Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly 158
Hi there!
I hope you had a great week!
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Random Things Happening Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms
What a week it was!
A Nice Surprise
The early copies of my book, The Bricks ‘n Blooms Guide to a Beautiful and Easy Care Flower Garden, arrived! My publisher surprised me with my first copy this week and it is surreal holding it in my hands!
I was working on my blog from the family room sofa when I heard the Fed Ex Delivery person arrive. Of course, I started shopping for Christmas decor and gifts already so I had assumed it was just that.
When I grabbed the package, I quickly realized it was from the publisher! They sent a beautiful handwritten note along with a few copies of my cover and the first copy of my book.
And wow, let me tell you, it turned out so good! The pictures look amazing, the overall book is meaty and chock full of great information, and I feel very proud of all the hard work that went into it.
To give you my why for writing this, through the years, I can’t tell you how many friends, family, and neighbors would tell me they couldn’t grow things. Or they didn’t have the time to grow flowers and plants. Yadda yadda yadda.
And one of the reasons I started this blog was to help them and those like them learn the joys of gardening. Because, even if you are short on time, there are ways to do it without having it suck up every waking minute of your life when you’d rather be golfing. LOL!
But this book isn’t just for gardener newbies. I also wrote this book for those of you who want to delve a little deeper into design and learn how to bring more flowers into your life in a very manageable way.
From experience, I’ll tell you that when my children were young and I was running around with them, I had very little time to devote to my gardens but still wanted to grow things. And I found a way to strike that balance. So my approach to flower gardening has become easy. It has to be easy for me and my lifestyle.
Now you’re probably thinking, what???? She has massive gardens now so that can’t even be true. But alas, it is. Hear me out.
What I can manage with my time now is vastly different from what I could manage 10-15 years ago running around with three active girls, working for my husband, and managing the household. I had very little time to spend weeding, deadheading, etc. I always had time to plant, but not the rest of what went along with it.
Through the years, I’ve learned what plants need more time and energy than others and how to effectively use them in garden design.
Does this sound of interest to you? Then you will love my book.
I realize this is an odd time because the book is only available for preorder right now, but those preorders make a huge difference for authors with publishing houses and retailers. Because those preorders tell them that this is going to be a great book and they should order more.
And because there is a demand during preorders, retailers like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. will push it out into their algorithms and start ranking them. Yes…my book is already starting to rank on retail sites!
It’s so exciting to see!
So it really helps when people preorder. And when you preorder, you shouldn’t get charged for the book until it is actually released.
Therefore, if you are planning to get the book anyway, it would really help me get my work out there if you preordered.
Thank you in advance if you already have. And I thank you all for supporting my work!
Weekend Fun
Chris’ brother from San Diego came for a visit so the family gathered here in our home for a few days. I made my Sunday sauce with sausages and meatballs that were baked in the oven.
It’s one of my favorite dishes to make when a crowd comes over because I can make it earlier in the day and we make subs later on.
We spent some time touring the property with some wine, enjoyed some time by the fire pit and overall had a great time reconnecting.
This week, my kids will all be back home under one roof. I cannot wait to regroup!
Christmas Decorating and Houseplants
With the end of the growing season outdoors, I’m turning my attention to my indoor plants and Christmas decorating.
While I know I’ve been sharing a ton of Christmas content lately, I have barely started decorating yet. I used to not decorate before Thanksgiving, but now, I like to get a jump start on the holidays just before.
Now I don’t go all in or anything on the red and green glitz and glam. But I do like to get a few things out so it’s a little less stressful and I get to enjoy them for a bit before I take it all down fo the season.
Plus, getting started early allows me time to pull looks together so I can share them with you before you begin your holiday decorating.
In no way should you feel like you have to get started before you are ready and my posts are not intended to make you feel pressured. I’m just sharing ideas and things I enjoy as I get started in my own home.
What I’m Shopping For This Week
Oh, it was a big shopping week as I’m really drilling down on Christmas! Mostly decor but a few other things you might be interested in too!
- This plaid tablecoth.
- These tea towels for my kitchen.
