Free Amazon Prime Student for 6 Months

I found this great bargain and had to share. Amazon Prime for Students has an offer of 6 months free (a $39 offer). This is a great deal!

Included in Prime Membership are free Amazon shipping, Prime instant videos and the Kindle library. Definately worth checking out. 

The link is here:  Amazon Prime for Students.  Just remember that if you don't cancel after 6 months, they will automatically sign you up for another 6 months at $39. Still not a bad price for what will be an entire year of service. 

Pass it on!

Versatile Blogger Award

How awesome is it that I just received the Versatile Blogger Award!  I feel so honored for the recognition and acknowledgement.  Thanks so much to Robin Hartman of Snips and Snails for giving me the award. 

 

Pay It Forward; this is how it works:

• Thank the person that nominated you, and give a shout out to them on your blog with a link to theirs.
• Share 7 random facts about yourself.
• Send the blog award to 15 other bloggers whose blogs you love and appreciate, and let them know they won the award.

7 Random Facts About Me:

• I have a 3 legged dog named Marcella.
• Will and Grace always makes me laugh.
• I spend way too much time on Pinterest.
• My motto is live, love, laugh, and learn. (Most people leave off the learn part).
• My mom is one of my very best friends.
• I have a new grandson due to arrive any day now (welcome Marcus Robert)!
• I've been "green" since the concept was first around in the 1970's.

The following are the blogs that I'd like to receive the Versatile Blogger Award. These are some of my favorites. Check them out; I'm sure you will agree.

 

Repeat Crafter Me
Alli Crafts
I'm Topsy Turvy
The Purl Bee
Flax and Twine
Can't Stop Making Things
Maiden D'Shade
Craft Gossip
Saved By Love Creations
The Painted Hive
A Dog In a Sweater
Polish The Stars
Six Sisters Stuff
A Little Glass Box
Empress of Dirt

States I Have Been Website

I found this site on Pinterest and wanted to share. I know not everyone is on Pinterest so I thought I'd I wanted to post here as well. It's real simple: Check off the states you've visited and it creates a map for you.  I thought I was relatively well traveled but by the looks at my map, I'd better get out there more. Here's my map.

Seriously, I'm missing so much of the U.S.! I have driven through some of the southern states on my two cross country trips but I don't really consider that I visited them.....driving through doesn't seem like visiting to me. I'm thinking I should plan a road trip!

You can create your own map by clicking this link:  Visited States Map.  How about you; are you as well traveled as you thought?

My Etsy Shop is Finally Open For Business!

Clearly I've been on a crafting mission as of late. Part of my motivation is that I just love to do crafts; it really is how I express myself. Some people write, other people paint.  Me, I craft. If you've read and followed this blog, you know I've created alot of things. While I am sure my friends and family LOVE receiving my home made goodness, there's a limit.  (Seriously, how many hand crocheted animals can one kid have)?

Thanks to the wonderful encouragement I've received from friends, I decided to open my own Etsy shop. I only have a few things listed right now but there will be more to come. If you (or anyone else you know) wants me to make something particular, please let me know. You know I'm happy to do custom orders.

Here's the link to my shop:  Ant Bea Etsy Shop.  Come visit my shop!

Craft A Week #13: Finger Knitting

When I saw this craft on Pinterest, I knew I had to try it with my grandkids, particularly A.J. (age 9). A.J. is really interested in my crochet work and I "taught" him how to a few months ago.  (Not so much taught because he couldn't really do it himself; more like I sat with him and half did it for him. Being a big boy of 9 AND a perfectionist, this really didn't work for him.

I'm not sure how I never heard of hand knitting before. It's sort of like weaving (over/under) and really simple.  Here's A.J. in action:

Note that he is knitting so fast that it is all just a blur!

 

So simple. All you do is wrap the yarn around your fingers one way, wrap the opposite way on your way back, then pull first round over the second.  Can you see one of the finished scarves on the couch beside him?

Here his is proudly showing off one of his finished products while working on another.

The complete, step by step instructions can be found here:  Flax and Twine Finger Knitting.  This was a perfect craft for a 9 year old, though it was a little boring and challenging for his sister Kylie (age 8).  Anne Weil (at Flax and Twine) says she's taught much younger kids (age 4 or so) to do this but it seems to me it would have to be a very dexterous kid.  While this craft is super simple, it does take some fine motor skills.

