Shopping has been a difficult task this year because of the weather.  The days I could shop it would snow.  The days I couldn’t shop it would melt and just make a mess of my kitchen floor where everyone comes in.  “Back Door Friends are Best”, I always say but what a mess of sand gravel and a pile of shoes.  Adding to yet another job of washing the kitchen floor and rugs.

So enough complaining…I had to find a way to get all those presents wrapped once I did have them and my solution was my favorite “time saver” Gift Bags!

But if you do use wrapping paper, tissue paper, gift tags, flat wrap, bows, ribbon  and all of the other choices you have to decorate your packages for Christmas, you might want to have some storage solutions for them so you can put them away and know where they are next year.  Check out www.containerstore.com and www.organizedatoz.com for organizing products to help you clear the clutter from your Christmas wrap.

Have a very safe and Merry Christmas!  Blessings!

Miscalculated, originally uploaded by Rihass.

Never a dull moment. Didn’t see it happen, but it must have been one surprised driver when the truck tilted

My Tupperware Cabinet

Graph by: misterfnygy via Graph Jam Builder

Fresh from the box. Only Removed at the hobby store to add a deans connector.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG9QXdmLwBw&hl=en

Recommend : tw-edinburgh http://imacgame.blogspot.com/

Are you at a loss for interesting items to add to the kids’ stockings this year?  Consider the following:

Mini gum-ball machine:   $3.50 at www.beau-coup.com

Origami kit:  around $16 per kit at www.amazon.com

Treasure box:  Any choice of boxes will do (wooden, cardboard, etc) – especially when filled with all sorts of pirate booty.  Tip:  If you choose wood, the kids can paint them and have a treasure hunt while they dry! $4.99 for 12 at www.orientaltrading.com

Flexible wax sticks:  $20 for a set of 500 at www.bendaroos.com

OTHER: 
For girly girls:  Manicure sets or bath & body lotions.

For the little gardener:  seed packets and garden tools

For the LED keychain lover:  (Yes, that is specific!)….Novelty LED Key Chains for $4.99 found at the Container Store.

Tween boys:  Laser pointer.  Don’t ask why, but boys this age love these gadgets.  ($5 at Target).

Let’s not forget the adults…

For the eco-minded coffee drinker: “I am not a paper cup.”  Surprise! This clever cup looks like one of those cups from your favorite coffee shop, but it’s actually a reusable 10 oz. thermal porcelain cup.

These are available at your local Container Store or Z Gallerie.

What other stocking stuffers do you suggest?

Source for some of the ideas above: 

Real Simple magazine, Family edition (Fall 2009).

Carrot Juice

I did order a new 8oz container of it on Sunday… FedEx Two Day Air, so it should be here today(Tuesday) fingers crossed.

This morning… I realized there was some powder still left in the bottom of the container, so I took the last spoonful.

I think I will drink my glass of Carrot Juice and head out the door to start the day.!

Learn how to make your container garden in this free home gardening video system. Get novice in the garden tips, ideas and advice. Expert: Scott Reil Contact: www.safelawns.org Bio: Scott Reil is an accredited gardener and longtime gardener with more than two decades of experience in this field. Scott now works for www.safelawns.org. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

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Our hummingbird feeder was frozen this morning.  Visions of the little birds bending their beaks against the frozen syrup sent me outside to rescue the container.

Once inside, Miss Q and I worked quickly to de-thaw the syrup.  (A lone hummingbird had circled the front porch as I closed the door.)

The syrup looked yellow so we decided to make a new solution, after-all, what was a little sugar and water among friends?

The magic began the moment we hung the feeder back on the hook.  Hummingbirds flocked en mass to sample our feast.  Okay, it may have been three different birds multiple times, but the little parasites kept returning every 10 minutes from 11 a.m. to sunset.

Miss Q is a true friend to all animals big and small.  She would run to the window with glee each time I announced the arrival of another bird.

Now the grim reality of my bleeding heart has sunk in.  If Miss Q and I don’t keep our restaurant open all winter, the little birds might not survive.  Good thing they’re cute.

Okay, this one cracks me the heck up, seriously.  You can imagine what comes to mind when one pictures used socks.  Buuuut, this idea is actually practical, customizable and easy as long as you launder well.  Me like.  Now, I just need a bike to go with it…and I’m set.

