Do 95% of your gardening with only five tools

While relandscaping my yard recently, I had a conversation with my Dad about the tools truly required for a job.  We narrowed it down to only five inexpensive tools that can handle most landscaping projects!

1. Short-handled flat shovel, well-sharpened: The key to this tool is sharpening.  By spending the extra 15 minutes to truly sharpen the blade, you'll save yourself hours of strenuous labor later.  A short shovel is incredibly versatile, and can be used for anything from digging up plants or sod, to digging holes, cutting out roots, or even shoveling snow.  The high-quality one I just bought was only $25.

 

While it's also handy to have a pick, you don't necessarily need one.  If it's hard to dig, fill the area with water and wait for it to drain into the soil.  Dig out the loosened soil, and repeat as necessary.  

2. Tarp: A tarp is a workhorse in the yard.  The best use is that you can pile it high with trimmings, plants, leaves, or whatever, and simply drag the items to another location.  When you're petite like me, this is key!  We also found it useful for keeping dirt out of our grassy areas, and for collecting up spilled mulch when shoveling it out of the truck.  Speaking of mulch, by using a tarp for cover, you can even use a nice vehicle for transporting messy items.  These are also quite affordable around $10, and even a small size will do wonders!

 

3. 10" limb saw: This compact saw will allow you to cut through branches up to 5" in diameter.  Unless you're toppling mature trees, this should get you through most projects.  With a $16 price tag, they put up some serious competition to an expensive chainsaw that requires frequent oiling and maintenance.

4. Large bucket, preferably the flexible kind: Like tarps, buckets are multi-functional.  We use ours for collecting weeds, hauling branches, watering plants, and more!   In many cities, this allows you to skip the lawn and leaf bags when you can just leave a pile of trimmings on the curb.  My bucket also gets used for mopping and for picking up bulk flowers for my floral arrangements.

One great tip I got from my parents is to mix your fertilizer into a large batch in a bucket, then use a cup (we use our leftover Big Gulp cups!) to transfer the perfect amount directly onto the roots of your plants.  This reduces the amount of fertilizer you need, prevents fertilizer runoff/pollution, and puts the nutrients precisely where they're needed.

Fancy buckets may run as much as $20, but you can get a five-gallon paint bucket brand new for $3 or maybe even free from a painter.  

5. Pruning shears: These handheld snippers work great for small-scale pruning.  They allow a precision that's simply not possible with larger shears.  They can cut limbs up to 3/4" diameter.  For larger limbs, you can use your limb saw I mentioned above. Pruning shears run about $11.

Bonus - Gloves and goggles: It's expensive to get hurt!  Save your precious fingers and eyeballs and invest in the proper safety equipment.  Grippy gloves give you a better hold on items, protect you from scratches and splinters, and also keep you cleaner.  You can get decent protective gear for about $15 total. 

So there you go!  For around $60 you can completely outfit yourself do be able to tackle most any landscaping project.

Protect your investment by cleaning your tools at the end of each project (and every day during a project).  Simply rinse off dirt and grime with fresh water and allow to dry.  These tools could last decades with proper care.  My Dad told me he still uses the axe he bought at 16!  He's replaced the handle a few times, but the head is as good as ever.

If you find the need for additional implements, don't be scared to buy used.  Some of our favorite tools are over 50 years old!  Save money and gain quality by buying tools at yard sales, thrift stores, pawn shops, or off Craigslist.

Happy Gardening!

Wedding Dress Wednesday: The Big Reveal

Wedding Dress Wednesdays are guest posts written by my Mom, Janet

When our daughter Bonnie was born, my friend gave me some tiny dresses, almost doll size!  Bonnie was a pretty big baby (8lbs.12oz), so when she was a few weeks old, I started putting them on her and taking pictures!

My husband laughed, “you dress her up like a doll!”  Sure, it’s fun!  And look how cute she is!

Then I started sewing for her.  I learned to smock, and I made tons of cute outfits for her.  By the time she was in grade school, she preferred store bought clothes, but we still made party dresses, costumes and swim suits.  Then, in high school she re-discovered my talents.  She realized that store bought gowns were not well made, had crappy fabrics and didn’t fit her figure.  I was ‘in’ again!  :)

I always told her, “when you get married, I’ll make any dress you can dream up!”

I used to sew for the public and made lots of wedding gowns over the years.  But doing Bonnie’s gown has been the most special thing – ever!  I’m so happy we decided not to buy a dress, and I really enjoyed the process and working as a team.  For months we discussed whatever daily issues came up.  Of course, the dress was just one thing out of a hundred that had to be taken care of for the wedding! 

Well, if you have been following this blog – you have read about designing the dress, picking fabrics, making and testing the pattern, tweaking the details, beading, all the disasters and joys of making my daughter’s wedding gown! 

It was fun to show our family how it was all coming along.  The Groom’s mother swore he would cry when he saw the bride!  I don’t think he did – he was so excited he couldn’t sleep!  But I do know he was wowed!  You can see in all the photos – both of them are just glowing!! 

Enjoy the photos and I hope you have enjoyed our journey.  Congratulations Bonnie and Tommy!

