Around Mom's Kitchen Table

Yoga for the Win

2021-04-20T13:16:00.003-05:00

By: Susan Elliott

This year has brought its challenges. In December of last year, I lost my father to Covid-19. Starting the New Year was rough. We went through Christmas with an empty chair, and now we’ve started a new beginning with one less figure at our side. I guess when you lose someone close to you, everything feels out of control. You are, in essence living in the moment, going with the flow, and hoping you don’t drown.

It’s been a rough few months, but somewhere amidst the turmoil and tragedy, I had a moment of clarity. I enrolled in college with the hopes of finally finishing my degree at the University of Arkansas, and I started a journey toward my health.

I’ve been struggling with my weight and all the issues that go with it for way too long. But, I decided on February 10 that it was time to quit talking about doing something about it and start doing it. I’d already curbed my eating habits and was primarily sugar-free. But, on the morning of February 10, I’d yet to start doing any exercise.

When my kids were small, I practiced Hatha yoga. I loved it. I could hold poses. I was flexible, and I had a sense of calm. I guess that’s why I was drawn back to the practice of yoga. I’m not a small girl by any means, but I am determined. And, that morning, I downloaded the Yoga for Beginners App from the Play Store. I was excited to find that there were pre-programmed workouts, and there was the option to create two customizable workouts for free. I’ve been using the app ever since.

Today marks three months and ten days since I took the leap. I can’t begin to describe how much better I feel. I’m still a big girl. But, I no longer wear a size 24/26. I’m in a comfortable 16/18. It’s crazy, but I haven’t really lost any weight at all, but I have gained strength in my arms, more stamina, and a trimmer physique!

I love doing yoga every day. I enjoy challenging myself and experiencing the calm that comes with my breathing. If you’ve ever thought of starting yoga, maybe it’s time for you. The following are a few of my favorite yoga tools that I use daily. I hope this helps you find a place to start.

Mat

I started with a Sivan Health and Fitness Yoga Set. I had had this mat for a few years. (I’d been dreaming of beginning yoga again for a while). In fact, out of my original kit, I only had one block, the mat, and a strap left. My cats had destroyed the other block. But, it was what I needed to get started. I used that mat for the first month, but it is now stored with my workout equipment for the days that I have company who want to work out with me. (It does happen!)

Pretty soon, I realized that if I were going to do yoga every day but Sundays, I wanted a different mat. I wanted one that I thought was pretty. So, I found a jute mat that I really like, and I’ve been using it for the last two months. I took this mat on my trip to South Padre Island, where my daughter and I could practice on the beach. It was an amazing experience!!!! It holds up well outside, too. Somedays, I practice in the living room, but other days I practice out in the front yard. This mat is doing great in all sorts of terrain.

Gloves

It didn’t take me long to realize I NEEDED yoga gloves. My hands get sweaty, and I need the extra grip. I have larger hands, and so the first pair of gloves I got didn’t work well for me. Don’t get me wrong; they are great gloves if your hands are small. I used them for about a month, but I had to cut the back of the fingers down the center so they would fit. They just weren’t a long-term option.

So, I invested in weight-lifting gloves. They are a little more fitted and have a bit more padding. I’ve found that they are tacky enough to have a good grip on my mat, too. I currently wear a medium glove, and I love them!

Strap

I still use the yoga strap that came with my original kit, and I love it! It helps me get into poses I couldn’t easily get into. I wholeheartedly recommend using a strap when you start. Any yoga strap will do. I’ve been thinking about changing up my strap but haven’t done it yet. I’ve even thought about using the strap and adding resistance bands.

Knee Pads

I use my knee pads for one pose every day, but without them, I would not be able to put the weight on my knees when I’m working out on the concrete floor. I worried that it might be a weird investment since I only use them for one pose, but after thinking about it, I do that pose at least six days a week, so in the end, I decided it was a good investment. If you’re worried about your knees, definitely get the knee pads. They are a lifesaver!

At this point, I’m not using a lot of extra equipment for my workouts, but even so, I’ve been getting great results! Also, I run the app on my phone, and I turned the music off on the app. So, I work out every day using my Amazon music account. Somedays, I exercise to spa music, others Boney M , Heavy Metal, or Michael Buble. It just depends on what I’m in the mood for.

I hope this gives you a starting point to jump off from. I’d love to hear from you, and I hope you reach all your dreams!

Song Writing Helps: The Rhyming Dictionary

2020-10-13T14:32:00.001-05:00

An Article by Guest Author, Charles Pogue

Rhyming Dictionary

I suppose someone might call me old fashioned or maybe a bit narrow-minded when it comes to writing poetry. I got the idea long ago that if a verse doesn’t rhyme it is not a poem.

I do not by any means intend to belittle those who write by meter or whatever the method is to construct a non-rhyming piece of poetry; it is a personal thing with me, you see.

Maybe it has to do with my age of 70 years, that I’m such a stickler on the subject. I can’t remember in my early days reading a poem unless it followed a rhyme pattern.

I even wrote the poem right below arguing if it does not rhyme it is not a poem.

It’s Not A Poem

It’s not a poem if it doesn’t have at the end of its long lines

Words which sounds so much alike folks say, hey it rhymes

It’s not a poem if it does not say when the one sought for departs

Hey there she goes or there he flees along with them my heart

It’s not a poem if it does not say today I have grown rich

Without a revelation is it oil or gold just which

It’s not a poem should there be where the readers all have heard

A lonely line all by itself without a rhyming word

How to Find Rhyming Words

Now one may be asking, how much time does a fellow like me have to spend finding words which rhyme? It once took a long time, now it takes none at all because I no longer come up with the rhymes out of my head, but out of a book. What book? The Complete Rhyming Dictionary, edited by Clement Wood.

Not only is this book the best known and highest regarded compilation of rhymes, it covers the techniques of versification divisions of poetry and hose of other subjects dealing with the poetry writing process.

When it comes to the rhyming portion of the book it goes into last syllable rhymes, double syllable rhymes, double rhymes, as well as vowel accent. Why did I search and find this rhyming dictionary?

Well, I still write poetry, but more decades ago than I will not admit to at the present, I added songwriting to my writing activity. I have some poems which I also turned into songs. Currently, I have written over 4,300 songs. When one writes that many compilations a dictionary of rhymes is an indispensable help.

The Complete Rhyming Dictionary was first published in 1936 by Doubleday. Because it became so popular and remains so presently, and since it is probably the most comprehensive book of its kind, it has been republished several times and is well deserving to be so treated.

Do you write poetry or songs? If so, Clement Wood's The Complete Rhyming Dictionary might be just what you need.

Sewing Machines are in Demand

2020-04-15T18:27:00.000-05:00

Pixabay.com

Sewing Machines are in Demand Again

During this Covid-19 shut-down, I’ve wanted to do some crafting and sewing. I’ve been buying (my husband says ‘hoarding’) fabric for years, so I would have it when I had time to spend sewing. My thought has always been that ‘someday’ I would have time to sew. Well, someday finally arrived.

😊

Then disaster struck. At least it felt like disaster. I have two nice machines, one a basic sewing machine and one an embroidery machine. They’ve both been in storage the last few years, then when we moved, I made sure they were in the moving truck. Again, with hopes to have time to sew someday.

The basic sewing machine was damaged and can’t be used. I can only assume it was during the move. Unfortunately, the only store in my area that services my brand is over the state line. I’m not willing right now to travel that far. The other, the convertible embroidery machine, wouldn’t sew. Being the same brand, I couldn’t (or wouldn’t) travel to get it fixed. Even if the store is open. If I wanted to go out of state, I could call, but there isn’t much point in calling at this point.

