ElizaKPrints

May Giveaway

2013-05-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

Eliza K Prints May Giveaway!

Over $80 in prizes! We've got some awesome shops offering a ton of great merchandise! In order to participate you must have a U.S shipping address. Use the Rafflecopter at the bottom of the post to enter!

Stock up on your choice of $20 worth of PDF Sewing Patterns from Mixy Mitzy.

Shop Section: PDF Sewing Patterns. So much to choose from!

Visit Mixy Mitzy on Etsy, Facebook and Wordpress.

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A $20 credit to Eternal Girl: Henna Inspired Hand Drawn Jewelry and Greeting Cards.

Visit Eternal Girl on Etsy, Facebook, Twitter, Blogspot and Pinterest

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Win this awesome Coral Charm Drop Bracelet from Piece and Tranquility Jewelry which retails for $27!

Visit Piece and Tranquility Jewelry on Etsy, and Facebook. As an added perk, Eliza K readers get a special coupon code! For 10% off your purchase, enter in: ELIZAK10 at checkout! Valid until June 15th.

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A $20 shop credit to KAD designs: "custom invitations, wedding sets, and all the little details that go into your special day"

Visit KAD Designs on Etsy, Facebook, and Twitter.

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A $20 shop credit to ARTDesignsbyannaart: Handmade Jewelry

Visit on Etsy and Facebook.

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----------------------------a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sweepstakes Cash Sweepstakes

Cork Coasters: A How To Revisited

2013-05-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

This blog post originally appeared on this blog in 2012. This is one of my all time favorite tutorials and I wanted to re-visit it. Stay tuned for new tutorials this summer!

This has been something I've wanted to try for a long time, but haven't had enough cork to do so! We're not big wine drinkers and as you can see from the photos, we only really drink one brand. I like the uniform look only using one brand accomplished, but I think it would be fun to mismatch as well. This project also fits in with my goal of trying to create less waste and use things I already have. Don't throw away your cork! There are so many innovative things you can do with it!

First: Assemble your cork!

This is easiest if you simply keep them all together from the start rather than having to search through a million drawers to get the right amount. I keep mine in a plastic baggy in the pantry.

Second: Placement.

Choose corks that fit well together. Some are oddly shaped and difficult to stick to each other. Save yourself some grief during the gluing process and create your layout before you start gluing. Make sure the way they are positioned that they are touching on all sides!

Third: Strategy

I'm not particularly graceful, and when it comes to glue I'm downright clumsy. I almost always get it on something or someone (usually myself). Figure out the best way to glue them together so they'll stay with everyday wear and tear. Follow these tips to get the desired outcome below!

- Glue the middle two together first. These will be the most difficult. Follow the instructions on your glue and if it says "hold together for 30 seconds" be safe and double it to 60. Follow the gluing order using the diagram below!

- Crazy glue is just that, crazy. Make sure you are gluing on a surface that you don't care too much about, and that you a wearing scrub clothes. You're going to get glue somewhere, trust me.

When all is said and done you should have a coaster that looks something like this:

What do you usually do with your leftover cork? Let me know in the comments!

Guest Post: Top Four Tips On Using Pinterest for Garden Inspiration

2013-05-01T18:07:00.005-07:00

Jaime from Barks Blog shares her top four tips on using Pinterest for garden inspiration.

I've always been fascinated with gardens. Perhaps it was because "The Secret Garden" was my very favorite book as a child. I would find myself spending countless hours pining over beautiful gardens in magazines. As an adult I loved those "over the top" spaces so much that I just put off working on my yard since I felt like I didn't have the time and money for glossy perfection. In fact, I had let it fall into total disrepair. Then one day inspiration hit. I decided I could make something magical in my own space with some hard work and creativity. I decided to forgo high-end perfection for quirky whimsical charm. I am a little eccentric and my house is a little weird (it has two front doors), so having a creative yard was a good fit. I decided to take my passion for upcyling and apply it to my yard. I started to think outside the box about what I could use for inspiration. And my friends, pinterest is a gold mine for ideas and inspiration. I have a pinterest board where I collect all of my off beat outdoor ideas. In light of the warm weather, I thought I would share my top four tips for using pinterest to create a magical outdoor space. But first, here is a little glimpse of my own going yard renovation. I can't wait to get some new pictures in a couple of weeks when all my flowers in bloom.

Pinterest Inspiration and Tips:

1. Don't be a copy cat.

I always try to put my own spin on pinterest ideas. It's not that the ideas aren't great but I just like to do it my own way. Use someone else's creativity as a spring board. I took the ideas of a small butterfly from left over tin and used it to inspire me to make a big flower out of some leftover sheet metal I had in my barn. It doesn't mean I didn't love the little butterfly, I might make some in the future, but I created something unique to me and my yard. Originality is always more fun.

2. Not everyone on pinterest is an expert.

Do your homework! This is really true with plants (The GardenWeb Forum is a great place for gardening tips). While lots of folks on the internet are legit, I've been burned a few times by believing what I've read on a blog. I'm not going to post any false pins, because I believe people mean well, but I've read some post that just weren't true. Before you apply a homemade insecticide take a few seconds and look around the internet to make sure it is legit. Just because you saw it on pinterest doesn't mean it works.

