May 25, 2013

Happy Birthday Annie!

From Wynter:



And Amiira the Hedgehog:



May 23, 2013

Hydrogen Peroxide is an awesome household cleaner!

First, I want to say sorry for the weirdness of the post, with the black highlights... Whenever I copy and paste stuff it always gets messed up so I have to do crazy things to get it to show up! 

I was perusing Facebook when I came across a picture of a hydrogen peroxide bottle with a spray attachment. I clicked read more, and found this (I simply copy and pasted): 

"HYDROGEN PEROXIDE MAGIC!

Ever since I started using Hydrogen Peroxide to get rid of armpit stains, to clean cookie sheets, as a miracle 

cleaner in my kitchen and bathroom, and to make my own “oxi clean”…I ALWAYS have at least one bottle of the stuff under my kitchen sink, under my bathroom sink, AND in the laundry room. This stuff is amazingly versatile!

But it wasn’t until recently, after doing some IN DEPTH research on the subject, that I came to realize what a “miracle substance” hydrogen peroxide really is! It’s safe, it’s readily available, it’s cheap, and best of all, it WORKS! It works for a LOT of stuff!

Hydrogen peroxide should really be called oxygen water, since it is basically the same chemical make up as water but with an extra oxygen atom (H2O2). Because of this it breaks down quickly and harmlessly into oxygen and water.

Some other interesting facts about hydrogen peroxide:

It is found in all living material.
Your white blood cells naturally produce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to fight bacteria and infections.
Fruit and vegetables naturally produce hydrogen peroxide. This is one of the reasons why it is so healthy to eat fresh fruit and vegetables.
It is found in massive dosages in the mother’s first milk, called colostrum, and is transferred to the baby to boost their immune system.
It is found in rain water because some of the H20 in the atmosphere receives an additional oxygen atom from the ozone (O3) and this H2O2 makes plants grow faster.
Next to Apple Cider Vinegar, hydrogen peroxide ranks up there as one of the best household remedies.

Besides the obvious (cleansing wounds), did you know that it is probably the best remedy to dissolve ear wax? Brighten dingy floors? Add natural highlights to your hair? Improve your plants root systems? The list goes on and on!

There are SO many uses for this stuff that I’ve started replacing the cap on the hydrogen peroxide bottle with a sprayer because it’s easier and faster to use that way.

I have compiled a rather impressive list of uses for 3% hydrogen peroxide that I hope will have you as thrilled and bewildered as I was!

Wash vegetables and fruits with hydrogen peroxide to remove dirt and pesticides. Add 1/4 cup of H2O2 to a sink of cold water. After washing, rinse thoroughly with cool water.

In the dishwasher, add 2 oz. to your regular detergent for a sanitizing boost. Also, beef up your regular dish soap by adding roughly 2 ounces of 3% H2O2 to the bottle.

Use hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash to freshen breath. It kills the bacteria that causes halitosis. Use a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water.

Use baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to make a paste for brushing teeth. Helps with early stages of gingivitis as it kills bacteria. Mixed with salt and baking soda, hydrogen peroxide works as a whitening toothpaste.

Soak your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide between uses to keep it clean and prevent the transfer of germs. This is particularly helpful when you or someone in your family has a cold or the flu.

Clean your cutting board and countertop. Let everything bubble for a few minutes, then scrub and rinse clean. (I’ve been using it for this a LOT lately!)

Wipe out your refrigerator and dishwasher. Because it’s non-toxic, it’s great for cleaning places that store food and dishes.

Clean your sponges. Soak them for 10 minutes in a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and warm water in a shallow dish. Rinse the sponges thoroughly afterward.

Remove baked-on crud from pots and pans. Combine hydrogen peroxide with enough baking soda to make a paste, then rub onto the dirty pan and let it sit for a while. Come back later with a scrubby sponge and some warm water, and the baked-on stains will lift right off.

Whiten bathtub grout. First dry the tub thoroughly, then spray it liberally with hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit — it may bubble slightly — for a little while, then come back and scrub the grout with an old toothbrush. You may have to repeat the process a few times.

Clean the toilet bowl. Pour half a cup of hydrogen peroxide into the toilet bowl, let stand for 20 minutes, then scrub clean.

Remove stains from clothing, curtains, and tablecloths. Hydrogen peroxide can be used as a pre-treater for stains — just soak the stain for a little while in 3% hydrogen peroxide before tossing into the laundry. You can also add a cup of peroxide to a regular load of whites to boost brightness. It’s a green alternative to bleach, and works just as well.

Brighten dingy floors. Combine half a cup of hydrogen peroxide with one gallon of hot water, then go to town on your flooring. Because it’s so mild, it’s safe for any floor type, and there’s no need to rinse.

