Welcome!

Welcome!

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Kindle Arrived!!


Wow, I feel like I am celebrating Christmas early! Just the other day I received my free Amazon Kindle for my www.Bzzagent.com BzzCampaign. I LOVE IT! I am a girl that has been reading since the day I could form words all by myself, and even before that I was read a bedtime story every night :). Books have always been a huge part of my life. It is amazing how a flat piece of technology actually makes me feel as if I am holding a real book. The technology they use is amazing. You aren't looking at your run of the mill led screen. Here is an excerpt from the Kindle User's guide to explain more:

"Kindle uses a high-resolution display technology called electronic paper. It works using ink just like books and newspapers, but it displays the ink particles electronically. The page flash you see when you turn the page is part of the ink placement process.
The electronic paper display is reflective, which means unlike most displays, you can read it clearly even in bright sunlight. Also, electronic paper does not need power to hold the ink in place, which extends your Kindle’s battery life."

It literally look like you are looking at a page in a book! Immediately I knew I was going to love my kindle.

As for books, I wanted to get a feel for the device before I started spending loads of money on books. Lucky for me, Amazon has hundreds of free books straight off of their website! I am a romance junkie and I was able to download about 70 or so romance novels free! They are always having special offers from new and more renown authors. If romance isn't your cup of tea, don't be discouraged. There are many different genres with many free reads. I was amazed.

The device is super easy to use and since it uses the electronic paper technology, my battery life seems to go on forever!

This is just the start of my review. As I test out more features I will add to it :). For now, know that I HIGHLY recommend this device to anyone book lover! Thank you Amazon and thank you Bzzagent for once again connecting me with another fabulous campaign!

Would you like to learn more about becoming a Bzzagent such as myself? Visit www.Bzzagent.com for more information.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Getting Ready!

Wow! So we have been pretty busy getting ready for the all of the market day events coming up! We are working on an adorable new line of felt flower head bands:


These will be sold right next to our usual bows, jewelry, and rose clips :D. We are also getting into the holiday spirit by working on the cutest little sand dollar ornaments that will be sold along side our handmade shell sculptures:


We are hoping that our next sale will be at the Port Isabel market day event November 6th! Can't wait :D

Thursday, October 20, 2011

20 unusual uses for vinegar by Yahoo!Green

20 unusual uses for vinegar

by Yahoo!Green, on Mon Oct 17, 2011 3:16pm PDT
By Stephanie Rogers, EcoSalon

Chances are you’ve got a big bottle of vinegar in your pantry right now that you only use it as a condiment. Prized for thousands of years, this fermented liquid was discovered by accident when products like wine, beer, and cider spoiled, turning them sour. But did you know that vinegar -- particularly the distilled white and apple cider varieties -- has hundreds of household, beauty, medicinal and even horticultural uses?

Here are 20 unusual, thrifty, and eco-friendly uses for vinegar that you may not have thought of.

1. Condition hair
Silky, shiny, buildup-free hair using a single cheap, natural product? Sign me up! It may sound odd, but using apple cider vinegar as a rinse after shampooing really does work like a dream. It removes residue from the hair shaft and closes the cuticles. Just add half a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of water, plus a few drops of essential oil if you like. Pour it on in the shower and then rinse it out. Sure, your hair will smell like salad dressing for a while, but once it’s dry, the smell dissipates.

2. Kill weeds
A few rogue weeds can wreak havoc in an otherwise flawless lawn, vegetable garden, or flowerbed and are especially annoying when popping up in the cracks of a sidewalk or driveway. Forget pricey weed killers full of toxic ingredients -- household vinegar really does kill unwanted plants; stronger vinegar made for horticultural use, which is 25% acetic acid, works even better.

3. Remove underarm stains
Unsightly sweat stains can really ruin an otherwise beautiful blouse. Ironically, if you use aluminum-based antiperspirants, they’re even more likely to appear, thanks to a reaction between aluminum compounds in these products and salts in your sweat. Spray full-strength white vinegar on the stain before washing, and it will disappear.

4. Soften fabrics
Add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the wash cycle, and not only will it prevent lint from clinging to your clothes and keep colors bright, it’ll also remove soap scum from both the clothes you’re washing and the washing machine itself. Vinegar is also recommended in place of dryer sheets -- simply add 3/4 cup to your washer during the final rinse cycle.