Idea and detailed instructions (including images, oh my!) found at Giver’s Log.com

The Knock Nevis

The Knock Nevis is a massive ship, currently used as a floating storage and offloading unit (FSO). Owned by the Norwegian company Fred Olsen Production, she was previously a supertanker and still holds the record as the longest ship ever built.

When plying the sea, the vessel had a fully laden draft of 24.6 m (81 ft), rendering it unable to navigate the English Channel, the Suez Canal or the Panama Canal when its load was up to capacity. As a tanker she was known as the Seawise Giant, Happy Giant, and Jahre Viking.

The Knock Nevis was the longest ship ever constructed, longer than many of the world’s tallest buildings are tall. Though slightly smaller than Taipei 101 at 509.2 metres (1,671 ft) and the Sears Tower at 527.3 metres (1,730 ft) from street level to top of antenna, she is larger than the Petronas Twin Towers at 452 metres (1,480 ft).

In spite of its great length, the Knock Nevis is not the largest ship, ranking fifth in gross tonnage at 236,710 GT, behind the four 274,838 to 275,276 GT Batillus-class supertankers, the largest self-propelled objects ever constructed.

Article Posted by

Ravi Shankar

You may have read a few months ago on my blog, that I bought a Max Factor eyeshadow (EY). It was part of an Ulta haul. I tried the EY, and it wasn’t very pigmented at all. That’s ok, because the shadow gives a very subtle look. I, however, wanted the color to be a bit more intense. I removed each color from the the palette and crushed the shadow until it became a powder. I stored the powders in a mini pill container. I now find that the crushed Max Factor EY’s colors are slightly more intensified.

With the surge in environmentalism, many people are trying to decide which is “greener,” a real Christmas tree or an artificial one. Both have their pros and cons. There is, however, a third alternative. You can decorate a still-living tree this year.

Most nurseries and garden centers sell potted Christmas trees. You bring them indoors for a brief spell (a week at most) during the holidays, then plant them permanently in the ground.

Still-living trees cost more. No one wants to pay a premium for a tree that still has roots, only to have it die after moving it outside. While planting a Christmas tree isn’t difficult, you should do the same research and preparation that you would do when choosing any tree for your yard.

First of all, make sure you have the right tree for the right place. Consider how the tree will fit into your overall landscape plan. Most evergreen trees get very large. That cute three-foot fir may have a mature height of 70 feet or more! Instead of trying to cram a giant into a small suburban yard, choose a dwarf specimen instead—or arrange to plant it elsewhere so it will have room to grow.

Consider the moisture needs of the various conifer species. Spruce trees naturally grow at higher elevations, where the ground is damp. Ponderosa Pines are able to withstand considerable drought. Planting a Piñon pine in your lawn will doom it to death by drowning. CSU extension’s fact sheet on Evergreen Trees is a good place to begin your research.

Secondly, since the ground is frozen throughout much of the country at this time of year (and certainly here in Colorado), you must plan ahead and prepare a hole ahead of time. Excavate no deeper than the expected rootball, but at least twice the diameter of your tree—the wider, the better. Amend the soil as needed, and then cover with a tarp and one to two feet of mulch (such as bagged leaves or straw) to keep the soil workable.

If you didn’t dig a hole earlier this fall, you can attempt to keep the tree in its container until spring. Place it in a sheltered spot outside and mulch around the pot to simulate the insulation the ground would otherwise provide. Keep it damp, but not at all soggy, and plant as soon as the ground can be worked.

Going from sub-freezing temperatures to a warm living room, and then back outside again, is enough to shock even the sturdiest tree. Besides the wild swings in temperature, humidity also varies considerably. It’s best to move your tree gradually. If it’s outside when you buy it, put it in the garage for a few days to help it adapt to warmer temperatures. When you do bring it inside, be diligent in keeping the soil damp but not soggy. Keep the tree out of drafts and in bright light, but not against a window where the glass-focused sun will burn it.

After Christmas, reverse the process to allow your tree time to adapt to winter again. You have to convince it that spring is still a long way away. Prolonged exposure to warmer temperatures will cause it to lose hardiness, and it could freeze to death when placed outside.