Clean kids’ toys and play areas. Hydrogen peroxide is a safe cleaner to use around kids, or anyone with respiratory problems, because it’s not a lung irritant. Spray toys, toy boxes, doorknobs, and anything else your kids touch on a regular basis.

Help out your plants. To ward off fungus, add a little hydrogen peroxide to your spray bottle the next time you’re spritzing plants.

Add natural highlights to your hair. Dilute the hydrogen peroxide so the solution is 50% peroxide and 50% water. Spray the solution on wet hair to create subtle, natural highlights.

According to alternative therapy practitioners, adding half a bottle of hydrogen peroxide to a warm bath can help detoxify the body. Some are skeptical of this claim, but a bath is always a nice way to relax and the addition of hydrogen peroxide will leave you – and the tub – squeaky clean!

Spray a solution of 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide on leftover salad, drain, cover and refrigerate. This will prevent wilting and better preserve your salad.

Sanitize your kids’ lunch boxes/bags.

Dab hydrogen peroxide on pimples or acne to help clear skin.

Hydrogen peroxide helps to sprout seeds for new plantings. Use a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution once a day and spritz the seed every time you re-moisten. You can also use a mixture of 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 32 parts water to improve your plants’ root system.

Remove yellowing from lace curtains or tablecloths. Fill a sink with cold water and a 2 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Soak for at least an hour, rinse in cold water and air dry.

Use it to remove ear wax. Use a solution of 3% with olive or almond oil. Add a couple drops of oil first then H2O2. After a few minutes, tilt head to remove solution and wax.

Helps with foot fungus. Spray a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry. Or try soaking your feet in a peroxide solution to help soften calluses and corns, and disinfect minor cuts.

Spray down the shower with hydrogen peroxide to kill bacteria and viruses.

Use 1 pint of 3% hydrogen peroxide to a gallon of water to clean humidifiers and steamers.

Wash shower curtains with hydrogen peroxide to remove mildew and soap scum. Place curtains in machine with a bath towel and your regular detergent. Add 1 cup full strength 3% hydrogen peroxide to the rinse cycle.

Use for towels that have become musty smelling. 1/2 cup Peroxide and 1/2 cup vinegar let stand for 15 minutes wash as normal. Gets rid of the smell.

Use hydrogen peroxide to control fungi present in aquariums. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt your fish. Use sparingly for this purpose.

De-skunking solution. Combine 1 quart 3% H2O2, 1/4 cup baking soda, 1 teaspoon Dawn dish detergent, 2 quarts warm water.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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I find it real interesting because I always viewed hydrogen peroxide as something that may be toxix or something. It's something that you clean wounds out with, but then you wash it off immediately when it stops bubbling because it might continue to eat your skin. Well, this post proved that theory wrong... (Just ask my boyfriend, I still have a lot of child conceptions about some crazy stuff!)

Anyways, I thought I would share with you because it seems like a great, cheap, and healthy cleaner to use around the house. I seem to be allergic to some bathroom cleaners (I think Kaboom, which makes me sad because I love that stuff!) So when I get a house, I think I'm going to try making my own cleaners and this will be one of them! 

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May 17, 2013

No jobs? How can that be?

I didn't get any jobs at Labor Ready this week, so I haven't made the money for the camera, of course. I also just managed to break my boyfriends rear view mirror so I was thinking I will buy him a new one, unless he manages to somehow duct tape/super glue it back on and not mind the giant crack... Honestly, most of the rear view mirrors I've found were $10-20, unless I got him one with a compass or digital crap or stuff like that. Some of them "auto dim" and the one he has right now doesn't do any of that, so I think he'd be okay with me getting him one of the cheaper ones...

This weekend I'm planning on making more clay figures, and possibly some sewing... We'll see. It looks to me that I do most of my crafting on weekends, so I think (if I ever get the time to write a blog while at my BFs house, he seems to steal the laptop whenever possible) I will just start posting inspiration posts, posts about maybe charity stuff I'm interested in, and recipes. I made some delicious stuffed mushrooms yesterday, I forgot to add seasonings but they were still pretty good. The mushrooms were super juicy, and I got bigger ones so you couldn't just pop the whole thing into your mouth, and we had to eat them while leaning over the sink. The only other stuffed mushrooms I've had were tiny. I think that might be a better way to go.

Stuffed Mushrooms
You can see the mushrooms juices on the middle of the plate
Stuffed with cream cheese, asparagus, olives, the stems of the mushrooms, and sausage. We ate the all in like 10 minutes flat, even though we had most of the sausage and asparagus in tortilla wraps for breakfast 20 minutes before these were done. It wasn't really a filling breakfast, but whatever. 

