Feed Your Grass & Garden with Coffee Grounds!

I'm a coffee lover & gardener.

I have a love for both that transcends time and Apple products.  I'm a slave to both...a happy, caffeinated slave.

                            

I feel like I just stumbled upon the holy grail!  I learned something new (to me) that blends two of my greatest joys in this world into one big, fat benefit! 

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Zen & the Art of Sewing

Just a tiny confession before I jump into this post, I haven't sewn anything in a very long time if you don't count patching my son inlaw's pants.

I don't pretend, profess or deserve the title of seamstress, crafter or quilter.

But, despite my confession, I used to know my way around a sewing machine. I love fabric, color and texture and, once upon a time, before divorce, single momhood, and living half my life like a frightened nitwit...

I was...a darn good seamstress.

I call this zen, with a western twist.

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Can Vinegar Really Kill Weeds?

I'm sure many of you have seen "pins" on Pinterest singing the praises of simple vinegar and it's use as a weed killer.  Really?  I had to check this out for myself.

The saga began in March.  I tried distilled white vinegar and went on a weed hunt.  A month later those same weeds are "yellowish" but still alive.  I was less than impressed.




April rolls around and here comes a new weed killer recipe, three ingredients this time:  apple cider vinegar, table salt and dish soap (not Dawn).  The original pinner stated that apple cider had a higher acid content.  I perused the market shelves the other day and found that no matter white or apple cider, they both had a 5 % acid content.  But, I bought a quart of ACV for $1.09 anyway, I just couldn't let go of the dream!



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.98 cent Cement Blocks for Your Solar Patio Lights - Winning!

It's official, I love concrete blocks.

I love their price, their versatility, their blockiness and even the neutral gray color.  They're the perfect weight, hefty enough to stay put, light enough to handle.  Love em!

When I first saw these gems at Home Depot, both flowers and solar lights popped into my head.  I know, sometimes I wonder about my thought process too.  I went with flowers first, of course.  Loved the look!  Perfect for steps, holds in heat for my heat loving herbs and like I mentioned above, these buggers have so much versatility!  

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Make Your Own Signature Potting Mix & Save!

Camp Wander

gets Dirty.

Better go change those nice clothes and slip into something more practical because it's dirty business making magic happen.

Over the last few days, I've blogged about how to age your pots and the charming .98 cent pots, well now it's time to fill those pots!

It's convenient to run to my local garden center to buy everything I need for my fresh, new summer pots.  It's exciting!  So exciting, I spend a small fortune on the flora and fauna, hardly paying attention to the 4 ft long receipt spewing out of the cash register because, I'm so excited!  2.5 cubic ft of Miracle Gro is now $13 at Home Depot, that is deplorable!

I   M U S T   S T O P   T H I S   M A D N E S S 

(in moderation)

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.98 Cent Concrete Block Pots & Stylin Steps

.98 cents

I was a little antsy today, I blame it on the weather.  We've had beautiful and ugly April days in Wyoming.  Lately, kinda ugly.  Our gardens are itching to get started and the trees and lilacs are near bursting with buds.  But Mother Nature just can't give up enough warm days in a row for anything to get up & go, including me.  So, I went to Home Depot to see what their garden center was up to.

I browsed the poor half frozen annuals, the stupidly expensive selection of potting soils... {Have you noticed how pricey potting soil is?  Fear not, CW will post a potting soil recipe very soon!}
...and the pots, I was completely underwhelmed.  Meanwhile, as I sipped my Starbucks VL down to the last drop...I happened down the building material aisle.



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Shabby Terra Cotta Chic

I have a penchant for terra cotta pots, I love their look, their price and their versatility.  My only gripe about these pots is the "new" look, when you buy them "new" (vocabulary failure).  I prefer an aged look, shabby or mossy or both!

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A Run for the Hills!

Sheep Creek Bay - Flaming Gorge, UT

Rustic and I decided to leave the mundane behind ie:  bathroom remodel, garden chores, dirty laundry, and annoying bird orgy for distant lands ie: Utah. 

(In spring, birds have no dignity)

Yes, we do live in beautiful Wyoming but this part of beautiful Utah is only 45 minutes away and usually a lot warmer and less windy!  Have a look for yourself...

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CW Giveaway! Staub: French Cast Iron Cookware

CAMP WANDER GiveAway Weekend!

CRAZY excited about today's GiveAway!