3. Stop and read tutorials.

Yes, this seems straight forward but as someone who is always running around like a crazy person, I tend to skim over posts. This totally bit me in the rear when it came to our fire pit. I saw a post and I thought the writer used retaining wall stones for their fire pit. The thing is, they didn't. They used stone specially made for a fire pit. I didn't realize this error until we were in our yard rearranging a whole much of retaining wall stones trying to figure out why they wouldn't make a circle like the one on the blog. I kept saying "but I saw it on pinterest." Finally my husband asked to see the post. I think he almost tossed the phone at me when he realized we bought the wrong stones. Ooops. He is awesome, so he made it work (which turned out much cheaper than fire pit stones, though eventually over years of extended use, they might break down) but it would have been much easier if I had taken a few extra minutes and read the post.

4. You don't need to spend a ton of money.

Pinterest is overflowing with inexpensive ideas for your garden. Take your time and use what you have. For example, a super cute planting bench from old pallets. I've also made planters from old cans. I line all of my beds with cardboard. It is free (I get it from our local hardware store) and it keeps the weeds at bay. Much cheaper than buying bed lining Think outside of the box when it comes to your garden. I love re-purposing and recycling I also recommend getting your plants from the clearance section. You can also get free plants from craig's list (or raid your friends yards).

Do you have any suggestions or tips for using pinterest for garden inspiration?

You can see more of my ongoing backyard transformation here. Please feel to free to follow along with me and my family as we attempt to create a life full of creativity and adventure on our blog, www.barksblog.com.

Erin Inspirations: Eliza K Prints April Sponsor

2013-04-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

A few of my favorite pieces from our April sponsor, Erin Inspirations!

Guest Post: Adirondack Patterns Shares Their Online Success Story

2013-04-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Are you an up and coming Etsy seller? Have you been on Etsy for a long time with little to no reward? Maybe you have a moderately successful store and want to push things to the next level? Adirondack Patterns is an established Etsy shop with over 2000 sales, a large fan base and a unique product. Read their top five tips for selling online below!

"Adirondack Patterns is a collaboration between twin sisters Laura and Julia who's love of sewing and crafting for their children expanded into the creation of an online ETSY store. Just celebrating our 3rd Anniversary of being in business, Adirondack Patterns has grown to include over 80 patterns and tutorials; including those on cloth diaper sewing, complete instructions on several variations of Waldorf dolls, clothing tutorials, and accessories (sewn, knit, and crochet) for little ones and adults alike. All of the patterns and tutorials are very simple to follow and almost all of them have detailed photos for every step of the process."

Adirondack Patterns Top 5 Recommendations For Online Success

1. Spread the word! Social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Blog advertising) are great avenues for getting news about your business out there! Make a Facebook page, and ask all of your friends to like it, ask them to share it with their friends, and so on.

2. Take amazing, clean, crisp pictures featuring your product! You can tell a lot by a glimpse, and if your shop has poor photos, the chances of someone taking a second look is less likely. Clear backgrounds, natural lighting, along with details of the product will help the item sell itself. Take pride in your shops appearance.

3. Offer excellent customer service, and value it! Feedback on ETSY is huge, it helps a person decide if your product is a hero or a zero. It makes it easier for the customer to buy your product instead of someone else's. If a customer has a problem, address it as best you can, offer a refund if applicable, offer an exchange if that is preferable, or send them a free sample! Apologize for the inconvenience and ask what you can do to make their experience better.. Calm the waters before it becomes a negative to the business. One bad feedback can drop your percentage of positives immediately and have a lasting effect. Offering a solution might not get you positive feedback, but it will hopefully prevent negative feedback.

4. Offer discounts and promotions! Every few months we try and offer a coupon code for a weekend for our loyal customers and Facebook friends. Even a 20% discount is appreciated and utilized! I know some of our customers wait for that discount, and that is OK! We love any and all business.

5. Change it up! Change your product pictures, change your logo, anything that can draw in a new eye, some people gravitate to some colors, so they may not have seen your item before if it wasn't in an eye catching hue for them. Make sense? Also we recommend adding a new item every now and then. Over the past 3 years we have grown from 30 items to over 90 items in our shop. Creative, useful, well made items are always in need! The more you create, the broader clientele you can reach!

Newbie Mistakes to Avoid

1. Avoid at all costs getting in over your head! Start small and grow slowly. Don't make 20 of the same item until you see how it sells. You are wasting valuable time and resources

2. Don't think that just because you think it is cool or useful that every one else will. People are individuals and they may not like what you make. Don't worry, just take their suggestions, and use it as a stepping stone. Take the majority of what people are saying and use it to your advantage. As for the nasty people in this world, let it roll.

3. Don't feel obligated to discount or be haggled with. You are basing your prices on what you value the product and your time to be. If people don't want to pay the prices then wait until there is someone who will. You might be desperate for a sale, but you are worth it to charge what you feel is a fair price. That is why you can offer the discounts!

Visit Adirondack Patterns on:

Etsy Blog

Thanks Adirondack Patterns for sharing your experience at Eliza K!

Eliza K Prints ShabbyApple $50 Giftcard Giveaway!

2013-04-09T20:00:00.000-07:00

Shabby Apple $50 Giftcard Giveaway

An Eliza K Event

Left to right: 1 2 3

Shabby Apple is offering Eliza K Prints readers a chance to win a $50 giftcard to their site.

