Squidoo Hopping--This Week's Theme is Wishlists

I have chosen wishlists for this week's theme.  People are already shopping for the holiday!

Wishlist lenses as well as gift giving suggestion lenses will be great to share in this week's linky.

As always if you blog about squidoo in any way, please also include the link to your blog posts in the linky as well.

 

WIP Wednesday--Let's Keep Busy!

This week I said to myself---"self, you need to complete all the projects you have started before starting something else! You also need to get things listed in the etsy store."

Well.....now, I did start that prayer shawl of granny squares for church. I had to do that to get some more colors of yarn, and more yarn to make the granny squares for my blanket.  This is how far I got on it, and now my yarn basket for the blanket is full again.  I just hope it's enough to finish the blanket....and the matching pillow.

I didn't get much more done as far as organizing my craft room.  I did empty 2 totes, one full box, and a partial box onto this shelf.  I also picked up some of the grandkids' toys.  I do believe they are going to the garage!

I also did get the squares cut and materials out for a quilt of my own.   I do need to always be working on a quilt for myself as well as the one I am working on for charity.

I debated on whether to work on the quilt for church.  In order to really get any work done on it, it needs to all be laid out so I can see what I am doing.  I chose not to.  I will wait until sewing day next week at church to work on it again.  Then, hopefully, I will lay it out to work on it again over the month until we meet again.

I also bought some cute Halloween fabrics at the quilt shop.  I have sit n' sew this Friday evening so I plan on making the bags there.  That is a new project, but I should be able to finish them all in that evening, and get them listed for sale in my etsy shop.

Now that I am done typing this post I need to get back to my WIP at hand, which is cutting and sorting this huge pile of coupons!  Must be ready for that shopping trip on Friday.

I am linking up with the following blogs:

Eco Orbies--What Fun!

For the past couple of years, I have seen these little balls at the state fair.  I wanted some.  How cool that you put them in water and they expand.  The ones I've seen at the fair are not Eco Orbies.  In fact, they don't last like Eco Orbies.

I was thrilled to receive 2 packages of Eco Orbies for the purpose of my review.  As much as I was thrilled to get them, I think my teenage daughter and my grandson were even more thrilled.   They had loads of fun taking photos and doing different things with the Eco Orbies, even making a video commercial which I will share at the end of my review.

My Eco-Orbies came in 2 tiny zip-lock type baggies.  Oh so tiny!  Here is one of them in the palm of my hand:

I didn't count how many were in the bag but it has to be around 50, if not more.   I wish I had counted as I was just amazed.

I rec'd a packet of blue and a packet of red.  Here the are soaking in the bowls to expand:

Amazing!  Each of the tiny bags contained enough to almost fill each cereal bowl we used to hydrate them.

Before I show you the rest of our photos, I want to tell you all about the Eco Orbies.

To expand the orbies you soak the contents of the baggie in 2 cups of water for 6-8 hours.  Drain off any excess water and rinse them.   Colors can be layered and the colors will not transfer or bleed.

To dry the orbies when you aren't using them, simply place them to air dry in a single layer.  This will take 3-5 days.  It's recommended to use a cookie sheet lines with wax paper for drying them.  Place them back in the baggie and store them out of direct sunlight.  Dry Eco Orbies will last 15-20 years!   Simply soak them again each time you want to use them.

Eco Orbies will fit even into the tiniest of vase openings.  You can hydrate them right in the vase too if necessary.   They can be mixed with the soil of your outdoor or indoor houseplants and will release moisture as the plants require.  They will pull bacteria away from the plant giving you a healthier and hardier plant.

You can grow most all plants in them  and even start seeds such as Wheatgrass and Indoor Herb Gardens.  They can be used over and over again, just add more water.  They will not discolor the water or bleed.

After a month or tow your orbies will shrink down as they release the moisture to your plants or fresh cut flowers.  Just rehydrate them!

If you want your Eco Orbies scented just add a few drops of essential oil, or even perfume to fully hydrated Eco Orbies and you will have a wonderful light scent in any room of your house.  When they shrink, you can rehydrate them and add a different scent if you choose.

Eco Orbies can be used with soil for all outdoor or indoor house plants, growing wheatgrrass, transplanting trees and shrubs, cuttings, garden vegetables, farming and agriculture.   You can even use them for a relaxing hand or foot massage!

Eco Orbies are non-toxic and environmentally safe.  You can light them up with submersible LED lights.   Each 5 gm packet makes about 2 cups.

The kids liked the idea of the submersible LED lighting.  Since we don't have any of those, they experiments on what the orbies would look like lit up but putting them in a glass and shining a flashlight through the bottom.

Ok....my grandson is having too much fun running his fingers through the hydrated Eco Orbies.

