This DIY Easter Mini Garden is so sweet and easy to plant.  A mini garden brings days of anticipation and wonder for kids 1-99 as the garden grass sprouts just in time for Easter. This is a great classroom project and brings cheer to a nursing home or sick room.

Easter’s not so far away. For me, Easter brings thoughts of new life and hope…green shoots poking through the ground after a seemingly interminable winter of snow and ice. The anticipation of spring and new growth, welcome after a long winter. The empty tomb in the garden symbolizes hope.

Build it together with your kids, grandchildren or other special kids in your life. Charlie and I planted a DIY Easter Mini Garden several years ago. First we went on a meandering nature walk around the pond, hunting for just the right rock, stones and twigs before planting the garden.

You’ll need about two weeks from planting the grass seed ’til it’s ready. Plant the seed about three weeks before Easter to enjoy it before and after Easter. When the grass is thick and lush, just a few snips with scissors or kitchen shears keeps it in nice shape for Easter.

Materials:

• large terra cotta pot saucer (12″ worked well) for base
• small terra cotta pot (3 1/2″ worked well) for tomb
• Soil
• Small, flat stones
• Grass seed (rye works well)
• Rock (the size of the mouth of the “tomb”)
• Twigs and raffia to make crosses

Directions:

• Place the small terra cotta pot on its’ side in the the saucer.
• Fill the big terra cotta saucer with soil to the lip, anchoring the small pot (the empty tomb.)
• Mound dirt over the small terra cotta pot, leaving the mouth open. (Will need wet dirt to make it “stick”)
• Place the stones into the soil in front of the tomb.
• Mist the soil well, so it’s ready to receive grass seed, then press grass seed thickly all over the soil.
• Place the rock in front of the tomb.
• Use raffia or string to tie together twigs to make rustic crosses, add them to the garden.
• Mist the grass seed several times daily and watch for your garden to sprout!
• Water daily.

Hide a few speckled eggs in the grass Easter morning!

Related post: DIY Spring Monogram Wreath

The post DIY Easter Mini Garden appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

This little shop has stolen my heart. Hand-painted silk scarves, pottery, paintings, hand-made cards and eclectic artisan gifts in a rustic, serene setting. If you’re local, you must visit Barn In Bloom!

I’ve had several delightful chats with owner and creative, Sarah. (Be sure to check hours first: open Wed. – Sat. only.) Savor homemade soups and artisan breads next door at Buckley’s Bakery and Cafe.

Tattle tale on me: I left my sunroof open on a 74° February day last week. Not recommended here in NH. It snowed 5″ the next day. YASSS! I was shocked to discover my fronts seats and console filled with the white stuff late the next day, had to grab a shovel. Reminds me of that other time when I forgot something else pretty important.

But spring is not so far away. (A girl can dream!) Here’s the personalized doormat I have and love.

Pure sweetness!

Scrumptious and unusual: a slice of fresh rosemary olive oil cake I shared with a friend here. Worth the splurge. This unique little cafe featuring farm to table and Mediterranean cuisine has a free online recipe club . (I signed on the dotted line and so can you.)

“Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man’s growth without destroying his roots.” -Frank A. Clark

It’s school vacation week here in NH and all continues to be chaotic with our kitchen remodel. A fun adventure none-the-less. Loved hearing about your kitchen renovations in the comments last week, thank you! And look forward to sharing the “after” pictures of ours here. Whenever “after” finally arrives. (Patience is a virtue, so I’m told.)

Enjoying a cup of this in the quiet this morning.

It’s stormy here on the East coast this weekend, stay safe!

XOXO,

allie

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Fresh basil is my all-time favorite green herb for snipping into spring and summer dishes. But how to store basil to keep it fresh for longer than a day or two? Learn easy tips to store basil so it lasts for a week or longer!

I love the sweet, peppery taste of garden fresh basil! The basil you see in this picture was grown by a friend.

Seems I’m always needing to ripen things quickly or keep it fresh for just a little bit longer. And like most folks, I try not to throw food away, especially fresh produce like basil.

Just a few weeks ago I was heading out to a party and bringing my famous Lime Avocado Black Bean Dip with feta. I serve it with blue chips and it always goes fast. So I raced out at the eleventh hour to get the avocados, which of course wasn’t the smartest idea.

Murphy’s Law – every avocado in that bin was green and rock hard. So I was stuck. I bought some anyway because I was in a time crunch and figured I could google “how to ripen avocados fast”.

So I had just one day ’til the party. No surprise, there were lots of google opinions about how to ripen an avocado fast. One said to microwave it on low for a short time. (I don’t recommend it – I torched one in less than a minute.) Another suggested storing avocados overnight in a brown paper lunch bag filled with all purpose flour.

I dutifully buried the avocados in flour in the brown lunch bag and waited for my miracle. (It never came.) The next morning the avocados were still bright green and rock hard. On the way to the party I stopped at a different grocery store and was greatly relieved to find a couple of perfectly ripe ones for my dip! (So if you know how to ripen an avocado fast – do tell. I’m all ears. So far my only proven method is to try a different grocery store, lol!)

But today I’m talking about the best way to store fresh basil. Basil is great in light, summer dishes and it’s relatively easy to grow in your garden or in containers on the patio.

So this is the first summer in ages I haven’t had fresh basil growing outside my kitchen door. We just moved and I haven’t had time to get any in the ground. I’ve been unpacking boxes instead. Fun fun. (Trust me, I’d rather be gardening!) So I was very grateful to receive this basil as a gift.

For years I stored basil in the refrigerator. In a short time the leaves would get black spots, wilt and get moldy fast. Then I picked up a few basil storage tips along the way from a gardening friend.

