This Hydrangeas 101 Guide will give you everything you ever wanted to know about hydrangeas! We’ll talk about the different types of hydrangeas and how to choose the best variety of hydrangea for your yard, planting and growing tips, when to prune hydrangeas (this is crucial!), sun requirements, how to change the color of blooms…
Who doesn’t love fresh flowers all year long? I love cutting flowers from my garden and bringing them inside but did you know that when and where you cut hydrangeas can determine whether or not you’ll get blooms next year! I’m sharing my hydrangea fall tips … so you can cut and dry hydrangeas for…
To know me is to know I love hydrangeas. But for the last few years, my hydrangeas have not bloomed because the first year my husband let a “landscaper” prune my hydrangeas (I actually cried) at the wrong time of year and the other years spring frosts killed the buds. So every year, I cross my…
If you’ve ever asked yourself, Why aren’t my hydrangeas blooming?, you’ve come to the right place. Learn how to prevent winter kill on hydrangeas. If your hydrangeas look like dead sticks, read my winter kill hydrangeas care tips. This article also discusses ways to protect hydrangeas from cold because winterizing hydrangeas is important for the…
My Limelight hydrangea growing tips tell you everything you need to know to grow these beautiful, sun loving perennials in your garden. As you may have guessed, I have a thing for hydrangeas. If one hydrangea is good then 22 hydrangeas are better. So when I decided to take the very back of my back…
This post is filled with information on when to prune hydrangeas. You will learn how to identify the type of hydrangea you have, old wood vs. new wood and what that means and exactly when to prune each type of hydrangea. Whether you are a beginner gardener or already have a green thumb, there is…
How to Dry Hydrangeas
I have more collections than I can count, but one of my absolute favorites is my collection of trophies and vintage loving cups. I’m sharing creative loving cup display ideas and a little history behind these beauties. Often engraved with the occasion, the date, and the winners name, they are a piece of the past…
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! What’s not to love about fall? The perfect weather, the colorful foliage, not to mention it’s sweater and boot season! A change of seasons is the perfect time to do a little decor refreshing. I’ve gathered some of the most beautiful fall mantels that exude coziness. So…
One of my favorite things to collect is vintage art. I have amassed quite a bit of silhouettes over the years and some were in storage so I decided they all needed to be displayed together. I created a unique way to display a vintage silhouette art gallery wall and I’m loving the way it…
No visit to the New York Finger Lakes would be complete without a visit to the charming little town of Aurora, New York (voted the #1 resort in NY state)! Founded in 1789 on the shore of Cayuga Lake, Aurora holds a National Historic District designation. In this Travel Guide Aurora New York Finger Lakes,…
We’ve all seen those over-the-top inspirational photos of fall porches overflowing with 195 pumpkins and mums. While those images are incredibly beautiful, they’re not attainable for most people (including myself). Last year, I sold or donated most of my fall decor and I’ve been focusing on using what I have instead of running out and…
It’s that time of the week when I share all the things I am loving plus peeks into my home, and updates on what’s going on in my life all with a bit of humor. DILL YOU PICKLEBALL? I took my first official pickleball lesson and love it! I bought these $5 pickleball paddles at…
It’s time to embrace our hotness! We 40 and 50+ women are HOT … literally (these hot flashes are no joke)! But instead of focusing on the negatives of aging (sleeplessness, weight gain, chin hairs!), let’s focus on the positives (clearer priorities, less worrying about what people think of us, more time to pursue dreams…
It’s time to plant peonies! I’m sharing everything you need to know to grow gorgeous peonies. Learn how to plant peonies so they bloom and reward you with tons of flowers every spring! These peony care tips are great for any level gardener. Peonies! One of the first blooms of summer and an easy care…
Are you looking forward to spring as much as I am? I’m counting down the days until spring planting season which means I’m also making plans for my patio and porch and it’s always fun to find the perfect pots to show off favorite plants. It seems that I have a thing for things with…
Is it wrong if you forget to celebrate your own anniversary?! I can’t believe it’s been 11 years since I started this blog (I published my first post on September 21, 2011). Tastes change and styles evolve over time so I thought it would be fun to not only create a brand new fall mantel…
Welcome pumpkin spice lattes, leather boots and crunching leaves underfoot – I’ve been waiting for you! I’m sharing 7 fall home decorating tips to easily transition your house from summer to fall. These affordable ideas will get you to think outside what people typically consider fall decor and inspire your creativity! There’s something about a…
