The Sewing Mom

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of SaferBrand. All opinions are 100% mine.

Except for the never ending wind here in Dallas, today was an absolutely beautiful day! I think the high was around 70, the sun was brightly shining and flowers are in bloom. It’s so pretty out it makes me want to get outside!

I headed out to the patio to start cleaning it after the long, wet winter. I realized our patio seat cushions need replacing so I have some fabric shopping I need to do! I also started pulling weeds out of the flower beds that surround our pool, tons and tons of thistle! Wow! I can’t believe how much of it is in the beds and in the yard. Between the thistle and the clover, I was certainly beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed. I do want to get the weeds taken care of before I put a fresh layer of mulch down though.

Once I get everything weeded, it’ll be time for the pruning and cleaning up of the bushes. We have several large rose bushes and lots of regular hedge bushes that I take care of all year long. I’m always worried about the rose bushes though with bugs. They’re pretty resilient, but we did have one large rose bush die last year and I don’t want to lose anymore. I don’t like using harsh chemicals though, it just never feels right to me. EndALL insect spray kills 45 different types of insects whether their in the larvae stage or full grown adults and it’s organic. Organic Pyrethrin and soap kill adult and larval stages while Neem oil kills the eggs to prevent re-infestation. It’s so safe that it can be used on just about any living plant including flowers, fruits, vegetables, lawn, landscape, ornamentals and even houseplants.

If you prefer organic gardening, you might want to try EndALL insect spray.

My husband was headed to the hardware store the other day so I asked him to pick me up a pair of hand held garden clippers. He asked me what brand and, of course, I told him Fiskars. I am a sewer and I have to admit, my sewing room has several pairs & stlles of Fiskars scissors. I also have Fiskars scissors for use on every day items like paper. I am truly a Fiskars fan.

I love my new garden clippers and was checking out the Fiskars website when I learned of the Fiskars Project Orange Thumb for 2008. This is a grant program that provides community garden groups with the tools and materials they need to reach their goals for neighborhood beautification and horticulture education. Winners for 2007 ranged from Elementary schools to colleges and museums. The project is such a great way to promote community involvement. One of the winners will even be creating a rain garden.

I wrote a post last week talking about how my daughter and I planted seeds for the very first time. It was such a great experience and so much fun to do it with her. We’ve been monitoring our seedlings daily and it’s a great way to share time together. Project Orange Thumb is a great way to not only involve family, but neighbors too. We all know the importance of having green space in our community, this is a way to get the community, kids and adults, involved in a worthwhile project.So, why not promote creativity through gardening and submit your entry to Project Orange Thumb?