Once your tree has been hardened off, it’s ready to be planted. Set the rootball on the firm soil in the hole you dug earlier, making sure that the root flare (where the trunk widens at the base) is above ground. Backfill with the amended soil, and mulch over the roots. Make sure the trunk has no mulch touching it, to keep both rot and voles from damaging it. Unless absolutely necessary, do not stake your tree. Water to settle the soil and provide moisture, but don’t saturate the dirt, as the roots need air to “breathe.”  If snow doesn’t do the job, water again whenever the soil under the mulch starts to dry out. In our dry climate, it’s a good idea to spray your new tree with a product designed to reduce winter desiccation.

If you plant your tree where it can easily be seen from the street or house, you can avoid the whole yearly fuss, and simply decorate it outside for years to come. Nuts, birdseed “ornaments,” and strings of cranberries and popcorn are both festive and a treat for wildlife. Maybe that’s how to have the greenest tree of all.

Article by Leslie Holzmann, Certified Colorado Gardener. Photo by Judy Sedbrook, CSU Extension.

This is the day I have been waiting for since  I bought the seeds of Earliana – an early yielding variety of cabbage. I wrote about it here and here. This morning I decided to pluck it. Reason?.. Its almost 2 months from the date of transplanting, i ran out of patience and I saw some cracking on one of the cabbages.

Ok now for some details.

Totally I had 3 pots with cabbage. Of which 2 of them were in good sunlight for few initial days and one of them was in part shade ( due to space constraints). Later, all the 3 of them came to my balcony where they get less than 2-3 hours sunlight.

This is how they looked day before yesterday.

Winner:

Runner:

Oh wait a minute..Am I in a race?

If you notice the 2nd pic carefully, the cracks and the splits are observed. Yes that cabbage started cracking.  Why? It could be one of the following reasons.

• The cabbages are mature but not harvested on time. Early maturing varieties are prone to cracking quickly.
• Over watering – Especially when the head is mature. Causing the inner leaves to grow more faster than the outer mature leaves of the head. Thus causing it to break.
• Over fertilizing – Causing the new shoot to grow faster than the outer leaves resulting in cracking.

I don’t know which one, but yeah the cabbage cracked!. So what to do in this situation. a) Just harvest it and eat!. or b) do the freakiest thing. Just lift the cabbage plant with the plant from the pot and put it back in after turning it half turn. This is what is recommended by many sources in the internet and it makes sense because doing so cuts many roots which checks the intake of water and hence slowing down the growth of the new shoot. you can also randomly cut out some roots if you know what you are doing.How is that for a learning!?

Lessons learnt:

Cabbage cracking and how to prevent/correct it.

Full sunlight is very important for cabbage’s growth.( I mean..Isn’t that obvious)?

I am now brave enough to try it one more time and get much better yields.

Oh, I forgot to mention how much they weighed.

The winner cabbage( i.e the first pic) weighed 580gms and the 2nd runner weighed 470 gms.

We cooked the 500+gms one and it was sweet and tasty.!

more later

NOTE: I am still working on Part II of “So you want to start a kitchen garden”. Please bear with me.

gg

I said I’d show you the packaging once I finished…

Well here is the Lazy Doll packaging…

• I took an old box the right size
• cut out the lid for a window
• gessoed the outside (the box was red with writing on it had to cover it)
• painted the box up
• Printed out some logos to make it look offical and stuck them onto the lid
• wrote what they were on the lid
• Stapled a plastic bag to the inside of the lid to make the “window” of the box
• Done!!!

All I have to do now to this gift is wrap it in Christmas paper and a fake bought – lovingly home made pressy for my almost 3 yr old!

One down… Now to sew up 5 items of barbie clothing. I might reduce it down to 3 though, trousers, jacket, dress for my 5 yr old. And of course there’s the packaging for that one too.

Vita-Mix 15848 Tritan Copolyester Soft-Grip 64-Ounce Container with Wet Blade and Lid Review

Check Price Now!

Vita-Mix 15848 Tritan Copolyester Soft-Grip 64-Ounce Container with Wet Blade and Lid Feature

• Large 64-ounce container designed for the Vita-Mix appliance
• Hardened stainless-steel blades ensure smooth blending
• Comfortable nonslip-grip handle; drip-free spout; raised calibrations
• Spill-proof vented lid with measuring cap; virtually unbreakable
• Measures 7-1/2 by 9 by 13-1/2 inches; 5-year warranty

Vita-Mix 15848 Tritan Copolyester Soft-Grip 64-Ounce Container with Wet Blade and Lid Overview

