Sews2Reap

We grow a garden nearly every year. I am not an expert just a hobbyist gardener who loves fresh veggies . My hubby is Cheif Gardener, I am sort of Queen of the Garden. That means he does most of the tough work and I water and harvest.  😉  This year, he reinforced the beds he made 4 years ago, weeded, and amended the soil. Then we bought plants (we have done from seed too but not this year) and I got the fun job of planting. I love that part!  We have marigolds and geraniums as companion plants in the beds with the veggies. They help attract pollinators and detract beetles and they a attractive.  cucumber same beds different angle Not only did he work on the vegetable beds, but he removed overgrown juniper from the front flower beds, and three diseased rose bushes. The beds at the front of the house got a makeover too!  Another of my favorite things about summer is all the hanging baskets and potted plants. Give me flowers!  geranium The

This could be titled "my new toy." I have been wanting one of these cutting machines for a while. I ordered it to come right before school ended so I would be able to play with it the first free day I had.  It comes with a free software that isn't too hard to learn since there are many tutorials online. Thank you, YouTube! This is my first try at a project. I just chose a font and did my name. The pink adhesive backed vinyl on the sticky sheet. It's loaded up and ready to cut.  Here it is "weeded" and ready for the transfer tape. On my cup! SO EASY! I'm hooked. My next project was for essential oil roller bottle labels. Someone on one of my Facebook groups posted pictures of something similar.                                                                                                     A few bottles finished, a label ready for transfer tape, and the roll of tape is the blue grid at the top.

Many essential oils are plants we eat already. So it isn't surprising to use them in our cooking. There are a few things to take into consideration first. Is it a pure oil with no additives of any kind? Does the company source its oils in a way that can guarantee there were no pesticides or other toxins introduced during the process of making the oil? Essential oils are extremely concentrated. One drop of oil can compare to gallons of the plant in taste and impact. True essential oils break down in heat. The easiest way to introduce oils into your diet is water. All the citrus oils, as well as peppermint, taste great in water. I know many add a drop of peppermint to their coffee or tea as well. Experiment!  The tried and true trick is the toothpick swirl for introducing oils into dishes like dips, salad dressings and so on. Just dip a toothpick tip in the oil and swirl in the food item you are creating. Like lemon into cream cheese for a cheesecake.  Do n