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Seed Starting and Sun Searching

February 8, 2022 Leave a Comment

*Free Image Credit:* *Jill Wellington on Pixabay*

*If you have a blog post about what you are doing in February for your garden please share it in the link party-details are at the bottom of post*

I started my first round of seeds indoors (insert excited “squee” here). I do love gardening. I love starting seeds, watching them grow and then seeing plants in the garden growing big and strong knowing I started them from these itty bitty seeds.

I started some vinca vine seeds, marshmallow (which is now tucked inside my fridge for the next 4 weeks), rosemary, lavender (also in the fridge), columbine (in the fridge), snapdragons, scallions & leeks. I purchased some seeds online from two different Etsy stores and Botanical Interests. I am really impressed with all the information Botantical Interests includes on the seed packs. Another favorite seed company is Renees Garden-I think the tomatoes I grew last year from her were the most delicious ever! I also planted Lavender seeds last year bought from Renee’s Garden and they grew into flowering small shrubs giving me lots of flowers in just one season! I don’t love the fragrance of the variety I chose but I they are still beautiful and the bees loved them. I am growing English Lavender this time around and I am hoping to be able to create an entire lavender garden one of these day. (The links in this post are just shared in case you would like to try what I purchased. These are not affiliate links-I’m just sharing for your information 🙂

This year I am focused on growing a cut flower garden. I love cutting flowers and bringing them indoors in various mason/repurposed jars and setting them up all over. It makes me so happy to cut flowers outside.

We have been in our home for 21 years and when we first bought the home our backyard was all shade. I mean a lot of shade. So I planted a rose garden out front and some veggies and it eventually became these very large front garden. Over the years there has been an upsurge of invasive weeds-the fast growing, vining, wrap-around-everything-can’t-dig-them-out-with-a-shovel type weeds.

And to be honest, I hate maintaining it. There has been a shift as well since trees in the neighborhood are taller that our front yard gets more shade than it did once upon a time. I am all about making things simple. I hate chores and projects and I want to enjoy my garden. It’s supposed to be something that restores me-not another have to on my list. So this year we are making some big changes.

Firstly we are digging out all of our roses and moving them to our backyard (which is now full sun). We are transplanting some volunteer rose of sharon plants along our driveway and ultimately (if we can) removing our butterfly bushes to a new garden in the back along with the roses.

It’s a lot of plants to move but I think they will thrive in the new location and it will give us the ability to dig out the mulch (it’s mounded pretty high) and add it to our compost bins and then work on digging down and hopefully digging out these weeds. It’s been nearly impossible to dig them out when they are really intertwined with the roses. Did I also mention that in my youthful excitment for an herb garden I planted mint….in the ground….yep. We have gotten rid of most of it using black paper but it’s still there. Beside the lemon balm I planted….in the ground…

So with the yard a blank slate we are hoping to plant some grass and then at least we can mow down the weeds as they come up in our already weedy grass patch.

I’ll be moving some holly bushes out of the backyard that we inherited with the house and also our apple tree. We planted 2 but sadly only one remains so we will be buying a second and moving them to a small garden area next to the driveway. In the space where the holly bushes and apple tree are is where the rose bushes and hopefully the butterfly bushes will be re-homed. We aren’t sure if we can get the butterfly bushes dug up. They have been in our front yard for years and years. I love them and all the butterflies that they attract but the location isn’t my favorite. I think they will look beautiful in our new back garden.

I am also going to be making a new vegetable garden. I moved the vegetable garden from the front yard into the back yard a few years ago. I love it back there. It’s great because the kids can play, it’s fenced in and private and I can just enjoy the gardening time. We built raised beds and I decided this year to make this my cut flower garden. I am going to be focusing on only growing the foods we love to eat and I am going to be using the fabric pots of purchased last year to create a new vegetable/fruit garden. I’ll fence it in (to keep the dogs and groundhogs out) and then transplant my strawberries, raspberries and blueberries into the ground but everything else is going to be grown in fabric pots. What I love about this is I don’t have to worry about crop rotation as I will refill the pots each season and I think it will keep everything a lot tidier.

I am hoping to take some video to share with you as we go about the process of moving everything. Eventually we are going to be growing some privacy trees along the back fence but since we have a lot to get done in early spring I didn’t want the pressure of planting 10 trees on top of everything. With any luck, if the weather is warm and we can get out there early we can still do the trees this year as well.

