Zinc Project

I haven't had much time to post about the kitchen remodel we are doing in Ojai...because I have been knee deep in drywall dust and flying paint splatters... etc etc

But here is a little shot of the kitchen before we started demo

It's not too bad...but the cabinets are old and the drawer fronts are pulling off and the tile is terrible and cracked and the lighting is horrible and the windows won't open and ...nothing major really

NOT!

Major horrible!

But I love this big commercial Fridge that I bought for the kitchen!

Its a Frigidaire glass front on wheels....gotta love anything on wheels right?!

You've seen these in your local deli or Circle K

It has no freezer or bins or fancy pull outs or much of anything on the inside

It's just a big old Fridge and I love it

To fancy it up a bit for the new kitchen I decided it would be nice to put a covering of metal on the sides and top

So being the kind of gal who loves herself a good, messy, sort of weird project that involves power tools, liquid nails and flying sparks...

I bought these big rolls of zinc

Now let me just say this...I could never have done this with out hiring someone who understands how to work with sheet metal

It's sharp, heavy and requires special tools

Here is how the fridge comes from the appliance store...

It has black shiny sides that are not that bad really,

 but since it can be viewed from all sides and is essentially free standing,

I thought cladding it in 

raw aged metal would be really interesting

First we cut down the metal sheets into 3 sections to fit the sides and top

The sheet were then glued to the fridge using a really strong commercial adhesive

I wanted some sort of trim around the sheet metal 

so we used raw steel angle iron for the edges 

and flat iron along the front

The iron edging was cut to fit with a saw and then welded at the corners

 to tie the whole fitted zinc skin together

It was really important to clamp the entire fridge on all sides and along the top with straps and clamps for 24 hours to be sure the adhesive would hold correctly

The edges are going to be left raw and will have an interesting patina over time 

 maybe even a little rust

You can actually patina the zinc with acid or cupric sufate  

if you want an aged look 

I will share the finished fridge project 

as soon as we are done!

I purchased the metal from a company called Roto Metals

Here are a few photos of projects done using their zinc products

 great tables

 this is an outdoor bar

 counter and table tops

 entry gates

wow is that cool!

 And these gorgeous range hoods

 The ideas are endless

Stay tuned for more!

Just a little Lovin' for a Monday Morning

because you are you

today is your day

to blossom

K

Sweet Pea Trellis

These are such a favorite of mine!

 I got a really late start on my sweet pea garden this year 

and thought I would try a new approach to trellising the peas

 Sweet Peas are so easy to grow and they are one of the most wonderful wildflower 

you can use in arrangements

 They happen to smell heavenly too

 I'm using a store bought trellis system with these nice  metal supports on both the top and the bottom of the trellis 

 Running string up and over each rod will give the pea tendril's 

something to grab onto

 You can find pea seeds in a variety of colors in the nursery 

for around 4 dollars

I typically buy the "mixed"  packets 

because you get a bit of every color 

I like to soak the peas over night before planting...

it sort of gives them a jump start

 The peas need consistent moisture in the first few weeks of planting

If they dry out...they're gone 

 I had so many peas last year at this time 

but the up side it that I will have peas 

in the early summer this year

Peas Please....

have a wonderful weekend

kelley

Container Gardening: Pretty Perennials

Container gardening is probably one of the most enjoyable 

ways to nurture your green thumb....

even if you think you don't have one

Typically most people think of using annuals in containers 

and as they outgrow the pot 

they usually end up dying or getting tossed in the trash 

Container planting with perennials allows you the opportunity to 

transplant or divide at the end of the growing season

 Even if you are a new gardener planting in containers can be a way to learn

 about how to use 

color, form, mass, texture and space.

These are all of the same elements that you use 

when doing a landscape on a much larger scale

More importantly,

 I think container gardening is really fun!

You pretty much get instant gratification 

for about an hours worth of gentle work

Here are a few combo's that I used 

in 3 medium to large sized pots

 A

Cistus (rockrose) a small dwarf cultivar with a light pink flower 

Lavendua (any variety)

Centaurea (Bachelors button) purple

Osteospermum, purple 

Scaevola

Dusty miller

B

Huchera Miracle (bright lime with peach)

Salvia coccinea "Brenthurst" peachy pink

Crainsbill  "tiny monster" purple

Crysanthemum, mini white

Dusty miller

C

Lantana sellowiana purple 

Cuphea "Carribean Sunset" orange

Argyranthemum violet

English Daisy, bright pink cultivar

Dusty miller

I added dusty miller 

to every pot just for a hint of grey

This little grouping of 3 pots has a mirror image of three more pots 

on the other side of the landing 

the lacy pinks, purples and peachy 

tones are really pretty together

and I couldn't resist tossing in a bit of orange...

one of my favorite colors in the garden

have a wonderful weekend

TGIF

kelley