I've had this Mary Englebreit Outdoor Companion book for about 10 years and I still go back and look at it regularly. Sorry the pictures are so bad. It's hard for me to scan books so I just took pictures of the pages. I love this patio table made out of a big bird house with a glass top.
And this birdbath made out of terra cotta pots turned upside down with a large saucer on top. Each pot is painted differently.
This is a cute house in Carmel, CA. If you ever come to Northern California, you must visit Carmel. It is so beautiful. There are so many cute cottages. I would live there if I could but the little, tiny cottages cost millions of dollars!
I love this gate. As I was putting this picture on here I remembered that I did an Inspiration Friday awhile back with this same type of gate.
I love the patio with the moss around the pavers (or whatever you call those things.)
I love the look of ferns and foxgloves together. Very cottagey! (spell-check says that's not a real word, but we know it is).
I used to have some pet doves. I always wanted a cage like this for them. Love this!
I love the plants trailing down the fence in the back. I would love to sit out here with all of you, enjoying a glass of some great California wine and some wonderful appetizers.
I would love to have a potting area like this! I love the pea-gravel on the ground. When I was little I used to go to the garden nursery with my parents. They had an old soda machine there, the type with the glass bottles that you pull out of the slots. I always used to get an orange soda and walk through the nursery paths, which all had pea-gravel. Funny, the weird things I remember from my childhood. Every time I see pea-gravel or drink an orange soda it just takes me back...
Ok, I am officially inspired to work on my patio this weekend. Hmmm, maybe I'll find a perfect potting typetable while yard saling for a corner of the yard like you show in that last picture....Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteTracey
Thanks for inspiring me to pull my copy of that book down off the shelf and re-read it this weekend.
ReplyDeleteGreat "Inspiration Friday" post. I have the same Mary Engelbreit book and I love it too.
ReplyDeleteThese photos are just beautiful...I need to buy the book (and she needs to send you some royalties!). This is exactly the look I would like for my garden to have...and that gate is my dream gate.
ReplyDeleteThank you for a wonderful post!
This is one of my favorite outdoor books! I have the indoor companion and the one for childrens rooms, too. Love them. My favorite picture in the book is actually of the white gate you featured here.
ReplyDeleteI participated in Inspiration FRiday this time, too!e
You have inspired me to try to visit Carmel, CA sometime! Also love visiting those beautiful pages you showed us! I need to put on my gardening gloves and get to work!! I must buy that book - I love it!
ReplyDeleteCindy,
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures.
I love Carmel, we have friends that live there.
I don't know if I mentioned to you, that my brother lives in San Ramon.
Have a great day and weekend!
Rosemary
That book's a fav. I've always wanted to do the birdbath project - maybe this summer.
ReplyDeleteManuela
This is so inspirational. I saw a glass top white metal table with two darling chairs that had white roses at an antique mall the other day. It would be great for our patio and I've kicked myself ever since for not getting it. It was $65 which seemed a lot to me at the time, as I was looking for something else. We're going back on Monday and if it is still there, it will be coming home with me. Your post definitely helped to make up my mind. xoxo
ReplyDeleteokay....THAT was my favorite home ever in that book!! It's the best.
ReplyDeleteSo, check out my blog today...great minds think alike. I love Carmel!!! My mind is already there...unfortunately I am not.
Hope you have a fabulous weekend!!
Lidy
Thanks for reminding me of my very favorite outdoor book! I'm gonna go dust it off and get me some eye candy inspiration! Thanks Cindy!
ReplyDeletePretty pictures! That is a great book...I especially love the circular garden gate.
ReplyDeleteCindy,
ReplyDeleteI have the same book! Just love it,timeless!
Hugs,
Carol
Wow great pictures. I especially love the birdhouse table...how neat. Thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures! I also had outdoor themed inspiration today.
ReplyDeleteFerns and Foxgloves...wouldn't that make a great blog name? It really is funny how you and Lidy talked about Carmel on the same day! I have that book and love it too.
ReplyDeleteI love the ME books. I need to add the garden book to my collection. I keep forgetting! I think the flower pot stand for the birdbath is so cute. Was always going to make one.....but never got around to it. I remember visiting a shop in Half Moon Bay that has the pea gravel walkways and some areas are filled in with sea glass. They had antiques in side and 'yard art' out back. Are you familiar with it? Nice inspiration, Cindy!
ReplyDeleteJust lovely. I really like that patio table and birdbath, great ideas. thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhen I posted about that book & Charlotte Lyons a short time ago, she mentioned that her old favorite house is in it z(as well as her fab writing.)
ReplyDeleteSee the one with the darling playhouse out back. That's her old house. It is so charming.
Love the book and like you, I've had it for a long time and pull it out this time of year.
Donna
What a lovely book!!!!
ReplyDeleteI adore this book and all the ME books. Especially THIS time of year, the outdoor book gets a work out!
ReplyDeleteOh how I loved staying in Carmel. We stayed at the Cobblestone Inn, one of the 4 sisters inns. It was wonderful and the city is just too perfect. I agree about wanting to buy one of those perfect cottages (And cottagey IS a word to me!) when I have an extra million or two lying around I will do just that! *laugh* But I can drean until then....
Cindy? Those are your drawings?? Oh how wonderful they are! You ARE so talented! Really!
Hugs,
Sue
Yup, made me pull out my copy too. My dad made me a copy of the "moon gate" on page 33 for my garden in our old house. Hadn't thought about it in years, I miss that gate.
ReplyDeleteIf I haven't told you before, I love your blog and think about Martha's Vinyard now all the time. Your photo's are inspired.
Stop by and visit my blog if you get a minute, seems like we have a lot in common. Sue
I have all of the Home Companion books and haven't looked at them in quite awhile. Thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteI have to get a copy of that book. That's awesome! Those pictures are just beautiful. I especially love the ferns and foxgloves, what a classic! ~A :-)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, love this book too. The "moon gate" was my inspiration several years ago but had to go with a curved arbor and gate as nobody could construct the circle for my budget! Fibre glass versions are available but very expensive too and I really prefer natural elements such as wood. Love mine though and it's now covered in trumpet vine and roses which I had to trim yesterday!
ReplyDeleteI also have this book... love ME. I have saved all her old magazines too. Well at least all the ones I was smart enough to have bought. Too bad we lost that magazine...
ReplyDeleteBut, I was over at her blog just the other day. It inspired me to include some of my "Mary stuff" in yesterdays blog. Go take a peek ;)
Bunny Jean