Awesome DIY Flip Flop Hangers

Good morning!

Another month almost under our belts - WOW - doesn't it seem like January is just flying by?  Before we know it summer will be here! And speaking of summer, today's 'how-to' will be much needed when summer comes.

For all of you who don't use pinterest or haven't been invited yet, I am sharing a post from there that I think is just brilliant!  This is just the ticket if you have a BUNCH of flip flops like me.  It appears easy to do and certainly keeps them better organized than being all over the house! Love this idea, don't you?  

Well, if you love it as much as I do then follow my link to see how it's done! Big thanks to Jen at epbot.com for giving us the tutorial!

Flip Flop Hangers

So what are you waiting for - summer will be here before you know it!

Have a wonderful Wednesday - see ya soon!

My Birthday Present and Missing All of You

Good morning!!  

Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted! I'm a Bad Blogger!! LOL! I'll try not to let that happen again....

I have a confession to make. I've been a little preoccupied with something.  My awesome better half gave me a wonderful birthday present this year.  Yes, it's a 10.1 inch Toshiba Thrive Android Honeycomb 3.1 Tablet!!!!!! 

I LOVE this thing!  It does so many things and I'm still discovering new and amazing apps everyday.  

I'm an avid reader and now have a whole library of e-books (approx 500+) at my fingertips!  I'm able to read in 3 different apps - Overdrive Media Console (which I highly recommend), Amazon Kindle app for Android, and the Barnes and Noble Nook app for Android.  I already own a Pandigital Novel and it does a fine job, but I was looking for something more and hands down this tablet certainly has been the ticket!  

But let's not stop there.  Not only is it convenient as an e-reader, it also handles my e-mail, online browsing, and game playing.  One of the other things that I love is the Android Market and all its apps.  I have found so many that totally streamline my life.  

For example, grocery shopping has to go on the bottom of my list, but with these apps it is so much easier to keep track of what we need and even what's on sale!  (I've put these on my Droid also and it updates across our wi-fi network automatically so I just need to take my phone to shop!)  Here are the ones I like: Grocery Pal, Saving Star, and Our Groceries - now I easily save money at the store - in fact, on Sunday we saved $63.50 off our grocery bill - awesome!!!!

There are so many things that are terrific that I could go on and on and on - we can rent a movie at Redbox or Blockbuster Express while sitting on the couch (the other day we ordered Dominoes Pizza online in our living room) - buying a newspaper is a thing of the past - I read newspapers from all over the place but my fav is USA Today (that app is World Newspapers and it also has magazines!). Simply put, the Honey Dew app is a MUST have. Heck, I can even set up my DVR to record a program that we want to watch!  Now, I'm seriously considering making ALL my recipes digital! I'm here to tell you that the uses are endless!

Before our purchase, I was undecided and compared the Motorola Zoom, the Samsung Galaxy Tab, and the Toshiba Thrive. The things I knew for sure was that I wanted the 10.1 inch screen and an Android OS. At the end of the day, for the money, the Thrive always came out on top!  I'm sure the others are very nice as well, but with the Thrive I was able to get a 16GB 10.1 inch tablet for under $375.  And did I mention that the Thrive has a full size SD card slot so I can expand my memory?!!

I really can't say enough about this tablet!  So if you're in the market for a tablet I can say without a doubt that the Toshiba Thrive is awesome. The only thing is doesn't have is 3G capability but since I have the Droid for when I'm on the go and mainly use the tablet at home - it suits my needs quite well.  Many apps don't even need the wi-fi once they are downloaded and Mobile Hotspot is always an option.

Anyway, that's what I've been up to lately and I definitely want to get back to posting more regularly.  Thanks for your patience!

Have a wonderful Tuesday.  See ya soon!

P.S. I'm working on a new Soda Tab Bracelet and will show you when it's done - so stay tuned!

Dolphin Tale's 'Winter' and Paver Pumpkins

Good morning!  

I hope your weekend was great!  We went to see the movie "Dolphin Tale".  It is sooooooo good - please go see it if you get a chance.  It is based on a true story about a female dolphin that gets injured and how she is saved.  The star of the movie is 'Winter' and she is in Florida at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.  If you want to check her out - I've put up her live webcam feed in the upper right hand corner for the time being.  You can see her in all her glory - no tail and all!!!  Truly amazing!!! And if you want to know more, check out the Clearwater Marine Aquarium website. Just follow the link!

Now on to today's post.

Since it is now fall, I thought I'd show you a keyhole paver painted as a pumpkin.  To me pumpkins just signify fall, Halloween, and even Thanksgiving so these cuties could be used for a nice period of time in your decorating! 

This project is very simple with wonderful results.  They would sit nicely just about anywhere.  I like them as they're pictured below - sitting among a fall type garland.  They would look really good on a mantle or entryway table.  But no matter where you decide to show them off, they would look great!

Here's the link to nightowlcrafting.blogspot.com to see how it's done!

Paver Pumpkins!

Cute, huh?  What are you waiting for?  Time to decorate for fall!


Have a great Monday and I'll see ya soon!