Beautifying my vase of artificial flowers.

And here is their commerical  :)





 


I can't wait until I am able to order more of the Eco Orbies! They have so many different colors available.
You will want to like their facebook fan page. There are going to be some specials coming up in the month of August, and I'm sure more to come. Don't miss out! Eco Orbies Facebook Fan Page

Find their homepage HERE.

Here is another review with some awesome photos that you will want to check out: Eco-Orbies Review

Disclaimer: I rec'd 2 packages of Eco Orbies for the purpose of my review. I was not compensated in any other way and all opinions are my own.

Frugal Friday Link Up--Uses for Bath Oil and Bubble Bath

Happy Friday!
We have finally been getting a bit of rain here and there. Sunday morning we actually got an inch! By the looks of the sky this morning, we should be getting more rain today. I do hope so! Kansas, as well as most all other states, are suffering from drought. Besides, my water bill will be less too :)

I have stayed motivated using my coupons and show a total savings last month of $416.92. That's more than I had saved January-June combined. I do hope to keep it up! It's nice to be seeing the cabinets fill back up too.
When stocking up using sales and coupons it takes some time to get a good variety in your stock, but if you are patient, you will get there.
I've also been able to share with my family.

Moving on, this week from the 99 Cent Solutions book, I am sharing uses for bath oil and bubble bath.

Bath Oil:
1. Leave shower doors sparkling. Soap scum builds up fast on those glass shower doors. Simply pour a little bath oil straight on to a sponge and swipe it over the glass. The scum will wipe right off. Rinse the sponge and wipe the doors lightly.

2. Tell the insects to buzz off. You don't need any particular brand of bath oil to repel mosquitoes, flies or other biting insects. A strongly scented oil, especially one with citrus, will do the same job. Rub it on exposed skin and the insects will find some place else to feed.

3. Use oil to clean off oil. Rub a little bath oil in to your hand, then wash them in warm water with soap. The grease from working under the hood, or working on the chain on your bicycle, or anything else, will disappear.

4. Protect your patent leather. Moisten a clean soft cloth with a few drops of bath oil. Gently rub the oil into the patent leather and polish the area with another dry cloth or towel. You will see new life in your old accessories as this will get rid of scuff marks.

Bubble bath:
1. Give your car a bath. Stop buying those expensive products to wash your car. Add one or 2 capfuls of bubble bath to a bucket of water and wash away. You vehicle will have a beautiful shine.

2. Shine on! Bubble baths aren't just for kids, or adults. Dilute a little bubble bath in water and wash your plants leaves with clean cloth dipped in the bubble bath solution. The leaves will shine and the plant will look healthier.

3. Replace your hand soap. Pour bubble bath into the hand soap containers that need to be refilled. Bubble bath is an effective inexpensive replacement for your regular soap.

Your turn :) Share away.

Team Flo - Rally Cry Flo

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Progressive.

Squidoo Hopping--This Week's Theme is 10's

Whether it's top 10, latest 10, or any 10.....share your lenses about 10's in this week's linky.

I am seeing blogs about squidoo around and about the blogosphere.  Please share those in the linky too.  



 

WIP Wednesday-A Granny Square Week

I actually did make it in to my craft room for some sewing 2 days this past week.  I had bought my daughter a small tv with built in dvd player at a yard sale.  I put that in her room and took the tv with built in vcr and put it in my craft room.
I realize that most of you would prefer to not have a tv in your craft room, but here is what I did.  Also while going to yard sales one day I was able to buy 20 VHS movies for just $1 at one sale.  These added to the full shelves we already have, and what we can still check out from the public library will keep me busy in my room.  I found it worked really well for me to turn on a movie and sew until it was over. (I watched Michael and Charlie's Angels).

I was able to finish the flower quilt, which you can see in my TGIFF post (right under this post if you are on my home page) I also finished my first block for the sampler I am doing at the quilt shop.  We are doing Every Barn Tells a Story.  This block is the Ohio Star.  This is my first time doing a sampler, it's a 20 month one, and this is the first block:

I completed a fabric bag that was for an order.  I also worked just a bit on my new quilt for sewing club at church.  I didn't work on it enough, however, to warrant taking a photo.  I have to get all of the materials laid out for it and really get back in to the groove.  I hope to get that much done this evening.

I had gotten behind on my granny square a day challenge.  Well, not really, I had the squares done, just didn't have them on my blanket.  I am now caught up on putting squares on the blanket up to July 31, day 213.

I have a bit of a dilemma now.  I am down to just a few colors of yarn left, and only small balls of those.  I am going to have to start crocheting on a prayer shawl for church so that I can see if I have yarn left from that for my granny squares.  I have 110 more granny's to crochet to complete the blanket, plus the squares needed for a pillow.

