Building Community

It's no secret that one of my biggest goals for the last year (and it turns out this year too!) has been to really build my neighborhood into something great.  We built an amazing patio and grill area.

Marco and Neighbor Tim built a beautiful bike shed and arbor.

There are new flower beds, the community library and we even hosted a really, really nice tree care workshop.

But I just couldn't stop there.  I really, really want people to be able to plant, and grow, and personalize their homes here in the big CG, but it has been really difficult since our soil is, well, less soil and more clay and sand.  And that's not just my opinion either- we did a soil test and sent it to MSU.  For $6 they came back with all kinds of specific suggestions to help grow all sorts of different plants, grasses, vegetables and trees.  For more information about getting your own soil tested click here for more info.

After the soil results came back, I put them with other information I have been collecting too- guides on native Mississippi plants, information on attracting (or deterring) wildlife and pollinators, how to landscape when starting with nothing, all kinds of things.  Then I labeled everything with a very friendly "Property of Community Green:  Please read and return" and filled an entire expandable folder. The folder went straight into our library for everyone to share.

Want to create something similar for your home or community?  I collected my information from our local Master Gardeners club, the Mississippi State Extension Service, the Garden Club, the Community Garden and the Arbor Day Foundation, but I'm sure there are plenty of other sources.  

I guess the point of this is to inspire others to get involved with their own neighbors.  Not everyone in CG comes to every meeting or event or community cookout, but it is very important to me and Marco (and several other neighbors) to offer these types of experiences.  You don't have to host a dinner party every week to meet the guy next door.  Sometimes you just have to be willing to get your hands dirty.  

Anyone else working on group plantings and curb appeal?  Anyone else planting rogue watermelons?  How cute would it be if we had our own pumpkin patch this year.  Don't think I haven't started working on that already!

How Much is This Gonna Cost Us?

People want to know.  How much are we planting, what is it, and how much is that gonna set us back?  So I'm here to spill it.  You may want to put the kettle on and settle in though, because this is going to be one heck of a list of lists.

First a key to use and help peruse:
SS means that we ordered this item from SeedSavers.com
B means that we ordered this item from Burpee.com
ZG means that I ordered these seeds from ZZiggysGal on Etsy.
BB means that we plan to purchase this item from my Dad's friend Mrs. Barbara who I have known 98% of my life.  She is a wonderful woman who first showed me what wonder plants/creeks/outdoors can bring into one's life.
Other places where we purchased/found things are listed.

What We Plant to Plant:
In our 2 backyard and partial front yard veggie gardens:

1. Cucumbers
-Japanese Climbing.  Seeds purchased new this year.  A new variety for us, but apparently great for pickles. SS
-A&C Pickling.  Left over seeds from last year.  They were huge and made great bread and butter pickles.  SS
- True Lemon.  Left over seeds from last year too.  We planted these in pots last year and I don't think they got enough consistent water.  We're relocating them in the garden so hopefully they will do better this time.SS

2.  Soybeans
- Envy.  These are new seeds we ordered this year.  I have never grown soybeans but they freeze easily and are loaded with protein so we're going to give them a try.  This variety does well in pots and small spaces so they may be potted if we can't find room. SS

3.  Beans
- Provider.  Both beans are new seeds this year.  I am looking to use more vertical gardening plants along a new bed that I am building. These are a bush, snap variety.SS
- Valentine.  A black bush bean that has rave reviews for drying.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained. SS

4.  Tomatoes
- Yellow Tomatoes   An obscure heirloom variety that I have lost the paperwork to... these are seeds left over from last year that we started a few weeks ago in our tiny greenhouse. ZG
- Cherry Tomatoes.  Again, lost paperwork left overs from last year.  They are doing great so far. ZG
- Other Heirlooms.  We will be picking up several plants from my Dad's friend Mrs. Barbara.  Her plants did so well here last year that we are saving our greenhouse room for other things and just spending the money on plants. BB

5.  Peppers
-Aji.  A left over from last year.  Really hot and dried really well.  We used plenty in our salsa and sauces, they have been slow to germinate in our greenhouse, but are starting to come around. SS
-Red Bell.  Left overs again.  Also slow to germinate, but moving along now. ZG
-Variety from Mrs. Barbara.  She always has interesting plants that are full of surprises.  One of her best are her peppers.

