D.I.Y. Lamp Shade Container Gardening: Miracle Gro's The Gro Project

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Miracle-Gro for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

With the move to a new apartment and warmer weather abounding, my green thumb has been itching to start some new gardening projects.   Since I do not have a yard, all of my projects focus around container gardening which is also a perfect way to bring a bit of the outside inside!   If you have been following my posts, you may have seen my first gardening project of the season, a three-tier, hanging glass globe terrarium.  So far it is doing wonderfully, and a lot of credit goes to the Miracle-Gro products I used.

I haven't always had a green thumb, but thanks to Miracle-Gro products, I quickly discovered that gardening was much easier, and more fun than I had ever imagined!  There is just something so rewarding about planting and nurturing, then watching your gardening project not only live, but actually thrive and grow!

 

Now, Miracle Gro wants you to see how easy and fun gardening can be with The Gro Project, a growing resource where you can find the inspiration you need to start your own garden project gro-ing!  You will find a great variety of creative, easy and fun gardening project ideas perfect for every one of all ages, kids to adults!  Then be sure to visit Miracle Gro on Pinterest where you can find even more fun garden projects and share your own gardening story!

In the hopes of providing you with inspiration to start your own gardening story, here are several easy container gardening projects using old items I found around my home and Moisture Control Potting Mix.  Plus, there are instructions for making your own Lamp Shade Container Gardens.

Lamp Shade Container Gardens

Supplies:

Miracle Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix - perfect for container gardening since it helps control the amount of moisture so you do not under-or-over water your plants.

Your choice of containers - Get creative!  Don't throw that old bowl, worn basket or chipped china cup out, use it!  I used an extra set of mini lamp shades off of a multi-bulb floor lamp that came with two sets of shades.

Rocks/pebbles - to assist with drainage if your container does not have a drainage hole

Plants - I bought a 9 pack of Coleus, a shade loving, bright and colorful, easy-to-care for plant.  Notice of the shape and size of your container, then pick plants that you like and think will look good. Be sure to pay attention to the needs of each plant.

Instructions

1.  Make sure your containers are clean and dry. .

2.  Since I used lamp shades, they already had a hole for drainage in the bottom.  However, since it was so large, I added a rock to cover the majority of the hole so all of the soil does not fall out.

3.  Add a couple of inches of Miracle Gro Moisture Control Potting Soil.

4.  After carefully removing the plants from their containers, gently loosen the root balls so the roots are loose which allows the to stretch out in the new container.

5.  Hollow out a small hole in the soil, then place the plants, one at a time, inside the depression.  Add more soil around the roots to help support the first plant. 

6.  Add the second plant, then add soil all around each side of the plants.

7.  Add enough soil so the plant roots are completely covered. Gently tamp the soil down around the plant's stem.

8.  Lightly water, and you are finished!  Enjoy!  

Be sure to care for your plant as directed.  Most plants come with a tag with light and water requirements.  If your did not, look it up online.

Using containers I had around my home, I was able to create a plethora of different plantings that add color and life to our otherwise dull porch for less than $20!  The Miracle Gro Moisture Control Potting Soil cost $4.38 for an 8 qt. bag (and I still have more left!),  the plants (9 pack of Coleus and 3 cacti) cost a total of $12.  I had the sand and rocks left over from my first project;  however, the cost for both was only $7, and often you can find pebbles and rocks around your yard for free!  All of the plantings took about an hour, and they will provide months, if not longer, of joy!  So get outside and nurture your green thumb today!  And if you need more inspiration, visit Miracle-Gro online where you can find gardening tutorials, tips, videos and more!  And don't forget to follow Miracle Gro on Facebook and Pinterest!

My First-Ever Blogging Award! The Versatile Blogger Award

 Meeting New Friends and Sharing the Love!