In the meantime I would love to hear what you are growing or answer any questions you might have. I am in zone 6 so I have a while before the ground is thawed and I am out digging. I am however working on making my own garden journal to capture this season in. I hope to have a flip through video to share with you soon.

Wishing you a beautiful day!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Tired Creativity

January 28, 2022 Leave a Comment

Making time for our creativity is something I think we can all struggle with. Often when we have the time we don’t have the energy and when we have the energy may be committed to other things such as job, family or just doing laundry.

I have often found myself in this cycle of needing, really needing to spend time with my art. I long to sit in my creative corner and paint or collage and to just get lost in the art of creating. More often than not the only time I have to do this is at the end of the day and the end of the day finds me tired. And usually it’s more than tired it’s the drain that comes with taking care of others all day with little focused energy on yourself. Or perhaps it’s the drain of spending your days focused on work that isn’t your passion-or worse-work that you really dislike doing.

It’s always surprising to me how often I put off that which I know I love most. The practices that make me smile or even better sigh with pure, unadulterated joy, are the ones that I put off the most and my creativity is no exception.

I do however pay attention. I take note of the habits and thoughts that run around in my brain. I try my best to be conscious of the choices I am making in each moment and it’s the times when I engage with my creativity that I noticed something you may have also experienced.

Creativity fuels me.

Creativity heals me.

Creativity releases the toxins, the sadness, the pain and it refills me with joy, truth and love.

It takes mere moments of me putting some color on a simple journal page for me to feel the calibration starting to happen. My energy raises, my mood lightens and I am rewarded by a feeling of rejuvenation I would not have thought possible a mere 5 minutes earlier.

I’ve spent my whole adult life trying to make time for my creativity when in reality I wanted to find time when I was at my best, fully awake and ready to go. I wanted hours upon hours of creative time. I wanted my creative time to be as long as-if not longer-than the time I spent at the day job.

Here’s what I have discovered about the beauty of creativity.

It’s there to heal us creatives. It is what keeps us moving through life, what keeps us reaching for the unconventional, the new, the non-mainstream. Creativity, unlike the day job, doesn’t demand from us our best. Instead it is like a loving grandmother, arms outstretched providing us with a safe place to rest. A place where we can dump all the hard and the taxing and leave with all that is bright, inspiring and real.

Instead of seeking ways to make time for my creativity, I challenge myself to just sit down at my workspace even if it’s with a cup of tea, feeling exhausted and completely lacking in inspiration. I might pick up a favorite material (current my Tempera paint sticks are my most favorite-so much fun for adding layers to a journal) and a simple composition notebook and just put some color on some paper. I am not seeking to make a masterpiece-or even to make anything at all. Instead I simply want to be with my creativity. To sit together, connect and just be. I start with a goal of 5 minutes. 5 minutes I sit there and doodle, scribble, paint or glue scraps to paper.

Almost every time I feel the energy flow in. I start to sit up straighter, smile maybe a bit and before I know it I am creating where just minutes before I was too exhausted to make myself some toast.

Creativity is a magical gift. It is there for you and you only need to knock on its door to feel the rewards. A Creative practice isn’t something that needs to be big or thought out-it is after all practice. You simply visit with it each day-and on the days when you want to skip it remind yourself that it’s then you need it most. It is the moments when you are lost, tired, sad, scared, frustrated that you need your creativity.

And it is always there for you.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Snow, Creativity & The Full Moon

January 17, 2022 Leave a Comment

Happy Monday morning!

I am sitting at my kitchen table with a delicious cup of decaf coffee. Why decaf? Well I have learned (repeatedly because, well, human) that caffeine makes me anxious. Like, zombies are about to crash through the front door kinda anxious. So, decaf. I buy good stuff (yes, there is good decaf) and I make it in my french press with half-n-half (no sugar) so it’s quite yummy and I don’t miss the caffeine. Coffee was never something that woke me up and gave me energy. I have just enjoyed the ritual of it so the decaf serves me quite well.

Outside is blanketed in snow-I think about 3-4″ accumulated from late last night followed by rain. It’s also predicted to warm up so I imagine, like a typical Jersey snow it will rush in, look fabulous and then disappear before we know it only to return again at a later date as if it never left.

