Feeling violated

I came across an interesting blog post by Frou Frou Britches today while surfing around blogland.

Spokeo. Ever heard of it? If so, why didnt you tell me about it? Apparently it's "not your grandma's phone book". How unfortunate because with you, Spokeo, I feel violated and I dont think grandmas phone book would have ever done that.

I typed in my name and searched by state and then town. There I was! My name, address, age, sex, relationship status, phone number, email, social networking sites, income, family members,  OH AND GET THIS an aerial view of my house and about how long we had lived here!!!!! MY HOUSE!!!! With approximate house and lot size and retail value!  Feeling very violated now.  There are lots of creepers out there and I don't like that such detailed information is available. You can also search for people by email, username (ummm can you say identity theft?), phone #, friends, and for just less than $3 a month you can get more details! WOW!

Fortunately there is a way to supposedly remove yourself from their database. I did it immediately and it seems to have worked. You have to give them an email address... wonder what they will do with that? Still I decided to give it a try and since I have a junkmail account (something everyone should do) I dont worry about getting more spam.
Heres what you need to do if you want to remove your information from Spokeo.

Go to Spokeo and type in your name. Click "Search".
That will bring you to a page with a map. On the left of the page is a listing of your name by state.
Click on the state you live in, then the town. You should find your name there.
Click on your name. Now copy the URL of the page you are on. ( should have your name, state and a number with the last word info)
Now on the bottom of the page in the right side you will see some tiny buttons ( about, blog, directory, etc.) click on privacy.
This page will tell you how to remove yourself from Spokeo.

This is also where you will paste your copied URL.

Thats it! Now this only removes you from Spokeo. Still, its a start.
I feel MUCH better now.
I might look into Reputation.com. Anyone used it or anything like that?

Make your own canvas photos

I just love the look of big canvas photographs. I dream of one day having all the walls in my house covered in my photographs, all done on canvas. Well looking around at the prices of even the smallest canvas photo and my dream fades away.
I took some fun pictures of me, the hubby and kiddos just before Christmas. They are Brady Bunch style, everyone looking at someone else. Cute really. Haven't gotten around to framing them yet.. really wanted them on canvas..... Anywho, one day while spending some quality time in blogland I came across a post at The Sassy Pepper blog (how cute is that name?). I had no idea you could Mod Podge a photograph to a canvas! Oh how exciting! The look is close enough to the real thing that I am quite happy with the results, as well as my savings. I bought 4 -8x10 stretched canvases at Michaels for $12. I am sure I could have gotten them cheaper, but I couldn't find a coupon, and I was super impatient. A big bottle of Mod Podge for $8... still sick that I didn't have a coupon or use patience to wait for one. The Mod Podge will last a long time though and I can use it on many more things. I took the photographs, so they were free as well as the prints!  I won a photo contest over at Not Quite June Cleaver and the prize was a Snapfish gift certificate.
You can follow The Sassy Pepper's instructions, but I did things slightly different so here is my version.

 I used Matte Mod Podge. Not sure what the results would be with another type. I don't think I would like the Glossy as the end product wouldn't look like I wanted it to. They do make an Artists Brush kind but I couldn't find it. This works well for me.

Please note the spelling. This is Mod Podge. Its not pronounced Modge Podge. I think a lot of people pronounce it that way and for some reason it really annoys me... and now I feel better.Thank you for listening.

Gather your supplies 

First, I painted the edges and a bit of the top of the canvas with black paint. Decorative paper on the sides is cute, but for this application I didn't want the sides to visually stand out. 
Once this is dry add a layer of Mod Podge to the entire top of the canvas and let it dry. This will seal it and give the picture something to grip to.

 

Trim your photo a tiny bit around each edge. You can leave it as is, but it hangs over the edge slightly and I didn't care for the look. 

Next, add a layer of Mod Podge to the back of your photo then place on the prepared canvas. Use a rag that you don't mind getting the Podge on and smooth the surface of the photo. Dont worry if you get some Mod Podge on the front of the photo. It wont ruin it.  I then turned the canvas over and smoothed it out from the back. Sorry, I didn't take pictures of this.