Love, MOM

Here are a few photos of the journey:

we shopped for inspiration

found a pattern to start from (a vintage 80's pattern no less!)

shopped the garment district for the perfect fabric and lace

tweaked the pattern

did lots of fittings, some long-distance

added accessories and beading to finish the look

and took care of some last-minute issues

And finally it was ready for the wedding!!!  A sweetheart strapless fit and flare beaded lace wedding dress with ruffled train!  (These beautiful images are by Whitney Huynh Photography)

Fall Container Gardening

This post brought to you by Miracle-Gro. All opinions are 100% mine.

We received this beautiful sculpture-like planter as a wedding gift.  While I can imagine exactly what I want to plant it in come Spring, I've been uninspired so far this fall.



But when we started cleaning out the basement,  I found some lettuce seeds Mom had sent me last year.  The new planter would be perfect for a small fall lettuce crop!  It's on the deck so I can easily harvest the lettuce, and up off the ground so we know it won't be tainted by dog pee.  I checked out this video by Gardenieres on setting up a container garden, just to make sure I know what I'm doing (and it seems like it do - it's pretty straightforward!).

One of my biggst challenges with container gardening is remembering to water the darn things.  I used to kill plants all the time by forgetting to water them, but that all changed once I started using Miracle Gro's Moisture Control potting mix.  It retains water without keeping the plants soggy, and slowly releases it as the plants need it.  I can now get away with watering the plants about every two weeks, but if I water more often, they're still OK.

I started using it about 10 years ago, and those very first plants are still alive!  Which really says something to me, because it's not like I've learned to water more frequently.

The times they are a changing, because now there's even a Miracle-Gro Facebook page, but I have to say they do have some great tips on there!  I'm sure I'll be back for help from their community if my lettuce-lets get a disease.

I'm excited for the rainy evenings and cool nights to start helping my little seeds along!  I can't wait to enjoy a home-grown salad!

Dyeing for a change

My beautiful wedding dress has been getting a lot of press on this blog lately, but I really adored my "reception" dress, too!  Did you know I bought it before we were engaged?  Yep, I liked it that much!  It also had pockets and was on sale - no way was I passing that up!

It's comfy, flattering, fun, and very "Bonnie".  It was perfect to change into at the wedding so I could dance more freely.

But what the heck can I do with an ivory cocktail dress outside of my own wedding?  10-year high school reunion?  Date?  Certainly not a bridal shower or someone else's wedding!

I really like the dress, but the color just isn't working for me.

I've been doing some research online, and a company called Dharma Trading Company specializes in dyes for all sorts of uses, including silk and polyester!  While it sounds like a somewhat difficult (and risky!!!) project, it's inexpensive and it seems like plenty of people are doing it.

Some risks include shrinkage (you have to get the water super hot), thread and zippers not taking the color, it turning out a weird color, or ruining the garment altogether. 

I will probably find one or two occasions to wear this dress in ivory.  In another color, though, it could be great for all sorts of fancy events!  Is it worth it???

Let's assume it is.  Here are some options for colors, with dresses so you can get an idea of how it might look when it's all said and done.  All the colors are either Fiber Reactive or Acid Dye from Dharma's web site.  The dresses are from all over, but links are in the captions.

Red, pinks, and corals are some of my favorite colors.  They're really fun and energetic.  That said, pink and red dresses aren't always appropriate for weddings, which is where I'd probably wear this dress most often.

{1,2,3,4}

Greens are very pretty, but don't always suit my skin tone.  If the dye turned out to be dulled down, I could see where it might look ugly.  Greens are quite flexible as to where you can wear them though.  And always great for a Christmas party!!!

{1,2,3}

Blues are super classic.  They'd probably look OK if they didn't turn out very bright.  I look good in all blues.  They're good for weddings, dates, anything really.  But they might be a little boring for such an interesting dress.

{1,2,3}

Purple, grey, beige, and brown - these all seem like off-the-beaten path options, but appealing ones!  I'm not sure how I look in them, and I could see them going out of style.  They're quite flexible though, and can always be paired with pretty accessories!

{1,2,3,4}

So what do you think?  Should I dye the dress?  If so, what color???

Wedding Dress Wednesday: Be Prepared

I know I promised a big reveal today.  I'm sorry!  I didn't get our photos yet!!!  Next week?

Also, my Mom's been traveling, so she fell a little behind in her writing.  So you're getting Bonnie this week!

I'd like to talk a little about being prepared for the worst.  I hate when unexpected things crop up, so I like to prepare ahead of time to minimize the impact.  This seemed especially important where a wedding was involved!

For our guests, I took care of them with my save-a-guest kits, packed full of medical supplies, a sewing kit, safety pins, and about a dozen other useful things.  I know it saved at least one guest from a pounding headache, so it was totally worth it in my book.  (Hey guests - if you know of someone else using them, tell me in the comments!)

Nobody knew this,  but we also had an extra dress and button-down on hand in case someone had a wardrobe malfunction.  It was my Mom's runner-up Mother of the Bride dress and Tommy's runner-up shirt.  Good backups for them, yes, but also good alternatives for similar-sized guests.

