My Thoughts on Thursday...

I think my blog name should be...
sew many ways...to do everything else but sew!

I need to get back to my machine!
~Karen~

ps...Sew Darn Crafty Link Party is still on til Saturday night, so link up your projects HERE and the Thanks a Million give away ends Friday, so enter HERE.

Spray Painting a Topiary...

Do you remember these topiaries I made last year? They were a Christmas clearance redo. Click here to go to that post.

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Even though I did love the way they turned out, they were a little too green. space Especially now that I added this chartreuse green wreath in the hallway next to where these topiaries are on the dining room table. spa

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What's a girl to do? Spray paint them of course!! See the difference in the color? The spray painted one is on the right.

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It's not completely spray painted...just enough to have different shades of all the greens. I did a few light coats, let them dry in between each coat. That way it doesn't look like a solid color.

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Now it matches the wreath so much better!

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It matches better in person...it was a little bright from the sun light coming in.

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I used this paint and I already had it...which is even better. This was a gloss, maybe satin would be great too. The funny thing is, it's called Ivy Leaf!!

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Don't like any of the artificial plants or flowers you have stored away and never use...try spray painting them. What's the worst that can happen...you weren't using them any way!!

Have a great day,

~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Framed User Names and How To Make a Text Box

Well, I did it. I took the leap to the new post editor. Still looking into the process of Live Writer, but I need baby steps from my Blogger rant on Sunday night. I tried the old editor and it still has spacing issues...so I'm not looking back. A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to every one who helped me stay away from Taco Bell.

Today's Tool Time is an easy one, but oh so helpful...keeping track of user names and passwords.

I'm not sure if it's just me and the fact that I'm 46 and can't remember like I use to or is it the fact that we have to have a user name and a password to use the bathroom! LOL 

Every time I find a new web site, sites for our daughters' college, shopping, blogging, photos, recipe sites, weather sites etc...it has a user name and a password. If you start to make a list, you'll see just how many you have. I try to keep the user names all the same, but some sites ask for capital letters, add more numbers or 8 characters or more.

I keep my husband's in a Rolodex on his desk, but this is how I keep mine. This is a sample list printed out. Obviously you wouldn't keep important user names and passwords so visible, but seriously, no one will want to hack into my photobucket account and start posting pictures or go into to my Picnik photo editing site and start changing my photos around or go into my Hancock's Fabric shop and see what fabrics they have on sale. This idea is for every day user names of sites that you need to keep on hand NOT for your Banking stuff and sites with security issues!

This is the frame that I use. I bought it at Ikea for 95 cents.

It's 4x6 and it's the perfect size for my desk.

The best part about this frame is that it's double sided and loads from the top.

Picture on one side...

User names on the other...hidden away where no one can see.

Innocent looking picture.

but, goodies on the back. Now the whole world knows where my user names are, LOL!!! Just don't tell the bad guys!

Here's an extra Tool Time tip for you...type your list in a Text Box the exact size of your frame, so it's easier to cut it out.

This uses Microsoft Word...open up a new page. (click to enlarge all photos below)

Click the "INSERT" tab I have circled in black.

Then click on "TEXT BOX" (circled in black).

A drop down box will appear and I pick "Simple Text Box".

Now that the text box is on your paper, you will need to change the size to fit your frame. Change the size in the box on the upper right corner. 

My frame is 4 inches wide by 6 inches high.

Now just type what you want inside the box. Take into consideration the margins of your frame.



Print and cut it out along the lines.

and you are done!!

Ok, now that I have a stress bubble going on in my stomach for learning this new posting editor all over again...I hope this post looks ok. I'm still mad at Blogger:(

Happy Tuesday everyone,

~Karen~

Blog Buddy...How To Change the Date and Time of a Post

Welcome to another edition to the Blog Buddy feature. Today's topic is how to change the date and time of a post to suit your needs...when you have the free time to write!

Are you so busy during the week that you can't post when you want to? Is Saturday or Sunday easier for you? Maybe you have a day off during the week where you could write several posts. Let me show you how to change the date and time of each of your posts, so you can write them all on one day and they will post throughout the week...when you want them to!

Write your post as usual. When you are done, click on the bottom left button called "Post Options". I have it circled in black below. Click on the picture to enlarge.

A drop down option will appear. In the section on the right, that I have circled in black, you can change the date and time of when you want the post to be published. Make sure you keep it in the same format that it's written in. For example...month/day/year...3/27/11 and AM or PM

When you are finished, click the "Publish Post" button circled in black on the bottom left. It won't publish at that time, but it will be stored in your edit post list until the date you picked.

Go to your edit post list and you will see it as "Scheduled" with the date and time you have chosen.

Another thing you can do with the time date feature is to republish an old post.

If you are editing a post, but want to keep it on the same date, just make you corrections in the post and publish again. The changes will be made, but it will still post on the original date.

However, if you want to edit a post and republish it new again...bring up your old post, change the date and hit "Publish Post" again. That old post will be published on that new date.

If you are looking for more help with your blog, just go to the Blog Buddy button on my right side bar and click for more tips and tricks.

Have a wonderful day and don't forget to link your projects at the Sew Darn Crafty post. There are so many wonderful links there already. Click here to join in on the fun.

~Karen~

Blogger Frustration...I Could Just Cry

What is wrong with blogger? I know I'm stuck in the dark ages by still using the old editor, but that's what I started with 2 years ago and it took me forever to get use to loading pictures in backwards and the whole spacing thing and it just worked on Thursday. Well, tonight I tried to write 3 posts and thought I was going to cry or drive to the nearest Taco Bell and order 100 taco supremes. Thankfully the nearest Taco Bell is 30 miles away and I knew you could help me more than 100 taco supremes...plus my butt will stay the same size! Ok, here is why I'm begging you for help. When I'm typing this in the new post box all the spaces between paragraphs are there and it looks pretty. When I go to the Preview button it looks like CRAP!!! All the sentences are bunched up. There should be 5 paragraphs. Don't even get me started on dealing with pictures. Who on God's green earth is messing with blogger? If I end up eating 100 taco supremes and my pants don't fit any more, there's going to be hell to pay! LOL...really I'm laughing, but still mad at blogger...furious actually. Who are you blogger any way? and why can't we ever talk to you? You need an 800 number help line! My rant is over ~Karen~ seriously this post looks ridiculous. My name should be all by itself on the far left like I always have it.

Sew Darn Crafty Party...Week 7

Welcome to another week of Sew Darn Crafty Linking Party! I just love all your projects and inspirational posts...keep 'em coming! Let's see what you've been up to this week. This party is about YOU and YOUR projects and it brings so many friends to your blog too. Easy steps to join the fun.

• link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not search through all your posts. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on your post Title.


• link as many projects as you'd like


• visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!


• grab a button for your post or just link to the party in your post.


• the more we share, the more will join and more inspiration to look at!

I finally have a html code for my Sew Darn Crafty Button...see it over there on the right. I'm so proud...made the code for the first time myself!! Woo Hoo. Better not toot my own horn until I see that it works. Now if I can figure out how to put it in this post. Can't seem to get the code box in here. Oh well, baby steps I guess!

Ok, link away...

~Karen~

My Thoughts on Thursday...

If I didn't have to worry about my health, calories or fat content, I would eat Taco Supremes with extra sour cream and guacamole every day!

How about you?

~Karen~

Thanks A Million...Give Away

Blogging has been very special to me for many reasons, but the most important reason is all the wonderful people I've met over the past 2 years. No matter how big your blog is or how many followers you have, sharing ideas and being inspired by one another is the most important thing.

I love when people visit my blog, whether they leave a comment or not. I have a gadget on my blog that counts each and every page visit...and each one is special!

So special, that last night I had my one MILLIONTH visit!! HOO WOO. To celebrate, I wanted to have a little give away.

Leave a comment on this post to enter to win this 24 inch Sterling Silver necklace. I thought that jewelry might be universal to so many people. The necklace is so much prettier in person. Very soft and slinky. It was also purchased in the Sew Many Ways style...a great big BARGAIN! This is an $80.00 necklace that I purchased for $10.00. LOVE IT!!




Here is a close up next to a dime, so you can get a feel for the size.



Thanks a "Million" again for all your comments, kind words and your million visits...they are all truly heart felt.
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~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Place Mat Night Light

Happy Tool Time! Before I show you today's tutorial, don't forget my Sew Darn Crafty Linking Party...a place where you can show off YOUR projects or you can browse all the great projects already there. Definitely go for a visit by clicking here...oh wait, don't go yet, this Tool Time is good one!

Remember all my goodies from the Target clearance rack? Well, the stash included a bunch of plastic place mats. We rarely use place mats, so you know I bought them for Tool Time!

Here is today's project...a place mat night light. Fast, easy, cute and cheap. You know those are my favorite things for a craft project.




This is your supply list.



You'll need a hole punch, but it can either be the big one that punches the 3 holes at the same time or the hand punch.

3 flat screws with the nuts.

A tap light.

and your super cheap clearance place mat...woo hoo 48 cents! Can't beat that with a stick!

See how the place mat is kind of see through. That allows the light to shine through more.

Here are the simple steps.

Find the center of each of the short sides.

If using the stand up hole punch, align the center mark on the place mat with the center mark of the hole punch.

Slide the place mat in...

and press down to punch the holes.

If you are using the hand punch, just space the holes evenly, but make sure they are on the same spots on the other side.

3 holes on each of the short sides.

Now roll up the place mat...

and line up the holes.

Pop in the screws.

and twist on the nut on the inside.

All rolled up and screwed together.

Take your tap light...

and tap it on!

All you do is place the place mat cylinder over the tap light.

and your done!

Perfect for bedtime in any room.

Great by the bed of a little one...or even the bathroom for those late night trips.

Great for any spot in the room, because there isn't a plug. The tap light runs on batteries.

I placed some sea glass out in hopes for warmer weather, but they are predicting snow here in southern New England Wednesday into Thursday. Ahhhh!!! I thought we were done.

Have a great Tuesday and remember to look twice at an item...it always has a different life hiding inside it!

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~Karen~

Linking to...The Stories of A to Z , Tip Junkie, Crazy Domestic, Hodgepodge Friday, Tatertots and Jello