Frugal Friday Link Up--4 Uses for Cayenne Pepper

Happy Friday! My husband's been on vacation this week. Have we been frugal? Yes, and no. We have been doing our usual things--making due for lunch, making sure lights are off in rooms we aren't in etc. We rec'd our state tax refund check in the mail and did some grocery shopping. We didn't look at what was on sale though and just picked things up. We didn't do bad or anything and spent a total of about $60 between the grocery store and the day old bread store.
We also picked up a pre-paid card for my daughters spending money on her trip to England next year.

We are planning on being out of town all day today visiting my daughter and her family. We had intended on getting a motel for the night to visit longer, but there just wasn't enough money left to do that. Maybe next time :) We are already working on a savings plan for his next vacation week in August.

For this week I am sharing 4 uses for cayenne pepper from the 99 Cent Solutions book.

1. Relieve arthritis in your hands. 1 tablespoon neutral oil (almond or olive oil) mixed with 2 drops of lavender essential oil and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or 2 drops pepper essential oil) mixed together and rubbed gently on your joints makes a warming massage oil that will loosen up those joints in the morning. (admittedly this is probably great but I would really have to check the price of all the ingredients compared to buying Icy Hot, Ben Gay, or the like on sale and with a coupon)

2. Fight off a migraine. If you feel a migraine coming on, mix 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper into half a glass of tepid water. Mix it and drink it down. Lie down to rest. If you still feel the pain, repeat again in 30 minutes. (hhmmm not sure I would want to try this either!)

3. Break the grip of a cold. Heat some chicken stock to boiling and lace it with a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Less, depending on how much you can bear. Drink it from a mug and be sure to sniff the vapors while you sip. Cayenne breaks up congestion swiftly.

4. Deter deer and groundhogs. Mix 1/4 cup cayenne with warm water in a spray bottle and mist it over the plants that the deer seem to be zeroing in on. If you find the hold in your yard where that pesky groundhog hides in between eating your flowers, pour a liberal amount of cayenne down the hole. There is usually a second hole too, that you should find and anoint. Groundhogs should make haste to find other habitation plans. (OMG! I wish I read this before now--the gophers are tearing up our entire yard, and my flower beds. I MUST give this a try!)

Until next week--keep on saving! Please link up below. Also don't forget my Homemade 2012 linky page as well. Thanks!

TGIFF! Yay!

It's my turn to host TGIFF! I'm so happy! I hope I will get the chance to host the hop again.
Yay! I have a finish. I hope it counts for a quilt? It's not quilted per say, but I spent all week hand stitching it. It's a table runner and I am really happy with how it turned out.

Here is a close-up of the stitching, I hope you can see it. I used the glass method, drawing around a glass with a pink pencil.

I can't wait to see the finishes linked up this week and thanks for the opportunity to host.

Squidoo Hopping--I'm On A Mission!

I've been too heavy into completing a craft project this week.  Sadly, I've done about my usual viewing and commenting on lenses of others but no updates on my own, and no new lenses built either.

At one point I was going to apply for Giant 50 but then wasn't sure if I had 50 lenses that are good enough, despite the updating I have gotten done.  I also want to update my lensography before applying for that next step up.

I did work on building my placeholder lens for my This Day in History lenses.  I'm not sharing the link yet because I am not happy with so few completed.  My goal before sharing the link is to have a minimum of 3 days completed in each month.

So, that is my mission---get these lenses built!!  Shoot, I still have 3 birthdays (at least) for the family, to get built.

I will get it done!! 

*********Questions-------Does the Random Facts module no longer work? It's not showing up for me. Has anyone ever heard anything about the donations module and if it will ever come back?? I so want to finish up my Charity lens, but can't without the module.**********

What blog posts or lenses are you going to share this week?

 

WIP Wednesday---See Inside :)

Let's see--
No progress on the cross magnets.
No progress on the toothbrush rug.
No progress on the walker bags for the quilt guild community project.
I did get a few more squares filled for the baby blocks, but didn't take a photo.  I figured I would wait on taking a picture until I have one of the blocks completed.

OMG! You won't believe that I actually did some work on the scrappy quilt top for church.  Funny thing is that hubby and I were watching movies on tv at the same time.  I was pinning and marking during the movie and on commercials I was heading in to the craft room for a few minutes of sewing and/or ironing.  I'm surprised at just how far I did get, even though it's only a beginning on the whole top.

 I did get another row complete on the other quilt I've been working on.  I went ahead and took a photo, however, I need to rip out the row and pin it this time before sewing.  The lines didn't line up right....how aggravating.

