All states don't have the law mandating auto insurance carriers to give you a 10% discount on car insurance if you take this defensive driving class when you are 55 or older. The first time around it is an 8 hour class. Then every 3 years you are required to take a 4 hour refresher class. From what I remember, it seems each time they cover entirely different subjects!
These are a few things I learned this time around. They now recommend you keep your hands at the 8 and 4 o'clock positions on the steering wheel. Relax your shoulders. Don't grip the wheel but palm it. He said studies of injuries when air bags deployed showed broken ribs, black and blue eyes, broken wrists etc. He paused for effect.... all self inflicted! Allow enough room between the wheel and your body and if you see an accident coming, try to let your face fall into the airbag, not shield your head with your hands and arms.
I learned that there is a W license plate for people who have had DWI's and have limited driving privileges. I have never noticed that! Now I'm curious.
If you are having trouble with night vision, make sure your glasses are clean and both the entire inside and outside of the windshield, as well as the headlights. I suspect scratched glasses and pitted windshields might be part of the problem.
Children 8 and younger and I think it was 4'9 and under need to be in a booster seat... in the back seat of course. There is a list of the testing results of the most popular brands. He said the 4 on the bottom were the Evenflo brand. Check out the safety ratings!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Cat Owners.... I scream, they scream for Greenies!
The cat snacks were moved near the bulk cat litter at my favorite pet store. I saw red tags on a few so took a look. They were $1.79 a package instead of $5. I got several kinds and then a different type entirely called Greenies. Oh my. I have a dog and two cats. I got the dog just a year ago from the Humane Society so have tried various snacks for him. He'd go potty outside and come in, and I'd offer a treat. He's very finicky and he doesn't like a lot of those from the smorgasboard treat area of the store. Seriously. He drops them out of his mouth when he tastes what I gave him. Ditto for biscuits at Culvers and the bank. My hunter cat Lilly would come at me, sit down, look at me and loudly meow. Her message has been clear. If you give the dogs treats I want treats too!
She can get out the door in a flash. If it's day time, she'll lounge on a chair on the patio. However if she gets out near dark she can disappear and be gone all night. Then I worry. I do my best to have her inside before dark. Now, she knows the sound of that treat bag! When I call her name and go outside and jiggle the bag she comes RUNNING! Down out of a tree, off the roof, off the shed, off she runs.
The dog also loves them. I give him a few when I give them some. I scatter them all over the floor in an effort to make the fat cat move around more. At first she just sat next to her food dish. Then as she saw Lilly gobble them up, she got the idea.
She can get out the door in a flash. If it's day time, she'll lounge on a chair on the patio. However if she gets out near dark she can disappear and be gone all night. Then I worry. I do my best to have her inside before dark. Now, she knows the sound of that treat bag! When I call her name and go outside and jiggle the bag she comes RUNNING! Down out of a tree, off the roof, off the shed, off she runs.
The dog also loves them. I give him a few when I give them some. I scatter them all over the floor in an effort to make the fat cat move around more. At first she just sat next to her food dish. Then as she saw Lilly gobble them up, she got the idea.
Oven Caramel Corn Recipe from Betty Crocker
I am making this today for Elena to take to a party. They specified to bring Halloween snacks.
I don't know how easy it is to find this recipe so I thought I would share it.
3 3/4 quarts ( 15 cups) popped corn ( I wouldn't use the bags with oil or butter added. Just plain!)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ( tsp) salt
1/2 tsp baking soda ( wait to read before throwing this in!)
Heat oven to 200 F. Divide popped corn between 2 ungreased baking pans 13 by 9 by 2 inches ( or a roasting pan if you're multiplying the recipe)
Heat sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt, stirring occasionally, until bubbly around the edges. Continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add the baking soda until foamy. Pour over the popped corn, stirring until the popcorn is coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
Then you'll need to clean your kitchen and wash the floor! I made the popcorn in a cast iron pan using olive oil, because I ran out of other cooking oils. I have an old flat cover that I put on the pan and keep jiggling it to coat the popcorn and help the heat distribute evenly.
I don't know how easy it is to find this recipe so I thought I would share it.