5. Remedy sore throats
Many people recommend sipping or gargling with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a cup of warm water to soothe a sore throat. Add a few tablespoons of honey (also a seriously versatile product!) to this mixture in order to make it even more effective and far more palatable.

6. Deter ants
Got trails of tiny ants weaving their way around your home? These annoying insects aren’t big fans of vinegar, so spraying a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water anywhere you have seen them can help encourage them to move out. The vinegar also erases the scent trails that they use to indicate sources of food to their brethren.

7. Soak sore muscles
Apple cider vinegar helps draw out lactic acid, which accumulates in muscles after exercise, causing that sore feeling. Mix a few tablespoons of vinegar into a cup of water, dip a cloth in the mixture, and apply it to sore areas for 20 minutes.

8. Freshen air
Whether it’s smoke, mildew, pet odor, or lingering whiffs of burnt casserole, bad smells can make a home less than welcoming. Store-bought air fresheners just cover up the smell with strong, clearly artificial scents, creating disturbing hybrid smells that only serve to worsen the situation. Acetic acid in vinegar absorbs odors, so spritzing it around the room will neutralize the smells. You can also use it to wipe down surfaces in the room that needs freshening.

9. Remove stickers
If you’re just getting around to removing that Kerry/Edwards decal from your bumper, or trying to peel a price tag off a new purchase, you’ll never guess what magic ingredient is about to make your life a lot easier. Warm a little bit of white vinegar on the stovetop or in the microwave and then dip a rag into it. Hold the rag over the sticker until it’s thoroughly saturated, and it will peel right off without leaving sticky residue behind. This trick also loosens wallpaper adhesive.

10. Cure hiccups
Most doctors claim that hiccup cures don’t actually work, but tell that to the thousands of people who swear by vinegar as a way to ease these involuntary spasms. It’s not clear how a shot of vinegar would actually help -- other than to distract you with its acidic flavor -- but next time you’ve got a bout of the hiccups, give it a try.

11. Clean crusty paintbrushes
So you forgot to clean your paintbrushes last time you used them, and now they’re so stiff and crusty, it seems that you’ll have to throw them away. Not so fast! Fill a saucepan with undiluted white vinegar and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Dip the paintbrushes into the boiling vinegar, one at a time, dragging the bristles along the bottom of the pan. Continue this process until the paint is dissolved.

12. Dissolve rust
The acetic acid in vinegar reacts with iron oxide to remove rust from small metal items like hinges, nuts and bolts. Simmer them in a saucepan full of vinegar, then rinse well with water to prevent the vinegar from further affecting the metal.

13. Eliminate stale odors
You know how lunchboxes and other food containers can take on a funny smell after a while? Vinegar can take care of that, too. Either wipe down the surface well with white vinegar or, in severe cases, leave a cloth soaked in vinegar in the container for a few hours to absorb the odors.

14. Remove mineral deposits
Calcium and lime deposits from hard water don’t just stain coffeemakers and bath tubs, they can actually clog showerheads and reduce dishwasher function. Run a mixture of half water, half white vinegar through your coffee machine to remove them. Use straight vinegar as a rinsing agent in your dishwasher to prevent buildup, and wrap a vinegar-soaked cloth around stained faucets until the deposits can be easily scrubbed away. To clean a clogged showerhead, remove it from the pipe and place it in a saucepan full of white vinegar. Simmer for just a few minutes, being careful not to allow it to boil, and then wash off the stains.

15. Neutralize spice in foods
You’ve got a dinner disaster on your hands: One too many shakes of cayenne powder has turned your award-winning chili into an inedible five-alarm blaze, and your guests are waiting at the table. Vinegar to the rescue! Add white or apple cider vinegar to your food, one teaspoon at a time, to neutralize the spice.

16. Prolong the life of cut flowers
Bouquets of cut flowers brighten a room all too briefly, often wilting after just a few days. Squeeze a little extra enjoyment out of your arrangements by adding two tablespoons of white vinegar per quart of water in the vase, which will keep them perky just a little bit longer.

17. Clean glass, plastic, chrome, and floors
A half-and-half solution of water and white vinegar will cut the grime on the shelves and walls of the refrigerator and eliminate spoiled-food smells too. Full-strength vinegar will remove tough smudges on glass and make porcelain sinks shine. Make it into a paste with a little baking soda to scrub chrome, or mix 1/3 white vinegar with 1/3 rubbing alcohol, 1/3 water, and 3 drops of dishwashing liquid for an economical floor cleaner. Just be sure not to get vinegar on marble, granite, or slate surfaces.

