Vegetable garden update! Just in!!

Hello you all!! I have got great and exciting news! My first carrots,radish, garlic, lettuce and hot peppers have just arrived!!!!! Welcome... :)
And more are about to knock at my door: lettuce, french beans, hot peppers, strawberries, carrots, tomatoes, eggplats and more!
Take a quick look:

Father´s Day GIFT - DIY

Hello again.
Found this on the web in one of my chosen websites: http://inmyownstyle.com
Simple to do with great visual effect at the end!
website recomended!

Check it out:

Father’s Day is this Sunday – it snuck up on me.     When my daughters were little I use to help them make a DIY Father’s Day gift and goodies to give to Ed.   I don’t have them around anymore to remind me.

My dad is 87.  Like my mom – he enjoys the simple things.  At his age what he wants most is time spent with his family.

I want to bring him something when I visit, so I thought I would fill a gift box with some of his favorite treats – sticky buns. On my way to his place, I will stop at Wegman’s and buy some and stack them in the empty oatmeal container that I covered with gift wrap.    He will love it.

Since in my dad’s eyes, I will always be a kid, I had fun making this cute tag to use as the gift tag.  It is the perfect tag to put on presents for kids or for them to make for gifts they give.

I made the gift tag using the cardboard that is used to wind embroidery floss around to keep it organized. When you bend the cardboard – it resembles a body with arms and legs.  Thread a ribbon through the hole and a bead – Voila!  -  a cute gift tag.

supplies needed:

For Gift box:

Giftwrap or printout of Dad printable

Box

Spray glue

Paper cutter or a ruler and scissors

Pencil

Ribbon – 10-inches long

Optional:

Buttons and beads with large center holes

Awl and hammer

For Tag:

1 embroidery floss winding card  - in the needle craft section in the craft store

Bead with a large hole

Ribbon

Permanent marker

Scissors or a craft knife

To download the free printable to use as gift wrap, click here:  Free-Printable-Father’s-Day-Gift-Wrap

1. If using the printable over a container/or box with type and images on it – cover it with plain white paper first – so the images won’t show through. Use spray glue to attach.  I used 2 pieces of printer paper that I cut to size.

2.  I used an old-fashioned compass to measure and then draw a perfect circle on the printer paper to cover the top.  Cut 2 circles. One to cover the top of the lid, the other will go on the underside of the lid.  Do the same on the print-out/giftwrap.

No Compass? No problem…

Place the paper over the top of the lid and run your finger all around the edge of the rim. It will create a circular crease in the paper.  Cut away the excess with scissors to create a circle the size you need.

3. I needed 2 copies of the printable to cover the container. Use spray glue to attach.

Lots of Options

If your kids like to craft – have them cut out images that they think their dad would like from magazines to cover the box instead of using giftwrap. Attach the images with Mod Podge.  Many years ago I covered a container using all black and white fashion designer logos cut from magazines. I protected it by spraying on a high gloss finish.

To Make a Looped Handle for the Gift Box

1. You can simply make a loop of ribbon for the handle, but if you would like to add some buttons to embellish – the holes have to be enlarged first. I placed the buttons on my worktable and used an awl and a hammer to enlarge the holes. They don’t have to look pretty – you won’t see the holes once the ribbon is threaded through.

2. Fold the 10-inch piece of ribbon in half.  Thread the bead and buttons through the ribbon.

3. Using an awl or the tip of a pair of scissors – make a hole in the center of the lid.  If you are not adding a gift tag – push the ends of the ribbon loop through the hole and tie in a knot to secure on the underside to attach the ribbon handle.

How To Make the Gift Tag

1. Remove circle in pre-punched hole on embroidery floss winding card.  Bend bottom center, back and cut off.

2. Bend the top sides to become arms.

3. Thread a ribbon through the hole.

4. Place a bead on the ribbon.  Draw a smiley face on the bead and the recipient’s name on the body.

To add the tag to the top of the gift wrap oatmeal box – Punch a hole in the ribbon where it will attach to the top under the loop and button handle.

Bring the looped handle ribbon through the hole on the tag ribbon and the top of the lid. Tie a knot on the underside to secure.

Guide to grow your vegetables!!

Woundering around the web trying to find some tips for cucumber planting and check out what I stumbled across:

http://www.growveg.com/growguideplant.aspx?id=130

Absolutly enough for my amateur needs!!! :)
Thank you GrowVeg.com!
:)

Upside down tomato planter - Update

And Hello again!! :)
Update from:
http://mygreenmoment.blogspot.pt/2013/04/upside-down-tomato-planter-update.html

Going great!
I have been monitoring their growth every other day. If you are planning on doing something like this you MUST keep track on the water factor.I had to put the lid on on more hot days and remove them on rainy days :)
 Depending on the day they get or too dry or too moisty.
You MUST also choose the right bucket. I took a chance and choose these 10kg bucket´s. The tomato plant did grow well but I am starting to think the have stopped. Probably due to the amount of dirt they have to grow. Nevertheless take a look at the results! :)

Upside Down Tomato planter - Update

Hello again.
And here they are. I have been watering them on alternate days and I have made some progress. I have taken the yellow lid off on four of them to see if I encounter any differences. None so far... but I will keep you posted.
Olá outra vez! Uma nova olhada ao plantio de tomates invertidos lá de casa. Tenho regado dia sim dia não e já temos alguns progressos. Removi a tampa amarela em 4 dos 5 baldes para analisar se tinha algumas diferenças de crescimento, rega, etc... Para já não noto diferenças mas manter-vos-ei informados.

First day of spring sunshine in Oporto

This spring as been quite unusul and it's warm and confortable sun only today showed up. Finaly.
.. here is the view from D.Luis I bridge about 5 min ago :)
Esta primavera mora a chegar..... Finalmente hoje foi o verdadeiro dia primaverial na Invicta. Deixo-vos com imagens da tarde atribulada junto à Ponte D. Luís I, exlibris da Cidade.

Upside down tomato planter

And here is my own version for the upside down tomato planter. Just fineshed :) hope it works!!! I'll keep you posted.
E cá está uma versão caseira de plantio de tomates invertidos. Aproveitei baldes de tremoços usados e segui a técnica convencional, amplamente difundida na net. Espero mesmo que resulte!! Manter-vos-ei informados!

Pallet ideas Do It Yourself... Why not??

I have been making a web search about pallet wood refurnishment. Despite some ideas regarding the "dangerous" use of pallet for furniture producing or other items of interest I can´t help noticing the criativity implied is this area. Absolutly amazing! I gotta make some of these... Here are some of the best I could find, hope you like them as much as I did:
Desde há dias que tenho feito uma pesquisa na net sobre reutilização de palletes... É algo já amplamente feito e também já amplamente debatido sobre  se é efectivamente perigoso ou não envergar nestes projectos de Faça Voce Mesmo ou muito conhecido em inglês por DIY. É maravilhoso observar a criatividade de alguns artesãos. Deixo-vos com alguns dos melhores exemplos que me deparei on-line: