Seeds Stored Right

Now that all our seeds have been planted and we have decided that we have way more starter plants than our tiny garden can support we are finally ready to put the seed to rest for awhile (or until we decide to go for a second round of some summer crops). I have looked into seed storage and wanted to share a few tip with everyone on how to store seeds. What I found was that there are no exact answers, seeds are living things, so eventually the will no longer be viable. There is no-drop dead point for the seeds, the percentage of them germinating just lessens with time.

 There are three enemies of seeds; moisture, heat, and fluctuating temperatures. So to keep those seeds super dry place the packets into an air tight container, to keep the seeds away from heat and at a constant temperature stick the container in the refrigerator or a cool dark location that will not be impacted by fluctuating temperatures. Leaving your seeds in the shed is the worst place to store them simply because that allows moisture and temperature fluctuations to impact the tiny little guys.

 After a bit of research these are the holding times that seem reasonable for seeds as long as they are properly stored in a dark and dry location that has a consistent temperature.

• 1 year - Sweet corn, onion, parsnip, okra, parsley
• 2 years - Beet, pepper, leek
• 3 years - Asparagus, bean, carrot, celery, lettuce, pea, spinach, tomato
• 4 years - Cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, kale, squash, pumpkin, radish, turnip, rutabaga
• 5 years - Cucumber, endive, watermelon

Happy Seeding!
 
Sammy Gene

File All Your Paperwork Here

I am not MIA however I did leave my camera cable in PA so that should explain no posts in over a week. Well the husband and I have been looking for quite some time for the perfect filing cabinet. Guess what? They are all U-G-L-Y or cost $200. As luck would have it my MIL was purging her house of all her sons (my husbands) belongings and she said take that filing cabinet its ugly… and that is how we ended up with an ugly filing cabinet (free, which makes it kinda ok). Then came the challenge of how to make it not so ugly. It all started in the paint isle and the monster grew from there… So here is how I went from drab to fab…

Step 1
Remove the hardware and the lock bar (at least that is what I am calling for the purpose of this blog).

Step 2
Tape off any area that you do not want painted.

Step 3
Use a very fine sand paper and scuff up the existing paint and sand chips in the paint or miscellaneous bumps.

Step 4
Wipe down the cabinet with a micro-fiber cloth to pick up all the paint dust and small particles.

Step 5
Apply a thin coat of the paint of your choice. I used a foam roller and got a perfect smooth texture if you want paint with more texture check out the different options of rollers.

Step 6
Let dry for 6-8 hours then apply a second coat. Repeat this step until you reach your desired color.

Step 7
Once you have the cabinet painted you are almost done, all you have left is replacing the hardware. First measure up the old hardware with the new and see if the holes will match if not you may have to re-drill holes to fit your new handle. If you need to re-drill the holes, make a template to get the position right.

Step 8
Apply handles and file away!

Sammy Gene

Coupon Sammy

I just thought I would share some of the great coupons I have been finding on-line!
Olay Quench Mail-In Rebate (I know it sounds like a hassle but come on it is free!)
Scrubbing Bubbles Products
Windex Products
Red Plum Coupon Site
Aveeno
Ortega Salsa
Keebler Pecan Sandies (Shortbread Cookies)
I know a mixed matched bunch of coupons, but hey savings are savings!
Sammy Gene

Flower Power Part I

I get inspiration for projects from just about anywhere. I scour magazines, catalogs, website, and stores looking for things that I can recreate with my own flare. This project came to me when I was shopping with some friends and one of them picked up a cute flower pin/clip and said this is cute. Of course I said "I can make that" (sounding just like my husband). So this is Flower Power Part I because I am planning a few variations but wanted to get the ball rolling.

You will need:

A few scraps of fabric (feel free to mix and match). I chose thick tweed from this blazer I picked up at Goodwill for $2.

Pin/Clip
Button

Thread

Hot Glue

Print out the pattern. Trace and cut eight petals on the fabric of your choice.

 

If the fabric you choose is lightweight and will not be as sturdy as you had hoped, use starch spray to stiffen the fabric. Next you want to take a petal, pinch the small end, approximately 1-inch from the end, and sew an X securing the two sides together. I crossed the X about 4 times for each petal. Next cut approximately a 1/2-inch off the end creating a flat end.

