Most people will agree that that past year has been a “humdinger” of a year and are very thankful it is over! Some things have happened too many of us, which have been out of our control, such as the downturn in the economy, the loss of a job or a loved one.
As we approach the New Year, each of us will be making resolutions, either actually writing them down or verbalizing them. It is a proven fact that those of us who write them down and do not make too many of them, have a much better chance of seeing those resolutions fulfilled. If you write it down, keep your list out where you can see it often and not tucked away in a drawer!
If necessary, make a goals board with pictures on it showing the things you want to obtain this next year. Whether it is getting better organized, losing weight, a better job, going on a vacation or finding inner peace.
It is time to set the wheels in motion to take control of the things that we can have control over.
Decide what your goal is and then make a written plan on how you are going to reach that goal.
Once again, I am going to attempt gardening! As you all know, if you have followed my blog for any time now, I have been a dismal failure in this attempt two years running. This coming year, we are going to plant in pots rather than in the ground!
My other goal is to make sure that I post on all three of my blogs on a regular basis so that I am able to increase my readership. I am going to set aside a certain amount of time on given days to do my writing. Approach it as if it is a job rather than just a hobby. There are all kinds of things to write about, I just keep pushing it all to the back of the line and I am not going to do that any more.
Now that you know what my resolutions are for the coming year, I hope you will make some of your own.
May you be blessed this coming year with good health, a good job and unlimited happiness in both your personal and professional lives.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Friday, November 11, 2011
An American Made Christmas
As the holidays approach, as Americans we can give gifts that really are produced by American hands. There really are American made products that you can locate at various stores in your city and I am speaking of frequenting some of the smaller local boutiques and shops rather than the big stores such as WalMart and Target. Support your little local business owner and the products that they carry that are American made.
At this time of year, many churches and cities will have craft fairs where local artisans will have their wares for sale. You can probably do all of your Christmas shopping right there and not have to run all over town shopping. You can find almost any type of gift available for the men, women and children on your list.
Let's use our ingenuity and think of things that are truly different and unique. How about thinking of services that we can give to some one else? How about gift certificates that lets someone you love be pampered for the day? Perhaps to a local spa, where they can also get a manicure and a pedicure? Or getting a haircut from a local hair salon or barber? With everyone concerned about their health, consider a gym membership, which is good for any age group.
For someone who doesn't have time to wash their car, how about several gift certificates to a locally owned detail shop and car wash. Or how about an oil change for their vehicle, or getting their tires rotated for them?
As a person who doesn't have the time or energy to care for their yard the way they would like to, perhaps they would really appreciate having their lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed during the winter.
For the golfer in the family, how about some certificates for some rounds of golf at the local golf course. For the younger set, a chance to race go-carts, go horseback riding, or perhaps swimming lessons offered through the local YMCA.
There are a many owner-run restaurants, all offering gift certificates. Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains, we are talking about the small locally owned restaurants here. This is about supporting your home town Americans helping to keep their doors open.
Could Mom use some help cleaning the house? How about the services of a local cleaning lady for a day or more throughout the coming year.
It really doesn’t have to be a big gift, just let others know that they are appreciated. Leave the mailman, the trash guy or your babysitter something a little extra like a tip or even a small homemade gift such as a gift basket filled with homemade cookies and candy.
Stop draining American pockets by buying foreign made products. Keep our money here at home and support our local American businesses so they can continue to keep their doors open and afford to hire more employees. When we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in the form of local community growth, more jobs for those in our community and also the feeling of unity which is priceless.
So this Christmas, as so many of our local businesses are struggling during this economical depression, lets each of us do our best to BUY LOCAL and BUY AMERICAN.
At this time of year, many churches and cities will have craft fairs where local artisans will have their wares for sale. You can probably do all of your Christmas shopping right there and not have to run all over town shopping. You can find almost any type of gift available for the men, women and children on your list.
Let's use our ingenuity and think of things that are truly different and unique. How about thinking of services that we can give to some one else? How about gift certificates that lets someone you love be pampered for the day? Perhaps to a local spa, where they can also get a manicure and a pedicure? Or getting a haircut from a local hair salon or barber? With everyone concerned about their health, consider a gym membership, which is good for any age group.
For someone who doesn't have time to wash their car, how about several gift certificates to a locally owned detail shop and car wash. Or how about an oil change for their vehicle, or getting their tires rotated for them?
As a person who doesn't have the time or energy to care for their yard the way they would like to, perhaps they would really appreciate having their lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed during the winter.
