Ordinary Days

Well today should be just an ordinary day.

Yesterday was suppose to be but some kind of bug showed up in my body. I think it left and went on its way.

Hopefully by tomorrow you will see some sketches show up on the blog.

I am hoping to at least get organized and figure out papers, than sketch or choose sketches.
Remember we will be doing 6 pages three 2 page spreads at this months class.

I hope your wait will be worth it.

Have Faith, faith in me, in you, in life.

So have you seen anything new in scrapbooking. Sketches, layouts, cards, some technique you want to try. I am going to give you until 11:59 pm NewYears Eve to post on here or leave a message on my home phone (not my cell), telling me an idea that excites you about scrapbooking. Come on I really need some NEW ideas. Every class member who replys will get a small prize.

New Years day is just around the corner also. So have you figured out your word for the New Year. I am still working on it.

JOY and PEACE are found in Believing.

You Just Don't Know What I Know

If you are dealing with frustration and beleive in GOD's Love and are searching for ways to handle that frustration, watch the Joyce Meyers show today.

The message today really hit home again for me and hopefully you will find a message for you in it.

I think I will watch this episode everyday until I can follow it completely.

deb

Class for January.

I am really sorry to do this but I need to change the January Childs play class to January 17.

My great neice is being christened on January 10 and I need to attend it.

If you can not make the 17, let me know.

Thanks
deb

Schedule

After today I have some free time I think.
So my plans are:

Monday take down tree
Tuesday and Wednesday I have the girls.
Wednesday night I have tax meeting.
Thursday, Friday Saturday and Sunday.
Nothing planned.

I know for sure I am going to crop on Saturday and Sunday.
Maybe on Friday also.
If you would like to join me please feel free to.
I really only have a few days left to get the pages done for class. Nothing designed yet. I really need to get some of my personal pages done.


If you are coming please let me know. Only for the purpose of setting up enough tables.

Prayers Please

Today we have a family get together involving all of the Lyle and Ebeling families. Please pray that everyone respects each other.

This is the first time that most of my children will be together in quite a few years.

We have a hall, so there should be enough room.
It is only for 4 hours.
All Bills siblings are suppose to be there. Hopefully the snow will not stop Bob from coming. Bill so enjoyed spending time with him on Thanksgiving.

I think everyone else is close enough that it should not be a problem.

This is the last celebration that we have planned.
I don't think we are doing the New Years thing.

Merry Christmas

Hope you are remembering to enjoy your time. It really only matters to you what is done and what isn't. The real joy comes from being with friends and family.

Merry Christmas!

Good News!

Grace is for everyone!

As we celebrate this holiday season, remember to love those who are being unloveable. Those who attack us need our love more and more. I think it is the hardest thing we are asked to do in our love walk. Pray and ask God to handle them, don't answer them until you ask from help from God. Be the example of how we should live.

My first instinct is to counter attack, but I know this is wrong. My attack never makes me feel better, only worse. So why do it.
Give it to God and ask and receive his Grace.

God loves everyone.
We should too.

Laws came through Moses, but life and grace came through Jesus Christ.

Celebrate Jesus' Birthday offering your love to everyone as you gather for this Holiday Season.

Merry & Bright!

Who have you blessed this season? Nope, not talking about your "obligations to give"

What have you given from your heart, your love walk. Is to the stranger on the street.
Did you put something in the red bucket, toys for tots, volunteer anywhere?

You can not have joy if you are selfish. You have to give. Sometimes it is hard we think so and so has so much more, it is so much easier for them. Not so. I know no one who are not extremely blessed and they have so much to give.

a.) we almost always have something that someone else needs....that is probably really easy for us to part with...whether it is our time, our talents, our knowledge, a possession.......and

b.) that when God whispers to you the needs of others......please listen. and

c.) God works things out in ways that are funny and amazing and show His capacity for finding solutions to ANY problem..perfect solutions where everyone comes out feeling great.

As we prepare to celebrate this glorious season take a few minutes to pray to ask for peace and blessings, to ask how you can help and who you should help. And then listen to Gods whispers and follow through.

Holidays

Can you beleive that Christmas eve is the day after tomorrow. How much do you have to get done yet?

Changes!

For change to occur in your life, it’s not only important that you stop being a prisoner of your circumstances. You also have to choose to become a prisoner of hope. This means being a person who cannot get away from hope. If you’ll do this, you’ll receive double of anything that’s taken away from you. That’s a promise from God.

Food for thought

Crisis Pregnancyby Kevin H. Grenier

"The angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child...'" (Luke 1:30-31a)

Imagine what it would be like to be a teenage girl who suddenly finds out she is pregnant. Although the people in her small town love her, people are people. Soon the young lady’s reputation is ruined as everyone gossips and speculates about who the father is. To make matters worse, her boyfriend decides that since he is not the father, he is going to break up with her.

So there she is, scorned, ridiculed and abandoned. All of this because Mary, the mother of Jesus, said, “I am the Lord’s servant,” when the angel appeared to her.

At first, Mary was able to visit her cousin, Elizabeth and avoid the negative attention in Nazareth. But when she was just over three months along, Mary had to return home. Of course, as the weeks went by it became more and more obvious that she was pregnant. Mary tried to explain what happened, but it comes as no surprise that no one believed her. The fact that she claimed God made her pregnant added to the scorn and ridicule she experienced.

Everyone in town, even her family members, must have been wondering what it was that sent her off the deep end. They also began to wonder about Joseph, too, when he decided to stay engaged to Mary. Was he as crazy as she was? Or was he really the father of the child?

After a few months, Joseph told Mary that they had to travel to Bethlehem. The Roman emperor required all men to go to their family’s home for the census. At first, getting out of town may have been a welcome relief. In place of the emotional struggles, though, came physical ones. Mary had to travel over sixty miles on rough paths and hills on the back of a donkey, lurching back and forth with each step – all this when she was at least eight months pregnant.

Finally in Bethlehem, Mary suffered the indignity of giving birth in an animal stall. She was inexperienced and far from home. None of her female friends and family members were there to help. Instead, Mary may have been assisted by Joseph or perhaps some of his distant relatives. There, in a barn, the ordeal of the past nine months came to an end with the birth of a baby boy!

As Mary looked into the face of this little baby, all the pain she had experienced may have melted away as a wave of deep, maternal love spread over her. A baby! What a joy to hold and cuddle this precious new life!
Perhaps, too, as she held her child, Mary also contemplated what it meant to give birth to the Son of God. But could she even begin to grasp the future that was stretching out before her? It would be an odd mixture of the typical and the heavenly. She would cook meals and care for her husband and child. She would also be visited by foreign dignitaries, hear stories from shepherds and avoid King Herod’s soldiers by fleeing to Egypt.

As the years progressed, there would be times of extraordinary joy, deep confusion and intense anguish. It would all be capped off with a resurrection – an event that probably filled Mary’s heart with great joy and wonder, but may have left her with even more questions about what in the world God was doing. The courage Mary showed before the Nativity would be needed time and time again throughout her life.

Sadly, we often lose sight of the courage of this young girl amidst the familiarity of the Christmas story. We forget all the struggles she faced and we fool ourselves into thinking that straw is a nice bed, not scratchy and uncomfortable. Mary was ridiculed, rejected, scorned and mistreated - and all of this came upon her after the angel proclaimed to her that she had found favor with God!

Mary’s experience reminds us that God’s favor does not equal our comfort. Rather, His favor results in glory. Her story also teaches us that we may be going through the most difficult time in our life and still be exactly in the center of God’s plan. The struggles we face do not mean that we have been abandoned by God or that He does not love us. God more often chooses to enable us to rise above our circumstances, not avoid them. Certainly, His love does not go away even in the midst of great difficulties.