Vitamix 15848 soft-grip 64-oz container with wet blade assembly and 2-part lid. Additional container or replacement for the Vita-Mix. The container is oversized, 64-ounce capacity made from Eastman Tritan copolyester material that is virtually unbreakable, more chemical resistant and contains no BPA. This see-through, no-drip spout container lets you witness the processing from start to finish. It features raised calibrations for easily measuring ingredients in ounces, cups or metrics. Container includes wet blade and 2-part locking lid designed for easy removal. Hardened stainless steel blades break down food and ice inside the container for consistently smooth results. Lid has removable plug marked with measurements and allows ingredients to be added while processing. Spill proof lid vents to allow hot or cold food to expand and contract. Container has soft-grip handle for a comfortable, non-slip grasp.

Vita-Mix 15848 Tritan Copolyester Soft-Grip 64-Ounce Container with Wet Blade and Lid Specifications

Vitamix 15848

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 03, 2009 03:45:07

32inch lcd hdtv

Thanks To : womens camisoles automatic one cup coffee maker

One of the most forgotten rooms when it comes to home decor is the bathroom.  However, it needs interesting accessories to make it feel cozy versus like a hospital bathroom, sterile and cold! 

To start, I like to use unexpected containers to hold things like cotton balls or swabs, bath salts or beads, and even towels.  For example, apothecary jars are a great choice.

I found this container today at Home Goods while I was shopping for a client’s home.  I liked it because of the style and color, as well as the size (it’s about 12″ tall and 5″ in diameter).  There was also another one which was a little larger and in a different shape but unfortunately, it was cracked and those were the last ones!  I’ll just have to keep searching.

Bathrooms usually have a lot of stuff which needs to be corralled.  I like using interesting baskets and racks for towels, unique containers for liquid soaps and lotions, small decorative mirrors, pottery, and of course, candles.  A variety of textures adds a great deal of character to what might be an otherwise boring bathroom.

bath  accessories

Here’s how to do it right wherever you live, plus what all the numbers on containers mean

Fact: Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours. So, yes, it pays off. Here’s how to do it right wherever you live.

Collect newspapers in a paper grocery bag or in tied bundles, depending on your community’s guidelines, and set them out on pickup day. (It takes up to 75,000 trees to produce one Sunday edition of the New York Times.)

Don’t recycle wet cardboard. It can clog sorting machines. Throw it away to keep it from contaminating the rest of the load.

Don’t recycle bottle tops; they’re not made from the same plastic as recyclable bottles. But if you forget, don’t sweat it. They’ll be sorted down the line. (The energy saved by recycling one plastic bottle can power a computer for 25 minutes.)

Rinse cans, but crushing isn’t necessary. The aluminum can is the most recycled item in the United States, as well as the most valuable. It can be recycled again and again, and so efficiently that a can is regenerated and back on the shelf in as little as 60 days.

Don’t fret if you can’t get the lime out of the beer bottle or the last of the peanut butter from the jar. The recycler’s machinery will zap all contaminants. But do empty and rinse glass jars and containers.

Wondering about the little numbers on your milk container? They identify what the container is made of — and what it will be in its next life.

1 PET (polyethylene terephthalate): Soda bottles; recycled into pillow fill.

2 HDPE (high-density polyethylene): Plastic milk bottles, detergent bottles; recycled into new detergent bottles.

3 PVC (polyvinyl chloride): Take-out boxes, shampoo; recycled into drainage and irrigation pipes.

4 LDPE (low-density polyethylene): Grocery bags, shrink wrap; recycled into new bags.

5 PP (polypropylene): Yogurt containers, bottle caps; recycled into plastic lumber.

6 PS (polystyrene): Packing peanuts; recycled into plastic lumber, cassette-tape boxes.

7 Other: Includes squeezable ketchup bottles and microwavable dishes; these items can’t be recycled.

Reproduced from www.realsimple.com

Avira AntiVir Updates tanggal 29 Nopember 2009

Multiple VDF –>>  Version: 7.10.01.118;  Date: 29 Nov 2009;  Time: 20:33 (GMT+1)

(Untuk AntiVir Personal/Premiun/Server/Profesional versi 9, berisi 32 file)

Container  IVDF –>>  Version: 7.10.01.118;  Date: 29 Nov 2009;  Time: 20:33 (GMT+1)

(Untuk AntiVir Personal/Premiun/Server/Profesional versi 8 ke bawah, berisi 4 file)