Cleaning, Organization, & Crafting
Interested in the Simply Earth Essential Oil Recipe Box? Read my review, save $40, and enter a giveaway for the October 2020 box…
Hi, friends!
If you’re a loyal reader (or a loyal follower over on my Instagram), you’ve probably already heard me GUSH about Simply Earth.
I’ve been receiving their subscription box for the last couple of months….
Crushing on Fall Tablescapes on Pinterest? Create your own with gorgeous and affordable Fall decor from Christmas Tree Shops…
Hello, friends!
It’s finally starting to get chilly here in the Midwest, and that means FALL IS ALMOST HERE!
In our house, September 1st marks the first day of Fall, however, it isn’t officially Fall until September 22, 2020.
I can’t wait that long to bring out the pumpkins and autumn colors, though!
I actually ran an Instagram poll asking my readers if they were decorating for Fall yet, and about 65% said they were….
Learn how to cut and propagate FLF stems successfully with this guide on Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Propagation…
Hello, lovelies!
Today’s post is all about propagating Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees!
Over the last few months, I’ve become a little obsessed with my plants and broadened my collection of trees.
Starting with Mother’s Day, I requested a lemon tree. My husband and kids were so sweet in getting me one – I’ve always wanted one, and now that we’re in our forever home, I feel like now is the perfect time to grow one.
I found myself researching and obsessing over how to grow it best and make sure it doesn’t die….
Free Printable Calendar, Letter of The Day, and Weather Chart printables to help make preschool homeschool mornings EASY!
Hi there, friends!
I shared some DIY homeschool materials I whipped up this past week on my Instagram stories and asked you if it was something you’d like to see on my blog.
The answer was an overwhelming YES!
So, I’m featuring a short post with the free digital downloads for all of my homeschool moms and caregivers as my gift to you this school year.
I’m sure it won’t be the only gift I give you guys this year, either, as I’m always giving you guys freebies when I can!
As I’ve shared before, we are going to be sending our oldest son to school (this was a very difficult decision for us), and homeschooling our middle child for preschool.
With mask requirements, we don’t feel he would be able to abide by or handle our state’s current guidelines very well.
But I’m actually really excited to help teach him important fundamentals like his letters and numbers.
One thing I picked up from his previous preschool (last year, before we moved) was a daily morning calendar and weather chart they referred to first thing in the morning.
I actually looked at some preschool pocket calendars on Amazon that I was going to order, but for whatever reason, it wasn’t going to arrive for an entire month!
Plus, the ones I wanted were HUGE. They would take up so much wall space in our smaller dining area, and I was really hoping for something small enough to fit in our homeschool binder.
So…I did what I do best in these situations, and created my own.
I created a morning calendar with the month, days of the week, and 31 days and printed it out with my color printer.
Then, I dusted off my laminator that’s been in hibernation this summer and laminated the sheets, cutting out the shapes.
*This post contains affiliate links, however, all opinions are my own, as always.
For the letters, numbers, months, and other extras, I attached some hook and loop dots to the underside so they could easily fix to the sheet.
Here is a huge value pack of 100 dots I got on Amazon that fits these sheets and shapes perfectly!
Then, because my laminator was out and all warmed up, I decided to make something for our letter of the day and the weather.
Here are the Letter of the Day and Monthly Calendar printables…
You May Also Like: 13 Easy Back To School Tips That Save Time And Keep Your Family Organized
My Letter of the day sheet isn’t very fancy – but it works!
Here is the Weather Chart I created, with a separate arrow that has a hook and loop dot to attach to the middle.
Your child can point the arrow to what the weather is like that day and attach it to the velcro dot in the middle.
We also talk about the season we are in, and I let our preschooler Jaxson attach the numbers.
Related: 100+ Back To School Kids Lunch Ideas
Here you can see how I have the hook and loop dots attached to the back of the calendar months – simple and easy!
Also, I’ve mentioned in my Instagram stories before, but we are currently using two curriculums this school year for preschool:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CEaazxjAb2C/
These two curriculums go together so well, and offer great activities, book suggestions, schedules, and resources for us parents so we are never scrambling for what the heck to do or what to focus on!