18. Treat fungal infections
Fungal infections like athlete’s foot, toe nail fungus, and dandruff are definitely no fun. White vinegar and apple cider vinegar can both be applied topically to affected areas of the body to kill fungus. For foot-related ailments, soak in a solution of one part vinegar to five parts water for about 30 minutes a day.

19. Tenderize and kill bacteria in meat
Marinate meat overnight in apple cider vinegar, and it will be delectably tender. This can reportedly also kill the bacteria that causes food-borne illnesses, including e. coli.

20. Open drains and freshen garbage disposals
Clear a clogged drain without the nasty, headache-inducing chemicals. Dump about 3/4 cup of baking soda down the drain and chase it with 1/2 cup white vinegar, then plug the drain. Leave it for about 30 minutes before rinsing with a kettle full of boiling water. You can use the same trick to clean and deodorize garbage disposals, or freeze vinegar in an ice cube tray and grind them up in the disposal to clean and sharpen the blades at the same time.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Crafting Rebellion: Crazy Clips

Alrighty, I don't know about you but we are ALWAYS using those little wooden clips around our house for just about everything. From sealing chip bags, to holding papers, to arts and crafts projects! Here is an adorable way you can dress up yours to suit your style! Thanks Crafting Rebellion for an adorable post!

Crafting Rebellion: Crazy Clips: I love making Crazy Clip clothespins. They can be found in drawers all over my house. I use them as chip clips, memo board clips, paper cl...

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Funtastic Saturday!

This has officially been a FUNTASTIC day :D. My sister and I set-up our booth at the San Benito Market Days event and were amazed at the wonderful community turn out. We had a blast and were a huge success. We will definitely be participating in next month's event as well.


My sister and I would like to send out HUGE virtual hugs and thank yous to everyone that came and showed their support :D

If that wasn't great enough, I came home to find my prize from MyCOVERGIRL'S monthly drawing for their 50th Anniversary. I won the cutest shade of lipstick. So it has been a FUNTASTIC DAY :D


Green Mountain Coffee

Fair Trade means better quality for all - That is Green Mountain Coffee's logo and they stand by it!



As a Bzzagent with www.bzzagent.com, I am always being offered the wonderful opportunity to try brand new products. I was given the opportunity to try Green Mountain Coffee, and wow am I impressed. The taste is of course amazing and smells delish, but it is their business ethics that stand out among the rest.

What is Fair Trade? Here is the Scoop from Bzzagent.com's website!:

The Scoop

How does Fair Trade make a difference?
Fair Trade provides a direct link between farmers and Green Mountain Coffee®, cutting out the middlemen known as "coyotes." Here are some other good-to-know Fair Trade benefits:

Farmers are paid a fair price for their harvest: Fair Trade farmers are guaranteed a minimum price for their coffee, and if market prices exceed the minimum, they receive current market prices plus a separate payment called a premium

Farming families and communities are supported: Farmers within a co-op vote to determine how to invest their Fair Trade premiums to best benefit their own communities funding projects like schools, roads, health clinics, and safe drinking water.

Sustainable farming practices are promoted: To become Fair Trade Certified™, farmers must adhere to a number of environmental standards, like protecting water resources, and restricting the use of pesticides and certain chemicals

Working conditions are bettered: Fair Trade Certified™ communities must follow strict labor laws and practices that are in place to protect workers

You get high-quality coffee: Farmers use their Fair Trade premiums to invest in their businesses for things like drying patios and mineral-rich compost. These investments and requirements result in higher-quality coffee for you and your family.

If that doesn't sell you, the taste will! I was able to sample the k-cups and they are amazing! It has the same rich smell and taste as my usual cup of coffee, but with better practices behind it!

To read up more on Green Mountain Coffee visit: http://www.greenmountaincoffee.com/
To find out how to become a Bzzagent like myself visit: www.bzzagent.com

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Yummy Pork Stir Fry!

