Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly 106
Hi there!
I hope you had a great week!
Have I got a story for you today – because this was scary!
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Random Things Happening Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms
What a week it was!
Here’s What Happened…
To take a much-needed break, Chris and I went to Vermont for a few days.
We were having fiber optic installed at the cabin and wanted to start preparing our home for renters and the ski season.
About a month ago, we had a new propane gas stove installed in our home.
Because we wanted the connections double-checked by the gas company before using it, my husband met them in Vermont about two weeks ago.
The service guys walked around and checked some things and said it all looked good. So my husband ran the unit to keep the house warm as it’s our main heating source when he left.
After arriving on Thursday, there was a seriously heavy gas smell in the house. Chris carefully opened all the windows and doors, and I called the propane company immediately.
We had the dogs with us so I kept them outside and in the car while we waited for the gas company to arrive.
After about an hour, the service person arrived and checked the inside connections. He noticed there was a leak in one of the old connections. So apparently, when the first person checked the connections for a potential gas leak, he didn’t fully check the inside unit.
(Really glad we scheduled that appointment, drove all the way up here for it, for them to check and make sure there were no leaks, she says with a smirk and an eye roll.
We were fortunate that this second service person was able to repair the connection as quickly as he did. And he thoroughly checked inside and out for any other issues.
I’m thankful that we were extra careful when we arrived in Vermont because that was the first time we ran the unit and wanted to be sure there were no issues.
It was very scary. I’m so glad that we took extra precautions and called the gas company immediately upon arrival.
With that hiccup behind us, the new propane gas fireplace is a stunner and works very well.
We went out to dinner a few nights, started decorating for the holidays, and was able to enjoy the rest of our time at the cabin.
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In the Gardens
I wrapped up the fall gardening season with my last of the bulb plantings.
Better late than never I always say.
We haven’t had a killing frost here so I’m still cutting flowers from the gardens! I think we’ll see one this week though, so it all ends just before Thanksgiving.
What I’m Shopping For This Week
I spent a lot of time shopping for my new King of Christmas 7.5′ King Flock Christmas Tree.
My incredibly talented niece crocheted a tree skirt for me and I can’t wait to share how it all looks next week!
Most of the ornaments I bought locally from Morris County Farms, but I found some dupes that come pretty close so I’ll share them.
As an aside, if you are local and love Morris County Farms too, it sounds like they didn’t get everything they ordered for the holidays.
So if you typically shop their Christmas house, don’t wait to go.
Here’s what I shopped for this week!
- These wooden house ornaments are adorable, aren’t they? You can put them on a tree, decorate a shelf or add them to your favorite wreath.
- Speaking of wreaths, I LOVE this wreath pillow cover.
- And how cute is this fair isle sweater pillow?
- For a more subtle Christmas look in the sunroom, I am thinking about these kilim red pillows. What do you think?
- I am ordering this flocked wreath for my front entry to compliment my Christmas tree.
- For my dining room, I ordered a second set of these vintage gold bells.
- And finally, I bought a few sets of these silver-string starburst lights for the front porch.
A few of you have asked about the Christmas window in my former kitchen.
Those lights are fabulous right?
You can buy them here. They sell out quickly so if you want them, don’t wait.
And you’ve also had some questions about my older faux Christmas tree. I love my new flocked tree, but I have to tell you, this one might be my favorite.
The needles on it look really authentic, it has both white and multi-colored light options, a foot pedal to turn it on and off plus a remote!
I mean, does it get any better than having a remote for your Christmas tree?
The flocked one has a remote too, but I appreciate the different bulbs on this one so you can change the look depending on your mood.
If you are interested in this tree, they are having a huge sale. Buy now here before they sell out. And these trees will be gone quickly too.
But you also asked about the tree collar. It looks so rustic, right?
What’s Happening at Bricks ‘n Blooms
It was a fun week on the blog!
We wrapped up our 10 days of Christmas where my friends and I brough you daily inspiration to get psyched up and ready for the holidays.
From Christmas decorating ideas to gift-wrapping ideas, these posts have you covered with lots of creative and budget-friendly ideas.
The 10 Days of Christmas lineup included:
- Day 1 – Christmas DIY Ideas
- Day 2 – Front Porch Decorating Ideas
- Day 3 – Christmas Tree Ideas
- Day 4 – Christmas Table Decor Ideas
- Day 5 – Christmas Cookies and Sweet Treats
- Day 6 – Christmas Decorating Ideas
- Day 7 – Bloggers’ Favorite Christmas Idea
- Day 8 – Gift Wrapping Ideas
- Day 9 – Wreaths & Front Door Decor
- Day 10 – Winter Greenery
Also, if you plan to use fresh greens, learn how to stop the needle drop with my free guide and keep your greens looking fresher longer.
In addition to wrapping up the 10 Days of Christmas, I shared a beautiful blog post chock full of breathtaking fall garden photos.
From the front yard to the backyard and everything in between, wait until you see how gorgeous my new gardens looked this fall.
And finally, I shared my latest YouTube Video where we are coming out of the garden and into my sunroom so you can see the before, and the after and get the details on the transformation.
Amazing Inspiration from Around the Web
I love finding cool inspiration from around the web and wanted to share some of what I’m loving right now.
Probably my favorite Christmas inspo was from my good friend Rachel from The Ponds Farmhouse who shared these beautiful cedar and dried orange topiary trees that she made.
Aren’t they gorgeous???
My good friend Kim from Shiplap and Shells shared her best tips for decorating for the holidays in her beautiful cottage in the Pacific Northwest.
Kim decorates with a beautiful cottage style that I know you’ll love and her ideas for creating a cozy, festive look for the holidays.
Isn’t her pup the sweetest too?
And here is some more inspiration you’ve got to see!
These foraged Christmas decor ideas.
This DIY wreath idea for the holidays.
These Thanksgiving recipes saved a lot of money!
This antique door.
And these tips for updating any lamp.
If you enjoy these posts, you can find past Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly posts here.
And… If you’re catching up on blog posts you may have missed, be sure to sign-up to get my newest posts via email to stay up to date with everything that’s happening here on the blog and more.
About Me
Want to learn more about me?
I’m a master gardener who’s been gardening and growing things for over 25 years. With a deep passion for gardening, I enjoy helping others find their inner green thumb with all things plants and flowers, as well as find ways to bring the outdoors inside their homes too.
Get the inside scoop about my background as a master gardener, education, and experience, as well as why I started blogging.
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Enjoy a beautiful day! xo
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