    A couple of weeks back I was reading through my comments from my awesome readers when I discovered I had been nominated for my very first blogging award, The Versatile Blogger award!  I couldn’t believe it!  Me!  An award for my blog! Woohooo! I have seen this award on many blogs, but I never thought I would be nominated!  So at this point I want to give a big ‘thank you’ to Lorna K. of Life With RA is a Pain for my nomination!
   As part of my acceptance of the Versatile Blogger award I am supposed to share seven things about myself then nominate 15 other bloggers/blogs who I have either recently discovered or frequently visit along with a short bit about why I like them.  So without further ado…
7 Things About Myself
1.  My favorite color is purple.
2. I am a water baby!  I love, love , love swimming and being in the water.  
3.  My dearest dreams are to have a baby and a house of my own one day.
4.  If I won the lottery, I would open a shelter for cats to find them their forever homes.  At every apartment complex I have lived there are stray cats and I always wind up feeding them.  At our last apartment, during a 3 day rainstorm, I put out a large plastic box with towels in it for a mama cat and her three week old kittens.  She saw me do it, took one sniff inside and immediately brought her kittens in it where they stayed until the rain stopped.  It became their nighttime bed.  It breaks my heart to see stray cats and dogs!
5.  I have a BS degree in Early Childhood Education, but have not used it in years.  One day I hope to get re-certified and go back to teaching.
6.  I have an incurable sweet-tooth.
7.  I am a recovering addict, who became actively addicted to pain killers as the result of a car accident four years after graduating college.  I have been sober now for a little over 3 years.
  Now for the most difficult part as I have met so many incredible people who write amazing blogs!   Here are the 15 bloggers/blogs I want to nominate…
1.  Shonna of  Bargain Hound Daily Deals because of all the great deals she posts daily, plus she gives great tips on couponing, stockpiling, green living and more!   She is also always willing to lend a helping hand!
2. Patricia of Tricia’s Treasure because she is one of the first people I met when I joined Facebook and began getting interested in blogging.   We helped each other through the beginning of our blogs and continue to be friends today! She has been, and still is, a huge supporter!  I love her reviews of the latest and greatest make up and beauty products.
3.  Jennifer of Jennifer’s World Reviews because not only has she also been there since the beginning, but she does a wonderful job of vlogging product reviews!  A totally different take on blogging! She always makes me laugh, and her faith is so inspiring!
4. Susan of  Budget Earth and Mew Review runs two awesome blogs!  One that has great green tips, and the other wonderful product reviews.  Where she finds the time to do TWO blogs, I have no clue!  Plus she has been a huge help to me with advice when it comes to blogging!
5. Lisa of  The Baby Bottom Line, another of my favorite Mommy blogs that offers wonderful children’s product reviews and awesome giveaways!  She has the cutest blog!
6.  Cyndee of Rude Mom has an awesome look-out on life and it shows in her writing!  Not your typical mommy! Great posts that cover everything from product reviews to giveaways to tips for everyday living.   She is always willing to help out!
7.  Allie of Gator Mommy Reviews gives informative and honest reviews of kid-friendly products, plus tons of the best giveaways out there!  She also has a great sense of humor!
8.  Kelly of Kelly’s Thoughts on Things  not only offers reviews, giveaways and tips, but she also shares her stories of raising a child with autism.  A very strong woman who I much admire!
9.  Mellissa of Something Like Life has great recipes, family friendly reviews and awesome tips on gardening.  She is very creative! 
10. Brie of Beautiful Incentives  offers reviews, giveaways, crafting tips, recipes and more!   Her blog looks great, and I love her writing style!
11.  Melinda of My So Called Balanced Life is a great compilation of recipes, creative ideas, tips, reviews and more!  She is also such a nice person, always willing to help!
12.  Bonnie of This and That Reviews has great reviews on products, delicious recipes, coupons and more.  She comes up with some incredible recipes!
13. Bre of Peacoats and Plaid has the cutest craft ideas with easy-to-follow instructions, and some great blog hops where you can find even more awesome blogs!!  She is incredibly creative!
14.  Jonna and Steph of Mama Break gives every busy mom a place to find reviews of new products, creative tips,  the best bargains and more.  Two women who provide some much needed breaks from mommy-hood!
15.  Dee of Bella Savvy has a wonderful blog full of recipes,, reviews, giveaways, parenting advice and tips, beauty and fashion posts and so much more.   I love her blog, and she is an awesome woman, too!

