01Jul / 2016

Just Couldn’t Put It Down!

Just-Couldn't-Put-It-Down-July

That’s what YOUR kids will be saying once they read this book, it’s just that fun. From bugs and critters to mysteries and sassy siblings, SHOW ME THE GREEN! will entertain children while educating them about organic gardening. Adults will love that the story connects kids with nature and the food they eat, but kids won’t care a bit. They’ll only delight in the antics of Lexi and Jason Williams and a garden replete with fun-filled adventure.

Venetta, Dianne- Show Me the Green! (RGB)

BEANS, GREENS & GRADES (book #2) releases this month and follows the kids to school as they help start a school garden, sharing their new “expertise” with fellow students. Not surprisingly though, everyone has their OWN opinion on how to care for the plants, what should be done and who should be doing it. Hey wait a minute–who’s in charge around here, anyway? Find out in book #2…

Venetta, Dianne- Beans, Greens and Grades (final)

For the younger set, each title has an accompanying coloring book featuring all of the illustrations from the book. Now everyone has something fun to do with the garden.

Time for the giveaway. I’m offering a copy of SHOW ME THE GREEN! (print or ebook) and the accompanying coloring book to 5 lucky winners! You read right–5 lucky winners! Enter in the rafflecopter form below and cross your fingers.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Then get hopping! Click this link for the entire list of participants.

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14Jun / 2016

We Have Lots for Tots to do in the Garden!

Now that school’s out and summer has set in, kids NEED something to keep those little hands busy. As a gardener, I know there’s no better fun than playing in a garden.

“Playing, you say?”

Yes, playing. From butterflies to caterpillars, frogs to worms, there’s always something interesting to see in the garden and with those long summer days ahead of us, kids NEED interesting stuff to do. Fun stuff, too. As a mother, I completely understand this thirst for adventure which is why I’m offering up a pair of gardening gloves, pot, pepper seeds and book #1 in the Wild Tales & Garden Thrills series for one lucky winner during the Lots for Tots! Giveaway via our hosts The Kids Did It and The Mommy Island.

Once you read Show Me the Green! and plant your seeds, you’ll be chomping at the bit to read book #2, Beans, Greens & Grades. Available July 2016. It’s sustainability education for kids at its BEST.

Beans, Greens & Grades

Lexi and Jason Williams take center stage at school when Principal Gordon enlists their help to establish a school garden at Beacon Academy. The kids are thrilled to be selected as Green Ambassadors for this important project, but quickly learn how challenging it can be to work with others toward a common goal. Not only must they teach their fellow students how to garden, Lexi and Jason feel the pressure to make it fun and exciting (or become known as “The Most Boring Gardeners Ever” in school history). When the principal reveals a generous amount of grant money has been offered to continue the green program if the children succeed, the stakes rise.

No worries! Lexi and Jason are up to the task, assisted by their student council members. But as they formulate, organize and implement the plan for Beacon Academy’s first school garden, the kids are sidetracked by trouble, toils and trauma. Everyone has their OWN opinion on how to care for their plants, what should be done, and who should be doing it.

Hey–wait a minute. Who’s in charge around here? Find out in book 2 of the Wild Tales & Garden Thrills series…

Okay, here’s your chance! Enter via Rafflecopter and then get hopping! (Shipped for US winners only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
“Giveaway ends June 28th at 11:59 PM EST. Open to Legal Residents (18 years of age or older) of the US only. Winner will be selected by Rafflecotper.com and be notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Please note that hosts and hop bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. The product offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase necessary. By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to me and me alone. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.” VOID where prohibited by law. You have a TON more chances to win.

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30Apr / 2016

Children’s Book Week Hop

I’m celebrating Children’s Book Week this May 4th – 10th with Bookhounds and you know what that means ~ books, books & more books! Not only an avid reader myself, but my children LOVE books and could sit for hours in the library without hardly a peep!

And as any mother knows, we love kids to read. And this mom likes them to garden, too! So for my corner of the giveaway hop, I’m giving away 10 copies of my current book, Show Me the Green! It’s the book that begins the adventure into gardening for Lexi and Jason Williams and is perfect for ages 7 – 10 (grades 2 – 5). It’s also a wonderful read aloud book!

It’s easy to enter, too. Simply sign in with your email and you’re good to go! Want to better your chances? You can also tweet about the giveaway, visit me on Facebook and sign up for my newsletter. They all work!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Once you’ve entered, don’t delay ~ you have a bunch for sites to visit and win. Good luck!

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07Apr / 2016

Authors in Bloom Blog Hop!

Welcome to the 5th Annual Authors in Bloom Blog Hop! This is the place where authors and bloggers share their favorite gardening tips and fresh recipes AND offer a host of fantastic giveaways! For my stop on the hop, I’m going to share with you the secret to growing AWESOME tomatoes!

Everyone knows plants like worm poop. (At least my readers do!) But did you know they also like stuff that kids need, like calcium and potassium? It’s true, and the reason we drink milk and eat bananas. Because they’re good for us.