If you are interested in these three free homeschool printables, be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter below and the free PDF download will be sent directly to your e-mail!
I love being able to share these free downloads with you guys, and I will be sending you more free homeschool downloads as I release them this year.
I’ve even included a free bus image you can download and write drop-off/pick-up times for your child and stick to the fridge with a magnet if they happen to be riding the bus this year. 😉
You can either write the drop-off and pick-up times in sharpie on the bus and then laminate it, or you can laminate the bus image and then write the times on it with a dry-erase marker.
Do you talk about the days of the week/month, weather, or have a letter of the day you focus on while homeschooling your child?
Let me know in the comments below!
*Post originally published
Learn about the Lettuce Grow Hydroponics Farmstand in this thorough review, and start growing your veggies and herbs vertically…
Hello, lovelies!
If you’ve been following along on my social media, I’ve been sharing a lot about my newest obsession: my Lettuce Grow farmstand!
It’s been a dream of ours to own a hydroponic garden system and grow our vegetables vertically, and after a lot of research, we found the Lettuce Grow Farmstand.
I was immediately drawn to its design, ease of use, and transparency.
They even have a helpful Facebook group where owners can ask questions and get direct answers from other Farmstand owners, and even Lettuce Grow themselves!
Here’s a quick video I did on Instagram that takes you through a quick setup of our Farmstand…
In this post, I’ll be sharing all of the deets on why I think this hydroponic growing system is incredible, and my experience from delivery to growing…
This post is in partnership with Lettuce Grow and contains affiliate links, however, all opinions are my own, as always.
The Lettuce Grow Farmstand is a vertical hydroponic growing system that uses nutrient-enriched water to grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
At only 22″x22″, the Farmstand can produce the same yield that a 40 ft. soil plot in your yard would yield!
So you can grow this on an apartment balcony, backyard deck, or even indoors – especially when it gets cold.
Because it’s a self-watering, self-fertilizing system, little to no experience is needed to successfully grow food.
Lettuce Grow makes their Farmstand from BPA-free, FDA food-grade, CA Prop 65 Compliant recycled ocean plastic right here in the United States.
Each row contains 6 pods for plants to fit into.
Also, if you find yourself wanting a larger Farmstand later, you can always purchase additional rows later when you’re ready.
For example, I have the 24-plant Farmstand, but if I want to grow 6 more plants, I can buy another row and extend my Farmstand to a 30-plant growing system.
All Farmstands hold 20.5 gallons of water.
The water base is the same no matter the size Farmstand you buy.
A pump at the bottom of the tank is triggered by the timer and pushes the water up to the diffuser at the top, which sprays water down on the plant roots like a showerhead.
The timer is set by YOU and triggers the pump to run for 15 min increments whenever you choose.
Even with the pump running so often, the Lettuce Grow Farmstand conserves water by about 95% vs. soil-based growing (traditional farming).
That’s because this system recycles the water and nutrients.
Here’s a helpful image from Lettuce Grow’s website to illustrate the watering process:
The water and nutrients are recirculated, which helps conserve water while still providing the perfect amount for each plant.
Once your order your Farmstand, Lettuce Grow will begin processing your order and getting it ready to ship.
They try their best to ensure the delivery of your Farmstand and plants is as close as possible so you can get right to growing your vegetables vertically!
The Lettuce Grow Farmstand arrives in a large box – mine came via FedEx.
The box has everything you need to begin planting and growing your herbs, fruits, and veggies…
Besides the Farmstand, Lettuce Grow also sells seedlings for $2.00 each.
These pre-grown seedlings are ready to plant and fill your Farmstand.
Nope! You can certainly grow your own plants from seeds.
Lettuce Grow offers their seedlings so you can harvest in 3-4 weeks and enjoy your Farmstand even more, but you don’t have to use their veggies.
When setting up your account and app, Lettuce Grow will ask you where you live.
You’ll put in your zip code, and Lettuce Grow will show you what fruits, vegetables, and herbs you can grow successfully in your area.