I had quite a bit of creative time this weekend. The moon is full today and that resulted in my usual crash of energy and need to retreat into the solitude of my creative corner and wrap myself up in books, paint and glue. I did some collage and I am prepping a new journal to utilize as a moon tracker for myself which I think will be fun. I am really focusing on making my art my own and to spend more time having fun and less time worrying about results. Having lived this life as long as I have I have never enjoyed myself when I focused simply on results. Results quickly turn things into chores and things that need to be weighed and judged as either worthy or unworthy and I usually stomp off in a huff taking my crayons and going home.

Instead, I want to enjoy my play time. I want to glue, paint, draw, doodle and just enjoy myself. I can’t possibly know where I am going but I believe with my whole heart that if I am present, aware and focused on Joy I really can’t go wrong and wherever I find myself will be quite lovely all around.

So today I am focused on making art and having fun while doing it. I am taking part in a swap where I am making a new art journal and recording the process. I will probably share that video over on my other blog but will try and link to it here if you are interested. It’s going to be a journal that myself and my swap partner will each make art in and go back and forth adding our own spins on it. I have never done anything like this and think it’s going to be a lot of fun.

I also have quite a few sewing projects on my list and if I manage to get through any I will be sure to do a little round up of what I got to this week. I also hope to record you another podcast and I really would love to do a little studio chat where we can hang out together and make things. I love working alongside some of my favorite creatives so I thought I would create something similar for you here. I just need to work out a time where I can record uninterrupted. I’ll keep you posted on that.

In the meantime I hope your Monday is off to a lovely start and that you are able to get some creative time in. Please do comment below and let me know what you are working on. I would love to hear!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante.

Some things that are really inspiring me right now….

Susan Branch’s Blog: Her post today really inspired me to just get on with writing here and sharing a little bit about what I am up to. To connect and that’s what I found her blog to do.

Laly Mille’s Art Journaling for a New Year Course: This is a free course she is currently running and I just love watching other artists mix collage and paint and words. It’s by far my favorite way to create.

Book Club: A Love for Reading

January 10, 2022 Leave a Comment

I have always loved to read. One of my earlier memories with books was sitting on the cool basement floor in my childhood home with a book in my lap. I couldn’t read then so I made up stories based on the photos and wove tales that lasted much longer than the original story.

Through the years my love of reading continued. When I was older and staying home alone while my mother worked I would spend summers reading late into the night-sometimes early morning only to repeat the process later the next night. My mother would take me to the library every Friday and I would leave with a stack of books to get me through the week.

I would save up any money I earned to buy the special books-the newest addition to a favorite series. They changed over the years: The Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley Twins, Sweet Valley High and pretty much anything written by author Christopher Pike. I would plop down in the section of the bookstore and pick out one new book that I would devour in a day and later bring several of them to the local used book store that would buy them back from me for $.50 each. Money I would then hand back to him when I picked out a stack of books from his inventory.

Over the years my reading has lapsed a bit depending on my life circumstances but I always come back to it. There may be times when I don’t read with as much rigor as I did in my childhood days however I don’t believe there has ever been a time there wasn’t a book I was in the process of reading-even if it took me a while.

Last year I reconnected with the love of reading all the time. I had let go of all social media accounts and was becoming aware of how the time spent on my laptop seemed to be directly correlated with how I was feeling. More time on the laptop seemed to yield less patience, kindness and more anxiety and worry. It seemed that the aimless hours spent wandering the Internet sapped my joy and excitement for actually living life, as my kids would say, IRL (in real life).

So I started decreasing my time online more and more and replacing the time I would have spend on the laptop doing non-essential or fulfilling activities with reading. It’s a choice that works for me and is in no way a judgment on the activities of any other soul on the planet. Our journeys are all individual and we are all affected by things very differently-this is something I have found improves my life so I try my best to honor that.

Plus I love it.

It’s interesting how little attention I give to the activities I love and how much I give to the ones I hate. I am consciously choosing to shift that each and every day and reading is just another activity that leaves me feeling restored and happy. Like writing, art and journaling, reading leaves me feeling restored and inspired.

