We've started having Friday night family movie time on Mondays all because of Redbox. If you haven't tried it, you should. It's easy and very convenient (for those who live near a Redbox location). Even without the free movie code, it's only $1/day to rent movies.
Today's free code for a Redbox movie is PL96QA. (thanks MotherLode)
This code is good for one free movie and you can use it until midnight tonight. Enjoy a free family movie together!
Side Notes:- If you want to rent more than one movie for free, bring more than one credit/debit card. You can use the same promotional code, you just will need different cards to charge it to. The charge will be zero as long as you return your movie on time for the next day.- When entering in your free movie code, you need to enter it FIRST before picking the movie. On the very first screen, click the, "Rent with Promo." Enter in the above code and then make your selection- the amount should then total zero.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Free Movie Monday from Redbox
Craptastic Cheapsakes!
What goes better with a morning cup of coffee than a clever turn of phrase?
Like this wit-twister I was treated to this morning from a column by Lizz Winstead in the latest issue of Plenty magazine, “ The great family heirloom is quickly being replaced with craptastic cheapsakes.”
http://www.plentymag.com/features/2008/02/life_in_the_green_zone.php
After wiping the laugher-sprayed coffee off the front of my pajamas and the moisture from eyes I realized that Winstead had summed up in two words what I’d been trying to explain for years as to WHY I shop at thrift stores (besides the money savings), WHY I like “ugly old” furniture and knick knacks. And ultimately WHY I quilt and give handmade gifts when I can. Because I don’t think this world or the people I love who live in it, need any more cheaply made, non-durable, non-sentimental things that are soon out-dated and more likely than not out of commission.
Tell me…when was the last time you lovingly ran your hand over the pressed particle wood desk purchased in 1995 from Desks R Us and pondered how its’ future recipients would cherish it and what memories it would hold for them? As a matter of fact…is that desk you bought back in ’95 even still being used…or did it fall apart the last time you moved it from one side of your office to another?
Or linens. Do you suppose our daughters and grand-daughters will pull out our JCPenney pillowcases from the spring 2000 bed-in-a-bag collection and press them with lavender water before tucking them neatly onto the guest bed, thinking all the while about all of the seconds that some underpaid worker in Bangladesh or Malaysia took in pulling them from the assembly line?
How about the latest video game console or iPod? In 25 years will your grandson cling to an Xbox 360 and shed a respect-filled tear over Microsoft’s craftsmanship?
I have to agree with Winstead when she says, “I have the sneaking suspicion that 100 years from now, my great-great-grandchildren won’t be clamoring through my attic saying, “Oh look! It’s one of those vintage Air Poppers. I think I’ll make a lamp out of it!”
Oh, I know it’s very PC to be “green” these days, and that Winstead’s article is more about saving the earth than saving memories, but I’m more accidentally green rather than purposefully so.
When I’m quilting or crafting or buying for my home the heirloom angle is always on my mind. I also think about all the stuff I have sitting around my house that will end up in the landfills without a second glance and believe me, I have plenty of experience with this as I’ve already sent hundreds of “craptastic” items that way.
This ideal has come over me just in the last few years. Now, when I’m shopping I ask myself, “Will my kids want this in 20 years?” and “Will it even be around then?”
I ask myself the same question when I’m quilting. Since I hand quilt almost exclusively, I take special care in the quality of the work I put into it, hoping against hope that the project in my hands will make it beyond the average lifespan of a cheaply manufactured “must-have-today-so-I-can-replace-it-tomorrow” Walmart special. And while my needle glides in and out of the fabric I enjoy imagining that one day one of my descendants will be rummaging through MY attic and find a REAL treasure.
**Addendum: Please realize that while I did enjoy this article by Lizz Winstead I do not endorse her political comedy or views. I just thought her turn of phrase was witty. Don't read too much into it, all righty?**
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
My Six Word Life Story
Six word memoirs. An interesting concept, I thought as I was scanning the newest Reader's Digest and came upon a feature about a contest Smith Magazine ran last year asking folks to write their life stories in six words.
Then I sat down with a cuppa java and did a little blog-walking this morning and ran upon this writing exercise that Gumbo Lily did with her teenage sons.
A few of my FAVES that I've read so far:
Bad brakes discovered at high speed. —J. Baumeister (been there...yikes!)
