Homeward Bound

The light is what guides you home, 

the warmth is what keeps you there. 

Ellie Rodriguez

A pleasant Spring day outdoors-

perfect for some gardening 

and a cup of tea. I just discovered

straw bale gardening on Pinterest, and stepped out onto our patio to look for a good spot to place a bale. 

Brambly Hedge by Royal Doulton


There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.
Jane Austen

For charm and whimsy you can't beat Royal Doulton's Brambly Hedge beakers and teacups! I sipped a bit of Assam while dead-heading Pansies and drawing up gardening plans.

Assam is located on both sides of the Bramaputra River in India.

I had rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world. 

George Washington

Home, the spot of earth supremely blessed,
A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest.
~Robert Montgomery

See the mouse in the basket?

Where thou art – that – is Home.
Emily Dickinson

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Idea Box

Grow Your Blog Event

I'm so glad you've stopped by for visit! I'm Shawn and I'm participating in the Grow Your Blog Party  at 2 Bags Full. 

my Cherish the Journey easel card with modeling paste

 

Vicki's Grow Your Blog event is designed to bring more readers - and followers - to the blogs joining the party.

 

I originally started my blog because I joined a scrapbooking design team and it was required as part of our commitment. I soon discovered I enjoyed sharing other parts of my daily life: tea times, gardening, photographs, cooking, reading, etc. 

 

 My blog evolved into a little bit of this and that with highlights of my latest projects. Here is the burlap Valentine banner I just completed ~

 I bought the pre-cut pieces of burlap at Hobby Lobby, inserted heart shaped eyelets at the tops of each, then added chipboard letters and a few embellishments.

I often share recipes my daughter, College Girl, helps me prepare - like this one for Baked Oatmeal.

 

 Or photos from my visits to interesting places within our area of Southern California. One of my favorite things to photograph are the old homes in Orange County. 

For those leaving a comment on this post I will be having a give-away! On February 15 I will announce who will recieve one of my hand made cards with a tea sample - good luck! 

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2 Bags Full 

 

Here a Seed, There A Seed~

Whew! We've been having Santa Ana Winds this week with warm temperatures. However, when we woke today they were gone and I hope we've seen the last of them until fall. For those of you not familiar with these irritating annual winds, they blow through southern California from fall through spring.

The National Weather Service defines Santa Ana winds as 'strong down slope winds that blow through the mountain passes from the high desert.' These winds, which can easily exceed 50 mph, are warm and dry and can severely exacerbate brush or forest fires.

We've lost roof tiles and window screens during the overnight howling gusts, and one year we awoke to find our backyard fence had been blown over! 

Since all was calm today, I decided to do some light gardening. I planted Pansy seed around the Poppies.

  Pansies have long been flowers of remembrance. Indeed, they have often been placed upon memorial markers.

 

Handyman lugged the potting soil out from the garage for me so I could plant some bulbs in our new rooster pot. I found this charming pot at JoAnn fabrics, of all places, and it was sixty percent off! Originally $34, I bought it for $13.99.

It has handles, which is unique, and also has a raised rooster on both sides. I planted Gladiolus bulbs in it. I think it would look fabulous full of Chrysanthemums in autumn, don't you?

I have a Gardening To Do list :

• plant Sweet Pea and Hollyhock seed
• plant Morning Glory and Four O' Clock seed
• add one or two plants to the Fairy garden (seen on the right, above)
• cut back spent Iris
• plant our old, non-working fountain with flowers
• clean bird baths
• decide if we are going to replace dying Jasmine vine or prune it and hope for the best

  

Named for the shape of their leaves, gladioli – from the Latin word “gladius,” meaning sword – have a history than spans from Africa to the Mediterranean.  Symbolizing strength and moral integrity, gladioli also represent infatuation.

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Ways To Use Chalk

HENS AND CHICKS

I went outside today to put water in the birdbath and to try out one of the chalk ideas I recently read about. While I was out there I noticed the Hens And Chicks are blooming up a storm!  This shallow rock garden originally came together with three succulents, sandy soil and some rocks. Within a few months two of the plants outgrew the dish so I transferred them to other pots. Now the Hens and Chicks are threatening to do the same! The plant below is called Bear Paw.

BEAR PAWS

  

 Don't the little leaves look like baby bear paws? It is one of the succulents I had to transplant. Look who was watching me take photos - a Western Fence Lizard!