A young peasant girl in Galilee endured shame and ridicule, was misunderstood by everyone around her, and experienced great physical discomfort. You and I experience the blessings that resulted from her faithfulness. No wonder Scripture presents Mary as a role model for us to follow.

This WeekThe secret to Mary’s success, and the secret to our success, is a deep trust in what God has said to us – even when circumstances scream in our ears the opposite message. So this Christmas, let’s draw hope and strength from the Nativity. Let’s marvel together at the great courage and faith of a young lady whom God favored with a difficult life on earth and eternal honor in heaven.

Prayer“Father, thank you that Mary chose servanthood over comfort and rebuke over reputation. Thank you for her example of self-sacrifice and obedience. Lord, I pray the you would grant me the grace to walk before you as nobly and faithfully as she did. May I, too, be found faithful to you regardless of the path you call me to walk. Amen.”

WOF again

Another inspiration from the WOF blog

Apparently, laughter is the one human activity that exercises the liver. I never knew the liver was in need of exercise, but just knowing laughter does for my liver what laughter does for my blood pressure causes me to dash about for daily humor with the well-being of my liver in mind. — Marilyn Meberg

Its funny that after only attending for 2 years, I can hear these readings in their voices. Guess they really did make impressions.

If you are in need of a cheap gift, Ollies has the small book and cd for Cinderella, from Steven Curtis Chapman, for 3.99. He gave his testimony and perfomed on Friday evening at the conference.
His story his heartbreaking, but they are one amazing family.
He is back for the conference next year and his wife joins in the conference also, but I think she is coming until the school year 2010-2011. I would love to hear her but I don't think she will be at Columbus.

How many of you are going this year?

Basket Ball

Wonder why there is so much violence today? It has to be girls Basketball: )
Wow what a rough sport.
I attended the AE vs Spencerville game last night. It was a good game, but of course the team I was cheering for lost. Only by a few but a loss.

Hopefully I will get to see many more games this year.

Women of Faith

Surfing the net, while listening to Joyce Meyer, came to the Women of Faith website. I clicked on the blog and reading the inspirtations of the day, it was just like being back at the conference and listening to the testimonies. This was todays.

When I understand that pain, loss, and difficulty have a purpose, a work to do within me, I can learn to see meaning in my suffering. — Patsy Clairmont (All Cracked Up)

I went back and read a few days. So nice to find things that help me understand why!


http://blogs.womenoffaith.com/

Do you have a bucket list?

What's on your bucket list? Have you shared it with your anyone
What are you doing to work thru it?
Have you checked off one item?two? How long have you had it.

If you don't have list of things you want to do in your lifetime, make one. Look over it everyday. Prioritize what is most important.
Write down the steps to accomplish one item on your list
Document how long it should take you to reach this goal.
Get to work!

See how easy it is?

What are you missing?

If you concentrate on what is wrong, or what is going on that you don't like, you miss so much of what is amazing.

How many of Gods blessings are you missing, by looking in the wrong direction.

It is so hard to see the light when we are walking in the wilderness. If we just listen we can find and follow our way out. Don't make it more difficult than it needs to be. Ask God to lead your through and follow his lead. Not your heart, your head, but Gods direction. Don't spend 40 years wandering when it is only an 11 day trip.

HELLO?

You are allowed to post. I know you all have something to say.
I know your words have worth.
Words are powerful. Have you thought of your word for 2010.
I think Ali Edwards (correct me if I am wrong) is the one who started the word for the year.
This is the info I had saved from last year(I changed the 2009 to 2010)

"Can you identify a single word that sums up what you want for yourself in 2010? It can be something tangible or intangible. It could be a thought or a feeling or an emotion. It can be singular or plural. The key is to find something that has personal meaning for you. This is not your mother's word or your spouse's word or your child's word - this is YOUR word.

One little word can have big meaning in your life if you allow yourself to be open to the possibilities. And here's one thing that is totally interesting: sometimes a word will pop into your brain and it will not make any sense to you right now. Give it some time. Let it percolate a bit. I have often found that our hearts speak to us in very unique ways. Maybe this is a word you need to hear but just aren't ready for it yet. Again, be open to the possibilities.

So think of YOUR WORD and post it.
deb

Move Move Move

Making progress, slept better last night, might be because I actually got up and did something yesterday.

Hope to accomplish something today.

What's on your plate? Are you doing anything?
What foods are you making for the season?
Any specialities you only make at the holidays?

Contest
Post a recipe, of a favorite holiday food, under this post and you will get a ticket for a door prize at club on Wed. (forgot to give it out at last months class).
Come on it only takes a minute to post. I know you guys are great cooks.
There is only three of you reading the blog so you have a great chance to win.



Oh by the way, I have had scrappers block for ages, can't design a thing. I think it is over. The ideas are going thru my head now, when I don't even have time to attempt to put them on paper. Hopefully they will still be there in January: }

One of those emails I hate, but food for thought.

The Wooden Bowl

I guarantee you will remember the tale of the Wooden Bowl tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now, a year from now. A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered The family ate together at the table.
But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. 'We must do something about father,' said the son. 'I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.'
So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.
When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.
The four-year-old watched it all in silence. One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, 'What are you making?'
Just as sweetly, the boy responded, 'Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up. ' The four-year-old smiled and went back to work. The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless.

Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family.. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

Not just the elderly but what examples are we setting for our children and grandchildren.

Club

Club Wednesday night.
I am baking a ham, and making a brocolli soup, each of you need to bring a finger food.
We will not be doing a project, no time for it with presents and gift exchange.

You will need to bring your little gifts, your gift exchange and a finger food.

We will start around normal time and eat about 7:30.

See you Wednesday.

Organizing

I have club at my house in a couple of days. It is a disaster. I have not really started my shopping, I have only baked one type of cookie, (and gave them away), I put up my tree but have no other decorations out (and am not sure I am going to). I bought things to make gifts and don't have them started. Yea! Merry Christmas.
So all of these thoughts this morning brought me back to I need to get organized. I need to organize my home, my life, my time, my health. Have really become addicted to tv and computer again. Need to get it together.

I don't have time or motivation to spend an entire morning or afternoon cleaning & dejunking, but I can spend 15 minutes here and there. I don't have to do an overwhelming project all at once. It can be dealt with 15 minutes at a time.My decluttering criteria is a mix of advice from the FlyLady, other organizational gurus, and my own particular needs. Here is my list to help me decide whether or not to keep something:
1) Do I really LOVE this item or does it make me happy?
2) Does this item bless or help my home in some way?
3) If I have more than one of this item, do I really need to keep it?
4) Do I use it at least occasionally?
5) If we're not using it now, and don't expect to use it anytime in the foreseeable future, would it be hard or expensive to replace if I honestly think we might need it or want it later?6) If I move, would it be more costly to move it or to replace it?7) If none of the above, WHY would I want to keep it? "Because I paid good money for it" is NOT a good reason to keep something!
So Clean it up!

So with all of this I kept the boys last night, they are so wonderful. I kept Taylor the other day and she is adorable. I see Lindsey everyday after school and get to spend time with her. Ethan and Ky started basketball practice so will get to go to their games soon.
So life is really great!
And will get to spend Wednesday with good friends.

Shopping

When did I begin to hate shopping. Well instead of buying presents I bought things to make presents, so now when do I find the time.
Not brite Uh?

Depression

Discouragement, New Beginnings, Disappointed, Reappointed, Let go of what lies behind, don't let it lead to Depression. Depression leads to despondency and that leads to despair.

