This is my last post for the wonderful year of 2010 and that is hard to believe. Let us look back at some of the best posts and great moments of 2010 here, and on Meditations of His Love.
What were your favorite blogs posts?
I have a cold which means some things fall through the cracks. One of the things that I try to do but don’t do well is write blog posts. So, if this post seems to ramble, know that I usually do better.
Can you believe it? In just two days we will start our Bible challenge, (chick on the picture below for more information). I can hardly wait to start reading through the Bible in 90 days! It is hard to think it has been a year since I did the Bible in Six months challenge; it would seem I am starting a tradition in my life.
What are the other happenings in my life? Well, I soon will begin training for my new job. I cannot believe that I will be working at the capitol twice a week for my new representative. As many of you know, I enjoy politics, and this year I have been heavily involved. I worked on his campaign and so pleased at the offer to work in his office during the upcoming legislative session.
I have also been busy keeping my writing on target even though I have been sick. I am hoping to take the first week in January to do some serious writing work, which includes writing some posts for my sadly neglected Writing Saturday. There will be a post this Saturday, so stay tuned.
One more random note; If you have a Facebook page you can follow my blog through networked blogs.
I can hardly believe that the New Year is just around the corner. This year has gone by so fast it is hard to believe. But before we jump into 2011, I want to share with you about my Christmas.
Although Christmas isn’t our major holiday (Easter is), we have a lot of fun celebrating it. As with every holiday at our house, we give it our own little twist. One of my favorite things we do differently is that we make Christmas last all day. We open gifts one by one, enjoy them, spend time together and eat between gifts. Pretty fun, right?
Another thing that you will find very different in our house is the decorations. While we do have a tree, a beautiful one that our grandmother gave us that we enjoy, we have nativities everywhere. In this way remind ourselves of the reason for the season.
Probably the oddest thing we do on Christmas is we turn off all electronics for the most part. If fact, this year, we took off almost a week to spend time together. It is hard sometimes for me, who is used to spending about four hours a day alone writing on the computer, to not turn it on but is it a good reminder of what is really important.
One of the last things we do on Christmas is turn off all the lights, light candles and sit around singing Christmas carols. It is a perfect way to end out Christmas festivities and I think a perfect way to end this post.
I will be taking a Christmas break. See you next week!
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
1. Do your research. The more you study the time period, the better your book will be
2. Incorporate actual people into your story. What I mean by this is that one of the best ways to make something authentic is for the main character to meet a historical person, even if it is briefly.
3. If you are writing historical fiction that has less to do with the history that is going on and more to do with the time period, spend some learning about the inventions that they did and didn’t have. Simple things like can openers, plastics, or even tooth picks can be out of place in certain points in time.
4. When describing clothing, movies are not always the best resource. If you look closely, you will often find that they will make the period clothes and put a modern spin on them. Look up pictures or paintings from the time if you really want to know what the clothes looked like.
5. Make sure that attitudes are correct for the time period. In the Victorian times, actors and actresses were looked down on by proper people. In some time periods, arranged marriages were the norm and girls were fine with that. While in still other times, people believed that the world was flat and that saying different was heresy. Catching the attitudes of the time is very important.
6. Peoples’ thoughts on war and warfare has greatly changed through the ages. In some times wars were deemed a necessary evil, in other times it was considered important and honorable to go to war. If you plan to write about a battle, make sure that you find out the reasons behind it.
7. Before writing about a doctor coming to cure someone, make sure you know what doctors had and how they treated people way back when. In the middle ages, illnesses were believed to be caused by bad blood so they would cut them and let the blood drain out, having them come in and give some sort of other treatment would be unlikely.
8. How educated is your main character? Is she is a girl in the prairie in the 1800’s her mom probably teaches her what she can. If it is a rich boy in the 1900’s he probably goes to school. If it is an average person in ancient Egypt, they have probably had no education.
9. Accents and words from cultures you write about should be included, but don’t overdo it.
10. Have a question about something? Often local college professors are willing to help you.
Need a good laugh? Put your MP3 player, iPod or media player on shuffle and answer the following questions
If someone says "this is okay" you say: It wasn’t a joke (You thought I was teasing you when I said the Christmas tree was leaning and about to fall on you, uh?)
What would best describe your personality? Ezekiel 42 (this should be interesting…)
What do you like in a guy/girl? A shepherd speaks (No silent ones please)
What is your life's purpose? Hinds feet on high places (You’ll just have to read the book to find out.)
What is your motto? Holy is the Lord (Good one)
What do your friends think of you? You are Worthy (Finally a little appreciation)
What do you think about very often? Amazing Grace
What is 2+2? Leviticus 22
What do you think of your best friend? Fingerprints of God (Don’t you feel special now?)
What do you think of a person you like? Psalm 16
What is your life story? An untimely accident (Wait, that can’t be right)
What do you want to be when you grow up? Peter’s Family (Try to figure that one out)
What do you think when you see a person you like? 2 Samuel 7 (Boy, I think of a lot of scripture, that’s a good thing, right?”
What do your parents think of you? Go light your world (leave mine alone. Kidding they already light mine)
What will you dance to at your wedding? Hark! The Herald Angel’s Sing
What will they play at your funeral? The real me
What would best describe your personality? Ezekiel 42 (this should be interesting…)
What do you like in a guy/girl? A shepherd speaks (No silent ones please)
What is your life's purpose? Hinds feet on high places (You’ll just have to read the book to find out.)
What is your motto? Holy is the Lord (Good one)
What do your friends think of you? You are Worthy (Finally a little appreciation)
What do you think about very often? Amazing Grace
What is 2+2? Leviticus 22
What do you think of your best friend? Fingerprints of God (Don’t you feel special now?)
