Good morning everyone. How are you doing this wonderful morning? I’m braced up like Frankenstein, but I’m alive so we’re good! I hope you are all well. I want to thank my mother for that very touching comment she left me yesterday! You made me cry mom! LOL… but it’s a good cry! My family and friends know that whenever I can help, I will be there regardless of anything else! I’m glad to help! I love you mom! And today’s blog is in honor of that phenomenal woman who brought me into this world, taught me everything I know, and has always been there for me… my best friend! Thanks mom!
Well Earth Day is April 22nd this year and we should all do a little something in honor of it (I think anyway). My mom received this email and sent it to me. It’s from H-E-B and it said “Stop by your H-E-B on April 22 between 3-7 pm to drop five plastic shopping bags into our storefront recycling bin and get one reusable shopping bag free, while supplies last.” SO, if you have a H-E-B around you, call and ask if they are going to be a part of the Earth Day giveaway! I think it’s a great idea!
There are other things you can do in honor of Earth Day as well. I think the Arbor Day Foundation does something similar, but have you ever personally thought of planting a tree? Maybe a fruit or nut tree in your yard? Not only are you replenishing the trees, but you would get fruits and/or nuts to enjoy. Just a thought ya know… Google Earth Day and I bet you can find lots of ideas.
Another great idea, is again from my mom… sweepstakes. What harm can it do in entering and taking a chance to win something you might really need or just plain WANT! If it’s free, I say NOTHING! Did you know there are literally thousands of sweepstakes you can enter on a daily basis all over the place? I thought today, I would bring you a few of them here. Bookmark them and go back and enter for as long as the contest runs. Who knows, you may be the lucky one!
Enter to win
Olive Garden's 2010 Win a Culinary Tour of Italy Sweepstakes. Win an 8-day guided trip for two to Italy! (Learn from Italian chefs at Olive Garden's Culinary Institute of Tuscany, Experience the local cuisine of Rome and Florence, and Explore the Rocca delle Macie Winery are just a few of the “highlights”). Every day you return, you could win a $25 Olive Garden Gift Card!
Then there is the “
Easy Home Meals $10,000 SWEEPSTAKES”. Grand Prize Winner will receive $5,000 cash. (5) First Prize Winners will each receive $1,000 cash.
Visit
Redbook Magazine online and pick from tons of sweepstakes you can enter everyday! From shopping sprees to books to shoes and more… Enter one or enter them all!
(I like this one!) Purex is giving away a
$20,000 Green Home makeover plus a $1,000 daily cash prize! Also on the site you can get a free sample and a coupon too if you tell a friend. It’s a multi-make-me-happy website! LOL!
Want to take home a real collector's item? Here's your chance. You could ride away in the
1972 Monte Carlo from Martina McBride's video, "Wrong Baby Wrong." Visit CMT community to watch the video and enter to win the very car you see!
Ford Vehicles has a contest called “
Invasion of the Bulls” and it runs through 10/10/10. Grand Prize is An All-New 2011 Ford Super Duty® and A lifetime supply of season tickets to the PBR Built Ford Tough Series (now that’s MY kinda prize! LMAO). In addition, 3 lucky finalists will win: Trip to Las Vegas for you and a friend, Exclusive VIP treatment and tickets to the 2010 Built Ford Tough PBR World Finals, and a Private lunch with top PBR Riders.
Win A
Chevy Silverado HD courtesy of Fantasy Fishing (it appears). (1) Grand Prize: one (1) 2011 Silverado HD 2500 4WD Crew Cab 153” LTZ Truck (“Vehicle”). Approximate retail value $51,670. Contest ends 6/22/10.
Win A
Dodge Challenger Sweepstakes * Must Be 18 Years Old To Enter * 1 Entry Per Person * Ends Nov.30,2010 * Winner Will Win A 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T * Worth $39,930 *
Fresh Express is offering
FREE salad for a year contest (saw this on TV LOL). PRIZE: (30) Grand Prizes: of (52) Fresh Express salad coupons redeemable for a total of 52 bags of salad. Approximate Retail Value of each prize: $200.
These are just a few of the THOUSANDS of sweepstakes you can find online! Just do a search for sweepstakes and you will be amazed at the tons of great things you can enter to win! What do you have to lose right? It just takes a few minutes of your time and its free! Who knows, you might actually win something! It shocked the tar out of me when I won a gas grill from Marlboro one time! So have fun and good luck!
