- Empty Nesters - absolutely ideal for just a couple!
- Widowers - my Mom is in this category, and this set-up couldn't be any better
- Kids in Residence - University students in Dorms! A convenient item to have in their rooms
- The Cottage - Since the number of people varies at the cottage when it's quiet, and you don't have many visitors, this is a terrific alternative coffee maker.
- RV's - If you're on the road, the ease and speed of getting a cup of coffee is ideal.
- Nanny's Room/Grandma's In-House Suite - For those fortunate enough to have either a Nanny or a parent living with them, this machine could easily be placed on a shelf in their bedroom.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Review of an Easy to Use One Cup Coffee Maker
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Crafting in St. Patrick's Day Green
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Happy St. Patrick's Day! (Pixabay) |
If you are a yarn crafter like me, grab some green yarn and create anything from a plush animal to whatever
St. Patrick's Day Crocheted Octopus
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Plush Baby Octopus in Crochet |
This little plush octopus is handmade in crochet in a combination of Irish green and the gold of the 'pot of gold' at the end of the rainbow we sometimes associate with Irish mythology.
This St. Patrick's Day crocheted octopus measures about 2 inches tall and 6 inches across his tentacles. This one is available in my Etsy Shop of Coastal Crochet Crafts. If you crochet and would like to create your own Irish octopus in crochet, I created a free pattern tutorial for you.
What is a Shamrock?
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Source: Pixabay |
The Shamrock is known as a symbol of Ireland. According to legend, St. Patrick used it as a metaphor for the Christian Trinity.
Shamrock Beverage Coasters
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Shamrock Tabletop Coasters |
Shamrock designs are popular in any form. These cute beverage coasters handmade in needlepoint on plastic canvas are just the thing to protect your tabletops at your St. Patrick's Day celebrations, which might include 'green' beer or Irish coffee!
These Shamrock Beverage Coasters were created by Pat and are available in her Etsy Shop Coastal Crochet Crafts. Irish drink coasters measure 4 x 4 inches with a design of that Irish clover and stitched in two shades of green with the design outlined in black.
A Collection of St. Patrick's Day Crafts
For a large selection of St. Patrick's Day crafts for both children and adults, check out this article The Best St. Patrick's Day Crafts by Loraine Brummer (lbrummer)
Irish Green Plush Penguin
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Irish Green Plush Penguin |
Shamrocks by Kathie
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Shamrocks on Purses, Coin Purses & Lanyards |
More St. Patrick's Day Craft Ideas
Available on Amazon |
This book of 12 St. Patrick's Day crafts easy for kids to do is an enjoyable place to begin. The book is available in Amazon's Kindle Store.
If you have any St. Patrick's Day crafts or tutorials to share, please leave the link in the comment section below.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Quick Links:
- Easy St. Patrick's Day Crafts to Make with Young Children
- CutePurseNalities Etsy Shop
- CoastalCrochetCrafts Etsy Shop
Article by Wednesday Elf of the crochet blog Crochet - Crafts - Critters.
Wednesday Elf can also be found in her Etsy Shop Coastal Crochet Crafts
Friday, March 6, 2015
Planting in Spring for Summer Beauty Review
In fall, we plant blubs for spring flowering, but in spring we plant for summer and fall flowers.
Many of us keep a journal of what we planted where. That way we don't accidentally dig up bulbs or perennial plants. Some blubs and plants are pretty forgiving and will simply bloom together or around each other. Others would be ruined by accidental invasion, so we plot and plan well in advance and then wait for the glorious presentation of beautiful blooms.
Flowers to Plant in Spring for Summer Blooming
When we plant our bulbs in the fall, it can seem like an eternity before the flowers bloom, but that is not the case with spring planting and summer flowers. Here are some examples of flowers we plant now that will reward us before we know it.
- Cornflower ~ Friend and gardener Beverly Owens recommends Coneflowers which not only have the benefit of beautiful blooms, but also attract butterflies and bees to our gardens.
- Calla Lily ~ One of my personal favorites is the Calla Lily. I have always planted a variety of colors, but Paula Atwell introduced me to the Black Star Calla Lily. I am very excited about adding the Black Star to my blooming collection.