Maybe I Can Fix It Myself

So, after calming down, I took the machine apart, as much as I knew how to do, anyway. I cleaned it, oiled it, made sure all the moving parts could move easily, then put it back together. The good news is that it sews, now. The bad news is that it won’t do a reverse stitch. As best I can tell, the switch is broken. It’s an electronic/computerized sewing machine, and to get to the switch, I’d have to remove all sorts of electronic and computer components. My husband, helpful soul that he is, suggested using a hammer on it. Needless to say, I’ve hidden the hammer from him.

Now, I know enough to fix and repair a computer to some extent. I’ve replaced hard drives, power supplies, RAM, and added cards for my computer. But I’m not brave enough to disassemble the electronic guts of a sewing machine. I don’t know enough to risk it.

In this current political and health-conscious climate, this means, I have to either make do or buy a new machine.

Birthday Offer

My birthday is coming up this week, so my husband offered to buy me a machine for my birthday. Thinking all was well and I could start sewing soon, I went online to find a sewing machine at my local discount store. Only to find out all the machines below $200 were sold out. Okay. No problem. I went to other discount stores in my area. They’re all sold out, too.

My granddaughter works in the fabric department in her local store. She tells me her store is out of machines, too. And out of cotton fabric. And quarter-inch elastic. And bias tape. And almost out of fat quarters.

I went to Amazon to see what they had. Every machine in my price range has sold out. Okay, I decided to try Singer.com. Even the Singer company posted the news online that sewing machine orders are delayed.

Now, along with other sewists, I have over the past years lamented that no one sews, anymore. So, in that sense, I’m thrilled to learn that others have decided for pleasure or necessity to learn to sew. I sincerely hope that these new sewing machine owners enjoy learning to use their machines and keep sewing for many years to come.

As far as my sewing, I’ll have to make do with what I have. For the foreseeable future, anyway. I suspect that by the time sewing machines are available again, I’ll be comfortable crossing state lines. The service center will be open, if it isn’t now, and I can get my machines fixed.

Until then, I hope you're having more luck with your sewing tasks.

The machine I wanted to purchase is the Singer Heavy Duty 4432 sewing machine. It is similar to the Singer Heavy Duty 4423 sewing machine, which I gifted to my daughter several years ago.

I love Singer's heavy-duty machines, because they have a solid metal chassis, and are heavy enough not to jitter across the table while sewing. They can sew multiple layers of denim, and sew really fast--which is important to me. I love to sew, but when sewing long seams, such as for curtains, going slow takes forever.

How to Make Unleavened Communion Bread

2020-03-29T14:37:00.003-05:00

Making Unleavened Communion Bread at Home

At different times, my family has not been close enough to a congregation to attend services. At those times, we held services at home. I made the unleavened bread.

With the Covid-19 virus causing so many congregations, including the congregation we attend, to temporarily shut the doors, there is a need for many to know how to make unleavened bread for their own services.

Should we shut the doors temporarily?

There are those who that argue the doors should not be closed in this time of virulent disease.

They support their arguments with passages that say we should obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29). And this is true.

However, how many of those same people would argue that we should never close the doors due to ice on the streets, floods on the low-water crossings, or tornado warnings? It's the same thing.

This is not the government telling us we cannot be Christians. This is conscientious leaders taking into consideration the health and safety of the congregation.

What is unleavened bread?

Unleavened bread has no leavening. Leavening is what makes bread rise and includes soda, baking powder, and yeast. It also doesn't have salt. It does, however, have oil. Without the oil, it won't stick together and make proper unleavened bread. It's really easy to make and can be done start to finish in 15 to 20 minutes. Here is the easy unleavened bread recipe I use.

Unleavened Bread

2/3 cup flour
1 tbsp. oil
2 tbsp. water.

Additional water as needed.

Mix oil and water. Pour into flour and stir until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the mixture is too dry, add up to 3 tsp. water, one teaspoon at a time until it forms a smooth dough.

Knead ten times. Roll out 1/8 inch thick. Bake on an ungreased pan at 400-degrees.

For extra crispy bread, use a spatula to turn the bread over as soon as the edges begin to lightly brown.

Bake until lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container or a zippered freezer bag.

Store in the freezer, removing what is needed each Sunday for communion.

This recipe makes enough bread for two for up to six to eight weeks. How long it lasts for you and your family will depend on the number of people being served.

Take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Book Review: Sewing for Plus Sizes

2019-09-30T10:16:00.000-05:00

Plus Size Sewing Techniques to Make Plus Size Clothes That Fit

Is Plus Size Sewing the Answer to Making Clothes that Fit?

For a plus-sized woman, one of the most difficult things is finding attractive clothes that actually fit without paying premium prices.

Shopping the outlet sales online is one way to do this, but even so, you still don't know if will fit until you receive your shipment.

Unfortunately, most of the sewing patterns for plus-sized women don't match well with my body, either.

Since I love to sew, though, I decided to see if I could figure out how to adjust sewing patterns I like to fit me.

I tried adding an extra seam width. Sometimes that worked, but sometimes, it made the clothes hang funny. Plus size sewing is not always easy to do.

When I found Sewing for Plus Sizes: Creating Clothes that Fit and Flatter, I was thrilled. I learned to take any pattern within 3 or 4 sizes of what I need and adjust it to fit me.

This means that those gorgeous patterns that they don't make in my size are now options for my sewing pleasure.

In this book, Barbara Deckert teaches you how to make any purchased pattern fit, and includes instructions for making a dress dummy that fits you perfectly. My daughter kept borrowing this book, so I had to go get it when I was ready to sew something. Guess what Santa brought her last year?

First Things First: Measure Yourself!

It Helps to Have a Friend Help with This

The first thing this book has you do is measure yourself and make a chart with your measurements. Then you take the measurements from the pattern and compare them to see where you need added, or even reduced, fabric.

The book teaches you how to adjust patterns to fit, based on how many vertical seams there are in the garment. It isn't hard and makes creating clothes that fit you and that you can actually enjoy fun instead of frustrating. My wardrobe and my husband's wardrobe have both benefited from the purchase of this book.

The Christmas after I found the book, I bought a copy for my daughter as a gift. At first, until she realized my copy is paperback and the one she received is hardback, she thought I had given her my used copy. Frankly, I wouldn't give up my copy for anything. She has used the plus size sewing instructions in the book to make her clothes fit better, too. And the same techniques make it easy for her to adjust patterns to fit her husband, too.

Plus Size Sewing Patterns

When making adjustments or alterations to a pattern, it is easier if you start with a pattern close to your size. After determining your personal measurements, select the pattern you want to use, then purchase the size closest to your measurements. Making adjustments of 1/2 inch per seam is much easier than making adjustments of 2 inches per seam, though it can be successfully done. Using the techniques taught in Sewing for Plus Sizes, you can sew trendy plus size clothes that are a joy to wear.

Meet Barbara Deckert

Do you make your own clothes?

Gift Idea for Sewing Enthusiasts

2018-11-19T13:35:00.001-06:00

Gift Idea for Someone who Loves to Sew

Sewing has always been one of my passions. It feels incredible to take a piece of flat fabric and through the use of scissors, pattern, thread, and a sewing machine or needle make something new.

Whether is it toys, clothes, or household items, it is a lot of fun to sew and share the items I make.

Over the years, however, I have given a lot of my sewn items away as gifts. Once they went into someone else's home, I didn't have a record of them.

When I saw a spiral notebook my mother kept of her sewing projects, I was intrigued. She included notes, swatches of fabric, and photos of finished projects so that she could make them again and again.

I loved the idea. After thinking about it for a while, I created the Sewing Craft Journal pictured here. With pages to keep measurements for five individuals as well as double-page spreads for each project, this journal helps you keep track of the projects you've created. A table helps you keep track of the expense involved in the project, too. This is especially helpful when I'm sewing items to sell.

