Reviewing Jigsaw Puzzle Glue

Ways To Save Your Puzzles

Are you looking for a way to save the jigsaw puzzle that you have been working on? Let me tell you about a jigsaw puzzle glue that allows you to do that very thing. Last week, I reviewed some of my favorite Susan Winget Jigsaw Puzzles and one of the comments that I received asked me if I ever glued my puzzles. The answer is: I have glued a few of them. How did I do that? Well, it wasn't by gluing each little piece together as one might think. It is much easier than that.

There are actually special glues on the market that you spread on the finished puzzle that will then harden so that the jigsaw puzzle can be framed or hung without a frame. For the ones that I wanted to save, I used the product below.

Jigsaw Puzzle Glue

It is really simple to use and preserves your puzzle in relatively no time. When you have decided to work a puzzle that you feel that you will want to frame, I suggest that you place some newspaper on the table where you will be working the puzzle before you start. This will protect the surface of the table when you apply the puzzle saver (glue).

Once you have all of the pieces in place, you can apply the puzzle glue to the front of your jigsaw puzzle. The Elmer's glue that I show above comes with a plastic applicator to make this process go smoothly. You pour the glue into the center of the puzzle and then use the applicator to spread it out over the entire surface of the puzzle. It is recommended that you start to brush the glue from the center to the edges going towards the top corners and bottom corners. That is the method that I used and it worked very well.

You will want to let the glue dry well before you turn the puzzle over to apply to the back side of the jigsaw puzzle. The glue dries clear so you do not have to worry about any discoloration to your piece. I waited 24 hours before I turned my puzzles just to make sure that all of the surface front was dried completely.

It is up to you whether you do the back of the puzzle or not. Personally, I felt that I wanted that extra protection for mine. After having spent close to a month working on it, I really did not want it to fall apart when I picked it up to frame it. It might be fine if you are placing it in a frame with good support but if you plan to hang it without a frame, I would definitely coat both sides for the additional strength.

This process, whether you use the Elmer's Puzzle glue or a different brand, can be a little messy. That is why I recommend placing something underneath before you start your puzzle. I have not tried the peel and stick sheets  that are available so I can not attest to how well they work. They look pretty simple to apply, my only concern would be that you can only place the sheets on the back of the puzzle. That would mean that once pieced together, you would have to somehow get the puzzle with the back side facing up without breaking up your work. Personally, I think that could get quite tricky.

I can tell you that using the actual jigsaw puzzle glue worked well for me. I wish that I could show you a picture of the ones that I saved. I liked them so well that I actually gave them away as gifts so there is no picture of my finished work.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Review of Selected Books Dealing with Murder, True and Fictional

Murder: True or Fictional?

I have been an avid reader of murder mysteries for many years. In 2013, I started to read true crime books because I thought maybe it would be better to see what really happened rather than reading what only occurred in an author’s imagination. Either way one gets to follow a detective's thinking, but the novelist can make the book turn out any way he or she wants. The detectives can’t do that with the real cases they try to solve.

My exposure to true crime began with several true crime stories by Ann Rule, including “A Rose for Her Grave,” “Campbell’s Revenge,” and “The Hit Person: Equal Opportunity Murder.“ Fictional murder mysteries I've enjoyed include many James Patterson novels and several J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) books from the “In Death” series. One of the most recent crime thrillers I've read is Eyes Wide Open by Andrew Gross. (Keep reading for more on this book)

So what’s scariest? For me it’s realizing how wicked people are, without anyone needing to embellish the facts. Men do really kill do woo and then kill wives who live trustingly with them just for the insurance money. (Randy Roth, Washington State.) Rape victims are brutally slaughtered, along with children and neighbors who happen to be present, by their paroled rapists. (Charles Campbell, Seattle area.)

These are things we pass quickly over in the news. The killers whose crimes I am most familiar with from the news are the California Zodiac Killer who was never caught, Richard Ramirez, (the Night Stalker) and Charles Manson and his “family.” I followed those cases in the papers and heaved a sigh of relief when Ramirez and Manson were finally behind bars. 

Gary L. Stewart claims that he discovered the identity of the Zodiac killer when he tried to find out who his father was. He believes his father, Earl Van Best, Jr. committed the Zodiac murders. His book explaining what led him to this conclusion, The Most Dangerous Animal of All, was published in 2014.  A related book, The End of the Zodiac Mystery: HowForensic Science Helped Solve One of the Most Infamous Serial KillerCases of the Century, was published at about the same time. I hope to read one of both of them soon. I once thought I had a clue, myself, thinking it might be someone I had known in college, but, fortunately, I was wrong. 

I pay attention to parole hearings. A Manson Family member is currently up for parole, and that gives me the shivers because I just read Eyes Wide Open by Andrew Gross. I'm sure it's a novel based on the Sharon Tate and other murders committed by the Manson Family, changing the names and moving the setting of the murders to Santa Barbara. (The author, Andrew Gross, even states in an interview that he once met Manson in his father's home before he became a murderous cult leader and that part of the idea for this book came from that incident. )

In Eyes Wide Open, Charlie, is told his son Evan has commit suicide. His brother Jay, a successful surgeon in New York, comes to visit him in California to try and help him through his grief. Both suspect foul play rather than suicide, even though Evan was bipolar. Jay decides to see if he can find out the truth about whether Evan had jumped from high on Morro Rock into the Bay, as the police believe, or whether he had been pushed.

