Wish Wish Wish, Wish Wish

I like dandelions.  When they're all bright and sunny and scattered all over the yard.  They're really cheery little things, aren't they?

If only they'd stay like this. 

But, instead, they suddenly get all tall and fluffy - and dandelion seeds spread at the slightest breeze.  Which, I suppose, means more dandelions next time.  If today is any indication, we're gonna have lots.

They say you should make a wish when you blow on a dandelion puff and send the seeds flying.  I didn't exactly blow on them, but I mowed through a whole bunch of leggy, fluffy dandelions today and sent seeds flying in every direction.  Sometimes I had to hold my breath as I mowed straight through a cloud of them.  I guess I should have been wishing my little heart out.

The yard looks better now.  Except, have you noticed how some of those sneaky little dandelion stems lay down to avoid the mower?  I bet they'll be standing up again by tomorrow.  But they'll be naked.

Bloominous Makes DIY Wedding Flowers Easy

I read recently that most wedding coordinators and bridal planning guides suggest that couples set aside 8 to 10 percent of their total wedding budget for the flowers.  Depending on the overall budget (the national average wedding cost is $29,858), that can be quite a bit.

In an effort to cut costs, many brides turn to Do-it-Yourself flowers - DIY.  Just check out Pinterest, and you'll see that DIY wedding flowers (and decorations) are BIG.  I think every young lady I know who has recently planned a wedding or is thinking about her someday wedding has a board full of wedding ideas.  The problem with your typical DIY floral project - in this case wedding flowers - is that you have to do all the research, purchasing, and arranging yourself.  I have friends who are great with flowers.  One of them even did all the flowers for her daughter's wedding, and she loved it.  Me?  I would have no idea where to even start - besides calling in those friends - if my daughter decided she needed my help putting together flowers for her wedding.  (When she decides to get married, that is)

That's why I love this new site I was just introduced to - Bloominous.  Launched in 2014, Bloominous offers brides an alternative to traditional florists, and makes DIY wedding flowers easier.  You really don't have to be a floral expert to get gorgeous wedding flowers while saving 30 to 50% off your floral costs. They make DIY wedding flowers beautiful, affordable and easy.

Flowers from Bloominous come cut-to-order, dethorned, trimmed, shipped along with matching accessories (vase, ribbon, etc), and ready to assemble. Each kit comes with step-by-step photo instructions for easy assembling within 10 to 20 minutes per piece, as well as flower care products and design tips. The collections are all designed by experienced wedding florists to be easy and beautiful. And, it’s not just the flowers—from trends to vases to favors, Bloominous designs the whole look for your inspiration.

Be sure to check out Bloominous and browse their beautiful selections.  They offer trial kits of each design so you can get your hands on it before making a decision and commitment - make sure the design is right for you and that you really can do it yourself.  Each and every package can be customized, and Bloominous guarantees that you will have flowers in time for your wedding, usually 2-3 days before the wedding so there's time for assembly. They are so confident you will love their product that if you are not satisfied with the product you received, for any reason, they will immediately replace the order or issue a full refund.

Read the Bloominous story - find Bloominous on Facebook - follow Bloominous on Pinterest for even more wedding inspiration

Disclosure: I received compensation from Bloominous for this post.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Garden Inspiration brought to you by Miracle-Gro

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Miracle-Gro for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's springtime, and I'm starting to think about planting the garden again.  I'm also hoping that we'll get more rain this year so that things will actually grow.  Last year was a bit disappointing, though I did get enough jalapenos to make quite a few amazing Poppers!
 
I tend to plant a very basic vegetable garden - tomatoes, peppers, green beans, zucchini, chard -  good stuff to eat.  Nothing too creative, but it's so much fun to watch how little seeds or little plants grow and become food!  This year I got a little creative and planted some cheery marigolds in a pot out front.  I'm also planning to either plant some more of those or some other flowers, or perhaps a combination, in a couple pots out back on the deck.  It's really easy, and it dresses things up so much having that bit of color.

