Good in the World

I asked everyone last week for suggestions on what my Friday theme could be. Yet, I received none. I have still been turning it over in my head, and you should head some of the things that have been echoing around in there.
When I woke up this morning I thought, Friday is a great day. It's the gateway to the weekend and means that tonight, after work, you can have some fun. It's a day that everyone looks forward to all week. It just makes you happy, makes you 'feel good'. As such, Friday's theme (for now) will be "Feel Good Friday." Hopefully, I will be able to add to your Friday with some tidbits to help make the most of your good mood or maybe even put you in a good mood.

Today, I want you to reflect on even in dark times, how much good there can be in the world.
For proof, reflect on these instances:

• A 14-year old punk kid saved the life of an older gentleman
• Even animals get in on the good deeds, like these dolphins who protected a surfer during a shark attack
• In fact, animals will even depend on each other like these two

Remember - "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice." - Josianne Barnabe'

Now if that doesn't make you feel good - I don't know what's wrong with you!!

Picture This

I am feeling much better this evening so I wanted go ahead with another "Thrifty Thursday". I am absolutely stoked (yes, I said stoked) about this week because I am actually prepared for this post. So, "what are we thrifting," you ask. Well...Picture frames.
There are so many things that you can do with a picture frame.

I made a cool earring organizer.

Some ideas I found include:
1. Making a serving tray by adding handles and a nice image. The image can be interchanged for themes, seasons, holidays, etc.
2. As suggested in this book, you can use a large, empty picture frame to display bulky and decorative items. The author uses one to display her collection of teacups and changes these out per the season.
3. Place mirrors in several picture frames and make a mosaic of them on the wall or use a large one to accent around a light in the ceiling as suggested in this blog post.
4. Make a coaster out of a small frame or use one of the other suggestions on this earth friendly site.
5. Even Real Simple has the great idea to make a fridge magnet along with a few other great picture frame uses.

I even came up with these on my own:

• Re-do an old, ugly frame by painting/white washing, staining, gold/silver leafing to just your style.
• Write/ type up an inspirational or funny quote and frame it.
  
• Place some money or a gift card in a small frame as a new way to present a gift. This makes it two gifts in one, which is even nicer.

Picture frames are often easy to find in thrift and discount stores. You probably have a few even sitting around your house that you don't use. Go get one or eighteen and make something spectacular with them.

Crafty Hope Apologizes

I'm sorry! I know I've been faltering in keeping this up, but I am sick. I will try to post something more interesting tomorrow. I've just been so tired! While at work, I make lists of what to post, but can't seem to get up the energy to put it up here. I'm also anxious about LOML* leaving next week. I'm usually the one who goes out of town, but not for a WEEK!! If anyone wants to keep me company, lemmie know!! Hopefully, I won't feel as rotten as I do now.

I would like some comments to know what you do want to hear from me and if you even like what I am posting. Give me a clue!

*LOML=Love of My life

Listen Up!

It's "Techie Tuesday"!!! Whew, today I can let my geek self out for some air.

I want to tell you about two online radio services that I've discovered. These are both free and seem to be run on visual advertising.

The first one is AccuRadio. I JUST found this one the other day and liked the fact that you have choices of the type of station to which you can listen. Types of stations included are holiday, jazz, decades (includes the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s), county, showtunes, and many more. You can de-select artists that you do not want to hear and skip past songs you don't like. I find all of that very appealing. However, there is a very short ad/station identification message every three songs or so. The other problem I found was that you could only de-select ten artists. Again, I just found this station so I do not know much about it.

The other service is Pandora Radio. I have been using this service for several months now and really like it. You are able to create your own station by entering an artist or a song you want to hear. The station will either play that song or artist or one that is similar, and then others like it. You have several options: give the songs chosen a thumbs up (to hear more like it) or down (to indicate that you do not like it), add more songs to the station, and create other stations. The service walks you through it pretty simply. If you turn down too many songs, it will deny your ability to skip forward after a while. I really like this service overall, and it's really easy to use.

