Backyard Gardener Contributor

I was the Official Backyard Gardener Contributor on Squidoo! The JOY of seeing something grow from seed ... Ah! You know, I wasn't born with a green thumb, but found I had a passion for gardening as a child.

Growing up in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, we had the pleasure of spending a lot of time with our grandparents. From my maternal grandfather, I learned to appreciate the satisfaction of tending a beautiful flower garden and the necessity of maintaining a vegetable garden.

We always had a nicely manicured yard with an array of flowers and usually a vegetable garden in the backyard.

In my adult life, I didn't always find the time to manage a backyard garden as I had a professional marketing career all my adult life.

Then, I moved to Jacksonville Florida in the early 90s. Things changed for me as we seriously have more months of nice garden weather than Ohio! I became rather an expert at backyard gardening.

All photos and content copyright JaguarJulie.

Gardening Expertise Poll - We asked our readers previously to rate themselves from newbie to moderately talented to expert. Like stairsteps!

Ah, the JOY of Gardening!

Where do I begin? You know, I always appreciated flowers and blossoms but really never thought about growing them for myself. Then, when I moved to Jacksonville, Florida in the early 90s, I bought a small 1460 sq. ft. townhouse. It had a one-car garage and a little patch of grass in the front and back yards. That was when I first tried my creative hand at exterior yard design.

The backyard design started off with a small privacy shadowbox fence and then a 10 ft. square wooden platform deck. I then painted the concrete slab a teal blue color and erected a spruce green and white striped canopy over the deck. Next, I began digging up the little bit of exposed grass, putting down concrete stepping stones and white stones. Lastly, I added Oleander bushes and a variety of flowers.

After I finished in the backyard, I came to the front yard. I painted the sidewalk teal blue and planted a variety of flowers and plants down the side of the house. At the curb, I put in a colorful floral triangular garden with wooden edging. The flowering crepe myrtle in the little front yard was the show piece.

That was yesterday, so to speak. Now that I have a much larger yard, over 12,000 sq. ft., I have become a bit of a professional at backyard gardening. You can call me the Blonde Backyard Gardener! By the way! I bet you didn’t know that I also am one of the Blondes that DIY! #blondesthatdiy <---- hashtag!

Gardening for Geeks: DIY Tests, Gadgets, and Techniques That Utilize Microbiology, Mathematics, and Ecology to Exponentially Maximize the Yield of Your Garden - Gee, this is a book that seriously appeals to my scientific side!

You know, if I wanted to take my gardening up a notch, it would be with a book like this!

Consider what you learn about : DIY Tests, Gadgets, and Techniques That Utilize Microbiology, Mathematics, and Ecology to Exponentially Maximize the Yield of Your Garden!

Wow, this book will help you work together with Mother Nature to achieve the backyard garden of your dreams!

Have you ever thought about "analyzing meteorological patterns in order to plan productive beds?" I haven't really although I do plan my Scott's Bonus S application around the forecast.

My Backyard & Frontyard Gardening Projects

Allow me to share with you photos of some of the work that I have done. You know a photo is worth a thousand words at the very least and maybe two thousand in my case. You see, I couldn't contain myself in only the backyard(s)!

My Townhouse Backyard Garden - The first larger scale backyard project!

Here is that project I just told you about. In this photo, you get a view of a good part of the townhouse backyard. The oleander were relatively young along with the other flowers and plants. This design looked like it came out of Better Homes & Gardens! I designed it from scratch without using any magazine designs. Once I finished with the yard work, I added a wooden table and chairs to the platform deck.

My Townhouse Backyard Garden With Lights! I always wondered what this looked liked from overhead.

You know, it used to feel like a got a lot of small planes and helicopters buzzing over head, particularly at night when I lit up the lights. The lighting really helped to make my design a bit of a showpiece.

The Front Yard of My Townhouse - View looking out from the front door.

I personally love painting or staining the concrete walkways! Since this townhouse was done in a Jacksonville Jaguars color scheme, I picked teal blue for the front walkway. I added lots of plants and shrubbery to the left and right along with white decorative edging, concrete stepping stones, and mulch. Notice the crepe myrtle in the front yard. At the front curb, in the upper right of the photo, I had the triangle garden area with decorative wooden edging. Talk about curb appeal; this place had loads of it!

A Backyard Project With the Hubby. Have you ever done a joint project with your spouse?

This was the last joint project that I worked on with the hubby before the divorce. After all that work, I felt I had to leave the Deercreek Country Club house to the ex. I didn’t have the heart to make him sell it.

So, in this project, I provided the labor by hauling all the patio stone and materials from the front driveway to the backyard. I was with the hubby as he progressed through the work, offering my artistic eye and snapping lots of photos so that we could do our DIY tutorial. It was a weekend project that came together fairly quickly. Talking with the ex recently, he has acknowledged that his back wouldn’t be up to another project like this one!

That Patio Paver Backyard Project! This was a little job I did with the hubby!

If you have ever contemplated a patio paver project of your own, you will learn all the steps on how to accomplish one. This is the type of weekend job that any homeowner, male or female, can do. You can scale it up or down depending upon how much space you have. What are you waiting for; let's get it started already!!

Another Patio Paver Project. A little less artistic, but very functional.

Out of necessity, I did a patio of twelve inch red patio stones along with Holland brick pavers to edge it. This was an area in my backyard that didn’t seem to be growing grass very well. When the rain would come off the roof, it would create a marshy area here. Putting down the stones was the best thing I ever did for that area of yard.

Pruning the Nine Crepe Myrtle Trees. Enjoying the changing of the leaves!