- Nasturtiums ~ This is another flower that is available in a variety of colors including a black Nasturtium. These plants are fabulous for ground cover or as climbing flowers.
- Alliums ~ Gorgeous spiral blooms that are a unique treat in any garden. These flowers certainly don't look like your average garden bloom. On Diary of a Wild Country Garden, Jasmine features Alliums, Freesias and Oriental Lilies.
- Aster ~ Big and beautiful blooms for in summer and fall.
- Butterfly Bush ~ Attract additional beauty to your garden with a butterfly bush.
- Astilbe ~ A delicate looking perennial that is actually very strong and resilient with gorgeous flowers and fern like foliage.
- Delphiniums ~ The delphinium is lovely, but there is one concern, it can not tolerate extreme heat and hot temperature regions.
- Daylilies ~ If you live in the south, you can plant Daylilies in the spring for summer blooming, but northern region gardeners should wait until fall to plant Daylilies.
Late Summer / Early Fall Flowers
Depending on your region, some Mums will start to bloom in late summer. Many regions do not see Mum blooms until fall, but I wanted to include them here simply because they can and should be planted in the spring and you will want to select a place for them while planning your garden.
Planting mums in the spring also gives the plant time to acclimate to your soil and to deep root. Susan Deppner not only asks the question What to do With Mums in Spring, but provides answers from experts and fellow gardeners.
Summer Flowers with Side Benefits
Likewise, the beauty of the Nasturtium flowers is noted above, but did you know that Nasturtiums are edible and can be used for flavoring in food?
Here are a few more summer flowers that are also sources food and nutrition.
- Bee Balm
- Johnny Jump-ups
- Lavender
- Marigolds
- Roses
- Squash Blossoms
I enjoy working and writing online. There are so many wonderful articles shared by fellow online writers that encourage, inspire and teach freely.
Do you have an article about Summer Flowers that are planted in the spring that you would like to share? Please leave the link in our guestbook below so we can visit your Summer Flowers article today.
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Customized Crafting Supplies on Zazzle
Peggy's Cove Lighthouse by lighthouseenthusiast
Check out other Peggy's cove lighthouse Fabrics at zazzle.com
Fabrics
Ribbons
Peggy's Cove Lighthouse by lighthouseenthusiast
Check out more Zazzle Ribbon
Stickers
Ocracoke Lighthouse Sticker by lighthouseenthusiast
Check out other Ocracoke island Stickers at zazzle.com
Split Rock Lighthouse in the Fall Square Sticker by lighthouseenthusiast
Look at Split rock lighthouse Stickers online at Zazzle.com
Monday, March 2, 2015
Writing and Remembering the Old-Fashioned Way
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Blue Butterfly |
Technology for Writers
Recording our thoughts as soon as we get them has been highly recommended or practiced by many authors, including Mark Twain. Currently, some authors still create that novel with pen and paper. But for the most part, typewriters followed by keyboards have been a writer's best friend. We sit at our electronic gadgets to write, edit, and sometimes to add our thoughts to the internet. I love my laptop and would be lost without it. But I also have to capture those fleeting thoughts when my gadgets aren't available.
During very long drives, I often wish I had a voice recorder. I always end up with great ideas when I'm driving. I don't pull over on the interstate to jot those ideas down. And no matter how good the thoughts were I have forgotten them by the time I arrive at my destination. While driving, a recorder would be an excellent choice. However, my preferred method of keeping track of ideas is with a good spiral journal.
Spiral Journals for Writers
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Orchids on Brown |
Piccadilly -- In looking back at my collection of journals, I realized that Piccadilly is a brand that I most often use. I like the colorful and durable covers, the sturdy wire spiral, and the quality of the paper. I often feel as though the act of unplugging and physically writing sometimes gets my creative juices flowing. This Orchids on Brown and a butterfly are my two favorite journal designs. The large journals are approximately 9 x 11 and fit perfectly in the bag I carry to work. This size lends itself to longer rambling entries.
Occasionally, I prefer to carry a smaller journal. On long hikes, other outdoor adventures, or traveling in public venues (such as the metro) I don't want the extra weight of a large journal. So I carry a small version. While I use this for rambling notes and bits of fiction, the medium sized journals are also good for jotting short notes and not feeling like I'm wasting an entire page.
