Crochet Button Necklace

I have a little black dress.  Doesn't every woman?  In my case, my black dress has small white trim around the neckline and bottom of the sleeves.  I wanted a necklace to go with the dress, so I purchased black and white buttons and a black and white thread, and started to play.  Here are the results:

Am I entirely happy with the results?  No.  But it was fun, and it took time, and yes, I will wear it at least once.  I have to figure out a way to "block" the crochet.  Make it stiff so it doesn't curl.  I purchased spray starch, but was afraid I would mess things up if I tried that.  Anyone have a suggestion?

Ways to Use Toothpaste

 

Let me just say that I have not yet tried these tips, but I found them interesting and worth a try.  One thing I did try with toothpaste: cleaning my kitchen grout.  I thought since my toothpaste said "whitening teeth" that maybe it would whiten my grout.  It did a fair job of cleaning it, but it didn't make it white as it was when new.  Recently I got a tip to buy a Mr. Clean Eraser.  I was told it will clean my grout to white.  I plan to try that and will post my results once I do.  Until then, try some of these toothpaste tips.

Yes, toothpaste is great for brushing teeth, cleaning tongues, and freshening breath.

But that’s just the beginning of all the great things you may be able to do with cheap toothpaste that’s mildly abrasive. (Don’t use gel toothpaste.)

Clean carpet stains: Scrub stains with toothpaste and brush until they disappear. You might have to rinse and repeat several times.

Remove scratches from cell phone screens and watch crystals: Rub a dab of toothpaste gently on glass. Polish with a clean cloth.

 

Take off crayon on a painted wall: Gently rub crayon with toothpaste on damp cloth. Test it on a small, inconspicuous spot first.

Make floor scuffs disappear: Scrub those black, floor scuffs with toothpaste on a clean cloth.

Polish silver and brass: Squeeze toothpaste on a soft brush and rub on your silver and brass treasures. Rinse and polish with a soft cloth.

Turn tennis shoes white again: Rub toothpaste on dirty tennis shoes, then wipe clean.

Shine bathroom sinks: Rub around the sink to make it sparkle.

Soothe bug bites: Apply a dab of toothpaste on mosquito and ant bites; it will take away the itch.

Make diamonds sparkle: Brush your diamonds with toothpaste, but not too hard, or you can loosen the gems from their settings.

Remove food smells from hands: Wash your hands with toothpaste to remove onion, fish and garlic smells.

Polish fingernails: Put a dab of toothpaste on fingernails, and buff with a soft cloth.

Remove water rings on furniture: Lightly rub water rings with a dab of toothpaste on a soft cloth.

Defog headlights: If scratches on your car headlights are making them look foggy, cover with toothpaste and buff by hand or with a buffer.

Plug nail holes: It’s a cheap filler for nail holes in walls. Place a dab of paste in holes, let dry, lightly sand, then paint.

Clear blemishes: Dab a bit of menthol toothpaste on skin blemishes, let dry, then rinse off. It will draw out toxins and clear skin. Apply lotion after.

How to make a catepillar cake

Want a new and easy idea for decorating a cake for your next birthday party?  How about a caterpillar cake?

What you will need:

1 Bundt pan
1 cake mix (any flavor)
2 cans frosting (different colors)
2 chocolate donuts (or other items for eyes)
M & M's (or other items for eye pupils)
White chocolate chips
Chocolate chips
1 licorice stick

Bake you cake in a Bundt pan following the box directions.

Let the cake cool, then turn out on either a large tray or tin foil covered piece of cardboard.









Cut the cake in half diameter-wise.  Slide each half to make the shape of an "S".

Frost the cake, alternating colors according to the sections of the Bundt cake.  On one end "glue" on the chocolate donuts for the eyes.  (In the past I have used other items such as frosted strawberry shortcake cakes.  Use your imagination...there are no rules.  You are just trying to create the look of eyes)

Using frosting, glue one M & M to each donut for the pupil.  Add the white chocolate chips and chocolate chips  on the body  (In the past, I have taken shoelace licorice cut into 1" pieces and stuck them in the body to look like fur or hair on the caterpillar)

Cut the licorice stick in half and stick into the "head" of the caterpillar for antennae.  And there you have it.  A caterpillar cake.