This contest is open to US residents with a valid US shipping address. How to enter:

+Mandatory entries worth 1 point+

+"Like" Shabby Apple on Facebook

+ Head to Shabby Apple and choose your favorite dress or item, then come back and leave a comment with a link to it.

+Optional entries worth 3 points+

+ Follow Eliza K Prints on Twitter

+ "Like" Eliza K Prints on Facebook

+ Follow Eliza K Prints on Pinterest

Make sure to leave a separate blog comment for each entry. (i.e "I liked Shabby Apple on Facebook")

Here are a few of my favorite items from Shabby Apple!

Navy Lace Dress $102

Twin Palms $74

Contest will be open until April 30th!

Online Sweepstakes Sweepstakes

Weekend Food Prep and Goal Update

2013-04-06T13:26:00.000-07:00

This is my 3rd installment of Weekend Food Prep (view February and March) and I'll admit this ones a bit of a failure. I often try new ideas on the weekend only to find they don't stay fresh very long or just end up languishing in the fridge. Not very frugal or healthy! I started Weekend Food Prep with the idea that it will help me accomplish one of my new years resolutions: Eating Smarter. My new goal is to be a bit more selective on what I make, how much I prepare and only making enough for the first few days of the week. That way I not only get ahead on my planning, but waste less in the process. Make sure to stop by The Lean Green Bean, the founder of Food Prep and a big inspiration!

Ways to Eat Smarter and Reduce Waste

A Follow-Up to My Green Goals

I started out this year with five goals to go green(er). One of my goals was to only buy what I can eat. I feel I've done pretty well with this goal and a lot of it has to do with being so far from fast food, convenience stores and quick fixes. As a household we've made a lot of progress on meal preparation, freezing and smarter buying. Now, we do have it a lot easier than most households in that we don't have children. There are only two of us to worry about! But I think these tips can easily be adapted to fit any household. Since starting this in January, here is what we've learned...

1. Buy in Bulk: but only if you can eat it before it expires.

We've been going to Costco pretty regularly in 2013. But not for everything. Costco can be pretty tempting. You can get a lot for a reasonable price and I think the tendency for most people is to go overboard. If you want to get the most for your money at Costco, follow these simple steps:

Don't go in without a list. Ever.
Buy the staples. Things like pasta, canned goods, bread etc.
Do not buy extras or treats. You'll get bored of them and end up throwing them out eventually.
Plan the rest of your shopping around Costco! Go their first, evaluate if bulk is better, then find the rest of your items somewhere else.

2. Plan Your Weekly Meals:

This may seem like a no brainer but I've only recently started thinking ahead in terms of meals. After my boyfriend went full on vegetarian I found that I was eating less meat. I had to actively plan a meal with a meat protein in order for it to happen. And while I admire vegetarians, I have noticed the tendency for most of them to over indulge on carbs and starches when they aren't being pro-active about their protein substitutes. And I am a protein monster. I need it every meal or I get weak and cranky. Weekend Food Prep has been a big part of planning because I can do a lot of the prep work (marinating, chopping etc) on the weekend. Planning my meals has helped me:

Manage my undiagnosed hypoglycemia. (Or "monsterness", whatever it is, its awful, and protein is the only cure)
Avoid opening up frozen cheese pizza more than once a week
Minimized our after work grocery store trips to "find something for dinner"
Encouraged use of our new crock pot!

3. Don't Use Pinterest For All Recipe Inspiration

As with most internet trends, Pinterest was incredibly awesome before corporations found out it existed. I've noticed an alarming number of pins that are obviously planted by marketing companies and expected to viral. Bloggers are also abusing Pinterest to hawk their sponsored posts and they seem to be crowding out the user-generated, organic pins with genuine recipes. If I find something I like on Pinterest, I tend to look elsewhere for the recipe. Pinterest is basically a fantasy pinboard of all the things we wish we had or did. Its not for everyday life, and while its a good place to start, its not the end all be all. When meal planning:

Use the 4:1 ratio. Use tried and true recipes for the majority of your week, and something new and exciting once a week.
Make room for indulgence. If you deprive yourself constantly, you'll find yourself making trips to the store for bad eating decisions. And wasted money!

My April Food Prep (in which I broke all the rules)

From left to right:

I've been eating a lot of yogurt and granola lately. I learned the hard way that making this in advance turns the satisfying crunchy granola to mush. It didn't help that the bananas came along for the ride.

An ambitious pin. That very appetizing looking corn dip had mayonnaise in it and thus ruined all the delicious ingredients. Won't be making that again.

Everyone all together. Yogurt, granola and fruit, Roasted potatoes, spaghetti sauce, corn dip, asparagus and leftover bread dough (which apparently you should bake quickly or else it will ferment).