Find the reason, the reason you are not getting things down, the reason you are not enjoying the season or your life. What keeps you from not accomplishing what you wish to. Some things take work, it is worth the work to find the reasons.

You must physically take care of yourselves, low blood sugar, stress, other deficiency can cause the problems.
Vitamin D is a large source missing right now, and especially in our area, iodine is also deficient.

Look at your diet, your physical activity, your sleep schedule. Take care of your self and work towards bettering all wakes of your life.
Celebrate the progress you do make.
Find Joy and Peace with in your self today.

Cold!!!

How are you handling the cold? Me not so well. So what are your positives to making the cold tolerable.
Give me some guidelines on enjoying the cold.
I need a little Christmas, if I have to put up with the cold at least give me a little snow to brighten the scenery.

What have you seen?

Do you have your camera in your purse. Are you really seeing?
Make sure you are looking as you go about your day. Don't forget to take photos of the not so important things as well as what you think is important today.

What do you want you kids to remember? or grandkids. Can you really explain how far the world as come and the difference we see today compared to yesterday.

Take photos of everyday things. Make sure you get a photo of a light bulb, Christmas lights around your house. Who knows, next year we might be required to only use lcd lights.
They are different.
I am thinking about cleaning out my videos. Take pictures of the tapes, and the cds. Do you have any albums left, take pictures of the 45s, 33s, tapes, cds, mpc players.
What about telephones. Flat screens tvs. Record the past thru photos.
Just thinking about changes today and where we have been and where we are going.
What changes are you remembering?

The Journey

Are you enjoying the journey, your path through life? Do you have PEACE?

If you are worried, upset, frustrated, angry, fearful, you can not be productive.

Stop allowing yourself to be controlled, it is a choice that you make. Someone else does not make you feel these ways, it is your choice.

During this time of joy and celebration, crave and pursue PEACE.

Be blessed today.
deb

Hope this link works,

This is so cute.

http://www.scrapbook.com
It didn't work but if you go to above and search for Christmas Kids 2009
it is a cute video.

http://www.scrapbook.com/videos/953.html

Hopefully I got it right.

A reminder

Found this question on Becky Higgins blog this morning.
Just a reminder of what we should be doing everyday.


What are you doing today that will uplift another person? Your child, your co-worker, spouse, father-in-law, neighbor. Think of someone. And do them a little bit of good.

She also has some digital page links for her kids albums down a few posts. They are worth looking at. She has a nice way of keeping up with her kids albums.

http://www.beckyhiggins.com/blog/

Trials and Tribulations

I know many of us have had some hard times recently. Dealing with life and all it has to bring.
Today Joyce Meyers has a good program on about dealing with trials.
She is on several times per day.
On my tv she is on channel 4, at 7:00 AM, 2:30 PM, and 6:30 PM.
She is also cable lifetime at 7:00 AM

I find her positve messages bring peace to my life when I am feeling blue.
Hope this helps.
deb

Class

Hope everyone had a good time at class, and you find more ways to use your stamps.
In January we will have our next class. We will be doing 6 pages, so plan for about 3 hours of class instead of the 2 hours. Our class will be on January 9,

Happy Thanksgiving!

Give thanks today for all of our blessings.

Childs Play for November

Class is coming up and we will once again, divide into 2 classes. We have 2 people coming at4.
I do not know when any of the others will be coming for sure. So it will be a first come basis. Whomever rsvps to let me know there preference gets the spots.

Those who come to the first class are welcome to stay but will need to move to the dining room during the second class.

We have one two page spread with a few small diecut pieces, if you have tools you like to use for them you will want to include them in your items brought. (glue, pickup tool, chalks, pens) You also have the choice of cutting out a title on the cricket or using rubons that I purchase for this page.

Our second set of pages will include stamping. I have a few examples for you to get ideas from, I also have all of the solos from CTMH. Those were what I thought of using for this page, but have sense found some nice stamps that work great, so it will be your choice. If you need specific stamp pad colors or stamps you will need to include them.

You also will need your temperary adhesive, chalks, your acrylic blocks and stamp cleaner or baby wipes.

See you Sunday.

Back to Turkeys

I just can't get over the price of turkeys this year. Someone help me come to terms with it.
Meijers were 1.79 up with the 8 or 14 dollars off. Aldis were 99. for frozen or 1.39 for fresh. Walmart doesn't have any for the price they advertised and is not sure they will get more in. I did buy my ham for Jon and Lauras, it was really a good price for a spiral sliced. I am willing to pay $1.29 for ham but not for turkey. Talk to me about your thoughts on ham and turkey and prices. Off to celebrate.

Cricut Expression

The larger cricut machine will be on sale at Walmart on Black Friday for $188. It comes with 2 cartridges, not sure which ones, but also comes in different colors. Great deal! Also they will have selected cartridges on sale for $30.00. Joanns has cartridges on sale on Saturday after BF for 28.88, also a great deal. My plans were to price match at walmart on sat but of course they will be sold out or low stock by then. Big Lots has a Cricut Create on sale for 99.00, that has all the advantages of the larger machine without the larger size.

Wal Mart

Of course I didn't go get turkeys yesterday, so today they were out. Hope they get some more in.

Turkeys

We like turkey. We eat turkey many times through out the year. So this time of year I try to stock up. I usually purchase two or three extras along with the couple I usually fix for the holiday.
We like to have lots of leftovers. Easy to freeze, use the bones for lots of stock. Great for soups during the holiday seasons.
I actually don't see many differences in brand names versus store brands when cooking turkeys. I have cooked many. The big difference in taste comes from the way we cook them.
Please don't ruin you turkey by using that 300 degree cooking for 16 hours. Turkey is much better if you preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Cook your turkey for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook for about 15 minutes per pound. Check the turkey with a meat thermometer. Recommended temperature is 165 degrees. That should be at the breast, the thigh should be about 175 or 180. Cook to a little less done than you want it and let it rest for about 15 or 20 minutes after removing it from the oven. So cooking the breast to a little over 160 degrees, let it rest and it should be up to 165 degrees when you carve it. Another test is to move the leg a bit does the joint move freely. Do not relie on that cute little red button. Also falling off the bone is not a good thing, it produces shoe leather: ).


Another tip for a better tasting roasted turkey is let it thaw. It needs to thawed completely.(Once I didn't thaw completely and was embarresed that the turkey wasn't cooked well when I tried to serve it to a group) It also should be let out on the counter for about an hour before starting to roast. Yes there is a problem with bacteria. That is if you have no common sense.
Don't set it out and forget it. Don't thaw outside the frig. If you need to thaw it quickly thaw in cold water in your sink and cover it with the water, switching water every few hours. It takes a bit of work and watching. That is the problem any time the government or anyone who we can sue (butterball) gives recommendations, they recommend on the side of caution. They assume we can't follow directions and a have no common sense. Laying a poultry on the counter and forgetting it for many hours will create problems. So don't do that. Use common sense.
Now for my gripe of the day. I hate having to purchase turkeys at money off. Why can't they just give me a price per pound. Turkeys through out the year average about a dollar per pound.
Of course with the holidays come on the price goes to the $1.29 price. Price would be about $25.oo, minus the 15. with a $25. purchase equals about $10.00, Walmart has them at .40 per pound or about $8.00 for the same bird.
Now of course the best is one that was free ranged but those go for $2.89 per pound.
So what is your pick.
What turkey do you like and how do you like to cook it.

apathetic

What is it with us today. How many of us have feelings. Do you feel joy, fear, anger, hurt. What are you feeling today.

