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... I tried several things this week. Having a purple thumb, actually I should say yellow thumb because that's the color all my plants turn before I kill them off. hahaha Coming home from the grocery with 2 bunches of celery, I remembered seeing this Pin on Pinterest and decided to see if it would really work. I washed the celery cut the bottom off (cut the rest up & put in water for snacks in the frig) then I removed some stalk pieces then placed in a little water & set it in the window. Well to my surprise it does look like I'm growing more celery! In just a few days there were new leaves. When it has more roots I'm going to try planting it outside. I placed it a glass on top of a tiny antique hand painted plate. I have a set of these & I love them. I always look for them in antique shops & thrift stores. I am never afraid to use my antiques or vintage items. I use them & enjoy them.
You know I don't have that much of a green thumb this photo was found at inspirebohemian.blogspot.com
Mango plant update : It's still alive!!!!!! I haven't killed it yet! Hopefully I'll be able to grow these too!
photo and more info found HERE
I bought 3 more mangos and I may have to paint a mango tree! AND I am going to try not to love it to death. Aren't they awesome looking?
My first tomatoes! I was so excited to see them today because I was worried I wouldn't get any, and not just because of my big purple thumb! I don't have a picture but we have a few old shoes around the veggie garden because a deer left it's hoof print right by a tomato plant that it nibbled the top right off of. So far it hasn't been back. I love to smell tomato plants almost as much as I like to eat them. A few years ago when I was concocting & designing fragrances, *one day I may sell some*, I bought some tomato essential oil to use as a top note. To my disappointment it turned out to be so nasty! Nothing like the growing plant smells!
My sweet little garden helper!
This weekend I made myself this huge gardening bag. I guess if I'm going to give gardening a whirl I'll be needing a bag to put stuff in. I recalled Martha making a bag with duct tape & staples, curious to see if it would really work, I got busy assembling. It's not finished. Ran out of duct tape. Duct tape is on the shopping list! 
holders. I was so excited I didn't even clean them (has candle wax stuck on them), I just put them in the window to take a picture so you can see. She was $5 and the candle holders were $1.50. I picked up this file cabinet & painted it with a periwinkle blue paint that I bought & never used. I'm going to fill it with ivy & dianthus. Hubby cut the drawer fronts down after this picture was taken and I'll probably give it another coat of paint. 
. Might need to sit on them one day. I planted lupine seeds all around them which should look pretty if they grow. I don't have a picture but hubby nailed holes in an old wheelbarrow and I planted lettuce around the edges and swiss chard in the middle. My yard is way too big for my garden abilities but I'm going to give it another try. Try doing it in containers. I'm inspired. I like the idea of filling it up with reuse/recycled usual planters, the trick is doing that without it looking junky... I also scored 2 Revereware pots for $1 and an Aunt Martha's Sassy Squirel transfer for $.50. I love those pesky little critters. In my spare time *wink*, or at night when I'm watching a program, I plan to embroidery some kitchen towels. I've got bears, bees, clay women, wine, leaves...why not some squirrels too?! It's all woodsy & things that make me happy.
eir wonderful shops!
It's a beautiful day by my standards. I even have a sweatshirt on! It's chilly & gray. I hope it rains. I've been working in the backyard every morning & getting a lot done. No plantings just clean up. I started a small rock retaining wall around the patio in the circle of trees. It's almost finished. Really it's not a big wall, more like a big rock edging. I've been doing a little bit at a time so that I don't throw my back out. It was a nice weekend. Hope yours was too.
Last night I had the house to myself. Hubby was working. Son had band practice. I curled up in my Hubby's chair & sketched on a new freshly prepared canvas while a previously recorded "Pawn Stars" show played. I am hooked on that show. After I had it sketched out, which is something I don't do when I paint my Angels, I headed up to my tiny studio. Forgetting to turn some lights on. As I finished putting the 1st coat of paint on my new piece "Drama Queen" the phone rang. I scrambled around in the dark to find the phone, my son tells me he is spending the night out, then I make my way back to the studio. When I walked in room, the "Drama Queen" was waiting for me. I'm not kidding. Working up close to the piece I thought it was fun, from afar it was scary. I actually got the heebie geebies. So I went back downstairs, flipping on lights & kind of looking over my shoulder all the way. I haven't gone in there again yet & it's already noon. haha So my mission for today is to sweet'n this "Drama Queen" up a bit without losing it's personality.
