Composting

Last year I joined the quarantine club and really got into gardening.  I have tried for years to successfully grow a little garden.  I finally found a spot in my yard that got the perfect amount of sun, BUT I left so often during the summer it never survived the drought that was my vacation.  Last year, I rocked the garden.  Sure, a squash bug moved in mid July and took out half my plants, but not all of them.  This year I added an herb garden and since the (above) photo I've had to trim it down twice b/c they are exploding.  All of this to say....I also took up compositing.  

I bought a barrel compost bin that has two compartments.  You fill one, then just start spinning it while you are filling the second side and by the time you fill side two, side one should be ready to roll.  I've learned a lot about bugs, a pile that's too wet or too dry, and what can and can't go inside, but I harvested some great compost this spring for my new hobby.  My dog and I visit the bin almost daily to throw in scraps, paper, hair, egg shells, and leaves.  

All this too say, I never thought I'd like gardening so much, but I'm redoing my whole back yard and hope to have a total oasis in the next few years....at least compared to what it is now.  

I miss traveling, but I've learned to love home even more and I'm learning so much just around my yard.  I'm making the most of having more time at home, and my hobbies have looked a little different over the last year, but I'm definitely adding my personal touches, even in the garden.  

Portable Fairy Garden

A few years ago I brought all the fixings to help my goddaughter build a fairy garden when I went to visit her.  She has since moved several times, and it got me to thinking about those fairy gardens and how cute they are in the summer, but winter comes, and moves come, and when I ran across the idea of creating little 'houses' out of pots at craftsunleashed, I loved this idea b/c they store well in the winter and can even travel with you.  It would also be fun to create a 'theme' out of each pot until you have a little town.  

 I bought most of the 'stuff' at Michael's, but I found some plastic flowers (more weather proof), a small door, and some self adhesive moss at Hobby Lobby.  I'm an equal opportunity crafter.

 The door actually had a tooth on it, so I glued a pink flower over the tooth.  I then glued pebbles and flowers around the door, and stuck moss between the rocks.

I added some pink rocks and a fairy to the trivet below and it's ready for planting....and magic.

Garden Party Hacks

The above photo is my overgrown garden....and a plastic bucket from the dollar store I sprayed to look like a galvanized tub.  

See that orange bucket?  I passed out Halloween candy from that random bucket that has been hanging around my house for way too long.  I bought  Krylon spray that has a primer built in and goes on plastic (I found it at Walmart for just over 5 bucks).  It only took one coat.  The great thing about this approach is it makes these buckets more affordable, and you can vary up the shapes and sizes of buckets you use to create a cluster of drink buckets instead of one large bucket.....and you can toss them after b/c it was a buck, plus a little spray.  I'm taking this quick trick and 7 more to Good Morning, Texas tomorrow.  I'll be live sometime after nine.  I'll post the video later on facebook as well.  

Repurposed Container Garden

I'm doing all the 'easy' things first on my list of 40 before 40.  A(nother) garden is on my list.  The truth is, I've planted....and killed, many fruits, veggies, and herbs through the years, but this year I wanted to plant something I was proud of that fit 'me.'  I can successfully grow jalapenos....this year I put two of those in the mix b/c I knew they wouldn't fail me.  This was one thing on my list-really GO FOR a garden again, and I went back and forth about creating a box and filling it up in the traditional way.  I may go back there again, but this year I tried this out.  I had all of these things, except for the baby bath, lying around my yard or house.  The baby bath is vintage from Hungary.  I bought it off of William Sonoma when they had a sale going on...after I saw one at my friend Kelly's house.  Each piece is upcycled in some way....an old stand with the tabletop missing, an old galvanized pale I had my brother drill holes in, an old coke grate I'm hoping cucumbers will love hanging out in....

Next up I'm going to make a planting station out of an old door.  

In the meantime, I commit to not overwatering.  Not forgetting it's out there, and doing a little research when the plants protest their new homes.  

Fairy Garden

 In May, I flew out to see my goddaughter, Micah, in Seattle.  She is four and really into unicorns and fairies right now.  I've seen the idea for making fairy gardens around, and recently had a coworker make one with her daughter, so....I was ready.  Before heading out I went to JoAnne and Michael's and stocked up on bridges, fairies, fence post, bird house (both of which we painted) mushrooms, arbors, benches etc etc, and...of course, fairies.

