Nature

Thrifty Tuesday

1 May posted by Fawn

Dear Creatives, I grabbed some of my picks for Mother’s Day Gifts & a discount to share with you! With Mother’s Day around the corner how about sending a bouquet of organic flowers? No time like the present to grab a discount & be set to send some love to your mom, step mom, grandma or special lady who has inspired you. & the best part of this is they are Organic! All this flower chat in the past few weeks has me seeing beautiful flowers & wanting them on my table! How about for your mom’s table?

Let me show you some of the beautiful organic & green offers!

One Dozen Lavender Roses

Lavender Roses have to be one of my favorites! What is yours?

One Dozen Sweet & Lovely Bouquet

Or maybe these? So many color choices & flower choices, Gerbena Daisies, Lilies…. & you don’t just have to pick flowers there are choices from trees & plants to candy, nuts & fruits along with gift items to suit any occasion! Not only Mother’s Day!

Go Green Lunch Kit

One of my favorite gift items is this eco friendly lunch set!

Go Green Picnic Kit

& another is this eco friendly picnic set perfect for spring & summer outings. You can find items in all kinds of price ranges to suit your gift needs anytime!

I hope you find these organic & eco friendly options to your liking & grab the discount while you can to get your savings!

What type of gifts do you usually give your mom… for Mother’s Day?

4 Comments
Filed Under: Gifts, Green, Shopping, Thrifty Tuesdays

Flower Photography & Best Garden Sites -Tips

30 Apr posted by Fawn

Dear Creatives, Happy Monday to you! I hope your weekend was enjoyable. The weather was stunning here this weekend & almost summer like by mid day. But, that kind of weather I am far from ready for! We spent some time weeding, cleaning in the yard & replanting plants ready for continued growth, along with some transplants from seeds birds must have planted or dropped in the yard. Today I thought I would share with you a few flowers from the garden & let you know I am editing some photographs along with prepping some craft posts.

{cactus flower}

I wanted to post today, but wasn’t ready. I had to spend the afternoon & into the evening helping Sammie with a project. She has to write a report on something about California History & the project she picked to create was a game, so I helped her making her game. I’ll have to share it because I think it came out pretty good with our collaboration.

{rabbits ear lavender}

She still has work to do on it & the summary to do, but headway is made! Thank goodness! Over spring break I had taken her to the Petrified Forest, when those photos are done I will share a few. We enjoyed it very much & the gift shop was filled with so many rocks, fossils, nature items & books.

Before you go venture off to these other sites check out these gardening tips -video tutorial s right here!

Here is a round up of some great sites for tips for your spring garden or getting started on one:

National Wildlife Federation-Garden for Wildlife – Create a Certified Wildlife Habitat {much easier than you think!}
Sierra Foundation Garden Tips
National Garden Association {lots of information from theme gardens to kid garden & more}
Native Gardens Las Palitas Nursery {California Native Gardens, to lots of information about butterfly gardens}
Better Homes & Gardens – Gardening

What did you do over this past weekend?

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Filed Under: gardening, Photography

Grilled Cheese Challenge Recipe – Mediterranean Grilled Cheese

27 Apr posted by Fawn

Theresa Huse 2012 DearCreatives-01050 Grilled Cheese 650x 1

Dear Creatives, Did you know April has been National Grilled Cheese month? I was given the opportunity to try & create a new grilled cheese recipe using two products I love! How could I not try? Udi’s Gluten Free breads & Horizon Organic Cheese! So let me share what I came up with a Mediterranean Grilled Cheese. This is a super easy recipe I hope you get a chance to try it!

Now I did make the standard grilled cheese for an after school snack with Udi’s white bread & Horizon Colby Cheese, but for the contest I went with some of my favorite ingredients, artichoke hearts & green chili peppers…!

I decided to use the Millet-Chia Bread & Horizon Organic Colby Cheese (which Sammie loves for after-school snacks served with a sliced apple)

I used the Colby cheese which I chopped up.

Then I added diced green chilies mixing them with chopped artichoke hearts. Trust me here!

Now I am laying the foundation of the grilled cheese sandwich with these ingredients, but preparing the bread with butter is key! Using a non stick skillet with a low heat melt the butter (about 1 tbs) and add the bread!

You (newbie cooks) want to brown without burning the butter & bread! Flip over & brown other side lightly. Melt the Colby cheese slowly by using a covered lid on top of one slice. Take the other slice of browned bread out of the pan, spread with cream cheese along with the artichoke & diced green chilies ( about 1tbsp.)

Then top the bread with your melted Colby cheese slice. Completing your ultimate grilled cheese sandwich!

Optional ingredients would be adding chopped black olives or chopped Kalamata olives (my favorite) to cream cheese prior to spreading and topping the grilled cheese with sprouts! This is my Mediterranean Grilled Cheese. Enjoy!