3 3/4 quarts ( 15 cups) popped corn ( I wouldn't use the bags with oil or butter added. Just plain!)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ( tsp) salt
1/2 tsp baking soda ( wait to read before throwing this in!)
Heat oven to 200 F. Divide popped corn between 2 ungreased baking pans 13 by 9 by 2 inches ( or a roasting pan if you're multiplying the recipe)
Heat sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt, stirring occasionally, until bubbly around the edges. Continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add the baking soda until foamy. Pour over the popped corn, stirring until the popcorn is coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
Then you'll need to clean your kitchen and wash the floor! I made the popcorn in a cast iron pan using olive oil, because I ran out of other cooking oils. I have an old flat cover that I put on the pan and keep jiggling it to coat the popcorn and help the heat distribute evenly.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Harnessing the Unbounding Energy of Children LIterally!
How many times have you watched children play, seemingly tirelessly, and you or someone said "I wish I had that energy" or "I wish I could harness that energy". Well my nephew did! Such a clever plot too!
You can see photos and read about it on the University of Michigan Ann Arbor web site on reusing materials, "green" inventions.
My nephew Nolan, his beautiful wife Cara, and other graduate students went to Liberia to work on several issues that would improve life there. I think they call themselves Engineers without Borders. There are photos at the U Mich web site of the group building several things. My sister ( his mother) has a very dry sense of humor. She said " I was told they are Pro child labor and will build a merry go round to produce electricity when those unsuspecting children use it. They also will capture the waste from the latrines to use for fuel etc. It is called "Engineers without Borders" .
So they build a wood merry go round similar to the ones in playgrounds in the 50's that power a generator. The generator then provides power for lights at the school at night. Of course the children were ecstatic with the merry go round. I think it's pure genius!
You can see photos and read about it on the University of Michigan Ann Arbor web site on reusing materials, "green" inventions.
My nephew Nolan, his beautiful wife Cara, and other graduate students went to Liberia to work on several issues that would improve life there. I think they call themselves Engineers without Borders. There are photos at the U Mich web site of the group building several things. My sister ( his mother) has a very dry sense of humor. She said " I was told they are Pro child labor and will build a merry go round to produce electricity when those unsuspecting children use it. They also will capture the waste from the latrines to use for fuel etc. It is called "Engineers without Borders" .
So they build a wood merry go round similar to the ones in playgrounds in the 50's that power a generator. The generator then provides power for lights at the school at night. Of course the children were ecstatic with the merry go round. I think it's pure genius!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Ebay Fees
In my opinion, they are unbelievably complicated! I have at times studied the charts and still come up with the wrong answer. You have to know what category your item belongs in. If you have a store and sell an item at auction it is a different price from if you don't have a store. The insertion fees vary depending on whether you have a store, type of listing and type of store. You have to scroll all the way down on the ebay charts to make sure you are seeing all the variables.
Take the time to figure things out. Don't forget to add on the 30 cents per transaction and 2.9% for paypal. ( By the way, I checked out other alternative companies such as propal and the cost was exactly the same as paypal. )
Here is one fee calculator:
http://www.rolbe.com/ebay.htm
Here is the one on the ebay web site:
http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/news/Feecalculator.html
Store owners got the fee increase on shipping as of July 6, 2011. It really is a huge increase for sellers of craft items. I checked out other alternatives. There are many alternatives to ebay. The problem is that the amount of traffic is much lower. No matter how much less the fees are, if you aren't selling much you aren't going to be making much money!
Here is a list of some of the alternatives:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/205872039439503?view=doc&id=206583379368369
Webstore and ebid seem to be the most popular from comments I have heard.
It means learning a whole new system. Do you have the same items listed on both web sites? What if the item sells twice then and you have one item? Listing is very time consuming. I read that it is possible on some of these sites to upload your listings from ebay. I haven't checked that out myself.