 

 

Problem: King Size Fitted Sheets

If you have a king size bed, I bet you have run into this problem: which way is the correct way for the fitted sheet to cover the mattress. The problem is that a king size bed is almost square...almost, but not quite. That means that there is a correct way for the sheet to go on, and an incorrect way. The correct way will reach corner to corner side to side, and top to bottom...the incorrect way is that the sheet will come up short from top to bottom. So you make your bed, and you may have turn the sheet a few times just to see which way is correct.

Here is how I have solved the problem. Using a laundry marker, I find the correct way for the fitted sheet to fit, then I mark the bottom right corner with the marker. From then on, all I have to do is look for my mark, and put that corner in the bottom right. Voila! No more making and re-making because it is right the first time, every time.

Alternatively, you could use colorful thread and sew your mark onto a corner. Choose which ever corner you want to mark. For me, the bottom right was easiest because once the blanket and bedspread is on, no one will see the mark but me. Also, one set of my sheets happens to have a tag in the bottom right corner of the fitted sheet, so I just stuck with that corner when marking my other sheet sets.

Mickey Mouse Baby Shower Gifts

A dear family friend is due to have her little boy near the end of February (or maybe the middle...say...the 14th...which just happens to be my birthday ).  Recently there was a baby shower for her and her new bundle of love, and I made this Mickey mouse hat, diaper cover, and booties as a gift.  She was pleased and I had a lot of fun putting this together.  Sorry the picture isn't high quality.  I'm a poor photographer I'm afraid.

I got the patterns for these online from some very generous and creative ladies, and I want to post a link and give credit and thanks to them here:

Mickey Mouse hat: 

http://www.repeatcrafterme.com/2012/06/mickey-and-minnie-mouse-crochet-hat.html

Mickey Mouse diaper cover: 

http://www.repeatcrafterme.com/2012/08/mickey-and-minnie-inspired-crochet.html

And booties (with a couple of pattern adjustments by myself) here: 

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/bevsbooties2.html

Craft day with the great grandkids

I am just now getting to posting this.. 2+ months later.
 

The day after Thanksgiving I spent with the great grandkids crafting.  Even the two year old joined in and did a great job with a little help from her mom.

We worked on 4 projects, and I have pictures of 3 and will tell you about all 4.

One thing we made were Christmas bulbs for the tree.  We took Styrofoam balls and modge podeged them with red tissue paper.  We stuck skewers into the balls to help facilitate even coverage of the tissue paper.  We let that dry and then took glitter glue and decorated them, then used water bottle caps with a tiny hole drilled into them and gold cord strung through for hanging on the tree.

We also made reindeer decorations.  We used the bottoms of 4 cup drink holders, the kind you get with take-out when you order more than one soda drink to go.  The bottoms are shaped in a sort of tri-pod.  We painted these brown, glued on google eyes, a red button for a nose, and a red bow.  Between the “ears” we glued pipe cleaner antlers and a gold cord for hanging.

What would Christmas be without candles?  We used toilet paper rolls for the candle sticks, and painted them...each great grandchild chose a different color.  We used construction paper to make “flames” and attached the “flames” inside the tube at the top.  We cut the bottoms of the tube into tabs that were then attached to a paper plate.  Rope tinsel was then used as candle rings.

Finally, I printed out some candy canes, and then we scoured magazine pages looking for things the color red.  We cut the red things into tiny scraps, then glued them into every-other stripe on the candy cane, making them look like mosaic candy canes.  These we put on the fridge with magnets.  I don’t have a picture of any of the candy canes, but you probably can imagine them from the description.

We had a lot of fun and maybe we will make this a yearly tradition?

How to make a Recycled Wreath

I know...Christmas is over.  But I wanted to post an easy way to make a recycled wreath.  Think beyond Christmas, here.  Think Valentines day...Easter...4th of July, baby showers.  This technique can be used for all Holidays by changing the doo-dads you add.  In this wreath the doo-dads would be the gold poinsettias and the gold bow.

Now on to the how to.  I don't have step by step pictures, but I think you will get the gist of it by explanation.

