Around the yard. {June}

 It's no secret that I love gardening, even though I'm still a complete beginner. We have a small raised bed and really modest landscaping around our house. And I love it. Maybe one day we'll have the money and time and space to really go crazy. For now though, in this little starter house {that we're outgrowing quickly!}, I love all the little burst of color and life around our yard.

  I don't know what I did right, but it looks like I'll have an earlier garden harvest than usual this year. No complaints here! We already have zucchini and peppers growing. My basil is sprouting up fast and the tomato plants are starting to blossom.

  But my very favorite? Zinnias. 1/3 of my garden plot is devoted to flowers and I get excited every year to watch them grow from seeds to big, beautiful blooms around my house all summer. They take awhile, so we still have a few weeks before we see the first pops of pinks, purples, and reds. I can't wait!

A few years ago, Justin ripped out some ugly bushes by our bay window and planted some baby boxwoods. Every summer, I pick up these gorgeous {and totally prepotted} flowers from Wal-mart, of all places, and they grow like crazy. I had to settle for a different mix last year but was able to find my favorite go-to a few weeks ago. After one dose of Miracle-Gro and some good rain, they are off to a great start. I also pot some impatiens every year by our front door. It's a tricky spot, since it gets a weird mix of heavy sun and shade. Since I have two planters flanking our door, I'm pretty diligent about rotating them from each side so they don't get too much hot sun. I'm always so amazed at how resilient they are and how they literally bloom all summer.

And last, but definitely not least. My day lilies. For most of my life, I lived on a gravel road in the middle of the country. On both sides of our road, and all around our house, were corn and bean fields. But lining most parts of the road were also big patches of deep orange morning lilies. We also had a huge patch of them along the side of our garage and I love to water them in the summer and pull the dried stems out in the fall. So when I discovered the previous owners had planted yellow day lilies by the front of our house now, I was so excited! They were getting a little overgrown and we had a stretch of our side yard the was bare, so I split them two years ago and transplanted them. It took them a season, but they are finally filling it and blooming like crazy now! I love that little reminder of my childhood.

In the garden. {seeds to be sown}.

 
  This is my fourth year planting a garden at our house, and I kind of have it nailed down. I know what we like and will actually use- and what we won't. I didn't start anything by seed this year for transplants, so I'll be stopping by the greenhouse this week to pick up my veggies just in time for planting this weekend. Even still, there are a few things that are perfect for starting by seed. I have three all time favorites. Basil is ridiculously easy to grow and keep harvesting into fall. We've discovered a dozen different recipes and ways to use it and look forward to breaking those out each summer. And for flowers? You guys. Cut flowers are my greatest gardening surprise. One day, if we have more space, I want to have a garden bed just for flowers! Zinnias are my absolute favorite and I keep bud vases full of them throughout our house all summer. I also love this annual cut flower mix - it's like a surprise seeing them pop up and bloom since it is such a mix. 
  What are you planting this year? Veggies? Fruits? {I don't have the patience for strawberries...} Herb? Blooms? I love hearing what other people love in their garden and on their stoops!

From the garden.

  I was pretty worried that this year's garden would end up being a wash. I just didn't put as much {or as quality} of an effort in as I knew I should have. Once things started to grow, I realized I did a horrible job spacing things out. I ended up missing the snow pea harvest altogether and went ahead and pulled them out this week. I really love gardening, but I've been a bit preoccupied this year. Still, I knew I'd kick myself if I didn't put some effort in. 

  Now, as I make my first batch of pesto for the season with our fresh basil, and we start eating cukes and green peppers and summer squash- I'm glad I did. Mistakes and all. Even though it kind of looks like a hot mess, I can't help but smile when I walk out each day during Caleb's afternoon nap and see all the bright blooms popping up. I picked out some larger zinnias to plant this year and I am so happy I did. They make for really bright, full bouquets of cut flowers. From now until the first frost, I hope to keep flowers in our house. Is there anything better than fresh flowers from your own garden? I love the veggies we get, but honestly, the flowers are becoming my favorite. So bright and cheery and perfect for seasons like this when I didn't have the energy to put lots of gardening effort in. 

What about you? What is your favorite thing to grow in your garden? Or what are you most excited about planting one day when you have a garden of your own?

