Easy Forcing Bulbs Tutorial

Hello friends!

It is finally starting to look like spring around here, and since the ones in my yard are taking their sweet time, I did a little experiment with spring flowers indoors.

The best thing about it? IT IS RIDICULOUSLY EASY.
Here's what you need:

• 1 wide mouth vase or container (you can experiment with other shapes if you like)
• Rocks, marbles or filler of some kind, to fill bottom of vase
• 6-8 bulbs depending on size of vase and bulbs  (I used tulips I had on hand)
  
  

This whole project only cost me $6. $5 for the vase at Walmart and $1 for the rocks from the dollar store. I already had the bulbs because I was really ambitious this fall and bought WAY more than I could actually get around to planting.

 

Step 1: Fill bottom of vase with stones.

 

Step 2: Layer bulbs over stones, edge to edge, filling the space as tightly as you can. The point of the bulb faces up, roots go down. Mine were obvious because they had little nubs growing already.

Step 3: Fill container with water to JUST BELOW THE BULBS. This is important. If you fill the vase too full, the bulbs will drown. It should be just below the bulbs, and there roots will reach down to it.

 

Step 4: Place in an area that gets natural sunlight in your home. Mine were right on my kitchen table.

Step 5: As the days pass, make sure you keep the water level the same - it doesn't take much, I think I added a little about once a week. Here's what they looked like after about one week.

Step 6: Enjoy! A week later (or two weeks after starting) I had blooms!

 

I can't wait to try different containers and maybe some different kinds of bulbs! It was so easy, and you can do it year round! 

 

Please let me know if you try to force your own bulbs and if you have success!

 

I just love the pop of spring!

 

TTFN

What I'm loving Wednesday - delayed flight style

Here's coming to you from the Phoenix airport. My flight is delayed about 2 hours putting me home around 1 am. Oh joy. 

Please excuse the formatting, this was done on my phone... 

But here is what I am loving this week!

1. That I am lucky enough to work for a business that sends me to educational conferences like IEG in Chicago. It was an amazing experience and I hope someday I can go back when it is warmer than 27 degrees and truly explore the city.

2. That my boyfriend finally gave in to getting a cat, and that they already love each other. See proof below, Ted asleep on James' lap.

3. The fact that airports serve alcohol. I'm going on about 7 hours worth of travel time already and I have at least 5 in front of me. Alone. Cheers! 

 

TTFN! 

Meet Theodore!

Hello friends! Happy Monday!

I'm blogging to you from Chicago at the IEG Conference, which is awesome, but not what this post is about. (Recap to come I promise.)

Friday afternoon James picked up my birthday present. 

He's furry, orange, and completely adorable. Meet Theodore (Ted)!!!!

So I now have an entire little ginger family as my sister pointed out, ginger cat, red golden retriever, and although I hate to categorize him as such, a ginger boyfriend. AND THEY ALL HAVE SOULS. Hahaha. 

I cannot wait to get home so I can actually spend some quality time with Ted. 

He's home alone Monday and Tuesday if anyone wants to kitten sit :)

TTFN

Road Rage Friday

TGIF Friends!

So, I have a commute... or at least it's a commute compared to what used to be a 12-15 minute drive.
I drive 25 miles each way to work, about a 30+ minute drive each way. (I know, I know, that is nothing compared to big cities, but here in Idaho, that's a long drive.)

A majority of that drive is free-way. Thank goodness. However, you would be surprised at how annoying free-way driving can be. Even in a place like the Treasure Valley. (Yes I know again, it's not LA, so I shouldn't be complaining, but I can't help it.)

Every day (mostly on the drive home) someone finds a way to really piss tick me off. Resulting in ROAD RAGE. Serious road rage. 

I am very tempted to make signs to communicate to these people. And here is what they would be:

The far outside lane is the FAST LANE people. If you are not going to go AT LEAST 5 mph over the speed limit GET OUT! And, if you notice someone behind you who would like to go faster than you (like me) do the decent thing and get over for a minute so they can go by. It's not rocket science.