 The third succulent is a Jade plant, and after I moved it into a new pot it grew into a mini tree! It's the tall one in the back of the photo below.

So, what was I doing with chalk?

 

 
 I used it to draw lines outside the back door to keep ants away. 

 I read an article the other day about unique ways to use chalk. Keep a stick of chalk in the laundry room, near the work bench, in the kitchen and hang a bundle of it in a damp, musty area.

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Home Sweet Home
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SHow and Tell 
 

Everything is coming up, getting taller, budding and blooming! This little cherub sits between the Hydrangea bushes and watches the hummingbirds at the feeder hanging from the fence. I tried for several years to get Hydrangeas to grow in our clay soil, and finally found a spot they like. If they grow anything like last summer, we'll have giant pom-pom size blossoms at least 12 inches across!

The Four O'Clocks are thriving, the Sunflowers are getting a little taller each day, and the Poppies have just poked their heads out of the soil. These are some of the seedlings we have growing in an egg carton.

 
Seventeen days until the official start of summer. What is growing in your garden?

April Showers~ It's raining tea!

A few days ago I made a pocket greeting card that holds two teabags....then my mind was off and running! I started getting ideas for more cards. And it occured to me that everyone who drinks tea has other interests, so, why not a chocolate themed tea card? Movie themed? Gardening? While mixing up a packet of EmergenC into a cup of water (I am getting over a cold) it struck me that a packet of EmergenC and a teabag would be fantastic for my family & friends with colds.~lol

On the front I used Tim Holtz filmstrip ribbon and adhered the Hollywood 'book' on foam dots for lift. This card can hold a movie theatre gift card~ or movie rental gift card~ and a teabag!

    It ties closed and the back is also decorated~ I used graphic 45 Curtain Call paper, ink, eyelets & glue.

The next card I made has Bo Bunny cardstock, a Maya Arts chipboard butterfly and stamping with Penny Black and Prima stamps~

I hung a jewel from the copper eyelet. I used Distress inks, Spiced Marmalade Stickles and Embossing powder on the butterfly. The stamped sentiment and cloche is Prima, the stamped flower is Penny Black~

I also used a circle punch and a Marvy square punch

The last one I photographed is a pocket greeting card with a chocolate theme! I used cardstock that had a scrolled outer edge, a piece of a chocolate bar package, Distress Inks and sheet music scrapbook paper~

I used Walnut Stain Distress Ink and Prima stamps

I hope all my tea drinking friends get a kick out of these themed cards!

For a photo tutorial on how to make one, see my previous post~

http://poetryinapotoftea.blogspot.com/2012/03/sending-you-tea.html#comment-form

Grow a snack for Kitty

 We had such a gorgeous, sunshiny day today! I thought it was the perfect time to reseed our cat's little 'salad' pot. She enjoys chewing on oat grass: it is a outdoor treat she can indulge in while staying safe indoors. 

   Oat grass seed is easily found at stores like Petsmart and Petco. All you need to grow it is some potting soil in a well drained planter or pot. 

Fill the pot 3/4 full of soil, then water. Sprinkle several tablespoons of oat grass seed on the dampened surface, then cover seeds with 1/4" more soil. Lightly water. Keep moistened until seeds sprout in a few days. Kitty will be delighted! 

 Another treat for kitty is cat mint, or catnip. You can usually find seedlings at home and garden stores...just look in the Herb section of the Gardening areas.

 Weather permitting, we take our kitty outside to sample the oat grass & cat mint but only while wearing her harness & leash...yep! You would be surprised how most cats easily adjust to wearing a harness. Both of our cats quickly learned that putting on their harness/leashes meant they got to explore the backyard & get some sun, and we adopted them as adults. Make putting on the harness and leash a good thing by offering a yummy treat, and be patient. I started by jingling the leash & harness when I opened our screened back door. The cats would immediately come to the screen to look out, and I gently introduced them to the leash. Indoor cats  live much longer  than cats allowed to roam free. Traffic, other animals, poisonous plants & products, pests and illnesses contribute to a remarkably shorter lifespan for 'outdoor' cats... as much as 10 years difference! We have coyotes and snakes in our area, not to mention opposums.

We discovered that the wild rabbits that visit our backyard also love the oat grass...so I will keep kitty's grass out of reach~