A.J. wanted to make a scarf from his strips so I single crocheted two together to make it thicker and more substantial.  This is a great project for a kid to make as a gift. He learned how to do this last night and within a few hours, he completed two strips (which I sewed into a scarft). He made another for his sister, one for me, and now working on one for his mom.  What a great craft for a kid!

Happy Crafting!

Craft a Week #4: Tagxedo Word Picture

Man, I am on a roll this week!  I found this great site that allows you to upload pictures AND words, which then makes the words become the picture. So very cool.  The site is Tagxedo.  The program pretty easy to use and self explanatory. 

I think the greatest challenge is finding the right picture to use. My first one was a picture of Jasmine.  I used this photo:

I used this picture because it was a head shot and I thought it would work best.  First I uploaded the picture.  (Go to "Options" and click on "Shapes". Once there, either use a shape they already provide or upload a picture under the "Add Image" on the bottom right. 

Then I went into Word and typed in as many words as I could think of that made me think of her. I used words like amazing, funny, smart, creative, beautiful, daughter, sister, granddaughter, (her name), etc. When I got stuck I highlighted a word I already used and looked up synonyms.  Once I had a bunch of words, I saved it as a "txt" document so I could upload on the Tagxedo site.  To do this, go to the "Words" tab, and click "Load". Once there, click on the "File Browse" tab and upload your word file there.

And voila! your word picture is created. You may have to play around with some of the settings (under the "Word Layout" tab).  Once done, make sure to save your final document.   Maybe there's a way, but I could only figure out how to save a thumbnail on my computer.  The larger word picture does save on the Tagxedo site but I wanted to be able to save and play with it as a picture on my C drive. 

Here's my final product:

I don't like this Polly Pocket version because you can't see the actual shading of her face that compliments the photo (and really helps define it).  It does print out okay though. I think I'm going to work on these for the grandkids: print, frame, and hang in the spare bedroom. That way when they come to spend the night, they can see how their Gam really feels about them (lots and lots of love). 

You can also chose a shape, link a website, and create a word picture. Here's my RBG Word Picture:

I think this is a very cool site and worth playing with. Who wouldn't love a gift of a word picture that lets people know how much you love them?! And it allows me to do two of my favorite things at once: writing and crafting!

Happy Crafting

These Are A Few of My Favorite Things (Crafting Websites)

My friends and family ask me where I come up with my creative craft ideas. While I am pretty crafty in my own right, I get ALOT of ideas from other craft websites.  I can spend hours upon hours trolling the net seeking out innovative inspiration.  The following are some of my favorites:

Design*Sponge

Design*Sponge is a design blog run by Brooklyn-based writer, Grace Bonney. My favorite sections of this blog are the DIY and the Before/After sections.  Many of the projects listed here are definately for the more advanced crafter (who has carpentary skills). But they are also the most spectacular projects I've seen. Given my limited experiece with power tools, most of these projects go in my "some day" folder. It's not that they are hard; I just don't really know what I'm doing with that kind of equipment.  Definately worth exploring.  Design Sponge

I LOVE this site!  Ravelry is a free, member generated site dedicated to fiber arts (crocheting, knitting, etc.). They have many free patterns, instructions, and how to's (both video and print). This is one of the first sites I go to when trying to find a new crochet idea.  Ravelry

This is another free, member generated craft site. Members can post on any craft topic. As with Ravelry, alot of the projects include instructions (or links to them. We crafters are an unselfish bunch, aren't we?!). They also have articles relating to crafting, as well as periodic crafting contests.  The only downside with this site is that signing up for membership seems to be a bit of a challenging process.  In any case, it is a very fun site!  In fact, I entered their toy making contest solely on the hopes of winning something with their logo on!  I love their humor.  Craftster

Another free, member generated site. Amazing ideas here!  I am just so amazed at the creativy and innovation that crafters have. Most have instructions. A great way to waste time and get inspired.  Craftgawker

I just found this site, thanks to my dear friend Denise. This place is amazing!  They have a whole host of topics that people post under but my favorite is the DIY  & Crafts section. Many of the postings include instructions (which is always a plus). You can find ANYTHING here!  Guaranteed to give you inspiration for whatever you are in the mood to do!  Pinterest

I'm sure there are many more crafting sites out there. If you have any favorites, please share them in the comments section.  Happy crafting!