Made in France, Staub enameled cast-iron cookware has been favored by professional chefs and cooking aficionados the world over. Cast iron retains and distributes heat evenly and effectively. It requires no seasoning, doesn’t chip, discolor or rust, and works on all cooking surfaces, including induction.

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CW Giveaway Weekend! Kitchen Scrap Composter

DIY Kitchen Scrap Composter!

{all you have to do is dig the hole}

If you missed my DIY Composter blog post you can read about it in more detail

...{here}...

The "in ground" galvanized can works as a food scrap digester and composter.  Composting food scraps is essential to a good compost pile because of the nitrogen factor.  Vegetable scraps add nitrogen, garden waste (leaves etc.) add carbon.  You need both for successful composting!  However...food scraps are mighty tempting to pets and critters.  Trust me on this, they will find a way to get at the "treats".  This is an issue!  But with this "in ground" DIY digester...I can put my kitchen scraps to work again without worrying about my dang dogs getting in it.

Here's all you have to do it enter the Giveaway...

1. Become a follower of Camp Wander and leave a comment letting me know you're all signed up! 


2.  Just for fun...let us know who's gonna do the digging for your new composter :)

Contest ends at midnite Wednesday, April 18th

Good luck!!

Rebecca  :)

Camp Wander's DIY Lip Balm

I garden, hike, work and live in Wyoming, a recipe for disaster for anyone's skin.  While there are plenty of worthy moisturizing products out there, most fall short of my expectations and, take a bite out of my wallet.  The cosmetic conundrum is such a money pit!

If I calculated how much money I've spent on moisturizing products for my skin and hair over the years, I just know I would shout expletives loud enough for the neighbors to wonder if they just heard an expletive...is that wrong?



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Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake!

Welcome back my old, old, old friend... 

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake!

How can it be one of my favorite recipes was relegated to the back of my recipe box and nearly forgotten? 

Yes, I said recipe box, I'm a dinosaur.  ComPLETEly non-digital when it comes to organizing recipes.  I have a "recipe box" on the FoodNetwork website, does that count?

Yesterday I was experiencing birthday cake withdrawal so I started pouring over cookbooks.  I quickly realized I would have to make a grocery run if I wanted to make one of the fancy cookbook cakes.  I did NOT want to go to the store so I pulled out the old "antique" recipe box and let my fingers do the walking.  I danced "the dance of life" *grin* when I found my old friend.  I love this cake because it calls for simple stuff that most of us have in our pantry already.  I love old recipes for their simple ingredients.

The simple stuff.

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The Happiest of Birthdays!

Yep, I had a birthday yesterday and I ate cake.  A lot of cake.  I didn't wear ruffles or let the maid touch my feet but, I was pampered in a different way, by a gorgeous day, heartfelt gifts and family around the table.

My daughter baked this birthday cake.

This is a real cake, the kind of cake where all parts are edible!  Looks good huh?  It is, and even better the next morning with coffee.  Its a well known fact that one should continue celebrating their birthday the next day if there is leftover cake to celebrate with.



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DIY Composter: We CAN Do This! {no pun there}

A few days ago a very nice person left a very nice comment asking for information on how to compost on a small scale.  Dear person, this is for you!  I stumbled on the idea on Pinterest, don't you love Pinterest??  Someone's garden board held the secret to one of my issues with composting.


This galvanized can works as a food scrap digester and composter.  Composting food scraps is essential to a good compost pile because of the nitrogen factor.  Vegetable scraps add nitrogen, garden waste (leaves etc.) add carbon.  You need both for successful composting!  However...food scraps are mighty tempting to pets and critters.  Trust me on this, they will find a way to get at the "treats".  This is my issue!  But with my DIY digester...I can put my kitchen scraps to work again.

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Get Hoppin! {cookies, bunnies & Easter garland}

...hoppin down the bunny trail...

I love this time of year, Easter's finally here!

We're taking a break from the garden today and getting ready for Easter...yay!  Here's a few quick & dirty (garden speak, sorry) projects for you to run with because I know how busy you are but, you still need to have fun!  

Let's start with...

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Practical Magic for Home & Garden

The Conservatory from the set of Practical Magic

"There's a little magic in every woman"

It's early April, Spring is here and the garden beckons us outside.  Have you considered what compels you to venture outdoors in the messy Spring weather to begin working the soil?  What about the joy and peace to be found rummaging around on your hands and knees, wrecking your manicure in the digging and planting?  What's that all about?  

In my book, gardening and home keeping are spiritual acts of a practical nature, with a magical outcome.

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