For this project:

• You will need - a pot or container with a drain hole, annuals from your garden store, potting mix.
• Fill pot about 1/2 full with Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix. 
• Arrange plants in pot.  Add or take away Potting Mix to bring plants up to the level you want them.
• Once you've got all the plants where you want them, fill in with Potting Mix between and around the plants, covering the roots completely.  Press down lightly.
• Water thoroughly, and enjoy your new flowers.

Since they're in a container, they will need watered occasionally, but the Potting Mix absorbs 33% more water than ordinary soil, so it won't dry out as fast, and therefore won't need watered as often.  I love that, because I do tend to forget.

If you're interested in some creative and fun gardening projects, please check out The Gro Project from Miracle-Gro.  You will find many more great gardening ideas, all of them a lot more creative than mine, like the Toyarium, Ukulele Garden, Origami Garden, G.Y.O.B. or Thrown Down.  Even the names are creative! The Miracle-Gro website is also a great resource for gardeners and growers.  They have an expansive library of articles and videos full of expert gardening tips for beginners and professionals alike as well as online tools to help growers solve common garden problems.

Since I've branched out a bit from just planting vegetables - which I would highly recommend, by the way - I'm thinking of looking through the Gro Project ideas and seeing what else I can do.  See what happens when you start playing in the dirt?  You want to keep doing it!

Also be sure to share your projects on the Miracle-Gro Facebook page or on your social networks with the hashtag #MiracleGroProject and follow the Miracle-Gro Pinterest page for ideas on all kinds of fun garden projects and to share stories and projects with other gardeners.

I Might Need Professional Help

Purple (after the) Rain (Photo credit: bcmom)

The grass is starting to turn green and grow.  It will probably be time to mow soon, and if it keeps raining the way it has been - to mow and mow and mow.  That's how spring usually is.  Things start growing, and the yard needs mowed at least once a week, sometimes more.

The trees are all ready to leaf out, and the plants in the front flower bed are starting to come up.  Now is probably the perfect time to go out and dig up everything I don't want to grow again or at least pull out the dead plants left over from last year - before everything goes crazy like it does every summer.  See, I really don't know much about plants, really could have used an expert landscaper north bay to plan our landscape 'design' here.  Instead I just planted various things.  Some of them took off and took over, and some of them were choked out by those that took over.  The ones that took over would be nice, in smaller doses.

There have been several times I have gone out and just started pulling things.  I ended up with piles of stems, leaves, and plant parts, and I always worry that I'll pull out something that I really want to keep, like the plants that get those gorgeous purple flowers pictured above.  See, I never remember what the plant looks like.  With all that pulling, you'd think they couldn't survive, but by the time they start growing again, you can't tell I did anything.  Maybe it's a good thing that these plants are hard to kill, because I'm not the kind of person to have plants that need lots of care.

And, yes, I've talked to one of my plant expert friends, but I never listen to what she tells me.  It's probably because I don't really understand what she's trying to tell me...  It would be so much easier to call somebody like the landscape design north bay guys and get some professional help.  They make things look so pretty!

Flowers for that Special Occasion

Flowers and special occasions just seem to go together.  Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations - somebody is bound to send flowers.  I'm probably one of the few people that doesn't really appreciate flowers. I'm not saying I haven't gotten and appreciated flowers once or twice in my life and probably even sent some.  I mean, I like them, it just seems like they cost so much and you only get to enjoy them for such a short time.  Maybe that's what makes them so special?

I think it's really important to get your flowers from a local florist, in order to get the freshest flowers that will last as long as possible - as well as supporting local business.  You'll also save the extra delivery/processing fee your florist will charge for delivery outside the local area - which is probably just them contacting the florist in the delivery area and arranging delivery through them.  We've got a local florist here in town we've used a few times, for things like prom flowers.  If we wanted to send flowers to someone here locally, we'd go through the local florist.