The recipe I sort of followed (not really) said to use 8 oz of cream cheese, but everyone said that was too much and I used only half the package. I only used one stalk of asparagus, and you couldn't even find it in there. I just chopped everything up real fine, then microwaved the cream cheese for a few seconds so it'd be easier to mix it all in. Delicious! 

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May 14, 2013

We got the camera!

But I can't use it yet. T.T

My BF bought the camera before I had the money because he thought I would make the money. Well, we are splitting the price still, and before he lets me use it, I have to give him my half. BUT WE HAVE IT.

Once I make the money, (I went to Labor Ready today but everyone else left, and since I don't have a car I left too, there's a chance they may call me in later today though) I will be listing things on Etsy!!! Finally. I'm not sure how to get people to know I'm listing stuff on Etsy besides my Facebook and here, and it's not like I have a lot of followers on either one. Now that I have a way to make money besides donating plasma, I'm going to start buying more beads and make more specific pieces of jewelry. I'm planning on selling beaded and chainmaille jewelry, and maybe some knit hats and sewn things, like purses. I'm thinking the jewelry will sell pretty good, as I plan on having better prices than a lot of people, because I don't need to make 500% profit. Some people just charge a bit too much for my liking! Then again, there's plenty of people who don't charge enough.

Anyways. I'm really excited about this camera. It's the most amazing camera I've ever held. My last camera was 8 megapixels, this one is 18.4 mp. This will be a huge improvement. I don't know how many mp my phone has, but it can't focus anyways.

My phone probably has like 2 mp actually. Or -4.

Anyways! Here's too hoping a lot of people want my jewelry!

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May 11, 2013

Omg Dragons!!!

So, I've been looking at this girls Deviant Art rather jealously, because she makes these amazing clay figurines and I've never been good at making stuff with clay. Well, she sells the cute adorable animals that she makes, but they're gone so fast that I don't ever see them in her shop. Especially when I forget that she is listing that day!

Well, I've decided that I can try to do some clay stuff again. While they're not good, I have a feeling that as I practice more and more, better techniques will come to me. I also will probably have to cut my nails...

I don't have any glaze, but I still absolutely love the three dragons I made today. The first one I decided will be a mothers day gift, as that one is holding a flower. She also has a star shaped brad shoved into her forehead as well. I went ahead and did a little painting on them, as well. The picture, as always, isn't great, but I plan on getting a new camera sometime soon!

Clay Dragons
YAY dragons! So cute, right???
The other two are for my boyfriend and I. Their tails are supposed to hold dice. Like when you are playing a game where you use a d20 to show how much life you have or such. So the dice won't roll around too easily. I didn't have any dice on hand while I made them, so I can only hope they fit in a way that will hold them securely. 

Their eyes are all beads. The standing one has blue eyes, the laying blue has white eyes, and the green has green eyes. The standing blue is also holding a flower bead! 

I'm super proud of them, yet I also hope that I will get much better in the future. It was fun doing them, so I think I'll continue making things out of clay. Probably not for sale, but for gifts and things to keep for myself. Unless I get really good at it, I guess. 

I also made a pillow cover! Now, I cut out over 100 2 inch squares for a quilt. Then I realized that I needed more squares than I thought and I didn't think I would have enough. So I just started putting them together until I got a rectangle, and made a pillow cover. The seams aren't lined up, but I didn't iron the strips before sewing them together, and I think that may have made a huge difference. 

I have another pillow that I plan to cover as well, and I'm debating on making another just like this one since I have enough squares too, or if I should use this weird shirt that I hate the texture of on me, but is very interesting. Maybe I could use both, actually. Maybe that's what I'll do! Anyways, here's the cover: 


Quilted Pillow Cover
Fun Pillow Cover! 
I hated sewing the squares together. But I love how it looks, so I'll do it again. The pillow isn't very straight in the picture, is it? I just used an old cut up tank as the back. I made it like a pillow sham, so I can stuff the pillow in. Then, if I want to wash the cover or if I want to change covers, I can take it off. 

Anyways. I'm planning on making the next pillow cover tomorrow (maybe....) and I'm thinking about making myself a new purse. We'll see how it goes! I'm super glad I got to post something really crafty today! 

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May 4, 2013

New Camera Coming Up!


I apologize for not posting very often lately. I really wanted to keep up with this blog, but it's about crafting, and I haven't really had time for that lately. The temporary work I had kicked my ass, and I'm still feeling tired no matter how little or how long I sleep. So imagine the pain I must feel thinking about going BACK...

