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Planting Pinata Lavender

lavender
www.inspirationsbyd.blogspot.com
This past weekend I stopped by my local hardware store to look for supplies for a project.
As we walked up and down the aisles, I noticed that they did not have all the supplies I needed.
I decided to head over to the gardening section of the store.
And there it was,  Pinata Lavender.  I love lavender for their fragrance and the little things
you can do with them when harvested.  I just had to get some for my garden.  
I posted below how to plant and care for these for those interested in planting lavender.
lavender
inspirationsbyd.blogspot.com
These are a mounding perennial which means that they grow and bloom over the spring, 
summer and into fall, then die back to the ground in winter returning in each spring from their roots.
A great tip for planting this type of lavender in borders is to plant them either in the center 
or toward the back since they tend to grow taller than other flowers and plants.  
To make a huge visual impact, plant the same variety and color perennial in one area. 
This is commonly referred to as a mass plantings.  

In combination planters, use tall perennials as the centerpiece surrounded by mounding 
varieties with contrasting flowers and foliage. Then add trailing varieties to cascade 
over the edge of the planter. Annual flowers can be added to fill in between blooming cycles.
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  • Prepare the area for planting by conditioning the soil. Loosen the soil and incorporate an organic soil conditioner according to directions.  
  • Dig a hole 2 times the width of the root ball and a depth slightly less than the height of the root ball. Allow the top surface of the root ball to rest 1/2 inch higher than the soil line.
  • For container grown plants, carefully remove plant by squeezing container and slowly removing the root ball. Never pull on the plant trunk. Instead let the root ball slide out by tipping the container. If the plant is heavily rooted, loosen roots by gently pulling a few away from the root ball. This encourages stronger root growth. Set root ball in hole making sure the top of the root ball is slightly higher (1/2 inch) than ground level. Place soil mix under root ball if too low. Back fill soil mix around plant to ground level and tamp lightly removing all air pockets.
  • Water thoroughly to settle the soil around the plant. Add more soil mix around plant if necessary after watering. Apply root stimulator to encourage new root growth and fast establishment.
  • Add a 2-3" layer of mulch around plant to conserve soil moisture and eliminate future weeds.
  • Fertilize just before and during the plants active growing cycle. Fertilization should begin just prior to new growth and end three or four weeks before the first frost.
  • Choose an all-purpose fertilizer recommended for flowering and/or foliage plants. Frequency will depend on the type of fertilizer. Liquid (water soluble) and granular quick release fertilizer, require more frequent application; slow release granular fertilizer requires less.
  • Perennials are pruned to increase flower production and new growth.
  • Perennials that go dormant should be allowed to die back. Prune them in late winter or early spring. This encourages new growth and flowers.
  • Perennials that do not die back completely can be selectively pruned in early spring to remove dead and damaged limbs.
  • Removing old flowers prevents the plant from setting seed and encourages new blooms.
  • Always water slowly and deeply making sure the root ball is completely saturated.
  • Don't water at night if possible. Watering in the morning helps prevent disease.
  • Plants in containers may require more frequent watering than plants in the ground. This will depend on plant variety, pot size and soil.
I hope that these are helpful tips from Lowes.
Happy Gardening!

Recovery and Magnets

glass magnets
This week has been tough.  Do you remember when I told you my little guy was sick on this "post"?
Guess who caught what he had?  Yep, yours truly.  I've been in bed for days, what an
awful thing to have and to think that my munchkin had this.  
My poor little angel, thankfully he is well now.  I am slowly recovering.
Since I've been out of the loop for a while, I haven't gotten anything done.
I did manage to get an order out today.  
I love receiving well packaged items don't' you?  My latest gift to myself came from this gal.
I love her packaging, it's like getting a gift from a friend.

When I send out my items,I make sure it is ready for gift giving.
Whether it's for the buyer or another recipient.
That's just me!  

Now, graduation and Mother's Day are next month and I have only a few items left y'all.
These blue magnets are perfect for such an occasion.  The photos do no justice, none.
They are so beautiful in person.  I wish I could just reach out your screen and show them to you.
Stop by the shop and show your love.  Hope that you have a wonderful day!

Make Heart Shaped Sugar Cubes

heart shaped sugar cubes
Today I will be sharing with you how to make these cute sugar shaped hearts.
These are pretty easy to make and can be done in any shape.

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All you need are the items above, but you may opt for a regular square-shaped
mold or other shapes.  I also could have tinted the hearts to make them look extra cute,
but I don't like food dye in my coffee:-)
DSC_0807
1.So you start with a cup of sugar.
2. Add three to four teaspoons of water.
3. Mix the sugar with the water to the consistency of wet snow, but not too moist.
4. Put the moist sugar into your mold pressing firmly so you don't leave air bubbles.
5. Place the mold with sugar in the microwave for about 40 seconds.
6. Then place it in the freezer for a few minutes to cool.
7. Once they are cooled, pop them out of the mold and you will have your sugar hearts.
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heart shaped sugarsDSC_0865
This is truly a great way to impress your guests!
They will wonder where you got the lovely shaped sugar from.
Hope that you enjoy!

Homemade Tea with no Teabags

natural homemade tea
Hello friends, I hope that you enjoyed your weekend!  We had a sleepless weekend.
My poor little boy caught a stomach virus from school and has been sick all weekend.
He was unable to hold down liquids and you know the danger with that is dehydration.

