Vintage Botanical Canvas Prints on Sale at Jane: Last Day Today!

Jane provided this information to me to share with you. This is a sponsored affiliate post. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase.

Jane is having a sale on these lovely botanical prints and today is the last day to get these at this sale price! Don't delay! These would look lovely in any home and they have 86 different prints to choose from!  Was $14.99 - Now $5.45 - Vintage Botanical Canvas Prints (4/13 to 4/15)

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Jane provided this information to me to share with you. The links in this post are affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my blog! 

UncommonGoods Recycled Glass Bumblebee Nightlight and Tube Kneeling Pad Review

We received products free from UncommonGoods to facilitate this review.

UncommonGoods is a unique online store with some very unusual items (some handmade) that you don't find in every day shopping usually. Their products make great gifts for the holiday and Christmas season! Click here to see some unique affordable gifts they have under $50. They also have some really interesting facts or what they call "Uncommon Knowledge" posted around their website and feature some of the artists and designers of their handmade goods in highlights on some of the pages on their website and their print catalog. They are committed to the environment and print their catalogs on recycled paper and there is also products in their store that are made of recycled materials. In their Better to Give Program they donate a portion of each order to your choice of non-profit organizations: American Forests,Women for Women International, City Harvest, and the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).

I was recently approached by them to pick something from off of their website that was under $65. I picked two items. One was the Recycled Glass Bumblebee Nightlight and the other item was the Recycled Tube Kneeling Pad.

Bumblebee Nightlight, seeds, and packaging.

The Bumblebee Nightlight arrived in a recycled cardboard box with shredded newspaper all around to protect it from breakage. It came with the 4 watt bulb needed to create the ambient light. It also came with some weedy wildflower seeds to spread around for the bees to collect pollen grains to pollinate the flowers with and nectar to convert to honey. I love this! My bees are going to be very happy! Wildflowers are some of my favorite flowers and I love that I can give back to the earth and help the bees at the same time.

Bumblebee Nightlight with room light on and with it off.

The Bumblebee Nightlight by Vawn and Mike Gray of Reborn Glass located out of Cape Coral Florida is definitely something worth buzzing about. It is a gorgeous nightlight that is made with recycled broken bottles that were rescued before they reached the landfill. Each one is unique and are fused and formed in the kiln. The art glass is textured with its purple blooms and adorable plump bumblebees. Its curved form hugs the light perfectly and I love the warm soft glow it makes. So Bee-autiful :) Click here to see some unique lighting from UncommonGoods.

The Recycled Tube Kneeling Pad in use.

The Recycled Tube Kneeling Pad by Flat Tire Décor located out of Milwaukee Wisconsin is a great gift for any gardener or anyone who works on their knees. This extremely durable pad is smooth and flexible. The rubber exterior is made of reclaimed industrial tire inner tubes and the inside is lined with a inch thick cushion of anti-fatigue foam. It is also naturally slip resistant, water resistant, abrasion resistant, and easily wipes clean. This cushion is so comfortable for my knees and the curved semi circular shape is contoured where you can shift left to right without repositioning! It works on dirt, cement, brick, wood, stone or other surface. I no longer get my knees dirty when I garden and my knees don't feel stressed. I can garden longer and not feel any pain. Besides gardening I can see this being used for other jobs that have to be done on your knees. I also think that it would be an ideal seat for watching a game in the stands or having a picnic while seated at a park bench or picnic table. It does become hot if in direct sunlight. It also has a study nylon strap that you can carry or hang it from. 37" L x 14" W x 1" D, Strap: 30" L Click here to see some wonderful gifts for women from UncommonGoods.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received products for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Our Farm Home

Our Farm Home.

We recently purchased a farm property with 2 houses, a barn, a chicken coop/shed, and a lean-to. These were built in the 1920's and have a cute cottage look to them. There is also a tiny building that houses the well on the side of our property. They sit on 5 and a half acres and are nestled in between a gorgeous canopy of trees.

The pasture, large barn, mailbox, chicken coop/shed, well house, and wagon wheel gate.

My favorite structure on the property is the barn. It is a large barn that was used previously for cows and loose hay. I also love the gorgeous wagon wheel gate to the larger pasture and the large mailbox.

The many flora of the farm.

Along with the shade of many trees (walnut, apple, pear, cedar, pine, mock orange, lilac, magnolia, smoke, tulip popular, etc.) there are other flora as well. There are rhododendrons, azaleas, roses, columbine, clover, dandelion, lilacs, daffodils, peonies, violets, ferns, yucca, wildflowers, etc. There is also a lovely grape vine loaded with it green grape leaves right now. We made grape juice from the harvest last year as well as dried pears and apples from the fruit we picked. My daughters planted a petunia in the front flower bed and I have since planted a fuchsia there also. We are planning on growing more fruit trees and having a large edible garden too. We want to keep the property park like.

The mini pony, horses, wild deer, bunnies, and a frog Jaedan is holding.