I thought it might be fun to share some of what I am reading here with you. I am by no means a literature afficianado nor do I have any airs about what I read. I like inspiration, happy, light reads and so that’s what I read. I am trying to expand out and actually read some of those books I was supposed to read in high school and if I actually finish any of them I’ll be sure to post here.

A few days ago my daughter and I went to the local library. It’s tiny and doesn’t have a ton of books but I was picking up one I had put a hold on and while there started browsing. In total I came home with 5 books and I was very excited about the prospect of reading them all. I even set a goal of how many pages I wanted to read each day so I can finish them all before the first one is due back and so far I have read 2 books which feels really great. Not just as a box to be ticked or an accomplishment won but rather it feels good that I spend that much time in the past 2 days participating in something that brings me joy and subsequently spending much less time on something that depletes me.

It’s my favorite version of self care.

And that brings me to my post today. I thought it might be fun to share a little about the books I am reading. I am not sure how often I will update-I would love to say weekly but as you may know I am not one much for routine. Still I will do my best to tell you a bit about the books I am reading. I won’t be doing reviews namely because I find it unnecessary to criticize the creative work of another. If I don’t like a book I put it down and pick up another without feeling the need to share my lack of enjoyment with the book to others. I would much rather share with you all the books I really enjoyed-which for me is any book I have finished so that is what these posts will be about.

What I read this week:

The following books are ones I purchased with my own money or borrowed from the library. The links provided are affiliate links for Bookshop.org a site that supports local bookstores. If you use the links provided it does not cost you any more money but I earn a small commission.

1. “Spellbinding Blend” by Kennedy Lane: This is a series of books called “Paramour Bay” and they are considered “cozy mysteries.” This one takes place in a small Connecticut town where the main character learns not only that she is a witch but that she is from a family of witches. She uses her abilities, and of course here friends, to help solve mysteries in her new town.

This series is really a fun and light read which I love. I am reading this series on my Kindle. I was never someone who liked reading on an e-reader but a few months ago I decided to give it a shot and I am really happy with. I love it for the series that I can read through quickly but still prefer a physical book for some reads.

If you like a cozy mystery and a little magic weaved in-along with a series that currently has 22 books for you to devour you might want to check it out.

2. “I Was Amelia Earhart” by Jane Mendelsohn: I have really become fascinated by the story of Amelia Earhart since my daughter and I watched a recent exploration that was seeking to find her and her lost plane. This book was unlike anything else I have read in it’s prose and at times and for that reason I continued through and was glad I did. The story deepens as it goes and you watch the unfurling of the fictionalized version of the two main characters.

3. The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews: This was the books that sent me to the library first and even though I was reading it after Christmas I was really enjoying the story. It’s inspirational and uplifting and just an all around good feeling book. If you like your Hallmark movies and shows you just may like this one as well. I found myself sad when I remembered this wasn’t a series and I would be saying good-bye to these characters at the end of the book.

And that is what I have read this week, how about you? Do you love reading? Please comment below and tell me what you are reading and your favorites. It would be so much fun to have a list of recommendations going in the comments below!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

If you would like to take part in a fun reading bingo for January 2022 then check out the. blog below!

DIY Glassine Envelopes Using a Cereal Bag

January 5, 2022 Leave a Comment

Hello and how are you? I really hope this post finds you feeling well and perhaps enjoying some well deserved solo time-just you and your creativity.

Or perhaps you aren’t able to have a creative play are just gathering inspiration for later. Either way I really hope you enjoy your time here on my site and find a little inspiration while you are here.

You might like to check out my creative podcasts while you are here

Alright so let’s get started!

This project is really simple and what I love about it is that it is reusing something that would typically only have one use-cereal bags!

I have always kept our cereal boxes to use in various projects-typically making journals or mini vision boards of some kind. This time I am also making use of the inner bag that holds the cereal-and it was really a quick-and fun project!

I didn’t take many photos of the project as I was working since it was my first time doing this and I was figuring it out as I went but I did get it on video. Hopefully it’s all clear enough but do feel free to comment below should you have any questions-I’m happy to answer!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

I’m taking part in Handmade Monday

Handmade Holidays 2021

December 29, 2021 Leave a Comment

How were your holidays? We had a quiet holiday this year staying home just our little family of 5. To be honest this year I wasn’t really in the holiday spirit. I had so much fun making gifts for everyone (and I’ll share what I made in this post) you would have thought I was but it just never really felt like Christmas.

Maybe it was because it had been fairly warm the past 2 months-warm for the Northeastern USA anyway. Being able to go outside in just a sweater in winter feels like spring to me and Christmas should feel cold. Really cold. Like bundle up in layers with hats, gloves and scarves cold. Of course things are how they are but Christmas this year just felt a little less magical for me or rather I wasn’t as connected to the magic inside me as much as I would have liked.

Still I did the best to simply enjoy the day including a little solo walk to clear my head. My oldest turned eleven and Christmas has a different look to her if you understand my meaning. If you are struggling with this as much as my daughter is and I was you may benefit from the lovely Karen Fullerton’s post here. (Be mindful of who is around you before clicking the link though 😉

So, what did I make this year? Well I made our standard Christmas recipes but to be honest it’s the second year in a row that I really haven’t enjoyed the traditional ham for Christmas and I am thinking we will simply donate our free one next year (and for Easter). I am not sure what will replace it but I will be sure to let you know. Also, comment below if you would like me to write a post about our family traditions and our menu I would be happy to!

Now, on to the fun things-all the makes I made! I found this great pattern from Half Yard Sewing Club (it’s a membership site I’m part of) to make a reindeer and I planned to make one for each of the families on my husband’s side. Sadly the first one I made, well, she was a bit wonky lol (not a result of the pattern-a result of the maker 🙂 I still need to finish her but decided (after realizing I made a mistake cutting out the pattern pieces) that perhaps I might just want to find a different pattern as Christmas was quickly approaching. So I did! I found this adorable (and I do mean adorable) reindeer pattern that went together very easily and was perfect for making the bunch of reindeer I had planned. One even went over seas to a friend in the UK!

I will still finish our little Rosie the reindeer and she will be a much loved member of our family-wonky and all. For now though-she’s in an almost done state 🙂

The next item I made is another pattern from the Half Yard Sewing Club and it’s the adorable Maddie doll. I am so proud with how I embroidered her eyes! I was inspired by one of the member shares in the site who made the eyes a little different than the pattern. I did a bit of combining of the two along with my own little tweaks and think she came out super cute.

I am still not a master at doll hair and was going to leave her hair loose but decided to tie them back in the hopes that it will keep everything looking nicer longer. Maddie was a present for my 3 year-old who loved her and gave her a big hug when she opened her. The clothing was a bit harder for me-I didn’t pick the best fabric trying to use what I had in my stash-but for a first ever try at making doll clothing I am pretty happy. I skipped the shoes knowing they would just be forever on the floor but may make some down the road. I also plan on making some extra outfits for Maddie-and maybe even a Maddie for myself.

Another item I made was for my oldest daughter. She’s a felt doll that’s a unicorn so really, what’s not to love right? She came out super cute and my daughter really seemed to love her and I think she’ll make a nice addition to her collection. I also made her this cute Happy Cat which is free pattern from Ann Wood Handmade. I added a little story to her as well and I think she came out adorable! I will be making more of these for sure. I found some really cute fat quarters from a local fabric store and think they will be very sweet cats.

The other present I made was for my son who loves puppets and may even want to be a puppeteer when he is older. If he is a puppeteer on Sesame Street (like he said he would like to be) I think I would about scream with joy right before asking if he could actually tell me how to get to Sesame Street. I need to meet Snuffy-I mean, I really need to meet him.

I could not be happier with how this puppet came out and think he might just be my favorite handmade holiday gift this year although it’s hard to choose between the puppet (named, “Grouchy” by my son) and the reindeer.

One last item I made for the holidays was a little tea cup coaster for my friend Michael Nobbs. I am not sure if he received it yet so hopefully he doesn’t read this before he has 🙂 Still I think he will like it and I used some of the fat quarters I mentioned before to make it. I think I am going to make a few more of these for my desk and next to my chair in the living room.

So that is what I made for Handmade Holiday 2021.

I would love to hear about any handmade items you made this Christmas so please feel free to comment below with a link to your own blog post I would love to hear!

Wishing you a beautiful day!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Link Parties are a lot of fun! I submitted this post as part of:

If you liked this post be sure to check out the link party for other handmade fun!

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