Foodie Pen Pals Reveal Day!

 

On a trip through blog land, a few months ago, I stumbled upon a blog that featured a post on Foodie Pen Pals.  I read the post and became quite intrigued.  You may be asking yourself just what the heck is a foodie pen pal, as I did initially too. You may remember our post when we found out who our Foodie Pal would be... 

Read our post here: I'm A {Foodie} Pen Pal

So ...

In Foodie Pen Pal Style, we are blogging about our first experience sharing yummy treats & receiving them. 

On April 19th I arrived home to find this...

It was a package of foodie goodness sent from  

Sara Peek, of Run Around Sara http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com

You can follow Sara on twitter @runaroundsara

In her blog, Sarah, another teacher, & athlete shares her journey toward fitness and becoming fit.  She is honest, motivated and shares it like it is, adding humor to juggling training for endurance sports & balancing a career and real life.

She is motivation for everyone and her message is simple...
 It doesn't matter how fast you go you are still lapping everyone on the couch. 
Now for the {fabulous foodie package} sent to the farm from Sarah...

{Foodie Goodness We Received}

Trader Joe's Organic Popcorn with Olive Oil which all the Steffl/Clennon's enjoyed.  The popcorn had a great light texture and a light salty flavor...We like how healthy this tasted.

Effie's Oatcakes which were eff-ing amazing.  They were buttery, and nutty in flavor.  

Brent & I ate these quickly, and we didn't share.

Trader Joe's Triple Ginger Snaps which Sara said she tried once and always has in the house and if we had a Trader Joe's nearby we would too.  They are buttery, gingery goodness.

The Green Apple Soft Liquorice, was a hit with the kids and I enjoyed a few pieces as well.

Crystal Light Pure these are fabulous and a great beverage reviewed by Sara in a blog post which you can read here:

3 Oatmeal Packets that we can't wait to try as Sara said these were the reason she became a Foodie Pen Pal!

Concord Teacakes which were so buttery, and great that I only shared one and enjoyed the rest with coffee {as Sara recommended}

Oregon Chai Tea which we also have yet to enjoy!

A super cute little Tupperware container, as Sara sells this here: www.my.tupperware.com/sarapeek

And the coup de gras of candy bars a Whole Foods Milk Chocolate Toffee & Sea Salt Bar, 

that Brent said was the best candy bar he ever had!

We love our Big Green Tractor in the background!

{Foodie Goodness We Sent}
You can read our recipients Post HERE: www.familyfitnessfood.com
 Our Package was Sent to a blogger, Carrie Sin, a woman who has found fitness and is now making a career out of it, as she pursues education towards becoming a Registered Dietitian.  
She blogs about fitness, and food and ways to balance both along with a family at www.familyfitnessfood.com.
We appreciate the title of her blog and its message, as we can relate to the struggle of balancing all three {in addition to the farm and fabulosity}. Carrie's blog is helpful for recipes, dieting, and lifestyle changes needed to become and maintian a fit & healthy life.  Check out this motivating woman who has embraced fitness and works to inspire others to do the same!
***
More about {Foodie Pen Pals}
Thanks To Linsdey for this awsome program!

Foodie Pen Pals is was started by Lindsey, aka..."The Lean Green Bean".
Lindsey is a dietitian student & blogger, as well as, a source for food inspiration.

Lindsey had an idea for {foodies}to connect by sending a box full of "yummy" items to a new "Pal".

You can read more Lindsey & The FoodiePen Pals program using the links below:

www.theleangreenbean.com

or become part of this program or connect with Lindsey via twitter @leangrnbeanblog

Prom Night!

 When your an art teacher {or married to one}...

You get asked to be a an advisor for things like prom.

Then, you get to do lots of this with students...

So you have things like these for the Grand March.

And if you're lucky, you get to spend the evening riding around in one of these.

Can't wait to share pics...

"Deep Sea Paradise"

RVHS PROM 2012

Saturday, March 28th

Grand March Begins at 8:00pm

Doors will open at 7:00pm

Our Wish For YOU!

The Steffls

Today We're Thinking Plants & Prom

We have been busy, busy, busy. 

We have begun re-landscaping the front yard. 