In the early Spring of 2012, I started to prune the nine crepe myrtle trees that lined my backyard. Those limbs were from thirty to fifty feet high! Armed with a Corona 18 inch hand saw, I went to work. I started at the left back and worked on just one tree at a time. Each time I brought down one of those massively long limbs, I tried to be as careful as possible not to hurt myself. Then, I would take time to saw the limbs into five foot lengths and then bag the leaves and put the tiny limb pieces into a 55-gallon trash container.

It took me fourteen weeks to complete this job! Each Friday I hauled the cut limbs and leaf debris to my curb for pickup. The yard guys swore that I couldn’t have done it all by myself. How about that?

In the end, I only hurt myself about three or four times. One time, the new saw came off the limb and hit me in my right shin. That was pretty gory … I ran inside, applied pressure, put on a large bandage, and decided to lie down until I stopped feeling dizzy. Then, I came back outside and continued working. Another time, I slammed the nail on my left finger up against a tree when I swung one of the cut limbs, trying to knock over another limb that landed upright in the ground. I was sure I broke it!

Bottomline, I never would have been able to experience the beautiful changing of the leaves if I hadn’t pruned those crepe myrtles in the first place. Now, the job only takes a few hours each year to prune the growth at the end of the year! Who needs a chainsaw and a man???

I Trimmed All Those Crepe Myrtles! One by one by one by one ...

Honestly, there was not motorized equipment used in this project. It was all about the Corona 18 inch hand saw. I was so impressed how this little hand saw, with a bit of girl power from me, handled all those fifty foot limbs on the overgrown crepe myrtles. You'll have to check out my product review to see MORE pictures from my backyard gardening project!! Girl Power!

My Seven-Eight Foot DIY Garden of Sunflowers. What is up with all that red mulch?

You know, it was tough trying to pick just one photo from that first sunflower garden. I opted to use this one because it feels like yesterday when I came home from Lowe’s with several bags of red mulch. What was up with quality control that day back at the mulch factory? I think somebody must have flipped the switch on the dye or got that chemical formula wrong. I couldn’t believe how there were three different colors going on. Anyways, you’ll note that I had three rows of tall sunflower plants. This was obviously near the end of the season for that first crop.

There are lots and lots of photos of the garden, charting its growth and then sharing the rest of the journey through all the lovely and colorful blossoms to actually harvesting the seeds for that second garden of 2014! I did many blog posts … be sure to check those out!

Come along and experience this inspirational journey with me. From start to finish:

• Planting a Flower Garden From Scratch
• Starting Sunflower Seeds for a Flower Garden
• Nurturing Sunflower Seedlings for a Flower Garden
• Planting Sunflower Seedlings in the Ground
• Sunflower Plants Prospering in the Ground
• My Sunflower Blossoms are Blooming
• Celebrate the Sunflower Buds and Backs
• Colorful Autumn Beauty Sunflower Pictures
• Insects and Critters in my Sunflower Garden
• Drying Sunflower Heads for Seeds
• Harvesting Sunflower Seeds from the Heads
• My 7 Foot Sunflower Garden
• The Sunflower Project : Free Seeds and Paying it Forward
• Hummingbird in My Sunflower Garden
• Autumn Beauty Sunflower Pictures
• Pretty Yellow Sunflower Blossoms
• Dance of the Dragonfly
• Sunflowers in a Vase
• Final Sunflowers of Summer
• The Last Sunflower of Summer

My DIY Garden of Sunflowers #1!

It all started with some Burpee Sunflower Seeds and a vision! Whenever I start a project, there has always been a lot of contemplation behind it. With my very first DIY Sunflower Garden, I really wanted to start with a singular plant. That was in the Summer of 2012; however, no plants could be found. I knew that I would have to be patient and wait until the next growing season. August in Jacksonville, Florida is SO HOT and HUMID! Around came February 2013, a piece of land, some seeds and a little muscle. Voila! Sunflowers!!

This Is My Second DIY Garden of Sunflowers. The 2014 edition that was a work in progress!

As of May 4, 2014, some of the plants had attained a height surpassing 36 inches! This year’s garden is much more involved than 2013′s in that there are four rows rather than three and there are many more plants. Every single plant has come from seeds harvested from the previous garden! That’s quite something.

This DIY journey is just getting started … here is that journey thus far:

• Planting My Second Sunflower Garden
• Sunflower Seedlings Emerging in Six Days
• Critters Digging Up My Sunflower Seedlings
• Protecting Sunflower Seedlings From Digging Critters
• Sunflower Seedlings at Twenty-Three Days
• Sunflower Seedlings at Thirty Days
• Cat in My Sunflower Garden
• Sunflower Plants at Thirty Seven Days
• Sunflower Plants at 24 Inches Tall
• Pink Slime Mold in Sunflower Garden
• Yellow Slime Mold in Sunflower Garden
• Sunflower Plants at 36 Inches Tall

My Mexican Petunia Garden Project #1. A side yard project that still looks fabulous!

This was actually the first large gardening project that I undertook in my current home. I had quite a large area that I was digging up and knew that I wanted to plant Mexican Petunias because they grow quite well and are drought-resistant. I was first captured by their beauty with the daily showers of purple flowers. The house across the street from me had a mailbox decorated with these flowers. That was my inspiration!

My Second Mexican Petunia Garden. The neighbors were really talking about this!

Yes indeed … after I finished my first similar project in my side yard to the right of my house, I came to the front of the house, on the left side. To be cool with my next door neighbor, I asked her opinion on what I planned to do. I had some stakes and put them in the ground to consult on the property line. Then, another neighbor came by. Both of those gals were “consulting” on my planned gardening project.

One thing led to another and soon I was digging up the ground. As I went, I made sure to fill in the area with mulch and plants rather than leaving exposed dirt. Before you knew it, I had down patio stones and brick pavers along with red mulch and more Mexican Petunias! I was thrilled with how good this job actually looked and how easy it is to maintain year-to-year.

