Monday, January 30, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
HERBAL BATH BAG
Sew a facecoth into a bathbag. Fold it in half, sew along the short end. Cut a piece of ribbon 18", fold in half and sew the folded end of the ribbon in the long side, two thirds of the way up as you sew. Use the ribbon to tie the bag closed. You can add oatmeal, baking soda or powdered milk to your mix. Mix: 2 T dried lavender 2 T dried rose petals 2 T dried rosemary 2 T dried lemon verbena 1 cup dried cormeal Tie the ends of the bag, hang over the running faucet to fill a bath. Can be used for a few baths. Write the recipe on a card and tie it to the bag for gifts. Another Mix: 1 cup powdered milk 10 drops essential oil
Sunday, January 15, 2012
I PROMISE TO NEVER, EVER COMPLAIN ABOUT THE NOISE OUR SMOKE ALARM MAKES AGAIN.....NEVER, EVER!
We have a smoke alarm right off of my kitchen that goes off if I boil water! The noise is horrible and it takes a lot of fanning and opening doors to the outside to get it to shut up. We keep a feather duster close, to fan away the smoke and steam so the alarm will stop screaming at us. When using the stove (which is clean, by the way) I have to run the exaust fan to prevent the alarm from reacting.
Today, we were two rooms away in our office, with the door shut to keep the room warm, and we heard BEEP....BEEP....BEEP. We looked at each other for a second, got up and RAN to the dining room.....when there was a fire.
I had made a grunge candle last night. (You take a candle, roll it in melted wax and then in spices and crushed potpourri. Then, you roll it in wax again, to seal the spices in.)
My husband lit the candle this morning. He lights candles every morning, but it's usually a jar candle.
We had issues with our printer and went into the office to chat with Kodak, when we heard the warning.
When we arrived in the dining room, there was a circle of fire on the tabletop....about 12" round. I had a cotton quilted tablecloth on it and it was burning, as was the edges of two $20.00 bills. The candle had melted a lot, taking with the wax, a layer of spices and potpourri. The candleholder was like a cup with a small indention for the candle. The cup had filled up and when it spilled over the sides, it was so hot that the wax was burning and caught the tablecloth on fire. . The candle was still 6" tall. I don't know if it was the wax, or the mixture I made, but I will never burn anything but a jar candle again.
We grabbed things off of the table, removed the burned cloth and our oak table was burned.
I am still shaking. I don't mean to sound dramatic....but it's the what if's that are going through my head. The straps of my purse...a cotton, quilted Vera Bradley type, was one inch from the circle of flames. A kerosene lamp was on the table. What if the fire had been out of control by the time we heard the beep?
The statement IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE is definitely in the front of our minds and we have repeated it to each other several times. I hope God isn't getting tired of me saying "Thank You God", because it is my mantra, at the moment.
I PROMISE BEFORE GOD AND ALL MANKIND....TO NEVER, EVER COMPLAIN ABOUT THE NOISE THAT COMES FROM OUR FIRE ALARM....EVER.
Today, we were two rooms away in our office, with the door shut to keep the room warm, and we heard BEEP....BEEP....BEEP. We looked at each other for a second, got up and RAN to the dining room.....when there was a fire.
I had made a grunge candle last night. (You take a candle, roll it in melted wax and then in spices and crushed potpourri. Then, you roll it in wax again, to seal the spices in.)
My husband lit the candle this morning. He lights candles every morning, but it's usually a jar candle.
We had issues with our printer and went into the office to chat with Kodak, when we heard the warning.
When we arrived in the dining room, there was a circle of fire on the tabletop....about 12" round. I had a cotton quilted tablecloth on it and it was burning, as was the edges of two $20.00 bills. The candle had melted a lot, taking with the wax, a layer of spices and potpourri. The candleholder was like a cup with a small indention for the candle. The cup had filled up and when it spilled over the sides, it was so hot that the wax was burning and caught the tablecloth on fire. . The candle was still 6" tall. I don't know if it was the wax, or the mixture I made, but I will never burn anything but a jar candle again.
We grabbed things off of the table, removed the burned cloth and our oak table was burned.
I am still shaking. I don't mean to sound dramatic....but it's the what if's that are going through my head. The straps of my purse...a cotton, quilted Vera Bradley type, was one inch from the circle of flames. A kerosene lamp was on the table. What if the fire had been out of control by the time we heard the beep?
The statement IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE is definitely in the front of our minds and we have repeated it to each other several times. I hope God isn't getting tired of me saying "Thank You God", because it is my mantra, at the moment.
I PROMISE BEFORE GOD AND ALL MANKIND....TO NEVER, EVER COMPLAIN ABOUT THE NOISE THAT COMES FROM OUR FIRE ALARM....EVER.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
XLIBRIS PUBLISHING COMPANY IS A SCAM....NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
I finally finished my heart's work. I wrote a book. I had worked the projects for many years and put them all on paper. It was a good book that I was proud of. The name of the book was MINE.
The dumbest thing I have ever done in my life was to have the book published with XLIBRIS.
Yes, it cost me to have it published....but the economy is so bad that regular publishing companies won't even accept a first time author.
The book is in 9 countries, printed in different languages. The book has been referenced to on Ehow.com. Friends have bought the book, but there is no record of it. I cannot prove it is being sold.
They told me they were based in Indiana...and they must have a P.O. Box there, because the REAL company of crooks is in the Phillipines.
I worked hard. I researched, gathered my info, wrote and rewrote for over a year. It was MINE.
I hold the copyright. Big deal. I wrote a revision, bigger and better. I kept the name because it was MINE. I went with a different company and was told I could have XLIBRIS take my book offline and stop printing it. I found a different publishing company, added my 200 pages of additions and had MY book reprinted.
XLIBRIS will not take it offline. I wrote a letter, signed it and went ahead with my new publisher. I have yet to hear from them, no answer, no taking the book offline. When you pull it up, you see both books, many times. The only difference is the cover and 250 more pages. For a "loser" book, they are sure holding onto it.
My new book cannot be put out there like I would like. The old one is there....it's everywhere. So, I am losing money, the new publisher is losing money, but I bet XLIBRIS is not.
DO NOT SEND XLIBRIS YOUR HARD WORK. THEY WILL CHEAT YOU AND IT DOES NOT BOTHER THEM A BIT TO DO SO. THEY ARE CROOKS. CHECK ONLINE AND FIND REMARKS OTHER PEOPLE ARE MAKING. THERE ARE ALOT OF US OUT THERE.
1/14/12
I was promised they would STOP publishing and get my book off of the market. I love the name of my book, rewrote and published with Create Space. My 2nd book is not going well because the book from Xlibris is STLL all over the web, 6 months after they told me they would stop. If it isn't selling, like they claim, why won't they take it off?????????
I WILL NOT STOP THIS POST FROM GOING EVERYWHERE IT CAN, UNTIL THEY KEEP THEIR PROMISE.
The dumbest thing I have ever done in my life was to have the book published with XLIBRIS.
Yes, it cost me to have it published....but the economy is so bad that regular publishing companies won't even accept a first time author.
The book is in 9 countries, printed in different languages. The book has been referenced to on Ehow.com. Friends have bought the book, but there is no record of it. I cannot prove it is being sold.
They told me they were based in Indiana...and they must have a P.O. Box there, because the REAL company of crooks is in the Phillipines.
I worked hard. I researched, gathered my info, wrote and rewrote for over a year. It was MINE.
I hold the copyright. Big deal. I wrote a revision, bigger and better. I kept the name because it was MINE. I went with a different company and was told I could have XLIBRIS take my book offline and stop printing it. I found a different publishing company, added my 200 pages of additions and had MY book reprinted.
XLIBRIS will not take it offline. I wrote a letter, signed it and went ahead with my new publisher. I have yet to hear from them, no answer, no taking the book offline. When you pull it up, you see both books, many times. The only difference is the cover and 250 more pages. For a "loser" book, they are sure holding onto it.
My new book cannot be put out there like I would like. The old one is there....it's everywhere. So, I am losing money, the new publisher is losing money, but I bet XLIBRIS is not.
DO NOT SEND XLIBRIS YOUR HARD WORK. THEY WILL CHEAT YOU AND IT DOES NOT BOTHER THEM A BIT TO DO SO. THEY ARE CROOKS. CHECK ONLINE AND FIND REMARKS OTHER PEOPLE ARE MAKING. THERE ARE ALOT OF US OUT THERE.
1/14/12
I was promised they would STOP publishing and get my book off of the market. I love the name of my book, rewrote and published with Create Space. My 2nd book is not going well because the book from Xlibris is STLL all over the web, 6 months after they told me they would stop. If it isn't selling, like they claim, why won't they take it off?????????
I WILL NOT STOP THIS POST FROM GOING EVERYWHERE IT CAN, UNTIL THEY KEEP THEIR PROMISE.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
THE DANGERS OF ALUMINUM AND BPA IN OUR BODIES
Please read this and follow up with research of your own, online.
BPA....Bisphenol A...is an epoxy resin chemical. It is added to plastic.....baby bottles, water bottles, water supply lines, the linings of cans of food, dentures and some dental sealants and composites. There has been so much controversary that companies are begining to comply with safer practices. Be aware of the number on the bottom of a plastic container. You'll see a triangle and inside the triangle will be a number. If you see the number 3 or 7, the plastic is unsafe. BPA has been added. The chemical reacts to temperatures. When microwaved, the BPA contaminates your food, or drink.