Halloween Laughs Late

Ok, so I didn't feel like posting when I got home last night. I'm ready now!
I bring you "Made Me Smile Monday" on a Tuesday! How unique is that?
Here are some of the things that made me smile or laugh over the past week:

• This Marie Antoinette action figure from Entertainment Earth
• The fact that I put on and wore my shirt to the airport, home, and then to work before realizing it was backwards.
• This joke/e-mail from a friend:

There is a dangerous virus being passed around electronically, orally, and by hand. This virus is called Weary-Overload-Recreational-Killer (WORK).
If you receive WORK from any of your colleagues, your boss, or anyone else via any means DO NOT TOUCH IT. This virus will wipe out your private life completely.
If you should come into contact with WORK, put your jacket on and take two good friends to the nearest grocery store. Purchase the antidote known as Work-Isolating-Neutralizer-Extract (WINE) or Bothersome-Employer-Elimination-Rebooter (BEER). Take the antidote repeatedly until WORK has been completely eliminated from your system.

• The Pet-Category Winner from Etsy's Halloween Costume Contest

• How smart some children are nowadays.
• The real meaning of friendship.
• Getting that extra hour because of daylight savings
• This video of scaring trick-or-treaters with an ooga horn
• These images as e-mailed to me by a friend

I hope these make you laugh as much as I did.

Strike One

It's my second "Made Me Smile Monday" and I do have a few things for you, yet I left the list at home and am at work (shhhhh!). After I get off work, I have to immediately go to Mobile for a meeting, visit with my mom, and then I will be home. Let's see how I feel this evening before I promise the giggle goodness that is "Made Me Smile Monday." I am sure you all needed a good laugh (as it is Monday), and I do apologize if I do not get it up until tomorrow. I'll work on getting better at my planning these posts!!!

Fondue or Fon"don't"?

It is "Somthin' Yummy Sunday" again. Instead of a recipe for you today, I wanted to quickly review a restaurant. On Friday, LOMI*, another couple, and I went to The Melting Pot for dinner. None of us had ever been there and were therefore "fondue virgins" as the waiter called us or "noobs" as I called us. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

We went with the Big Night Out special which included a cheese fondue appetizer with bread, apples, and raw veggies; a salad; a selection of entree meats and veggies; and chocolate fondue with a selection of yummies to dip. We were able to select the type of cheese for the appetizer, the type of salad we each wanted, the selection of meats and cooking style for the entree, and the type of chocolate for dessert. It was a little pricey and a long process overall but well worth it. The company was great, our server was friendly (he popped our fondue cherries gently), and best of all- the food was YUMMY!

We are all ready to try making our own fondue at home now, I may even break out that fondue set I received as a wedding present and always swore to use.


*LOML=Love of my Life

Decoupage Bracelet

I'm sorry I did not post yesterday. It was a busy day...house cleaning (glad that's done for now), the Alabama/LSU game, and a party! Whew, BUSY!

Today, LOML* and I went shopping. That seemed to tire him out. SO, while he napped, I crafted. I really like this end product. I wanted to use some larger wood beads, but these were the only one I had. I'll make bigger ones later.

Materials:

• Wooden beads
• Gel medium
• Paint brushes
• Container of water (for wetting and cleaning brush)
• Variety of papers
• Paper towel (for wiping brush)
• Wooden skewers
• Rubber band
• Paint pens (black and silver)
• Glitter
• Spray glossy sealer/varnish
• Silver beads
• Elastic cord
• Scissors

Directions:
Gather materials (see above) and protect workspace

Wrap skewer with rubber band and slide bead onto skewer. The skewer will help you hold the bead without actually touching it and the rubber band will keep the bead from sliding off the end.

Using gel medium and decorative papers/magazine clippings, cover wooden bead. I recommend putting down a layer of thin paper (tissue) first to cover the wood then decorating with the other papers. Keep the size of the bead in mind, it’s hard to find actual pictures to put on smaller beads like these.