Take the time to figure things out. Don't forget to add on the 30 cents per transaction and 2.9% for paypal. ( By the way, I checked out other alternative companies such as propal and the cost was exactly the same as paypal. )
Here is one fee calculator:
http://www.rolbe.com/ebay.htm
Here is the one on the ebay web site:
http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/news/Feecalculator.html
Store owners got the fee increase on shipping as of July 6, 2011. It really is a huge increase for sellers of craft items. I checked out other alternatives. There are many alternatives to ebay. The problem is that the amount of traffic is much lower. No matter how much less the fees are, if you aren't selling much you aren't going to be making much money!
Here is a list of some of the alternatives:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/205872039439503?view=doc&id=206583379368369
Webstore and ebid seem to be the most popular from comments I have heard.
It means learning a whole new system. Do you have the same items listed on both web sites? What if the item sells twice then and you have one item? Listing is very time consuming. I read that it is possible on some of these sites to upload your listings from ebay. I haven't checked that out myself.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Tips for Ebay Selling
I hope that this doesn't get buried in my craft posts. I think many more people would be interested in this topic. I have had an ebay store for 2 1/2 years and sold using auctions before that. I will post about ebay from time to time but I just want to highlight a few things here.
A regular seller should work hard to get top rated seller status as it gives you a 20% discount on seller fees. Recently ebay started charging fees on the shipping! This was very bad news for those who sell fairly heavy but inexpensive items. They are pushing "free" shipping. Of course you then have to roll the price you want plus shipping into the item price. You then don't have the same incentive for people to save with combined shipping. Also if they pay for items separately you end up paying more in fees. There are break points where the fees go down. Also paypal charges 30 cents per payment plus 2.9%. I have been giving free shipping on some items and then subtracting that amount I rolled in for shipping, for the international shipping price.
For example say my item costs $5 to ship in the US. The item is $20 so I list it as $25 with free shipping. International shipping costs $13.25 for the same item. So I may list shipping for $8.25.
The month before Christmas ebay has announced they will give an extra 20% discount on fees if you offer 1 day shipping service and a longer return time. I think it was 14 days or more.
Almost half of my sales are international. There are some problems. You can't put delivery confirmation on priority envelopes outside the US. Sometimes a buyer is asking you where their package is after just two weeks. Things can be hung up in customs and you have no control over it. If the buyer puts in an "item not received" claim paypal will take the money for their items out of your account and put it on hold. Several times when this happened to me, the buyer left me hanging and didn't notify me that they finally got their package. Paypal did return my money both times. The only time I actually lost money was when I sent an echeck buy to a US buyer before it had cleared. She wouldn't respond to my emails or return the item after her echeck "bounced".
I have loved getting to know international buyers. They are often thrilled to buy items not available where they live. There can be a few cranky people, like everywhere, but they are a tiny minority.
To sell on ebay on a regular basis I recommend a store. Also buy a good postal sale so you can print off shipping labels on your home printer, at a discount. You can even ask online for a postal carrier pick up . It sames gas money and time. Delivery confirmation is included for just 19 cents.
Paypal doesn't allow you to print labels using first class international. They won't cover you as a seller with first class international either. However it is very limiting. I discovered almost through accident that I could print 1st class international on the ebay side. It's odd that they are linked but not completely. If you print labels using the ebay side you'll need to go to paypal to mark it shipped. You wouldn't HAVE to but it helps keep track of things.
I don't recommend using the "community forums" for information. You get some incorrect information and some rather "know it all" types looking to point out some error you made. You can call paypal or ebay right up and ask questions but ebay will sometimes keep putting you on hold and then evidently go to other callers! I once spent an hour getting a 5 minute question answered. With the robotic help you get some pat answers that may not fit. I recommend using the answer center. If you use the community forums look through a number of responses and try to figure out the correct answers.
I recommend fixed prices! More later.
A regular seller should work hard to get top rated seller status as it gives you a 20% discount on seller fees. Recently ebay started charging fees on the shipping! This was very bad news for those who sell fairly heavy but inexpensive items. They are pushing "free" shipping. Of course you then have to roll the price you want plus shipping into the item price. You then don't have the same incentive for people to save with combined shipping. Also if they pay for items separately you end up paying more in fees. There are break points where the fees go down. Also paypal charges 30 cents per payment plus 2.9%. I have been giving free shipping on some items and then subtracting that amount I rolled in for shipping, for the international shipping price.