Does that mean we should feed our plants milk and bananas? Kinda…but not exactly. It’s best to compost your bananas and peels before adding them to the garden as a nutritional source, because they’ll break down along with your other kitchen scraps and make for a great addition to your garden soil. And rather than putting milk in your garden, how about crushing those eggshells you cracked for breakfast? Did you know that crumbled eggshells are a great source of calcium? Planted in the dirt around your tomato plants, they will help prevent blossom-end rot disease. You know, those ugly black spots that can form on your tomatoes as they ripen?

It’s due to a lack of calcium in your tomato plant’s diet. So don’t let this happen to you–bury those eggshells around your tomato plants! Better yet, combine them with a sprinkle of Epsom salts for the best effect. Wunderbar!! You can even start your seeds in your eggshells. How cool is that?

Way cool. And a really fun way to grow tomato sprouts. AND, you simply plant the entire shell and sprout in the ground when you’re ready! It’s one of my favorite ways to plant tomato sprouts. How about you? Any tips to share?

Now for my giveaway… As part of the hop I’m giving away a Burt’s Bees Baby basket and $10 Amazon gift card. Basket includes shampoo & wash, buttermilk lotion, dusting powder, diaper ointment and apricot oil, plus a cute baby comb. I love Burt’s Bees products and know you’ll enjoy this basket, even if you’re not a baby! Except for the ointment–that’s totally for babies.

And it’s easy to enter. Simply leave a comment, visit my facebook page, tweet a message or all of the above.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now get gardening and get hopping… You have a ton more sites to visit!

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24Mar / 2016

Hoppy Easter Extravaganza

Easter is right around the corner and around my house, that means you’ll find a fresh-baked carrot cake in the kitchen. Yep, our garden carrots are ready for harvest and there’s no better place for them than inside a cake. A delicious, light and fluffy cake with cream cheese frosting!

But this year I’m taking part in the Hoppy Easter Extravaganza and giving away books! You heard it right–I’m giving away a copy of my book, Show Me The Green! AND a complimentary copy of the accompanying coloring book. WAY FUN!

Kids will love coloring their favorite characters and bringing the garden to life as they read along with the adventures of Lexi and Jason Williams. There’s nothing more fun than a garden. (It’s true!) Except for maybe a coloring book. So leave a comment, sign up for my newsletter or tweet about the giveaway — and you’ll be entered to win!

Book #2 in the Wild Tales & Garden Thrills series releases later this spring. Beans, Greens & Grades continues the adventure as Lexi and Jason take center stage at school when Principal Gordon enlists their help to establish a school garden at Beacon Academy. The kids are thrilled to named Green Ambassadors for this very important project but learn very quickly how challenging it can be to work with others toward a common goal. Not only must they teach their fellow students how to garden, but Lexi and Jason feel the pressure to make it fun and exciting–or become known as the “Most Boring Gardeners Ever” in school history. When Principal Gordon reveals a generous amount of grant money has been offered to continue the garden program should the children succeed, the stakes rise.

No worries! Lexi and Jason are up to the task, assisted by their student council members. But as they formulate, organize and implement the plan for Beacon Academy’s first school garden, the kids are side-tracked by trouble, toils and trauma. Everyone has their OWN opinion on how to care for their plants, what should be done and who should be doing it.

Hey–wait a minute. Who’s in charge around here?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now get hopping and Happy Easter!

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16Mar / 2016

Yummy Spring Dessert

Looking for the perfect dessert this Easter? This carrot cake is perfect and differs from most in that it’s light, fluffy and kid-friendly—from the making to the eating! Not only can they help by harvesting and shredding the carrots, they’ll love to decorate this spring treat (bunnies, anyone?).

While this recipe calls for cream cheese frosting, a bit tangy for some youngsters, it would also be great with a creamy white/vanilla frosting, too.

Fluffiest Carrot Cake

2 cups self-rising flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1 ½ cups vegetable oil

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

3 cups freshly grated carrots

½ cup raisins (optional)

½ cup walnuts, finely chopped (optional)

pre-made fondant for decorations

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease or butter 9 x 13 or 2 8-inch round pans. In a large bowl, combine oil, eggs and sugar and beat well. In a separate bowl, combine flour and cinnamon and mix together until creamy smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet and blend well. Fold in grated carrots, followed by any optional items of your liking!

Pour batter into pan and bake for about 35-45 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Serve with cream cheese frosting (even plain, this cake is so good).

Approximately 1 large or 2 8-inch cakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, refrigerated

2 TBSP unsalted butter, softened (at room temperature)

1 ½ – 2 cups powdered sugar (depending on how thick you like your frosting!)

1 tsp vanilla extract

dash of grated orange zest (optional)

Combine cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract and blend until smooth. Add sugar gradually, 1/2 cup at a time, beating until blended. Stop when you have reached your desired consistency. For stiffer frosting, use more sugar. For creamy frosting, use less. Stir in optional flavorings at end. Spread (or drizzle) frosting over cake and enjoy!

