Must Have Gardening Tools * Sweet Gardening

Spring is here! It's time to plan your garden if you haven't already. These are a few of my must have garden tools. I use them all daily when gardening. The watering can is great for hanging plants. I don't like the sun in my face so a good hat is a must. Hand tools are soo important for planting and weeding.  A good pair of gloves will save your hands and cuticles. A cart to carry away weeds or carry larger tools around the yard is helpful.
What are your must have gardening tools?

1. Hand Tools
2. Garden Gloves 
3. Watering Can
4. Wide Brim Gardening Hat
5. Vermont Garden Cart
6. Multi Spray Nozzle 

In The Garden * First Fruits

The first signs of a garden harvest are in my garden. This year I planted 5 varieties of peppers. This is my first Jalapeno popping out.

Over the weekend I roasted peppers with chef Jeffrey Saad at the Waldorf Astoria in Park City. I am so excited to try roasting each of the varieties and tasting the differences in their flavors and planning recipes around them.

This is my first heirloom tomato growing nicely. It's the first year I have grown heirloom tomatoes and they are coming along wonderfully.

The basil is ready to use. Tonight we are making grilled margarita pizzas with garden fresh basil on top. And for dessert we are making these yummy chocolate chip cookies.

All the herbs are coming along very well. I am so exited for my dill. I am going to be pickling thin sliced onions, green beans, peppers and cucumbers this year.

Much of our little forest of mint is being transplanted over in the corner of the yard under the hammock. I will make a nice cool refreshing and relaxing nap in the summer afternoons.
How is you garden coming along this year?

Happy Happy Easter Weekend! * Sweet Crafty Creations

Happy Happy Easter weekend! We have a couple of Sweet Easter Egg decorating ideas perfect for an Easter Brunch or Easter Dinner center piece on Simply the Sweet Life Magazine-blog.

Sweet Home * Green Kitchen Table Make-Over

I have been thinking about re-finishing my kitchen table for a while now-a couple of years. I couldn't decide what to do. Should I tile it? Stain it? I decided to paint it. Plain old white wouldn't do. I chose this amazing green apple/ lime color. I love it! My kitchen is very basic white, wood and chrome. I wanted the color to come from the fruits in the baskets, the dishes, the plants, the rugs etc. It is the perfect setting for a beautiful bright green table.
The color inspiration come from my favorite apron. It's the one on the table above. Every time I wear the apron it makes me happy. This new table color makes me happy too. When the table is set the green frames the settings and food like a beautiful picture frame. It becomes the accent each place setting.

I started by stripping off the stain with a natural orange paint stripper.
Then I painted a layer of stain sealer/ primer on it.

Next, I choose my lovely shade of green.
I did have the paint store create a custom color just for me. A high gloss paint is best for a table top. I used acrylic paint. I painted three layers sanding lightly between each layer. The very last step was a wood stain to antique it and to bring out the scratches dents and dings. All those marks are from the past 12 years of raising kids and I wanted to accent those wonderful years on our family table.

I'm Lovin it Fridays at Tidy Mom

Sweet Family Life * Memorial Day

 {image from Heather}

We are enjoying our day as a family remembering those who came before us.
Here are some great things I found and wanted to share with you.
-Homemade Orange Spray Cleaner by Heather
-Growing the perfect tomatoes by Tanya
-Pointy Baby Hat by Amy {oh how I wish I could knit!}
-Sweet Paul Magazine by Paul { I love him- such a nice guy & very talented! Remember my interview with him last year.}