where real life tales of the crafty mind unfold...

Strawberries

Posted on June 18, 2013 by willowandbee

Here are some close up pictures of our strawberries and how they grow!

It all begins with a white flower…

We purchased two strawberry plants. They were each in a small 3X3 pot. I placed them in the center of the bed that I wanted them to fill in. Since they send out a runner that will also develop plants, I picked a spot that I wanted to fill in completely with strawberries.

The picture above shows the yellow stamen that surround what will eventually become the fruit.

Here the fruit is becoming more strawberry-ish

The tiny little dots that seem to speckle the center green middle is the pistil. The green leaves surrounding the flower and the ones that remain once the white of the flower is gone are the sepal…or what will become the strawberry stem.

the fruits receptacle is already getting bigger.

The fruits receptacle {center} is already getting bigger

In the picture above, the white petals are beginning to make way for the enlarging fruit.

a contrasting view of the fruit with the flower and without

Here the sepal surrounds the fruit.

The strawberry has a 5 petaled white flower, 3 parted leaf, and 10 green sepals!

growing…

A close look at the pistil.

The pistil gives the strawberry a seedy texture

The pistil gives the strawberry a fuzzy look.

Now it’s time for a little red…

What the power of a little time and sun will do!

Yum! Ready to be picked…

One cup of strawberries contains 43 calories. Packed with fiber, antioxidants and vitamin C, the strawberry is a great snack! The lovely little fruit is also rich in B-6, pantothenic acid, and folic acid. They also contain potassium, vitamin K and magnesium.

I love adding strawberries to my morning shake too! Be sure to send me your strawberry recipes! I love finding new ways to enjoy them…

Colton Mittman Fundraiser

Posted on June 7, 2013 by willowandbee

A few months ago I came across an event that a high school friend placed on Facebook. The event is a fundraiser for a little boy named Colton Mittman. Colton was born weighing 1 pound 4 ounces at 25 weeks. He was diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy at 2 years of age. I immediately started to imagine the difficulties involved in having a baby that is so tiny. There seems to be so many new treatments that have become available and I was happy to read that many of the children that have undergone these treatments are going from 40-50 seizures a day down to only 2! The fundraiser is comprised of donations, food, auction items, cash donations, and live entertainment.

What a cutie!

I hope you can take a minute to visit his page and perhaps consider donating. Click the following link to read his story…http://coltonmittmanfundraiser.com/about.html

Here are the pieces that I created for the event.

hand glazed ceramic, tiger eye, antique brass, czech glass, cotton cord

antique bras, Swarovski crystal, aged silver, quartz, agate, cotton cord

I hope that this event proves to be a success and that the Mittman family is able to obtain the treatments that they have sought out for Colton.

Many hands make light work…John Heywood

Dreamsicle Smoothie

Posted on June 5, 2013 by willowandbee

This smoothie is quickly becoming a favorite in these neck of the woods! With just three simple ingredients, it is packed with vitamins, protein, and the smooth taste of a Dreamsicle.

Dreamsicle Smoothie

Orange, Banana, Avocado….Yes, Avocado!

Feel free to use a whole banana…this will make it sweeter!

I only used ¼ of an avocado, half a banana, and an entire orange.

Try to leave as much pith as possible.

Place the three ingredients into your blender and blend until smooth. If you would like to make it cold, add ice after the ingredients are well blended.

Just three fabulous ingredients!

The avocado adds a creamy texture to the smoothie and provides vitamins A, C, E, K and B6. It also provides 18 out of 22 amino acids, and contains all of the essential ones! Truly one of the best ways to sneak protein into your diet too. Easy to digest and not so easy to detect {in this smoothie}…it is a winner!

Silent Sunday…Peony

Posted on June 2, 2013 by willowandbee

Pink Peony Profile

Peony almost fully open

Light Pink Peony Center

Peony and Rain Drop

Perfect Pink Peony

Spotlight on…Jboutiq

Posted on May 29, 2013 by willowandbee

I am eager to share a quick Q&A with Kristin Spear of Jboutiq. I have created some pieces for her online shop and I thought you would enjoy taking a look at her unique online boutique. I love Kristin’s light hearted approach and her diverse background.

{Click on the logo below to visit Jboutiq}

Kristin Spear~Jboutiq

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your background?

A: I have been a wardrobe stylist the last 17 years, working in print advertising and making sure people look right in pictures. From clothing to accessories to the setting around them. I am also a single mom of a fantastic 9 year old boy and a 9 ½ yr old dog!

