Mama has a new Playstation!!!!

I am so excited about my find today @ Value Village. I managed to score an old aquarium, just had to buy a light bulb from the dollar store, wash it out, dry it...ta da..my mini greenhouse. I also bought the table for $3.99 @ Value Village. The tank was $12.99. I didn't mind paying that a bit. I saw a mini greenhouse on the weekend that was priced at $168.99 - it was red, it was cute but I would rather spend $12.99. Anywhoo...I have lettuce in the greenhouse, organic green beans, yellow beans & microgreens. I am so excited...eeek!!! I keep checking on it, seeing if things are growing. Anyway, it is my new playstation. I am super happy with it.

Mason Jar Herb Garden

I saw this idea on Pinterest & thought I would give it a try. The supplies needed are: mason jars, chalkboard paint, masking tape, terra cotta pots, a hammer, earth & herbs. I bought 6 mason jars @ Value Village for $1.99. I also picked up two terra cotta pots with saucers for .99 each. I already had masking tape. I bought the chalkboard paint in a spray can..it was $5.49 @ Canadian Tire. I took a clean mason jar and taped off a spot to spray my chalkboard paint. I put a label on the jar, taped around it and then removed the label and sprayed the paint on. To tell you the truth, I didn't like working with the chalkboard paint. It runs pretty easily and seemed to be more hassle than anything. I then went on and tried spraying some chalkboard paint on some small plastic garden markers that I already had (dollar store)..again, not pleased with how it turned out and they are not easy to write on..not going to use them. So....if you aren't using any chalkboard paint, you just bust up the terra cotta pot with a hammer (fold it inside a newspaper so none of it flies at you), you will be left with chunks of terra cotta. Put a few in the bottom of the mason jar...as many as you like. I would say maybe four or five chunks. Fill the mason jar up over half way and then add your plant, fill in around it with more earth. Water the plant.

*the reason you use the terra cotta in the mason jar is for drainage and also the pieces will hold moisture and release it back into the soil, keeping it moist. Just place the jar in a sunny window, place it outside when the weather is warm (if you want to) I think it makes a hardier plant when it goes outside. Some folks grow indoor herbs all year long. Anyway, I am pleased with the finished product even though I wasted money on chalkboard paint. I will just have to use it for another project. PS: I ended up using my previously purchased garden markers (dollar store) and wrote on them with a permanent black marker - easy peasy!!

*Also...you could grow your own herbs making this more economical but I purchased these Valley Grown Herbs that look really healthy @ 3.29 each. I know you can get them cheaper, but I like nice, healthy, hardy looking ones.

supplies



chalkboard paint experiment



finished product

Before & After Changing Table Project

Before

I thought this would be easier to see side by side...previous post has all the details of the project.

After

Changing Table Revamp!!!!

Here is the changing table redone. I am not super pleased with how it turned out. The finish on the pressboard is hard to cover. Maybe if I had a "do over" I would pick to roll paint on instead of spraying it. I like the quick and simple way so that is what I get for that...lol. I ended up washing down the table, drying it and then lightly sanding the surface with a 220 sanding paper (very fine). I ended up using 3 cans of spray paint at $5.79 a can, so the paint did cost me more than the table. I could not find a changing pad that fit exactly so I washed the one that came with it. The pad was trimmed in pink, which I didn't want because the table is for my grandson. I don't sew or have a sewing machine so I bought bright yellow extra wide bias tape and used Liquid Stitch (permanent clear drying adhesive) which is super easy to use. The bias tape was $2.50 and the Liquid Stitch was $5.00 @ Walmart. Anyway...the table was $14.99 and my materials were roughly $35.00. I think I could've done this project cheaper if I had used a can of paint. Anyway, it isn't perfect but it has lots of storage and a space to change the baby.

New Project - Baby Change Table

Pretty excited about my new find. I purchased this baby change table for $14.99 @ Value Village. I want to fix it up & give it to my daughter for my grandson. It is actually in great shape but I thought it might be nice painted. It is made of melamine board so I need to research what kind of paint to use on it & also decide what colour - do I change the knobs?? Do I leave it part white and part another colour?? decisions, decisions!!!!! Anyway, $14.99 ..how could I go wrong??

Garden Update!!!

I planted my garden super early because I just can't stand to wait. It is only early May and we are sure to have some frost again. I did a little research though and figured out I would be okay with a raised bed that I cover at night. I have the tomato cages on each corner because at night I cover the garden with a clear shower curtain (purchased at the dollar store) that I peg down with some tent type pegs. I use the cages to drape the plastic over so the plants won't get crushed by the weight of the plastic curtain. Things were going along fine until I caught some robins taking my green and yellow beans...that is why I have some pop bottle covers over some. My neighbour has offered some chicken wire to help with the robin issue. In the meantime, I have started some new bean plants indoors & I can transplant them outside when they are big enough. I think the robins are only interested in the seeds, not the plants.

It's Spring!!!!

 I built a small raised bed today from a kit I purchased at Canadian Tire for $49.95. Just built the box, marked out the square on the grass & got my son to remove the grass with a shovel. The square was filled with 3 large bags of earth and 2 bags of sheep manure. I have some of my own compost that I think I will add as well. The square is only 3 ½ x 3½ but it will be enough to grow a few vegetables.

I also love to start a few seeds indoors...mostly because I am impatient and I can't wait to get something planted. I have a few different varities of lettuce started on our window ledge. The "grand rapid" variety started to sprout in 3 days...my kind of seeds...lol