A Crafty Nature

Frames for my Lenses

2008-07-09T09:18:00.001-07:00

I was finally able to see an eye doctor through my husbands employer provided insurance and get contact lenses. Unfortunately they would not pay for both contact lenses and glasses although I might be able to get affordable frames through zennioptical.com and then get the lenses cheaper with my insurance through my eye doctor. They do have some very nice lenses at Zennioptical.com. There able to get cheaper frames because they sell what they manufacture and they do manufacture some really cool frames.

2008-05-28T07:34:00.000-07:00

Its been so long since I got to do any kind of crafts at all. I am always busy with something and I find it to be very very irritating. Maybe I can get another work at home job soon and then I can do crafts while I am working it. There is a new call center coming into town that also offers work at home opportunities.

BDU Pants

2008-04-27T15:40:00.000-07:00

Do you know what BDU pants are. There similar to the cargo pants and there the same camouflage pants with all of the pockets in them that are worn by the military. I have never worn any of these. Maybe when I get skinny and sexy again I will buy some and wear them. They look to be pretty comfortable and practical. You can find them for sale at LAPoliceGear.com.

2008-04-27T15:37:00.000-07:00

Although this is a craft blog I'm going to write about a movie I saw last night. It was Cloverfield. I still do not feel like I got a decent enough look at the monster plus we have no explanation as far as where the stupid thing came from. We never really figured out for sure what happened to the people that were bitten by those weird parasite things. I hated the ending. Then I read that there making a second one with a different name. Sadly the movie was intriguing enough in a frustrating way to make me want to see the second one.

Jump Start!!!!!

2008-04-12T13:04:00.001-07:00

Do you like coffee? Do you need a job? If the answer to both is yes then you need to check out ITXbig.com. You can Jump Start Your Day & Career with itzbig. When you sign up for the site you get a free 5 dollar coffee card and you can search for jobs by location.

Pressing Flowers

2008-04-12T12:47:00.001-07:00

Tis the season for pressing flowers. I have seen kits and red about a dozen different methods but for me the best way is still the way its been done for centuries and that's between the pages of a big thick heavy book. Large bulky flowers are best avoided because they will mold after before they dry out. That is also the cease with flowers or plants that are unusually juicy such as most large or thick leaved Sedums.

There is a flower that I have always thought looks the most beautiful when pressed and fortunately it also blooms vigorously throughout the year and that's plain and simple rock roses. These are in the Sedum family and when pressed flat look like stained glass. The retain there bright beautiful colors and there delicate flowers are almost transparent when pressed, at least enough to let the light through. These are annuals and can be found for less than a dollar for 6 pack at most home improvement stores.

Black Professional Website

2008-04-10T10:22:00.000-07:00

I ran across this website not to long a with a Calendar of Events -Free membership and post events for Free. for black professionals. Its a great place to schedule meetings, seminars, conferences, trade shows, incentive events, networking, conventions, corporate events and more. Its also a great place to meet other black professionals.

Grow Indian Corn

2008-04-10T10:19:00.001-07:00

Its spring time and a time of planting. You should consider growing ornamental corn in your garden for fall decorating if you have the space. Ornamental corn is very hardy and very beautiful and wonderful for use in fall decorating.

IT training

2008-03-29T21:36:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who went to technical school who is now pursuing another degree. He has a former employer that seems to think he is afraid of working in the real world and therefore is trying to stay in school to avoid getting a real job. Even though he could very easily get a nice office job he stay and works in fast food restaurants instead. I always kind of figured after attending tech schools a person would be able to get a nice paying job anywhere they wanted so maybe he's right about that. It would be nice to have IT training. It would certainly make working online a lot easier.

The Salesman and the Quiet One

2008-03-29T21:31:00.001-07:00

I went garage saling today. Thats a hobby. I consider it a hobby anyway just as buying at garage sales and resaling is a hobby as well. I often wish that my husband could go with me though. I miss having him there with me checking the prices and picking things out, although I do tend to spend more when he is with me. I'm a bit more of a penny pincher than he is. I have no problem haggling with people. Its odd that me, the quiet one, would be the haggler and the salesman wouldn't be.

Recycling Plastic

2008-03-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

Polyethylene is probably the most popular widely used plastic in the entire world. It can also be recycled. HDPE Film is used for snack food packaging, cereal box liners, non carbonated drink bottles, margarine tubs, deli food and whipped toppings, detergent bottles, milk jugs, garbage containers, water pipes (plumbing) as well as packaging material (bubblewrap). I've actually featured crafts on this blog made from Recycled plastic material similar to this. HDPE as well as all other plastic material should always be recycled. After all we have enough crap in our landfills thats going to take hundreds of years to break down, we certainly don't need to ad to that. So make sure that you recycle.

2008-03-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

Its a little bit early in the year to be talking about crafts like this that require large leaves but there so cool i couldn't help revisiting the idea again. There are actually some wild vines that grow around here that produce leave large enough for this. Hostas also work well for this. I've wondered about hibiscus flowers. I don't know if there firm enough to pull this off. Click here for the instructions

Saving Money when Shopping Online

2008-03-16T09:41:00.000-07:00

Everyone loves to save money. Some people like to shop online and save money. I have to admit that with gas prices being so high just shopping online without using any kind of coupon codes or anything will save you money simply because your not driving into town to go shopping. I guess that doesn't really count for everyone though. Obviously not everyone lives 2o miles from town like I do.

WebbyPlanet.com is one of those places that gives you online coupons and coupon codes and such for discounts when shopping online. They give there customers thousands of useful discounts of products they really love.

Terrariums

2008-03-16T09:40:00.001-07:00

Its spring time, at least here in Arkansas. The daffodil's are blooming and I'm thinking of the seeds I'm going to be starting. If you have a room that gets enough sunlight you may want to consider a terrarium to help brighten up a room. My mother used to have one on our old coffee table.

Terrariums are wonderful, magical environments. Decorative, attractive, and easy to care for, just plant and forget. Because terrariums recycle their moisture, they need very little attention. A closed terrarium can often go a month or more between watering. They actually thrive on neglect! Now even people who tend to neglect plants can develop a "Green Thumb".

Any clear container can be made into a terrarium. The main requirement is that it be watertight. Choose something that is large enough to accommodate the plants, and has a cover, lid, or door to keep the moisture from escaping. Jars, bottles, and aquariums are some of the more common containers used. More elaborate designs made from Acrylic Plastic, Leaded and Stained Glass, and Glass Block, can add an elegant touch to your home decor. Whatever the container, a humble pickle jar, or a Contemporary Glass Sculpture, you can bring an easy to care for touch of nature into you home.

Many plants do well in terrariums, and it is best to choose the ones that will fit the size of the container. Slower growing plants require less trimming, and are less likely to take over. If you are willing to pay more attention to them, you can experiment with more aggressive plants. They require more frequent trimming, but will allow you to have more variety in your terrarium. I've even seem some people putting tiny tree frogs in there terrariums and feeding them insects like wingless fruit flies and such.

Really cool T Shirts

2008-03-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

My husband loves t shirtsT-shirt. I once went through his closet to get rid of all of the awful stained ones that he really didn't need or didn't wear anymore and found 30 of them. I also found 15 of them that I don't think he had ever worn. Its kind of sad really. VJUCool.com has some really cool T shirts with some awesome graphic art on them. I like the inspiration short the best and I'm not even catholic.

Tin Can Herb Pots

2008-03-16T09:29:00.001-07:00

You know gardening is a craft. You can also make crafts with things that you grow in your garden. Like herbs. Her gardens are wonderful and can be grown in pots of patio's or decks and in window boxes. You can buy them already grown from a greenhouse or start your own from seed. Below you will find instructions for making tin can herb pots.

Empty aluminum can
Screwdriver and hammer
Liquitex Basics Gesso
Acrylic craft paints in colors of your choice
Flower stickers (optional)
Acrylic sealer spray, matte finish
Craft or popsicle stick
Thin cardboard
Pinking shears
Black Sharpie marker
5-10 small rocks, stones or pebbles
1.5 cups Potting soil
4-inch potted herb plant
White craft glue
Water

Instructions

Completely wash and dry aluminum can. If necessary, sand off any rough edges from opening of can.
Turn can upside down. Parent should use screwdriver or other pointed object to poke holes in the bottom of the can. Use a hammer to tap the end of the screwdriver to make the holes.
Paint outside of can with one coat of Gesso. Let dry completely.
Paint can desired color, repeat coats if needed.
Decorate however you like. Use a thin paint brush for long lines, dip the end of the paint brush into paint for polka dots.
Decorate with stickers if desired.
Spray the outside of the completed can with acrylic sealer spray. Let dry.
Place enough rocks or pebbles in the bottom of the can to form a single layer.
Add enough potting soil to fill the can two-thirds full.
Remove potted herb from its container and transplant into the can.
Fill edges with remaining potting soil, gently pat down so that plant is firmly in the can but not compacted so much that it’s too tight.
Place can on a plate (to catch any water drainage) and add some water to the newly planted herbs.
Paint craft stick whatever color you like. Allow to dry.
Cut a piece of thin cardboard into a small rectangle (about 1.5 x 3 inches) using pinking shears.
Paint both side of the cardboard with Gesso, let dry.
Glue the rectangle to the top of the craft stick.
Use a black Sharpie marker to write the herb name onto the rectangle.
Insert your plant marker into the soil, being careful not to crush any roots along the way.
Place your new garden in a sunny window and remember to water them!