Udi’s Gluten Free Bread Products

Horizon Organic Cheese Products

From the links in the disclosure you can go to the main page of the site(s) & grab special offers & coupons!

What does your favorite Grilled Cheese Sandwich have in it?

Mediterranean Grilled Cheese

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Mediterranean Grilled Cheese

Easy!

Ingredients

Udi's Millet- Chia Bread
Horizon Colby Cheese Sticks
Butter (about 1 tbsp)
Cream Cheese
Diced Green Chilies
Canned Artichoke Hearts
*optional diced black olives or Kalamata olives
*sprouts
Tools- non stick skillet, spatula, knife & cutting board

Instructions

First prep items needed : Open & drain the diced green chilies & artichoke hearts. (*optional drain diced olives) Chop the Colby cheese and artichoke hearts Keeping separate. Take cream cheese & butter out of fridge. Mix artichokes & diced chilies.(add optional black olives if desire ) Use about 1 1/2 tbsp per slice of bread, along with the cream cheese*

First must do these steps:

Lightly brown the bread in butter (slowly on both sides) You want to brown without burning the butter & bread! Flip over & brown other side lightly. Melt the Colby cheese slowly by using a covered lid over top of one slice. Take the other slice of lightly browned bread out of the pan, spread with cream cheese along with the artichoke & diced green chilies (&*optional ingredients).
Then take the top with your melted Colby cheese on your other slice of bread topping the cream cheese mixture.
Slice in half & serve with a tomato beet salad or your favorite green or Greek salad.

Notes

Created for Udi's & Horizon Organic Grilled Cheese Challenge 2012

http://www.dearcreatives.com/grilled-cheese-challenge-recipe-mediterranean-grilled-cheese/

DearCreatives 2012

Disclosure: I was provided Udi’s Gluten Free Bread and Horizon Organic Coupons to facilitate this post however all opinions are 100% my own. Personally I love Udi’s and Horizon brands & products.

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Filed Under: Organic, Recipes, reviews

Green Crafting How to Butterfly Feeder & House

23 Apr posted by Fawn

Theresa Huse 2012 DearCreatives-00968 Sammie putting on finishing touches on butterfly house

Dear Creatives, Happy Monday to you! It’s going to be a busy week here for me. Today I wanted to share my time out for Earth Day with you. Sammie & I created the butterfly feeder along with a butterfly house I talked about making. We weeded our small herb garden, along with planting & pruning a few things. We planted a new thyme, basil & rosemary plants. I took a few photographs to share with you, then after the photos is a video tutorial with the steps showing what we did. I hope you enjoy it.

Here is Sammie out working on the butterfly house we made together & our just weeded herb garden full of sage, chives, strawberries, oregano & more.

Butterfly feeders are great for attracting butterflies. The butterfly houses help protect them from bad weather.

Next is a video tutorial I created for you on how to create them for your garden .

Note: I didn’t purchase the software I used to make the video, so this free version will take you off site & then you’ll have to come back. I was testing it out to see how I like it before I commit to purchasing. More about that later! & see not under video before going! I think you will enjoy the tutorial, by the way its not long!

If you share: do not alter & link back to site Thank you!

This digital slideshow personalized with Smilebox

This video collage customized with Smilebox

Don’t forget to link-up if you have some green crafts, tips or ideas to share!
Enter the giveaway before your done today!
Check out the Beyond Earth Day Tips!
Do let me know how you like the tutorial so I will know if you enjoy viewing them this way & if you do I will make some again with the software & consider purchasing it.

What did you do for Earth Day or this past weekend?

2 Comments
Filed Under: Green, Green Crafts, Nature

Beyond Earth Day #Green #Tips & Link-up

22 Apr posted by Fawn

Dear Creatives, I hope you find somewhere to celebrate Earth Day today! Even just get into your yards, parks & beaches to experience nature, plant or care for them in some way! Earth Day is so important as a reminder to take care of our planet, our Mother Earth! Today I have a list of how you can be greener & take it beyond Earth Day. Yesterday I started my project of creating a butterfly feeder, today I am finishing it up & hoping to share it with you soon!

Yes, even are insects are important to our eco system, as they are vital to keeping pollination thriving in our eco systems. Pollination is the process by whichpollen is transferred in the reproduction of plants, thereby enabling fertilization and sexual reproduction.

Here is a round-up of ways you can help our planet & animals on Earth Day & beyond :

More about butterflies, making a butterfly feeder, monarch butterflies & a freebie printable.

I found this article of how to make a butterfly house out of a shoebox & think I may try it & thought you might be interested too! A great project to do with the kids!

Calendar of Earth Day Events CA

Recycle your old blankets & faded towels to animal shelters! This is a great idea from Animal Planet for helping Animal Shelters on Earth Day!

