Garden Guests: Can you help me with this one?

The north side of our front yard is a certified  National Wildlife Federation Backyard Habitat.  Really!  We have a certificate!  You can do the same by providing food, water, cover and places for wildlife to raise their young.  It is so much fun to see all of the critters that stop by for a visit.  I'm beginning a new series of posts to show you our Garden Guests.

 

 

I don't know what these pollinators are.  Can you help me identify them?  Handsome Husband took these photos.  The soft brown moths are beautiful against the vibrant yellow sunflower!  'Just another example of why you should not use pesticides.  Pollinators come in many shapes and sizes.  It is absolutely imperative that we make a conscious effort to protect them and their offspring.

 

And now for some bloggin' music!

 

Fly Away by John Denver

 

 

Remember to join me at Holli's Hoots and Hollers for Tuesday Tunes!

 

;-)  -Marci

 

 

Featured at Life on Lakeshore Drive!!

Kathy of Life on Lakeshore Drive just gave me wonderful news!  My post about Creating Bouquets with Herbs

 

 

 

has been featured at her lovely Bouquet of Talent Linky Party!

 

 

 

 

 Thank you, Kathy!

 

;-)  -Marci

Bathroom Makeover: Light Sconces

About this time last year, I was publishing teaser posts about my bathroom makeover.  There was This Post about my trash can's Polka Dots and then I showed you photos of the total mess we were making as well as an interesting surprise.  Did you see my post about The Inspiration?  What about The Curtains?  You've gotta see The Curtains I made!  I also had a post about The Cabinet Knobs.

 

'Sorry for the odd photos.  Our bathroom is tiny!

 

 

 

These sconces were found at a yard sale during Pickin' Time on 59.  Talk about a total steal!  I purchased four of them, FOUR, for the crazy low price of only $2.00!  I know, right?

 

 

So, two are on the wall on either side of the mirror and the other two are snuggled above the window with a white bunny and a candle, because you know we will probably break one!  I tucked some colorful paper in them, then took it out, then put it back in again.  'Just can't decide.

  

What do you think?

 

;-)  -Marci

 

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Inspiration Cafe' Day

The last Friday of each month, I get to be a contributor at Inspiration Cafe',  I still sport a big goofy grin as my post is emailed!

 

 

 

 

This month, I have a little drop cloth project that was inspired by Megin at VMG206.  Check out her Pinterest Board titled Drop Cloth Dreams!  Amazing! 

 

Another drop cloth inspiration for me is Aimee at Twigg Studios,   Take a look at her Tutorials Page!  'Love!

 

I am totally hooked on sewing with drop cloths!  The raw texture is very appealing to me in this old rock farm house!  I also appreciate the heavy weight of the fabric.

 

A word of warning about them though.  They do shrink.  Make sure you wash and dry them before sewing anything.  Also, they seem kind of stiff at first.  Depending on your project, though, stiff can be a good thing.  If you wash them a couple of times, they are soft and lovely! 



So, please join me at Inspiration Cafe',  Today's project is super easy and seriously cool!  Come back here for more drop cloth inspiration!  So far, I have completed three projects with them and there are a couple more buzzing around my head!

;-)  -Marci




Dog Days of Summer

The last Friday of each month, I am so very honored to be a contributor for Inspiration Cafe'. 



It's such a fun site!  I hope you can join me there tomorrow for a super simple, crazy cool project!  Really!  You've got to see it tomorrow!

Here's my contribution from waaaaay back in July.

We are total goobers when it comes to our dogs.  Here are four of them all snuggly on the couch.  From front to back, there's Missi Lu, Tobi, Abigail and Ivan. 

  

Missi Lu is the oldest.  She sleeps in a heated basket right beside my bed. During the night, if I happen to roll over in her direction, I reach down and pet her, then go back to sleep.  Last Saturday, she had a doctor's appointment for some ongoing health issues.  (The poor thing has to be sedated before going to the vet, because, well, frankly, she's horrible.)  After two hours of tests and never mind how much money, we went back home.