 She painted and bejeweled the fairy house.  I also brought some gold beads b/c when I asked her what she thought fairies wanted in her garden she said gold and pink.  She proceeded to put the gold INISDE the bird house (now the fairy house), but...it's not like there was a lot of room for it anyway.  I also bought some different colored moss they sell in packs (I used a coupon).  We grabbed a pot and a few flowers when I got there.  I've seen a lot of succulents etc in gardens (less watering), but....I don't even think the flowers die the garden will be missing much.

 I let her choose the placement for each item.

 We hid two fairies in the garden.

 We told her the fairies love to come out and play at night.

 It's her job to check every morning to see if the fairies move (because they have been playing).

It's now her mama's job to make sure they 'play' at night.  She was excited the next morning when she discovered they had been playing.  ;o)  

Grow a Tomato

     I've got my very own science project going in my backyard.  Did you know if you planted seeds, things will grow from them?  I get it, there are people that, like, grow their own salads, but I'm not one of those people.  Every year I go and buy a bunch of plants from the store.  I plant those puppies and I water them all of April.  They grow all of May.  Some even produce a little crop of strawberries/tomatoes/jalapenos.  One year I grew a bean.  Yes, one.  I took a photo of it....and then, like I do with all my plants....June comes and I leave to jet around the world, state, or just hibernate in my house.  I want to be a gardener, I do. Each year I get a little better.  I learn a little more, and this year....I learned you don't even have to buy plants in their little pots with their green leaves, you can plant seeds you have in your fridge.
     I found some tomatoes in the vegetable drawer that were on the other side of edible and I sliced off a few slices and thew them in a pot-I left them whole, but those seeds...I told them to get busy.  I put less than an inch of dirt over them and then I started watering them daily.  In about two weeks I had a pot of little green buds.  I kept watering...
   A few weeks later I had these little guys....

I took those little seeds and pulled a few of the healthiest looking ones out and planted them in little pots by themselves....and I'm watering away.  This year I'm going to grow my own tomatoes from a rotten tomato in my fridge I didn't eat.   I'll probably get one to grow...pick it...and let it rot too, but...that's not the point.   Perhaps I'm posting this a little premature, but....June is just around the corner....and just in case these don't make it through June because....my track record ain't too pretty, I wanted to show what I learned.  I'm planning on planting a bunch of other seeds....watch out world....fresh pasta in July, for sure, or at least....a tomato on a salad.

Terra Cotta Pumpkin

 There is a house in my neighborhood that had a terra cotta pumpkin sitting out on it's porch....all year.  I thought it was cute...in October....by January I was just curious how one acquires a terra cotta pumpkin.  I don't know what they paid, but now that it's in season again....I think I'll add my own.  I promise to put it up before Valentine's Day.

I did the cheater way.  I bought a pumpkin pale...I found these mini's at Walmart for 77 cents....how cute will these be as little gifts for friends this Halloween?  I drilled a hole in the bottom so it would drain.  I yanked off the handle, and then painted it with terra cotta paint.  I got this in the Martha Stewart section at Michael's with a coupon.  It took about three coats to cover up the black.  I could have sprayed it orange first so the black wasn't an issue, but....I just slapped on a coat every time I passed it.  The end.  It would be cute to add mums to a bigger pail.  I know for a fact...I've been looking at one all year.

Peter Rabbit Baby Shower

 I recently was a part of a group throwing a shower at work for one of our SPED teachers, Autumn.  She and her husband had a long journey before she was able to get pregnant, so it was a much anticipated pregnancy, and much celebrated on our staff.  She's been healthy each step of the way, and enjoying planning all the pieces that go into being a mama.  Her nursery theme is a nod to one of her childhood favorites Peter Rabbit.  We decided to do a shower in the same theme.  One of the ESL teachers is a whiz with invitations and put together a cute invitation, the guest names were printed on bunnies and attached with ribbons. 

 She also made some precious bunny banners to display.  I bought "Guess How Much I Love You."  Each member of our staff signed the inside cover and we gave this to Autumn for baby Soren's book collection. 

 The group hosting was given the assignment of bringing anything'garden' so little pots, berry baskets, stuffed bunnies, and books became our décor. 

 We put our food offerings in terra cotta pot bases. 

 I have a ton of little garden 'stuff' I used once before I've saved and pulled out for Easter etc....and so our muffins hitched a ride in this mini wheel barrow. 

 I've used this little planting caddy for years for just such an occasion. 

 For dessert one of the teachers made dirt.  We served lemonade in mason jars, and bagged up trail mix in some decorated brown bags. 

 There is no better reason to get together than the upcoming birth of a little miracle baby.  Looking forward to watching him grow!

