anglind's Profile

Is this a sponsored post?

My stepfather-in-law built a cheery yellow one in his front yard in Green Bay, WI. Happily, it's been seeing some action.

I'm on the cusp of Gen X & Y, and here in VT there is a thriving community of young gardeners. I grew up in suburbia, with boomer parents who tried to distance themselves from the thrifty ways of their own parents. They didn't want to be stuck in the garden or have to grow their own food, so they were unable to pass any info down to me. Mowing the lawn was the extent of their connection to the land.

Growing up, I thought growing things must be like rocket science. I was intimidated and thought it required special knowledge. Getting involved in a community garden helped me gain confidence and access to people who were happy to share their skills. It's been the resurgence of community gardens that has really been responsible for my own transformation into a gardener. Now my 2 young girls are out there with me, digging in the dirt and watching things grow, and I'm thrilled to share that experience with them.

Wow, it's hard to believe it's been more than 25 years, and I still remember the names of my CPKs. I hardly remember the names of my own children sometimes! ("Hey, you over there!") Those were some evil-genius marketers.

I had:
1. Sophia Claudie (blond yarn hair)
2. Irisa Joy (red yarn hair & freckles)
3. Amy Jicelyn (came with a clown costume and squeaker shoes!)
4. Fiona Glynnis (blond cornsilk doll with glasses, the prima donna of the bunch)

If you enjoy 'Apples to Apples,' you should also try 'Bubble Talk.' It's the same kind of idea, but instead of relating words to an another word, you are trying to choose the best caption for a picture. Both the pictures and the potential caption cards are a riot. And it has a way of becoming hilariously filthy (when you're playing with adults only) in the same way that all of my 'Apples to Apples' games seem to do.

I feel for you on the ugly laminate. We bought a house one year ago with splotchy mustard yellow countertops, and a kitchen renovation isn't in our budget for awhile. For about $20 I bought the Rustoleum Countertop paint in a basic gray. While I agree about saving up for what you really want, that $20 was about the best I've ever spent to just not have to look at the ugly counters anymore. I wasn't even too concerned about the results because I know we'll be replacing them in a year or two. The paint is indeed a little tricky to make perfectly smooth, but it's been extremely durable for us kitchen klutzes. It's not like regular wall paint, it's more like a thick and sticky nail polish. It dries hard and smooth. I'm guessing this Giani kind would be similarly durable. I say go for it, especially if you plan to replace the countertops down the road anyway.

Craft stores and framing places are well versed in this sort of project. They're likely to have some ideas for you even if you decide not to use their services. Both of my grandfathers served in WWII, and my father ordered duplicates of their pins and medals, and had the hardware framed with old pictures of them in uniform. I think he took them to Ben Franklin (or an equivalent) and it actually turned out quite well.

Ordering the duplicate pins and medals can also be a good solution for those in your family who want to commemorate your grandfather but weren't as lucky as you to inherit the originals. :)