6.  Eggplant
- Long Purple.  An heirloom that takes forever to germinate.  We tried these last year, but only had a few tiny eggplants to show for the effort.  We started them earlier this year in hopes that will speed up production.  ZG

7. Squash/Zuchinni
- Yellow Longnecks.  We have some seeds left over from last year but I do not have much hope for the plants this year.  Squash bugs ate everything in sight over night last year.  We may just skip the squash and buy them from the farmers market.  I can think of other ways to use the space.  ZG
-Black Beauty.  Again with the squash bugs.  We will see. ZG

8.  Okra
- Hill Country Red.  I bought these last year, forgot about them and when I found them again it was like Christmas.  I cannot wait to see these babies grow.  SS  **We will be planting these in our flower beds and faking like they're flowers until they grow veggies on them.**

9.  Lettace/Arugula/Spinach/Kale
-Mixed Beds.  I have a few small mixed lettuce beds from Seed Savers and ZZiggysGal.  They are cut and come again, heirloom varieties.
-Buttercrunch.  Last year's lettuce that we didn't finish but did well.  ZG
-Spinach- Did well, but the rabbits got it.  I'm moving them in the bed, and hopefully the new fence will help as well.  SS
-Blue Kale.  Left over, easy to grow, super easy to freeze and use later.  SS

10.  Watermelon.
- Blacktail Mountain.  A great variety that produces small but tasty fruit.  We picked this because the fruit actually fit into our fridge whole.  They all ripened in one week though and we gave most of them away.  Left overs from last year.  SS

11.  Broccoli
-Waltham 29.  Heirloom left over from last year.  We ran out of room and only tried to seed 3 seeds, then forgot about them.  Better planning this year.  ZG
-Calabrese.  Unopened from last year.  SS

12.  Blue Berries.  New this year, I planted them in the front like shrubs.  They are fairly old (3+ years) but need time to settle before they really produce.  I hope for a few this year, but expect more next year.  From The Barn Trading Company here in Oxford.

13.  Strawberries.  New.  I am retro fitting a rain barrel to hold them.  I cannot wait!  B

14.  Corn.
-On Deck Hybrid.  These are the reason for my new garden bed in the back.  This is supposed to be corn you can grow in a 2 foot planter.  We will see because I am ready.  B

15.  Birdhouse Gourds.  Not a vegetable, but this vine did really well in our shady front bed.  It looked nice growing up the porch and we got a few gourds from it.  SS

16.  Luffa.  New as well.  Just couldn't pass up the opportunity to grow a luffa.  B

17.  Potatoes.
-Red.  Red seed potatoes.  I have already shared how I built their cages, but I may have to move them... From The Barn Trading Company
-Yellow From The Barn Trading Company

And I think that is it for seeds and plants.  We did order a few herbs (basil, thyme, dill) but we still have plenty of those seeds left from last year too.  It's just that they tend to be more delicate and can rot so easily, I thought better safe than sorry.  Oh, and there are herbs that came back from last year too!  Chives, mint, spearmint, rosemary, and thyme.  Plus I planted a few garlic cloves that had started to sprout and a couple of onions that went green in the pantry.  But I don't count those because they are "grocery store" variety and I do not expect them to actually reproduce.

So how much did we spend??  Luckily, we were able to pull most of our wants from last years supplies, and that makes sense because last year we spent over $120 just on seeds. That doesn't count soil, compost, building materials or the watering systems.  This year our new seeds cost us just $25.00 (ish) with plants (strawberries, blueberries, potatoes) setting us back $55.00.  Plus I bought fencing to build our potato cages which was about $20.00 from Home Depot.  And our new seedling containers- which were 4 @ roughly $3.00.  So $12.00 on them.  Another $12.00 on coconut conifer seed starter (ordered from Amazon) and we are just about there.  We are building the new beds out of scrap lumber salvaged from friends and kudzu vines.  There are still plenty of  big planters left over from last year as well.  I am planning on building a few trellises from scrap trimmings and kudzu vines, but I would love to find a nice willow patch as well.