Garden: Ladybug Girl Gift

 I love giving book themed gifts to little beings.  My teaching partner introduced me to this cute little story, Ladybug Girl.  I then stumbled across these red gardening tools at Target in the dollar spot (the 3 dollar spot for the little metal pail), and my pal Terry was making these ladybug garden picks last year.  It was too perfect.  I bought the book and collected the gardening supplies to pass along in hopes of helping some of my favorite little ones collect their own ladybugs in their gardens.  A few years ago when I went to visit Blythe she was carefully watching the daddy and Blythe cactus she and her dad had bought on their last trip to the 99 cent store.  I'm pretty sure she'll appreciate adding these goodies to her porch hobby.

Garden: Rosemary Sea Salt Rolls

 I grew some herbs last summer, and I have to use them quickly before I kill them..  I do believe this is my favorite of the lot....the 'bread' aspect helps.  Man, these are delicious and so easy to make.

 See, there's the pot of herbs I used....right before the Texas sun and my lack of gardening skills killed it...

I found this via whipperberry, and all it takes are a few ingredients and frozen Rhodes Rolls.  

Ingredients:  Rhodes, Olive Oil, Chopped Rosemary, Sea Salt

Instructions:  Defrost rolls and let rise as instructed.  (I put mine in a muffin tin-I greased the holes, then sprayed some Saran wrap and covered the rolls and let them rise for about 3 hours until doubled in size).  Mix chopped herbs and olive oil and brush over the rolls (how much you use is all up to your taste, and how many rolls you defrost, just a nice mix).  Sprinkle all the rolls with sea salt (again, to taste).  Cook 15 minutes at 350.  Eat.  Repeat.

Garden: House Warming Herbs

 I saw the idea for planting flowers in a strainer in a magazine.  I loved this idea for a housewarming gift.  I couldn't find a vintage colander, but I found this bright colored one at Hobby Lobby for about 8 dollars.  I was going to put several little herbs inside, but 5 stores later, I could only find a ginormous pot of mint.  I decided to leave it in the pot for my pal to decide what she wants to do with it.  Super simple, and cute.

Garden: Jalapeno and Cheese Rolls

 Every summer I have this little row of pots outside lining my back deck.  For about a month I pretend like I know a thing or zero about growing anything but weeds.  By July, the plants have generally shriveled, and I only leave the house for Diet Coke runs because it's, like, hot in Texas in the summer three out of four seasons.  Last year I grew peppers.  Two.  I watched them grow.  I showed them off.  I took their picture.  I talked to them, and when they were ready.  I pulled them off to give them a better life.  In.  My.  Belly.

 I made some rolls.  Really, more a cross between a roll and biscuit.  Yum.  The thing about a pepper-you have to remove the seeds if you don't want your mouth to be on fi-yere.  I like a little fire.  And after you remove those seeds-don't rub your eyes in the next 20 minutes to 20 days or your gonna feel a little sad.  Fine, it's not that bad, but I wouldn't add it to do list for the next party I host.
On to the recipe, just in case you grow a pepper or two this year.

Jalapeno Cheese Bread

*Source Ridiculously Delicious

Ingredients:  3 c. flour, 1 T. baking powder, 1 . salt, 1/4 t. cayenne pepper, 1/9 t. pepper, 1/2 t. garlic powder, 4 oz o cheddar cheese (1/2 in cubes), 3 jalapenos (sliced and de-seeded if you just like a little hot), 1/4 c. milk, 3/4 c. sour cream, 3 T butter (melted), 1 egg
Instructions:  Mix the first 6 ingredients.  Toss in the cheese and jalapenos to coat (this prevents these from sinking to the bottom-you might reserve a few slices of jalapenos to press on top).  In a second bowl, mix all the wet ingredients and then fold into the dry ingredients.  Don't over mix.  Grease 18 muffin tins (or one 9x5 loaf pan).  Cook at 350 (25 minutes for the muffins, 45 minutes if you are making the loaf).

 Let cool.  Devour.  Plan next year's crop of peppers and herbs.

Sea Shell Garden Pot

 OK, it's not exactly beach from property, but close.  Here's another sea shell idea for those souvenir shells.
First, I took a regular (old) pottery pot, but I wanted it to have that aged look, so I put a little bit of white paint and a lot of water and brushed it on the pot.  My brush was really wet.  I just wanted a streaky glaze.

 Once it dries, you can sand it down a bit, but I found mine worked out pretty well as is.  I then just grabbed a hot glue gun and some shells that were relatively the same size. I glued them down, then took a bunch of smaller shells and glued them in the open spaces.