April's challenge: hothouse!

"Cherub Pod Hot Houses!"

Our family loves tomatoes and we eat all types all year long.  Lately we've been eating Cherubs brand in these cute little pods.

When empty, they look like little mini terrariums.   

I hated throwing them away so decided to use them to start some sunflowers for Kaela...they are her FAVORITE flower and I just can't seem to grow them.  

So here's how I did it....

I took some coffee filters and cut them to size.

and stuffed them down into each pod so soil wouldn't fall out the holes.

Then I filled each with a little soil and mixed in some seeds and watered them ALOT...had to let the water drain!

Then, I covered each pod with plastic wrap to create a little hot house

And set them on the warmest window ledge in the house.

In less than 8 days, I had to uncover them!  I loosened the wrap so you can see but left it on lightly because the window gets chilly at night.  

Once they got too tall for the pod, I replanted them into

a pot on the patio.  

These worked so well, I did the same thing with 2 more varieties of sunflower.   I didn't even bother putting these on the ledge in the house.

They've also been transplanted and are thriving!

April's challenge: Renewal

Greetings to our little group!   I haven't been blogging much of late due to being super busy but things should start getting back to normal this month!  YAY NORMAL!!!  I'm also having problems with my camera talking to blogger.....hope to get that fixed now that I am not quite so busy.

In to April's Challenge!!!

Spring is all about renewal and with that in mind, this month's challenge is to repurpose something. ANYTHING!  You can alter it or simply repurpose it for another use.  Whatever you choose to do, POST about it for this month's drawing!

I already know what I'm going to do with a few empty cherry tomato containers like the one below:



One more thing, the winner of last month's drawing is Iara!   I have a box full of stash stuff to mail you so please email me your address.

Thank you for playing along in March!!!!

April's theme!

There are many classic stories that have rabbits as main characters.

I was torn between Peter Rabbit and the Velveteen Rabbit....and Alice in Wonderland's white rabbit....and Brer Rabbit...and...and...and.
Once again, there were just too many books to list.
In the end, The Velveteen Rabbit won out because it is such a sweet story of hope.

April's story: The Velveteen Rabbit
April's ornament: rabbit/bunny
April's challenge: make an Easter themed decoration too...

"THERE was once a velveteen rabbit, and in the beginning he was really splendid. He was fat and bunchy, as a rabbit should be; his coat was spotted brown and white, he had real thread whiskers, and his ears were lined with pink sateen. On Christmas morning, when he sat wedged in the top of the Boy's stocking, with a sprig of holly between his paws, the effect was charming."

another bird nest

I decided the bird nest I made previously is too large for my little YOE tree so tried the wire bird nest from just something I made's tutorial.

It was soooooo easy and she is right....you simply cannot mess it up. I used larger wire...20 gauge.

It is so small (only 1 inch across) that I can't get a good photo of it with my camera....but here is the finished nest!


and here it is on my YOE tree...cute!

Now I think I'll have to make myself one into a brooch....or maybe get some sterling wire and make a pendant.......these things are addictive!

April's ornament and activity

I made this little nest for this month's ornament.....you'll need to click on the picture to enlarge it....then you can see the detail. The nest itself is about 3.5 inches across.

I wanted it to look camouflaged like a real nest would. I first crocheted the nest using 2 types of yarn held together.
Then I wove in beads, tinsel, embroidery thread, feathers, scraps of muslin and even tufts of rug fiber.

I whip stitched it around a pretty branch I found covered in lichen.
I really LOVE it. This photo doesn't show how pretty it is!


then I used some teeny wooden eggs and painted them to go in it.



and put it on display in our foyer.


I also made a nesting material bag with some crochet string and filled it up with dryer lint, yarn and feathers.

I hung it on the fence where birds tend to sit between feeding and taking baths....I haven't seen them use it though........

April's theme!

One of the most enchanting things in nature is the humble bird's nest.

I can watch birds build their nests for hours on end without getting bored. The birds are so determined and picky about what they choose and single minded and they just never seem to get tired of the flying, picking, snatching, weaving, poking.....just amazing.