Then, a neighbor down the street came by, “how much would you charge to do one of those for me?” Thinking it over, I said, “Ah, it all depends …”

A Massive Side Yard Gardening Project. My biggest square footage job yet!

When I started working on this side yard, the weather was already pretty hot! It was July-August 2013. I had been researching Florida-Friendly Landscaping to get some ideas on how I could make my one side yard more friendly. It was only a couple of days into the project where I was digging with a shovel and then picking out the grass pieces to put in the trash bag. I kept hitting roots from the large water oaks that had been removed from the backyard. The sweat was rolling off me and I was covered in dirt with lots of dirt up my nose. It got to be quite an emotional project and I was having a difficult time seeing its completion.

Blood, sweat and a lot of tears went into this project. And, you have no idea how many trips back and forth to Lowe’s I made on a daily basis with my sports car with the white leather interior! I have no trunk, so everything that you see here was brought home in my front seat.

My Daisy Garden Out Back. Right outside my back door ...

There have been a lot of different daisies which have cycled through this garden. At the moment, you can see gerbera daisies and some daisy bushes along with gaillardia pulchella. I’ve previously grown echinacea daisies. I’ve kept the color scheme going with the red brick edging and patio stones. Recently, I added some solar patio lights which add a lot of cool touches in the evening and night. I really think it must look pretty special from the sky when all those little planes and helicopters fly over!

Whew!!! Are We DONE Yet?? You know, I did it all myself. I forgot to mention that I also put down about 80 pieces of sod in the front yard by myself. I hauled every piece of stone, bag of mulch, soil, plants, whatever, in the front seat of my Chrysler Crossfire sports car!

A Helpful How-to Book!

Gardening for Geeks: DIY Tests, Gadgets, and Techniques That Utilize Microbiology, Mathematics, and Ecology to Exponentially Maximize the Yield of Your Garden

Are YOU ready to try your hand at a little backyard gardening? Have you found my article and do it yourself projects inspiring?

We've all got to start some place. For me, I have really been a single gal most of my life. It was out of necessity that I learned how to do these type of DIY projects. I never wanted to burden someone else to help me. Even those times I might have been dating a guy! With the exception of that one backyard paver project with my hubby [now the ex], I did everything by myself. Even to the point that I picked up and delivered all the materials needede for my do-it-yourself projects.

Whew! I think I'm a little tired now ... ah, retirement!

History: I'm the Backyard Gardener Contributor on Squidoo was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on May 5, 2014 by JaguarJulie. On May 6, 2014 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content.

Corona 18 inch Razor Tooth Saw

Ah! Not only a saw, but the Corona 18 inch Razor Tooth Saw and My 14 Week DIY Project. Yes, a 14 week do it yourself project. Probably took that long because I am a blonde. One of those blondes that do it yourself DIY!!

Corona RS 7500 Razor Tooth Saw with D Handle, 18" Curved Blade

I bought the Corona RS 7500 Razor Tooth Saw with D Handle, 18" Curved Blade because I wanted to trim some of the bushes around my house. I didn’t realize that this hand saw would become my go-to tool for a fourteen week project I undertook in my backyard after I finished up with my initial trimming.

You see, In all my life, I can’t remember that I ever used such a tool. I think I surprised myself with how easy it was to cut those limbs.

THAT FOURTEEN WEEK PROJECT!

Across the back of my property are nine crepe myrtles. Years ago, in my townhouse front yard I had the most beautiful crepe myrtle. It had the prettiest pink blossoms that you could actually see. Those crepe myrtles in my backyard were over 50 feet high! I couldn’t see the blossoms if there were any. And, it wasn’t until after I had pruned the trees that I got to appreciate the changing of the leaves come Fall.

I was pretty sure that the previous owners never pruned those trees!

One day I decided I was going to cut those limbs … once I put my mind to a project, I will not stop! And, that’s a good thing, because this turned out to be quite the job!!

The changing of the leaves! Thanks to my 14 DIY project!

The Corona RS 7500 Razor Tooth Saw with D Handle, 18" Curved Blade handled the job pretty well. Only one time did that saw slip off the limb and hit me in my right shin, causing quite an interesting jagged cut! You want to be careful to keep your hands, arms, and legs out of the way. That’s why I wouldn’t use a chainsaw … I’d be afraid that I’d seriously hurt myself. You really can’t hurt yourself too much with this kind of hand saw. In my case, I came inside, applied some pressure and then cleaned the wound, added a bandage and went to lie down for a bit. Then, I was outside working with that saw again!

I used that Corona saw to cut the limbs into about five feet sections and then piled them up in the backyard until Fridays. Every Thursday afternoon for the fourteen weeks, I would carry the cut limbs to my curb for the yard pickup. Over the course of those fourteen weeks, I impressed the living heck out of the yard pickup guys! More than once, they both told me that there was no way I did all that work.

THE BEST DEVELOPED FOREARM!

A benefit of using this type of saw is that you get the most toned biceps along with a well-developed forearm. I was just showing Nelson at Bailey’s Powerhouse Gym my forearm the other day. It’s been several months since I last used it to cut the trees, but I still have definition in my muscles.

P.S. I don’t guarantee that you will achieve the same toning that I did, but you will surprise yourself on how well you can trim your own trees; crepe myrtles or otherwise! Plus, you will get the yard pickup guys talking … along with the neighbors. I did have one of my neighbors come by to tell me that I was the hardest working gal on our street. Yeah, and I’m blonde too!! And, I am one of those #blondesthatDIY !! Hear, hear. Last, but not the least, I was the Official Squidoo Backyard Gardener Contributor … maybe you had heard?

THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING!

Photo gallery mosaic of my 14 week DIY project

Do check out my photo gallery mosaic which gives you an overall view of the project. Just imagine, that these show a small part of the job. But, you should be able to see just how well that Corona hand saw worked. That’s a lot of bang for the buck, you know? Are you ready to tackle your own trees?

Photo gallery mosaic of my 14 week DIY project BOO-BOOS!

Disclosure: I felt it was equal time for the boo-boos I acquired whilst working this job. Let this be a lesson to you to be vigilant when working with DIY tools. You’re probably safer with non-electric and non-gas-powered tools. Hey, DO IT YOURSELF tools!!

Hey there DIY people! Have you ever taken on a project like this one? I mean with up to fifty foot limbs to cut by hand? You know, where there is a will … there is a way!

The Art of Cupid

I have always loved angels and angel art. And, I have a finer appreciation for cupid. Cupid's arrow has struck me more than a few times in my illustrious life as a blonde that does it herself.

Thinking of The Art of Cupid - we encourage you to share the love especially @ Valentines Day and wedding anniversaries. Heck, share it everyday. You know that I was actually married on Valentines Day in 2003? Unfortunately, I was divorced 7.5 years later - after going through that seven year itch.

Ah, Hello CUPID! Why not take a moment to spread a little niceness and share the love. Too bad cupid is not flying around the world today shooting his arrow to instill love in people! Share that cupid love already!

Ah, yes art is all around us, but maybe not enough love. As beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so can there be beauty and love in the art of cupid.

Welcome to the art of cupid where you can find some beautiful cupid love art posters and items! Share that love ... the art of cupid. ;)

I think we could all be touched by an angel and instilled with more human kindnesses. To reach out to our friends and loved ones to show them how much we care. Today, in the whirlwind of the internet, it is too easy to lose our way. Stop and think for a moment. OK, now leave me a message please. Blessings to you my dear!
The Art of Cupid Poll: We would love for you to answer our little question. Have you been touched by the art of cupid?

1. Cupid's artful bow has struck me several times!
2. I have been struck by cupid's artful bow just once!
3. I am awaiting a hit by the artful bow of cupid.

EROTES, the winged gods of love, a multplication of Eros.

EROS, in Latin, Amor or Cupid, the god of love.

In the sense in which he is usually conceived, Eros is the creature of the later Greek poets; and in order to understand the ancients properly we must distinguish three Erotes.

The Eros of the ancient cosmogonies, the Eros of the philosophers and mysteries, who bears great resemblance to the first, and the Eros whom we meet with in the epigrammatic and erotic poets, whose witty and playful descriptions of the god, however, can scarcely be considered as a part of the ancient religious belief of the Greeks.

From its beginnings as a royal fortress to the magnificent structure we see today, the Louvre Museum embodies the concept of that of a universal institution.

Dedicated to conservation, restoration and the development of artistic treasures from all over the world, the Louvre welcomes over 6 million visitors through its doors each year and houses 35,000 works of art.


Sculptures of the Louvre is a 7-part series highlighting masterpieces of sculpture on exhibit.

Each piece is put into its historical context - enabling a better understanding of the sculpture itself as well as the artistic movement that inspired it.

I think we could all be touched by an angel and instilled with more human kindnesses. To reach out to our friends and loved ones to show them how much we care.

Today, in the whirlwind of the internet, it is too easy to lose our way. Stop and think for a moment. OK, now leave me a message please. Blessings to you my dear!

History: The Art of Cupid : Share the Cupid Love was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie October 17, 2009.Highest lensrank ever achieved: #1,760 overall. Lens #518 in the quest for Giant Squid 600 Club.

Nighty Night Shirts Nightshirts

What do blondes wear when they stop writing and opt to try and get some sleep? Why nighty night shirts aka nightshirts. I actually where my nightshirt sometimes when I am working. Sometimes that nightshirt is actually more of a nightdress. I have to remind myself what I am wearing when the mailman comes and I am tempted to walk to my curb and retrieve the mail. LOL

Thinking about sleep? Check out my pick of the best Nighty Night Shirts. These are multifunctional sleepshirts and sleepwear that are getting a lot of mileage today with the work at home woman. This type of clothing easily transitions in the day time to lounge wear and casual wear.

You can go from the bedroom to your home boardroom with nighty night shirts. Hello to my "fellow" work at home wonder women! How about a little comfort and style with your Nighty Night Shirts?

Let me show you my top picks ... those very items which you might find Jaguar Julie wearing in my at home boardroom office. When you're sleeping, you want to look good. Be stylish in your bedtime clothing.

A favorite pick of mine is the Hatley One Size Sleepshirt - I Moose Wake Up. I love the whimsical illustration of the moose and the play on words. It helps me be more creative in my writing, I think!

Our Nighty Night Shirts Brand Poll Question - Which brand do you think YOU will like best? Can you pick a favorite brand from these?

• Frankie & Johnny
• Hue
• Izod
• Nautica
• Nick & Nora
• The Cat's Pajamas

I personally love the Nighty Night Shirt -- because it can serve more than one purpose! Look stylish as you don one and head off to the bedroom for the big sleep! Then, transition in the morning to your personal boardroom within your home -- your home office!

If you are like JaguarJulie, you're multitasking and working longer hours. You sometimes can appreciate multifunctional sleepwear that transitions to casual and lounge wear!

Now, picture this! I have found the type of nightshirts which I can pair with my leggings and make them work outside the bedroom. Think outside the box.

The age-old duel of cats versus dogs! I am a cat lover, so I guess I sleep with cats. Hey, wait a moment. I do indeed sleep with Boots the cat most every night. Especially now that the divorce was finalized.