In our society, if you have feelings, or show your feelings (and we or someone else doesn't want to deal with the feelings) we take a pill. Or we take pills everyday, so we don't have to control our feelings.

We give our kids meds so they can sit in school and do there work. We don't make them learn to discipline themselves.

We don't learn self descipline.

We have all became apathetic. It is really scary, you wonder who decided we no longer should have emotions or learn to control them.

Closer yet to becoming the Stepford Life.

Tis the Season!

Wow can you beleive that the holidays are just around the corner. I guess when I don't want to deal with something I ignore the dates. I can not beleive that our family has their first holiday celebration in less than a week.
I haven't bought the first present or even thought much about what I am doing for anyone.
Last year we were all excited about going on the cruise and I haven't even printed out a picture of any of the cruise.
But with all of that what are you giving to celebrate the season. Nope I don't mean gifts for family and friends.
I mean giving, giving back, helping someone in need. Doesn't have to be monitary, it can be time.
Isn't that the real reason for the season.
I know time and money is scarce, but aren't we all so blessed.
So even if only once a week, do RAK from now until the New Year.
Reap the joy of giving a random act of kindness. It doesn't have to be much, just something kind for your fellow man.

Conquering Clutter

All of you know I am the master of collecting. I collect kids, grandkids, toys, papers, photos, crafts (not many I haven't tried at least once). Once I collect them it is very difficult to weed them out, they all have importance to me, I convince my self that they contribute to my well being. NOT! I really do not want to remove my kids or grandkids (at least not most of the time) but all the collections of products need to be cut down. I have a basement that is the same size as my upstairs that you can't walk into, (it was totally cleaned out less than 10 years ago). When you have this much stuff it suffocates you. You can't cherish it, you can't even recall what or where the things that you do have.
I really wish I could have Clean Sweep come in and remove it, organize the things I really need, and simplify my life for me. Because I can't and it still needs done, this is a plan.

Schedule 15 minutes once a day, pick a spot and get to work. Set your timer, don't leave the area. Have 2 tubs, label the tubs, put away, throw away, spend 5 minutes loading the tubs.
Spend 2 minutes throwing the throw away stuff in bags and out to the garbage. NOT BY THE DOOR OUT! Spend the next 8 minutes putting the other stuff away. AWAY MEANS ITS PERMENANT HOME. Everything should have a home, if there is not room for it to have a home than something has to go.
Now we also have to tackle as we go on this journey the things that come into the house. First stop grocery shopping for 1 month ( you can stop and get dairy and produce). Use from the pantry, you really don't need those pretzels or chips. Next, anything that comes into the house, needs to be put away as it comes into the house. We live in a society that we can run to the grocery anytime and they almost always have the items on the shelf. We don't need to keep the running inventory of food that we use to need. It is available. CUT DOWN.
Thats it for today. Who wants to come organize the scrapbook room?

November Sketches

There really is only one November sketch. For the second stamped page I will show you how to use mats to mask so you do not have to use your cardstock just background page.

Updates

Sorry I have been missing again. Fighting head colds, sore throats and the like. Seem to get a little better and then crash again.

The next Childs Play class will be held on November 28, Sorry if this does not work out for anyone. There will be two classes an early class and a later class. Please let me know which one you will attend.

We will be doing a stamped page and will be using the SOLO stamps from CTMH. I have all of them and also the numbers so we are covered on those. If you would like to add words or smaller alphabets ect you may want to bring them along. You will also need to bring white cardstock. That is what we will be starting on.

Okay a little background on this technique. My thoughts were you could use your childs first initial as the main element in the stamped background page. Of course if you want to work outside of my box you could use a sport initial (V for Volleyball). Next you will need two other elements. Okay my thoughts were a flower if you are doing a page for a girl, and a star if you are doing the page for a boy. Your third element for this page would be your childs name spelled in small letters, or a word describing them spelled in small letters. Out of the box would be: V for your initial, a stamp of a volleyball for your second element, a word like dig for your third element.

Second decision is for your color scheme. A few suggestions is to choose one color and do a monochromatic on white, or use versamark and do it on colored background.
Use three colors on white. (childs favorite colors or yours)
Use school or sports team colors.

I know some of you do not have many stamps or stamp pads so only if there is something you are thinking of in specifics to use do you need to bring your stamp products with you.

You do need to bring an acrylic block of at least 4x4 to use with my solos, if you do not have one please call your favorite club frined and ask them to bring you one. Many of us have more than one.

Childs Play October

I have an extremely busy time this week. Tax Class, Mid term, Oriental Health-Second Session for Accupressure starts. All of these are lots of studying and it takes me much longer to retain things these days.

So with all of that I am posting the class pages early.

See you all at class.

HELLO!

Hey guys, are you still here, is anyone still reading.
Just a heads up, I am really sick today, going to huddle up and take lots of medicine so hopefully I will be better for tomorrow and Sunday.

I am working on getting the pages finished for this month. I have the sketches and ideas, but have not finished making up the pages or figuring out how I want to make them special.

So of course I don't know what supplies you will need to bring. Hopefully I will proceed enough that I can tell you tomorrow what you need to bring.

Cakes

Realized while talking to my grandkids, that just another way we have left them down is they do not know that homemade cake does not have to come from a box. Sure I usually use a box cake and my favorite brand happens to be Duncan Hinze. It is a perfectly good cake, you need to add water, eggs and oil mix it in the mix pour it in to pan and bake. Puts out a perfectly good cake.
Have used it for years, but now I am trying to figure what all the extra things are listed in the ingredients. Do I really need or want them.
Cake ingredients without the box consists of: Sugar, baking powder, flour, flavoring, milk, eggs, and oil. Wow what are the other 29 ingredients listed on the package.

Do you ever make a home made cake, or are you a box person.
What is your favorite recipe?
How do you feel about the chemicals we are putting into our bodies that preserve the shelf life of easy to prepare foods?

SOUP!

Had a nice evening the other night just chatting with some of my BFF. We covered many subjects but of course food came up. We reminisced about our comfort foods from when we were growing up and also those foods we use to fix when we had our growing families. Amazing how similar our mothers cooked. So for the contest for October class either post or bring a copy of two of your favorite comfort recipes, one from your growing up years, one from your early marriage years. If there is no recipe describe how you fixed it. I will try to post some of these as the months go by.

Now when the kids were all at home and we were running to sporting or school events every night our staple supper meal was soup. Now our soup at the time would be what Rachael Ray refers to as stoup. Something between a soup and a stew. It was easily prepared early in the day and could simmer on the stove until everyone had the time or was home from practice.

Normally our soup would be eaten the first night as thinner soup with a crusty bread or maybe with a sandwich. The second night you could add pasta or rice or mashed potatoes and have a totally new meal, the third night you could make one of those bisquick pies and use the small amount of what was leftover as the meat and vegetable part or maybe another type of casserole could be utilized. So there were 3 meals from one basic cooking. Forgot to say that the soup was normally started from the main meat form Sundays dinner. If you had a roast you had some kind of beef soup, roast chicken-chicken soup, turkey or turkey - breast turkey soup, so on and so forth. Of course in those days meat had bones and bones make good stock which is the beginning of any good soup. Next week maybe we will address soup stock or broth, the difference and how to make them.

One of our soups which didn't start from Sunday dinner was chili.

