Garden Fail, Driving on the Grass, and Chalkboards

Sigh. This years garden was (mostly) an epic fail. It started off with such promise. I purchased my seeds and planted them in February/March...and I waited.

Adorable, right? I had such hopes. I planted pumpkins, cantaloupe, cauliflower, green pepper, radish, carrots, and cucumbers.

When the weather conditions were right, I moved the plants outside...and I waited....and waited.

Finally, I started to see signs of mature growth, in weeds that is. Ugh. Relentless I tell you. I could not keep up. They seized my garden quickly and efficiently. After a while I gave in and decided to let nature run its course. My plants were going to have to fight to survive on their own. There was nothing more that I could do.

I did get some radishes, but I had waited too long to pull them so they were very hot, too hot to eat. The carrots were tiny. The edible parts equated to about a palm full. But, they were packed with flavor. The. Most. Delicious. Carrot. Ever. The cucumbers and cantaloupe did well and we have enjoyed eating them with our meals. There is one pumpkin that has survived. I'm not sure if it will be large enough to do much of anything with this fall but my fingers are crossed. To all of you who had the most beautiful, bountiful gardens this summer. I hate you. :-P

Next year, my friends, will be different.
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Here is a fun fact:
In the country, you can drive your car on your lawn.

It's true. I ♥ this. There is an excitement to driving on your own lawn, as if some big law is being broken. Sometimes I drive on it for no particular reason at all, just cuz' I can.

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At my previous home, all of my kitchen walls were painted in black chalkboard paint. Since this house has an open floor plan and the few walls that I have are brick or barn wood, I had to make my own chalkboard. I purchased a large board and painted it. The board was supposed be wider but we had to cut it down to fit it in our car.

I still have to frame it.

Chalkboard's first word.

I had to share with my 5 year old.

I plan to hang it from a track on the wall. Like these:

Photo Credit: Lynne Knowlton

Photo Credit: Desire to Inspire

♥ ♥ ♥

I think it would be fun to do a "white board" also and hang them so that they overlap each other. The real challenge is to convince the hubby that it will be "fun" to do.  :)

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Design Tip:

Have a small piece of fabric that you love the print but don't know what to do with it? Make some unique artwork! Follow these easy steps. 

Items needed. Glue gun and glue sticks, fabric or wallpaper, art canvas, iron.

1. Iron the fabric. 

2. Layout the fabric and cut out the desired image. *be sure to leave enough fabric to overlap the sides of the canvas. 

3. wrap the edges of the fabric around the canvas keeping the image centered and glue the fabric to the back side of the canvas. 

4. You can leave the fabric the way it is or spray it with scotch guard or a clear acrylic to protect the fabric. (test these products on a scrap piece of fabric before you spray your finished artwork).

5. Tada! Unique artwork to display.

You can also embellish your artwork with decorative furniture tacks, ribbon, a frame, etc. Possibilities are endless. 

(send me your fabric artwork projects and I will post them to the blog.)

♥ Happy Fall everybody ♥