The rain barrels were given to us by a company that no longer needed them, but we are going to convert them into rain barrels for around $20.00 a piece ($40 total), but an extra one will hold our strawberries.  We have been wonderfully lucky to find a great place with free topsoil and mulch to help fill our garden beds and our 18 months of composting are finally paying off as well.  Add to that the worm compost (I guess you can add in that $25.00 to our garden fund) and we're looking at a nice grand total.

In fact, let's add it up shall we?

Last year we spent over $600 in materials, dirt and watering system stuff and another $120 in seeds.  That was a grand total of about $720 for roughly 300 lbs of vegetables.

This year, with all of those numbers up there added up, we're looking at about $169 total.  Whew that is much better but hopefully next year it will be even smaller.  We're adding another element to our compost/pest control and our soil should be top notch.  Plus the worms will have paid for themselves and the rain barrels will be complete.  The same goes with the blue berry bushes and the potatoes.  Plus we will finally start working out which veggies give us the most bang for our buck.  We have a lofty goal of producing 750 lbs of produce out of our garden this year, but we are also trying to make sure we are growing things we will actually eat and use.

There is a lot of growing with gardens, emotionally, physically  spiritually- all of which we find to be ultimately priceless.

Winter Projects vs Summer Projects

I know its been slow around the ol' blog lately.  I've been working on OxfordHandmade and doing a lot of deep thinking about my future, oh and a lot of watching the entire series of How I Met Your Mother, but I digress...

The truth is, this warm winter weather has really upset our winter project schedule.  When Marco and I first moved into this house we had a lot of projects that we knew we needed/wanted to accomplish.  But to not be so overwhelmed and to help budget them out we put them in order of preference (or logic) and then ordered them again for each season. Until our list looked like this:

Summer projects:
Raised bed garden
French Drains
Deck
Workshop
Fence
Paint front door
Stain and seal porch/new deck
Flowerbeds
Update big bathroom

Winter projects:
Painting the living room, dining room, bed room, guest room, hallway, bathroom, kitchen
Remodel kitchen and laundry room/guest bathroom
Install built in bookshelves
Update light fixtures in dining room and hallway
Add ceiling fan in living room and/or update light
Add insulation to attic and winterize other areas in need
Have an energy audit
Install organization to kitchen cabinets


Now why would we want to separate the list into two parts for winter and summer?  That's easy.  No one wants to dig post holes for a fence when the ground is frozen and why would you want to be working inside on bookshelves when it's so nice and pretty outside?  Plus, this helps us prioritize and buy supplies bits at a time so we're not always storing loads of wood and materials.

Ok, that last part was a lie.  I'd take a picture of my backyard to prove we're still hoarding materials, but I'm too embarrassed, so you'll just have to trust me.

Anyhoo- the warm weather during winter working time is really messing up our schedule.  We're trying to accomplish more "summer" projects like working on our flower beds or finishing projects floating in our back yard instead of focusing on our built in bookshelves which are next on the list.  But the time has come the walrus said!  So here is an official before picture:

I just snapped it and uploaded it- no lighting, no care to clean up or move the cat out of the mirror.  That's a legit picture.  My best?  Nope.  But isn't that how before/afters work?  You take a really bad before and then a really, really nice after.

Here's hoping we can finish before it turns warm again- I have a lot of books that need new homes and a tv that needs to move out of the bedroom.  Who's up for painting 300 feet of shelving??

Happy Hanging!

I shared a business update over at Oxford Handmade today!  Things are finally moving along and I am so excited in my new business adventure.

With me being home so much these days I finally have a few hours each day to tackle some of the things on our "It's been nearly two years, surely we should have done that already" list.

Case in point:

I purchased this contraption a while back.  It was only $1.99 at Goodwill and it had the screws taped to it.  (That's what the tape is for on the left there.)  I immediately knew where we would use it and where I would put it and how it would work and what a wonderful purchase I was making.   And then it sat there.  On top of my dresser.  For a while.  Sure it was buried under clothes that I never folded, so I could have forgotten about it, but honestly, I knew it was there.  I knew it and I was just being lazy.  Well, look at me!  Lazy no more!

Bam!  I hung that sucker up in our guest bathroom/laundry room.  There is no way for me to take a decent picture with both the washer/dryer in the back ground and the new hanging thing, so you'll just have to trust me. This is the guest bathroom and behind the camera are the washer and dryer.