For the golfer in the family, how about some certificates for some rounds of golf at the local golf course. For the younger set, a chance to race go-carts, go horseback riding, or perhaps swimming lessons offered through the local YMCA.
There are a many owner-run restaurants, all offering gift certificates. Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains, we are talking about the small locally owned restaurants here. This is about supporting your home town Americans helping to keep their doors open.
Could Mom use some help cleaning the house? How about the services of a local cleaning lady for a day or more throughout the coming year.
It really doesn’t have to be a big gift, just let others know that they are appreciated. Leave the mailman, the trash guy or your babysitter something a little extra like a tip or even a small homemade gift such as a gift basket filled with homemade cookies and candy.
Stop draining American pockets by buying foreign made products. Keep our money here at home and support our local American businesses so they can continue to keep their doors open and afford to hire more employees. When we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in the form of local community growth, more jobs for those in our community and also the feeling of unity which is priceless.
So this Christmas, as so many of our local businesses are struggling during this economical depression, lets each of us do our best to BUY LOCAL and BUY AMERICAN.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Big Changes Are Coming!
What a challenge I am facing. Downsizing a 1250 sq ft home with 14 years of accumulated “stuff” to fit into an approximately 600 sq ft apartment. No easy chore but one that has to be done.
Getting rid of things and clearing out things has been good for the soul. I’ve been able to send some things off to people who can really use certain items and others have been donated to my favorite charity, The Salvation Army.
I’ve already been able to pack away many items and have them in boxes, neatly labeled with their contents, stacked in the spare bedroom closet.
As I get closer to moving time I will have even more things to get rid of and may even need to reevaluate the items that I have packed and plan to take with me.
It is a good thing that I have always been a believer in using furniture that can store items or serve multiple purposes. I’ve got many bookcases which are going to come in very handy not only for all my books but for my nick-knacks as well.
I do need to be sure that the apartment complex will not object to hanging my artwork on the walls and putting up curtains and rods in addition to the Venetian blinds that are currently on the windows. I do worry about having enough closet space for storing linens and out of season or seldom used items. Let’s just hope it all fits!
Getting rid of things and clearing out things has been good for the soul. I’ve been able to send some things off to people who can really use certain items and others have been donated to my favorite charity, The Salvation Army.
I’ve already been able to pack away many items and have them in boxes, neatly labeled with their contents, stacked in the spare bedroom closet.
As I get closer to moving time I will have even more things to get rid of and may even need to reevaluate the items that I have packed and plan to take with me.
It is a good thing that I have always been a believer in using furniture that can store items or serve multiple purposes. I’ve got many bookcases which are going to come in very handy not only for all my books but for my nick-knacks as well.
I do need to be sure that the apartment complex will not object to hanging my artwork on the walls and putting up curtains and rods in addition to the Venetian blinds that are currently on the windows. I do worry about having enough closet space for storing linens and out of season or seldom used items. Let’s just hope it all fits!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Texas is on Fire
If you have been watching the news at all, not only is the East Coast being hammered with tropical storms and hurricanes, but Oklahoma and Texas are having their share of wildfires which are ravaging many acres of farm land and destroying everything in their paths.
Texas is being hit extremely hard and there are many fires that still have not been extinguished, much less even brought under control and contained. They are continuing to march across the hill country area of Bastrop, which is located outside of Austin and there is a lot of open dry pasture land and pine trees in the area.
Presently even the National Forestry Service is assisting in hopes of finally giving some of the local firefighters some much relief and lots of air assistance.
My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in the area. Please stay safe and I pray that when you are finally able to go back home that your homes are intact and your livestock is safe.
Texas is being hit extremely hard and there are many fires that still have not been extinguished, much less even brought under control and contained. They are continuing to march across the hill country area of Bastrop, which is located outside of Austin and there is a lot of open dry pasture land and pine trees in the area.
Presently even the National Forestry Service is assisting in hopes of finally giving some of the local firefighters some much relief and lots of air assistance.
My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in the area. Please stay safe and I pray that when you are finally able to go back home that your homes are intact and your livestock is safe.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Recycling 2lb Coffee Cans
What could you do with a 2 lb coffee can? That is besides just throw it in the dumpster! After removing the labels to where you have just silver can you try doing some of the following:
1. Make an outdoor patio candle: Poke holes about ½ down from the top rim. Affix a hanger to the top rim by punching two holes, inserting a wire hanger (a wire coat hanger works great, use the hook to hang from a nail)
Then fill the bottom part of the can with candle wax and a wick. Add citronella if you want to deter bugs.