There is much about it online.
Aluminum is now being linked to breast cancer. Aluminum is in it's highest content in antiperspirents. Check your labels. Studies have shown that in a larger number of breast cancer, the cancer is close to the underarm, where you apply the product.
It's also found in tin foil and aluminum cookware. Throw out any cookware with aluminum.
There is a lot of information online.
BPA....Bisphenol A...is an epoxy resin chemical. It is added to plastic.....baby bottles, water bottles, water supply lines, the linings of cans of food, dentures and some dental sealants and composites. There has been so much controversary that companies are begining to comply with safer practices. Be aware of the number on the bottom of a plastic container. You'll see a triangle and inside the triangle will be a number. If you see the number 3 or 7, the plastic is unsafe. BPA has been added. The chemical reacts to temperatures. When microwaved, the BPA contaminates your food, or drink.
There is much about it online.
Aluminum is now being linked to breast cancer. Aluminum is in it's highest content in antiperspirents. Check your labels. Studies have shown that in a larger number of breast cancer, the cancer is close to the underarm, where you apply the product.
It's also found in tin foil and aluminum cookware. Throw out any cookware with aluminum.
There is a lot of information online.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
SLEEP IN A WELL MADE, SCENTED, CLEAN BED
Have you ever gone to bed at night, found that "sweet spot" and sighed with pure contentment? We get tired, weary and sometimes sad, we don't feel well and/or feel melancholy and the first place we think of is our bed. Hopefully, we spend one third of our lives there.
Let's make it worthwhile.
This 
bed is from Rachell Ashwells' photos. Type her name in search. She has great products and her ideas are beautiful.
Is your bed soft enough or firm enough? If you can't buy a new mattress right now, buy a good mattress pad. Buy the best you can afford. They come with electric heaters in them, now, so you can turn your heat down, at night. The queen size has a control on each side. I turn them on about 1/2 hour before bedtime, in the winter.
Buy a good set of sheets. Buy a 300 thread count (the numbers of threads per square inch) or higher. Egyptian cotton is very good. You only need one set, for now. A good set of sheets will last for years and will get softer with each washing. You can find good prices on sheets if you are lucky enough to live near a T.J.Maxx. If you can't afford good sheets now, buy a high thread count set of pillowcases.
Invest in good pillows. Nothing is worse than fighting with a pillow all night. If you can't afford all of it at once, ask for good pillows for your birthday. They are worth the investment and the good night's sleep. A buckwheat pillow can be put into the micrwave for 2 minutes and will stay warm for quite awhile. You can open a few stitches of any pillow and add lavender buds for scent.
A goose down comforter will pay for itself, many times over. It is warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The comforter can be washed, regardless of what the label says. The trick is to make sure the comforter is COMPLETELY dried in your dryer.Take it out of the dryer a few times and shake it before you put it back. If it is damp, the feathers will dry in hard lumps. I knew a girl that owned a dry cleaner and this came from her. The people from the dry cleaner go to a laundromat, do what I'm telling you and charge you plenty for it.
If your bed is low, buy a set of bed risers for around $10 at Walmart. They will pick your bed up about 6". It makes a difference to how the bed looks to you. I have to climb in my bed....and I love it.
Mix 1 cup of unscented baby powder with 10 drops of essential, or fragrance oil. ( $2 a bottle at Walmart in the crafts.) Before you put on the pad, liberally sprinkle the mixture on the mattress. Put on the pad, sprinkle more powder. Put on the sheets and sprinkle again. You can use the powder or buy or make linen spray. You can spray the sheets and pillows on your bed everyday when you make it. The spray will be dry when you go to bed, at night.
Once a month put your mattress pad and pillows in the dryer on air only to fluff them up and help with body odor. Add dryer sheets.
Don't stop until your bed is the way you want it to be. We are building a retreat, a haven, a place of peace and serenity. This is your safe, resting place. Your contented sigh will be worth all of the trouble.
Make your bed everyday. If you are indifferent about it, buy a comforter or quilt that you can at least throw up to the pillows. When you walk into your bedroom, at night, you will know why. Nothing feels as good as getting into a clean, scented, made bed.
Vanilla Linen Spray
Into a 32 oz. bottle add:
2 T 100% proof vodka
1 teaspoon vanilla fragrance oil
3 drops ginger fragrance oil
Fill bottle with distilled water and shake well.
Let's make it worthwhile.
This bed is from Rachell Ashwells' photos. Type her name in search. She has great products and her ideas are beautiful.Is your bed soft enough or firm enough? If you can't buy a new mattress right now, buy a good mattress pad. Buy the best you can afford. They come with electric heaters in them, now, so you can turn your heat down, at night. The queen size has a control on each side. I turn them on about 1/2 hour before bedtime, in the winter.
Buy a good set of sheets. Buy a 300 thread count (the numbers of threads per square inch) or higher. Egyptian cotton is very good. You only need one set, for now. A good set of sheets will last for years and will get softer with each washing. You can find good prices on sheets if you are lucky enough to live near a T.J.Maxx. If you can't afford good sheets now, buy a high thread count set of pillowcases.
Invest in good pillows. Nothing is worse than fighting with a pillow all night. If you can't afford all of it at once, ask for good pillows for your birthday. They are worth the investment and the good night's sleep. A buckwheat pillow can be put into the micrwave for 2 minutes and will stay warm for quite awhile. You can open a few stitches of any pillow and add lavender buds for scent.
A goose down comforter will pay for itself, many times over. It is warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The comforter can be washed, regardless of what the label says. The trick is to make sure the comforter is COMPLETELY dried in your dryer.Take it out of the dryer a few times and shake it before you put it back. If it is damp, the feathers will dry in hard lumps. I knew a girl that owned a dry cleaner and this came from her. The people from the dry cleaner go to a laundromat, do what I'm telling you and charge you plenty for it.
If your bed is low, buy a set of bed risers for around $10 at Walmart. They will pick your bed up about 6". It makes a difference to how the bed looks to you. I have to climb in my bed....and I love it.
Mix 1 cup of unscented baby powder with 10 drops of essential, or fragrance oil. ( $2 a bottle at Walmart in the crafts.) Before you put on the pad, liberally sprinkle the mixture on the mattress. Put on the pad, sprinkle more powder. Put on the sheets and sprinkle again. You can use the powder or buy or make linen spray. You can spray the sheets and pillows on your bed everyday when you make it. The spray will be dry when you go to bed, at night.
Once a month put your mattress pad and pillows in the dryer on air only to fluff them up and help with body odor. Add dryer sheets.
Don't stop until your bed is the way you want it to be. We are building a retreat, a haven, a place of peace and serenity. This is your safe, resting place. Your contented sigh will be worth all of the trouble.
Make your bed everyday. If you are indifferent about it, buy a comforter or quilt that you can at least throw up to the pillows. When you walk into your bedroom, at night, you will know why. Nothing feels as good as getting into a clean, scented, made bed.
Vanilla Linen Spray
Into a 32 oz. bottle add:
2 T 100% proof vodka
1 teaspoon vanilla fragrance oil
3 drops ginger fragrance oil
Fill bottle with distilled water and shake well.
THE NAME OF MY BOOK IS FROM YOUR HEART TO YOUR HOME BY REDA JOHNSON
The name of my book is From Your Heart to Your Home. The subtitle is Embrace simple pleasures, sweet comforts, awaken your creativity and satisfy your longing for home. It was published in July 2011 by Create Space Publishers. It can be ordered on their website or Amazon.com. The book has 368 pages. It has an orange cover. Type my name in and the book will be found.
I have been a crafter for over 10 years. I saved all my patterns and notes in boxes, not knowing one day I would write a book. I had people asking me how to make this or do that and one day a girl at work said I should write a book. Then, my mother said I had been talking about writing a book for years....so I did.
Here are the contents:
Decorating
Cleaning Help
Holidays
Gratitude Journal
Flowers, Herbs and Gardening
Language of Flowers and Herbs
Herbs of the Bible
Crafts
Comforts
Miscellaneous Beauty
Herbal Crafts
Varieties of Mints
Dry Potpourri
All about Essential OIls
Effects of Essential Oils
For the Guys
Feeding Birds
Just for Kids
Tried and True Recipes
Vinegar Bottles and Herbal Butters
Apples
Hodge Podge
Paint
Financial Awareness
Thank You God
Take Time For...
Learning Tools
When you look up the book, you will see the more extensive content list. Please take a look.
Reda
I have been a crafter for over 10 years. I saved all my patterns and notes in boxes, not knowing one day I would write a book. I had people asking me how to make this or do that and one day a girl at work said I should write a book. Then, my mother said I had been talking about writing a book for years....so I did.
Here are the contents:
Decorating
Cleaning Help
Holidays
Gratitude Journal
Flowers, Herbs and Gardening
Language of Flowers and Herbs
Herbs of the Bible
Crafts
Comforts
Miscellaneous Beauty
Herbal Crafts
Varieties of Mints
Dry Potpourri
All about Essential OIls
Effects of Essential Oils
For the Guys
Feeding Birds
Just for Kids
Tried and True Recipes
Vinegar Bottles and Herbal Butters
Apples
Hodge Podge
Paint
Financial Awareness
Thank You God
Take Time For...
