I just added a new page to this site (tentatively) called “What’s growing in my SFG Veggie Beds“. I wanted a quick way to map out the plants in my Square Foot Garden, without having to keep running Abode Illustrator (like I have in the past) and exporting a jpeg. It’s really basic, basically it’s a spreadsheet using Google Docs that is embedded into the page. It’s on the top level for now, but I may eventually move it as a subpage under Gardening as I add more pages to this site.
Author Archives: joelignacio
Baby Boy and Bennie Ride the BART and Gets a Move on…
Antonio (Baby Boy) and Benardo (Bennie) ride the BART with good friends Cheri, Chris and Gary.
Antonio (Baby Boy) and Benardo (Bennie) on the move with Cheri and Nicole… “Comon’ people we have places to go and people to see!”
Habitat Arrows Quilt Vote + Fabric Shopping…
I created a rough draft and two alternate versions for my next quilt. Which do you like best: A, B or C?
Earlier today, I went to our local fabric shop to try to find fabrics to match the Habitat line that I got last night. I’m surprised the the employees there remember me and asked how my quilts are coming along :)
Duran Duran – Girl Panic (Solarstone presents Smashing Atoms Remix)
Duran Duran latest single (remixed): Girl Panic (Solarstone presents Smashing Atoms Remix)
Habitat Fabric…
This evening, I went to the monthly East Bay Modern Quilt Guild meeting. As I stepped into the shop (early), a couple of the members where cutting up some fabrics into fat quarters, so I helped out. At first, I thought we were just killing time and helping Sharona, the owner of the New Pieces Quilt Shop (i.e. free labor)… but, then I found out that this was fabric that was given to the group from FreeSpirit Fabrics. There was a condition for getting these for free. They asked if we can make something using these fabrics and any other solids (trying to keep away from any other non-solid fabric line), then take photos of it… to kinda promote the line.
The line of fabric that they gave us is called Habitat by Jay McCarroll, who I discovered is a fashion designer who won the first season of Project Runway. There are three distinct “colorways”: Jewel Tones, Brights, and Earth Tones; we got Earth Tones.
This first thing I thought when I saw the fabric was that it was kinda feminine, but funky (in a good hip way). I don’t think I would but it myself, but as I looked at it more, it grew on me. I especially like the Habitat Singing Forest Teal and Habitat City Planting Tan fabrics.
As I was brainstorming what I could make with these, two quilts came to mind, both by Marianne Haak. The first one is a modern style log cabin pattern called QAYG Log Cabin 2011. I really like this quilt and hope to make something inspired by it someday, but I think the Habitat fabrics may be too busy for it. The second is a quilt called Analeigh’s Quilt 2010, which I absolutely love. I think this may be a good pattern to use Habitat one.
So… here’s another quilt to start on. Quilt #4 for me… and I haven’t even completed any of my previous ones… but, I’m kinda excited and anxious to get started :)
More info:
– The Modern Quilt Guild: Jay McCarroll Habitat Challenge
– Spool: Preview: Habitat by Jay McCarroll
– Marmalade Fabrics: Habitat by Jay McCarroll (you can see the individual fabrics)
– Spool: Habitat Piano Keys Quilt (made using this line)
Just Thinking Out Loud About Potted Tomatoes…
A few weeks ago, Hugh, a fellow Flickr friend told me about the website Global Buckets which showed how to make a self watering pot or a global bucket (as they called it) using two 5 gallon buckets, PVC Pipe and a plastic cup. I thought this was a good idea, but I didn’t have anything to plant in it…
…Until I saw a photo by Meighan, another Flickr friend, who was growing Tomatoes in pots. This gave me an idea… How about if I grew some Tomatoes in a self water 5 gallon pot so I could move it around. Maybe even put it in a spot in the front yard that gets more sun than in the back yard.
I think I’ll try this next year, but I’m kinda anxious to make a self watering pot, so maybe I can test it out with two extra Lemon Cucumber plants that was left (no more space in the veggie bed to plant them).
[Update] ooohh, I just thought of something!.. I can plant my Pepino Dulce in one! (I have a new project to do tomorrow) :)
Unusual Summer Rain…
We had an unusual summer day with rain. It was pouring earlier today, so I placed pots, buckets and plastic bins where ever I can to catch the rain, since our rain barrel was already almost full.
The plastic bin below are the same bins that I used to wintersow some of my seeds. I’m glad I didn’t drill holes on the bottom. Now if has multiple uses.
Tropf Blumat Self-Watering Plant System…
I just read about a self-watering system called Tropf Blumat on the Home Harvest Garden Supply website.
I’m curious if anyone has used this system and how well does it work.
If it works well, maybe I can use it to self water parts of my Square Foot Garden that dries out easily during the summer.