A Handmade Christmas-Part 2 Cards

Making your own Christmas cards may sound like something hard to do but it really isn't! And it's not at all expensive. For the simple ones I made it cost be about 50 cents each.
Materials:
Festive scrap booking paper
Stamp
Ink
Pre-folded cards with envolpes
Computer paper
Pen
Scissors
Exacto knife/ultility knife
Glue

For the cards that I made I traced the card out on the wrong side of the scrapbook paper. Cut it out then measure 1.5 cm away from edge all the way around. Cut out the rectangle you made with your excato knife. Glue border onto the front of the card and the other regtangle in the inside of the card to the right. Take your stamp, whatever one you decided to use, ink it and stamp the front of you card inside the border. On the computer paper write your message. Cut your message out and glue it on. Ta da!
If you want, you can take card stock paper and fold it to make your own cards.

A Novel Idea

I'm giving my novel a rest before I start to edit it. Everyday different ideas that I want to do cross my mind. One thing remainds clear, I need to put more farm into the book. Right now, it's just jello, you can move it but it stays the same. I can't wait to take the wrecking ball to it. so far, I plan on scrapping the beginning and rewriting it so that it will go to a different tune. In other words, write out the grandmother that was suppose to bring her to the land and make it a different reason why on earth she'd want to move. Most of it I'll keep the same but details such as learning to cook will become more troublesome amoung other things. She'll still have the face down with the rooster but it'll be a little different.
I'm dreading editing the thing. No one said it was going to be easy. Writing the first draft was the easy part.

New York's smallest apartment

Recently I've been wanting a nice small house with enough room for me and some animals. This New York couple got it smaller! Their apartment is only 175 square feet!

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/cozy_crazy_couple_makes_tight_studio_R15ToNFTaJE3c17zkw4efP

A Handmade Christmas-Part 1 Soap

This is the first post in an installment of posts that will feature handmade Christmas/Holiday presents. I love being fugal and giving more for less these are some ways that I found how to do just that, while also being eco-friendly.

Soap...

It can be intemidating but it shouldn't be. The easiest way to make soap is to do the melt 'n' pour method. I bought a brick of melt 'n' pour soap at Michaels for about $7 with a coupon then the scent for about $3. You don't have to buy the molds because you could always use containers and cookie cutters. After it cools in the mold you can get creative with the packaging.

I reused a paper bag crunched it up and made a little tag noting the scent. Then I wrapped it in the paper bag, slipped the card on top and tied it up with a ribbon.

In Romancing the Fiddle

Back in September, I rented a violin so I could fiddle. The rent was reasonable, $52 for 4 1/2 months plus a damage waiver. At the music store I was presented with a cheap Yamaha violin made in China. It was a disapointment but it would serve. I bought a book to learn with and got through a few lessons until I noticed that the violin did not sound right so I stopped playing until I got to the music store.
Meanwhile, my account was never charged for the rental. Last month they sent me a notice saying that my card was declined. It took them two months to find this out. Okay, not problem. The next day I get another notice saying that they were going to send it to a collection agency. That day I faxed them my card number and said to correct my last name. How does one get "Blanc" out of "Bouc"? Anyway, my account was still not charged. Friday, I went to the music store and complained. The owner, bless her soul, called her rep. I get home and there's a letter from the collection agency saying that I know owe $15 on top of the $52. I immediatly called the music store and she said that they'll get things smoothed over. Today, I go to check my online back accounts and found that they took the $52 plus the $15 out. So why was I charged and extra $15 when I sent the corrected card information to them before I got the notice that they were going to charge me $15?
In other fiddling news, I found a fiddle teacher! The owner at the music store gave me a rough estimate of $45 a month....for a once a month lesson. I'll have to check again with her but I might do it anyway.

Winner

It's done. Okay my story is not yet finished by National Novel Writting Month 2009 is over. And I'm a winner! It's 50,000 words of hopefully okay writing. I still have editting ahead of me and I have yet to write the ending. I have to admit, I really didn't think I could do it. The exciting thing is that one of the prizes this year is to get a proof copy of your novel.
Now that it is over I have time to plan the garden. I definatly want to be on the game when spring comes. This year I need to scale it down and not let my dad do anything. He's the reason why it didn't work out as well last year.
So, that's it for now. I hope to post more recipes and ideas.

Lemon Spritzer

At my high school's Oktoberfest they make this yummy drink with club soda, apple juice, and pineapple juice. It's fantastic. Well, I'm trying to quit soda, that is high fuctosified soda. Therefore I'm making my own. I want to make root beer but I need to find the supplies first. Until then it's lemon spritzers! At least that's what I call it.
First, I start with my no fail lemonade recipes 1 cup sugar, 1 cup lemon juice, and fill up 2 quart container. After that pour some lemonade and club in your cup until the lemon taste covers the club soda taste. Add a little more lemon juice if you like. And there you have it!

I'm Alive

My days are filled with writing. This is not a moment where I do not think about it. I crossed the half way mark yesterday and I'm desperatly trying to catch up. Any sense of plot that I once had is gone. Spelling is the least of my worries. I just write what ever comes into my head. I easily get side tracked, like now, and I try to get away from it. But it's always there nagging me in the back of my mind calling for some attention. I've been to into writing that I've stopped reading. I never did finish my Mother Earth October/November issue.
But, yes, I'm a live and will see you in thirteen days. :)

Progress

Busy

I really wanted to post some more but I've been sick and busy...busy writing.
Yesterday I called it a day with around four thousand words, a few hundred above my daily goal. I'm trying to create a cushion for myself for the days that I work an eight hour shift. In case you are curious about what I'm up to, here's and excerpt. Warning! This is COMPLETELY unedited so don't laugh.
There's not much left to say.