Be Grateful --> Finding Hearts

I found this wonderful little video the other day that I just had to share.

There's a line in it where she says that "whatever you are looking for, you will find".  I think this goes both ways: look for good in life?  You'll find it.  Look for bad?  You'll find it.

I heard a story once about a salesman who walked up to a man in a new town.  He asked him: "What are the people like here?"  The man asked him, "What were the people like in the town you just left?"  He told him they were negative, unpleasant, etc.  His reply "That's what folks are like here."  Another salesman walked up asking the same question.  Repeating his question about what folks were like where he came from, this salesman replied that "People were easy to talk to, friendly, etc"  The man's final reply was that THAT was what people were like here.

You get what you expect.  You get back what you put out.  Not 100% of the time, but enough that there is value in being positive and thinking the best of situations and of people.

This video by Hailey Bartholomew, is called "Finding Love". It's 2 1/2 minutes and lovely. Take a moment to watch it today. I was glad I did!

Quilty hugs on this lovely day, Carrie

Monday Mining: Tomatoes... What on Earth do I do now?

Good morning, friends!

You might have seen my pictures of the tomato plants I started.  A-L-L of the plants I started.  There are quite a few - oodles, really.  I am realizing that now I need to figure out what on Earth I am going to do with them?  How will I plant them?  Where?  Any tricks?

I thought it would be a great use of today's Monday Mining to go out in search of tomato info.  That being said, let me ask YOU, as well!

1. When do you plant your tomatoes outside?
2.  How do you plant them?  Buckets?  Raised beds?  Right out in the garden?
3.  How do you protect them?
4. What are your favorite types?

**Leave me your thoughts in the comments, if you would!  I'd love to hear what you do!

Till I hear from you, here's some of what I found.

Five Tips for planting tomatoes:

Interesting - they suggest this weekend is an okay time to plant them and that the chance of frost is gone.  That would be lovely if my 5 zillion plants were big enough!  Not sure they are.  Now the squash, on the other hand...

I was thinking about containers for the cherry tomatoes - something we could put on the deck? 

Holy cow, have you tried this?  I know where there are some buckets (...ahem...sap house...) but I am not sure where I'd hang them.  Do they have to be on the house?  That wouldn't work for me... Fun concept, though.

I found this good video for beginners, like me!



This last bit talks about when and how to transplant.  I am a wee bit worried since mine are much smaller at this point.  Bummer!  Come on guys, GROW!

These are NOT mine, but the image from the Country Basket.

Well, you can see I need advice.  Anything you can share with me to help make this successful?  Thanks in advance!
Carrie

Happy birthday, Whitt!

Today is hubby's birthday so today's saying/photo is created in his honor.  Happy birthday to my best friend!  I am pretty sure love makes OUR world go around.  Hugs!

Would you like to download this for yourself?  Head here to PicMonkey to download.


I also found this absolutely wonderful video I'd like to share.  It's a story of love.  A TED talk out of Australia.  I hope you enjoy it.



Enjoy your day - hugs,
Carrie

Congratulations, Patty!

Whooo hooo!  The Sew Mama Sew Giveaway is over and Rafflecopter selected one of the lucky entrants from my website.... drumroll... the winner is.... #97 - Patty!!  I've sent you an email and just need a full name and mailing address.

Thanks so much to everyone who visited and gave it a whirl.  It was so much fun to read all your comments - hope you all enjoyed playing.  :)

Here's a link for EVERYONE to make a pillowcase from fabric.

Would you like a video?  Here's one I love to use.



All you need is 3/4 yard for the body, 2" x 44" for trim and 10"x 44" for accent. Easy peasy!

Have fun!
Carrie

Five Friday Favorites: #1

Good morning, friends!

I'd seen this idea on several other blogs I visit and really liked the idea: searching the Internet for 5 different things that caught my eye, seemed fun, sounded yummy, etc.

Here's my first stab at it!