P.S. You Will Love The Cat's Pajamas ... Pajama Sets! A nice selection of comfy and versatile sleepwear. What I love about these pajamas other than their brand name? Let's see ... first and foremost, they are actually made in the USA. They are of 100% quality cotton that is soft on your body. Wow, these cuties all come with a matching eye mask. Plus, they have a whimsical nature, like me and perhaps like you too!

Join Our Nighty Night Shirt Fan Club. You don't necessarily need to be one of the #blondesthatdiy either.

Love these? Let's hear it! Personally, give me a good nighty night shirt that can transition from sleepwear to loungewear! Yeah. After all, I’m one of the countless work at home wonder women who value the mutlifunctional nature of my clothing. Heck, I can go straight from the bedroom to my day job! My home office that is clothing-friendly! How about you? Are you digging it yet?

History: Nighty Night Shirts was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on December 29, 2009. Highest lensrank ever achieved: #8,758 overall. Lens #620 in the quest for Giant Squid 700 Club.

Mrs Robinson Color Club Poptastic Nail Polish

Doing it myself, as a blonde, I still get my nails done regularly! I wear acrylic nails which seriously help to protect my nails from all the DIY projects I undertake. I've got a few favorite colors which come in the Color Club Poptastic line.

Hello Mrs. Robinson! It's a bright and neon color -- it's Mrs. Robinson. Mrs. Robinson Color Club Nail Polish Creme N07. I am pretty particular when I pick my color of nail polish.

The moment I spotted this color at my nail salon, I knew I wanted to try it. That was more than a year ago.

That was also when I was first introduced to the brand of Color Club. I think their line of poptastic neon colors are the most vivid.

There's that bottle of Mrs. Robinson!

As I was finding "my favorite polish" was becoming a popular color at my nail salon, I opted to purchase it directly from Amazon. You can see my personal review that I left on June 1, 2013.

Mrs. Robinson never look this good! I found this color quite a while back at my nail salon. Got so many compliments every time I wore it. The color Mrs. Robinson pretty much looks like you see it in this picture. It's like a deep, neon hot pink -- it's especially colorful in the sunlight. Love it.

Most of the nail polish colors that I gravitate towards are fuchsia, hot pink or purple. Mrs. Robinson Color Club Nail Polish Creme N07 rather touches on all those colors. I love the finished color because it truly sparkles and shines. When you are outside in the natural light, the color looks rather fluorescent.

Check out my new manicure
and how it rivals the pretty colors of
that heart paperweight.

I think the mark of a good color is evident by the compliments you receive. Would you believe that I have gotten compliment from men too?

The other day whilst shopping in Publix, the cashier asked me about my nail polish. She handed me a piece of paper so that I could write down the brand name and color.

If you love pink nail polish and have the confidence to go bolder, why not try Mrs. Robinson?

You may surprise yourself when you venture outside your comfort zone into the world of poptastic neon!

That's a bottle of Mrs. Robinson
nail polish with my favorite
Robert Held confetti heart paperweight.

P.S. Background Flower Picture Credit: With the previous format of a squidoo lenslet, you would have noticed my background was a photograph of the pretty pink pentas that I grow in my Jacksonville, Florida garden out back.

They were so pretty, I created a Pretty Pink Pentas Pillow on Zazzle to showcase their beauty!

They remind me of the vivid pink color of Mrs. Robinson Color Club Nail Polish Creme N07.

Would you try this color for yourself? Yes, I too love neon colors in nail polish! No, I am not into such bright colors.

Notice how the color of my nails matches the polish in the bottle.

This is my other favorite color from Color Club. I normally alternate between Mrs. Robinson and Pucci-licious. I don't normally recommend nail polishes, but this is an exception. If you want to try a couple of hot colors, try this one too!

Ladies, if you are looking for a knock-out color, give Color Club Nail Polish Pucci-licious (Creme) N20 a try. It is such a pretty deep lavender that has a hint of blues and fluorescent-neon. It's bright, but the guys love it too!

Hey there! You don’t have to be a gal who uses nail polish to leave me a comment. I love to hear from the guys too. This is the kind of color the guys can appreciate. Plus, how about that name? Rather whimsical I think. Say, ever notice now nail polishes have some of the most interesting names?

Pucci-licious Color Club Poptastic Nail Polish

What a name for nail polish : Pucci-licious! I love the color purple. That is probably why I love Pucci-licious Color Club Nail Polish Creme N20.

It is a purple that is so uniquely colorful. For years, I have been getting my nails done usually every two weeks. It is the one luxury that I afford myself. Getting my nails done that many times has given me the opportunity to try a lot of nail colors.

The one brand that I always used was OPI. I did not really look at any other brand. Well, that was until I discovered Color Club one day at my nail salon. I never thought of looking at any other brand, but found that Color Club had a line of neon, poptastic colors that I really liked.

That is a picture of my two favorite Color Club colors. Mrs. Robinson on the left and Pucci-licious on the right. Got them from Amazon! Mrs. Robinson was the very first polish that caught my eye. Perhaps you have seen my personal review on that color? It is a really vivid hot pink or fuchsia polish that seems fluorescent.

I had been using that color for months until one day I felt like trying another color. My two go-to colors are generally in the pinks and purples. When I spotted the purple Pucci-licious Color Club Nail Polish, I knew that was the one to try.

Take a look at my manicure with Pucci-licious
outside in the natural light. It pops, doesn't it?

Well, the moment my nail tech applied that first coat of Pucci-licious, I was hooked. "Oh my goodness," I exclaimed. "That is one fantastic color." I watched as my tech finished the second coat and was applying the UV clear coat. "Do you want to do your feet?" she asked. "Are you kidding?" I replied. "Yes, I want my toes to match my fingers.