So what am I going to use it for?  Well doesn't my mock demonstration explain it perfectly?  When I am unloading the dryer (or the washer if items don't need to be dried- we are in sweater season) I can now hang up the clothes on this retractable metal arm.  No more hanging items on the door frame (where they do not fit) or the door knob (where only 3 items fit and then drag the ground) or around the guest room (where they block my chi when I am sewing).  Nope.  Now hanging clothes can hang nicely on this arm until I have completely unloaded the dryer.  This also prevents (as many) animal hairs from collecting on the items because I do not lay them on the bed while I fold them or put them away.  They are already hung and can go directly into the closet.

Is this a whole lot of words about the retractable arm in our new guest bathroom?  Yes?  That just proves how in love with it I am.  Happy Hanging y'all!!

First Day Jitters

Today is the first day of my new job- that is to say, the job that I am creating minute by minute.  I have already spent a good part of the morning "setting up shop" and talking to friendly and helpful people at the Secretary of State.  My paper work is being filed as we speak and very, very soon we will be cooking with grease- as they say.

It still hasn't sunk in that my last day of "work" was yesterday.  Today doesn't feel any different.  Honestly?  It feels like a Saturday.  I ran errands this morning, worked on a few quick projects and cleaned a little house.  But now I'm settling into my to-do list and making plans for next week.  

It also hasn't sunk in that it's actually November 1st.  Halloween was fairly cool, but incredibly comfortable.  I was plenty comfortable walking down the street to the neighbors house with a bottle of wine- I didn't even wear a jacket.  Marco said he didn't think that was the way trick or treating worked, but what does he know?  They don't trick or treat in Italy.

Plus this morning I was responsible for cleaning up the remains of our summer garden.  I picked basil and rosemary and a few egg plants that were still hanging on- and about 4 more pounds of tomatoes.  We still have two plants loaded with green fruits, so we're paying extra close attention to them.  Today these are the last of our "old" plants.  November 1st and we're still making salsa- I could get used to this kind of lifestyle.

Boarder Project

Part of the fun of working from home is the ability to focus more on our home and homelife.  I started this project in my mind a few months ago and I am so excited to finally see it starting to take shape.  It has taken a while to collect the necessary materials, but I think the overall effect is going to be really charming. 

This is what we started with:

See how square and sharp and angular everything looks?  The windows, the house, the driveway, the boarders, the stairs, the porch... so many squares and sharp angles.  I wanted something to soften up the look and I really wanted bigger flower beds.  We thought three feet deep would do it, but I have really taken to collecting plants from friends and family so I quickly found that we would need MUCH more room.  Plus, the flowers help soften those angles as well and break up the "white space" of the house.

So I started with preparing my materials for my makeover.  Which basically meant I looked like an addict for a few days while everything soaked and then got scraped and then dried.

Just FYI:  New cat litter plus drying bottles makes for a really messy bathroom.

Then I had to plan my new curvy outline.  I just used water hose and guestimated where I thought I'd want my new flowerbeds to go.

Soon it was time to start digging.  I had planned on trying out several methods to find the "perfect" method. I thought I'd scrape off the topsoil (what little there was) and move it to where we needed it.  Look!  Recycling! Saving! Gardening and stuff!  But what I actually did was call my Daddy.  He brought over his mini tiller and we tilled the line twice, then used a shovel to brake the soil up a little bit more.  We actually only did this "break up the soil more" step on only have of the new line and I wish we had done it the whole line.   There are a few bottles I need to adjust and that extra step really was worth it.

I wish I had photos of the ditch, but I don't.  I was too busy laying out bottles.  Sorry.  And I don't have big reveal pictures either because it turns out- we were short about 40 bottles.  But I can show you an in-progress sneak peak!

Oooohhhh.  Curvy.  Bottle-y.  A little bit messy.  But getting so much closer!  I just hope we get a few more warmer evenings so I can finish it and share.  So if you're into wine, and you happen to have a few green/brown/blue bottles hanging around... I'd be glad to take them off your hands.

Anyone else making the neighbors worry?  Or calling in reinforcements to help dig up trenches?  Anyone else get into all kinds of trouble when their husbands are away for work??