We {RePurposed} this old metal bucket thing into a great sculptural planter that currently holds a beautiful, Clematis from Redwood Valley Nursery, located on hwy 71 in Redwood Falls, MN. The staff are friendly, they have a huge selection of choice plants, and they are a wealth of knowledge regarding all things landscape design.

 {Blog post to come next week}

Jamie is the junior class advisor at RVHS and prom is this weekend. 

We are so excited to attend as chaperones.

{It is our first prom!}

So, next week expect a couple of big blog posts from our first prom, Deep Sea Paradise 

& the new landscaped front yard... 

Enjoy some beautiful outdoor ideas & spaces via Pinterest

 We would love something like this outside.

 Iron sculptures are a must have. We will have a few at the store when we open in August.

 This is very similar to our front door and siding.

We just need that great lantern light!

We can't wait to find a {Vintage Truck} like this for a myriad of farm fabulous uses.

Spring {Flower} Planting...

It is almost time for field planting in Minnesota. Our tractors, cultivator, and planter are READY & waiting, at the end of the driveway for more ideal moisture conditions.  

{To read our post The {FOCUS} of Spring @ the farm click here}

We are in a drought in our region of Minnesota & have been waiting for more moisture before...

Spring {Field} Planting. So we have temporarily changed our  

{FOCUS} 

to Spring {Flower} Planting.

Check out our first arrangements of the season & get some tips to create beautiful arrangements of YOUR own to be enjoyed all summer long!

 The local Runnings in Redwood Falls, recently erected their flower greenhouse tent. 

We stopped by to see what they had to offer and we couldn't leave without some {a cart full of} annuals, a few perennials, a hydrangea shrub & a raspberry bush.

***

The kids enjoy flowers, gardening & planting as much us we do.

We all had fun picking out what we would plant.

 Leo& Hannah helping with flowers and a raspberry bush.

 A cart full of fun to add beauty to the farm.

 The following day was perfect for planting, so we gathered up the pots & plants & went to work.

 Gardening is one of the most therapuetic activities we know.  
Planting anything brings clarity and peace to the soul. 
If you are stressed out we highly recommend purchasing some soil, a few plants, and a pot to bring joyous color & happiness to both your soul & your homes. 

Container gardening with flowers is a great way to instantly introduce color, fragrance, and beauty into your life.

Just follow our tips below to make sure you create a pleasing arrangement to enjoy all summer long... 

See how happy planting {flowers} makes a girl!

Some {TIPS} 

{For Planting YOUR Beautiful Container Garden}

1. Choose plants & pots that speak to you. 

 Gardening is like decorating...

Choose plants & containers you love & you will be happy with your choices.  

If you love yellow, find yellow flowers.  

If texture is your thing find a great ceramic planter or ornamental grasses that interest you.

If you look at the planter below you will see things we love...
Earth tones {on the planter}, drippy glazes {similar to Jamie's paintings}, and the use of complimentary colors in the flower choices {red & green} as well as,  analogous colored floral choices. {red & violet}

Which leads us to our next TIP...

2. Use a color wheel when picking annuals for the greatest impact.

Color wheels are a designer & artist's best friend.

Here is the link to Jamie's Teacher Website & Color Theory page where you can get your own.

http://rvhsart.wikispaces.com/Color

There is a FREE downloadable .pdf file titled "color guide" for all your design needs, print it out and take it with you to the greenhouse.

Now that you have your very own color wheel, here is your art color theory refresher.

{Complimentary color schemes} make use of colors directly across from each other on the color wheel. For greatest impact when creating a potted arrangement we suggest using this scheme.  First, it makes each other color appear more vibrant, so, if you choose violet and yellow the violet actually makes the yellow look "yellower".  This adds drama, and helps your container garden to become an outdoor...
{FOCAL POINT}

Another scheme that works great is analogous.  
{Analogous} colors are directly next to each other on the color wheel.  You con choose three to five colors that are directly next to each other on the wheel and you are sure to make pots that please.

3. Make sure you have a variety of plants & plant heights.
Levels, levels, levels...

   As in all good design, you need to have levels.  To create levels in your containers you need to choose plants that grow to different heights.  This creates movement and interest in your container gardens and potted flower arrangements. Variety really is the key to interesting container gardens.  