2. Make a hanging lamp: Paint the can to complement your décor. Cut out a medium sized hole in the bottom of the can to where you can slip through a light making kit cord. Use the cord from the lamp kit to loop through hooks in your ceiling to hang the lamp or you could use ribbon, twisted twine, or macramé.
3. Make a can up light: Paint can whatever color you want. Make a hole in the bottom of the can large enough to put the cord of a lamp making kit through. Glue 3-4 felt furniture protector dots to the bottom of the can to lift it up from the floor a little bit so that the can will not rock or glue on some little wooden “feet.” Insert a 40-watt light bulb and place near a tree in the corner of your room to shine interesting patterns on the wall.
4. A towel tower: This will require at least 10 coffee cans. , a board the width of four coffee cans wide and some glue made to stick metal surfaces together.
Use small nails to nail four cans to the board, side-by-side, and edges touching one another. The next row will be three cans, centered over the four cans. Glue the sides of these cans together and then glue them t the bottom cans. Repeat this process with two additional cans for the next row and then one can on top. When finished, spray paint the unit inside and out. Place on top of you toilet tank and put rolled towels and wash cloths in it.
5. Make planter pots: Use them as planters for your garden plants. Poke holes in the bottom, add some crushed rock or pieces of old clay pots, dump in planting soil, add your seeds and have a nice container. You could even paint the outside if you wanted to.
6. Hardware storage: Do you have many home repair items lying around, like screws, nuts, bolts, nails, etc. that end up in the bottom of a toolbox or in a drawer somewhere? They work great to store these types of “handyman” items. Write the contents either on the outside of the can or on the plastic lid.
7. Camping trips: You can store things from food items to paper goods in them to keep animals out of foodstuffs and moisture out of paper goods.
8. Knitting canister: punch a hole in the lid, insert your skein of yarn and you will not have to worry about tangles ever again.
9. Kids toy storage: Do they have blocks, small cars, army men, etc that are always getting lost? For all those little items that kids love to scatter about that end up in the bottom of the toy box and they never can find.
10. Cat Food or Dog Food: traveling with your four footed friends and do not want to carry along a bag of food that can be ripped our tipped over and have food all over your car? Throw their food into a coffee can for easy and convenient feeding.
These are my ideas now what are yours? I would love to hear how you would recycle your coffee cans.
1. Make an outdoor patio candle: Poke holes about ½ down from the top rim. Affix a hanger to the top rim by punching two holes, inserting a wire hanger (a wire coat hanger works great, use the hook to hang from a nail)
Then fill the bottom part of the can with candle wax and a wick. Add citronella if you want to deter bugs.
2. Make a hanging lamp: Paint the can to complement your décor. Cut out a medium sized hole in the bottom of the can to where you can slip through a light making kit cord. Use the cord from the lamp kit to loop through hooks in your ceiling to hang the lamp or you could use ribbon, twisted twine, or macramé.
3. Make a can up light: Paint can whatever color you want. Make a hole in the bottom of the can large enough to put the cord of a lamp making kit through. Glue 3-4 felt furniture protector dots to the bottom of the can to lift it up from the floor a little bit so that the can will not rock or glue on some little wooden “feet.” Insert a 40-watt light bulb and place near a tree in the corner of your room to shine interesting patterns on the wall.
4. A towel tower: This will require at least 10 coffee cans. , a board the width of four coffee cans wide and some glue made to stick metal surfaces together.
Use small nails to nail four cans to the board, side-by-side, and edges touching one another. The next row will be three cans, centered over the four cans. Glue the sides of these cans together and then glue them t the bottom cans. Repeat this process with two additional cans for the next row and then one can on top. When finished, spray paint the unit inside and out. Place on top of you toilet tank and put rolled towels and wash cloths in it.
5. Make planter pots: Use them as planters for your garden plants. Poke holes in the bottom, add some crushed rock or pieces of old clay pots, dump in planting soil, add your seeds and have a nice container. You could even paint the outside if you wanted to.
6. Hardware storage: Do you have many home repair items lying around, like screws, nuts, bolts, nails, etc. that end up in the bottom of a toolbox or in a drawer somewhere? They work great to store these types of “handyman” items. Write the contents either on the outside of the can or on the plastic lid.
7. Camping trips: You can store things from food items to paper goods in them to keep animals out of foodstuffs and moisture out of paper goods.
8. Knitting canister: punch a hole in the lid, insert your skein of yarn and you will not have to worry about tangles ever again.
