Fall in Michigan???

Happy Saturday and the second day of fall.  I usually don't complain about the heat here in Michigan.  I haven't ran the air condition for about 3 weeks and now for the last few days, it is going non stop.  95 degrees on the first day of fall.  That is just crazy!  The one thing I love about it is that I haven't pulled up all my pepper or tomato plants and my peppers are going crazy.  I have bell and hot peppers galore.  I am so happy I froze some blanched tomatoes because I am going to make some super hot sauce.

I think I will just share a few veggie garden pictures today to give you something to think about over the next few months.

 This part of the garden will be raised next year.  I filled the first section of raised with nothing but mine and my mom's compost and organic garden soil.  It made a huge difference in my plants from previous years.

 I still have one Roma plant with 3 green tomatoes.  I'm hoping this heat will ripen them up.

 Sweet basil is my favorite!

 This is lime basil.  I have dried some of it but I haven't really used any yet.

 I planted some garlic bulbs in the block holes a week ago.  I hope they do good.  It is a great space saver.

 The green onions did great in the holes.  I had them in 4 different ones and I am still pulling them up.

I hope you enjoy your weekend and please follow my blog and don't forget for all your paper crafting needs.  Go to  paperdivas.ctmh.com.

Hugs, Ronda

Celebrate Fall!

Happy Friday everyone!  Today I want to share with you Close to my Hearts featured papers for September!

Here are four cards I made for my Fall card workshop!  I just love these papers!

This one is my favorite of the four!

This page shows the Cats and Bats paper pack!

 Here is the Falling for you Paper pack!

 This is called a Double Dutch fold card!  I really like this fold!

 This flower paper is my favorite in the Fall for You pack!

 I have only one Halloween card for my workshop!  That doesn't mean I won't create some more!  I love how CTMH puts non traditional papers in their packs.

Here is a list of the supplies I used to make these cards.  You can get these at paperdivas.ctmh.com.

Cats and Bats paper pack- X7224B, Emerald paper and stamp pad-x5969, z2806. Scallop Boarder thin die-z3348.  Falling for you paper pack- X7223B, September stamp of the month- S1709,  Hello and thanks thin die set (retired) z3259.  Fern paper and ink pad- x5960, z2850, pebble paper -x5955.  Goldrush paper and ink pad- x5962, z2823, Hear border thin cuts- Z3347, Basic ovals thin cuts- Z3328 and Gold Glitter Gems- z3312.

I hope you have a great weekend and check back next week for more Close to my Heart artwork and Gardening news!

Hugs,  Ronda

More garden news!

Happy Monday !  I was just going through all of the pictures I took this summer of my veggie garden and I thought I would share a few today.

I hope everyone is safe from Hurricane Irma and your homes didn't get much damage.  I've seen that a lot of cars were damaged by trees.

At the beginning of the growing season, I took a picture of this tomato plant growing out of the side of my compost bin.

Now at the end of the season my bin is surrounded by what I call garden donors!  These are all cherry tomatoes that have just grown up on there own.  I have probably gotten 2 gallon bags full of them so far.  The first picture is what the above plant looks like now and the second is the other side of the bin where about four plants grew.

There is a beautiful dill growing there too.  I also have a nice little frog living under these plants.  He hides when I come out but sings to me from his hiding place.

Well that's it for today!  Come back tomorrow for a look at some tomato plants and the canning I did with them.

Hugs,  Ronda

Garden Pictures!

Good morning and happy Saturday to you!  As we await the horrible storm of Irma in Florida, I sit up here in mid Michigan on a sunny but chilly morning.  It is 11:18 and only 59 degrees.  That's pretty chilly for September 9th. Yesterday I got outside and pulled up some veggie plants, cleaned things up and brought in a nice bell pepper along with some pretty green tomatoes that might turn red down in the basement.  I also dug up my red skin potatoes.  There weren't very many but it will give us a couple of side dishes with meals.

I have some russet potatoes growing too but I didn't plant them until July so they won't be ready for a while.  Here is  a picture of there pretty flowers.

Down below is what used to be in this space.  I let the sage and Thyme flower for the bee's and then I dug them up because they were too over grown and woody.  I left in the lemon thyme!  I also had some garlic there.

Well that is it for today, I must get working on my next card workshop which will be fall cards using Close to my Hearts Falling for you and maybe a little cats and bats paper packs.

Have a wonderful weekend and please continue to pray for the people and homes in the path of Irma and also all of the people and homes in the path of all the wild fires.

Check back tomorrow or Monday for another post on my summer veggie plant news.

Hugs,  Ronda

Close to my Hearts from the Heart Kit.

Just a quick post today to show off the beautiful September promotion.  It is a beautiful card kit that makes 12 interactive cards.  You can buy extra bases or the stamp set separately too.  The Stamp set is actually 2 sets so it is a great deal.  You can also search #ctmhfromtheheart for great samples of these cards.

Go to my website at paperdivas.ctmh.com. and get yours today.  Enjoy your weekend and pray for all of the people in the Hurricane and fire paths.

Ronda