We took him to the ER and they only gave us medicine to help with the obvious symptoms.
Now he is feverish.  This virus is contagious, so it gets passed around over & over in his school.

I was also a bit under the weather, but not with a stomach virus.
I made some homemade tea with natural dried herbs; chamomile and linden leaves.
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1. It's pretty simple, all I do is add the herbs to two cups of water; a teaspoon of chamomile and 
half a teaspoon of the linden  leaves.  You can also add ginger or anise to this if you like.
2.Simmer for a few of minutes until the water is hot & tinted.
3. Remove from heat, then strain it.
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4. Add honey or sugar and even perhaps a teaspoonful of fresh squeezed lime juice if you like.
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 There you have it, simple and homemade and no teabags.
This is a soothing tea for colds, cramps, headaches and other ailments.
I hope that you enjoy & now I'm off to take care of my little guy.

Linking to:
Lowercase Letters
Sew Chatty

Making Memories...

I'm back from my vacation friends and it's good to be back!
My 40 days of no blogging and no internet, really helped me clear
my mind and focus on a list of things that are important to me.  

Today I'm sharing some random photos from our Easter Weekend.
It was beautiful and I enjoyed every aspect of it.

We shared the Resurrection story with the kids as we do every year
as a reminder of what Easter is all about.
I used paper gift bags instead of baskets for gifts this year.
I decorated them and filled them with goodies.  It was easier to carry than baskets,
and that way they didn't have extra baskets to carry around.

The children enjoyed egg hunting and they had a blast with the cracking
of the eggs.  We adapted a Greek Egg game, the eggs are suppose to be
a rich red, but the coloring was a challenge, so I got them eggs with confetti
inside.  I did not anticipate the fun they would have with this game.

The eggs are to be dyed red because it represents the blood that Jesus shed for us.
The cracking or crashing of the eggs symbolizes Christ breaking out of the Tomb;
"Christ is Risen, Indeed He Has Risen."

When someone crashed their egg against another person's egg, the confetti flew out, 
a celebration of our Lord's Resurrection.  
Then all the children gathered their Easter eggs from the egg hunt
and they opened them up to find their goodies inside.

Dinner was delicious, thanks to our friends Michelle & Charles who provided the meal.
We had a blessed weekend and hope that you did too.
What did you do Easter Weekend?

Party Post UBP 2013

Ultimate Blog Party 2013
Welcome to the Inspirations by D blog!
This is my third blog party and  it's a great way to meet new bloggers.
First off, thank you so much for stopping by, and if you comment below, 
I want to thank you for taking the time for doing so.  
I enjoy all your visits and hope that you'll continue to drop by for inspiration.

I'm D and I am a mom to an energetic and loving little boy, 
a step mom to a great teenager and a wife to a wonderful man.
I come from a design, fashion and marketing background, and 
after working in the Fashion Industry for many years, 
I got married, I hung up my heels, moved around the world a couple of times,
then finally settled down in the country side. 
I enjoy DIY projects, photography, travel, crafting, family time and a prayerful life.
I blog about crafts, gardening, blog tutorials, little moments in my day to day living & more!
You never know what I have up my sleeve, so visit often.

This blog also serves as an extension to my Etsy Shop "Inspirations by D".  
You should drop by!
 
It would be wonderful if you would follow or subscribe to the blog.

I can't wait to meet you all, the party is all week long and with some amazing prizes, so hop in.  
Please leave a comment, so that I can visit your lovely blog.
In your comment, tell me what motivated you to start a blog, and what keeps you blogging,

what serves as your inspiration?
Join me at

Enjoy the rest of the party!


How to Clean Heavy Gunk Off Your Iron


clean iron
You have probably read tons of advice on 
how to clean your iron, just as I have.  I tried them ALL, but
for some particular reason, none of them worked on my iron.  
My iron does not have the shiny surface that many others have.

I gathered all of these attempts from Pinterest:

I tried the vinegar & baking soda approach, and nothing.
I tried the toothpaste approach, nothing.
I tried the magic eraser, nothing.
I tried the salt approach, nothing.
I tried too many to mention.
Everything failed!
I got so desperate, I almost ruined my iron by trying other crazy ideas
which did not work; ex: SOS pad, yes I got really desperate folks.
Friends, I had lost hope until I tried this!

Yes it is, a Tylenol.  Who on earth would have thought?  There is NO COATING on this tablet!
If you try this at home, make sure to use pliers or metal tweezers to avoid getting
your fingers burned.  I rubbed carefully & used a small towel.
I was pretty skeptical, I honestly did not think a little pill would do the trick...
...but it was truly magic!
Good heavens, makes me wonder what's in that pill?
This gunk was thick and not budging.  I thought that I was going to have 
to live with gunk on my iron.  People, I think I heard a choir of angels 
singing when the gunk was gone.
 Sorry that the clip is sideways.
Now to clean the rest of the stain.

What I did:
1. Set the iron to high heat setting, about 4 or 5. Make sure there is no water in it.
2. Get large Tylenol tablet the white kind with NO COATING, NOT gel.
3. Grab pliers or tweezers to hold pill and rub off gunk.
4.  The pill will begin to shrink, use more if needed.
5. Wipe with damp towel excess gunk.
6. Done!  You may have some remaining stain as mine did,
just keep rubbing until it's all gone.
***NOTE***
Do not use any other tablet other than Tylenol to do this.
Make sure that it does not contain any
coating.  I've had two readers tell me that they had a toxic smell occur,
so make sure that you use the correct tablet.






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