Out of the Slump Handmade crochet bag

After taking a "crochet break" here is what I came up with.
It's small enough to take anywhere, yet large enough to carry all of the essentials. I can comfortably fit keys, sunglasses, wallet, cell phone, and lipstick into this crochet messenger bag. Fits comfortable over the should for added security landing right at the hip. Makes a great bag to take to the playground, amusement parks, or for a quick run anywhere!

Under $10 from ETSY.........

I finally earned a little money through Project Wonderful Ads on my blog and decided to treat myself to an Etsy Handmade item. I can't wait to receive this in the mail! I have a pretty green tank top that will compliment it well.

I purchased this after starting a thread for items under $10. The handmade artist that made this is BreeLeeD . Stop by her shop, she has great stuff!

Tomorrow is the first day of summer. Have a blessed and safe summer break!

Check out all of the Etsy Sellers with items under $10.
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5671402

The Home Daycare Experience

Growing up in a "Home Daycare" atmosphere would qualify me as a Home Daycare expert right?
Well, I thought so, until I started my very own search for the mysterious "Home Daycare". Why would I use the word mysterious? Do your own search and you will know what I'm talking about. It can be difficult searching for child care and even more difficult finding a professional Home Daycare. As a toddler my mother sent my sister and I to a home daycare. The only problem was that the woman running the Daycare did not love what she did. Now that I look back on it, I'm not even sure that she even liked kids. I hardly ever remember her smiling and in my opinion she was abusive. That was a long time ago and home day cares have changed dramatically. By the time that my Mother opened her own home daycare the childcare revolution was well on it's way. Our home was always filled with children. My mother had a natural way with toddlers and she was able to give structure and stability to ever child that entered her door. Being spoiled by that opinion of what and how a home daycare should be, it virtually made it impossible for me to find someone like my her.

Fortunately, I had the opportunity to stay home with my children after searching for the " perfect home daycare". I even gave the more popular " Daycare Center" a chance by scheduling tours. I barely got through one tour after witnesses a daycare worker with suspicious bumps around her mouth kissing a baby. Yuck! Going through the tour I was distracted my the smell of old diapers and garbage filled trash cans. In a gentle tone, before the tour was even over, I told the director that I didn't think that this environment was a good fit for us. She said " Okay" without even inquiring as to "why". That did it for me! I knew then, that I would do any and everything to stay at home with my kids unless my Mother decided to retire from her current Job and take my place while I work. Mom, if you read this...... I pay in huggs!:)

I always giggle when people tell me how lucky I am to be able stay at home with my kids. If they saw our bank statement and bills the would be baffled. In the beginning this bothered me greatly but after continuous prayer God some how always seems to provide. Even at the most difficult times I will be blessed with a sell from ETSY or a opportunity through another means to earn a little cash.

Now, onto the good stuff. Before we moved into our latest house I was all set up to open my own home day care. It took a little over a month before I was up and ready for business. Once I register with the county I began "interviews". The first call that I received was from a woman looking to leave her husband. She wanted to be as private as possible and offered only her cell phone number. I remained open-minded and invited her to a home visit. She arrived 3 hours late and to my surprise with her husband by her side. She was limping and had a bruise on her face. I was very worried that this interview would not go well. It was very awkward and as fast as they came, they were gone within a matter of 30 minutes. I never heard from them again.

The second interview went a bit better. This mother actually lived in my development and was unhappy with her current Daycare. Unfortunately, she stayed with them because of the contract that she signed. I would only hold a child's space if there was payment in place. The daycare center wanted to keep one week's pay for early "check outs". She wanted me to save her son's spot on good faith and I just couldn't do that if I wanted to run a successful and lucrative business.

Shortly after my two failed interviews, my husband's job moved and we found ourselves packing again and moving back to our home state of Pennsylvania. I have no regrets about the home day care journey and as far as I'm concerned it's still not over. Maybe in the near future I will give it a try again. I think that I will be more successful this time around because I already have people from the neighborhood occasionally asking me to watch their kids. You never know what God has in store for you.

If you need "childcare information" or are looking to start your very own Home daycare I will be listing useful information all weekend. Leave your comments and questions about what you would like to see addressed.