 

That night, I rolled over and reached down to pet her.  Missi's skin felt cold and she didn't respond to my touch.  I was so sad.  I got out of bed and sat in front of her basket to pet her.  She did not respond.  I began to pray, thanking God for letting her die in her sleep, at home in her basket, with me by her side.  She has been such a good friend.  Handsome Husband wakes up.

Him:  What are you doing?

Me:  Missi is dead.

Him:  What?

Me:  She feels cold and she isn't moving.

He came over and sat next to me.  He reached out to pet her.

Him (kind of exasperated):  She's not dead!

He shook her and shouted her name.  My poor dog leapt to her feet all startled.

Me:  She's alive!

Handsome Husband stumbled back to bed grumbling something I couldn't hear.  I was too busy hugging my dog!



Her favorite treats were made in the morning.  This recipe is what I would consider for 'special occasions'.  You know, for those I'm-so-glad-you're-alive days.  (Ahem!)  The barley could be replaced with rice.

Barkin' Barley Bars



I usually make barley bars with leftovers, especially something left in the bottom of the crockpot.  Here's that recipe.

Barkin' Barleys with Leftovers

The kiddos around here enjoy making dog biscuits.  Our furry hoard LOVES eating them!



Stone Cottage Dog Biscuits

If you don't have those ingredients, here is another option.



Dog Biscuits with Oats  

 

You don't have to wait for a life and death experience to spoil your furry babies!

 

;-)  -Marci

LINK PARTY! Tuesdays with a Twist #25

Good Morning and welcome to another fantastic party!

<a href="http://back2basichealth.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a627/greenmary_smith/ad9dc0c5-5f80-4ed7-a18c-c6e9fb42d156_zpsde41d9bb.jpg"/></a>  

 

 

 

Are you ready to party?
 

We're your co-hosts:
 

Mary @ Back to the Basics

Joyce @ It's Your Life!
 

Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

Mindie @ The (mis)Adventures of a Born Again Farm Girl

Angie @ God's Growing Garden

 

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

 

My Feature this Week is:  How to Roast Tomatoes



We currently have GOBS of tomatoes.  I can do this!  Take a look!

 

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

<a href="http://back2basichealth.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a627/greenmary_smith/FeaturedMorningglory_zps96ec9fee.jpg"/></a>

We all love comments!  we try to comment on each and every link. 

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. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features. 

And now for the party!


;-)  -Marci 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin  



 

Featured at Inspiration Cafe'!!

My DIY Washable Sidewalk Paint has been featured

 

 

 

Our sweet hen, Lois, looks like she is giving art instructions!

 

 

 at the Kidding Around Link Party at Inspiration Café! 

 

 

 

What a lovely way to begin the week!

 

The next Link Party at Inspiration Cafe' will be Monday, November 4th and the theme is Soups and Sandwiches!  Mmmmm...  'Perfect for this time of year, don't you think?

 

 

 

Please join us for a yummy party!

 

;-)  -Marci



Garden Guests: Tufted Titmouse

The north side of our front yard is a certified  National Wildlife Federation Backyard Habitat.  Really!  We have a certificate!  You can do the same by providing food, water, cover and places for wildlife to raise their young.  It is so much fun to see all of the critters that stop by for a visit.  I'm beginning a new series of posts to show you our Garden Guests.

 



Here is a Tufted Titmouse.  While they will come to either sunflower or peanut feeders, they actually prefer berries.  Plant natives like elderberry.  Suet can also be offered.



How about a little music? 

 

Nickel Creek, Out of the Woods

 

 

Remember to join me at Holli's Hoots and Hollers for Tuesday Tunes!

 

;-)  -Marci

 



LINK PARTY! Raising Imperfection #37

It’s Sunday! ~ I get to co-host Week #37 of Raising Imperfection!

 

It's your favorite post Sunday link party!

We can't wait to see what you've been up to! Please view our very short introduction video for some link party rules and announcements.

 

 

Be sure to come back for Feature Fridays! Leslie and I choose our favorite links from the link up and feature them!  If you missed the last features, you can see them HERE.

 

Please grab our link party button!

