All Decked Out!

 Although Summer is rapidly coming to a close, today I am sharing my back deck in all it's Summer glory! Here in Northern Indiana we usually still have several weeks - if not even months - of beautiful weather left, so there is still plenty of time to enjoy deck time.

This year, I did just a few little things on my back deck to make it a little more summery, welcoming, and cozy. I didn't (couldn't) spend a lot of money or time, and it turned out wonderful. It's exactly what I was going for!

At the first sight of summer around here, up goes our green patio umbrella! We got our cute little patio dining set at Menards several years ago for less than $100! It has served us very well! It came with four nice chairs, a table, and the umbrella. It's living proof that you don't need to spend a lot of money to make your house a home!

I have been obsessed with colorful patio lights every since I was little and I have plenty! From pink flamingos and palm trees to multi-colored Chinese lanterns. But, this year, I decided to go clear. I'm really digging Edison Bulbs and all the plain, clear glass globe lights that are so popular right now. They cast such a gorgeous, warm glow and will carry over to Fall nicely. Just make sure to bring them in once the temps drop, otherwise they will break!

I would love a pergola to string my patio lights from, but I like my sunshine more! With nothing much to hang my lights from, I ended up hanging them from the gutters. I used very small 3M Command clips that I got on clearance and they worked like a charm!

This Summer I also decided that I needed a giant planter on my deck, chock full of flowers.  I ended up finding a cheap, large, faux terracotta planter. It was exactly what I had in mind. I filled it with hot pink petunias, white sunpatiens, purple trailing verbena, and a giant corkscrew plant stuck right in the middle! I followed the thriller, filler, and spiller method and it worked like a charm! I also added my tiny lawn flamingo I got in New Smyrna Beach, Florida last year for some extra tropical vibes!

 Although I am more than ready for pumpkins and other Fall decor, I am still not ready to give up Summer and warm, sunny days! I try to spend every minute I can out on my deck soaking up every last ray of sunshine!