I'm Coming Up

Well.  It's October and that means my final countdown has begun.  Plus it's time to make a few big announcements.  No Mom, I'm not pregnant.

First, I will be leaving the public library at the end of the month.  I both incredibly sad and wonderfully excited.  I have made a wonderful home at the Lafayette County and Oxford Public Library.  They have taken care of me through college, my dad's surgery, a tremendous break up, a house buying, a wedding and now the begging of my next big adventure.

What am I going to do instead?  Well craft of course!  I am hooking up with the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council and our local Moms and Tots groups in order to start teaching at least two sewing/making/creating classes a month.  I could not be more excited to hoard supplies, build lesson plans, create templates and directions, and get out there with the community I love so much.  I am very excited to continue to build on the relationships that the library has provided me, but in new and exciting ways.  I do not have final dates for my classes yet, but I do have a monthly list of what they will be at the top of my blog.  If you are interested in joining us for a class, but the date is not set yet, please email me and I will add you to my list serve.  That way I can notify you when dates are released.  Also- and this is not a plug, but actual advice- I would highly suggest anyone who in interested in joining my YAC classes at the Powerhouse to join the Arts Council.  You will save $5-$10 off each class.  So you're $25 donation will pay for itself after only three classes, plus you get on the Arts Council mailing list, and you save on ALL of the other stuff the Arts Council does too.  It's worth it for the "savings" and for the cause- 100% of your donation goes to help provide more art in Oxford.

To sign up to be a member with the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council click here.

And finally, I am beginning on another big adventure.  I am starting my own business.  We're still hashing out details, like the name, but it will ultimately be a subscription service for a handmade project every two months.  It works like this- every two months, starting in January, you will receive in the mail a box of stuff.  Basically, all the supplies, directions, templates, and suggestions to create something by hand.  There is everything from basic book binding to wax seals to mini woven patches and more.  The projects are gender neutral- but you can obviously girly-fy anything with a little glitter.

People will be able to purchase the subscriptions per year (6 boxes plus two wild card boxes that will be surprises and full of extra stuff) or by month.   Individual boxes can be purchased from the Powerhouse or by contacting me online.  Boxes can be mailed to anywhere in the continental United States and would make great gifts for the upcoming season- PLUS we have just decided to do Boxes of Boxes as well.  Know a group who would enjoy the boxes?  We can put together a Big Box full of small boxes at a discounted rate.  This would be great for church groups, mom's groups, casual groups- whatever.

The best part about this entire adventure is that I will be the boss of it.  So if you have an idea or suggestion or request (more glitter! more upcycled!) I can make that happen!  I am so excited to get started that I have actually created an extra, bonus box to go out on November 1st.  I will be using this box (it will actually be an envelope, go figure) to help promote this new venture and there will be a limited number created.  However, if you want to be a guinea pig and try out this new product for FREE, I am giving away 5 November boxes in the upcoming weeks.  You'll have to keep checking in to see how you can enter for a chance to win yours.

So you see, I am going to be busy and growing and fulfilling that voice that keeps screaming my name.  I am not waiting for my ship to come in, I'm going out to meet it.  Smooth seas never made a seasoned sailor.  Carpe Diem!  And all of that stuff.  I'm scared out of my mind and I am sure that very, very soon I will miss a steady paycheck, but you know, if you wait until the perfect time to do something, you'll never do anything.

I want to thank all of you for coming along on this journey with me and for supporting me this entire time.  When I do finally start working from home full time I have big plans for this blog and will honestly be updating more regularly.  But I hope to see you at my classes, or on my list serve.  And I hope you stop by the Powerhouse and check out my Art Boxes (or Monthly Make boxes, or Made by Mail boxes or whatever we decide to call them).

It's going to be a wild ride, here's to a good time!

No I am not a tree

(Source: Here)

I find myself thinking this over and over and over all day.  I am not a tree.  I am not a tree.  I have a voice. I am not a tree.  I have options.  I am not a tree.  I have goals and abilities and friends and partners and choices.  I am not a tree.

So I am making those changes that my voice keeps whispering.  I am taking control of my body.  I am not waiting for my ship to come in- I am rowing out and meeting it.  I'd love for you to come along.  I'll be sharing the journey and posting the pictures.  If you want to join me for cheaper- and desire a little tease before the big reveal- you can become a member of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council here.