Make sure to head over to the The Lean Green Bean for some real food prep inspiration! Hopefully my future ones will be more successful!

you will find me:

Little House DIY Linky - Heart and Soul Tuesday Blog Hop - Whole Foods Wednesday - Wildcrafting Wednesday - Party Wave Wednesday - Healthy 2Day Wednesdays - Frugal Days Sustainable Ways - The Mommy Club - Your Green Resource - DIY Thrifty Thursday - Thank Your Body Thursday - Nourishing Resolutions Carnival - Tasty Traditions - Simply Natural Saturdays - Sunday School Blog Carnival - Make Your Own Monday - Clever Chicks Blog Hop - Monday Mania - New and Better Moms Link Up - Fat Tuesday - Anti-Procrastination Tuesday - Family Table Tuesday - Teach Me Tuesday - Wicked Awesome Wednesday - Domestically Divine Tuesday - HomeAcre Hop - Simple Lives Thursday -

Calling all bloggers!

2013-04-05T13:21:00.003-07:00

I am currently looking for guest posters for the months of April and May. Topics I am interested in:

- homesteading
-owning/operating your own small business (tips and anecdotes)
- garden projects (before/after, tutorials and stories)
- travel (eco, frugal or otherwise)
-anything green or frugal related

Blog stats:

GFC Followers: 445
Twitter Followers: 263
Facebook Likes: 383
Pinterest Followers: 305
Average daily pageviews: 900-1000
Average monthly pageviews: 27,000

Tap into my follower base to get your blogger name out there! I will be sharing the guest post on all my social media!

Are you a blogger with something to share? Send me your idea elizak.stewart AT gmail DOT com.

Seed Starts For Spring

2013-04-04T20:43:00.002-07:00

This blog post originally appeared on this blog in the spring of last year. I'm currently off enjoying Spring Break! Look forward to new content April 10th:)

One of the best gifts I got this holiday was Grow Great Grub by Gayla Trail. My boyfriend and I are finally in an apartment that has a small outdoor area where we can put in a garden. Its basically just an oblong patch of dirt, but I have big plans for that little space.

Since I live in the Pacific Northwest I can start my indoor plants pretty early. On top of that, we've been having a warm and wet winter, so hopefully I'll be able to get things in the ground sooner as well.

One of the coolest ideas from the book is a DIY toilet paper roll seed container. I'm really excited about the process and I hope to continue keeping this blog updated with how it works out. I highly recommend picking up this book if you want to get started growing food in an apartment. I read through the entire thing in one sitting!

Toilet Paper Roll Seed Starter Container

What you will need:

1. Seed Packets 2. Toilet Paper Rolls 3. Yarn or string 4. Container to catch water

T.P, yarn or string is all you need!

I'm starting with leafy greens

To get started, tie your toilet paper rolls together loosely with your yarn or string. Place them in your water catch container.

Next, pack your dirt almost to the top. Keep in mind once you water it the dirt level will go down.

Last, plant your seeds according to the instructions on the seed packet. Get the soil moist and place it on a sunny windowsill. Wait for the seeds to germinate! I'll be posting pictures as my little plants progress and when its time to transplant. Keep following for more updates^^

Eliza K Prints March Sponsors: Part 2

2013-03-31T07:27:00.000-07:00

from top left to right

Valerydesignwrks - Elephant d'Aise
SteamyLab- Sterling Silver Geometric Necklace
MaeDay Art Market- DiY Scrapbooking Sticker Set
Joie Joelle Creations- Love Thyself Bath Salts
Bubblegum Kidz- Antique Copper Bird Necklace
Jaime Barks- You Are Blessed Art Print
Kathryn Prisbrey- Love Fabric Button Thumbtacks
Katrina Alana- I Love You Beary Much
Adirondack Patterns- Wee Ones
Aunt Matilda's Jewelry Box- Steampunk Pocket Watch
BodyBrana- Sore BeGone Bath Salts
The Vica Girl- Dressed Up Washer

Newborn Monkey Hat

2013-03-30T08:30:00.000-07:00

* Blog post originally published last year* - Hello! Spring break has just begun and I decided to take a little bit of a break from the internet. Please enjoy some past tutorials in the coming week:)

DIY Monkey Newborn Hat

Yes that is a Ghostbusters doll. My boyfriend won it for me from a Fred Meyer vending machine. And because there are no babies nearby to model my newest D.I.Y project, he got the job.

I actually used two different tutorials to make this hat. I started over at Alli Crafts and used her free pattern for a Baby Earflap Hat. She's got three different size patterns and I chose the newborn one. It still turned out a little bit big but I'd rather it fit the kid for awhile as opposed to two or three days. They grow so fast!

After I finished the hat itself, I went to Green Eyed Monster to make the little ears.

This project was easy and fun to do. I often disregard the notes about gauge sizes and yarn sizes. DO NOT DO THIS. Its amazing how different things will turn out if you are using the wrong size. I started out with the nearest handy crochet hook and ended up taking the whole thing apart and re-doing it.

Container Gardening: A Failure and a Success

2013-03-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

A while back I started a container gardening project with onion seeds. I also planted some sprouted garlic bulbs at the same time, but only really documented the onions. Well, long story short, the onions are no more, but the garlic is thriving!