Learning Tools
When you look up the book, you will see the more extensive content list. Please take a look.
Reda
IT'S THE RIGHT TIME OF THE YEAR
Our weather has been so odd, this year, but thank God for the gift of seasons. We need the changes.
Summer is bright, neon lime green, orange and hot pink colors, excited children, cooking outside, visiting places or people. Walking barefoot, longer days and warm nights. It's catching fireflies, eating popsicles and juicy watermelon. It's running through the fire hydrant or the water hose. It's watching the flowers and vegetables grow and the smell of new-mown grass. Summer is sandals and sundresses. Summer is lemonade and salad. Summer is family.
Fall is the beginning of settling down. With fall comes peaceful colors, rust, orange, browns and greens. It's watching autumn leaves drift slowly to the ground, and it's walking through a pile of them, listening to the crunch. It's seeing mounds of mums in fall colors, scarecrows and the smell of burning leaves. Fall is shorter, darker days and skies full of stars with an ebony background. It's the smell of candles, pumpkin spice cappuchino, bread baking and good soup. Fall is the smell of new school supplies and the sound of the school bus. It's the time and the excitement of high school football games. Fall is flannel shirts and blue jeans.
Winter is a blanket of quiet, a hush on the earth. The snow seems to muffle noise and the world seems calm. It's gray skies, purple clouds and softly falling snow. Winter is rushing home to our retreat, our safe place. It evokes images of a stable with warmth from animals and the birth of the Christ Child. Wise men carrying gifts a long, long way and following the light of a solitary star...finally to find the child and the presence of an angel. Winter is being with family, loving "snow days", sled rides, building snowmen, watching movies together and quiet reading. Winter is soft, subtle lights on the tree and happiness and surprise in your children's eyes. Winter is the smell of wood burning, wet mittens and cookies baking in the oven. With winter comes a bonding to the family that only peace can bring. Winter brings a solitude that sooths our souls, calms us down and stops our frantic running. It's a time to go to bed early, wrapped in warm quilts and the love of someone's arms.
Spring is a season of new birth. It brings us out of the cold, quiet days of winter. We open our doors and windows to fill our homes with fresh air. Spring is hope. Our hope is Easter Sunday and is still cemented in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's a time for planning a garden and planting seeds in the soft earth. We watch for the first green tip of daffodils or tulips. Spring brings house bound children outside to feel the warmth of the sun. It brings out the tricycles, bicycles and baseball gloves.
I love all of the seasons and love to watch the changes. God knew what He was doing when He created them for us.
Summer is bright, neon lime green, orange and hot pink colors, excited children, cooking outside, visiting places or people. Walking barefoot, longer days and warm nights. It's catching fireflies, eating popsicles and juicy watermelon. It's running through the fire hydrant or the water hose. It's watching the flowers and vegetables grow and the smell of new-mown grass. Summer is sandals and sundresses. Summer is lemonade and salad. Summer is family.
Fall is the beginning of settling down. With fall comes peaceful colors, rust, orange, browns and greens. It's watching autumn leaves drift slowly to the ground, and it's walking through a pile of them, listening to the crunch. It's seeing mounds of mums in fall colors, scarecrows and the smell of burning leaves. Fall is shorter, darker days and skies full of stars with an ebony background. It's the smell of candles, pumpkin spice cappuchino, bread baking and good soup. Fall is the smell of new school supplies and the sound of the school bus. It's the time and the excitement of high school football games. Fall is flannel shirts and blue jeans.
Winter is a blanket of quiet, a hush on the earth. The snow seems to muffle noise and the world seems calm. It's gray skies, purple clouds and softly falling snow. Winter is rushing home to our retreat, our safe place. It evokes images of a stable with warmth from animals and the birth of the Christ Child. Wise men carrying gifts a long, long way and following the light of a solitary star...finally to find the child and the presence of an angel. Winter is being with family, loving "snow days", sled rides, building snowmen, watching movies together and quiet reading. Winter is soft, subtle lights on the tree and happiness and surprise in your children's eyes. Winter is the smell of wood burning, wet mittens and cookies baking in the oven. With winter comes a bonding to the family that only peace can bring. Winter brings a solitude that sooths our souls, calms us down and stops our frantic running. It's a time to go to bed early, wrapped in warm quilts and the love of someone's arms.
Spring is a season of new birth. It brings us out of the cold, quiet days of winter. We open our doors and windows to fill our homes with fresh air. Spring is hope. Our hope is Easter Sunday and is still cemented in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's a time for planning a garden and planting seeds in the soft earth. We watch for the first green tip of daffodils or tulips. Spring brings house bound children outside to feel the warmth of the sun. It brings out the tricycles, bicycles and baseball gloves.
I love all of the seasons and love to watch the changes. God knew what He was doing when He created them for us.
WAYS TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE WARMER THIS WINTER
We were talking about the rise in utility bills and I thought I'd let you know about the few things we did to ease the pain of heating our house in the winter. We have propane. We have a gas fireplace and my husband left the pilot on, not knowing how much fuel it used. Soon, way too soon, we were down to half a tank. The fill-up was $800.00. That hurt.
Let me tell you about propane companies...at least our experience. When we bought the home, propane was $3 something a gallon. The next summer I got a card from a different company offering $2 something a gallon. I called the original company to cancel. They matched the price. Great...right? Didn't have to mess up the yard moving the tank and still getting the best rate. Yes....untill the next summer when I got a bill for $108.00. I call and ask what is this? It's the fee we charge to hold the best price for you. Nope. I haven't paid it...will not pay it. That was never said to me before. In the meantime, I tell them I will use the remaining fuel...do not fill it up and don't touch the tank. I get a card from another company offering $1.79 a gallon. We signed, they filled my tank and I call the high price, add money on me people to tell them to come and get their tank. Oh, no. I haven't paid the bill yet. I informed them they can leave said tank to sit and rot. I'm not trying to come off like I'm tough or the B bad word...I'm saying you can't let yourself be cheated.
Ok....so we got smarter. We only light the pilot to run the fireplace, then off it goes.
We needed a couple of windows, but due to cash flow, couldn't get them. My husband made storm windows from plexiglass. Before he installed them, he put a sheet of plastic between, for added help. There was no cold air coming in.
Make draft dodgers for your doors. They truly help. Measure the width of the door, plus 3 inches. A 36" door will use 39". Cut a piece of heavy fabric 39" x 6 or 7". Fold in half, right sides of fabric facing...longways...and sew, leaving one end open for filling. Turn. Fill with raw rice, kitty litter or even unpopped popcorn. You can put in dry herbs and essential oil, if you wish. Sew closed and lay in front of door. You will soon notice how much they help.
If you have an upstairs where the bedrooms are, hang a quilt at the foot of the stairs. It keeps the heat downstairs. If you need upstairs warm, at night, tie the quilt to the side and untie in the morning.
We don't have small children, so we can fill and use kerosene heaters for the rooms we are in the most.
We have electric heaters in the bathrooms that we turn on to get ready for work, or to shower. We turn them off when we leave the room.
We have extra socks and sweaters around and instead of turning up the heat, we try to warm up dressed properly. If that doesn't work, we bump the thermostat a little.
We have a mattress pad that has heaters in it. It's a queen, so each side has a control. We go upstairs a half hour before bed and turn the pad on low. We are then, able to turn the thermostat down a little, and if we get warm or cold, we each have a control. If you are afraid to buy one of these for a child's bed, start now, buying super warm pajamas and extra blankets and quilts. They may even like sleeping bags.
If everyone is out of the house for the day, turn the thermostat down before you leave...but don't turn it off. 65 to 67 should be good. If you turn it off, the furnace has to heat the entire house when you get home....colder longer and more cost. Turn it back to your temperature when you get home. It saves a lot of money. Put a note on the front door to remind you.
My basement is cold. I have a door that leads to the garage that stays closed in the winter, but leaks air. I cut an old, stiff blanket into long pieces about 4-5" wide. I rolled them, longways, into flat tubes and nailed them all around the door, where it closes. It stopped the drafts.
If I can make something for dinner in the oven, it helps with heating. We eat a lot of roasts and cake!
Does anyone have any ideas to help? We're in this together.
Let me tell you about propane companies...at least our experience. When we bought the home, propane was $3 something a gallon. The next summer I got a card from a different company offering $2 something a gallon. I called the original company to cancel. They matched the price. Great...right? Didn't have to mess up the yard moving the tank and still getting the best rate. Yes....untill the next summer when I got a bill for $108.00. I call and ask what is this? It's the fee we charge to hold the best price for you. Nope. I haven't paid it...will not pay it. That was never said to me before. In the meantime, I tell them I will use the remaining fuel...do not fill it up and don't touch the tank. I get a card from another company offering $1.79 a gallon. We signed, they filled my tank and I call the high price, add money on me people to tell them to come and get their tank. Oh, no. I haven't paid the bill yet. I informed them they can leave said tank to sit and rot. I'm not trying to come off like I'm tough or the B bad word...I'm saying you can't let yourself be cheated.
Ok....so we got smarter. We only light the pilot to run the fireplace, then off it goes.