Below we have used an annual called firesticks purchased from Blossom Town Floral, Redwood Falls, to create height and textural interest. We chose to keep the colors similar to that of this annual which are a pink and yellowish-green that is again a {complimantary color scheme}. We have added a purple flox, a low, spreading plant, and a light green sweet potato vine (these are one of our favorites and a go to for almost all our planters for their interesting, trellising, beauty).  We can't wait to watch them all grow...

4. Don't overcrowd your planters.  

   When annuals are small it is easy to think your container looks too sparse.  

Resist the urge to over plant. As your flowers grow throughout the summer an overcrowded pot can lead to plants that don't get enough sunlight and eventually die. 

***

For more tips on planting and the how to's of all things garden related visit the Farmers Almanac

http://www.almanac.com/content/container-gardening-flowers

***

For ideas & inspiration visit Better Homes & Gardens

http://www.hgtv.com/topics/container-gardening/index.html

Now we just need to store these in the garage for a few weeks...

{Find} some flowers.

{Alter} an outdoor space with a container garden.

{RePurpose} a stressed out day into peaceful happiness with gardening. 

{Make} a colorful, fragrant, beautiful container garden that brings you & your home joy!

{farm}

***

The Steffls

Always Remember I Have Sent You Nothing But Angels

{A Life LESSON For Us ALL} 

Books have always been important to me. Growing up in rural Minnesota, living in the country, the opportunity to go to a library, rarely arose.  We did however, get to visit the "book-mobile".  The book-mobile was an RV looking thing, that transported me to other worlds. This was my personal "reading rainbow" with a pot of gold found at the Clements Legion. So many inspirations came from those books carried around the country side for farm kids like me.  Even though my childhood library was mobile, it instilled in me a permanent love for both the art of images and the written word. This love of books, I have shared with my own children. Since their births, reading was, and is, a daily activity.  

*** 

Of the books that I have shared with my children, 
ONE stands out as a MUST READ for all children...

 {of God}
 

The Little Soul &  The Sun
A Children's Parable 

by Neale Donald Walsch, Conversations With God

{Please take the time to read the story HERE before you read further}

I read this book last week to Hannah, and each time I read it, I weep. 

I weep because it reminds me of all the angels that have past through my life.

But sometimes I forget...and need to be reminded.

This week a new angel passed through my life and we both, will be, forever changed by the experience. On Monday my wedding ring was taken from my desk, I say taken, as I just couldn't won't believe a student would steal it from me. Even if that is how it was viewed by many.  I also say taken, because my faith made me believe that it would be returned. Monday was the begining of some of the saddest days in my life.  Brent & I spent the evening in tears, praying and hoping that it would be returned the next day.  Tuesday came, as all days do, and I anxiously arrived at school, hoping the most significant possession {I no longer possessed it} symbol I owned {I no longer owned it} of our marriage, would be returned.  

It wasn't... 

I felt absolutely sick. I looked awful, and I was an emotional mess. 
{I'm an a art teacher, we teach empathy and can't help help but FEEL} 
I was so angry. Angry at myself for taking it off.  Angry for placing it on my desk, so I could help students "throw" on the potter's wheel.  
Angry that I trusted teenagers... What was I thinking?

{Hurt}

 "Who could do this to me? To us? To my family? 
And then, I remembered...with my soul not my mind.

God had sent me an angel to FORGIVE! 
This little soul and I were dancing...learning...growing.
{following italicized words are excerpts from the Little Souls & The Sun}

"I get to be forgiving, I get to be forgiving!"
"In the moment that I strike you and smite you," the Friendly Soul replied, "in the moment that I do the worst to you that you could possible imagine ~
 in that very moment..."

"Yes?" the Little Soul interrupted, "yes...?""Remember Who I Really Am."
***

And the Little Soul waited anxiously to be able to experience itself as Forgiveness, and to thank whatever other soul made it possible. And at all the moments in that new lifetime, whenever a new soul appeared on the scene, whether that new soul brought joy or sadness--and especially if it brought sadness--the Little Soul thought of what God had said.

"Always remember," God had smiled, "I have sent you nothing but angels."

From St. Peter's Basillica

My ring was returned late Wednesday. 

