Snowflake Luminary [Candle] Jar
Wednesday, November 04, 2009 | By sharonlacouture
This is an easy craft to create and after you make a few, the process is very simple with a beautiful end result. You can freely play around with the crafting technique and theme to make this luminary for any occasion.
SUPPLIES:
1 quart size jar [no cover needed]
Frosted glass spray paint
Assorted stickers [I used snowflakes for this project]
1 24-inch pc. 14 gauge wire [silver or copper]
Hole punch
Small pair of craft pliers
Votive candle holder and votive candle [I prefer clear candle holders, you can use colored/scented candles as desired]
Rubber gloves/surgical gloves if desired
PREPARING THE LUMINARY
Lay jar on newspaper in well ventilated work space.
Use your gloves.
Spray the jar with two coats of frosted glass spray paint. Allow the jar to dry between coats.
**paint appears clear but will take on a frosted effect after it dries.
Randomly apply stickers to jar
IF your jar has a band, use the hole punch to evenly place a hole on opposite sides of the band.
IF your jar has no band you can easily wrap the 14 gauge wire around the mouth of the jar, you may need a pair of small pliers to tighten the wire around the mouth of the jar.
Place one end of your 14 gauge wire through the hole and twist to secure, half loop the wire and feed the other end through the opposite hole and secure it the same way, creating a handle/hanger.
IF a band was used, screw the band back on to the jar
Place votive candle holder into mouth of jar
Place votive candle into candle holder
VOILA!! Your luminary is done
You can embellish this jar with festive ribbon around the mouth and create a tie-on gift tag if it is intended to be a gift.
FUN IDEAS:
Before spraying on the frosted glass paint, paint your jar a base color to match the theme [orange for halloween votive, blue for snowflake votive etc.]
Then match the votive candle color to the base color
ENJOY!
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joke
Wednesday, November 04, 2009 | By myshayshay
Knock Knock
Whos There?
Cargo
cargo who
cargo beep beep! lol
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Tking Care of Health Biz, etc.
Monday, November 02, 2009 | By pamphyila
Hubby & I are slightly ailing - so we are taking all of our resistance nostrums - that is, Wellness vitamins(using the leftover drops I got once by accident) - lots of Vit. C - and ginseng, astralagus and so on. I even took some the Chinese Gan Mao Ling remedy (which is for colds that begin in the throat - it's so inexpensive - but strong, so I save it against the time I need it) and Echinechea and Goldenseal! And I am also gargling with hot salt water for my scratchy throat. And we are resting a lot. Especially in the flu season we need to take care - Although at 50+ I think I have had all the flu bugs going around - We have them every winter! So at least we have probably developed immunity....
There are so many mechanical ways to deal with flu symptoms, too - you can clear your lungs with a tea made up of Chinese Five Spice seasoning from the grocery store plus thyme - serve hot with honey (honey also has antiseptic qualities). That will serve to break up the mucous in your lungs and help you to expel it. You can also inhale steam - I have a facial steamer I picked up at a yard sale for that - but you can also just breathe in the steam from a mug of hot tea - or put your head under a towel over a steaming wash basin of water, and inhale the steam. It's sort of a diy nebulizer. Allergy sufferers will know what I mean.
Keep on taking your vitamins - the B's and all - and eat regularly and well and sleep enough - all to keep the system up and running in a healthy way.
Knitting away - mixing the cheap dollar store yard with my thriftshop wools and so on. Thinking about getting a Knifty Knitter for hats - Have any of you used one? And what size? I don't need the set of 3 - because I rarely knit for babies! But my baby "blanket" is done - I do hpe everyone likes the scarves they are going to get!
All for now - going for a nap....See ya...
/+-+
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Free Leathercraft Patterns
Friday, October 30, 2009 | By Standing Bears
Free Leathercraft Tooling Patterns, Free Leather Carving Patterns, and leather craft project instructions
The current Patterns available are:
Napkin Holder Patterns -
Assembly Instructions File size is 1.16mb - http://www.sbearstradingpost.com/leather_patterns/NH_assembly-instructions.pdf
Leather Tooling - Carving Pattern File size is 237kb - http://www.sbearstradingpost.com/leather_patterns/NH_ToolingPattern.pdf
Tracing Pattern - Instruction File size: 828kb - http://www.sbearstradingpost.com/leather_patterns/NH_TracingPattern.pdf
Belt Carving Patterns - http://www.sbearstradingpost.com/leather_patterns/beltpatterns1.pdf
Leather Pancake Knife Case Pattern - http://www.sbearstradingpost.com/leather_patterns/PancakeKnifeSheath.pdf
Make your own stropping block - http://www.sbearstradingpost.com/leather_patterns/StroppingBlock.pdf
To view and downlad these patterns, click on the links above or visit our Free leathercraft pattern page at:
http://www.sbearstradingpost.com/freepatterns.html
Visit Our Leather Crafts Message Board A place where you can meet leather crafters, discuss leather crafts, post events, and more.
