WIP Wednesday 2/4/15

Hopping along from the WIP Wednesday linky's on the other blogs I ran across someone who is participating in the OPAM 2015 challenge.  I decided that is just what I need to push motivate me to actually finish projects.  You can click the button in my sidebar for more information.
I pushed to get the locker hook rug done by the end of the month. 

I worked a little more on the blue hexagon table topper while on a road trip and then while running my mom around town.  I still have a ways before it's done.

Looks like the color for this month with the soscrappy challenge is pink.  I pulled out all of the pink hexagons that I had in my box.  Way too many to ever think of getting them all basted this month, but I will give it my best shot around other projects.
I had a few that were already basted, several sets put together to make flowers, and several singles that I already had papers pinned to.

Then last night I pulled out the peach and blue quilt that I am re-doing the binding on.  I'm not sure if I am on side 2 or 3, but hoping for side 3 so that I can actually get it done over this next week.
I'm not sure about listing it up for sale---it's one of my first quilts made years back--it has quite a few flaws.  How about that it's centered with a mattress pad, and a worn one at that?  One spot where I ironed that mattress pad is now stuck to the top.  How about that I used a sheet set to make the quilt and I didn't even cut off the top edge of the sheet on the back?  Sigh.....   Hubby says he will be more than happy to take the quilt as his own.  I may just let him have it.

Here is my current UFO list and I was able to start my 2015 finishes list too.

UFO's:

Rectangle quilt
challenge wall hanging
GoodNight Irene quilt/wall hanging
Yo-Yo Table runner
Emerald Island Fusique table runner
Five and Dime quilt
Fractured Pineapple quilt
Charming Stars quilt
Brown half square triangle quilt
? sets of doll blanket, pillows and rug
Hexagon flower table runner
re-do binding on blue and peach patchwork
Blue hexagon table topper

2015 Finishes:

Locker Hook Rug


I am linking up with the following blogs:

Orkin's #BedBugFeud and Giveaway

At Orkin, they use the latest technology and unparalleled training to develop an effective treatment that's right for your needs.
To learn more about their pest control based in science or to schedule an inspection, visit orkin.com or call 1-800-800-ORKIN.

Think you have what it takes to make it on the leaderboard? Play Bed Bug Feud and beat the clock to be crowned the Bed Bug Champion!



Also find Orkin around the web:
Orkin on Facebook: facebook.com/OrkinPestControl
Ask The Orkin Man® on Twitter: twitter.com/AskTheOrkinMan
Orkin YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/OrkinVideo



One lucky Marsha's Spot reader will win a CleanRest Pillow Encasement. Enter using the rafflecopter form below.



a Rafflecopter giveaway



Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Orkin. Information was sent to me for the purpose of this post. Giveaway is sponsored by Orkin and prize delivery is their responsibility.

All Business Monday--January Online Earning Stats

(Photo: Golden Dollar Symbol by Vectorfresh.com
License: Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution)


 Back in September of 2014 I set myself a goal to cash out each day of the month--the equivalent of.  I made that goal each month until January.  I was only able to redeem 24 out of 31 times for the month.

I am reporting what was rec'd in January:

PerkTV --$45 in gift cards (use code 860efbf6 for 50 bonus points)
Swagbucks -- $40 in gift cards (I alternate with both PerkTV and Swagbucks between Walmart, Target and Amazon cards) (I believe if you use HIP70 as the code on sign up you will get 70 swagbucks)
Pinecone Research -- $3 paypal
apptrailers --$4.68 paypal  (use code predictableuranus2  for bonus points)
checkout51 -- $20.50 check
clixsense --$7.86 paypal
bubblews -- $51.77 paypal
hausernet -- $8 paypal
shopkick -- $5 Target gift card

Total rec'd:  $185.81

I've linked some of the sites and apps.
Hausernet is a mail decoy program.  You earn .25 for each piece of mail that comes in and you input the code online.  Honestly they are paying monthly now with no minimum pretty regularly, but they do still owe me for all of the year 2012!

