Link Party Feature

'Exciting news!  My little 

Fairy Garden

is being featured today at 

hosted by Kathryn of 

The Dedicated House

What an honor!  The next party goes live tonight at 8 pm.  I hope you have time to join the party!

;-)  -Marci

You're the Star {June} Week 5

WELCOME to June "You're the Star" Blog Hop!  Thank you for joining us!




Before we continue onto the Linky party I wanted to share from my blog:

A Garden Update
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WELCOME to EXTRA feature week of the June "You're the STAR" blog hop!
(Sometimes we will have 5 Mondays in a month - these 5th special Mondays are called "EXTRA feature" days)
Meet all of your STAR Hosts 

Swing by the STAR Hosts blogs:
Angie @ God's Growing Garden
Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Anna @ Cuddlebug Cuties
Colleen @ Butterfly in the Attic
Darlene @ Let It Shine
Angel @ Sew Crafty Angel
Miranda @ The Myrabev Life
Linda @ Country Loving MomBev @ Eclectic Red Barn
Heidi @ Heidi's Wanderings

This is a month long Linky party featuring YOU!

There will be 4 different features each week and 4 different feature categories (except for this special EXTRA day - we will be featuring 2 extra).  Just to be clear - this is NOT a themed party - you may link up ANY family-friendly blog posts any day of each month. 

The "theme" occurs in our weekly features:

WEEK#1 GARDEN - gardening, homesteading, recycling &/or preserving (this can include any type of green living,  while remaining family friendly),
WEEK#2 CREATIVE - arts & crafts, music, writing &/or dramatic arts (this can include sewing, dance, art history, handmade jewelry, computer art, fashion etc - anything creative while remaining family friendly)
WEEK#3 FAMILY - parenting, fitness, finances & inspirational (this can include anything about children like: education ideas for children, also self help, beauty etc -  anything family friendly)
WEEK#4 HOME - recipes, home décor, antique/DIY &/or travel (this can include anything about your home - even history posts - all while remaining family friendly)




(All features were chosen from the May "You're the Star" blog hop)

The Cupboard Was Bare by Ginx Craft


The 7 R's of Zero Waste by Skip The Bag


Super Simple Zucchini Boats by Wife Mommy Me


5 Ways To Keep Your Family Healthy Before Vacation Season by Curly Crafty Mom


If you've been featured then please grab a STAR button below:


<a href="http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/2016/09/new-youre-star-blog-hop-cohost-sign-up.html" target="_blank"><img alt="You're a STAR" src="http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o501/AngieOuelletteTower/Title%20Pages%20or%20Buttons/YourAstarFEATURED_zpso7ovwjyt.jpg" /></a>

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We are in need of more Cohosts (click HERE to view a list of our current hosts/cohosts).  For HOME feature week we  need 3 more Cohosts.
If you are interested in joining us as a Cohost then please click HERE & fill out the form.

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All Hosts/CoHosts will post this blog hop on every Monday of each week.
Please link up your family friendly posts!

It wouldn't be a linky party with YOU!
(IMPORTANT NOTE: by linking up you understand that you might be featured next month and if so, we will use some of your photos from your post - rest assured - we will always link back to your lovely blog.  We might also share your fantastic posts on social media.  Also, you may link up as many family-friendly posts as you like & YES - other blog hops &/or giveaways are welcome {giveaways and blog hops will NOT be featured though}  Thank You & ENJOY! )
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Raised Garden Bed from Greenland Gardener

It's been a while since I've posted any garden updates.  With all the rain in our area this year, the plants look pretty pitiful.

We are trying a raised bed from Greenland Gardener.  The above photo shows what came in our box for the 8 inch half bed measuring 22" by 42".  It's this one on their site.

When we finally got a break in the rain, I tackled this project.  The corner brackets are seriously cool.

Handsome Husband had to work late this particular evening, but it was not a problem for me to assemble by myself.  It slides together easily.  First a layer of rabbit manure was shoveled into the raised bed.  (We love our bunnies and what cleaning their house does for our garden!)  Then I filled it the rest of the way with garden soil.

Let's pretend what was planted is big and beautiful!

I'm planting garlic and scallions in my box to protect them from Handsome Husband when he is being wild with the tiller.  ;-)

What would you plant in your raised bed?