Gardening. {making plans}

Let's just go ahead and call this year's garden the Pregnant Edition. Over the last two years, I have really fallen in love with our little garden. I've learned what veggies we do and don't use enough of and that I absolutely love being able to cut fresh flowers every day. Last year, I started everything by seed and felt so proud of myself every time I harvested tomatoes or basil or peas. I grew this! From start to finish! All around, even the daily watering, gardening is just a fun process for me.
   At the end of last season, I had already started dreaming up this summer's garden. And then I got pregnant and decided to scale back a bit. I definitely have the energy right now to tackle it head on and start from seed again. But I have a feeling that energy is going to start dwindling any day. So, here is how I've kept my garden plans simpler and much more manageable for myself this year.

No starters inside// Last year, I took a chance on starting my seeds inside and loved the result. But this year, I've decided to just buy baby veggie plants at the nursery, transplant them, and call it a day. My mom thinks I'm crazy for starting things by seed, anyways, since baby plants are pretty cheap. But I did still start some flowers inside, because I love having a shorter wait for blooms!

Sticking with what I know// Last year, I tried out some new plants and experimented with placement  and such. This year doesn't seem like the best time to do that, so I'm sticking with tried and true veggies and just about the same layout that worked last year. Easy, simple, tried and true.

Asking for help// When I talk about our garden, I really mean my garden. It's not that Justin doesn't love fresh veggies, but he's not really into the garden situation. Specifically the upkeep or planning. Which works, because I love those parts! I usually trek to Tractor Supply, load up on compost mix, and weed/fill the garden space on my own each Spring. Well, I'm thinking that might not be the smartest this year, pregnant belly and all. So, I asked for a bit of help. Justin helped me pick up all my compost dirt this past weekend, and after I clean out the garden plot, he'll help me fill it. I think I can still handle the planting on my own...especially since that's my favorite part!

Ok, now let's get to the specifics. Just in case you're planning your first garden or just want to hear how I do things, here it is:

starters// Last year I used a plastic greenhouse for all my starters, since I had so many. I thought about doing it again this year for my flower starters, but went a cheaper route with these Jiffy Strips and soil. To give my seeds a 'greenhouse' effect and keep them moist, I just popped each tray into a storage-sized plastic bag. I have them on a windowsill in our bonus room- which gets full sun and is HOT. 

markers// I've found that I don't really need real plant markers once my plants are mature. I have a pretty small garden with only about 10 different veggies/herbs, so it's pretty easy to remember what is what. When things are itty bitty, though, it's hard to keep track. So I wrap washi tape around a toothpick and stick in it with my starters, and then wrap the seed packet with the same tape. Easy peasy.

storage// I have a lot of seeds from last year, most of which I'll use again this year. They can last forever if you store them right! I keep mine in this old recipe box. 

plan// Unless you want to get in over your head, it's good to start of simple. And plan everything out. I draw out my plot and where I want each plant to go. I keep my vining plants {squash, cucumber} in the back, along with my tomato bushes. Smaller, more compact plants, like basil, stay up front. Also, ALWAYS account for things to get big. I do this every year, and still end up being amazed at how big my tomato plants get! Spacing everything out is really key to not having an overcrowded garden.

All in all, I haven't made too many modifications. In my specific plans, I'm gearing up for even more flowers this year than last. I learned last year that I really, really love them. Once they're planted, they pretty much take care of themselves and are just gorgeous. Once summer hits and baby boy is here, I'll have to be extra intentional about making time to water and harvest. And probably leaning on Justin for a bit of help with that sort of upkeep. I can't imagine a summer without a garden, and even with this busy one coming up, I'm glad we'll still have one!

Do you have a garden? What are you planting this year? How simple do you keep things?

Garden growing. {1}

  This is my 2nd year of gardening {on my own}, and I can't get over how many lessons I keep learning. Growing up, we had this massive garden with just about everything you can imagine in it and it was so much work. At least that's my how my 8 year old self felt about snapping green beans for hours. But now that I'm older and have a 6'x12' baby-sized garden plot- I totally appreciate all the work that goes into a really good garden. I'm nowhere close to having a really good garden, and I'm pretty sure that I make more mistakes than right moves each year. Gardening is definitely one of those practice-makes-perfect things. Maybe in 10 years I'll be a pro? In an effort to keep track of my lessons-learned and not make the same mistakes twice, I've started a list of what garden growing has taught me so far. Feel free to chime in with any and all advice, because homegirl could sure use it!

::Starting by seed is cheapest, but slowest. Start seeds inside by the first week of April.

::Plan, plan, plan. And always give plants more space than you think they need.

::MiracleGro is a gardener's bff.

::Don't plant cilantro. Its cute and all, but we don't eat enough of it.

::Don't plant carrots. Too much space for too little crop.

::Don't plant beans. Justin won't eat them.

::Plant more peppers. We love our green peppers.