What do you think of a person you like? Psalm 16
What is your life story? An untimely accident (Wait, that can’t be right)
What do you want to be when you grow up? Peter’s Family (Try to figure that one out)
What do you think when you see a person you like? 2 Samuel 7 (Boy, I think of a lot of scripture, that’s a good thing, right?”
What do your parents think of you? Go light your world (leave mine alone. Kidding they already light mine)
What will you dance to at your wedding? Hark! The Herald Angel’s Sing
What will they play at your funeral? The real me
What is your hobby/interests? Isaac the procrastinator (Yeah that is an Adventures in Odyssey episode, do you have a better hobby?”
What is your biggest secret? The gift (And I’m not telling)
What do you think of your friends? Job 8 (It’s nothing personal…)
What's the worst thing that could happen? Leave it to Sol (He makes a mess of everything)
How will you die? Flower in the Rain (Talk about a strange way to die)
What's the one thing you regret? Come on back to me (Don’t ask)
What makes you laugh? Missing you (Hey, it is better than crying about it)
What makes you cry? Isaiah 20 (Need I say more?)
Will you ever get married? Listen to Wisdom (Does that mean yes or no? Help!)
What scares you the most? Always tomorrow (Umm… I was hoping you wouldn’t find this one out….)
Does anyone like you? The other side of me (LOL!)
If you could go back in time, what would you change? Galatians 2 (I’m not saying there is a problem with it; it just needs a little something
What hurts right now? Child of Promise (?)
What do you most often exclaim? Hallelujah (Great choice, isn’t it?)
Where is paradise? Make us One
What did you first say as a baby? Psalm 12 (I was spiritual even then)
If you had a pet, what would you name it? There is a foundation (I’ll call him Found for short)
What is your favorite sight to see? Step by step (Yep, that is it, sure)
What makes you gag? Without you (being without you is so bad, it makes me gag. Oh cool that rhymed.
What are you best at? I have no doubt
If you wrote a book, what would you call it? The Spirit Style (Except there is already a book by that name and that is why it is on my MP3 player.)
What did you wish for last? No way, we are not ashamed (What did you wish for?)
What would your superhero name be? Heaven will be near me (cool, no?)
How soon will this be over? Thankful (I guess that means soon)
Where are you sitting? The ruins of Cair Paravel (You just wish you were here too)
What do you most hate? He is exalted (But I won’t tell you who “he” is)
What do you most love? Awesome God (So true!)
What do you not care about? More Chaos
What is your secret name? Love Theme (Why? It’s a secret, remember?)
What will you post this as? Lucy and Mr. Tumnus (Because this post has been fun as well as strange)
How soon will this be over? Thankful (I guess that means soon)
Where are you sitting? The ruins of Cair Paravel (You just wish you were here too)
What do you most hate? He is exalted (But I won’t tell you who “he” is)
What do you most love? Awesome God (So true!)
What do you not care about? More Chaos
What is your secret name? Love Theme (Why? It’s a secret, remember?)
What will you post this as? Lucy and Mr. Tumnus (Because this post has been fun as well as strange)
Movie Rating; PG
My Rating; (On a scale of 1-10) 8
Age recommendation; 14 and up
I have so looked forward to this movie since I knew that they were going to make it. It is one of the only ones that I have ever kept up with the process, or watched while it was still in the theaters. So today I would like to give you my review.
My first two impressions after leaving the theater was that, one, they had followed the book a lot closer than they did with Price Caspian. Two, it was darker than the past two.
Someone who loves the book will be happy to find more of the original dialog in the movie and the characters more in line with the books than they were in the last one. Even where they didn’t follow the dialog or story plot perfectly, I thought they captured the spirit of the book much better.
Some people might be surprised at the age recommendation I gave but as I said, the movie was darker than the last two. Without giving too much of the movie away, I will just say that they are battling the Island of Nightmares long before they reach it. The sea serpent scene is very intense and even I wished it had been a little shorter. I strongly urge parents to read up on the movie, find some pictures or maybe even go to see it before they take their thirteen year old or easily scared child.
As with every Narnia movie, it still had that wow factor, that humor that we have come to love as well as the powerful messages. I was on the verge of tears at the last scene as they say good-bye to Narnia. Wow, It wasn’t a feel good ending but it was very powerful and got me to thinking.
There are some incredible lessons in the movie, such as, fighting the evil (sin) that exists in all of us, sometimes what we wish for isn’t what we really want, not trying to be someone else, and much more.
Both of these blog are so good and help me in my writing, I couldn’t decide between them. So let me introduce you to two of my favorite writers and writing blogs.
Literary Pursuits is written my good friend and fellow Meditations of His Love member Jessica. Jessica has so many good things to say and so many great challenges on her blog. If you get the chance, you really ought to participate in one of her Writing on the Weekends challenges, they are really fun.
Jessica and I have been writing buddies for two years now. She has really helped me with some of my author short comings.
Wordplay is written by the author K. M. Weiland (go here see my review for her book Behold the Dawn). She has to be one of the most brilliant writers I know personally. This blog is dedicated to help writers become authors and she is good at that. She has affected the way I write for sure.
What will be next month’s blog?
Dance as though no one is watching you, love as though you have never hurt before, sing as though no one can hear you, and live as though heaven is on earth.
Evil triumphs when good men do nothing - Edmund Burke
You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice –Anonyms
The One how gave the vision still calls - Pendragon; Sword of his father
“Do not assume that she who seeks to comfort you now, lives untroubled among the simple and quiet words that sometimes do you good. Her life may also have much sadness and difficulty, that remains far beyond yours. Were it otherwise, she would never have been able to find these words.” - R. Rikle
1. Have a designated work space. Writing at the same spot most of the time will help your brain more quickly transition into the writing mode.
2. Have pictures and items that relate to the time period/theme you are writing on. Are you writing in the Middle Ages? Have pictures or books on castles. Writing a Si-Fi? Keep space books and star pictures around.