We would love to own chickens, quail, a goat, and maybe a llama or alpaca someday very soon. We also keep two bunnies and some bees. Right now we rent pasture to three amazing horses. They are so sweet! The large spotted Appaloosa gelding is named Blueberry and he loves me. He comes up to me and nuzzles up against me. He was in my picture for my Renaissance Fair costume review. Then there is a gorgeous Cremello filly named Skittles that looks so much like a unicorn it is otherworldly. Last but not least is a Palomino mare named Dreamer. She is a bit shy, and loves to stand out in the rain. Our mini Shetland pony, Gizmo, is there as well, but since he is a stallion he is in his own separate paddock. We occasionally see other wildlife: deer, owls, bats, cranes, osprey, hawks, eagles, squirrels, birds, skunk, raccoon, lizards, snakes, frogs, etc.

Our plan is to become more sustainable and live in harmony with our surroundings. This is the first time we've owned a farm. We are learning as we go about being farm folk. I am planning on doing a lot more posts about our critters and farm life. Stay tuned and I'll try and keep you posted.

Free Burt's Bees Wildflower Seed Packets For Pollinator Week

Photo courtesy of: Burt's Bees. Information about the promotion was provided free as well. All other thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for doing this post.

Bees are important to our life cycle. They pollinate the plants we and other animals eat. We live in a world that unfortunately favors lawns, monoculture and pavement. The bees need our help to survive and thrive.

Burt's Bees is giving away free wildflower seed packs. Plant these to give your outdoors some color and the bees a feast. You can also get tips on how you can go wild for bees, and learn what Burt's Bees is doing to help our favorite pollinators.

Sent by mail within 6-8 weeks | Subject to availability, while supplies last | Limit one per household | Valid only in the U.S. 

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Photo courtesy of: Burt's Bees. Information about the promotion was provided free as well. All other thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for doing this post. I did register to receive a free seed packet for my garden.

For Small Hands Trees and Wildflowers Fandex Review and Giveaway

Spring is coming next month...it might be hard to think about when right now some of you are having weather that is bringing you snow and others like me are having crazy hail storms and cold rain.

I am having a Spring Gift Guide (for Arbor Day, Easter, Earth Day, May Day, and Mother's Day) this year and to kick it off I have some awesome products from For Small Hands, a Montessori store for children's things that is owned by Montessori Services. For Small Hands has Montessori type hands on products that are child-sized and are for home use. They make it easy for children to explore their environments and themselves.

The products I am reviewing from them are very fitting in my Spring Themed Gift Guide because they are all about trees, which is awesome for Arbor Day and Earth Day, and wildflowers, which is great for Spring, Easter, and May Day! Both the Trees and Wildflowers Fandex have 47 cards for different North American species linked together with a small button at the bottom corner and they look very much like a fan when opened out to see the cards, hence the name "Fandex". Even though they are made of sturdy coated card stock I am worried that the die-cut tops are going to get all bent up after use. These are still awesome field guides to trees and wildflowers! They are great for homeschooling, hikes, wildlife trails, nature walks, and field botany excursions.

The Tree Fandex (item number: SC772) feature die-cut full-color photos of the leaf and bark of the featured tree on the tops of the cards. Below this is general information about the tree, keys to identification, height, shape, habitat, range, Latin name, life cycle, and more. Has identification by leaf, bark, and seed and information on the tree's place in history and culture. Great for exploring trees in your forests, neighborhood, or own backyard!

The Wildflowers Fandex (item number: SC774) feature die-cut full-color photos of the flower of the featured wildflower on the tops of the cards. Below this is general information about the wildflower, keys to identification, habitat, range, Latin name, life cycle, and more. Has information on how they grow, healing powers, folklore, and use in the garden. It is a genuine bouquet of knowledge!

WIN IT:
For Small Hands is generously giving one lucky reader a chance to win both the Trees and Wildflowers Fandex.

Mandatory:
Go to the For Small Hands website and tell me what other items(s) you love. Leave links in the comment for the item(s).

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by feedburner or by email and let me know which way. (3 extra entries each)

2. Fan/Like me on facebook and write something on my wall. (1 extra entry)

3. Follow me on Google Friend Connect (GFC) on the right sidebar and/or Networked Blogs Let me know what your user name is. (2 extra entries each)

4. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and For Small Hands in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

5. Give me a brief POSITIVE review on Alexa and provide me with your user name. (3 extra entries)

6. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the right) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

7. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

8. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

9. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog Linky/Link-up and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra entries)

10. Write about this giveaway with a link to this post on your Facebook wall, Kirtsy, StumbleUpon, Google+ or other social media website besides Twitter. Let me know where. (2 extra entries for each)

11. Comment on my regular (not giveaway) posts. Let me know which one. (1 extra entry per post you comment on)

12. Follow me on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

13. Tweet this: @finamoon #WIN #Giveaway For Small Hands Trees and Wildflowers Fandex http://bit.ly/yjTiSQ (Daily Extras are Available)

14. Fan/Like For Small Hands on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. Don't forget to leave a comment for each task and the correct amount of entries for each task. This contest ends on Friday March 23, 2012 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to all 18 years and over in the U.S. ONLY!!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to For Small Hands for sending me product for free to review and one to give away for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Wordless Wednesday 3 Headed Double Stemmed Dandelion: Flower Fasciation

 

My son Jaedan holding a fasciated dandelion.

Fasciation is a rare condition in plants that is caused by genetic mutations and/or hormonal imbalances in the meristematic (growing) cells from the meristem (growing tip) of the plant. This can cause stems that look like they have been flattened and fused together, more than one flower head when there is supposed to be only one, etc. These oddities and abnormalities in plants are not completely understood by science.