And when they are done, even the simplest of bird's nests are lovely works of art.

Have you ever really looked at one? Bits of twigs woven with the grass; the occasional treasure like sparkly Easter basket shred or colorful yarn....all lovingly assembled, yet soon to be abandoned, works of art.

So in April, our theme will be the bird's labor of love....a bird's nest.

April's ornament: bird's nest
April's challenge: add a little treasure to your nest....maybe a sleeping fairy, bird eggs, etc.
April's activity: put out nesting materials for the local birds in your yard

Now, if you want to swap this time around, remember that you must be caught up with the other swaps to date. Just email me by April 1st so I can partner people up!

And for those not swapping, please remember to post your lovelies on the blog!

My April Package Arrived!!

I got my April package from Missy H on Friday... It was packaged so pretty and this time I managed to take a picture before I ripped it open:

And here are the awesome goodies that were inside the pretty package - a applique tea towl, a bookmark, pretty pink beads, tea, and a pretty stuffed bird ornie:

Thanks Missy!!

a little birdie......

I got Kim's April package in the mail Thursday and about fell OVER. I've never been so overwhelmed!

The birdies she made me were lovely....

and so were THESE birdies she made...

but she also sent these ornies....


along with TONS of other goodies...too many to mention....stash bits, candy, baubles for mosaics, stickers, vintage papers, candles, appliques...


all lovingly packed into 2 of her hand made ornament boxes!

oh, and don't think I forgot the APRON you saw under the 2 birdies!

Isn't it adorable! Thank you SO much Kim!!!!

The Sweetest Flock...

Of lovely Birds flew my way from Sherry's creative nest.

The Christmas cone has the sweetest little bird nesting amongst the greenery and the cute Bluebird is ready to hold my photos or cards. And that little red dumpling of a bird (isn't he adorable?) I have named Mater.

And Sherry, knowing my L♥VE of Halloween, even included a black rose brooch (complete with a skelly head, spider, & mouse) a very majestic looking crow, and the most gorgeous Halloween banner! I wish you could see the workmanship on the banner...absolutely fantastic!

Thank You Sherry!! I L♥VE it all! You spoiled me!

Tweet, Tweet

These songbirds from Ramie are awesome!! They are so cute all perched on their little swings. Their little feet are ribbons. And the colors are so pretty.

There are beads on the edge of their tails. How creative she is. I can just see them coming alive swinging and singing. Yes, I'm excited over these. I love these birds.

And she added 2 spools of lace, we both think they must be vintage; some teas and herbal medicinal teas that will go to good use; and some quilting magazines that have some very pretty qult patterns of which I have already chosen one that I am ready to start. And that's not all folks, a McDonald's gift card, how sweet is that!!

(I tried over and over and over to upload the other pictures, but something's not working), but believe me everything is fabulous.


Thank you Ramie! This is a great package, I love it...

fluff n stuff n

Here is the bag of nesting materials I put together for the birds.



I flung it as high as I could up in a tree....where it got hooked up by a branch.




I haven't actually SEEN any birds pulling from it, but the bag is getting smaller and the shiny bits are hanging out like they've been pulled on....so one can hope :-)

April's theme and partners!

April ornament: Songbird ....a small bird that lives in the forest or meadow.

(Not water fowl or raptor...) Think of Cinderella's little bird friends that made her ball gown!

April challenge: embroidery or some other type of embellishment

April activity:
Hang a bag of bird nesting materials in a tree near a water or food source.
Be sure to include brightly colored bits of yarn and other sparkly things to attract their attention!
Some good materials are dryer lint, bits of hay and raffia, ribbon, grasses, feathers, and fabric selvages in small pieces.
I use an old onion or tomato bag and just weave a piece of yarn through the top to close it.

Extra activity: For those who created a Fairy House, this is the perfect time to plant seeds around your fairy house to create a fairy garden.

"Raindrops are like fairy whispers."

April's Partners:

Val and Kim
Sandy and Anna
Ramie and Gin
Melinda and Jenny
Kerry and Robin
Jeanne and Sherry
Courtney and Missy
Nikki and Natalie