Going 'Green' in Minnesota

New Puppy means new 'Green' Projects

2009-08-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged for a couple months now - don't know why - but decided I should start back up again.

A few weeks ago I fell in love with a little puppy at a craft show, and had to bring him home to my kiddos. His name is Pico, and he's a mix between a Pomeranian and a Yorkie. Needless to say - he is TINY! At his vet visit he was 2.2 pounds. (He's literally 100 times smaller than my Mastiff!) He and Miss Cassie make an entertaining pair.

So now that I have this little guy, it inspired me to to start crafting dog products. I've started with his bed:

I used an old pillow for the bed and some left over fabric for the cover. The cushion around the pillow is stuffed with fabric leftovers and a little bit of cotton stuffing from old stuffed animals. To give you an idea of the size (of the dog and the bed), the pillow measures 10 inches across. He's such a good model!

I've also started making dog collars, for both my big dog and the little one. Cuddly Creature Creations will launch soon selling wholesale dog collars that can be dropshipped!

Final Day to enter giveaway! Good Luck!

2009-06-13T21:34:00.000-07:00

I’ve had such a great response to my giveaway, I really appreciate all the nice comments and I plan on doing a giveaway once per month, so please keep coming back and reading more.

The 5 Lucky Winners will be announced on Monday June 15, 2009. I will be using a random number picker, and if your comment is one of those numbers, you win!

Thanks to all who entered, and all those who came back daily to enter!

Each winner will receive 1 random wallet similar to the one pictured above. Each and every wallet is unique and one of a kind.

The link to the original giveway is :

http://craftygreengirl.today.com/2009/05/23/wallet-giveaway/

You have until midnight on the 14th to enter. Good Luck!!

I think the next giveaway will be for a handbag - ooh, what should I create for that one? Any ideas?

"My Eyes!" said my son.....

2009-06-10T22:01:00.000-07:00

Today I woke with another itch to sew another bag, afterall, my Etsy store is looking pretty bare, so anyway, the process started again. Got up, put on coffee, made the kids breakfast, and went downstairs to start 'creating'. The kids followed, we turned on the TV and I sprawled out on the floor to 'brainstorm' my creation.

I had this great fabric that looks like 3 fabrics all sew together, so I decided the floral part could become the handles, and the stripes and leaves would be a pretty cool bag.

I sewed it all together, and I showed the bag to my boys - who are never too excited about my bags - my oldest said 'Oh, cool, another bag', and my youngest looked up and said 'My Eyes - they burn!' I must say that made me laugh. It is definitely a colorful bag - but hopefully it doesn't burn your eyes!

The Giraffe Print Linen Handbag ~ Love it!

2009-06-09T10:41:00.000-07:00

I found this great fabric the other day - it’s a medium weight linen. Oh how I love linen It makes the perfect tote bag, grocery bag, purse, anything!! Makes things super heavy duty and is pretty easy to work with.

So, yesterday, I got the itch to make a bag out of my new fabric. I have 2 prints I thought would look great together, one is a giraffe print and one is a scroll type print. Both are chocolate brown and cream (one of my favorite color combos!)

First I made my handles out the scroll fabric, sewed those up and then decided to make a 7 pocket purse. 6 pockets on the outside and 1 cell phone pocket on the inside. I used the giraffe print for the outside pockets and the scroll print for everything else. I then used some leftover fleece for the batting, pinned it all together and sewed away.

I then made a matching wallet out of the giraffe print. It has 2 compartments on the inside for storing money and such. I used a little interfacing in the wallet to make it a little more sturdy.

This is one of those bags I don’t want to part with, but what’s the point in having 20 different purses, huh? So this one is going in my Etsy Store. Please check it out!

Hey, I’m still giving away 5 handmade wallets on June 15th! Please enter the giveaway in this blog. Look for the link on the side that says ‘Wallet Giveway’ or scroll down through this blog, leave a comment, and I’m picking 5 lucky winners on the 15th

Black, Hot Pink & White Handbag ~ Made with recycled items!

2009-06-04T07:59:00.000-07:00

My newest creation is this Black, white, and hot pink handbag with a snap closure. It has 6 outside pockets and measures 10 inches wide x 8 inches high with a 4 inch gussett.