Another big hugs and thank to Lawry's and Bzzagent.com for providing this family of eaters with another wonderful meal! Last night I made a scrumptious pork stir fry! It was out of this world yummy. Here is how it went down:

Step 1: Fully cooked my pork tenderloins, which were seasoned with garlic flakes and Lawry's Seasoning Salt (a great seasoning that combines multiple flavors into one seasoning such as paprika, onion, salt, sugar, garlic, and such)




Step 2: Preppin' my veggies! I used a quarter of an onion, a whole bell pepper (after taking out the seeds of course) , and one yellow squash. I seasoned it with salt, pepper, garlic pepper, and a few splashes of low sodium soy sauce.


Step 3: I let my veggies simmer in the pot with about half a stick of butter.


Step 4: Watch and wait. While I waited I boiled two bags of instant rice until tender and put it aside.


Step 5: Once everything it tender and fully cooked. I pulled the meat aside and let it rest a while before I cut it into bite size strips. I added the other half stick of butter to my veggies. Once the butter is melted, I added the pork strips and rice to my veggies and gave it a quick stir. At the point the heat is on low just to keep it warm since everything is already cooked. I let everything simmer for another 5 minutes and then it was done and ready to serve!


Dinner was a HUGE success and everyone loved the yummy flavor Lawry's Seasoning salt added to the tender juicy pork.


And there you have it, another fab and easy meal. Even better, there was very little clean up! Thanks for reading!

For more information about Lawry's wide range of spices and seasoning visit: http://www.lawrys.com/

Would you like to become a Bzzagent just like myself and try and review new and wonderful products? Well then visit www.bzzagent.com to learn more!

Sunday, October 9, 2011

cait + create: Mini Caramel Apple Bites - Tutorial

Totally saw this on another blog and just had to share! I can never finish a caramel apple so I am going to try this!!

cait + create: Mini Caramel Apple Bites - Tutorial: HAPPY OCTOBER !!! Don't you love the holiday months? I plan on baking and crafting my way through the rest of year LOL :) I thought I'd...

Felt Flower Tutorial

I know we are in Fall and not Spring, but I just love spring flowers! I am always looking for new ways to create adorable hair clips to wear all year round. After experimenting a bit, I finally came out with my own felt flower tutorial! It works for me and they are so simple to make! I hope you enjoy it :D


Step 1: Gather Your Materials:

For this project you will need the following items:

Glue Gun
Glue Sticks
Felt (floral color and leaf color) or crafting foam
Scissors
Alligator Clip

Step 2: Cut out a medium sized felt circle

The base of our clip will be a felt circle approximately
2 inches wide depending on the size of your rose.
These clips are completely customizable
so you can make them as large or as small as
you would like. Just put this aside for later.

Step 3: Cut out a large sized felt circle

This circle will be cut into your rose.
It should be a bit larger than your base circle.
Mine came out to about 4.5 inches across.

Step 4: Cut your large circle into a wavy, spiral pattern.

I started my scissors on the outside and worked my way
towards the center in a spiraling motion. Please
refer to the following picture for a better visual.

Step 5: Recoil your spiral.

You are going to carefully recoil your felt spiral making
sure to overlap each ring. This is the rough draft of
your rose, so it should be a semi-tight coil.
Refer to the next pictures for a visual.

Step 6: Add some glue

Carefully hold down your rose (have that medium circle you
 cut earlier on standby!),  and completely cover the backing
with glue, before the glue dries, quickly cover the glue
with the medium circle you pre-cut at the start of this project.

Step 7: Cut out your leaves

Cut out 2 leaves in either felt or crafting foam. Place two small dots on
the base of the leaves and glue them to the back of your hair clip.

Step 8: Cut out one more small circle

Cut one small felt circle. This will reinforce your leaves and hold your
alligator clip in place.

Step 9: Create your backing

Apply enough glue to cover your felt circle and then place
the circle between the alligator clip prongs. the place the
glue side of the felt onto the back of your bow. This should
leave one prong glue to the felt and the other free to place in hair.

Step 10: Wear your bow!


Your bow is now complete. Be sure to give enough time
to allow your glue to fully dry and set. Have fun wearing your
own custom made hair piece!



END!

Thank you for watching our tutorial!
For more great D.I.Y. projects,

reviews,
and recipes, visit:

http://maryscraftynook.blogspot.com/


- Music written by Tom Cusack
- Composer – Tom Cusack
- Music from

www.freemusicforvideos.com








Friday, October 7, 2011

Yumtastic!