I'm not sure where I went wrong, but one day I went outside and all my onions were dead. It could be they weren't mature enough to be outside, or I should have mulched or some bug got them. Either way, they are gone. You can read about the entire process here: Container planting: Onions. In the future, I'll probably be buying onions sets rather than seeds!

you will find me:

Little House DIY Linky - Heart and Soul Tuesday Blog Hop - Whole Foods Wednesday - Wildcrafting Wednesday - Party Wave Wednesday - Healthy 2Day Wednesdays - Frugal Days Sustainable Ways - The Mommy Club - Your Green Resource - DIY Thrifty Thursday - Thank Your Body Thursday - Nourishing Resolutions Carnival - Tasty Traditions - Simply Natural Saturdays - Sunday School Blog Carnival - Make Your Own Monday - Clever Chicks Blog Hop - Monday Mania - New and Better Moms Link Up - Fat Tuesday - Anti-Procrastination Tuesday - Family Table Tuesday - Teach Me Tuesday - Wicked Awesome Wednesday - Domestically Divine Tuesday - HomeAcre Hop - Simple Lives Thursday -

Eliza K Prints March Sponsors

2013-03-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Eliza K Prints has a total of 12 sponsors for March, a record on this blog! Make sure to check them out!

From top left to right:)

An upcycled black button necklace from The Vica Girl. (giveaway participant)

Wax seal and bakers twine set from Katrina Alana

Say It With Love Pink Mini Candles from Joie Joelle

Fall Trees Art Print from Jaime Barks (giveaway participant)

Facial Mask Sampler from Body Brana

Retro Crochet Necklace from Steamy Lab

Owl Cameo Pendant Necklace from Bubble Gum Kidz (giveaway participant)

Quilted Fabric Coasters from Kathryn Prisbrey

Steampunk Copper Purse Necklace from Aunt Matilda's Jewelry Box (giveaway participant)

Candy Crush Washi Tape Set from Maeday Art Market

Waldorf Doll Pattern from Adirondack Patterns

Young Man Pillow Cover from ValeryDesignWrks (giveaway participant)

Sunday Food Prep: March

2013-03-10T18:13:00.001-07:00

I started documenting my weekend food prep in February and its been really fun! The Lean Green Bean had a really great post today with a roundup of a bunch of blogger food prep and it reminded me to do mine.

Make sure to click on the links for the original recipes!

Sunday Food Prep: March

from left to right:
Easy peasy rice and vegetables
pre-cooked bacon (one of my most recent vices)
Cake Batter Cookies (I substitute rainbow chip cake mix) from Sallys Baking Addiction.
Chicken Taco Soup from Loving My Nest (made 2 of these for the freezer!)
Turkey and Feta Meatballs from One Healthy Munchkin (dinner and lunch for tomorrow)
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Red Pepper and Thyme

Today was a catch up day of laundry, cleaning and cooking. I'm looking forward to relaxing with a good book before a crazy busy week begins!

March Giveaway

2013-03-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

Eliza K Prints March Giveaway

Open to U.S and Canadian residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter at the end of this post to enter.

We've got a great lineup of shops for March. Our lucky winner will receive:

$20 shop credit to The Vica Girl
Reader's choice of 2 small prints from Jaime Barks
$20 shop credit to Bubblegum Kidz
Reader's choice of 2 $10 prints from Valery Design Wrks
$20 shop credit to Aunt Matilda's Jewelry Box

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**image links aren't working, please click on text links!**

*Shop *Twitter * Blog

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*Etsy *Blog *Facebook *Instagram *Pinterest

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*Etsy *Twitter

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*Shop *Facebook *Twitter *Pinterest

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*Etsy *Facebook *Twitter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Some By Sea

2013-03-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

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How To Grow A Pumpkin (and how not to)

2013-03-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

Last year I picked up a packet of "Ghost Pumpkin" seeds on a whim. After four failed attempts to get them to germinate, two seeds randomly came up. A pumpkin seed germinating is a wonderful thing to behold. One day there is nothing, and before you know it, there is a giant start pushing up from the soil and unfurling big round leaves. We ended up having to move in August and I brought one little pumpkin with me, hoping it would not only survive a 4 hour car ride, but that it would take to the sandy river soil and thrive. At first things were great, but I committed a few newbie gardener sins that kept my pumpkin from fully developing.

What Not To Do To Your Pumpkin

My pumpkin, last Halloween.

If you don't want your pumpkin ending up like mine, follow these basic pumpkin growing tips:

To keep mildew and mold away, don't water directly on the leaves or the pumpkin itself. I did this all the time and lost a lot of vines
Don't over-water. Make sure to check the soil before watering.
Don't leave your pumpkin in the shade. It needs full sunlight
Don't leave them to the windy elements. Make sure you have a windbreak to protect them. I live in a very window area and I would get up in the morning to find my pumpkin vines had been blown all over the place.

I've decided to give it another go this year and do things right! Pictured above is my new pumpkin, started in a Mini Greenhouse and now thriving in a sawed off milk container. So far this is the only seed to germinate, so we'll see how it goes!

Interested in more gardening posts? Make sure to check out the following:

Use clamshell packaging waste to make your own mini greenhouses.

Make your own seed starters using toilet paper rolls. Biodegradable and easy to make!

Use plastic liter bottles to make Self Watering Pop Bottle Planters. Save yourself a ton of work!

Container planting with onions! Parts 1 and 2. Part 3 coming soon!

