Here is a quick, easy and inexpensive way to make Garden Stakes. First I painted small wooden shapes (picked up from Hobby Lobby for $1.99) with black chalkboard paint, any paint would work.
Then I glued cooking skewers to the back using E6000 glue
Let them dry overnight
I painted the names with regular acrylic paint and sealed with a varnish spray. Added a ribbon for cuteness.
Here they are in action, Now if only pulling weeds was that easy.
Hoot! Rebecca
Presenting a Labor of Love by my family, like a fine, smooth, machine we all worked together and was able to complete the task in a day. Well let’s see that isn’t entirely true, I started about a month ago laying the stone edging and removing the grass (the the help of my husband).
Then the area sat or as I like to say it rested. BUT on Friday night my husband declared it was time to do SOMETHING with this spot, so we began to share ideas. We actually want to expand our back patio with cement to the end of the house, eventually. So our idea is to create a space without using long term native plants or trees that would require removal later. Thinking thrifty, my husband suggested we use the cut stumps of a pine tree we recently had cut down as stepping stones. Hummm ideas beginning to unfold… so stumps, annuals and mulch were our key items to use. First we start out with man power. What would have taken me ALL day to do, scraping and smoothing, took my husband about 30 minutes. 
Next step: create the edging for the walk way, gotta love this sandy soil we have
Laying down the weed barrier and brown mulch (4 bags of mulch for $10 at Lowes) It took 9 bags to create a good thick ground cover
While Brazos and I took another trip to Lowes (you know there has to be “another trip” to the Lowes or Home Depot in any home improvement project) The guys cut the stump into stepping stones and filled in the walkway with a light colored pine mulch
Now the fun begins, figuring out where to place pots and plants 
And here it is, a Walkway of LOVE
Let’s recap: Before:
After:
The other Side of After:
BEST WEEKEND EVER! Hoot! Rebecca
It’s that beautiful time of the year, the time to get outside and plant something. I have grown to LOVE succulents plants. One reason is they are very drought and heat tollerant and in Texas this is very important. These plants are very low maintenance and can grown just about anywhere. So lets make an arrangement using a rod iron deer planter. Supplies needed other then the planter: Burlap, rocks (big and small), Cactus dirt and of course the plants. 
First I cut a piece of burlap to fit along the bottom of the planter
Then lined rocks along the bottom and edge, enough to hold dirt
Played around with different plants to see what looked best
Interesting about these plants, you can cut from the stem, stick it directly into the soil and they will grow
Pretty little arrangement indeed.
Are you ready to play in the dirt? Give succulents a try.
Hoot! Rebecca
