I love my newly painted kitchen cabinets! But, whew! What a bunch of work! I have a large kitchen and I have a lot of experience painting... everything but cabinetry. This is still during painting. I painted (and had a drop cloth down) in the eat-in area. The chaos on the counters just seems to … Continue reading I Painted My Kitchen Cabinets And I Love Them!
Fire Cider: Immunity Booster
With the Corona virus on the loose and a lot of us out here wondering what that will mean to us personally: What can you do to keep busy, and possibly, create something that could help at home?I have been aware of this virus since it emerged. I've kept up on the subject as best … Continue reading Fire Cider: Immunity Booster
How To Make A Bagged Dead Body For Halloween
I made my original dead body bag about 4 or 5 years ago and I've learned some things about how to make these after having to repair it a few times. Like most of my projects: this is simple but impressive. I've seen some bodies in our neighborhood and online instructions (using plastic containers) and … Continue reading How To Make A Bagged Dead Body For Halloween
Silver Faceless Aliens
It's Halloween time again! I'm trying something new this year! Silver Faceless Aliens! They are human height and shape and creep everyone out! I instantly had the idea after looking at this mask. So much fun! Like all of my projects: it's super cheap and has a big impact. I'm making four. Here are the … Continue reading Silver Faceless Aliens
Haunted Heads
I had two main projects I wanted to accomplish this Halloween. One project was my Silver Faceless Aliens and the second was some posts with masks, or: Haunted Heads! I decided to do these after I saw a pin. But unfortunately, no matter which pin I opened I couldn't find the instructions to make these. … Continue reading Haunted Heads
Easy Packing Tape Ghost
Halloween 2015 Oh, I had fun making this! She's now five years old. It has been one of my favorite projects. I have a huge display this year and she still holds her own, even with our 12 foot ghost and witch circle (you can get those instructions here)! I saw this "packing tape ghost" … Continue reading Easy Packing Tape Ghost
Solution For Sore Shoulders: Microwavable Rice Sock
I went to a fair that offered job advice, help with nutrition and health, free haircuts (by cosmetology students...that was interesting!), scalp massages and this: the microwavable rice sock. Oh, have I enjoyed making (and using) these! This is really a simple project and after being out in the yard raking, digging, weeding etc: I … Continue reading Solution For Sore Shoulders: Microwavable Rice Sock
The Greatest Green You’ve Never Eaten: Sweet Potato Leaves
I'm always looking for new ways to use my garden. After years of growing sweet potatoes I came across a recipe that called for the leaves. Sweet potato leaves are edible? Yes. Yes, they are.The sweet potatoes slips I got this year were supposed to be a bush variety. While they haven't thrown vines out … Continue reading The Greatest Green You’ve Never Eaten: Sweet Potato Leaves
Hugelkultur, Keyhole Gardens: Bridging Ideas
I do a lot of research before I try new things. There are two ideas floating around right now that I really liked. One is Hugelkultur. The idea is basically a huge, permanent, water retaining, slow composting hill. This is a great site about it: http://www.richsoil.com/hugelkultur/ Down here, anything that saves water is welcome. The … Continue reading Hugelkultur, Keyhole Gardens: Bridging Ideas
Please Don’t Rock Your Yard!
While we were in Colorado there was a trend to rip out anything that was growing and replace it with a gravel landscape. Every time I saw someone ripping out their grass to do this: I wanted to throttle them. Here is why: rock is not low maintenance. I understand those who don't garden are … Continue reading Please Don’t Rock Your Yard!
Saving The Harvest
Spring is full of heavy lifting, digging holes and amending soil. I usually build or renew my beds in spring and then switch on and off between: planting/watering and harvesting the first spring veggies. It's usually beautiful outside and I enjoy the time I'm out there. I end up in a meditative state. I can … Continue reading Saving The Harvest
Melon Trellising
I usually grow my vining melons on a trellis. Trellising makes them easy to care for and the plants themselves are healthier. Getting melon vines off the ground keeps the powdery mildew under control and I can easily spray the leaves when the inevitable aphid explosion comes. Since I like to research things, and I'm … Continue reading Melon Trellising
Curing An Extra Itchy Case Of The Gardening Stupids
I would bet that most gardeners have a list of a few things that they do, out of habit, that are counterproductive. For me it's gardening without gloves or long sleeves. I almost never wear gloves or long sleeves. I love to work the soil with my hands, I weed bare handed and I harvest … Continue reading Curing An Extra Itchy Case Of The Gardening Stupids
Melted Perler Bead and Pony Bead Craft Projects
Every once in a while I end up on Pinterest. I try not to do it often, because it's like going to an all you can eat buffet: I think I can eat (or do) way more than reality will allow me to. On one of my visits to Pinterest I saw some melted pony … Continue reading Melted Perler Bead and Pony Bead Craft Projects
Cooking With Lettuce?!?! Yes! And It’s Delicious!!!
This soup makes use of spring garden ingredients: peas, lettuce, spring onions and tarragon. If you have ever grown peas you know shelling peas is a pain. It's a whole lot of work for very little reward. Apparently, I am not learning my lesson from the previous experiences, because I rush out and plant them … Continue reading Cooking With Lettuce?!?! Yes! And It’s Delicious!!!
Spring Is The Time To Begin Backyard Foraging!
Hidden uses of your spring garden!
So, I Made A Potato Tower
I have seen this idea around for a while and it seemed easy enough to do. I decided I'd try building one and I finished it in an hour or so. This is what I think of them: it's a lot of work and not a good project for someone with a bad back.There are … Continue reading So, I Made A Potato Tower
Moroccan Sweet Potato Fritters with Ras El Hanout Yogurt Sauce
Sweet potatoes, beet roots (These are chiogga beets. White, yellow or striped beets have a milder flavor than solid red beets), beet greens and spring onions This is my recipe for using up spring veggies before the heat of summer ends their season. I grew all the veggies except the sweet potatoes (which are not … Continue reading Moroccan Sweet Potato Fritters with Ras El Hanout Yogurt Sauce
Beginning Gardener: Class 4-Walking You Through What You Need To Know
This is the fourth and final installment of my beginner gardening tutorial. For this class I decided to list some of my favorite books and growing aides. The book list is by no means exhaustive but I have some that have truly helped me form the backbone of my gardening approach. These products have definitely … Continue reading Beginning Gardener: Class 4-Walking You Through What You Need To Know
Beginning Gardener: Class 3-Walking You Through What You Need To Know
This is the third part of a four part online course. It’s free and if you would like to know more go to the top of this page and click on the Gardening Basics tab. Or you can get the first and second parts of this course here: Beginning Gardener (part 1) and Beginning Gardener … Continue reading Beginning Gardener: Class 3-Walking You Through What You Need To Know