Once you have all the petals stitched and cut you are ready to put them together. Take the petals and start your stitch through the X of one petal, loop around the flat end of the petal and back through the X you just started with, next thread the second petal, going through the X and again loop around the flat end and go back through the second petal X. Continue this process until you have all eight petals strung. Remember to keep the thread tight. Once all the petals are strung tie off the tread securing the circle. The flower may be a bit floppy, don't worry.

Next take the hot glue gun and put a bead of glue between the petals as close to the X as possible. You can also add a small bead of glue near the top of the petal to secure the petals.

Once all the petals are where you want them put a small bead of glue in the center and place the button. Flip the flower over and glue the pin/clip onto the back and away you go!

Enjoy!

 Sammy Gene

Taco Soup

Mexican is my all time favorite type of food. So when in a pinch I love to create with my taco seasoning. What you will need:

 2 cups shredded chicken (rotisserie or precooked)
1 jar salsa (any kind)
1 jar taco sauce (or tomato juice whichever is handy)
2 cups frozen corn
A few shakes of taco seasoning (to taste)
A few shakes of chili powder (to taste)
2 avocados
1 lime
1 cup sour cream, plus a few scoops for garnish
Shredded cheddar cheese

In a large pot over medium high heat add chicken, salsa, taco sauce (save a table spoon for guacamole), and corn. Let the ingredients simmer for a half hour, then add the taco seasoning and chili powder to taste, one cup sour cream, and cover for another half hour. In the meantime cut the avocados. In a small bowl add taco seasoning, a tablespoon of taco sauce, and a tablespoon of lime juice mix and stick in the fridge. Back to the soup, if the 'soup' is not soupy enough add a little tomato juice to loosen things up. After all the flavors have had time to merge you are ready to serve. Scoop soup into a bowl and garnish with the guacamole, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.

On this beautiful evening I also made some ice coffee for the Hubby and myself! Yummmmm

Oh and the tater-tots, that is where the meal planning process started so I felt the need for follow through (as mentioned before I am not planner)! Happy eating!

 Sammy Gene

Lacey Lacey Appliqué

Everyone has those tanks in their drawer that you wear as layers or just throw on for a day of running errands. Well I have a ton, why you ask? Well every time I see one on sale I pick it up so I have a rainbow of tanks and I got this one for $3.98 at Target!!

I got a wonderful idea from Disney at Ruffles and Stuff to do a lace appliqué on the tank to spice it up a little and make it more than just a simple tank.

So first thing first find a lace pattern that you would like to use as an embellishment and then cut out the piece (larger than the actual design). I had an old lace table cloth that I don't use anymore (huge stain right in the middle) for the perfect pattern.

Then you want to take a piece of wax paper, the lace, and Heat-N-Bond (paper side up), in that order and place a medium heat iron over the stack for a few (2-3) seconds. Take a peak and see if everything is properly 'glued' together.

The hard part is over! Now cut around the lace design.

Once you have your design cut you are ready to apply it to the tank. It took me a few maneuvers to figure out exactly how I wanted the pattern to lay. Then it is time to iron again… I like to put wax paper between the iron and the appliqué to avoid any stickiness transferring to the iron and iron for a few more (8-10) seconds until everything is secure. Another hint when using wax paper, shiny side down.

And you just crafted yourself a simple new tank top for the warm weather to come, and if you live where I live you will be wanting to wear this tank now!!! Let's just say it went from Winter to Summer here!!!

Sammy Gene

Running Shoe Re-new

I have been holding on to my old running shoes with the intention that someday I will wear them until they are completely shot, but in reality I only need one extra pair to mow the grass in. I recently got a snazzy new pair of running shoes and realized that it was time to purge. So I kept: my new pair (treadmill ONLY), the last pair I bought (outside running), and ONE old pair for mowing and yard work (ha like I do any of that). That leaves me with four (yes, four) pairs of running shoes to be disposed of. Now anyone who knows me, knows that I am not going to just throw them away! Usually I make regular donations to the local Goodwill when I have wearable items, but this time I decided to do something a little different. I found this wonderful organization, One World Running, which will send running shoes to people in need around the world. If the shoes are deemed too worn (to be worn) they are sent to Nike's Reuse-a-Shoe program instead, and wind up paving a playground. It's a win-win in my mind.
Sammy Gene