3. When you want to get a lot of work done on your book, surround yourself with it. Change the background on your computer to something that relates to the book, hang up some pictures, eat food they might eat, etc. Whatever makes you feel close to the book and its characters, do it.
4. Try to read and watch things that go along with your book. Writing a book where an F. B. I. agent is the main character? Trying reading books and watching movies that are set in the F. B. I. You never know what kind of ideas they may spark.
5. When writing the first draft, don’t worry about spelling and grammar errors or a scene that needs work, leave it for the editing process. If you start to fix them before you finish the first draft, you’re more likely to get bogged down and not finish.
6. Be careful what you eat and drink when you want to get writing done. Avoid things that make you sleepy or things that make you so pumped you can’t sit still.
7. Sometimes, when I am struggling to write I take some time off. I might not write for an hour or longer. When I’m really struggling to be motivated, I take a forced two week break were I don’t allow myself to do anything; it always seems to work. By the end, I am dying to write again.
8. Have good inspiring music around. I have a playlist of a bunch of movie soundtracks and inspirational music to listen to whenever I write. Believe me, it helps me keep going.
9. Have a daily word count goal in mind; for me it is 1000 words. I don’t always make it; if I did I could turn out a book every 60 to 65 days, but goals always help push me to do more.
10. Don’t neglect the things that are really important. Make sure you continue to spend lots of time with family, make bread, eat chocolate and laugh with a friend, or read a book. What we do apart from writing has a huge effect on the quality and consistency of our writing.
Outside is cold, and the wind is blowing. I sit sipping tea doing my quiet time and writing in my journal; what a nice simple morning.
Instead of starting up my computer and beginning my writing for the day, I helped my mom make bread and had a talk with my sister; what a wonderful simple morning.
I usually get onto my favorite social network to keep up with good friends and be encouraged in my faith by them; instead I spent the time helping my brother get potatoes ready for baking on this simple morning.
Most mornings I feel the pressure to begin my day to get a lot done. This simple morning, I ignored that and took the time to do things that were more important. Things like friendship with my siblings, making a meal that we will all enjoy, and talking like only siblings can.
In our busy and electronic-filled lives we should take more time for the simple pleasures of life. Sometimes, when we are so busy getting to-do lists done, We should take a morning off and enjoy what we have been missing.
Wow, November sure has gone by fast and gone by with very few posts. Life seems to be going at a fast pace right now and in many ways that is a good thing. Last year about this time, life seemed to be crawling by and I was pretty lonely. I would never have guessed that, in a years’ time, I would be about to start a new job, feel so loved, and be so far in my writing. That just goes to show you what an amazing God we serve.
Below is a picture I took so that you could see my hair cut. I have left my hair as long as it would grow for a long time and in many ways, I miss it. However, I must say that I do not miss taking care of it. I was having a lot of trouble keeping it brushed out and in a presentable state. Since cutting my hair, it has become a lot curlier and I can style it on my own and it look good.
What have you been up to?
Here are some links I thought you might enjoy today.
G. L. O. W. God Loving & Obeying Women ~ I found this just the other day and so far it has been a huge blessing so far. Please be aware that I haven’t had the time to read everything and may or may not agree with everything on the site.
My Thanksgiving ~ This is the latest Meditations of His Love topic and there are several good posts.
Write for Meditations of His Love ~ Go here to check out the details, we just started a guest week!
Want some Art? ~ Go here to buy great art prints.
A Glimpse of Gods Love ~ A powerful post on a blog that is filled with great posts
Ladies-in-Waiting ~ I wonderful E-zine that has blessed me many times
Have any links you would like to share?
Sometimes, our writing projects seem to last forever. We’re not sure when or if they will ever end. I know that I have felt that way many times when I have been in the middle of a project. One of the things that I learned recently was that there were stages for any given writing project and that time limiting them is a good thing, and today I would like to share with you what I have learned.
Stage one; The First Draft
This is of course how any book begins. The first rough draft is the putting of the story in your head down on to paper (or into the computer as the case maybe). This stage is often the most exciting as you see the story and the characters that you have come to know and love, really take shape on paper. This stage is probably the hardest to judge how long it should take. For me, after about a year I lose interest so that is my limit.
Stage two; Rewrite
There will be huge sections that will have to be reworked, it is part of the writing game. There are going to be sections that are going to need to be taken out, moved about, or rewritten. I think this process shouldn’t take you more than a year, and that is if you don’t have a lot of time.
Stage three; Self Editing
This is the part where you go in and find all those nasty little mistakes. You have to get rid of all those grammar and spelling mistakes. This is the most tedious stage but it is should only take you about three months at the most.
Stage four; Test Group
This is the stage my book is currently in. I have sent it out my book to some people I know and trust and they are reading the book and giving me there thoughts, encouragement, and advice. Make sure your expectations are clear when you send out your book to a test group. Tell them whether they can share it, what you want them to go, and when you want there feedback back by.
Stage five; Final Edit
After all the results are in from your test group, you can begin the final edit. At this point there shouldn’t be too much to do, just some polishing work. Make sure to set a time limit on this stage, I book is never perfect but all projects have to come to an end.
Stage six; Release
I plan to realease my book in April of next year using Lulu publishing, how will you release you book?
Happy Writing
Most of us like movies, but they can get expensive. If you go to Wal-Mart and buy a movie, you pay, on average, $15.00 - $20.00 for a movie. If you go the theater you pay $8.00 – $20.00 for a ticket. If your rent a movie at store, you pay $3.00 to $5.00. Are there ways to save a lot of money and still enjoy the movies? That answer is yes!
