It's time for the SpringTime Giveaway!!!

Author: Miranda /

SpringTime Giveaway!!
Yes folks, I am a day behind schedule on this but it's here, ready and waiting to be given away. I am so excited about this giveaway because I get to showcase some of my favorite people and their wonderful etsy shops! Some of them donated and others I bought little things from to include in this giveaway. Now you wanna know what's in the giveaway right...what kind of little goodies will you get this time....well here's the first Pic. Now I hope you love the model as much as I do....story of the model will follow.




Now as you can tell, we have a cute teddy bear as our model. I was trying to decide how to arrange the goodies for this giveaway and muttering to myself (yes I do talk to myself...shhh don't tell anyone) as my youngest walked by me. He said mommy use Mr. Bear....I thought...yeah I'll use Mr. Bear. Now Mr. Bear has had many names in his life time, Pandy, Mr. Panda, Teddy, Teddy Bear....and so one, I never stuck with just one name. You see Mr. Bear is 28 almost 29 yrs old *gasp* yup, my dear old Daddy gave me this bear when I was about 2 yrs old. He bought it at Big Bear (imagine Farm King) and I have had him ever since, he has been through multiple moves, and gone through hell and back and is still stitched together just fine. He was proud to be used as my model for this giveaway.



Now to the listing of things you will find in this giveaway...Well here goes.

1. Crocheted newsboy cap in a spring pink ....made by ME

2. A necklace made with a fused glass pendant made by etsy's KanYoFuse (someone I consider a friend and awesome artist) he provided the pendant and I created the chain it hangs on. (As you can tell from my shop I am addicted to his pendants)

3. We also have a single pendant without chain or beading donated by KanYoFuse as well. (if you would like a beaded chain for this we can chat about that after the drawing)

4. We have a cute pair of hairclips made by PandaCub, i thought they were so cute I just had to get them for this giveaway!

5. We have 3, yes I said 3 frayed knots from EZ over at FromMyHandsToYours...I have one of these myself and love them, it is so awesome of her to donate 3. I know you will love them as I do.

6. We have a tealight made by Aromalite (we love to call her Roma on our forum thread) now I admit I received this as a sample in one of my orders, but I love her candles so much I wanted to spread the love a bit, so I pass it on to the winner of this giveaway.

7. Next we have the cutest Spring bookmark from PinkrosesSupplyShop. This is so darling, I couldn't get a picture to do it justice, she layered the flowers and the bunny onto the bookmark, almost a 3d effect...great work!

8. Lastly we have a ribbon book mark made by BrigaBauble, again this came to me as a thank you gift when I purchased a necklace from her, but it is soo pretty that I just hate to keep it for myself. I read so fast that I rarely even use bookmarks, so it's your lucky day!

9. Not pictured.....a surprise addition....will be revealed after the winner is drawn.

Now in the coming weeks you will see features on each of these shops, either by interview or just a quick blurb about what I love from their shop. So now you want to know how to enter???

1. Leave a comment on my blog is 1 entry.

2. include a favorite item from one of the shops listed (including mine) and I'll give 1 entry for each favorite item (1 per shop please)

3. follow me, and leave me a comment telling me that you are following me is 1 more entry.

4. Make a purchase from any of the shops listed and you earn 10 more entries (please leave a comment with the transaction link or number as I will be checking with the shop owners for verification)

5. Finally, follow me on twitter and I will give you 1 more entry!

Now you can rack up a total of 20 entries!

What a way to start off Spring, with this great set of items! (total value $75.00) Contest will end on April 13th, I will tally up the entries and the winner will be posted on the 14th, and the package will be sent out as soon as I receive a mailing address from the winner. Now don't forget to leave me a way to contact you, either by email or etsy shop address.

I will leave you with a couple more photos of the giveaway goodies and good luck to everyone who enters!!!







Saturdays are for.....

Author: Miranda /

Well for me it's for catching up on all that didn't get done during the week. Especially in blogland...i catch up on all my favorite blogs and in doing so today I found out that Rose over at Life Love Yarn gave me a wonderful blog award.

"This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers!”Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this clever-written text into the body of their award.
So here are my picks for the award, please stop on by and give them a read!
I love reading each and every one of these blogs! And Rose thank you so much for thinking of me when you were giving this away.
Oh and don't forget to stop by Rose's blog and sign up for her giveaway...it's one of MY bracelets...check it out..HERE.

Family Friday

Author: Miranda /

Well it's that time again, Family Friday! Yup where I get to gush about all the things my friends and family have done!

Well, Connor received another strip on his Jr.Gold belt last night. Sensei said he had a GREAT night in class. I am sooo proud of him! Plus he has another spelling test today that he is completely prepared for. His thirst for knowledge grows and grows each and every day!

