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http://www.icangarden.com/document.cfm?task=viewdetail&itemid=2275&categoryid=2

Documents: Feature Article:

Canadian Heroes, Gardening and Duct Tape
by Dan Clost

First serious garden earned 25 cents from the Kemptville Horticultural Society when I was 12. Have been poor in horticulture ever since but rich in spirit.

Went to work writing the Good Earth column (over 500 articles published in newspaper, magazine, website and journal.) and learned that what was printed wasn’t what I wanted to say and certainly not what Gentle Reader understood me to say. Subsequently have developed a certain clarity and economy of words.

Day job- nursery and production manager for a large nursery/garden centre

Side job- Garden restoration and renovations, design consultations, remedial pruning.

Night job- garden writer and communicator (overnight success in another 20 years)

March 25, 2007

As one would expect in a raw, new and mostly undiscovered country, this rugged land of ours has bred its own share of champions of all that it is to be Canadian. Many a Gentle Reader is familiar with Big Joe Mafroe, E.B. Eddy’s answer to Paul Bunyan. Big Bobby Clobber has entertained the true hockey fanatic for years.

Charlie Farquharson introduced the world to our unique “Jogfree” and none of us can forget Lester the Lobster. Until recently, my favourite fictional Canadian character has been Stompin’ Tom.

Gentle Reader, it is time that had we our own Gardening icon. Not Mark Cullen, Ken Beattie or even David Tarrant.

Someone new, fresh, vibrant and representative of all that it is to be a gardener in Canada’s Great White North. It is my pleasure to introduce to the gardening world, Brown Green. [Apologies and thanks are given to Steve Smith who gave us BG’s cousin, Red.]

Brown Green has seen everything that grows and knows that it is only a matter of time before it dies. He has dedicated himself to lengthening that interval. He makes it a practice to plant things earlier in the morning to get in those extra hours.

A voracious reader of do it yourself magazines such as Popular Horticultural Mechanics and Duct Tapers International, Brown likes to put what he reads into practice.

The new work in gene splicing intrigued him greatly. After reading about how the naturally occurring antifreeze gene in certain fish was being used in corn plants, he went out to the back thirty and duct-taped cod to stalks of corn.

He reaped a bumper crop of raccoons for his efforts and lowered next year’s fertilizer requirements.

Undeterred, he had cows duct-taped to tomatoes (he was thinking about an improved Beefsteak cultivar). His maple-flavoured wine wasn’t a big hit either.

When it comes to the matters mechanical, Brown Green is truly at his inventive best.

Lawnmowers have been welded to his ATV; unfortunately, it does take a while to pull-start them.

The shop vac has been adapted to harvest small fruits and the occasional slow-moving bird.

His nephew’s accordion now doubles as a herbicide applicator but he’s been experiencing difficulties squeezing out all the liquid.

When Brown heard about the benefits of double-digging your garden, he enthusiastically tried to turn over his portion of 50 acres of Canadian Shield. The end of his spade was bent back after only a few inches of duff were scraped off. The rototiller threatened to jar his arms out of their sockets as it bounced and squealed on granite.

If he couldn’t dig down, then he would dig up. Raised beds, constructed of Bombardier snowmobile cowlings now dot his pre-Cambrian landscape.

Put off by the noise, he fastened ear plugs using duct tape and Canada thistle down. In the ensuing quietude, he could hear himself think and it was not a pleasing sound. Deliberate cogitation is not his strong point.

His compost pile is a marvel of ingenuity and recycling. The power takeoff on his 1948 Ford tractor is connected to the gutter chain from his deceased grandfather’s, Dead Green, dairy barn.

Since the tomato incident, the cows weren’t much use as milkers.

Attached to the chain are the bent tines from the rototiller.

Once a week he cranks up the Ford and pile is completely mixed and aerated. His only problem is that skunks seem to be attracted to the fishy emanations of the corn stover.

Brown Green deserves to be our gardening mentor. He stands tall in this land. A frayed straw hat shades steely grey eyes that seek out new challenges. A smile on his face, secateurs in one hand and duct tape in the other, he is ready to meet the Canadian gardening wilderness.

