Boozy Bears

Oh, so easy.

What do you need?

1. Gummy bears
2. Booze (I used rum)
3. a container with a lid

I was testing this out, so I used a little pack of gummy bears from the candy aisle. 

1. Put the bear in a bowl, 
2. add just enough liquor to cover the bears. 
3. Cover with cling wrap or use a lid. 
4. Refrigerate. 
5. 24 hours later, om nom nom. 

Phone Screening for a Job Interview

Job-hunting.

Sigh-inducing at best, job hunting is not for the faint of heart. Anxiety seems to be the norm in this situation, as it has that ripple effect on your entire life. Rare is the ending that comes with giddiness.

Unless your unemployment came about by you winning the lottery, eventually you will have to return to the rat race.

I am not one of those people who does well during the interview process. I get nervous and fumble for words. I practice for the stock questions and they throw out something unusual.

I was reading about phone interviews on the eve of mine. One of the things I read was to remember that this is just a person. We're just having a conversation. 

When you have a conversation with other people, you don't know what they're going to say next. You go with the flow. I had a very amusing conversation with a fellow regarding condiments and spices, because I was making egg salad while we were on the phone.

Flow is flow. Preferably not ending in screaming. The truth is, you just never know where a conversation will go. 

I went to sleep  with the interview on my mind, and how to be more prepared. Naturally my brain worked on my dilemma while I was asleep. 

I woke up at 4am, with an A-ha! I already had been given a general list of things she told me she was going to discuss; my qualifications, my interest in the job. Then there are always the questions. Where do you see yourself in x number of years? What are your strengths, weaknesses? Have you ever had to deal with a difficult customer/client/coworker and how did you deal with that situation?

I jotted down things that might come up, little notes about what I thought. Now I mentioned flow and trying to be natural, but this was a life preserver. If she asked you about cheese and the first thing you do is lose your cool and fumble about, cheese? Soft cheese? Oh, god what if she's lactose intolerant? I had simply written target words to get me back in the go with the flow mindset.

This time, I went in feeling calmer, more confident. And at the end of the call, I was told that she thought I was just the person they were looking for and would be recommending me to the hiring manager as a candidate for this position.

So, if there is anything to take away from this, it's to find a trick to stay calm. Nervousness is natural, but letting it take over is not going to help you at all. 

As always, I have a song for that. 

Unlike that other song about work, this is the kind when you need a little inspiration. 

The Other Way to Break in New Shoes

I bought a pair of heels that I want to wear in 2 days.

So, the quicker approach. Same as the first, wearing them around the house, but adding a pair of socks. Preferably thicker socks. 

Quite a look, eh?

Breaking in New Shoes

I have decided to expand my shoe collection, and have added a pair of kitten heels to the mix.

I wanted to get used to wearing them, and quickly...so I started wearing them around the house, regardless of what I was doing.

No Wine Bottle Glasses for Me

Could have been any number of factors in this fail.

My kit was from the 70's....were bottles thinner? The glass showed an etch line, but when heated there was just some black marks and...bubbles?

Maybe if I didn't have a toddler hanging around singing Happy Birthday and trying to blow out my candle?

Glasses from Wine Bottles

I am attempting this.

My supplies.

Bottles.

Vintage Bottle Cutting Kit.

I think I'll need a new candle though.

Supposedly, it is a cinch....

We'll see.......

Water Jug Lamp

Another idea for alternative illumination.

Yup, I could even read by it.

Candles From Crayons

Nope.

Didn't work, and I used two different types of crayons.

First Day of Spring and the Vernal Equinox: Egg Balancing

Today is the first day of spring, not that you would know it as I STILL HAVE SNOW ON THE GROUND.

But...I heard that you can stand an egg on its end ONLY during the Vernal Equinox, when day and night are equal in length. Supposedly, this is because there is equal gravity between the Earth and the sun on that day.

You know, this is the first year I ever attempted it.

And it worked.

Myth or no, it is still pretty cool.

Bird Watching is Fun

...as long as the birds remain outside.

Had a bird in my house.

I spent alllllllll morning trying to catch it.

First, I went looking for a solution online;

How to catch a wild bird in your house

The only problem, I am a squealing kind of girl when wild creatures are swooping around over my head apparently.