Jackson and I have been butting heads all week, he is becoming little mr. independent and is having difficulty with the fact he isn't big enough to do a lot of what he wants to do by himself. It kills him to see big brother getting to do things by himself and being told he's not big enough yet...lol But we are workin on it.

I have to give props to one of my best friends from grade school Jenn. You have heard me talk about her graphics and design abilities, but today I want to give her props for donating blood. you see Jenn doesn't like needles, at all, but she mustered the courage to go and donate at the blood drive at her work. (granted a paid hr bribe from her boss helped out) but I am so proud of her!! She wrote about it on her blog..take a look..www.thevillagepeddler.blogspot.com and give her some commentin love.

Now for my DH, I have to write a short note about him too. you see I have been complaining that my computer has been running slow while i am on the internet, we checked it out, ran all the scans, did the repair things...and well it comes down to I have very little memory left, with all the pictures and editing I do for my etsy shop, so he went out and priced external hard drives when he went to Ft. Knox the other day and found a great deal on a huge external hard drive, but the best part is...he didn't just go ahead and buy it!!! yep he researched, priced, and then told me his findings....woohoo. I know this doesn't sound huge but with his work schedule and demand of the military I am usually the one who has to do all the research and stuff....so Yay to DH.

And finally a little pat on the back for me. My etsy shop has been doing well, but what I have up at the local store hasn't been moving well at all. Well this morning I woke up to an email saying that 2 yes TWO of my necklaces sold yesterday...woot!! I was soo excited! That just started my day out perfectly!

Today's agenda is boring, clean, clean and more cleaning. It's raining outside so what else is there to do. I also need to work on getting stock made up for the strawberry festival here in May...yay!

Whatch Workin on Wednesday

Author: Miranda /

Happy Wednesday my blogland friends!! I send thoughts of sunshine and beaches out to every one of you as it is cloudy and rainy here. So what are YOU workin on today.

Today is my catch up and finish day. I am part of a laundry room swap and I am putting the finishing touches on the cool things I am sending to my partner. Now I can't show them as of yet cause she just might stop by and see them, and that would so ruin the fun surprise, but I promise once she has received them I will definitely post what I made!!

I also have to work on putting the two borders on my quilt top. I also somehow had 1 extra block for the quilt so I am going to make that into a cute little pillow and put it in my shop. I think i am also going to transfer some stitchery patterns to muslin today. Since my shop is stocked with jewelry I decided it was time to work on some other projects and I am in the mood to do some stitching..wee. If you have any great sites with free patterns please post them in your comment, I am lookin for some great fun and easy patterns to do.

And of course the never ending job of cleaning will take place again today. Plus I have a couple of packages to put together and get to the PO...I love going to the post office, means I made a sale and someone will be getting a fun package in the mail. I have made a goal to get to 35 sales by midnight tonight, I am two sales away....woohoo....want to see everything I have up? then come on over and check me out. http://www.primitivejunki.etsy.com/ (yup more shameless self promotion)

I am also featured on anther blog and am giving away a great bracelet that I made JUST for the giveaway, hop on over to ROSE's and make sure to enter!


So until tomorrow, (or maybe just later today) Happy crafting and sunshine thoughts!

Tuesday's Tidbits

Author: Miranda /

Well I know I am a bit late, but here is today's Tidbits.

now we have all heard the things we can do with Bounce Sheets, but do they really work, can a bounce sheet really do all that stuff? Well i did some Internet research and good ole snopes.com came to my rescue. Here is a list of things we hear a lot that Bounce can do

1. Get Rid of Ants
2.Takes odor out of musty books
3.Repels Mosquito's
4.dissolve soap scum from shower doors

and the list goes on and on and on...well someone over at Snopes.com tested these out and well you have to go take a look at their results...http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/bounce.asp

I know not as informative as some of my others, but it's late and well i'm too lazy right now to type it all out and such. So Thanks Snopes.com for coming to our rescue and setting us straight on the truth about the bounce tidbits.

have a great night, it's time for me to catch up on all the blog reading I have neglected and then to crash in bed.

Till tomorrow!

I have been featured!!

Author: Miranda /

Yep that's right I have been featured on another blog.

Brig over at http://brigabauble.blogspot.com/ has written a wonderful piece on me and my etsy shop! Check it out, leave a comment, and enjoy the wonderfully written piece she has on ME!

can you tell I'm excited???