Here's the proof that I absolutely must paint my
fingers and toes to match with this vivid purple nail polish.

You know, this is one interesting color. Not only is it an interesting shade of purple, but it seems to have a hint of blue. I would call it a cool tone color. When you are outside in the natural light, the color seems fluorescent.

Holding the bottle of Pucci-licious nail polish in the natural light.
Can you see the hint of blue tone in this cool color?

I'm wondering about the whimsical name of this product. I seriously think it might have been inspired by the bright designs of Emilio Pucci! It was quite some time ago that I began using this fabulous purple polish. Then, one day, it was time for my manicure; however, someone had taken the polish from my salon! Fast forward a month and a half later. My salon could not find that polish for me. So! I turned to Amazon and found Pucci-licious. I decided to buy two.

Yes indeed. One of these was not enough;
I had to buy two of the polishes. Just in case.

Hey, check out my personal review of June 2, 2013 on Amazon and see what I had to say! "Pucci-licious is a Delicious Nail Polish Color. It is such a pretty deep lavender that has a hint of blues and fluorescent-neon.

Pretty in Purple : Mexican Petunias

P.S. Background Flower Picture Credit: Well, I sure hope you did catch the previous theme of my Squidoo lenslet page as it sported a photograph of the pretty purple Mexican Petunias that I grow in my Jacksonville, Florida gardens. I was so inspired by the vivid colors of those petunia blossoms that I created a variety of products on Zazzle to showcase their beauty! Here they are -- Six Pretty Purple Mexican Petunias on a Plate. They remind me of the intense purple color of Pucci-licious Color Club Nail Polish Creme N20.

Do you love this color of purple? Yes indeed I do love this purple color. No, I prefer something else.

When I am not painting my fingers and toes with Pucci-licious, my next favorite color is definitely Mrs. Robinson. I love the deep rich pink tone. I guess you could say that I am torn between two colors. If you are not as daring as me, you may prefer Mrs. Robinson Color Club Nail Polish Creme N07. "And, here's to you Mrs. Robinson!" Remember that song by Simon and Garfunkel? Holy smokes, but this is one hot color. Ladies, if you like the pink tones and a more vivid color, try Mrs. Robinson.

Hey there. Thanks so much for taking time today to check out my very personal review. By the way, did you notice those Mexican Petunias from one of my flower gardens? I think that flower embodies this color quite nicely. So, do you love this color? For me, it was love at first sight! I’m actually wearing Pucci-licious now. You wouldn’t believe all the compliments I get on this polish — men and women love it! It is so much fun to pick such bright colors with such whimsical and fun names. What’s your favorite color?

Master Gardner Weed Shield Landscape Fabric

Probably one of my biggest DIY projects has been my sunflower garden. As a blonde that DIY, I found a lot of joy in planting sunflower seeds and watching my garden grow. My first garden was direct from the Burpee store-bought seeds. In that garden, I actually had no digging critters. However, the second such garden was a different story. Those plants came from my harvested seeds from the first garden. And, it seemed the digging critters loved those seeds all the more; making short order of my garden.

So landscape fabric to my rescue! Why do I love this stuff? It seriously came to my rescue when I needed to protect my emerging sunflower seedlings from digging critters.

I am thrilled to give you my unsolicited review of this product, Master Gardner Weed Shield Landscape Fabric. You see, I recently tried one roll of Master Gardner Weed Shield Landscape Fabric and just purchased a second roll. This landscape fabric is traditionally used as a weed barrier to keep out the weeds in your garden or other landscape projects. You might have tried it for that purpose.

Obviously, I already knew that this landscape fabric was a weed shield because that's what it said on the label. Would it work for another purpose? Reading the label, it says that the fabric allows a proper air exchange which keeps the oxygen in and the carbon dioxide out. And, that it maintains the soil moisture, helping to promote a deeper root system.

ANOTHER USE!

Hmmm, how would that Master Gardner Weed Shield Landscape Fabric work as a protective covering for my sunflower garden? You see, some critters got into my sunflower garden and were digging for China or something, throwing my little sunflower seedlings helter skelter on the ground. The first morning, I found a big hole in my first row; and the second morning, the critter dug a big hole in my second row. I knew I had to protect my seedlings!

Thinking outside the box, For two days, I had tried the tan plastic liners from Lowe's to cover a few rows of sunflower seedlings. I was a bit concerned that the liners weren't letting in enough oxygen for the growing seedlings.

I was thinking about creating a covering with screen mesh; however, that would take a little work to affix the mesh to boards. Would landscape fabric work to protect my seedlings?

CRITTERS DIGGING UP MY SUNFLOWER SEEDLINGS

Oh my, but those critters digging up my sunflower seedlings, were making short order of all those little seedling! Here is the evidence from the first and second nights of the digging! Could that happen again? It was a raccoon or opossum that did the digging. Yep, it happened again. At the rate the raccoon and/or opossum were going, there wouldn't be anything left of my garden. Time to cover my seedlings!

In my sunflower garden, I have 4 rows which are approximately 15 ft. long. I cut 3 lengths of 3 ft. wide by approximately 15 ft. long landscape fabric to cover the 4 rows of sunflower seedlings. When I first started to cover the seedlings, they had just emerged from the ground. Three lengths of the landscape fabric worked perfectly to cover the four rows. Then, the seedlings got taller. So, I had to use four lengths of the Lowe's liners along with the three lengths of landscape fabric to protect my sunflower seedlings at night.

This evening will be my first time using one length per row of sunflower seedlings. That will be four lengths of landscape fabric to position over the growing plants.

HOW DID IT WORK?