I am hosting the TGIFF! Blog hop this Friday and I am hoping to have a finish.  It looks like my finish will end up being this table runner.  I have procrastinated on getting going on the hand stitching for the top of this.  I'm over half way done with it now so wish me luck on the finish in time for my post.  I just took a picture of how I am stitching it---the old use a glass to draw a circle method.

 Last but not least on my list for this week is the granny square blanket that I am working on for the Granny a Day 2012 Challenge.  I've still been crocheting more granny squares here and there even though I am way ahead on that part.  In sewing on one a day it's just 7 each week, but it is getting bigger.  I'm working one down one day and one over the next day until I get the side as long as I want it to be.  Just the way I work...have to be a little different.  This is day 46.

 

And....I am linking this post up with the following blogs:
 

I'm Hosting TGIFF This Week!

I'm hosting the Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday blog hop this week.  I hope you will hop along with us!

Homeschool Journal--Getting Ready for England

We had a good week all the way around again!  Some of the other neat things for this week was making Valentines with youth group at our church.
We did spend a lot of time "getting ready for the England trip"  We are still reading out loud the books we checked out from the public library on England.  Each week now when she attends the youth group meetings (with the group that is making the trip), they are learning about England too. 

I'm not sure why it wasn't mentioned to us earlier, but we found out last week that the other kids in the youth group had been earning for this trip for over 2 years and my daughter only joined their youth group 8 months ago.  Therefore she had a $830 credit towards the $2330 needed by each youth for the trip.  

Working with a lady at church--actually she is doing the majority of the work---we got to figuring out how to raise the other $1500 that my daughter needs to pay her way.  The youth group at our own church is giving her $750.  Our retired pastor now attends the church where she is going to this youth group.  He has an endowment fund in his wife's name.  He has graciously offered the $500 left in it for her to go.  (He was our pastor for 13 years, so all of Jasmine's life).  

They (some of the people at our church) asked Jasmine to make a poster with a thermometer to track money collected.  We printed out pictures of the places we know for sure they will visit in England and pasted those around on the board as well.  Here is the finished poster:

 Once we got to church this past Sunday the gal changed the $1500 at the top to the total amount needed and started the thermometer out with how much Jasmine had earned herself for the trip.  She gave a big announcement before the church service started, and stood at the back of the church after the service and collected any donations.  I'm not sure how much was collected but we are heading to Bible study in a few minutes so we will probably find out.  I think we pretty much got what was needed though!

There are some things she needed for the trip as well such as a travel wallet and a waterproof jacket.  The gal that is helping us make sure she gets the money needed has bought the travel wallet for her as her gift.  She also brought in a Cabela's catalog---her and another member are going to get her the waterproof jacket as well as water proof shoes as their gifts!

Yahoo!  My husband and I are sending her with $300 for her snacks and souvenirs money.  We are taking that out of our state income tax refund once it gets in.  We won't have our federal in before the trip.

The trip is March 20-28.

That is my report for this week---off I go now to check out what others are up to in their homeschool adventures  :)

Win 10 Free Downloads from Fotolia's deviantART Collection!

Fotolia introduces the new deviantART collection!  Over 3,000 images to choose from in this collection.

News:
deviantART collection now available exclusively at Fotolia
January 12, 2012 - Fotolia and deviantART(dA) partner up to deliver a stunning collection, containing the finest photographs from dA's community of artists.

• The collection includes close to 3,000 images and features a wide variety of categories, courtesy of fine art photographers, representing over fifty countries around the globe.
• All images in the collection were curated by a group of professional image editors.
• dA is the world's largest online community for artists and art enthusiasts.
• The collection is available exclusively at Fotolia
• View and download images from the deviantART collection at www.fotolia.com/dacollection

Facts:

