Wave Ring

I have been wanting a “wave” ring. So I went online and started shopping.

The more I looked at them, the more the do-it-yourself-er in me said, “Hey I can just make one of these!” So I jumped online to find some directions and within two clicks, I found an instructional video. Seriously, you can find anything on Google or Pinterest now days.

I jumped from my recliner and told my my husband I would be in my craft closet if he needs me. Yes, I have a craft closet not a craft room, but that's a good thing. I would have a mess if I had a whole room. This is where I store my paints, ribbons, buttons and other crafty stuff. I really do not do that many crafts, well, unless an idea strikes, like this ring idea. 

After about 30 minutes of finding my roll of wire and the tools I needed, I started on the ring. I bent and twisted a two inch wire until I had what appeared to be a wave, or in my mind looked like a shark fin. At this point I knew I needed to stick to crochet and leave the jewelry making to someone else. 

While It looks ok in the picture, I did not have the right kind of wire. What I used was too thin. I wore it to work the next day but did not like how it felt. It was too flimsy and as fidgety I am, I had it bent all out of shape. I got the general idea of how to make one but I refused to keep trying. My patience are only about 30 minutes long. 

The next evening I went online and ended up ordering one from a shop in California. I chose not to pay a lot for it and I did not care what it was made of really. However, It will be a 925 piece (which means it 92.5% silver) and I’m sure I will enjoy it longer than what I can make myself.

Now I have to wait for it to get through the California fires and should be here sometime during the first week of December.

Instructional video I used for my DIY Wave Ring- found HERE.

Ring Purchased- found at The Vault Silver.

It’s Beginning To Look Like Christmas

Finally, It’s beginning to look like Christmas in the house. I usually do not do a lot of decorating because sadly, no one ever visits. Of course, I could cook or have a party and they would come but no on ever just “drops by”.

When my daughter was in for the weekend, I turned on the Christmas music and we decorated the Christmas tree and did a little cooking. While she finished the tree up, I headed to the den to decorate the mantle. I looked for black and white buffalo plaid to use with my accented reds throughout the house. I could not find what I was looking for, so I grabbed a table cloth, pot holders and a couple ornaments in the red and black gingham. It will have to do for now. Again, who's gonna see?

After we settled down for the night, we painted a couple cookie cutter style ornaments that she brought home for us to do. She always liked to paint ornaments since she was little. I will hold on to that as long as I can.

It was fun catching up on drama and giggling a bit. Nick was somewhere in the house hiding. I tell ya, we wear his ears out when shes home. It’s like having a best friend in the house. 

We skipped the black Friday mobs and headed out early Saturday morning for some shopping. First stop was to the restored Loray Mill for “shop small business Saturday”. There were lots of craft vendors. Here is my daughter checking out the breads and pastries. 

I purchased a tomato pie to try. After the small shopping at the mill, we headed to the mall and a few other places before eating lunch at McAlisters.

I had the half turkey ruben with tortilla soup. It was so good and just the perfect portion.

It was a busy weekend and its not going to lighten up anytime soon. There seems to be something going on every weekend from now until Christmas. 

But on a good note. I am almost finished with my Christmas shopping. If I can just stop buying myself something every time I go out, then maybe I’d be better off. 

I Think I'm weird

As I get older, the more the thought of germs bother me. After doing a lot of shopping and food swapping the past couple days It's made me more concerned that I may have a problem. Some may think I'm a little weird and they may be right but I think we all have some weird ways about us that others can't seem to understand.

I think I may be a germaphobic.

Here are a few examples:

• I do not like to sit on fabric chairs in a waiting area or movie theater. 
• We want even talk about hotel beds.
• In a restaurant, I will not touch the edge of the table or chairs where my fingers may touch underneath. 
• Speaking of restaurants, I cringe when they wipe the seats and table with the same cloth.
• I will not eat any foods at a pot luck or covered dish dinner unless I know who's kitchen it came from. 
• I do not want to eat food from someone with cats. yea, I have had cats and I know how they shed and jump on counters. I know I'd wipe it clean but I don't know about others.
• If I see you messing with your hair in the kitchen, I will loose my appetite.
• I keep hand sanitizer with me all the time in case someone shakes my hand. I'd rather be hugged.
• I cringe when someone lets their dog kiss their face. Dogs lick themselves. eeeesh!
• I use a shower house when I go camping, but freak out if I touch the wall! and Flip flops will be worn at all times in there. 