Never really finished anything, except cake. —C. Perkins (can I get an "amen"?!)
I still make coffee for two. —Z. Nelson ( and I drink it all! LOL)
God, coffee, family. In that order. ~Mom (somethings are obvious! :-))
And the one I WISH I would have thought of MYSELF....
Asked to quiet down; spoke louder. - Wendy Lee (if you know me....you understand! LOL)
I tried to write my own with a clever twist, but this is what it all boiled down to.
Lived without Jesus, discovered I can't. - Michele
What is YOUR six word memoir??
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Maintenance
Please excuse me if you subscribe to my feed and receive re-postings. I am attempting to do a little spring cleaning and am not sure what will come across the feeds to you.
Any comments or suggestions are welcome. Can you read this font size well?
Michele
Friday, February 01, 2008
Bag Lady
I've never made a purse or tote or really anything related to them, but it was my goal this year to try my hand at it and here are the results.
This first little bag I made using instructions from a tutorial I found online at Chocolate on My Cranium. This really helped me understand how to do the lining. Sooooooo, easy with all her great pics.
And it's reversible!
The next is a creation of my own design. It took me a little finagling to figure out the how-to and it's not "perfect", but I like it well enough that I'm counting it a success. I think I'm going to call it my Four Fat Quarters bag.
And...no comments on the dead leaves in the overgrown hedges, all right? If I have to choose between yard work and sewing...my needle and thread win every time!
Friday, January 18, 2008
There Once Was a Man From....Limericks Anyone???
There's a fun little contest going on at Rocks in My Dryer that you might enjoy. Make up a limerick and post it to her blog today and you'll be entered to win a MP3 Player.
Here's my entry:
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Out of Step
You've heard that quote, "Life is not about fitting in, but about standing out", I'm sure. Well, apparently I've taken that to heart.
Or maybe it's less that I "stand out" and more that I am always running to catch up with those who are "in".
I miss deadlines regularly. I say I'll call and then I forget to do so. I hear about an event or happening a week after it happens. It's not that there's something "wrong" with me, I think, it's just that I'm out of step with everyone else.
I think I'm particularly aware of this today because I MISSED the deadline to get my ds enrolled in our local community college. Now, it's not the end of the world because he's only a sophomore and these would be dual credit classes, but that's not the point. The point is that I INTENDED to do something and I DIDN'T! He's not upset...overly, though he was looking forward to this new adventure and is disappionted. Argh!
I'm assigned to help with my church welcome team. Invariably I check the calendar a week or two AFTER I was scheduled and weeks before I'm scheduled again. Missed it.
I also help with the student ministry as a sort of "presence" since ours is so large. Same thing. I miss my assigned days.
Meetings? Same. I had a teleconference meeting with some folks from our bible quiz group last night...forgot all about it. Missed it.
I do this all the time!
Forgetfullness? Out of Step? I don't know, but I can tell you it's really frustrating...not only to ME, but those around me.
None of us want to be sheep, but just every now and then I'd like to blend in just a bit better than I do currently. I don't want to be "that mom".
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
A Little Befuddled...
Monday, December 31, 2007
Happy New Year!!!
This is Jolie and she is wishing you a very Blessed and Happy New Year! Jolie was a gift to my niece for Christmas and she looks forward to many days of snuggling and book reading with her new friend.
~Edgar A. Guest
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Advent Quilt
I wasn't sure what to make. What symbols I would use. I went back and forth and finally landed on just doing a mish-mash of Christmas/Winter related images.
My kids have an ongoing debate about whether this DOVE looks more like a chicken or a monkey in the face!
I'm being lazy this morning and didn't want to take the time to edit this one further. Tilt your head, k?
This is SUPPOSE to be a wreath, but it mutated in size and ended up looking more like a teething ring.