You will find me here:
Little House DIY Linky - Heart and Soul Tuesday Blog Hop - Whole Foods Wednesday - Wildcrafting Wednesday - Party Wave Wednesday - Healthy 2Day Wednesdays - Frugal Days Sustainable Ways - The Mommy Club - Your Green Resource - DIY Thrifty Thursday - Thank Your Body Thursday - Nourishing Resolutions Carnival - Tasty Traditions - Simply Natural Saturdays - Sunday School Blog Carnival - Make Your Own Monday - Clever Chicks Blog Hop - Monday Mania - New and Better Moms Link Up - Fat Tuesday - Anti-Procrastination Tuesday - Family Table Tuesday - Teach Me Tuesday - Wicked Awesome Wednesday - Domestically Divine Tuesday - HomeAcre Hop - Simple Lives Thursday -

Foodie Penpals: February

2013-02-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

I got the best box for February!

I used all the ingredients in the box to make homemade enchiladas. My penpal even included a recipe:) This is one of the best boxes I've ever received.

What is Foodie Penpals?

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
-Foodie Penplas is open to US, Canadian & European residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. Same with Europeans. We've determined things might get too slow and backed up if we're trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa.

Interested in participating? Sign up here.

February Sponsors: Part 2

2013-02-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

Some of my recent faves from my sponsors!

Adirondack Patterns is a collaboration between twin sisters Laura and Julia who's love of sewing and crafting for their children expanded into the creation of a store.

10 minute Two Tone Baby Bootie Crochet Pattern

All natural beeswax spell candles, bath salts , oils and other aromatherapy products.

Peace Mist Perfume

Custom wax seals, monogram or initial wax seals, sealing wax sticks and beads, invitations and save the dates.

Wooden Wax Seal Stamp and Wax Stick Set

Natural skin care made with pure and organic ingredients

Pure Herbal Milk Clay Mask

( Use coupon code "BRANAFRIENDS10" at checkout for 10% off!)

Quality homemade items made with love

Eggplant Purple Chevron Infinity Scarf

Tapes::DIY::Prints"N"Poster

Washi Tape Set Sweet Caroline

Find Your Element - Modern Minimalist Jewelry -

Minimalis Geometric Long Earrings

Handmade Jewelry with a Vintage Steampunk Flair

Boney Finger Stud Earrings

Use coupon code "THANKYOU" for 10% off!

Seed Starter Update and DIY Roundup

2013-02-24T12:42:00.001-08:00

The first batch of starts from my Mini Greenhouses (made from plastic apple containers, tutorial available here) have now been transplanted into self watering pop bottle planters. I love these things. You can probably tell from the brand of the pop bottle what our major vice is. Its nice to be able to give them a second life rather than toss them in our already over burdened garbage can. Plus, they don't require as much maintenance as starts in traditional planters! For a tutorial on how to make these, click here.

I'm also happy to report that my first succulents are thriving and doing quite well in their tin can planters.( Tutorial available here.

DIY Gardening/Craft Roundup

A roundup of all the pins I want to try

Casaetrend IT DIY Jar Mushroom House Tea Light Holder

from Hearthhandmade

(These would also be fun to simply stick out in the garden sans candle)

Frugal Homestead's Replanting Green Onion Discards

( I've got some green onions in the fridge, so I'll be doing this one fairly soon)

Planter DIY Water Reservoir

by DabbleTree

( as someone who primarily gardens using containers, this little trick will come in handy!)

For more gardening ideas, make sure to follow my Gardening Pinterest board.

You can find me here:

Weekend Food Prep: February

2013-02-18T10:41:00.001-08:00

I've always loved The Lean Green Bean's Sunday Food Prep Posts. They've really helped motivate me to take a chunk of time on Sunday to cook. Rather than feel like a chore, its exciting to try new things and be all the more prepared for the busy week. Because let's face it, some days the only exciting thing about work is the lunch you brought. And if the lunch you brought is only an apple and a bag of chips, its hard to find much to get excited about.

Lindsay (the brain behind The Lean Green Bean) recently decided to start a blog segment where she posts various blogger's weekend food prep photos in addition to her own. I decided to start chronicling my weekend food prep as well. If I try something new from Pinterest or a recipe from another blogger, I'll be linking to those people. Feel free to link up your weekend food prep in the comments!

From left to right:
1. Pre-cooked bacon for sandwiches
2. Hard boiled eggs
3. Steel Cut Oates.
4. Steamed broccoli
5. Blondies (for when I need sugar so I don't buy last minute junk at the store)
6. Ground Turkey Spaghetti
not pictured: Buffalo Cauliflower, Cajun Popcorn

What about you? What do you normally prep on the weekend?

Sponsor Love: February

2013-02-16T18:32:00.000-08:00

Love this Mended Heart Necklace from Aunt Matilda's Jewelry Box.

Make sure to use coupon code "THANKYOU" for 10% off!

Take advantage of this awesome anytime coupon from BodyBrana. (10% off)

BRANAFRIENDS10

Itworks Natural Deodorant

Organic Strawberry and Cream Mask

Rich Pure Organic Rose Face Cream

Love this Wooden Wax Seal and Wax Stick Set from Katrina Alana.

Does this Baby Crochet Dress Pattern come in my size? See more at Adirondack Patterns.

There's still time to treat yourself for Valentines!
This cuff leather bracelet comes from SteamyLab's studio in Italy.

Maeday Art Market is always adding fun new items! DIY Blank Kraft Postcard Set.

Kathryn Prisbrey recently added a new infinity scarf!