• I will not eat foods that look like they were handled a lot in preparation, such as decorative cookies or desserts with lots of creativeness put in them. 
• I will not try on a hat in a store.
• I can't wait to get home and wash my feet after trying on shoes and I will no try shoes on barefooted. 
• Don't ask me if you can try my shoes on. It bothers me.
• I will eat at a buffet but I constantly think about who's touching what. 
• I have to wash my hands after I make my plate because of the germs on all those spoon handles everyone shares. 
• I will pull and push public doors open with my elbows or sleeves if at all possible. 

• I always wash my grocery buggy down with wipes then head to the produce for a plastic bag to cover the buggy handle. 
• and if you as much as hiccup around me during flu season, I might mace you with Lysol.

Well? Am I normal? or am I weird? I do not go into panics and I hid my concerns when I am out with friends and family but the concern is still there. It may not be really a Phobia. It's just a figure of speech. 

The only time I do not feel the phobia is around my husband or daughter. I have a strong stomach as a caring mother and wife and can handle any of their sicknesses accidents or boo boos like a boss!

Black Friday

It’s the day after Thanksgiving. I said I wouldn’t do it, but I did it. I over ate yesterday and woke up to a splitting headache and puffy eyes. I am regretting  the loads of desserts I ate tasted all day long. I am simply not used to eating one BIG meal, much less two! But I am thankful.

My daughter came home to stay a few days with us. I kissed my husband and told him I’d see him again in a few days. haha. That is our joke when she comes over because once she hits the door, the girl talk starts. We jabber the whole time about friends, fashion, recipes and work. He gets put on the back burner while I give all my attention to her most of the time. 

She came in bringing goodies from Trader Joe's. We do not have a TraderJoes store in my town, so its always a treat when she brings the goodies. 

We stayed up late Thanksgiving Eve and decorated the Christmas tree and started the cooking for Thanksgiving. 

Today is the day that everyone rushes out before the sun comes up to grab a great black Friday deal. This is something I have never had any intentions to do. I would rather pay ten dollars more for an item than to get into that mess. Better yet, There are black Friday special going on all over the internet too. I will probably be in cyber world all day. 

Below are a couple black Friday sales going on today that I just so happen to be partnered with. I am happy to have the opportunities to share good things from honest companies. 

Rice Love Bags. - SHOP HERE  Use code: BLACKFRIDAY

Get 40% off til Noon 

Get 30% off noon-6 pm

Get 20% 6pm - midnight.

For every bag sold, a family is fed. Each bag is hand made from recycled rice bags so there are no two alike. 

Attached to each bag is a number to enter to see and read about the family you just fed. 

They are all so appreciative and grateful and the bags are adorable!

Goose Creek Candles- SHOP HERE
Large Candles are only $9.99 Today! 

These candles are absolutely wonderful. They burn clean and full of fragrance.

I’m really enjoying my peppermint candle. 

Nutrisystem: SHOP HERE 

Shop A La Carte with 50% off! 

Nutrisystem is the only diet that worked for me. I lost 50 lbs and it was so easy. 

The food is delicious and satisfying. 

They have plans starting at 249.00 a month. 

That's a great deal considering what you spend at the grocery store a month where most food goes to waste or waist. 

Clio Snacks - SHOP HERE.

OK there is no black Friday sale for these delicious yogurt bars but you can find them at most Walmarts and Harris Teeter stores. They are my new favorite snack. They absolutely taste like and have the texture of little cheese cakes dipped in chocolate. New flavors and ideas are in the works for the new year. You can find them on the Yogurt isles and they are only a dollar each! You will fall in love with them. 

Car Thinking

I have read two blog post recently about “cars”. One was on Shipslog and the other at Life101.  Both bloggers love old cars. Jack at Shipslog will usually post a vintage car at the end of his posts. This made me think about cars. It’s about time for me to get a new one.

I grew up in a family where the boys were all about cars. I remember my brother had a 1970 Ford Torino GT. 

He sold it and bought it back a couple times. I’m not sure why whe would do this, but after a few years he would go on a mission to find his old Ford. Sure enough, he would find it and buy it back. My dad was always a Dodge man and My brothers are more into Fords. 

My husband is a Ford man too, so all the cars I have ever owned since we been married have been Fords. I am on my 5th one. I currently have a Ford Escape. This is my second one of those. I truely love it and it will be paid off in July. I am already thinking about my next car. I like to keep a new vehicle for warranty and trade value purposes. I do not mind making a small car payment, it beats having to put a few hundred dollars a month into a worn out car just to keep it running. have had my share of those. I once had a MG-B when I was young and it left me stranded many times. It kept my pockets empty. Now days, safety is a big concern so I need something dependable.

There is a car I want. It’s not a Ford. It’s a Fiat. 

