Squidoo Hopping--This Week's Theme is Books

This week choose one or 2 of your lenses related to books to share in the linky.  This can be any lens about books--book reviews, reading lists, top 10 books, etc.

Also share any blog posts you have done related to squidoo too.  Even if it's a blog post highlighting even one squidoo link!

I look forward to seeing what is added this week.

 

WIP Wednesday 9/5/12

I wish I could report that I have kept up with my goal of making it into my craft room each and every day.
I did make it in there 3 days out of the last 7.
I have an idea in my head on how to make some pillowcases with applique, but it's not gone past my head yet!  I bought the fabric only to find out that what I bought wasn't wide enough.  So, I only ended up being able to cut the size for 3 pillowcases instead of 4.  But now, as I get the instructions out that I printed I see that it does state 42-44 inch fabric.  It was 42 inches!  ggrrr  I've messed it all up.  Just that takes my motivation out of wanting to make them.
Not to mention that I don't know that much about applique.  I'm going to experiment with that on the leftover piece of fabric.
I guess all I have to say is wish me luck.  I don't know how I am so confused....pillowcases should be so simple to make!

If you have a link to a simple pillowcase pattern and tutorial, please give me the link.  Thanks!

We are coming up on a busy week as the state fair starts this Friday.

This past week I did manage to at least sew the half square triangles, cut them and iron them.  The ones that I had lines on last week, if you remember my photo.  This isn't all that I need for the quilt top but it's a good start.  Now if I can just get more of the squares put together.

This is my progress on the knitted prayer shawl for church:

And, you know me, I can't stay on just one project.  I have started crocheting  the prayer shawl as well.  I can't make any more granny squares until I finish the prayer shawls to see how much yarn I have left to use in the squares!
I am a bit further on this as I took it last night and crocheted while we had bingo family fun night at church.

I believe that is it for this week.  I'm working on getting some more items listed to my etsy shop and I sold my very first quilt!  I'm getting that ready for the post office now.

I am linking up with the following blogs:
 
 

Homeschool Journal--September 4, 2012

I am finally getting back to posting these weekly.
Generally we start school each year on August 1st since that is the first day of the fiscal school year.  We start slow, introducing a different subject each day, the doing just 2 or 3 until the first day of the public school.
I guess we sort of did that this year too.  Jasmine and I went through her work books and the software.  I explained to her what my expectations are for the year.  We didn't, however, do any "real" schoolwork until the first day of public high school, which was August 16.

I have built a new squidoo lens that will highlight our schooling throughout the year.  It's already pretty full, but will continue to grow.  I do hope you will click over and check it out.  It will open in a new window.

Homeschooling 2012/2013 

I'm going to close this week including the photos of the main things we are using in our schooling this year.  These photos are also included in the lens:

I am happy to once again be linking up with:

 

Valpak Balthazar the Dragon Sweepstakes Plus Blog Giveaway!

Valpak presents the

"Bring Home Balthazar" Sweepstakes

Balthazar made his debut in Valpak’s national TV commercial. The preface of the adorable Valpak commercial on air now highlights the many ways you can use coupons from dining, toys, haircuts and carpentry. The great story follows one family recreating the daughter’s school play for her mom, all while using coupons from online, the Blue Envelope® and the app to set the scene.  

Have you ever used a coupon to make someone’s day?

Click the picture below to enter for your chance to win a life sized Balthazar the Dragon, or a mini-plus, or even a gift card!   Sweepstakes ends October 31, 2012.  Full details are available on the website.

What is Valpak?

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Valpak also distributes restaurant coupons and food coupons that cut the cost of buying food in your city or town. Need an online coupon? Our printable coupons help you stretch your dollars when buying thousands of brand name products.

Yay!  Five (5) of my lucky blog readers will win their own mini plush Balthazar Dragon.  Enter using the rafflecopter form below.

Please note the giveaway is open to residents of the United States who are 18 yrs. old or older.  Winners will be chosen using rafflecopter.  Winners will need to provide me with their mailing address to receive their prize.