We needed a couple of windows, but due to cash flow, couldn't get them. My husband made storm windows from plexiglass. Before he installed them, he put a sheet of plastic between, for added help. There was no cold air coming in.
Make draft dodgers for your doors. They truly help. Measure the width of the door, plus 3 inches. A 36" door will use 39". Cut a piece of heavy fabric 39" x 6 or 7". Fold in half, right sides of fabric facing...longways...and sew, leaving one end open for filling. Turn. Fill with raw rice, kitty litter or even unpopped popcorn. You can put in dry herbs and essential oil, if you wish. Sew closed and lay in front of door. You will soon notice how much they help.
If you have an upstairs where the bedrooms are, hang a quilt at the foot of the stairs. It keeps the heat downstairs. If you need upstairs warm, at night, tie the quilt to the side and untie in the morning.
We don't have small children, so we can fill and use kerosene heaters for the rooms we are in the most.
We have electric heaters in the bathrooms that we turn on to get ready for work, or to shower. We turn them off when we leave the room.
We have extra socks and sweaters around and instead of turning up the heat, we try to warm up dressed properly. If that doesn't work, we bump the thermostat a little.
We have a mattress pad that has heaters in it. It's a queen, so each side has a control. We go upstairs a half hour before bed and turn the pad on low. We are then, able to turn the thermostat down a little, and if we get warm or cold, we each have a control. If you are afraid to buy one of these for a child's bed, start now, buying super warm pajamas and extra blankets and quilts. They may even like sleeping bags.
If everyone is out of the house for the day, turn the thermostat down before you leave...but don't turn it off. 65 to 67 should be good. If you turn it off, the furnace has to heat the entire house when you get home....colder longer and more cost. Turn it back to your temperature when you get home. It saves a lot of money. Put a note on the front door to remind you.
My basement is cold. I have a door that leads to the garage that stays closed in the winter, but leaks air. I cut an old, stiff blanket into long pieces about 4-5" wide. I rolled them, longways, into flat tubes and nailed them all around the door, where it closes. It stopped the drafts.
If I can make something for dinner in the oven, it helps with heating. We eat a lot of roasts and cake!
Does anyone have any ideas to help? We're in this together.
THINGS WOMEN SHOULD KNOW IN AN EMERGENCY
I know women’s lib and all…but…our guys are not always at home or in the vehicle with us, when an emergency arises.
Have your husband, brother or Dad teach you how to:
Handle an electrical fire...a stove fire..a chemical fire.
Turn off the water in your house in case a pipe breaks
Shut off breakers to the electric box
Shut off the gas or propane
What to do if you have a wood burner and a chimney fire starts
Change a tire, in case you can’t reach anyone (there are some tricks to know taking a tire off and putting one on) You can't just take the nuts off...you loosen them before you jack up the car, and it is the safe way....to avoid the car from falling off of the jack.
How to change a battery
How to clean a battery.
How to add anti freeze...and never while the vehicle is hot.
What to do if the vehicle doors are frozen shut.
Ask him what you need for an emergency kit in your vehicle. Make an emergency phone list in case you are stranded. Put a copy in his car, too.
How to add oil to your vehicle
How to replace a wiper blade
How to check steering and transmission fluid
Find out how to wire a lamp…..just because it’s fun to do
Better safe than sorry.
Have your husband, brother or Dad teach you how to:
Handle an electrical fire...a stove fire..a chemical fire.
Turn off the water in your house in case a pipe breaks
Shut off breakers to the electric box
Shut off the gas or propane
What to do if you have a wood burner and a chimney fire starts
Change a tire, in case you can’t reach anyone (there are some tricks to know taking a tire off and putting one on) You can't just take the nuts off...you loosen them before you jack up the car, and it is the safe way....to avoid the car from falling off of the jack.
How to change a battery
How to clean a battery.
How to add anti freeze...and never while the vehicle is hot.
What to do if the vehicle doors are frozen shut.
Ask him what you need for an emergency kit in your vehicle. Make an emergency phone list in case you are stranded. Put a copy in his car, too.
How to add oil to your vehicle
How to replace a wiper blade
How to check steering and transmission fluid
Find out how to wire a lamp…..just because it’s fun to do
Better safe than sorry.
WE HAVE TOO MUCH CANCER IN OUR FAMILY
We have CANCER in our family. Too, too much cancer.
1. My 55 year old sister had Lymphoma Cancer, but is now in remission.
2. My 83 year old mother has had Myelodysplastic Syndrome for 3 years. If not cured, it will turn into Leukemia.
3. My 30 year old niece had Thyroid cancer, had surgery and is in remission.
4. My son in law has Lymphoma Cancer and is facing a stem cell transplant in the spring.
5. My husband's 35 year old niece has Breast Cancer and has had a double mastectomy, but it has spread to other organs.
6. Her 29 year old sister has Skin Cancer.
7. Her 15 year old son has Cancer in his spine and has had many surgeries since the age of 5.
8. My husband's late wife passed away from Breast Cancer.
The word Cancer can stop you in your tracks and make your blood run cold. When you cry and sob, it comes from your stomach and lungs, because you are trying to breathe....and you can't. You try to think, and you can't. You cry "Oh, God," and you don't know what else to say.
I remember when the news reached us that our younger sister had cancer. I was talking to another sister on the phone, but we had no words. We just cried together. No words could describe our pain. It's even hard to write, now.
I remember two things about that time. During a visit, my sister wore a scarf because she had lost her hair. She asked if it would offend anyone if she took it off. Offend?
No,it won't offend me, because I can kiss you on your head.
I remember when the same sister I cried with on the phone called me to tell me Kat was in remission and no cancer could be found. I was in a store. I left the cart, fumbled my way to my car through my tears and called her back. We cried, we prayed, we could talk. Our sister was going to live! This time, our prayers made sense.
Our Mother has been going through a horrible time. Your normal platelets are 150,000 to 200,000. Our Mothers went down to 6,000. Her red and white blood cells were so low she received transfusions on one, if not two of the cells at least once a week. She was taken for treatments three times a week for two years. She stayed at our homes, away from her own for seven months.One of our brother in laws went above and beyond to get Mom to her treatments. When she went back home, she continued the treatments and was getting no better. She has been receiving chemotherapy eight days in a row, every three weeks. On top of that, she has to go to the hospital twice, sometimes three times a week for blood tests. Kathy had to take her. Sick with chemo and cancer running through her body, she drove our Mother to the hospital and Mom never missed a treatment. She has finally received all of the chemo she can and we are waiting.
Please God, don't let it turn into Leukemia.
This is my Mother and my Sister receiving chemo. Together.
My son in law will be hospitalized for 2 months, after his transplant. He will be isolated. He has been in remission twice. The word CURE was mentioned. He's going for it, and I pray with all of my heart that this works.
Our 15 year old nephew is a typical kid, although he can't move his arms very well. He loves girls and driving tractors. If you put his hands up on the wheel, he can steer it. He tries to work harder than most kids. He hunts....with help. He's funny, kind and sweet.
My husband was the sole caretaker for his wife. He had a 3 subject notebook filled with the names of meds, times and dates to administer it. She had many, many surgeries and suffered great pain. She was bedridden for two years. He retired early, because she could not be left alone.
We have too much CANCER in our family and we are so grateful for those that are in remission.
1. My 55 year old sister had Lymphoma Cancer, but is now in remission.
2. My 83 year old mother has had Myelodysplastic Syndrome for 3 years. If not cured, it will turn into Leukemia.
3. My 30 year old niece had Thyroid cancer, had surgery and is in remission.
4. My son in law has Lymphoma Cancer and is facing a stem cell transplant in the spring.
5. My husband's 35 year old niece has Breast Cancer and has had a double mastectomy, but it has spread to other organs.
6. Her 29 year old sister has Skin Cancer.
7. Her 15 year old son has Cancer in his spine and has had many surgeries since the age of 5.
8. My husband's late wife passed away from Breast Cancer.
The word Cancer can stop you in your tracks and make your blood run cold. When you cry and sob, it comes from your stomach and lungs, because you are trying to breathe....and you can't. You try to think, and you can't. You cry "Oh, God," and you don't know what else to say.
I remember when the news reached us that our younger sister had cancer. I was talking to another sister on the phone, but we had no words. We just cried together. No words could describe our pain. It's even hard to write, now.
I remember two things about that time. During a visit, my sister wore a scarf because she had lost her hair. She asked if it would offend anyone if she took it off. Offend?
No,it won't offend me, because I can kiss you on your head.
I remember when the same sister I cried with on the phone called me to tell me Kat was in remission and no cancer could be found. I was in a store. I left the cart, fumbled my way to my car through my tears and called her back. We cried, we prayed, we could talk. Our sister was going to live! This time, our prayers made sense.
Our Mother has been going through a horrible time. Your normal platelets are 150,000 to 200,000. Our Mothers went down to 6,000. Her red and white blood cells were so low she received transfusions on one, if not two of the cells at least once a week. She was taken for treatments three times a week for two years. She stayed at our homes, away from her own for seven months.One of our brother in laws went above and beyond to get Mom to her treatments. When she went back home, she continued the treatments and was getting no better. She has been receiving chemotherapy eight days in a row, every three weeks. On top of that, she has to go to the hospital twice, sometimes three times a week for blood tests. Kathy had to take her. Sick with chemo and cancer running through her body, she drove our Mother to the hospital and Mom never missed a treatment. She has finally received all of the chemo she can and we are waiting.
