I don't have anything dramatic to share this week for Met Monday, but I thought I would show you some of the spring fluffing I've been doing out on the porch. A couple of weeks ago, I took the swing chain covers off the swing, tossed them into the hand wash basket of my 30 year old GE washing machine, poured in a smidgen of bleach and gave 'em a good wash. They hadn't been washed since they were first hung over 2 years ago, and truthfully, they still looked fine. But I figured with all the pollen, a wash couldn't hurt. That stuff you see on the floor...yep, pollen! So here's the swing..."neked" and minus it's covers. Looks very different, doesn't it?
Another Before:
We had a big storm roll through night before last...and it continued all day yesterday. The decks are a wreck. Today I bought a pressure washer from The Home Depot. I'm going to try my hand at pressure washing the decks and deck rails tomorrow...wish me luck! ;-) See those pots over there under the window. There are actually 3, but I had already started filling one when I remembered to take a "Before" pic. Things are looking pretty bare.
The start of the "After":
Here's the swing with one side re-covered with shiny, clean covers. The cushions are all inside the house, awaiting the end of this INTENSE pollen season. I read in the paper that this year is MUCH worse in the south because it stayed sooo cold so long here, so when everything finally did start blooming/pollinating, the plants all did it at once. INTENSE, indeed! You can see it on the floor behind the swing...and I vacuumed the porch about a week ago, so that's all new.
A little close-up for those of you who may be thinking about adding covers over your swing chains. They are actually cord covers I purchased from Hobby Lobby. They come in a gazillion colors. I didn't want them to "stand out." I really just wanted to make the chains "go away." So I went with an off-white/cream color.
At each end of the cords, there are several snaps so you can adjust how tight you need it on the ends. For my swing, I used four covers...one cover each for the long section of chain coming down from the ceiling.
Then I cut the other two cord covers in half and used the sections to cover the smaller sections of chain. The covers are a bit pricey, but they occasionally go on sale 1/2 off. If they aren't on sale, use one of Hobby Lobby's 40% off coupons. You can sign up to get those sent right to your e-mail inbox. They come in handy. :-)
There are a million and one snaps going down the length of the covers. You DO NOT want to goof up when snapping them and miss one...trust me on this! If you do, it's sort of like when you button your sweater up wrong...you have to go back and undo all your work and find where you goofed and start over from that point. Not fun. Of course, "I" would NEVER do something like that. I'm just telling you, so you can watch out. ;-)
All covered. Should be good for another two years, I'd say. :-) I know pollen season isn't over, but I miss my cushions/pillows, so I brought them back out for the evening. :-)
The Second part of our Metamophosis:
Here are the planters...all filled with geraniums. :-)
Recently, I attempted to set a "creative" tablescape for you guys...let's just say it involved a LOT of moss. You will not be seeing it until January 1, when I will be hosting our Blogging Bloopers party. Remember the Blogging Bloopers, 2009 post I published this past January? Hope you are you saving your "oops" pics for Blogging Bloopers, 2010? :-)
Anyway, when my chandelier installer walked out onto the deck to re-attach a screw I had undone on the gutter when I rescued the chipmunk, he stopped dead in his tracks when he laid eyes on my "moss" tablescape. After the shock wore off, he declared that my table looked like it was covered in shag carpeting!!! THAT did it, no way I was posting that tablescape! (LOL) So what do you do with bags and bags of moss from the Dollar Tree? It's now mulch for my geraniums. Let's just say, I have a lot of mulch!!! :-)
As I was vacuuming stuff down on the porch today, I took this pic to show you how bad the pollen has been. The left side of the shade had been vacuumed...the right had not been done, yet. Ewww! Aaawchoo!
Looking forward to seeing your Before and Afters:
Met Monday:
If you are participating in Metamorphosis Monday, please be sure to add your permalink below, 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, into the "url" box for the picture linky. You'll also need to put your e-mail address in, but don't worry, it will not be visible to anyone.
Please copy and paste the Met Monday logo button to your computer. Then you can upload it to your side bar and use it in your MM post so your visitors will know you are participating.
Please link back to the host blog, Between Naps on the Porch. This is important because it helps those who are visiting your blog, find the other wonderful "Before and Afters" posted for this Metamorphosis Monday.
Please do not add your link below, until your MM post is actually published to your blog.
A POLL for Bloggers Participating in Metamorphosis Monday and Tablescape Thursday each week: Please vote!
This evening, I added a poll near the top of the sidebar about InLinkz...the picture linky. Please vote and let me know your experience with this new system.
Thanks!
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