Craft A Week #1: Wonky Donkeys

I'm adding a new section to the blog titled "Craft a Week".  If you know me, you know that I do LOTS of crafts but things don't always end up posted here on Random Bits. I figure if I have this section, it will keep me accountable and I get to share the fun things I'm working on. (One of my New Year's resolutions is to get my crafting out to the world; I do some cool stuff but am not always the best at self promotion).  I will try to post instructions along with the project (given my time limits). If there is ever something I make that doesn't have instructions, please let me know and I will do my best to get them to you.

This first entry is called "Wonky Donkeys".  I created it in response to the call for home crafted toys contest at www.craftser.org.  I love this site and find alot of inspiration (and instructions) there.  I especially like their merchandise.  One of my favorite slogans is "Craftster: Rock is Dead; Long Live Paper and Scissors" (a little crafting humor - and yes, I am a Craft Geek)!

The link to my entry is here:  Wonky Donkeys: Vote for Me!  You will need to sign up for Craftser in order to vote and I appreciate your time and attention if you do.  (The entry also has a link to the pattern I used as the foundation for my donkeys). 

Thanks in advance for voting. Happy Crafting! 

Aren't they cute?!  They look so in love!

Donkey #1

Donkey #2

Popcorn Recipe Book

In Sunday's paper there was an ad for The Popcorn Factory. We don't have a retailer here (I only remember one years ago at the Glendale Galleria). I thought about sending a tin of popcorn to the grandkids for a gift. When I looked on the site, I found their prices are pretty high ($39.99 + $9 for shipping).

A quick search online led me to the Popcorn.org website. It seems to be the definative site for all things popcorn!  They provide a free pdf popcorn recipe book, found here: Popcorn Recipes.  Who knew you could do so many things with popcorn?! Some of them seem a little out there (creme brulee with popcorn topping; popcorn and mushroom crusted tilapia; coconut popcorn crunch pie) but others sound yummy (caramel almond popcorn clusters; bacon and cheese popcorn; easy carmel corn).

Later I'm going to try the Cinnamon Sugar Kettle Corn. (I'll post pictures and details).  I also think I will make Timothy some Brown Sugar Lollipops for his birthday.

Freebies, Coupons, and Coupon Code Websites

I LOVE to get stuff for free! I troll sites for free samples because I like trying out new products. I get samples that I use for my travel bag (shampoo, conditioner, tooth paste, body wash) or I use to stock a basket of supplies in my guest room.  There's alot of places on the internet that list these but here's a few of my favorites:

Wal Mart Free Samples: These change pretty often so check back frequently.
Buxr Freebies: This is a great site! They not only have lots of freebies but also have fantastic deals (under the coupons tab).
Absurdly Cool: Lists lots of freebies and good deals.

I NEVER pay full price when I buy online!  There are so many sites that list coupons and codes. Here's some of my favorites:

Deal News: I look under the "Editor's Choice" tab. They too list freebies but also coupon codes and fantastic sales. I found the code on here for my Droid that enabled me to get it for free when the Verizon site was charging $200 for it!
Pinching Your Pennies: This site offers some freebie links too but lists alot of sales and coupon codes.
Crazy About Deals: Another site that lists freebies, coupons and sales.
Mommy Saves Big: More freebies, coupons and sales.
Coupon Dork: First, love the name!  This site starts with a pull down menu that you select the store you are looking for (for example, Target) and it lists coupons and free shipping codes.
Just Rebates: A big list of current rebate offers.
All You: The magazine All You lists a wide array of coupons and free samples.
Coupon Cravings: Does what it says! Coupons!
Retail Me Not: Coupons and codes. This is definately one of my "go to" sites when I find something I want online. They usually have a code that enables discounts and/or free shipping.

Finally, Ebates!  Before I buy anything online, I check to see if they participate with Ebates. To use, set up an account with Ebates (for free: use my awanadalla@verizon.net as a referral and I get $5 credit for referring you). Then look for the online store you want to place your order. Click on the store and you will be transferred there through Ebates. Each store has a varying ebate (between 2% for Walmart, up to 26% for Magazines.com). Ebates will then send you a quarterly check for your rebates.  It my not seem like alot but it adds up. I've received $240 in rebates since I joined the site in 2008: Not going to get rich off it but it's still money!

I find Ebates the best for magazines subscriptions. Especially during the holidays, magazines go on sale. The sale, along with the rebate, allows me to get some great deals on magazines (like Cosmo for $9.00 a year subscription). Great gifts!