If you've followed my blog about growing sunflowers, you might have seen how my seedlings are growing. I honestly think that the seedlings have benefited from the protective covering of the landscape fabric. The covering is placed in the evening right before dusk and removed first thing in the morning before the sun hits the garden. I have been covering the seedlings for over two weeks and they seem to be doing very well.
More importantly! No critter has gotten into my sunflower seedlings since I started covering them.

UPDATE: I covered my sunflower seedlings until they became plants. For twenty-one consecutive days, I covered them each evening and removed the covering early the next morning. I stopped on Easter Sunday. Now I have dried the landscape fabric and put it in my garage for the next application. If I plant another garden, I'll use it there. Also, I may get a chance to use it to cover the mature heads that remain on the stalks to keep the pests out of the seeds. Finally, with cold weather, the fabric can be used to protect your plants from the freeze! You see, there is a lot you can do with this stuff if you just put your imagination to work for you!

May 1, 2014, Jacksonville, Florida: Would you believe that I just measured as sunflower plant at 33 inches in height! Thanks to the Master Gardner Landscape Fabric, my sunflower plants are prospering. I am so excited to see my second DIY garden of sunflowers come to fruition like my first such DIY garden project!

P.S. I purchased my first and second roll of this product from my local Big Lots. I found this brand in the smaller roll size of 3 ft. by 45 ft. Searching on Amazon, I found the same brand, but in a bigger roll of 100 ft. I was thrilled that it was available from Amazon so that I could tell you how it worked for me and how much I liked it! Hope you will get to try some for yourself. Think outside the box, like I did!

By the way, a little bit of interesting history for you. I was the Official Squidoo Backyard Gardener Contributor. You might not have known that. HOWEVER, I bet you do know by now that I also am one of the Blondes that DIY #blondesthatdiy <---- hashtag! This Google blog!

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CHECK OUT MY PERSONAL PHOTOS!

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1. I tried the Lowe's plastic liners for two nights -- covering my two rows with the most growth. I knew this wouldn't be a permanent use.

2. Using 3 lengths of Master Gardner Weed Shield Landscape Fabric to cover my 4 rows of sunflower seedlings at night to protect from digging critters.

3. As the sunflower seedlings grew, I was using the three lengths to cover the three rows and Lowe's liners for the fourth row.

4. April 14, 2014 : That is the fourth length of landscape fabric just cut from my second roll. Note how I carefully draped it over the seedlings.

5. April 14, 2014 : Using four lengths of Master Gardner Weed Shield Landscape Fabric on the four rows of sunflower seedlings.

Drying the lengths of landscape fabric. It dries fairly quickly and can be folded up and placed out of the sun until evening use.

BEFORE: That is my sunflower garden of seedlings at 23 days and 8 days of protective covering of the landscape fabric at night.

AFTER: 30 days and 15 days - Look how well my sunflower seedlings are doing after being covered at night with the landscape fabric for two weeks.

USING THE MASTER GARDNER WEED SHIELD LANDSCAPE FABRIC AS INTENDED! Hey, you will need these pins: Commercial Grade Fabric and Garden Staples. If you opt to use the weed shield landscape fabric as a weed barrier in your landscaping project, you will need these pins to affix the fabric. An important tip, get your cloth spread out and positioned well before you start to affix the pins. You don't want to tuck and pull on the fabric for fear of tearing it.

OTHER IDEAS FOR PROTECTING YOUR GARDEN! There are many resourceful people out there who have planted gardens to find them invaded by critters. I actually considered a roll of screen wire mesh. Chicken wire works well too!

HELLO! IS IT ME YOU’RE LOOKING FOR? Hey, let me know your were here and what you thought about my use of the landscape fabric. Have you actually tried a weed shield landscape fabric for your landscaping project? How did it work for that purpose? How about another application? Have you covered your growing seedlings to protect them?

Costa Rica Tarrazu Whole Bean Coffee

Us blondes that DIY believe in that first cup of java in the morning to get us started. Coffee has been a part of my life for over 50 years! Like some exotic romance novel, these are my dark-roasted memories. Would you believe that the last special item I purchased for myself was a bag of Costa Rican coffee?

Hey, it wasn't just any coffee, but Costa Rica Tarrazu, Whole Bean, Fresh Roasted Coffee. For me, my coffee tells a story. The intoxicating aroma of my coffee brewing, in the morning, stimulates fond memories of days past. This particular product takes me back a number of years to our vacation in that country.

MY STORY :: MY COSTA RICAN MEMORY

More about my "dark-roasted memories!" When we traveled to Costa Rica, we landed in San Jose and rented a car to make the drive to our timeshare in Jaco. I knew nothing of the country before our visit, but had always thought of it as some far away Latin American country.

The rental company at the airport cautioned us to be careful on the roads ... look at for banditos! Oh my, if our car was to break down, we needed to be vigilant of who stopped to help us? Well, that was surely in the back of my mind as the hubby drove along. We were into a mountainous region with narrow, winding roads that gave me the best view of the dropoffs where I could see into the valleys. On top of that, it was raining!

THE RICHEST COFFEE BEANS

Did I tell you that the mountainous regions of Costa Rica produce some of the richest coffee beans in the world?

The white-knuckle drive to Jaco seemed to go on and on. The hubby was actually laughing a good bit of the time and telling me to relax, that it would be OK.

I can't tell you how thankful I was to finally arrive at our timeshare. We got unpacked and then came down to the pool to enjoy a drink from the pool bar.

FINALLY THAT CUP OF COFFEE

The next morning, we got to enjoy a cup of Costa Rica Tarrazu, Whole Bean, Fresh Roasted Coffee before we made our way down the road to try a canopy tour. I must say that I was up for anything and probably would have put a canopy tour on my bucket list if I had one. My only challenge, as we made our way up the mountain to the take-off point, was that I had shoulder surgery and didn't have a lot of strength in that left shoulder.