Please God, don't let it turn into Leukemia.
This is my Mother and my Sister receiving chemo. Together.
My son in law will be hospitalized for 2 months, after his transplant. He will be isolated. He has been in remission twice. The word CURE was mentioned. He's going for it, and I pray with all of my heart that this works.
Our 15 year old nephew is a typical kid, although he can't move his arms very well. He loves girls and driving tractors. If you put his hands up on the wheel, he can steer it. He tries to work harder than most kids. He hunts....with help. He's funny, kind and sweet.
My husband was the sole caretaker for his wife. He had a 3 subject notebook filled with the names of meds, times and dates to administer it. She had many, many surgeries and suffered great pain. She was bedridden for two years. He retired early, because she could not be left alone.
We have too much CANCER in our family and we are so grateful for those that are in remission.
CREATE YOUR LAUNDRY AREA
Do your laundry one day a week, instead of 7 and create a laundry room that makes it easy to do just that.
Wherever your washer and dryer are, add a corner for yourself.
Add:
A comfortable chair.
A table next to it with a lamp on it.
Books, your Bible, a journal, a sewing or crocheting project and a c.d. player.
Take a cup of coffee, or tea and bring your cell phone.
Put pictures on the wall and spruce up the ironing area. Decorate your area. Make it bright and pretty. Add a pretty area rug and turn on the lights. If you have washboards, old irons or an old ironing board, add them for decoration. Look around the thrift stores for laundry room signs.
If you are in a basement, keep an eye open for bamboo shades and staple them on the ceiling in your area (careful of the wires overhead). Have a good place to hang clothes on hangers.
Go there, one day a week and do all of your laundry. You are already there, so when the dryer stops, you can hang a lot of clothes that you would otherwise have to iron. Make sure each family member has their own laundry basket, that they can collect and put their clothes away. Ask the older children to carry the baskets and help the little ones.
Wherever your washer and dryer are, add a corner for yourself.
Add:
A comfortable chair.
A table next to it with a lamp on it.
Books, your Bible, a journal, a sewing or crocheting project and a c.d. player.
Take a cup of coffee, or tea and bring your cell phone.
Put pictures on the wall and spruce up the ironing area. Decorate your area. Make it bright and pretty. Add a pretty area rug and turn on the lights. If you have washboards, old irons or an old ironing board, add them for decoration. Look around the thrift stores for laundry room signs.
If you are in a basement, keep an eye open for bamboo shades and staple them on the ceiling in your area (careful of the wires overhead). Have a good place to hang clothes on hangers.
Go there, one day a week and do all of your laundry. You are already there, so when the dryer stops, you can hang a lot of clothes that you would otherwise have to iron. Make sure each family member has their own laundry basket, that they can collect and put their clothes away. Ask the older children to carry the baskets and help the little ones.
A FUN GAME FOR FAMILY GATHERINGS
Fun game to do at a family gathering.Gift wrap a present in a box. Gift wrap the box in a larger box. Do it a total of three times. You are the only one who will know this. Use any gift you wish for the prize. (There were instant lottery tickets in this box.)
Be sure to securely tape all loose paper, corners and seams. (Don't make it easy)
Whoever is next to you rolls a die until they roll a number 1. The person playing can try to unwrap the box until the 1 is rolled and they must stop.
Box is passed person to person and the person on the left of the unwrapper is the one to roll the die. The one to open the last box is the winner of the prize.
This is a fast paced, fun game.
This can be played at any gathering. Christmas, birthday party, shower....etc.
By the way... the person doing the unwrapping must wear oven mitts on each hand.
Have fun!
The winner!
WHY YOU SHOULD WRITE YOUR JOURNAL
When you journal you are releasing hurt, anger, pain, sadness and guilt. You can get it all off your chest without hurting anyone…and it’s time you did. I know it’s easier said than done. I’ve faced my own stubborn issues and I did what I’m asking you to do. I could hold a grudge with the best of them…until I started journaling….and adding that to prayer.
I found out something in the process. The worse thing you can do to someone who wants to keep drama going is….do not give them any ammo. Ignore them and walk away. Smile, if you can, but DON’T SAY A WORD! The more you try to explain, the more it goes on. I have a very intelligent Aunt that made me promise to NEVER explain my life, again. I do not owe anyone an explanation about MY life. Eventually, they will move on to their next victim when they can’t get a rise out of you. When you are done with it, you will feel free and a weight will be lifted off of you.
Holding onto a painful past, anger, pain, hurt, grudges and sadness will turn to depression, raise your stress levels and can weaken your immune system. It threatens you with heart disease, depression, high blood pressure and cancer. Is there ANYONE in the world worth all that? Your answer should be no.
Forgiveness. When you do not forgive, you are dragging that person with you everywhere you go and you will until you are free of it. You are taking that person to work, the grocery store, the movies, dinner, to bed at night. The person you won’t forgive is controlling your life, your thoughts, your emotions. Enough! You do not have to have a relationship or reconciliation with them. Just forgive….and walk away. Forgive for yourself so you can continue on with the good, abundant life that God wants you to have. If you are the one that caused the pain, or hurt, forgive yourself ….because God did the second you asked.
That was bad news first! Now the good part.
When you journal you realize how many good things you have in your life.
You begin to be grateful for things you had over looked.
You see the little things.
You find out who you are and what matters most.
You will realize you already have everything inside of you to be happy.
Keep your journal by your bed. Buy the prettiest blank book and pen you can find.
Some ideas to write about:
Everyday write 5 things you are grateful for.
Bless and wish well 5 people.
Do you have changes to make in your life? Ask God for help.
.Have you ever stood up for what you believed in, even though it was very hard?
Write about your family….husband/wife and children.
Where, and how, did you grow up?
Did you have a happy childhood?
What is the best gift you ever gave? Received?
What’s your favorite book, movie and song?
I found out something in the process. The worse thing you can do to someone who wants to keep drama going is….do not give them any ammo. Ignore them and walk away. Smile, if you can, but DON’T SAY A WORD! The more you try to explain, the more it goes on. I have a very intelligent Aunt that made me promise to NEVER explain my life, again. I do not owe anyone an explanation about MY life. Eventually, they will move on to their next victim when they can’t get a rise out of you. When you are done with it, you will feel free and a weight will be lifted off of you.
Holding onto a painful past, anger, pain, hurt, grudges and sadness will turn to depression, raise your stress levels and can weaken your immune system. It threatens you with heart disease, depression, high blood pressure and cancer. Is there ANYONE in the world worth all that? Your answer should be no.Forgiveness. When you do not forgive, you are dragging that person with you everywhere you go and you will until you are free of it. You are taking that person to work, the grocery store, the movies, dinner, to bed at night. The person you won’t forgive is controlling your life, your thoughts, your emotions. Enough! You do not have to have a relationship or reconciliation with them. Just forgive….and walk away. Forgive for yourself so you can continue on with the good, abundant life that God wants you to have. If you are the one that caused the pain, or hurt, forgive yourself ….because God did the second you asked.
That was bad news first! Now the good part.
When you journal you realize how many good things you have in your life.
You begin to be grateful for things you had over looked.
You see the little things.
You find out who you are and what matters most.
You will realize you already have everything inside of you to be happy.
Keep your journal by your bed. Buy the prettiest blank book and pen you can find.
Some ideas to write about:
Everyday write 5 things you are grateful for.
Bless and wish well 5 people.
Do you have changes to make in your life? Ask God for help.
.Have you ever stood up for what you believed in, even though it was very hard?
Write about your family….husband/wife and children.
Where, and how, did you grow up?
Did you have a happy childhood?
What is the best gift you ever gave? Received?
What’s your favorite book, movie and song?
REFURBISHING A DINING ROOM HUTCH
I am a big fan of use what you have and refurbishing things. Picture 1....I bought the base of this buffet at a yard sale for $35.00. I knew the base is the hard part to build, and I knew my husband could make it over like I wanted.Pictures 2 and 3... (I love the partial picture of him with no shirt on in front of the world!) He built shelves to the ceiling and added a back to the shelves. Built and primed for painting.
Picture 4 is the end result. Picture 5 is my fruit dishes and my clutter!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
PICTURES OF PROJECTS ON FACEBOOK
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1413982437977.57524.1485054912&type=1&l=6035030669
DRAFT DODGERS KEEP OUT THE COLD
Measure the width of your door at the bottom. Add 3 inches.
For a 36″ door, cut a piece of heavy fabric 39″ x 8″. Turn inside out, sew along one short bottom and the long side. Turn. Fill with raw rice, pet bed shavings of cedar, kitty litter or sawdust. Don’t pack it super hard. It will be difficult to handle and sew. You can mix these items. Add dried, ground herbs and/or essential oils.
Sew the open end and lay in front of doors that have cold drafts.
For a 36″ door, cut a piece of heavy fabric 39″ x 8″. Turn inside out, sew along one short bottom and the long side. Turn. Fill with raw rice, pet bed shavings of cedar, kitty litter or sawdust. Don’t pack it super hard. It will be difficult to handle and sew. You can mix these items. Add dried, ground herbs and/or essential oils.
Sew the open end and lay in front of doors that have cold drafts.