Yes, an Italian made car. The price tags start at 16k. I do not know what it is about them, but I think they are so cute and it would be fun to drive one. The only one I like is the Fiat 500c. They are almost a convertible. Nick says no. He has a truck, but when we go out or takes trips, we take my car and he drives. He said he is not driving a Fiat. He made that clear to me. Yes ladies, I listen to my husband. He knows more about cars than I do and I trust his intentions. 

After the first of the year, I will start looking at my options for another small SUV. It would be really nice if I could afford an everyday car and also a little Fiat. Maybe I will hit the lottery. 

Something I learned today: There was a Fiat 500c in the 50’s! 

Here it is. 

 The 1959 Fiat 500c.

I’d rather have one of these.

Rice Love Bags

I have been searching of a cute bag to carry on day trips or beach trips. I like the Bohemian look sometimes especially in the summer. There is Just something about the mix of colors and fun natural feel this style has to offer, so when I came across RiceLoveBags I immediately fell in love with the look of these back packs.

I’m a little skeptical about things I find online or social media. When I see something I like, I will dig into it to make sure it’s legit. I want to know where my money is going and what companies I shop from support. RiceLoveBags caught my attention first with the look of the bags and then their cause.

For every bag purchased through RiceLoveBags, a family is fed. How cool is that? 

In India, 37% are below the poverty line and living on just 1.25 a day.  For a low income family, rice is the primary source of calories. 

These bags are made in India by using real recycled rice bags. Every bag they make, 1 kilo of rice goes toward a family. Once they have 20 bags, 20 kilos are then given to a hungry family. 

Once the bags are made, they are shipped to a warehouse in United States. So by the time you get your bag, a family has been fed. Each bag is one of a kind and has a tag attached with a special code to go online and look up the family you fed. You can read their story along with a photo. Though RiceLoveBags focuses on feeding families, they also feed older women, widows, and single mothers. 

When I received my backpack bag, I was amazed at how well it was made and how big it actually was. It was soft, the colors were vibrant and it was lined with a soft cotton fabric. I also worried my bag would have a burlap smell, but it didn’t. I love my bag and it makes me feel good that I was able to put food on the table of a hungary family. Every time I use my bag it remindes me how fortunate I am to be able to purchase this bag while others feel fortunate to just be be fed. 

“Buy a bag. Feed a family”

Shop RiceLoveBags.com.

Use coupon code: LILIDI_MEO at checkout and get 20% off. 

Daddy's Hankie- Memories

We finally got everything squared away with my husbands Father's estate. While cleaning out the last bit of stuff, we come across handkerchiefs. Lots of them. Some were old and stained and some were still in the box. My husband would toss them in the trash as I kept retrieving the good ones. Some were fancy and monogrammed with a D.

He looked at me funny with a little smirk. "Nobody uses hankies anymore, just throw them away". I replied, "But they are still good and some still boxed! Everybody needs a hankie!"
"Ok" he said, "just do what you want with them".

My plan is to use them to practice making crochet lace trim.

Then the memories came as I put away the boxed ones and gently washed and folded the old ones. My daddy always had a hankie in his pocket. He also had four snotty nose kids with him all the time.

Daddy wiped many tears and runny noses with his hankie. He would fold the dirty part to the inside and slid it back into his pocket. The next kid up, he would always say, "Here is a clean part to use" and we would.

Daddy's hankies were there to wipe up our spills, clean sticky fingers or polish our shoes. I’ve seen him use them to wipe a foggy windshield or wrap around a kitten. They may have even been used to take a fish off our hook a time or two.

So I'm keeping the handkerchiefs we found. Even though these are not my daddy's hankies, I know the benefits of these little rags and who knows, maybe I'll keep one in my purse. You never know when one will come in handy. 

Acorn Squash-Two Ways

Today I want to introduce a new food I discovered. The Acorn Squash. Now if that name does not scream Fall, then I don't know what does.

I have seen Acorn squash in the grocery stores but I have never tried them. They just always looked like an ornamental gourd to me and I had no desire to eat one. I want to add new foods to my diet so I thought I'd give this baby a try.

As I looked around online for directions on how to cook them, I also seen several recipes. It started getting interesting. I never knew these things had such a good reputation.

I experimented with recipes and created this delicious way to enjoy an Acorn squash.

Cutting it in half was the hardest part. Seriously.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Preheat oven to 475.

Cut the acorn squash in half and scooped out the seeds. 

(I put the seeds aside for roasting).

Coat the inside and outside of the squash with melted coconut oil 

Place on a cookie sheet or shallow baking dish.

Add a layer of cinnamon to the inside.

Bake 45-55 minutes or until soft when pierced with a fork.

Remove from oven and.........

