Being Green

 Last Sunday evening was one of the best nights I have had in a long time! I feel so recharged and excited about life after talking [virtually] face-to-face with the other ladies at Mon Ami Createry! (...minus Sharon, but we did miss her so much.) Just hearing about the exciting and funny things that are going on with them was just awesome! We were in 3 different cities but it felt like my best friends were hanging out with me around my kitchen table. It felt just like the good old times when we'd gather around in the scrapbook store just talking about life and it was just what I needed.

Since then, I feel motivated to create stuff and work on the many unfinished projects I have laying around the house. But before I start on my unfinished stuff, of course, I decided to start something new. I've been into drawing lately, so I broke out my Prismacolor markers (they are alcohol based art markers, like Copics, used for blending and creating streak-free color) that I haven't used since my Interior Design days in college. To my surprise, they all still work after 4 years ...which also made me really happy because they were really expensive!

Anyway, On Pinterest I've had >>this<< Succulent wreath pinned for quite some time and I finally saw it again. I think it is so beautiful, and while the diy part of it doesn't seem so hard... I just had no motivation to get dressed and go on a scavenger hunt around my little rural town searching for succulents and all of the other supplies.  So I did the next best thing, I just decided to make it on paper.

 I don't think I am a good drawer or anything but I just feel the urge to draw things I feel are pretty. So I opened my sketch pad and doodled away. I was pretty happy with the way my pencil sketch turned out, so I outlined It with one of my Gel-based pens (*this was important so it wouldn't bleed with the markers) erased all my pencil marks and started coloring and blending... It was so much fun! 

I turned the finished piece into my blog greeting up there ^^^at the top.^^^

I had so much fun drawing and coloring, that I left everything out on my table in case I felt the urge to do something else....  nothing else has been created yet, but I think I might doodle up something else tonight.

Being green on paper was fun for sure, but it reminded me of the lack of green that I have around my home. I've had my eye on a pretty pant and tall slender pot at Lowes for a while, but the pot was $50+!! Me being the budget shopper that I am decided to wait a little bit... "Because everything goes on sale... and if it's still there when it is on sale, then it was meant to be!"...yep that's my motto and also my way of justifying purchases... don't judge me! I buy everything on sale and just my luck, the pot was on sale this time so I bought it and saved about $30!! *YAY!!!*

So I took my new plant home, potted it right away, and put it in its new home!

~I am so happy~

 While I was on pinterest, I also found this cute little saying. I decided to share it because I thought it was relevant to today's post... sort of.

This also reminds me of a conversation that I had with one of my guests that I was serving at work, (because I'm a waitress now and I love it...    ....that is probably sarcasm.) I was waiting on an older lady and her husband and for some reason older people feel the need to make sure that I am going to do something with my life. Anyway, they asked me if I was going to school... I explained my predicament about not really knowing what I want to do but knowing I want to do something/anything that allows for me to be creative and that I am leaning towards graphic design or just going for my Bachelors in Fine Arts along with a teaching certificate... because ever since I was in elementary school,  I wanted to be a Elementary school art teacher because I *loved* my teacher. (I will probably do a post all about her someday.) She exposed me to many different types of art, showed me how to create the things that I imagined and she encouraged me to do many things I never thought I could... and I want to do that for other children. Anyway, the woman informed me that she was not artistic at all, and although she tried, she didn't have it. I told her that infact she DID have artistic talent but she just had to find her thing... she then told me that she liked interior decorating, and we agreed that that was her thing.

I am so thankful for art and the need/urge to be creative...  without it, the earth would definitely just be "eh."
-Ashley-

Father's Day Hike

Welcome back everyone and Happy Wednesday! I wanted to give you guys a garden update...We harvested our first two cucumbers today and they were sooooooo delicious. Look at that one it is HUGE and so straight, like a grocery store :) I also harvested the last of my lettuce and will have to do a do over on most of it.Those dang green caterpillars destroyed pretty much all of it!!! But we were still able to get a salad from it and had a little to share!

 I hope everyone enjoyed their Father's Day! I know we did here. We went on a family hike up Cowles Mountain and one of my favorite views in SD! Normally when we go we will take the main entrance, but being the adventure-some sort we took one of the back ways...well really it is just less crowded and peaceful)

 Both the boys are out of school now and we are ready to start our summer vacation. How about you guys?

See you all next Wed.
 xoxo
Danni

PS- I am on the Sweet Stamp Shop's Design Team (YAY!) and there is a NEW release out today. I wonder if you can spot any of my creations???

Gimme Some Lentils, Please!!!

Well after all that hot weather we had, soup was far from my mind, but now that it has cooled down some I decided it was time use up some of the lentil mix sitting in my fridge. So, I first "googled" and searched images of lentil soups, when I found a picture I thought looked appetizing I then looked to see how complicated the recipe was. (I wasn't feeling fancy, so I didn't want anything too complicated lol) I finally landed upon not only a delicious looking picture but an interesting twist that none of the other recipes said to do, BLEND! That was it, I was in. So the mission began...Actually Make Lentil Soup.

For the original recipe "Hearty Vegetarian Lentil Soup" from Simply Scratch's Blog click HERE.

I did make it my own and used this recipe only as a guide, I also made a double batch and omitted the tomatoes.

Check it out:

 Here are pretty much all the ingredients I used. NOTE: for the vegetable broth I use Better than Bouillon vegetable base, IT is simply the best! They make vegetable, chicken, and beef base.

Dice those bad boys up.

Heat up some olive oil and add veggies and let them "sweat"

While veggies are sweating rinse lentils.

