Keep Smiling

Keep Smiling

Saturday, February 3, 2018

Seed Starting, Mailbox Surprise & Goodwill Finds.




 This is the time of year when 
our mud-room turns into a 
seed starting station.

I started 150 cells with these flower seeds.
I'm waiting two weeks to start my peppers
and then another week to start my tomatoes.


 This sweet package arrived as a 
complete surprise from 
Connie of:
Connie's Crafty Creations

Connie makes wonderful
paper crafted greeting cards.
I will treasure this one 
and will put the gifts inside to good use.
Thank you, sweet blogging sister :)

 Before I say goodbye  . . .
look at this great platter that I
found at the Goodwill :)
After my senior discount $4  :)
It's perfect for my farmhouse kitchen.


Then I spied this delicate plate . . .
Isn't it lovely?

This is stamped on the back.
$3

I was a happy camper . . . 
I didn't need them and I know that this
totally goes against my plan
for simplifying and getting rid 
of unneeded stuff,
but I couldn't resist.

Do you know the feeling?

Keep Smiling!
Your blogging sister,
Connie :)







60 comments:

  1. Connie, I know you are a great gardener , so I am not surprised by how many seedlings you have started. :):) I just wish I had your motivation. :) Cute dishes. They are just hard to resist at times. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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    1. I know, I walked into the Goodwill store knowing that I didn't need anything . . . but there is so much fun in the hunt :)

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  2. There are a few seeds I would like to start early in my house too but I am so afraid I won't have enough room with good light. Glad you liked the goodies, as I was of what you sent to me :) Sometimes you just have to buy those things that you enjoy, even if you don't need them :) Have a great weekend!

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    1. I know . . . that cow platter was just calling my name, LOL

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  3. I wish I had your green thumb. What a nice surprise package you got. Love the card.
    Oh and yes, I do know the feeling.

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  4. I know the feeling well, I wouldn't have been able to resit either. The cow platter was a delight.

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    1. I love that platter and my everyday dishes have a red checker boarder that go very well with it :)

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  5. Your garden is going to be terrific. I don’t have much space inside to start seeds, so I usually buy small plants or just wait to sow seeds till spring. I like your goodwill finds!

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    1. I plant most of my seeds in the ground, but tomatoes and peppers need a good head-start. Starting flowers inside is new to me. I'll still be planting zinnias, marigolds and sunflowers in the ground after frost.

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  6. I know the feeling Connie...I love that cow plate! I'm a sucker for dishes that look like veggies...I have a few garlic shaped garlic holders, a potato shaped dish and a mushroom where Alex keeps his chocolate "hidden" from me lol! If ever I see them at the thrift stores, I forget my simple life as well lol! Lovely gifts you received! I started some seeds yesterday as well, though these are "iffy" at best since the window is pretty cold at night, it does get enough sun so I'm hoping the flowers and herbs will bloom!

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    1. After my seed germinate I put a grow light on them. The windows just don't bring in enough warmth this time of year.

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  7. Is it really time to start sowing flower seeds? Then I must get organized. I'm going to try one more time to grow Columbines from seed. They are some of my fav. flowers and I have some colours that come back year after year but I want lots of other colours and mixes and to have them I must get the seeds to grow.
    I love your thrift store finds. I totally know the " I can't resist" feeling!

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    1. Buying bedding plants is just so expensive . . . so starting seeds is the only way to go. :)
      That doesn't mean that I won't buy a few bedding plants, but I try to keep it to a very few :)

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  8. LOL- Sadly, I DO know that feeling of buying something I don't need. lol. Today I bought a set of 3 'candles' with a remote control...marked down from $36.99 to $6.00....I actually bought two boxes because I figured for that price I couldn't go wrong. Do I need it? NOPE! lol But-like the cow platter jumped into your cart the same thing happened to me with the candles. lol

    Just wondering when your planting season starts though. We can't plant outside until the first day of June so we are a long ways off yet.