Despite all the flaws and artistic anomolies, no one wants me to change ir improve any of these. They say they find "joy" in them. Weeeeeell!! I think their joy and ulimately their laughter is at MY expense! hrmph. *wink*
Friday, December 28, 2007
Cathedral Window and T-shirt Quilt
Do you see that dark blue square toward the middle there? The one that says "World Champions"? Well, there's a little story behind that. I searched all over to get enough Royals tess for this quilt and one place I looked was my local Freecycle group (check it out if you're interested at http://www.freecycle.com/). I posted what I wanted and why and had only ONE reply, but what a reply it was. The gal has had this sweatshirt since she went to the "I-70 series" back in 1985. She's not a big Royals fan, but she just couldn't bring herself to just toss it out considering this was the year that the Royals actually WON the World Series. I was thrilled to get this from her and include it in the quilt. As a matter of fact it was the first block that J pointed out specifically and "wowed" over. :-) Aaaaah, Glory Days.
I couldn't decide which of these to post so I thought...I'd post them both.
Merry Christmas? Yes it WAS!
At my friend Jody's reminding I've decided to put this journal entry on my blog. For posterities sake if you will.
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There's so much that has gone on this week and if you were right here in front of me I'd tell you each and everything...you'd probably wish I wouldn't! LOL
I've spent the entire week sick. Dh and I have both had this icky cold/flu thing, but we've managed to muddle through. Now, of course that doesn't sound like a "lovely Christmas" at all, but the Lord blessed us with just enough pockets of energy to be able to participate in all of our planned activities and to complete the projects we were working on.
We went to dh's family's on Christmas Eve. Some who normally don't come, came and it was simply wonderful to have them there. A very full house with over 30 in attendance, not counting the smaller children. We played our usual white elephant exchange (dh wasn't able to put together the leg lamp he intended this year, but he's set on getting it done for next year! ) and with that many people you can imagine what a variety of little "pale packaderms" we had floating around the room and what a roaring good time it was! LOL
The best part though, and I have to remember to send my sil a note about this, was the reading of the Christmas story this year. Dh's family has a variety of levels of those committed and not-so-commited to Christ and even those who are anti-anything Christian, but my sil took this opportunity of CHRISTmas to insist that the Christmas story be read from Luke and to remind all there what this holiday is all about. Afterwards she asked another bil to pray and then another to start off some caroling. It was uncomfortable for many and a few sneaked out after the prayer, but mainly everyone stayed and enjoyed a heartwarming Christmas experience. I was very pleased (as these family events are infamously unpredictable.)
On Christmas day, I woke up first and started our morning breakfast casserole, coffee and hot chocolate and waited for everyone else to start moving around. This gave me just a bit of time to sit in the dark living room and pray by the glow of the Christmas tree lights. In that moment I was thinking mostly of how the Lord had blessed us so richly with gifts under our tree. I could look at nearly every present either purchased or handmade and marvel at either the way the Lord provided the funds or the time to accomplish there presence there. I was also thinking of how different our Christmas celebrations are now that we've been set free from the bondage of our cult-days and delivered into an understanding of what the oft used phrase "Grace and Mercy" means. You can imagine how that little time warmed my heart (despite my sniffles and coughs), amen?
Eventually everyone began to stir and we shared our last Advent devotion from Handel's Family Advent Reader. Dh and I enjoyed this so much, but the children want something different for next year. Ah well.
Then...present time! We all received some fabulous gifts relative to our interests and personalities...books, DVDs, CDs, hobby supplies, clothes, etc. I was most impressed with the thought that went into each. Ds got dd a nice stereo for her room. Hers' died early this year, but we didn't see a real need to replace it as she was still capable of listening to CDs in her DVD player, though the sound quality is greatly diminished via the television speakers. This was unacceptable to Mr. and Miss Music so....ds rectified that.
Ds was thrilled to find 2 new effects pedals under the tree (one from us and one from L's family). None-electric guitar folks won't know what this is, and I barely do myself, all I can say is that pedals are THE thing to have in order to manipulate "tone" and "distortion" among other things when playing guitar. Bottom line...he loved it.
**A fun little side note here: L. has been in Paris (btw, they did make it safely...thank you for the prayers), but she devised this cute little plan to gift ds every day that she is gone. She enlisted my help and so every morning since last Saturday I've had a new present to set out for ds before he wakes up. His favorite soft drink, a picture frame with their picture in it etc. In each is a cutsie little note, too. The very first day was funny. He got this little monkey and you can record your message into it by pressing the palm of one of its hands. Then you press the other hand to play-back. Well, my son...pressed the right hand the first time, heard the message and then, despite a note being wrapped around the recording hand that said, DO NOT TOUCH THIS HAND,...squeezed it and erased her message. He decided to make lemonade out of lemons, recorded his own message to her and went straight to the post office to ship it to her hotel in Paris! Silly kids. ***
Besides some really gorgeous fabric, I received an electric mattress cover. The temperature of our bedroom is a long standing battle between my Husband-The-Furnace and I. We resolved that a few years ago when we began using an electric matress cover with dual controls. But, alas...that went the way of all electronics and died. Now...we can restore peace and love to our sleeping quarters . Aaaaah, sweet harmony!