Monday Madness

Author: Miranda /

Good morning everyone in blog land! Well it was another monday madness morning! I swear I need to invent an alarm clock that turns on my bedside lamp as well. Some wee little hands must have played with my snooze setting on my alarm this weekend as it went off once, i hit snooze (usually 5 min) and 59 min later it went off again!!! Thank goodness my alarm is set way early!! We got up with 30 min to get out the door for school. No tardy for Connor..yay! Poor guy's allergies are acting up for him right now though, so a dr appt has been made for this afternoon to get him a prescription because benadryl just isn't cutting it.




Well only one more week till the big Easter/Spring giveaway here on my little primitive blog. I am so excited for this as I have enlisted some fellow etsy artists for this one. I have been slowly receiving their donations and I wanted to show you what i have so far.






To start with I received this cute book mark from Judy over at PinkRoses Supply Shop. Who wouldn't want to have this to grace the pages of their book.






Next we have two great pendants from my buddy Kevin over at KanYoFuse. One I decided to add to with a great beaded chain. The other you will notice I have a special model for. :) Now the pictures do not do these pendants justice, and I will work on better pictures for the final giveaway photo, but I really wanted to show off what I had received so far.


I still have a couple more items that should be showing up this week, plus my additions to the pot. But you'll have to wait and see what those are when the time comes....hehe so keep a look out this week for updates as I receive the items in and the contest will start next Monday!

Have a great day and enjoy the warm weather if you have it!

Nothing Special Sunday

Author: Miranda /


It has been one of those weeks, i just feel like i am chasing my tail. I am sorry my posts have been sporadic. My normal SuperStar Sunday will return next week with a fantastic shop I promise!


For today I am simply enjoying the day with the family. I did finish the sewing i needed to do on my quilt top so it's ready for class on Tuesday. It is pictured above. I am happy with how it turned out, this Tuesday we will be putting the border on and then putting all three layers together and getting it ready to quilt. Our last class is a week from Tuesday where we learn to quilt everything together, though we will be practicing on scrap pieces so it will probably be a couple more weeks till I have it all done, I will definitely post the finished product when it gets there.


I hope everyone is having a good weekend and watch for my regular posts to return this week.

Family Friday and a couple of projects.

Author: Miranda /




Good morning blogland! It looks to be a bright and sunny day! I wanted to share with everyone that BOTH the boys got a stripe on their belts last night, That makes Connor's first one on his Jr. Gold belt which he just received last Thursday and JJ's third one, only two more till he gets to practice for his Jr. Gold belt exam. Yippee they were soooo excited, Sensei Kirby said they both had a great night last night. Yep you are reading the words of a very proud MaMa today!


Not sure what the movie for tonight is, but we will most definitely be doing some type of movie and popcorn as their reward.

I also want to brag on Connor a bit. In his kindergarten class he has a Monthly chart that is in his folder, each day the teacher writes down any issues he may have had for the day or puts a smiley face if he had a good day...Well so far for the month of March Connor has had a smiley face for everyday. I gave him a challenge, get a smiley face every day this month and mommy would get him a Wii game that he can play online with YaYa and PapPa! Needless to say he is working really really hard. Also today he has his first Spelling test, we have been working really hard this week on his words. His list is as follows

A
At
An
Am
And
special challenge word: Are


He has been doing really well, monday was a bit hard as they were just starting to work on the word are, but today as we drove to school he passed my verbal test with flying colors...3 times! Let's cross our fingers that he does as well in class.

Today I plan to work on my Laundry Room Swap that I am in. I just have a couple of more things to work on before I send the package out. I have to be a bit mysterious because my swap partner just might read my post and I don't want to ruin the surprise.




I also plan to work a bit on my quilt top, have to have that finished by Tuesday's class so we can work on the border and get it layered with the backing for the last class and the quilting process. I am excited for that class, we actually get to work with a practice piece on their long arm quilting stand...how cool will that be???


I also received more pendants in the mail the day before yesterday from Kevin over at KanYoFuse. I always get excited to open the packages cause he includes an additional thank you pendant and it's fun to see what he's picked out. I made up three more necklaces yesterday and popped them in my shop, you can see them HERE and i am getting them priced and will drop them off at the boutique uptown today when i go pick Connor up. Traffic has picked up in the shop so wish me luck on sales!


Well that's about it for the day. I am compiling the information for my Easter/Spring giveaway so please stay on the lookout for that post. Such great artists are participating and I think you will be just as excited about it as I am!!


Till next time, enjoy your day!

Thursday's Featured Artist

Author: Miranda /

Today I have another featured shop, or I should say featured etsy artist because I am finding that each shop is more than the items in the shop, it’s the creative artists behind the shop that really make the whole experience such a joy.

