It’s Flag City Around Here!

Welcome to the 311th Metamorphosis Monday! If you are participating in Met Monday (a blog party that’s all about Before and Afters) please don’t forget to include a link in your post back to today’s party so your readers will find the other participants who have also linked up. Please do not link up a post you’ve just previously linked up in the last 2-3 weeks since readers will have already seen that post. Thanks!

Colorful paint markings and flags galore, that describes my front yard right now. The electric, cable, gas and water lines have all been identified and clearly marked for the digging that will be taking place today. It promises to be a busy day!

Landscape Updates 1

 

This area in front of the house will be seeing a change. The shrubs that were in this bed were removed during the fall since they weren’t evergreens and became naked, stick bushes during the winter. Not a great look for the front of the house.

Waterfall Japanese Maple

 

Now that the maple has gone dormant, it will be transplanted to a different location in preparation of adding evergreen shrubs in the spring. They’ll have to be super careful digging in this area today since that’s where the water line comes into the house. The tree will be hand-dug out.

It would be much cheaper to just cut it down, but I hate to do that so I’m going to try transplanting it. I’ve been told Japanese Maples normally take transplanting well. I’m keeping my fingers crossed it will do okay if I keep it watered well this winter.

Landscape Updates 4

 

The 4 tree-form Savannah Hollies, 3 Leyland Cypress trees and 5 Double Mint Gardenias that were planted in the fall are all doing great.

Landscape Updates 2

 

There will be a whole lot of digging going on today. See the brown thingy that’s attached to the gutter? It will be disappearing along with all the other above-ground gutter extensions. All the downspouts will be piped out and hidden underground. I’m really looking forward to those vanishing since they aren’t the most attractive thing(s) to see laying in the yard.

This work is all being done now so I can get busy installing evergreen shrubs this spring. I hope I’ll be able to find some good size shrubs for the beds across the front. I’m looking forward to sharing the landscape changes with you this spring. If you would like to see a tentative plan that I’m following, you’ll find it here: The Landscape Plan

Landscape Updates 3

 

Finally, A Bed Skirt!

The other thing that’s happening around here this week, the completion of my winter bedding is finally getting underway. Now that the holidays are behind us, a seamstress will be coming out on Tuesday to measure for the dust ruffle she’ll be making to go with the winter bedding. Since I’ll be using this bedding during the winter months for many, many years and since the bed skirt is such a significant feature of the bedding, I’ve decided to have it professionally made.

You may remember when I faked it and gave you a sneak preview in this post: Dressing the Bed in Tartan, Ralph Lauren Inspired.

I’m looking forward to having a real bed skirt in a few weeks. What projects are you working on around your home?

Tartan Bedding, Ralph Lauren Style_wm

 

Looking forward to seeing all the wonderful Before and After for this Met Monday!

Met Monday

 

If you are participating in Metamorphosis Monday, you will need to link up the “permalink” to your MM post and not your general blog address. To get your permalink, click on your post name, then just copy and paste the address that shows up in the address bar at the top of your blog, into the “url” box for InLinkz.

In order to link up, you’ll need to include a link in your MM post back to the party so the other participants will have an opportunity to receive visits from your wonderful blog readers.

Please observe these few rules:

Only link up Before and After posts that are home, gardening, crafting, painting, sewing, cooking, DIY related.

Do not link up if you’re doing so to promote a website or product.

Do not link up a post that was just linked last week since a lot of readers will have already seen that post.

Please do not link up more than 2 Before and Afters each week. Thanks!

*If a post is sponsored or a product was provided at no charge, it will be stated in post. Some links may be affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. *



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Comments

  1. trying to finish up some projects from last year before I get started on the 2015 list.

  2. Can’t wait to see the transformation happening in your yard…When we built our home, not being used to the colder climates and deciduous plants and trees, our builder guided us on planting evergreens in the front yard. Also, anxious to see your new bedskirt too!!! Thanks for hosting and have a great day Susan!

  3. I can’t wait to see your new landscaping finished Susan, we are going to be doing something similar in the coming months. Our landscaping is over 20 years old, and some of the bushes look very tired! Are you worried about freezing weather? Thanks for the party today~

    • Not too worried. The things I’ve been planting are supposed to be cold hardy and most have been in the ground a few months now. Hope we don’t get an ice storm, though…just the same. Thanks, Jenna!

  4. Susan, you certainly are ambitious! It seems like just yesterday you were doing lots of digging and what not in your yard!! Can’t wait to see the results. Thank you for the party, and have a great week!

  5. Oh I bet you are excited about getting all that stuff buried and to finally be getting the bed skirt made! Details…details!! Thanks for hosting!

  6. Can’t wait to see your yard this spring, Susan! Thanks for hosting!…hugs…Debbie

  7. Thanks for hosting Susan! I can’t wait to see your landscaping this spring! I can’t wait to see your custom made bedskirt.

  8. Thanks for hosting the party. Happy New Year to you!

  9. Love, Love, Love, the inspiration of your Ralph Lauren Bedding. Can’t wait to see your bed skirting and your new landscaping!
    Wishing you a very good week!
    Take care!

