Crape Murder Contest

As a former Horticultural Agent, and having a degree in Landscape Architecture, nothing bugs me more than the awful practice of topping crape myrtles. Volcano mulching might be a close second, but that’s for another post. And like most other Southern women, I subscribe to Southern Living.  I also follow them on most social media outlets, as well as Steve Bender better known as the Grumpy Gardener.  I saw a post about the 2013 Grumpy Gardener Crape Murder Contest, and thought I can find a “good” example of that.  So driving around one day, I found the perfect example see Exhibit A

 

Exhibit A

And the sad thing, there is a matching brutally pruned Crape Myrtle next to this one.  On a whim, I entered it the contest.  This was taken at a rural post office, so I entitled the entry “Gone Postal”. 

I never dreamed that my entry would be selected as a winner of the Crape Murder Contest, but it WAS!  I was slightly giddy over having been chosen, I just noticed it on Facebook, before getting official notification from the Grumpy Gardener himself. 

Check out the entry here.

Crape myrtles and most any tree are meant to have tapered branches, you know starting big and ending smaller, but for some reason people have this myth that the crape myrtles will perform better if just carelessly hacked back, sometimes in the middle of the branch.  Making them look hideous!  Instead of the graceful trees they are intended to be.  Please know how to prune before pruning!  Contact your local Extension service for details.  Here is the fact sheet from the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service Home and Garden Information Center on properly pruning crape myrtles.

Some of my favorite Crape Myrtles at Clemson University

This is what Crape Myrtles should look like in the winter! Beautiful structure and long graceful branches,

 NOT THIS!

 

Crape myrtles are a four season plant, meaning that they are interesting to look at through all the seasons, and those limbs are the main reason they look so great in the winter!  Think before you prune!

Mailing Easter Eggs

I found this idea on Pinterest and it originally came from Giver’s Log Happy Mail.  So this Easter I decided to try it.  I sent eggs to several young children, and students studying at college, because who doesn’t love happy mail?

All the stuff!  I bought the jumbo eggs, and then stocked up on party favors to put in them.  I also sent necklaces to the baby girls along with hair clips, and socks for the college girls.  I stuffed the eggs, and taped them to make sure they didn’t pop open in delivery.

             

Top Left: Eggs labeled Top Right: Stamped and Ready to go

*Note: Anything that weighs 13 oz or less can be mailed without being in a box, be sure to measure and calculate postage based on the PARCEL rate, not letter rate

Bottom Left: In the drop box Bottom Right: Two eggs made safely to their destination

All but two of the eggs were delivered, and I know that the post office delivered them (perks of knowing the Postmaster) so the college must have decided to keep the eggs which is sad

What crazy things have you mailed?

Carrie

Pinterest Gifts

I needed last minute gifts, what better place to get ideas and tutorials than Pinterest!  And it didn’t fail me, I made up some Mud Scrub and Citrus Salt Scrub I found on Pinterest.

Citrus Salt Scrub from Paula Deen

I didn’t look for Almond Oil at my local stores, my sister got me two bottles that made about 8 scrubs, I added a little olive oil in the last batch.  I started tweaking the amounts, I didn’t want an oily scrub so I put in less oil than the directions.  I loved used the Micro Planer from Pampered Chef for the lemon and orange zest,  and I added more than the directions called for.

Mud Scrub from adelynSTONE

For the people that love coffee this is a great sugar scrub, due to the coffee, click the link for more information.  *Note this recipe is double the Citrus

I used 8 oz quilted jelly jars from Ball to put the scrubs in. 

Final product

 

I gave these as gifts to friends, I kept one for myself, and they are easy to whip up, taking about twenty to thirty minutes start to finish.  I haven’t tried it yet.  Will let you know how it works.

Wreaths

My grandmother recently moved to live near us, she loves decorating for each season, so I got two wreaths for her French doors, and have changed them out for Christmas and now winter.  Will have to figure something out for Valentine’s Day.

    

I got candle making supplies for Christmas, I haven’t broken out the wax and melting yet, but I got crystals to make candles, so using the left over jelly jars, I made a quick little candle. In the best colors ever!

 

My New Year started off right with a nerve wracking football game, the Chick-fil-a Bowl. It came down to the last 2 seconds of the game, when our kicker scored the winning field goal to beat LSU 25-24.  I love my Clemson Tigers!

I hope to stitch more and update the blog more this year!

Hope your 2013 is a great year!

Carrie

Charleston NACAA 2012

I was honored to be on the committee that planned and carried out a the 2012 National Association of County Agricultural Agents Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference.  I was in charge of the Annual Banquet.  I had the pleasure of working with Tiger Lily Florist in Charleston for the arrangements.  I had seven themes, all related to South Carolina.

WARNING: LOTS OF PICTURES

You know you are from South Carolina when the biggest event of the year is the Clemson-Carolina game.

Painted by local high school students.

The picture is blurred but these are burlap roses I made.  You can find the tutorial here.  I used mason jars and wrapped them in burlap and lace.

Made by my awesome Mommy!

Carolina Wren and Goldenrod – Flowers by Tiger Lily

Garden – Tiger Lily Florist

Cotton – with redneck wine glasses, arrangement by Master Gardeners

Peaches donated by Mac’s Pride and Titan Farms

Beaches by Tiger Lily Florist

Sweet tea Flowers by Tiger Lily, vintage tea cups and tea pitchers as vases

Palmetto Tree – Luminaries, I made these and a friend painted the state outline on the other side

 

Random Charleston Photos

Fort Sumter

The Bridge

Happy 4th of July

Just a little patriotic wreath to get in the spirit of things

 

And an update on the luminaries

Misc. Projects

I find this on tutorial on Pinterest and with a big event coming up this summer, I though why not try it and see if I want to use them…..

Here is the original post from Snug as a Bug Baby

And here are my roses….

 

I would totally recommend using a low temp glue gun, and one that has a trigger, I used a high temp gun that you have to push the glue stick through with your finger, it was a pain.

Another Pinterest find is the tin can luminaries.  My pin was a reported spam link so I went to trusted Google and found several tutorials that said fill the can with water and freeze,

Notice that the design is already drawn on, the Google results suggested to draw it on after its frozen, that would probably work great with a simple design but trying to punch a palmetto tree and moon it was easier to drawn it before freezing.

In process, instead of using a nail, I used a metal punch, this caused little circles of tin to get in the ice, so don’t let the ice melt in the drain.  If you just a nail, you probably wouldn’t have that problem.

Will post pictures of the finished painted project.

After getting a Cricut for Christmas I finally created my first scrapbook page!

This is the title page for my travel scrapbook.  Can’t wait to keep creating with my Cricut

And finally a cross stitch update

This is a surprise for my Granny.

Spring has Sprung

I love flowers, so of course spring is one of my favorite seasons!  Look at some of my lovelies…..

 

It is suppose to be orange and purple, but the million bells have turned red :(

Shasta daisies started from seed

Peruvian lilies from Plant Delights Nursery

Working hard on a school rain garden

I have squeezed in few trips, one to Baltimore and one to Virginia and DC

At Camden Yards! My hotel overlooked it

Charm City Cake!!

Fort McHenry

Rainy Day in DC

All those lives lost in WWII

The First Lady’s Dress

The Discovery

There stands Jackson like a stone wall

Ok so being crafty has been neglected but have done some work

 

Finished look of my afghan

 

First three pieces sewn together!

Candies for community event, Rolo Turtles, and MM Kisses

Happy Spring!