"Banish candles are great for removing your fears, doubts or even breaking habits that no longer serve you."

Check out Joie Joelle's Banish candle here.

Make Your Own Mini Greenhouse

2013-02-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

I always jump the gun when it comes to Spring. Last year I had fully grown lettuce plants on my windowsill in March. I just can't wait!

Sometimes my goals contradict each other. I used to buy only what I could eat because I lived in close proximity to grocery stores. Now, I have to buy monthly, rather than daily and sometimes that results in packaging waste I would rather not have to begin with. I used to buy a weekly amount of apples and leave it at that. Now, I go to Costco and purchase the apples in the clamshell packaging, which has always seemed like a huge waste to me. After the apples are eaten I'm left with a huge piece of plastic that I can't recycle because my local recycling center doesn't have a bin for plastic.

I'm a huge advocate of using "garbage" for seed starters. I've done toilet paper roll starters, cardboard milk containers and self watering pop bottle starters. I tried with egg cartons but was not pleased with the results. I decided to try and use the clamshell packaging as mini greenhouses this year and I'm ecstatic about the results!

When I used the clamshell greenhouse, my seeds germinated in about half the time specified on the package.

How To

+ Poke holes in the bottom of the container for adequate drainage.

+ Fill the clamshells with potting soil

+Plant seeds as normal

+ Cover with lid to keep them warm

The starts will need very little water because the lid traps in so much moisture. Make sure to place in a sunny location!

Starts transplanted into self watering pop bottles.

Because the clamshell's are so shallow the starts will need to be transplanted sooner than normal. If they start to get leggy they will begin to brush up against the lid. So far I have planted hot peppers, broccoli, lettuce and spinach!

You can find me at:
Little House DIY Linky - Heart and Soul Tuesday Blog Hop - Whole Foods Wednesday - Wildcrafting Wednesday - Party Wave Wednesday - Healthy 2Day Wednesdays - Frugal Days Sustainable Ways - The Mommy Club - Your Green Resource - DIY Thrifty Thursday - Thank Your Body Thursday - Nourishing Resolutions Carnival - Tasty Traditions - Simply Natural Saturdays - Sunday School Blog Carnival - Make Your Own Monday - Clever Chicks Blog Hop - Monday Mania - New and Better Moms Link Up - Fat Tuesday - Anti-Procrastination Tuesday - Family Table Tuesday - Teach Me Tuesday - Wicked Awesome Wednesday - Domestically Divine Tuesday - HomeAcre Hop - Simple Lives Thursday -

The Oil Cleansing Method

2013-02-09T17:26:00.001-08:00

The Oil Cleansing Method: A One Month Update

I had five major resolutions this year, one of which was to take better care of my skin.

Acne "medications" like washes and creams focus on "cleansing" your skin, or "correcting" oily or dry skin. The basic idea is that your skin is dirty and it needs help. Your skin is an amazing organ. When we over-cleanse, we're robbing our skin of its natural oils, causing it to work harder and over-produce oil to make up for what we wash off every morning. I've come to realize I am over-washing and needlessly exposing my skin to various "helpful" chemicals.

Luckily this resolution has complimented my other resolution of creating less waste. I've stopped buying facial cleansers, saved a little bit of money and also cut down on my packaging waste. I will say that this method is not for everyone and I think its important to have realistic expectations when you start out. No system of skincare is going to eradicate your acne, its a normal process for your skin, especially if you suffer from hormonal acne.

My mixture:

I started out with 100% olive oil. After one week I began adding castor oil. At one point I realized I had added too much castor oil and now I'm at about a 70/30 mixture. If you notice your skin drying out, you've used too much castor oil. It really is just trial and error in terms of the mixture.

Some observations
- at first the olive oil smell bothered me, but once I started adding castor oil that went away
- you'd think that your skin would feel greasy but it doesn't. We are so conditioned to think of "oil" as negative that it was surprising for me for it to feel so light
- My skin got worse before it got better. I spent about a week with really bad skin, but finally smoothed out my process and now am doing very well

My Process:

I have a routine for morning and a routine for the evening.

Morning: Get a washcloth steaming hot (almost too hot) and place it over your face. Don't leave it sopping wet but don't wring out all the water either. Leave it on your face until it starts to get cool. Repeat 3 or 4 times. On mornings where my skin feels dry I will first use a small amount of sweet oil (a mix of olive, almond and other oils, available in Hispanic grocery stores.) and then use the cloth.

Evening: Use a small amount of your olive/castor oil mixture. Spread it evenly over your face. Use the steaming cloth 3 or 4 times and then gently dry your face. Don't wipe off the excess oil, but try to blot it a little.

Every 3 or 4 days make sure to exfoliate. I've been using a coffee/sugar scrub that works really well. I found that not exfoliating often enough left me with clogged pores.

So far I am pretty pleased with my results. My skin feels better and it doesn't get that tight, dry feeling after I wash with store bought cleansers. I will be updating about the process as I continue with it!