- These oversized jingle bells
- This antique brass tree collar
- This gorgeous canvas!
- These plaid pillows
- These macrame plant holders are GORGEOUS
- This watering can be used with your home decor! Love the finish.
- My favorite slippers.
- This pickleball set! Are you playing yet?
- This cozy cardigan sweater
- This cozy shawl is perfect for this time of year.
- Love this large tote too.
- Everyone needs one of these to cozy up in all winter long.
- I love these flocked mini trees, don’t you?
- This fresh magnolia wreath is beyond gorgeous.
What’s Happening at Bricks ‘n Blooms
It was another fun but busy week on the blog!
With things wrapping up in the gardens, I shared 11 important gardening tasks to do to prepare your gardens for winter.
As a passionate gardener who adores the beauty of nature, I always strive to bring the outdoors in, especially during the holiday season. So I shared a DIY Christmas centerpiece that combines fresh or faux winter greens to achieve a rustic-elegant style that’s sure to impress your guests at the holiday table this year.
And it was supper club week! My friends and I shared a ton of inspiration for a rustic Christmas theme with lots of beautiful table decor and menu ideas. Check out these posts!
- Christmas Charcuterie Board Wreath (that’s perfect for both Thanksgiving and Xmas!)
- Rustic Elegant Christmas Tablescape with a Touch of Gold
- Christmas Potluck Ideas That Will Please Everyone at the Table
As we inch our way to Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and the rest of all the holiday things, I am going to save you lots of time this year finding gifts for all the special people in your life. Because I have been shopping around and curating my finds into one shoppable guide!
So if you are wondering what to get friends, family, and others in your life this year, I got you! This 25-page free downloadable shoppable gift guide has lots of great ideas for him, for her, teen boys and girls, kids, teachers, gardeners, pet lovers, and lots lots more!
My hope is that this guide will help you knock this part of the hustle and bustle off your list so you can sit back and savor the season a bit more.
Grab your free guide here.
Amazing Inspiration from Around the Web
I love finding cool inspiration from around the web and wanted to share some of what I’m loving right now.
- Love this upcycled Christmas DIY project.
- These Christmas table decorating ideas.
- This vintage pottery and flowers Thanksgiving centerpiece is gorgeous!
- Love this gorgeous Christmas Charcuterie Wreath too!
- These cute mini pinecone wreaths are adorable!
- These chair wreaths are such a great idea for the holidays!
- This beautiful Christmas boxwood wreath.
- And this cozy cabin Christmas tablescape.
If you enjoy these posts, you can find past Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly posts here.
And… If you’re catching up on blog posts you may have missed, be sure to sign-up to get my newest posts via email to stay up to date with everything that’s happening here on the blog and more.
Garden Supplies I Use
I’m often asked about the garden supplies and tools that I use most. From pruners to deer repellents, here are some of my favorites in no particular order.
- I like to use a good-quality, potting soil, garden soil, compost, and perlite when planting. While I make my own compost, you can easily buy it ready-made for use.
- I have used this deer repellent with great success. But now, I’m all about this deer repellent that is systemic instead of topical. This means the plant takes it in as opposed to it just smelling bad.
- Hands down this is my favorite hand-weeding tool. You can use it to get underneath roots and loosen soil, and it cuts down on the weeding time because you work much faster.
- But I also love this long, stand-up weeding tool to really get around roses from afar.
- I use THIS ORGANIC FERTILIZER for roses because the blooms are more prolific and it’s organic.
- And I use this organic fertilizer for my vegetables and herbs in the potager garden.
- You’ll need a sharp set of pruners when working with plants and flowers. I buy a few so I can stash them around.
- I use these garden snips to deadhead and cut flowers from my gardens.
- Where pest and disease problems are concerned, if I need to, I generally use this insecticidal soap or neem oil to help control infestations depending on the issue. When using, only apply when pollinators are less active.
- This is my favorite set-and-forget slow-release fertilizer for houseplants, annuals, and container gardens.
- Whenever I stake my peonies or other plants, I generally use these grow-through garden supports because they work really well and keep the blooms upright.
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Enjoy a beautiful day! xo
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