Thursday, November 29, 2012

Bulb Wreath

I'm in wreath making mode! Today I made a bulb wreath. It's my first attempt and was not as easy as it looked. Here is my step by step.  I took a coat hanger.


Then I unscrewed the top half.


















 Then I glued the tops on! Don't forget this part or the bulbs will all fall off.
I also did a large dot of glue and glued the first one on at the top where it curves.






 20 Minutes and about 70 bulbs later there you have it! Try thrift stores and the dollar store for cheap ornaments!



























































































































Wednesday, November 28, 2012

4 Dollar Christmast Wreath

I went to the family dollar on Sunday and came up with this idea for a wreath.
 The whole thing cost me 4 dollars! I got the ornaments and swag for 2 dollars and the twine wreath form was a dollar.
 I went to joannes and looked at the foam wreaths and they were 5 bucks each for a much smaller form. I just got up and added another ornament to the left side were it looks a little bare. I got out the glue gun and glued the swag to the form waited about 2 minutes for it to dry and then added the ornaments and accessory's. That's it! I have some left over ribbon from the mini mouse ornaments. So I may use that to hang it up!




Monday, November 26, 2012

Ah Pinterest


So I have decided to actually do a ton of things I have had pinned. What's pintrest for if not random holiday crafts?
I decided to try this one. My grand-niece loves mini mouse and these are adorable. The link didn't give a tutorial so I got creative.

I have never seen black ornaments? So I picked up some red ones at the dollar store. They were actually left over from my 4 dollar wreath project I will post tomorrow! I also didn't add the dots but may later. Here is how I did it:

Dollar store red ornaments
Black Glitter
school glue
black poms
polka dot ribbon

  I put the black glitter in a disposable white bowl.
Then I poured craft glue into another bowl. I dipped the top of the ornament into the bowl of glue and then into the black glitter and smoothed out the excess and made a defined line. Next time I may tape off the bottom part to prevent drips and make a more defined line.

I sat on the bowl with the glue so it's a little smushed whoops!
I waited about an hour for the glue to dry a little and then it's time for the ears. I put the top back onto the ornaments and broke out my trusty glue gun.












                 See glue gun and poof! I added the ears and then made a little bow with the ribbon and attached that to the front and viola! My version of the mini mouse ornament. I may add some white dots on the red part as the rhinestones were like 5 bucks a box and I wasn't that committed to spending cash. The whole project was less than the rhinestones alone.

jojoba oil for your hair!

Now my hair is super blonde it is also super dry. I you remember a few months ago I played around with Listerine for hair growth with meh results. While it felt good and tingly it dried my hair out more and I found no real growth from it. So doing a bit more research I got some rosemary oil  and jojoba and mixed the two together. I got some trader joes jojoba and some Rosemary Oil.

About once a week I comb it through damp unwashed hair and go to bed. The result? Soft shiny no longer brittle and dry hair. The growth has also been kicked up a notch. My hair went from just above my shoulders to just past the shoulder blades. All in two months and that is fast growth for me and my hair had stalled growing before that. The science behind it is that the oil cleans your scalp and moisturizes hair and the rosemary oil stimulates the scalp with a wonderful sent and tingle. Added bonus of the smell of rosemary oil
it increases concentration it stimulates mental activity and is a good remedy for depression, mental fatigue and forgetfulness. So go out and get some oils ladies. Let me know how it works!

Thursday, October 11, 2012

tattoo

Getting a tattoo at someones house is not the best idea. For forty buck at 21 I decided it was. Here it is.
Faded and crooked and all around crappy it was time for a redo. Not to mention I was told the first artist went so deep on the wings he chipped the bone. So I went to redemption tattoo. My brother and several friends had gone there so I knew the quality of the work. Here is the new tattoo. Well new last year. The picture quality isn't great as I took it myself using my phone.
The artist really took his time making sure it looked perfect. He must of drawn it a million times and I love how it came out. I may go back soon for a touch up and perhaps add some color to the outer petals.



Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Flowers!

Peony's in a pot!
Not sure what this is, but it is growing out of the cracks in the concrete in the backyard and is beautiful!
Wordless Wednesday!

Friday, July 6, 2012

Bucket List

While I feel vulnerable posting a very private list in a very public place, I feel it may be the kick in pants I need to start making some changes in my life. I was inspired by this website. Check it out he has some great and no so great ideas and that is what life is about isn't it?
On to the list in no particular order....
  1. Become debt free ( something I have been struggling with forever) 
  2. Go back to school or take a certificate course
  3. Find a job that leaves me time to breathe ( If you know me personally you know I always have a million all hours of the day and night jobs) DONE!!!
  4. Update this blog weekly for a year ( That's right folk's no more months at a time between posts)
  5. Find a natural way to control my ADD and depression ( I don't like the idea of drugs and sucking it up clearly isn't the way to go either. I need to find a balance)
  6. Take the master gardening course 
  7. Fall in love 
  8. Learn to make mistakes and be O.K. with them 
  9. Start a family ( Be an awesome parent)
  10. Visit my family in England 
  11. Visit Alicia in Pa
  12. Visit Cassandra in VA 
  13.  Learn how to properly clean and maintain a house hold ( those who know me also know this is a  struggle for me) 
  14.  Find an exercise regimen that doesn't make me want to kill puppies
  15.  Eat Vegan at least once a week ( less pizza and burgers more veggies) 
  16.  Get Married
  17.  Take one day a month for myself spend the day doing things I want to do not what I feel I have to do
  18.  Learn to drive a stick shift and not kill the clutch while doing so 
  19.  Take a pottery class
  20.  Purge one useless item every day for a year 
  21.  Spend a weekend in New York with friends
  22.  Do tough mudder
  23.  Own a house
  24.  Plant and harvest a vegetable garden- DONE
  25.  Go hiking 
  26.  Go scuba diving 
  27.  Take a vacation and not worry about work and money the whole time
  28.  Quit smoking 
  29.  Save 1000 dollars
  30.  Take CLEP
  31.  Read more watch tv less ( I am very very behind in my one book a week for year challenge) 
  32.  Win an award/ certificate of recognition
  33.  Get my real estate license ( Again) 
  34.  Go horseback riding ( I have been missing doing this for a while) 
  35.  Participate in a dance flash mob ( Looks so fun) 
  36.  Try a new recipe every month for a year
  37.  Get kissed under mistletoe
  38.  Grow a Hibiscus or rose of sharon have it live longer than a week 
  39.  Build a Habitat for Humanity home
  40.  Impact someones life in a positive way
  41.  Be more organized and self-disciplined
  42. Go for a week without spending any money
  43. Host a dinner party like I used to
  44. Take better care of myself
  45. Get Health insurance DONE!
  46. Go to the dentist (dental insurance wouldn't suck either)
  47. Make some new friends spend time with old ones
  48. Go on a garden tour
  49. Make a queen size blanket 
So that's it folks my bucket list...What would you put on yours?