    Have a wonderful, blessed weekend- xo Diana

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    1. They say that we shouldn't plant outside until May 15th, but if I start them now I will have tomatoes that are starting to bloom by then. Those little suckers are 3 or 4 dollars a piece at Home Depot, so a pack of seeds saves me a lot of money . . . more money for cow platters, LOL.

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  9. Oh girl you do inspire me with your seed starters and I love your finds! Great finds.

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    1. Starting seeds gets me more in the mood for spring . . . and I have a huge garden:)

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  10. Replies
    1. If you are speaking about my thrift store finds . . . I know . . .it's so hard to not buy something when the items is right and the price is right, too LOL

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  11. Cute goodies! Good luck with your seedlings!

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    1. Thank you. I have great luck starting my peppers and tomatoes, but starting bedding plant flowers is new to me. It will be interesting and a fun little adventure :) Besides that, it gets my mind off winter LOL

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  12. Beautiful platter, I would not be able to resist either! So impressed with your mini "green house".

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    1. Oh, once they take off and start growing I cann't wait until April when it's warm enough to move them all outside to the potting shed. By then, I'm ready to reclaim the mud-room :)

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  13. Oh I love the cow platter!!! What a great find!!

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  14. That is one of the best things about decorating with thrift store finds . . . when you're ready for a new look, you can get your money back and start shopping again :)

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  15. Hi Connie, It looks like your yard will be filled with flowers this summer! I can't remember, do you just use a sunny room in your porch or do you have a heated pad or something? When I feel better I need to check when to start my one cherry tomato plant that a friend gave me a few seeds for and Yard Long beans. Doctor's appointment Monday so maybe will get on the right road after that! I love the cow platter. The dish is beautiful but I would choose the cow platter and it is hard not to buy something when you find things like that! That was a beautiful card that your friend sent you with the goodies! Praying for you. Nancy

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    1. Hi Nancy, you are so sweet and a dear friend, thank you so much :) I start mine in the mud room and after they germinate I put a heat lamp on them. Then in April I move them outside to the potting shed until mid May when we put them in the ground :) I don't use a pad, only because I would need at least 3 and they are very expensive. My plants seem to do great without them anyway. Our daughter has one and she loves it.

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  16. What a sweet surprise from your friend Connie.
    I found two shirts at the Goodwill just yesterday. I love going throught thrift store dishes and linens. Im a junkiy for tea towels and Pyrex. My husband will often tell me “no more dishes!” We too are trying to get rid of stuff to downsize one day.
    Lisa

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Down sizing can be hard. Our granddaughters are visiting in August and I'm going to let them clean out some of my stuff and have a yard sale . . . win-win . . . I can get rid of it and they can have fun and make some money :)

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  17. Beautiful plates. Your comment about not needing anything, simplifying, etc reminds me of when I was a young homemaker. I loved shopping the re-sale shops and antique/vintage shops to outfit our home. Now, mannnny years later, my home is superfluously (sp?) outfitted. No. More. Is. Needed. But, I find myself missing the "thrill of the hunt." I don't enjoy "just looking." Maybe I need to do a super huge yard sale --so I can go shopping again? HeeHee

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    1. That's the best thing about decorating from thrift shops, you can turn around and just about recoup the money you spent and then shop again.

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  18. My goodness you are busy planting already! Love both plates, but especially the bottom one. Gorgeous!
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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    1. I've found that it takes this long to have big strong tomato and pepper plants. This is my first year to try these flowers from seed, they're the ones I usually buy as bedding plants . . . we'll just have to see how it goes:)

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  19. This is so inspiring for spring....love it all!

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    1. Doing things like starting seed indoors helps with the winter time blues . . . some years February and March can be so dull and drab that the grey skies make you think that Spring is never come. Planting a seed is hope for the future :) That and you have nice strong plants to set out in the garden when Spring finally arrives.

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  20. Just the thought of preparing for Spring makes me happy. Good luck with your seeds. Love your new plates. Goodwill is a great place to shop. Some of my favorite thins I've picked up there.
    xx Beca

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    1. I know . . . walking past those little trays of seeds is a reminder that Spring is on the way . . . warm weather, sweaters in stead of coats. Getting our hands dirty in the warm earth and seeing the world turn from brown to green again :)

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  21. You are so lucky that you have a sunny mudroom to start your own seedlings. I'd love to do that, but I have nowhere to put the seedlings. What a sweet, happy package you got in the mail! Love your thrifting plate finds. I can picture that cow platter hanging somewhere on the wall in your kitchen, but maybe you're planning on using it in a different way.