Made with 100% cotton fabric and I use upcycled ribbons for the handles. The whole project took about an hour to complete. I used an upcycled baby blanket for the batting, so it is a heavy duty bag, and will last a long time. Eco-friendly and super fun to carry around!

Each and every project I make, I try to use materials of some sort that are re-used. Why not re-use items that you might otherwise just throw away? Old baby blankets (washed of course, make great batting for purses, placemats or any other project that needs a little something to make it thicker. Instead of running out and buying it, just look around your house, I bet there is something you are using anymore that can by recycled into something else. Let me know what you recycle in your craft projects!

You must read this story.

2009-05-30T07:59:00.001-07:00

Just a few minutes ago, I came across this blog. It brought tears to my eyes, and I hope you can take the time to read it and help out if you can. What a sweet little boy.

Making Baby Shoes!~

2009-05-28T06:14:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been making baby shoes! They are the cutest thing ever. Today I was seeing a customer and I brought a pair along just so she could see them. She snatched them up and said “I have to have these, can you make me 5 more pair?” ~ Well, absolutely! She also bought 7 baby blankets, and 5 wallets. So today was a good day!

I am really loving my sewing - I think I could really turn it into an actual business. A few years ago I was running a really successful online bath & body business, then we took a move with my husband’s work and things kinda fell apart with my business, I couldn’t keep up with all the orders all by myself. When that business declined, I really felt like a failure and lost my motivation completely to try another ‘at home’ business. So for the last couple of years I’ve done a lot of soul searching and over time discovered my love of sewing. It’s so cool to be able to create my own ‘things’ instead of having to run out and buy something everytime I need or want something.

So, I think I have my ‘MoJo’ back - and I’m ready again to plunge completely into this business plan. Etsy is the first step in the right direction (along with my local customers), and we will see what happens next. Yay!

Handmade Wallet Giveaway - 5 to give!!

2009-05-23T07:24:00.000-07:00

These are great little handbags/purses. I recently received some new fabric, so I made a few different things out of them. My newest creation is this purse and wallet. Purse measures 7 3/4″ Wide x 9″ Tall with a gusset of 2 1/2″. Wallet measures 5 1/4″ x 3 1/4″ ~ snap closure. Great spring colors and even includes an inside pocket.

I love sewing - something about it is very theraputic to me. These great bags can be found in my Etsy Store. (Click Here!)

I’m also giving away a 5 handmade wallets like the one in the picture above! Please leave a comment if you would like to be included in the drawing to be held on June 15th! We will contact you if you win! Click on 'comments' directly below this to leave a comment ~ Thanks!

Huge Wind Turbines

2009-05-17T07:23:00.000-07:00

After my last post, I traveled down the road and came to Rock Port, MO. Much to my surprise there is a huge field of GIANT wind turbines. So cool, they were everywhere and I found them so beautiful I just had to take some pictures. You have the beautiful hills of Missouri, and at least 20 wind turbines planted throughout the countryside all around the town. I searched online and found out that Rock Port is the FIRST 100 Percent Wind-powered Community In U.S. Amazing!! I grew up just 20 miles north of Rock Port. Here is the link: click here

Off to a graduation today, I'll see what else I find on my trip back to Minnesota!!

On the road again....

2009-05-16T05:30:00.000-07:00

I'm far from home!! 3 days ago we left Northern Minnesota and traveled 10 hours south to Southwest Iowa. Wow, what a difference in the weather. It was cold, sleeting and only around 20 degrees in Minnesota and it is so nice and pretty around 70 degrees in Iowa.

This morning we are heading for South Central Nebraska for 2 nights for a graduation party. Should be a good time.

While on my trip I have been noticing all sorts of eco-friendly things, from the Rest Stops in North Dakota - using all recycled paper products to the eco-friendly coffee cups in the Coffee House in Nebraska City, NE ~ many are catching the 'green' wave. I love it. It's a slow process, but it's catching on.

Scratch & Sniff Blog ~ Heliotropes

2009-05-06T19:35:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful morning it was! I drove the kids to school because my youngest had to dress as a Hobo today, and didn’t want his ‘Hobo Stick’ to break on the bus. So after dropping them off, I stopped by the grocery store for milk, oj, and corn on the cob. Of course, I used the eco-friendly shopping tote I made earlier - the ladies at the grocery store love to comment on the different styles. Anyway, I then came back home, let the animals outside, and decided to plant my flowers I had picked up at the greenhouse.