Slide finished bead onto a different skewer and lay over a bowl (I used my gel medium lid) to dry.

Decorate bead with paint pens. I just made black polka dots with silver dots in the middle.
Allow paint to dry.

Sprinkle a little silver glitter on a piece of cardstock (I used an office folder). Lightly coat bead with more gel medium and roll it in the glitter. Let dry.
In a well ventilated area (outside), spray gloss sealer/varnish. Let dry and repeat as needed.

String decoupaged beads and silver beads onto elastic cord. Tie cord in a square knot. Enjoy!!

Variations:
Paint beads before decoupaging them for additional color
Go for holiday themes (green and red for Christmas) or school colors
Make stripes, diamonds, zig-zags, etc. instead of dots
Use a wash to coat the whole bead with a thin layer of the same color
Go wild with the ideas

The Good News Is. . .

Though I cannot reveal all the details, LOML* said I could go ahead and spill the beans. In an earlier post, I mentioned another job he may be getting. Well, he did go to DC for the interview, and they have officially offered him a position. I'm not allowed to say what the company is yet, that may come later. Yet, it does not make much of a difference.

They want him to start ASAP, so his last day at work (with me) will be in ONE week. He will then have to fly to DC for a week, fly home for Thanksgiving, fly back to DC for a week, then fly home and officially begin working from home. Whew! He'll be busy. I don't know what I'll do for those two weeks he'll be gone. Ideas anyone?

We're all pretty excited, and I wanted to share the news since I did allude to the job previously.

*LOML = Love of my Life

A Little Help Over Here

Ok....I'm actually at a loss of what to post today. Perhaps it is because I'm coming down with bronchitis, perhaps because I've already posted so much, who knows?

As you have read, I'm trying to do the theme-thing - so I always have a daily topic at least. I have been coming up with these topics with very little pre-planning. It is now Friday, the cusp to the weekend, and I am brain-dead as to what I want the theme for today to be. I've tossed around the ideas: "Fashion Friday", "Feel Good Friday", " 'Fess Up Friday", "Freely Friday", " etc. but can't really settle on one topic. Let me know what YOU want to hear from me on Fridays. It doesn't have to be an F word, that is just how I'm working right now.

I do want to admit that I may not keep all these themes (if they get too hard to come up with ideas) and may change them at ANY time. This is MY blog and I will do with it as I wish...so there.

I would like some input, though. Let me know!

UPDATE:Friday is now over and no one has had any suggestions. I think we should all put our thinking caps on and come up with a Friday theme. Let me know what you come up with!!

The Thrifty Trick Is. . .

I don't know how much I'll be able to post today. I'm not feeling well, and I have stuff to share but need to wait an additional day or two before I reveal all.

If you have been keeping up since this blog's inception on Saturday, you know that I have made 'themes' for each day. The one for Thursday (today) is "Thrifty Thursday" and I will be sharing ideas on thrift shopping and being frugal (this is the frugal goodness I mentioned in my first post). I don't really have anything to share today since it's been a busy day - had to drive to p'cola to pick up LOML* from the airport - and I am tired (too much Halloween last night) and sick.

I do want to share a little bit about thrifting. I am awful good at thrift store shopping (Goodwill especially). I have a knack for finding good quality, name brand clothes among a long rack of other items. The trick? I look at the material. You can always tell a good quality material just by looking at it, like the thread count in good sheets. I hardly ever have to go through the clothes at a thrift store one at a time, unless I'm not sure what I'm looking for. I can usually stand back and look at a section of rack and locate the higher quality items just based on the material. Of course, if you are looking for something more quirky or with more character, this is not the method to use.

Alright, I'm tired and want to chill out for a bit. I'm sorry if this didn't make any sense and that I was not well prepared today. I will try to share more next week.

*LOML = Love of My Life