Disclaimer:  Information about the sweepstakes was sent to me by Valpak.  Prizes are also being provided by Valpak. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Frugal Friday Link Up 8/31/12

Thank goodness it's Friday---or so they say.  This has been another incredibly busy week for me and it's not over until Saturday is done.
I apologize for not doing this post last week.  It was hubby's week vacation.  He let me sleep in a bit Friday morning then we took off shopping---for 3 hours!  Nothing too frugal about that except the coupons that I used.  We had to replace the kitchen faucet that wouldn't stop dripping.  Replacing it was a good idea, but buying one for over half the amount of what we could have bought was an extravagance.  

I just got home from Walmart.  There I found a cart full of cute school supply type items.  They were normally up to $2.28 each and now just .50.  Yes, I'm thinking Christmas.  The kids love this kind of stuff.   I could have bought a lot more than I did!

For this week's share from the 99 Cent Solutions book I am sharing uses for cotton balls.
1.  Light my fire.  I think we've all heard of using dryer lint as a fire starter.  You can also use cotton balls.  Rub the cotton balls with petroleum jelly and store them in a zipper bag.  Take it along on your camping trip along with water proof matches and a lighter.  When making your fire just pull a few strands of the cotton ball and place it into your pile of tinder or wood.  Instant fire starter. (and a lot less expensive than buying lighter fluid.)

2.  Calm your flight.  Dribble lavender oil or clary sage onto a few cotton balls and place them into a zipper bag.  Take them out of the bag during the flight for instant tension relief.

3.  Freshen your car.  Take that stale stink out of your car with cotton balls.  Soak a few in eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, or vanilla extract and transport them to your car in a zipper bag.  Take a few out of the bag and place them some place out of the way, such as the cup holder, and refresh your ride.

4.  Squash bugs.  Soak cotton balls in bug repellent and place them in a zipper bag to carry along with you.  Dab your skin with the cotton balls whenever you sense trouble.  Less trouble than carrying a can with you, and less likely to spill in your purse or suitcase.

5.  Tackle mildew in crevices.  No need for elbow grease in those hard to reach areas to clean your bathroom.  Just place cotton balls soaked in bleach in those corners, behind the faucets etc.  Let the cotton ball sit until you are done with your other cleaning.  Once done, remove the cotton balls and rinse with warm water.

Your turn!  What frugal posts have you shared this past week?

 

Combat Source Kill MAX Ant Giveaway and More!

Have you been troubled by ants this season?  Are you wondering how to get rid of ants?

Combat has just what you are looking for.   Try the Combat Source Kill Max ant bait stations.  A box contains 6 child-resistant bait stations.  Place the baits where you are frequently seeing the ants--under the sink, in a window sill etc.
The ants enter the bait station, eat the bait and carry it back to the nest.  The ants then pass the bait on to the queen and destroy the entire colony.

Or, try the Combat Source Kill Max ant gel.    The gel provides fast control of ants in just 3-5 days.  It contains Fipronil, the fast-acting ingredient.  The speed is still slow enough for the ants to carry the bait back to the next and feed it to larvae and the queen so that the whole colony is killed through the Domino Effect.
The gel does have a sweet odor so you will want to make sure to put it out where your animals and children can't get in to it.  Use it in the window sill, under the stove, behind the refrigerator, under the sink etc.
Here is a photo of hubby putting out at the back under our sink:

  I was wondering just how to get rid of the ants, so I was glad to get a chance to try the Combat products.  It's great that we have not seen one ant in the kitchen since putting the gel out.
I have put the baits in various places, even including under the bathroom sinks.
I really like how easy the baits and gels are to use...and none of that awful smell from using a spray!

Baits and Gels VS. Sprays:
(Information taken from http://www.combatbugs.com/articles/baits-gels-vs-sprays)
1.  Unlike spray insecticides, Combat roach and ant baits are attractants
2.  The interval between ingestion and death gives ants and roaches the time necessary to carry the insecticide back to the main colony where it’s spread amongst the rest of the pests.
3.  Spray and aerosol insecticides, on the other hand, are repellants, designed to kill on contact. While they provide short-lived satisfaction by killing the insects you see, they do nothing to solve the larger issue of a pest infestation you cannot see.

