September 30, 2013 by Born To Organize

Spina Farm with Boomdee

The sweet, lovely and indefatigable Boomdee’s in town. We’re having a great time.

If you’re new to Gardening Nirvana, it may surprise you to learn that the two of us met through blogging. We live in different countries, thousands of miles apart, but quickly realized we had something special. The ‘written’ word brought us together, with an assist from technology. We became fast friends. Like a twin, I missed her even before I knew she was there to miss.

Now she’s here for a week, so we’re eating, site-seeing, touring, laughing, photographing and talking our hearts out. She came all the way from Canada to be here the week of my birthday. Happy Boomdee to me!

A playful Boomdee at Spina Farms Pumpkin Patch

Field of Pumpkins

Honey, I shrunk the bloggers!

Spina Farm Pumpkin Patch

Spina Farms Pumpkin Patch Highlights:

Hay rides through the beautiful sunflowers fields
Over 60 pumpkin varieties
Locally owned and operated
The opportunity to meet and snuggle a few small animals (I got to hold a chicken!)
Climb on the over-sized Adirondack chair and feel like a child again

September 20, 2013 by Born To Organize

Sunflowers From Boomtown

Special Delivery from Edmonton

My dear friend Boomdee is coming to town. She’ll be here in a matter of days. When we’re not sharing via our blogs, Facebook or Skype, we fill in the gaps with tiny treasures via snail-mail. When you have a kindred spirit, it’s a bit like having a twin. You find yourselves doing the same thing at the same time without realizing it until later. You fall into patterns as if you’ve known each other your entire life. The most incredible part of all is finding your kindred spirit through blogging.

Here is the latest from Boomtown aka Edmonton, Canada: a cheerful sunflower postcard with the glittery “Boomdee Touch.”

“The older I get, the more I realize how rare it is to meet a kindred spirit.” – Ethan Hawke

Practicing her best sunflower smile.

“True friends are always together in spirit.” – L.M. Montgomery from Anne of Green Gables

Do you have a kindred spirit? Tell me more in the comments below.

August 15, 2013 by Born To Organize

Fairy Garden Treasure

Look what arrived in my mailbox last week? Isn’t it a treasure? It flew all the way from Edmonton, Canada via the effervescent Boomdee of Boomdeeada. I love it!

The cover features a one-dimensional cut-out of the 3D version, above. Once open, you’re treated to this. I love fairy gardening, so my mind has been spinning ever since this arrived. I carried my Boomdee card around the garden today and snapped a few shots.

What are you doing down there?

Here…

Fairies and birds at the fountain

and here.

Kissing near the roses

I’m planning on color-copying the front of the card, but reducing it in size. Then I’ll figure a way to use the miniaturized copy in the fairy garden. I’ll be tickled pink, and I know that Jazzy’s day care kids will too. I wonder what the fairies will think?

Do you know what I think? I’m the luckiest gardener in the world. ♥♥♥

Have you discovered the joy of fairy gardening?

May 29, 2013 by Born To Organize

My Secret Garden

secret garden girl The Secret Garden, published in 1910 by Frances Hodgson Burnett, is noted as ‘one of the best children’s books of the twentieth century.’ I don’t know if I actually read it as a child, but the idea of a secret garden has stayed with me always. Who doesn’t like a good mystery? Throw in a secret key and a beautiful garden and you’ve got the makings of a rich childhood fantasy.

Earlier this year I discovered a beautiful line of crafting paper by graphic 45 based on Burnett’s book. While I was purchasing my own sheaf of paper in California, Boomdee was doing the same in Edmonton, Canada. I just know they were thinking of us when they designed this nostalgic product line.

Secret Garden

Paper intended for scrapbooks doesn’t usually end up in the garden. For a variety of reasons (well one really) paper and water don’t mix. I decided to buck the trend, however, and figure out a way to combine my love of tiny gardens, secret gardens, crafting paper and children’s lit.

Using a plastic tray and a generous amount of cello-tape, I waterproofed the paper for the background as well as the sign. I purchased a small wooden frame for a dollar at our local craft store and painted it a soothing garden green. Touches of moss and dirt gave it a woodsy touch, as well as the Sedum and petrified wood nearby. A small gravel path leads to the heart-shaped entrance. Stairs (made from leftover tile pieces) sit on small wooden blocks. Just follow the colorful path.

Secret Garden Entrance

Please follow the path

Garden Steps

Please come this way…

Paper design by graphic 45

You’ll be seeing more of this lovely paper in a craft-it-forward project later this year.

For additional inspiration, check out the links below:

December 18, 2012 by Born To Organize

Rain Drops and Earworms

I’ve had an “ear-worm” stuck in my head for a day now. It’s the song made famous by Burt Bacharach, called Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head. It started in the garden yesterday, in the rain, of course. It continued well into today’s cold, dry weather and refuses to let up. I wish I could say the same for the rain which has let up. Again.

I understand that the rain is not for everyone. People living in Hamburg, Germany or Seattle, Washington get plenty. Living in a semi-arid climate like California means our rain is minimal compared to many other areas of the world.

I’ve always liked the rain. It’s fun to walk in it. I’ve been known to pull weeds while it’s pouring down. The sound of the rain on the roof at night is both calming and romantic. Gathering puddles bring out my inner child. It’s true that I don’t like to drive in wet weather. People seem to lose their heads when it rains. They drive too fast, follow too closely and we have the invariable car pile ups. Away from that nonsense, however, I do enjoy the wet stuff.

While snapping pics in the drizzle and humming my rainy day song yesterday, it was clear to me that all the plants in my garden agree. Rain drops keep falling…