BrigaBauble




I met Brig through a forum thread and immediately hit it off with her. That is one thing I am coming to love about Etsy is it’s more than people selling things, it’s a whole community in itself. Now just a side note you will notice that Brig refers to me as PJ which is what my etsy sign on has been shortened down to in all the forum threads, Primitive Junkie is quite a bit to type out. LOL

I was able to ask Brig a few questions via Conversations on Etsy. I wanted to get to know a little bit more about the creator behind BrigaBauble and here is what she had to say.


Where are you from?
Technically, I was born in South Carolina to a mother from Baltimore and a father from Vienna, Austria. We (my parents, my older sister and I) moved to then-rural Maryland when I was 10. But, my sister and I spent about 12 years of summers with our grandparents in Austria. If you ask where I feel most at home…I’d say Austria, particularly Vienna. And my first thought when someone asks where I’m from is “Austria.”
What made you want to open a shop on Etsy?
Hmmmm. Well, I had managed to build up a tiny bit of confidence in my jewelry designing and crafting skills purely because friends were trying to buy my pieces off my neck or wrist, etc. And I had two or three friends encourage me to open a shop on Etsy so I thought, “Why not?”



What is your favorite thing in your store and why?
Man PJ, all these tough questions! OK, at this moment in time my favorite piece is my “Something Old and Something New Bracelet.” (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22014807)




I love it because I used parts from an old bracelet that I picked up somewhere along the way and semi-precious round unakite beads to make a bracelet that feels both vintage and modern.






What keeps you going when things get slow?
Well, to be honest, sales in my Etsy shop have always been rather slow since I only just started some online marketing efforts and still need to try offline ones as well. Two things keep me going: positive feedback from my customers and the fact that I love designing and making jewelry. I’m a bit “Type A.” Some days, more than a bit. Crafting in all forms has a positive, calming affect on me.




What advice would you give someone who is thinking of opening a shop on Etsy?
All of the tips I’m writing here are an example of, “Try doing what I say, not what I did;” if you want sales that is.• Open your shop once you have a clear marketing plan—will save you time in the long run. • Build up your stock to at least 20-25 items before you open. It can be really frustrating to go to a shop and find only a few items to choose from.• Spend time in the forums—read everything you can in the “business topics” and “critiques” forums. You’ll get so much useful advice and meet some awesome artisans.• Compare prices among shops that list in the same category that you will. This will make you more confident in your pricing. Also, read the “shop policies” of many different shops and be ready to post yours when you open.• If you’re not a designer, hire one to create your banner and avatar. There are so many talented designers on Etsy who charge incredibly reasonable prices for their work.

This is great advice for anyone wanting to open a store. Having a good variety to start with and promoting your butt off is what will get you going and get the sales coming in.



What is the idea and creative inspiration behind your sterling silver and amethyst rosary?You know, I’m really glad you asked me this PJ. I design and create Catholic rosaries, rosary bracelets and rosary necklaces in addition to Anglican prayer beads, which are referred to by some as “Anglican rosaries.” My goal in creating these beautiful, intricate pieces is to offer high-quality, affordable pieces to two niche markets while staying true to myself and not pretending to be someone I’m not.The first rosary I made was in garnet and sterling silver and was a gift for my mom, a devoted (yet liberal) Catholic. I have personally witnessed how my mother’s faith has helped her to find the strength to deal with difficult times. I deeply admire my mother and her faith. But my religious pieces come from my respect of faith rather than a faith of my own.

Etsy shop: http://www.brigabauble.etsy.com/

Blog: http://brigabauble.blogspot.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/BrigaBauble.

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brigabauble/
I pictured just a few items of Brigs that I love, hop on over and check her out. If you find something you just have to have, tell her PJ sent you. And go check her blog out, I only aspire to write posts as well and as informative as Brig does

Whatcha Workin on Wednesday

Author: Miranda /

Hello my blogland readers. I have been MIA the last few days and I apologize for that, things have just been hectic around here! But I am back on track and back to my blog posting! Today's theme is of course Whatcha Workin on Wednesday, or better yet, what have you worked on since last Wednesday.





Well I had quilt class last night and our quilt tops are coming together nicely. I got two rows sewn together last night and have 3 more to go for next weeks class. Only two classes left for me, next week we will be putting the whole thing together getting it ready to learn to quilt it and the last class we actually learn the whole quilting process. I am excited for that. Below is my quilt so far. I think it's going to come out well and be perfect for hanging in front out our fireplace here in the living room.