Here is what my blanket is looking like so far:

 

I am linking up with:
 

TGIFF--Flowered Quilt is Done!

I almost can't believe it.  The flowered quilt is finally done, faults and all.  I intended for this one to be completed in February when I was privileged to have the chance to host the TGIFF linky here in my blog.

Ok, so most months the only work it got done on it was at the monthly sit n' sew at the quilt shop.  That was after I kind of got tired of working on it.

Also, I am taking part in my first sampler at the quilt shop.  This one is a 20 month sampler.  There are a couple of months when it's cancelled due to other things going on at the quilt shop, so the last square won't be handed out until February 2014.  That seems so so far away.
It's Every Barn Tells a Story.  The first block is the Ohio Star, and here is my completed block:

 I do look forward to each month learning how to make yet another block.

 

Frugal Friday Link Up--Uses for Baby Oil and Baby Powder

We had a reprieve from the triple digit temps yesterday.  It only got up to 96.  We even got a bit of rain Wednesday night.  That helps some with the water bill and is so much better for the garden and lawn.
Speaking of the water bill--ours is $98 this month!  My husband says--"What?!"  I say--"I told you awhile back that the kitchen sink drips."  Hopefully he will get that changed out soon now.  That difference in the bill for just one month will almost cover what the extra is on our bill.

Our garden looks horrible with tall grass, but it's still bee producing quite nicely.  I did use the last of the onions last night.  We had enough onions grow to use in 4 meals.  The tomatoes are a lot better this year too.   Even the bell peppers have been good.  I've been out pulling out, and cutting off the grass around the plants.  We did lose 2 tomatoes to rot because I didn't see them at the bottom of the plants.  I've been freezing cut tomatoes to use this winter in soups, stews, goulash and chili.

This week's share from the 99 Cent Solutions book are ways to use baby oil and baby powder.

Baby oil:
1.  Stop an earache.   Hold a bottle of baby oil under hot running water for about a minute to warm it.  Place a few drops of the heated baby oil into the affected ear canal to soothe away the pain.

2.  Improve your shoes.  Dab a few drops of baby oil on your leather shoes and rub it in with a soft cloth.  This will soften the leather as well as polish it.  Also use it on other leather and patent leather items such as belts and purses.  Be sure to wipe away any excess.

3.  Rip that band aid off.   Rub that bandage with a cotton ball soaked in baby oil before peeling it off.  Rub until thebandage easily comes off.

4.  Get rid of pain on your face and hands.  We all know that when we paint, we end up with splatters on our hands and face.  Just rub the areas with baby oil and it will come right off.  Wash your skin afterwards with soap and water.

Baby powder:
1.  Squash the squeak.  If your hardwood floors squeak and you can see gaps between the boards, you can fix the squeak with a dusting of baby powder.  Sprinkle on the baby powder, or use a squeeze ketchup bottle with with powder.  Place a towel over the boards and work the powder into the cracks with your foot.  Clean up the excess powder with a towel.  

2.  Baby your bulbs.  Put 3 tablespoons of medicated baby powder and five or six flower builbs in a plastic bag.  Seal and shake the bag.  Dusting the bulbs before planting them will keep rots and pests away.

3.  Clean your carpet overnight.  If you have carpet odor from pets, smoke, or rain, take the odor out with baby powder.  Use a flour sifter to spread the baby powder over your carpet.  Let it sit overnight, or a few hours.  Vacuum up the powder and the smells in the morning.

4.  Undo a not.  Have a knot in the chain of your favorite necklace?  Just cover the not with a light dusting of baby powder, then pry the knot apart with a straight pin.  Wash the powder off with a mild soap, rinse it, dry it and wear it!

My daughter uses baby powder in her hair.  It works just like the aerosol instant shampoos when we need to go somewhere and she doesn't have time to shampoo before we leave.

Your turn to share your frugal posts for the week!

 

 

Squidoo Hopping--Shares in Squidoo

Today I want to share with you lensmaster Ruthi's squidoo blog hop. It's called SIS Shares in Squidoo. Click the button to be taken to her page with the full information, but here is an excerpt on what it's all about:
SHARES IN SQUIDOO (SIS) is a blog hop for Lensmaster/Bloggers to share Squidoo lenses in their blog posts. Each Sunday, I will write up my blog post for the week for SIS and will provide a linky for you to submit your blog post link URL.



I have been slacking on getting my weekly blog post done for Ruth's hop.
This week, instead of posting lenses of your own in my linky, I ask that you link up 2 lenses by other lensmasters!
If you do blog about squidoo, please also link up your blog posts as well!