Paper Whites.

I've never been very good at growing plants inside. In fact, I've never come close to succeeding. I was praying that this little bulb would grow into a flower before I posted about this project; I wanted to show you how pretty the blooms were. It worked! My pretty little paper white flower is thriving. (Which means that anyone can grow these things!)

While at Thanksgiving Point, we were able to plant one of these bulbs in a cute little tin can. Touted as an easy neighbor gift idea, and I'm all about ease during the holidays. Now that I see how easy they are to grow, this may just be what my neighbors receive next year.

And that bulb was only planted 1.5 weeks before the first picture! Can you believe that gorgeous bloom was already on display? My husband and I were always amazed to wake up each morning and see how big the plant was. It grows so quickly.

Super Easy How-To:

Gather a container. (A clean can. A pot. Anything will do.) Cover the bottom with an inch or so of rocks. Then, fill the can or pot with potting soil, leaving the top inch empty. Place your paper white (or amaryllis) in the soil. Make sure it is right-side up and that it is only covered with soil to the bulb's widest point. Place some pretty moss on top of the soil, around the bulb.

Now you get to be creative! Decorate the can/pot however you please. We used burlap, berries and some other pretty leaves and twigs.

Turned out rather cute, don't you think? I've got an inclining to grow more, now. Perhaps an Amaryllis next?

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...gardening 2009

Tomato Plants with Beautiful Homemade Bamboo Cages made by Hot Husband
Pepper Plants on the Left

I love gardening. It is an unexpected joy in my life. When I was a kid, weeding and planting seemed like the WORST job to be assigned. I hated getting dirt in my nails, sitting where bugs might be crawling and the seemingly monotonous chore of pulling weeds. I didn't understand why people would want to plant a garden when they could just buy the same stuff at the store.

It wasn't until I was an adult that I understood. I love watching the miracle of growing plants. Every day, I walk outside just to stare at my produce. I especially love planting from seed. I am amazed as those little seeds sprout and grow into large plants quicker than I expect. I love to see the beautiful blossoms come, knowing that they will soon be replaced by tomatoes, beans and zucchini. And, I even love pulling weeds and digging in the dirt. I love the way it feels in my hands. I love that I have control over the weeds and what grows in the cute little boxes my husband built me this year.

Every year, our garden seems to get a little bigger. We can't seem to let go of what we planted the year before, but we always want to try something new. I already have added a few things to my list for next year, so my husband may be commissioned to build another box or two. I am already excited!

I am proud of my cute little garden, which has graduated from the "senior citizen sized garden" that my mother-in-law claimed it was last year. (Although, it hasn't grown a ton. It is now a "little family in a little house sized garden.") It has already given us so much yummy produce. I am so glad that I have discovered this passion and developed this little talent.

1. Grape Tomato Blossoms
2. Zucchini and Butternut Squash Plants
3. Basil, Rosemary, Cabbage, Beets, Green Beans and Raspberries
4. Roma Tomatoes

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...gardening!!!

It is time to think about gardening again! I couldn't be more happy! Last year was my first garden and I had a wonderful mini-harvest. This year, I plan on expanding. My husband built me some short garden boxes. They make the yard and garden look much more tidy than it did last year. (Well...they don't look tidy in the picture below. This was shot while we were in the process of building the boxes.)

My garden plans include:
1. Green Beans
2. Peas
3. Tomatoes (Roma, Cherry and Better Boy...I think)
4. Butternut Squash
5. Jalapeño Peppers
6. Bell Peppers
7. Zucchini
8. Onions
9. Lettuce
10. Carrots (I didn't love my carrots last year. What kind of carrots do you all like?)
11. LOTS of herbs...especially basil. I LOVE fresh basil.
12. Raspberry Bushes. (Thanks to my in-laws who offers to let me transplant some of their bounteous bushed to my house.)
13. Corn

I am a gardening newbie, so please expound your wisdom on me! Any tips for a successful garden? Do you know of good gardening resources? I am ready to learn!

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...a few of my favorite things

My blog buddy, Holly, inspired me to do this post.

1. Difi is the absolute best texturizing cream. BEST. I use it everyday. It smells like coconut or pineapple or some yummy tropical thing. It works wonders and lasts FOREVER. (It will last an even longer time if you can keep your husband from discovering it. My husband borrowed it one time and now will use nothing else.) With both of us using it, though, the thing still lasts about 8-9 months.

2. I LOVE Mary Kay's Microdermabrasion Set. It is amazing!! I just started using it and can totally see a difference. Not a bad price with my sister's discount. (The offer still stands for everyone, anytime. Just email her if you want some Mary Kay at a HUGE discount!!)