• Fotolia offers the largest image bank of free and most affordable royalty free photos and illustrations perfect for any medium, web or print.
• So far, there are 15,640,537 images, vectors and HD videos available at Fotolia.
• There are over 3,009,228 Fotolia members around the world.
• It was started by Oleg Tscheltzoff, Patrick Chassany and Thibaud Elziere in November 2005.
• 229,400 video clips in .mov, .avi, .wmv and flv formats.
• Fotolia also displays images from the most well known agencies in the world. Those exceptional images are available in the Infinite Collection.
• With the introduction of the Infinite Collection, Fotolia became the first worldwide microstock organization to offer both crowd-sourced and professional images on one site.
• Fotolia spans the globe with websites in 12 languages and offices in 15 countries.
• Free photos and vectors are offered daily to Facebook fans.
• Fotolia's headquarters are in New York city and offices in Seattle, Washington and Paris, France.
• Fotolia Plug-In instantly adds high-resolution photos, videos and illustrations to your Microsoft Office PowerPoint or Word documents.
• Fotolia Desktop Widget is the new way to search for stock images, vector and videos on your desktop with slick and intuitive drag and drop interface.
• More information can be found at www.fotolia.com or Wikipedia
• All images offered on Fotolia are Royalty free, they can be used for all kinds of professional documents with no limit on time or copies:

• Creation of advertising media
• Creation of professional documents
• Illustration of press articles
• Illustration of websites, blogs, newsletters, web banners...
• Illustration multimedia documents
• Illustration / Decorations on TV shows or movies
• Creation of derivative products (Extended license)

8 reasons for fotolia microstock:

1. Time Savings
Fotolia services will save you time, as you are much more likely to find what you need quickly. A savings in time translates into saving money.
2. Clear Licensing Agreement
One hazard of being a designer is learning about copyright laws, restrictions and licenses. On the free photo sites, you have to read the fine print for each and every photo you use. Some photographs come with no restrictions, some are only for non-commercial use and some require the name of the photographer. You don’t have to deal with this headache on Fotolia. The licensing agreement will be the same for all photos in the license category you select, which is typically a standard royalty-free license.
3. Availability of Vector Art and Illustrations
Fotolia offers a wide variety of vector art and illustrations. Illustrated graphics can give a course a completely unique look and feel. Vector art refers to graphics that are hand drawn in a tool like Adobe Illustrator. Because they exist as mathematical renderings, they can be expanded to any size and manipulated in a vector graphics program.
4. Compelling Images
You can find photos based on a concept, emotion or theme. You can find people doing interesting things and simple single objects that are ready to use.
5. Guaranteed Model Releases
You need the signed release of a model to use his or her photo. Model releases are guaranteed with a paid service. This is not true on a free site. That’s why I never use photographs of a person from a free service.
6. More Efficient Search
There’s nothing like typing in the search term ‘money’ and getting back photos of the Eiffel tower. This kind of poor search functionality is common on some free photo sites. On the other hand, efficient search functionality is one of the foundations of Fotolia. Fotolia has staff to tag their photos with keywords, so the results are usually more accurate. The keywords are also translated in many languages.
7. Supports The Arts
The world would only be shades of gray without the Arts. By paying for images, you’re helping photographers and illustrators earn a living. We need them.
8. Reduces Stress
When you can quickly find the graphics you like and need, it reduces your level of stress. And we all need that.

My review:
This is the 2nd opportunity to review for fotolia and I am loving it!  I have a lot of fun finding photos that I will be able to use in my work.  The new deviantART collection sure has a lot of awesome photos to choose from.   Downloading is easy.   I want to share a few of the photos that I chose that are about love since Valentine's Day is right around the corner:

Disclaimer:  I received a 30 day subscription to fotolia for the purpose of this review.  I was not compensated in any other way.  All opinions are my own.

One lucky blog reader will win a code good for 10 free downloads within 30 days.  Enter using the rafflecopter form below.
 

Wholesale Keychain Review and Giveaway!

Wow!  If you are looking to buy keychains, I really recommend that you check out wholesalekeychain.com.

You can choose from hundreds of keychains---you are sure to find one for every person on your list.  You can choose from categories such as automotive, college, digital photo keychains, games and toys, sports and a lot more.

Free shipping on USA orders of $50 or more!  Optional engraving is available.  Payments accepted are Mastercard, Visa, Discover or Paypal.

I went straight for the toys and games keychain category to choose my 2 keychains for the purpose of this review.  I chose this category since I have 9 grandchildren.  Oh gosh...there are so many just in this category that it was hard for me to just pick two.  To be truthful, I want about all of them!

I ended up choosing the Etch a Sketch keychain and the UNO game keychain---shown in the photo below.

 We have had a lot of fun with both of these keychains.  All of us have had our fun with the tiny Etch-A-Sketch.  Too cute!  We've played a couple of games of UNO with the teeny tiny cards...so much fun!

One lucky blog reader will win their choice of the Etch-A-Sketch keychain or the UNO game keychain!  Enter using the rafflecopter form below.  ***Update!!  I was just informed that they have changed the giveaway guidelines and the winner will now be allowed to choose the keychain of their choice for a prize!****

Disclaimer:  I received my choice of 2 keychains for the purpose of this review and giveaway from wholesalekeychain.com.  I was not compensated in any other way.  Any opinions are my own.