Buzzfuse

2008-03-11T14:18:00.001-07:00

There are all kinds of ways to make money on the internet these days. One way is to upload blogs posts and photos and stuff like that at a site called Buzzfuse.com . Buzzfuse can help you make money and help you to drive traffic to your blog as well. It all depends on how many people you have in your circle. You can upload blog, photos, music, all kinds of stuff to make money off of to BuzzFuse.

2008-03-11T14:17:00.001-07:00

Bear and I learned something today. We learned that when we buy lottery tickets we can buy them for multiple drawings. So we got tickets for the next 3 weeks worth of drawings. Its a good feeling to know that we have tickets for the next 3 weeks worth of drawings and we didn't have to drive all the way to Oklahoma to get them :)

Online Casino's

2008-02-14T21:44:00.000-08:00

My husband likes to play online casino games.There area lot of online casino's out there to choose from. Its actually a little mind boggling just how many casino's there are out there to choose from.
JoyLandCasino.com offers incredible bonus offers and promotions.They also offer a $808 Welcome Bonus for new players.You should check out the casino frequently for there latest updates.

2008-02-14T21:43:00.000-08:00

to be written

Perfume Bay

2008-02-11T08:38:00.000-08:00

I love Perfume. I have to be careful about testing what I wear because there are some perfumes that react with my body chemistry and end up smelling like body oder. There is a website called perfume bay which is about to change its name to Beauty Encounters. On the website they offer discount perfumes for sale. Even discount expensive designer brands.

An idea for Valentines

2008-02-11T08:35:00.000-08:00

Its almost valentines day. Its time to start thinking about getting the kids valentines day cards. This brings me back to a memory from grade school. There was a little girl in my class that all of the other little girls loved to get valentines from. Her name was Amanda and everyone loved her. she was small and quiet and sweet. Her mother must have been a stay at home mom because every valentines day this brought valentines made of heart shaped doilies. They were always different made from small medium and large doilies in red foil, white, and shimmering pink. They were beautiful and we all loved them. So if you want to do something your child's classmates will always remember her for think about making her valentines for class this year out of those pretty lacy heart shaped doilies.

Glasses and how badly i need them.

2008-02-02T17:29:00.000-08:00

You know I really really need some eyeglasses. I usually wear contact lenses but I couldn't afford new ones last time I needed them and I have since learned to live without them. I have to get a new drivers license this year though and I will have to have them to get it. They won't give it to me otherwise. I recently made a new Great Discovery: Zenni Optical. There definitely the Best Thing Found: Zenni Optical. Where else can you find Zenni Optical $8 Rx Glasses. not only can you find them for 8 dollars but you can find them in all shapes, styles, and colors.

EZ Unsecured

2008-01-26T21:41:00.000-08:00

Have you ever tried to get a start-up financing for a business before. Its not easy. Especially if you don't have any collateral or time to jump through hoops for the bank. Start up financing can be vital to a small business but banks make them so difficult to get it can be very discouraging to even try to get startup financing. EZunsecured.com has tried to make this all a little bit easier. There motto is no time no collateral no problem.

Smorty

2008-01-22T17:48:00.000-08:00

If you ever read this blog you have probably figured out that I advertise on it. I advertise on this blog and on many other blogs as well. Its something I enjoy thoroughly. For the first time in my I am able to make money with something that is really more of a hobby for me. And that of course is blogging. One of the services that allows me to advertise on blogs is called Smorty. Its one of a handful of sites that helps to connect bloggers with advertisers. There are lots of bloggers out there and a lot of people that want to make money on there blogs, but lets face it, were not salespeople. I would never have the guts to approach an advertiser myself but thanks to sites like Smorty I don't have to. They do all of that frightening sales work for me. All I have to do is grab the ads when they come in and write the review, which is the only part I would rather do.

Employment Training

2008-01-11T18:40:00.003-08:00

Have you ever thought about working in construction. I've thought about it before. I've known people that did it. They get to work outdoors (sometimes) and they don't have to work during nasty weather (when was the last time you saw construction workers working in the rain). You need employment training to be able to work in construction so you can learn the skills you need. it also helps to have connections in the construction industry to help you secure a job in the field.

CSkills.com is a website in which you can get the kind of skills you need to get a job in the construction industry and make some of that good money and reap those good benefits that people working in construction can reap. This site is an excellent resource for employers, employees, and those seeking the share here skills with others as well. Its definitely worth checking out if your interested n the field

Bird Seed Cake

2008-01-11T18:40:00.001-08:00

This is a nice way to give your feathered friends some extra food in the winter time. You will need

150 grams of shortening
- 200 grams of birdfood mixture (birdseed, sunflower seeds,
chopped nuts, oats, coconut flakes, raisins, etc...
- two cleaned and dried yogurt cups
- metal hook, ribbon or netting material
- scissors
- ribbon for hanging

Instructions:

1. Heat the shortening in a pot until it just melts. Add the birdfood mixture to the liquid and stir thoroughly.
2. Fill each of the yogurt cups and insert a hook in the center of each cup while the mixture is still wet. The hook will normally hold on its own. You may also choose to use a ribbon for hanging. Just knot one end and insert the knotted end in the wet mixture.... or insert nothing and use a netting material to hold the food cake when solid.
3. Store the cups either outside (if the temperatures are cold enough) or in the refrigerator until the shortening hardens and the mixture is solid.
4. Cut the yogurt cup away from the birdfood cake.
5. Tie a ribbon to the hook and hang on a branch.

Talking on the Phone is a Hobby

2008-01-09T10:03:00.000-08:00

I can say without out a doubt that for my son and my daughter talking on the phone is a hobby. Since my step son is home schooled he has a lot of friends online that are in other countries and often wishes he could make international calls, but he can't. I might give him some international calling cards as a gift for his birthday.

GetMeCallingCards.com is a large retailer of phone cards. They have 459 different phone cards from all major vendors. Some of the cards are rechargeable so you can add more minutes to them when you need to. They also have introduced calling cards that offer 3% cash back on every purchase.

Cookie Bouquet

2008-01-09T10:00:00.001-08:00

I came across this idea for a cookie bouquet.. I think this would be a fun project to do and to give as a gift.

To celebrate Valentine's Day, surprise your sweetheart with a dozen heart-shaped, long-stem chocolate chip cookies. Wrap florist wire with green florist tape to make the stems. Present the cookies in a waxed paper-lined box. Don't forget the romantic message.

Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, softened
1/4 cup (50 mL) packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp (1mL) almond extract
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped toasted almonds

Directions:
Toasting almonds: Bake almonds in 350F (180C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using 3-inch (8 cm) heart-shaped cookie cutter, trace 6 hearts on each sheet in ink, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) between hearts. Turn paper, ink side down.

In bowl, using electric mixer, cream together butter and sugars. Beat in egg and almond extract. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; blend into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds. Using 3 tbsp (45 mL) batter for each cookie, pat batter just inside outline of heart on prepared baking sheets.

Bake one sheet at a time, in 375F (190C) oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes.

Using cookie cutter, cut out cookies to redefine shape. Transfer to wire rack. Insert cookie stems in bottom of cookies; let cool completely, then arrange in florist box for delivery. (Note: If you decide to use greenery to fill out your bouquet it is recommended that you use artificial stems and leaves, not actual ones from florists and stores as they may have been chemically treated.)

Oprah Winfrey

2008-01-08T20:04:00.000-08:00

I used to watch Oprah all of the time. I don't anymore but I still admire the woman a great deal. I think most women do. She has written a biography that will be coming out soon. I think most of us who have watched her a lot already know her life story, but I would love to read it written in her own words and I can't wait for the Oprah Winfrey Biography to come out.

Beaded Bracelet Pattern

2008-01-08T20:00:00.000-08:00

I love beaded bracelets. They don't have to be made of expensive beads or anything like that. plastic is just fine with me as long as it has some sparkle to it. My favorite bracelet is made of dark and light brown plastic beads as well as copper colored metal ones. Its my favorite. This particular bracelet was described as a beaded holiday bracelet bit u really think you could wear these colors any time of year.

