One of my favorite hobbies is crocheting. I just started about a year and a half ago and learned a lot from watching YouTube Channels. I found the Proper Pineapple pretty early on and just love watching Holly and her family. She just always seems like she’s having the best time!
Recently, I ordered a Halloween project bag from her website. The package was so cute that I decided to test the video feature on my new camera by doing an unboxing. Here it is:
It’s that time again! One of my favorite things about gardening is watching seeds turn into plants. I am really excited about this year’s seeds because I purchased them from Seed Savers Exchange.
Seed Savers was founded by Diane Ott Whealy and Ken Whealy in 1975. The mission of this nonprofit organization is to save and share seeds in order to preserve biodiversity for generations to come. They maintain a collection of more than 20,000 heirloom and open-pollinated vegetable, herb, and plant varieties, including over 1,000 varieties of heritage apple trees. Their collection includes many organic seeds.
I am happy to support an organization with such a great purpose. I have to admit though, I am even more excited about seeing what comes out of these seeds! My tomato plants this year have names like Velvet Red and Black Krim! The peppers are Jimmy Nardello’s and King of The North. How cool is that?
Check out this description for Redfield Beauty Tomatoes: “Historic Variety introduced circa 1889 by H.G. Hastings & Co. of Interlachen, Florida. Flattened pink 3″ inch fruits with excellent full flavor.” When was the last time you ate a tomato from the Supermarket that matched that description? Never.
I think that one of the most marvelous things about gardening is the opportunity to discover something new (and delicious!) right in your own yard. There is a romance to gardening. You nurture these plants along on the promise of the rewards to come when they bear fruit. The prize you end up with is largely determined by the seeds you have when you begin… like all great romances!
Are you starting your garden from seeds? Have you used Seed Savers Exchange? Please leave me a comment. I would love to hear from you.
A week ago, it was in the 70s then Fall finally arrived for a few days. Yesterday, it seemed like Winter came early. Brrrrrr!!!!
Here are some shots from my 2017 Garden to warm things up (Click on the photo to view a larger image.):
Tiny seedlings
Tiny seedlings turn into Great Starts
Waste not! Eat those thinned out seedlings.
Miles the Compost Pile is born!
The Care and Feeding of Miles…
Everything in my little pocket farm was grown from seed.
Gotta have some ornamentals too!
Tillandsia (air plant) Garden
Back to the tomatoes: Baby Beefsteaks, Baby!
Zuke and Cuke Blossoms
Baby Zuke!
Reaping and eating the harvest!
Zoodles! (Zuke Noodles)
Baby Cukes!
Home for the Bees ?
Sunflowers
Thanks for viewing. I hope you enjoyed my little garden tour.
Many blessings,
Cynthia
I mentioned a few times on here that I donate financially and also handmade jewelry to Little Shelter. It’s almost time for their annual masquerade ball. I created this piece especially for this event.
Click on image to see the full-sized photo.
This necklace is made with sodalite, sterling silver, blue lace agate and Swarovski crystals in an “alexandrite” finish. These crystals have a little surprise! They change color depending on the light.
The Masquerade Ball will take place at Water Mill Caterers in Smithtown on Thursday, October 29th from 6 to 11 PM. Call 631-368-8770 ext. 26 for more information. Please consider purchasing a ticket to the event or making a donation to Little Shelter. Check out http://littleshelter.com for more information.
Many Blessings,
Cynthia
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I have a birthday present to make for my friend, Sylvia, who I will be seeing later. So, I am going to share one of my passions with you today.
These are the first pieces I ever made.
I started making jewelry almost 15 years ago. I had a naval ring at the time and wanted to change the bead on it. Being too… thrifty to pay $10 bucks for a bead change at the tattoo place, I decided to buy a bead and change my own. It’s very difficult to buy one small bead. So, I bought a package. Since I only needed one for the purpose at hand, I decided to get some beading wire and fasteners to make use of the rest of the package. I was hooked on making jewelry immediately!
I put this chain together link by link and set each of the beads.
I made pieces for myself that other people really dug. So, I started making jewelry for friends, coworkers and family members. The more I made, the more I wanted to make. My pieces began to get quite interesting and complex. I started selling my all-original jewelry under the name Chickyrhumba (a nickname my mom had for me when I was little) in 2006. I had just begun to do quite well and then the economy tanked. Understandably, original, handmade jewelry wasn’t a priority for people to purchase at that time. I closed Chickyrhumba in 2012. The truth is I never enjoyed selling it as much I enjoyed making it.
I took the big tumble down the stairs a few months later, so I didn’t make jewelry for much of 2013. When finally I started again, it was just like it was in the beginning. I LOVED it! Making jewelry gets me down into my hands and keeps me from over-analyzing anything that may be going on in my life. I would definitely describe it as a form of meditation.
It’s such a delightful one because it is so sensory. I love feeling the smoothness of the stones. I enjoy looking at all the colors and natural variations in gems. Bending wire into submission can be like therapy! I also love getting vintage beads and remaking them into something new. I guess most satisfying of all is being able to see the fruits of your labor. Executing something tangible from start to finish that I can give to someone else makes me very happy.
I made this for Josie Stevens using vintage beads and Swarovski crystals.
Ah done! Do you think Sylvia will like it? I hope so. I know I enjoyed making it.
Sylvia’s birthstone is peridot. Amethyst is a healing stone. Who couldn’t use an angel?
Do you have any hobbies or passions that you need to make more time for? Leave me a reply in the comments section. I would love to hear from you.
Many blessings,
Cynthia
Please follow me on Twitter. Also, please LIKE my Facebook Page.