For example say my item costs $5 to ship in the US. The item is $20 so I list it as $25 with free shipping. International shipping costs $13.25 for the same item. So I may list shipping for $8.25.
The month before Christmas ebay has announced they will give an extra 20% discount on fees if you offer 1 day shipping service and a longer return time. I think it was 14 days or more.
Almost half of my sales are international. There are some problems. You can't put delivery confirmation on priority envelopes outside the US. Sometimes a buyer is asking you where their package is after just two weeks. Things can be hung up in customs and you have no control over it. If the buyer puts in an "item not received" claim paypal will take the money for their items out of your account and put it on hold. Several times when this happened to me, the buyer left me hanging and didn't notify me that they finally got their package. Paypal did return my money both times. The only time I actually lost money was when I sent an echeck buy to a US buyer before it had cleared. She wouldn't respond to my emails or return the item after her echeck "bounced".
I have loved getting to know international buyers. They are often thrilled to buy items not available where they live. There can be a few cranky people, like everywhere, but they are a tiny minority.
To sell on ebay on a regular basis I recommend a store. Also buy a good postal sale so you can print off shipping labels on your home printer, at a discount. You can even ask online for a postal carrier pick up . It sames gas money and time. Delivery confirmation is included for just 19 cents.
Paypal doesn't allow you to print labels using first class international. They won't cover you as a seller with first class international either. However it is very limiting. I discovered almost through accident that I could print 1st class international on the ebay side. It's odd that they are linked but not completely. If you print labels using the ebay side you'll need to go to paypal to mark it shipped. You wouldn't HAVE to but it helps keep track of things.
I don't recommend using the "community forums" for information. You get some incorrect information and some rather "know it all" types looking to point out some error you made. You can call paypal or ebay right up and ask questions but ebay will sometimes keep putting you on hold and then evidently go to other callers! I once spent an hour getting a 5 minute question answered. With the robotic help you get some pat answers that may not fit. I recommend using the answer center. If you use the community forums look through a number of responses and try to figure out the correct answers.
I recommend fixed prices! More later.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The Dolls Project
I went through my boxes of magazine articles with toy patterns that I have saved since 1962 Most are designed by Joan Russell. Year after year this woman came up with new designs for Women's Day issues that were published before Christmas. Some of the patterns were published in the Women's Day Book of Soft Dolls and Toys. Google searches for Joan Russell seldom show more than this book which is out of publication.
When the book came out I couldn't justify the expense since I had the miniature patterns from the magazines. I finally bought it recently. There are many sets of dolls and toys that I never saw and missed. Also the book doesn't include everything. I wish it had more color photos. I was very surprised that it did not include the Annie doll. I've shown photos of it below.
Two of the dolls shown in the photos came from Better Homes and Gardens. They are the ones on a bed and with Santa. I have copies of some vintage doll patterns that may be used.
I have to wonder if Women's Day ever or wrote about Joan Russell. I was surprised when I looked at all these patterns to see how many I had made! When my oldest daughter was 3 years old I made an Amy doll for her with T shirt, panties that matched the ones I made for her, socks, suede shoes and calico dress. I've made her stuffed animal patterns for gifts through the years. I once taught a mother and daughter doll making class for Hmong women. They embroidered the faces with chain stitches, like they use in their embroidered murals.
This time around, I would have to figure out if I could make a doll that would sell for enough money to make it worthwhile for me. I need to figure out some quicker methods of doing faces and hair. I will be experimenting with the Lumiere paint for painting on the face, to see how washable it is. I found directions for it's use right on the bottle. I would also like to make a few dolls for charity.
I found the leftover dyed muslin I used in the mid 90's for dolls. I guess I didn't need to buy so much at Joann Fabrics! I found the fancy eyelash type yarn I wanted right in my stash of craft supplies. I found left over legs , arms and parts of simple dresses. I thought you might get a chuckle out of them.
I did a search on ebay and etsy for handmade dolls. I found that the attractive ones sold for quite a bit. Other dolls were just plain ugly! The faces were not attractive and the features were overdone. I did like the looks of the Waldorf doll, I think it was called, that was done with knit fabric. A web site showed the knit fabric costing $30 some dollars a wide yard and being out of at least some of it.
