Garden updates...

So I got my fruits, veggies & herbs planted this weekend, as well as adding a third garden. Still need cucumber & melon for my final garden, as well as the handmade signs I'm going to make for each of the plants & that should be it. Pulled the wood from the front yard to the backyard to surround my garden area. Trimmed all the bushes in the front & added 2 jasmine plants on either side of the front door, they smell awesome. Went to Mckinney trade days on Sunday with Jeff & found this sun catcher, made from recycled glass & a lucky horseshoe, to hang by the front door. It was a great weekend.

The vegetable garden...

...has begun. I used to have a great veggie garden at my old house, so I thought it was time to start one at my new house. I was going to build my own out of 4x4's this weekend, but then I came across this great raised garden made out of recycled material at Walmart for only $30 in the same measurements I needed but for less than the lumber would've cost. I got 2 & am still looking for a third. Anyway, love how easy the pieces were to snap together, voila. Added a mixture of compost, peat moss, expanded shale & surrounded them with untreated mulch. I will be putting the following in my little garden: 3 types of tomatoes, 3 peppers from sweet to spicy, green & red peppers, eggplant, strawberries, onions, garlic, basil, parsley, cilantro, rosemary. In the third garden I want to do a couple vine plants like cucumber, zucchini & possibly melon. Love gardening, am excited to plant everything this weekend & look forward to eating the fruits & veggies!

St. Patty's Day...

...bandanas for the boys.

We're going to the parade this weekend

so I thought they needed to be festive.

I layered two shades of green together

so they would be reversible, cut slits

along the edges & tied them together.

More...

...handmade banners & books on their way.

Lots of babies being born lately,

so I need to get to work.

Updated pics coming soon.

Valentine's day...

...is on it's way. I actually think it's a silly holiday, one created to get people to buy more things, but...it just gives me another excuse to make something handmade. Everything was made from stuff I already had. I made a card banner, so instead of just one card, there's a 14 card message using fabric, paper, glitter, stamps, hemp rope & ribbon. I decorated the gift bag with some more rope, metal hearts & a little message. Think it turned out cute. Now I just need the gift...

One more change...

...I painted the candleholder I had white & put it in the fireplace. I think it adds a nice sculptural element to an otherwise blank space. I also updated the chair with a stripe pillow. On a side note...I wanted to point out Mr. one-armed cactus. I got him when I first moved to TX 7 years ago to brighten up my apt. patio & he was so tiny. He also used to have 2 arms, one of the arms died one winter, I almost threw him away, but decided to try & salvage what was left. Everytime I've moved to a new place he has ridden with me in the front seat of my car. He's a pretty cool cactus & I'm glad he's stuck with me all these years :)

The start...

...of my new dining room light. This is an experiment so it could go really good or really bad. At one point it was a large brown wire bowl sitting in my garage, but I added a coat of white paint to brighten it up. Flipped upside down with the addition of a light kit & someone to install it & voila...it could possibly be a super cool, modern & original chandelier. I have high hopes for this one. After pics to come...