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    1. I've been thinking the same thing . . . I'll need to get a plate hanger . . . or have Steve build me a plate rack :) He loves those Honey Do lists, not, LOL.

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  22. I do, indeed, know the feeling...:)

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    1. Sometimes it is just too hard to resist, LOL

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  23. Such delightful finds at the thrift store, I love plates, and even though I live in a tiny house, simplifying is a must, yet these kinds of little delights somehow slip in through the door, lol! What a sweet gift from Connie, she makes the most delightful cards! I haven't started any seeds yet for my garden, but you are inspiring me :)

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    1. I do start mine pretty early, but by having the potting shed to move them to about April, I have the time and space to grow large starter plants :) I couldn't afford to grow the size garden that I have unless I started from seed. Those Home Depot plants would kill by budget. Last year I planted 39 tomato plants, LOL. I'll not be planting that many again.

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  24. Wow ! You have a good eye for finding treasures in the thrift shops !

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    1. Oh I think that thrift store shopping is just being there at the right time . . . so many times I find nothing at all :)

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  25. Hi Connie, Those plates are great and I can sure see why you took them home. And getting the seeds started is great too. Yesterday, out on a walk, I spotted daffodils blooming. Surely these are signs we're on the way out of the dark days! Thanks for sharing your blog and hope you have a fine week ahead! John

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    1. Hi John, looks like we might be in for an early Spring . . . especially on your side of the mountains.
      Daffodils that's amazing, for the first of February. Here's to many pretty days a head, sunshine on your shoulders and your umbrella gathering dust :)

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  26. What a pretty card from a thoughtful friend! And I love that delicate plate. I'm always drawn to something unusual like this. It will be pretty in any number of ways! It's nice to get ready for planting season too. You are always busy! Enjoy your week! Hugs!

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    1. Bring busy doing the things I love is a joy indeed. The little part of my early morning when I get my cup of coffee and sit here at the computer visiting with sweet friends like you Diane . . . those are sweet moments, too. I nice way to start my day :)

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  27. First of all, those curtains in your mudroom are the cutest ever!! My utility room is where I start my seeds, but up here I have to wait until mid March. Sigh. Love that little platter with the cow, he'd be right at home in my kitchen!!

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    1. Farmhouse kitchens are so much fun aren't there? I was so happy when I spied that cow platter . . . good price, too :)

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  28. hi dear Conni!
    i found your blog very beautiful and sharing is really wonderful and thoughts are inspirational!
    loved the all stuff but plate is so elegant!

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    1. Thank you for stopping by to visit with me. That plate didn't really match my home dishes, but like you said it is so elegant and charming . . . I find many pretty items when I go thrift store shopping:)

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  29. Yes, sadly, I do know just how you feel!! I'm always picking up "irresistibles" at the thrift store ... not quite so many as I used to do, but still :) You've reminded me that it IS time to do something with all my seeds. Yay for spring!

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  30. I thought I had replied to this but maybe not! You are lucky to have a place to start your seeds indoors.. I haven't done that for years and years and years... when I had windowsills that faced south and got lots of sun. Now... too many cats jumping up on what few windowsills I do have! The card you received is just darling.... love those stripes.. and lace too... love it. Just wanted to stop in and say hi.. I'm behind in my blog reading comments. I usually read them right away, but if I don't comment right away, then it gets away from me. Love seeing what's going on up there in Washington! Take care.. Happy Valentine's Day! Marilyn

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  31. Hi Connie,
    I had to laugh when I read about your plates you scored at Goodwill. I love the second one! I'm the same - they are just so gorgeous they are irresistible, aren't they? I had to put mine away because my new kitten has broken two of my favourite teacups - I cried!!! LOL!
    Have a good week from Jesse X

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