  

Add a layer of Mod Podge to the entire top and edges of the photograph (will be milky until dry). Trust me it will be fine. Unless you have used a picture you printed at home. If thats the case, stop now and go order yourself some professionally printed photos. Home printed inks will not hold up to the moisture and the colors will smear. I like my photos printed Matte. I tested this first on a glossy photo and I don't think I like the way it looked. 

Use a paper towel to pounce or blot the surface of the wet Mod Podge. This is my very own idea :). I wanted mine to have texture and look as much like it was printed on canvas as possible. I used a Bounty Paper towel or you can use a napkin. Be careful if you use a cheap napkin. It may not hold up and end up sticking to your Mod Podge.

Let this dry and then add another layer of Podge and then pounce with paper towel again. I did this 3 times total. No reason, I just thought that sounded like a good amount. You can probably get away with only one layer.

 Here is a close up of the textured surface after 3 layers of Mod Podge and paper towel pouncing. Looks pretty close to a canvas print.

 

And here is my final product!

I am soooo pleased with this. Cant wait to do more!

It cost roughly $4 each. I saved $120 to $200 ! Woo Hoo!

 

You could also do this with calendar pages, pretty wrapping paper, fabric... so many fun projects you can do!

Reusing old towels

I have been married for 15 1/2 years and have been using the same towels I got at my showers and wedding. They are still in pretty great shape, but are thin and not as wonderful as they once were. So I have decided to buy new ones and to buy all white towels. Here are a few reasons why: White never goes out of style and will match any bathroom, no separating into darks and lights, I can bleach them and not worry about fading, plus after 15+ years I need some bigger, fluffier towels that cover our bigger, fluffier bodies. I'm still transitioning. I have yet to buy white hand towels and kitchen towels. Plus I want good quality ones to last another 15 plus years. Maybe one day I will even go to all white sheets for the very same reasons.
Not wanting to waste these still useful towels I decided to re-purpose them.
Several years ago I convinced my husband that I needed a steam cleaner. I didn't want one of those puny hand held ones I saw on tv,  so I did some research and found a big heavy duty, rolls on the floor, cleans everything steamer. It has a squeegee attachment for mirrors and windows, a few little brushes for grout and such, and a floor cleaning brush head that you can attach cotton pads to and steam mop your floor. I totally forgot about that function (most of the times I forget I have the steam cleaner), but a few months ago I thought about buying one of those Bissell steam mops. My sister-in-law had one and loved it! I Googled to find the best price and came to the conclusion that it was way too expensive for me and oooh wait! My steam cleaner has that function! Plus it has a huge water supply tank and will cover more floor! Wondering where I could get the mop pads at I looked in the manual and didn't find anything but measurements of how big the pad, or folded towels as they suggested, should be.  LIGHT BULB!  Cue in old ugly towels. I realized I could TOTALLY make my own quite easily. Here is what I did

Huge stack of ugly towels

Cut to specified size in manual, or close to that. Mine suggested 8x12.

Use fabulous serger to finish off the edges easily. I used two layers to make them thicker

Stitch a big X across the layers to keep them together and for stability.

Clip on to the mop head brush and clean floors... I haven't actually used them yet, but maybe soon?
(Oh how I despise my ugly flooring)

I ended up with almost 50 pads. Those Bissell mop pads are $5 - $10 each! I haven't made them all, but I did cut them out and that's the "hardest" part.
The dark ones, purple, red, blue etc. are getting a new home too. I have used some as cleaning rags ( I dont wash them with my body or kitchen towels ... ick!), some are going in the trunk of my car. Great for kneeling on if you have to change a tire, have a kid who accidentally lands in a puddle of water and you are an hour away from home, umm and plenty of other uses I am sure.