Information from Amazon about this paperback book:

Finally, a journal for sewing enthusiasts! Never again will you have to try to remember a pattern number for a garment you make, or have to remeasure (assuming there have been no changes), because you can't find the scrap of paper you recorded your measurements on. You can even keep up with the measurements of 4 additional people. This book helps you track how much a garment or sewing project costs, and if you are selling the item, it helps you determine the minimum and preferred prices.

Measurement pages for 5 different individuals
2 lined pages for general notes
2-page spreads for 100 sewing projects
Chart to determine cost of each project
If item is for sale, places to jot down minimum sale price and preferred sale price
Table of Contents, with room to write your project name, to quickly find the project you need
A place to paste a photo of your project
A spot to jot project specific notes

Have a great holiday! And Merry Christmas!

Gift Ideas for Writers

2017-10-16T13:28:00.001-05:00

Gift Ideas for Writers

Updated for Christmas 2018!

Finding the perfect gift for the writer on your list may not be as hard as you think. Most of the writers I know have a love for pens, pencils, and notebooks, especially those that are different than the norm.

Recent finds were discbound writing systems such as those developed by Tul, the Happy Planner, Arc, and Circa. My personal favorite is the Tul, but my daughter and granddaughters much prefer the Happy Planner Systems, since they come with stickers and such. I enjoy the sticky notes that came with my Tul, but haven't seen a need for the sparkly stickers the girls like. The systems come in full size (letter size paper), junior size (5.5in X 8.5in), or classic size (7.75in X 9.75in).

I think the thing I like most about disc bound notebooks is the ease of removing paper and adding new paper. If I want to, I can purchase sets to incorporate in the expandable notebook, such as calendars, menu planners, financial planners, etc. Plastic standard dividers and pocket dividers, page flags, and a plethora of accessories are all available for extra purchase if I choose to use them.

These make great gifts for writers, editors, and office workers.

Tul Disc Notebook Systems

The Tul Disc Notebook Systems come with either a poly cover (like mine) or a leather cover. Since we use them to keep up with business schedules and more, my husband and I both opted for full-size Tul Note-Taking System.

I was thrilled to learn that I can create pages for my disc notebook using my printer, 32 lb. paper, and a hole punch designed for disc systems. I use the Staples Arc Desktop Paper Punch to create my pages. It can be used to create pages for any size notebook. Just be sure to line to page up when punching the holes.

Several years ago, I created a blogging planner in PDF that I gave away. It was dated for 2015, but also had undated pages. Using this punch, I can print the appropriate pages from that planner and incorporate the pages into my Tul notebook.

The Arc Desktop Paper Punch works with Tul, Happy Planner, Arc, and Circa disc planners, so I fully expect my daughter and granddaughters to get lots of use out of this punch, too.

Not only can I remove and add pages, using discs that come in a variety of sizes and colors, I can increase the size of my planner as needed. Or even build a new one with new discs and covers. An additional idea is to have an extra set of discs to keep track of old pages that I still need to refer back to, such as previous months in my planner. By removing them to a separate set of discs, I have them for ready reference, and also save on the weight and size of the planner/notebook I use.

Happy Planners

The Happy Planners I have seen come with a heavy laminated and colorful cover.

The one shown on the left is the one my daughter has, and she loves it.

My daughter uses her planner to keep track of all she has to do. Caring for two teens and a husband who is recovering from a stroke, she needs detailed notes to get everyone where they need to be on the right date at the right time.

My oldest granddaughter uses her Happy Planner to keep up with her college schedule. Her sister is waiting impatiently for her birthday Happy Planner gift, and hasn't shared what she plans to keep in hers.

Have you seen these fantastic disc notebook planners? Would you want one for yourself?

Free College Courses: OpenCourseWare for Homeschool Teens and for Adults

2015-12-30T07:30:00.000-06:00

Photo: Ladyheart

Take Online College Courses Free!

The OpenCourseWare Initiative

The OpenCourseWare initiative has been in effect for several years, now. More and more colleges opt to take part in the OCW every year.

Using OCW, homeschooling high school students or adults who want or need to update skills can enroll in a course, study the material, and then take a CLEP test to get college course credit at a much reduced price.

You can even use these courses as dual credit courses for both high school and college credit. Some courses will require students to purchase a textbook, but used textbooks usually don't cost much.

OpenCourseWare College Courses

If you are homeschooling high school students and concerned about teaching higher level math or science, check out the offerings at the colleges below:

MIT OpenCourseWare

Khan Academy (started as primarily math courses, but now includes almost any course you can think of!)

Carnegie Melon Open Learning Initiative

Stanford on iTunes U

UC Berkeley Courses

Tufts OpenCourseWare

LearningSpace - The Open University (600+ free online courses)

John Hopkins OpenCourseWare

Notre Dame OpenCourseWare

Utah State OpenCourseWare

The UMass Boston OpenCourseWare

University of California Irvine OpenCourseWare

NYU Open Education

Didn't find the course you want? It might take a while, but a Google search for free online courses in the subject you need might give you what you want.

Alternative: Study CLEP Study Guides to Prepare for College Credit Exams

In my personal college experience, I used CLEP to gain credit for three different courses. To prepare, I read and reviewed textbooks in the subject. CLEP Study Guides would have been a better idea, since they concentrate on the topic and the areas that are tested in the exams. One of the guides below might be just what you need.

Banana Pie Recipe

2015-12-28T07:30:00.000-06:00

Banana Pie Recipe

I mentioned in a previous post that my son, Scott, had an independent living skills class all through homeschool high school. One of the things he learned is what is necessary to a recipe and what can be changed to make up a new recipe.

Not long ago, Scott decided he wanted a banana pie, but not a banana cream pie. He came up with the following recipe that is really good. Not too sweet, and not too rich, but just sweet enough. The texture is a little like the texture of a traditional pumpkin pie, but the flavor is definitely banana!

Christmas Day, he made two of these pies. There were seven of us there, and after pie was served, it didn't take long for everyone to request seconds. In no time at all, the pies were gone.

We played Monopoly for hours. When the pie was ready to slice, Jesse, my grandson, couldn't wait for his slice. The game was put on hold while everyone enjoyed the pie.

Scott has graciously shared the recipe with me, so that I can share it with you. Enjoy!

Banana Pie Recipe

Jesse ignores Monopoly until after the pie is served.
(c) 2015, Linda Pogue

Ingredients:

6 bananas, mashed
6 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla or banana extract
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 unbaked pie crusts

Instructions:

Blend it all smooth and place into two unbaked pie crusts. Bake for 40 minutes on 350 degrees, then cool for 20 minutes. Chill for 1 hour.

Before serving, top with Banana Whipped Cream or Cool Whip.

Note: For deep dish pie plates, add two additional bananas.

Banana Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

15 oz. heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. banana extract

Instructions:

Whip with immersion blender or mixer till stiff peaks form. Top the pies, slice and serve.

Recipes (c) 2015, Scott Pogue

Toshiba Satellite C55-C5241

While you can spend thousands on a laptop, it just is not necessary to spend so much on a good, quality laptop for homeschool.

Instead of spending thousands on one laptop, why not buy several quality, lower priced notebooks, so that all your children can work at the same time?

My son worked as a laptop repairman at one time. He tells me that the Toshiba brand laptops were the brand seldom seen in the shop.

Based on his recommendation to purchase Toshiba brands, I purchased one five years ago that has now been passed down to some of the grandchildren. It still works great. The only reason I replaced it was that I needed the newer operating system for my work. While most of my work is done on my desktop, I need to be able to work when traveling, so I have to have a laptop. Laptops would seem to be a better idea for homeschool students, though, since they are not 'chained' to the desk.

Canon PowerShot SX400

The camera we used in home school was a 35mm camera, since digital was too expensive back then. Today, the camera I use is a Kodak EasyShare, but these are no longer manufactured. When I replace my camera, I will purchase a Canon PowerShot.