STOP RIGHT THERE: 

The squash is good just like it is at this point. It has the same flavor as a sweet potato but sweeter! This will make a great side to any dish. 

But lets make it better.....

Trust me on this one.

Add vanilla Greek yogurt to the center. 

Mix a little so the flavors of the cinnamon combine in with the yogurt. 

Drizzle with Honey and top with walnuts.

OH MAN this was soo good. I do not like yogurt, much less vanilla yogurt but something about this mixture was so sweet and delicious, my tongue almost slapped my forehead.

I would consider this either a breakfast or a dessert.
YES! Squash for breakfast. Bring it on.

Since discovering that these acorn squash taste like sweet potato, I did something different with the other half. I added some melted butter and marshmallows. I placed it back in the oven to brown the marshmallows. It tasted like a little personal sweet potato casserole.

I got a thumbs up on both from Nick. It was a toss up between which one tasted better. Both were as good as the other but I think I liked the yogurt way best as it was more healthy in my opinion.

Oh about the seeds.

I salted and roasted them in the oven for about 15 minutes.They made a great snack to nibble on while dinner was being prepared.

Peppermint -Goose Creek Candle

It’s that time of year to start thinking about the sweet smells of Christmas. When Goose Creek candles asked me to choose a scent from their jar candle collection, I was overjoyed. The decision was not easy as they had so many different fragrances to choose from.

Jar Candle Collection

With Christmas just around the corner, I chose the fresh scent of Peppermint. I mean, you do know that Peppermint is the pumpkin spice of Christmas, right?

My candle arrived quickly and was neatly packed to prevent any damages. I immediately took it out of the box and placed it on my kitchen table. Within ten minutes of lighting it, I could already smell the sweet scent of peppermint. The room was soon filled with the aroma of Christmas. 

These candles are made right here in the USA by a family owned business you can trust. I can rest assure knowing I am not breathing any toxins in the air as they do not use any harmful chemicals in there candles. This also means I do not have to worry about black residue on my jar or walls.

One of the reasons I really like this candle is how it has duel wicks that are made with 100% cotton which gives this candles a long lasting, even burn. I love using candles in my home especially while I am cooking or expecting company. It’s hard to find a good candle now days. I want my candles to be more than just a pretty flicker of light. Goose Creek candles didn’t let me down. I look forward to using more of their fragrant candles in the future.

Shop for your favorite candle at goosecreekcandle.com

*This product was provided to me free of charge 

in exchange for my honest review. 

All opinions are 100% my own.

Crochet Peppermint Coasters

I haven’t been doing a lot of crocheting this season. Last year I was over loaded with making bun beanies by requests. I may make a few more but right now I am fixing to get busy crocheting some baby blankets for little nieces due the first of the year. yes my family continues to grow. I love it. 

But first I decided to make some cute mug coasters. I always use coasters under my cups. I do not like to hear my cup hit the hard table when I place it down. If I do not have a coaster handy, I will grab a napkin to use. I have made myself several coasters with cotton yarn. I like that I can just toss them in the washing machine when they become dirty.  

When I found a pattern for these peppermint coasters, I knew I had to make few. 

I love how they came out and were really simple to make (if your a crocheter of course). Jack over at Shipslog once said. “You guys always amaze me I can never see where you start or end the task”. 

I take that as a compliment. It means I’m doing it right. With these disk shapes, the start is in the center and the end is on the outer edge. Once finished, the yarn is tied off with a crocheters knot and the yarn tails are weaved in and out of the stitches to hide. 

I made a couple of these coaster for myself to enjoy during the Christmas season and I have a listing for them in my Etsy shop. I think they are going to be fun to use around the house as I will be decorating in reds and whites this year. 

You can find these ready to use coasters and more in my Etsy shop at LiLiDi

For all you crocheters out there, here is a link to a free peppermint coaster Pattern.

Clio Snack bars

I have found a love for yogurt. But not just any yogurt. I found these little Greek yogurt bars by Clio at my local Walmart. It was love at first bite. They taste like little cheese cakes, I kid you not!

I am not a fan of yogurt and I struggle to find a yogurt I will eat. You may ask, "why eat yogurt anyways? Well, I know that yogurt is a good source of calcium, protein and probiotics. Our bodies need these things. Yogurt is a healthy snack. I mean, we all need yogurt in our diet. It can be used as an alternative in a lot of recipes too.

As I am still on the Nutrisystem diet, these yogurts fit right in as my recommended morning or afternoon snack while still staying on plan. They are 140 calories and have 8 grams for protein.
These bars are also gluten free.