Of course, for sending flowers to someone who lives in another town, the Internet makes it easy to find a local florist in their area.  For instance, if you want to send birthday flowers to someone in the Roanoke, Salem or Vinton, VA area, you'd visit the website for George's Flowers and either order online, use their smart phone app, or call to get the perfect gift delivered.  They really do have some gorgeous flower arrangements, and they use the latest methods for long-lasting freshness. George's Flowers has been the Roanoke Valley's premier florist since 1981, and they pride themselves on excellent floral design and outstanding customer service.  Besides flowers, they also have balloons, candy, and special banners. 

I did send balloons and candy once - for Jeffrey's 30th birthday!  Oh wow, that was a day or two ago... back when 30 seemed old, or at least when I could give him a hard time about turning 30. 

Potted Bulbs - They Look Great in the House

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of iBulb for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
 
The warm weather we had the last couple weeks means that it's definitely starting to look a lot like Spring out there.  There are some gorgeous flowers up and blooming.  Not in my yard or my flower beds - but those people who planted bulbs have lots of gorgeous flowers to show for it.
 
I never thought about it before, but I could plant some bulbs inside - for home decor.  I've always thought flowers were a waste of money.  You know, the kind you get from the florist and send for special occasions.  I mean, they cost so much, and then they just die, and they're gone forever.  But potted bulbs sound like a great idea.  They're pretty, and they last longer than those old cut flowers!  Also, they're the perfect solution for people like me who didn't plant bulbs in the Fall!  They can be enjoyed now, and then when the flowers have expired, you plant them in your garden - so they'll be ready for next Spring.
 
They can be lots of fun.  You can buy them like this - they can be purchased at grocery stores, garden centers, and flower shops:
 

and then repot them into your favorite pot or something that matches your decor, like this:
 

 
How fun is that?  No, that doesn't match my decor, but I love them potted in that steel bowl.  I never would have thought of that.  For even more information, look up Dig Drop Done on Pinterest.  There are ideas for home decor, wedding decorations, Easter projects and bulb planting how-to information.
 
From everything I'm seeing about planting bulbs, I'm finding absolutely no excuse for not planting some.  It looks so easy.  I'm especially liking the idea of these potted bulbs and then planting them outside when the flowers are done.  Then I wouldn't have to remember come Fall.
 

Dig, Drop, Done - Can It Be That Simple?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done. for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I would really like to have some pretty flower beds out in front of my house, but I have absolutely no idea where to start.  I planted some perennials several years ago and then pretty much left them to their own devices.  That was not a good idea. Some of the plants took over and choked out the others, and everything was just wild and didn't look good at all.  I just pulled everything I could out this fall and piled it up.  I'd really like to dig everything up and start from scratch - and maybe make better decisions this time.
 
I was just checking out digdropdone.com and reading some of the information there.  I've never planted bulbs of any kind, but they make it sound really easy.  I think I'm pretty much like Marcy on that site.  She's super busy and needs something really, really easy to bring a little beauty and color to her life.  Bulbs are pretty much complete flowers in a little package, and all you have to do is dig a hole, drop them in, and you're done!  Just sit back and wait for the plants and the flowers and the colors.  I'm thinking they may be exactly what I need.  There is certainly enough information on the site to help me figure it out!  When to plant, how to plant, etc.  I especially like the tip that says, "For a natural look throw out handfuls of bulbs and plant them where they fall."  I definitely think I can handle that!  They say that bulbs can be used in anything from interior and exterior design, to creative gift giving and decoration, to entertaining activities for children and families.  I think I'll start with the flower beds, see how that goes, and then go from there.
 
What would be incredibly helpful would be if I could win the $5,000 yard makeover.  “Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done" is an educational effort designed to excite women about the surprisingly simple beauty of flower bulbs, but it's also a contest that will give one lucky winner a yard makeover and a visit from Taniya Nayak. (@TaniyaNayak on Twitter) She'll go through and give you tips on the best way to update your yard along with creative ideas for incorporating flower bulbs into your landscape..  To enter, all you need to do is submit a photo of your yard at Curbside Chaos.  Also, be sure to share on twitter, because for every share, "Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done" will donate $1.00 to Rebuilding Together - the nation’s leading nonprofit, working to preserve affordable home ownership and revitalize communities.
 
