Friday, June 26, 2015

Toilet Paper Roll Saves Wrapping Paper - Details to Follow

I don't know about you, but I don't have a lot of wrapping paper, bows and ribbons. 

I only have one roll of wrapping paper so I don't need no fancy organizing contraptions. 

I just need my one itty bitty roll of wrapping paper to stay pretty.

Like the title says, toilet paper roll saves wrapping paper.



Toilet Paper Roll Repurpose, recycle

I used to just put the roll of wrapping paper leaning against the back of the closet. 

But that turned out badly for the paper. It would eventually unroll, get ripped and wrinkled. Pretty much nothing more than fill for my recycling box. Or paper for a modge podge project. Which is fine and dandy for crafting but doesn't do any good when I need to wrap a gift.

I tried putting hair elastics on the roll of paper. That's what we used to do as kids to get our large paper projects home from school. It seemed to work out fine back then.

Ya, it worked as a temporary solution but no good for long term. I guess the elastic created pressure points from which the paper tends to rip then unroll yadda yadda yadda. (I can't believe I said that. I never say that.)

You know tape is no better. I don't understand why the manufacturers even put tape on rolls of wrapping paper. It's just no right.

Then one day, it just popped in my head.

Boing.

Cut a toilet paper roll length wise and just snap it into place. As per image. I tend to put three rolls on my wrapping paper - one on each end and one in the middle. 

Perfectomundo.

Ya. So I thought I would share that little tidbit with you. In case you have a roll of wrapping paper you want to save for you know wrapping not crafting.

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I love to read your opinions and comments. It makes my day. 

Bye for now. Wishing you the best, Darlene

My apologies, all anonymous comments are deleted due to an excessive amount of spam.

June's Creative Challenge Link Party #6 - Toilet Paper / Paper Towel Rolls





Welcome to June's Creative Craft Challenge! 



For the month of June, the material we are challenging you to re-purpose, recycle, or upcycle is toilet paper / paper towel rolls.

The Craft Challenge Creative Link Party 
is brought to you by:

Kristina & Millie @ 2 Crochet Hooks Blog/Pinterest/FB/Twitter
Bonnie @ Our Secondhand House Blog/Pinterest/FB/Twitter
Robin @ Redo It Yourself Inspirations Blog/Pinterest/FB/Twitter
Darlene @ Let It Shine Blog/Pinterest/FB/Twitter

This Month's Feature



Cindy at Upcycled Design Lab created this pretty TP Hanging Flower Garland.



We are looking for co-hosts for each month! If you would like to have some fun with us, let us know!


Linky Party


I hope you will consider following your hosts.
It's a nice gesture, though not required :) 

Your hostesses will announce on the first Friday of each month what the crafting challenge is - typically this will be a common item found in or around your home - you must use this item in your creation. 

You then have until the last Friday of the month to complete your project and link it up below. You may link up a previously completed craft but we hope you will be inspired to create something new!



The Upcoming Material Challenges:
  • July: Twigs (Something from Nature)
  • August: Food Cans
  • September – dishes/glass/plastic/metal
  • October – broken jewelry
  • November – margarine/cool whip bowls
  • December – unique wreath

RULES:
1. Use the material we are currently challenging: toilet paper rolls.
2. Make sure the project is reused, recycled, or upcycled.
3. Come back as many times as you want ; the party lasts the entire month.
4. Link up your own projects.
5. Have fun creating your Craft Challenge project


POST A COMMENT
I love to read your opinions and comments. It makes my day a little bit brighter. 

My apologies, all anonymous comments are deleted due to an excessive amount of spam.

Wishing You a Wonderful Week.

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

23 Questions (What my Daughter Thinks of Me)

This is how 23 Questions works.

Without prompting, ask your child these questions and write down exactly what he/she says. 

Link up your post so everyone can see one another's answers! Here are your hosts: Sarah Isis and Diana!


Faith 6


1. What is something your Grandma always says to you?

        I love you.

2. What makes your Grandma happy? 
       Me.

3. What makes your Grandma sad?
       People yelling at her.

4. How does your Grandma make you laugh? 
       Tickling me and making funny jokes.

5. What was your Grandma like when she was a child?
        Kind and smart and beautiful.

6. How old is your Grandma ?
        51

7. How tall is your Grandma? 
        Ten feet.

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
        Crochet, go on computer and hang out with me.

9. What does your Grandma do when you're not around?
        Play on her computer and crochet.

10. If your Grandma becomes famous, what will it be for?
         Being a rock star.

11. What is your Grandma really good at?
         Teaching me things.

12. What is your Grandma not very good at?
         Yelling at me - its really hard for her!

13. What does your Grandma do for a job? 
         Look after me.

14.What is your Grandma's favorite food?
         Lots of things - banana split is one of the things.

