Portland's Japanese Gardens

I've never been to a "real" Japanese garden before...this one didn't disappoint, it was breathtaking.

Quiet pathways led you to special spots.

There were authentic structures...

...and rock gardens. 

Do you see the man and his "rake" on the right side of the photo below? He was actually making the checkerboard pattern. 

The patches of grass were representing sake and cup.

There were soothing waterfalls...

...and quiet resting areas.

Our day was a bit overcast, however this trellis was a treat to see.

 

It was another great day!

Rose City...Portland, Oregon

Before our trip to the Pacific Northwest, I had NO idea Portland was considered the Rose City.

However, after a trip to the Rose Gardens, it was apparent that the climate of this area was perfect for growing roses.

This was the little building that greeted us as we entered...ok, it was the restrooms, but they were the prettiest little restrooms you've ever seen!

The morning dew was still on a few special roses.

There were so many different varieties...

And, some of my favorites...climbing roses.

Enjoy!

Apparently there is a festival, the past queens' names were hand written!

As we continued our stroll, there was a special surprise.

It was a very calm and tranquil place.

Another special memory of our trip.

A bit of Traveling...

Can you guess where we went? 

Yep... Portland, Oregon.

It was our first trip to the Pacific Northwest and very special treat.

The sights were beautiful, the weather was perfect, and the sun was shining!

The above picture was taken at the Saturday Market...the representative said that the artists used all local themes and materials for the sign.

I thought it was a perfect way to begin this travel log.

Our first official stop was one if the many parks, Mt. Tabor.

My son is standing next to the massive trees for a bit of perspective.

The paths were easy to follow with my "street" shoes and well traveled by bikers as well.

There were different routes for different destinations...

...and plenty of beauty to digest.

One of the neatest surprises were the hydrangeas that grow wild.

There were a variety of colors...

...and sizes...

...all showing their glory.

Thanks to J and T for being amazing hosts!

Stay tuned!

It Worked!

disclaimer:

I am not a professional painter nor do I sell anything I make. I'm just an average person who loves to try things on her own and find alternatives to ignite my imagination!

Ok...with that said, I tried chalk paint...not the famous brand...a homemade batch. I don't have a stockist close to me, so I thought I'd give the "knock off" formulas a try. And do you know what? I think it worked! (I haven't used the "real" stuff and I'm sure it's amazing.)

I found my formula searching through the internet. You can find it here. It was very easy...I used paint I already had and bought Plaster of Paris at Home Depot. I did splurge on a new paint brush: Purdy. I must admit it was worth the price; if you haven't used them before, you might want to give this brand a try.

All this to say, I have a few large pieces that will soon need repainting and before I tackle the "big" jobs,  I thought I'd give this paint a trial run:

I picked up this plant stand at GW for a few dollars...it was in need of some attention.

Following the above formula, I mixed the Plaster of Paris and water then added paint. 

It looked like the examples on line...so far so good.

On the left is one coat...on the right is two coats.

After the final coat it looked better.

The finish is "chalky" due to the Plaster of Paris. You could stop at this point, that's what's so neat about this stuff...very versatile.

However, 

I wanted to try distressing:

The paint worked very well...it stuck to the wood without any priming or sanding. And when I did sand, only the paint that was roughed up came off. 

As I said before, I think it worked!

 After distressing, I did add wax to seal everything...it was easy too and gave the piece a slight gloss.

(With the help of the salesperson at Home Depot, she suggested I use Johnson Paste Wax. 

It was great and worked just fine.)

If you'd like to try this yourself and have any questions, just send a question via the comments. 

I have another piece I'm going to experiment with...

 I'll keep you posted!

I'm joining Metamorphosis Monday over at Between Naps on the Porch. Be sure to drop by for loads of inspiration!