While you're there on the Curbside Chaos site, be sure to check out the garden guru tool to help you figure out which bulb is perfect for your home depending upon where you live!  (You know, just in case you don't win) All you have to do is:

• Step 1 – Pick your Country
• Step 2 – Pick your location within that Country
• Step 3 – Choose the type of bulb you want to grow
• Step 4 – Check out the Planting Guide that shows you how to plant your bulbs.

I printed one out - but it looks like it's too late to think about planting to have pretty flowers this spring.  Maybe next year...

  

If you'd like to find out more about bulbs and how simple they can be to add to your life, be sure to visit www.digdropdone.com to learn more.

Does Mother's Day Sneak Up on You?

Or is it just me?

Mother's Day always seems to sneak up on me. It's the 2nd Sunday in May - May 10th this year. (Just noting that so it's in my head.) When I was in college, I completely forgot about Mother's Day until the Thursday or Friday before. Well, actually, I didn't forget, I just thought I had another week. I was in California, Mom was in Illinois, and there was no way anything was going to get to her in time.

So, did I send (late) mothers day flowers? No, I called my good friend Jeffrey and had him buy a card, sign it for me and leave it for my mom on her chair at church. I thought that was a pretty good solution. Mom wasn't exactly thrilled, but at least I tried!

I'm not sure what I'm going to do this year. E-cards are great for those special occasions that sneak up on you - too bad they didn't have those back in the day! But, since I have a while and I'm thinking about it now, maybe I'll check out the Mother's Day Flowers and Gifts suggestions at 1-800-flowers.com. Some of these are even available the same day, so if Mother's Day sneaks up on you, you know what to do!

Fiskars Wants to Help Your Community Garden Grow

A couple years ago our Library Director decided that we needed some flowers out in front of the library. She got a local business to donate the plants, and she got a group of community residents together one Saturday morning. Together, they planted a beautiful flower garden in front of the library building. Now, instead of dirt and a few bushes, visitors to the library are greeted by colorful blooms. I don't think anyone realized what we were missing until we had it.

A community garden, whether to grow flowers or vegetables, is a great way to bring your community together. That's why Fiskars has created the Project Orange Thumb grant. They are going to award up to $1,500 in Fiskar's garden tools and up to $800.00 in gardening-related materials to 20 groups or organizations in the US and Canada. The grant is available to groups like schools, youth groups, clubs, and, I'm sure, libraries. You have to submit an application in two parts, an electronic submission to answer some questions about yourself and your organization, and a creative portion that can be about anything. You get to use pictures, words, video, whatever you can think of to help an alien understand how gardening makes you feel. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

So, if your group is interested in starting or maintaining your own garden, be sure to check out Fiskars Project Orange Thumb. The deadline for submitting your application is February 17, 2009 and recipients will be notified by March 25th.

Heads or Tails - Flowers

Today's theme is:

HEADS - Flower

Every spring I really enjoy seeing these flowers along the roadsides. Last year I was pleasantly surprised to find some in my front flowerbed, though slightly disappointed that mine bloomed white, while I really, really like the purple ones. This year, I got purple!

Along the railroad tracks last spring:


In my flowerbed this spring:



Since they grow wild everywhere, maybe some people would consider these a weed? I choose to consider them beautiful flowers, and I'm happy to have them to enjoy, however they came to live in my flowerbed.

Visit the home of Heads or Tails to see more participants and join in.

Spring Has Sprung

To celebrate the first day of Spring, I removed the adorable snowmen from my blog and put them away until next winter. Of course, since I live in Wisconsin, I'm probably being overly optimistic. They're calling for snow Friday night I think. Oh well, I refuse to dwell on that. I want to start looking for signs of Spring, so I replaced the snowmen with some flowers.

I read on someone's blog today (Sorry, I forget where I was) that one of the signs of Spring is that the firemen are jogging in shorts again. Sounds good to me! I did see someone running down the street in shorts yesterday. I don't think he was a fireman, but I'll take it as a sign anyway.

Since I'll be waiting a while on the real flowers, I think this Flower Garden is fun. Just click anywhere on the screen and see what happens.