Linking to:

Blogging

I love blogs. I love reading them and I love having one... or two. (even if I dont update them but once a year) I am a nosy curious person. I like to know about people and how they think and what they do. But I am too shy to ask them in person. So blogging is perfect for me. I wish all my friends and acquaintances blogged so I could learn more about them. And I think learning more about someone helps me to understand them better.

I love all the information you can get too. How someone did or made something. I could spend a whole day sitting on my computer looking at decorating and DIY blogs. I have to be careful though because it makes me want to redo my whole house, and I just don't have the time, money or energy for that.

So I thought I would share with you a few of my favorites.

I was doing a search for pantries and came across my absolute favorite blog - House of Smiths

Not only was her pantry AMAZING, but I love her decorating, her projects, and her witty writing. Check out this pantry. I visit at least once a week just to look (drool really) at it. I have major pantry envy.

I just visited to get the site address and found out she is having a give away for a new Silhouette.. oooooh! More info here http://bit.ly/f7pz6v 

Here are a couple more decorating/crafting blogs I have found that I really enjoy:

http://www.dittledattle.blogspot.com/

and

This chick turns trash into awesome! I especially love what she has done with her staircase.

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

 and

http://www.thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/

I'm sure there are much more but these were the ones I had remembered to bookmark.

Then there are the friends, acquaintances and friends of friends blogs ( I need more friends to blog):

http://onetruekim.blogspot.com/

http://180degreefarm.blogspot.com/ 

http://me-he-and-three.blogspot.com/

http://www.notquitejunecleaver.com/

http://www.chrischasityalexposey.blogspot.com/  (who I should add under photography too. She  takes some great pics)

Photography blogs:

http://photojojo.com/

(not really sure if photojojo is a blog.. but I love them)

http://www.karenbakerphotography.com/blog/

(wow)

And my personal favorite. http://sistersphotoblog.blogspot.com/

Then there is this just for fun, which I think is hilarious. Start at the first post:
http://catalogliving.net/

hmmm I thought I had more. Well this is a start. If I missed you or you blog and I don't know it let me know.

Its my hopes that you can get to know me a little better through my blogging and maybe understand me a little better. And maybe learn some new tips and crafts.

I'm Back

Its been a while... well actually a year and a half almost.
But I think that I will start posting here more often.
I really dont think anyone at all even looks at this blog.
Hello..ooo.ooo.oooo? Anybody out there...there..there..ere..er..?
In the mean time here is a blog I have with my sister that I actually do post on.
And I mean weekly!
Sisters photoblog

Hannah is 7 !!!!

My baby girl turned 7 last week, and I can hardly believe it! She has been a thorn in my flesh since the day she was born... maybe a few days after. (don't judge me. She really is a pain besides its my blog, and I am just telling it like it is) BUT.. I love her so much and can't imagine our life without her.
I decided that it has been way too long since I have done, or had done, a birthday picture of her. I used to get the kids pictures done at Sears every year. That didn't last long. Its way too expensive for me. I decided about 5 years ago that I could do it myself cheaper, although much less professional. Even then I have been lazy at the annual picturing, From now on I have decided that we will go shopping to get a new outfit on their birthday, and then take a whole bunch of shots.
I have a fabulous camera, and I have even gone digital since my boycott of retail store photography. I am getting much better at my own photography, but have a long way to go before I am great.

Here is a picture of Hannah the first year I decided to save money on birthday pictures.

Hannah at 2 years old.

Sadly on the day I planned to take this years pictures it drizzled all day long. These were taken in our little town of Grantville, at a cool old building by the railroad tracks. Thankfully it had an overhang and the "deck" was all dry. I am pretty pleased with the results.

She is not so smiley any more. Her daddy made her smile in all these pictures. Here is the usual look I get .....

Just a collage of the day

The drizzly rain was much more fun with a bubble umbrella. Wish I had some rainboots too.