Friday Favorite Appetizer:
I came across this little gem at The Bite Sized Blog.   They had me at honey mustard glaze on the bacon.  Oh, man...

Scallop BLT

Friday Favorite Quote/Infographic:
Dr Seuss pretty much sums up life for us, doesn't he?  Check out the infographic in closer detail HERE.

Friday Favorite living room I'd like to have:
Wood, fireplace, uncluttered... sigh...yup, this would be sweet.

Friday Favorite Ikea Hack:
I've been thinking about zipping down to Ikea to get one of these sets.  I hadn't thought about using chalk paint.  Great idea with details at Paddington Way. 

Friday Favorite Date Night Ideas:
Tomorrow is Whitt's birthday - maybe one of these ideas would be fun?

Don't forget that the Sew Mama Sew Drawing is today!  You can register to win a set of four pillowcase kits from me HERE.

PLUS, my followers can also have the opportunity to win a sweet apron handmade by me, HERE.

Good luck!

Thanks for stopping by!
Carrie

Grandmother Powerblogging Campaign

Good morning,
Those of you that know hubby and I personally also know we are grandparents.  Coolest job on the PLANET!!! Seriously!  That being said, I ran across something I just had to share: the Grandmother Powerblogging Campaign! 
      
                                                                  

According to Tara Sophia Mohr, the Grandmother Powerblogging Campaign is about groups of grandmothers coming together, saying, “This is not the world we want for our grandchildren!” and making positive change. She has started a blog campaign to do just that.

She is working along with Paola Gianturco, a photo documentarian, who says grandmothers are not just raising grandchildren, they are collaborating effectively for education, health, the environment, and justice—forming grandmother groups in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. An unheralded international grandmothers’ movement is underway!

To help us all understand one another better and to share what's happening in the world, here's a story about grandmothers in Argentina who are inspiring children to read.  As someone who taught elementary school and an avid reader, this one touches my heart.

GRANDMOTHERS INSPIRE CHILDREN TO READ IN ARGENTINA

During the military dictatorship in Argentina (1976-83) books were banned and burned; libraries were looted; intellectuals, authors and journalists were murdered; newspaper offices were bombed. Not surprisingly, people stopped reading.

To re-engage youngsters with books, The Mempo Giardinelli Foundation launched the Storytelling Grandmother program. Today, 2,000 grandmothers read to children in schools, bookstores and libraries. Unconditional affection plus good literature jet propel children’s love of reading.

The Storytelling Grandmothers are so effective that the Ministry of Education in Argentina has incorporated them into the national public school curriculum. Their program has been copied by Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela and Spain.

Today, grandmothers in those countries sustain the buoyant enthusiasm of Argentina’s Storytelling Grandmothers:  “Reading is an act of love. Reading is a party!”

One Argentine grandmother pinches a bean between her fingers as she reads children a book titled El Garbanzo Peligroso, The Dangerous Garbanzo, which was banned during the dictatorship for “excessive use of imagination.” Later, remembering the terrible years, she asserts,  “Reading is a right. The right to read must be protected.”

In 2012, the Storytelling Grandmother program received First Prize from the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun for promoting children’s literacy. 

From Grandmother Power: A Global Phenomenon by Paola Gianturco, published by powerHouse Books.

Would you like to read more stories?  Click here for a link to the site and the page where you can find more.   They are open for adding stories through next week.  Head on over and take a peek!

Hugs to you all, especially grandmothers!!

Carrie

Wordless Wednesday: First Tulip and Some Chives

Good morning, friends!

It's Wednesday so, few words, but some lovely pictures.  It's my first tulip of the season and some fresh chives.  Excellent!

Don't you love the color?  So much is still brown around here (just starting to go green) that this literally POPS!

 

Can you taste that incredible chive flavor from here?  Mmmmm....good!

Till tomorrow,
Carrie
PS.  Don't forget to enter to win 4 pillowcase kits HERE.
OMG....want to WIN the apron from yesterday?  Just comment HERE.