indoor seed starting

it is officially 12 weeks before our average last frost date and johnny bear has set up a grow light so we can get things started indoors. we weren't sure what kind of light to go with so i went to my most trusted garden source, the amazing carol from annie's kitchen garden. she recommended a simple shop light with fluorescent bulbs that john actually bought and hung with no complaints!=)

today i planted eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, collard, lettuce, echinacea and verbena. the pansies started their cold treatment in the refrigerator last week and will go under the grow light tomorrow. (of course kati had to get in on the action.)

while out in the snowy garden borrowing some soil, i saw that the daffodils planted in the fall are already showing! who cares what the groundhog has to say next weekend - spring is on its way!=)

homemade valentine idea

this is 'knot' my idea, but i just had to share this cute homemade valentine project.

the tag is available for download at dandee designs and could also be handmade to say 'my world would knot be the same without you'. the bracelets are from the purl bee, where there are very nice tutorials to show you how to make your own. (of course there are simpler ways to make a friendship bracelet, but who could resist those hearts?=)

ps. picmonkey is what i use to make collages. it's very user-friendly and free! 

pps. this is my 500th post! that is just crazy!

hello kitty crochet // happy birthday

today is baby abbey's first birthday. i made her a kitty and topped it with a hat. had i not waited 'til the last minute, i would have also included a small cake. happy birthday, sweet little abbey! xoxox

weekend snippets

this was one of those weekends that go nice and slow. no appointments or places to be...some housework to tend to, but more play and relaxation...and even a little pampering.=)

1 // a mix of fenugreek and alfalfa sprouts - brought these with me to chipotle grill and put them in my vegetable burrito with a little bit of lemon. mmm! 2 // was pleasantly surprised to notice how much my aloe plant has grown. 3 // made a sweet banana/spirulina/cucumber/chia seed/lemon smoothie and found some daisies out back to pose with it.=) 4 // played with kati and her feather toy in the squares. she loves diving under the rows of squares that still need to be joined. how could i join them now? 5 // gave myself a much-needed facial with... 6 // ...raw apple cider vinegar and indian healing clay 7 // made some deodorant with coconut oil, lavender oil, and just a little bit of arrowroot and baking soda. 8 // discovered my old embroidered hearts look really cute with the vintage cream cardigan i found this week at frugal thrift shop. (someone's already thinking about vday craftsss.=) 9 // sat out in the sun with kati, but only a minute because it was too cold!

what made you happy this weekend?

handmade journals and 2013 goals

with various sorts of paper and string, i've been crafting myself little journal planners.

inspired by the blogosphere, i've written a list of goals for myself at the start of winter journal 2013. here it goes:

year-round gardening :: indoor seed-starting and a hoophouse to grow greens next winter
more preserving :: especially bell pepper and eggplant
keep flower-pressing :: and come up with a better system to share
better blogging :: name change and new design - in utero
prettier pictures :: put a little more effort into it
make more cards/send more snail mail
daily stretching/meditation :: the first always seems to lead to the next. keep doing it.
raw fruits and vegetables at every meal
daily walks
crochet class :: find someone to help me decipher the 1970's cover-up pattern (es muy dificil)
trust in love/the divine/the source/the creator/the supreme soul/god/the universe/allah or whatever you like to call the mysterious energy behind all that is to keep us in its light.

there are also smaller goals written this week :: jan 1 - jan 6 garden plan/make sprouted grain bread/learn sunburst granny square. did i accomplish any? nope, but there's still tomorrow!=)

what are you working on, in the new year and beyond?

almost too pretty to eat...

what an amazing experience this salad was. a feast for the eyes and palate! the flowers were nice and peppery and the onion flower was delicately pungent. right now i'm imagining the salad with green olives and salivating!

silly story :: growing up, spanish olives were served at every holiday meal. they were unappetizing to me, but i wanted to like them. they were just so cute, and i liked how the adults would stand around and pop them in their mouths before dinner was served.

when i was about seven or eight, i shared this with my mom. she said her pop-pop told her you have to eat seven olives to like them, and sure enough, after forcing seven down while swinging in the backyard, i had a new favorite food.=)

*believe it or not, i'm nearing my 500th post! plus i have over 50 unfinished drafts - this was one started after the july food swap. i really need to do some cleaning up and refocusing around here. i'm all over the place.

xoxo
kelliann