Pinecone Research is an invite only survey website....and one that I need to keep up with better.

Bubblews, as we all know is very low now on the earning scale, but I am still trying to write at least 2 posts a day there.  I do enjoy keeping up with my regular connections.

PerkTV is linked above, but they allow you to run it on up to 5 devices---and you can have 2 accounts per household, so up to 10 devices.  It's generally running on 4 devices here, which it is right now. (No plan devices that I am running through out wi-fi here at home)

Swagbucks, which is also linked above, has 6 apps.  They do not allow you to run them at the same time or your account will be deleted, but I generally get through 4 of the apps on a good day.

I am working on things here on my blog.  I hope that my earnings each month online and with the apps will continue to increase as each month goes by.


As far as my Gifts Galore and More (Jerky Direct, Etsy, Zibbet, Shophandmade, Half.com, etc)  I had a loss of $36.86 for the month.   I realized that I hadn't been putting down the classes and workshops that I take as expenses, so have $44 expense in January for the rug making class and supplies.
Otherwise I would have made $8 profit from an order for dish scrubbies and one book sold through half.com.

(I did also earn $224.36 between my 2 merchandising jobs and cleaning our church)

Be sure to share any business related blog posts you've written lately.

An InLinkz Link-up

Super Sunday Reviews -- Crafty Creatures

Fill Your House With These Crafty Creatures

Crafty Creatures has got to be THE cutest craft book that I own! The best part? The projects are made with scraps and leftovers from other projects :)

It’s really just too much cute. I can’t wait to get started making many of these cute creatures to give to my grandchildren.

There are projects with yarn, felt, and fabric.

I love sock monkeys and instructions on how to make them with a pair of socks is included in the book. Boy couldn’t I have a blast and add a bunch to my collection.

Other cute projects include:

Cat’s Bed (featured in my photo below)

Bees and Bugs

Mobile Owl

Knittens

Pocket Pets

Your Little Pony

30 projects to choose from!

The book also includes instructions and supplies for your sewing kit, how to do the stitches with great illustrations, How to knit also with great illustrations, and even threading a needle and sewing on a button.

Crafty Creatures is written by Jane Bull and published by DK. See the video I am including below to see the projects come to life out of the book.

I can not say enough good things about this book. I highly recommend it for yourself or as a gift to someone who loves to craft.

I am sad that I don’t have the time I would like to make a bunch of the projects for Christmas gifts. I do look forward to getting on them and giving these as birthday gifts throughout the year to the grandchildren.

I also plan on sitting down with the grandkids and letting them have fun making their own Craft Creatures as well!

Here is the cat bed that I made and gave as a birthday gift to my granddaughter, Zelda, for her 2nd birthday:

An InLinkz Link-up

Frugal Friday With Marsha -- Great Northern Bean Soup

Awhile back my friend treated me to an evening out to the Bluebird Bookstore for their test kitchen event.  At this event they highlight several of their cookbooks for sale by lettings us test a recipe or 1 from each book.  They also give us their review of each cookbook and then offer  20% discount for any cookbook we purchase that night.

One of the cookbooks was Mrs. Sundberg's Kitchen.  The recipe they shared was Great Northern Bean soup.  The lady rattled off the ingredients--2 cans of great northern beans, ro-tel, canned corn, and chicken, topped with shredded cheese. 

I didn't buy that cookbook, but I did make the soup at home and will be making it again this week.

This is the 'recipe' that I use:

2 lb bag of Great Northern beans (cooked in the slow cooker with some salt, pepper, and garlic salt)
Once the beans are pretty well cooked I added 2 cans of Ro-Tel and one can of corn.
I then added 1 lb of cooked boneless chicken--cubed.

I didn't put any liquid on the beans other than enough water for them to cook in.  I serve it with shredded cheese to top it.

This soup is SO good!