You will find me at:
Little House DIY Linky - Heart and Soul Tuesday Blog Hop - Whole Foods Wednesday - Wildcrafting Wednesday - Party Wave Wednesday - Healthy 2Day Wednesdays - Frugal Days Sustainable Ways - The Mommy Club - Your Green Resource - DIY Thrifty Thursday - Thank Your Body Thursday - Nourishing Resolutions Carnival - Tasty Traditions - Simply Natural Saturdays - Sunday School Blog Carnival - Make Your Own Monday - Clever Chicks Blog Hop - Monday Mania - New and Better Moms Link Up - Fat Tuesday - Anti-Procrastination Tuesday - Family Table Tuesday - Teach Me Tuesday - Wicked Awesome Wednesday - Domestically Divine Tuesday - HomeAcre Hop - Simple Lives Thursday -

Valentines: Heart Shaped Cupcakes

2013-02-04T14:28:00.000-08:00

This is a blog post from last year's Valentines, its a project I plan to do again soon so I wanted to revisit it! This idea has been floating around Pinterest for while and I'm glad I took the time to try it! The first batch came out less than perfect, but after switching things up I was able to get some decent looking cupcakes!

First grab your favorite cake batter mix and follow the directions on the box.

Once you've lined your cupcake pan with liners, pour the batter in. The trick is to pour about half of what you normally would. I have a tendency to always overfill mine and as a result, none of the first batch had any heart shape to them at all.

* Once you've got the batter in, take a small ball of tin foil and place it between the pan and the liner. I've also read on other DIYs that you can use marbles, toothpicks etc.

Place it carefully, this is whats going to give you the heart shaped look.

* Disclaimer: I took this photo from the first batch, thats WAY too much batter!*

* Lastly, pop them in the oven for the prescribed time on your recipe.

* I personally think they look the best plain, but I also had a bit of fun dressing them up:

Have you ever tried making these?

ElizaKPrints

May Giveaway

Eliza K Prints May Giveaway!

Stock up on your choice of $20 worth of PDF Sewing Patterns from Mixy Mitzy.

Visit Mixy Mitzy on Etsy, Facebook and Wordpress. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A $20 credit to Eternal Girl: Henna Inspired Hand Drawn Jewelry and Greeting Cards.

Visit Eternal Girl on Etsy, Facebook, Twitter, Blogspot and Pinterest

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Win this awesome Coral Charm Drop Bracelet from Piece and Tranquility Jewelry which retails for $27!

Visit Piece and Tranquility Jewelry on Etsy, and Facebook. As an added perk, Eliza K readers get a special coupon code! For 10% off your purchase, enter in: ELIZAK10 at checkout! Valid until June 15th.

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A $20 shop credit to KAD designs: "custom invitations, wedding sets, and all the little details that go into your special day"

Visit KAD Designs on Etsy, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Cork Coasters: A How To Revisited

First: Assemble your cork!

Second: Placement.

Third: Strategy

Guest Post: Top Four Tips On Using Pinterest for Garden Inspiration

Erin Inspirations: Eliza K Prints April Sponsor

Guest Post: Adirondack Patterns Shares Their Online Success Story

Adirondack Patterns Top 5 Recommendations For Online Success

Newbie Mistakes to Avoid

Eliza K Prints ShabbyApple $50 Giftcard Giveaway!

Shabby Apple $50 Giftcard Giveaway

An Eliza K Event

Weekend Food Prep and Goal Update

Ways to Eat Smarter and Reduce Waste

1. Buy in Bulk: but only if you can eat it before it expires.

2. Plan Your Weekly Meals:

3. Don't Use Pinterest For All Recipe Inspiration

My April Food Prep (in which I broke all the rules)

Make sure to head over to the The Lean Green Bean for some real food prep inspiration! Hopefully my future ones will be more successful!

Calling all bloggers!

Seed Starts For Spring

Eliza K Prints March Sponsors: Part 2

Newborn Monkey Hat

DIY Monkey Newborn Hat

Container Gardening: A Failure and a Success

Eliza K Prints March Sponsors

Sunday Food Prep: March

Sunday Food Prep: March

March Giveaway

Eliza K Prints March Giveaway

Some By Sea

How To Grow A Pumpkin (and how not to)

What Not To Do To Your Pumpkin

Foodie Penpals: February

I got the best box for February!

February Sponsors: Part 2

Some of my recent faves from my sponsors!

Adirondack Patterns is a collaboration between twin sisters Laura and Julia who's love of sewing and crafting for their children expanded into the creation of a store.

Custom wax seals, monogram or initial wax seals, sealing wax sticks and beads, invitations and save the dates.

Quality homemade items made with love Eggplant Purple Chevron Infinity Scarf

Find Your Element - Modern Minimalist Jewelry -

Handmade Jewelry with a Vintage Steampunk Flair

Seed Starter Update and DIY Roundup

DIY Gardening/Craft Roundup

A roundup of all the pins I want to try

Casaetrend IT DIY Jar Mushroom House Tea Light Holder

Frugal Homestead's Replanting Green Onion Discards

Planter DIY Water Reservoir

For more gardening ideas, make sure to follow my Gardening Pinterest board.

Weekend Food Prep: February

Sponsor Love: February

Make Your Own Mini Greenhouse

How To

The Oil Cleansing Method

The Oil Cleansing Method: A One Month Update

My mixture:

My Process:

Valentines: Heart Shaped Cupcakes

Visit Mixy Mitzy on Etsy, Facebook and Wordpress.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Quality homemade items made with love

Eggplant Purple Chevron Infinity Scarf