As we say farewell, he leaves us with a helpful hint. Duct tape laid along vegetable rows, sticky side up is as good a slug trap as you can find. Happy gardening, eh.

http://www.icangarden.com/document.cfm?task=viewdetail&itemid=4501&categoryid=280

Documents: Pro-Mix:

Herb Gardening How-to
by Yvonne Cunnington

I am a garden writer and photographer living near Hamilton, Ont. My articles have appeared in Chatelaine, Canadian Living, Canadian Gardening and Gardening Life magazines. My book for beginner gardeners, Clueless in the Garden: A Guide for the Horticulturally Helpless (Key Porter Books) was published in 2003.

My husband and I tend a large country garden, which has been featured on TV’s Gardeners Journal and in Gardening Life magazine. We have had numerous bus tours visit our garden.

Visit her website at http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/

May 27, 2007

Herbs are hot: they add zest and aroma to your cooking, and in the garden, they love basking in the heat of summer.
Most herbs are surprisingly easy to grow – thriving with minimal care and in small spaces. Container grown herbs look attractive on decks, patios and balconies, and because most of them hail from Mediterranean regions, they thrive in summer’s heat and sun. Even better, they have few insect and disease problems, and most grow best in average garden soil, rarely needing added fertilizer.

Herbal pointers to get you started:

* Give herbs well-drained soil and full sun (6 hours daily). A few herbs like part shade, (see chart), and some, such as mint, prefer moist soil.
* While many herbs thrive in hot and dry conditions, they need watering to get established and in times of drought.
* Herbs can be annuals, such as dill and cilantro, generally harvested 2 to 3 months after sowing from seed. (You can buy them as transplants, but you get stronger plants from seed.) Annuals go to seed quickly, and that’s when their leaves tend to lose flavour. For a fresh supply, replant every 3 weeks into early or mid August. To harvest, snip off leaves, or pull entire plant.
* For perennial herbs, such as French tarragon, sage or thyme, buy small plants. Allow a couple of months of growth before harvesting. (You can grow some perennial herbs from seed, but it takes a season or two to get a harvest.)
* Avoid removing too many leaves or stems at one time – plants need leaves to grow and thrive; keep 15 cm of growth intact.
* To harvest, snip a portion with sharp scissors, pruners or a knife; don’t tear or pull stem off – to avoid injuring or even dislodging roots.
* Once herbs are established, regular pruning promotes lush new growth, which has the best flavour.

Growing herbs in containers

Growing in containers is a great way to have kitchen herbs close to hand in a small space. Some herbs such as mint grow too exuberantly and are easier to control in pots. And in the case of rosemary – a tough woody perennial in warmer climates but not hardy in cold Canadian winters – growing in a pot makes it easier to take the plant inside. (See below.)

To grow well in pots, most herbs need:

* Full sun (6 hours minimum)
* Containers 25 to 30 cm deep with one or more holes for good drainage
* Purchased soil-less potting mix; don’t use garden soil, although you can add a little compost or bagged manure for enrichment
* Watering. How much to water depends on the weather, the plants and the size and type of pot. Terra cotta containers dry out quickly and usually need daily watering high summer. The larger the pot, the easier it is to keep moist.
* Fertilizing. Like all container plants, herbs need fertilizer. Slow release fertilizer pellets added to the top layer of soil at planting are easy: they feed constantly over the growing season. Or give soluble fertilizer with watering once a week.

What about taking herbs indoors?

Remember the bit about herbs coming from the hot and sunny Mediterranean? It’s tempting to take your plants indoors for winter, especially perennial types. Unfortunately, in northern winters even a south-facing window gets a lot less sun than the plants need, and central heating keeps the air very dry (Mediterranean winters are moist). And your herbs won’t be as flavourful in winter – they seem to need heat and sun to create the aromatic oils that make them zesty.

If you’re still keen to try, the keys to success are:

* A sunny south-facing window, plus a florescent grow light for extra brightness. Growth will slow, so harvest small amounts only (if your goal is to keep plants for next year); or continue to harvest until you use leaves up and then discard plant.
* Water when soil feels dry to touch.
* For best winter survival of rosemary, move plant into shadier spot outdoors in early fall to acclimatize to lower light; indoors, keep in a cool bright window with a florescent grow light. A bright, unheated sun porch can be ideal, as long as temperatures don’t dip below -6ºC.