Heliotropes! I absolutely love heliotropes. I planted them for the first time last year and the aroma they put off is breathtaking. They are a fairly simple looking dark green plant with beautiful purple flowers. It’s not so much what they look like, it is absolutely the aroma for me. Wish my blog could be scratch and sniff, then you could enjoy them as well!

Speaking of aromas, later in the day we had a nice little thunderstorm, and I love the smell of rain. It just seems like everything is washed clean and new again. I love Spring!!

One more great thing happened today, I received my fabric I ordered!! Yay! Now I have 15 shopping totes to make - some of which will go on the website , and some are for other people, and donations I make.

So, in closing, if you are at a local greenhouse, see if they have heliotropes - and if they are in bloom ~ you must take a sniff!

Eco-Friendly Tote Bags

2009-05-02T06:09:00.001-07:00

Every time I go to the market, I try to remember to bring my fabric shopping bags. So I decided I needed to have 2 sets of them. I try to keep one set in my car at all times - they are great for so many things. I of course use them in the grocery store, but they are also great if I’m going to the neighbor’s for wine night, or if my kids need a bag for something. So instead of using the ’store’ brand bags, I’ve been making (and selling) my own tote bags. You can make them so stylish and many times you can use something around your house to make them. I’ve made some out of old curtains that I have tired of, old fabric shower curtains also make great bags. Just wash them first .

I currently list some of my creations on my website: Goods From Nature, I list them as I make them, so there is usually only 1 or maybe 2 of it’s kind listed.

The best part about handmade tote bags is you can reuse them and they are washable. What a great, stylish way to do your shopping.

Sewing with my neighbor...

2009-04-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

The other day, my neighbor and I decided she needed a toaster cover. So we decided we could make one, how hard can it be? Right? I can usually sew most anything, without a pattern - as long as I have good directions - I can do it. So, I went to her house and we found a tutorial online, and away we went. We started at 9 am and we were finally done at Noon! 3 hours for a toaster cover!?! We should have started with a simpler version, but no, we had to make it ultra cool. Her kitchen is kinda country-ish. Her cabinets are cream and sage green and her curtains are burgandy and cream checks. Very cute. So we found 2 different fabrics, sage/cream checks and burgandy.

So start off taking the measurements of the toaster.

Front: height & width. Side: width & height and then total measurement starting at the side, going up and over the top and down to the countertop. Make sure when taking the measurements, you account for the knobs on the front and the widest width at any given point.

Next, you need to measure and cut your fabric. In our case, we we used the checked fabric for the front and back, and the burgandy for the top (measurement you took up the side and over the top of the toaster). We cut two pieces for each piece so that we could make it a little more sturdy - we put some batting in the center. Based on our measurements, we then cut 4 pieces of fabric for the front and back (2 for the front of the toaster, 2 for the back of the toaster), and 2 of the long pieces for the center piece. We then cut batting to match (3 pieces).

Next, we lined up our fabric with the batting. Make a sandwich - fabric right side down, batting, then fabric right side up. Do this with all your pieces, and pin them all together.

Next, you need to line up the center, of the long center piece (lengthwise) with the center of the shorter pieces (front and back of toaster pieces). Sew one on, flip it around so that the piece you just sewed on, is at the bottom of the fabric, and repeat. Now you have both the front of the toaster cover and the back, attached to the long piece of the toaster cover.

Next, you need to sew the sides to the front and back. It’s kinda like wrapping a Christmas present, fold the corner of the long piece down to the non-attached corner of the small piece already attached. Line up the fabric (right side to right side) so that your seam will hide the unfinished fabric on the inside, pin and sew. Do this for each corner, pin and sew. Now you basically have the finished product. Turn the whole thing inside out, and now all of your seams will be on the inside - ooh it looks so pretty!

Next you can either attach decorative trim to the bottom to cover the unfinished seam (wrap it around the bottom, and sew), we made our own basting tape, and attached it to the bottom. Or you could hem it, and sew with a decorative seam stitch. If you opt for the hemming, make sure you add a half inch to your lenght measurements, or your toaster cover will be too short.