Guess what I did yesterday? You guessed it… I was back on the sewing challenge. I swear every time I turned around and looked in the green crate I found another pile of material that was pre-cut to make shopping bags LOL! I didn’t get an enormous amount done, but the ones I did get done were pretty snazzy I think! Check these out!
This is the Kitty Klaus tote bag I made from a pillow panel I found in the crate. I had 2 sets of the panels, so I made it into a bag. The sets had 6 different pictures, so I might make totes out of all of them or pillows or who knows yet LOL! But I know it had cows and dogs as well and something else I can’t remember LOL!
Here you see the Native American/Eagle shopping bag. It’s funny that I had enough to make a bag out of this one really. Now you see what my DH’s Christmas stocking looks like! LMAO! It’s actually a really cool fabric (SHHH don’t tell him I said that! LOL)
Now ya know, I had to do at least 1 patriotic print bag, right? Of course. I found this one rolled up on the side of the crate already cut and ready to go. Sew LOL I sewed it together and I think it’s actually pretty neat! I like the multi-colored webbing for straps. Gives it just that right amount of WHOA factor! LOL!
Ok this bag got my brain exploding with ideas! This is a purple Ronald McDonald fabric I found at Wal-Mart years ago, before they got rid of their craft section (which really depressed me btw LOL). They had this one and I have a red one too. This bag was already cut, so while putting it together I had an explosion of thought come into my head! I have to have probably 6+ yards of EACH of the McDonalds fabric right? Well remember those crayon totes I was making?? HELLO! Make some in the McDonalds fabric and fill them up with crayons and such when the school supplies are on sale super cheap and I have DONATIONS to the kids at the Ronald McDonald House!!!!!! I’m gonna start on those right after I get this challenge complete and I am actually going to ask my wonderful readers to consider helping with a small donation for things like crayons, coloring books, etc. You can send the actual items or you can send a financial “gift” (I can’t legally call it a donation, sorry). I’ll let you know more about this idea when I get it worked out better… still in the preliminary stages of this idea LOL!
Ok now, I want to talk crafts. With Earth Day coming up, we must be in the “recycle” and “earth friendly” mindset! So I am double duty-ing this craft project today! I am honoring Autism Awareness with the Puzzle and Earth Day with the recycling! This recycled craft project is a great way to recycle those old puzzles that have pieces missing. This project uses a Jumbo piece from a child's jigsaw puzzle.Check it out!
Craft Idea of the Day: Puzzle Photo Magnet
Supplies:
Large Puzzle Piece
Magnet
Cardstock
Directions:
Start by cutting a window into the puzzle so that you can insert your photo. You can cut it using some scissors or a craft blade.
Paint the puzzle piece then allow it to dry, You can finish it off with a spray of clear varnish.
Run some glue around the back of the puzzle and secure your card stock to the back of the puzzle piece.
Glue on your magnet piece, You can get magnets from your local craft store or use a recycled advertising magnet.
Cut your photo to size and you can now slip your photo into the frame from the front.
You can decorate your frame further by adding small puzzle pieces, cut out hearts etc.
Pretty nifty huh? OK ok I hear you… no not you… My STOMACH! It’s yelling at me and telling me it needs food LOL. So I am always ready to serve LOL! I’m in the mood for pancakes… but not just any pancakes- we are going gluten free today!
Delicious Gluten Free PancakesIngredients
1 cup rice flour
3 tablespoons tapioca flour
1/3 cup potato starch
2 cups almond milk (or 2 cups water and 4 tablespoons dry buttermilk powder)
1 packet sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum or 4 Tablespoon gluten substitute
2 eggs
3 tablespoons canola oil or applesauce
Directions
In a bowl, mix or sift together the rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum. Stir in eggs, milk, and oil until well blended and few lumps remain.
Heat a large, well-oiled skillet or griddle over medium high heat. Spoon batter onto skillet and cook until bubbles begin to form. Flip, and continue cooking until golden brown on bottom. Serve immediately with condiments of your choice.
So are you drooling now? LOL I am… alright I am gonna get off here for the day. Time to do some more sewing, check my garden, and whatever else may strike my fancy. You keep safe, be happy, and I will see you back here tomorrow! HUGS!