Top 10 kitchen herbs

Food partners
How to grow Harvesting & using
Basil

Annual

(Varieties include sweet green, purple & Thai)
Sweet basil: tomatoes, salads, pesto, Italian sauces, ratatouille; licorice flavoured Thai type: Thai & Asian dishes Loves heat; buy seedling plants or grow from seed; set into containers or garden in full sun when all danger of frost is over Snip leafy stems mid-summer; pinch off flowers for better leaf production. To freeze, chop in blender or food processor; put into ice cube trays; store in freezer bags, use 1cube per recipe

Chives Perennial hardy to Zone 3 Scrambled eggs, omelettes, salads Full sun/part shade; remove flowers for better leaf production & to prevent excessive self-seeding. When overgrown, give clump a haircut. Use fresh; harvest with kitchen scissors from spring through summer. Ready early spring; edible flowers garnish salads. Round-leaved onion chives onion flavoured; flat-leaved garlic chives onion/garlic flavoured

Cilantro (fresh coriander) Annual Pungent leaves used in Asian and Thai, Indian dishes & Mexican dishes (salsa, corn salad) Easy from seed, full sun/part shade. Goes to seed quickly; for continuous supply replant every 3 weeks in summer Harvest by cutting off what you need, or pull out plant when about 20 cm tall; use fresh, quickly loses flavor in fridge

Dill, fresh, (sometimes called dillweed) Annual Fish and seafood, potato salad; salad greens, cucumbers; egg dishes, adds zest to vegetable dishes e.g. new potatoes; seeds flavor pickles Easy from seed in early spring; sow more every 3 weeks for season’s supply; full sun. For small spaces or containers, choose dwarf ‘Fernleaf’ variety (container should be 25 cm deep). Snip off leaves when plants are 15 cm tall; most flavorful before flowers develop. Harvest flower stems for pickles when most flowers are open.

Mint:

Perennial hardy to Zone 4
Fruit salads, iced tea, lemonade, mint tea; new potatoes, lamb, green beans Full sun, moist soil. Aggressive grower, to avoid rampant spread grow in container or sink 35 cm tall bottomless plastic nursery pot or clay tile into soil Harvest leaves through summer. Cut back frequently to encourage fresh growth. Dry leaves for winter on trays or byhanging branches upsidedown in warm, dark, airy place.

Parsley Biennial, (usually treated as annual) Garnishes, soups, salads, salad dressings, sauces Set seedling plants in full sun; good foliage plant in containers; varieties: curly leaved, flat leaved Italian Harvest larger outer leaves first, leaving inner shoots to grow; keeps well in refrigerator; can be chopped in food processor and frozen for winter use

Rosemary

Perennial hardy to Zone 7 with winter protection (e.g. mulch)

Lamb, chicken, pork Italian dishes; great with eggplant and roasted potatoes Full sun. Woody evergreen shrub; not winter-hardy in most of the country, but terrific in containers; bring indoors in fall into bright airy place To harvest snip off tender stem tips; new growth will branch out from cuts. Dries well, hang in bunches in a dry dark airy spot.

French Tarragon Perennial hardy to Zone 4 Salads, egg dishes, fish/seafood, chicken, sauces, vinegars, Purchase plants (tarragon from seed is the non-flavorful Russian type). Full sun/part shade, well-drained soil. Cut back to prevent flowering, keep to 60 cm tall to prevent flopping Use leaves fresh in summer. Freeze for later use. Drying also works, but dried tarragon can lose flavour if left too long

Sage

Perennial hardy to Zone 5
Turkey and chicken Set plants into full sun, moist but well drained soil. Plants may lose vigour after a few seasons, so dig up replace them with new ones Harvest sparingly in 1st season to help plants get established. Pick leaves anytime over summer. Easy to dry, keeps well: hang branches in dry, dark airy spot

Thyme Perennial hardy to Zone 4 Ranks as one of the fine herbs of French cuisine; flavours meat, chicken dishes, herbal butters & vinegars, fish, sauces, stews Plant in full sun; well-drained soil. In very cold winter areas, mulch plants after ground freezes with a light layer of pine needles. Trim back in early spring to remove browned stems & winter dieback Snip leaves and sprigs all summer. Dries well for winter: tie several sprigs together, hang upside down in warm, dark, airy place

For more on herbs: Visit www.richters.com to buy herbs online. For more herb-growing information, click on “Richters Info Centre”.

A version of this article originally appeared in the May 2003 issue of Chatelaine.

http://www.icangarden.com/document.cfm?task=viewdetail&itemid=5053&categoryid=280

Edible Flowers
by Cathy Wilkinson Barash
July 27, 2008

Edible flowers have become familiar garnishes in countless restaurants—the 21st century’s equivalent of parsley. However, like parsley, most people don’t eat them. They move the flowers—nasturtiums and pansies are the most commonly seen—to the side of the plate just like they used to do with parsley.