Cheers to Joan Russell toy and doll designer! We shall see what I come up with and finish!
When the book came out I couldn't justify the expense since I had the miniature patterns from the magazines. I finally bought it recently. There are many sets of dolls and toys that I never saw and missed. Also the book doesn't include everything. I wish it had more color photos. I was very surprised that it did not include the Annie doll. I've shown photos of it below.
Two of the dolls shown in the photos came from Better Homes and Gardens. They are the ones on a bed and with Santa. I have copies of some vintage doll patterns that may be used.
I have to wonder if Women's Day ever or wrote about Joan Russell. I was surprised when I looked at all these patterns to see how many I had made! When my oldest daughter was 3 years old I made an Amy doll for her with T shirt, panties that matched the ones I made for her, socks, suede shoes and calico dress. I've made her stuffed animal patterns for gifts through the years. I once taught a mother and daughter doll making class for Hmong women. They embroidered the faces with chain stitches, like they use in their embroidered murals.
This time around, I would have to figure out if I could make a doll that would sell for enough money to make it worthwhile for me. I need to figure out some quicker methods of doing faces and hair. I will be experimenting with the Lumiere paint for painting on the face, to see how washable it is. I found directions for it's use right on the bottle. I would also like to make a few dolls for charity.
I found the leftover dyed muslin I used in the mid 90's for dolls. I guess I didn't need to buy so much at Joann Fabrics! I found the fancy eyelash type yarn I wanted right in my stash of craft supplies. I found left over legs , arms and parts of simple dresses. I thought you might get a chuckle out of them.
Cheers to Joan Russell toy and doll designer! We shall see what I come up with and finish!
Sewing Projects! Princess Dresses & Dolls
I've mentioned in "the start" I am ADD. If you follow my projects you'll see it in action. I have grandiose ideas and I way underestimate the time to make them! Then sometimes I get overwhelmed and bogged down. Other times I have cranked out a lot of whatever I was making.
In August I went to S. R. Harris Fabrics in Brooklyn Center to buy a few fancy fabrics with my granddaughter Maria. She is 5 years old. She has taken sheets of paper to make a pattern for a dress for her stuffed tiger! She is intersted in fabrics and construction of a garment. It seems most little girls love dress up clothes and she LOVES LOVES them! S R Harris is a HUGE warehouse store. We had fun looking around and dragging out huge bolts to the cutting table and trying to figure out what would go with what. I wish I knew more about fabrics. There are definitely lots of unusual treasures here.
I will be finishing one dress for Christmas and one a month later for her birthday. My sister Clare helped me figure out how to put these fabrics together. I will be starting on my Christmas sewing and gifts soon.
In August I went to S. R. Harris Fabrics in Brooklyn Center to buy a few fancy fabrics with my granddaughter Maria. She is 5 years old. She has taken sheets of paper to make a pattern for a dress for her stuffed tiger! She is intersted in fabrics and construction of a garment. It seems most little girls love dress up clothes and she LOVES LOVES them! S R Harris is a HUGE warehouse store. We had fun looking around and dragging out huge bolts to the cutting table and trying to figure out what would go with what. I wish I knew more about fabrics. There are definitely lots of unusual treasures here.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Oprah's Lifeclass today October 23rd on joy and giving
She had a theme of experiencing joy. She showed a family reunited after the genocide in Rwanda. She said the happiest she ever was, when she and her team decided to gift all these children in Africa. I believe it was in South Africa. Oprah helped pick out black dolls for the little girls. There were soccer balls and other things for the boys. Then there was a box for each child, labeled with their name, with about 10 pieces of clothing for them. The clothing gave the children the greatest joy.
Maybe we get jaded and think one gift can't make that much difference to a stranger? Oprah remembers being about age 10 and a knock on the door at midnight. There were three nuns with gifts for them, a cooked turkey and food. Imagine nuns being up that late! She grew up very poor of course and the gifts made a huge difference.
