Holiday Traditions

What holiday traditions do you remember? What are the traditions you’ll pass down from generation to generation….

We have a tradition of purchasing ornaments everywhere we go. We have also made some by hand in our early marriage years when we couldn’t afford to go anywhere or do anything.

Ornaments celebrate our memories, memories of moments in time where we were on family trips or celebrated family accomplishments or hobbies.

We have ornaments that represent dance, soccer, tennis, golf and we have beach vacation ornaments or amazing ornaments from trips abroad. We also have ornaments that we made because we had no money to purchase them., they are meaningful and special in their own way and we remember making them with family members.

They don’ take up a lot of room and they are cheaper and easier than buying art or vases or (insert large souvenir) and they are so easy to pack and they provide that same joy of remembrance when you unpack it each year and hang it on your tree. You remember the moment, the experience that you had in that moment or on that trip.

They are not expensive and yet, they represent the journey of your life experiences…. VALUE that! YOU are you… and you have your own traditions, trips, experiences and more that can be expressed through ornaments….

I realize that not everyone celebrates Christmas with a traditional Christmas Tree but this tradition means a lot to me…. what means a lot to you?

Drunken flowers

How to set up a plant watering system

I know we are basically home all summer and we have time to water the plants every single day, but it gets tiresome sometimes. Every day you have to pull out the hose or a pitcher and water, water, water….

My mom used to say, necessity is the mother of invention, so when we went out of town to a friends shore house for the weekend, I didn’t feel like asking someone to water the plants, so I got to Googling… is that a word?

Here’s where I got creative…

Remember those little watering globes for houseplants? I wondered if a wine bottle would work the same way.

I summoned empty wine bottles from my neighbors and I stuck a bottle, filled with water, in heavily watered soil upside down and let it go! Luckily for me, I had a friend come by and check on them. Some plants needed a extra drink or two but generally, the method worked. The bottles drained too fast for the hot weather, so I went to Amazon. I found terra-cotta watering spikes and I quickly ordered them. Here’s the link! https://www.amazon.com/s?k=watering+spikes+for+outdoor+plants&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

The Amazon reviews said they were fragile but they arrived in tact! Whew!

I watered all my plants super thoroughly to soften the soil, I then soaked the spikes in water to get them ready to insert and I carefully inserted them into the soil so that they were right above or at soil level.

So here’s the bottom line! IT WORKS! The plants definitely drink at their own pace, some faster and some slower due to sun, heat etc. On super hot days your thirstiest plants, which for me is a potted tomato plant and basil plant, will require additional watering because they get so hot they can’t get the water fast enough… but it truly works at keeping your plants hydrated and allows me to not have to monitor them so closely! I’m a fan of my new watering system… even if it looks like my plants have a drinking problem!

I hope this helps you as well! Share this tip with all your plant loving friends! Stay hydrated!

Keep it Organized!

October 29, 2016

I am a self proclaimed product junkie and have a love for organizing! I love finding the BEST gadget, product, anything that makes my life easier or simpler! I love feeling decluttered and organized because it makes my brain less cluttered and helps me sleep better and enjoy life fully! Here’s just what’s on my mind today! What are YOUR favorite organizing products? Here are a few of mine!

Travel Cubes. I admit it.. These things are fantastic for packing and unpacking and keeping your suitcase tidy! I like being able to pack the way it makes sense to me…. pajamas or work out clothes together…. or all my pants together and all my tops together….Pack a cube of shoes! However you choose to pack, I think you’ll like it! AND… on the way home, your dirty clothes can go in a cube as to not “mix” with your clean ones!

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2. Pursen Jewelry Organizer – I like to accessorize and I do travel with lots of jewelry because it can really change up my look when I need to take an outfit from day to play! This little gem (no pun intended) is TRULY the best one I have tried and trust me… I have tried a lot of different ones! They come small to large for all your needs!

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3. Neat Desk Organizer – It’s a scanner and it’s AMAZING!!! I hate paper all over the place and sometimes you need to access something from the road like a business card or a frequent flyer number or hotel rewards number. You can download the NEAT app on your phone and have instant access to everything you scan and all you have to do is search a word or a name. Anything that is PRINTED like a business card or form get’s pre-read so you don’t have to type in anything… so when you search for them, you can in an instant…. You can even scan recipes and receipts….. and they can be reprinted…. and shared electronically. This thing is a MUST have in my opinion! People think I should sell these! I love it THAT much!

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4. Go Strap! This is a silly little gadget that sticks on the back of your phone case and allows you to hold your phone securely and safely! I no longer worry about dropping my phone! Women don’t always have pockets to put their phones in….. but they sometimes need them accessible because we are keeping up with kids or work for example…. THIS little gadget is stellar in allowing you to have your hands full yet still have your phone ON you. You can carry your coffee and your phone in one hand without worrying about dropping your phone! Outstanding!

I can’t wait to hear what YOUR favorite gadgets are!

All Decked Out!

May 18, 2015May 18, 2015

My husband and I were getting the house ready for Spring/Summer….and were disappointed that our deck stain/waterproofer was peeling up after a long cold winter!

Reluctantly… in order to do the job right… we sanded the deck to remove the peeling stain and are planning on reapplying the stain/waterproofing again…

So if you live in the North East, and are subject to harsh winters, what deck stain/waterproofer do you use that does not peel up season after season! We are all decked out! #wishIhadTrex #Patio #anythingbutwood Would love your thoughts before we stain this coming weekend!