 

<img src="http://i1061.photobucket.com/albums/t475/RaisingReagan/Raising%20Imperfection/NEWRIButton275x150_zpsf908716b.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo NEWRIButton275x150_zpsf908716b.jpg"/></a>

Say HELLO to your Co-Hosts for this week:

Marci – Stone Cottage Adventures

April – 100 LB Countdown

Please also visit your co-hostess for the month of September:

Angel - Sew Crafty Angel

Be sure to visit Feature Fridays to see if your post was picked!

Tweet

 

Want to be the next co-hosts? Enter the Rafflecopter below and you could win!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you win! 

;-)  -Marci

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Featured!

What an honor to be featured today at Threading My Way! 

 

 

 

 

 Pam likes my Gift Wrap Idea!

 

 

 

 

Thanks! 

 

;-)  -Marci

 

 

 

 

 



We got a new clothes dryer.  Guess who likes the box?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

;-)  -Marci

Gooseberries

My maternal grandmother had a large gooseberry bush in her back yard.  We loved them when they were ripe!  I only remember eating them fresh, but I'm sure Grandma must have done other things with them.  Hopefully, my mother will leave a comment telling us all about it!  ;-)

 

I was just reading an interesting post about gooseberries by Margaret at A Way to Garden that includes a scrumptious sounding recipe for Gooseberry Foole! 

 

If you aren't growing them now, you might think about them as you re vamp your gardens this Fall.  Gooseberries are a lovely replacement for forsythia.  They have bright yellow blooms in early spring, along with an edible crop of berries in Late Summer or Early Fall.  You've actually seen photos of them on my blog before.

 

 

The small yellow flowers left of the tulip happens to be a stray gooseberry stem. 

 

 

Can you see them in this bouquet with iris?  Aren't they pretty?  I love using them in flower arrangements even when they are not blooming.  The woody stems make an excellent base for large blossoms like peonies and sunflowers.

 

It's time to begin planning for Autumn garden additions.  Are you looking at adding some shrubs this fall?  Consider gooseberries!

 

;-)  -Marci

 



An Ozark Autumn

;-)  -Marci

LINK PARTY! Tuesdays with a Twist #24

Good Morning and welcome to another fantastic party!

<a href="http://back2basichealth.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a627/greenmary_smith/ad9dc0c5-5f80-4ed7-a18c-c6e9fb42d156_zpsde41d9bb.jpg"/></a>  

 

 

 

Are you ready to party?
 

We're your co-hosts:
 

Mary @ Back to the Basics

Joyce @ It's Your Life!
 

Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

Mindie @ The (mis)Adventures of a Born Again Farm Girl 

 

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

 

My Feature this Week is:   Gingerbread Men and



Pumpkin Soap



By Lois at Creative Chaos!   I hope you'll take a look!

 

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

<a href="http://back2basichealth.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a627/greenmary_smith/FeaturedMorningglory_zps96ec9fee.jpg"/></a>

We all love comments!  we try to comment on each and every link. 

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. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features. 

And now for the party!


;-)  -Marci 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin  

Washable Sidewalk Paint

If you party with us at Tuesdays with a Twist, you might have seen me feature DIY Washable Sidewalk Paint from Marvelous Mommy! 



Tobi is a great painting assistant!

I'd like to show you our version!

 

 

Amy's recipe was followed for the most part.  Since I make my own lye soap, I also make our laundry detergent.  It is about the same consistency as shampoo.  My laundry soap is crazy inexpensive so it replaced the shampoo in Amy's recipe.  I tried one batch with the corn starch and one batch without it.  Also, some of the paint was left plain so the kiddos could mix their own colors.

 

  

 

 The batch with corn starch was more vibrant,

but both batches were equally fun!

 

Lois kept evaluating whether or not the paint was edible!

When they finished painting, we turned on the sprinkler.  The paint washed right off the sidewalk as well as the sweet little fingers and toes!  If you are looking for a fun outside activity, we recommend DIY Washable Sidewalk Paint from Marvelous Mommy!

Remember that today is the Kidding Around Link Party at Inspiration Café! 



Grab a kid friendly post and join the fun!



  

;-)  -Marci