Congratulations to all of you!!  If I nominated you above, and you want to accept the nomination and share the love, here are the rules.
1.  Thank the person who nominated you for the award and be sure to have a link back to their blog.
2.  Tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.
3.  Choose 15 other blogs that you have either just discovered or that you love to frequent.
4.  Tell a bit about why you like each of those blogs and include a link to their blog.
Thanks again to Lorna of  Life with RA is a Pain!

When Life Hands You Lemons, Make Lemon Water on the Go!

Full Circle’s Wherever Water Bottle

***I received this product for the purpose of review. Regardless, all opinions are my own.***

 

   With so much focus on healthy living, I am trying to live a more healthy lifestyle, as well as lose some of this weight I gained.  And one of the best, most important health measures people can take to both remain healthy and help with weight loss, is to drink plenty of water every day.  Unfortunately, I am a bit odd as I do not particularly care for the taste, or rather the non-taste, of water.  And buying pre-flavored water not only adds up money wise, but it is not a very environmentally-conscious thing to do with all of those single-use bottles.  Yes, I could easily buy those little packets or containers of flavoring to add to water, but those also cost a lot of money over time and many have sugar and other additives.  However, thanks to Full Circle, I have found the perfect solution both to my water-disliking dilemma and my quest to live a more ‘green’ life.

    Full Circle makes an entire line of eco-friendly, functional products that are not only made from sustainable materials, but are also affordable and stylish!  They make everything from cleaning cloths to dish brushes, waste bags to compost collectors, veggie brushes to pot scrubbers and so much more.  Tons of products to help you live a more ‘green’ and healthy life.

   When Full Circle gave me the opportunity to pick an item for review, I was in ‘green’ heaven!  After a few moments of looking, my eyes landed on the perfect answer to my water problem, the Wherever Water Glass Bottle.   A glass water bottle that is not only perfect to take on the go, but has so many different answers to different issues!  Let me explain. 

   First of all, the Wherever Water bottle is made of glass which means it can be used over and over, the perfect eco-friendly answer to the large amount of waste cause by using those single-use plastic water bottles.  And glass water bottles keep your water cooler and tasting better, plus they are recyclable.

   Secondly, the Wherever Water bottle’s ergonomic design is not only comfortable to hold while your are drinking, but it minimizes the impact on the glass if it is dropped by landing on its soft bottom or lid.   No more worry over the glass breaking easily.  

   It also has a comfortable handle for carrying, and it’s unique lid has a drinking ‘hole’ that is kept sealed by a lift-up cover so you can drink easily without having to remove the entire lid.  The cover snaps closed so securely, no water leaks out even if you hold it upside down‘

  

 

  But those are not even the best part!   You see, the Wherever Water bottle is much more than just a glass water bottle, it is really an on-the-go solution to healthier hydration because I can use it to make lemon water (or any fruit flavor I prefer) whenever I desire!

Yep, you read that right!  The Wherever Water bottle has a removable fruit reamer so I can make fresh lemon water wherever I am and take it wherever I go!

   It is incredibly simple to use!   Just remove the top, cut a lemon, lime, orange or whatever easy-to-juice fruit you desire in half, and use the reamer to extract the fruit’s juice.

   Then you just add your water, give it a shake and you have a delicious, all-natural flavored water. 

   The reamer is designed so it stays firmly in place while you are pressing and twisting the lemon, then it can be easily removed to clean once you are finished.  The reamer not only keeps the seeds out of the water, but any pesticides that are on the skin will remain on the skin. 