You can purchase packages of pre-made fondant at most major craft stores (Joann’s Fabrics, Michael’s…) and forming your figures is easy. We used a tube of green cake decorating color for the greens on our carrots—for a more feathery effect. Don’t forget the pre-made flowers and sprinkles—talk about EASY! You’ll have a stylin’ cake in no time!

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27Feb / 2016

Leap Into Books With Me!

Who doesn’t love a good book? No one, I know. Books are AWESOME! And to celebrate the love of books, I’m joining BookHounds for a spectacular hop and giving away copies of Show Me The Green!

And because I love books SO much, I’m giving away 5 copies! To win, all you need to do is leave a comment or sign up for my newsletter — or both! Wild Tales & Garden Thrills — where kids will delight in the adventures of Lexi and Jason Williams and discover the world of gardening. From insects and worms to wild critters and mysterious finds, there’s never a dull moment between the rows of an organic garden.

You won’t want to miss the exciting release of book #2 in the series, Wild Tales & Garden Thrills…

BEANS, GREENS & GRADES

Releases Spring 2016

Lexi and Jason are tasked by the Collins Foundation to become the Green Ambassadors for their school, Beacon Academy, and help their fellow students join the wave of green education sweeping across the country. It’s a hilarious mix of trials, tribulations and teamwork as the students start with a patch of dirt and finish with a trip to their local food pantry where they share their bounty of harvest with those in need.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Now get hopping — you have a bunch more sites to visit! <!– end LinkyTools script –>

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16Nov / 2015

Thankful For Cash Giveaway

And just in time for the holidays! Signing up for my newsletter makes you eligible for one entry. But don’t stop there–visit all the sites and increase your chances to win!

Thankful for Cash $250 Giveaway – November 15th to December 15th

An Awesome Group of Authors & Bloggers have joined with me to bring you 1 fabulous prize!! We’re giving away $250 in Paypal Cash! Or alternately you can choose a $250 Amazon.com eGift Code!

Sponsor List – Thanks to these awesome bloggers & authors for sponsoring this giveaway!!

Sponsor List

I Am A Reader

Author Niki Danforth

Krysten Lindsay Hager author

MHDeanCollectibles Book Blog

Melissa A. Hanson, Author

Free Bookster

Author M.A. George

Jess @ Gone with the Words

Unshelfish

Raven Haired Girl

Author Laurie Treacy

Here We Go Again…Ready?

Aubrey Wynne: Romantasy Through the Ages

Addicted Readers

Readsalot

Megan Tayte (YA author)

Barefoot by the Sea

BookroomReviews

DS Venetta ~ Author middle grade fiction

Spiced Latte Reads

Simple Wyrdings

Sher A Hart: Written Art

Literary Winner

Taylor Dean Books

Crystal’s Chaotic Confessions

Author Ashley Farley

Rae Lori

LeahSay’s Views

Thalia Filbert, author of Beat Slay Love

Lori’s Reading Corner

Pat Esden, paranormal romance author

Amy McNulty

Giveaway Details

$250 in Paypal Cash or a $250 Amazon.com eGift Card

Ends 12/15/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or who can redeem an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the authors, bloggers and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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06Oct / 2015

Surprise Visitor

Found this little guy in my compost pile while I was amending the soil in my garden beds this morning.

Who knew toads liked to hide in compost piles? Worms and bugs, yes. Toads? I thought they hid in dark, wet places–not dark, wet AND covered with leaves and dirt!! Who knew?

Usually, I run into these guys and must dispatch quickly!

I’m trying to grow tomatoes and hornworms can devour an entire plant in one afternoon. UGH. We gardeners must remain vigilant!

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22Aug / 2015

Gardening Is An Adventure!

One thing I’ve learned is that there’s never a dull moment in the garden. From discovering animal tracks to vanishing leaves, my garden is a wealth of discovery. And fun. My son likes to build things in the garden, ie. ant arenas from dirt wells, swords from corn stalks… My daughter prefers to draw things, like sweet pea blooms and beautiful strawberries. Me? I just like planting and growing stuff, though it’s not always as I intend. Once, I planted pole beans. I built a string trellis for them to climb, watered and cared for them until they began their journey upward.

But then something happened–or didn’t, would be a better description. One of my beautiful, wonderfully healthy pole beans turned out to be an imposter! There I was, admiring my beautifully plump pole bean plants nestled snugly together beneath the precisely strung twine when I noticed the pretty white blossom. My curiosity perked. A pretty white blossom, which looked oh-so-familiar. White blossom?

Upon closer inspection, I realized “Wait a minute…” Why isn’t this particular plant climbing, either? An under-achiever?

Nope. An imposter. It was a Lima bean–not a pole bean! How did I know it wasn’t the real deal? Warmed at the thought, my heart swelled with pride. Because I’m a gardener! I know what pole beans look like and they’re not flat, wide pods. No, ma’am! Those are Limas. So what are they doing beneath my pole strings?

Good question. Maybe the kids and I became distracted during planting. Maybe they were stowaways in my compost pile. Whatever happened, they were in the wrong row. But I left them. I figured, Why not? They weren’t hurting anything. And you know what? They grew just fine. 🙂

How about you? Any funny stories you can share from your garden?

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