Step one: Cut three lengths of Soft Flex to approximately nine inches. Attach one strand to the center ring of a three-strand rumples sterling silver hook and eye clasp using a 2x2mm crimp tube. For instructions on how to use a crimp tube, please see the Handy Tips section of the Learning Center. String a 4mm Swarovski bronze colored crystal pearl, followed by a 16mm gold pearlized glass nugget and five more bronze pearls. String the strand through a pewter flower multi-strand slide and add another gold pearlized nugget bead. String six Swarovski bronze pearls, passing the wire through another slider and add another nugget bead. Six more bronze pearls, a slider and a nugget, then five bronze pearls, a slider and the last gold pearlized nugget bead. Add a final Swarovski bronze 4mm pearl and crimp to the center ring of the other end of the clasp.

Step two: Attach another strand of wire to one of the side loops of the clasp. String two 16mm hunter green pearlized glass beads, pass the wire through the pewter slide, and add two rust colored pearlized glass nuggets. After each two nuggets, pass the wire through the next slider and alternate colors as you go. After five segments, crimp the wire to the other end of the clasp. Repeat this process on the other side of the bracelet, but begin with the rust colored beads and alternate with the hunter green.

NOTE: This bracelet has an inside diameter of seven and a half inches. If you need to size it differently we recommend not attaching the wire to the clasp until you have it right. Use Bead Stoppers to hold your beads in place as you work. Use the EZ Bracelet Mini – Travel Size to measure the size of your bracelet, remembering that chunky beads like these cannot be properly measured while the piece is lying flat.

Approximate length: 7 ½ inches
Difficulty level: Beginner to intermediate
Estimated time: Under one hour
Approximate cost: Under $30

List of components:
16mm pearlized glass nugget gold (GN-GOLD16, qty 5)
16mm pearlized glass nugget rust (GN-RUST16, qty 10)
16mm pearlized glass nugget hunter green (GN-GRN16, qty 10)
4mm Swarovski pearl bronze (5810-BRZ4, qty 24)
3-strand rumpled sterling hook and eye clasp (ISCL-0057, qty 1)
Pewter flower multi-strand slide (PW-SL03, qty 4)
2x2mm sterling silver crimp tube (SS-CRM2, qty 6)
Soft Flex jewelry wire (SF19-30CL)

Tools used:
Nipper tool (TOOL-101)
Crimper tool (TOOL-100)
Bead Stopper (BEADSTPR)
EZ Bracelet Mini Sizer ( TOOL-148)

24 hour online pharmacy

2008-01-08T17:10:00.000-08:00

Don't you hate it when your sick with a nasty cold and you have to drag yourself out of bed to go to the doctors and sit in that waiting room for 30 minutes or longer completely miserable and then turn right around and stand in line waiting at the pharmacy.

How about buying your prescriptions at an online pharmacy. At OnlinePharmacy21.com you can submit your prescription which is then verified by the pharmacist and they have it shipped to you within 24 hours time.

The red heart wreath

2008-01-08T16:47:00.000-08:00

I was at hobby lobby buying some enamel paints for my husbands model ship (he likes to build those) and I looked at the valentines stuff and I think I found something puffy to make a puffy heart wreath out of. Those simple Styrofoam heart shapes. They come in all different shapes and sizes and you could cover the in red paint, glitter, or those little red micro beads. Any of those options would look wonderful.

Crafters should Appreciate Art

2008-01-08T12:52:00.000-08:00

Crafters should and usually do have an appreciation for arts of all kinds. I know I certianly do. Park West Art Gallery located in Southfield Michigan is home to the largest collection of fine art in the world and conducts many fine art auctions throughout the United States and Canada. I don't have a budget that allows me to buy expensive fine art. I'm lucky if I can afford framed prints for my walls, but I do enjoy looking at fine art and I would love to visit this gallery someday if i am ever able to make it to Michigan.

Forcing Spring Bulbs

2008-01-08T12:45:00.000-08:00

Inducing bulbs to bloom when you want them to, rather than when they normally do, is known as forcing. In late summer, most bulbs are dormant with little if any active root growth and no shoot growth. As soil temperatures cool, the bulbs begin root growth, which continues until the temperatures become very cold. Shoot growth begins in the spring as temperatures begin to rise, and is followed soon after by flowering. After bloom, foliage continues photosynthesis and replenishes food stores in the bulbs. As foliage begins to die back, the bulb returns to a dormant state and the cycle is ready to begin again. Forcing is simply manipulating this cycle.

The most common choices are hyacinths, tulips, narcissus, grape hyacinths and crocuses. Can you imagine some beautiful hyacinths blooming and fragrant on your dinning room table or coffee table. Most bulbs are forced in a shallow container of water using pebbles for support. When planting the bulbs they don't have to be completely covered. The tops can be exposed and I think doing so gives them an artsy kind of look. All of the spring-blooming bulbs, with the exception of Paperwhite narcissus, must have a cold period of at least three months to initiate bloom. You can achieve this by sticking your bulbs in the refrigerator or if the temperature is cold enough outside store them in a cold basement or garage. I don't recommend putting them in the freezer.

Far Far Away.

2008-01-08T12:37:00.000-08:00

I live 20 minutes from town. I like being this far out. I love country living. I love raising flowers and vegetable s and fruits and I love all of my cats and dogs and the fact that no one can tell me to keep them in. You could call country living a hobby of mine. It means I have privacy and I don't have to worry about progress making its way out here. There are problems with living out this far. The biggest one being that your far from everything, including a pharmacy. It is such a pain to have to run into town to fill a prescription or get something from the drug store for a headache. Thats why i like to us an online pharmacy. I can get what ever I need from them in the mail and I just have to make that short . . . OK not so short walk to my mailbox. With Buy-Pharmacy-Online.com you can have your prescription within 24 hours because they overnight the delivery to you.

Puffy Red Heart Wreath

2008-01-08T12:26:00.000-08:00

Valentines day is our next up and coming holiday and this is one of the few holidays I have never decorated for. I have found myself envisioning a bright colored wreath standing out in the dreary gray of winter on my houses front door. I did a search on google looking for an idea I might be able to put to use and was really disappointed by what I found. There were lots of wooden hearts covering heart shaped wreaths and plenty of heart shaped wreaths covered in tissue paper and with silk roses but this was not what I had in mind. I wanted a round wreath covered in puffy red hearts. I have yet to find a suitable kind of heart to cover my wreaths with. Making individual hearts would take an eternity. I guess for now I will just have to keep looking.

In the Spirit of Things

2008-01-07T11:34:00.000-08:00

I am kind of a new age nut and I love to shop at Metaphysical Stores. I do this because I know I am bound to find something that I like. An example of this is the Cherub Moon Planter I found at The Spiritual Dimension.com. Sites like this one also have really cool desktop our counter top fountains and I think I might like to have one of those to go in my office again. Our Koi pond is so far away from this end of the house that I can't hear it at all. They have this Zen wind chime fountain on there thats really kind of cool. There is a wind chime in the middle of the fountain and the water pours over the chimes. I'm not sure if the chimes would actually make any noise because there is water pouring over them but its still a neat idea.

i got a sewing machine for Christmas

2008-01-07T11:20:00.000-08:00

I got a sewing machine for Christmas, Yay me. So far all I have had time to make is a pair of work out pants that my husband says are to loose and baggy to be used for that. I beg to differ, plus I know perfectly well that there going to shrink after I wash them. Next on the list of things to do is a handkerchief skirt. Those are simple and attractive and just the sort of thing I love to wear and can never find for sale.

If anyone else knows of any online patterns please let me know.

People who stay in debt as a hobby

2008-01-03T20:11:00.000-08:00

Staying in debt is a hobby to some people. My husband used to be one of those people. It seemed to me that even though he had the money to pay his bills on time he felt more comfortable paying them late. I have no explanation for this. I guess its just a Bear thing. As far as I know he has never used a payday loan service while married to me. I would kill him if he did because they charge such high interest rates on there loans. I hope to never be in a position where I have to use them.

Sometimes a person has no choice when it comes to using one of these service. Sometimes they just have a lot of bad luck and find themselves without any kind of savings and behind on your bills and you don't want to get your power shut off in January do you, or your gas for that matter.

Blogging is a Hobby

2008-01-03T20:10:00.001-08:00

Blogging is a hobby for a lot of people. There are several hundred thousands of blogs all over the internet and the number grows every single day. People blog for different reasons. some of them simply like to write, like myself, and like the idea of someone else reading it. Others are just looking for attention they wouldn't get otherwise. Still others just want to talk about there lives and like the idea of someone else reading there words and being entertained by them. I blog for a lot of reasons. I always dreamed of being a writer and this gives me a chance to get what I'm writing read. Another reason is because I like people to read about my life. Another reason is because I know a lot about certain subjects and I think this information would be useful to others.