Saving at the Theater – The movie theater is the most expensive way to watch movies (excluding the costs of putting in a home theater), but it is also one of the most fun ways to experience some movies, like “Narnia.” For the most part, my family does not go to the theater; it is just too expensive. One of the lessons that my family had to learn very early is to live without some things. The theater is one of them. However, if going to the theater to see a movie is important to you, here are some things you might try.
See if you have a local dollar theater. These theaters usually show a movie a few weeks after they have left the major theaters and don’t have quite as nice seating. At our local theater, we can get tickets for between $1.50 – $5.00 depending on what day we want to go. However, the drinks and popcorn are still overpriced.
Some theaters have programs that give you free tickets on your birthday, what better price is there? Some also have group discounts starting with eight people, taking a group is a great way to save money.
Renting Movies – Renting movies can be a good way to go, especially for movies that you are only going to watch once or twice. However there are some things to keep in mind when renting.
1. Going into a store to rent is an expensive way to go. Many times you can find a copy of the movie online for about the same cost (including shipping).
2. Red Box is a one of the best ways to see new releases for just a dollar a day. They sometimes even carry Dove approved movies that are really neat.
3. Netflix is a great option. Our family subscribes every once in a while (we save a lot by only having it months we will really use it) and enjoy some of the movies without having to buy them.
Saving on buying movies – There are movies that you will watch over and over again and some that we will watch a few times. The best way to save money on movies is be willing to wait. I know, that is not a very popular concept in today’s world, but if you are willing to wait you can find just about any movie you want on Amazon, or at your locale thrift store for fifty cents to four dollars. I think the most that we have ever paid for a movie is $7.00.
Do you have any great movie money saving advice?
Saving at the Theater – The movie theater is the most expensive way to watch movies (excluding the costs of putting in a home theater), but it is also one of the most fun ways to experience some movies, like “Narnia.” For the most part, my family does not go to the theater; it is just too expensive. One of the lessons that my family had to learn very early is to live without some things. The theater is one of them. However, if going to the theater to see a movie is important to you, here are some things you might try.
See if you have a local dollar theater. These theaters usually show a movie a few weeks after they have left the major theaters and don’t have quite as nice seating. At our local theater, we can get tickets for between $1.50 – $5.00 depending on what day we want to go. However, the drinks and popcorn are still overpriced.
Some theaters have programs that give you free tickets on your birthday, what better price is there? Some also have group discounts starting with eight people, taking a group is a great way to save money.
Renting Movies – Renting movies can be a good way to go, especially for movies that you are only going to watch once or twice. However there are some things to keep in mind when renting.
1. Going into a store to rent is an expensive way to go. Many times you can find a copy of the movie online for about the same cost (including shipping).
2. Red Box is a one of the best ways to see new releases for just a dollar a day. They sometimes even carry Dove approved movies that are really neat.
3. Netflix is a great option. Our family subscribes every once in a while (we save a lot by only having it months we will really use it) and enjoy some of the movies without having to buy them.
Saving on buying movies – There are movies that you will watch over and over again and some that we will watch a few times. The best way to save money on movies is be willing to wait. I know, that is not a very popular concept in today’s world, but if you are willing to wait you can find just about any movie you want on Amazon, or at your locale thrift store for fifty cents to four dollars. I think the most that we have ever paid for a movie is $7.00.
Do you have any great movie money saving advice?
Wow, time flies and it seems that time is flying faster than normal right now. Elections left me exhausted, and I had barely recovered from that when I got some exciting news.
During the past political season I worked on a local campaign. I enjoy working behind the scenes immensely. I doubt most people have a clue the amount of work that is takes to get someone elected, I know I didn’t until I worked the campaign. Even though I just showed up to volunteer, I talked to those in charge and was well aware what they were putting into it.
To make a long story short, we were blessed when the results came in and all our hard work had paid off; he guy I worked for won against the incumbent. I was so pleased and excited for him and was very blessed when he said he would like for me to work for him.
If you had asked me a year ago if I wanted to get a job, I would have said no, that just goes to show you that the destiny that you have in mind for yourself can be a lot different than the plans God has in mind for you. I am so thankful that God knows better than I do.
I will be working part time so I will continue to post at least three times a week and have plenty of time to keep up with blogs and writing. I will also try to keep up with my email and comments.
What have you been up to?
During the past political season I worked on a local campaign. I enjoy working behind the scenes immensely. I doubt most people have a clue the amount of work that is takes to get someone elected, I know I didn’t until I worked the campaign. Even though I just showed up to volunteer, I talked to those in charge and was well aware what they were putting into it.
To make a long story short, we were blessed when the results came in and all our hard work had paid off; he guy I worked for won against the incumbent. I was so pleased and excited for him and was very blessed when he said he would like for me to work for him.
If you had asked me a year ago if I wanted to get a job, I would have said no, that just goes to show you that the destiny that you have in mind for yourself can be a lot different than the plans God has in mind for you. I am so thankful that God knows better than I do.
I will be working part time so I will continue to post at least three times a week and have plenty of time to keep up with blogs and writing. I will also try to keep up with my email and comments.
What have you been up to?
Many things you don’t see coming. You’re walking along and then God drops a blessing into you life and it splashes sunshine wherever it goes. So it was with something that happened to me recently.
For some time now, I have been feeling lonely. The only friends I had outside the family lived in other states. I have trouble keeping up long distance relationships. I like to touch people. I like talking with them face to face. I long for deep friendships. It’s hard for me to make deep long distance friendships.
So I was feeling lonely and tired. I felt like I was walking day after day but only getting brief glimpses of happiness. “God where are you taking me?” I would ask. “I’m feeling so tired spiritually. All I want is to know you and to have a friend that doesn’t live in another state.” Day after day as I said that prayer God to be saying the same thing in response. “Keep walking. I will be with you. Keep walking.”