15.What makes you proud of your Grandma? 
         That you are alive and sweet and kind.

16. If your Grandma were a character, who would she be?
         She would be a kind princess.

17. What do you and your Grandma do together?
          We snuggle, watch tv together, share chips and read.

18. How are you and your Grandma the same? 
           We are both really kind.

19. How are you and your Grandma different?
           She has glasses and I don't.

20. How do you know your Grandma loves you?
           Because she says she loves me every day and night.

21. What does your Grandma like the most about your poppy?
            I don't know.

22. Where is your Grandma's favorite place to go?
            Second hand shopping, buffets & other places to shop             and eat

23. How old was your Grandma when you were born?

          44


         


1. What is something your Mom always says to you?
       I love you and did you know you are the most beautiful girl in the world.

2. What makes your Mom happy? 
       Me.

3. What makes your Mom sad?
       Not seeing me and when someone being mean to her.

4. How does your Mom make you laugh? 
       She says funny things and she tickles me and I laugh like crazy.

5. What was your Mom like when she was a child?
       Kind - her sisters weren't kind to her they tied her up to a chair with duct tape.

6. How old is your Mom?
       20 

7. How tall is your Mom? 
       8 feet 

8. What is her favorite thing to do? 
       Paint and make cool creations and hang out with me.

9. What does your Mom do when you're not around? 
       She does art.

10. If your Mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
       Artist.

11. What is your Mom really good at? 
       Making creations and being nice.

12. What is your Mom not very good at?
       Staying away from me.

13. What does your Mom do for a job? 
       Artist.

14.What is your Mom's favorite food? 
       A lot of things one is popcorn.

15.What makes you proud of your Mom? 
       That you are kind nice and caring.

16. If your Mom were a character, who would she be? 
       Dorthy.

17. What do you and your Mom do together? 
       Paint and hang out and all sort of art activities.

18. How are you and your Mom the same? 
       We are both have hazel eyes are are girly girls.

19. How are you and your Mom different? 
       She wears boys clothes and i don't.

20. How do you know your Mom loves you?        
        She calls me baby and says I love you.

21. What does your mom like the most about your dad? 
       Him.

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
       Craft stores and exhibits and museums.

23. How old was your mom when you were born?
       13



POST A COMMENT


I love to read your opinions and comments. It makes my day. 

Bye for now. Wishing you the best, Darlene



My apologies, all anonymous comments are deleted due to an excessive amount of spam.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Relieve Stress and Find Your Happy Place



I've always thought it strange that someone could go through their whole life without a single hobby.

I actually know a couple of people who don't have one. 

Maybe it isn't necessarily that they don't have a hobby, but they don't seem to have any particular interests to occupy their time and minds. Nothing that they like to do that helps them clear their heads and rejuvenate their souls.



What Are Your Hobbies?

What is it that you enjoy doing? Perhaps it's running? Baking? Sewing?

I personally have to do something. 

Through the years my interests and "hobbies" have changed but there has always been something.

I use to love reading and went through all the Anne Rice and Stephen King books I could get my hands on. But then I found it difficult to find quite time with three little girls bouncing around.

I use to love painting - in acrylics - landscapes and portraits. But it also turned out to be a difficult hobby with wee ones.

At this point in my life crocheting is my fav. I can crochet just about any where at any time. Unfortunately for me, one hobby just isn't enough. 

I was feeling a little lost and needed something more. So of course I went online - just browsing. Then I came across some pretty pictures - doodles - tangles - in black and white. 

I immediately knew that I found something I would love to do. 

All I need is a sketchbook and black markers. A hobby that doesn't take up much space or cost much money. I could get these items at a dollar store. It cost three dollars for the book and one dollar for the marker. 

Plus, I can do this with my grandchildren. Now we get out our sketch books and draw. Draw and color together.



Mind you I realize that at some point I may want to invest in better paper and markers. But for now I found my creative outlet. I found something relaxing and fun. Something a little different than my usual sketching.


The Benefits of a Hobby

Physical activities have obvious benefits. But what about the other kind interests like crocheting?

There are some very wonderful benefits. Hobbies are a means to finding happiness, an overall sense of well being and reduce stress.

Fun
Positive psychology is a relatively new branch that studies what makes life worthwhile. They discovered that activities which bring fun into your life is a good way to relax and to live in the moment which provides an over all sense of well being and happiness.


Good Stress

Hobbies promote Eustress which is a positive kind of stress created at times of great enthusiasm. Hobbies are a great way to create Eustress because you are doing something you love to do and it makes you feel excited.


Gratification

Gratification is also a part of positive psychology. If you are like me, I enjoy activities that make me feel productive - like I have accomplished something other wise I feel like I am wasting my time. Knowing that I will have a completed project of some kind gives me a fantastic feeling of achievement which equates to happiness.

