Canning

Okay, I really don't like when people will ramble about what they're doing then post a link like this: Jam Shelf-Life but unfortunately, I fell for it! :p
Seriously, my sister-in-love and I were discussing forays into the adventures of canning and a friend mentioned jams. So I thought starting with jams might be safest.
So hop on over and follow Canning 101 while I save up to stock up on canning supplies to begin this adventure.
Any suggestions?

Creative displays?

I found several links yesterday to homemade jewelry displays and I wish I could find them now...but, one can do a general Google search to find many DIY ideas (Google in no way or form coerced me to prefer them over Bing or other "powered" searches, they just happen to have more accurate results and images).
The first thing I made was a necklace display board, which LB and CoM say looks like a vase. I made 3 total display boards, the vase one has earring holes to display a set. I also made a huge flat display board w/stand, that I'll put pushpins or cup hooks into for my necklaces, earrings and bracelets or rings. Finally, I am working on a bracelet display stand. My last project, when I figure out how to make it, will be a ring stand with sizes.




That foam poster board, good for science fair displays, actually bends pretty well. I freehand my design, but there are patterns available. And on the bends, score it, don't cut it all the way through, with an X-Acto knife or other art knife.

Same foam poster board, hot glue gun, and black material I've been saving (I used it to hang my jewelry on the wall, but I think this looks better). The curve on the back is from the vase necklace stand.

My excess pieces were cut into shape, with wings at the ends, and stacked. I wrapped black garden material around it, stuffed it with cotton batting, and wrapped a 12"x20" piece of the garden material around it again. I painted the bottom stand piece black, and may or may not put something prettier on top.


On another note, I woke up to a mini-flood in my kitchen this morning. It seems the pipe under the sink decided to finally give out (the maintenance worker told me that the pipe had rusted through and was ready to give out by the time we moved in, so that wasn't anything a household of kids could do [at least, not in the <1 month we'd lived here then]). So, maintenance is called back out...joy. At least the guy is nice and will answer LB's inquisitive nature with a smile and patient replies. He has a 4 year old so told me he's used to it. Oh, and LB does (barely) qualify for services through the school, so her IEP meeting is next week. She'll get OT, PT and even speech! Woo-hoo! They have the ESY here, so she'll begin school June 16th, for 4 hours a day (or actually, that will be determined at the IEP meeting, right?)


And finally, it looks like I have a new work buddy: she keeps nosing my arm/hands when I stop typing, and flicks her tail to the rhythm of the clickety-clack of the keys. Now if only I wasn't allergic to her....

 

The front of the display board, covered in material, and the pre-assembled bracelet stand. Nasty couch...I'll have to share my adventures in couch cleaning next time.

Creative Me, Creative You - on a Schedule?

I hope to get more organized. A friend and I were talking about that dirty "P" word - you know the one, keeps interrupting your projects, getting in the way of completion, even prohibits your family time. Procrastination. Ouch. There, I said it.
So I downloaded the CoSchedule Editorial Calendar online: www.CoSchedule.com. I immediately sat down and filled it out. My monthly calendar now says that on Mondays, I'll write in the Foundational Relationship (FR) blog for marriage building, while Fridays are more about those foundational relationships. Tuesdays are for this blog, Creative Me, Creative You (CMCY). Wednesdays are the coaching blog at lifeforceprofessional.org (LFP), while CMCY is about our homelife on Thursdays. Then, my annual calendar says that for the holidays, I'll do something along the lines of New Life in my FR blog, and Goals in the CMCY for January. February will be Romance FR/mb and CMCY will be "dating the kids". March is FR - renewing/deepening the relationship with God, and Spring Prep for CMCY. Honestly, it's nice having that calendar laid out, but we'll see how it goes.
And, of course, if there are any topics you want to read about or discuss, please comment below! :)

Blessings - be sure to check out CoSchedule.com for your free editable calendar.

Been that Long?

Has it really been that long? More than 6 months. Wow. Well, life has been hectic. LB is still having seizures. I'm still volunteering at Care Net. CoM is learning the value of money by earning an allowance and saving up for those things she really wants to own. And both girls have their own CDs now, so that's a relief for them - college, house, or even a wedding; the money is theirs.
We've been creating, of course, but I haven't uploaded any photos lately. We'll get back to that. I have my Prepare/Enrich facilitator's certificate so hope to start doing that as part-time work. Oh, and I finally graduate with that master's in human services/marriage and family counseling in May. Woohoo! So excited.
Well, my few readers, it's off to run errands and then go catch a movie, maybe. Have y'all seen the latest Marvel movie?