I've found a camera I want. Mother's day is coming up, so it's on sale for $350. It's usually $480. That's over $100 off. Also because of mother's day, anything over $50 has free 2 day shipping.

I need to get this camera, NOW!

So, I'm going to go back and see if I can get temporary work for a few days at Labor Ready. I'll be splitting the price for the camera with my boyfriend, as well, so I don't need to make all $350. If they actually send me out to do work, I'll definitely make the money. I just don't know if they will want to send me out. I've had experience HELPING my dad work on things like building a shed, and putting down wood flooring. I know how to swing a hammer, work a cordless drill, but we'll see. Hopefully, they'll think I'll be a fast learner.

So, the reason I'm getting the camera is so I can take pictures of things I want to sell on Etsy and/or Artfire. The other reason is because when I make things, I can't always get a good picture of them on my phone, and then I don't want to post those pictures, and then I don't write on my blog because I don't have pictures to show. That's all going to change, now!

If I get work at Labor Ready, I'm going to continue going there for work. Eventually, I'll get enough experience to get a real job. I'm also going to try to get an Ipod Touch so I can use my square, but my boyfriend is going to wait until he can get a free smartphone from his company instead. I don't want to deal with a smartphone, I also don't want to be using my square on something of his, because I've been in situations where someone saw something I had and wanted it like at the grocery store, and he's not always there when I will need it.

But I have the damn square already, I just need something I can use it with!

On another note, I'm almost done with my $5 in paris sweater. I've debated on long sleeves, short sleeves, then just posted it on facebook and everyone says short sleeves. Honestly, the sweater doesn't keep me warm when I put it on anyways, so I was about to decide on short sleeves anyways. Here's a nasty myspace mirror picture of it:

$5 in Paris
Nasty Myspace Mirror Picture
All I can say is, SQUEE! It's almost done! Plus, it fits! Perfectly! I have never knitted something this large before, or anything wearable at all, actually, so, I feel awesome about this. It actually didn't take that long at all, either, once I got over my knitting break and continued on with it. I could make tons of these! In fact, I just might! Or, I could move on to something a bit more challenging. Or I could stop knitting myself things and work on jewelry to sell.

I DID make a byzantine bracelet, against my better judgement... The rings are a little too big, so it doesn't look as fancy. Here's another really blurry crappy picture: 

Byzantine Weave
Byzantine Weave in too big rings
I want to make myself a nice Byzantine chain necklace, because for some reason I feel like it'd be completely awesome and everyone will want one. I want to make it with much smaller rings, though. These are 5/32, I believe. I think I may order 1/8 rings next. At the same time, I think I should probably order rings with some color on them, instead of just plain ones. We'll see how expensive this gets...

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What do you do when you're pissed off?


Today, and last night, have been highly stressful for me. I don't even want to talk about it anymore, but basically, my boyfriend lets the dogs out of the front door when we get home (from donating plasma, so we are both weaker than usual), one of them shot off and I had to chase the fat thing down, my boyfriend also kept talking about ways we could make a job work for me when I already know I don't have the job, and now he's talking about making me drive tonight on a frightening road when I haven't driven in over a year.  I don't have my permit, because they're ridiculously expensive nowadays, but I am 20 and need to know how to drive. I'm terrified of driving. I used to get motion sickness, now it's just straight up terror when we are going over 40 mph. This happened after we lost control of the car on some slush/ice, and went off the road. We didn't rollover or anything, but it was still scary as hell and now I don't ever want to get in a car.

So he wants me to drive in the middle of night on a scary, twisty turny road, going way to fast in my opinion  otherwise he's not going to get me at all tonight.

I came home to my dads house to sew stuff because that's what I've been wanting to do, but now that I'm here I'm tired and I just want to curl up in a ball and cry. I don't want to deal with the fact that I didn't get the job, or any of this crap that means it's just going to take longer to move the hell out and be with my poor forced-to-live-outdoors-unfairly cat. I don't want to think about the friends who are moving into their first houses while I haven't started moving out of my parents, or people who have started going to school when they don't have any kind of idea of what they want to do when I know what I want to do, or at least I did until I rode along with this mobile vet clinic and watched the vet pull dead kittens out of a cats vagina, and now I'm even rethinking my whole life plan.

I'm going to attempt to sew up a beach bag, because I've always wanted one for some reason, but I don't know if I'm going to finish, or even be able to comprehend the pattern to even start. My mind is all over the place and I kinda don't like anything or anyone right now. I just want to be alone in my room.

Find us on our Facebook for cheerier posts than this one! I have a friend who is also posting on my page now, so you'll get more variety of crafts on the D.I.Y. Daily Facebook page.