Progresso "Souper You" Contest and Blog Giveaway

Are you ready for a new look this New Year? Progresso^® is excited to announce the return of their Souper You^® Contest giving you the chance to win an incredible makeover! By telling Progresso why you deserve a makeover and what you love about their soup, you could have the chance to win an ultimate makeover experience in Hollywood this Spring!

Now that the ball has dropped and the confetti has settled, it’s time to consider how you will stick to your resolution for the New Year and maintain your weight management plan, without sacrificing on variety or the taste of foods you love. Thanks to Progresso^®, you can have your soup and eat it too!

With 40 delicious soups with 100 calories or less per serving, Progresso Soup has a variety of offerings that help you beat diet boredom and satisfy your taste cravings, while helping you stick to your weight management calorie goals. Progresso soups are packed with hearty ingredients like pasta, beans, rice, meat and vegetables that suit your taste buds and make you feel good about including it in your meal choices.

• This year, the Souper You^® Contest will provide three lucky winners with an ultimate makeover experience in Hollywood; this includes a trip for 2 to Los Angeles, California where the winner will receive a head-to-toe makeover including hair and makeup, guided shopping spree with a $1,000 fashion retailer gift card, $1,000 spending money and 2 tickets to this season’s live finale of NBC’s The Biggest Loser
• Visit www.SouperYou.com and submit your photo with a brief essay about why you love Progresso soups and why you deserve a makeover, no later than February 22nd, 2012.
• Check back on March 12th for the announcement of the top ten finalists, and vote for your favorite finalist until March 25th.
• In addition, visit http://bit.ly/ProgressoCoup  to download a printable coupon for $1.25 off the purchase of four (4) cans of Progresso Soup today.
• Also, tune into The Biggest Loser on NBC Tuesdays at 8/7c

Click here to watch this amazing video of the 2011 winner experience.

Links:

• Souper You Website at http://bit.ly/SouperYou
• Progresso Website at http://bit.ly/ProgressoSoupSite
• Progresso on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/ProgressoFB
• Progresso Online Coupon at http://bit.ly/ProgressoCoup

We have been enjoying the Progresso soups.  There is such a wide variety to choose from that we don't get tired of them.  My daughter was especially glad to see the package come in the mail.  She is working towards a healthier lifestyle and to lose weight.  She opened a can of the soup right away for lunch.  It's easy to make Progresso a part of our everyday foods.

One of my lucky blog winners will receive the following Progresso Souper You prize packs:

• (2) VIP Coupons for Progresso Soup
• (1) copy of “The Biggest Loser” Workout DVD

Disclosure:  The Progresso^® Souper You^® prize pack, information, coupon, and giveaway have been provided by Progresso through MyBlogSpark.
 

Frugal Friday Link-Up---4 Uses for Peanut Butter

Happy Frugal Friday! I'm getting a slow start on my day, at least getting to the computer.

It's been another busy week here. I can't think of anything really frugal that I did this week. I do always try to live a frugal lifestyle. The only shopping I did this past week was to buy gifts for my daughter to give her boyfriend----she picked them out of course, I just told her how much I had to spend. Saddest part---we got home from Wal Mart and I found a gift card for about the same amount I spent sitting in our mailbox. I earned it doing a survey for our local newspaper. Oh well, that will pay for some things the next time we get out there.

I am still working from my stash of craft supplies only. I have so many things that I want to get done! Getting started on some Christmas gifts is a must!

This week I am sharing 4 uses for peanut butter from the 99 Cent Solutions book:

1. Help your pet take their medicine. Push the pill into the center of a teaspoon of peanut butter. This prevents them from finding it if you put it in their regular food and then not taking it. Just give them the little lump of peanut butter like a treat.

2. Catch that mouse! Mice actually prefer peanut butter over cheese. It won't harden and dry up like a piece of cheese either. (My mom has been using peanut butter on her mousetraps for years!)

3. Take off a price tag. Rub a dab of peanut butter on the price sticker and let it sit for a few minutes. It will wipe away easily with a paper towel or other rag. This also removes all the remains of the glue.

4. Take out the odor of fried fish. Add a dollop of smooth peanut butter to the oil before you fry fish. It will absorb the smell while you enjoy the fish frying for dinner. And, you won't have to keep smelling it days later.