The 16 Megapixel camera is a great tool for capturing images for homework. With the 720p HD video capability, students can make videos of their projects to share with distant family and friends.

The 30x optical zoom and 24mm wide-angle lens with Optical Image Stabilizer makes it easy to take close up photos from a distance, too. And you can make those all important school pictures yourself!

TI-83

This programmable graphing calculator has been around a while and proven its worth.

For high school pre-algebra, algebra, trigonometry, and calculus classes, this calculator is worth its weight in gold.

This is the calculator I was required to have in college, and I love it. In fact, I still have it, even though I graduated in 2001.

I find it helpful when shopping, too, since it keeps the numbers on the screen, and I can see if I miss-keyed a number when adding up my purchases. For students taking an independent skills class, this will help them with maintaining a checkbook, pricing products at the store, and so much more.

AmScope Monocular Compound Microscope

This microscope has a 4.7 stars out of 5 stars rating on Amazon with 83 customer reviews. With the all-metal construction, it should last through several homeschool students.

This microscope is perfect for biology and other science courses. The 45-degree inclination reduces both eye and neck strain.

The tungsten lighting, and the color filter, make it easy to see sharp images in the microscope. Stage clips secure the specimen slides. Overall, a good product.

Brother Printer MFCJ825DW

This multi-function printer not only allows your students to print out what is needed for school assignments, you can use the copy, scanner, and fax functions to submit any required documents.

And this printer saves paper, since it will print on both sides (duplex printing). Unfortunately, like most printers you purchase these days, the starter ink cartridges don't last long, so be sure to order extra ink.

I have used this printer daily since November 2011, and it works great! It is getting hard to find, but definitely worth having if you do. Because it is wireless, it can be accessed by every computing device that uses your wireless router for Internet access!

Verbatim White Inkjet
Printable Disc Spindle

Also, when the USB port on my desktop computer burned out, I was able to just use the one on this printer, rather than having it fixed. Who wants to put money into a desktop that needs to be replaced soon?

With a printer that prints on CDs and DVDs, such as the Brother MFC-J825DW recommended above, students can save each year's work on a CD or create custom CDs containing their own movies created with Windows Movie Maker.

In fact, the ability to print on printable CD's and DVD's is one of they main reasons we purchased this printer. It makes a fun project to create your own movie or make your own cookbook or family album with personal images burned on the CD.

Microsoft Office 365 Home
1 Year | 5 PC or 5 Mac
Download

Office 365 Home is a yearly subscription cloud service that allows you to download and install Microsoft Office 2016 onto up to 5 computers in your home. For less than $100 per year, you get Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

For PC users, Publisher, Access, and Onenote are included, too. Again, this is for 5 installs to desktops, laptops, or tablets. Mac users can use Office 365, too, but Publisher, Access, and Onenote are not included.

If Microsoft puts out a new version of Office during the year's subscription, you will receive the upgrade as part of your subscription service without additional cost.

So, I suppose the question is, do you really need all the above to have an effective homeschool. No. Absolutely not. We didn't have most of it and still had an effective homeschool. All we had was an old 486 PC and an inject printer that would not do anywhere near what the printer mentioned above would do. The microscope we used was just as expensive, but not near the quality as the one mentioned above.

Truth is, learning can be done without any of these items. However, they do make it easier and more fun. And making learning fun is half the battle.

Should Home School Students Get All A's?

2015-12-21T07:30:00.000-06:00

Photo: jdurham

Should Home School Students Get All A's?

Why not? They have the time to master the subjects!

One advantage home school students have over public and private school students is that they have time to really learn the material.

There is no rush to move into the next chapter or lesson until the current lesson is well-learned. When students do not learn the material well, especially in courses that build on previous lessons, such as math, the student will not have the foundation to understand later courses.

I am sure my son became quite tired of hearing me tell him, "Do the assignment again," but these days, he tells his own students the same thing.

When the material is mastered, there is no reason to grade a student lower than an A, simply because it took a little longer than public school would allow. Homeschool allows the student to spend the time necessary to master the material. Actually, course mastery is one of the best reason to homeschool.

In fact, the very reason it takes longer may be due to the extra studies the student undertakes because of interest once the material starts to make sense. We often found this to be true. We would start a lesson that inadvertantly lead to other information that broadened his understanding of the topic.

I have heard people who express doubts that a home school student could be a straight A student, but where there is ample time for do-overs, there is no reason home schooled learners should do less than an A for most classes, unless there is a lack of motivation. Or even an aversion to the course. My son took a Spanish course. He did not really want to learn it, but I had him take the course in preparation for college. While he passed the course, it would have been much more pleasant for him had we waited and let him take the course in college instead of at home. He much preferred the computer courses and science courses. For that reason, he spent more time on those courses than he did his Spanish course, and his work did not earn an A.

When students learn to learn, all you have

to do is step back out of the way, support

them if problems come up, and cheer them

on till they complete all their education.

While all of the previous is true, there is no reason a home school student should be required to make all A's. I was a bit more insistent in math and science courses than others, simply because (again) later course content was based upon the previous content. If the previous lesson was not learned well, the later lesson was more difficult. Making all A's is not as important as the student learning to learn, and the family's moral. Requiring all A's can be a recipe for disaster if you are not very, very careful. When students learn to learn, they can teach themselves anything they need to know. At that point, all you have to do is step back out of the way, support them if problems come up, and cheer them on till they complete all their education.

For those of us who home school for religious reasons, there is a great quote from the KJV New Testament: "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;" (Colossians 3:23). Whatever we do in life, we need to do our best. This is a lesson best learned as young in life as possible.

As your student gets into junior high and high school, there might be a course your student wants or needs to take that you do not feel adequately prepared to teach. There are so many resources available to help with those classes, there is no reason to avoid them. You might even take the course with your student. Challenge him or her to see who can make the best grade in the course!

So, should home school students get all A's for their coursework? Well, yes, they should, if the work they do deserves it.

10 Most Popular Posts Week Ending 12-19-2015

2015-12-19T07:30:00.000-06:00

10 Most Popular Posts Week Ending 12-19-2015

It's time to post the top 10 most popular blog posts for the week.

This week, three of the top ten were in the tech area, OneDrive for Bloggers, Using Microsoft Office 365 and OneDrive, and Word Tips and Tricks: Aligning Images. Other topics that made the top 10 included crafting and sewing articles, baby clothes, and food.
Again, this week, one of the top 10 posts was a previous top 10 post, this one from the week ending 12-5-2015.

10 Most Popular Posts in Order of Popularity

OneDrive for Bloggers: Free Business Software for Bloggers Beginning a blog, for most people (I think), is a balancing act of having the right technical resources and financing. Too often, bloggers, even those who have been blogging for a while, just don’t have the funds to purchase all the computer applications that would be so helpful to their efforts.
Using Microsoft Office 365 and OneDrive by Susan Elliott: Linda recently wrote a blog post about using the free Microsoft OneDrive program. If you can't get your hands on Office 365, I would whole-heartedly recommend using the free OneDrive program, but I am a huge fan of the Office 365 program. I enjoy its features like Microsoft Word, the ability to add plug-ins in Word, and the ability to use the documents I created in other Microsoft programs from OneDrive.
Elegant Hand-Made Table Decorations by Susan Elliott: I absolutely love the holidays and I love to decorate. But, as much as I love these things I love to make my own decorations for the holidays even more. This year I had a few helpers. Thankfully my daughters and my husband pitched in, because I not only made my table decorations, I made the decorations for our holiday banquet at church.
Sewing Dresses for Baby Girls and Toddlers Sometimes, sewing for baby girls is hard, because you may not find patterns that fit right. Babies can be so tiny that even doll clothes can be too small, especially preemie babies, but at least you have the option of having something your baby can wear when you sew clothes for her.
Mom's Coconut Pie Recipe As far back as I can remember, my family has enjoyed Mom's Coconut Pie at Christmas dinner. All our visitors and guests look forward to the pies. Whether there are two or four pies makes no difference--they all disappear!
Fancy Frilly Newborn Baby Girl Dresses Newborn baby girl dresses and clothes are so cute! When we first learned we were having a baby girl (years ago), my husband insisted that he be the one to give her her first dress. The dress he got her was a fancy, frilly pink dress with ruffles and an adorable white pinafore. The pinafore bib was embroidered with cute pink, yellow, and blue flowers
What is the Glycemic Index (GI)? by Susan Elliott: According to Dr. Maria Collazo Clavell of the Mayo Clinic, the glycemic index (GI) is a guide that lists foods based on the effect that they have on the blood sugar level. Foods with a low glycemic index do not raise the blood sugar dramatically, while foods with a higher GI raise the blood sugar higher and at a faster rate. Foods that have a low glycemic index also have the added benefit of leaving a person feeling much more satisfied after meals.
Word Tips and Tricks: Aligning Images in Microsoft Word Recently, someone asked me how to do a simple technique in Microsoft Word. She knew I have taught Microsoft Office college courses since August of 2004. When I explained how to do the steps to get the results she wanted, she recommended that I occasionally add a post on this blog on how to do a technique in Word. So, for a while, I will be adding Word tips and tricks, as well as tips for using the other Microsoft Office applications at least once a week.
Make One-of-a-kind Barbie Clothes Little girls who love to play with Barbie dolls also love to have lots of clothes for their dolls. It takes a little time, but doesn't require a lot of fabric to make Barbie clothes using Fashion Doll Clothes for 11-1/2" Doll patterns. In fact, most of these clothes can be made of fabric scraps or remnants.
10 Most Popular Posts Week Ending 12-5-2015 Starting this week, every Saturday, I will have a page for the 10 most popular posts for the previous week. I realize we are all busy, and some people just don't have time to read several times a week. This post will let those readers easily find the most popular articles and just read those, if they so choose.

Thank you for reading!

Independent Living Skills: My Favorite High School Homeschool Course

2015-12-18T07:30:00.001-06:00

Photo: Chuck Marean

Independent Living Skills High School Homeschool Course

When I taught my son in high school, each semester we had an Independent Living Skills class.

I loved it, though he didn't care for it at the time.

As one point or the other, I had located an old, old, old, high school homemaking book. It covered how to clean almost anything, basic cooking methods, essential first aid techniques, and grooming. We used that book as a primary textbook.

When he grew up and had kids of his own, I gave him the book to use someday with his own kids. While some things were outdated, such as the washing machine instructions, the basic information was sound.

Is There Life After Housework?

Another resource we used was Don Aslett's Is There Life After Housework?: A Revolutionary Approach to Cutting Your Cleaning Time 75%.

This is a fantastic book to use as a homeschool textbook but is also helpful for anyone that has a home to take care of (I used the previous edition, which is no longer in publication).

It teaches how to do housework in the least amount of time while still doing a really good job. There are even suggestions for creating your own home business cleaning other peoples' houses if you are interested. This is one book I kept, and I refer back to it when I have a cleaning job I don't know how to handle.

What My Son Learned in this Course

The How-to Cookbook for Teens

He learned to clean the house. He learned to use a broom, vacuum cleaner, mop, and more. Eventually, he had the responsibility to do half the housework each week and all his own laundry.

We had cooking lessons, where he was required to plan a meal, create a shopping list, comparison shop, and purchase what he needed for the meal, then cook the meal. I helped the first couple of times, but then he took off and did his own planning, shopping, and cooking.

Again, at the time, he wasn't very happy about it. Later, though, he was thrilled he had learned to care for a home and cook meals when he married and his wife couldn't cook (she is a very good cook, now). It saved them tons of money because he could prepare their meals while teaching her, and they did not have to eat sandwiches or eat out all the time.

How Rude!: The Teen
Guide to Good Manners,
Proper Behavior, and
Not Grossing People Out

He learned to mend a seam in a garment, sew a button, and fix a zipper. After he was married, he used the sewing skills he learned to sew up a Obi-Wan Kenobi costume that was fabulous.

He learned to keep a checkbook, to plan for expected expenses, and prepare for the unexpected expenses that happen in life.

He learned manners, how to greet someone older, to stand when an adult enters the room, to offer his seat to older adults, to say thank you, you're welcome, and basically just how to be a decent person. Manners make him more pleasant to be around and are helpful his entire life long.

He learned how to change a tire and how to change or jump a car battery. These are important skills, even for girls. Otherwise, your precious daughter may be stranded without help.

Conclusion

Living skills are vitally important for all students, both boys and girls. This highschool course gives homeschool students the opportunity to learn skills they will need as adults living in their own homes and raising their own families.

Yes, this class helped me out, since it took some of my workload off me, but more than that, it helped prepare him for adult life--which is the responsibility of all parents whether they homeschool or not.

Links to Sites that Teach Living Skills

The site links below all have good solid information that can be used to create your own independent living skills course if you don't have access to an old homemaking textbook.

Can you think of any skills that need to be added?

What is the Glycemic Index (GI)?

2015-12-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

Photo: Fresh Fruit and Vegetables by Mary LaFrance

What is the Glycemic Index (GI)?

by Susan Elliott

According to Dr. Maria Collazo Clavell of the Mayo Clinic, the glycemic index (GI) is a guide that lists foods based on the effect that they have on the blood sugar level. Foods with a low glycemic index do not raise the blood sugar dramatically, while foods with a higher GI raise the blood sugar higher and at a faster rate. Foods that have a low glycemic index also have the added benefit of leaving a person feeling much more satisfied after meals.

There has been some discussion in recent years that a diet that strictly adheres to the glycemic index is the best diet for patients with Diabetes, and for people who want to lose weight. However, the Diabetes Association has concluded that there is not enough specific information regarding its potential benefits to recommend it for diabetic patients. With that said, implementing a diet based on the glycemic index has not been shown to be harmful, either. In fact, it may be the diet you need to reach your weight loss goals.

Testing a Food's GI

There is a simple way to determine if a food has a low glycemic index. Place a small morsel of food in your mouth and allow it to rest for a minute. If after that minute the foods has begun to break down the food has a high GI level. The breaking down is caused by the acid levels in the mouth. Food with a lower GI will still remain intact after placing it in the mouth for a minute.

Beans

According to Dr. Jennie Brand Miller, author of The New Glucose Revolution Low GI Eating Made Easy, beans are a good source of protein with a low glycemic index. Beans such as black beans, white beans, chick peas, navy beans, green lentils, soy beans, split peas, and mung beans should be included in the daily diet.

Dairy

There are fewer dairy products that fall into the category of having a low glycemic index but some dairy products include low fat yogurt, one percent milk, 2% milk, skim, and soy milk.

Photo: Olearys

Fruit

Apples, apricots, cherries, avocados, mangos, papaya, pineapple, and cantaloupe, oranges, strawberries, and raspberries are all good low glycemic index choices.

Vegetables

Green vegetables are always a good choice for people trying to eat foods with a low glycemic index. Green vegetables include asparagus, artichokes, Brussels sprouts, green beans, broccoli, peas, lettuce, spinach, zucchini, cabbage and leeks. Other vegetables that are considered to have a low glycemic index are onions, eggplant, cauliflower, mushrooms, radishes, corn, squash and carrots

References:

10 Sites with Low Glycemic Recipes

With all the information above, you might decide to try some low GI meals. The recipes on the following sites will give you some good options:

To Learn More, Check Out These Books:

Sewing Dresses for Baby Girls and Toddlers

2015-12-14T07:30:00.000-06:00

Susan in a dress sewn
by her grandmother,
Charlene Amidon.

