Tutorial Tuesday- rooting geraniums

Have you ever had a plant that was like a member of the family?  If not like a child, then definitely like a favorite pet? 

Please meet our geraniums.  I think that if Steve could add them onto our health insurance, he would. 

And I have to say that I'm pretty crazy about them too.  They flower almost constantly from February to December.  They survive the winter in the garage and don't even seem mad about it.  And, the best part- they multiply. 

Here is a quick and easy (and free!) way to add to your plant family:

Start with cuttings from healthy plants.  Geraniums tend to get leggy, so every few months I give ours a hard prune.  Steve can't watch this part.  Too upsetting. 

You want to use cuttings that are about 6 inches long and pull off all the leaves except for the ones at the very top.  Also make sure that you are using the green part of the stem and not the lower woody brown part. 

Make a nice clean, diagonal cut at the bottom of your cutting piece. 

This part is really optional.  I have rooted geraniums many times without using rooting hormone and it worked just fine.  We actually bought this rooting hormone for our hydrangeas, which I heard were harder to root.  But since we had it, we used it on the geraniums this time around.  I think that they will just grow roots faster than without it.  We got this jar at Lowe's and I think it was $6 and I also think that it will last for the rest of our lives. 

So, if you're using rooting hormone, dip the cut end of the stem into the jar and then tap it against the side of the jar to shake off the excess.

You should have a very thin coating on the bottom 2" of your stem when you are done.

Fill a pot with dirt and poke a big hole for the stem to go in.  You don't want to rub off all the rooting hormone as you put it in the dirt. 

Pack the dirt around your cutting tightly so that it will stand up on its own.  You will probably need to bury the bottom 1-2" of the stem. 

And you're done!  I put several cuttings in each pot.  They probably won't all make it, but lots of them will.  Once they have some roots going, you can transfer them each to a larger pot for more room to grow.

The cuttings will need to stay in the shade, so ours live on the front porch.  They also need to be kept very moist at first- I give them a little water every morning. 

This method also works with hydrangeas (you can see some of those in the picture above) and I think it would probably work with a lot of other plants too.  If I have a plant that I really like, I just stick a cutting of it in some dirt and see if I can grow more and it usually works! 

Along with rooting, we also finished planting our herb garden and bought ferns for the front porch last weekend.  We want everything to look beautiful for Easter.  Is anyone else super excited about Easter this year?  Later this week I'll be sharing our Easter lunch menu and some other fun Easter things. 

Happy rooting!



keep it clean

If you are bored by talk of cleaning supplies, come on back tomorrow. 

Today, we're getting down to the nitty gritty. 

I have three priorities when it comes to cleaning supplies:
1. gets things real clean
2. low cost
3. low deadly fumes

I have a plastic bin under the sink that houses the majority of my cleaning supplies and I can easily carry it from room to room.  Here's what's in my bin:

- baking soda.  I buy the biggest box possible and pour it into this plastic jug for easy pouring.  I use baking soda as a general scouring powder- it is great in the tub. 

- kosher salt.  Same deal- buy the big box and pour it into a handy jug.  The salt is for when you need a little more scrub.  I use it as a partner to the baking soda when cleaning the tub and I'm telling you- soap scum doesn't stand a chance. 

- white vinegar.  You know how they feel about Windex on "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"?  That is how I feel about vinegar.  There is no problem too large for vinegar.  I keep a spray bottle in with my cleaning supplies and use it as I would use a general cleaning spray- for toilets and counters.  I also pour about a cup into a bucket of hot water and use it to mop the floors.  Vinegar's acetic and antimicrobial properties make it useful for cleaning just about everything!

- Comet.  This is one of the few actual cleaning supplies I will purchase.  It doesn't really have any fumes and a big can is .$97.  I use this to clean the inside of the toilet bowl. 

- Windex.  Again, not very fumey and fairly inexpensive.  I do not recommend most generic versions.  Spring for the real deal- nobody likes a streaky mirror.  Vinegar can also be used for cleaning mirrors, but again I have a hard time getting a streakless finish. 

- coffee filters.  These are the best for cleaning mirrors and faucets.  NO LINT.  I usually get mine for free- most places have tons of extra coffee filters.  Just ask. 

- two sponges and an old toothbrush, for detail work.

The only other cleaning supplies that I buy are a general purpose counter spray for the kitchen and Pine-Sol.  I just love that smell.  I put just a quick pour of it in with my vinegar water when I mop and the whole house smells great when I'm done.

I love knowing that most of the things I'm cleaning with are actually safe to eat.  That makes me feel great about having them touch my skin and breathing their fumes. 

What about you?  Do you have a favorite, must-have cleaning supply?

fair enough

This week I got to spend two days at a small craft fair at St. Stephen's preschool.  Other than getting to show off my stuff in person, the best part was checking out all the other tables. 

Amy Hart turns trash into art and had a whole array of metal sculptures for sale.  Her enthusiasm for her work is contagious and I had a great time just listening to her describe different projects to people.  I also think it's super fun that she has to really hunt for her supplies, instead of just buying them any old place.  I kind of wish I had to hunt for supplies. 

Celia is an artist with really eye-catching work because she uses such bright colors.  I was very excited to meet her because I actually recognized one of her drawings of downtown Charlotte that I had seen in a gift shop recently.  It was like meeting someone famous.  I think that this bird print is especially lovely.

Alicia takes beautiful photographs with really interesting backdrops.  The fact that she has super cute kids that like to pose for pictures doesn't seem to be hurting her business either.  She gave me some great ideas about photo props that I could make and I've been dreaming up ties for little boys in cute patterns ever since. 

Jenn Harrison makes beaded jewelry and was busily stringing beads the whole time we were there.  While her jewelry was pretty, I was more enamored by her daughter, who is five months old and has a big tuft of hair.  I am a sucker for babies with lots of hair. 