Here’s a screenshot of some of the veggies and plants that would grow well in my Farmstand based on my zip code:
There were many more seedlings offered to my zip code, but I can only screenshot so many at a time!
Our seedlings were delivered by FedEx and arrived in great condition.
All of the seedlings were alive, and the soil resembled a soggy brownie – but in the soil world, that’s a good thing!
One of the plastic containers that encased the seedlings was smushed a little on one side, but that isn’t Lettuce Grow’s fault and didn’t impact our seedlings at all.
The fronts of each seedling container will have a label on them telling you what each plant is, as well as icons that indicate if a plant will do better on a top row, bottom row, or if a certain plant is shade-tolerant.
Here’s a comprehensive video I put together of the quick setup of our Farmstand – be sure to watch it in 4k HD!
If you plan to grow heavier plants (like tomatoes) or vine plants (like cucumber or zucchini), you might want to consider building or adding a trellis system.
A trellis helps add support to plants that need it or would otherwise grow and drag on the ground, making them more susceptible to pests.
In the Facebook group run by Lettuce Grow, there are tons of suggestions for trellis’ – one of them being the one I have pictured in this post.
I got the idea to use macrame rings and twine to build my own trellis from the veteran Lettuce Growers in the group.
Their advice guided me to build and secure one to my Farmstand prior to placing any veggies in, and I would have to agree.
Placing a trellis is ideal before your plants have had the chance to grow in the way and make placing one later on more difficult.
Here are the macrame rings and twine I used.
Each Farmstand comes with the included nutrients (pack A and pack B) that you’ll need to add to the water.
At the time of this writing, the instructions read that you’ll need 4 scoops of each.
Scoops are provided to make measuring easy!
A long wooden stirring stick is also provided and should be used to thoroughly mix your water solution so you can test the pH…
Also included in the box is a pH test kit.
Simply scoop up 5 mL of water, drop 5 drops of pH solution in, and swirl the water around in the cup.
Use the pH color chart to determine your water’s pH level.
If the pH is too high, follow the guide’s instructions to lower it to the ideal pH between 5.5-6.
Lettuce Grow notes in their guide that you shouldn’t worry if your pH is a little above or below this range, as long as it’s pretty close!
The water should be a yellow or lime green color.
Once your seedlings have arrived, you can transplant them into the plant cups provided in your Farmstand box.
Have labels handy so you can keep track of what is what!
I used my Cricut to make vinyl labels for my Farmstand, but you can simply write the names of each herb or veggie with a sharpie on a wooden garden stake.
I featured the timer set up in the video within this post, but the timer is pretty simple to set up.
Simply adjust the arrow to the time of day you are currently at and then follow the directions in the booklet.
Each plastic notch in the timer represents 15 minutes.
You can use your thumbnail to move the notch UP – for each notch that it moved up, the pump will water your plants for that period of time.
Your plants will need some TLC each week, as all plants do, to grow their best.
You’ll need to add in nutrients to your hydroponic garden weekly (Lettuce Grow has a free app that tells you based on your plants, the number of plants your Farmstand is supporting, and climate about how much of each nutrient pack to add), and then test the pH to make sure the plants will be able to properly absorb the nutrients.
Your water hardness or softness can impact the pH, and therefore the uptake.
After adding in the nutrients, stir with the wooden stick provided and allow your Farmstand to run for a few minutes.
Using the same process as you did initially testing your water’s pH, take 5mL of water in the via provided in the pH test kit and drop in 5 drops of the red liquid.
Place the vial cap on and give it a few shakes to stir it. You can also swish the water around the vial if your cap goes missing ;).
Compare the color of your water to the chart.
If the pH is too high, you’ll need to add in some pH down using the teaspoon scoop provided, one 1/2 scoop at a time.
Aim for the yellow to lime green color range, which puts your Farmstand water at the ideal pH range of 5.5-6.
So far, I’ve had my Farmstand for one week, so I wanted to create a before and after type picture for you guys to show you the amount of growth that’s occurred in just one week…
I’m thrilled with how fast these seedlings have been growing, and how beautiful the veggies are so far! I can’t believe it’s only been a week.