I am choosing my family, my community and my passions.  I am choosing to let go of things that I cannot control.  I am choosing to live intentionally, peacefully, completely.  I have more choices to make and mistakes to overcome- but I am grateful to have those options.  I am not a tree.

Alone-ness and Guilty Pleasures

Marco left for another research cruise yesterday and while I miss him and I count down the minutes until he returns, I do (eventually) enjoy my alone time in the house.  Several years ago an "alone" week like this would have sent me spiraling into a black hole of panic and despair.  And it has been no easy journey learning how to enjoy my aloneness- but I am getting there.  Since people are always asking me how I deal with being in the house by myself (with only two crazy beasts for background noise) I thought I'd share a little bit of my technique (because that's what it is) here.

I always start by planning out my meals.  If it's just me in the house I'm much more liable to settle for nachos every night or a pot of tea and some cookies.  So the first thing I do when I know a period of "oneness" is coming up, is to make sure there is food that I can/will/like to eat in the house.  I like to do either very simple things (grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato) or really complex things (lasagna).  The simple things are easy to do quickly and clean up, the bigger things I can make once and then eat it for three days.  Once I get a food plan, I start to feel a little better because I get to eat things that Marco may not always enjoy for three days in a row... For me, grilled cheese sandwiches and nachos are supreme guilty pleasures but I try to make sure I get real ingredients into both of them so that I'm not too guilty.

I also make sure that I dress to kill the entire time.  It is so easy to not shave for an entire week or just let laundry pile up... but just like when I make myself plan out my meals, planning out my clothes helps too.  I plan to wear clothes that make me feel good and confident (thanks to that recent closet purge, that's all of them) and clothes that require some bodily upkeep too- like shaving and toe nail painting.  It's like being at a spa!  But cheaper because it's at my house.  And when it's just me, and I know what's for dinner and I know that no one else is wanting to use the bathroom- I can take that extra long shower, use my facial hair bleach and push back my cuticles without revealing too many secrets.

But most importantly for me, I have learned to develop projects.  Sometimes these are secret projects- like painting the bathroom or decorating our porch, but sometimes these are general projects like deep cleaning the floors or purging the craft room.  I pick up books that I want to read- and I read them without feeling like I'm ignoring anyone.  I take the dogs on walks and think about how grateful I am that Marco usually takes the first walk of the day.  I don't schedule every second of my time, but I like knowing that I have things to do.  It keeps me from feeling bored which usually ends up in impulse buying or anxiety.  And when Marco comes home he can oohh and ahh over whatever I've been able to accomplish.  Now that's a good thing.

Anyone else have long stretches of one-ness?  Anyone wish they HAD some one-ness?

Trying Something New

In the last 18 months, Marco and I bought a house, got married and decided it's time for me to make a career change.  What's that?  The career change?  I hadn't mentioned it?

That's probably because I'm still not sure what it is, but I know what it feels like.  It feels different than right now.  Right now I'm not in a good place.  I'm actually in a dark place.  A dark place that used to feel very familiar and friendly has not become stagnant and painful.  So it's time to move on.  I cannot say exactly what I'm moving on to yet, but I can say that I'm starting to figure it out.  

The first thing I've figured out is that I need to start putting into practice more of the things I enjoy, like sewing and socializing.  So I'm heading up a few classes over the next few months and will be keeping up with them via this blog.  I've also decided that if enough people suggest something, maybe you should give it a try, so I am working on a little Closet Reconstruction project too.  Maybe something will stick, or maybe I'll just continue to learn about myself.  Either way, it's going to be great- I can already tell.

Too Much Stuff

I suffer from two very different but very terrible illnesses.

The first is my overwhelming addiction to yard sales and Goodwill and other people's trash.  True story: I can (and have) scale a full sized dumpster with no ladder and remove a half broken full sized dresser, by myself, in less than 3 minutes.  I love the thrill of the hunt and the dealing and the stories behind vintage/antique items.  I love it, and the amount of stuff in my house is proof of that love.

My second illness is my equally overwhelming habit to declare "TOO MUCH STUFF" and decide that I don't really love any of it.  I have been working on limiting my intake of possessions, saving time and space and money for items that I will love forever (my green velvet chair, my chifferobe, my Cheezburger painting).  It takes practice.  I still find myself looking at items I've brought home and think "hm.  Could have lived without that actually." But at least I'm trying.