WEBSITES OF INTEREST
reachoutandread.org accepts good, clean, used books to give to low-income children
projectnightnight.org collects books and stuffed animals to give to homeless children
NewbornsinNeed.org collects newborn baby items and distributes them to families in need. Do the women in your church knit, crochet or sew? Making baby blankets and clothes would be a great women’s group project.
Unclaimed.org- type in your name to find out if you are missing any money. Bank accounts, credit unions, stocks or uncashed checks.
IRS.gov for unclaimed refund checks.
TreasuryDirect.gov/indiv/tools/tools_treasuryhunt.htm if you have savings bonds you don’t know about.
projectnightnight.org collects books and stuffed animals to give to homeless children
NewbornsinNeed.org collects newborn baby items and distributes them to families in need. Do the women in your church knit, crochet or sew? Making baby blankets and clothes would be a great women’s group project.
Unclaimed.org- type in your name to find out if you are missing any money. Bank accounts, credit unions, stocks or uncashed checks.
IRS.gov for unclaimed refund checks.
TreasuryDirect.gov/indiv/tools/tools_treasuryhunt.htm if you have savings bonds you don’t know about.
A GIFT OF FLOWERS
When you give a bouquet of flowers, or herbs, from your garden, put them in a mason jar and tie a strip of homespun fabric, or raffia around the neck of the jar, instead of ribbon.
If the flowers fall to the side, make a grid with tape over the opening of the jar. Use thin tape, and add 3 horizontal rows. Turn the jar 1/4 turn and add 3 more rows. You now have squares to insert the flower stems. Your flowers will , now, stand up straight.
If the flowers fall to the side, make a grid with tape over the opening of the jar. Use thin tape, and add 3 horizontal rows. Turn the jar 1/4 turn and add 3 more rows. You now have squares to insert the flower stems. Your flowers will , now, stand up straight.
CURTAIN RODS.....USE WHAT YOU HAVE
I made new curtains. I had white slider "kitchen rods" up and didn't want to stop and install, nor buy, new ones.My curtains stay open, becasue I have shades on the windows. I spray painted the center of the rod, about 18", a color that matched the curtains. With the light on, the rod looks too bright, but it's not. Instead of having an ugly piece of white in the middle of my burgandy curtains, I now have a dark rod that doesn't stand out like a sore thumb. My can of spray paint cost me &1.50 and now, I certainly have more than a $2.00 "kitchen curtain rod".
REPURPOSE OLD SCHOOL OR SPORTS SWEATSHIRTS
We pay big money for sweatshirts or tee shirts with our children's school logo on them...or a team that our husband or children follow.
When the shirts get too small, we usually give them away. Instead, cut a big square, with the entire logo in it and make them a throw pillow. If there is a pocket, include it in the pillow. Use the back of the shirt for the back of the pillow. If using a tee shirt, cut the logo and sew that to a square of fleece and proceed.
Cut the square at least 16". If the shirt is small, use the arms of the sweatshirt to cut borders and make it bigger.
When the shirts get too small, we usually give them away. Instead, cut a big square, with the entire logo in it and make them a throw pillow. If there is a pocket, include it in the pillow. Use the back of the shirt for the back of the pillow. If using a tee shirt, cut the logo and sew that to a square of fleece and proceed.
Cut the square at least 16". If the shirt is small, use the arms of the sweatshirt to cut borders and make it bigger.
SELF FORGIVENESS
........................................SELF-FORGIVENESS (1)........................................ You're a product of your past, but you don't have to be a prisoner of it! When you refuse to forgive yourself, you're making a decision to be miserable for the rest of your life. And here are some other consequences you may not have considered: (1) It's not just about you! Misery loves company. W...hen you keep beating yourself up, your loved ones get beaten up too. It's inevitable, because when you wallow in guilt you're more withdrawn and critical, and less open and affectionate. That means your spouse, kids, parents, co-workers, friends (even your dog!), suffers along with you. (2) Your mind affects your body! Doctors say that unforgiveness generates chemicals that directly affect your vital organs. They increase your heart rate, raise your blood pressure, disrupt your digestion, tense your muscles, dump cholesterol into your bloodstream and reduce your ability to think clearly. Each time you revisit your past, those bad feelings deliver another zap of corrosive chemicals. Science is only now confirming what God has always known, namely, that those who don't forgive themselves and others, are more prone to heart attacks, depression, hypertension and other serious illnesses. (3) You get stuck in the past! God said, "To everything there is a season" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Once you've repented and been forgiven, the season for regret is over. You need to start looking ahead, otherwise you'll get permanently mired in a bog of your own making. The Bible says, "accepted in the beloved...we have ...forgiveness." So forgive yourself, and anybody else you need to, and get on with your life. By, Rick Robertson...
HOW TO MAKE LOTION BARS
1 part carrier oil
Carrier oil "carrries" all ingredients to your skin. Sweet Almond is very rich in moisturizer. Jojoba or Vitamin E oil can be used. Start with a small amount....2 Tablespoons. Each item is 1 part, so use 2 T per item...we are learning and having fun
1 part (2 T) beeswax.
It's easier to use beeswax pellets
1 part shea butter (2 T)
Shea butter comes in raw form, much like lard or thick peanut butter
Mely beeswaxand shea butter in a double boiler or microwave, checking every 20 seconds. stir. Add carrier oil and stir. If you'd like, add 4 or 5 drops of essential oil at this time.
I had 2 empty jars from face cream that I used for learning purposes. You can use a small muffin tin, or anything that will let the bar harden up.
Let sit overnight....put in a closed container to keep bar from drying out.
Carrier oil "carrries" all ingredients to your skin. Sweet Almond is very rich in moisturizer. Jojoba or Vitamin E oil can be used. Start with a small amount....2 Tablespoons. Each item is 1 part, so use 2 T per item...we are learning and having fun
1 part (2 T) beeswax.
It's easier to use beeswax pellets
1 part shea butter (2 T)
Shea butter comes in raw form, much like lard or thick peanut butter
Mely beeswaxand shea butter in a double boiler or microwave, checking every 20 seconds. stir. Add carrier oil and stir. If you'd like, add 4 or 5 drops of essential oil at this time.
I had 2 empty jars from face cream that I used for learning purposes. You can use a small muffin tin, or anything that will let the bar harden up.
Let sit overnight....put in a closed container to keep bar from drying out.
A COUNTRY OR VICTORIAN BATHROOM VANITY
I was going to make a bathroom vanity from an old dresser, but moved to a house where it does not fit. If you are lucky enough to have to replace a sink and can find one of these…create your bathroom. Find a sink that will sit in the top. Cut the hole. Decide if the drawers need overhauling for the water pipes and if you are going to rebuild the top drawer and use it for storage or keep it permanently closed. You may have to cut out parts of the back of the drawers, but adding pieces of wood to give the pipes room,can still leave some of the area intact. Put SEVERAL coats of polyurethane on the vanity, especially the top, to waterproof your piece. If you need new feet, or handles, now is the time to replace them. You will have to have someone do the plumbing for you, but you can do a lot of the work to getting the piece ready. Add victorian inspired faucets, towels racks, light fixtures, bath towels, waste can and a shower curtain. Find a silver plated brush and mirror , a soap dish, victorian pictures and rugs
REPURPOSE AN OLD DOOR
If you happen to have, or can find, an old front door with a glass window in it, take out the glass and install a mirror or a piece of stained glass in the door. First, take off all hardware, fill holes with wood putty, sand down and paint the door. Below the mirror…add a small wood shelf and below that, or down the sides of the mirror add wood or iron pegs to hang things on…purses, keys… You could add a small shelf above the mirror and let a plant to trail down. Install a nail below the shelf to hang a wreath on the door. Above the mirror, stencil the word WELCOME. Add legs, of some sort, to the front and back of the door, to hold it upright and safe. Look for wood or wrought iron. You can mount the door on a rectangle of wood….a simple platform to hold the door. If you don’t have the space, cut the door just above the hole for the doorknob, install your mirror and hang the half-door on a wall. Finish with your shelves and pegs
HOMEMADE BODY SPRAY
2 cups Witch Hazel 3 drops lavender essential oil (EO) 3 drops rosemary essential oil (EO) Mix and put into a spray bottle. Try these combinations with the 2 cups of Witch Hazel: Refreshing 3 drops lavender EO 3 drops peppermint EO Or: Fragrant 3 drops rose EO 3 drops lavender EO 3 drops thyme EO (use 2 drops of each for a subtle fragrance) Or: Soothing 3 drops lemon balm EO 3 drops chamomile EO
IRONING
In a spray bottle, add 3 cups water. Add 8 drops lavender essential oil. Spray your linens, pillowcases, doilies and tablecloths, as you iron. Or: Boil 2 cups of water. Pour in 1 1/2 cups dried lavender flowers. Let steep until water is cool. Strain water into a spray bottle. Spray clothes as you iron. Pour 1 cup white vinegar in your steam iron, to clean it. Let sit overnight. Pour vinegar out, fill with water and pour it out. Wipe vinegar over the plate of your iron. Rinse. Fill iron with water. Press. with steam, a few old towels until iron is cleared of vinegar. Instead of ironing a wrinkled tablecloth, throw it in the dryer with a damp facecloth for a few minutes. Take it out immediately.