The favorite Lyle soup was always "Dad's" Chili Soup. The kids always raved when dad made chili, now don't tell them but dad only made it occasionally and we never told them that. So chili here is very simple. This is for the whole tribe. Chop one large onion. Saute it in the big silver pan with a little oil. Add 3 to 5 lbs hamburger (we prefer ground chuck), drain and keep drippings. Add 2 quarts vegetable juice. (if really broke this week and don't have any in the pantry tomato juice is okay.) Open and put in 6 cans red kidney beans and 6 cans chili beans.
Heat thru, adjust salt and add chili powder if not hot enough. Also if the soup didn't have enough beef taste add back some of the drippings. Now the first day this would be fairly thin, the second day we would eat it over spaghetti. The third or fourth day it would go into a casserole with macaroni, corn, and cheese. See how easy. The kids never got tired of it.

So another recipe contest what is your family's favorite soup?

Octobers contest, One ticket for each recipe soup or comfort food.

PSA

Public Service Announcement!
Please watch your kids and grandkids, even tho for most the H1N1 is mild it is hitting our area now. Young adults are still the most likely to become very sick, and the deaths for the under 18 crowd are rising significantly.

Usually around 80 children die from the seasonal flu each year, there is 76 this year from H1N1, 18 of those children have passed away in the last week. (Since October 3)

That is an unusual rise in statistics.

If you have flu symptoms, start to feel better and than take a turn for the worse seek medical help immediately.
If you have trouble breathing DO NOT DELAY SEEKING TREATMENT!

October Sketches

Here are our sketches this month.

Have fun with them.

VolleyBall

Okay I know many of you have been following this sport for many years. Many of you love it. I have attended a few games in the pass, but didn't really get into the rules and regulations or even into the game. Being a very nonathletic person who hated the thought of any sweat on my person I never put the effort into learning any games that required physical exertion. So now at my late age I am trying to learn a little about this game. Of course can you tell one of the grand kids is playing. So any input would be great!

So okay is it 3 games to a match or 3 matches to a game? Here are the definitions

Match
a.
a game or contest in which two or more contestants or teams oppose each other: a soccer match.
b.
a contest consisting of a specific number of sets: a tennis match.
game
3.
a competitive activity involving skill, chance, or endurance on the part of two or more persons who play according to a set of rules, usually for their own amusement or for that of spectators.
4.
a single occasion of such an activity, or a definite portion of one: the final game of the season; a rubber of three games at bridge.

Is it okay for a serve to hit the net in all phases? ( As long as it lands on the opponents side)

Where (what age group) does the libero come into effect?

Can a team hit the ball only 3 times?
Thanks for the input

September Pages

Sorry it took so long to get these pages up, I do think everyone finished their pages.

Look for the sketches for next month soon.

deb

Octobers Class

In October we will be doing a Halloween Page, you have your choice of 2 titles, Fright Nite or Trick or Treat, I know many of you have elementary instead of high school kids, remember even tho high school kids don't go begging they usually do the haunted houses or fields.
The other page will be a school color page again, we will be focusing on a fall sports. So if your child plays a fall sport or event that would be the title, it could also be Sadies. So think about what you want and we will record them at this months class.

Crops

There is a crop in November in Findlay that sounds interesting.
Pam has the flyers for it and will hand them out at Club. But basic details are:

November 14,
9am-9pm
Gold Medal Gym
$25.00 if paid by September 39, $30, AFTER
Cost include, table, lunch, dinner, snacks & drinks. Portion of profits will benifit gold medal gym.

Kids Games

How as grandparents did we get so busy. Games today are soccer, two volleyballs, keeping Taylor overnight. Tomorrow, games at 1:30 one at Bath, one at Perry. Was planning on cropping at the church, but plans got changed, I will get back there again.
deb

Philosphys

Read this a while ago and just came across it again. Thought you might like it.

Mayonnaise Jar & Two Beers...
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 Beers.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.' The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.. The students laughed.. '

Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things---your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else---the small stuff. 'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.

The same goes for life.
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents.
Visit with grandparents.
Take your spouse out to dinner.
Play another 18.
There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.
Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities.
The rest is just sand.
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented. The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you asked.'
The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of Beers with a friend.

September Sketches

Here are our sketches for September. The contest will again be for you to interpret the sketches as your own pages. Hopefully I have given you enough time to work on these.

September

The pages for September are designed, the first set the kits are made, just need to work on the directions for it and make the kits for the second set.
I hope to have the sketches up today or tomorrow.
Since life is setteling in to fall hope more of you will have time to create your own pages with the sketches.

Is anyone here?

Well got no response from the last post! So what is everyone doing, I got one of the pages down for class, the kits are put together. Directions are not done yet, had too much company yesterday including the boys and Taylor. Lindsay was here early but she isn't a problem with me working on things but the three little ones are my they are busy. Need to work on the other page this weekend.

Today!

What did you do yesterday? What are you going to do today! Have heard so much resently that we can't accomplish much or what we use to be able to do. Most of us don't work or at least not full time so what is the problem.

To earn one ticket for the door prise this month, do something today. Go do "something" for 15 minutes and report back on here what you did.
Some suggestions:

Clean out the junk drawer, mop the kitchen floor, straighten up the towel shelf, clean out the fridge, straighten the pantry. Set your timer for 15 minutes, only work on it for 15 minutes.
Report back here.
Have fun!

deb

Third

Second set

Class

Had a great time at the class tonight.

Here are the pages.

Childs Play-Senior Album

Senior album class is this Sunday at 2:00,

These are some of the items we will be using, remember if you don’t have them do not go out and buy them.

Pencil
Gold, yellow or green glitter pen or stickles
Xyron
Popdots
Gluedots
Craft stick(popsicle stick)
Small Foam pad for bending metal
Stapler colored staples
Stamp pads CTMH Topiary, Star-spangled glue
You will also need your 6 white 12x12 cardstocks.
Remember this month we have switched to only half of us bringing snack items, so this month it is the last half of the alphabet
I will be making a summer vegetable soup.
See you Sunday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Dear Connie & Sylvia! Happy Birthday to you!

Class Kits

Look thru magazines and internet for inspiration. 2 to 3 hours
Decide on sketch, either one I have or make one. 1/2 hour
Decide title
Choose patterned paper 1/2 hour to 3 hours
Choose cardstock to match patterned paper 1/2 hour to 3 hours
Figure costs to see if there is moneys to add embellishments.
Choose embellishments can take two days.

Make sample page 1 hour

Write out measurements and cutting diagrams, decide if I cut 2 to 4 hours per layout or if they cut (1/2 hour of writing instructions and proofing them)
Cut out letters from cricut for titles
Design background papers on computer
Play around with circles and cut them
Stamp until it works
The above can take all month
Stack in individual stacks for each student, and then place in bags.
Write instructions to tell or give to students. at least 1 hour.

Decide layout needs something else and add but forget to put it into some of the bags.


So this is a rough draft of how I do page kits for classes.

Class Preparation

I know some of you have preparing kits down to a science but I was asked how I do kits.
Well there is a big difference in how I do class kits and how I do personal kits to work on at a crop. I will first explain my personal kits and in a few days I will tell you how I do class kits.
I do the personal crops kits, so I don't have to carry everything I own, and I accomplish a lot more if I have kits organized.