Ours took a little longer, because we had to make it reversable, but probably took so long because we talk - a lot - and laugh.

This same concept can be used for Kitchenaid Mixers, can openers, coffee makers or anything else you would like to cover in your kitchen - how about the frig? Just Kidding.

You are all done, and it was so easy

Recycling Egg Cartons

2009-04-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

What a dreary day in Northern Minnesota! The wind is blowing and the temperature is 44 degrees. I just walked down my driveway to the mailbox - it’s usually a 5 minute walk down there and back, but today I went much quicker. That wind is super chilly!! Good cardio workout though!

So today I am recycling my egg cartons and starting some new seeds. I have tomato, lettuce, jalepenos, peas, pole beans, and green peppers. I like to use my egg cartons and start seeds in those. Perfect size to get a seed going indoors before introducing the plant to the great outdoors. When you are ready to transfer the plants to soil outside, it all comes out really easy and you can just transfer strait to the soil.

Here is what you need:

1 empty egg carton, seeds, potting soil, cellophane and water. Just put a little bit of potting soil in the egg carton, add the seed, water until saturated, and then cover with cellophane. If you have one of those table top green houses, just put the egg carton in there. Otherwise, use the cellophane to cover the open carton. When you see the seeds start to sprout, let them grow a few more days and then uncover and let them grow indoors until you are ready to move them outside - preferably once there is no more danger of frost. Enjoy ~ it’s fun to watch plants grow from seed, and then get to enjoy the ‘fruits’ of your labor.

Getting More Website Traffic - Make more green!

2009-04-15T17:29:00.000-07:00

From time to time I review new products on my blog. This is the most recent one. If you own a website, and are struggling to get more traffic, this is a great product. It teaches you how to get FREE website traffic almost instantly to your website. So go green - in this case green means making more money online. Oh, and it's also eco-friendly cuz it is all online, no trees killed for this one.

Check it out!

Getting ready to plant again!!

2009-04-15T13:21:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year. The snow is almost all gone, each day reaches almost 60 degrees and little sprouts are coming out of the ground. This year I'm going to attempt a raised garden for my veggies. I have tons of lillies planted around my property and cant' wait to see those start blooming. I want to try some new flowers this year - give me some ideas!! I live in zone 3 and want some new perennials. I love spring, all the animals are coming out - I'll be sure and post some pictures.

Home Made Energy

2009-01-27T09:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday President Obama spoke about his plans for American Made Energy and embracing solar and wind power among other clean energy solutions.

I think we all need to start thinking this way, do your own little part to help our planet earth. Learn how to make your own energy and put a little more 'green' in your wallet.

Click Here to Learn How!

Arbor Day Foundation

2009-01-20T13:11:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've posted any new entries, so I thought I would start out the new year by talking about the Arbor Day Foundation. I grew up in a small town about 10 miles away from the Arbor Day Foundation in Nebraska City, NE. I try to support them every year, and plant new trees each spring. Here is the link, it is a great organization with the focus on saving our planet. Plant a tree this spring!

Click Here for the Arbor Day Foundation

Make Gas out of Water? Really!!

2008-12-09T07:07:00.000-08:00

When I first read this I thought, no way! But after reading how to convert your car to a water-burning hybrid, I was intrigued. It doubles your gas mileage and the best part.... produces cleaner emissions. So with this tip, you are saving green and going green all in one! Really cool.

If you are interested, you can read about it
here.

Make your own Electricity!

2008-12-06T08:03:00.001-08:00

With heating costs going through the roof this winter, it is time we all start helping our environment and our own 'Personal Financial Situation'. The following is a way to do just that, learn to make your own electricity and save some 'green' on your electric bill. You can even learn how to make the electric company pay YOU!

This is a must read: Check it out Here

Here's to saving a load of cash!

Incentivized Freebie Websites

2008-10-29T08:20:00.000-07:00

I have tried so many things, trying to make money online and I've had some great successes and some failures. But with each opportunity, I've learned a lot, and learned from my mistakes.