Zazzle -- I have several friends who use their photography to create gorgeous spiral journals on Zazzle. Their original artwork makes these journals unique. In addition, you can often personaizel Zazzle items further by adding a name. CrypticArt's Web of Pearls spiral notebook and Melkav's Beautiful Bouquet are just two examples of the many spiral notebooks offered.
Friday, February 27, 2015
Spring Flowers and Plants Reviewed
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Snowdrop Flower (Galanthus) |
My mind is planning and my fingers are twitching to get to work as I look out my kitchen window. My flower pots and beds are summoning me even as I write this article. I can hardly wait to be greeted by the face of my most beautiful iris and to touch to fragile petals of my tulips. Oh, truly the daffodils are calling from beneath the ice covered ground.
Can you hear the awakening of spring? Do you long for the beauty of blooming gardens? Then lets take a moment to plan, order and prepare for the glorious rebirth of nature just outside our doors.
Flowers to Plant in Spring
Many of our early spring flowers come from bulbs that would have been planted back in the fall. However, there are a few that we can plant in early spring.
- Pansy ~ The flower with a face is such a lovely addition to any garden. It is perfect for flower beds and container gardening.
- Hydrangea ~ The hydrangea bush is a pretty big bush with beautiful large blooms that are actually clusters of tiny flowers. They can be planted in early spring or early fall. You will find planting instructions, care suggestions, as well as see a selection of hydrangeas at How to Grow Hydrangeas.
- Azaleas ~ Beauty and charm are the two word that come to mind when I think of Azaleas. Having grown up in the South, Azaleas are simply part of my everyday world. To such a degree, they are easy to take for granted. You can learn all about proper care of Azaleas in this video on Southern Living.
Spring Plants
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Lambs Ear Plant |
- Lamb's Ear ~ Silver Carpet Lambs Ear is one of my personal favorites. It is appropriately named because it feels like a little lambs ear when we touch it. It is a very resilient plant that allows even small children to touch and feel. The beauty of this plant far exceeds it's visual appeal. They flourish in many regions.
Spring Floral Arrangements
Part of the beauty of having you own flower garden is being able to step into your own backyard, cut a few flowers and make your own floral assorted arrangement to bring inside. I typically like to do this when my flowers are fully bloomed, or right before a storm when I know the blooms will be shattered.
I recently discovered an article of inspiration on "Accenting Your Easter Bouquet with Dark-Hued Flowers". Since I love "black" flowers, the ideas and suggestions in this article very much appeal to me. I normally place a black flower in a single bud vase, but I was intrigued by the author of this article, Paula Atwell and I asked myself "why not include them in a bouquet?!!"
That is one of the things I love most about working online. There are so many great ideas shared by fellow online writers that encourage, inspire, excite and teach freely.
Do you have an article about Spring Flowers that you would like to share? Please leave the link in our guestbook below so we can visit your Spring Flowers article today.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Photographing Butterflies
On the day of the class it was a frigid 8 degrees outside. The scene above is the frozen lake at the entrance to The Butterfly House. I was looking forward to getting inside to the warm butterfly conservatory where the temperatures are kept in the 80's for the tropical butterflies.
Photography Tips
- Use a tripod
- Use a remote shutter release
- Set you white balance at cloudy
- Set your ISO at 400
- Use Aperture priority and start with a 5.6 aperture
Photographing Blue Morpho Butterflies
More Tips from our Instructor
- Take your time finding the right shot
- Take notice of the background....look past your subject to see what else will be in your photo
- Shoot away from the light
- Use reflectors to bring light in to dark areas
- Don't expect every shot to be great...if you come away with just a couple good photos it will be a successful shoot.
Tropical Butterflies
Zazzle Products from my Photos
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Reviewing Handmade Book Crafts for Readers and Writers
Know a book lover? Show your love with a gift to warm their book-loving heart. Here's our review of easy to make handmade book crafts for readers and writers.
There's a new craft website on the Web and, in its first month, Craft Closet has been a busy place. When you're looking for crafty ideas, information, and inspiration, browse the Craft Closet archives. There are sewing projects, crafts for kids, ideas for paper crafts, jewelry tutorials, crochet patterns, and so much more.