So last night we decided to follow the yummy recipe on the back of our Lawry's Southwestern Chicken Skillet seasoning packet that we received in our Bzzagent campaign kit. It was so yummy! We took a few pictures of the cooking process to share :D. The recipe is right on the seasoning packet for those that would like to try this one at home. The only thing we substituted was squash rather than black beans since that was what we had on hand.

Browning the chicken -


Prepping our Veggies -


Let it Simmer! -


Eat and Enjoy -



Yet, another great meals with the help of Lawry's Seasonings and Spices! It was a huge hit with the family.

Would you like to become a Bzzagent just like myself and try and review new and wonderful products? Well then visit www.bzzagent.com to learn more!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

National Taco Day

Yum! So to celebrate National Taco Day (October 4th :D) we decided to make our favorite beef tacos! With the help of Lawry's and Bzzagent.com I was able to spice up my tacos with Lawry's Taco Spice and Seasoning (Yummy)


Ingredients:

1/4 of an onion
Salt to taste
1 pkg. of Lawry's Taco seasoning
3 lbs. ground beef (we were feeding loads of people lol so you can use less for your family if needed)
diced garlic (we used about 1 tsp)
2/3 cup of water
Crunchy Shell tacos
Toppings (lettuce, tomato, sour cream, etc)


Step 1: Brown meat and drain fat
Step 2: Add Taco seasoning packet along with onion, garlic, salt, and water
Step 3: Let simmer until all ingredients are blended well and fully cooked (with our gas stove it took about 12 minutes)
Step 4: serve and enjoy with your favorite toppings :D


The Lawry's Taco seasoning did WONDERS for our meal. The meat was juicy and flavorful and was a huge hit in our large household. So thanks again Bzzagent for providing us with another wonderful opportunity to learn more about a fantastic product!

Would you like to become a Bzzagent just like myself? Well then visit www.bzzagent.com to learn more!

Burt’s Bees® Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin BzzCampaign

What better way to enjoy this fab cool weather than with another funtastic package from Bzzagent.com! Today my Burt’s Bees® Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin bzzcampaign package arrived and wow...I am amazed at all of the wonderful samples!


my package came stocked with:

*my bzzcampaign guide
*my bzzagent letter
*A full size Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin Facial Cleanser
*A Full-Size Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin Daily Moisturizer
*Tons of Pass-along samples and coupons to share!

So as usual here is the What's the Buzz segment directly from our BzzAgent Campaign page:

"What's The Bzz?

Looking for a gentle, effective way to cleanse, moisturize and care for your sensitive skin? One with ingredients from nature? Forget all your frustrating attempts and look no more. Burt's Bees® Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin is a new line of natural skin products distinctly formulated to cleanse and moisturize your vulnerable skin without causing redness or irritation. Sounds almost too good to be true!

Infused with the softening properties of Cotton, Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin replenishes skin in a way only nature can. Tap into the gentle power of natural ingredients, like Cotton, Rice, and Aloe, with clinically proven formulas to hydrate and help shield skin from potential irritants and help replenish skin's outer layer. And since these products are from Burt's Bees, you can be confident they work. After all, Burt's Bees has been creating the best in natural personal care products for over 25 years.

With Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin, your days of trying product after product, hoping for a solution to your sensitive skin woes are over. Because all four products – Sensitive Facial Cleanser, Sensitive Daily Moisturizer, Sensitive Eye Cream, and Sensitive Night Cream – take care of your sensitive skin naturally so you can look beautiful, feel beautiful, and confidently face the world." - www.bzzagent.com

Here is a closer look at the wonderful products!





Price Guide:

Sensitive Facial Cleanser: $9.99
Sensitive Daily Moisturizer: $14.99
Sensitive Eye Cream: $14.99
Sensitive Night Cream: $14.99



The Burt's Bees Natural Skin Solutions for Skin Line:

*Is naturally gentle and skin-friendly for daily use

*Contains Cotton extract to soften and help replenish skin's outer layer

*Is Fragrance free and Hypo-Allergenic

*Is Dermatologist Tested and Allergy Tested

*Can be found in mass retailers, drug stores, grocery stores, and health food stores nationwide (Target, Walmart, etc.)

*Is 99% natural



Are you convinced? I know I am! I am all for anything that will help me in treat my dry sensitive skin without the use of harsh chemicals. I am all in for anything gentle :) If you still aren't convinced, try the product! You will love it.

For more information about Burt’s Bees® Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin visit: https://www.burtsbees.com/



For more information on how to become a bzzagent such as myself please visit: www.bzzagent.com