Some people are lucky enough to get paid to blog. There are a number of ways to do this from what I understand. One of the sites you can do this on is called Smorty. They pay you to write posts about products in your blogs and put links into the blogs.

Moving can be a hobby for some people

2008-01-03T19:48:00.000-08:00

I have met some people that seem to make moving into a hobby. My husbands ex wife lived in 15 different states in a 15 month time frame when she took his kids and hit the road. I am a down to earth put my roots down kind of person. I have to have roots. Now those roots do like to pull up and move about every 4 to 8 years. They get bored and want a change. I was was ever able to afford it I would hire a relocation company to move the next time. A relocation company would be able to help me deal with my old house as well as helping to deal with real estate agents and homes for rent if I needed to rent and selling my own real estate

Rebirbished Electronics

2008-01-03T19:43:00.000-08:00

Have you ever though of buying refurbished electronics. Its a great way to recycle. I've read about some people that have done this and they say its just like buying a new electronic item. There is a website that sells refurbished HDTV's and Plasma TV's and other big screened TV's as well. You will find items that are factory refurbished, factory closeouts and overstocks, end-of-life, open box and more

My husband is quiting

2008-01-03T19:38:00.000-08:00

My husband is trying to quit smoking. I am so proud of him for taking the initiative and trying to quit himself this time instead of quitting because all of us are bitching at him. have you ever tried to get health insurance or life insurance for a smoker. You have to lie about it and tell them that the person doesn't smoke on the policy. Thats the only way to save money on insurance for a smoker. Advantage Term Life.com sells all sorts of insurance. They even have cheaper insurance for smokers. They sell all kinds of life insurance as well as health insurance.

Blogging for a profitable hobby.

2007-12-28T17:54:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard of getting paid to blog before. There are sites out there that have these advertisers and they will pay you to put links into your blog posts for the advertisers. Kind of like a product review or something like that. From what I understand there are some people out there making a very good living by doing this. If your looking for some extra income you may want to get paid to blog yourself.

Using your Printer for Scrap Booking

2007-12-28T17:36:00.000-08:00

I've talked about using your printer in crafting before but did you know that they actually have programs out there now that you can use for scrap booking. You use your digital camera and the program and just use a simple drag and drop method. Then you print out the page and stick it in your scrap book. Thats a lot easier than buying all of those expensive things and cutting and pasting all of that stuff onto the pages. You just better make sure you have plenty of ink in your printer for that sort of thing.

You can get plenty of ink cartridges from inkers.biz. You can place an order on the site with a minimum number of clicks and at discounted prices too. They have ink cartridges available for all sorts of printers.

Self Defense as a Hobby

2007-12-27T14:08:00.000-08:00

I once thought of the self defense classes I was training as a hobby. Some people do do it as a hobby, like hiking or something like that. Its great exercise and it might come in handy someday.

Captain Chris Pizzo, a world leader in self defense instruction, has dedicated his life to not only spreading the truth about martial arts and self defense, but also to teaching the very same simplistic, and easy to learn answer he discovered after nearly being stabbed to death during a road rage attack. He has a self defense DVD called Close Combat Training that you may want to check out.

Candy Wreath

2007-12-27T14:05:00.000-08:00

This would be an excellant craft idea for Valentines day which is out next holiday (unless you count new years eve which I don't).

Choose individually wrapped candies that have twist ties on each end like Tootsie Rolls or Bubble Gum.

You will need approximately 3 pounds of candy for a 6-8 inch wreath.
Foil wrappers are the easiest to work with. Craft stores have inexpensive gold rings often used to make dream catchers or you can cut your own wire and use pliers to connect the ends.

Next cut a 2-3 foot strand of curling ribbon. Tie one end of the ribbon to the end of your wire form. Loop your ribbon over your wire to create a small hole where you will add the candy wrapper ends. Without pulling the ribbon tight, use you other hand to loop your ribbon over the bottom end of the first loop to create a tying method that works like a running loop stitch.

Start with one piece of candy wrapper ends put in the loop and pulled tight, then add two at once. Push the pieces tightly against the first candy. The wax on the curling ribbon will help hold each piece in place so that it is not necessary to tie a complete knot. The candies will automatically spin around the wire for a full 3 dimensional look. Leave a 2 inch gap of wire showing.

After the candy is tied on add a big ribbon to cover up the metal hook closure or 2 inch gap. This may seem time consuming but I have made over 30 myself and after awhile you can complete a 5" wreath in about 20 minutes! Be sure and keep your wreath out of the heat. Candy pieces can be taken off carefully leaving the papers on the wreath to keep it looking nice even when the candy is being eaten.

For Valentines use individually wrapped cinnamon bears, red gumballs in clear wrap or tootsie rolls are very cute when you add a red, brown and white plaid ribbon to the top. Tie in gift certificates rolled up or use miniature samples of body lotion on ribbons to hang in the center of the wreath.

Candy Centrepiece

For a sweet decoration that is edible, make a candy centerpiece! If your wreath will be used to adorn a pillar candle choose a wreath form that will allow the candle to be placed in the center allowing about 1 inch leeway for candy and other embellishments that will be placed in the inside circle of the wreath. If you choose to use a wire form wreath you can follow the directions above and for a wire wreath or try this alternative. Use a Styrofoam wreath by grouping 2-3 candies together and secure with a 2" florist pick. The pick will have an attached wire so it is easy to make many of these candy picks quickly. Insert each pick into the Styrofoam form. For a fun child's valentine surprise make the candy wreath using individually wrapped bubblegum pieces, bright ribbons and attach semi-inflated balloon's to the floral picks before adding them to the wreath.

MUG CANDY ARRANGEMENT
Grocery stores everywhere often sell mugs displaying floral arrangements. Make our own arrangement with candy instead for a unique gift. Fill your mug 3/4 of the way to the top with a piece of floral foam or Styrofoam. Purchase strawberry bon-bons or other candy that looks like a flower bud. Group your candy with several silk leaves and attach it to a long floral pick or wire before filling your mug!

This Project by Rachel Webb

Craft and your ink jet printer

2007-12-27T11:52:00.001-08:00

We can use our ink jet printers for a lot of different kinds of crafts. You can print out photos from your digital camera or photos from the internet. You can make invitations and business cards and all sorts of things. Unfortunately you have to keep those darn ink cartridges filled as well. Its a good idea to have replacement printer ink cartridges on hand at all times if you use your printer for crafts often. InkjetDeals.info website lists online stores that sell ink cartridges and laser toner for discounts that are up to 80% off of retail pricing. The site lists coupon codes and discount promotions also. Ink Cartridges are not exactly cheap anyway so any kind of discount you can get on them is always a good thing.

Things to do with a boring old t shirt

2007-12-27T11:50:00.000-08:00

I ran across this site on stumble and was very very impressed. Never in a million years would I have thought about doing such creative this with such a big boring old t shirt. I think my favorite one is the navy blue one at the top of the page. What a work of art. Here in the link.

2007-12-27T11:41:00.000-08:00

Traveling as a Hobby

2007-12-24T17:00:00.000-08:00

Some people make traveling into a hobby. I don't have that kind of time or money. it would be nice to think of traveling as a hobby and be able to afford to do all kinds of traveling and have the time to do that sort of thing. Only if I won the lottery. I can keep on saying stuff like that but I don't think its going to make me win, ha ha.

I would love to have memories of staying in hotels in London, Hotels in Manchester, and Hotels in Birmingham. Staying in a hotel can be a different experience. Especially in another country.

Some people just have to much time on there hands.

2007-12-24T12:42:00.001-08:00

Mailboxes

2007-12-21T22:17:00.000-08:00

Mailboxes are like an extension of your house. At least I think they are. I don't really have time anymore but I used to decorate my mailbox with each of the holidays seasons, including Christmas, valentines day and all of the others. I really need a new one. Mine is plastic coated with red cedar planks and someone hit it with a baseball bat a few months back. Mailbox ixchange.com has some really nice ones to choose from. They have both residential mailboxes and commercial mailboxes. They also have a copper one that I really like.

An easier lip balm.

2007-12-21T22:14:00.001-08:00

Coconut oil melts only at body temperature. That of course is 98 degrees and for that reason it makes a perfect lip balm. Far more perfect than any made with beeswax because. its softer on the lips as well. Its very easy to add any flavor you want to it. My favorite for winter in mint. If you add 1/4 tsp cocoa powder to 2 tsp melted coconut oil you can create lip balm that is reminiscent of sipping mint hot chocolate. Allow some whole vanilla beans to sit in a pot at 98 degrees for a while and you will have wonderful vanilla scented lip balm as well.

