Free Bleeding Hearts Plant from Michigan Bulb

You can get a free bleeding hearts plant from Michigan Bulb: http://www.michiganbulb.com/ if you claim it by Sunday.  You only have to pay for shipping.  You can estimate shipping before checkout.  For my zip code, shipping was estimated at $8.75.  If you sign-up for their emails, you can also get a $20 instant coupon.

DIY Red Glittery Shoes

Photo 1: DIY Glittery Red Pumps

Transform an old pair of heels into glittery heels for $6 in one day!

Photo 2: Chew marks on heel.

Photo 3: Old Pumps

I am glad I never got around to throwing away one of my favorite pumps that my dog decided to use as a chew toy.  I wanted candy red glittery shoes to match my Halloween costume this year, and I didn't find the ones in the store  all that comfortable.

Not only are these shoes comfortable, but they look just as great as the ones I have seen in the store and cost a fraction of the price to make.  The key is too use extra fine glitter to give it a higher-end look.  Then using an acrylic red glitter glaze to seal in the glitter so that the glitter stays on your shoe.

Materials: 

• Sandpaper (optional)
• Shallow tray (optional)
• Old pair of high heels
• Old newspaper
• 2 oz bottle of Glamour Dust (Ultra Fine Glitter Paint in "Sizzling Red") by Decor Art
• 2 oz jar of Ruby Extra Fine Glitter by Art Minds
• 1" wide paint brush

Directions:

1. Optional: I omitted this step but if you have shiny, smooth shoes, I would recommend taking a piece of sand paper and slightly scuffing up the surface so that the paint and glitter has a better surface to adhere to.
2. Lay out newspaper over your work area or work over a tray.
3. Clean your shoes, and allow it to dry completely.  Then stuff crumpled newspaper or tissue in the pumps.  See Photo 4.
4. Glitter-fying Your Heels.  Do the following two steps in sections to minimize messiness. I divided the each shoe into three sections: right half of the pump, left half of the pump, and then heel.
1. Apply a thin layer of paint on the first section of each shoe.
2. Generously sprinkle fine glitter over the paint.  Then tap the side of the shoe so that the excess sprinkles fall off.  See Photo 6.
3. Repeat steps 1 & 2 until shoes are covered with a layer of glitter.  Then I did the process again so that there were ultimately two coats of glitter/paint on the shoes.  
4. Allow shoes to dry for about an hour.  Rinse your brush and allow it to air dry.
5. Seal in the Glitter.  Use the paint to seal in the glitter on your shoe.  I squeezed paint on to the shoe and then used the brush in a gentle tapping motion until the surface was covered with a thin layer of paint. I worked in sections again to reduce messiness. See Photo 7.
6. Allow shoes to cure for 24 hours before wearing them.

Photo 4: Newspaper stuffed into pumps

Photo 5: Paint drizzled on to pump.

Photo 6: Glitter sprinkled on shoe

Photo 7: Paint to seal in glitter.  Appears red when applying, but dries clear.

Photo 8: Finished product

Iris Growing in a Vase

I started an iris in a vase after seeing one in a plant catalog.  I've been growing it for a couple of months now, and so far things are going well.  The plant actually grew a new leaf!  I have only topped off the vase a couple of times.  I chose to top it off with water from my betta fish tank because fish waste water is a natural fertilizer for plants.

Materials:

• Vase
• Aquarium gravel
• Iris rhizome or bulb* 
• Water
• Moss

Directions:

1. Fill up the vase half way with gravel.
2. Perch iris rhizome or bulbs on top of the gravel.  
3. Pour water into the vase so that the water level falls just under the gravel.  The iris rhizome or bulb should not be in standing water (unless it is the type of iris that can be submerged in water).
4. Place moss on top of and around iris.  The moss will absorb the water and keep the iris bulb or rhizome moist but not soggy.
5. Place the vase in a sunny location, and enjoy!

*The rhizome I had already had roots and a leafy top.  I filled the vase 1/3 the way, placed the rhizome on top of the gravel and then poured gravel around the roots until the rhizome rested on the gravel.