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Leatherwork, Leathercraft Resources
Friday, October 30, 2009 | By Standing Bears
Discussion Websites
Standing Bear's Trading Post Leathercraft Message Board - http://standingbears.proboards102.com/
Facebook Leathercrafters Grouphttp://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10062324602
Leatherworker.net - http://www.leatherworker.net/ -
Note the buffalo feather and figure carving tutorials.
Leatherworker.net Forums - http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?act=idx? - Conversations on a wide variety of leatherworking questions. Access to professionals who share their knowledge.
FLASAH – http://groups.yahoo.com/group/flasah/ - Free Yahoo Group
We are the largest Internet list of leatherworkers dedicated to the discussion, sharing, and teaching of leathercraft. Free Internet lessons, patterns, ideas, information. and tips for working with leather. More than any group on any network in the world. The best new ideas come from experienced leathercrafters who are willing to share.
We teach. We have the On-Line Home Study Course (OLHSC). There you will find step by step lessons and tons of patterns. If you wish to learn about both leather and leatherwork without sales pressure, these are the groups.
All Leather Crafters and Leather Workers are welcome. Open discussion of leather crafting in any form. We are an international group with a world wide membership.
OLHSC - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/olhscleather/
On-Line Home Study Course in Leathercraft (OLHSC) A group designed to advance leathercraft by offering lessons via the web. These lessons teach basics of traditional tooling designs that go back to the days of Greek civilization.
We teach leatherwork. Begin leathworking here. (The start of leaathercarving.) Crafting with leather is fun. Our photo albums contain step by step instruction in tooling designs into leather, and many patterns. We are leathercrafters; we carve leather.
We work along with the group FLASaH and the South Central Leathercraft Guild. We work with leather. We are not eBay merchants after your money; we are leatherworkers, here to teach and advance your skill.
We have more patterns, instructional information, and tips than any group in the world. Our members have more experience than most, and share it freely. For ideas, we are the number 1.
Keep this group's discussions on the lessons that are shown here, and to the how-to's of tooling one of the 1000's of line patterns being added daily.
Leathercraft Guilds
The Leathercraft Guild – http://www.theleathercraftguild.com
The Leathercraft Guild Facebook Fan Page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Leathercraft-Guild/28636993760
International Internet Leather Crafter's Guild (IILG). - http://iilg.net/ - $20.00 Initial membership $10.00 following years. Includes membership in Yahoo group
( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/iilg-members/ )
You can find a listing of the members of the IFOLG (International Federation Of Leathercraft Guilds at:
http://www.ifolg.org/members.htm
Leatherworker.net also has a list on their website at:
http://leatherworker.net/leatherguilds.htm
Informational Websites of Interest
Kingsmere Crafts - http://www.btinternet.com/~kingsmerecrafts/page04.html – Free site that has over 107 pages of information and how to instruction on leather craft.
Painting Cow Studio - http://www.paintingcow.com/supplies.html - Free tutorials.
Miscellaneous Patterns and Instructional Sites
http://www.johan-potgieter.com/leatherlearn/
http://www.alleycatscratch.com/lotr/LeatherS.htm
http://www.robertbeardtools.com/educational.html
http://members.memlane.com/gromboug/P3TofC.htm
http://www.freasierleather.com/AlStohlman.htm
http://www.leathercraftersjournal.com/
http://clayb.dotphoto.com/CPListAlbums.asp
http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=26036
http://www.hewit.com/downloads.htm
http://www.leatherlearn.com/
http://www.sbearstradingpost.com/freepatterns.html
Western patterns (require Tracing) & fonts
http://members.memlane.com/gromboug/P3TofC.htm
Clip Art http://www.harvestfields.ca/clipart/index.htm
Thank you to Cecil for many of these links in order to assist other leathercrafters in obtaining information in regards to leatherwork.
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Top 10 ways, to keep your room organized!
Friday, October 30, 2009 | By tennisdancer05
Hey guys here is some top 10 ways to stay organized with such a busy life you don't want to come home to a room that is a mess, which just leaves you more stressed out than you started.