::Plant more squash- {while considering the whole Squash Bug Debacle of 2013}

::Squash bugs are a thing and they will kill your favorite veggie {zucchini} and you will cry. Do some research on preventing them for next year...

::Garden flowers are the bomb.com. because they equal fresh cute flowers for months on end. But maybe start a new plot just for them? They kind of get massive...

Summer {favorites}.

  Back in March I did a favorites post. It was so fun, why not just make it a seasonal thing? K. I'm so in love with summer {and spring and fall} and really, seriously plan to live in a beach town someday. We haven't been able to log much sun/pool time yet this year, but I'm banking on our upcoming lakehouse vay-k to make up for that! Also, it seems important to note that, while it didn't make my list, I am currently obsessed with our new patio furniture. This is evidenced by the three hours I sat outside working around it today. Helloooo, tan lines! 

1// Old Navy Vintage tees. These shirts are the bomb.com. Old Navy basically has a summer long sale on everything in their store, these included! I have about 7 of them in different colors and I wouldn't mind have a few more. LOVE them. 

2// Hillsong United Zion. This cd has been on repeat for weeks, and I finally bought a legal copy on iTunes yesterday! {pats self on back}

3// the Festival necklace. Ok, I'm sure you're sick of me talking about Noonday. {I just really can't help it} But I love this necklace that I bought after my trunk show in June. It goes with everything {like my favorite tees!} and is so darn colorful!

4// Zinnias. I've already said it a zillion times {here and on instagram}, but I can't get enough of my zinnias! I have two or three bud vases full of them every day and they just make me smile, you know?

5// Volcano candle. Have we talked about this and how much I love love LOVE it? Or how I basically crapped my pants when I saw that it comes in a smaller {read: cheaper} size?? If I could only burn one candle for the rest of my life, it would be this one.

6// Parks and Recreation. I'm not sure what happened, but Justin decided he likes it now. We tried watching it a year or so ago, and he hated it. Either way, we're loving our post-cable life with Netflix episodes of Leslie and the gang!

7// Sally Hansen's Xtremewear polish. While its not a bright and summer-y shade, I could wear Grey Area every day and never get sick of it.

8// Green tea. Iced green tea is my summertime jam {when I'm not sipping boozy lemonade, of course} and this is my go-to brand.

9// Book club. We've had some duds over the past couple months, but I'm excited about this month's read. And really, I just kind of love book club. No matter what we read, we really just have a good time eating and drinking together! Start one. 

10// Straws. I usually snag a big box of straws in the dollar aisle, but this year my mom grabbed me some big, chunky, colorful ones from Ikea. Love! 

And, just because I really do love them, another zinnia photo. 

  But enough about me. What are you obsessed with this summer?? 

To plant a garden.

{print by Pen & Paint} 

  It's no secret that I've kind of fallen in love with gardening over the last year. Being able to plan and plant and grow a garden was one of the highlights of buying a house for me {I blame it on this}. Last year started off great, but ended up being a complete wash {read:: extreme drought/this happened}. I was determined to make this year better. And its been pretty awesome so far {minus the hateful rabbits}. 

  Its kind of crazy how some cheap seeds and a watering can and MiracleGro can make me so happy. I always get a little bummed when it rains for consecutive days, because I don't need to water my plants. Its become sort of therapeutic for me, those twenty minutes of watering every night.

  I definitely have tons to learn and still find myself making lots of rookie mistakes. But I think I've gotten a lot more right this year. And I'm totally buying what Audrey Hepburn said about gardening::

  "To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow."

  Mmmhmm.  

Up & Doing. {May recap}

//go hiking// We had plans to go to Turkey Run this month, but got rained out. So that was a bummer. But we were more active than ever and logged a few miles each day with the pups {I got in 22 walks/run with them!}. I'm calling it a win/win.

//get licensed// Who knew it cost $15 for two measly passport photos?? And $10 for a transcript?? And $50 for an application fee?? Not this girl. It took me two weeks to get over those annoyances and bite the bullet, but my application to sit for my exam is officially sent off! Now I'm just waiting to get approved and schedule my exam.  

//cheer up the deck// We nailed this one! I bought two oversized planters, filled them to the brim, and am in love. My smaller planter is also in full bloom, along with our gorgeous {low maintenance!} clematis. So much gorgeous color makes my heart happy. After we get the deck stained {I'm looking at you, rainy season}, we'll fill our flower box. 

Fabric covered planter.