So right now the too much stuff side of me is winning- hard.  And Marco and I are preparing for our first yard sale since moving into this house.  We had a half attempt yard sale before we moved in over a year ago, but that was ill planed and only half heart felt.  This time I'm being ruthless.  I'm cutting from the bone.  I'm cleaning out my fabric stash!  Y'all.  Bags and bags of fabric stash.  That's how you know it's serious.  But we're going through closets too.  And boxes we never unpacked.  And emptying corners of the house that collect dust.  And going through things that's we've put up "in storage."  Our "work in progress" philosophy is "If I can't enjoy it all the time, then why do I own it?"  Nothing is in long term storage.  Nothing is hidden away without a proper home.  Everything has been used at least 3 times the last year.  And everything else is getting put in the yard for others to fight over.

Now we're still working on our different pricing strategies, one of us correctly wants stuff to move and therefore puts realistic prices, and the other wants to haggle and get the best deal ever so he puts higher prices with wiggle room.  This is also a work in progress.  But come Saturday, we'll have gotten there somehow.

Oh, and if you're looking for pre-lit Christmas trees or an elliptical machine, televisions (from a former roommate), ironing board, craft stuff (lots of fabric), plastic shelving, a movable closet rack, tv trays (lots of tv trays) or other household goodies, stop on by.  We'll be here Saturday morning and ready to play Let's Make a Deal.

Making Babies

No Mom. Not those babies.

The garden is really taking off and we could not be more excited. The tomatoes are loaded down and the cucumbers are creeping along nicely. It will be pesto time soon and our peppers are looking fantastic too. It's hard to remember our yard a year ago when we moved in, but I hope to post a before/after update soon. Until then we're going to just keep on growing and enjoying the green.

Oh. By the way, I planted this gourd in the front of the house a few months ago. There were times when it had no leaves and I had moved on with my life, convinced it was dead.

Not dead. And yes, it is trying to grow into the gutters on top of the doorway.

Adding to the Walls

I have been in a state of re-doing.  Maybe that will account for my absense on my blog and my presence in my own life, but I hope to start making up for it soon.

I thought I'd start with this new find.  Well, new to me.  I've been trying to find ways to actually get our bedroom to a more finished state.  You know, away from "We just moved into our new house!  This stuff goes HERE!" and closer to "Look how nice that looks!" I've been looking for some art work to help get that ball rolling and happened upon society6.com.  I love a nice, small time artist and a nice small time price tag so I've been allowing myself a lot of window shopping.  Here are my top choices for our new bedroom.

Medusozoa by Edwardblakeedwards

I love the black and whiteness of this print.  I also love jelly fish.  I think I would actually frame it vertically, but I do love the composition of it horizontially too.  I really don't see this as as a starting point for a new bedroom though.  Maybe later, but not first.

Rabbit by Carrie Booth

It's a rabbit.  And it's blue.  I think it is perfect.  But again, I'm not sure if this is a great starter picture. 

Untitled (landscape) by Tchmo

Actually, I'd take just about anything from this artist.  Like this, or this or this too.  I love the colors and the texture, even if this is only a print.  There may be too many colors to chose from?  Or much busy for a room that I want to feel cozy and relaxed.  Maybe a wide mat and simple frame will help contain the motion...


My Bologna has a First Name by David Schwin

I may need this one just because.  No color inspiration, just a good time.

And finally, Fractal Dandelion by Mark Nelson.

I really love this one.  I think it has wonderful colors and some great texture.  Nice and soothing but still plenty of detail.

Very interesting. 

Snapguide Practice Post

My cousin Baleigh is coming to babysit me in a week so I thought it would be fun to send her a box of stuff to help her prepare. I knew this package would be greatly anticipated so I wanted it to be fun to open.

Then I downloaded a new app called Snapguide and figured that while I was at it, I would practice with that too. So here is a preview for my box and my first attempt at Snapguide. Look at me using my iPhone! Woo-hoo!

Welcome to My House Box

Good morning!

The following makes the burg very nervous. The Pooto does not care and can sleep through anything. Including his sister's non stop barking.