1.) Make your bed, something so simple can honestly make your room look bigger and more put together, if your room is a mess start with the bed then you have a clean spot to start organizing your life.
2.) Put up a memo board of some kind, I use a stick on the wall cheap white-board it allows me to put up reminders and keep the post-it notes from attacking me with reminders when I wake up and you just simply erase it when you are finished with that task.
3.) Keep your hangers all in one spot, if they aren't hanging something up organize them to all be in the same spot that way when your doing laundry and have to put things up your not searching for hangers.
4.) Go through your closet every few months, things change keeping only things that fit you and/or you will actually wear keeps you from having a closet full of junk, more organized, easier to find what your looking for, the amount of clothes you have to organize down, and it feels great to donate things you don't use anymore.
5.) Keep a routine, right before you leave or come home get into a 5 min. routine where you just quick tidy up believe it or not 5 minutes can help keep you organized and your stress level down.
6.) Do NOT keep things you don't use anymore just lying around get rid of it, those McDonalds toys from when you were 3 do not need to still be thrown somewhere in your room, keeping only the essentials and day to day things will keep the clutter down, and the bugs out.
7.) Do not throw things under the bed!, organize your bed space, i bought a cheap under the bed roller that keeps things organized and easy to access and out of the way.
8.) Take out the trash, make sure not to leave excess waterbottles,trash,useless papers lying around the trash will create more clutter and not to mention make you look bad if you have friends over.
9.) Invest in the clear drawer, white( or color of your choice) containers that are on wheels if you keep your paperwork as easy access, but organized and out of the way it will less the clutter, and force you to keep the papers from getting out of hand.
10.) Magazines! girls I know we are all guilty with keeping every magazine, I discovered the best thing to do with magazines off a show, read the magazine, ripe out that one outfit page or self help page you love grab a binder and organize it keep a slot for just shoes, jewelry,clothes, advice, then throw the useless magazine ads you don't care about in the first place out it keeps all your great ideas from the magazines in one easy to find, organized in categories, and keeps the magazines from taking over, after a year or a few months go through and those some of those ideas or articles you have already used or are dated.
And good luck! ask me any questions I will try my best to get back to you ASAP!
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It's Flu Season
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 | By jess
My son Ethan has been home sick since Friday with a fever and bad cough. It might be swine flu or might be just the regular flu. Either way, it is nasty stuff. He had a temp of 102 - 103 for over 24 hours, and it didn't respond very well to meds. Today is Tuesday and he still has a fever of 101! A close friend of mine had to take her son to the ER last night for breathing issues, with similar symptoms. The doctor's offices and hospitals are slammed with flu cases and the schools have lots of absences.
Here are some of the tips that I have used in the last few days to get my family through this latest bout of illness. I hope they are helpful to someone and we all get through this year's flu season as easily as possible!
- Keep Stocked Up - Buy lots of liquids, canned soup and other non-perishables for quick snacks and easy meals. It is likely that the whole house will come down with it and you want to be able to keep everyone fed through your own recovery. You also want to make sure you have medications like Tylenol for reducing fevers, cough syrup, and cough drops. You don't want to have to drag yourself or your sick kids to the store for essentials.
- Keep Them Healthy - If you just have one sick child, try to keep them in their room, or one room of the house. Use lots of disinfecting wipes and practice good health techniques like hand washing or sanitizer and coughing into your arm instead of your hands. Be sure not to send them back to school until their fever is gone at least 24 hours. If you haven't already, get those flu shots ASAP. We still have months of flu season left and the shots cover several strains.
- Keep Them Quiet - Your child will feel much better on medication, maybe too much better. They really need more rest and relaxation than they will take on their own. Play quiet board games with them or let them watch TV from bed. I recommend having them watch movies instead of broadcast TV, if possible. The constant commercials and short programs are much more distracting than a feature length film. Books, of course, are also good for quiet time, if your child enjoys reading.
- Keep Them Hydrated And Comfortable - One of the most dangerous parts of being sick is the dehydration, especially if there is vomiting or diarrhea. Keep a water bottle with your child and refill it often. If their pee is dark yellow, they are not getting enough water. Often it is difficult to swallow with a very sore throat and they often have little appetite. Try giving them easy to swallow foods like soup, jello, applesauce, popsicles. Check their fever regularly and keep track of times and temps, as well as the medication. I find that most kids don't like cough drops, too strong. I have gotten the Vitamin C drops instead, but a hard candy will work as well. Likewise, honey is a good substitute cough syrup. Don't bother with those multi symptom meds as they give too much of some and not enough of other.
