You know how some people have a green thumb? I have a black thumb. The black thumb of foliage death. And for years, I avoided any mention of gardening, flowers, landscaping… you name it. In fact, if it wasn’t for Frank Ferragine and his deviously straightforward advice, I probably would have been garden-less for yet another year.
I was peer pressured by Frankie Flowers, folks. Peer pressured!
He said I could totally do it. He offered simple steps. He recommended the right products to get the job done. And he gushed how it would turn into a family tradition that my boys would cherish.
He was right, of course. And as a member of The Home Depot Canada #HDBlogSquad, I was more than up to the task.
Sad, clay-packed flower beds? Check.
Overgrown grass and weeds? Check.
Patches of death on the lawn? Check.
A mom with an award-winning garden and penchant for landscaping? SECRET WEAPON.
Oh yeah, I enlisted the big guns. I called mommy and asked her to spend a day gardening with us. And why not? If we’re going to turn this into a family tradition, it might as well be a multi-generational tradition.
First things first. I picked Frank’s brain. Yep, I had a chance for a Q&A with the gardening guru himself! And I’ll be frank (pun intended), he is a master at his craft. Easy-to-follow, succinct and relevant advice – with product recommendations – that turned what I once considered an ordeal into a fun day outdoors.
Introducing… our very anti-climatic flower bed. Sans flowers, of course.
Yeah, that’s what we had to start with, times two. When we first designed our patio, I envisioned gorgeous flower beds filled with bright colours on each side… but I never realized that dream. Because I’m lazy. And don’t know what I’m doing. …
Time. Older technology small appliances like humidifiers, fans and vacuums often take longer to get the same job done. How many times have you pushed a hand vacuum over the same area multiple times, or cut the same area of lawn twice? While it’s tempting to make do with an older product, the smartest thing to do is place a value on your time spent. What could you be doing if you weren’t fussing with an inferior machine?
It’s funny. Before I fell in love with my
Of course, taking the time to complete a room facelift or renovation is 50% ability, and 50% inspiration! And as part of the very first Home Depot Blog Squad, I am thrilled to be in the company of some of the most inspiring design and decor bloggers in Canada.
Anyhoo, we have reached the point in “our” Disney Cars collection that we sorely need some organization. At just shy of 100 cars, I’ve been relying on the boys to keep the collection together in a neat and (somewhat) orderly manner. However, I’m constantly finding errant cars under the couch, in the clothes hamper, and my personal favourite: “Mom, can you pull out the fridge? Holley Shiftwell is under there.” Uh, never again.
I love that the Disney Cars diecast cars are a great fit in the storage drawers; lots of room to move back and forth and just the right amount of space on the sides. Plus, since they’re clear, I can peek through to see what’s inside….
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