BACKYARD GARDEN TOUR 2013

If you are a follower of this blog, you know we had two huge disasters here in one day...I accidentally deleted the garden tour post ...then my computer totally crashed, taking all my pictures from Picassa with it.....wow it was so depressing...Well my great brother Larry and his incredible wife Mininna came to the rescue and fixed my computer..I can only imagine what a job...  it works perfect...they were able to save many of my pictures but not the ones from the Fullerton Beautiful Garden Tour...so it was up to me to recreate this post with new photos...Thank you all for being so patient...

Every year The Fullerton Beautiful backyard selects 8 homes to be on the Garden Tour....It was scary to think 600 to 700 people will be going through your backyard...but we are pretty adventurous...My first thought was how to share it with you on my blog....I have done many many posts during the years but never one on my backyard...Mr. S. suggested "just take those people on the tour too"...what a great idea so welcome to the backyard...

This is the second gate that actually enters the backyard, we are in the area where the potting bench is...you can see the Potting Bench post here after you enter you will see the Bird place....

This is  Bird Town where all the birds live and eat...it is outside my kitchen window where this picture was taken.it also has a water fountain on the wall the birds also enjoy....we pass this right after entering the gate then you come up on the side of the house until you reach the backyard...this garden tour is gonna be easy on your feet...

This is the deck to the left...love the deck, it is choice decking from Lowes...My brother Larry and his wife Mininna and Mr. S. built the deck a few years ago and it still looks perfect, no maintenance....

I usually don't have this many pots sitting around, but remember this is the garden tour, so you gotta have a few more flowers, right...

The fireplace is gas and makes for some cozy evenings with the feather pillows and warm covers and the perfect glass of wine...below is the larger eatting space and there is a little water fountain in the corner...

You can see the water fountain in the next picture...the birds sure do love the water features...

This is the rest of the deck and I designed this gazebo to be attached to the house and is off the living room.......the deck follows the lines of the pool...it was not an easy thing to design or built....

Those are some big trees and the squirrels really love to play chase up and down them ....These are some of the flowers the garden tour people just loved.....me too

The art on the fireplace is ever changing, I love the new outdoor art available now...this is actually three canvases...the larger scale one leaning on fireplace first is from pier 1, the second one with more flowers is from Hobby Lobby and the third small red and white one I painted to be a smaller scale of the pillows...

 If you find some old paintings you like and want to display outside you can always paint them with outdoor mod podge like I did the checkered one..so I guess you can make your own outdoor art...this close up will let you see the three pictures...

I wanted this fireplace area to look cozy and inviting like the Ivy Restaurant in Los Angeles...I love the ivy geraniums...

The fabric for the pillows is from Hobby Lobby and some from Walmart...the White cushions are Sunbrella...The view below is by our bedroom window looking back, this area has a larger water fountain and is wonderful to wake up to...

 You can see the fountain below...it was purchased many years ago and the flowers are so drawn to it...This fence sure needs some stain...oh well

 You can come on over and have a seat and rest awhile before you continue the tour...just enjoy the orange and yellow Lantana...

More flowers...of course

 One lonely little yellow flower....so sweet....

 You can spot Tina up by the couch, she is always watching out for something, I never know what...

More water fountain..

 I had to put this picture of this sweet young little boy sitting on the purch...doesn't he just look like a teenager who just woke up...lol

 Aren't these trailers the cutest birdhouses...my daughter Michelle gave me one of them and I found one at Tuesday Mornings....

We are on our way out...and yes I have stained that fence and gate since these pictures...wow it sure looks dried out...lol...never ends...

This is a last look back at the yard...thank you for coming...

Ahhh the sun is going down on this day and I think it's time to light a couple of candles and have that glass of wine we talked about....

Thank you for being  patient and I am so happy to finally get this Fullerton Beautiful Garden Tour post completed ...it's hard to try and recreate something you've deleted...

I am joining susan with between naps on the porch   savvysouthernstyle

I can't believe I deleted my garden tour post by accident....computer is now down please bear with me

THIS PLACE IS FOR THE BIRDS...

This is the neighborhood where Will and Grace live.  It is located outside my kitchen window...  It really is just for the birds..If you haven't heard of Will and Grace, they have a blog on my sidebar, in fact it was recently Grace's birthday I hope you didn't miss it ...feel free to catch up by clicking on the sidebar picture.....This is an up and coming neighborhood with new restaurants and pubs going up all the time.....Will and Grace live in the house with the tall roof...Ronald lives in the pale yellow house and Clarisa lives in the tiny house with the rock patio in front.....Will will be replacing his front walkway this week, he says it is just not inviting enough....

 This view is outside the den window at kind of an angle...you can see what a lively and colorful community it is..It's a busy place and the real estate business is booming, prices are through the roof...It's a good thing Will and Gracie got in on the ground floor, their house is old but very comfortable...

This is Clarisa on her porch having lunch....she always enjoys a good meal and is never distracted..." I hope  Ronald will stop by and join me for lunch before I eat it all".

You all know Jack, he prefers  this pub, Club 58... soon Karen will join him for some chit chat...you can see the doorman waiting for Karen...