My new laptop,bag and other things

So I told my husband I wanted my own computer, preferably a laptop, since I was the only one in the house who didn't have their own computer. Being the wonderful, sweet, amazing man that he is he bought me one for an early Christmas/Birthday present. I LOVE it! He got me a cherry red , Dell Inspirion 17 (that's a 17 " monitor... huge), with a full number pad and well .... its just fabulous. So of course I had to get myself a case/bag for it. Me, being the crafty girl that I am, decided it would be great to make one with cool fabric etc. So I found a pattern that actually will fit a 17" laptop, and got my supplies. Yea... it would have most likely been cheaper to buy one, but it would have been so boring, and probably a basic black. It took me 3 days to make, but 2 broken needles and several "oh crap's" later here is my bag, laptop sleeve, and my new "toy".

While I was feeling crafty, I decided to use the extra fabric to make a cover for my camera strap. I got kinda crazy... I mean what am I gonna do with 4 camera strap covers? Look snazzy, I suppose, while I am out shooting pictures!

Here are some pics of the covers I made.

Keeping busy

I have been keeping myself extra busy lately doing things that I don't really want to do. For instance, I decided that I don't like my green kitchen... never really have. I have wanted to go for a nice yellow with a Tuscan feel to it. Well I got the paint and talked myself into painting. I really hate painting. I used to love it until I decided to save some money and do all the painting, priming,trim, caulking, ceilings and doors in our newly built house about 4 years ago. I wish now that I had just left my green kitchen/ dining room alone. I like the results... well .. the kitchen anyways, but its still a pain to paint.
Here are the before and after pictures of what I did this weekend when I should have just taken some naps or read a book.

Here is the Dining Room before:
And after:


Just another view. The before of this view didn't turn out so well. I don't really like the dining room so much, but its ok. It is a bit too bright in the morning/midday light. Looks like a tacky restaurant, but I don't have the energy to repaint. I may add a darker color wash on top one day. Not anytime soon though. I also want to get a round, antique black color table. This one is a bit too fancy for a tiny dining room.

(02/11/11 I still hate this paint. Hope to redo it soon!)

Heres my little kitchen before I painted. Excuse the nasty mess. I despise a dirty kitchen, and this picture makes me cringe.
After... ahhh. Much better.

Nummy Nummy Dinner!

I haven't been very good at posting. Actually it looks like its been almost 4 months. Woe!!
So I just wanted to post something and thought I would add this yummy recipe. I had a version of this at an expensive local Italian restaurant a few months back, and I thought I would like to try it at home. My first attempt was only sub-par. It was made with butter ha-ha (fake crap). I decided to try one that uses real butter, and this time the results were quite close to the restaurants. Here it is.

Lemon Caper Sauce

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons REAL butter
  
• ½ teaspoon (1 clove) minced or pressed garlic
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon dry white wine (can substitute lemon juice or broth. I chose the broth)
• 3 Tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

Directions

In a cup, dissolve cornstarch in broth and set aside. Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and onion; cook, stirring constantly, until they are limp and slightly golden. Add additional ¼ cup butter; allow butter to melt. Whisk broth mixture, lemon juice, and wine into melted butter. Continue to cook until sauce thickens. Add capers. Serve sauce over grilled or broiled chicken breasts.
Source: Recipe developed by Challenge Home Ec


I put mine over some whole grain thin spaghetti. It was so nummy-nummy!

(this picture kinda makes it look nasty, but it was soooo good)

Snow in Georgia

We got a little snow "storm" today- March 1, 2009

Snow is a rarity around here, especially this much. People start freaking out, and
the news stations scare the crap out of every one.
The kids and I had a great time playing in it though. I made a snowman, and the kids
ate the snow off of the bushes. It was lots of fun. I got a great idea
to put on disposable latex gloves under our regular gloves to "water proof" them,

and to keep our hands warmer. Hannah and I had them on but Curtis didn't. We had toasty warm and dry hands, and Curtis' were freezing! Sometimes I get good ideas and surprise myself.

My snowman... bum kids wouldn't help!


Curtis eating snow!...yummy




Hannah making snow pizzas, and playing some made up game with them.