Hurricane Irene

Good Friday to all!  What a crazy week of weather we are having.....first the earthquake and now Irene!

You may or may not know that we are located in North Carolina. Thankfully we are inland enough that the effects of Hurricane Irene will be minor in comparison to what our coastal areas will be experiencing. We are expecting heavy rain bands and tropical force wind gusts, though. We have secured everything for the just in case if the storm tracks further west. My hubby is a city mail carrier and, of course, my biggest concern is for his welfare. As of right now, he will be in the thick of things delivering the mail during this storm.  

As we watch and wait for Hurricane Irene to arrive, we are captivated by the images of this massive storm. The image below is from NASA's website. It was taken on August 22nd as the storm was crossing the Caribbean. The image was captured by the International Space Station. Although this storm is quite large and dangerous, it also is an amazing sight to see. Especially from space.  I thought that you may be interested in seeing it too - so here it is.

If you are interested in video from the Space Station, you can go here (it's about 6 minutes long):

NASA Video from 8-24-2011 of Hurricane Irene

I'm hoping that everyone is safe as this storm travels up the East Coast.  Have a great Friday.  See ya soon!

Spice Cabinet Organization Tip #2

Good Morning!  How was your weekend? Ours went by too quickly! Summer vacation is winding down - doesn't it seem like the kids just got out of school for summer break?  It goes way too fast!

I previously posted an organization tip for our spice cabinets. Well, here's another idea that is just as fantastic!  In fact, I might even like this one better than the first!  Go here to check it out:

Spicin' Things Up: Part 2!

Magnetic paint is totally awesome!  We used it in Cristian's playroom and it worked very well.  So if you are hesitant to try it - don't be - you'll love it!


Have a great Monday!  See ya soon.

Spice Cabinet Organization Tip #1

Hey!

With school about to start and Cristian being gone all day - my days will become my own once again (at least during school hours!).  It will be strange for the first week or so, but I can guarantee that I'll get back into a routine quickly.   I'm want to tackle my to do list but there's so much on it that I don't know where to start!

Speaking of my to do list....when I came across this idea for organizing my spice cabinet - it immediately went on it!  I love that you can see the spices in the containers and it makes more room in the actual cabinet.  I checked online and the magnetic containers are $1.99 each - a bargain!

Do you have a messy spice cabinet like me?  Then don't wait another minute - check out how to get it in tip top shape here!

Kitchen - Spicin' Things Up!   

Don't you love it?  I also noticed that The Container Store has magnetic strips that you could use also.  Either way, it makes for a much more organized spice cabinet!

Have a great over the hump day!  See ya soon.

Danish Aebleskivers

Good morning!

If you are wondering what a Danish Aebleskiver is - then this post is for you! I have been wanting this pan for the longest time. It is also available at Williams Sonoma but in my opinion is a little pricey at $40. But now I've found my favorite site for everything that involves baking, The Prepared Pantry!!

This site has it all - recipes, tools, mixes, ingredients, supplies, gifts - positively amazing!!!! Anything and everything you could possibly want or need to make some awesome things. I so wish I had found this site before Mother's Day, but I have a birthday coming in September - LOL!!!!  (Maybe my hubby will get it for me early.)

There are so many variations with these little pancake puffs - the sky is virtually the limit.  Breakfast, snack, or dessert - the choice is yours to make!  The link below for the pan and mix combo also has a YouTube video showing how to make these delectable little treats - chocolate with chocolate filling!!! So Yummy. After watching you may just order your pan today!

Recipe for Danish Aebleskivers as shown at preparedpantry.com:

A holiday in Denmark often begins with a breakfast of puffy little pastries called aebleskiver (ebleskiver). Traditionally, they are made with an apple filling or served with applesauce (hence their name). Like other great pastries, wonderful variations have evolved. You’ll love aebleskiver with jam fillings and cream cheese fillings.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose or cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
filling of your choice
powdered sugar

Directions

1. Mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
2. Separate the eggs, the yolks from the whites. Set the yolks aside. Beat the egg whites until light and fluffy and soft peaks form.
3. Add the egg yolks and the buttermilk to the flour mixture and stir until combined. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
4. Grease your aebleskiver pan with a spray dispenser or with butter (spray your pan again as needed). Heat the pan over medium heat. When hot, fill each cup one-third full with batter. Add a small amount of filling to each. Cover with an additional one-third batter. (Try using the Medium Quick Release Scoop to cleanly drop the batter into the cups.)
5. Cook for one to one and one-half minutes before turning. (You can turn your aebleskiver with a toothpick or skewer.) Cook for another minute or until done. Remove to a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

The recipe above is from scratch but The Prepared Pantry has many mixes to choose from.  If you want to make your own Aebleskiver then you must check out this deal!!!

Danish Aebleskiver Pan and a free mix can be yours for the amazing price of $26.99 - and it's cast iron to boot!  Sign me up!

Happy baking!!  Have a great day.  See ya soon. 

Finally - Mobile Picture Scanning!!