I have also been creating more jewelry items for my shop which will be added later today. I absolutely love creating things for my etsy shop and am happy to say I am up to 28 sales so far. How awesome is that!! Especially in this economy knowing that people love my creations as much as I love making them is such a rewarding feeling.
Keep a look out for my Feature shop in tomorrow's post. I am also still working on my Easter Giveaway, I have some great Etsy shops participating and am very excited about it. I will post a little more about it later today!
Keep the comments coming, I love reading everyone's thoughts and opinions!

Vote for Me Please

Author: Miranda /

Yep, I am soliciting votes. I entered an item I made into a spring contest one of the gals on Etsy started. The voting starts today and ends the 10th you can go to her blog Here http://missknitsetsy.blogspot.com/





Below is what I entered into the contest. Lots of prizes will be given away and I would love to be one of the winners. hehe






So Please Vote for me.

Family Friday and a Featured Shop

Author: Miranda /

Well It's Family Friday again. Today the kids were out of school because of a teacher in service day. Well hubby only had a couple hrs of work to do today, so he came up to me this am and said, I can take Big Bit to work with me today if you want...I was like...YES!!! So Connor got to spend the day at Daddy's work, and having lunch at BK with 20 min of play time. It was a good day, JJ stayed home with mom, went to the shop up town and over to Hannah's to play, so they both had a fun day. Now we have had our pizza and they are settled down to watch Madagascar 2.
also today I am featuring another shop on Etsy.


I took a moment and asked Chic a few questions. (that's what we call her in the Etsy forums :) )


What made you want to open a shop on Etsy?Well, I started out selling on Ebay.. had never even heard of Etsy, then my sister in law told me about it and said I should give it a try. Well I will be honest, I was very reluctant to do so! When I got started I was terrified that someone would consider me "Crafty" or "Artsy" so I held off for a few months, then I decided to just go for it! I am so glad I did, I have made so many friends here and It has such a sense of community whereas Ebay is so cold and commercial! Now I am proud to be called Crafty and Artsy!

What is your favorite thing in your store and why? If you hadn't asked me that I could have told you! That is a very tough question, I love all of my creations! But honestly I would have to say that This one is my favorite:Emerald AB 2x Swarovski Necklace and Earring Sethttp://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20606361I just love the colors, the way the change in the light and I just like the overall look of the set, the way the crystals cascade down the pendant and all, In my opinion it is one of my pretties pieces.

What keeps you going when things get slow?Local craft fairs, but to tell you the truth things have been pretty slow since I started selling my items, The bottom dropped out of the economy within 2 weeks of me opening my Ebay store so slow is kind of the norm for me, this last few months has been very exciting because things have started to pick up.


What advice would you give someone who is thinking of opening a shop on Etsy?I would tell them that before they even start setting up their store to set up an account and spend a LOT of time in the forums! I wish I had done so, I have only been visiting the forums for about a month now and the help and advise I have gotten there would have really helped me get the right start with my shop... As it was I went into this completely blind and I made just about every mistake possible!
What is the idea and creative inspiration behind your dog tag holders?Well my husband is in the Air Force for starters! I met him on AOL of all places and he lived in Hawaii and I Utah... long story short the first time he visited me he gave me his dog tags to wear and I've worn them ever since. I always hated the boring chain that comes with them, so one day I decided to go ahead and make something prettier for them to hang on. They are very popular at shows here in Colorado Springs because we have a very large military population and a lot of girls wear their spouse/boyfriend's dog tags because they are overseas serving right now.

So go on over and check her out. You may just find that special something for yourself or someone you know.
Have a great friday I probably won't post tomorrow but look for my SuperStar Sunday post as well.

Look YaYa and PaPa, I Passed

Author: Miranda /

That would be from my son Connor! Yep he had his official belt test in Karate tonight and passed! (see picture to the left) He is now officially a Jr. Gold Belt!

Then little brother also got 2 stripes on his white belt. 3 more stripes and he gets to test...(it will still be a while, but he's so psyched) (see picture to the right)

just a quick post :)

Thursday's Treat

Author: Miranda /

Well I thought I would give all my readers a treat today. I wanted to showcase some of the blogs that I follow. There were some great posts today!

Ceridwen over at WanderlustBling has a great post today about some wonderful splurge items she found on etsy. I especially liked this post, but I am biased because she featured my lap afghan in the post. She also featured three other etsy artists and their great work.

My friend EZ over at Kiss My Asana...a personal challenge posted a great video demonstrating the correct way to backward bending in yoga...definitely something to learn. She is a fantastic yoga instructor and student. I am amazed anytime i see her doing her poses. All I can say is WOW

Gayle over at Flamingo Junction has a weekly Earring Grab Bag giveaway and guess what...I WON this week!! I love checking in on her to see what she has created or what she's up to. Stop on by and keep track and maybe you too can win a pair of her great earrings.