Q: Where did the concept for Jboutiq come from?

A: One of my best friends who is from a Christian background married a guy from a Jewish background. She converted to Judaism and was trying to find items that are modern and hip enough for their Shabbat dinners in their Venice townhouse. I realized how hard it was to find a gift for them and the websites were tacky! At the same time my son went through First Communion and I could not find a decent tie in America, let alone a decent suit. I ended up ordering ties from England for the whole class of boys and realized this had to be easier. The lightbulb went off and I realized I could style my own online store with items to help the new blend of modern religious/spiritual families celebrate their events.

Q:What client do you look to serve?

A: It’s about 45 and under. That sounds like a broad range, but it’s really the group that has become ‘reformed’ if you will. People are married and observing religion differently. They may not adhere to old or old fashioned traditions or belief systems, yet still want representation in their lives. Even if they are strict with their religion, many live a more fashionable or hip lifestyle and need a better design element reflected in religious items. As for the youth of today, many celebrate their religious ties but at the same time want to maintain their element of style, whether it’s punk, hippie, mod or just trendy and I can help them do that.

Q: What do you look for when you are selecting pieces for your store?

A: Unique, don’t scream religion, thoughtful design, heirloom quality, sense of whimsy and well made.

Q: Why did you choose to open an on-line shop vs. a brick and mortar store?

A: I want to reach the largest audience. Religion is global and so is fashion. Being online allows me to reach more people through my store and through social media. Imagine the treasures out there waiting to be featured on Jboutiq!

Q: Can you tell us something interesting or funny about your journey to get to where you are today?

A: This is not my first rodeo! I started a clothing line out of college – called Real World. About a year later, a show started on MTV called the Real World and I thought wow cool!! Three years later we were settling a lawsuit as they wanted my brand name so bad, but didn’t want to pay for it. They wanted to bully me out of it. Well, I didn’t make any money, but at least kept them from making a lot for about 3 years. I was bummed but it reinforced that my head was on the right track!

Jboutiq home page image

click here to visit Jboutiq!

Faux Watermelon Margarita

Posted on May 27, 2013 by willowandbee

As you may have guessed…I love watermelon! I recently posted on how to cut your watermelon {click here for that post}

and today I thought I would share with you one of my favorite ways of enjoying it.

Faux Watermelon Margarita

2 cups of cold watermelon

2 limes or 2-3 lime cubes {click here for the lime cube tutorial}

1 cup of ice

coarse salt

1. Place the watermelon and juice of two limes {2-3 lime cubes} in a blender.

2. Blend until the watermelon is pureed. Add ice for a frozen Margarita.

3. Sprinkle salt onto a plate.

4. Dip the glass into the blended mix about an ⅛ of an inch.

5. Place the rim of the glass onto the salted plate and coat the rim with salt.

6. Add the pureed mixture into the glass.

ENJOY!

Refreshing Watermelon Lime “Margarita”

2 cups of cold watermelon

Frozen lime juice.

Ready to be blended!

Celtic Sea Salt…although it says its fine ground…it’s not!

Going in for a dip.

Only coat ⅛ of an inch.

Twirl to coat the rim.

The juice turns the salt pink.

Watermelon Margarita…

I really don’t think that you have to be a watermelon nut to enjoy this treat. It is super refreshing and the salt really does quench your thirst. Watermelon is high in lycopene {important for cardiovascular health}, Vitamin A, and amino acids. It is also a good source of Vitamin C. It is no wonder that this is the food of choice after a hard day of working out in the yard. With only 45 calories per cup, watermelon is a true gift! The lime juice also provides Vitamin C and flavonoids!

Not too shabby for such a simple recipe!

Raised Garden Box DIY

Posted on May 25, 2013 by willowandbee

In mid June of 2011, Mr. Man and I decided to {finally} install a garden! We have been planting our garden boxes for two years now. Although we had the space to grow a garden in the yard, we were looking for an easy, low maintenance alternative. After reading a book by Mel Bartholomew, I decided that a square foot garden was the only way to go. In the two years that I have used this planting method, I have not had a single weed growing in my garden. And that is how my garden grows!