I know Shana has some favorite freebie and coupon sites as well. Shana, please feel free to share your links in the comments.

Happy Savings Time!

Homemade Canned Salsa Recipe

Yesterday I stopped by my favorite farmer's market Oak Grove Farms. If you haven't been, it is located off Williams Grove Road in Mechanicsburg. They have amazing produce: All locally grown and incredibly fresh. Their prices aren't much higher than the regular grocery store and you can't beat the taste!

At this time of year they always have boxes of "seconds": Fruits and veggies that need to be used up in short order before they go bad. I always get tomatoes there for canning. Yesterday I got a big box of tomatoes and peppers for only $8.50!

 

I loved the mix of tomatoes and peppers.  So many flavors! (I still have 1/4 box of roma tomatoes and a gallon bag of peppers, even after making all this salsa)!

Here's the recipe:

Tomatoes- 20 cups peeled, cored, chopped tomatoes, which takes about about 8 lbs (yes, quite a few - you remove the skins, seeds and a lot of the water, so it takes a lot to start.)

6 cups seeded, chopped chile peppers (about 2 lbs worth - less if you want a milder salsa)

1/2 cup seeded, chopped jalapeno peppers

5 cups chopped red onions (I used 4: didn't really measure them)

1 head of garlic, finely chopped

1.5 cups cider vinegar or lemon juice

1 tablespoon oregano leaves

1/2 cup fresh cilantro*

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 t chili powder

1 18 oz can of tomato paste

Remove tomatoe skins by dropping cored tomatoes into boiling water. Let them in the water for 3-4 minutes then scoop out and drop into ice water. This process allows you to remove the skins quickly and easily.

Once the tomatoes are skinned, squeeze out the seeds and liquidy insides.  Because I wanted to can this salsa, this step is important. If you don't remove the liquid, the end result of the salsa will be really watery. Chop up the tomatoes and dump into a big enamel pot, turned on medium heat.

I then chopped up the peppers, onion, garlic, and cilantro in the food processer, which I added to the tomatoes. Add the spices as well. By this time, the mixture was starting to heat up and there was some liqued in the bottom of the pot. I scooped out about a cup or so and put in the food processor along with the tomatoe past. I whipped this up (just so it would be well blended) and put back into the tomato mixture.

I add the tomato paste because it helps make the salsa thicker. When you heat the salsa during the canning process, it draws the water out of the tomatoes. Eventhough you think you got alot of water out of the tomatoes, they still have a high water content.

I let this mixture cook on the stove for about 10 minutes. You don't need to cook this all that long as the canning process will do that for you.  (Once I got all the ingredients into the salsa pot, I filled up my canning pot and set the water to boil. While that was happening, I filled my clean, sanitized jars with the salsa mixture). This recipe made 12 pint jars of salsa.

Put the filled jars into the boiling water and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the sealed jars and allow to cool on the counter. Viola! Enough salsa to last through the spring!

If you want information on canning, Pick Your Own is one of my favorite sites. They have recipes and canning details, as well as links to local places where you can pick your own produce. 

Invest in a Girl, Save the World

The Girl Effect is a project that focuses on investing in girls to stop the cycle of poverty. Some of the facts from their website include:

•  When a girl in the developing world receives seven or more years of education, she marries four years later and has 2.2 fewer children.
• An extra year of primary school boosts girls’ eventual wages by 10 to 20 percent. An extra year of secondary school: 15 to 25 percent.
• Research in developing countries has shown a consistent relationship between better infant and child health and higher levels of schooling among mothers.
• When women and girls earn income, they reinvest 90 percent of it into their families, as compared to only 30 to 40 percent for a man.
• Approximately one-quarter of girls in developing countries are not in school.
• Out of the world’s 130 million out-of-school youth, 70 percent are girls.

While their focus is on girls on a global level, I contend that we need to use the same principles nationally. We have a large portion of our girls who live in poverty. Girls in poverty, regardless of where they live, are at risk of repeating the cycle of poverty.

Invest in a Girl, Save the World.

Random Bits of Goodness Mirror

Those who know me understand that I truly enjoy kids, toys, and crafts. I love my grandchildren (and their friends, and my neighbor's kids). Our family has six children between the ages of 3 and 9 (and another sweet little baby joining us in March 2012). 