I made the first run by myself and remember hollering, "oh my god, oh my god" as I flew from one tree to the next. After a brief consultation at the first stop, one of our young guides opted to accompany me through the rest of the trip. At least, I was rather comforted to actually take in the views of the valleys, trees, and mountains as I made like spider woman with my guide.

TIME OUT FOR ANOTHER CUP

For me, it is the smell of coffee brewing that brings back these memories. I was steeped in reliving my Costa Rican vacation this morning as I wrote this story. I got so carried away with it all, that I had to stop and go brew another cup with my other recent purchase, the Bella One Scoop One Cup Coffee Maker in Turquoise. Oh, and most important! I grind it every morning ... the coffee beans that is ... using my Cuisinart DCG-12BC Grind Central Coffee Grinder.

P.S. MEMORIES

I have been fortunate to have traveled throughout the world and enjoyed many coffees authentically. It is pretty cool that I can relive those fond memories through a cup of coffee. Fond memories of my time in the dark-roasted country of Costa Rica. Ah, coffee!! It's on my list of my favorite comfort foods ... OK, comfort beverages!

Talk about memories. You might know that for over 8 years, I was a Squidoo lensmaster. And, I was the Official Squidoo Comfort Foods Contributor! Did you know that? Well, you probably guessed it.

MY PHOTO JOURNAL OF COSTA RICA

Check out my photos from our visit to this fabulous country. As we traveled the winding roads through the mountains, on our way to Tabacon, we encountered many coatimundi. They would emerge from the grassy hillsides when they heard cars approaching. People! They weren't afraid of people because they knew the people had food.

As we made our way along this rough road, we came upon a hillside where these little furry creatures started to emerge.

We parked our rental car and decided to step out and take a closer look. They sure looked friendly!

Hello! Those are coatimundi ... hungry little buggers ... which are akin to raccoon. They reminded me of little monkeys. Oh, that's the ex's foot!

Ah, take a closer look at the little rascal. What a long snout and tale. Definitely, he wasn't very shy. Hungry though. Continuing on our journey, we came to our destination known for its hot springs and the spectacular view of Arenal Volcano.

We were sipping a cup of Costa Rican dark roasted coffee from our pool that gave us a nice visit of Arenal Volcano. It erupted the following week!


Do you enjoy your coffee as much as I do? Does it bring back memories of that country? How about Costa Rica? Been there yet?

TRY ANOTHER DARK ROAST FROM COSTA RICA! You may want to try another type of coffee from Costa Rica -- it too is a dark roast. Cafe Britt Costa Rica Dark Roast Whole Bean Coffee comes from a different part of the country! It is blended with beans from different parts of the Central Valley.

Cuisinart Grind Central Coffee Grinder

Blondes that DIY love to grind their own coffee beans! I know a lot about using my coffee grinder. This morning, I just ground some beans for my morning coffee. You know, for a couple of years, I gave up the stuff, but found I was really missing it.

This is a product review of my morning grind. Ever tried the Cuisinart DCG-12BC Grind Central Coffee Grinder? Well I have ... over and over again. It is my morning grind! I had to stop for a moment today, before I ground that next batch of coffee beans, to tell you about this great product. The first one that I used takes me back several years. The ex-husband got custody of that one! Luckily, the price is quite affordable, so I bought me another one.

THE SOUNDS OF LOVE

During our marriage, I got accustomed to hearing the whirring and grinding sounds of the Cuisinart DCG-12BC Grind Central Coffee Grinder many mornings. The husband was usually the first to arise. He loved his coffee and loved to make it with freshly-ground coffee beans. We were both particular in that we didn't like to buy our coffee already ground. Heck, you never knew when those bags were prepared, or for that matter, what went into them.

Once I got divorced and was setting up my new digs, I knew I had to buy another one of these grinders pronto! It was with no hesitation that I got the same model. Check out my photos below for the proof!

HOW TO USE

It is so simple to use! You simply pour your coffee beans into the silver cup. Be sure not to fill it to the top! Insert the cup back into the base and turn to lock into place. I think my ex-husband didn't always lock it! Place the plastic domed lid on top. Press the top downwards to engage. I generally listen until the sounds of grinding get smoother. I will release and then press downwards for a brief couple of seconds.

FRESH GROUND COFFEE BEANS

Once my coffee beans have been finely ground, I will usually leave them in the cup and cover them with the furnished brown plastic lid. If I am switching off between my two favorite coffees, Starbucks Dark French Roast, Ground Coffee, 12-Ounce Bags (Pack of 3) and Coffee Bean Direct Costa Rican Tarrazu, Whole Bean Coffee, 5-Pound Bag, I will put the ground beans into a plastic covered bowl.

I brew my coffee in a Bella 13782 One Scoop One Cup Coffee Maker, Turquoise! Check out my equipment in the product photos I have included. Can you smell something delicious brewing?

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CHECK OUT MY PRODUCT PHOTOS BELOW

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If you want to kick it up a notch, this would be the way to go! Maybe you don't have time to stop in the morning to start the pot. Set this up to automatically do your thing and wake you up to the aroma of freshly-brewed coffee!

Since I am a single gal, I don't have the need for a 12-cup. However, if you enjoy the aroma first thing in the morning, this is for you. Heck, it is better than an alarm clock!

Hello all you coffee lovers out there! Have you got one of these? Perhaps you use another brand?

Thanks for taking time to stop and smell the aroma. You know, it is important that you can depend upon something that really works when you want to grind it and produce something with really great fresh taste! I am a blonde that believes in doing it myself. No offense Starbucks; but I do bring your beans home!