two handy ma'ams

Hi all!  Here are a couple of pics of our not yet seedlings we planted yesterday.  So far we have corn, carrots, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, peppers and mesclun mix.  The boys had a super fun time "helping" or as I like to call it, "messing."  They got to throw a bunch of dirt and push the seeds in.  They actually colored little identification stakes for me too.  It was fun to see them so excited about gardening!  We are looking forward to little sprouts and will post pics as they come up.

It seems we are later and later with our to-do's as the year goes on.  Are you too?  Well, here are some fun (or at least practical) things to think about for March. 

1.  Get a jump start on spring cleaning!  With the bright sunshine and mild temperatures, spring fever has hit big time around here.  It is a perfect time to start cleaning the insides of your windows.  Do one room at a time for a couple weeks and by the time spring gets here you will be able to focus on the outsides while getting some fresh spring air!

2.  Clean out closets, dressers and chests!  It's a great time to get rid of clothing and/or gently used items that someone else could benefit from.  Consider donating them to the salvation army or local goodwill.  The best rule of thumb is if you haven't worn/used it for a year, get rid of it!  Just think, by performing this always annoying task, you will free up more room for spring clothes.  Shopping trip anyone?

3.  Lastly, get yourself a shamrock shake!  You know you want one.  They are green, minty and slightly off but a sure sign that spring is knocking on the door.

Happy March!

February is kind of a hibernation month at our house. The weather keeps us indoors more and as a result we start noticing things we may otherwise have ignored. This is why I find it a great time to tackle some really boring, but important chores around the house.

1. Clean out your medicine cabinet. Take a peek, I'll bet you'll find at least one item that is expired. If it's expired, it's not working. It's also a great time to check your first aid kit, do you have the basics? Make sure you have gauze, cotton balls, Neosporin, rubbing alcohol and peroxide to take care of minor cuts, scrapes and bumps. Also pack in some Tylenol, aspirin and benedryl to cover any kind of headache or allergic reaction that may occur. If you have children, be sure you have the appropriate kid’s meds too.

2. Get started with your spring garden! If you are planning on growing anything this year (flowers or food) now is a GREAT time to get organized. What kind of plants are you going to grow? Are you planning a vegetable or herb garden? Now is the time to plan what you will grow along with where you will grow it. Order or purchase seeds now and get your soil and pots. If you have it ready you may actually surprise yourself and do it! Many seeds have to be started ahead of time (6-8 weeks before the last frost) and then transplanted after the danger of frost has past (usually middle of May for us Western NYers). The Farmers Almanac has very specific dates, http://www.almanac.com/content/frost-chart-united-states. This year the handy ma'ams will be trying a winter green house method. We will send you info as we get started on it.

3. Make Valentines! There is nothing that says I love you like a homemade valentine. And instead of the old folded construction paper heart, try something new! Incorporate fabric, felt and fun! Check out some of these gems to get inspired!

a. Thumb print cards are sweet and super fun for all ages! All you need is red ink or paint and paper.

b. Felt envelopes are adorable and reusable! Grab some felt, paper and glue and you are ready to go. Make it even more special by adding printable “from” and “to” pieces. Seal it with two buttons and some twine and you are ready to go!

c. Felt or paper decorations are super cute too! Use a special heart cutter to make the job super easy. For the felt hearts, cut some felt shapes and use a simple stitch to put together. We have a few that are on sticks that sit on our mantle, but you could just as easily sew them to a ribbon and hang them from a window or door.

So here they are, better late than never, the 2hm January to-do's.

1.  Emergecy kit for the car!  Now that the snow is finally starting to fly be prepared.  Our tips are to always brush off you car so you aren't the annoying person blowing snow all over everyone else (really people, this is insane, brush off your roof).  Also, stock your car with a couple essentials to avoid a potentially brutal situation.  These are our favorites:

• small shovel and old door mat to help when the small snow banks come out of no where. 
• if you have an older car, jumper cables are a must.  if not, check your battery!  any of the auto stores or your car shop will check your battery for you for free and let you know if it's in need of replacing.
• basics: pack a flash light, a couple bottles of water, blanket and extra gloves!  you just never know.

2.  Though it may seem cliche and silly, studies show that writing down a list of goals is effective by making you feel more accoutable.  So why not write down the things you want to accomplish in 2012. 

3.  Also, now is definitely the time to set up the major appointments such as dentist, GP and OBGYN for the family.  Even if you have no idea if the time and date work, as the date approaches it will be on your mind and your calendar so you can adjust the times.