Credit Cards

2007-12-19T14:26:00.000-08:00

If you Australian and your looking for Credit Cards you might want to consider Credit Cards.com.au. They give Australians the ability to search, compare and apply for all kinds of credit cards online. You can browse by features, fees, type and interest charges. They also have a comparison chart that gives users a comprehensive list of all credit cards available to people living in Australia. We all know how important it is to shop around for credit cards. You have to make sure your getting the lowest interest rate and make sure you getting the best deal as far as spending points goes and little features like that.

Candy Cane Vase

2007-12-19T14:24:00.001-08:00

From AllFree Crafts.comI've seen similar things done with other items like tree branches . Anything hard and straight can be used.

Candy Cane Vase

You Will Need:

* 30 to 40 candy canes
* strong rubber band
* clean tin can
* evergreen trimmings - cedar, pine, spruce, juniper or holly
* wire-edged ribbon

Candy Cane Vase

Instructions:

1. Place a strong rubber band around the tin can, approximately half way down from the top.

2. Begin inserting wrapped candy canes into the rubber band so the hooked part of the cane faces outward. As you proceed around the can, you might find that the candy canes tend to fall to one side. Just keep straightening them as you work - once the last candy cane is in place, you should find that the candy canes will stay upright on their own. If not, add another rubber band, fairly close to the first one, to keep everything in place.

3. Tie a wire-edged ribbon over the rubber band and make a nice bow. If you like, you can cut the ends of the ribbon on a slant, or in a vee shape, for a nice touch.

4. Add sprigs of fresh evergreen trimmings to the tin can and your Christmas candy cane vane is complete.

Celebrity Ape faces

2007-12-19T14:16:00.001-08:00

This is not a craft but it is kind of a cool way to pas the time and its definitly worth a chuckle CelebrityApes.com has taken the faces of celebrities and politicians (one in the same)and given them ape faces. Its actually kind of funny. They put up a new ape face everyday.

Tin Can Luminaries

2007-12-19T14:08:00.000-08:00

I've made all sorts of luminaries and potpourri simmers with tin cans. They have a nice rustic look that has always appealed to me. You will need . . .

A Pair of Tin Snips
a large nail
a hammer
your freezer

Fill the tin cans with water and stick them in thew freezer. Take them out when there frozen solid and using your hammer and nail you can punch any pattern you want into the can. Be careful, the edges will be sharp. Then just thaw the water and put a tea light into them. I also like to make potpourri simmerers with these as well but you don't fill them with water for this. The small nail holes are not large enough to provide enough oxygen for the flames so you will have to cut a large hole in the can on the bottom. For the top you just have to cut the tin can in half. It usually fits on top perfectly. I have thrown the tin cans into the fire to give them a different color and left them out in the rain for several days to give them a rusted look. I've even glued metal funnels to the top of them to make them look like old fashioned lanterns

Making Money is a Hobby

2007-12-16T20:16:00.000-08:00

Some people consider making money to be a hobby. Its become a hobby for me. At times a stressful frustrating one because I never make as much money as I think I should be making, but thats life. One way you can make money is by advertising other peoples websites. By advertising there website you can earn money when someone signs up for there website by earning a percentage of the sale. Fulltilt poker is one of the sites that does this. When you sign up for this you will get a full tilt poker referral code and when someone signs up to the site after clicking on your Full Tilt Referral code then you can earn a nice big full tilt bonus.

Apple Wreath

2007-12-16T20:13:00.000-08:00

I don't know about everyone else but this time in December I am just about fed up with all of the holiday crap that going on. I am sick of decorating, sick of parties, sick of buying gifts, sick of Christmas movies and really really sick of Christmas music. The next craft is a holiday craft for those of you still interested in doing holiday crap but to tell you the truth this craft could really be applied to any holiday or any season. You could even switch out oranges for apple or mini pumpkins or any number of things.

Project by Kathy Hanson of Excelsior, Minn. Her website is www.pickets.com.

Kathy was a busy executive who wanted to find a way to spend more time with her family. She started making charming items for the home, and her new career was born. In this project, Kathy makes a holiday wreath with fresh green apples.

Materials:

sheet of plywood
jigsaw
green exterior spraypaint
100 3"galvanized nails
hammer
heavy-gauge wire
sturdy picture hangers
holiday greenery
20 pounds of apples
holiday bow

Figure A

Steps:

1. Draw a 24'' circular pattern onto plywood, cut out wreath shape using jigsaw (figure A). Sand any rough edges.

Figure B

2. Before continuing, add sturdy picture hangers and heavy-gauge wire to back of wreath.

3. Randomly hammer 100 3-inch galvanized nails nails into wreath form (figure B).

4. Spray paint both the plywood and nails green.

Figure C

5. Skewer the apples onto the nails.

6. Fill the empty spaces with greenery (figure C).

Figure D

7. Add a decorative holiday bow (figure D).

8. Be sure to hang the wreath with a molly bolt or find a stud to hang it on. It's very heavy.

Is Dating a Hobby

2007-12-14T07:56:00.000-08:00

I think some people think of it has a hobby. I never thought of dating as a hobby. Maybe because I tended to move from one serious relationship into another serious relationship. I guess in todays world of internet personals a person could think of dating as a hobby. some people just want someone to go out and have a good time with while others are looking for more serious relationships with someone who has similar interests.

There are all sorts of dating sites out there for all sorts of different kinds of people. If you are in the dating world you may be wondering how your going to figure out which one is right for you.. Prime Dating Sites is an excellant resource for singles to find an online dating service thats suited to them.

Paper Christmas tree

2007-12-14T07:02:00.000-08:00

Here is a holiday craft idea. This is something that might look good on a mantel above a fireplace or anywhere else in your home that could use a little bit of holiday cheer. Its a paper Christmas tree.

Holiday Tree with Star

Model designed by Kazuo Kobayashi

The tree is made from a preliminary base but what makes it special is the little star at the top.
Double sided foil paper works the best since the foil helps the tree to stay folded. Make your own double sided foil paper in larger sizes. Spray adhesive works well for this. Spray lightly the wrong side of the paper and lay the foil down smoothing any bubbles as you go. Cut to a perfect square. You can fold trees in different sizes and colors for a beautiful effect.

Supplies needed:
1 package metallic 6" square origami paper #4421
Scissors

Instructions:
Fold a preliminary base starting with the color side down.

	After folding the base, cut triangles off the bottom to make the trunk.
	Separate 5 layers of the tree unit and lay them flat. The other remainding layers should not be cut, so be sure they are out of the way.
	Cut at an angle toward the top of the tree and go all through the layers close to the other edge. Be careful to not cut the top off completely though.
	Open the star by spreading the cut layers apart and lay flat. Now you can spread open all the layers of the tree.

from yasutomo.com

Poker is a Hobby

2007-12-13T17:02:00.000-08:00

Some people like to play poker for a hobby. I have never understood how card games could be considered fun. Its just not my cup of tea at all but my husband loves them and everyone in his family loves them. We also have a lot of friends that love them as well.

Sometimes you can get a full tilt bonus for referring other people to those poker sites. You just need a full tilt referral code for them to click on. If they have the full tilt poker referral code to click on the sites will deposit money into your account when you sign up.

Decorating

2007-12-13T16:54:00.001-08:00

Redecorating is a hobby. Not everyone feels that way about it but most people do it often enough to think of it as a hobby. I have a friend who feels the need to change everything in her house every four years. A new ceiling fan or light fixture can dramatically change the appearance of a room. I can remember when I bought my first house and I was looking for a ceiling fan for the living room Hunter fans were the way to go. That's not the case anymore. There are so many other more brands out there that are worth while than just what your local hardware store at the moment and that's pretty much what we were looking at. There are Minka Aire ceiling fans and Ellington fans. Farreys.com has a lot of different ceiling fans for you to choose from. I don't think a person should hesitate to order one from online.

BSculptures

2007-12-13T08:15:00.000-08:00

Can you imagine someone making a sculptures out of Gummi bears. I seen sculptures out of all sorts of things including cake and icing but gummy bears? Yaya Chow does exactly that. Imagine walking to a home and finding this 4 foot long gummy bear chandelier hanging in the dinning room.

Get Free Fonts

2007-12-11T11:30:00.000-08:00

I used to really be into all sorts of different kinds of fonts. If I was making more creative projects I might still be into those sorts of fonts. What if you could get a free Cd with 1001 of the greatest fonts there has ever been. To tell you the truth I didn't know there were than many fonts out there but I guess there could be. You can get this free cd at CDEarth. They have lots of other Cd's available on the site too. I don't think there all free though. Things like wealth managers and anti virus software. Those don't sound quiet as fun as this CD with the free fonts on it though. It ha fonts on it like Calligraphy fonts, Gothic, Graffiti fonts, Fancy fonts, Dingbats or symbols, Script fonts, Handwriting fonts, Old English fonts, Chinese and Japanese fonts, True Type fonts, Mac fonts, Retro fonts, Cursive fonts, and Western fonts. My step son would enjoy those Chinese and Japanese fronts. He's been learning Japaneses from a friend of his on the internet.