Personal Crop Kits

1. Print photos that I want to use.
2. Organize photos in stacks that I think will work as 1 or 2 pages.
3. Decide if I will use a sketch or wing it, pick out a sketch if useing.
4. Take one stack and decide color scheme or theme.
5. Choose 2 or 3, 12X12 cardstock colors to go with photos.
6. Choose 1 or 2, 12X12 patterned paper to go with photos.
7. Choose what type title I want, pick out lettering, (computer type, rubons, stickers, stamps or
cricut)
8. Choose any other embellishments I want to use, brads, buttons, ribbon, fiber, flowers, stars,
ect.
9. Place all papers in a 2 gallon bag
10. Place photos in a quart size bag
11. Place all extras in a snack bag.
12. Place all in a memory makers portfolio.
13. Sometimes I do the journaling on the computer before the crop but more often I will do it
when I get home.
14. Enjoy the crop stress free. LOL :>)

Computers

I know many of you are having problems with your computers. A computer is just like most of our appliances we have in our households.
You have to tell a computer what to do. Just like you tell your microwave to warm your water for tea or coffee, you must tell the computer you want to get on the internet, make a title or whatever you want it to do. You need to learn how to tell the computer what to do. Then you must practice tell it what to do. You also need to do maintance on your computer. Would you use a toaster that hadn't been cleaned out for two years. Not doing maintance can cause problems, here again you need to LEARN this. It is a little different language but it is not impossible.
The problems arrive when someone else tells your computer what to do and you don't know about it(virus or spy) or you do know (programs you have downloaded) and don't take the time to learn what it did or how to use that program. Programs are just another way we tell our computers what we want them to do.
A computer is a machine.
Email is a program. This program can be on you machine Outlook, Outlook express or Windows Mail. Or it can be an internet emial program, Yes the internet has different programs. Yahoo mail, GMail, ect.
World Wide Web is a world where you can visit others homes or business.Internet is the highways you use to get to those places you want to visit.Internet explorer is the toll booth that allows you access to the highways.
A couple of the things we need to consider is what programs we like to use, a few of my go to programs are Micrographx Draw, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Publisher.
The reason I am going over this information with you is I am offering a computer class at my house starting in September. It will be a free class but I will need commitment from people about coming. It will be a 2 week class and you will need to bring a laptop with you. If you are really interested in learning this but don't have a laptop please contact me.
The other thing you need to do is make sure that you laptop is workable. That means you must do maintance. You need to know what programs you have on it. You need to know how to turn the damn thing on. I am not trying to be mean but you have invested alot of money into this machine and you need to learn to use it, not depend on others to do it for you. Let me know if you are interested. The first class will be installing programs and knowing what your comptuer is.
deb

August's Sketches

Here are the sketches for August's Childs Play class. We will have 2 contests this month. Remember the first contest is for posting on the blog, one ticket for each post in a drawing. The second contest is for interpreting the sketches. Make a two page spread from any or all of the sketches.( Sorry must be finished before arriving at class.), use a technique you think would be neat for the others to learn. Receive a ticket in a drawing. The sketches contest makes everyone a winner, you get pages finished.

Happy Scrapping

deb

UPDATE

I am going to have to change the Senior Album Class to August 30, 2:00 If this going to be a problem for you please let me know so we can make other arrangements. We will be doing 3 two page spreads, (6 total pages) you will need 6 white cardstocks. Please plan on being here for an extra hour since we will be adding the other July pages. A few of you did not pay a head for the July pages, so you will owe for July and August. I had also asked that you pay one month ahead so you would need Septembers also. Please check your cards and place your payments and mark your cards.

The pages I am excited about we will be doing a school/sport page, a monogram page and my hero page or our star.
Hope to see you then.
deb

Home

I am home, vacations are over for the year. It is time to get back into the swing of things.
I will be finishing up the next group of pages and starting to design the pages for September.
Hopefully I will be posting more consistently.
Please let me know if there our any techniques or types of pages you would like to see.
At this point the class will be held on August 23, promptly at 2:00 PM. We will be doing 6 pages (3 two page spreads). So plan on a little extra time. I will get the sketches posted sometime this week. If you have not heard Marilyn has broken her arm and will need help with her pages being completed this month.

Homemakers Camp

I know some of you have been hankering for a weekend retreat for scrapbooking. You need to check out the Craft and Leisure Camp held at Widewater Retreat, the second weekend in August. There is much more than scrapbooking but if if you want scrapbooking only it is here also. We have 4 scrapbookers and 1 cardmaker here this year. Now not that there aren't many more but most of us participate in many of the offerings. The scrapbookers have a table of there own in a seperate room from the dining hall. Cost this year was 110 for Friday at 2 until Sunday morning. All meals included, bring snack foods and twin size bedding. Sleep is in a dorm room of 7. You can come on Thursday, cost is a little more, not sure what tho, you would get breakfast and lunch on Friday if you sign up for Thursday also.
I choose to skip Thursday this year, but have already made a Twisted Paper Angel, a felted candle mat, a sticks game. I will be doing the basket today. There are several other craft items offered today. Last nights supper was Ham, Scalloped Potatoes, Green Bean Medley, Rolls, Tossed Salad, Jello Cake, Cookies.
Missing those of you who couldn't make it, hoping some of the rest of you check it out for next year.
deb

Food in the area!

Tried two new restaurants this week. Seasons Sushi and Buffet. Not worth the time or money even though resonably priced Sushi was terrible and buffet was mediocre.

Carolina Grill was slow service but very good food. Service was good but slow, reminded me or my time in the south the last few weeks. Food was excellent, the ribs did have a toothy bite to them, did not fall off the bones, like us northerners are use to, but flavor was good on everything that was tried. Prices were good. 5.99 for a sandwich, 9.99 for a pulled pork meal, 14.00 for a half rack of ribs and half a chicken. Will eat here again.

Scrapbooking!

Got my last issue of Memory Makers in the mail yesterday.
Also heard that CHA had less than 200 vendors, with many of the major manufactures not showing at this show. Thats real scary for the industry. In the past their have been approx 15oo vendors. The consumer show on the 2 days following the industry show was booming.
So we still have scrapbookers, but we have many fewer people to purchase from, scrapbook stores are dropping like flies, (and have been for several years), publications are folding, and now we have the big guys and little guys, not doing much. Look for less and less things to buy. I know we all say we could scrapbook for years without purchasing anything new, but do we want to?
How many of you crossstitched in the past. Remember the Crosstitch store, how little is available today. Look for this in the next few years. What have you heard about the industry?
What are your thoughts in where we are going?
Remember August contest is still on posting to the blog!

Vacation

Florida is over for the year and we had two very different vacations. The first week in Florida was wonderfully relaxing, hot humid and the gulf water warm and enjoyable.
The second week was a wirlwind of wonder, people, walking, attractions, food, fun, and a magical time with the girls. But I am home for a few days. This weekend I get to spend at homemakers camp, it will be a nice fellowship with woman from all over the area. Then it will be back to the grind. I have not worked on pages for Childs Play yet for August but will get back to next week.
Let me know how your summer has been.