In the past ten years, edible flowers have gone from garnish to ingredient in restaurant cuisine. You know that they have caught on when you can find edible flowers among the fresh herbs at grocery stores, not just in the trendsetting areas of the country, but in rural areas too.

However, buying edible flowers is expensive and they are fragile and ideally eaten the same day they are picked. Even day-old flowers lose some of their texture and flavor. If you want to have a salad with a bunch of nasturtiums, great guacamole with cilantro flowers, or dandelion “mushrooms,” you need to grow your own.

By growing your own edible flowers, you are assured of their freshness and that they are grown organically. No doubt, some of the plants you already grow from seed to beautify your home have edible flowers.

Nasturtiums are the most readily recognized edible flower, having made their debut on salads in restaurants across the country. Their bold orange or scarlet color enlivens mixed greens. Up close, they have a slightly sweet fragrance, but their unique flavor sets them apart. Pop the entire flower into your mouth and as you chew, you first get a sweet essence from the nectar, followed by a bold peppery tang. Make colorful and flavorful vinegar from nasturtiums by adding flowers to a good white wine vinegar. Let it sit in the dark (light will fade the color) for several weeks. Strain the flowers out and pour the vinegar into a clean glass bottle. Use it to make a flavorful salad dressing. You can also make a unique martini with vodka steeped in nasturtiums. In addition to orange and scarlet, nasturtium flowers come in yellow, pale orange, cream, and bicolors.

Pansies are a favorite as they come in so many different colors – single and combinations. When eating pansies, you can break two of the cardinal rules of edible flowers: eat only the petals and remove the pistils and stamens before eating. In fact, you can eat the pansy sepals as well. Some pansies have a delicate fragrance, primarily the blue-flowered ones. They have a mild wintergreen flavor. Make simply elegant hors d’oeuvresby spreading some cream cheese on a plain cracker (round or square) and top it with a whole pansy. If you are planning a special event, you can sow seeds for the color you fancy. Pansies are perfect for candying and decorating cakes—anything from a simple sheet cake to a wedding cake.

Although most people think of dandelions as weeds, the flowers are edible when young. There are varieties that have been bred for their size and leaves, which make a lovely addition to the spring garden—and will surprise your neighbors. Native Americans dipped the entire young flower in egg and then in cornmeal and fried it. It’s amazing how this turns the slightly bitter flower into the flavor of a mushroom.

Calendulas, also known as pot marigold, used to be called poor man’s saffron. The yellow or orange petals of the daisy-like flowers can be used like saffron, but to get the effect, you need to chop them and cook them with oil to bring out the color and flavor. Sauté some chopped onions in a bit of olive oil, add chopped calendula petals, rice, and boiling water or broth. The result is a beautiful side dish that looks like (and could be made into) Spanish paella. Calendula petals add pizzazz to carrot cake. Sprinkle petals on the cream cheese icing.

Squash blossoms have a mild vegetable flavor—similar to zucchini or yellow squash. All squash flowers are edible from acorn to patty pan squash to crookneck squash and zucchini, of course. Traditional in Mediterranean cuisine, squash blossoms are usually stuffed with flavored breadcrumbs or ricotta cheese and sautéed or fried. Pumpkin and gourd flowers are also edible. As far as zucchini are concerned, they seem to grow from small tasty fruits to baseball bats overnight; you can never keep up with them. Eating the flowers is sort of like birth control for the plants—the more flowers you eat, the less zucchini you have to deal with.

‘Lemon Gem’ and ‘Tangerine Gem’ marigolds – Tagetes tenuifolia with their fernlike foliage are the only edible marigolds. They have a citrusy-tarragon flavor, but little scent. When you pull the petals from the flower, break off the right-angled portion; it is bitter. Marigolds add spice to something as common as deviled eggs.

One of the best things about edible flowers is that they make ordinary family food into something fit for a visit from royalty. Their colors add excitement and the flowers themselves add zest to any dish.

Most herb flowers are safe to eat; their flavor is milder and sweeter than the leaves. Try growing dill, fennel, arugula, basil, chives, cilantro, dill, garlic chives, mustard, and society garlic. Adding flowers to a dish as mundane as potato salad or macaroni salad (especially from the deli) transforms it into something special.