I ended up catching it with a tote and a shoebox.

Hot Glue Gun Snowman

I saw this pin before the holidays, and thought it was cute.

The instructions are fairly easy, you tie a piece of string and then shoot out the hot glue around it. While it is still warm, you add beads for the eyes and a little piece of pipe cleaner for the nose.

Obviously, you have to work quickly. 

Mine was not exactly a snowman.

I made Cassandra from Dr Who as part of a swap. (Dr Who Crafts swap.)

I wiggled the dried piece to get the crackled effect. 

As you can tell, the inner ring of glue was partially dry by the time I added the second ring. (Lost time while adding a new glue stick.)

I think this would be solved if you either have a better glue gun or were quicker about refilling it. Mine is sooooo slow. 

This became a magnet. 

Hot Glue Strings No More

Yesterday I finally made my button tree, which was probably one of my first pins ever.

See it here.

It only took about 2 hours to make, mostly that time was spent gluing on the buttons.

Afterward, there was this;

Glue strings! Yuck, but then I remembered a little trick to get rid of them.

how-to-get-rid-of-hot-glue-strings

Water Bottle Flowers

I saw the pin and the accompanied Fail.

But I attempted it anyway.

Instead of a 2-liter bottle, I used a soda bottle. The small one.

It can get all globby.

The trick is to lightly press the bottle into the paint for more flower-like shapes.

Packing Tape Image Transfers

This is a VERY good one.

Works perfectly.

I have been doing a lot of ATCs lately utilizing this technique.

You put a SOLID strip of tape over your image.
Rub, with the back of a spoon or a coin.
Wet for 10 seconds.
Rub the paper off.
Voila! Transparent image, with a sticky back (bonus!)
Adhere to....well, where ever you are putting it.

I made this one this morning.

Packing tape.

Image.

Playing card.

Marker.

DIY Mod Podge

I have seen this pin plenty.

Several recipes online for this. 

Glue and water.

I used this recipe as a fabric stiffener. 

I would only use it in place of Mod Podge in an emergency.

The general consensus is that this does not work out the same as Mod Podge. That it yellows as it dries and just won't work on the thicker papers. 

With the exception being this lady;

I have used the regular Elmer's Glue-All mixed with equal parts of water with great success. Just be sure to allow your work to dry thoroughly between layers and after you've completed your piece. Then you can add a coat of clear varnish (water type) or shellac to protect your finished object. Do not use the school glue for these projects as I don't think it's really thick enough to begin with. My husband bought a gallon of Elmer's Glue-All to use in his own work, and it's the most economical way to go if you're going to be doing a lot of decoupage work. I've covered entire bookshelves in decoupage and it worked great.

Plague Recovery

I feel better.

I wish I could attribute it to the honey~cinnamon thing, but I also was taking Theraflu. Eating clementines. Garlic.

You name it, I tried it. I felt that  bad.

Home remedies are good, though.

A couple that I have tried and would actually recommend.

Toothache~ lemon extract (real)

Earache~ Garlic capsule (the gel vitamin) Squeezed into ear, cotton ball.

These are all I can remember offhand, but I am sure there are others. I try them a lot.

Desperation Kicks In

I came down with the plague on the morning of December 31. 

Fever, etc. I could barely get out of bed.

Tasty? Yes.

Effective? I hope so. 

Salt Dough Ornaments. Take Two.

Success!

Same batch of dough as before.

This time though I kneaded the hell out of it and then let it rest for 30 minutes before making anything.

THEN I turned down the heat. 250.

Baked these for several hours.

The initial place I found this recipe stated that they were done when they sounded hollow when tapped.

Nana loved her ornament.

Baby's First Christmas

Commemorated with a blob.

Let's wait a few more months to try this hand print thing again.

Salt Dough Ornaments. Take One.

Fail.

I used the standard recipe;

1 cup salt
1 cup lukewarm water
2 cups flour

I kneaded the dough for a few minutes. Then attempted to make handprint ornaments with the baby. (She kept grabbing the dough, so there are fingertip depressions.)

Baked at 300 for 45 minutes.

Poofy, and the back was brittle. They completely fell apart.

With this batch I also attempted some smaller pieces. Cracked.

And a snowman. Drooped and then cracked.

Gah.