You will love Clio Greek yogurt bars. You do not need a spoon, oh no. Just use your fingers. These little yogurt bars are small but do not let that fool ya on the flavor or satisfaction. Clio yogurt bars come in a variety of flavors and plan to ad some new flavors in the future. It takes a while to perfect the flavor for each bar.

Dipped in a rich dark chocolate, they will satisfy your sweet tooth.
It's a win all the way around. I purchase a week supply at a time. I could honestly eat these for 3 meals a day.

Currently, you can only find Clio bars at Select grocery stores and Amazon. The flavors that are on the market right now are Vanilla, Espresso, Hazelnut, Strawberry, Blueberry and Honey. My favorite is the Vanilla and Honey.

So get ya shoes on and head out to grab a few for a non guilt snack!

Your welcome! 

                                                                  

This post contains affiliate links. 

I may earn a small commission on purchases at no additional cost to you.

All reviews and opinions are my own.

I believe in supporting and sharing the good things in life. 

Blog Planner

I have been going around and around in my mind about using a blog planner or any planner of that matter. I actually bought a little simple planner to play around with until the end of the year. But dog gone it, my life is just not that busy.

I have no idea what to keep up with. I am not so busy that I can't just sit down after work and come up with something to blog about.

But....

I want to make my blog better ( I say this every year). or better organized. I want to spend more time on it and try and bring in more traffic. I want my blog to grow.

I would consider my blog a "lifestyle" blog I think. I blog about things I do, see, or experience. I try my best to leave politics or news out of it. Because I'm not that educated on either one. I often do reviews and sometimes those have deadlines so It would be nice to keep up with them in a planner. Maybe plan out blog post for the future? Right now my post are usually spur of the moment. I have a tag called "random". seriously.

When I go online to read about blog planning. I only find sites that lead me to professional bloggers that do a lot of marketing, and selling. People that are focused on one topic. They speak too big in vocabulary for me to even understand what they are talking about. I mean, heck, I just learned recently what "monetizing" is. 

I do get ideas of a post sometimes and I will either snap a reminder photo or jot it down in my "notes" app on my phone. Maybe that's enough for me or maybe its not. I like being organized and love to be creative. But I want my planner to be more than a pretty book.

So I'm asking my readers for advice.

Do you use a blog planner? What about a daily planner? Do you carry a little journal around with you all day or do you use a special app on your device? I am curious. I would love to have new ideas ready for the new year that will soon be here.

For my blog friends that “Monetize” I’d also love to know what you use for that. 

I use Adsense but for some reason, The ads have stopped showeing up on my page as of November 1st. I’ve checked all my settings and everything is active with no violations. Been to help and support but with no advice. I’m ready to find other options. 

Veggie Soup

We are now starting to feel the cool season of Fall here in North Carolina. The temperatures have dropped down to the 40's in the mornings and after sundown. It has put me in the mood for soup.

I have been wanting to make some vegetable soup. We have made all sorts of soups in the past but I have never made a real "old fashioned vegetable soup". I headed to my social media friends for some help and ideas on how to get this soup started. I was in a limbo weather to make it with a broth base or more of a tomato base. 

Most of my friends suggested V-8 Juice as a starter. Some suggested beef or chicken broth. 

Needless to say, I was still somewhat undecided on what would taste best. That's when I decided to reach out to my friend Anne. I know she does a lot of cooking, and, well, I just trust her taste. 

Her base starter? Water.

OK, that sounded easy enough. The veggies add the broth and make a delicious soup as it slowly cooks in a pot for a few hours. So that's how I started. Before I knew it, I was adding this, that and whatever. I started with adding some cubed potatoes and diced onions and let those cook a little first then I started adding in the veggies. I ended up adding a can of beef broth for flavor and consistency. 

Just look at that mess!

Then I made a pan of cornbread. I mean, what good is veggie soup if you don't have cornbread right? 

No jiffy mix here. This is the real stuff made in a cast iron pan just like mom! (recipe is on the bag of cornmeal).

My soup turned out delicious and we had enough for the next day. [Did I mention soup is better the second time around?] 

Below is basically what was in my soup:

2 baking potatoes

1 onion

2- 14.5 oz. cans of petite diced tomatoes

1- bag of frozen mixed vegetables

1- bag of frozen okra

1/2 head of chopped cabbage

1- can of beef broth

1- can of water

Salt/ Pepper

pinch of garlic salt

dash of Italian Seasoning

dash of parsley 

I started the potatoes and onions first in a little water in a stock pot until they started to soften, then I added all the other ingredients and cooked in a crock-pot on low 4-5 hours.

I plan to make some more of this kind of soup again soon. It's low calorie and Lord knows I need the veggies. 

We call this an Italian spoon rest.

“Soups On!”