Hello!

Hi guys!

It's been quite a while...I haven't lived up to my personal goal of writing at least once weekly.  :(  But I have been doing some new things!  I learned to make marshmallow fondant & I have started some interior decorating.  Lots of fun!

Again, my decorating is on the cheap.  Beyond cheap.  I've tried to get everything on sale or clearance.  And a lot of stuff is just reused or repurposed.  Like my living room furniture for instance.  I've had it since 2008.  It was stuff my parents bought in 1999.  I've painted the walls and bought curtains to match it.  I can't wait to post pictures of the before and after of all the rooms!

Sweet Treat: Sally Hansen Nail Effects

Yes, I know that EVERYONE has done some type of review on these.  So, what’s one more for you to read?  I bought two packs in November 2011—one for me, one for my mom.  I’d read about them and seen friends and strangers post pictures of them to blogs and Instagram.  I applied mine first, then did my mom’s.  They came out great.  Since then, we’ve bought several more.  

Some colors/designs come out better than others.  For example, the plain polish (no design) is much more pliable than the prints.  Sucks for me because I like funky!  The glitter lasts a long time, and my shortest wear of any was the Kitty Kitty print at 7 days.  But, I use my hands a lot.  If I was somewhere being dainty, they’d probably still be on.  Anyway, it’s still a much better deal than nail polish which chips (on me) immediately.  And way cheaper than getting your nails done every two weeks.  I paid about $10 for them at Kroger.  My mom paid $6 for some at Walgreens.

Something to note, once the pack with the strips is opened, the CANNOT be used at all.  Yes, the directions say this…and yes I still wanted to conduct my own experiment.  I keep my nails short, so what I do is only open one pack of strips (2 come in a box).  I cut them in half and use one whole strip for two nails.  That way I can keep the second unopened pack and use it later.  Turns it into a $5 manicure.  What a treat!

DIY: My Backyard

I have some DIY projects coming up around the house.  In order: Second bathroom remodel, organize guest bedroom, backyard, my bedroom.  The one I'm most excited about is my backyard.  I can't wait to fix it up so I can have summer cookouts.  I have a fairly large yard, almost half an acre, and I have lawn chairs and a grill that are begging to come out.  I have tiki citronella torches for the mosquitoes that plague us here in the Southeastern United States.  I have nice green grass and bushes and trees and flowers.  

My preparation included fertilizing the grass before it got too cold.  The last time I cut the grass before winter, I spread fertilizer and weed killer on the freshly cut grass.  It rained a couple of days later so that was good.  I have a truckload of mulch (anyone want some?  Seriously, you can have it.) to spread on the very back of my yard.  Grass doesn't grow well there because of all the trees back there.  They are old trees and the combination of their shade and the fact that they take pretty much all nutrients from the soil mean that grass just doesn't stand a chance.  

My next step is going to be to buy some sort of vegetation killer.  I have lots of vine/ivy/kudzu-type foliage growing wild in the very back, which makes things look very messy.  I'll follow up with some pictures later this week.  After that, I have to remove the remainder of an old and rusty chain link fence since my next-door neighbors put up a wooden fence.  I need new stepping stones because one is now cracked in half.

I also need a solution for this piss-poor grading job.  They graded my land so that a moat has formed around my house.  It's so stupid and it makes me mad every time I have to jump across it to reach my house in order to not get my feet wet!  My dad suggested pouring sand in a little bit at a time because he says the grass can grow up around it and that it will level the land.  Do you have any suggestions for me?

Finally, I want a vegetable garden.  I don't care what's in it.  Just something that will grow successfully.  I think I have the opposite of a green thumb so something very hardy would be in order.  I learned last year that I had two fig trees.  I don't like figs, but I am excited about having fruit trees so I will definitely pick them this year.  Who knows, I might take them up to the farmer's market and sell them!  Haha :)  I'm going to buy another fruit tree this spring, haven't decided exactly what, though.  

If you have any landscaping tips for me, or if you know of any plants that grow well in the South, let me know!