What I am doing now seems to be working beautifully, so I want to share it with everyone I can reach. I'm so tired of all the get rich quick schemes online. This won't make you rich, but it will give you a nice income to help your monthly finances.

After I had already started doing this, I found this great tutorial, you can find it
Here. And once you have read through it, come back and I'll work with you on your first trade!! I post trades on my blog often, so you can come back here.

My very first trade I did was at this website. If you follow that link, sign up, and complete 1 credit I will pay you $20 via paypal, as soon as you 'go green'. (That means you have completed 1 credit).

Let me know if you have any questions, I'm here to help!

Going Green & Earning Green (cash)

2008-10-22T11:55:00.000-07:00

In today's economy it is becoming more common to find ways to save money and make money. Lately I've come across some very interesting ways to get free items and receive cash in my paypal account. It's all pretty simple. Here is one of the sites that helps you earn prizes or cash:

Click here to check it out!

If you are super organized, and looking for ways to receive free items and cash, it won't hurt to take a look around.

Another Great site is Free Lunch Room, this site helps explain the method behind it all, gives you advice, and lets you talk to others who do the same thing.

It's fun, and when the money starts coming in, in is even more fun!!

The Secret Behind The Secret

2008-10-17T12:31:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been reading books about the Law of Attraction and I have learned alot. I have had several things happen around me that prove that the Law of Attraction is very real.

I came across this ebook and it helps you to understand the science behind 'The Secret'. You have to check this out if you've tried to use the Law of Attraction without success. This explains how it works, why it works, and exactly what to do to make it work. I'm usually a skeptic, but this one is a keeper:

Click here to see!

Within 1 day of reading, I was having things happen that can only be explained by the Law of Attraction.

Hope this helps you as well!

Fat Kitty & Baby Kitty

2008-10-03T07:59:00.000-07:00

The Fat Kitty & Baby Kitty Story:

The cats we have were born in our garage 2 1/2 years ago by a wild cat. The cat ran into our garage, got up on my husband's 4-wheeler, and gave birth to her babies right there. Within 2 days she had abandoned them. So I got online and starting researching how to raise kittens. Wow, what a great thing that was. The first night I realized I would have to be their caregiver, I read that I had to first make sure they were hydrated. You pinch the skin by their shoulder blades and if it doesn't bounce back quickly, you know they are dehydrated. So I did the test, and the skin didn't bounce back at all, so I knew I had issues. So I got a low heat heating pad, and put underneath their box (still in the garage, in hopes that mama kitty would return). The next step was to give them sugar water, to help hydrate the babies. There were 5 kittens born, 1 had died almost immediately, so now I was caring for 4 of them. 2 girls, 2 boys. I took a tiny syringe, and squirted just a little bit of sugar water in their mouths, and immediately they starting squirming around. There was still hope! So they made it through the night, and mama kitty was still nowhere to be found, so I brought them in the house.

First thing in the morning, I went into town and found baby animal formula, and the feeding began. It was almost every 2 hours for the first few weeks. These poor babies, they were eating and going potty like they were supposed to, and then 1 got sick, and after a few days she was gone. I took the rest to the vet and the vet basically told me I should just let them die because they probably weren't going to make it without a mother and there are too many pets in the world without homes - so I was wasting my time and money. I didn't like that at all, they were so precious, there was no way I could just let them die. Needless to say, I don't use that vet anymore. So I took them home and kept on feeding them, they were getting bigger and their eyes opened, their ears stood up, and they starting being very loud about when it was time to eat!

Then we had another hurdle, the other girl kitty (gray kitty) started loosing her fur. She lost all of it except the fur right between her eyes. Then the black kitty (Baby Kitty), lost all the fur on his stomach. And the orange and white kitty (Fat Kitty), he didn't loose any fur. So off to the vet we went again. The vet couldn't figure out what it was, but knew it wasn't a ringworm or a parasite since they did all sorts of tests. Not quite sure, but gave them some medicine and we went home again. The medicine made gray kitty kinda sick, but she made it through it and eventually went on to her forever home with another family in our town. So we decided we would keep the 2 boys - still known as Baby & Fatty.

Baby Kitty:

Baby Kitty is huge! He is completely a house cat and is very loving. Gets along great with our Mastiff and fights with our German Shorthair. He's fun to have around.

