Summer at Last

At long last summer has arrived!  I didn't think it would ever get here.  My last day of school was yesterday and it was filled with graduation and goodbyes as I'm moving on to a different school next year.  I'm looking forward to a bit of a break and only working one job (at Ikea) this summer!  My last blog post was over a month ago and I definitely want to change that!  I've done lots of little things around the house in the last few months that I need to document and share.  I thought I'd start with my balcony since outside is where I want to be these days!

Littlefoot Gardens is going strong again this year! I have green onions, lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers, jalapenos, sweet pickle peppers, and raspberries growing.  I also have my pot of flowers and a little rose bush that my dad gave me for my birthday back in March.  It was pretty much dead by May.  It is so hard keeping a rose bush alive during cold winter months, even when it is indoors!  But ever since I put it outside it has rebounded and is even producing a few flowers buds!

I got two new blue bird cushions from Lowes.  The ones I had from last year faded REALLY badly and got mouldy... These ones are really nice and plump.

I also picked up a new outdoor rug from Target.  I spent a little more on it then I wanted to, but it was a necessity.  My favourite blue and white, Moroccan-patterned one from last year completely disintegrated. There were little pieces of blue plastic EVERYWHERE.  It got to the point where I had to leave a separate pair of shoes outside to only wear on the balcony.  This one is soft on the feet and feels more durable than my last one.  I was bummed I only got a year out of my previous one, but I guess that's what you get when you only spend $12!  And I learned my lesson of never purchasing a plastic rug again!

You may have noticed my Littlefoot Gardens sign hanging on the wall.  I made it out of a piece of wood from a pallet and some laser printer images.  I'll share a tutorial this week on how to make your own wooden sign. It was really easy!

Enjoy the long weekend to all my fellow Canadians!

  

Littlefoot Gardens is Back!

Before I moved into my condo, my mom and I had this amazing vegetable garden that produced such good crops year after year.  My friend Sarah named our vegetable patch "Littlefoot Gardens" and the name has stuck! (She's called me Littlefoot ever since we realized I have little feet...but FYI they are totally in proportion to my height and not that little :p)

I was worried by not having a yard that I wouldn't be able to grow vegetables and would miss out on one of my favourite summer activities.  Last year, I only grew flowers since I moved in the middle of the summer.  But I just knew I wanted my own little veggie garden again!  This summer marks the return of Littlefoot Gardens :)

I still have my pot of flowers for colour.  I love the pink in the gerbera daisies - they're my favourite!  In the green pot I have two jalapeno plants, then one patio tomato and another green pepper plant in the black pots.

I picked up the two hanging planters from IKEA.  The one on the left has green onions and the one on the right is full of buttercrunch lettuce.  I planted these from seed on a Monday, and by Thursday the lettuce was already sprouting! (Update: since drafting this post, both the lettuce and the onions are growing like gangbusters!)

Who wants to come over for dinner this summer?