will be focusing on:

WHAT I’M LOVING RIGHT NOW

FROM THE BLOG

How to Make a DIY Fresh Magnolia Leaf Wreath

This easy-to-make DIY fresh magnolia leaf wreath is perfect for the fall season, as well as the holidays. I’ll show you how I incorporated not only magnolia leaves from the tree in our yard but mixed branches of all kinds and dried oranges… CONTINUE READING.

DIY Scrap Wood Pumpkin Tutorial

Are you looking for a fun and inexpensive DIY idea? You can make this easy DIY scrap wood pumpkin for fall using just a few scrap pieces of wood, and a broken tree branch. Step-by-step instructions are below…CONTINUE READING.

SHOP GARDEN SUPPLIES AND TOOLS

MY FAVORITE INSPIRATION AROUND THE WEB THIS WEEK

The recipe for these adorable mini pumpkin bundt cakes.

This vintage French Country Christmas tree.

This DIY will make the perfect spooky addition to your Halloween porch.

How to make DIY glitter pumpkins for glam fall decor.

This “no sew” DIY Pumpkin Pillow is right up my alley.

This fabulous fall picnic is just where I want to be.

These ideas for vintage Thanksgiving decorations are inspiring.

These soft pumpkin spice ginger cookies with brown butter icing look like the perfect fall treat.

Take a peek at Benjamin Moore’s color of the year 2024.

I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and let me know what you’d like to see on the blog! Thank you for being here.

Until next time,

Wishing a wonderful week ahead,

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