4.  Lastly, enjoy the year!  Find ways to add more fun and less stress to your lives and share them with us.  We will post them on our site!

Hi all!

Check out lots of great stuff at the Anderson Alley Holiday Gala this weekend.  Friday 5-9pm and Saturday 11 - 4.  250 North Goodman St.  Our ornaments and body scrubs will be available at Pistachio Press this weekend and moving forward.

Is it possible that the holiday season is fully upon us and Christmas is less than a month away?! If you are anything like me, you are in a full blown panic wondering how to get it all done (and if your not, I envy you!).  Take a deep a deep breath and relax, it will be ok.  It is easy to get caught up in the holiday hustle and bustle.  Holiday parties, family gatherings, shopping, cooking, ahhh!  Here are some tips from the handy ma'ams to combat the stress.  Hopefully, they will help you too.

1. Be present in each moment.  Don't be worrying about what else you should be doing while you are trying to trim the tree or feed the kids or having dinner with the family. Appreciate each moment for what it is and they will add up to a wonderful holiday season. 
2. Don't over commit!  I constantly, constantly find myself over committing on a comical level. My saint of a husband is always reminding me to not take on more than I can handle, alas, my turbo "I can do anything attitude" often lands me in a pile of stress.  Commit to the really important events.
3. Take time to create a tradition!  Whether it's just the two of you or the whole family, find some small thing to carry on throughout the years.  Looking at lights in the neighborhood, giving back to the community and making cookies are some of our favorites!

Whatever this season brings your way, enjoy it and Happy Holidays from the handy ma'ams.

for those of you who i have seen in the past two weeks, this may be redundant.  however, i feel it is very worth sharing!  i have recently become obsessed with pinterest (www.pinterest.com).  a friend of mine said i should really check it out and it's amazing!  pinterest is an online bulletin board that allows you to capture your favorite things and ideas and arrange them however you like.  i have found amazing recipes, kid crafts/projects, diy advice, fabulous outfits, hairdos and endless repurposing ideas (my favorites so far are the pallets and mason jars).  i encourage people to check it out.  be careful though, it's addicting!  here are some of my favorite things i have found:

mason jars!!

  crib to bench...love!

  so easy and fun!

  premade drinks for a party, totally happening!

  almond joy bars.....YUM!

what better way to spend a fall afternoon than with good friends, great food and lots of vino?! this past sunday dan and i did exactly that.  Among other things on the menu at our friend's house, was homemade chili.  YUM.  when time came to serve it up, coco, local restaurant manager and hostess extraordinaire, delivered each "bowl" in a mini bag of fritos.  not only was this a genius way to creatively portion out a perfect serving of chili, but  it also left for a some delicious chili soaked frito tortillas at the end of an already scrumptious bowl of loaded chili.  next time your serving up your favorite chili concoction, try this idea out.  its super simple and fun. coco, you get a handy ma'am star for this one!

our friend meredith makes these fabulous pillows and we think they are absolutely adorable.  they are simple, colorful and personal and add warmth to any room you put them in.  these are the kind of pieces that really make a room.  each pillow is made to order to your specifications and are priced very reasonably (see below).  she is currently working on getting an etsy account set up but can be reached at meredithwrietz@gmail. 

Pillows prices:

6-8" $20

8-10" $25

10-12" $30 (most popular size)

12-14" $35

I'd like to say i have a pretty good appreciation of music from all genres.   rock, rap, jazz, reggae, you name it, i'll probably find a way to boogie down to it.  if asked, for the record, what i dig, i'd probably list all of the cool bands out there right now, of course sprinkling in some legends for other decades, hitting on varies styles...etc...etc...but off the record, i'd have to say i am a sucker for some good cheesy music! especially when working on any household project!  yes its a little embarrassing and yes i do have to remind myself to turn down incriminating tunes so my oh so artsy and clever neighbors do not judge me too harshly...butt come on, who doesnt secrety love a little fun, silly music?!? Here are a few of my guilty pleasures that i always wind up listening to while painting/sanding/you name it....what have you got? 

huey lewis and the news -- duh, so obvious

hall & oates - i believe it is impossible to not paint in rhythm when these guys come on

bill wIthers -  anyone? yea? just the two of us people..

um any other 80s music? maybe i should switch cheesy with 80s!

happy friday handy ma'amers!