What is best about edible flowers is that they are as beautiful in the garden as they are tasty in the kitchen. They are dual-purpose plants that can be included in any type of garden—formal, cottage, or mixed border. No matter where you grow them, pick them like fruit—in their prime—and enjoy them for all their attributes.

courtesy of www.ngb.org

http://www.icangarden.com/link.cfm?task=viewcategory&categoryid=238

Links: Garden Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, References & Sourcebooks: [live links on site]

* 101 Gardening Links

* A Collection of Botany Related URLs: All Links

* Arizona Master Gardener Manual

* CFIA
Up-to-date information on importing plants and related material into Canada

* Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries
The Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries, Inc. (CBHL) is the leading professional organization in the field of botanical and horticultural information services.

* Crop-Net
crop protection web site with great resource info

* Everyrose.com

* Garden Possabilities Bookstore
Retail and mail-order bookstore for gardeners.

* Garden Web Virtual Library

* GardenGuides
A Growing resource for gardeners

* GardeningCtr
Resource directory, GardeningCtr

* Gardens On Line - Australia

* Get Set To Garden
A great site for Canadian Gardeners

* Grow’Em Plant Propagation Database

* GrowSearch

* HORTICOPIA Home Page

* HortSource.com

* Hortworld

* In Kind Canada

* International Plant Names Index (IPNI)

(Next Records)

http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/ho/ho73/ho73.htm

Medicinal Herb Seed and Root Sources for Planting in Kentucky

R. Terry Jones, Department of Horticulture

Each year, the department of horticulture receives many calls requesting sources of various plant seeds or roots and technical information about their care and handling. The growers listed in this publication should not be construed as the only sources of seed, roots, or plants. The University is not recommending them over others not listed. The price of seed, roots, and plants varies from year to year due to demand and availability. Different suppliers ask differing prices during the same year. In addition, the quantity purchased may also affect the price.

If you are getting into medicinal herb production for the first time, be aware that prices growers receive for many of these plants can vary tremendously from season to season. Sometimes supply can exceed demand. Roots that sold for $50.00 per pound last year may only be worth $15.00 per pound this year.

Woods-grown or wild-simulated ginseng is one of the major medicinal herbs grown in Kentucky. Freshly harvested ginseng seed (in the fall) usually requires 18 months for the embryo in the seed to develop and mature before it will germinate. This fact explains why seed is stored in moist sand for about 12 months (a process called “stratifying the seed”). People new to the ginseng business should order stratified seed or freshly harvested roots. If your purchased seed dries out, germination will be drastically reduced.

At present, most commercial ginseng plantings in Kentucky are either woods-grown or wild-simulated. These are made by directly sowing seed using seeding rates of 10 to 30 pounds of seed per acre. Seed prices have increased in recent years with prices between $50 to $80 per pound; therefore, it may cost more than $2,400 per acre to plant ginseng from seed. For individuals just beginning, we suggest sowing seed 1/4- to 1/2-inch deep in a permanent bed. You may wish to plant seeds and grow one-year-old roots for transplanting to a permanent location. The roots should be set on a 45-degree angle with the bud 1 inch below the soil.

For more detailed information on planting seeds or roots and ginseng production, refer to Cooperative Extension publication Cultivating Ginseng in Kentucky (ID-60), available from your local Cooperative Extension office.

Has a good list of plants and nurseries...

I always intended to order from this Calif. nursery:

http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/

Mountain Valley Growers, Inc.

Organic.

Lavender and miniature roses and everything else, get on the mailing list, I was for years.

Has interesting seeds, herbal, vegetable, organic:

https://www.gardenmedicinals.com/store/catalog/index.php

Library/articles/links:

https://www.gardenmedicinals.com/library/library_frames.html

https://www.gardenmedicinals.com/

Did you ever hear of this one:

Zhi Mu
Anemarrhena asphodeloides
Uses: Medicinal Duration: Perennial (hardy in zones 2-7)
When to Sow: Spring Ease of Germination: Easy
Chinese medicinal herb that looks and grows like a tall grass but isn’t. It spreads by underground rhizome like grasses, but unlike grasses it has fragrant yellow-white or light purple flowers that open in the evening in late summer and autumn. Used in China for 2000 years. The rhizomes are noted for their antidiabetic and antibacterial properties, and are used for pneumonia, bronchitis, high fever, irritability and insomnia.
S7150 Seeds $2.30/pkt

http://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?product=X7150&show=&prodclass=Herb_and_Vegetable_Seeds&cart_id=4053937.15259