- Keep in Contact With Your Doctor - Most insurance plans and doctor's offices have advice nurses available 24 hours a day. Although there is lots of advice on the internet, your own doctor knows the specifics of your personal situation and will give you the very best advice. Be sure to call immediately if the fever is high (over 103), your child is unresponsive or is having trouble breathing. If you can't contact a doctor, there is lots of good advice at flu.gov, which is a website set up by the CDC. If you are worried and it is the middle of the night, go directly to the ER!
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Wkend Shopping
Monday, October 26, 2009 | By pamphyila
Turns out I rarely do any shopping except on the weekends with hubby - so it does look as if I am going a bit mad buying stuff - but I suppose when you balance that out with not spending ANY money during the week (not even for Starbucks or fast food drinks!) that it all evens out.
We stopped off in at a NEW Goodwill on the way to the boat - and I landed a nice tweedy cotton sweater - perfect for fall in So. Cal for 99 Cents - and a fab wool vest with fox-like fur trim for $3.99 I think and a basket and some crewel yarn and a few books - for about $10! The Dollar Tree had more of the long scarves in black and white, which I got and spot remover -
In Sta. Paula I remembered that what I call the Oriental Bargain Store has bargain yarn - and I bought $20 worth (at $1 a skein) - Utilitarian - but nice and the price was RIGHT. My buddy has asked me to make a baby blanket as a gift for a couple we know - so I was glad to get more acrylic yarn in the right colors for that project. Also picked up some lavender yarn at the 99 Cent Store - along with MORE scarves! And I got more books at the Sta. Paula Goodwill - I just looked at the categories I needed and nowhere else not to be tempted! - so I was very good.
Found a lovely vintage wool sweater at the new Goodwill for $1 - which was too SMALL for me - but I will mend it and put it in the winter things to sell to the vintage store. Should be able to make $ on it.....
And of course, eventually the books can be recycled at Bart's Books in Ojai....So it's OK if I spent $1 for some....
Bought a thrifty book at Goodwill to give myself inspiration. That's how I initially honed my pennypinching skills - having first learned some basics from my mother - I then really made a study of pennypinching literature! My favorite book was HOW TO LIVE ON NOTHING - which seemed to have been written in the 40's in a sort of "back to the country" movement - I like the older books because they offer intriguing tips about older ways to save/conserve/repair and so on....Maybe someday I will finally write my own.
I do have better tips on wardrobe than the Yankee thrift book I read through -because I suppose Yankees are not much on style and more on utility! But here in L.A. - one has to be a bargain fashionista to keep up - even with my low profile lifestyle! That's where all the scarves come in...
Oh, I also picked up a burgundy L'Oreal lip gloss at the 99 Cent Store - great on top of my regular lipstick fro Wet N' Wild.
In the mail received some facial wash from Clearasil - which Glamour has asked me to try as part of a beauty panel trial - I am getting products all the time from my panel memberships. If you remember, I received Olay's 2X moisturizer last week and some pricey shampoo, too.
Brought some business magazines to my writing client - and asked him for a scalpel - since he works for some surgeons and has them around - Thought it would be good for tearing apart some sewing projects I have to do.
Also my buddy showed up Friday to help me go through my closets - We actually made some PROGRESS and have a box to recycle - and he took away a bag to give to the Out of the Closet thriftshop around the corner....
So, so far, so good - after registering our bargain Tbird we are broke agin - but my Social Security check is supposed to hit the bank on Wednesday -we will see how prompt they are!
More later - How are you all coping? Hmmm?
P.S. A note on mending jeans. Even though we think of jeans as BLUE, there is often a lot of GREY in that blue, especially when they are worn. When they stretch or have to be mended - the underlying white cotton shows up and highlights the mend - I have found that using GREY washable marker (or even eye shadow) tones down the underlying white to blend in with the rest of the worn denim - and it gradually fades irregularly to blend in even more - masking the mending - You always want your mending to fade into the background as much as possible!
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Back in the United States
Thursday, October 22, 2009 | By Stellaluna
After a 8.5 months of waiting my husband was finally given his VISA to the U.S. and we arrived in July of 09. We are now married in both countries!
The next step for us to be able to keep him here is to get him a "green card." This process thus far has cost over 3,000 U.S. dollars, not thrifty by any means. So far I have been able to do all the paperwork myself saving in lawyer fees, otherwise it would have been a lot more expensive.
After he has received his green card he will be able to work in the U.S. The Visa at first will be a 2 year conditional Visa and as long as we stay married it will be extended to 10 years. Once he receives his green card he can then start the process to become a citizen. At that point he would be able to hold a U.S. passport and vote. I am sure that whole process will also cost a bundle.