Staying In the Moment

A hobby can engage you in a sense of flow, which can put you in a near-meditative state. 

I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. It's the kind of activity where you lose track of time and before you know it hours have passed by. You are concentrating so much in what you are doing that everything else (including stress) disappears. The end result is feeling less stressed out and feeling over all pleased with life. Happy!


Hobbies Help Prevent Burn Out

What is burn out? Well it's the result of stress. 

If you are feeling overwhelmed at work, a hobby gives you something non work related to look forward to and it relieves stress. 

Your hobby may be the one thing that reduces the impact of chronic stress. 


Health Benefits of Hobbies

Hobbies are great for the body. Research has found that leisure time fun activities are associated with lower blood pressure, total cortisol, waist circumference, and body mass index. 

Hobbies are great for the mind. There is also a relationship between enjoyable activities and an increase in a positive outlook -reducing levels of depression.


Hobbies Promote Socializing

Hobbies can bring people together. Even if your hobby is meant for one person, there are groups out there  composed of others who also enjoy that activity. Connecting with people in a fun way relieves stress and contributes to your overall happiness.

Now we know why I have been so desperate to find a new hobby. I need something to to get me in the zone - flow (refer  Mihály Csíkszentmihályi's concept of "flow") - to decrease stress and depression - to increase my positive outlook -  - to make me feel HAPPY.

So next time someone you know is feeling stressed or down, ask them what is their hobby. What do you do for fun? Then tell them to get out there and get a hobby!


Featured
Thank you so much Stella for picking my post to feature at Two Uses Tuesday.

This is what she said, "Looking for a hobby for some happy time? Darlene shares with us some of her past hobbies and how you can relieve stress with them."




This is what they had to say at Meandering Mondays: "My favorite post came from Let It Shine with the post Relieve Stress and Find Your Happy Place! I definitely find reading books and listening to music quickly puts me in my happy place! I generally choose a good historical romance novel, but lately I have picked up a few biographies as well. Music changes with my mood, one day I may want to listen to hard rock, and other days might merit classical with an electric flair. They definitely give me a way to distress and relax. Thank you so much for sharing!"



POST A COMMENT


I love to read your opinions and comments. It makes my day. 

My apologies, all anonymous comments are deleted due to an excessive amount of spam.

Bye for now. 

Wishing you the best, Darlene

Crocheted Purse for a Little Girl



I'm finally finished and ready to share.

Last week I showed you my adorable crocheted butterflies (HERE). This week I'm showing you what they were made for.

It's a purse. A little girl's purse made with a rainbow of colors and an assortment of dangly do hickeys. I have beads galore and lacy fringe. And an adjustable strap.

What more could a girl ask for?



















































POST A COMMENT


I love to read your opinions and comments. It makes my day. 

My apologies, all anonymous comments are deleted due to an excessive amount of spam.

Bye for now. 

Wishing you the best, Darlene

Friday, June 19, 2015

June's Creative Challenge Link Party #6 - Toilet Paper / Paper Towel Rolls





Welcome to June's Creative Craft Challenge! 



For the month of June, the material we are challenging you to re-purpose, recycle, or upcycle is toilet paper / paper towel rolls.

The Craft Challenge Creative Link Party 
is brought to you by:

Kristina & Millie @ 2 Crochet Hooks Blog/Pinterest/FB/Twitter
Bonnie @ Our Secondhand House Blog/Pinterest/FB/Twitter
Robin @ Redo It Yourself Inspirations Blog/Pinterest/FB/Twitter
Darlene @ Let It Shine Blog/Pinterest/FB/Twitter

We are looking for co-hosts for each month! If you would like to have some fun with us, let us know! 
Linky Party


I hope you will consider following your hosts.
It's a nice gesture, though not required :) 

Your hostesses will announce on the first Friday of each month what the crafting challenge is - typically this will be a common item found in or around your home - you must use this item in your creation. 

You then have until the last Friday of the month to complete your project and link it up below. You may link up a previously completed craft but we hope you will be inspired to create something new!



The Upcoming Material Challenges:
  • July: Twigs (Something from Nature)
  • August: Food Cans
  • September – dishes/glass/plastic/metal
  • October – broken jewelry
  • November – margarine/cool whip bowls
  • December – unique wreath

RULES:
1. Use the material we are currently challenging: flatware/silverware (+ anything from the kitchen)
2. Make sure the project is reused, recycled, or upcycled.
3. Come back as many times as you want (with cardboard); the party lasts the entire month.
4. Link up your own projects.
5. Have fun creating your Craft Challenge project


POST A COMMENT
I love to read your opinions and comments. It makes my day a little bit brighter. 

My apologies, all anonymous comments are deleted due to an excessive amount of spam.


Wishing You a Wonderful Week.