(I can't find the picture that I took from the first batch, but once I cook it again, this space will have a picture)

My mom always gives me bags of beans from her government commodities foods.  I have (or had) an over stock of cans of Ro-Tel in the cabinet thanks to sales and coupons making them free.  I always stay pretty well stocked up on canned vegetables, also thanks to sales and coupons.  I buy the 3 lb bags of boneless skinless chicken breasts (preferably when they are on sale) and generally cook it all at once and then divide it into 3 parts in the freezer. 

I did want to buy the Mrs. Sundberg's Kitchen cookbook because it's full of what I call every day foods recipes.  Those are what I want.  Instead I bought a Six Sister's cookbook, for the same reason, plus is has 52 menu plans and other goodies included.
I am highlighting both cookbooks below.

An InLinkz Link-up

Writer's Unite 1/29/15

I thought I would give my update on the challenge that I was taking part in on bubblews last week.  7 days of writing 6 posts with a minimum of 10 interactions in between each post.
Money was and still is little.  Each day I made a penny or 2 more than the day before, but on day 7 I was still only up to .42 for my efforts.
With that said, I need make some new connections, and reconnected with users that I had lost track of.
I am back to writing 3 posts a day.  3 days now and I've made just about .25 for each day.

Still writing on bubblews, but my heart isn't in to it like it once was, of course. 
Honestly, I'm earning about the same on TSU and I am enjoying myself there immensely.  I also don't feel like I have to be on TSU the entire time that I am on the computer either.

I had the opportunity to write a paid blog post this week.  Those don't come around very often and tend to make me nervous whether I will do a good job for them.  It went well and my invoice is sent in, along with tax paperwork.
I have a guest post coming soon too.

I look forward to any writing you choose to share with me and my readers this week!

An InLinkz Link-up

WIP Wednesday 1/28/15

I didn't get the binding finished on the quilt that I posted a picture of last week.  I didn't choose to take another picture of it, but I plan to finish it before next Wednesday.

At quilt guild this week we had our annual work day for charity.  This year we made walker bags to donate to the physical therapy department at the hospital. I bought a couple home to finish.  This is one of them.

I worked some more on my blue hexagon table topper.  Blue is this months scrap challenge color with the so scrappy blog.  This month is almost over.  That means that I shouldn't just stop working on this table topper, unfortunately, I probably will put it aside.  And there you have the why to me having so many projects in the works!

Last week I posted how I had run out of the fabric strips I had prepared for my locker hook rug so that it was being put to the side for awhile.  It so happened that very day a lady in my stitch group had picked up some fabric strips from a free box.  She gave them to me.  Monday at quilt guild, another member who had read that I needed more gave me 2 more bags full!   I did indeed work more on the rug.  I had actually hoped to finish it by now, but I still have a ways to go.

Oh so many things to work on and so little time! 

Here is my current UFO list, which keeps growing instead of shrinking!

UFO's:

Rectangle quilt
challenge wall hanging
GoodNight Irene quilt/wall hanging
Yo-Yo Table runner
Emerald Island Fusique table runner
Five and Dime quilt
Fractured Pineapple quilt
Charming Stars quilt
Brown half square triangle quilt
? sets of doll blanket, pillows and rug
Hexagon flower table runner
re-do binding on blue and peach patchwork
lockerhook rug
Blue hexagon table topper

I am linking up with the following blogs this week:

UnitedHealthcare is Here to Help You Learn More about Healthcare and Open Enrollment

The more you know about the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the better off you are. Open enrollment for 2015 ends on February 15th, so there is still time to act.

Do you know what the changes are? The ACA has raised the medicaid limits in some states so that more are eligible. They are also offering subsidies to those whose income is above medicaid limits but are still struggling to get coverage. See just what open enrollment is all about and why it matters to you. You need to use the open enrollment time frame to get the proper healthcare bought and set for your family. The exchanges, or the marketplace, is a website that allows you to compare plans from a variety of providers, just as Travelocity allows you to compare travel costs. You can either use the Healthcare.gov website, or your states individual marketplace website.

UnitedHealthCare.com has put together UHCTV just for you to learn through. They offer a wide variety of videos to help you learn, answer your questions, and help you make the choice that is right for your family.

I have chosen a few of the videos to share with you here.