Clarisa stops her lunch," whose there, someone is coming around the corner, who could it be this time of day...Ohhhh Hello Ronald..so happy you could join me"

Ronald has decided to pay Clarisa a little visit and being the lady she is has invited him to dine with her..."Try the fruit and nut mixture"...Ronald lives in the tall pale yellow house above clarisas..

Yummyummmyummmmyyummmm....."I could never turn down a meal with you my sweet"

 Jack is still at the Club 58 ...it has the brand he prefers, and Karen is always right behind...what a pair...

 This is the motel down the road a bit, I don't even want to know what goes on there, best to not even discuss the place...I hope they remodel soon....I think it would be a great Bed and Breakfast....

 This is a new restaurant that was just built...It hasn't been doing very well, not in this warm sunny area...

It is always to difficult to eat here, "Hello is anyone there"  "Can I get a drink, I am falling off this perch"....It doesn't even have a name...

 Something was missing, then one day I looked out and the place was as busy as a bee, what was different...

 Oh my gosh, what a difference the patio makes,,  "The Ivy."..wow the patio is to die for, anyone who is any one is at The Ivy...

 Can you believe the waiting line for lunch, "I can't believe we got in" Oh  Will you always get us in all the hottest places"

 Wow what a huge improvement, more gathering, chatting and everyone is trying to get in....this place is a flutter of activity...

He will just have to wait his turn...

.I hear another place called the Coffee Cup Cafe is coming, it is  all pink with roof top dining.... and  a killer view....really something to tweet about...lets take a peek, the rooftop seating is not open, but I just can't wait...lets go take a look..

There it is ...The Coffee Cup Cafe, "Oh I just love it, see it there... next door to Clarisa's house.."

Oh my gosh, they did paint it hot pink, have you ever seen such a thing....wow

This is Karen, she prefers to stick with Jack at the Club 58...I think she is in a daze by now....

Thank you for indulging me today, it is a beautiful spring day and the birds and flowers have taken me away...I will be doing more posts on my back yard as I am preparing for the Garden Tour in my city which is the 28th of April and I was very honored and excited my backyard was selected for these wonderful garden lovers to view...hope you can join me ...I will also take pictures of the tour when the guests arrive...Please leave a comment and I am trying to figure out a name for this Bird neighborhood, maybe you would have a suggestion...I sure hope so...It's a very exclusive area and does deserve a name....   I am joining SavvySouthernStyle   theshadyporch    betweennapsontheporch  romantichome

shabbyartboutique   thededicatedhouse

CHICKS AND EGGS

I have used some of my depression glass collection in this post.  The yellow glasses are from my friend Mary and the short pink glasses are from a lemonade set that belonged to my sister Bobby...There is a large platter in the center along with a pretty butter dish that also belonged to my sister Bobby...She always loved my tablescaping and would be the first to offer up anything she owned to add to any table.  I like to think as a big sister she was very proud of me...There is  a sugar and creamer I believe was also a gift from my friend Mary...these are just some of the pieces from a collection of many that I have used before..

The white charger is from Maryland glass company....The cute little casserole dishes are from Pfaltzgraff I purchased last year on line from their co....they have so many pretty little things...The green cabbage plates are Bordallo Pinheiro...they make great salad plates and also are so versatile they are wonderful for bringing to a garden like setting with their wonderful green leafy look...

These napkins I believe are from Pottery Barn and were purchased 2 years ago along with the napkin rings that are from a thrift store, I always liked the spring colors and the simple design.....

I have 4 of these little pink flower plates from the Goodwill many years ago...love their unusual design...

I sure got my moneys worth from these cookie chicks, they are from Albertsons in the bakery department and I just thought they were the sweetest ever.....I have already used them in 3 tablescapes,.The cookies were the only things that I purchased for this tablescape...yay for me...

If you are a follower of mine you probably have seen these place mats 20 times, they are so fun to use cause they have all the perfect colors and they are all a different pastel check...

This is a closer look of the sweet butter dish that was my sister Bobbys...she kept it  in her cabinet beside the dinner table, it was always with the pink lemonade set and I had always loved it all....My mom had already given me the pretty yellow lemonade set, so showing the pink pieces changes it up a little...

You can see the different colors in the place mats from this shot, there is pink, green, yellow and blue, what could be more perfect, plus they are washable

The wreath around the bunny's neck is from the Goodwill along with the Happy Easter sign from I can't remember...had to have it cause of the chick on the sign, maybe Big Lots...

Creating Easter springtime tables are fun and creative, I think I love the ones with the big fat chicks the best, so hard to find them....I like the bunnies too...

Thanks for indulging me this last Easter tablescape..it was a fun one and I loved using these little cassarole dishes, (I think they are really candy dishes) oh well I think I will use them for fruit compote...

Thank you so much for stopping by, hope you leave a comment, love hearing from you and I read each one...Don't forget to check out Will and Grace on my side bar and see what they are up to, they need some followers and I know you all will give them a boost...Keep a look out for their next episode when it is Grace's birthday...boy can those birds woop it up....I am joining The Tablescaper  between naps on the porch   tabletoptuesday  mariaelenasdecor   savvysouthernstyle