   Did you know there are more benefits to adding lemon to water than just making the water taste good? Yep, its true! Lemon is rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B, riboflavin and many minerals that all do wonders for your body!  And using fresh-squeezed lemons is much more beneficial than using bottled lemon juice or packets.

    There are so many different combinations of fresh-squeezed, fruit flavored water you can make.  You can use oranges, grapefruits or limes, and even herbs to create a delicious, flavor-infused water.  A few suggestions include mint and lemon, mint and strawberry, lemon and basil, lime and raspberry, orange and lemon and many more…get creative!  I have even used mine to make fresh-squeezed orange juice and it was delicious!

How Neat!! Where Can I Get A Wherever Water Glass Bottle?

   The Wherever Water Glass Bottle comes in four cute colors, and is dishwasher safe.  It, as well as other Full Circle products, can be purchased directly through the Full Circle website at their online store.    Their products can also be found both online and in stores near you. For a list of other online sites and locations by state, click HERE.

   Be sure to keep up with all the latest Full Circle news, promotions, deals and more by following them on both Facebook and Twitter!

 

 

***I received this product for the purpose of review. Regardless, all opinions are my own.***

Feeling Lucky Friday

A Huge List Of Live Giveaways!

   Wow, I cannot believe it is already Friday!  And you know what that means!  Not only is it time to join some awesome blog hops, but it is time for our weekly GIVEAWAY summary!
  Below is a list of all current giveaways that are going on right now.  So get your typing fingers ready, click on the links below and enter to win some of these incredible prizes!  Some have been going on for awhile, and a few are ending within the next few days!  Plus there are a couple of brand new ones!
   Don’t want to enter because you are sick and tired of filling out all of those long Rafflecopters?  Fear not!  The only Rafflecopters you will find here are for the large group giveaways, and those have to be long because so many fabulous bloggers are involved in bringing you the incredible prizes.  But if you are entering a Bullock’s Buzz giveaway, you will not find any long Rafflecopters here! Nope!  I use Giveaway Tool, which is much more user-friendly, quick to use and I always keep them short and sweet!  So come on and give it a try!

GOOD LUCK!!

$30 Gift Card to Walls Need Love Wall Decals 5/1 Worldwide
http://www.bullocksbuzz.com/2013/04/make-your-home-your-own-with-walls-need.html
Four Beautiful Place Mats from Fair Trade Designs US 5/12
http://www.bullocksbuzz.com/2013/04/fair-trade-designs-ethical-shopping.html
7 Day Caribbean CRUISE for 4! Worldwide ends 4/26 Cool Second Place Prize, too!http://www.bullocksbuzz.com/2013/03/need-vacation-enter-to-win-caribbean.html
It’s Raining Money $1000 Giveaway! Ends 5/1 Worldwidehttp://www.bullocksbuzz.com/2013/04/its-raining-money-giveaway-two-chances.html

The Have It Your Way $500 Giveaway Ends 5/4 Worldwidehttp://www.bullocksbuzz.com/2013/04/the-have-it-your-way-giveaway-500-prize.html
Mother’s Day $200 in VISA Gift Cards from MyPerfectGift.com Giveaway Ends 5/8 US
http://www.bullocksbuzz.com/2013/04/win-200-in-mothers-day-gift-cards-from.html
Gorgeous Raymond Hak Couture Ring $900 Value Ends 5/10 Us and PR
http://www.bullocksbuzz.com/2013/04/win-gorgeous-raymond-hak-couture-ring.html
Magellan eXplorist GC GPS US and CANADA 5/13
http://www.bullocksbuzz.com/2013/04/magellan-explorist-gc-gps-giveaway.html
$100 Paypal cash! Open worldwide. Ends 5/24
http://www.bullocksbuzz.com/2013/04/100-paypal-giveaway-great-products.html

Beauty Box Five April’s Box

Try It Before You Buy It!

 

***I received this product for free for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.***

   I love going to the mailbox and finding a surprise inside!  Especially when that surprise is from one of my favorite monthly beauty box subscription services, Beauty Box Five! 