I did foster care for 9 years total and was a foster care social worker for 2 years. The children that I remember as being the most excited about new clothing were ones in respite care. After all, once a child goes into foster care the county gives the foster parent some money to buy the bare bones of a wardrobe. The children in respite care live with their parents. I asked the local sewing machine store to put an 'ad' in their newsletter they mailed out. I asked if people would make up that extra fabric and bring it to the store for kids in need. I was surprised one day when they called and said they had a grocery bag full of newly sewn clothing.
I called some of the respite foster parents in my group asking who needed clothes. One had several children coming that weekend and asked me to come over. There was a little boy about 4 years old that was quite "raggedy". I didn't have anything small enough for him. I was pawing through the bag and took out this sweatshirt with a kangaroo pocket in color blocking. He wanted to try it on. It was several sizes too big. I said, it's too big and reached for it. He said "NO!" and grabbed on tight. So I let him keep it.
We have a large population of refugees that have recently come from refugee camps in Myanmar and Nepal. There is a huge apartment complex full of them, all newly arrived here. I was volunteering to tutor English with one family that my church agreed to sponsor. When I would go over there, I'd see little boys in shoes 3 sizes too big with Princess designs on them. Lots of kids in bare feet in October and November. While I searched for some winter clothes for the 3 year old on craigslist, I was able to get 3 large leaf bags of children's clothing and shoes from craigslist.
I went over there alone and opened up the back of my Tahoe. I felt like I was selling hot stuff out of it! I'd ask the kids, do you need a sweater? They recognized me from being over there. I was soon mobbed! Two little girls pushed past me and into the back of my Tahoe. I was upset! I told them to get out and that I wouldn't give them anything if they did that, and grabbed back what they had helped themselves to. I put the shoes for the 3 year old aside at my feet. Soon I had parents and grandparents pointing to a child and communicating that this child needed something. The clothes I had were all from one family of two young kids so I had nothing for kids over age 8 or so. I was sad for the kids that I couldn't help but happy that these clothes stretched pretty far. I looked down at my feet and those two girls had stolen back the shoes meant for the 3 year old.
These kids were very excited and desperate to get used clothing. When I was done, I went into the apartment of the family I was tutoring and said nothing about it. A month later they had some friends join us for the tutoring. They were speaking in their language and laughing and laughing. After awhile, I asked what they were laughing about. Sure enough it was me! They had been looking out the window that day when I was giving away those clothes. They were telling their friends about the scene.
So many families are in need. I would like to make some dolls for Christmas gifts for kids. I need to make many of my family gifts. I think I better start making better use of my time if I'm to get much done!
Maybe we get jaded and think one gift can't make that much difference to a stranger? Oprah remembers being about age 10 and a knock on the door at midnight. There were three nuns with gifts for them, a cooked turkey and food. Imagine nuns being up that late! She grew up very poor of course and the gifts made a huge difference.
I did foster care for 9 years total and was a foster care social worker for 2 years. The children that I remember as being the most excited about new clothing were ones in respite care. After all, once a child goes into foster care the county gives the foster parent some money to buy the bare bones of a wardrobe. The children in respite care live with their parents. I asked the local sewing machine store to put an 'ad' in their newsletter they mailed out. I asked if people would make up that extra fabric and bring it to the store for kids in need. I was surprised one day when they called and said they had a grocery bag full of newly sewn clothing.
I called some of the respite foster parents in my group asking who needed clothes. One had several children coming that weekend and asked me to come over. There was a little boy about 4 years old that was quite "raggedy". I didn't have anything small enough for him. I was pawing through the bag and took out this sweatshirt with a kangaroo pocket in color blocking. He wanted to try it on. It was several sizes too big. I said, it's too big and reached for it. He said "NO!" and grabbed on tight. So I let him keep it.
We have a large population of refugees that have recently come from refugee camps in Myanmar and Nepal. There is a huge apartment complex full of them, all newly arrived here. I was volunteering to tutor English with one family that my church agreed to sponsor. When I would go over there, I'd see little boys in shoes 3 sizes too big with Princess designs on them. Lots of kids in bare feet in October and November. While I searched for some winter clothes for the 3 year old on craigslist, I was able to get 3 large leaf bags of children's clothing and shoes from craigslist.
