Habits of Financially Successful People

I came across this article about rich vs poor habits and found it very interesting.  Some points that I gleaned were that I should watch less TV or spend less time on the Internet (use my time more productively), read more (learn continuously), don't play the lottery (recognize that making money is not magical and does not depend on luck), and keep in touch with people more (network throughout my life as part of my lifestyle/habits). 

I also liked the point about teaching children to make To Do lists and to aim to have those lists 70% complete each day.  I like To Do lists and tend to be more productive when I have them to look at everytime I get bored or run out of things to do.  Daily To Do lists that have to be 70% complete each day is a new thing.  I decided to give it a try and, voila!, it is pretty cool. 

Not only did a get a whole lot more in one day than I usually do, I felt pushed to do more than I usually do because I have a 70% completion goal for each day.  I found that I could not meet this easily, so I might have to fill the daily To Do lists with more tasks that can be done in one day.  Perhaps I could make a separate To Do list with items that can be completed in a longer time frame? 

Anyways, it's something to think about.  The weather is really turning pleasant and the garden here looks fantastic.  I included some pictures so you can see what's been inspiring me lately. 

I can't get over how cool it is that this hydrangea bush is a whole kaleidoscope of colours!  It's so pretty! 

I popped into Home Depot today and picked up some pink begonias too.  I wonder what that financial guy would think of spending time on gardening.  Life's not just about making money though; you have to live and enjoy it too!  

If you're looking for some inspirational literature on habits of successful people, here are a few popular ones.

  

Have a great week!

xoxo

DIY Water Distressed Paper Flowers Tutorial

I've been having fun making water distressed paper flowers the last few days.  

They are easy to make and they look quite nice.  I am thinking about using them for my wedding decorations next year.  What do you think?

By varying the petal shapes, colours, and centers, I have made a lots of different types of flowers.

I even experimented with making some anemones.  It's fun  :) 

I have amassed quite the collection of them already...

I even made different kinds of leaves  :D 

If you would like to know how to make these, the tutorial can be found here on my wedding blog.

Have a great day!

xoxo

Gardening Blissfully

Gardening can be a peaceful and enjoyable pastime. Here are some photos from my garden for you to see!

This is Alyssum. I like how pretty and lavender coloured they are. I planted them into my succulent garden to add some colour and contrast.

Mmm, strawberries! Mine are always relatively small, but they are very fragrant and sweet :)

We had a lot of them this year :) Yum!

Here is a zucchini! I ate him today.

Here are some lovely succulents from my succulent garden. I love succulents. They are so wonderful.

Have a happy day!

Raindrops, Flowers, Garden Delights

Summer passed by in the blink of an eye, and now cold winds and rains have returned. In my garden, magical things have begun to happen. My corn plant erupted into crimson silk, which is none other than a little corn in the making!

I have never grown corn before so this is all very mysterious to me. Why is corn silk so pretty?

Lush strawberry plants hide pink fruits and white flowers.
Pumpkin flowers peek out among the large fronds, bursting with vivid yellows and orange. Did you know that pumpkin flowers are edible? My co-worker brought some for me to eat, lightly dusted with egg, salt, pepper, spices, and cheeses, and sautéed. They were actually quite delicious.
My pumpkin plant explosion - I'm so proud! Who would have thought that last year's jack-o-lantern's seeds would grow so well!
Out of all the beans I am growing now, this one is the most delicious.
And it's flowers are a delight!

However, nothing beats fushias after rain. They look like jewels.

I hope you are enjoying the rain and the fruits and flowers of your labour!

How To Propagate Petunias From Cuttings

Petunias are an essential addition to hanging baskets. Their bright colours and ease-of-care also make them great for any gardener to brighten up their flowerbeds.

The best news is that they are also easy to propagate.
Here is how to propagate your petunias to make more of a wonderful flowering plant.
You will need the following supplies:

1. good quality soil
2. a pot with good drainage
3. a dibber/pencil/or thin spoon handle
4. scissors
5. healthy, well-watered petunia plants
6. a container of water

Snip off a stem from a petunia plant. Be sure to cut under a leaf joint, and ensure that there are at least 3 leaf joints on the stem.
Keep your cuttings fresh by putting them immediately into a container of water while you work.
Snip off the lower leaves on the cuttings. Also remove any flowers since you want the cuttings to focus their energy on growing roots first.
Fill your pot with soil. (Tip: The rule of thumb is to fill the container until it is heaping, and then to gently press the soil down into the container. It should fill up fairly perfectly.)

Use your dibber to make some deep holes in your container of soil.
Place one cutting per hole.
Use your dibber to push soil towards the plant stem so that the holes are filled.
Water generously to really soak the soil and stems. This also helps the soil to settle around the cuttings.
Place the cuttings in a bright location with filtered light. Bright and shady is good too. Do not expose them to direct sunlight or overly hot and dry conditions. (Use an umbrella if necessary to create shade.)

These cuttings do not have roots yet so they dry out very easily. Keep the plants well watered, soaking the leaves as well as the soil daily. On hot days, I soak them in the morning and again in the late afternoon. On cooler days, I only soak them in the evening.

The cuttings will be a little limp, but they should never be totally shriveled up. If they totally shrivel up, it is probably because you didn't water them enough or the location is too hot.
About 2-3 weeks later, the cuttings will start to perk up. This is a sign that roots are starting to grow out and the cuttings are starting to be able to take up water from the soil.

I am impatient so I usually gently ease one out to have a peek. Dip it into water to rinse off the soil to check if there are roots forming. Be very gently when you put the cutting back into the soil and water it well to ensure that the soil is all around the stem again.
If there are no roots, put the cuttings back into the soil and wait patiently for another week. As long as the cutting hasn't died, it will eventually put roots down. Some cuttings just take longer than others.

If there are little roots forming, that is excellent. Put the cutting back into the soil and let it grow for another week. By this time, the cuttings should look pretty good and have some decent root growth. Feel free to gently plant them into a new location in your garden or hanging basket.

Always water well for the first couple days after you plant them into a new location so that they have time to adjust to their new, sunnier and drier pots and gardens.

Happy Gardening!

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Blue Skies And Cherry Blossoms

The gentle rays of Spring are introducing the most lovely of Spring visions - the cherry blossom.In white, they form fluffy canopies as you walk down the street.
And after a wretched wind storm? The pink petals line the roadways like delicate, bright pink confetti.
Swept into collections forming vivid pink shapes among the rocky pebbles.
Against the sky, they are dazzling to behold. It's no wonder the birds shout their songs so loud and energetic each morning.
The branches of cherry blossoms are gnarled and twisted. A stark contrast against the blue sky, bright sun, and pink blossoms.
I look up and a beacon smiles down on me. Yes, Spring is here! And, soon, it will be Summer! I can hardly wait!

Have a happy weekend!