YOUR OWN TOOL BOX
You deserve your own tool box! First, so you can learn to use the tools….second, so you can find the tools! (Just beware, since your husband can’t find his, he’ll be BORROWING yours.) I gave my daughter a tool box for Christmas and she said it made her feel powerful! Let’s build a toolbox. Here’s what you need: A large carry around tool box…you will be adding more and more things to it. A claw hammer Different sizes of Phillips and Regular Flat Tip screwdrivers A metal tape measure. 12′ should do it. Small and large pliers An awl Side and straight cutters A utility knife Wood glue Sand paper and a block Flashlight Safety glasses Packs of nails….both finish and common Wood screws Later, you can add: An electric drill and bits A jigsaw A circular saw I love my girlfriends, so please take this the right way. Don’t buy the pink, cutsie little toolbox with the pink tools! Go into the big boy tool department and grunt, spit, lie and scratch while you are there! We’re going to WORK with these tools…..we are not there to be cute!
HOW TO MAKE BEDTIME POTPOURRI
3 c lavender 3 c bergamot flowers and leaves 3 c peppermint 3 c lemon verbena leaves 1/2 c lemon peels 1 c mixed cinnamon, nutmeg and/or cloves 1/2 c salt (the salt is the fixative in this recipe) 20 drops lavender essential oil All ingredients must be dried. Two days before you make your mix, combine salt and lavender oil in a closed jar. Mix and shake daily. After two days, combine and place in a bowl by your bed.
HOW TO MAKE A GRAPEVINE TREE
You can find grapevines in your backyard, a neighbors or plots of land. Turn a tomato cage over. Gather the rods that push into the ground together and gather tightly with a wire. This is the top of your tree. Gather the vines, pull all leaves off and put the vines into a large container of water. They are easier to work with when they are wet.
Start top or bottom, wire a long piece of vine to your starting point and tightly wind it around the cage. To make your tree last longer, wrap your vines thick and heavy. Secure with wire. Connect the end of the vine to a strip of metal, inserting your new wrapping vine in the same connection. Continue until cage is covered. Set in the sun to dry.
Decorate the tree, using any of the following.
Twinkle lights Baby’s Breath or German Statice Dried apples, oranges or lemon slices-how to on next post rusty bells, stars or hearts Cinnamon sticks Small pine cones small resin pumpkins Small silk sunflowers homespun fabric, ripped into strips for ties, ribbon, raffia or twine drops of scented oil.
Start top or bottom, wire a long piece of vine to your starting point and tightly wind it around the cage. To make your tree last longer, wrap your vines thick and heavy. Secure with wire. Connect the end of the vine to a strip of metal, inserting your new wrapping vine in the same connection. Continue until cage is covered. Set in the sun to dry.
Decorate the tree, using any of the following.
Twinkle lights Baby’s Breath or German Statice Dried apples, oranges or lemon slices-how to on next post rusty bells, stars or hearts Cinnamon sticks Small pine cones small resin pumpkins Small silk sunflowers homespun fabric, ripped into strips for ties, ribbon, raffia or twine drops of scented oil.
HOW TO MAKE POTPOURRI....PART2
Mint Blend
- 1 c colored flowers (try day lilies after the bloom stops opening or lay heads of queen anne’s lace out to dry)
- 2 c lavender
- 1/2 c orange mint ( if you don’t have orange mint, substitute orange peels and add a little more spearmint)
- 1/2 c spearmint
- 1/2 c
- 1/4 c rosemary
- 10 drops lavender EO
- 6 drops bergamot or orange EO
An herb rack… (which is nothing more than a clothes drying rack) and jars and herbs I have collected.
HOW TO MAKE POTPOURRI...PART 1
Editor's note: I've always been fascinated by potpourri and even wanted to try making a batch of my own. I came across this tutorial that makes it look super easy! - Kathy}
Potpourri….means rotten pot in french…is not hard to make. If you can follow a recipe, you can make potpourri.
Sweet scents were used and brought to this country by immigrants, what was grown here and Native Americans. Herbs and sweet smelling flowers and leaves were a necessity to our ancestors. They were the only medicines they had and women had an area in their homes to make medicines and put recipes together to strew around the home and carried on their persons to keep odors down. These women searched out recipes, made their own and combined all ideas and plants from others.
It consists of bulk ( flowers or leaves, herbs, barks, cones, dried fruit peel or wood shavings), scent (spices or essential oils…oil can be bought at Walmart in the craft dept. ) and a fixative ( the fixative holds the scent in your mix. ex: orris root, salt and some spices). If you are going to use cedar shavings, buy a bag of pet bedding instead. It’s easier. If your recipe calls for pine needles, pick the branches, cut into 1 foot or so pieces. Put them in a brown bag and shake everyday.
Blend essential oil (EO) in a separate container with the fixative a few days before assembling your mix. Shake ingredients everyday.
Potpourri is not a science. My recipes are suggestions, to get you started. If you want more color, add it. If you don’t like the EO I suggest, add one that you like.
All ingredients must be dried. Moisture will spoil your work. If you are going to store potpourri, put it in glass jars. Save all of the moisture absorbing small packs that come in prescription bottle and add one, if possible.
Harvesting:
It takes awhile to grow your own herbs and flowers to get started. In the meantime, purchase dried materials and orris root at Atlantic Spice Co. or Ebay online. While you’re at it, puchase a bag of whole bay leaves. We’ll make a garland, later.
Pick leaves and flower petals from plants or herbs. The flower petals fall off daily. I never come into the empty-handed. Lay them on a paper towel to dry for about a week. They should feel like corn flakes and crumble easily. If you dry herbs and use them in your kitchen, you can add some to the bottles you already have. When using dried herbs, pour the amount you are using into your hand and grind them with the heel of your other hand, to release the flavor.
Pick bouquets of herbs and flowers, leaving a long stem. Take the leaves off the flower stems. Rubber band the end of the stems and hang upside down to dry. All drying should be done in a dry place.
Dry fruit in oven….see post.
When you put your mix together, put all of it in a jar to cure for 2 weeks. Smell it. If it is not strong enough, add more oil and let sit another week, or so.
Let’s start with easy ones:
Kitchen Mix
Basic Potpourri
Mix last two ingredients together while flowers are drying.
Rose Lavender
Mix and store in a jar for 2 to 3 weeks, shaking jar every day. Don’t forget to mix the orris root and oils together for a few days before you assemble the whole thing.
Potpourri….means rotten pot in french…is not hard to make. If you can follow a recipe, you can make potpourri.
Sweet scents were used and brought to this country by immigrants, what was grown here and Native Americans. Herbs and sweet smelling flowers and leaves were a necessity to our ancestors. They were the only medicines they had and women had an area in their homes to make medicines and put recipes together to strew around the home and carried on their persons to keep odors down. These women searched out recipes, made their own and combined all ideas and plants from others.
It consists of bulk ( flowers or leaves, herbs, barks, cones, dried fruit peel or wood shavings), scent (spices or essential oils…oil can be bought at Walmart in the craft dept. ) and a fixative ( the fixative holds the scent in your mix. ex: orris root, salt and some spices). If you are going to use cedar shavings, buy a bag of pet bedding instead. It’s easier. If your recipe calls for pine needles, pick the branches, cut into 1 foot or so pieces. Put them in a brown bag and shake everyday.
Blend essential oil (EO) in a separate container with the fixative a few days before assembling your mix. Shake ingredients everyday.
Potpourri is not a science. My recipes are suggestions, to get you started. If you want more color, add it. If you don’t like the EO I suggest, add one that you like.
All ingredients must be dried. Moisture will spoil your work. If you are going to store potpourri, put it in glass jars. Save all of the moisture absorbing small packs that come in prescription bottle and add one, if possible.
Harvesting:
It takes awhile to grow your own herbs and flowers to get started. In the meantime, purchase dried materials and orris root at Atlantic Spice Co. or Ebay online. While you’re at it, puchase a bag of whole bay leaves. We’ll make a garland, later.
Pick leaves and flower petals from plants or herbs. The flower petals fall off daily. I never come into the empty-handed. Lay them on a paper towel to dry for about a week. They should feel like corn flakes and crumble easily. If you dry herbs and use them in your kitchen, you can add some to the bottles you already have. When using dried herbs, pour the amount you are using into your hand and grind them with the heel of your other hand, to release the flavor.
Pick bouquets of herbs and flowers, leaving a long stem. Take the leaves off the flower stems. Rubber band the end of the stems and hang upside down to dry. All drying should be done in a dry place.
Dry fruit in oven….see post.
When you put your mix together, put all of it in a jar to cure for 2 weeks. Smell it. If it is not strong enough, add more oil and let sit another week, or so.
Let’s start with easy ones:
Kitchen Mix
- 2 c rosemary
- 1 c marjoram
- 2 c sage
- 1 c mint
- 1/2 c salt (fixative)
- 1 c citrus peels
- 1/2 c coriander seeds, crushed
- 20 drops lemon EO
Basic Potpourri
- 2 c main flowers (for color) Ex: roses, orange blossoms, lilacs, lavender
- 2 cups second flower (for bulk) Ex: hydrangea, mums
- 1/4 c crushed spices Ex: cinnamon, cloves
- 1/2 c citrus peel Ex: orange or lemon
- 2 T orris root
- A few drops of your choice EO
Mix last two ingredients together while flowers are drying.
