CraftyHope

Weekend Wishes

I know it's bad taste to "drink and blog," but look out world, welcome to me.

I just want to thank those few, very few, faithfuls that who are actually visiting the blog on a fairly regular basis. I am really enjoying this creative output and will continue to post whether anyone reads me or not. [but please keep on reading - I'm loving the attention]

I've already had a great night tonight by simply cooking dinner for the LOML* and then hanging out with our local best friend married couple. I have VERY few plans for the weekend. One of my nieces has asked me to come over, I want to go to some yard sales, and I have dinner plans on Sunday. Other than that, my weekend is O.P.E.N!! It's so exciting. No other plans taking up or ruining the whole weekend. I've got some other things I am hoping to get done, but will not absolutely PLAN on doing. Ahhh, the luxury of no plans.

Well, before I regret saying any of this, I'm going to post. I hope everyone has a fabulous un-planned weekend as well.

Cheers!! (as I hold up my tasty beer to the monitor)

Feel Good Friday - Animal Friends

Hey there! It's finally "Feel Good Friday" in these parts.

I have been holding on to this little gem of warm fuzzies for a little while. Check out these adorable and unusual Animal Friendships.
Here are two of my favorites:

I'm partial to anything with a ferret in it.

Isn't this just too 'tweet?

I hope your weekend includes some feel good moments with friends too!!

Beach-Themed Necklace

Since I haven't really posted ANYTHING "crafty" in a while, I decided that it is time to do so!!

I have worked on quite a few projects, but am awful at actually finishing anything. On vacation, I was able to start AND finish a necklace while looking out at this view of the beautiful Gulf of Mexico.

Since I had such lovely inspiration from which to draw, I created this necklace that even LOML* loves.

The pieces are almost all natural beads. It feels very nature and outdoorsy to me. I hope y'all like!

*LOML=Love of My Life

Thrifty Thursday - Dryer Sheets

It's been a while since I posted for "Thrifty Thursday"

I received an e-mail from my cousin about the many uses of Bounce brand fabric softener. I do not know if these benefits are solely related to that brand or are associated with all fabric softener brands. In any case, the ones related to bug control are quite interesting. Here's the list:

1. Lay sheets of Bounce near ant and ant beds to chase them away.

2. Spread sheets around foundation areas of houses, in trailers, or in cars that are sitting and it keeps mice from entering.

3. Bounce sheets will take the odor out of books and photo albums that don't get opened often.

4. It repels mosquitoes. Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season.

5. Eliminate static electricity from your television or computer screen by wiping a sheet over the screen. This will also help keep dust from resettling.

6. Dissolve soap scum from shower doors by cleaning them with a sheet of Bounce.

7. To freshen the air in your home - place individual sheets of Bounce in drawers or hang them in closets.

8. Place a Bounce sheet in your vacuum cleaner.

9. Prevent threads from tangling by running a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce before beginning to sew.

10. Prevent musty suitcases by placing a sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing.

11. To freshen the air in your car, place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat.

12. Golfers put a Bounce sheet in their back pocket to keep the bees and yellow jackets away.

13. Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan by placing a sheet in the pan, filling with water, letting it sit overnight, and sponging it clean. The anti-static agent apparently weakens the bond between the food and the pan.

14. Eliminate odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of your trash can.

15. Collect cat hair by rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce to magnetically attract all the loose hairs.

16. Eliminate static electricity from Venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resettling.

17. Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering. A used sheet of Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.

18. Eliminate odors in dirty laundry. Place an individual sheet of Bounce at the bottom of your laundry bag or hamper.

19. Deodorize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight.

20. Put a Bounce sheet in your sleeping bag and tent before folding and storing them. It will keep them smelling fresh.

At the same time, Curbly.com has a featured a post about how to make your own fabric softener sheets. Check it out.

That's all for this Thrifty Thursday!

Wild Wild Web Wednesday

I'm trying to be better about posting so here's another edition of "Wild Wild Web Wednesday"

Today's WWWW is leaning toward being mostly centered around images:

Have you ever wondered where your cat goes and sees while outside? One man equipped his cat with a camera to find out and has posted some great photos from the CatCam.
Most fish tanks can be such boring boxes of water. This one from Octopus Studios eliminates that notion.
Water Balloons are awesome, but this image of three water balloons being shot captivates me.
Make your own Jackson Pollack painting. To change color, click your mouse. To erase, press your enter or space bars.

I hope your Wednesday is WILD!!

Feelin' Betta

Sorry about that rant yesterday. I'm just a little down. I almost didn't go to dinner with my Mardi Gras Room. However, I reasoned that I needed to eat, and there would be wine of course. So, I went. It was a great decision. I forget how much I enjoy the group of people in my Room. We ended up talking about games for the Wii for almost all of dinner. Of course, the two ladies who were discussing it with me have pre-teen sons. But, what the hay - I like my geek entertainment.

When I left dinner, I had a message from my pregnant, single friend. I met her at another restaurant to chat while she ate. She helped me feel even better and recommended a magazine she had seen at her doctor's office.

Overall, I had a nice evening with my lady friends, and I'm ready to get back up on the horse (in a manner or speaking.)

Caution - Woman Venting (may not make sense)

I'm having a moody, moody day today. If my last post yesterday wasn't any indication. . . I hate PMS, I hate my period - GAH! Nine months without either would be fabulous. I know, I know - morning sickness, hemorrhoids, weight gain, stretch marks, etc. But it's worth it right? Right? Oh whatever, I just want a baby.

I've got to stop obsessing over this. Sorry! Needed to vent for a minute.

'Trying' to Get Pregnant

At what point do you stop trying to let it “happen naturally” and begin to actually “try” to get pregnant? Is it better to stop stressing about it so it just happens, or should you start scheduling intimacy and checking temperatures and such?

In fact, ‘TRYING to get pregnant’ is such an ugly term. It just lets people know that you have sex with your husband. Who needs to know that? Sorry, I guess I just revealed that information to all of you. I just hate the term ‘trying to get pregnant.’ I tell people “we’ve decided we’re ready to have children.” Isn’t that enough? Now, if it would just happen already, I’m getting OLD over here.

Made Me Smile Monday

I've been trying to evaluate my blog and compare it to other blogs I enjoy. Overall, in comparison I tend to be rather wordy and include an overabundance of information. Whereas, the blogs I really enjoy do not go on and on in a single post. I have a ton of links, pictures, and other interesting items for my 'themes.' Yet, instead of giving you a really long list and then not posting again for a while, I am going to try and limit my post length.

With this in mind, here is my shortened "Made Me Smile Monday":

Check out these folksy rap songs (rap songs re-done by folk bands)
"If the #2 pencil is so popular, why is it still #2?"
Have you tried to clean your monitor from the inside?

From the "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks

If you are trying to have a baby (like me) you need to know a few tips about caring for babies. There is a list of the Do's and Don'ts with babies. Here's a few samples:

Let me know if you enjoy the shorter lists or prefer the longer version.

Splendid Lazy Vacation

I'm still coming down from that vacation-high of the lazy notion of: nowhere to be, nothing NEEDS to be done, eat and drink whatever, stay in pajamas all day and watch the waves. In short, we had a fabulous time at the condo. It was so very nice. I did take some pictures to share, but the dang vacation-lazies keep me from uploading them. I'll be back soon.