Sewing Dresses for Baby Girls & Toddlers

Sometimes, sewing for baby girls is hard, because you may not find patterns that fit right. Babies can be so tiny that even doll clothes can be too small, especially preemie babies, but at least you have the option of having something your baby can wear when you sew clothes for her.

Sewing a wardrobe for your baby girl or toddler doesn't take long. The pattern pieces are so small, you can usually use fabric scraps left over from other projects. For instance, you might make yourself a dress, then make your baby girl a dress out of the left over fabric--matching Mom and Me dresses!

Susan in another dress sewn
by her grandmother,
Charlene Amidon.

Using any basic pattern, you can make a really sweet dress by adding lace (such as the eyelet lace in the cute chambray dress pictured here), ribbons, ruffles, or a cute pinafore (like the lace pinafore in the photo above). The fabric you use will make a huge difference, too.

When making baby and toddler dresses, it's best to use a solid fabric, or a fabric with a tiny stripe or pattern. Large floral patterns would be overwhelming, and not look right in a baby's outfit. You also need to make sure you are using a baby friendly fabric. Nothing scratchy or rough.

Fishing Line Hems for Little Girl Dresses

When you are sewing a dress for your baby, adding ruffles is a fun and quick way to make it look more feminine. Ruffles that won't fall flat and will stand up are easy to make. On the side of the ruffle that you will hem, add a length of nylon fishing line in the hem. Because the line comes off a round spool, it will flutter and ruffle beautifully, and give you perfect ruffles. However, these ruffles cannot be ironed, since the nylon would melt, so only use the fishing line with permanent press fabrics. For instructions on making fishing line ruffles, visit How to Make Fishing Line Hem for Curly Ruffles or watch the video below.

Making a Fishing Line Hem for Curly Ruffles

If you have a preemie baby to sew for, finding patterns is more difficult. Though doll patterns might fit, they are not designed for movements made by human babies, and may not be comfortable. Free Precious Preemie Patterns has links to many adorable and free preemie patterns you might like to use.

Alinda's Adventures' Sewing Things for Babies article has lots of good information for anyone wanting to sew a wardrobe for a baby girl, including dresses, pinafores, tutus, and more.

If you ever wondered which fabrics to choose when making baby clothes, you will want to read Best Fabrics for Baby Clothes.

Toddler Dress Patterns

10 Most Popular Posts for Week Ending 12-12-2015

2015-12-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

10 Most Popular Posts for Week Ending 12-12-2015

This has been a busy week, and a week of surprises. I never expected the number 3 post for this week to be last week's top 10 post.

It has also been a week of adjustment. Going from an article every day to one on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and a recap on Saturday has been oddly stressful. I keep thinking I should be doing something besides working on my other projects, and then I realize that I am having a weird withdrawal of posting every single day. If it keeps up, I may have to go back to daily postings. LOL! Charles and Susan are both wrapped up in projects of their own, which is why they so seldom write posts for the blog.

This week, some of the older posts made the top 10 most popular. I was excited to see the Word Tips and Tricks and Collectible Cookie Jars posts show up.

10 Most Popular Posts for the Past Week (in order of popularity)

Elegant Hand-Made Table Decorations: Hand-Made Table Decorations By Susan Elliott I absolutely love the holidays and I love to decorate. But, as much as I love these thi...
10 Ideal Gifts for the Blogger: 10 Gift Ideas for Bloggers Since I don't know all bloggers, I cannot create a definitive list here. However, I can make a list th...
Mom's Coconut Pie Recipe: Fresh Coconuts Mom's Coconut Pie for the Holidays As far back as I can remember, my family has enjoyed Mom's Coconut Pie at C...
Make One-of-a-kind Barbie Clothes For Your Little ...: Photo: sideshowmom Make Barbie Clothes for Your Favorite Little Girl's Barbie Little girls who love to play with Barbie dolls also...
Fancy Frilly Newborn Baby Girl Dresses: Uncle Les and Susan Dalene (December 1976) Fancy Newborn Baby Girl Dresses Newborn baby girl dresses and clothes are so cute! When w...
Building Your Own Holiday Gift Baskets: Photo: Claudette Gallant Holiday Gift Baskets Building Your Own Holiday Gift Baskets Building your own holiday gift baskets gives...
10 Most Popular Posts Week Ending 12-5-2015: 10 Most Popular Posts Week Ending 12-5-2015 Starting this week, every Saturday, I will have a page for the 10 most popular posts for...
Word Tips and Tricks: Aligning Images in Microsoft...: Two different sized images aligned to Middle in Microsoft Word. How to Align Images in Microsoft Word Recently, someone asked m...
Fun Collectible Cookie Jars Make Great Gifts: Fun Collectible Cookie Jars are Great Gifts for Any Occasion Cookie jars such as this Adorable Ladybug are fun and collectible,...
Using Microsoft Office 365 and OneDrive: Click image for more information. Linda recently wrote a blog post about using the free Microsoft OneDrive program. If you can...

If you would like more technology articles, such as numbers 8 and 10, be sure to let me know.

Thank you to all my readers. I can't tell you how much you are appreciated!

Fancy Frilly Newborn Baby Girl Dresses

2015-12-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

Uncle Les and Susan Dalene
(December 1976)

Fancy Newborn Baby Girl Dresses

Newborn baby girl dresses and clothes are so cute! When we first learned we were having a baby girl (years ago), my husband insisted that he be the one to give her her first dress. The dress he got her was a fancy, frilly pink dress with ruffles and an adorable white pinafore. The pinafore bib was embroidered with cute pink, yellow, and blue flowers (see photo below).

However, as Susan was our first baby, we knew little about sizes. When Susan was born, the beautiful pink dress my husband purchased for her would not fit. She was a preemie baby, and the dress was way too big.

My mom made her a some fancy baby clothes using the smallest baby dress patterns she could find, but eventually realized she needed to use an 18" baby doll dress pattern for the dress to come anywhere close to fitting.

The purple dress she is wearing in the photo above is one of those made using the doll dress pattern. My mom made Suzy lots of beautiful dresses. She always looked so cute in her Grannie's homemade dresses.

Susan in dress her dad bought her.
As you can see, it took a while for it to fit!

Over the years, I made Susan dresses, too. I used fabric and patterns to make many of her fancy dresses, but the memory of that trip to choose our baby girl's first dress is one that we both cherish.

Another special memory is when our daughter had a daughter of her own, the dress was passed down to our first granddaughter. I have pictures of my daughter wearing that dress, and pictures of her daughter wearing the same dress!

Baby dresses can, and often do, become treasured family heirlooms. When selecting a dress, keep in mind that more than one generation may wear it. Check it for sturdy seams, and quality construction.

As the first granddaughter my mom had, the first great-granddaughter my maternal grandmother had, and the first niece my sister had, my baby girl was never without beautiful clothes. Between them, they kept her closet full of gorgeous outfits.

The hardest part was deciding which dress for her to wear and which dresses to take when I went somewhere.

Fancy Frilly Newborn Baby Girl Dresses

Mom's Coconut Pie Recipe

2015-12-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

Created from photo bymconnors

Mom's Coconut Pie for the Holidays

As far back as I can remember, my family has enjoyed Mom's Coconut Pie at Christmas dinner. All our visitors and guests look forward to the pies. Whether there are two or four pies makes no difference--they all disappear!

The recipe below is an easy coconut pie--you don't even have to make or buy a crust. It makes its own crust! There are many Coconut Pie recipes, including cream pies with meringue, but this one is more a custard pie. You might think that Texans would prefer pecan pies, and many do. However, most of our acquaintances find room for both a slice of pecan and coconut.

Fresh Coconuts

Mom's Coconut Pie Recipe

4 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/2 stick melted butter
1 tsp. Watkins double-strength vanilla
1/2 tsp. coconut extract
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Pour into an empty pie pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. This pie makes its own tender, flaky crust.