Ok I've got to brag a little. You gardeners out there are probably gonna laugh, but hey this is quite an accomplishment for me with my purple thumb! You have no idea really. Remember this post? I started these pickles from seeds and now look at them! I've already picked 2 pickles! They are the tiny pickling kind and are so yummy sliced up in my ice water. If you haven't tried that, you should it's so refreshing & good. I'm addicted to it. Cucumber in ice water - my drug of choice right now. I have a lot on the vine now so maybe I will get to pick a bunch @ once. I also planted some thyme, sag
e & oregano. I have no idea what I'm going to do with all the sage but the oregano I will be using to make my famous Chimichurri, which is olive oil, Italian parsley, oregano, garlic & jalapeno. I h
ave some hollyhocks I planted in a little pot and have to figure out where to plant them in the yard. I love hollyhocks, their height & beauty, but best of all they grow no matter what, I can't kill them easily! Like the smiley rock I painted? I thought it was pretty funny. I thought it could make me feel better if my plants didn't grow. LOL I want to plant something that has big leaves so that I can play with concrete. I am itching to try this project I saw on youtube!
I haven't been able to create any art this past week while watching JJ but I've sure had a blast with him. I am was worried I wouldn't get to see him for a while and he came back today! So I will be gettin' bus
y tomorrow for sure. On Sunday my hubby & his band played at Windwalker Winery for their annual members' picnic. I took JJ with me & we stayed for a little while. He was so darn cute dancing to the music! It was a beautiful day and the drive up is so nice. I did sneak a taste of their Barbera and Oh My was it fantastic! This is the cutest age. It's hard not to kiss him constantly.
Three of my paintings will be in the Marco Fuoco Gallery's "Summer Colors" show from June 13th to July 8th! I still have a few tweeks to do on each one but they are getting there. I kind of goofed off all weekend so I have to get them finished tonight. These are far enough along to give you a peek of them. I will post the final pictures of them on Flickr & they will show up in my slideshow.
" The Gemini"
"Summer Breezes"
"Sails, Blue Skies & Sunburns"
Roadie! Dirty Dog! He decided to have a little salad & ate my new lettuce sprouts! He's still my angel no matter what he does. He was not in trouble but doesn't he look really guilty as I'm taking his picture?! haha
Maybe spring fever has been my problem lately for the lack of painting I have been getting accomplished? Maybe but I've been painting this week and it feels good. I have lots of new paintings in the works and surprise! they are not all Angels!
ening ability. I have lots of room for plants and I am really motivated now. Maybe I can do this! 
I just started some more yesterday, lime green zinnias, if they are as pretty as the picture I am going to love them!
And that my family did! I had a very nice Mother's Day. My hubby made a big wonderful breakfast & tasty coffee to start my day. It was so big no one felt like dinner so I ended up eating a can of Chef Boyardee ravioli for dinner! Haven't had that for years and believe it or not it was tastier than I remember. He bought me a beautiful stalk of orchids that are white with a touch of burgundy color in them. I went outside and picked some red tips out of my yard and covered the base of the vase then added a touch of yellow broom which really set the orchids off. Martha would be proud. haha I also got a beautiful bouquet from my kids. All the flowers & being in the yard got me motivated. I transferred my seedlings that Sandypetals told me how to start in plastic zip lock bags to little pots. Yes I am patting myself on the back because my thumb is not green at all. Now all I have to do is remember to water them and re-pot them pretty soon and hopefully I'll be making some great pickles and salsa later this year. I even bought some lime green zinnias & nasturtiums to start. Woo Hoo I'm on a roll!
While on Twitter today Oliveshoot shared this new video. I love the song and doesn't Rueben look so handsome?! She has some sweet tweets.
by my sister & family of gardeners I actually used a rake & hoe today! It was a beautiful day. I made a big breakfast then headed to the back yard, even though my front yard looks like the Adams Family lives here. My youngest son helped me and we got a lot accomplished in a few hours. I even...are you sitting down?... bought some seeds today! I keep saying I am going to paint, I need to paint, but I haven't been able to pick up a brush since I've been home.
I watched little JJ aka Doodle Bug yesterday and just in the couple of weeks I was gone he learned to pull himself up into a standing position, walk along the couches, coffee tables and crawl as fast as lightening. I definitely have to buy a walker, 2 fences for the stairs, child proof gagets and maybe some zanax to take after he leaves! hahaha
I actually got in the dirt today and gardened! I planted around my patio. If you know me, I hate gardening but today was such a beautiful day I couldn't stay inside. I can't wait to tell my sister. She's gonna be so proud. haha I actually kind of enjoyed it and did a little raking too. Raking at my place takes days and is almost a full-time job. I have about 20 oak trees in the back yard and way too much yard for my purple thumb. I stumbled across this garden art website the other day that shows how to make concrete garden spheres and I love them! Next time I'm at Home Depot I'm going to get some concrete, pull out my exercise ball and try making one! Click here to see the site. When I do I'll be sure to take pictures because it's probably going to be comical.
So I got nothing painted today. This afternoon I met with one of my Swell Sisters and picked up 2 paintings that were in a gallery last month. She was so sweet to bring them up the hill. I gave her a little tulip ACEO for her trouble. ACEOs sure make great gifts! I listed a print of this one called Love Grows in my Etsy Shop . This one is so bright, cheerful and happy. I just love the original. It's for sale in Cartfly at the bottom of my blog.