For myself, I had a whole variety of backups!  My #1 goal of the day was to get married.  My #2 goal was to not get a migraine.  I had over the counter and prescription meds on hand all day.  I also had some fabulous bridesmaids who made sure I ate, drank plenty of water, and stayed in a relaxed environment. No migraine!

For any post-ceremony wardrobe disasters, I had an ivory BCBG cocktail dress (reception dress).  I figured if something happened to my dress, I'd still look like a bride but be perfectly comfortable in the smaller dress.  I ended up changing into it when I got too hot in my wedding gown.

it looks a lot shorter on the model!

For pre-ceremony wardrobe disasters, I had my Mom, a sewing kit (with extra fabric), and a tide pen.  I also left an extra hour in our schedule for the day to accommodate any issues.  Boy did those ALL come in handy!!!

While my Mom and I were driving down to South Carolina for the wedding, we had a conversation that went kind of like this:

Bonnie: "It seems weird that so many expensive wedding gowns seem to have issues.  Just in the past year, I've been at two weddings where something happened to the bride's gown, and one where a bridesmaid had an issue."

Mom: "Well, just because the dress is fancy doesn't mean the thread and zippers are, too.  Most wedding gowns have the same zippers you'd find in garments from Target."

Bonnie: "How long do you reckon it takes to sew someone into a wedding dress?"

Mom: "Um, about fifteen minutes I'd say."

Fast forward a week, and it was 1:00 pm on our wedding day.  Makeup and hair were perfect, I had the shoes on, as well as the torturous undergarments.  It was time to don the dress!  I slipped it on, my Mom zipped it up, ... and the zipper separated.  My bridesmaids gaped in horror.  We tried to unzip it, but it was stuck at the top.  Everyone kind of held their breath, expecting Mom and me to lose it.  Instead, those years of costuming (and costume emergencies) kicked in, Mom pulled out the needle and thread, and she spent the next 45 minutes sewing me into the dress.  Crisis averted!

I did my first look with Tommy, and we rushed off to get some pre-ceremony photos at the Battery!  It's a beautiful park, but it's 100% mulched.  Those amazing shots we got left us with some souvenirs - namely, mud on my dress.  But never fear!  Mom grabbed a wet paper towel and it rubbed away flawlessly! Thank goodness for polyester!

We absolutely, 100%, recommend the following:

• Schedule more time than you think you need.  Even with my extra hour, we didn't have time for pre-ceremony family photos as planned.
• Make sure someone with a sewing kit (and who can sew) is on call.  Have thread that matches the bride, groom, bridesmaids, groomsmen, and parents.  Every single wedding I've attended (and I'm in my late 20's so that's a lot), I've known at least one person who had a clothing issue, many of those being the bride.  I actually bring sewing kits with me to all weddings now, and tell the bride ahead of time, "call me if anyone has a wardrobe malfunction!!!"
• Be sure you know how to get stains out of your wedding dress fabric.  All fabrics are different, so ask at the store what to do.  
• Have some form of backup, maybe with a spare dress (for ladies) or button down (for men). 

There's just no sense in letting your clothing mess up your wedding day.  Plan ahead, and it'll all work out just fine.

Sweater Pillow with Buttons

It's officially fall, y'all!

I'm really excited about changing our home decor with the seasons - nothing super drastic, just some little touches here and there to give the essence.  A quick, easy, and cheap way to do this is by changing out your throw pillows.

I've been loving the idea of sweater pillows - the coziness of the textures in sweaters just oozes fall warmth for me.

There are plenty of options on the market - just check my pinterest page!  But I thought it would be cool to upcycle old sweaters for pillows instead!

Every time I drop off donations at Goodwill, I also peruse the store to see what treasures might be lurking in there.  On a recent trip, I spotted two sweaters that had great colors and textures for my pillow project.  At $5 each, they were perfectly on-budget.  I brought them home and washed them on hot and with oxiclean to get them nice and sanitized.

I found pillow forms half-off at Hancock's over the weekend, and those were my materials!

I started with the sweater with the buttons - it seemed more fun.  I haven't gotten to the second one yet.

After studying the shape of the sweater, I realized I'd need to cut off kind of a lot of the fabric - the neck, the sleeves, and the pockets.  This would leave me with sort of a small pillow, but since they were for our accent chairs, that was OK.

I started by pinning the right sides together in my shape.  Sweater knit is super forgiving, so I didn't worry about measuring it for size or anything, I pretty much winged it.

I had to remove the top two buttons - one would go to waste, and the other would get caught in the seam.  After I sewed the seam, I sewed the button back in place.  I moved the extra one to a lower spot, creating a nice line of buttons all the way down the pillow.

I sewed the buttoned seam together to take the pressure off the buttons.  This kept the buttoned part from gaping open.

I sewed three sides of the pillow, and also about two inches on either side of the fourth side.  Then I crammed my pillow form in there, and hand-stitched the fourth side closed.  I mushed the pillow around to get the form aligned well.

Upcycled sweater pillow

And that was that!  About an hour of work and $11 per pillow, and I was done!