As we patiently wait once again for more paperwork to go through, we are enjoying our life together in the states but also miss something about Viet Nam everyday. I guess that is the life we are set out to have. No matter where we live one of us will miss our other country.
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Anxious - Thrift?
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 | By pamphyila
Ok, this is a confession - I have been finding great bargains - but a few too many, perhaps, recently! We are on the edge financially and waiting for some checks to come it, which will help - and here I am SHOPPING.
I have been using mall walking as a lure for my walking as exercise - and yesterday after I rode along with hubby to the W. side so I could hand in some paperwork from my French commercial job (he was at a W. Side school, working) - I then decided to walk up and down Main Street in Santa Monica - which has a nice upscale shopping area. Actually, I thought everything would be SO expensive that I wouldn't be tempted by anything except what's at the lone church thrift shop - but - alas I found lovely BARGAINS - and bought a lovely heather knit shawl/vest, and a ring with a garnet 1/2 off for $9! I suppose I was a little nuts to get the knitting thing - & I was persuaded by the fact that it HAD BEEN $88(?) The ring was a great deal - the only one there in jewelry & is perfect for wearing on my middle finger - as my new look is sporting multiple silver rings.
So, I was looking great in my thriftshop Polo bright pink top worn with jeans and an ethnic scarf - (& my pink Topsiders) - & I got carried away. Had lots of fun, talked to the shopkeepers and so on - and walked up and down - But, ouch, Pamela. I joked that I will be the best dressed homeless person - not that it's gotten to THAT.
Let's see - I do have an image to maintain as an actress in L.A. and I do have to dress "up" for certain appearances, like the one at the production office on the W. Side. And I DO DO it on the very cheap - But there is so much wardrobe to be gone THROUGH. Waiting on a buddy to help and then will take the vintage to be recycled at a vintage store on Vermont Ave. where I have been going for years. (They said they won't take winter things until after Halloween).
Help! What does one do as a female? You just have to have clothes and so on! I manage to get lots of beauty freebies (just received a month's worth of Olay's 2X moisturizer (@ $30 worth?- from Vocal point) - and I seem to have WON some fancy shampoo from Allure). And I get discount lipstick and other makeup (I also got some Covergirl makeup and mascara - gratis.)
I don't have manicures or pedicures - and I manage to have nice hair without spending a fortune on it a(Hint - I use colored shampoo + conditioner and stock up at the dollar stores when available). I am still working though the moisturizer collection I bought up in Ojai for $9 - & that included 2 lip glosses!
My hair is very long and needs to be cut, but I am thinking of trying to SELL it on the internet - there's a site for that - Why not? I have at least 7" and it's in great shape....Very O'Henry, no?
Used my Associated Content money on Paypal to buy a knitting kit on sale from Lion Brand yarn - Have to write more articles for pin money!
Oh, all this stuff makes me feel good, and since I have a depressive tendency, I veer towards pleasurable enterprises....And I am well dressed and have a yarn stash acquired on the cheap and nice facial products and makeup and...and...Rings on my fingers, if not bells on my toes!
But, I confess that there is a bit of bravado in the face of being strapped, which is counter -intuitive, since I should be avoiding ANY purchases, bargains or not - but don't you find that when your purse is the slimmest that the BEST bargains pop up? (I found nearly new Talbot's loafers at the thrift shop for $6! such a nice buttery color - after I got them hubby noticed wear on the toe (?) - but I fixed that up with an application of my yellow coverup stick! - You can use makeup on shoes, too! And looking them up on line - I found they would have been $99!!) My weakness -
I did phone hubby to see if any purchases were permitted - (which they were) - And I DID get a nice walk out of the shopping expedition - It seems when I have worked and made some money, I feel I have the right to spend some - I did the same thing last year with a stylish print chiffon dress - another steal....
Hubby said that would mean we couldn't have dinner out - but I replied that I would much rather have clothes than food - so we went and ate at home - and saw some great horror flicks on TCM - including THE TINGLER, with Vincent Price. Tuesday is old movie night on TCM, and I gorge myself on them - I almost stayed up to see another one, but was just too beat.
Finished an orange scarf last night- using big needles and the advice of a shopkeeper who knits that orange + pink work together - of course! I have SO MUCH orange - so I have to think how to put it to good use....Oh, and a knitting store site said I could just cast on 150 stitches to make a long scarf/shawl laterally - size 15 needles, which I have. I suppose that's my next project!
So bear with me - no saint, I - and you - what's your weakness??
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