You will need:
1 Wire coat hanger
A bunch of shopping bags (these were from Walmart)
Doo-dads of choice.
Glue gun

Step one:
Bend your wire hanger into a wreath shape.

Step two:
Cut your bags into strips.  I cut mine into 1inch wide X 5 inches long.  You will need a bunch of strips.  Don't obsess over this...cut your strips approximately the same length and width.

Step 3:
Using a larks head knot, attach the strips to the coat hanger wire.  Pictured is a larks head knot.  If you need further instructions you can find that here:

http://www.ehow.com/how_13480_make-larks-head.html

As you add your strips, periodically stop and push or "bunch up" your strips.  It takes a while, but you  will soon have the whole wire wreath full of plastic strips.  When your hanger is full, you can give your wreath a "hair cut".  Trim the strips as needed for symmetry.

Step 4:
Attach your doo-dads using your hot glue gun.  This could include bows, flowers, Easter eggs, hearts, baby rattles and pacifiers, etc.  You are only limited by your imagination.

There you have it...easy peazy...If you have any questions or clarifications are needed, feel free to ask in the comments section.

It's been over a year since I posted.  What have I been up too? Mostly caring for my husband who's health problems have become pretty bad.  So bad, in fact, that the doctor told us we should leave New Mexico and move to someplace that is sea level.  So that is what we did.

Being a care giver can be a full time occupation.  You are on duty 24/7.  Although there are times I could be crafting or creating, I find I don't really have the energy to do any of that lately.  I love to create, but need to feel more "centered" before I can.  Hopefully soon.

SERENITY Chunky Weight Yarn Giveaway

Doesn't this yarn look absolutely yummy?  AllFreeCrocht is offering a give away for this yarn.  To enger, go here:  http://www.allfreecrochet.com/sweeps/SERENITY-Chunky-Weight-Yarn-Giveaway  Good luck!

Frugal Friday: Crafting with Recycled # 6 Plastic

As all you fellow frugal artisans probably know...number 6 plastic is the plastic that shrinky dinks is made from...so look for that number 6 in your recycle triangle.  I have found that the trays (black) that taco salads and super nachos are served on at Taco Johns us no. 6 plastic!  Also, Dannon Light and Fit yogurt comes in no. 6 containers. Solo plastic cups are no. 6 plastic and shrinks well. I feel some shrinky dink jewelry comin' on!  If you know of a source of no. 6 plastic, please share!

Cleaning for a Reason

If you know any woman currently undergoing chemotherapy, please pass the word to her that there is a cleaning service that provides FREE housecleaning - once per month for 4 months while she is in treatment. All she has to do is sign up and have her doctor fax a note confirming the treatment. Cleaning for a Reason will have a participating maid service in her zip code area arrange for the service. This organization serves the entire USA and currently has 547 partners to help these women. It's our job to pass the word and let them know that there are people out there that care. Be a blessing to someone and pass this information along. Just click the title of this post to learn more.

Munchie Mondays: Sweet Cornbread

Once upon a time, we bought our cornbread from the frozen foods department in our grocery.  It was the Boston Market brand of cornbread...sweet and yummy!  Then, suddenly, we couldn't get it at our grocers anymore.  Oh...they still had other Boston Market brand foods, just not the cornbread.  What ensued was a search for a recipe that would be as good as the cornbread we used to buy frozen.  I tried many recipes until one day...EUREKA!  I found a delicious, sweet cornbread recipe, and it was even easy to make!  Thought I would share it with you here, but don't forget to read beyond the actual recipe, because I am posting a delicious discovery I made last time I used this recipe.

Sweet Cornbread

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour*
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 cups yellow corn meal
1 Tablespoon baking powder
3 Tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cups vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8 inch square baking pan.
Combine dry ingredients.  In another bowl, combine liquid ingredients.  Mix liquids into dry ingredients just until blended.  Pour into prepared baking pan.
Bake for 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  (Takes me 40 to 45 minutes in my oven).

*Replace all-purpose flour with white-rice flour.  As good as this recipe is, it is even better tasting with the rice flour!  I'm not kidding!

Caps for Good

As promised in my last post, here is the caps I finished in January for Caps for Good.  I will be getting a box and mailing these off by next week.