My cucumber and zucchini seem to be really taking off, with my tomatoes and peppers not too far behind.
My lettuce and romaine are looking healthy and really spreading…
Everything looks amazing!
I think the only herb that gave me a little trouble was the mint, and that was simply because there were a few 90+ degree days where I needed to increase the watering schedule of my stand but didn’t realize it and it suffered a bit.
Since then, I’ve learned to pay attention to the heat index and adjust the watering schedule accordingly!
I’ll be updating you all on my growing process and indoor growing once the temperatures fall here in the Midwest (Lettuce Grow is coming out with some fitting Halo grow lights this Fall that I a super excited for)!
I hope you found this post helpful – I can’t recommend the Lettuce Grow Farmstand enough!
Have you tried growing veggies or herbs in water, or are you thinking of getting your own hydroponic system? Let me know in the comments below.
Fall came here in Michigan, and so did the first frost…EARLY.
Most of my plants did not survive the shock of the first frost, and I was unaware it would come this early.
I tried to convert my Farmstand to growing indoors after this event, but most of my plants were already defeated.
I plan on growing again this Spring, and will do more posts on growing with the Lettuce Grow Farmstand this year once the weather allows again!
You can see my Indoor growing journey here with the Glow Rings HERE.
**Post originally published in September 2020, last updated in March 2023.
Make your own DIY tote covers for your new DreamBox from Create Room, plus FREE SVGS and Cricut Design Space Link…
Hello, lovelies!
If you’re a loyal reader, then you’ve probably already seen and read about my office refresh a few months back when I introduced the MOTHER of all organizational systems: the DreamBox from Create Room.
This baby is bad.
It keeps all of my vinyl, crafting, blogging, and homeschooling supplies organized and in order.
If you haven’t heard me say this before, let me say it now: I highly recommend the DreamBox.
You can read my full review and feature HERE for more details and a discount code!
I recently had a reader reach out to me about my DreamBox and said she was having difficulty making her own tote covers, so I decided to put together a Cricut Design Space link and some SVG files for my lovely readers to help you guys out.
This post contains affiliate links at no cost to my readers, however, all opinions are my own, as always.
Create Room, the company behind the DreamBox, calls their clear plastic bins totes.
Tote covers are the pieces of paper you see inserted into the front of the bins in the picture above.
You don’t need them – but they make everything look really pretty and polished!
They can also conceal what you have in your drawers, so if you happen to own an embarrassing amount of vinyl rolls like I do, you can hide them in the totes ;).
Here’s what my totes looked like before I added any covers – you can see the items I have stored in my bins…
For some people, this might be ideal, and it’s a big reason why Create Room makes their totes see-through!
But for others, covers are more ideal – it’s all preference.
I decided to implement them because I wanted to label my totes, and I knew putting covers in them would help the labels be more legible.
For my DreamBox, I used a mixture of different papers.
Some of them were regular colored cardstock, while others were patterned scrapbook paper I grabbed at the store on sale. 
I love the look of the covers in the totes – I feel like my DreamBox is that much more personalized and MINE this way!
To make these tote covers for your DreamBox, I created these images based on Create Room’s recommendations for width and size.
You can access the free Cricut Design Space link HERE.
In the design, I have one image for each size of tote (Notions, Shoebox, and Large).
You can use a 12″x24″ Cricut LightGrip mat to cut these images, OR you can turn the images to the side once you are in the Make It screen (see screenshot below)…
Related: DreamBox Savings Tracker Printable
If you are using a program other than Cricut and prefer an SVG copy, I have one for each size:
Per Create Room’s recommendations…
You may or may not need to resize the SVGs depending on your computer settings and how the file downloads to your computer.
If you’re interested in buying a DreamBox, be sure to check out my full review HERE, and use code SLAYATHOMEMOTHER to save $100!
I hope you found this post helpful and were able to create your DreamBox tote covers with ease! Let me know in the comments below how long you’ve had your DreamBox!