How to Store Basil

• Treat the fresh basil stems like a flower bouquet, snipping the ends on an angle.
• Place in a glass or mason jar filled with fresh water.
• Trim leaves at the base of the stem so they are not submerged.
• Keep the jar out on the counter at room temperature.
• *Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a sandwich bag if you like. But make sure the leaves can still breathe!
• Trim ends and change the water every few days as needed.
• Do not refrigerate.

*The loose plastic wrap or sandwich bag over the basil leaves traps some of the ethylene gases the basil naturally produces and helps to keep it fresh. The basil I experimented with was still fresh and unspotted for nearly two weeks. The stems actually rooted!

My favorite recipe using fresh basil is this Grilled Corn Basil Tomato Salad w/Feta. Irresistible with fresh farm corn!

I also love this Marinated Brie, Basil and Tomato Linguine that makes a great main dish in summer time.

The post How to Store Basil appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Mint Extract is used in several of my favorite recipes. And if your garden includes mint, chances are it’s TEEMING with mint right now, just like mine. Last summer I had run-away mint. You probably already know this, but mint is invasive. Meaning it’ll take over. I was initially warned by a true friend when I added mint to my garden.

He said, “Plant it in a five gallon bucket, then set it in the ground. Because the trailing roots will take over.”

Did I pay a bit of attention?

Nope. Not a bit. I was too lazy to dig a hole to fit that five gallon bucket.

And by summer’s end last year, my herb garden, particularly the mint, had wended its way throughout my flower garden. There are only so many glasses of lemonade and iced tea to garnish. I hated to waste all that lovely mint and it was, well, everywhere….

So I did a google search to find out what I could do with all the extra mint. The first thing that came up was Mint Extract. I was thrilled, made a big batch on the spot to use as gifts and in my favorite recipes.

I use Mint Extract to make Peppermint Bark. Also yummy in a chocolate smoothie or milk shake. Garnishes lemonade and iced tea beautifully. How ’bout peppermint frosting at Christmas?

I also use this mint extract in Dark Chocolate Mint Brownies.

A little Mint Extract goes a long way. Also makes a great little stocking stuffer for all the bakers in your life. (Buy amber glass bottles for gift giving and storage on Amazon here.)

All you need for Mint Extract are two ingredients: mint leaves and vodka. And a little time. And soon you’ll have your very own Mint Extract for baking and gifts.

Print

DIY Mint Extract

So easy. Great use for garden mint. Ten minutes. 2 ingredients: mint leaves & vodka. For all your favorite recipes and drinks.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh mint leaves de-stemmed, washed and patted dry
• 1 1/2 cups vodka

Instructions

• Place clean mint leaves in a pint mason jar.
• Muddle (lightly crush) leaves with a wooden spoon.
• Fill jar with 1 1/2 cups vodka.
• Lightly stir, then screw on the lid.
• Put in a dark closet or pantry for 1-2 months.
• Use a strainer and remove leaves, then pour extract into glass jars for gifting or keeping.

Mint Extract

You may also enjoy: DIY Clementine Wreath

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Happy Memorial Day weekend, friends! Hope you have some fun plans for the long weekend ahead, looks to be beautiful weather-wise in New Hampshire. YAY!!! (And it’s about time.) I’m hoping to get some veggies planted in my front beds, pot some plants. This past winter was interminable. Ready to get my hands dirty, soak in some rays. How ’bout you?

This past week was actually a tough one around here. Many extra school activities and Charlie and Hudson were sick all week, making a long week for all. That’s why it was such fun to go to the mailbox, and discover a little “angel” had visited….quietly left surprises on my porch this morning.

Two dozen farm fresh eggs. And, (drumroll please…..) this adorable DIY Colander Flower Planter, just to cheer my day. Wow, did it ever. After being cooped up all week, this pretty and whimsical planter was like a breath of fresh air. Inhale. Exhale. I enjoyed this DIY Colander Flower Planter all afternoon, meanwhile thinking what a great little project this would be for any of you who might like to get your hands dirty with a quick, rewarding project this weekend.

I rang up my little angel and she assured me it was quick and easy. Here’s what you’ll need.

Materials:

• Soil
• Flowers
• bright colored colander (Walmart or Target)
• small stones
• Moss (the kind that comes in a flat sheet from a craft store like A.C. Moore)
• Glue gun
• Optional: rope/twine if you want to hang the colander or wrap the handles with twine.
• Optional: American flag

Directions:

• Using a plastic cup as a guide, trace circles of moss, large enough to cover the sets of holes on the insides of the colander. Cut them out.
• Hot glue the large moss circles around the inside walls of the colander, covering up all the little holes.
• (But don’t cover the holes on the bottom.)
• Place a handful of small stones in the bottom of the colander. (for drainage)
• Fill with dirt and plant flowers.
• Water throughly.
• Use a saucer underneath if your DIY Colander Flower Planter will be used indoors.

• Optional: Wrap colander handles tightly with twine and tie off.
• Optional: Attach twine for hanging.

Hope you enjoy this project!!!

I was reminded of a recent project my friend Karla at Small Town Rambler did, up-cycling her grandaddy’s old ladder into a lovely herb garden. Love what she did, thought it might inspire you too, especially if you have an old ladder hanging around in your shed.  Tune in here to learn more: DIY Ladder Herb Garden

So what are you up to this weekend? Got plans? Among all the projects, picnics, barbecues and parades, hope you squeeze in a nap on the hammock. (That’s my dream anyway.) Have a great weekend!!!

You may also enjoy: DIY Monogram Wreath

The post DIY Colander Flower Planter appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.