But it's not time to put my crochet hook away yet.  I have recently found out there is a need for hats and booties in Albuquerque.  So as I watch TV, I my fingers will remain at work!

Caps for Good

Back in October I posted about a really good cause, caps for good. (http://deedabbler.blogspot.com/2010/10/caps-for-good.html) I knew I wanted to get some caps made and sent off because I have several partial skeins of yarn that I could use in this endeavor.  Finally, after the holidays ended, I was able to begin.  Although they will accept caps until Feb. 28, I am going to work through the month of January only.  So far I have 4 caps made.  I will post a picture of all the caps before I send them off.

Munchie Mondays: Breyers Ice Cream Bars

 

Bryers smooth and dreamy ice cream bars have 130 calories, and they taste so good!

My favorite is the triple chocolat chip, shown to the left, but the vanilla carmel chip is also good.  In addition to these two flavors, they also make a strawberry ice cream with chocolate covering, but I'm not a big strawberry ice cream fan, so have never tried these.  But the other two flavors I HAVE tried and they are really yummy!

Caps for Good

Do you like to crochet or knit?  Your handmade cap can save a life! 

This fall there is a great program that is collecting handmade hats for babies born in developing countries.   Something as simple as a knit or crocheted cap can help the baby keep warm, which is key to helping newborns survive. 
Making a cap is easy - and fast!  It only takes 1 oz. of medium weight yarn...most knitters/crocheters have leftover yarns from other projects that would be of sufficient length to create a cap.

 Interested? Go to http://www.goodgoes.org/caps and click on make a cap to download a pdf packet with all the info.  Let's all get busy and make a difference if the lifes of newborns around the world.

Munchie Mondays: Skinny Cow Chocolate Truffle Bars

Being on a diet can be a drag, especially when you feel you have to give up things like chocolate and ice cream.  But Skinny Cow makes some delicious ice cream treats that will cost you only 100 calories per serving. 

I've tried the Chocolate Truffle Bars and my, oh my, they definately take the pain out of dieting.  Cool, refreshing, and oh, so chocolatey...these bars are delish.  You feell like your cheating but your not!  Yummy!  Give 'em a try.

Although Weight Watchers doesn't offer these, Skinny Cow claims these bars are 2 points, or if you count calories, 100 calories.  A wonderful way to treat yourself at the end of the day for a dieting job well done.

Munchie Monday: Pringles Stix

Although I have gone "off" my diet, strictly speaking, I am still trying to "be aware" of how much food, what type of food, and flavor of foods that I put into my mouth.  In other words, I am trying to eat smarter if not strictly dieting.  So far I have been able to maintain a 40 lb weight loss by "being aware".

One thing I have been careful about are snack foods I bring into the house.  It's nice to have a snack,  but snacking can totally undo what you have accomplished on your diet if you aren't careful.  Recently I discovered Pringles Stix.

Because these are made by Pringles, you may think they are some type of potato snack, but they aren't.  They are a wheat snack.  They are more like a cracker.  Apparently, there are 4 flavors available, but our store had Honey Butter and Pizza flavors.

For under 100 calories per bag, these turned out to be very tasty little snacks!  You will not get full eating a bag of these...and after all, a snack isn't supposed to fill you up like a meal would.  They are just the right amount to take away mid meal hungries.  I like both of these flavors, but my hubby prefered the honey butter. 

And just an afterthought, I am in no way affiliated with Pringles or their mother company.  I'm just a munchie maven, a person who enjoys foods, and a woman who is trying to do so with intelligent choices.

Altered Surfaces Book Giveaway

Doesn't this book look delicious?!  I want one!  And if you would like one too, click on the title of this post and sign up for a free give away of this book!  I know, I know...by sending you to this link and telling you about this wonderful give away, I am decreasing my chances to win...but on the other hand, I get an additional entry into the give away by blogging about this!  Yes, yes...I have alterior motives!  Good luck!  know I would love to win this!

What's for Dinner!?

Click on the title and find a terrific give away on Blue Cricket Desing blog spot for a way cool way to figure out what to make for dinner.  Good luck, even though I am hoping I win! hehehe