Thursday, April 30, 2015

Color Me Pretty Flower Necklaces!

I just got the buy of the week, I am so happy!  I was browsing in Walmart looking for garden stuff and things for the deck, and in one of the center clearance aisles were these pretty little babies, statement necklaces, that caught my eye!  I had to do a double take, even with my glasses on I couldn't believe how much they were - $1.00 ladies, yes that's right a buck each.  COME ON!  Where can you get something so cute for $1.00?  NO WHERE?!  As you can see I filled up the bottom of my cart with them.  There were more, but I already had necklaces in those colors so I didn't partake in them, didn't want to be hoggish about such a good sale, left some for others to enjoy.  These were on either gold or silver chains, and for $1.00 if I just wear it once and it breaks I got my money's worth out of it.  I don't think that will happen they aren't made that cheap, and I do take care of  my things, but you never know.  Like I always say, take your tiime, browse around a store and you never know what you'll find!

Filled up my basket, I can't pass up a deal!
$11.00 for eleven necklaces!  That right there is just plain crazy.
 And here they all are for their close up!  Check them out.....
 Pretty colors....
 Rhinestone center flowers....
 I thought the gold was pretty, don't see much in that color and you can wear it all year round....
 I love them all but this beige, coral and white is my favorite....
 So what do you think?   Good, right?



Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Keeping "The Girls" Happy!

The hubby and I are still spreading dirt/mulch for the last two weeks, it's a chore to say the least.  He works all week so it has to be done on the weekends.  We met up on Friday night and treated ouselves, after him working all day at his job, at the local mall for dinner at a nice restaurant.  After our big meal, we decided to walk some of it off around the mall and do some shopping.  I came across this new store called SOMA, it's an intimate apparel store.  I had read and heard about this store and how great they were, no high pressure sales which I love, so I went in and checked them out.  Wow, I was impressed.  I only ever had one bra fitting in my whole life and thought I knew what I was doing when it came to fitting myself.  Boy, was I wrong!

I was greeting by a nice young lady who asked if I needed help and I said "sure".  I wanted to be fitted for bras, she ask me to pick out what I liked and didn't like and what colors I was looking for.  She then sent me into a dressing room and measured me.   She immediately jumped into action while I waited in the dressing room.  I have to tell you, all bras ARE NOT MADE ALIKE AND SIZES RUN DIFFERENT!  I amazingly was wearing the right size, but my bras didn't fit right, the cups were off.  In the SOMA brand bras I had to go up a few cup sizes, which is OK (I am blessed!), it doesn't really mean anything to me other than it fits and feels perfect.  The bands on the sides are doubled and sturdy, nothing falling over the sides like my other bras.  The straps are padded and perfect, soft underwires and barely padded cups, I don't need any more padding with a double D cup!

My philosophy, keep the girls, tatas, boobs, sweater puppies, whatever you call them, H-A-P-P-Y, and they will make you look good and feel good about yourself.  A great bra keeps everything where it belongs, makes you look slimmer because everything is up, where it's supposed to be, cuts down on the backfat and the bulge too.  I give SOMA an A+ for helping me out, I will be going back to replace all of my bras.  

I bought two bras while I was shopping, one light nude and one soft tan.  Don't look at the price, you know I don't shop without a discount, I got 20% off each bra so they were only $44.80 each, not a bad price.  Hey, you have to pay good money for something great, these are well constructed bras and worth every penny! 










Friday, April 24, 2015

Out In The Garden

Sorry I haven't been writing lately, I have a huge task on my hands, spreading 8 yards of Super Soil in all the garden areas around the house.  It's been rough on the hubby and I for the last 2 weekends, from sun up to sun down, weeding, planting and spreading dirt and mulch.  But, it's almost done, just have to do the back gardens around the sea grasses, and then I will be on the deck setting up for the season.  I can't wait, that is my sanctuary, my staycation (I still have 2 in college so vacations are out of the question!) I like to relax on the deck with a glass of wine (and snacks of course!) listen to the birds and watch the sunset.

I have my flower pots planted and waiting for them to bloom, and I started some veggies - kale, spinach, beets, tomatoes (5 different kind), cucumbers, lettuce, peppers (3 different kind) eggplant, green beans, yellow beans, purple beans (yes they are), onions, strawberries, fennel (love it!), Italian parsley, oregano, rosemary, basil, sage, thyme, mint, lemon grass and catnip for the kitties, they love fresh catnip so I plant it every year for them.

Here is the monstrosity of a dirt pile, it doesn't look like much, but the pile is dense and never ending!
Before and after of a small flower bed.  I plant basil in here too, because I love the fragrance of it when you walk by.
This is before the new soil was spread.
 
New soil spread and weeds cleared.  Now the grass has to be cut.
Left: Before the new soil 
Right: After all weeds are cleared and soil is spread.
These shots are before the new soil.  I have a long row of peonies growing in this garden and they are just starting to pop up.  A small bunch of Lamb's Ear grows in here too.  Every year I pull it out and it always comes back!
A little bit of eye catching wrought iron artwork, and a ceramic Eldreths Pottery bird house hangs in the center for the birds, they nest here every year.
Before and after of the front garden. 
I planted a mix of ranunculus, jumping jacks (viola), alyssum, lobelia and a new white hydrangea in the corner.
Before and after of the other side of the garden.  Rhododendrons, azaleas, lilacs, hydrangeas, hostas and crepe myrtles grow on this side.
Fresh and cleaned up, a small bird bath in the center, the cats love watching the birds as much as I do!
Before and after.  This goes all the way around to the back side of the house.
Fresh soil and mulch, looks great.
A couple of big field stone rocks to dress it up, and around the back, pavers to hold in the new soil so it doesn't wash away.
Lilacs are blooming.
On to the mailbox area.  This area is tough, it's right on the driveway.  Even though I have paving stones, everybody drives over it and ruins everything I ever plant.  This year I moved everything back, I planted bleeding hearts and coral bells in the front and 2 different colors of clematis in the back, that grow up and around the mailbox.  Hopefully everyone will be careful and not run over it anymore!
Sundial for eye appeal in the daylily garden.
This is the daylily garden coming down the driveway.  It's a big circle of Rose of Sharon trees, rhododendrons, a new oak tree and a huge variety of daylilies.
We got crackin' on the weeds, dug up the rocks that use to border it, they all sunk, because you know, everyone is driving over them!
After spreading all new soil and mulch in here, I re-set the rocks and added some new bigger ones, hopefully people will be more careful.
This is the garden around the shed.  Every year I plant and every year the groundhog, deer, you name it animal, eats everything I plant.  So last year I planted daylilies and knockout roses, so far so good.  I planted small sunflowers in the basket for the birds.  I love the moss that grows on the concrete blocks, so I leave it there.
This stuff here is my new best friend, Critter Ridder.  It does not hurt any animals, it just deters them from areas where you don't want them and from eating all your plants.  I do not spray it on my flowers and plants, I spray the border wherever I plant.  It lasts up to 30 days after you spray, but please be careful and do not spray on a windy day, I found out the hard way!  If it blows or you inhale it, it will burn your eyes, throat and lungs, it's like pepper spray and is to be used outside only.  PLEASE read directions carefully!  Groundhogs live under my deck and shed, so this planting area is like a salad bar for them.  They do not like the smell or taste of Critter Ridder so they won't come back.  It has worked for me, groundhogs were digging holes right at my foundation,I sprayed this around the whole area and they are gone!