So that’s what I did, day after day. Some days I would trust that God would provide. Other days I would be sad and wonder what was going on. “Keep walking.” I would hear God say. “Keep walking.”
It’s kind of scary when you hear God tell you the same thing over and over again. You wonder what it means; yet something in your heart reassures you that it will be all right. So it was with this.
One other thing that I kept thinking about the passage in 2 Kings chapter 3. God is speaking through the prophet Elisha who tells Israel, “This is what the LORD says: Make this valley full of ditches. For this is what the LORD says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD; He will also hand Moab over to you.” Make ditches. Sounds like hard work.
For me digging ditches meant doing housework, loving family, making things for charity, and walking. All normal activities. All things that require time and sometimes they aren’t even fun. No, digging ditches is not fun, but how else can you get filled with water?
Then only a few weeks ago we went to fellowship. That day a new family came. One girl drew my attention. She was beautiful and kind. We quickly hit it off. I found out that we both have a many of the same loves and desires. We became fast friends. We both discovered that the other had been praying for a friend for some time and we found in each other what we were looking for.
I was walking along not expecting to find a friend, but God dropped one into my life. When it came sunshine was splashed all around. God and I still have things to work out. But he’s helping me.
One thing I do know. If God could bring a like-minded friend who lives only an hour away, He can help me with any problem I have. No matter how complex, if I give it to Him, He will help me walk, dig, or work through it.
By Rose H.
By Rose H.
Audible
I love audiobooks. If you give me a new audiobook and a project to work on, I will be happy for hours.
The one thing I always have trouble with is finding good audiobooks at good prices.
One site that is really good is Audible. You can download from thousands of audiobooks. Even many Christian authors are on there. I even found a bunch of Adventures in Odyssey that we didn’t have.
You even get one free audiobook every month! Free is always good!
All you do is download some software and start downloading. Then sit back and enjoy!
Shopping Smart: 1. Unless you have an Audible supported decive (check website) you can’t play it anywhere except your computer. 2. Although some things might be advertised for less, wait until you become a member in order to get the real prices. 3. They often run introductory specials. These can be wonderful if you’re just getting started, but make sure to cancel your account before they charge you for another month.
Link:
http://www.audible.com/
http://www.audible.com/
It’s election time again. Because Sarah is busy with elections, I’m going to post on her blog for this week.
Well it’s almost that time of year. Christmas shopping time. You have in mind what you want to buy for those special people in your life, but you don’t want to break the bank.
Enter Amazon and Bookfinder.
These are two of my personal favorite websites to shop for things. They are both easy to navigate and get you the things you want at a super low rate.
Amazon
This site is really good for pretty much anything. Just type in what you want and bingo. You get what you wanted for a low rate. We have found some amazing deals here on everything from books, to tv series, to books, to MP3 player covers, to music.
Shopping Smart: When you are on Amazon there are a few things to remember. 1. Always check the seller rating. Anything below 95% is not good. But if the seller has an above 95% rating you can be reasonably sure that you will get what you’re buying. 2. Always check the comments. Many times the seller will post the pros and cons of the item they’re selling. It can help you make a good choice about where to buy. 3. Check the shipping price. Many times the seller will raise the shipping rate to make a bigger profit. Checking this before you check out is always a good idea.
Link: http://www.amazon.com/
Bookfinder
If you are looking for a place to find book for really cheap, Bookfinder is the place to go. It’s a search engine basically. You put in the name of an author or the title of the book you want and presto. You can get whatever book you want for the lowest price possible. We have found books on this site for four and five dollars (that included shipping!).
Shopping Smart: Although Bookfinder only searches sites that have good reputations, nothing is perfect. 1. Always check the website and make sure that they have a good customer rating. 2. If at first you don’t find what you want check back the next week. Many times sellers will post things at lower prices to sell faster. Just keep your eyes open. 3. This isn’t a great place for finding audiobooks. Check around to other places for your favorite audio.
Library and Educational Services
If you like getting brand-new books, audio, and other resources for a faction of the cost, than this is the site for you. You can get all kinds of educational resources for great prices. I like getting audiobooks from them, because they are affordable.
Shopping Smart: 1. There only two ways to order, online check and through the mail. It’s a little harder than using your plastic. 2. Although you do get brand-new stuff they don’t have as much of a selection. Make sure to check around and make sure that it’s the cheapest it can be.
Happy Shopping!
By Rose H.
Godliness and Contentment…two of the most important steps we can take towards eradicating the covetous tendencies we have for worldly gain that ruin our intentions to save or live on less and rob us of our joy. Life is never found in things but there are good things in life.
Creative ingenuity can be the tool you use to fill life with joy and beauty when your heart is set deep in a foundation of godliness and contentment. There are so many blessings a joyful, creative spirit can bring to a home.
A well placed bowl of flowers brightens a dreary corner, warm and inviting books stacked on a table create coziness , a fresh coat of paint applied to a worn piece of furniture makes it take on new life, warm baked goodies draw family members and friends to the kitchen for fellowship….
I am sure many of you ladies are already listing off the numerous ideas you have for brightening life.
Today though, here is an idea for cheering up your wardrobe…specifically your toes.
Although the joy of beauty can be turned into vanity and we should be wary of such a thing; it is a joyful thing to be feminine! So enjoy the below idea/tutorial, knowing that it embraces the principal of using our money wisely and celebrates the beauty of being feminine….right down to our feet.
Plus it might just make the perfect handmade Christmas gift (my favorite kind)!!
Original Product -
Price - $128
Project - To create a similar product that I will enjoy without quite the expense
Supplies needed -
One pair of basic ballet flats
I suggest purchasing a pair that is on sale, so if your first try doesn’t succeed it is not upsetting for emotions or budget. Or better yet dig out an old pair from your closet and rejuvenate them!