Weight loss without all the" Bad" Carbs

Before I gave birth to my first child I tried many diets without success. Then a friend of mines lost alot of weight on the then popular "Atkins Diet". I decided to give it a try only to find out that I was pregnant with my first child. I stopped finding ways to loose weight and opted for a " healthy pregnancy diet". Well after 2 more children, for a total of 3 I had not only gained weight but, somehow I had gained stubborn weight. Once I was done with the " child bearing", and "nursing", it became " me" time. I remembered how my friend lost her weight and figured that it might be worth a try. Though very hard on the mind and body, I did loose weight. However, it was not a lifestyle change for me. I reintroduced "healthy carbs" back into my diet and was able to keep the weight off for two years now. I lost a total of 50lbs. It was only recently, that I gained 5 lbs back. It's not a big deal but I plan on getting rid of it. This time around I will exercise and eat a well balanced diet. I do recommend any of the "low carb diets" as a "jump start" to any weight loss regiment. After you see steady result, it is wise to start adding the healthy carbs back into your diet. Here are a few low carb recipes from Etsy Members. Be sure to click on their names to visit there Etsy store. Alot of yummy recipes and talented crafters here!


fluffnflowers says:
A fave of my guy's that wasn't intended for the purpose of a low-carb diet is the hummus-turkey patty.1lb of 97/3 ground turkey2tbs hummus2tsp crushed red pepper (I always add more!)2c freshly grated Parmesan cheese. They're great in wraps, with lettuce, etc


StudioYTE says:
Here's a good one for you from Atkins. Baked Meatballs1T olive oil1/2 onion, finely chopped3 garlic cloves, minced1/2 lb ground veal1/2 lb ground beef1/2 lb ground pork1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese2 eggs1/2 tsp salt1/4 tsp pepper. Preheat oven to 375.1. In a skillet over high heat, cook onion 5 min until softened, add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Transfer to a bowl and mix in ground meats, cheese, eggs, salt and pepper.2. Roll golf ball-size meatballs, arrange on a jelly roll pan and bake 20-25 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Bon Appetit!


hugsandkisses says:
Something that I like as a snack:"Light Laughing Cow Cheese" spread on a Rye Crisp topped with a tomato slice and a slice of turkey. Slice of red leaf lettuce, slice of roast beef (or turkey) then thin slices of red (or green) pepper all roll together.My favorite ~ homemade red pepper hummus with cauliflower, carrots, celery.


LavenderPatch says:
I did South Beach, and the South Beach 30 Minute Meals Cookbook has a lot of winners. It is not "low-carb" but rather "good-carb and low-fat". Some of my favorites, if I can recall by memory: Turkey Parmesan - use electric chopper to chop up pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. use mixture as the coating on turkey cutlets, and cook in a skillet. place cooked turkey in baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese, and bake till melted. serve with sugar-free pasta sauce.And wheat tortillas are wonderful, with tons of low-carb uses. I use them to make breakfast burritos with eggs, crumbled bacon and cheese. I use them to make quesadillas with packaged pre-cooked chicken and avocado, salsa and cheese. And, I use them to make little wraps filled with the pre-cooked chicken, some pesto and cheese. Very easy low-carb snacks, for me.And, one of my favorite low-carb veggie dishes is just chopped up summer squash and zucchini. Cook in a pan with a little chicken broth, salt and pepper. Then remove from stove and top with asiago cheese and chopped walnuts. Yummy!!!


AMSX05 says:
you know what a great quick snack is.."lettuce roll ups" i eat them ALL the time! just roll your luncheon meat, some egg salad, tuna or other filling and veggies in lettuce leaves. its awesome!


kateblack says:
You can make hummus much cheaper than it can be bought, but if you've never had it, you may want to buy some just so you get an idea of what it's supposed to be like. Of the big brands: Sabra is pretty good. Tribe is mediocre. 3 Sheiks is atrocious.It's pretty much just chickpeas and tahini (sesame paste) with seasoning, and perhaps olive oil depending on taste. Seasoning usually includes garlic, olives, sun dried tomatoes, Chile and/or dill


