grow your blog and a little giveaway....

After meeting such amazing bloggers last year from Vicki's Grow Your Blog Party at 2 Bags Full, I knew that I wanted to join in again!  A big thank you to Vicki for setting up this event to connect bloggers from all over the globe!

For those of you popping over from the party my name is Nicole and this is where I like to share the little bits of life that make me happy.  I feel honored to be a part of such a beautiful community of bloggers who share what is good in the world through their own passions and creative ventures!
I truly believe that Pinterest would not be what it is today without the ingenuity of bloggers.  That behind all of those great ideas are bloggers who are creating, growing, crafting, baking, cooking, designing....you name it, you're doing it! And to that I say bravo!   
  

here at My Garden Diaries I like to...

visit other gardens 

create art and thrift {vintage is always good!}

share my adventures with these 3 little beans

work on my garden {the hope is to create a sanctuary on a basic suburban lot}

make things 
{garden trellis made from wire coat hangers}

create interior spaces

cook and bake

 continue to learn

So in the spirit of things, let's get on to the giveaway!

The Giveaway

In our town there is a not-for-profit shop called War Chest Boutique with so many beautiful handmade treasures made by at-risk women from all over the world.  The money goes back to these women and children to help them create a better life. 

An example of this being the "Dominican Jewelry Makers" Paid $5 per piece, and additional $2 is set aside for their education.  One necklace a day pays about the local minimum wage of $6 per day, three necklaces a day is equal to a college graduate teacher's salary of $17 per day.

Uganda, baskets of hope

via~warinternational.org

I will be giving away this glass beaded bracelet from the War Chest Boutique.  My hope is to spread the word about this amazing organization and support women who need our help.

How to Enter...

If you would like to enter this giveaway just leave a comment below!  It's open to all friends, old and new!  I will be announcing the winner on February 15th, so stay tuned!

If you are new here make sure to leave the name of your blog in your comment so I can pop over and follow along with you!!!

As always friends...happy making, baking, and growing!!!  

things are a changing...

With the New Year upon us, life continues to evolve and change.  There are times when you feel things shifting. Though nothing is physically happening, you can feel it in the air around you.  

Vision board for 2014...

 Via....Planet Natural

Via...comerecommended.com

Via...Centsationalgirl

Via...Source Unknown

Via...Conrad Art Glass and Gardens

Via...A Cup of Jo

Via...laurenstaud.tumblr.com

Via...The Lisa Porter Collection

So here is to stepping forward in 2014 and going after what you want.
make it happen...dream big...create your life

Happy New Year! 

a collection

I'm starting a new blog series called collections.   A collection of my photos that have no specific category but mean something to me for one reason or another.  I search for these little bits of beauty everyday.  Even when the house is covered in splattered food and the beans are running circles around me.  They are things that plain and simple make me happy. 

 Here is my collection....

sampling with mom

a cozy cottage

a flat tray garden

 my new pot for the garden

 our street beginning to show its colors

  rusted planters for the garden room

 my last bloom

hens-and-chicks in the kitchen

my practice knitting...it isn't much but I am teaching myself when the beans go to sleep

my hope is to one day participate with Wendy from September Violets in sending squares to LILY to  be made into blankets for Syrian Refugees 

Happy making, baking, and growing friends!

Wishing you all a fantastic weekend!