My little slippers came from Walmart and cost $5.00. Perfect for experimenting on!
Look for a pair that is fabric like, not made from hard materials, as I find sewing things to be a longer lasting alternative to glue, etc. and pushing a needle through a hard shoe is well, HARD. :)
1 quarter yard of fabric
Pick a color that you feel compliments the shoes you have chosen.
I have lots of scraps and I managed to find what I needed here at home. You might too!
Buttons or beads
You can choose anything that sparks your imagination and can be sewn or glued.
I pulled mine off an old sweater that I felt needed different buttons anyway, thus saving on that expense.
1 large and 1 medium sharp hand sewing needles.
1 spool of thread
I recommend a coordinating color to help everything blend in a pleasing way.
Also quilting thread is more durable, so if you tend to be hard on your shoes, opt for the stronger thread to ensure that your embellishments aren't wilting by the end of the day.
Scissors
Thimble
Iron
Optional supplies -
Sweetheart Rosette Maker
To get this exact look I recommend the Sweetheart Rosette Maker. You can probably find them at your local fabric or quilting shop. I used the small and medium patterns for my project.
If you do some research you can find many ways of making your rosettes that do not require this basic pattern.
Here is a free tutorial on how to make these sweet things….
http://www.youcanmakethis.com/info/featured-products/Frayed-Rosettes.htm
Now to begin.....
1. Collect all your supplies and set up in a pleasant location. A small table or flat surface is helpful.
I chose my favorite picnic table since the day was lovely and it seemed a shame to be stuck indoors.
2. Next take your fabric and follow the instructions for the rosette of your choice. (additional supplies may be required depending on what method you use)
I needed two rosettes for each shoe. One medium and one small. I recommend making all the rosettes you will need before continuing on to the next step so you can size and shape them to match.
This is the most important part (and longest) of our project. Be sure to take your time and just enjoy the fun. Being in a hurry will not help your work and you want your rosettes wrapped tight and secure to ensure they look great, wear well and are easy to attach.
3. Once your rosettes are finished according to your instructions, take them to the ironing board.
Turn them upside down and iron them, pressing down until they smooth out.
The pictures below show ironing in progress and a before and after rosette.
4. Back at your work station , pull out your needle, thread and scissors. Thread the needle with a long length of thread that is still manageable and tie the two ends together.
So you now have a big loop of thread and your needle won’t fall off the end of your thread. Trim off the excess thread below the knot.
Insert the needle down through the center top of the larger rosette and then place the rosette on the shoe, inserting the needle into the shoe. Pull your entire length of thread through until your rosette is pulled snug against the shoe.
Then insert the needle through the shoe continuing back up through the center of the rosette, attaching the rosette to the top toe of your slipper.
Pull threads tight as you sew in and out of rosette and shoe.
Thread is shown loose here for example purposes only.
Also put that thimble on your thumb! I forgot mine and regretted it!
5. After sewing in and out of rosette and shoe 2-3 times take the button or embellishment of your choice and place it in the center of your rosette, sewing through embellishment, rosette and shoe centers 2-3 more times to attach it firmly.
6. Pull needle and thread up through the top of the rosette.
Cut thread 3-4 inches from the base of the shoe. Tie of with a basic square knot (what you use when you tie your shoes) three times, pulling it snug and tight down into the rosette so it is not visible and snip/remove remaining thread above the knot.
Arrange folds around center embellishment. Don’t be afraid to tweak it. It will be marvelous!
7. Now place your smaller rosette next to your first and attach it in the same manner.
Be sure to place it on the outer side of the shoe so it will not get bumped like it would on the inside, where your feet brush against each other.
Repeat the above steps to complete decorating your other shoe.
And then…VIOLA!
I can’t wait to start my next pair! The possibilities are endless…just have fun!
Total project - approx. $40
(Based on a $10 pair of flats, both rosette makers and entire list of supplies)
I assumed you wouldn’t need an iron or scissors.
Wrap your own rosettes and use a pair of shoes from your closet and you only spend $10!!!!
Total project price for my shoes - $5.00
Now that is a number I can smile at every time I look at my toes.
For godliness with contentment is great gain. 1Timothy 6.6
Nicole lives in Texas with her family and enjoys creating a colorful and joyful environment in and around her home.
Creative ingenuity can be the tool you use to fill life with joy and beauty when your heart is set deep in a foundation of godliness and contentment. There are so many blessings a joyful, creative spirit can bring to a home.
A well placed bowl of flowers brightens a dreary corner, warm and inviting books stacked on a table create coziness , a fresh coat of paint applied to a worn piece of furniture makes it take on new life, warm baked goodies draw family members and friends to the kitchen for fellowship….
I am sure many of you ladies are already listing off the numerous ideas you have for brightening life.
Today though, here is an idea for cheering up your wardrobe…specifically your toes.
Although the joy of beauty can be turned into vanity and we should be wary of such a thing; it is a joyful thing to be feminine! So enjoy the below idea/tutorial, knowing that it embraces the principal of using our money wisely and celebrates the beauty of being feminine….right down to our feet.
Plus it might just make the perfect handmade Christmas gift (my favorite kind)!!
Original Product -
Price - $128
Project - To create a similar product that I will enjoy without quite the expense
Supplies needed -
One pair of basic ballet flats
I suggest purchasing a pair that is on sale, so if your first try doesn’t succeed it is not upsetting for emotions or budget. Or better yet dig out an old pair from your closet and rejuvenate them!
My little slippers came from Walmart and cost $5.00. Perfect for experimenting on!
Look for a pair that is fabric like, not made from hard materials, as I find sewing things to be a longer lasting alternative to glue, etc. and pushing a needle through a hard shoe is well, HARD. :)
1 quarter yard of fabric
Pick a color that you feel compliments the shoes you have chosen.