I went over there alone and opened up the back of my Tahoe. I felt like I was selling hot stuff out of it! I'd ask the kids, do you need a sweater? They recognized me from being over there. I was soon mobbed! Two little girls pushed past me and into the back of my Tahoe. I was upset! I told them to get out and that I wouldn't give them anything if they did that, and grabbed back what they had helped themselves to. I put the shoes for the 3 year old aside at my feet. Soon I had parents and grandparents pointing to a child and communicating that this child needed something. The clothes I had were all from one family of two young kids so I had nothing for kids over age 8 or so. I was sad for the kids that I couldn't help but happy that these clothes stretched pretty far. I looked down at my feet and those two girls had stolen back the shoes meant for the 3 year old.
These kids were very excited and desperate to get used clothing. When I was done, I went into the apartment of the family I was tutoring and said nothing about it. A month later they had some friends join us for the tutoring. They were speaking in their language and laughing and laughing. After awhile, I asked what they were laughing about. Sure enough it was me! They had been looking out the window that day when I was giving away those clothes. They were telling their friends about the scene.
So many families are in need. I would like to make some dolls for Christmas gifts for kids. I need to make many of my family gifts. I think I better start making better use of my time if I'm to get much done!
The start
I am a 63 year old woman living in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. I want to write about my crafting but I also want to talk about life. I sew, do papercrafts, and have a vast collection of seldom used cookbooks.
I am a "retired" substitute teacher, social worker and insurance agent. In the last two years I lived alone again for the first time in over 40 years. My younger daughter is mildly mentally handicapped. I finally agreed to her living in a group home 2 years ago when she was 28. It turns out she ended up moving into a semi apartment in adult foster care. She is living with a great family. It's been a shock to my system! I admit to talking to my 3 pets a lot. I have a dog and two cats. My younger daughter visits with me two or three weekends a month. My older daughter is married with two wonderful ( of course!) small children. She and her husband have very demanding careers as attorneys. I am an animal lover, ADD, opinionated, sometimes a social activist and volunteer, and Christian! Currently I am an ebay seller of mostly Stampin up retired items.
I love ebay selling. I really do. But some times the only time I talk to a human is when I get the mail! I like being self employed. I only have myself to blame if I pay too much for things to resell, or make bad buys. It's difficult for me to have any structure in my life. I'm working on rounding out my life.
I suspect that there are many others like me out there... no longer working in their profession, fairly isolated and broke.
This is what is "in the works" for me:
1. I am trying out different slow cooker recipes.
2. I went to S R Harris Fabric warehouse with my 5 year old granddaughter and bought all kinds of very fancy fabrics. I had no idea how I was going to put them together! When I spent a days in Iowa with my sister after surgery, she helped me bring the ideas into one concrete plan. So I will be making "princess" type dresses for Christmas and her birthday a month later.
3. I found all my doll and soft toy patterns yesterday. Since I was 12 years old I have collected the Women's Day magazine patterns by Joan Russell. These very tattered pages I ripped out of the magazines are among my most cherished possessions. I got a few from Better Homes and Gardens but mostly Women's Day. I finally got a used copy of the Women's Day Book of Soft Toys from Amazon. The illustrations are black and white! The torn pages are in color. I mourned the end of the "make it" issues of Family Circle and Women's Day,, the ones with 100 ideas and patterns for Christmas gifts that included knitted and crocheted items, sewn things and even wood working.
I want to make some soft dolls to sell on ebay and perhaps give a few to Toys for Tots. About 12 years ago I made 20 dolls hoping to raise money for the church boiler. I greatly enjoyed it! I learned a lot! After looking at all these photos and patterns I realized I could make my own patterns.
I bought some black yarn last week and yesterday went to a big sale at Joann Fabrics and got muslin in white, regular muslin unbleached color, tea color, light and dark brown color. I got some boucle yarns in red, platinum blonde and some plainer wool yarn in honey blonde and brown. I had to put the fun eyelash yarns back as they were not on sale! I also got some vanilla colored fleece for making some baby toys. They need to be washable and have nothing that can come loose or get tangled in their fingers.
I will be experimenting with hand embroidering and painting features on.