   For those of you who are not familiar with this service, each month for the low price of $12, Beauty Box Five will send you four to five samples of make up, skin-care items and other beauty-related products.  Well, they call them samples, but really they are more like travel-sized items if you ask me!  The products are made by top-of-the line companies such as Blinc, Tree Hut, Everyday Minerals, Nu Me, Cetaphil and many more!  What better way to know if a product works for you than to try it before you buy it?  And Beauty Box Five helps you do just that!

   March was the first box I received, and it had some amazing products!  If you missed my review, you can see it by clicking HERE.  Right now, I cannot wait to show you what came in this month’s (April’s) Beauty Box Five! Are you ready?  Check it out!

La Fresh: Instant Body Soother  $9.99 for 24 wipes

   I received two packets of these eco-friendly/biodegradable soothing wipes that have an incredibly soft texture and are wonderfully cooling, soothing and refreshing thanks to the peppermint essential oil and five other natural oils.  These wipes are perfect for wiping away stress, fatigue and that worn-out feeling you get in the middle of a stressful day, as well as for cooling off on a hot, humid day.  Simply open a single-use packet, and use on your temples, neck, shoulders, legs and anywhere else.

 

Minxxette:  Brush Hanger   $4.69 (small)

  This is my favorite item from this month!  Truly ingenious and incredibly handy!  It is a make-up brush holder that you use to hang your brush to dry after washing.  It has a suction cup on the back so you can stick it onto your bathroom mirror, or you can use the hook and hang it from your hand-towel rack or other handy spot.  The brush handle fits snugly into the holder where it remains until you remove it.  You can use the hanger to hang other items, too, such as your washcloth, jewelry, headbands and more!  The hangers are available in two sizes: small and large, and they work very well!  I love it!

Jean Pierre Cosmetics:  Oil Absorbing Tissues  $1.99 50 sheets

   These oil absorbing tissues are perfect for soaking up that annoying shine that appears halfway through the day without smearing your make up.  Using one sheet, gently blot around your forehead, nose, chin or wherever else you want to get rid of excess oil and shine.  The sheets come in a handy dispenser that fits perfectly in your purse, make up bag or pocket.  They do feel similar to the tissue paper you use for gift bags, but their actual texture against your skin is smooth, not rough.  They do an excellent job of removing excess oil and other impurities which can cause blemishes, leaving your face shine-free!  A great idea!

Model Co.: Illusion Lip Pencil   $20.00

   This is one of the most unique lip liner pencils I have come across as it is really a lip enhancer.  It is a unique skin colored pencil which enhances your lips by creating the illusion of fuller lips!  It is a soft wax that applies easily, and stays on a long time.  It is formulated from beeswax, carnauba wax, cocoa butter, and shea butter so it nourishes your lips while you wear it! 

Brazen Cosmetics:  Eye shadow in Birthday Suit  $7.49 0.18 oz..

  Brazen Cosmetics are all made with beneficial ingredients such as organic minerals, oils, extracts and vitamins.  Their vegan eye shadows come in a great selection of unique, bold and daring, long-lasting shades, all of which are custom-blended.  The sample I received, Birthday Suit, is a matte cocoa color, that has the barest hint of a sparkle.  Like all of their shadows, it is intensely pigmented, so a little bit goes a long way!

 

Like what you saw? 

   I know I love everything that was in April’s box, and I cannot wait to see next month’s box!   Each month’s box includes a card that tells you about each product as well as tells the product’s retail price.  So if you find a product you love and want, you have a pretty good idea of how much it will cost.   

   If you want to join in the fun, join Beauty Box Five by clicking the link below.  There are three different subscriptions, and the longer you subscribe for, the more you save!  Boxes ship mid-month.

• Monthly for $12, due each month
• Quarterly for $30, due each quarter (save $6)
• Yearly for $100, due once a year (save $44)

Sign up for Beauty Box 5!

***I received this product for free for the purpose of review.  All opinions are my own.  This post contains affiliate links.***