Fat Kitty:

Then there is Fat Kitty. I believe he thinks he is a dog. He follows my children to the bus every morning and sits there and waits til they are gone. He is a giant puff ball and the greatest mouser I've ever seen (each morning there is a new one waiting for us to find). He spends most of his time outdoors in the summer and most of his time indoors in the winter. In the winter he gets fat (hence the name) and every summer he looses it again. Very cool cat.

So, yes, I have a zoo, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Children and Animals are such precious gifts - treasure them everyday!

Great Natural Product

2008-10-01T07:49:00.001-07:00

My skin is so dry, so when this happens I know exactly what to do. I use an all natural face/body balm made by Lavare' Bath & Body. It is the only thing that fixes my dry patches basically overnight. It comes unscented and in Lavender(to soothe skin). It has shea butter and cocoa butter in it. I love this product line, so that's why I'm mentioning it here. I've used it for years and can't live without it. Here is the product:

The days are getting shorter...

2008-09-28T05:35:00.000-07:00

I live in Northern Minnesota, where in the summertime, it gets dark at 11:00 pm and the sun rises at 4:30 am approximately. Now the days are getting shorter and shorter. This morning it was 47 degrees, the wind is blowing and it looks like a beautiful fall day. Maybe a thunderstorm in site. Nothing is better than a great thunderstorm, where the rain pours and there are loud crashes and booms! I love that.

I love it, but my dog Haus hates it! Pour thing, he tries to hide under my bed, and he just shakes!! Before I had Haus, when he was a puppy, he and his sister were lost in a thunderstorm. His sister didn't make it, but he was rescued and still to this day (He's 16 years old now), he is terrified. My hubby adopted him from the Humane Society for me 15 years ago! So for Haus's sake, I'll hope there isn't a storm afterall. Here is Mr. Haus, our German Shorthaired Pointer:

Acorns, Acorns Everywhere....

2008-09-26T07:05:00.000-07:00

I love fall, it is my favorite time of year. Last night, while relaxing on my deck, I hear things falling from the trees. Acorns. My yard is filled with fallen acorns. I have beautiful mature oak trees everywhere, and as I walk through my yard, you hear crunch, crunch, crunch. The best part about the acorns is all the deer that flock to my yard every evening to eat them.

What is your favorite thing about fall?

Cassie's favorite thing? Taking a Nap - oh, wait, that's everyday....

Cassie Napping:

I have to get away from the TV!

2008-09-24T12:24:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm sitting here, drinking my herbal tea, and watching Fox News. It's ridiculous the mess our country is in. I think I will just turn off the television and go outside and enjoy this fall day. It's almost exhausting to watch the news anymore. Now McCain just said he will suspend his campaign and head to Washington to work on the economic problem. Let's hope Obama follows suit.

TV off, finally I can relax again.........

Do you take your shopping bags with you?

2008-09-22T09:08:00.001-07:00

For months now, I've been taking my own canvas bags with me to the store when I go shopping. But, I look around me when I'm in the check out line, and nobody else is doing it. EVERYONE around me is using the plastic bags.

Now, granted, I live in a tiny town in Northern Minnesota, where time has stood still. But seriously, I don't understand why people aren't using the cloth bags. They are readily available right at the check out stands, and it is a 1 time investment.

I'm amazed at the number of bags I used to get, I would have at least 50 at a time under my sink. I've now narrowed that down to about 5.

Does anyone else live in an area where 'Going Green' is basically non-exsistant?

Sunflowers

2008-09-21T16:33:00.000-07:00

Ok, so in the spring I planted some 'Dwarf Sunflower' seeds. They have grown beautifully this summer, but I never realized how many grasshoppers would be attracted to them. There are at least 20 grasshoppers per sunflower (I think I have 6 of them). Then one of my friends noticed that my sunflowers have no seeds in them. Are the grasshoppers eating my sunflower seeds or what? Very odd.