   It might be safe to say that gardening is becoming a hobby for me. Nevermind that my entire garden got scorched last summer and I stopped watering it after July. I am fully embracing the 'fake it til you make it' motto and it may be working for me so far this summer? Too soon to tell. Either way, I'm having a blast growing my garden and watering my boxwoods and filling my planters with blooms that may or may not die in a few days. Watering time has become my jam. Like an 80 year-old woman, its the highlight of my evening. I kind of geek out over filling up my watering can I know, I know. Riveting life I live. 

  And now that I've completely drawn you into the the soap opera life I lead, let me share my fabric covered planter with you! Ha! What a segway. This is just about the simplest project and costs next to nothing. I scored this pot at Goodwill last year for $.25 and had everything else on hand. And I'm kind of obsessed with making these, so fake your surprise if you get one for a birthday or housewarming or no other good reason other than I love you. Mmkay? 

What you'll need:

foam brush

mod podge

fabric

scissors

terra cotta planter

  Start by coating the entire outside of the planter with a generous coat of mod podge and then quickly wrap the fabric. Since you kind of have to roll the fabric on, I've found its best to start with a larger piece of fabric than you'll need and then trim the excess. Make sense?

   After you've wrapped the fabric around the outside, trim the top while leave about 1 1/2 in extra {or however much you'll need to have the fabric fold past the soil line}. You want the inside of the pot to seem lined, too, so cut diagonal slits in the fabric to fold into the pot. 

   Coat the inside with a layer of of modpodge and fold the fabric inside...

   ...and go over with another coat of modpodge. 

   Now smooth as many wrinkles out as possible on the outside of the planter and add a last generous coat of modpodge. Trim the bottom of the fabric and modpodge to seal. 

   Let the pot dry completely before planting. I'm sure there's some sort of waterproof or outdoor modpodge available, but I'm all for using what you have. So, be prepared for your planter to become a bit soggy when watering your flowers. No worries though, it seals up just fine after it dries again. 

   Et voila! Isn't it cute? I kind of love that its imperfect with some of the wrinkles I couldn't/was too lazy to get out. I chose a more basic fabric, but the possibilities are endless. And hey, if my plants end up dying, at least I have a cute pot out of the deal! Silver lining, people. 

Up & Doing. {May}

//go hiking// Well, that's self-explainatory. We have a favorite state park that we like to meet up with friends at, and I want to try some close to home as well. 

//get licensed// Its been a year since I received my Master's, but since getting a new job last Fall, I never sat for my licensure. {face palm} Its embarassing. I've been dragging my feet. No more!

//cheer up the deck// We may have tackled front yard landscaping, but the backyard will have to wait until next year. My mom picked up an adorable flower box for me at Ikea a weeks ago and I want to get it filled with bright summer blooms to bring some color to our deck.

 Pretty basic goals, but I know they'll feel so good to accomplish. {especially that whole license thing!} Let's do this, May!

Up & Doing. {April recap}

::Run more. I DID IT!!!! I ran at least 8 miles all but one week in April. Holla! I've lost a few pounds and am getting some (but barely) endurance back. It feels so good and I'm excited to stick with it.

::Create&Declutter. I made progress! I purged my closet and reorganized and found/possibly convinced J to make a new headboard. It takes time and money and lots of begging Justin to help me. But we're chugging along!

::Garden. I successfully started lots of seedlings inside (and have extras! Who needs tomato or green pep starters?). They grew so well (except for you, Mr. Zucchini.) and I transplanted them all into my garden plot yesterday. I'm growing 11 different veggies/herbs and some flowers, too. I'm so excited and much more hopeful for this year's crop! Eek! Fresh veggies and cut flowers.

 After a month of royally sucking my goal-achieving, it felt great to get shiz done! April was good and I can't wait to get started on May's 3 things. 

Up & doing. {April}

  So, clearly March was no bueno in the goal department. Here's to hoping April is much, much better!

::  Run more. Once upon a time, I was kind of a runner. Somewhere in my late high school, early college years I fell in love with the sport and ran a lot. Then I got a little sick, had a little surgery, started a full time job- and kind of fell off the wagon. But I'm determined to ease back in. Slowly but surely, I'll be a runner again. So, my goal is to log 8 miles a week this month. A baby goal, for sure.

::  Create/declutter. I'm determined to tackle our bedroom, pallet headboard or not! This will be the month.

::  Garden. Its gardening season! I want to get all of my seedlings started inside and ready to transplant by the end of the month. Eek! Fresh veggies...here I come! {ps. any good suggestions for garden flowers? I have some room left in my plot and want some blooms!}


And since we're a few days in, I should let you know my goals are already off to a good start. I've been jogging, finding new headboard ideas, planning to purge our bedroom this weekend, and have all the supplies to start my seedlings tonight! April, let's do this.