Combat is holding a $1000 sweepstakes!!  One lucky winner will get $1000 to hold their very own Bug Free Backyard Bash.  The winner will also receive an assortment of Combat brand product to ensure ants don't spoil the bash.
Click HERE to get your entry in now.
While you are there, also print off a $1 coupon as well.

One of my lucky blog readers will win a free box of Combat Source Kill MAX Ant Gel.  Entries are easy using the rafflecopter below.

Please note--Giveaway is open to US residents only 18 years or older.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me with their information or another winner will be chosen. 

Disclaimer:  As a member of PurexInsiders, Combat provided me with the Combat Ant products for the purpose of this review and giveaway.  I was not compensated in any other way, and all opinions are my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Squidoo Hopping--This Week's Theme is History

Good Thursday to all!

This week I am choosing history to be the theme.
There are lots of interesting pieces of history.
Maybe your lens is a specific date in history, maybe a specific time in history, maybe an event in history, maybe even teaching history.  The list goes on.

Remember to link up any blog posts about squidoo as well as your lenses for the week.

 

WIP Wednesday--Back to Work

I am trying really hard to get into a routine where, no matter how busy my day is, that I make it in to my craft room each day.

After crocheting and crocheting granny squares, I realized again that I do not have enough yarn to make all the squares needed to finish out the challenge for the year.
I picked up some yarn from church yesterday.  I'm knitting one prayer shawl and will crochet another one.  I will then have the left over yarn from those for my granny squares.

Here is my granny square a day 2012 challenge blanket---day 242, August 29:

 
Here is what I got done on the knitted prayer shawl so far.  Knitting is not really my thing.  THe pattern states to knit 3, pearl 3 on each row.  I tried that 3 times and all 3 times I just ended up with a confused mess.  I thought it would be easy, but I gave up.  I am just doing it totally in knit.

I completed my block of the month block.  About time since Sampler is this Saturday.  Nothing like last minute for me.
This is called Clay's Choice:

I did get my quilt pieces laid out for the quilt I am making for sewing club at church.  I didn't do anything past get my lines for half square triangles on that pile of smaller squares that you see.

At quilt guild this week the speaker showed us a super cool pattern.  I'm itching to start in on it.  I do NOT need to start something new with still so many UFO's hanging around, but I will do it anyway.  I even bought my middle fabric yesterday.

Off the top of my head I know that I have 3 sets of bibs to complete, 2 table runners, a child's quilt, the Halloween bags, and of course my crochet and knit projects as well.  IF I can stick with my plan to work in my craft room every day no matter what, things will start to get done.

I am linking up with the following blogs:

 

Squidoo Hopping--This Week's Theme is Cooking

This week's theme is cooking---recipes, time saving tips, cookware, etc.  Any lenses that have something to do with cooking will fit in.

Don't forget that if you blog about squidoo to link up those posts too!

 

WIP Wednesday--We are on mini-vacation

Nothing unusual about the fact that I didn't get any sewing done this past week  :(
In fact, I don't remember working on any crafts...hhmmm

We are, however, on our mini 2 day vacation away from home.  I crocheted granny squares on the way here to Dodge City.  Looking at them laid out I think it will take 9 on each side for my pillow.....at least I hope.  I will crochet more on the way home this evening.  At least I will be able to say I did work on something.

We stopped on the way here and went to a museum.  I loved this sign we seen there:

We are having a good time.  Hubby and I left Jasmine at the motel while we checked out the casino.  That was fun, and we were good and only had so much to  use on the slots (we played the penny slots) and we came back with most of that.
We just got back from the free breakfast here at Days Inn.  Wow...I was impressed with the food choices!
We are about to get packed up and head out to Boot Hill.
I wish we could have a vacation and stay somewhere at least 3 or 4 nights....maybe next year  :)

I am linking up with these blogs: