I have a confession. I'm obsessed with succulents. Not in a "oh they're cute, I have a couple" way. I mean I'm addicted. I've even ordered them online and had them shipped. Here in Hawai'i, it's hard to find variety.

They're beginning to take over my outdoor table. They've already taken over my planter box. I've even begun hanging them so I can squeeze more in around my house.

The worst part is, I can't stop. I am constantly searching for new varieties, constantly snapping off a leaf here and there from my poor plants.

Which brings me to one of my new favorite words, propogation. Succulents are so fun because they're cheap! And by this I mean they reproduce like crazy, they can grow from anything...a leaf, a piece of stem, a root, seeds...anything! This is why, when I first excitedly explained this, my bf looked at me and said "so basically, they're weeds." He just didn't see it then. I mean, look how cute they are!

So back to propogating, what I do is I gently snap off a healthy leaf. By healthy I mean one that's not yellowing, dying, etc. I've found that those leaves that look like they might die or yellow never last long enough to produce babies. However, healthy leaves can last months. How? I have no idea. All I know is that after I pluck off these healthy leaves I place them on top of soil (or a terra-cotta dish if I'm lazy) and let them dry out. Ideally you'll pluck a whole leaf, with a tiny bit of stem attached. Once this has dried out and calluses over (usually about 2-3 days for me, though it ranges based on climate) you can mist it every day or two. I've found that my leaves like shade or indirect sunlight. Once it's callused over, you can either place it into a little bit of soil or you can wait until you see some roots/growth. Voila, baby plant. Eventually the old leaf will wither away, although I have heard that snapping the leaf off of your rooted baby will help it to grow faster, anyone with experience please let me know!

Have fun playing with your plants but be careful, they're addictive! I mean, look at how awesome these Haworthia are that I just got in the mail, don't you want some now too?

Hello! I'm a little anxious writing this, my first blog post on my first website. It's a little nerve-wracking. Almost like a first date, or a first business meeting with a new client, or an interview. Because that's what this kind of is right? It's your first impression of me. And in life, first impressions are formed fast, often times before you even hear the person you're observing speak. It's like you skip all the formalities and get to see straight into my thoughts. What type of blogging personality do I have? I'm not sure, maybe I'll find out along the way!

Here's a few things about me that I think will give you an idea:

* I grew up in Hawai'i, but I also lived in the mainland for about 5 years. Both shaped me & although I think I'm more of a sunshine/beach person, something about crunchy fall leaves & crisp blue skies resonated in me.

* I have a degree & I like to argue that I am using my tuition money! I first took a metalsmithing class my Sophomore year of college. I wanted to take ceramics but my roommate at the time convinced me to take that elective instead. I ended up in the class all through college, then rediscovering it as a hobby about a year after graduation. Here I am today!

* I'm in my mid-20s and I think I've finally got it figured out, what I want to do. We'll see though, life throws some curveballs.

* I hope this blog will be a spot to share my interest and get to know some of you. I'm an insane diy-er, succulent addict, food lover and adventure seeker. I'd love this to be a positive, public diary of some sorts.

Thanks for reading through my ramblings!