I bet all of those different fonts would come in real handy if you design a lot of fliers or do a lot of stuff with clip art and things like that.

Holiday wrapping.

2007-12-09T17:54:00.000-08:00

I always go a little overboard on the whole gift wrapping thing. I get big spools of wired ribbon from hobby lobby and make big professional looking bows . Of adorn them with miniature plastic Christmas ornaments, acorns picked up in the front yard, pressed cedar leaves, and colored glass Christmas bulbs. I also use spray snow and spray crystals to make the gifts look like you've been carrying them while walking in the snow and on top of that I sprinkle white iridescent or some other festive holiday colored glitter. I've used more than just wrapping paper and wired ribbon too. I've wrapped gifts with brown grocery sack paper and newspaper and used raffia as the ribbon. here are some instructions for making bows.

Poinsettia
1. To form inner petals, cut 3-6" lengths of 7/8" (#5) wide wire-edge taffeta ribbon. Cut the ends of each length into sharp point. Pinch the lengths at the center and wire together. Shape petals into a circle.

2. To form the outer petals, cut 4-8" lengths of 1 1/2" (#9) wide wire edge taffeta ribbon. Repeat steps as described in step 1. Wire to inner petals to form poinsettia.

3. Make a two loop bow with the gold metallic mesh ribbon by overlapping ends over the center point of the ribbon and wire onto the back of the ribbon poinsettia.

4. Place a dime-size puddle of glue in the center of the ribbon poinsettia. Sprinkle with gold beads and pat down to hold. Shake off excess beads.

A Tailored Bow
Making a Floral Bow

1. Pinch the ribbon and make a loop leaving the tail the desired length.

2. Continue making loops gradually increasing the size of the loops until the bow is full and you have enough ribbon left to make the other tail.

3. Secure the center of the bow with wire.

4. Fan out the loops.

5. Cut the tails at an angle or in points to finish off the bow.

Vacation Homes

2007-12-08T16:57:00.000-08:00

Most people who read this probably don't look at vacation homes as much as I do. But then most people have probably traveled more than I have. I was recently looking at Casa San Lucas Vacation rentals. There are so really gorgeous ones there. Some of these places are so stunning I would be afraid to rent them out. Someone might ruin them. www.goin2travel.com is a website that has long lists of vacation rentals and lots and lots of pictures of the places that are for rent. They have Costa rica vacation rentals as well.

An Ice Candle

2007-12-08T15:44:00.000-08:00

Make an Ice Candle courtesy of Craftbits.com. This is really cool.

You will need
A square milk carton
A wick
Wax
Ice cubes

Cut the top off of your milk carton and clean in out. Put the wick down in the center and put in your ice cubes. They need to be tumbled and all which ways, not neat. Try to keep the ice away from the wick since the wax won't form around it properly if it is. Slowly pour your melted wax over the ice cubes until the carton is full. Allow the ice to melt and the wax to set before you remove your candle from the carton.

Exam Prep Software

2007-12-07T11:37:00.000-08:00

Collage is hard and life is busy. Its not surprise to see companies opening up that sell reports and thesis and stuff like that. Exams are another story. You can't pay someone to take your exam for you. Your going to have to take that yourself.

Not all exams we take have anything to do with collage though. maybe your trying to get a license to work at a certain kind of job. Like a real estate license. I think I would like working as a real estate agent if the income was a little bit more stable. There is exam software out there that can help you prepare for your Mortgage Test though. You can find the software for sale at Exam -Prep.com. You can also find software there that will help you study for exams for such licenses as insurance, home inspection, securities, mortgage lending.

When it comes to stuff like this we often need all of the help we can get. There are kids and husbands and dinners to make and often someone preparing for one of these exams is working a full time job as well. If you can get help through a software program your better off using it.

Beaded Bracelet

2007-12-07T11:33:00.001-08:00

Look at this bracelet. I can see this done in a variety if different materials and worn will all sorts of outfits. Maybe one in copper colors and one in gold and maybe one in silver and blue. You can find the instructions here. I love beads. I wish I had time to work with them.

Photo Christmas Cards

2007-12-05T21:54:00.001-08:00

If you haven't sent out your holiday gift cards yet then your late. If you send them out now they may or may not arrive before Christmas. Mail gets a little nuts this time of year. I can remember when I worked for a mortgage company we ran across a call in which it took a mans mortgage payment 30 days to cross 3 states. I told him Pony Express would have been faster.

With that being said lets talk about sending photo cards for Christmas. a lot of people have Christmas cards made or make Christmas cards themselves with family photos on them. I don't do this. I don't send out Christmas cards. My parents never did it and for that reason I have never done it. Maybe I should start though. You can get 50 photo cards printed up for about 31 dollars on Vista Print.com. Thats about what an ink cartridge would cost you and it would probably take an entire cartridge to do that many cards plus you would still have to pay for the paper the cards are made of. Its probably cheaper just to have them done and Vista prints offers matching envelopes at the time of check out too.

I don't know what sort of picture I would put on there. Maybe one of out tree and the presents under it. Maybe one of the kids and our 11 cats and two dogs. Who knows. Maybe you have a cute new baby in your family.

Crochet Flowers

2007-12-05T21:47:00.000-08:00

Photo from Free Craft Unlimited.com

Crochet flowers are really big in free form crochet (a favorite thing of mine) plus they make dice decorations for a number of projects. I've found myself thinking about doing an entire afghan out of a bunch of flowers made from scrap yarn and just stitching them all together. I don't think my living areas or my bedroom are really feminine enough for this. Here are some instructions for some flowers though.

A
Chain 4. In the first stitch of the chain (4th stitch from hook) work a 2-dc cluster (see How To below), chain 3, and sl st (first petal created). Still working in the SAME space, work *chain 3, 2-dc cluster, chain 3, sl st (second petal created). Repeat from * 2 more times (4 petals created).

B. Chain 3. Join to form a ring.

Round 1: Chain 6. In ring, dc, ch 3, 4 times. Join in 3rd chain of ch 6.

Round 2: Sl st in next ch 3 space, ch 1. Sc, hdc, 3 tc, hdc, sc, in same ch 3 space. *Sc, hdc, 3 dc, hdc, sc in next ch 3 space. Repeat from * 3 times. End with sc in starting ch 1.

Round 3: Chain 5, sc in back row, 5 times.

Round 4: Sl st in chain 5 space, ch 1. *Sc, hdc, 5 tr, hdc, sc, in ch 5 space. Repeat from * 4 times. End with sl st in back row in sc 2 rounds below.

Round 5: Chain 7, sc in back row, 5 times.

Round 6: Sl st in chain 7 space, ch 1. *Sc, hdc, 7 tr, hdc, sc, in ch 7 space. Repeat from * 4 times. End with sl st in back row in sc 2 rounds below.

Round 7: Chain 9, sc in back row, 5 times.

Round 8: Sl st in chain 9 space, ch 1. *Sc, hdc, 9 tr, hdc, sc, in ch 9 space. Repeat from * 4 times. End with sl st in back row in sc 2 rounds below.

C.hain 5. Join to form a ring.

Round 1: Ch 1, 5 sc in ring. Join.

Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around. Join.

Round 3: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around. (20 sc) Join.

Round 4: Working in front loops of sc's only (back look will be used for second row of petals), *ch 3, 1 tr in same st, 2 tr in each of next 2 sts, 1 tr in next st, ch 3, sl st in same st (1st petal of first row). Sl st in next st. Repeat from * 4 times.

Round 5: Sl st over to back sc loop in center of first petal. *Ch 4, 1 dtr in same st, 2 dtr in each of next 2 sts, 1 dtr in next st, ch 4, sl st in same st (1st petal of second row). Sl st in next st. Repeat from * 4 times. Join and fasten off.

Angel beds

2007-12-05T18:43:00.000-08:00

Do you suffer from back pain? I suffer from back pain. I suffer from it all of the time. My mattress sucks. I am more comfortable sleeping on the couch than I am on my bed. I want a tempurpedic mattresses. According to there website AngelBeds can bring it to you at substantial savings of up to $3300. Those mattresses aren't cheap. I went and looked at Mattresses last year and there not cheap at all. They are cheaper that the ones that I saw at the furniture store.

Oh the thought of being able to lay on a mattress like that and wake up in the morning without the pain and the stiffness that I wake up with every single day. Memory foam conforms to your body and reduces pressure points and I'm sure that would reduce the amount of pain I experience every single day and the stiffness I wake up with. I walk like an old lady in the morning and when I climb out of bed my joints crunch so much it sounds like rice crispy treats. Nothing but crunch crunch crunch with every step for the first 5 or 6 or so steps.