4. I am trying to meet new people. I've been playing cards with a meet up group. It's a bit far and it's a bit expensive to buy drinks there. I will be trying out a few more of the church groups. ( I moved 4 years ago and started attending here 2 years ago).
5. I have training coming up as a volunteer teacher/ tutor in corrections next month. I don't know where they need help yet. I miss teaching. Substitute teaching was never boring, but at times it was very stressful being in a new classroom all the time and worrying about doing something wrong. I think I worked in 45 different schools! I believe in education and I believe that inmates who want education should get it. I'm not talking state paid Ph D programs here, but GED programs. The volunteer coordinator told me there are huge changes going on with some juvenile programs closing or moving.
I am a "retired" substitute teacher, social worker and insurance agent. In the last two years I lived alone again for the first time in over 40 years. My younger daughter is mildly mentally handicapped. I finally agreed to her living in a group home 2 years ago when she was 28. It turns out she ended up moving into a semi apartment in adult foster care. She is living with a great family. It's been a shock to my system! I admit to talking to my 3 pets a lot. I have a dog and two cats. My younger daughter visits with me two or three weekends a month. My older daughter is married with two wonderful ( of course!) small children. She and her husband have very demanding careers as attorneys. I am an animal lover, ADD, opinionated, sometimes a social activist and volunteer, and Christian! Currently I am an ebay seller of mostly Stampin up retired items.
I love ebay selling. I really do. But some times the only time I talk to a human is when I get the mail! I like being self employed. I only have myself to blame if I pay too much for things to resell, or make bad buys. It's difficult for me to have any structure in my life. I'm working on rounding out my life.
I suspect that there are many others like me out there... no longer working in their profession, fairly isolated and broke.
This is what is "in the works" for me:
1. I am trying out different slow cooker recipes.
2. I went to S R Harris Fabric warehouse with my 5 year old granddaughter and bought all kinds of very fancy fabrics. I had no idea how I was going to put them together! When I spent a days in Iowa with my sister after surgery, she helped me bring the ideas into one concrete plan. So I will be making "princess" type dresses for Christmas and her birthday a month later.
3. I found all my doll and soft toy patterns yesterday. Since I was 12 years old I have collected the Women's Day magazine patterns by Joan Russell. These very tattered pages I ripped out of the magazines are among my most cherished possessions. I got a few from Better Homes and Gardens but mostly Women's Day. I finally got a used copy of the Women's Day Book of Soft Toys from Amazon. The illustrations are black and white! The torn pages are in color. I mourned the end of the "make it" issues of Family Circle and Women's Day,, the ones with 100 ideas and patterns for Christmas gifts that included knitted and crocheted items, sewn things and even wood working.
I want to make some soft dolls to sell on ebay and perhaps give a few to Toys for Tots. About 12 years ago I made 20 dolls hoping to raise money for the church boiler. I greatly enjoyed it! I learned a lot! After looking at all these photos and patterns I realized I could make my own patterns.
I bought some black yarn last week and yesterday went to a big sale at Joann Fabrics and got muslin in white, regular muslin unbleached color, tea color, light and dark brown color. I got some boucle yarns in red, platinum blonde and some plainer wool yarn in honey blonde and brown. I had to put the fun eyelash yarns back as they were not on sale! I also got some vanilla colored fleece for making some baby toys. They need to be washable and have nothing that can come loose or get tangled in their fingers.
I will be experimenting with hand embroidering and painting features on.
4. I am trying to meet new people. I've been playing cards with a meet up group. It's a bit far and it's a bit expensive to buy drinks there. I will be trying out a few more of the church groups. ( I moved 4 years ago and started attending here 2 years ago).
5. I have training coming up as a volunteer teacher/ tutor in corrections next month. I don't know where they need help yet. I miss teaching. Substitute teaching was never boring, but at times it was very stressful being in a new classroom all the time and worrying about doing something wrong. I think I worked in 45 different schools! I believe in education and I believe that inmates who want education should get it. I'm not talking state paid Ph D programs here, but GED programs. The volunteer coordinator told me there are huge changes going on with some juvenile programs closing or moving.
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