For 3 deep dish pies, double the recipe and add another cup of coconut (total of 4 cups). Good served with or without a dollop of whipped cream or whipped topping. It is even better served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

If you have never had coconut pie, enjoy the recipe above and make a new tradition for your family.

This article was featured at This Momma's Meandering Mondays! Thank You!

Elegant Hand-Made Table Decorations

2015-12-07T07:30:00.000-06:00

Hand-Made Table Decorations

By Susan Elliott

I absolutely love the holidays and I love to decorate. But, as much as I love these things I love to make my own decorations for the holidays even more. This year I had a few helpers. Thankfully my daughters and my husband pitched in, because I not only made my table decorations, I made the decorations for our holiday banquet at church.

I would like to mention that I was encouraged to write this article by the site BloomNation. BloomNation is a "flower delivery service that helps local florists through their online marketplace." While I didn't use fresh flowers for this tablescape, fresh flowers could easily be added to small pint sized mason jars for more color. I think I would use white flowers and green ivy if I were to add fresh flowers to the design. This would draw out the white in the doilies, and emphasize the green.

There are several different elements in the pictured table decoration, and most of them are hand-made. The pieces which are not hand-made were purchased at the local thrift store. I believe in up-cycling and I love to make treasures out of discarded items.

For this design let's start from the table top upward. The first element is a gold table runner. (This was someone's old wedding castaway.) It made a great foundation to pull together all the individual pieces.

The next element is the harvest colored leaf doilies. I had originally wanted to make them out of silk floral leaves, but I couldn't find them at any of the local craft stores. I had to really think about how to accomplish the look, and that's when I turned to felt. I was surprised how good they turned, out and I think I like them even more than I would have if I'd used silk flowers. I want to do this again with red and green felt to make poinsettia doilies.

Harvest Leaf Doilies

Materials Needed

Several sheets of felt in assorted fall colors
Scissors
Large paper bag
Mod Podge
Foam brush
Gold glitter
Black acrylic paint
Angled brush
Water
Water Container
Paper towel

Cut out several variations of leaves in a variety of colors. I'm not certain how many leaves we actually made, but we used about six sheets of different colored felt. (I used red, green, white, yellow, orange, brown and black.) Set the finished leaves aside.

Cut a 12-inch circle from a large paper bag. This will be the foundation for your doily. Working in small sections from the outer edge inward paint Mod Podge across the surface of your paper circle.

Add the felt leaves, again working from the outer edge inward. Make sure to overlap each leaf so that they look like they have fallen naturally onto the paper. Brush Mod Podge across the top of the leaves, and let dry. Paint a second layer of Mod Podge across the top, and sprinkle glitter over the wet glue. Paint another layer of Mod Podge over the glitter and let the glue dry.

Paint the outline of the individual leaves with black acrylic paint, and add decorative veins to the leaves. Let the doily dry completely before using it. I made used three doilies in this table display.

Candle Containers

Materials Needed

Quart Mason jars
Small mouth juice jars
Gold acrylic paint

This is perhaps the easiest element of this display. I simply dumped the paint into the Mason jar and swirled it around until the inside was completely covered with paint. Make sure the paint dries thoroughly before using. Hint: Let the jars dry upside down to prevent the paint from pooling in the bottom.

Sparkle Candles

Materials Needed

Taper candles
Pillar candles
Mod Podge
Foam brush
Gold glitter

Paint a thin coat of Mod Podge onto the outside of the candles, and then sprinkle gold glitter over the glue. Paint another layer of Mod Podge over the glitter. WARNING: I do not know if the candles can be used at this point. I did not light them, so do so at your own risk.

Decorative Jars

Materials Needed

4 spools of 2-inch wire ribbon in contrasting color
Scissors
Silk leaves
Twigs
Pine cones

For each Mason jar cut 16-inches of ribbon. Place the pillar candles on top of the Mason jars. Mine were slightly larger than the jar, so I ran a bit of Mod Podge over the rim of the jars before setting the candles on them. Tie one section of ribbon around the bottom of the candle and top of the jar. Tie a contrasting ribbon over that ribbon. (I folded my top ribbon in half.) Then tie a bow with the two ribbons.

For each small-mouth juice jar, cut two sections of contrasting ribbon about 12 inches in length. Place the taper candles inside the jar, and then add the leaves, twigs and pine cones. Tie one ribbon around the top of the jar and around the other elements. Tie a second ribbon over that one and make a bow. Viola!

The cornucopia was a thrift store find, and I filled it with plastic grapes and beaded fruit.

10 Most Popular Posts Week Ending 12-5-2015

2015-12-05T07:00:00.000-06:00

10 Most Popular Posts

Week Ending 12-5-2015

Starting this week, every Saturday, I will have a page for the 10 most popular posts for the previous week.

I realize we are all busy, and some people just don't have time to read several times a week. This post will let those readers easily find the most popular articles and just read those, if they so choose.

10 Most Popular Posts This Week (in order of popularity)

Make One-of-a-kind Barbie Clothes For Your Little ...: Make Barbie Clothes for Your Favorite Little Girl's Barbie Little girls who love to play with Barbie dolls also love to have lots of clothes for their dolls....
Legos for Teens and Adults: Great Gifts for Any Oc...: Legos for Teens and Grownups Great Gifts for Any Occasion! Once considered building toys for kids, these days Legos are for teens and grownups, too!....
KCups Beverages: Coffee, Tea, and More: KCups Beverages for Coffee and Tea People! KCups come with coffee, tea, chocolate, and more in them. If you consider yourself one of the 'coffee people,' then K Cups beverages would help you start the day right....
10 Ideal Gifts for the Blogger: 10 Gift Ideas for Bloggers Since I don't know all bloggers, I cannot create a definitive list here. However, I can make a list th...
My Top 10 Articles for November 2015: Top 10 Articles for November 2015 Since May of this year, this blog has really taken off. I had allowed the blog to sit for a while w...
Tea For One Teapot And Cup: Tea for One Teasets The first tea for one set I ever had was given to me by my mother for a birthday gift. At the time, I thought it was...
Ice Sculpture Molds for Parties and Weddings: Ice Sculpture Mold: Ice Art for Your Wedding or Party! Ice art sculptures are beautiful, but ...
Building Your Own Holiday Gift Baskets: Holiday Gift Baskets Building Your Own Holiday Gift Baskets Building your own holiday gift baskets gives...
Moms Best Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe: Elect...: A guest post by Charles Pogue Part 2 While I prefer the hand crank models, it is important to note that White Mountain has four and six ...
A Pastry Cutter Makes Pastries and Breads Lighter...: The pastry cutter, also called a pastry blender, makes baking so much easier! I learned how to use a pastry cutter in home economics class ...

Thank you all for being readers of this blog. I can't begin to tell you how much you are appreciated.

10 Ideal Gifts for the Blogger

2015-12-04T16:16:00.000-06:00

10 Gift Ideas for Bloggers

Updated for Christmas 2018!

Since I don't know all bloggers, I cannot create a definitive list here. However, I can make a list that will tell you what this blogger and other bloggers I know would like to have under the Christmas tree this year.

Many bloggers will tell you they live on caffeine, so anything coffee or tea related is good. One blogger told me a while back that she needed an IV drip for coffee. I fully understand. As a blogger, we have so much to do, so much to remember, and like everyone else, we have a limited amount of time.

Gifts bloggers would appreciate are any items that make their work easier or more streamlined. The following items would make my blogging life easier. Maybe these ideas would be ideal for the blogger on your list, too.

10 Gift Ideas for the Blogger on Your List (in no particular order)

To see these gifts, click on the underlined link or click on the photo.

1. This USB Himalayan Salt Lamp not only provides a cool decorative touch to the office. It also helps clean the air! And who doesn't want cleaner air? The ambient glow isn't harsh and will provide a relaxing place to write. You can find out more about the health benefits of using a salt lamp here.