 

Then you have the people that are in the fast-lane, going fast...and then not so fast, and then fast... and so on. This is the free-way. There are no stops, no changes in speed limit, just open road. So please. PICK A SPEED!

The best way to alleviate the inconsistent speed issue? One of the best inventions in the world, cruise control. I am a firm believer that if you have more than 5 or so miles of free-way to drive that setting your cruise control is the way to go. Not only is it easier for you as a driver, it is more considerate to those around you, so they don't have to deal with your nonsense up and down speeds. I use it EVERY DAY for my commute both ways. TRY IT YOU WILL LIKE IT!!!

So there is my 5 minute rant. Do you have road rage issues? How do you deal?

P.S. headed to Chicago tomorrow for the IEG Conference. So excited!

TTFN 

What I'm Loving Wednesday

 

Whew, we made it to Hump Day friends!

For me this has been a reeeeaaallly long week already, so I'll try and keep this short.
 

Here's what I'm loving this week:

1. The bulbs I planted in the fall are starting to peek up. No blooms yet, but looking promising.

   

   Come on little Crocuses, you can do it!

    
2. How bomb these stuffed peppers look I made for dinner the other night. I'd do a recipe post but they need some tweaking flavor-wise first.
   
    
3. The love I got to witness last night between Gunner and James. Cuties.

   

   Aren't they adorable? Dog hugs and kisses are the best.

    
4. The fact I can dress casually at work, paired with the new top I have on today. You always feel good wearing something new!
5. This adorable "Will you be my Bridesmaid" gift from my friend Hillary. Can't wait to be a part of her big day in October!  
   
   
   
   
   
   That's all I have for now. I'll leave you with this. Get your Happy on!
   
    
   
   

Monday Update

I've been a bad blogger lately. I need to work on posting more frequently! Oh and Happy St. Patty's Day. Good thing green is my favorite color.

 

Since it has been so long since my last post, here s a snapshot of last week:

I went to the Lady Antebellum concert on Wednesday night with my friend Alex and her younger sister. It was such an amazing show! 

 

 

It did however result in a couple too many beers, far too few hours of sleep, and a miserable Thursday and Friday trying to catch up.

 

Also last week I started a little experiment on my kitchen table - forcing tulips. A full DIY post to come once they bloom (fingers crossed) but look they are growing!

 

 

Then this weekend was full of fun and Family!

Friday night James and I had dinner with my parents and my little sister who is home for spring break. Then we strolled down to one of our favorite beer drinking spots, Tap House for a couple beers with friends.

Saturday we had dinner with James' family, grandparent, aunts, uncles and cousins included. Then I headed to the Dutch Goose for some green beer and U of I alumni shenanigans! They put on an alumni St. Patty's day party, so I couldn't resist.

Then even more family Sunday as we headed over to my parents house for our extended family dinner. (Oh and I went early to have my dad help me with my taxes - that's a whole other story). Dinners with my extended family is chaos. I have 6 cousins under the age of 5, and it is pandemonium. Luckily since it was so nice out they went down to the park and James and I sat out back with the dogs enjoying the weather!

For those of you who saw last week's post of my list of "to do" things on Get 'er Done here is where I ended up. Not the best:

1. Clean the master bathroom - sinks, shower, floors
2. Clean the kitchen and living room - wipe down all surfaces, vacuum, mop floors
3. Clean up the yard - take care of Gunner's little "treats" in the yard
4. Pull weeds and ready my flower beds
5. Laundry - wash sheets/bed spread, and all clothing laundry needing to be done
6. Organize/pick up my closet
7. Go to the gym at least one weekend day (technically just went for a run, but that counts right?)
8. Put together lunches for next week on Sunday

So I only did 5, not 6, and definitely not all. Do you make a to do list each week? Any tips on getting through them?

Oh and always - loving this cuddle bug.

 

 This Monday is infuriating. Is it Friday yet?!

TTFN Friends!