50 Ways of crafting with tin cans to re-purpose them all in one spot! & yes plenty are for the outdoors!

How to Plant a Tree

10 ways to go Green & Save Green

Free Green Office Guide

Get free re-usable bags from Kellog’s

Lets all do our part to be a little greener beyond Earth Day! & if you have a post or an organization for more green tips & Earth Day tips feel free to link them up here!

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Filed Under: Green, Green Crafts, Inspired Living

Spring, Butterflies, #EarthDay & Earth Day Link-Up

20 Apr posted by Fawn

Dear Creatives, I had a post ready but, felt it wasn’t right for today. I wanted to share something more creative, along with thinking about this upcoming Earth Day which is April 22! The birds are chirping, the sun is out & I am so happy spring has arrived! I decided to share some things I found that are spring & Earth Day related along with an Earth Day Link-Up on my site here. I hope you join in the link-up, but more about that later in the post!

*events & organizations at bottom of post

The Graphics Fairy

I have known Karen from The Graphics Fairy a few years from blog land, using her images to create things. I just love her site & angel policy! If you like making cards & crafts or mixed media art of any type, but have never visited you should sometime & tell her I sent you! To grab this freebie she has from a class she taught visit here for The Digital Collage Sheet-Spring.

http://www.ehow.co.uk

I lost my butterfly bush which had been beautiful attracting many hummingbirds & butterflies. When I saw this easy project I knew it was one I am going to do. Create a homemade butterfly feeder. If you visit e-how you can find out what they like & how to make your own! Homemade Butterfly Feeder Tutorial

Theresa Huse

I want to plant a new butterfly bush to help nature’s creatures pollinate! I know not to plant it too close to a tree they need to reach out to grab the sun & not have to fight for it! You can plant a butterfly garden too! I came across how you can sign up for Burpee.com Free Newsletter & get $5. off your purchase! Here is where you can purchase your butterfly attracting plants from Burpee.com

Butterfly Garden by Insect Lore

I remember running in the fields as a kid catching butterflies of many varieties & letting them go at the end of the day. I would love to have a live butterfly garden & kit. But, mostly I would love it if we protected our Earth better so nature doesn’t change except to get healthier! Earth Day is our reminder yet, Earth day should be everyday!!

{more about Monarch Butterflies later in the post}

Earth Day Sunday April 22, 2012

Here is a CA. round up of some Earth Day events & where you can find local CA. events in your area!

Santa Barbara, CA Earth Day Festival

Get Down To Earth SLO County

Earth Day Food & Wine Festival

Ca.Recycle {to find more ways to be greener & list of Earth Day Events Statewide in CA.}

Support Our Earth Everyday!

I am partnered up with the Sierra Club! There is no better time to see how they support our environment & how you can help with just an e signature on a petition or in many other ways! I hope you can join me in supporting the Sierra Club!

Explore, enjoy and protect the planet

Also on my list, but not until fall is to go to visit where butterflies by the thousands, of vibrant orange and black Monarch Butterflies flock to Pismo Beach, CA. They are seeking shelter from the freezing northern winters. From late October to February, the butterflies cluster in the limbs of a grove of Eucalyptus trees at Pismo State Beach. I missed going this year, but if you are ever in the area this is something to see so mark your Earth day calendars for visiting the Monarch Migration Locations!

Monarch Butterfly.org {they also have a great list Monarch Butterfly Roosts in California Winter Sites from north to south in CA}

ClassicCalifornia.com {Pismo Beach, CA Annual Calendar Of Events}

Monarch Butterflies {You Tube video-Pismo Beach & about visiting The Grove, along with seeing the Monarch Butterflies}

Monarch Butterflies Amazing Migration {You Tube video-educational Monarch Butterfly video}

I hope you enjoy these spring ideas, freebies & Earth Day information! I also hope you get out to enjoy the weather if you have the chance! I think that is what I will do to soak up some vitamin d, have a little meeting with nature to rejuvenate my spirit! & never forget everyday is Earth Day!!

& if you have an Earth Day post or other green post share it here in my link-up & lets help each other be a little greener while protecting Mother Earth!

What will you do to celebrate Earth Day?

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway

Grab the code to share on your site! get the InLinkz code

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Filed Under: Green, Link-Up, Nature

Earth Day & Green Link-Up & Blog Hop!

19 Apr posted by Fawn

Today, I am like a deer in the headlights! Tomorrow’s post will be worth the wait it’s like a three for one! All about spring, butterflies & Earth Day!

I am on the search for your Earth Day & Green posts….

Kaboose via Pinterest

Earth Day Crafts & More!