Here's a list of stuff you can do with vinegar to clean
1.To shine chrome sink fixtures that have a lime buildup, use a paste made of 2 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar.
2 Make your own scouring cleanser by combining 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 tablespoon liquid detergent. Add just enough white distilled vinegar to give it a thick but creamy texture.
3.Clean counter tops and make them smell sweet again with a cloth soaked in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
4.Clean and deodorize a drain by pouring in 1 cup baking soda, then one cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let this sit for 5 minutes or so then run hot water down the drain.
5.Deodorize the garbage disposal by pouring in 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes then run hot water down the disposal.
Deodorize and clean the garbage disposal with white distilled vinegar ice cubes. Make them by freezing full-strength white distilled vinegar in an ice cube tray. Run several cubes down the disposal while flushing with cold water.
Clean the microwave by mixing 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Baked-on food will be loosened, and odors will disappear. Wipe clean.
Clean the shelves and walls of the refrigerator with a half-and-half solution of water and white distilled vinegar.
Cut the grime on the top of the refrigerator with a paper towel or cloth and full-strength white distilled vinegar.
Avoid the bad smell when you heat up a newly cleaned oven by using a sponge soaked in diluted white distilled vinegar for the final rinse.
To clean a grease splattered oven door window, saturate it with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Keep the door open for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping with a sponge.
Remove soap buildup and odors from the dishwasher by pouring a cup of white distilled vinegar inside the empty machine and running it through a whole cycle.
Do monthly. To prevent good glassware from getting etched by minerals, wash then spray with full-strength white distilled vinegar.
Give the glasses a hot water rinse before letting them dry or drying them with a towel. For cloudy glassware, soak paper towels or a cloth in full-strength white distilled vinegar and wrap around the inside and outside of the glass. Let sit awhile before rinsing clean.
Get rid of lime deposits in a tea kettle by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the water and letting it sit overnight. If more drastic action is needed, boil full-strength white distilled vinegar in the kettle a few minutes, let cool and rinse with plain water.
Remove mineral deposits from coffee makers with white distilled vinegar. Fill the water reservoir with 1 cup or more of white distilled vinegar and run it through a whole cycle. Run it once or twice more with plain water to rinse clean. (Check the owners’ manual first.) Remove stains from coffee and teacups by scrubbing them gently with equal parts of salt (or baking soda) and white distilled vinegar. Rinse clean.
For stained and smelly plastic food containers, wipe them with a cloth dampened with white distilled vinegar.
Remove odors from a lunch box by placing inside a slice of bread that has been soaked in white distilled vinegar. Leave overnight.
Remove ugly film in narrow-necked glass jars, flower vases, and bottles by letting undiluted white distilled vinegar sit in them for a few hours. Add a little rice or sand and shake vigorously to loosen stubborn stains. Repeat if necessary.
To clean tarnished brass, copper, and pewter, use a paste with equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and table salt.
Make a metal cleanser by adding enough white distilled vinegar to 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar to make a paste. Rub it on and let it dry on the surface. Wash it off and dry with a soft cloth.
Polish brass and copper with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of ketchup and 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar. Rub it on with a clean cloth until dry and shiny. Remove dark stains on an aluminum pot by boiling a mixture of 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 1 cup hot water. Discourage ants by spraying undiluted white distilled vinegar outside doorways and windowsills, around appliances and wherever you find the pests coming in.
Get rid of fruit flies by setting out a small dish of undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Clean the wheel of a can opener using white distilled vinegar and an old toothbrush.
Remove the smell of spoiled food from a refrigerator by first rinsing the area with soap and water. Spray surfaces with full-strength white distilled vinegar and wipe them down with a damp cloth or sponge. Fill some containers with baking soda and place inside. Close the door and leave for a few days.
Wipe grease off exhaust fan grids, the inside of your oven, or anywhere grease gathers with a sponge soaked in white distilled vinegar.
To make cleaning the grill easier, spray a solution of half water and half white distilled vinegar on the cooking surface.
To remove a label, decal, or price tag, cover with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar. Leave the cloth on overnight and the label should slide off.
Renew sponges and dishrags by placing them in just enough water to cover them. Then add 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar. Let them soak overnight.
Get rid of calcium deposits on faucets by soaking a cloth or paper towel in white distilled vinegar and wrapping the area tightly. Let this sit for a couple of hours or overnight.
Remove soap buildup from faucets by scrubbing them with a solution of 1 part salt to 4 parts white distilled vinegar.
Rid a faucet of lime deposits by tying a plastic bag containing 1/2 to 1/3 cup of white distilled vinegar around it and leaving it there for two or three hours. If mineral deposits don’t wipe off, scrubbing with an old toothbrush should complete the job.
Shine colored porcelain sinks by scouring them with undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Rinse away soapy film on countertops with a solution of white distilled vinegar and water.
Clean grout by letting full-strength white distilled vinegar sit on it for a few minutes and scrubbing it with an old toothbrush.
Kill germs all around the bathroom with a spray of full-strength white distilled vinegar. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
To remove grime, mildew, and scum from the tub, tile, shower curtain or door, wipe with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rinse with water.
Spray shower doors with full-strength white distilled vinegar after you’ve squeegeed the glass, or before you step in and turn on the water. It will help release the hard water deposits so they don’t remain on the glass. Mix up an inexpensive tile cleaner by adding 1/2 cup baking soda, 1 cup white distilled vinegar, and 1 cup ammonia to a gallon of warm water.
Get rid of stubborn bathtub film by wiping it with white distilled vinegar and then scouring with baking soda. Soak a sponge or loofah overnight in a strong white distilled vinegar and water solution to remove dirt and slime. Rinse several times with cold water and let air dry (in the sun if possible).
Clean shower door tracks by filling them with white distilled vinegar and letting it sit for a few hours. Pour hot water into the tracks and wash and scrub away the scum with a toothbrush.
To clean a scummy showerhead, pour 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup white distilled vinegar into a sandwich bag and tie it around the showerhead. Let this set for an hour after the bubbling has stopped. Remove the bag and then turn on the water.
Deodorize the toilet bowl by allowing 3 cups white distilled vinegar to sit in it for about a half hour before flushing.
To make the toilet bowl sparkle, pour in a cup or more of diluted white distilled vinegar and let it sit several hours or overnight. Scrub well with the toilet brush and flush.
Freshen air in the bathroom by spraying into the air a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar, and 1 cup water.
Get a shining finish on a no-wax vinyl or linoleum floor by cleaning it with a solution of one cup white distilled vinegar for every gallon of water. Apply full-strength white distilled vinegar directly to tough linoleum stains. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping it up. If that doesn’t work, apply white distilled vinegar again and then sprinkle some baking soda over the white distilled vinegar. Scrub the area with a brush or sponge. Rinse clean with water.
For an economical and environmentally friendly floor cleaner, mix a solution of 3 drops dishwashing liquid to 1/3 part white distilled vinegar, 1/3 part alcohol, and 1/3 part water. Spray sparingly and mop for a fast clean-up.
Some carpet stains can be removed with a paste of 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and 1/4 cup salt or baking soda. Rub into the carpet stain and let dry. Vacuum up the residue the next day. (Always test on an out-of-sight part of the carpet first). Bring out the color in carpet by brushing it with a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar for every gallon of water. (Always test on an out-of-sight part of the carpet beforehand).
To reduce soap bubbles in a steam cleaner add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar. Use the same amount in the rinse water to remove detergent residue and make carpets stay fresh longer.
Wash indoor/outdoor carpet with a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar in 1 bucket of warm water. Scrub using a brush or a broom and then hose off.
Clean up pet accidents by first blotting up the area and then adding a white distilled vinegar-and-water solution. Blot until it is almost dry. Then sprinkle baking soda over the area and let it dry. Vacuum up the residue the next day.
Create your own window cleaning solution by combining 1/2 cup non-sudsy ammonia, 1 cup white distilled vinegar, and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a gallon of water.
Remove the wax residue left by commercial window cleaners with a solution of 2 cups water, 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap or detergent.
To remove paint from windows try using undiluted, hot white distilled vinegar. Give the solution time to soften the paint before removing with a razor edge tool.
To remove paint splatters from windows apply full-strength white distilled vinegar with a clean paintbrush.
Get rid of mildew, dust, and stale odors by wiping down walls with undiluted white distilled vinegar on a cloth or a sponge mop.
Clean woodwork and walls with a mixture of 1 cup white distilled vinegar, 1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup ammonia and 1 gallon warm water. Wipe on with a sponge or damp—not wet—towel. Clean wood paneling with a solution of 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar, and 2 cups warm water. Wipe on with a soft cloth. Remove wallpaper easily by using a paint roller to wet the surface very thoroughly with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and hot water. Or spray on until saturated. Get decals off walls or doors by letting undiluted white distilled vinegar soak into them for several minutes before trying to peel them off. Repeat if necessary. Remove white water rings from wood with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and vegetable oil. Rub with the grain. Remove fireplace soot and grime with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Use a brush to scrub and a towel to blot up the wetness and dirt.
Clean fireplace glass doors with a solution of 1 part white distilled vinegar to 2 parts water. Spray or wipe on, then wipe clean with a dry cloth.
To kill germs, spray full-strength white distilled vinegar on doorknobs and then wipe them dry. Remove the smell of a dead mouse or other rodent (after removing all animal remnants) by wiping down the area with either white distilled vinegar or bleach. Then place a fabric softener sheet in the area to remove any lingering odors.
Never use white distilled vinegar on marble. The acid can damage the surface.
Before painting old concrete, clean with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Let it air dry.
Clean hardened paint brushes by simmering them in a pot with white distilled vinegar. Soak them first for an hour before bringing the white distilled vinegar to a simmer. Drain and rinse clean.
Remove mud and stains from plastic, fiberglass, or aluminum sports equipment by applying a paste of 1 part white distilled vinegar to 3 parts baking soda.
Wipe off with soapy water and rinse with clear water.
Clean your grill by spritzing white distilled vinegar over wadded up aluminum foil and scrubbing the grill vigorously with it.
To remove film in glass baby bottles, fill with equal parts hot water and white distilled vinegar. Let sit for at least an hour. Scrub with a bottle brush. To clean and disinfect baby toys add a good-sized splash of white distilled vinegar to soapy water. Clean vinyl baby books or board books by wiping with white distilled vinegar.
Wipe clean with a damp sponge or cloth. Clean scissors that have become sticky (after cutting tape, for instance) with a cloth dipped in undiluted white distilled vinegar. Clean and deodorize urine on a mattress with a white distilled vinegar and water solution. Then sprinkle the area with baking soda and let dry.
Brush or vacuum the residue after it is dry to the touch. Shine pennies by soaking them for a couple of hours or overnight in a glass or bowl of undiluted white distilled vinegar.