Get 'er Done

It's a crazy week for me. Part of a crazy month I am afraid. What I am more afraid of is what happens when my life gets crazy - and that is less things get done that need to be, specifically in the housework category. (Oh the joys of being a homeowner...)

  I am horrible at following through. There I said it. This goes for any pre-set plans to get things done. I think about them and make a mental note to do them, but actually following through? Rare.   

Add in a busy week/month/life and the probability of them actually happening goes even farther down.   So I thought of a solution. What if I write them down? And not only write them down but blog them? Publicly announcing to the world "I will do these things." That should work right?

  Alright, here goes nothing. This is the list of thing I need to get done this week:

1. Clean the master bathroom - sinks, shower, floors
2. Clean the kitchen and living room - wipe down all surfaces, vacuum, mop floors
3. Clean up the yard - take care of Gunner's little "treats" in the yard
4. Pull weeds and ready my flower beds
5. Laundry - wash sheets/bed spread, and all clothing laundry needing to be done
6. Organize/pick up my closet
7. Go to the gym at least one weekend day
8. Put together lunches for next week on Sunday

 Alright that is 8 things. My goal is to do AT LEAST 6. Challenge accepted, thanks for being my imaginary web-based motivation!

Also - super excited to see Lady Antebellum tomorrow night with Kasey Musgraves and Kip Moore!

I will do a post about the concert and a recap of what I get done later this week!

TTFN!

Design on a Dime

Hello friends!

Today I got to do something at work I haven't gotten to do in a long time - DESIGN!

(not counting my blog of course)

It was really nothing major - we are ordering hats and wanted a cool design other than our usual logo to go on them.

So I played around today and came up with a bunch of different options. Now I am not a graphic designer. I don't claim to be. But I am pretty proud of the outcome and the ladies in the office seemed even more thrilled. They couldn't believe the work I did, work that with the ad agency they were using before me would have taken weeks and cost thousands of dollars.

Guess I am worth keeping around. :)

The fancy one with the gradient and the blue ribbon is our actual logo - I keep it on the page for inspiration

Which one do you like best? Do you ever get to do something at work that feels more like "playing" than working? I am one lucky girl!

TTFN Friends!

Running into Motivation

Hello!

Recently I have tried to get back on to the running band wagon. Now I can hardly qualify myself as a "runner" but there is something so refreshing in stepping out in the sunshine and losing yourself for 20-30 minutes. Clearing the mind, gasping for breath and feeling like you accomplished something.

Cute running shoes help of course. Then you can kick 'em up after and admire.

Yesterday marked my 3rd run so far outside, now that the weather has become tolerable beautiful in between the rainy March days. It was the first run that felt good. Let's all be honest, the first couple runs feel like you are having a heart attack and your legs are on fire, or at least that is my experience.

I'm not saying this time around was a walk in the park, but I noticed I could run farther before I needed to stop and walk, and a couple times I hit that "pace" where I felt like a well-oiled running machine!

Gunner also loves these runs. He's my designated running buddy, although his multiple stops to lift a leg may lose him that role if it continues.
 

Running makes for a happy dog.

So trying to run again is all well and good, but it probably doesn't mean a whole lot right? Well today I stumbled upon a really awesome info-graphic from Mizuno, courtesy of one of the blogs I follow Eat, Run, Repeat.


It surrounded one idea - What If Everybody Ran? The outcome? A BETTER WORLD


Check it out: What if Everyone Ran


Or for a quick recap here are some of the awesome things that would happen (along with better sleep, brain function, earning potential, less cigarettes smoked, and more great-grandmothers etc):

60 MILLION MORE POUNDS OF PASTA EATEN - Yummmm!

135 MILLION MORE VICTORY BEERS DRANK - Cheers!

63 MILLION HAPPIER DOGS - Yay for my running buddy!

7 BILLION MORE HOURS SPENT OUTSIDE - well at least in the warmer climates :)

Sign me up for all of the above! If this is what more running leads to, I want to go there.


So glad I found this at the cusp of starting my running journey this year. Hopefully I will have an update for you soon on if I have been able to keep it up!


Cheers! And go for a run!


TTFN