Today I'd like to share with you some of the cool handmade book crafts that the Craft Closet writers have created.
Update: Sorry, but the Craft Closet has closed and all of their article links have been removed
Scrapbooks Made With Paper Bags
Making scrapbooks is a popular hobby and a great way to preserve memories. If you have some lunch-size paper bags around the house, you can make your own scrapbooks. Just stack the bags on top of each other and sew down the middle.
After you've assembled the basic book, it's time to get out your scrapbook materials and begin decorating. This paper bag scrapbook even has pockets where you can slip small surprise pages.
Easy to Sew Fabric Book Covers
When you want to be creative and you have basic sewing machine skills, this pocket-style fabric book cover is a fun project that can be completed in an hour and can be made from fabric found in your scrap drawer.
These fabric book covers can be made to cover any size book. Send kids off to school with a funky new covers for their textbooks. Make a one-of-a-kind cover for your checkbook. Or, hide your latest romance novel behind a cover of fabric.
Customized Journals
Do you or a friend keep a diary? Every have difficulty finding just the perfect journal? Here's an easy way to solve that problem. Upcycle a journal for yourself or your friend using colorful duct tape or washi tape.
Start with a simple and inexpensive journal or notebook. Shop your local dollar store or other discount store for good deals. Then, pick your favorite colors and get taping. You'll have a journal to fit your mood in less than 30 minutes.
More Book Making Ideas
Inside the Little Book of Book Making, you'll find dozens of unique book making projects from folded books to books with sewn bindings.
Posted by Coletta Teske

About This Contributor
Coletta Teske writes reviews on books, business management, writing, crafting, cooking, and gardening. She is also an avid recycler and shares her tips on recycling. She delights in upcycling an old object, recycling or transforming discarded items into a new treasure.
Monday, February 23, 2015
A Wonderful Way to Grandparent Across the Miles

Video Calling versus Telephone Calls
My son and I talk on the phone. I treasure those phone calls. But when we try putting the baby on the phone it's no good. At least, not with my grandbaby. He got to the stage that he would listen for a second, but wouldn't respond. I think he only wanted to push the pretty buttons. So we have begun using video calling.
I consider myself technologically challenged. I can move around the internet adequately but I have to use fairly simple programs. As I realized that my grandbaby was getting to the age that he could begin to understand that "Gramma" is a real person, I began to want more time with him. Of all the video calling programs, I chose Skype to help create some time to visit. I just muddled through on my own but if you would like more help, there are articles such as Using Skype to Connect with Grandchildren of All Ages to provide both instruction and ideas.
Choosing the Video Calling Program
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My son reading to my grandbaby and I |
The challenge with Skyping with a toddler has less to do with the program and more to do with being interesting. Let's face it, looking at Gramma on a screen isn't as interesting as pounding on the keyboard or running around the house. So, trying to keep a toddler's attention isn't easy but it can be done.
Being the Attention-Grabbing Gramma
There are many ways to get and keep the attention of a toddler while online; albeit sometimes not for very long. I mimic my grandbaby. If he is showing me his Snoopy slippers, I show him my socks. If he shows me a toy, I try to show him something interesting. In those small ways, he keeps interested. I like to read to my grandbaby and have realized that some books just don't translate well across the miles. Too many words or too busy of artwork just doesn't keep his attention. Slick pages reflect the light and he can't see the pages as I read.

I can keep his attention with Hop on Pop. After I read to him, he runs to get a book and has his dad read to him and Gramma. Right now, his favorite books to read back to Gramma have to do with Lighting McQueen. You may know Lightning McQueen from the Pixar Cars movies. That little boy loves the Cars characters and Lightning McQueen. I share a bit more about his treasured collection in a separate article.
Now that I know about Skype, I wish I would have started a bit earlier than at a year and a half with him. Yes, it is frustrating at times but keep at it and you'll find a way to interact and entertain that grandbaby - becoming closer even if you are too many physical miles apart.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Five Toe Shoes for that Barefoot Feeling!
Review of Vibram Five-Toe Shoes
Why Wear Five Toe Shoes?
For Women, Men, Boys, and Girls
For Running, Fitness, Water Sports, Yoga, Trekking, Traveling, & After Sports
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