Dh's gifts under the tree were varied and nice...a new casual coat with sherpa lining, etc, but nothing to "wow" anyone. Here's the thing. WE (he and I) had agreed on the amount of money we would spend this Christmas and we stuck to it. In that, we also agreed that we wouldn't get each other anything over $25 and that it would only be ONE thing. You see? Well, I had been scrounging a dollar here and there for a while to be sure I could get something nice for him without him knowing it (that is the downside of not having your own income I suppose...they always KNOW what's in and out of that checking account! LOL) and so I really didn't feel like that rule applied to me. But...I didn't want him to know that until after he'd done his shopping (of course, that mattress cover tells me HE broke the rules too, so I don't feel too badly! LOL)
Sooooooooo.... After our family gift exchange we went to my sister's house to share with her family. ***(I know this is getting way too long,...I'm sorry. If you've made it this far, you're a faithful friend and deserve a reward! {{{HUGS}}} - I just can't decide what to leave out!)***
There I had dh's "big" gift hidden all this time so he thought his gift getting from me was done. We all opened our gifts from one another (which I'll tell you about in a second) and then when it was all said and done, my sister stood up and said something like this to my dh "Oh my! I almost forgot. Santa came by and knew you'd be here today and so he left this for you" and there, behind the sofa was a BIG package hidden under a quilt. He was perplexed as to what it could be and so he went over and knelt in front of it...the card said it was from the kids and I. When he tore it open it was something he'd been wanting for a while...an Everlast heavy punching bag. (I know this sounds like a silly thing, but he just has always wanted this to workout on so.....) Can you believe my soft hearted hubby teared up?? He just is always so grateful and surprised when someone gives him a gift. I love that about him. He cries over little gifts too...pictures the kids draw, dvds...whatever really. :D Anyway! I was pretty proud of myself for keeping that one a surprise!
Both of the quilts I made went over extremely well (pics in next post). My sister's so much so that she sobbed to receive her cathedral window wall hanging. Big, giant tears. She said she was just surprised and knew how much time that took to make. With a response like that, it makes you want to get started on another, kwim? Sis and I also went in on a video camera for dd. She's been wanting one for ever-so-long and we hope to encourage her creative film making with this little item. It also takes stills so even though I didn't get the camera I wanted per se, I will have digital picture taking capabilities again! YEAH!
We spent the day there, the boys playing Risk and the girls just chatting in the living room (I snoozed on the sofa under the Royals t-shirt quilt for a bit...it sleeps well. :D). And dd video taping it ALL! Then we came home and dh's brother surprised us by coming over with frozen pizzas and gifts and so we did our gift exchange with them.
The girls loved their little reversible headbands, we got the boys shirts with fun sayings on them (like "Most of the people who drive me nuts are in my family"), and my sil really loved her spa kit with the eye pillow and matching headband I made. We finally made it to bed around midnight. All in all it was a lovely, lovely Christmas with lots of familial love everywhere! I couldn't have asked for more!
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving!
Here's the scene right now at my home.
Christmas music in the background, pumpkin spice cake in the oven (love that smell! mmmmm) and cranberry apple sauce on the stove. My family is still snuggled in their beds and I am enjoying the moment sitting in my jammies with a cuppa coffee (black all the way).
To all of you who are racing around finishing last minute details in preparation for a crew of people to descend upon you...I salute you.
Me? Oh, I'm bringing a dish to my sister's for lunch and another to my dh's family's home for dinner. That's it for me.
I have so much to be thankful for;
*The unconditional love of my Heavenly Father
*The passionate devotion of a strong, talented man
*The good health and friendship of my teenage children
*Family and friends to love and enjoy
So much really...to count my blessings would overwhelm me.
May yours be too numerous to count as well.
Happy Day!