I like to mix all my seasonings together in a bowl first and then toss them into my cooking. I changed up some of the seasonings adding ginger, curry, and garlic powder (I didn't have any fresh ginger )

I cooked it as directed and then I made up some extra lentils to blend and add into the full soup. 

We bought some french bread for dipping and a couple sprigs of rosemary from the garden for garnish! It turned out soooo good and both kids eat it too :)

Til Next week

xoxoxo

Danni

Radishes!!!

 So I am sooo excited to share...radishes were ready to pick!! We had a nice little bunch and they were pretty taste-y, not to mention a nice little kick at the end, true radish style.

This is what they  looked like before picking

Look at the beautiful bunch

Clean trimmed and ready to eat.

Here is an up date on the cucumbers(the left side and center) and watermelon(right side). (and the lettuce that somehow snuck in...)

I had been needing to transplant the darn thing but hadn't had time to go get a new pot. So I finally got one they are in their new home now.

Happy Wednesday!!!
xoxo
Danni

Little Helpers

Hey Everyone,

Welcome back to another Wednesday!!! I have been busy working on misc. little things around the house. LOTS of errands and what not all week long. I even had to go to the laundry mat twice in one week :( We only have two washers at our apt. and one is broke and the other was always in use!!!

So what do you do when you have a lot  of little things that need to get done???? I enlist the help of little ones!!!!

My kids play outside with the neighbors all the time so I disguised work as play and they were all so happy to help me. I was able to get table tops sanded and paper shredded, doesn't get much better :)

 I am getting ready to repaint the tops and I am thinking about papering the bases, but haven't decided yet.

 Don't mind their dirtiness, they had been outside playing all day long. These two are pretty close in age and are the best of friends, they act like a married couple sometimes though...eeeekkkk....they were actually discussing whose turn it is and how they will be sharing. :)

 Ryry had to get in a "I am a cool dude" pic before he could move onto "other stuff" gotta love this guy :)

We are shredding paper because we are going to start a compost for the garden!!! Getting our worm home all nice and cozy. She was really into the paper shredding lol

Well, now that the hard work has been done I can get on to the fun stuff! Thanks little ones :)

Happy Wednesday and see ya all back next week :)

xoxoxo
Danni

Garden Update :)

Ok, so, CONFESSION!!!!! I had made a big time fail, so I have been reluctant to share the garden that me and the boys did with everyone. I felt so embarrassed to post the disaster I did, BUT, I stepped back and took another look and decided, 'hey I didn't kill them all, only some' and, we do have some growing plants and there are MORE seeds. So, this morning I went out and took pics and decided to share our garden growth so far.

Some of the pots I just planted new seeds in and some are starters. (Ones that I had planned on buying that way from the beginning)

 You remember, this is what we first started with. The boys planting in this little "greenhouse"

 These are cucumbers

 These are sunflowers that Ryry and I planted about a week ago.

 Not sure what this guy is, buy I am thinking it is lettuce. It just sprouted up one day with the watermelon that I replanted in a disposable pot.

 This is watermelon. I just love how they sprout and open up!

These are some of the little seedlings that I replanted (way to early-which is part of my epic fail) in the disposable pots

 Yellow pot are newly planted seeds. Red pot is Zucchini. (which I almost killed, [SORRY GENA], by not transplanting it soon enough) Green pot is Banana Peppers and Basil.

 This is what our little greenhouse looks like now after I reeked havoc on it!

Another sunflower with water droplets. I just loved the way that this looked with the drops resting on it.

Well, I am just glad to say it wasn't a total loss and, most importantly, we still have stuff growing. I still have so much to learn about container gardening, and it is now where near as easy as gardening in ground like I am used to. But, I am determined to make it work!

See you all back here next Wednesday

XOXO

Danni

How Does Your Garden Grow

Good Morning, Good Morning, Good Morning!!!!

Another week has gone by and boy it felt fast. I am prepping this week for my company that will be arriving on the first, Gramma and Elisha (little brother)! Let's just say, I am so excited, I usually get to see my gramma about once a year. She usually comes every spring when the weather is in perfect condition, not too hot and not too cold, and when she comes she generally bring one of my siblings (and I have a lot :) I love you all!!) Well my little brother Elisha gets to come this time and it has been almost 5 years since I last saw him, eek! Yup, I have been counting down the days and I hope it hurries.

Well, one thing I have always loved is gardening. My gramma grows a fantastic garden and my mom has the BIGGEST green thumb ever, she has a garden you would see in one of those magazines, Beautiful with amazing garden furniture, plus nothing beats that Northwest Washington soil. I, on the other hand live in an apartment in sunny S. California, so containers it is! Not my first choice, but something about flowers and your own veggies and herbs, that it will have to do. (and what I have come to find out, much more tedious!)

My sister in law, the boys, and I picked out some seeds and a little starter kit to get some stuff growing.

 The little greenhouse kit and seeds I actually picked up from target.

 

All the seeds were planted except for the sunflowers. (there wasn't enough room, so those will be done when I get more soil for my pots.)

 This greenhouse is super easy and REALLY fun for kids to do. You just water the pellets and they expand. 

Add your seeds, and a little more water, put the lid on, and find a nice spot in your home away from the sun. Viola! Now it is just waiting time. It also comes with a diagram of the kit so  you can note what you planted in each cell.

Do you have any special tricks or tips to gardening in pots/containers? I would love to hear them. Is there a "special" soil concoction you like to make up? Or, maybe a certain pot that drains the water just right? Let me know :)

Now let's watch the garden grow!

See you back next Wednesday,
xoxo
Danni