Bricklend makes jewelry as well, among other things, but she makes all of her glass beads by hand.  What an awesome and unique skill! 

I decided to organize my table into gift sections this time, so I had items for moms, graduates, new babies, and Easter baskets.  I'm also planning to do a mother's day gift guide blog later this month, with some great Etsy finds.  I have found that people are reluctant to buy a beautiful handmade item just for themselves, but they love to give them as gifts.   

I have been lucky enough to have this great artwork behind my table both times that I have done this particular show.  It sure does make a distinctive backdrop for pictures. 

Now that the craft fair is behind me, I have settled into spring cleaning.  I love spring cleaning.  What could be better than throwing open all the windows and scrubbing every surface until it shines?  Not much, that's what.  If you are as crazy about cleaning as I am (or even if you're just a little crazy), be sure to stop by on Monday when I will be posting about my favorite cleaning supplies and tools. 

And if you're looking for something else to do today, head on over to Lakeside Chatter and check out the post about Plumfield Shop.  My new friend, Mary, writes this cool local blog and was nice enough to feature me!  I am really looking forward to getting to know her better, because she is a wealth of information about local entrepreneur opportunities.  And she seems totally fun. 

Now before I relax for the weekend, I am off to vacuum the blinds.  And that is not a joke. 

Tutorial Tuesday- making a roux

This is a very unofficial how-to.  I could probably be arrested by the French government for even calling this a tutorial.  But this is how I make roux and it works just fine for my purposes. 

First off, a roux is a cooked mixture of flour and fat, usually used as a thickening agent in cooking.  I use it for one of two reasons: to thicken a soup or to form the base of a sauce (usually a cheese sauce for pasta).  If I am making any type of creamy soup, I make a roux to whisk in during the last half hour of cooking.  It gives the broth a thicker, velvety texture that I love, without changing the flavor. 

Step 1: Melt some butter in a saucepan.  I use about 2 tablespoons. 

Step 2: Once the butter has completely melted, throw in a couple of spoonfuls of flour.  Keep the heat around medium and be ready to whisk the mixture immediately after you add the flour.  Add a little bit at a time until you have added enough flour to make a thick paste with the butter.

Step 3: Whisk, whisk, whisk, so that it gets a little cooked, but does not burn. 

Step 4 (where Julia Child rolls over in her grave): slowly add milk (or you could use broth if you like).  Whisk like crazy.  Once it gets smooth, add some more milk.  I like to add a liquid before adding it to the soup so that it stirs right in.

Step 5: Keep whisking...

Step 6: DONE!  When the consistency is what you want, you're done.  For soup thickener, I like my roux to be like a thick gravy.  For a sauce, it might need to be a bit thinner since you'll be adding cheese later. 

Let me know if you thicken anything exciting!

I am at the craft fair today and tomorrow, so I'll share some pictures of that later in the week!

launch day

Friday was the official end of the online class that I've been taking.  I have definitely learned some valuable stuff, but the best part of the class was my teachers and classmates!  What fun to get to interact with so many other people who are passionate about handmade things, who are creative and hard-working, who are all about encouraging one another to work towards our dreams. 

Many of my classmates are launching a new shop, blog, or product line today and some are doing blog giveaways.  One classmate has a super blog post with all the links and, instead of reinventing the wheel, I decided I'd just link to her post.  If you click here, or on the image above, it will take you over to Eleventh Monkey's blog and you can check out some of the new stuff. 

If you see something you find especially beautiful, be sure to leave a comment.  People love comments.  It lets them know that someone other than their mom is reading their blog.  (Not that moms aren't important readers too.) (Hi Mom!)

We spent a lovely weekend in the yard, gardening and brushing up on our croquet skills.  The weather was pretty much perfect. 

Today I am off to the library and then putting the finishing touches on my items for the craft fair.  Let's meet here tomorrow for another tutorial, shall we?  This one involves food!

happiness is...

 Strawberry flowers,

A hammock in the shade,

Orders delivered and enjoyed,

Herbs coming back after a long winter,

Azeleas blooming in my favorite color,

Stitching in my lap in the backyard.

Have a happy weekend :)

my bff (x 4)

One of the great things about my best friend having a family is that now it's like there is more of her.  While I used to just have her to love and enjoy, now I have her husband (who is also one of my oldest friends) and her girls (one of whom is like a mini version of her).  What a treat when the people you love best multiply into more people to love. 

You can guarantee that a Winters visit won't be complete without Mia and Uncle Steve making up a new game.  In this case, walking laps around the house inside a nylon tunnel, while singing "Let's go out to the kitchen...".  And while this picture only shows Mia in the tunnel, you can bet there was plenty of Steve in the tunnel as well.  Plenty.

Natalie fixed us delicious meals all weekend.  I sure do love home cooked meals that I didn't have to cook. 

Doesn't this look great?  Natalie is adventerous in the kitchen and is always whipping up recipes that I would pass right over.  While this may look like a tame meal, I can tell you that it inclues half a box of lemon jello powder.  Surprisingly tasty.     

You don't really get a lot of space or a moment to yourself when you have an almost-three year old around.  She needs to investigate everything.  She is also currently obsessed with knowing people's whole name.  This meant that one morning we woke up to her trying to find out the whole name of the family cat.  Vinnie Boy Winters, if you were curious. 

Being at Natalie's meant that she was available to be my personal stylist, so I had my hair done properly for the wedding.  None of my usual wash, air dry, and hope for the best.  Sweet Cheeks wanted hers done too.  She's got kind of a mohawk thing going on right now and she may be a little self conscious about it. 

In the end, as usual, we were all worn out from having so much fun.  Even Vinnie Boy Winters.