3. There is nothing better than a good salad, and there isn't a better salad than THIS one. Even my husband loves it! Mmmmm....now I want to make it tonight for dinner.


4. I am a Banana Republic fan. About 50% of my wardrobe comes from the store. (And...I am a great deal finder, so I don't EVER spend full price. They have wonderful sales!!) I love the simple, chic style. (My husband hates the store, however and refuses to go in with me. ha! He is more of a sportsmans warehouse guy. Keen shoes, patagonia jacket...you know the type.)

My other favorite stores are Anthropologie and J.Crew, but good sales at those stores are few and far between.
5. When I was younger, I LOATHED gardening. You couldn't assign me a worse chore. Now, there is nothing better. I love digging in the dirt and seeing things grow. Every morning last summer, I would walk outside to examine my mini garden and be in awe. It relaxes me. Can't wait to plant a bigger garden this year!

Here is a link to a hideous website, but a wonderful resource.

6. Here is an oddity about me...I don't like mint. It reminds me of toothpaste. I can't eat mint brownies or York peppermint patties. The toothpaste taste ruins the chocolate. However...when it comes to toothpaste, the mintier the better. My toothpaste of choice is Crest plus Scope. (Peppermint flavor...not the one below.) It is STRONG mint and leaves you with the freshest breath. Kissable.

7. I love my kitchenaid, and ADORE my new pasta attachment that my husband bought me for Christmas. There is nothing better than fresh, homemade pasta. (This is NOT my green kitchenaide, but I wish it was! I love that color...)

8. I am a makeup snob. I wasn't always, but now that I have used the good stuff, I will never go back. M.A.C eyeshadow is the best eyeshadow. It just is. It is expensive, but it is worth it. I have used my 3 colors for 15 months now and they all look new. I have another long while of use before they will be gone. Plus...the color lasts all day. You don't have to reapply ever.


9. I am a Mac lover, but this time, of the computer varitey. I love the interface, the style, the simplicity. Call me a nerd, but I love my computer. (Even if it is old and takes forever to load things... I need to upgrade.)

10. I love Hawaii. My parents live there now and I lived there for a couple years. It is not only a beautiful place, but the culture and people are amazing. They are a very generous and loving people. They are laid back about many things that are so important here. When you live there, makeup, fancy clothes, and the finer things don't matter. They care more about each other. If I could choose one place to live for the rest of my life, I would choose Hawaii.
11. I love two odd colors. My all time favorite color is brown. It is so versitile. My second favorite color is yellow. Together, they make me happy. Love the combo. Warming, inviting, vintage. I should have lived in the 60s. (By the way...THIS color tool is super fun to play with!)

12. I think most of you know by now that I am a shoe addict. I love them. I can't get enough. (I thought I had a major collection of shoes until I saw my sister-in-law Hilary's summer shoe closet. She had an entire, enormous rack dedicated to only summer shoes. After we saw the rack, I immediately turned to my husband and said, "See!! I don't have more shoes every other girl alive!" Thank you, Hilary, for being my excuse to buy more shoes!)

Speaking of shoes, check out THESE lovlies. If only I could find an extra $400 laying around somewhere! (Geez! They are pricey!) If any of you find a more budget friendly version, please let me know! Piperlime is one of my favorite places to shop for shoes. They have great brands, great sales, free shipping and cute packaging. (And we all know how much cute packaging matters...)
Now I want to know your favorite things!!

8

...lilies

It is sad that I have been in this house for three summers and am just starting to enjoy the room I have to garden. My mom helped me plant some day lilies last fall and they are just starting to bloom! They are so beautiful and big! I love watching them open every morning as the sun peaks over the mountains and close as it falls at night. Who knew gardening could be such a joy? It really is magical to me.

2

...my tomato's issues

I never said I was a great gardener and I probably never will stake that claim, but I think even with my lack of gardening experience, this little tomato plant should be growing better than it is. Seriously. It is a runt. A major runt. I planted it on the same day as all my other tomato plants, which proceeded to dwarf this little guy and become 20x's his size. So...help a first time gardener out.
See this little Sugary Tomato? It is about 8 inches high. I planted it about 5 weeks ago and it was 6 inches high then. It is my only tomato plant with actual tomatoes...although my other plants have tons of blossoms so I am hoping for great production. Can you see my other tomato plants in the picture below? They are so much bigger than the little guy in the front. A friend of mine thought it was root-bound, so I dug it up last week, sifted the soil and spread out the roots. I am not sure if it helped. Anyone have any advice?
My other plants are doing great, although I haven't harvested any ripe produce yet. They all have lots of blossoms, so I hope those ripen soon! Through all my gardening struggles this year, I have really developed a love for gardening. Next year, I plan on doubling or even tripling my now senior-citizen sized garden.

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