A good one to grow:

Serrano Chile Pepper
Capsicum annuum ‘Serrano’
Uses: Culinary/Medicinal Duration: Annual
When to Sow: Spring Ease of Germination: Easy
Use when green or ripened to scarlet. Small: 2cm/1” long, 1cm/0.5” across. Thick flesh; clean biting heat. Salsas, pickled, or roasted for sauces. Heat: 7.
S4470-800 Seeds $1.20/pkt

http://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?product=X4470-800&show=&prodclass=Herb_and_Vegetable_Seeds&cart_id=4053937.15259

An Interesting herb:

Chinese Cucumber
Trichosanthes kirilowii
Uses: Medicinal/Poisonous! Duration: Annual
When to Sow: Spring Ease of Germination: Easy
(Gua lou; Tien hua fen; Chinese snake gourd) Source of anti-HIV agent, Compound Q (GLQ223), extracted from the root. Recent in vitro laboratory studies with Compound Q showed great promise for AIDS treatment because it selectively kills only infected cells, leaving healthy cells untouched; clinical trials are not yet conclusive, however. Used in China to treat angina pectoris, to reduce phlegm, and since 300 A.D. to induce abortions.
S2045 Seeds $2.30/pkt

http://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?product=X2045&show=&prodclass=Herb_and_Vegetable_Seeds&cart_id=4053937.15259

Richters Herb and Vegetable Seeds
Available by the packet and in bulk.

Most packets contain 100 or more seeds, even thousands in many cases. Packets priced $5 and up usually have less than 100.

http://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?show=list&prodclass=Herb_and_Vegetable_Seeds&cart_id=4053937.15259

http://www.richters.com/

A very interesting site:

http://vietworldkitchen.typepad.com/blog/vietnamese-herb-primer.html

Vietnamese Herb Primer

Vietnamese herbs are collectively known as rau thom, literally translated as fragrant leaves. “Rau” generically refers to leafy vegetables and “thom” means fragrant. Note that many of these herbs begin with the word “rau” to denote the full name. In daily conversation, however, it’s okay to omit “rau” as people will still know what you’re talking about! However, there are a few exceptions, such as rau ram, which you’ve got say both words for people to understand you.

Eating and cooking Viet requires lots of fresh herbs. Some are easily recognizable, others will seem more exotic. Below are short discussion on the different kinds of herbs, how to use them and how to store them.

http://crafts.kaboose.com/snglobe.html

Snowglobe

Difficulty: Easy
Age: 6 and up, though younger children can assist with adding water and glitter.
Average User Rating:
1 2 3 4 5 (5/5)

Parental supervision is recommended

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! This darling little craft is made from recycled baby food jars, or any other type of jar you have sitting around collecting dust. We suggest making more than one, or you won’t want to give up this little keepsake to your child—they’re great to keep around your own home, perfect for your computer desk. Give your globe a theme and make it a gift for Christmas, Halloween, birthdays or any occasion. Or, you can make a snow globe featuring your favorite characters or animals such as Dinosaurs, Spiderman or Barbie. Enjoy!

What you'll need:
Baby food jars (medium or large) or any other type of jar with a lid
Florist clay (can be found at any craft supply store)
Small figurine (see “Choosing your figurine” under “Helpful Hints”)
White and/or silver glitter or fake snow
Hot glue gun or aquarium sealing glue (hot glue is less expensive)
Ribbon or felt (optional)
Garland plastic greenery (see “Getting your greenery” under “Helpful hints”)

How to make it:
Wash and dry your jar completely, including the lid.
Attach figurine to inside of jar lid using florist clay. If you are using a small object, it's a good idea to build up the clay so the object will appear taller. To preview, simply place empty jar over the top of your figurine to see if you have the height where you want it. Attach any optional items with the clay (greenery, berries, etc.). Important: Use your imagination, but make sure whatever you use is waterproof and won't dissolve.
Fill jar with water to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of top. Use cold water, warm water tends to cloud. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of glitter, or “ snow” into water. This measurement is based on a medium to large baby food jar. Adjust glitter amount according to your size jar.
Using hot glue gun, line inside of lid with glue. Insert figurine in water and screw on lid.
Dab lid dry if any water dripped or spilled. Apply a layer of hot glue around the rim of the lid to seal shut.
Let stand and dry overnight — lid side up.
Decorating the lid rim is optional, and there are several ways to do it. Attach decorative ribbon with glue, use plastic holly berries for a holiday feel, or use colored felt as we have. This can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. Use white or craft glue to run a squiggly line around the felt then sprinkle with glitter and let dry. Glue on buttons, use stickers, or personalize your globe by writing your name in glue and sprinkling with glitter. You may also paint the lid rather than use ribbon or other embellishments. The possibilities are endless so have fun!