Now, I don't mind insects, they usually don't bother me at all, until last night. I had been outdoors walking around, came back in, ate dinner, and sat down to watch some T.V. with my hubby. I have a coffee in one hand and my laptop in the other, when all of a sudden, I feel something - INSIDE my pants. I said 'I think there is something climbing up my leg!!!' It was right next to my knee. I'm sorta freaking out, so I hand hubby my coffee, set down the laptop, and run to the bathroom, with hubby right behind me. I drop my pants, and guess what was there?? A GRASSHOPPER. Yuck! My hubby picked it up and tossed it outside, but gross, seriously, why did the grasshopper have to catch a ride in my pants.

So, needless to say, next summer I will plant sunflowers again, but this time, I will plant them far away from my house.

Composting

2008-09-20T20:26:00.001-07:00

Do you have a compost bucket? I do, and it is really making some nice soil. Just have to say, if you forget to turn it or stir it, watch out, the odors will get you!!! I put some worms in and it is working beautifully.

Fall is here!

2008-09-20T20:14:00.000-07:00

Ok, so summer went by and I didn't do alot of blogging. Well, my garden came and went. I still have some pumpkins growing and I just picked my last tomatoes.

So the kids are back in school, and it is getting cooler by the day! Today was only 55 degrees. BRRR! I guess that really isn't that bad considering where I live and how cold it gets in the winter.

So here is Cassie's schedule now that the boys are back in school:

Miss Cassie(The Mastiff (above with Fat Kitty)) is really enjoying the cool weather. She loves to go outside first thing in the morning and just sit outside in the breaking daylight. Then she comes in and eats her breakfast, and then goes back to bed until about 10 am. At that point she gets up and we walk down the driveway to check the mail. That is very exciting for her. We then walk and check the garden, and walk all around the house to check the flowers. Then she is exhausted. Time for another 2 hour nap - on the couch this time. She takes up the entire couch!!

I do some house cleaning, around her, and then we go back out for another walk around the property.

She's such a sweetheart, couldn't ask for a better dog.

I'll write more later.

My Tilled Garden

2008-05-17T20:55:00.000-07:00

Ok, so my big plan for the day was to get my garden completely planted. Visions of ripened tomatoes dancing through my head. Northern Minnesota had different plans for me. The day started off beautifully, blue sunny skies, with just a slight bit of wind. I walked down to my garden with my Mastiff and was so excited to see the overturned dirt. My first garden, how very exciting..... Thanks to hubby, it was ready to go.

I decided to walk around my property with my dog, then tackle the project with gusto!! As we walked up the gentle hill to my front yard, the wind really started blowing, I'm talking trees bending, dark clouds moving in. The rain started, and stopped. We decided to head back indoors and wait out the storm. We waited all day.

On my kitchen counter sets my mini greenhouse. Up until this evening nothing had sprouted. Then as I glanced at it in passing, I noticed all my tomato seeds had grown an inch today! Leaves and all! Amazing what a little seed can do in such a short amount of time.

So tomorrow, weather allowing, I will begin the planting process. I guess the weather just wanted me to wait for those little tomato plants to sprout, so I could include them in my planting. Things work out for a reason. I am reminded of that daily.

Be thankful for what you have and grateful for your life and everything around it. The universe will reward you everyday.

More Gardening....

2008-05-15T08:28:00.000-07:00

This is the first year I will have an 'actual' garden. I'm planting onions, tomatos, hot peppers, green peppers, peas, green beans, potatoes, carrots, corn, watermelon, strawberries, and lots of herbs. I love getting in the dirt and planting things. I'll post pictures of the garden as it gets going. Since I live in Northern Minnesota, I'm finally able to put things in the ground. It stays cold here until early May. My goal this summer is to live off my backyard as much as I can.

Please send me pictures of your gardens!! I will post them!!

First 'Green' Post

2008-05-15T07:57:00.000-07:00

Over the last few months, we've all heard more and more about 'going green'. I've finally decided my family & I are gonna do it! We're going green. We've always eaten healthy, and led a healthy lifestyle, but we've never really recycled or really gave much thought to our impact on the environment. I've recently done lots of research and am finding all sorts of ways I can change and make changes.

My eyes have really been opened over the last few months, and now is the time to start making a change in my family, and also the community I live in. I think there are a lot of others who would like to start living this way. Now is the time to start making a change, not only for us, but for the planet that our children will live in when we are gone.

I'd love to hear from others who are starting to make changes in their lives and maybe we can all share ideas and help one another get started living a greener, healthier life.