;-)  -Marci

Creating a Fairy House

My inner child loves fairy gardens!  (Click HERE to see mine!)  They just make me happy!  What would a garden be without a home though?  Just a patch of pretty flowers, I guess?



My journey to create a fairy house begins with a package of gourd seeds.

They grow very well here in the Central United States.

I love decorating with them in Autumn.  After Thanksgiving, the gourds are tucked away in the back of our old milk barn until they dry.  This one has a great shape and a pretty stem, so it got a nice scrub.

Handsome Husband cut the doors and windows using our hole saw, keeping the little circles that were cut in hopes of using them later.  The inside of the gourd was cleaned thru these small holes, which was kind of difficult.  If you've ever made a jack-o-lantern, you probably remember removing seeds and connective fibers from the center.  Dried gourds are very similar except the inside is, well, dry, of course, and can be a bit tricky to remove.

Here's the window opposite the front door.  It will give the fairy a nice breeze and lots of natural light!  ;-)  The gourd was given a quick stain with leather dye in Acorn Brown.

You'll have to read about  The Catastrophe  that lead to this pretty set of wings above the door.  Oh, and about that door...

The front door was a struggle as we weren't sure how to make it hinge.  My solution was to glue the round piece from the hole saw onto a cupcake topper.  ;-)  A button was glued into the center hole to make the handle.

Here's the outside,

and here's the inside!  How cute is that little fox?  It's like having a door and a large piece of artwork all in one!  In the garden the stick part is actually leaning against the gourd above the door to hold it upright.

What makes your inner child happy?

;-)  -Marci

Book Review: The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee

by Talya Tate Boerner

A partial synopsis from Good Reads:  Ten-year-old Gracie Lee knows a few things. She knows which trees are best for climbing. She knows how to walk through the hallway without making a sound on the hardwood floor. She knows if Daddy's crop gets one more drop of rain, the whole family will pay the price.

My thoughts:  What a wonderful novel!  I've been thinking about this story ever since finishing, hoping there will be a series!  So, the book begins when Gracie is 10 and ends when she is 12.  This young lady is curious and intelligent, caring and kind, protective and brave.  Her home is a farm located in the Arkansas Delta and part of it once belonged to Johnny Cash.  Gracie Lee thinks her life is boring as she brings the reader along with her to school, church camp and the house she thinks is empty just down the road.  Challenges arise though, and I admire her courage as she finds ways to either survive or stand her ground without being hurtful.

Here's a favorite quote from page 243 of the book:  "I decided right then and there that preachers were like weathermen.  The liked to talk and make predictions, but everything boiled down to nothing more than a guess.  No one knew what would happen tomorrow."

What have you been reading?

I received this book in exchange for my review. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

;-)  -Marci

Tuesdays with a Twist LINKY PARTY!

Our News This Week...  Handsome Husband says he enjoyed Father's Day.  We had a nice little gathering at our house.  He smoked ribs and pulled pork while I created the sides and dessert.  We ate like kings and had a wonderful visit!

These little cuties created the most charming centerpieces with flowers they found in our garden.

  

We sure do love The Grand Ones!

I am joining some blogging friends to co-host a patriotic party that began June 1.  Golly!  It's almost over.  Where has this month gone?!

Every Monday there's also one here called You're the Star.  If you have time, please join those parties, too!

And now for today's party!

Mary @ Back to the Basics

 Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

Angie @ God's Growing Garden

Each co-host will be sharing her own picks for Features. This gives everyone a better chance of being chosen.  Be sure to check all of our blogs!

Choosing features never gets easier!  There are so many impressive bloggers visiting each week and they post about all kinds of interesting topics.  The diversity is just amazing.  As summer heats up and we need a bit of stillness late in the evening, here's a great post with suggestions for 

10 Great Read Alouds for the Family Campfire


 From Alicia G. Ruggieri.  I love books!

     If you have been featured we'd love for you to grab a button.

We all love comments!  Please hop around and show some love!

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Friday at 11:59pm.  Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites.  Please visit other blogs if you have a moment.  All family friendly links are welcome including etsy shops and other link parties.  Share older posts as well as new ones.  *Pictures should be your own*

No limit on links!

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos (with proper link backs) in our features.

Let's party!

;-)  -Marci

Farm Fresh Feature

What an exciting day!  My little wall art

Farm Fresh Eggs

is being featured today at 

hosted by 

Katherine's Corner

What an honor!

;-)  -Marci