DancingWisp says:
Here is a good resource: proteinpower.com Their forums are excellent and knowledgeable. They use a research-based approach to low carbing. I have done low carb in the past, and I always felt better, more alert and more emotionally stable. Due to other reasons (not medical), I was unable to continue doing low carb, although I do feel it the most beneficial way of eating. In the future, I will do low carb.One of my family's fav side dish is low carb:Sauteed Cabbage. The sauteing brings out a sweetness you never knew existed in cabbage!1/4 green cabbage, very thinly sliced2 (or more) tbs. butter salt and pepper to taste.Over med. high heat, melt butter (I always use more) and add cabbage and seasonings. Saute for ten min, until cabbage is wilted and softening, stirring occasionally. Turn heat down to medium (or a little lower) and saute cabbage until completely soft and slightly caramelizes, stirring frequently, about ten minutes. Yummy with ham, or under a meaty spaghetti sauce.You can also try adding other seasonings like curry or caraway seeds or hot sauce


Ooh just remembered another one....Roasted Asparagus 1 bunch asparagus, ends snapped off 2 tbs. oil (I use peanut but olive oil works too)salt and pepper. Preheat your oven to 500F. Lay the asparagus, in one layer, on a baking sheet with a lip (I usually put no stick foil on the bottom of my pan for easy clean up). Drizzle oil over asparagus. Season. Roast for 5 minutes. Shake pan so asparagus rolls around a bit. Roast for another 5 minutes. Serve. You can also serve covered with Parmesan shavings


artgirlx says:
Salmon salad with onions and celery, egg salad in lettuce wraps, chicken breasts with any vegetables and salads, bun-less hamburgers, fish with vegetables, snack on nuts and seeds and cheese, cottage cheese with green onions...lots to eat that's low carb. My folks have lost lots of weight since Xmas on South Beach.

Featured Etsy Seller " In Honor of Mother's Day".

From the Etsy forums............

LAVENDERDRAGONHERBS

Right now my mom is in the hospital, this is Tyler the other half of Lavender Dragon, anyway my mom has been quite ill off and on and she is a one woman machine, she tries her very best to take care of everything and keep the business running on her own as I cant always be there to help her.

She really does make everything by hand, and everything listed in our shop and profile is true. She is extremely caring about our customers and people in general, and Very Passionate about Herbs and Natural Healing. This business of ours has always been my moms lifetime dream, and I hope she gets well enough to see it thru.

She is used to being the type to give you the shirt off her back, and not ask any questions, until she got burned and scammed too many times, now she is leery but still there for anyone who needs help, only sometimes is she questioning, only to make sure the person is being truthful in their plight.

My mom has been thru hell and back, but has never once failed to love me for who I am, and what I believe in, nor did she once ever make me feel she didn't want me, because I was unplanned. She let me be my own person, and at times I was surprised she didn't kick my but royally for things I did. I couldn't have asked for a better mom, to go thru all she has, being a single mom to raise me, the jobs she did just to make sure I was raised to be the respectable person she wanted me to be.

That's my mom in a nutshell

Tyler

In honor of Mother's Day........

The following article was actually written as a feature on Ozknits Blog. In honor of Mother's day this Sunday, I've decided to share this with you. My Mother truely inspired me as a child and still continues to insprire me today. Please leave a comment, sharing how your mother has inspired your craft.

I remember seeing my Mom's hands often. I would see her peeling potatoes to make potato salad. I would see her combing my sister's hair and neatly braiding each strand into ponytails. I saw her hands fold clothes, wash dishes, rake leaves, and mop the floor. My Mom was beyond a domestic engineer, she was a Domestic Goddess! So, it was no surprise when I saw her hands make a ball of yarn into the first Afghan that I ever saw. Around the age of twelve my mother sat my sister and I down, and showed us what a crochet hook looked like. She patiently showed us what she had recently learned as an adult, and didn't give up until when could remember the " granny square" by heart. At that time, I had no idea where crochet would take me. Ironically, it wasn't until I became a mother myself that I seriously picked up a crochet hook again. I started with the "granny square", just like my mother taught me. I had no idea that there was anything else you could make out of crochet. I had a difficult time reading patterns and often would rely on my Mother in Law to translate them. After a while I began shopping around for easy to read instructions. I taught myself every stitch I could learn, and soon after that I realized that I no longer needed to rely on patterns to create fiber art. With this new found excitement I started sketching. I began crocheting hats and other items by memorizing stitches and counting each one to obtain the desired look. I now know what stitches to use in order to obtain a certain shape or look, and instead of written patterns I keep example pieces. Someday I would love to publish a book that uses sketches to teach those that have a hard time with patterns the basics for obtaining a simple, yet wonderful piece to admire. Some of my future goals are to teach the art of crochet to the future young ladies of the world, publish and offer patterns to the public, and best of all become a Etsy Featured Seller