Nursing Homes

2007-12-05T16:26:00.001-08:00

This is not about crafts but a warning for those of you with elderly parents. A 92 year old woman at my husbands church fell off of her back porch last week. She hit her head and cut it open. She fell down face first and drowned in her own blood.

The womans family new she had been falling lately and was more clumsy than she had been but for some reason did not hurry to get someone to stay with her. I realize that situations can be preventative but it seems like they could have put her in a care home or something while they were waiting to get living arrangements situated. Better Caring.com is a website that can answer some of your questions regarding nursing home care and maybe even tell you about nursing homes in your area. This is something you may want to consider if you have an elderly parent living alone. This woman could have been alive today.

Traveling really is a hobby

2007-12-05T16:14:00.000-08:00

I know I talk about travel on this site a lot for a hobby blog but I do strongly believe that for those with the funds to make it so traveling can be considered a hobby. For this reason I want to talk about a site called EasyBook. Its a site for booking hotel reservations and such. There are a lot of them on the web but this is the one I want to draw attention to at the moment. What I find interesting about this one is that you can make your reservations and pay for your room using your choice of currency. I haven't seen that on another site. Say for example you want to book a room or rooms in hotels in Prague. You have 3 different choices of currency. Don't ask me what they are though because I don't recognize those symbols.

I saw a movie with Queen Latiffa in it and she went on vacation in Prague on the movie. She was dying. I would love to visit there one day and stay in a hotel like that and use the spa.

Bedding

2007-12-05T14:42:00.000-08:00

I've become a growing fan of contemporary style and I have thought about getting some Contemporary Bedding to replace the duvet cover I threw away a month or so ago. I can't find anything I like though. I'll probably just end up getting something plain and a solid color for me bed. Vision bedding.com has all sort of unique types of bedding and duvet covers for sale. You can even send them a photograph and they can make bedding with the photograph on it for you. I don't have any photo's I would like made into bedding. That doesn't mean that I won't find one somewhere on the internet at some point. It just means I don't have any now. I'm sure I could find something that I liked on flickr or something like that, print it out, and have it transfered. It probably won't matter where the picture came from.

Traveling Again.

2007-12-04T16:49:00.000-08:00

I don't get out much. Thats probably why I like doing crafts, because it keeps me preoccupied. I do like to think about what it might be like to travel someday if I actually did win the lottery (maybe if I keep talking about it it will happen). I would love to go to Berlin and stay in Hotels in Berlin. How cool would that be. Vienna is cool too. I would love to go to Vienna for a week or so and tour the sites and stay in hotels in Vienna. I think there are still bits and pieces of the Berlin wall still standing and covered with graffiti. It would be kind of cool to have a piece of the Berlin wall. I'm Sure there won't be a shortage of hotels in Berlin or Hotels in Vienna to stay in at all and there are so many historical places to see and visit and take pictures of. You know how to Love things that have a history to them.

Amazing Incredibly Free Form

2007-12-03T16:55:00.000-08:00

I have absolutely no clue how this was made. I know its free form and probably a combination of Knit and crochet but there are probably over 100,000 pieces in this and I don't have the time of the patience to put something like this together. But it is truly a work of art. You can find this picture at Knot Just Knitting.com by the way.

Travel as a hobby

2007-11-30T13:45:00.001-08:00

I have said it before, I do think traveling is a hobby. Most of us don't have enough money to think of traveling as a hobby simply because of the cost but I think if we had the money to travel for a hobby we would all feel differently about it. I would like to go to Spain and see the bull fights and stay in Spain hotels or maybe Barcelona and Barcelona hotels. There there are Alicante hotels and Benedirm Hotels. It would be very nice to be able to visit these places one of these days

Screen Savers

2007-11-30T13:38:00.001-08:00

I love screen savers. There really not a necessary thing now a days. On most new computers when it doesn't get used for a while the screen just goes black. I love screen savers though. I like to sit back and watch them sometimes. I love winter screensavers. You know the kind with falling snow. Also the fireplace screensavers that show a crackling fire. My husband used to have an Aquarium screensaver that was really neat. You know those Christmas Screensavers are probably my favorite

Gravity Massage Chairs

2007-11-29T21:25:00.000-08:00

I'm in pain pretty much all of the time. Thats not exactly craft related but I know I'm not the only crafter out there that suffers from chronic pain. Often keeping our hands busy is one of our few distractions. I have pretty much constant back pain and a lot of foot pain.

Humantouch.com has come out with a line of massaging products to help those like me that suffer from chronic pain. Items like the Human Touch HT 7450 Zero Gravity Massage Chair. These really awesome chair follow the curve of the spine and mimic the 5 most popular massage techniques used my massage therapists. These include compression, kneading, rolling, percussion, calf massage, and foot massage.

I can't even begin to tell you how much I would love to have one of these chairs. There 2699 dollars for the top model which is the one I would want. I can't afford one of these chairs. But if my circumstances improve later on i would probably be investing in one of these.

Pine Cone Bird Feeders

2007-11-28T18:07:00.000-08:00

I can remember making these when I was a kid. This is also a great way to build up karma as well by providing food for birds when food is scarce. Make sure and hang them in places were they can eat and not be in danger of getting attacked by cats or anything else.

Use a pipe cleaner and tie it around the narrow end of the pine cone. Then cover the pine cone in peanut butter. Make sure you push it down into all the gaps and everything. Then you simply roll the pine cone in bird seed. Its recommended that you let them sit out overnight in cold air so that the peanut butter will get nice and hard and then hang it in the branches of a very sturdy tree. If you hang them in a cedar tree or some other evergreen tree they look kind of like Christmas ornaments.

Shoe Print Shirt

2007-11-26T22:02:00.001-08:00

This is a really cool idea I found on the Craft Chi Blog. You just use old shoes and a cut out stencil and some fabric paint. If you don't want to invest in fabric paint you can just get some textile medium at the craft store. If you mix it with acrylic paint it turns it into T shirt paint as well.
You just paint the bottom of the shoe and lay the stencil on the shirt and just press the sole of the shoe again the shirt.Just make sure that you wash the shirt first and without fabric softener. If it has fabric softener on it the paint won't stick.

Mac Poker

2007-11-21T22:40:00.001-08:00

Some people consider playing games to be a hobby. I know some people will stay on the computer playing those games where they play with people all over the world until 6am. My step son is one of them. My husband is an online poker player. I guess he does it enough to call it a hobby. There is a site called Mac online poker for Mac computer users. I don't really understand why Mac computers are different than any other computer but I guess it does make a difference when it comes to the games that you play.

Mac Poker Online.com talk about Mac Poker. Its kind of like a Poker Blog. It also covers Fulltilt Poker and Pacific poker and a whole lot of other stuff. Its a nice looking blog and makes me think of the green felt on card tables.

Traveling for the Holidays

2007-11-21T22:34:00.001-08:00

I sit here in my home office looking through the window at those icicle Christmas lights my husband put up last week. There blowing in the wind. its very window outside. I like the way they look blowing in the wind.

I've heard of some people traveling during the holidays. I have always thought Christmas/Yule should be spent with family, but I have to admit I would like to experience Christmas in another country. I can imagine myself staying in one of the hotels in London, hotels in Manchester or Hotels in Birmingham for the holidays. I bet it actually snows for the holidays there. It doesn't snow in Arkansas much at all.

A friend and his passport

2007-11-21T21:55:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine in moving to the UK. I'm not sure what part of the UK. I think I remember him saying something about London. It seems like that would be the most logical place to go. He tried meeting a girl over there online that he could move in with when he got over there and that didn't work out. Then an employer found his My Space page and gave him a job and that job allowed him to get a passport even though he owed a lot of back child support (from the child he didn't know he had for 10 years).

I didn't know that getting a job overseas would enable you to get a passport even if you owed child support or something like that but apparently it can. If he had known that he could have looked at classifieds online for London jobs. If you having trouble getting a passport and like a lot of Americans your wanting to leave the country before things really go to crap you may want to consider looking for jobs in London as well.

Travel is a hobby too..

2007-11-21T21:48:00.001-08:00

Some people with the time and the means consider traveling to be a hobby. Its obviously not a craft but I think it can be considered a hobby. There are lots of places I would love to visit if I had the time and the money. I have to face facts though. I don't have the time or the money and the only way I will have the time or the money is if I win the lottery and we know what the chances of that are.

London would be a nice place to visit. You know check out some London Hotels and see the sites. Then you have Glasgow with the Glasgow hotels and the Edinburgh Hotels as well. I probably would be spending a lot of time in my hotel room. Then again as much trouble as I have with my feet and the amount of pain being on them to long puts me in I might be better off spending more time in a hotel room.