Tips:

Keep your globe secure. Make sure the objects are secure in the clay, you could even glue them for added security.

Choose your figurine wisely. Choose a figurine made of a material that will not dissolve or deteriorate in water over time. Cake toppers, small ornaments with the hanger removed, miniature toys and dolls are all possibilities.

Easy-to-find greenery. You will only need small pieces so look for stems in the floral department that are on sale or inexpensive. You can also trim pieces from silk and plastic greenery, or you can even fashion your own small trees out of chenille stems. Another option is to use tiny plastic pine trees found in toy train and car sets.

Glitter tips. Before gluing or sealing the lid, make sure you have sufficient amount of glitter. Depending on the size of the jar, you may need more or less. Be careful! Too much glitter will completely obscure your figurine.

Add color and pizzazz. To make a more elaborate snow globe, add tiny objects to “ float” in the water, use a drop of colored oil to create a swirling effect or use food coloring in the water. Or, instead of using just white or just silver glitter, mix the two colored glitters. Silver tends to fall faster, the white floats more. Putting them together creates a fun effect. These are just some ideas to help you create your one-of-a-kind snow globe. Use your imagination and have fun.

Choose a theme . Make your snow globe for any occasion or theme such as Halloween, birthday, sports, holiday, Victorian and beach (seashells). You can also make two and give one away as a gift.

Save your felt scraps. This craft is a perfect example of utilizing small felt pieces that were left over from other projects so remember to save those scraps.

http://bohemianrevolution.com/have-yourself-a-frugal-little-christmas/

[live urls at link]

Have yourself a frugal little Christmas
by Jen (December 10, 2008)

This year has brought a lot of financial worries. Even those of us who are in good shape are worried about the future, so it looks like we’re looking for ways to spend less on the winter holidays. Here are some inexpensive crafty gift and decor suggestions.

Instructables tells you how to make grocery bag jewelry - that’s jewelry you make by melting old pasting grocery bags with an iron and then manipulating them like a craft medium. This is a great, clever, eco-friendly gift friends and family will appreciate. Be sure to follow all the safety precautions.

Want a really different holiday greeting card this year? Make these balsa wood cards from Instructables. They may not be practical for mailing out, but they’re gorgeous as decorations for your home or the home of someone you’re visiting this year.

If you’re mailing cash in lieu of gifts, you can spend several bucks on a greeting card designed for the purpose, or make your own money-holder greeting card with this tutorial, also from Instructables.

What about snacks? Elsie Marley has adapted a Martha Stewart recipe for meringue snowmen. These are cute, sure to be delicious, and can be made fairly frugally.

Kelly Wilkinson of Make Grow Gather wrote up instructions for five (frugal) homemade gifts for SFGate.

And feel free to recycle Sarah’s ideas for Frugal but Thoughtful Mother’s Day Gifts, many of which can be adapted for other relatives and other holidays.

http://bohemianrevolution.com/things-to-do-with-coffee-filters/

Things to do with coffee filters
by Jen (March 29, 2007)

TipNut posted about lining planters with coffee filters before you put the dirt in (keeps the water from draining out) and it got me thinking about other things I’ve used coffee filters for since I got a coffee maker with a permanent filter. Keep in mind you can get coffee filters dirt cheap at places like Smart N Final or Cosco, or when you look for sales.