CK Media (Creating Keepsakes Mag) sold

Well this is the latest gossip.
Like I told you I had heard that CK was in trouble, now I wonder what the bottom line will be, How much will the magazine change and how long will it survive, hopefully they will bring it around and maybe add back a couple that the others took away. Of course they choose to stop publishing Memory Makers, so this could be a great beginning or the end.
deb


Sources are telling Scrapbook Update that CK Media has found a buyer for the floundering company – and that one of their first actions at the company was to order a mass layoff.
CK Media, the parent company of Creating Keepsakes and PaperCrafts magazines, was formed in June 2006 when Sandler Capital Management purchased the crafts group of publications from Primedia.
CK Media has now been purchased from Sandler Capital by a company called New Track Media LLC, which is a Cambridge, MA-based publishing company that is part of the portfolio of private equity company Boston Ventures. New Track Media’s other publications include American Woodworker, Woodwork Magazine, Love of Quilting, and Sky & Telescope. In addition, the company owns the quilting properties Keepsake Quilting, QNNtv, and Quilter’s Club of America. (Besides its scrapbooking magazines, CK Media has an extensive portfolio of sewing and quilting magazines.)
New Track Media has previous connections to the scrapbook publishing industry. It was founded in 2006 by Stephen J. Kent, the former president and CEO of F+W Publishing, the parent company of Memory Makers Magazine. Kent is now the CEO of New Track Media, and has brought many former F+W executives into New Track’s upper management.
As part of the transition to New Track Media control over CK Media, layoffs were handed out today to a large number of CK Media employees. Included in the cuts were Will Marks (CEO), Rich Hybner (CFO), Dave ONeill (VP/Group Publisher), Lin Sorenson (VP/Editorial Director), Brian Tippetts (Creating Keepsakes Editor-In-Chief), Stace Hasigawa (PaperCrafts Art Director), and Ana Cabrera (CK Social Media Manager), plus a large portion of the finance department, and the entire production teams in the company’s Golden & Bluffdale, Utah offices.

Contest

Well messed up again. Sorry!
August contest is for posting on the blog.
You get one ticket for each posts on this blog.
I also need ideas of things you would like more info on. I can post them on the blog and then show them at the class or feature them on pages. So what would you like to learn.
Septembers contest will have to do with sketches again.
deb

Sorry about the NSBR post and Random info

Didn't think that the last post was not scrapbook related.
Now a little update.
Random Musings for today.

For some reason I cannot get my card readers to work on my laptop. So I have been unable to download the photos of the pages that were entered in the contest. I will get this done sometime before the next class:).
Look for the Sketches for next months class to be posted by the end of the first week of July.
Please think about doing pages with your view of the sketches. I have not decided what the contest will be for August but you will be a winner by doing the sketches. YOU WILL HAVE FINISHED PAGES!
I will announce the contest the first week in July when the sketches are released.
Don't forget to figure out your childs favorite color or colors and bring a 12x12 cardstock of that to class this month.
August Soup will be a summer vegetable.
I am going to assign people to bring snack items, and will post that closer to time of class.

Real Age

If you haven't checked out the Real Age homepage, check it out.

http://www.realage.com/homepage.aspx

It has lots of information that we need to get and stay healthy.
Lots of videos.

deb

Simple Scrapbooks

We talked at class about some of the scrapbook companies that are going defunct. Simple Scrapbooks is no longer publishing and I think is a great loss to the scrapbook community.
Some of you asked how I know this things, well I did subscribe to Simple Scrapbooks and also to Digital Scrapbooking (also no longer being published), but if you read any of the Scrapbook Communites bulletin boards it is being discussed everywhere. How much we are losing and whose fault is it.
Two peas in a bucket (general scrapbooking) message board is a great place to get information.
There again you have to use common sense and not beleive everything you read.
Now the real reason for my post, I know several of you love Becky Higgins and Simple Scrapbooks, and many of the employees of Simple Scrapbooks have started a web site. I thought you might like to check out. So that is the reason for this post, to give you the URL to check out this site
Lots of words for such a simple task. Check out:

http://www.writeclickscrapbook.com/

Hope you find it worth it.

Great Food and Recipes

Well we had some great food at the class. Here are a few of the recipes.
Feel free to add recipes or send to me and we will add them to the blog.

Strawberry Salsa

Ingredients:
3 cups cut up strawberries
1/2 chopped onion
1/2 c chopped red, yellow, green pepper
2 chopped jaliopeno
Stir together

1 T olive oil
1 T fresh lime juice
3 T balsamic vinegar
1 t. sugar
Mix and add to fruit.
Refrigerate

Pitas Bread

Melt 6 T butter and spread over 2 packages pita breads. Sprinkle with garlic powder and salt. Cut into half and then cut each half into thirds.
Bake at 400 for 8 minutes.

Frozen Fruit Slush

1 1/2 cup sugar
3 cups water
1 12oz frozen orange juice, thawed
1 46oz can crushed pineapple
5 to 7 bananas
1 jar marchino cherries

Add fresh strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries

Boil sugar and water together until dissolved. Cool.
Mix all together and freeze. Remove from freezer 2 hours before serving.

Archivers

This are the pages I did from a kit from Archivers. I love this layout and think it could be used for so many different pages. I will be adding pages from the contest soon.