This video is a guide and tips on comparing health plans:

It's important that you know what the deductibles, co-pays, premiums, and maximum out-of-pockets are as well as what is covered when you are comparing health plans. What do you see the doctor for? What prescriptions do you have? etc. This video on the 5 Myths and Factsabout Health Insurance may help you. What does it all mean? This Health Insurance Glossary video will help you with the terms and definitions. Finally, how do you get the most out of your health care plan? This video goes over choosing a health plan. These are just a few of the videos that you will find on UHCTV! Once you are on the site, click from the menu at the top to find all the videos that are of interest to you.






Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.

All Business Monday--Establishing Routines

Image: License: CC0 Public Domain / 

Free for commercial use / No attribution required

 

 

I have a problem.  That problem is establishing routines. 

I really like to do my blog posts in the morning before I do anything else on the computer.  This post is usually put up Monday morning, not later into Monday evening.  However this was a Monday that I had to be out of the house early and gone for the day.  So, here I am.

How can I establish any work routines when my activities are scattered?

Sunday mornings are always church.

Every Monday and Friday is one of my merchandising jobs--no set hours, just the days to do it.

Every Tuesday morning is Bible study.

Every Friday I clean our church.

1st Saturday of the month is Sampler at the quilt shop

2nd Monday of the month is quilt guild board meeting and quilt show meeting.

2nd Tuesday of the month is sewing club from 10-3 (I skip Bible study this day and go to the basement to sew)

2nd Friday is sit n' sew at the quilt shop from 6-10 pm

3rd Tuesday is ladies lunch from noon -2

3rd Wednesday is stitch group from 1-3

3rd Thursday evening is church council

4th Tuesday evening is family bingo night

Last Monday of the month is quilt guild 9-noon

Once a month during the second half the month I choose the day I do one merchandising job.

Once every other month in the second half of the month I choose a day for another merchandising job.

 

Throw in something always unexpected, or any additional appointments and my life is chaos.

I'm glad to have my planner to keep all of these regular things as well as my appointments, and appointments of others tracked!

Today I am going to highlight several choices of planners designed by some of my online friends:

Tigers Den Folio Day Planner. by Sylvestermouse
View another organizer at Zazzle

Color Circular Rainbow Array 1 Planners by expressiveart
Look at another Planner

Orange Glitter Zebra Name Spiral Notebook by AWalkOnTheWildSide
Make customizable journal designs online at Zazzle

Customizable Beautiful yellow Daisy flower Folio Planner by PLdesign
Shop here for Planners at Zazzle

Redbud Floral Planner Planner by Susang6
Browse other organizer designs on Zazzle.

An InLinkz Link-up

Super Sunday Reviews--Fashion Crochet

fashion crochet
30 crochet projects inspired by the runway
by Cheryl Mongomerie

ISBN 978-1-78097-430-9
Published by Carlton Books

Hard Cover 176 pages.

fashion crochet has 30 crochet projects within 176 pages.
The book has 4 sections: Wraps & Scarves, Accessories, Dresses, Skirts & Shorts, and Tops & Jumpers.
Also includes an introduction, Practicalities, Resources & Supplies, Index and Acknowledgements.

Of the 30 patterns, it’s a mixture of basic, intermediate, and advances skills. A good mixture of all 3.

There are a lot of nice projects. I would love to make so many of them. The crocheted clothing has made a come back.

My favorite section in the book is the accessories. There are collars, necklaces, corsages, hats, bags, and even bangles.

The instructions are easy to read. Drawn illustrations that show what stitch goes where on the more intricate patterns. Most all of the patterns are shown in different versions and color ways.

If you like to crochet, I recommend this book. I also recommend it as a gift for those on your list that are “crochet-addicts”

Below are a few pages from the book as well as the back cover.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of fashion crochet from the publisher for the purpose of this review. I was not compensated in any other way and all opinions are my own.
Pictures shares in this lens are scanned from my book, and used with permission for the purpose of my review.
This post contains affiliate links.

An InLinkz Link-up