confessions of a plant killer

in rooms that i design, i always suggest my clients have at least one live plant.

(via breakfast at toast)

orchids are some of my favorites, but i also love palms for height, ferns for fullness and succulents for sustainability...especially for plant killers like me.

about 3 months ago, after all of the christmas decorations were down, i noticed that i needed some real, live green things in my house. when i comes to plants, i am no snob. if i can't find it at ikea or home depot, it doesn't live at my house.
of course, each time i bring home a plant, i tell myself the same things...
THIS time, it will be different.
i will take the time to find out exactly how to care for the plant.
i will fertilize.
i will water regularly.
i will NOT neglect.
i will NOT throw this plant away, a dry carcass dumped unlovingly and embarrassingly into my trash.
nope.
not this time.
not THIS time.

and yet...the sad evidence to the contrary:

 (this one is so dead, it is actually crispy!)

i am so sorry plants. i tried.
ok, so maybe i didn't.
but i MEANT to.
really, i did.

so, this time i am starting a little smaller, and going for a plant killers best friend:
succulents.
i was out and about last week and stopped by ikea and grabbed some succulents, pebbles and a small pot, and then stopped at crate and barrel where i spotted a cute little chalkboard herb pot. while i was there, i also spotted an unlikely plant holder in the kitchen department
---a footed soup bowl!

i thought it would be the perfect scale for a single succulent. i put a large handful of pebbles into the bottom if each container, placed the plant on top, and covered the top of the plan with more rocks.

the chalkboard herb pot is now in grady's room,
(uh, yeah---that says "avengers assemble".... just in case you thought my 8 year old
was writing swears.)

the ikea pot is in the family room,

and the footed soup bowl is on my husbands nightstand.

i am pretty confident i can keep THESE plants alive.
THIS time, it will be different....

****
one more confession....do you have a blog?
are you NOT loving the new blogger interface? i know they "introduced it a while ago, and i chose to use the old format, but now they are FORCING me to use the new one!
i am grumpy about it.
i feel like such an OLD lady trying to figure things out. i find  myself muttering things like
"well, it was perfectly fine before. why'd they have to go and move things around? harummmph!"

oh, and while i am confessing, i have to apologize for my lack of posting regularly over the last few weeks. i am still learning how to balance it all---
laundry
and blogging
and being there for my kids
and design work
and homemade dinners (sadly lacking as of late)
and keeping up with other blogs
and keeping the house clean
and answering e-mails
and taking time for myself.

there are  times when i realize that something has "gotta give"...and lately, writing a post for my blog has been that thing to "give". i guess at the end of the day, i don't want to feel like i HAVE to write a post. i want to WANT to write a post. i want to be excited about what i share with you.
i hope you understand. my passion for blogging and interior design hasn't' waned...just my ability to balance LIFE.
i should be a little more productive blog-wise over the next several weeks...grady's room is almost finished, and i am going to start working on the master bedroom in my rental house. i have also been asked to create an inspiration board for a party table for a new online magazine focusing on celebrations and gift giving. i came up with the inspiration, and my sketches and ideas are going to be realized and photographed. i am pretty excited!
so, i guess what i am saying is...thanks for sticking around.
it's good to feel back in the swing of things...