What you will need:

2×6 cedar board four at 4′ lengths

one 4×4 post cut into 2″ wedges-not needed if placing on the ground

a 4×4 sheet of plywood-not needed if placing on the ground

four L brackets to hold the bottom in place-not needed if placing on the ground

6 pieces of lattice at 6″

Galvanized screws 4″ long

Small nails for lattice

The Square Foot Garden

2×6 cedar ready to be measured and cut

We began by cutting the 2 x 6 cedar boards into 4 foot lengths.

Pre-drilling

We then pre-drilled one end of each board. Pre-drilling close to an edge prevents accidental splitting of the wood.

Make sure everything lines up.

We assembled the four boards into a square on the deck. Once the frame was completed, we added the 4 x4 sheet of plywood to the top.

Ready for feet and drainage.

Next we made some drainage holes with a large drill bit. We also added feet to the corners and middle section.

We used 5 feet total. Skip this step if placing your box on the ground.

We also added the L brackets in the middle of each side. This helps to keep the bottom from sagging.

Feet in place & drainage holes done!

Now it is time to flip that puppy over! If you plan on putting your box on the ground, you can skip the last three steps. The only thing that you need is the frame!

Time to fill and mix.

We filled the box with peat moss, compost, and organic soil…this was the fun part!

ha ha! That was me two years ago!

Ready for the lattice.

Once all was mixed to perfection, we added the lattice to separate the box into one foot squares. This too is optional but highly recommended.

The pictures are a little dark…we began to loose daylight quickly!!!

First tack down into rows.

16 beautiful squares ready to be planted.

TaDa! The garden 2 years ago…

And now for a look at this years garden…

Planted with two squares to spare.

If you plant tomatoes in a square, I would suggest making sure that they are of the determinant variety. This will keep the plants nice and compact and in their own square. The other plant that really tends to take over is mint. I think mint is best in a pot of its own. Chives are great because they come back every year.

Silent Sunday…Signs of Spring

Posted on May 19, 2013 by willowandbee

Robins Nest

Lilacs in captivity

Lilac up close

Flowering Bush

Pink and Green

Lilacs in their natural environment. Mother’s Day gift 2012.

Flowering Tree Mother’s Day Gift 2009

Pink Swirl

Strawberry Flowers

Crabapple Tree

Crabapple Tree Flowers

Needles & Web

Arch Nemesis

Protein Fruit Smoothie…

Posted on May 16, 2013 by willowandbee

Now that the weather is consistently over 70′s…smoothies are a daily occurrence in this little abode!

Today’s recipe is high in fiber, low in fat, and high in protein!

Tasty and good for you!

I am amazed at the qualities that oatmeal contains in each and every tiny little grain! I make oatmeal at least three times per week and when I don’t cook it the conventional way, I put it in a smoothie!

Try to buy the least processed oatmeal available. I like the old fashioned rolled oat or steel cut. If you want to read more about oatmeal, I found a nice site that will have you falling head over heals for the stuff..

{oatmeal information site}

The Ultimate Healthy Smoothie Recipe

makes 4 ~ 10 oz. servings and a little extra to make into a popsicle

1 cup of oatmeal {rolled or steel cut}

1 cup of blueberries

1 banana

10-12 strawberries

4 cups water

Place all ingredients in the blender as listed {I like to use my VitaMix for this job!}

Blend on high until you notice that all of the oatmeal is blended and the strawberry seeds have been completely “pulverized”

Pour and enjoy!

Frozen Strawberries

Oatmeal, Banana, Frozen Blueberries, Frozen Strawberries

I can’t wait to use fresh produce, but for those that can’t wait for mother nature, I find that the frozen berries work just as well.

Blended to perfection!

I hope you have a chance to look over the benefits of oatmeal. It truly is a blessing to have such an amazing food at our finger tips. This smoothie has a fruit/oatmeal flavor. If you would like the oatmeal flavor to be less noticeable, just reduce the amount of oats to ½ cup. I also recommend buying old fashion oats or steel cut. Your blender can do all the processing for you…without adding sodium or sugar! It is amazing how a perfect food can be processed and stripped of its nutrition by manufacturing.

Have you hugged your oatmeal today?

Watermelon time…

Posted on May 9, 2013 by willowandbee

I cut between 1-2 watermelons a week once they are in season…and let’s thank our lucky stars, that they are in season! I like this method of cutting them best. It keeps your cheeks from getting sticky and can even be cut into finger food slices. The best part…hardly no waste at all!

Mr. Man picks out all or our watermelon with his special knock, knock.

where real life tales of the crafty mind unfold...

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