Move over heat and humidity and make way for pumpkin-spice everything! If Fall is your favorite season, you’re in good company. Did you know that more than half of Americans are happiest in the Fall? I’m sharing the top 30 Fall favorites plus insight into what loving fall says about you! So break out those…
When you have mushrooms growing out of the splintered, rickety, old wooden table that you got for free, you know it’s time to replace it! For years, I have been on the hunt for an outdoor dining table and chairs that I love. While I like the look of real wood, I’m an outdoor furniture…
Eclectic Home Tours Let’s Collect Let’s Decorate My Home Latest posts Hi there! I’m KELLY Welcome to Kelly Elko! Here you’ll find inspiring decorating ideas, holiday inspiration, gardening tips, vintage thrift finds, travel, and so much more. Read more… My home tour thrifting decorate Looking for something specific? Don’t miss a thing! Get my latest…
Whether you have a tree that provides so much shade that grass won’t grow under it, a tree with exposed roots sticking out of the ground, or you just want want to beautify the ground beneath your trees, I have the solution! I planted a gorgeous, flowering ground cover under my cherry blossom and it…
They bought a run-down cottage built in the mid 1700’s on the tip of Cape Cod but soon discovered that it had practically no foundation and was hanging on for dear life to tree stumps in the sand! They didn’t let that deter them and went about restoring this old sea cottage while making sure…
Two of their kids went to college in Maine and that’s when she fell in love with the state, its people and way of life. Today’s Eclectic Home Tour is the stunning coastal home of Molly in Maine. She says, “we bought a view with two tiny rundown seasonal cottages attached to it!” She’s turned…
I’m also not the type of person who decks my halls in wall to wall hearts for Valentine’s Day! But I do love simple little seasonal touches around the house and quick and easy ways to celebrate fun occasions. I’m sharing some of my favorite simple Valentine ideas including creative ways to use vintage finds,…
Happy Halloween! Welcome back to Extra! Extra! 4, the place where I share all the things that I’m loving this week. Today, I’m sharing some of the cool things I saw on my trip to DC to visit my daughter (we stayed in an old bank turned hotel!), a show I just finished watching and…
Welcome back to Extra! Extra!, the place where I share all things inspirational that I love and hope you will too. Today, I’m sharing two major thrifting outings with two different friends and you are not going to believe this wildly unbelievable story that I can’t wait to share with you! Now, onto what I’m…
You’re invited into my backyard for my summer patio tour in pics and I even made a fun little video at the end of this post so don’t miss it! Just like the interior of my home, my patio is a blend of vintage and modern. I love nothing more than hanging out on my…
Today is my birthday and since there is still snow on the ground here in NJ, I decided to give myself a birthday gift with a little spring makeover to brighten my spirits. Can you believe spring is officially only two weeks away? I had so much fun using what I have in new ways…
They rented a beach house next door for years, and always thought the overgrown set of cottages behind the Oriental Bittersweet and Honeysuckle were so quaint. Built as fishing cabins in the 1940’s, the daughter of the original owners built the artist studio all by herself! When the owners decided to sell, Matt Albiani & Ron Brand…
During the Great Depression, citrus fruit was considered a luxury and you were lucky if you got one in your Christmas stocking! Today, it’s fun to decorate with dried orange slices (and other citrus). I’m sharing how to dry citrus slices including oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit and more because each one needs a different drying…
Saturday night, I had a few friends over and I could not have asked for a more perfect fall night! I thought it would be fun to share my fall patio tour not only in photos, but also a short video. I hope it makes you feel like you’re right there with me! I’m not…
I just returned from a two week getaway and was feeling so motivated to cozy up my little family room for fall. If you have a small room where furniture rearranging is out of the question, I’m sharing my favorite ways to get a whole new look just by changing out a few key accessories…
A tisket a tasket, a vintage Adirondack basket. See how I made a unique basket wreath for my front door using an old trapper basket. Whether you refer to them as “Adirondack baskets,” “pack baskets,” “trapper baskets,” or “basket backpacks,” they have been around for centuries and I learned some very interesting Adirondack basket history…
I love my kitchen as much today as I did when we renovated 11 years ago. I always have fun decorating this blank slate and adding fun seasonal touches. For fall, I added an assortment of vintage finds that add so much personality. I am so excited to share my colorful vintage ashtray display. Pull…
Fall decorating doesn’t mean you have to run out and buy a patch of pumpkins or a field of mums. I love using what I have and displaying vintage finds in unexpected ways. I’m setting a fall mood with warm colors and time worn pieces. I also gathered up all of my vintage landscapes and…