2. I don't know about anyone else, but when I am working, my coffee tends to get cold before I drink it all. This Mr. Coffee Mug Warmer keeps your coffee hot. Hmmm. Can't think of anything I would use more. It can also be used as a candle or wax warmer if you like to keep things scented up. Just drop some wax scents in a small cup or bowl and set it on the warmer.

3. I love, love, love the new discbound notebooks and planners. This Tools4Wisdom 2019 Planner includes December 2018. Disc bound notebook pages can be easily removed and replaced. And if you want new pages, but can't find pre-made pages you need, you can create your own with your software and printer, then use a discbound hole punch to make pages the pop right into your notebook. And if you run out of room in your planner or notebook, you can purchase larger discs to trade out and add even more pages! The expansion discs even available in designer colors.

4. A Post-It Notes Pop Up Dispenser is a must. However, I must warn you that using the pretty dark color pop-up notes is a bad idea. You can't see the writing on them unless you have much better eyesight than I do. I much prefer the pastel color assortment pop-up notepads to the plain yellow, though.

5. A USB headset, like this TeckNet Surround Sound USB Gaming Headset is perfect. With the surround sound, the ability to mute it and the audio volume control, I love these. The soft cushions keep the set from being painful or irritating, while the full ear cover helps block out external noises like the TV blaring in the next room when I am working. A little music and I can ignore everything else going on. I don't game, but the audio quality of this headset is phenomenal. I can even use it to record audio for videos if I want to.

6. A Cordless Electric Kettle is an important part of my necessary equipment. Even after the coffee pot has run dry, I can make a quick cup of hot tea, hot cocoa, or even my favorite instant cappuccino in less than five minutes. This one even matches the red appliances in my kitchen. It's a win, win!

7. The Robot USB Hub pictured here is a great gift choice. It provides a way to add four USB powered devices to your computer. If you need more than four ports, you will need to purchase a powered USB hub. Most computers can use up to 126 USB powered devices, though you would need a lot of RAM to use them all at one time. This cute little guy would love to sit on the desk and provide the extra USP ports you need.

8. Almond Chocolate Biscotti makes a great snack while I am working, and since these are individually wrapped, they stay good however long it takes me to finish it off (not long if the grandkids find them!). Biscotti come in many different flavors. I haven't found one I didn't like, so whatever flavor is available is perfect. The extra bit of caffeine in the chocolate is helpful in the middle afternoon, too. They are even good for a quick breakfast if I have a project I have to get started on early.

9. Military grade, shockproof, and water-proof, this Silicon Power 2TB Portable External Hard Drive will protect your data. I love this since it means I won't lose data if I drop it or spill my coffee on it (This is a distinct possibility--have I mentioned I am a little uncoordinated?). I use my portable hard drive to make copies of all my data to carry with me when I have to go somewhere. If the house burns down (knock on wood) while I am away, I may lose my desktop PC, but I won't lose the data I use every day since I carry it with me.

10. A blank, lined book like the Steampunk Journal is great to carry with you. Ideas come at the most unexpected times. When you are out and about, it is important to keep blank paper handy to write down those ideas for articles or items to make and describe in a blog. It would be helpful to have one by the bedside, too, so that you could write down ideas that come in the middle of the night.

Would the blogger on your list enjoy any of these items? Bloggers, would you add anything to this list?

Building Your Own Holiday Gift Baskets

2015-12-04T10:46:00.001-06:00

Photo: Claudette Gallant

Holiday Gift Baskets

Building Your Own Holiday Gift Baskets

Building your own holiday gift baskets gives you more options than purchasing a pre-made basket.

All you need is a basket big enough to hold your selected items, items to put within the basket, plastic wrap, filler for the bottom of the basket, and some kind of ribbon to tie it all together.

DIY: Making a Person Specific Gift Basket

To begin, think about the recipient of the gift, and answer the following questions:

What are his or her preferences?
What does he or she like to do?
Does he or she prefer to be outdoors or inside?
Prefer to play sports games or watch sports games?
Sing? Read? Write? Draw? Paint?

The answers to these questions should give you some ideas what to put in the basket. Depending on the size of the basket you select, you should have ten to twenty person appropriate items. Suppose you need a gift for a pre-teen girl. After considering the questions above, you determine she likes make up, clothes, Disney characters, movies, purses, volleyball, and Wii.

For this basket, you might select an assortment of fingernail polish, a sample of polish remover, an eye shadow collection (be sure this is ok with her parents), a t-shirt with her favorite Disney character on it, the most current Disney DVD, a small purse, a volleyball bracelet, and the Volleyball for Wii game. When you begin to assemble the gift, you will need a filler for the bottom of the basket. In this instance, a yard of pink or purple tulle would work well. With tulle in the bottom of the basket, arrange the gift items with the most important in the center. A few artificial flowers snipped off the stem can be artfully placed for more visual excitement.

Other fillers for the bottom of baskets include artificial Easter grass, holiday tinsel garland, or a different appropriate fabric.

Assembling the Gift Basket

When the basket is ready, you need to wrap it in plastic. I like to use Reynold's plastic wrap in an appropriate color. Again, for this, pink or purple would work well, and clear wrap works for any occasion.

On a large flat surface, place two strips in a cross pattern on the table. Place at least two more strips in another cross pattern, with these strips at an angle where they fit between the points of the first. Basically, you are making an eight pointed star shape. Set the basket in the center where all the plastic strips cross each other. One at a time, gather up the strips to one point above the basket. Use curling ribbon to tie the strips together, then smooth the sides to close any gaps.

Gift Baskets are for Any Occasion

Gift baskets go over extremely well in almost every situation. Whether you need a holiday gift for a family member, a co-worker, a boss, an employee, or a customer, or a birthday or anniversary gift, a basket is appropriate.

Matthew Hoelscher

These special baskets can be created for almost anyone. Whether you fill it with personal items, such as shaving lotion, aftershave, a razor, and blades for a teen just starting to shave, or cologne, makeup, hair care items, and a scarf for women.

You might consider lures, hooks, weights, fishing monofiliament line, sunglasses, snacks, and a cap for the fisherman.

For a writer, include colored pens and pencils, blank journals, notepads, a coffee cup, and USB jewelry (pins, pendants, broaches, or keychains).

You can find items to fit any peference. There is no limit to the possibilities, including the standby fruit basket.

Unfortunately, we sometimes run out of time and need to purchase a gift instead. Buying online saves time, since we don't have to go to the store, And the best part is that the gift can be delivered anywhere in the world.

Check out these cool gift basket ideas:

Tea For One Teapot And Cup

2015-12-03T07:30:00.000-06:00

Photo: Petr Kratochvil

Tea for One Teasets

The first tea for one set I ever had was given to me by my mother for a birthday gift.

At the time, I thought it was a strange gift, but soon learned to love and enjoy it.

As the only one in my home who drinks tea regularly, I found it ideal for making just enough tea for me with no waste.

Tea for One
EnglishTeaStore Brand

Not long after that, I began collecting cool teapots in general, and added teapots for one as I could.

Tea time is time for reflection and relaxation, and I thoroughly enjoy taking tea at least once a day, and sometimes more often!

Special tea for one teapot and cup sets have a small teapot, cup and saucer as one stackable unit, and are the perfect gift for tea drinkers!

They are not only fun, they are practical for tea drinkers who enjoy drinking tea when others are not around.

Tea Making: How to Make a Decent Cuppa Tea

Tea For One Teasets

Do you know tea lovers? If so, one of the tea for one teasets below would be a great gift idea for almost any occasion.

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Information from Amazon about this paperback book:

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What is the Glycemic Index (GI)?

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by Susan Elliott

Testing a Food's GI

Beans

Dairy

Fruit

Vegetables

References:

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