Finally Eliza over at The Bear Bunch and her hubby always seem to have such funny and interesting posts. I love to see what comments they make on every day findings or occurrences and the story's about little Mikey Bear and too cute to pass up!

So stop on over to see some of my friends and what they are up to! Now I am off to make supper for my troop before they get back from Karate class. (yay for the day's Daddy makes it home to take them)

Happy Blogging!

Whatcha Workin on Wednesday

Author: Miranda /

Well it has become cold and rainy today. We have gone from 80 degrees yesterday to 44 today with rain and a forecast of sleet and snow tomorrow...such weird weather. So today gets to be spent inside. I still can't decide what I want to work on. But I wanted to share with you the two different blocks that will make up the quilt we are doing in quilt class.




Last night I learned how to do triangles. Now I have to say they are not my favorite to do, but our teacher did show us a fairly easy way to do them. It will definitely help me to work on keeping my seems straight. So the two blocks above will be what creates the quilt. A total of 25 blocks will make up the lap quilt I am doing, plus and inner and outer border, then backing and binding. I meant to take my camera to class last night and take a picture of the finished example she has on the wall, but forgot to. I will try to do that next week.


I also have another afghan that I have started on, this one will probably be for one of the boys, I simply took 3 different colors of yarn and am doing a sc with a Q hook. very soft and warm.

Lastly I did make myself another necklace yesterday and even made earrings to match, pictured below. I think they came out well! I love how quickly these come together.



Well I am off to curl up under a blanket and watch Scooby Doo with JJ as I promised him earlier.

Happy crafting to everyone!

Tuesday's Tidbits

Author: Miranda /


Uses For White Vinegar


Today's Tidbit is on White Vinegar, I know there are a lot of uses for White Vinegar in and around your house. I found a great website if you want to see all 1001 uses. It's here.


A bit of background: Vinegar has been around for 10,000 years.


Vinegar’s role in history is well documented. This versatile product was used by everyone—from kings and conquerors to explorers and everyday people.
The Babylonians used vinegar to preserve and pickle food.
Hippocrates prescribed vinegar as a remedy for a variety of ailments.
Caesar’s armies used vinegar as a beverage.
Hannibal drenched huge boulders in hot vinegar which cracked them into small pieces, enabling his army to continue its journey across the Alps.
Helen of Troy bathed in vinegar to relax.
Jesus was offered vinegar before he was crucified.
Early Europeans used vinegar as a deodorizer.
During the Bubonic Plague people poured vinegar on their skin to protect themselves from germs.
Cleopatra dissolved pearls in vinegar to prove that she could consume a fortune in a single meal.
Sailors used vinegar as a food preservative during long voyages.
World War I medics used vinegar to treat soldiers’ wounds. Today, people are still using white distilled vinegar in hundreds of different ways—from cooking and cleaning to gardening and the laundry.


Some fun facts you may not know about vinegar:


Pearls will melt in vinegar! So make sure those pearl rings are taken off before you work with it!


An open dish of vinegar will remove paint smells from a freshly painted room


Pantyhose last longer when rinsed with a mixture of cold water and white distilled vinegar


Massage white distilled vinegar into your scalp, shampoo, and rinse and watch dandruff go down the drain. (may have to try this one on my hubby)


Spray White Distilled Vinegar on furniture to stop a cat from scratching it. (I will most definitely be trying this one)


Soak your feet in White Distilled Vinegar to stop athletes foot!


Make your car extra shiny by adding a few drops of white distilled vinegar to your bucket of water.


Remove dirt and stains from car carpeting with a mixture of half white distilled vinegar and half water.


Prevent lint from clinging to clothes by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the wash cycle.


Forgot that you left wet laundry in the machine and it now smells moldy? Pour a few cups of white distilled vinegar in the machine and wash the clothes in hot water. Then run a normal cycle with detergent.


Kill weeds and grass growing in unwanted places by pouring full-strength white distilled vinegar on them. This works especially well in crevices and cracks of walkways and driveways.


It's amazing what you can use White Vinegar for! I have most definitely added this item to my grocery list! Stay tuned for tomorrows Whatcha Workin on Wednesday!


(all information gathered here was found on the Vinegar tips website located at http://www.vinegartips.com/)


Have a great day and enjoy the weather if it's nice where you are!

Monday's Creations

Author: Miranda /










Hello all my readers in blog land! It has been a very creative day. I think the warmer weather has put the creative bug in me. The pictures above are the newest additions to my jewelry line in my Etsy store. I bought the pendants from a wonderful artist on Etsy. Kevin does fantastic work! I plan on featuring his store in my blog soon. Each set is focused around the pendant. I had such a great time making them. I also just had to keep one for myself, it's pictured below and is my most favorite one.