But, just in case you want to help start the party early here is the Earth Day Link-Up! Drop something in & wow us! Then visit or come back to visit as the entries are submitted! & You can co-host on your site too, please the more the merrier or should I say greener!? get the InLinkz code Its for a great cause celebrating Earth Day & being greener & sharing tips & organizations!

& don’t worry the party doesn’t end on Earth Day!

What is your favorite Green tip?

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Filed Under: Crafts, Green, Link-Up

Bulb Planting Made Easy With #DigDropDone

17 Mar posted by Fawn

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done. for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Dear Creatives, This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done. for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

One thing I love is gardening & there is no time like the spring to get back into my garden. So I decided to visit Dig, Drop, Done. It is the perfect website for gardening where you don’t have to be an expert! How you ask? Well, let me tell you they have a simple to use interface with subjects like ready to learn, ready to plant & with plenty of resources in their drop down menu!

I love how they have a bulb calendar, along with a planting chart. The chart takes all the guess work out of planting as it tells you exactly what season to plant, how deep & how much space to plant your bulbs. When I was there it reminded me how easy bulbs are to plant in the garden. I loved seeing the beautiful of flower bulbs & other bulb inspiration visit www.digdropdone.com to learn more.

I love the bulb inspiration page among others where you can even get potted gift ideas, along with ideas for interior / exterior planting & entertaining activities. They even have a set of videos that are funny I guess you could say I have a bit of Juliana in me, but you’ll have to see the videos to know what I am talking about.

Curbside Chaos

Now to introduce you to another aspect of Dig, Drop, Done it is Curbside Chaos that is where I found my garden guru. Here is a snapshot of the results of what I can plant in my area this March! What is neat is you can pick your zone, any month & get the results.

Now what else is great going on over there is an educational effort designed to excite women about the surprisingly simple beauty of flower bulbs & is giving away a $5,000 yard makeover!

All you need to do to enter is submit a photo of your yard at CurbsideChaos.com

The winner will also receive a visit from Taniya Nayak (@TaniyaNayak on Twitter) Taniya will go through giving you tips on the best way to update your yard & ideas for incorporating flower bulbs into your landscape.

For every share on Twitter, "Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done." will donate $1.00 to Rebuilding Together

(Rebuilding together is the nation’s leading nonprofit, working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize communities.)

So go ahead & tweet this! To help!

Help a good cause!@Dig,Drop,Done win a yard makeover! #CurbsideChaos help @RebldgTogthr visit here RT Plz!

I really hope you enter the contest & get your bulb information soon by just visiting, snapping your yard & entering! Now go visitwww.digdropdone.com & Curbside Chaos to see all they have to offer!

2 Comments
Filed Under: DIY, Flowers, gardening

Spring Outdoor Diy Inspiration

8 Mar posted by Fawn

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Dear Creatives, Spring is just around the corner, the birds are migrating back & the days are getting longer. The time change is upon us, our internal clocks ready for changes! Yes, the time change may take a slight adjustment, but at least this time we will have that extra hour to sleep in. {ah}

This has me thinking about being outdoors more.I can’t wait to enjoy spring & savor every moment prior to our hot, hot summers here. I love taking care of nature’s creatures & when I saw this diy I knew exactly what I wanted to share today! Spring outdoor inspiration!

Family Fun to Go via Pinterest

This diy tutorial is all set up & ready to go. A printable sheet of instructions if you like, along with lots of family friendly projects are on this site. I love this backyard bird-feeder not only are you feeding the birds you are recycling.

Studio G Blog via Pinterest

I love garden markers even though my garden isn’t like when we lived in a milder climate. All the same this is perfect for marking those herbs & plants in spring. These rustic, French inspired garden markers caught my attention. If your in need of more garden inspiration you can always visit Studio G.

Jenny Darling on Flickr via Pinterest

I just fell in love with this idea when I saw it. This image is on Flickr of an alternative garden space.Can’t you just see butterflies flocking to these pretties! What is it about painted cans?

Sunset via Pinterest

& with longer days I’d love for the Mr. to build me a little swing to sit with Sammie with while we both read. Dear Mr. if you are reading my blog today please note I have downloaded the plans for this from right here { swing building plans} Dear Spring, thank you for giving us an extra hour or two for projects. & dear creatives don’t forget to reset your clocks this weekend.xo

What is the first spring outdoor project you will work on?

There may be a few hours left to enter the giveaway! It ends today!

4 Comments
Filed Under: DIY, Green, Nature

Spring Fever

23 Feb posted by Fawn

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Dear Creatives, I am feeling spring in the air. I a bit of cabin fever yesterday along with the need to spread my wings & fly. Do you ever feel cooped up? Like you’ve been in the nest too long. Winters seem long & summers longer since they are so hot where we live. So spring & fall are my favorite times of year. Yesterday was so beautiful outside!