London has a lot of night life. My husband would love to see that. I would be more interested in the historic stuff but he would soo be at all of the clubs.

Fabric Origami

2007-11-21T16:53:00.000-08:00

I didn't realize this actually existed. I new what origami was but I didn't realize that fabric was stiff enough to do such a thing with, but apparently you can. Here are several books on the subject.

Coupon Chief

2007-11-14T18:28:00.001-08:00

I'm going to go back to shopping is a hobby. finding bargins is a hobby too, thats why I like garage saling soo much. I can find excellant bargins. Theer is nothing that can give you a thrill more than finding what would be a 50 dollar pair of pants for 1 dollars and then getting the seller to knock an extra 25 cents off of that price.

Coupon Chief is a coupon code site. If your not familiar with what a coupon site is its a site that contains Coupon Codes (this is how you use coupons online, through codes) to various companies. They feature such name brands as Old Navy, Target, Best Buy, Overstock, Zappos, and a lot more.

Shower Invitations

2007-11-14T17:47:00.000-08:00

I haven't gone to a bridal shower in a long time. I love them though. I love those horrible little dinner mints they serve and the cake. I think the cake is probably my favorite part. I also love weddings where its clear a lot of effort has gone into them. I put a lot of effort into my wedding.

We used to go hiking on Petijean all of the time and They had a beautiful log lodge up there with a perfect space for weddings. We were married on the bluff and had the reception inside the lodge. I had a rustic elegant theme. My flowers were silk, red black and white, with dried green foliage in them. They were in grapevine baskets. Even my napkins had two trees on the front of them. I'm told my wedding looked like something out of a bridal magazine. It only cost a little over 1000 dollars.

I used to sell dried flowers on Ebay and a woman bought several packages of them and made her own invitations so she could save on bridal shower invites. Most people in todays wold don't have time to make there own bridal shower invitations and such. Most people have to buy wedding shower invitations even when making them would be so much easier.

Recycled Blanket Rug

2007-11-14T17:38:00.000-08:00

This is the coolest way of making a rug that I have ever seen.

What you do is you take old blankets and cut them into strips that are wide enough to fold into a tight thinner strip (these are your coils). You wrap them around each other in a spiral to make the shape and use a glue gun to hold everything together. I don''t think this is machine washable though. The idea for this comes from craftzine.com

Shopping is a Hobby too

2007-11-13T21:31:00.000-08:00

Some people consider shopping to be a craft or a hobby. I wish I had enough money for that to be the case with me. I really really really wish that was the case (maybe if I wish for it enough I'll get what I'm wishing for) I guess my going to garage sales could be considered a hobby. Thats like shopping accept that most of the things you buy are a dollar or less. Quick Shop.co.uk is a new shopping website (so new it hasn't been announced yet) that offers better deals on anything and everything in time for the Christmas season. Actually it offers you better deals period as it lists items on sale at different shops. Its almost like a coupon site accept that there aren't any coupons.

Remodeling is a Hobby

2007-11-12T19:44:00.000-08:00

There are all sorts of crafts in this world. There is the normal kind like crochet and knitting, spinning and eve wood and metal work. but There are somethings that are crafts that we might not think of as crafts. There is remodeling for example. This can be considered a craft. So if decorating (or maybe its just shopping) thats why you find so much home decor stuff at Hobby Lobby.

I love the thought of changing out my lighting fixtures for something else. I guess we all like to remodel. If I ever win the lottery my formal dinning room will have a big huge unbelievably fancy chandelier in it. Probably some sort of shimmering crystal. It will be so fancy it will almost be in poor taste. The reason for this is I have always wanted a Crystal Chandelier. There was a big huge one in the movie theater I went to as a kid and I thought it was just grand. I still wonder what happened to it when they remodeled.

I wouldn't mind having new kitchen lighting fixtures either. All I have are plain old fluorescent bulbs covered in a plastic cover. I want some sort of wavey t rack lighting.

Turn an old bra into a bracelet

2007-11-11T15:59:00.000-08:00

This is a really amazing idea that came from Craft Chi. I'm good at recycling but never in my wildest dreams would I have though of doing something like this.

Bras make great vintage wrist bands because they have beautiful stretchy, soft lace and a built-in clasp. Here’s how I went about making one.

First, fold the bra inside-out and pin just before the strap.

Sew across the pinned area several times. Make sure to line the straps up well.

Cut the bra, just after the sewing line and before the strap.

Embellish how you like, with buttons, beads, or ribbon. I glued a vintage earring on that I’d cut the stem off of and sewed some seed beads and pearls on.

Elf Eyelash Yarn

2007-11-11T15:25:00.001-08:00

I've really been enjoying making ponytail holders and headbands out of the elf eyelash yarn from YarnBee that i got on sail at Hobby Lobby the other day. Its fun to work with and unlike to furrier stuff i don't have the problem with matting. Labyrinth yarn is on sail this week and as much as i love working with the Labyrinth yarn I probably won't be going to get any. I bought two more domain names today and have plans for a 3rd when i come up with a good one.

Yarn Review Labyrinth and Elf Eyelash

2007-11-03T09:03:00.001-07:00

I've been buying the more expensive yarns I don't usually mess with on sale at Hobby Lobby lately. You know the yarn be eyelash and party girl yarns and stuff like that. At 99 cents verses 5 or 6 dollars a roll its hard to pass up and I get the chance to play with them and see how I like them.

I really enjoyed working with the Yarn Bee partygirl yarns which is kind of a sparkle eyelash yarn. its does not make attractive headbands though, its to fuzzy for that. I did by some yarn bee labyrinth yarn on sale. I didn't think I would like it because it wasn't really fuzzy. It was a long thin spring with a big blob of fluff along the line. I was surprised by how attractive it truly was when it was crochet though. It makes beautiful thick headbands and would make prettier larger projects as well. I do not recommend any of the eyelash yarns with the longer strands for anything large. They make nice furry trim and even pony tail holders. I did see a pattern for a nice furry vest and that would be acceptable as well but i don't recommend large projects, its just to furry.

I do however strongly recommend the yarn bee elf eyelash yarn for "everything". It makes beautiful ponytail holders and headbands and would make equally beautiful larger projects as well. The strands have a soft silken shimmer that don't mat like the longer ones and really keep there luster nicely. The elf eyelash is truly wonderful stuff to work with and crochets or knits out beautifully.

Halloween Costumes

2007-10-31T22:07:00.000-07:00

This is the second time the kids and I have made there own costumes. Coyote went as Dr House. I found him some mismatched scrubs (as Dr House doesn’t care about his appearance) messed up his hair and found a cane for him to use. We made a fake name tag and got a BoiHazard bag from the hospital for his candy. He carried around a pill bottle full of Smarties all night long and pretended to be eating the candy the way Dr House eats Vikadin on the show.

Mouse went as a witch. A simple costume. I had a long black cape from my own costume years ago. She wore my black broomstick skirt. we just rolled the waist band to keep it up and she wore my black shirt and the cape over that. I did have to buy her a hat. I waited to late and couldn’t find a true witches hat but I did find a small witches hat table topper at hobby lobby. I sewed an elastic strap on it to keep it on her chin and once she was dressed I ratted her hair. Then I sprayed the whole thing down with silver glitter. She carried a plastic cauldron for candy and a decorative broom we took off the wall.

Last year they went as Gandolf and Hermione. Coyote found a long curly tree branch from the woods (a vine that has grown around a tree branch will make it appear twisted). We drilled a hole in the end and stuck a used a clear glass ball Christmas ornament in the end of it so that it looked like a Crystal ball. I poured some of that glow juice from glow sticks in the end before we left. He wore my big green bathrobe with a frayed rope belt tied around the waist and my tall black witches hat that was all bent out of shape from being in the closet all year long. Once again the whole costume was sprayed with glitter to give it a magic look.

Mouse once again wore my long black cape and a white shirt and a pair of blue jeans underneath. I made her a fake Hogwarts school patch from cardboard and shimmery fabric paint I already had. She carried books under one arm and used her school backpack to put candy in. I also ratted her hair (then blonde and longer) so it would be messy like Hermione’s is in the book.

lets do some halloweeny recycling with Martha Stewart

2007-10-03T13:50:00.001-07:00

Create a new Halloween tradition by punching robotlike faces into cans. Add votive candles, and the heads come to life. Place in window, or stack as a centerpiece. Begin by cleaning empty coffee or soup cans and removing labels. Fill can with water, and freeze. Steady frozen can on a bag of rice, and punch holes with an awl and hammer. Defrost and dry. Paint exterior with oil-based enamel; if holes get blocked, poke with a toothpick.