I have fallen in love with beading. There is such room for creativity with them and the array of beads available out there is astounding. I have received great reviews from people on the few items I have sold so far, so that keeps my spirits up as well.

Not a long post right now, look for more later. Oh and check out Connor's Creative Corner to see what he's up to right now!

SuperStar Sunday

Author: Miranda /

Todays' Etsy SuperStar is


Once again I am featuring a store that is on the WITB round 3 with me. She has a very creative shop, all items are upcycled from something else. Here is what she said when I asked her a few questions:


What made you want to open a shop on Etsy?
My daughter and I made a skirt out of some of her old clothes a few years ago and it turned out really nice so I got hooked on making them for her and I went crazy and had way to many so when I saw so the etsy site I decided to try to sell some of them.



What is your favorite thing in your store and why?

I do not have a favorite but right now I do like making the cuffs the best.

What keeps you going when things get slow?

I just think about the sales I had and know that some one some where is wearing something I made.


What advice would you give someone who is thinking of opening a shop on Etsy?

Just to enjoy yourself there is so much more to etsy than making money keep it fun.


Give me two of your favorite stores on etsy.
Oh I do not have a favorite . but one of my favorite things to do is to look at the recently sold items I love seeing what people are buying .


Thanks so much! Don't forget to check out our WITB thread either, every post is an entry to win one of 50 $20 gift certificates, the more you post the more chances to win. And if you have an Etsy shop and want to join us, please feel free to! It is a great group of people and we are still working out way to those 50 shops. Check us out HERE

Saturday Jumble

Author: Miranda /

Today's post is a mix of many things, so I decided to just call it a Jumble.


First off I am a featured seller on another blog. I am so excited about this, you can see the post here. Please take a look and give the post some love!


It's a cloudy day here in Tennessee but at least it is warm. The boys are already up and at it. currently they are hunting treasure. Complete with spying scope and treasure map and imaginary "booty traps" (for all those goonies lovers out there). Hubby has to work today so I think the boys and I are going to take a trip to Joann's for some more yarn for me to start on another afghan.


I have been busy creating this week. I spent part of the morning over at my girlfriends house yesterday beading and created a few pairs of earrings and a bracelet. You can find them in my new Jewelry section of my shop. I do have about 4 more pairs I need to photograph and list. I really like making them and it adds another aspect to my shop. Take a look and let me know what you think. Here is a picture of one of my favorites so far.

I do need to work on my photos, trying to find the right set up and props to enhance the jewelry itself. It is a learning process, but i really like trying out different things.
I also want to thank everyone for their comments on yesterday's post. I am still trying to decide on just the right chart and incentive program for the boys. Once I have a decision I will definitely let everyone know.
I will be featuring another great etsy seller tomorrow so please check back to find out who it is. There are so many wonderful and talented people I have gotten to know on etsy and I keep meeting more. I look forward to checking in on the forums each day to see what is new with everyone.
I am also working on a great Easter giveaway, stay tuned to see the great items that will be included!
Have a great day and keep creating!

Family Friday

Author: Miranda /


Happy Friday to all!


It's that time again, Family Friday. Today I don't have any funny stories to tell, I am looking for input on an idea I am thinking of implementing for my two boys. (ages 4 and 5) At this age all I hear at every toy commercial or whenever we go shopping is "I want that, I want that" Of course they get the same reply, we can't always get everything we want. But I am thinking of implementing an allowance for each of them. I want to create a chore chart for each of them and for every week they do all their chores they receive an allowance. Such as Connor (who is the oldest) could earn $5 a week if he does all his chores and JJ (the youngest) could earn $4 a week if he does his. That way they would have their own money to spend when we go shopping and they could save for that toy they really really want. But I need help with chore ideas. Besides the keeping clothes picked up, and toys picked up. I have setting the table and cleaning the table after supper (which they would alternate daily) Checking the animals food and water to make sure they are full. I am trying to decide how many chores they should have each day. 3? 4? 5?


I really want to try and instill the idea of saving for something you really want instead of just asking and receiving. And in the process get them involved in the daily routine of the house, give them a sense of accomplishment each day.


What is your idea? I would love to hear from everyone!

Whatcha Workin on Wednesday

Author: Miranda /


***updated with photos******

Just a quick post before heading off to MOPS group this morning. I wanna know what everyone is working on today!!

My plan is to finish the border on my afghan and then work on some blocks for the quilt we are workin on in my quilt class. I promise to post pics later today when i have them taken and cropped. The boys and I are also going to make some banana bread and maybe even rice krispie treats...yum yum

Till I get back from meeting, happy crafting to everyone!!