* I put them over food when I’m heating stuff in the microwave. For me it comes out to be cheaper than napkins or paper towels, but do your own math - it all depends what’s available in your area.
* Line plastic cosmetic bags with them. Every once in a while, you can remove all the cosmetics, wad up the filter with all the dirt and debris in it, use the flip side of it to wipe out the plastic bag, and throw it away. Keeps your cosmetic bags from getting disgustingly grungy and needing to be replaced. You can also use paper towels or napkins for this, but I find the stiffness of the filters keeps them out of my way more.
* Flatten them and line stuff like candy dishes with them. This can actually look very cute - sort of like a simple doily.
* Put them between plates and cookware - anything you want to stack without scratching.
* They make excellent makeshift snack bowls for popcorn, nuts, etc. Get a tray with a rim and cram as many filters on together as will go, then put the snacks in them - very fun for get-togethers.
* Great for cleaning glass (keep them in the car for the windows).

http://bohemianrevolution.com/stuff-to-do-with-old-pantyhose/

Stuff to do with old pantyhose
by Jen (April 6, 2007)

Yesterday I talked about putting dried, used coffee grounds in old pantyhose to make odor-absorbing sachets. Guess what else old pantyhose are good for?

* Tying plants (like tomato vines) to sticks
* Use as hanging storage for onions. Tie knots between each onion, and you can just snip at the bottom knot to get one out.
* The other day I said you could line plant potters with coffee filters to keep water and soil inside. Pantyhose also work.
* Make catnip toys for cats - just tie some up in the toe of a kneesock.
* Make sachets with baking soda - just put some in, tie two knots, put more in, tie two knots again…. snip between the knots and you’ve got sachets.
* Put plastic grocery bags in them, hang it somewhere, cut a hole in the bottom (if the hole tends to spread, coat the edges with nail polish to stop it) and pull out plastic bags as needed.
* Put soap in the toes and tie the ends shut. Now you have a soap-on-a-rope/scrubbie for when you shower.

http://naughtysecretaryclub.blogspot.com/2008/12/handmade-hellos-book-review-and-how-to.html

Interesting card making info, there are many craft links that I did not check.

Several articles on crafts also.

http://bohemianrevolution.com/beat-odors-with-coffee-grounds-and-old-pantyhose/

Beat odors with coffee grounds and old pantyhose
by Jen (April 5, 2007)

This will freshen things the same way baking soda or charcoal do, because coffee grounds absorb odor like that:

* Dry out some used coffee grounds
* Put them inside old pantyhose - keeps them in but lets the air flow
* Tie it up, and you’ve got a sachet.

The only use I’ve heard of for this is for smelly shoes - stick the sachet down in the shoe for a while to deodorize it. I have a feeling it would work for smelly hampers, too.

http://bohemianrevolution.com/used-coffee-grinds-for-exfoliating-and-more/

Used coffee grinds for exfoliating and more
by Jen (April 16, 2007)

I keep reading that used coffee grounds are good for cellulite - well, as good as any of the other products out there, which charge scandalously for short-term results you can get with used coffee grinds. But it also seems like it would be a good, cheap and safe for sensitive skin exfoliator, so I did some research and got some surprises.

Used coffee grounds exfoliant:

Mix the used grounds in with your usual liquid cleanser. You can just experiment to get the right ration of grounds to liquid for your skin, or you can find a ton of recipes online, some of which add sugar or salt for further detoxification, and olive oil as a base.

Used coffee grounds cellulite treatment:

If you look at the ingredients in overpriced cellulite treatments, the main one is always caffeine. Just mix a small amount of used grounds with your moisturizer - GetBeautyTips recommends just a teaspoon to an entire bottle, and promises the few grounds that stick to your skin will fall off as soon as the lotion dries.

Used coffee grounds to enhance hair color:

Also from Get Beauty Tips:

Hair Color Enhancer - Add 2 tbsp of coffee grounds to your shampoo to enhance the hair color of brunettes and redheads. Also you can brew a really strong cup of coffee (espresso would be fabulous), let cool. Then saturate dry hair with coffee. Cover hair with a plastic shower cap or bag and let sit for 20 minutes. Then rinse with warm water.

http://bohemianrevolution.com/keep-coffee-grounds-fresh/

Keep coffee grounds fresh
by Jen (January 18, 2008)

The freezer isn’t always the right place to keep your coffee grounds. The cannisters of (cheap, pre-ground) coffee I buy recommend keeping it in the freezer, but I’m beginning to understand why the last quarter of the can tastes like cardboard.

Apparently what I need to do is break my cannisters down into amounts I can drink in a few days, and keep one “several days’ supply” at room temperature, and put the rest in the freezer until I’m ready for it.

Yeah, I should probably learn to grind my own beans, but I’m just not that much of an aficionado.

http://aprintaday.blogspot.com/2008/10/weekend-downloads-roses.html

Pretties in print, for you to download...........

Filed under crafts.