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Garden Helper

Meet Charlie. He is one of many helpers in my garden. I found him this morning when I went out to the garden. Prior to gardening, I couldn't stand bugs. Bugs would make me jump and were always associated with fear and (in most cases) annoyance. Now bugs hold a special place in my heart for the services they provide to my organic garden... well, now that I know a little more about them.

Spiders
I would never have considered myself an arachnophobe, but I had a definitive dislike for spiders only tinged with a slight fear. Now I know better. While you don't want an infestation of spiders, having a few on hand (not literally) actually keeps other bugs away. According to Dr. Linda S. Rayor, Assistant Professor of Entomology, Cornell University, spiders are considered to be the most important terrestrial predators, eating tons of pest insects or other small arthropods every year. And those webs, that have always creeped me out, are actually my gardens best defense against unwanted pests. Those webs are LITERALLY large bug traps that I didn't have to pay for, set or clean since the web is actually an extension of the spider's sensory system. What does that mean? A bug hits a web and the spider IMMEDIATELY knows that dinner is served and gets to work "preparing" it's meal. Spider webs are GOLD for ANY garden. And since spiders are predators only, they will not harm any of your growing crops. If you are gardening organically.... LEARN to love spiders. I did (well except for the black widow and brown recluse that we have here in AZ.... YUCK).

Ladybugs
Unlike spiders, I did not have to learn to love ladybugs. I've always loved ladybugs! They are one of the most adorable of bugs and another helper for an organic garden. Ladybugs, like spiders, are predators; and these predators eat ALL DAY on unwanted insects never harming your harvest. Even when they are in larvae form, they are eating the bad bugs in your garden!
Because they are the least feared of the insect world, they are also the most popular insect to use in gardens and can be found for purchase VERY easily. Be sure that you release them in your garden when it is dark and after an evening water.

Dragonflies
I only occasionally see dragonflies in my garden and recently learned that they are beneficial for ridding a garden of mosquitoes. My next garden WILL be a netted greenhouse where I will have a couple of dragonflies in residence. But for now, that's all I've got on dragonflies.

Lizards and Frogs
Obviously not bugs, but very welcomed helpers in my garden. Frogs have JUST RECENTLY shown up in my garden. I honestly don't know where they came from, but am so thrilled they are there. And the lizards? Being that I live in Arizona, lizards are EVERYWHERE. Both are also predators and do not harm your organic garden eating many of the flying insects that will feed off your crops and then make their airborne get away.

I'm quickly learning how cooperative gardening really works for not only the plants that I'm growing, but also in making a happy home for my garden helpers.
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Past 7 Days....

Gorgous Leaves Bundle Revisited

Yestday's Freebie Friday on a Monday projects were so fun and this set is SO BEAUTIFUL in it's simplicity!  It reminds me of a long-retired stamp set from Stampin Up!.  I was inspired to re-create the projects that I made with it once upon a time.  So here we go.... SIMPLE projects when you need a quick "hello" or an even quicker heartfelt sympathy card: I was DEFINITELY on a Bumblebee and Cajun Craze kick yesterday!  I can't stop/won't stop!  LOL!  To be fair... I had extra leaves die cut and didn't want anything to go to waste!  A quick speckle backdrop in Bumblebee then a quick "hello" greeting from the Biggest Wish in Cajun Craze with the Cajun Craze leaf popped up on a Basic White cardbase.  PERFECTION! Okay, as with yesterday's projects, the sentiment is from the recently retired SAB Delicate Dahlia's set, but you could use ANY sympathy sentiment you have in your stash.  Unlike in the past when I had to mask off the center rectangle...
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New Year New Copic Class

Ok, so it's another year and we're looking forward to the year ahead, but if you're anything like me, you haven't even begun to sift through all of your 2010 stuff yet and it's time to start a new year. Welp, here's a little help... I created this tag to use as an embellishment for a 2010 Christmas scrapbook layout and now YOU can make one too as it is also the featured project at Paper Vineyard's Copic Palooza on January 23, 2011!!! Everthing you need to make this tag will be provided at the class, all you need to bring is a paper trimmer, scissors, adhesive and your Copic markers. This is a monochromatic class and the suggested copics to bring with you to class are ANY FOUR copics in the Cool, Neutral or Warm color families. I used C0, C2, C6, and C9. The best part is you get to take this ADORABLE Kraftin Kimmie Virginia stamp home with you for future creations (and maybe even a head start on your 2011 CHRISTMAS CARDS!!! hahahahahhahaha ! Now that's RE...
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MY VERY FIRST CRICUT CARTRIDGE GIVE AWAY!

Ok ... so the time has come. I've got some BRAND NEW, NEVER BEEN USED, STILL IN THE PLASTIC Cricut Cartridges to give away over the next couple of months and it starts with one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITES...... Hannah Montana! YAY! I LOVE this cartridge! It's got the most beautiful guitar images along with musical notes and FIVE fonts! I used the regular font and the rock star font to create my Father's Day card this year (see above). I also used the Hannah Montana cart (see below) to create a beautiful butterfly (FREE Gypsy cut file HERE ), and am currently working on a project using the gorgeous solitaire diamond. There's a rose and lips and decorative hearts, even a Pegasus ! There's just so much on this cartridge.... I use it a lot! To call this a "font" cartridge is terribly misleading. It's been a long time favorite and now I'm THRILLED to be able to give it away to one of my awesome readers! So here's how to win: Become one of my follower...
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