Rose Lavender
- 1 c pink rose petals ( once again, if you don’t have pink, use red, or what you have)
- 1/2 c pink rosebuds
- 1 c lavender buds ( I also use the leaves from lavender)
- 4 T orris root (orris root is the fixative)
- 5 drops rose EO
- 3 drops lavender EO
Mix and store in a jar for 2 to 3 weeks, shaking jar every day. Don’t forget to mix the orris root and oils together for a few days before you assemble the whole thing.
HOW TO MAKE A TUSSIE MUSSIE OR POSY
I've added pictures.A tussie mussie is a small bouquet of flowers. In the 1800's women carried these small posies to ward off odors from the streets. There were no sanitary conditions, nor any care to personal hygiene. Today they are given for pure joy and love.
Start with your center flower. You can start with one large one, or several small ones. Odd numbers of flowers look better. Try roses, lilacs, hydrangeas or lilies.
Next, circle your flowers with a layer of leaves. You can use hydrangea, rose, english ivy, trumpet vine, clematis, leaves from a lilac bush, leaves of an herb, or leaves from a tree you like.
Your next circle can be baby's breath, lavender, honeysuckle, wiegelia, small pieces of lilac or hydrangea, thyme or any flower you can find that has small petals.
Continue building your bouquet, ending with large leaves...hydrangea, hosta, lilac..etc.
Secure the bouquet with a rubber band. Purchase a small holder for a wedding bouquet, crocheted or paper doilies at a craft store. While you are at the craft store look in the bridal section for small pearls or other decorations on small stems that can be inserted into your posy, if desired.
You can also add a few drops of essential oil.
Cut a small hole in the center of the doily, or wedding holder, insert the stems and pull the flowers into place. Cut the stems, leaving a few inches for a handle. Cover the handle with florist tape or wrap ribbon around the stems. Cut 2 pieces of ribbon,18 to 24 inches. Tie a bow around the handle, letting the ends of the ribbon hang a little.
Your tussie mussie can be laid on your nightstand, in your guest room or bathroom. Turn daily, so it will dry and keep it's shape. After it is dried, it will keep indefiniately.
Make a tussie mussie for someone who is in the hospital. Can you imagine a scared little child or an elderly person who is frightened? How much sweeter than a pot or vase of flowers. Give them for Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, graduations from pre-school to college, dance recitals, birthdays, pink or blue for a new baby, to say thank you, I'm thinking of you, I love you, I miss you or no reason at all.
Make one for Christmas, using red roses,pine, pine cones, glitter or mini ornaments.
Have fun.
TAKE DOWN THE WALL.....LITERALLY
I bought my very own "just for me" house. I didn't buy a teeny little house because I need elbow room. I dragged all of my collections, crafting items, all of my extra "just in case I need it" stuff and it all fit quite well. This was my house, I had a good job and and was in my "happy place."
Except...walking into the kitchen gave me heebie jeebies. The doorway seemed to be 2 feet wide and if someone opened the frig, you had to wait until it was closed to enter the room, not to mention that that big, solid wall blocked the light to the dining room. I also needed new tile on the floor.
I drove a school bus and one of my high school boys mentioned to me that his Dad was a carpenter. So, I asked him to come and take a look.
I wanted the 32" doorway opened to 6'. I wanted no door, just an opening. I wanted sub floor put down in the kitchen and I would lay my own tile.
His price was $1500.00 for the opening, because he said it was a bearing wall and he had to put beams in the ceiling to hold it up. I knew better. He also wanted $1500.00 for the subfloor. I smiled said thank you and he left.
I needed advice and confirmation, so I called a girlfriend of mine who has one of those husbands that is constantly changing, rearranging and adding to their home.
I was right. It was not a bearing wall. That's all I needed.
The house was an older one with plastered walls. I put tarps on both sides of the wall to hold down the dust. I brought in garbage cans, my reciprocating saw for the 2x4 studs and my BABY SLEDGE HAMMER!!! I had the wall down in an hour.
Another friend and her husband stopped by. They, of course asked what I was doing and after the discussion, he asked why was I going to trim it out in drywall and suggested I cut the plaster opening straight and just put molding up...which I did. The price of 3 pieces of white molding was $50.00. I saved myself $1450.00.
I had linoleum on the floor and both men suggested I lay my new floor right over it. I bought 5 pieces of sub floor...which is like real thin plywood. I stood there forever, figuring out how to lay the floor with the fewest cuts. I laid 5, 4x8 sheets of flooring, and only had to make 1 cut. The price for the sub floor was $50.00...$10.00 a sheet. I bought 3 tubes of glue for about $10.00. I saved $1440.00.
The carpenter called me that next Saturday morning and said he'd be there in an hour or so with "his crew". I asked him why and he said to do start the work. When I told him that I had finished it that morning, and I had done the job for $110.00, he very quietly said goodbye and hung up.
My total saved was $2890.00.
I've had this kind of stuff happen to me with auto repairs. A woman walks in alone and all of a sudden, it feels like these guys are going to make their next house payment off of her and I resent it. I was looking for a car, went into a dealership to test drive one. The salesman told me the price on the window was rock bottom, the lowest they would do, no if's and's or but's. I drove the car and when we got back I told him I would think about it. Guess what he said? "Wait! I'll go in and see if I can get some of the price knocked down." Guess what I said? "Don't bother. You've been caught in a lie and I don't do business like that."
Don't be cheated. Don't think because someone quotes you a price that it's the final word..whatever you are buying or paying for..get advice, get confirmation, get ideas, get a second opinion...and then get the baby sledge!
Except...walking into the kitchen gave me heebie jeebies. The doorway seemed to be 2 feet wide and if someone opened the frig, you had to wait until it was closed to enter the room, not to mention that that big, solid wall blocked the light to the dining room. I also needed new tile on the floor.
I drove a school bus and one of my high school boys mentioned to me that his Dad was a carpenter. So, I asked him to come and take a look.
I wanted the 32" doorway opened to 6'. I wanted no door, just an opening. I wanted sub floor put down in the kitchen and I would lay my own tile.
His price was $1500.00 for the opening, because he said it was a bearing wall and he had to put beams in the ceiling to hold it up. I knew better. He also wanted $1500.00 for the subfloor. I smiled said thank you and he left.
I needed advice and confirmation, so I called a girlfriend of mine who has one of those husbands that is constantly changing, rearranging and adding to their home.
I was right. It was not a bearing wall. That's all I needed.
The house was an older one with plastered walls. I put tarps on both sides of the wall to hold down the dust. I brought in garbage cans, my reciprocating saw for the 2x4 studs and my BABY SLEDGE HAMMER!!! I had the wall down in an hour.
Another friend and her husband stopped by. They, of course asked what I was doing and after the discussion, he asked why was I going to trim it out in drywall and suggested I cut the plaster opening straight and just put molding up...which I did. The price of 3 pieces of white molding was $50.00. I saved myself $1450.00.
I had linoleum on the floor and both men suggested I lay my new floor right over it. I bought 5 pieces of sub floor...which is like real thin plywood. I stood there forever, figuring out how to lay the floor with the fewest cuts. I laid 5, 4x8 sheets of flooring, and only had to make 1 cut. The price for the sub floor was $50.00...$10.00 a sheet. I bought 3 tubes of glue for about $10.00. I saved $1440.00.
The carpenter called me that next Saturday morning and said he'd be there in an hour or so with "his crew". I asked him why and he said to do start the work. When I told him that I had finished it that morning, and I had done the job for $110.00, he very quietly said goodbye and hung up.
My total saved was $2890.00.
I've had this kind of stuff happen to me with auto repairs. A woman walks in alone and all of a sudden, it feels like these guys are going to make their next house payment off of her and I resent it. I was looking for a car, went into a dealership to test drive one. The salesman told me the price on the window was rock bottom, the lowest they would do, no if's and's or but's. I drove the car and when we got back I told him I would think about it. Guess what he said? "Wait! I'll go in and see if I can get some of the price knocked down." Guess what I said? "Don't bother. You've been caught in a lie and I don't do business like that."
Don't be cheated. Don't think because someone quotes you a price that it's the final word..whatever you are buying or paying for..get advice, get confirmation, get ideas, get a second opinion...and then get the baby sledge!
AUTUMN....PART2
down through the top, almost to the bottom, add brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, raisins, nuts...whatever you like. Push the dough back together and let rise a bit more. Bake according to package. When it comes out of the oven, you can make a frosting of powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Frost while still warm.
Pumpkin Bread
Makes 2 to 3 loaves
3 1/2 c flour
3 c sugar
1 t nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
1 1/2 t salt
2 t baking soda
1 c vegetable oil
2/3 c water
4 eggs, beaten
2 c pumpkin, no spices added
Sift dry ingredients. Add oil and water. Mix. Add eggs. Add pumpkin. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes.
Great for gifts.
Pumpkin Bread
Makes 2 to 3 loaves
3 1/2 c flour
3 c sugar
1 t nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
1 1/2 t salt
2 t baking soda
1 c vegetable oil
2/3 c water
4 eggs, beaten
2 c pumpkin, no spices added
Sift dry ingredients. Add oil and water. Mix. Add eggs. Add pumpkin. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes.
Great for gifts.
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