This is the coolest gadget I've seen in a long
time!  Check it out at the link below
or the link in Sites I Love.  I've also placed

the YouTube Demo in the right side bar.

Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner

Mobile, Accurate, Quick and Simple,
Versatile, and Keeps the Photo Safe!!
Comes Well Equipped and is
Reasonably Priced - have
a look see! So Cool!!

Have a fantastic Saturday! See ya soon!

MeebleMail and Meat Pie

Good morning and happy TGIF!!!!

Wondering what this is?  Well, it's just an example of the awesome stationary that you can use to personalize your e-mail!  This is brand new and is FREE to try.  Go here to check it out and get started:  MeebleMail  Absolutely love this!!!!!!  In fact, I like it so much that I've added it to my Sites I Love in the right sidebar.

I just finished picking out 2 that I liked and tested it in my gmail account.  It works like a charm - easy, step by step instructions at the website made it simple to set up.  There are so many designs available to choose from - it's not easy to pick just one!

Ok, you might have noticed a few new things here in the past few weeks.  The link to watch the American Bald Eagles and their 3 eaglets (which by the way are getting pretty big already),  the link to eWillow.com to our new studio that will share our 'kreations', and, last but certainly not least, the orange ribbon that I wear for my friend, Michele.

(FYI: If you haven't had the chance to check out the Eagles in Decorah, IA, I highly recommend taking the time to do so.  These majestic birds are amazing and watching the eaglets grow is fascinating.  The eaglets are so comical sometimes and always make me smile.  Cristian is hooked - in fact, we all are!  We are getting quite an education about eagles, that's for sure.)

The strawberry jam making was a success on Wednesday.  So happy to have fresh strawberries available to us this early in the year - now we just have to wait for blueberries and blackberries - YUM!

Tonight is Friday Night Game Night and our friends are coming for dinner.  We're having Meat Pie at the request of my friend's daughter.  I know you're asking what in the world is meat pie, right?  Go here for the recipe: food.com (You won't be disappointed!) 

Looks good doesn't it?  I can assure you that it most definitely is!

Have a great rest of your Friday and see ya soon!

'GOTCHA DAY' and Decorah Eagles 3rd Egg Hatch

As we were enjoying dinner last night with friends at Texas Steak House for Cristian's 'Gotcha Day', the 3rd egg hatched in Decorah, Iowa.  Of course, after having watched over the past few days and to have missed the last egg hatching was very disappointing.  But thanks to the folks at the Raptor Resource Project and Xcel Energy, we can relive the moment at YouTube!  And lucky for you, I've included that video in today's post. (See above)

As I mentioned, yesterday was Cristian's 'Gotcha Day'.  It is a very special day in our family because that is the day that we officially became one!  Each year we honor this day with a small celebration of sorts. 

On April 6, 2003, we were blessed with an incredible boy who we proudly call son.  Hence, his 'Gotcha Day' celebrations began!  Every year on this special day he gets to pick a favorite meal at home or place to eat out and usually he gets to do something special as well.  This year he chose the steak house for dinner and he's having a couple of friends sleep over on Saturday night.  We're hoping for good weather because they want to sleep in the tent and so far it looks good for that!

Well, that's it for today.  Enjoy the video and we'll chat soon!

Visit Nesting American Bald Eagles and Their Newly Hatched Babies!!!

Hello, friends.  Hopefully your weekend was good.  Ours was, but busy.

Let me explain the title of my post today.  My internet provider's homepage has streaming news.  One of the stories caught my eye yesterday about Eagles and their eggs hatching being watched by over 100,000 people.  As a bird watcher (we have a bluebird nesting box in our backyard and every year we watch them nest and then wait for the eggs and babies) I had to check out the story and ended up going to the link to see the nest cam (pictured above).

The nest is in Decorah, Iowa and it's in conjunction with Xcel Energy and the Raptor Resource Project.  I have to say that it's pretty amazing, to say the very least.  Cristian is just tickled pink to be able to watch these eagles on a live feed.  Sadly, after I took him to school this morning, it was feeding time for the 2 babies and he missed it.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that hopefully this afternoon he will be able to see it.  Also, it appears that there is still one egg to hatch and I really hope we can catch it as it happens - he will love it!

Decorah Eagles and Babies Nest Cam  ***Link Updated 4-7-2011***

I've provided two links for you today.  The Xcel Energy link will take you to their homepage of the 2011 bird cams for not only the eagles but other birds as well.  The 2nd link is for the live cam feed for the American Bald Eagles and the hatchlings.  Take a few minutes and check it out.  It's pretty cool to be able to watch them and maybe you'll get lucky and see the last egg hatch or the babies be fed!!!!

Have a great day. 

Sand Art - "Emotions"

If you've never seen this before I can only describe it with one word - AMAZING!

****As the sand art is done to music, please be sure to pause my playlist at the bottom of screen before beginning this video.****

This comes from Ilana Yahav of SandFantasy.  She is a world renowned Sand Animation Artist and her work is something to see!  With only her fingers, she draws on a glass table with sand.

Sit back and watch - I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Have a great day!