  10. Oh my gosh, Susan! You are one brave woman to have that digging going on today! Best wishes for a smooth operation. This kind of stuff totally scares the bejeebers out of me (being near water lines). Hope it’s a great week, and thanks for the party.
    Rita

  11. Thank you so much for hosting each week Susan! Best of luck on a smooth dig. Have a wonderful day:)

  12. Thanks so much for hosting, Susan. I can’t wait to see the afters! 🙂

  13. Happy digging Susan – I can only imagine how gorgeous it’s going to be in the Spring !
    Thanks so much for the party !
    Hugs
    Suzan

  14. Smart idea to have those downspout extensions buried. I imagine you are using the tubing that has the holes in the sides that will act like a French Drain? You may have already thought of this but if not think about putting a small metal screw on either side of the downspout that goes through the tubing into the spout. My hubby did this and it keeps the tubing right where you want it to be. So happy to read that you are having that gorgeous Japanese Maple moved vice cutting it down. As you said plenty of watering should be the key to a successful transplant. I know you are so glad that it is time for work on your bed skirt to begin. I love the plaid and may try to find something similar in a blue to go with the blue toile wallpaper in my master bedroom. Do they even make a blue plaid…it will be fun to search the internet and see what I can find. Vikki in VA

    • I asked the landscaper who is doing the work about those and he said that wasn’t what I would need. He said French drains are good where you have a lot of water accumulating in a certain area of a yard or around a house causing it to be too wet. Since this is just for the gutters, he’s piping it all the way to the backyard to the tree line so it won’t deposit the water anywhere near the house or in the yard.

    • Vikki, blue plaid sounds really pretty! I love that idea!

  15. Can hardly wait to see how the landscaping turns out! It will be gorg I am certain!
    Thanks for the the party and the work you put into it!

  16. I need to plant trees at our house. Just worried I’ll spend the money and they will die. I don’t trust my landscaping and gardening skills. Thanks for hosting.

  17. Hi Susan, thanks for the party! I’ve always lived where we have cold winters with lots of snow and the ground frozen solid 3 feet deep. So weird for me to imagine doing yardwork during this time like you’re having done. Liz

  18. Rattlebridge Farm says

    It’s fun to follow along with your garden renovation! Love your plaid bedskirt. Your room looks warm, inviting, and elegant. Have a great week!

  19. And then you have to wait for them to ‘grow up’. We landscaped when we built but I didn’t know what I wanted waay back then. Our backyard is going to require a lot more attention. Thanks for the party!

    • I know, I wish I could find really big shrubs like I did for my last house…they were huge and looked like they had been there for years. But they would be hard to plant by myself it they are too big…I’d still try it, though. lol Thanks, Jan!

  20. That is one HUGE multi-faceted project you have going!! I was going “cross eyed painting out a copper gem flowered mirror (hundreds of copper embellishments!!!) with a tiny “water color” paint brush to coordinate with the new chandelier (antique brass) in a guest bedroom. Oh, my aching neck! The black really does make it look so much better now. We just installed 4 new “chandies” and my “love-slave” says, “that’s IT!!” 🙂 franki

  21. Thanks so much for the party each week!!

    Hugs,
    Deb

  22. I’m jealous that you can actually see your grass! We likely won’t see anything but snow for several more months. Excited to see your landscaping in the spring!

  23. How exciting! Now you get to plan it out in your head and on paper before installing 😉

  24. Looks like a big undertaking! It will be exciting to see how it all turns…I’m sure it will be wonderful. Thanks so much for hosting! Jane

  25. I am looking forward to seeing the changes in your garden and the new bedskirt too. Thanks for hosting!

    Big Texas Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

  26. Susan thanks for hosting before an after’s, I haven’t been crafting or doing any DIY , so hoping it’s ok to post before and after recipe’s, like the ingredients then the final results. I also was happy to see that you ask not to link up post that have already been posted before, we link up with several linky parties, and see a lot of wonderful, creativeness, but when it goes around to several linky parties, then goes around again, it is a little confusing. But maybe that’s just me, hahaha. Loving the new bedding! And can’t hardly wait till spring when everything turns green again and all your hard work really shines!!!

  27. Best wishes with your landscaping. We had good luck transplanting a large Japanese maple. We got directions online. followed them and kept our fingers crossed. Hope all goes well for your JM too. Thank you for hosting. Looking forward to an afternoon cuppa tea and a nice browse through the party.

  28. As I write, my husband is pruning the bushes and trees around our property. He’s digging up the currant bushes to replant and I was cleaning off my billboard to the entry of my kitchen (a board for family pictures and grandchildren’s “gifts”). The bed has a new pillow and bedspread. I already wrote three articles (contest entries) to a magazine. To me thats an accomplishment I have wanted to do for years but been too chicken to do.

  29. You are one busy girl! It will all look fabulous when you’re finished. Thank you for hosting the linkup. laurie

  30. Good luck with the landscaping, Susan! I bet it will be gorgeous come spring. I am pea green right now though, because even all that brown would be better than digging in the white stuff we have here! 😉 Thanks for the party!

  31. Susan can not wait to see how your landscape turns out. I know it will be beautiful!

  32. Susan, it sounds all so very exciting! Looking forward to seeing the progress. Thanks for hosting. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

  33. Thanks for hosting the party! Your landscaping plans look exciting. We have six inches of snow here, so thoughts of planting are so far away… Have fun!

  34. HOLY COW…that is probably the most beautiful bed and bedding, ever !
    I pinned it, saved it and hope to copy it. 🙂
    Tell me how to get a tall bed like yours…risers of some sort..?
    Hi, Susan..:)
    Hope you are doing well. Been awhile since I came visiting..I almost lost my original blog…started another and got too far into it when I discovered how to revive my original….just stuck with the new one. Lost over 1700 followers and was sad about that. It’s ok, tho…all is well. 🙂
    Come see me when u can…
    xo bj

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