Tuesday's Tidbits

Author: Miranda /

As I thought about what to feature for today's Tidbits last night, my son came up to me and said mommy I wanna read to you....he promptly sat down and read me Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess. You see this week at school they are celebrating Dr. Suess's birthday. It got me to thinking about all the books I read by Dr. Suess as I was growing up and the impact they made on me. So today's Tidbits is going to be about Dr. Suess and his legacy. Most of the information that I will be sharing is thanks to a wonderful site called Suessville.





Yes, there was a Dr. Suess, though he wasn't a real doctor. Theodore (Ted) Suess Geisel was born March 2, 1904 in Massachusetts. His father was a brewmaster and his mother worked in her father's bakery before marrying. She often memorized the pies of the day and would "chant" them to her customers. Often if Ted had difficulty going to sleep his mother would re-call her "pie selling chants" to help him go to sleep. As an adult, Ted credited his mother "for the rhythms in which I write an the urgency with which I do it" (Morgan, pg7)

Ted attended Dartmouth University, even was editor for Dartmouth's humor magazine, his reign came to abrupt end when he and his friends were caught throwing a party that didn't coincide with school policy. He still contributed to the magazine, but simply signed his work Suess, this is the first record of him going by this name. After Dartmouth, Ted attended Oxford University intending to become a professor, but a fellow student noticed his doodling and told him he should become an artist, so that is what he did and he eventually married the very same student who gave him that advice.


Dr. Suess died Sept. 24th, 1991 and at that time over 200 million copies of his books had sold and had been translated into 15 different languages. Sales continue to climb every year. Shortly before his death, when Ted was asked if there was anything left unsaid, he thought about it and finally came back with " The best slogan I can think of leave with the U.S.A. would be : We can....and we've got to...do better than this." (morgan, pg287)


Such an inspiration for our children is Dr. Suess, and who of us doesn't have some part of one of his books memorized as a favorite? Dr. Suess wrote 48 children's books in his lifetime...what an amazing feet! Tell me what is your favorite Dr. Suess book?
(all information provided in this post was found on the Suessville website found at www.suessville.com)

Super Star Sunday

Author: Miranda /

Good afternoon everyone! I have decided to make Sunday's a Super Star Sunday. I am part of this great thread on Etsy that gives an opportunity for anyone to win one of 50 $20 dollar gift certificates to participating shops. It is located HERE. Such a great group of creators I decided to feature one of them every Sunday. Today's feature is on









She has a great shop with handmade crayons that any child would love! I asked her a few questions and here is what she had to say.



What made you want to open a shop on Etsy? The love of crafting. I have been creating something as long as I can remember.





What is your favorite thing in your store and why?
My favorite thing is the Rainbow Ring Crayon. Probably because that is the one my little bear loves the most. Some days I can't seem to get it away from him.





What keeps you going when things get slow?My little bear definitely keeps me going. I am constantly making new crayons for him to try out. It is so much fun seeing his reaction to new crayons.



What advice would you give someone who is thinking of opening a shop on Etsy?
Patience! Don't get discouraged when you don't get a sale within the first week or even the first few months. Keep working hard at your shop (and it takes A LOT of hard work.) Eventually you will get that first sale and it will take off from there.




Give me two of your favorite stores on etsy.Wow. That is such a hard question. There are so many shops that is my favorite. I just found out we are expecting a little girl so tutu shops have been my favorite but it is impossible to narrow it down any more than that.




Here is my favorite item from her shop:

These are her zoo animal crayons, aren't they just the cutest? So hop on over and check out her shop! Tell her I sent you and show her some love!

Have a great weekend!

Another Blog Award!!

Author: Miranda /


Well today will consist of two posts, the first is a Blog Award that I recieved from Anji over at . Thanks Anji!!!




Here are the rules




List 7 things that you love and then pass the award on to 7 people...tagging them and letting them know they won! You can copy the picture of the award and put it on your sideboard letting the whole wide world know you are KReATIV!




1. My boys!


2. That first hot cup of coffee of the day!


3. Taking a long hot bath.


4. Snuggling up under a warm quilt.


5. Creating something new, with yarn or fabric or beads


6. Shopping with my girlfriend


7. Friday night movie night with the family



I pass this award on to









Stay tuned for post #2 coming later this afternoon :)

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Mother of two boys, military wife, and woman extraordinaire. This revamped blog is just thoughts and tidbits from my head on an occasional basis. Sometimes crafty, sometimes intelligent, and sometimes just plain funny. Friends, family, fun.

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