Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Tuesdays with a Twist LINKY PARTY!

Our News This Week...  We just got home from a week long vacation, celebrating 31 years of marriage!  One night in Natchez, Mississippi; four nights in Orange Beach, Alabama; and one night in Memphis, Tennessee.  It was wonderful!  I've gotten a couple of posts published.  Here they are if you would like to see some of our adventures!  ;-)

Natchez

Bellingrath Gardens {Part 1}

Crocus are blooming in our yard here in Arkansas!


'Always makes me smile to be in or near a National Park  ;-)

I've begun co-hosting a party that lasts all month called You're the Star!  I hope you can join that one, too!


And now for today's party!




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.  I love this post!  

Saying "I do" Forever



  From Angie at Annie's Home!

     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.
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.

Let's party!

;-)  -Marci


Monday, February 27, 2017

You're the Star {March} Garden Features

WELCOME to the March "You're the Star" Blog Hop!  Happy March, Everyone!  How exciting to be moving closer toward Spring!
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by Angie Ouellette-Tower for http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/ photo YoureTheStarHopLarge_zpsncuylahd.jpg

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

Bellingrath Gardens {Part 1}

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WELCOME to GARDEN feature week of the
"You're the STAR" blog hop!
Meet your GARDEN week Hosts 


by Angie Ouellette-Tower for http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/ photo YoureTheStarGarden_zpsmtrqgy7g.jpg

This week is GARDEN feature week
Swing by the GARDEN Hosts blogs:
Angie @ God's Growing Garden
Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

This is a month long Linky party featuring YOU!

There will be 4 different features each week and 4 different feature categories.  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, outdoor activities &/or preserving (this can include any type of green living,  repurposed ideas, outdoor concerns, posts relating to farm animals etc all while remaining family friendly)



by Angie Ouellette-Tower for godsgrowinggarden.com photo ShopHoppingFeatured_zpsf9fab123.jpg

(All features were chosen from the February 2016 "You're the Star" blog hop)

A Handful of Sweet Peas in the Kitchen Window by Comfort Spring

Sweet Peas Close-up


My Nature Photos by Love My Big Happy Family



 Make Your Own Herbal Sleep Tea by Feathers in the Woods

Herbal sleep tea, chamomile, lemon balm

Ginger & Lemongrass Scrub by Howling At the Moon



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

You're a STAR

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We are in need of more Cohosts (click HERE to view a list of our current hosts/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 blog posts below!
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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Sunday, February 26, 2017

Bellingrath Gardens {Part 1}


During our recent trip to Alabama, we visited this lovely destination near Mobile.


Coming South from Arkansas, these gorgeous blossoms definitely warmed my heart and helped heal my Spring Fever!





Up to 20% off lawn and garden. Valid 2/26-3/4






I've taken so many photos of this gorgeous place!  Please come back for more posts!

;-)  -Marci

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Built on the Bluffs

...of the mighty Mississippi River.  Our visit to Natchez, Mississippi only lasted one evening.  We were on the way to Alabama and paused for a night there. 

Our hotel recommended a restaurant, but we got distracted by architecture and turned the wrong way.  It happens.  ;-)  I hopped into a boutique to ask for directions.  The lovely proprietor recommended we go under the bluff to a restaurant called "The Camp".  This time we paid attention ;-) and found the right  spot.  Check out this view!


We watched cars zip across the bridge and barges float by.  It was such a relaxing evening.  We both chose a sandwich from the menu and enjoyed our meal.



Oh, and let me tell you where we stayed.  A friend recommended the Eola Hotel nested in historic downtown Natchez.


Our bed in the William Martin room was this king size masterpiece.  We guessed the ceilings to be 12 feet tall.


My favorite feature about our room though were these French doors with transom that opened onto the veranda.


There's my handsome travelling buddy!  ;-)

Any photos of him generate beard care questions.  He purchases combs and other products HERE.


These are a few shots from our porch seating of the buildings adjacent to our hotel.  Some are newer, but most are very old.


I wish we had planned more time in this lovely city.  To the west of us were historic residential neighborhoods and to the east were historic businesses.  Many of these gorgeous homes are open for tours.


We strolled a few blocks each direction, holding hands and chatting about the beauty.  I'm not sure just how many "National Register of Historic Places" plaques we saw.  A lot of the buildings had them displayed proudly.


Sadly, the camera didn't make it on our quiet, romantic walk.  Leaving Natchez, Handsome Husband  stopped at a church to double check directions so I hopped out and snapped a few shots.


Azaleas were blooming all over town.  It was so pretty!  If you ever have the chance to visit Natchez, do it!  What a lovely place!

;-)  -Marci 

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Woodland Babies Centerpiece Tutorial


This little twig bouquet was the centerpiece for a baby shower we hosted in January.  The theme was woodland babies.  Would you like to see how I arranged it?


Here's the tutorial.  ;-)


Of course it begins with a vase.  You can see this one is 10 inches tall.  For this type of arrangement, I prefer to work with containers that have a narrow neck. 


Baby showers should be colorful, right?  ;-)  I added mult-color glass beads for weight as well as holding stems in place.  (No water will be needed.)  Beads don't work well for soft stems, but the twigs will be OK.  It will require a bit of twisting back and forth as the branches are pushed into the beads.


A good rule of thumb for height proportion is keeping the finished bouquet above the container between one and two times as tall as the vase.  So, with the vase at 10 inches, my finished arrangement should be 20 to 30 inches tall.


We recently had some lower limbs removed from a grand old oak tree in our front yard.  I snipped these twigs from it. and then spread them across our sidewalk to see the shapes.  I left a few leaves here and there. 


Using the curved ones first, I begin working.  Three are pushed down into the glass beads, equal distance apart around the vase with stems crossed.  


Three more are pressed into the glass beads equal distance apart with stems crossed.  Repeat until full.  ;-)  As I get closer to the center, I use the straighter twigs.


Once the bouquet was this big, I did some snipping and trimming, just to even the sides a bit.  The wind is blowing the leaves.  ;-)  Now for the fun part!


How cute are hedgehogs?!  I purchased these felt ornaments the second I saw them.


Woodland babies were snuggled here and there using a small loop of raffia pinned on the back.


A few things were added to complete the centerpiece.  The evergreens shrubs are small pots of rosemary.  The touch of lace is a crocheted collar that belonged to my daughter when she was a baby.   I also added a ceramic fawn and a huge acorn.


A large chopping block added some height.


Here's my centerpiece and all the tasty treats!



Previous baby shower posts:

Ten Steps to Hosting a Stress Free Baby Shower

Cheesecake Bar

Aunt Margie's Punch Recipe

We had such a fun day!  What do you enjoy most at baby showers?


;-)  -Marci