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Art

I saw this on pinterest and it inspired me to create this.


It is still wet and I haven't fixed the sideways photo problem yet but you get the idea. The glue dries clear and I got the waterproof kind.

My neighbor was throwing away some old windows and I decided to recycle them into something pretty.

Here is what you will need to make your own.
1) Mod Podge or other craft glue
2) an old credit card or room key
3) construction paper
4) old calender or printed pictures
5) Exacto knife
6) hanging kit 

Put a thin layer of glue on the back side of the window pane. Place the photo so the image is facing down showing through. Use the exacto knife to cut it to fit. Smooth over with the card in order to get the air bubbles out. Do it slowly and be careful not to rip the paper. I used a calender so to keep from the dates shining through I placed piece of construction paper over and a thin layer of glue smoothed it down and waited 24 hours for it to dry. Then I took a picture frame hanging kit and had an indoor fuss free garden. You can add hooks or put chalkboard paint for a different look.

Friday, June 8, 2012

My dads house

My dad has a wonderful garden at his house. He also has a bit of a ham dog. I went over to take her for a walk and took the opportunity to take pictures. Isn't she the cutest? She is a brindle boxer.

She is protecting the house from atop her mountain.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Memorial day

I know very late but I found pictures I took on Boston Common of the flags. I took the kids at work to go see the flags and discuss the true meaning behind them.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

The Current layout

This is going to be a lazy look pretty pictures blog! I am going to show my current lay out. Let me know what you think! Of course I am moving things around all the time. That is the beauty of hanging baskets, in my case buckets and pots.
Sideways picture again! Sorry that is the wooden crate in the far right.
The upside down blue pot is so I can walk across and water and tend to the plants on the other side. The cat has decided it is a perch for her to stare at birds. Well played kitty.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Bunnies!!!

I know they are a pest to many gardeners. Well unless they can fly mine is safe. So I am overjoyed when I see them. I took the kids at work for a walk today we saw all kinds of little bunny families. I think the kids liked me doing the "fuffy bunny peace out dance" more than seeing the bunnies. They may all be teenagers but no one hates watching someone make an ass out of themselves and I am more often then not willing to comply. We went back to the house and the kids were super excited to help me in the garden after our nature walk. 

Monday, June 4, 2012

It's raining it's pouring

It has been raining for a few days. I am happy for the free watering but want the sun so I can check out how things are doing. My new set up gets a lot better drainage so I am not as worried as I was before about drowning plants. I do how ever have to water more often. I planted a ton of seeds two weeks ago and yesterday almost all have sprouted. I planted a wildflower mixture into the soil where the dayliles are. Fast growing annual mix to liven things up a bit. Next to the now giant hosta that last year looked all but dead. I planted some love lies bleeding and that seems to be growing nicely next to the driveway. It can be weedy elsewhere but here is an annual. Not to mention contained by the house on one side and the driveway on the other.

 A sideways view of the giant Hosta. Sorry I didn't rotate it. You can see the leaves from the now spent tulips and crocus next to it.

My once pretty bucket full of done flowers. I have planted some flowers and by the time the leaves have saved enough energy the new flowers should be popping up. In the background you can see my pot with the teddy bear sunflowers. My neighbor said she hates sunflowers so I suggested she just not look at them then ha ha.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Garden Update

I got almost nothing done in May. I know that is when I should do the most. As this is the first year I am trying to establish this garden, no blooms yet. My winter-sown plants have more than doubled in size. Quite a few didn't ever sprout, that had more to do with old seeds and poor watering. A few scraggly looking scabiosa have bloomed the last few days. They are by far my new favorite this season.
I have divided this planter since the picture to give the plants some more room. They seem to be happy with that decision. My best plans of writing out a chart of what is where is long gone and the only plant I'm sure of id the butterfly weed. My garden seems to be following an orange and yellow theme this year. The funny thing is I didn't plan it that way. The yellow cosmo and orange corpeous. Butterfly's have been paying me a visit even without the blooms so that makes me happy. My rose bushes from last year have buds so next week I should have some real color.


Last year  I had two large blue plastic bins, a ton of pots and three wooden crates. I decided to do it a bit different this year. That meant starting over with new plants but for a nicer and more streamlined design I decided it was worth it. The box to the left with the snowy fern leaf marigold in it had fallen apart after a few years of use and is now a vintage looking shelf indoors. To maximize space I got an old horse trough rubbed it with neem oil and it now runs the length up front. The large box in the front is holding steady but I rejuvenated the soil by adding new with the old some fertilizer and  per-lite.