9. Kids toy storage: Do they have blocks, small cars, army men, etc that are always getting lost? For all those little items that kids love to scatter about that end up in the bottom of the toy box and they never can find.
10. Cat Food or Dog Food: traveling with your four footed friends and do not want to carry along a bag of food that can be ripped our tipped over and have food all over your car? Throw their food into a coffee can for easy and convenient feeding.
These are my ideas now what are yours? I would love to hear how you would recycle your coffee cans.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Cottage Garage Apartment
Many people are now finding it very advantageous to have more than one family living together, whether it is because of the declining economy or the declining health of parents who now need to be closer for assistance or even a young family member who is starting out that needs some help.
For this reason, many are looking at parcels of land that doesn’t have restrictions as to how many residences can be placed on that piece of land. Rural areas of course offer you those options much more so than city dwelling does.
Here is a great little house plan that will work for any age group that needs a starter or retirement home from The House Plan Shop.
This little dwelling is 582 sq ft and has one bedroom and one bath plus a two car garage, which is 426 sq ft and has laundry facilities tucked in it. You can call it a garage apartment or a carriage house, but it is designed to give freedom and independence to senior members of your family, a young single adult or a married couple the privacy that they deserve and want.
There is a welcoming front porch to enjoy cool summer breezes and company of family and neighbors. The bay windowed dining area not only brings in sunlight and views from the outdoors but creates architectural interest and a feeling of spaciousness. There is a serving bar between the kitchen and dining area, providing additional room for seating or buffet serving for a get-together. The open flow floor plan, linking the living room, dining room and kitchen together also creates a feeling of spaciousness and is extremely functional, especially if someone has some disabilities.
The bathroom is tucked in the short hallway, adjacent to the kitchen and next to the spacious bedroom. With the floor plan of this house, it would be very easy to create two nice sized bedrooms out of the garage area for someone who might have a family.
With the layout of this home and it’s size, it would be very reasonable to heat and cool. You could actually even use a small portable solar panel system to supply all the electricity that you would need and not be dependent upon the utility company. If there is a well on the property, that could also be used to bring water to the home and basically take the structure totally off the grid system. I would certainly install ceiling fans in both the bedroom and the living room to assist the air conditioner and the cost of cooling. For winter heating, I would be sure to have a small pot-bellied stove fireplace put into the living room area so in case of power failure, there would be a way to heat the house and to cook.
I could see myself living in this little house very comfortably either exactly as it is or with slight modifications. I might be inclined to convert half of the garage into additional living space, so that I could have a little more room for a home office and my large collection of books and still have a one car garage for my vehicle.
For this reason, many are looking at parcels of land that doesn’t have restrictions as to how many residences can be placed on that piece of land. Rural areas of course offer you those options much more so than city dwelling does.
Here is a great little house plan that will work for any age group that needs a starter or retirement home from The House Plan Shop.
This little dwelling is 582 sq ft and has one bedroom and one bath plus a two car garage, which is 426 sq ft and has laundry facilities tucked in it. You can call it a garage apartment or a carriage house, but it is designed to give freedom and independence to senior members of your family, a young single adult or a married couple the privacy that they deserve and want.
There is a welcoming front porch to enjoy cool summer breezes and company of family and neighbors. The bay windowed dining area not only brings in sunlight and views from the outdoors but creates architectural interest and a feeling of spaciousness. There is a serving bar between the kitchen and dining area, providing additional room for seating or buffet serving for a get-together. The open flow floor plan, linking the living room, dining room and kitchen together also creates a feeling of spaciousness and is extremely functional, especially if someone has some disabilities.
The bathroom is tucked in the short hallway, adjacent to the kitchen and next to the spacious bedroom. With the floor plan of this house, it would be very easy to create two nice sized bedrooms out of the garage area for someone who might have a family.
With the layout of this home and it’s size, it would be very reasonable to heat and cool. You could actually even use a small portable solar panel system to supply all the electricity that you would need and not be dependent upon the utility company. If there is a well on the property, that could also be used to bring water to the home and basically take the structure totally off the grid system. I would certainly install ceiling fans in both the bedroom and the living room to assist the air conditioner and the cost of cooling. For winter heating, I would be sure to have a small pot-bellied stove fireplace put into the living room area so in case of power failure, there would be a way to heat the house and to cook.
I could see myself living in this little house very comfortably either exactly as it is or with slight modifications. I might be inclined to convert half of the garage into additional living space, so that I could have a little more room for a home office and my large collection of books and still have a one car garage for my vehicle.
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