I have lots of scraps and I managed to find what I needed here at home. You might too!
Buttons or beads
You can choose anything that sparks your imagination and can be sewn or glued.
I pulled mine off an old sweater that I felt needed different buttons anyway, thus saving on that expense.
1 large and 1 medium sharp hand sewing needles.
1 spool of thread
I recommend a coordinating color to help everything blend in a pleasing way.
Also quilting thread is more durable, so if you tend to be hard on your shoes, opt for the stronger thread to ensure that your embellishments aren't wilting by the end of the day.
Scissors
Thimble
Iron
Optional supplies -
Sweetheart Rosette Maker
To get this exact look I recommend the Sweetheart Rosette Maker. You can probably find them at your local fabric or quilting shop. I used the small and medium patterns for my project.
If you do some research you can find many ways of making your rosettes that do not require this basic pattern.
Here is a free tutorial on how to make these sweet things….
http://www.youcanmakethis.com/info/featured-products/Frayed-Rosettes.htm
Now to begin.....
1. Collect all your supplies and set up in a pleasant location. A small table or flat surface is helpful.
I chose my favorite picnic table since the day was lovely and it seemed a shame to be stuck indoors.
2. Next take your fabric and follow the instructions for the rosette of your choice. (additional supplies may be required depending on what method you use)
I needed two rosettes for each shoe. One medium and one small. I recommend making all the rosettes you will need before continuing on to the next step so you can size and shape them to match.
This is the most important part (and longest) of our project. Be sure to take your time and just enjoy the fun. Being in a hurry will not help your work and you want your rosettes wrapped tight and secure to ensure they look great, wear well and are easy to attach.
3. Once your rosettes are finished according to your instructions, take them to the ironing board.
Turn them upside down and iron them, pressing down until they smooth out.
The pictures below show ironing in progress and a before and after rosette.
4. Back at your work station , pull out your needle, thread and scissors. Thread the needle with a long length of thread that is still manageable and tie the two ends together.
So you now have a big loop of thread and your needle won’t fall off the end of your thread. Trim off the excess thread below the knot.
Insert the needle down through the center top of the larger rosette and then place the rosette on the shoe, inserting the needle into the shoe. Pull your entire length of thread through until your rosette is pulled snug against the shoe.
Then insert the needle through the shoe continuing back up through the center of the rosette, attaching the rosette to the top toe of your slipper.
Pull threads tight as you sew in and out of rosette and shoe.
Thread is shown loose here for example purposes only.
Also put that thimble on your thumb! I forgot mine and regretted it!
5. After sewing in and out of rosette and shoe 2-3 times take the button or embellishment of your choice and place it in the center of your rosette, sewing through embellishment, rosette and shoe centers 2-3 more times to attach it firmly.
6. Pull needle and thread up through the top of the rosette.
Cut thread 3-4 inches from the base of the shoe. Tie of with a basic square knot (what you use when you tie your shoes) three times, pulling it snug and tight down into the rosette so it is not visible and snip/remove remaining thread above the knot.
Arrange folds around center embellishment. Don’t be afraid to tweak it. It will be marvelous!
7. Now place your smaller rosette next to your first and attach it in the same manner.
Be sure to place it on the outer side of the shoe so it will not get bumped like it would on the inside, where your feet brush against each other.
Repeat the above steps to complete decorating your other shoe.
And then…VIOLA!
I can’t wait to start my next pair! The possibilities are endless…just have fun!
Total project - approx. $40
(Based on a $10 pair of flats, both rosette makers and entire list of supplies)
I assumed you wouldn’t need an iron or scissors.
Wrap your own rosettes and use a pair of shoes from your closet and you only spend $10!!!!
Total project price for my shoes - $5.00
Now that is a number I can smile at every time I look at my toes.
For godliness with contentment is great gain. 1Timothy 6.6
Nicole lives in Texas with her family and enjoys creating a colorful and joyful environment in and around her home.
Ah, a day of cleaning – don’t you just love it? Sometimes getting your living space looking and smelling nice comes with a big price tag. The chemicals to clean the bathroom, the broom to sweep the floors, and the paper towels to wipe the counter all take money. Today, I’m going to share with you some of the tips and tricks my family has learned.
Homemade Solutions
Chemicals are by far one of the most expensive parts of keeping a house clean, and sometimes they are worth it. Right now, we buy about half of our chemicals from the store, however, more and more we make our own. Most of the time we just do an online search for what we want (example; homemade furniture polish), and test a few recipes.
Cleaning Cloths
Paper towels are easy, convenient, disposable, and very expensive. If you want to save a lot of money, get some old towels and cut them into wash cloth sized pieces and use them the same way you would use paper towels. This will cut the cost of cleaning by a lot, all you have to do is wash them and they are ready for another round. You can also dampen these cloths and use them to pick up dust. This will keep the dust out of the air.
The Broom Closet
When you go to buy a broom, vacuum cleaner, or mop, don’t get the wiz wow brand. I’m sure by now tha
t you are probably tired of hearing me say it but it is a lesson that this society has a hard time grasping. When it comes to tools that you will be using like a broom and mop, I know that cheaper is not always better. However, the latest innovation is not necessarily the most cost effective, either.
Recently, we needed a new broom and my mom went to Wal-Mart to get one. We looked at everything from the cheapo brooms that don’t work well, to the broom that picks everything up on disposable pad. When you go to buy a tool, think about the long term cots of up keep and replacement. We ended up buying a six dollar broom because it would far out last the brooms at the dollar store and would probably work j
ust as well as the one that cost fifteen. The one with the disposable pads might save us a little time and aggravation, but the cost of upkeep would be a lot.
Elbow Grease
You want to know the key to saving money while cleaning your home? Don’t be afraid to work. The more you are willing to do yourself, the more you will save.
Do you have any money saving cleaning tips you would like to share?