Five of our six children are within 2 years of each other so they've gone through the same developmental cycles around the same time. That means I've got alot of little plastic toys all over my house! Now that the most of the kids have outgrown them, I was on the lookout for something to do with all the residual playthings. (Obviously, I wasn't about to just toss the stuff out).  I came upon this very cool project!

The good people at the website "Can't Stop Making Things" (don't you love that name?!) gave me a solution. They call it a Faux Metal Mirror. I call it Random Bits of Goodness! I love all the little chachke that comes with little kids. This project gave me a great way to recycle, save and display toys that would otherwise have been thrown away.

It's a proces, so bear with me!

Supplies:

• Artist Canvas (mine is 16" x 20")
• Mirror tile (mine is 12" x 12")
• Lots of discarded plastic toys, or anything in your junk drawer (mine took alot. I knew there was a reason I saved all those KinderEgg toys)!
• Liquid Nails glue
• Spray paint for plastic (I bought pink because it was on sale at Ollie's for .99)
• Primer spray paint (I used rust color)
• Copper Metal & Patina Glaze by Valspar
• Antiquing Glaze by Valspar
• Clear spray

Tools

• Masking tape
• Paint brush
• Clean cloth (to apply the Antiquing Glaze)

Note: "Can's Stop Making Things" said to use Copper Topper but I couldn't find it locally so I substituted the Valspar products.

This is what I started with. I centered and glued the mirror onto the canvas.

Glue all the goodies onto the canvas, around the mirror.

Here's a close up. This was a process for me. I put things where I thought I wanted them but let it sit overnight before glueing in place. I'm glad I did because I changed some things. When you are satisfied with your placement, glue them into place.

Tape off the mirror. Spray paint with a paint made for plastic. The color doesn't matter. (Mine was pink). This coat is just so the true base coat will adhere appropriately. Apparently it will stick better if all pieces are covered in the plastic paint. I used several light coats to make sure everything was covered without dripping.

Allow to completely dry. Once that is done, spray with the rust primer.  Again, use light coats but make sure to completely cover all sides of the objects with the paint.

The Valspar product says to allow the base coat to dry at least 4 hours before using. This was a total test of patience for me as I really wanted to see the completed project!



The next step was to apply the copper glaze. I put two coats on, allowing the first coat to dry before applying the second. While the second coat is still wet, I applied the antiqueing glaze. I let it dry overnight and then sprayed with the sealer.

Viola! My completed project!  I absolutely love how it came out! I don't think the pictures really do it justice. I'm still waiting for the sealer to dry and I will take more pictures later. Looks like metal, right?! I was going to hang this in my spare bedroom but I love it so much I think I will hang in the living room.

Since this came out so well, I'm going to make another picture. I'm interested in religious iconography and think I shall do one with crosses and angels. Stay tuned!

Interactive Art

Candy Chang is an interactive artist who installed some very cool projects in New Orleans. While this installation is large and based in a public area, I can also see it on a much smaller scale (maybe 3' x 4'?) on a wall of the deck. It would be a great conversation starter, as well as a wonderful way to get to know your loved ones better.  Very cool!

Candy Change Interactive Art

Amazon Trade In Program

I knew that Amazon had a book buy back program but just realized they will also give you gift cards for used electronics, games, and dvd's as well.   I did just a quick search of some videos I have (that are brand new) and found they offer about $10 each. How great is that! If you are like me, once I'm done watching a video, I am done.

I am all about saving (and making) money. I think this is definately worth taking a little bit of time to see what you can trade in. Christmas is right around the corner and we will all need some more cash!

Amazon Trade In Program

Remodeling and Decorating Ideas

When you are remodeling and/or decorating, the options can be overwhelming.  The following site is an incredible resource! You can browse by both style and space, which is great. You can save ideas in your Ideabook (online storage). You can also read (or submit your own) questions for decorating suggestions.  Very cool resource!
houzz.com

Consumerist Website

Another staple of my daily reading is the Consumerist website. They provide an incredible amount of useful information. (They are affiliated with Consumer Reports). The site offers a range of info, including suggestions on how to save money, product recalls, and how to productively launch company disputes.

http://consumerist.com

Bargainist Website

Anyone who knows me has heard me talk about the Bargainist website. It is one of my absolute favorites and I review it every day. They do a great job of locating deals (on-line and some coupons). I highly recommend checking them out.