The experience brought me closer to my colleagues, my students, my husband & my faith. 

I hope that this helps you to see all the angels in your life. 

In heaven we are all beautiful, bright souls...

Some of us just forget.

Help someone remember!

***

BLESSINGS OF GRATITUDE FROM THE FARM! We get to be FORGIVENESS.

The Steffls

We're Thinking {PAINTED} furniture



via http://missmustardseed.com/

Today we are planning a trip to pick up some paint.

Not just any paint...

This paint will be used for our projects, waiting here at the farm to be sold at the...Barn Store.

The paint we will be using for our projects which will look like many of these...will be...

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

{about Annie Sloan}

 Annie Sloan lives and works in Oxford, England with her husband David who runs the business with her. In 2000, She set up her shop in Oxford to showcase her chalk paint, run courses and offer interior design services. 

Painting with our paint should always be a pleasure. Annie Sloan developed her now famous Chalk Paint to answer the need she had for a versatile paint that could be used in a variety of applications. This paint is very easy to work with and allows you to be creative as you want by avoiding the technicalities of preparation (sanding, priming, etc.). Chalk Paint adheres to almost any surface – wood, walls, metal, matte plastic, concrete, terra cotta and more. Because the paint is designed to mix intelligently and easily, you can create your own beautiful shades. It dries to a matte finish which can be left alone or sealed with Annie’s own clear soft wax. Easily antique any piece by applying dark wax to select areas and immediately wiping it off. The result is a beautiful Old World finish with the instant patina of history. 

Annie's paint is only available in Minnesota at: 

Denim Rose

{about Denim Rose} 

Denim Rose is a new {vintage} home and garden décor business located in historic Shakopee nestled in the Minnesota River Valley.  Their Style is {farm fabulous} featuring a similar design aesthetic to our decor, and the decor found in Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, and the European inspiration of Ballard Design 

 You will find Denim Rose at denimrose.com and at various venues in the Twin Cities.

Our shop is currently the exclusive, Minnesota retailer, offering the fabulous Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Order online or email us to schedule an appointment to stop by our private shop in Shakopee.

 Today we will be taking a little trip to Shokapee, to meet the owner of Denim Rose, Christina Kramer & purchase some paint.

We can't wait to share the colors we purchase, and some pictures from our trip...

A few more beautifully painted pieces of furniture using Anne Sloan Chalk Paint from some great blogs to check out for yourselves.

 FROM Miss Mustard Seed

Marian, from Miss Mustard Seed shares so many great ideas, tips for decor & more. Last night for example, her expertise on adding a button for pinterest to your facebook pages was shared, via her  facebook page. She is an amazing photographer, check out her lovely shots on her blog! She is a designer and a teacher in the truest sense.  Read her blog posts to find out about anything from which camera to buy, to how to decorate a beautiful home for less.  Miss Mustard Seed's philosophy is simple, move mountains in your home, with hard work and a little help form blogs like ours.  

Good design can be created by anyone and it doesn't have to cost a fortune.  

Check out some amazing furniture, from an amazing lady, created with 

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

via http://missmustardseed.com/

via http://missmustardseed.com/

FROM Shades of Amber

"Suzan from Simply Vitnageous refreshed and lightened this dresser using Old White and Paris Grey. You just can't go wrong with a combination like that...and add in her touches of silver and you've got a classic, upscale look!"

Shades of Amber is an Interior Design Blog that does a nice job explaining and sharing pieces of furniture & the how to's of Annie Sloan's Paint.

Check out this site for some great design blogs to join or ideas for your own projects.

http://shadesofamberinc.blogspot.com/p/about-chalk-paint.html

 

{Find} something...

{Alter} it...

{RePurpose} items...

{Make} great painted furniture using Annie Sloan Paint! 

{farm} 

*** 

The Steflls

Sharing...{Our} Easter On The Farm

Each year, since we have been a family, we have hosted Easter.

Our previous celebrations have always included food, family, & fun.

This year we've been blessed to add hosting from our farm to the fabulous festivities. 

Enjoy a few images of of our egg hunt, meal, and family.

{the meal & hors d'oeuvres}

{family} 

 

{the hunt}

Preparing the children...with the "rules" for the hunt.

 Blessings from the farm...

The Steffls