You are feeling good about the money you have saved and then you go to the grocery store. Good feeling gone. I can’t say that you will ever leave the grocery store feeling great, but I can tell you that you will save if you follow some of the same rules we do.
Rule # 1. If you can save even a few pennies, do it. Don’t fall into the trap of, “oh, this is only ten cents extra.” If you save ten cents on a can of beans, fifty cents on milk and forty cents on dog food you have just saved a dollar. True savings often start out small.
Rule # 2. Never buy something with a coupon that you don’t normally buy. If you never eat Jo’s Juicy bits, don’t get them just because you have a coupon for them. If you always buy Jane’s Generic detergent, use that coupon.
Rule # 3. When there is a sale, stock up. Recently at our local H. E. B (a primarily Texas grocery chain) they had a deal where you bought one twelve pack of a name brand toilet paper and got a g
eneric brand twelve pack free. We bought enough toilet paper to last us over a month. Stocking up on things that you use when you hit a really good sale can save you hundreds in the long run.Rule # 4. Shop at the local salvage stores and buy most canned goods there. Ask around. There are sometimes stores that sell food that is about to go out of date, dented cans, or products that have changed their labels. We often find amazing deals on canned goods at the one near us.
Rule # 5. Buy the cheapest brand. Okay, this is sometimes my least favorite rule, but it is the one that saves us the most money. We rarely get name brands; our food is almost exclusively generic. Getting real Oreos is a big treat. Most of the time, if we buy cookies instead of making them, we get the cheap and not as good generic brand.
Rule # 6. Get the less desirable cut of meat. Often, we have chicken thighs instead of breasts and we get the rump roasts instead of a nicer cut. This saves a lot of money, and if you put it into well-seasoned dishes, you can hardly tell the difference.
Rule # 7. Use what you have. Don’t let the food in your fridge go bad. Take stock once a week and use things that might not stay good much longer.
Rule # 8. Make as much as you can from scratch. Buying pre-done pie crusts, cookies and frozen pizzas adds up fast. Lean to make your own. You can do it!
Rule # 9. Go to your local farmers market toward the end, often they will reduce the price of things and/or give you a good deal on produce so they don’t have to take it home.
Rule # 10. Eat leftovers when you have them. I know, sometimes leftovers can be less than appealing, but using them will save you money.
Have some tips and tricks of your own for saving at the grocery store?
A sewing day, what fun! A day full of fabric, stitches and creativity. It also can be a day that you feel you can’t afford with the rising prices. Here are some tips for saving money while sewing.
2. Sign up for local craft store newsletters. Many times these will contain coupons, special offers and notices of upcoming sales.
3. Talk to the manager; sometimes they can give you discounts. It never hurts to ask.
4. Look online; sometimes you can find some great deals on everything from a sewing machine to thread.
5. Be willing to settle for less. Yes, the nicer fabrics are … well, nicer, but sometimes just being willing to work with the two dollar a yard stuff is what you have to do.
6. Save buttons off dresses, shirts and anything else and reuse them. This is much cheaper than buying new ones. Sometimes we have even bought clothing from the thrift store just for the buttons.
7. Need a pattern? Look online for free ones, search thrift stores and garage sales, or even try mixing and matching pieces from what you have.
8. Don’t be above buying your fabric from garage sales and thrift shops, we have found some really nice stuff.
9. Ask around. Sometimes people have stuff stashed away that they aren’t going to use anymore that they might be willing to sell or trade you. We have gotten a lot of things by working in exchange for something.
10. Look online for tutorials or patterns BEFORE you look in the store. Only AFTER you have looked and can’t find what you want should you buy a pattern.
11. Never throw away fabric that isn’t torn or stained. You can always cut it into squares and shapes to make quilts or even clothing (or at least doll clothes).
12. Losing pins? Get a magnet and go over the floor around any area you sew in. Many times the magnet will pick up all those lost pins.
13. Don’t rebuy things you already have, even if they are a little worn. Scissors can be re-sharpened, bent cutting boards can be made flat once again and machines that run still work, even if they don’t have any fancy features.
Do you have any great sewing savings tips?
Maintaining the clothes we have is a great way to save money. If you take care of what you have, there is no need to get something new. Here are some of the things my family has learned.
1. Think about maintenance when buying clothes. If you are going to spend a lot of money on something, make sure that it will last a long time. If the clothing is going to need special care (dry cleaning, washed on its on etc.), take a moment and think about the cost of that before you buy it.
2. Most items that you send off to the dry cleaners are just in need of freshening up. 
Instead of paying for the service, hang the item of clothing up somewhere and let it air. If needed, get some body spray. Holding several inches away and spray the article of clothing. It now is ready for use again.
Instead of paying for the service, hang the item of clothing up somewhere and let it air. If needed, get some body spray. Holding several inches away and spray the article of clothing. It now is ready for use again.
3. If you have a particularly bad stain, get some dishwashing soap and a tooth brush. Placing the stained item on a flat surface, put a little of the dishwashing soap onto the stained area and scrub it in. Put a little bit of stain remover on and scrub that in as well. This will probably remove the stain.
4. Hang up anything that you don’t want wrinkled as soon as you take it out of the dryer or bring it in off the line. This will save you a lot of ironing effort latter.
5. If you are having troubling getting a wrinkle out of something that you are ironing, put a little water on it. A spray bottle filled with water really helps in this effort.
6. If things start coming out of the wash with a lot of lint on them, there is usually a blanket or something that is starting to fall apart. Try to track down the item, but if you can’t, wipe down the washer with a damp towel until you can.
7. Have designated work clothes so that you don’t stain a lot of things.
8. If there is someone in your family that is hard on clothes, don’t spend a lot on their everyday clothes.
Do you have any great ideas for maintaining clothes?
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