Charlie has always been unsuccessful and disturbed. He and his wife have lived dependent on the state for support for years. As the book unfolds, Jay learns Charlie had decades ago lived as “Chase' on the Riordon Ranch with Russell Houvanian (The Charlie Manson figure) and his followers, and had helped the police investigators find the evidence they needed to convict Russell and the others.

 Charlie and another woman at the ranch who were not in the inner circle and not participated in the murders both cooperated with police. At the very beginning of Eyes Wide Open, readers witness the brutal murder of Sherry, that other woman, who had put that past long behind her to move on to live a productive and normal life. The reader doesn't understand that murder until the book is over half over. As we get into the book, we discover that one of Houvanian's accomplices, Maggs, had been released from prison after serving a thirty-year sentence. Dead bodies continue to pile up until the climax of the book is reached. I highly recommend this book to those who love thrillers, but I won't spoil it for you by telling you more. Even with what I've said, you won't be able to put the book down until you finish it. You can get Eyes Wide Open as an audio CD, but I suggest you keep the lights on while listening. 

Back to true crime. Like many living in Southern California in the 1980's, I was nervous about leaving my windows open in the summer until Richard Ramirez, aka the Night Stalker, was apprehended and locked up. He used to kill his victims by entering houses through unlocked doors and windows. I wouldn't have what it takes emotinally to read the account of his evil deeds and twisted mind, but a highly reviewed and well researched book on Richard Ramirez by Philip Carlo is available. I also lived in the Seattle area for a time when the Green River Killer, later found to be Gary Ridgway, was still on the loose. Several true crime books about the Green River Killer are also available.

The true crime books lay all the events and facts and trials out factually. Those happenings as they played out in people’s real lives seem more terrifying than any made-up crime that never happened. We all know these crimes happen and to stay sane we have to not actively think about having them happen to us, even though we know anyone can be a victim.

Naturally, we all need to take reasonable precautions not to be a target of violent crimes, but we also know that a good percentage of victims have taken those precautions to no avail. I deal with these facts by realizing that God will not let anything happen outside his control and that He will give the grace to deal with any situation when it’s needed. We need to live our lives wisely and leave the rest to God.

To get back to the books, I think the main difference between true crime and detective novels is that the novels allow one to escape reality for a bit, whereas the true crime books bring you face to face with reality. Bad things do happen to good people because sin is in the world and God has allowed men to choose to do evil rather than good. People make that choice to do evil every day. All of us do evil occasionally, but most of us just make less violent choices than the criminals do. Our weapons of choice are often just words that hurt or thoughts that aren’t fair to someone.

Some evil exists in every human heart. Sometimes it just takes the right situation for us to be able to see it in ourselves, or worse yet, to turn evil thoughts to evil actions. All evil actions began as wicked thoughts. Most of us deal with them before they become actions that will hurt someone else. Some of us take those things to God when we examine our hearts and find them, and we ask him to deal with our sin in those areas of our lives. We know he will forgive us for our sins against him and others. We trust him to cure our problem at the heart level.

Some people, though, the ones that become violent criminals, either have no sense of right and wrong or their emotions or peer pressure overrule conscience. Others give up control of their minds and bodies to substances that alter their thinking and judgment, leaving their natural impulses in charge of their actions. People such as these are loose on our streets. We see them in the news every day. We want to avoid having our names in the news with them, so we are as careful to avoid them as we know how to be.

True crime books help us to know the kinds of things that can happen and the minds of the criminals. The novelists offer us some escape from that reality by giving us a situation that is controlled and where justice is usually done for the victims. Which do you prefer to read? 

This It's No Mystery Baby Doll Fitted T-Shirt is available in many other styles for men, women, and even children. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

USB Jewelry for Personal, Business or Medical Use

16GB to 32GB of Storage Available

USB Jewelry - Necklaces & Bracelets

USB Jewelry can be used to store personal items such as photos, business documents, or medical information.

They come in multiple designs and styles including necklaces and bracelets.

Go a Little 'James Bond'

Wear incognito Jewelry just for the fun of it, or because you have a need. 

These days we tend to share photos via our cell phones, but that doesn't mean we can't have a necklace conveniently stored with a ton of photos either. 

They're useful when heading to a friend or family's house where you want to share pictures without the hassle of dealing with your cell phones to do it. 

Just pull your necklace apart and load the photos onto their computer. That's it. You're done; no muss no fuss.

How About an Hello Kitty USB Necklace for the Young

8GB to 64GB of Storage

One?

An original gift idea for little girls or even woman who happen to be a fan of Hello Kitty.

She's heading to grandma's for the weekend and you want to send photos that can easily be transferred to Grandma's computer, well isn't this a creative way to do it. Of course you could just store them on a plain rectangular boring USB too, but this way your little one gets to feel involved, and best of all, like a Spy as she pulls apart her necklace.

Maybe Grandma can store some photos back on her necklace to take home to you.

Medical USB

Medical USB Bracelets - A Necessity for Some

This is a terrific way for anyone with serious health issues to store their emergency medical information. 

If a loved one is required to take a lot of medication, the Medical USB Bracelet is a useful data storage device to have in emergencies. 

It's especially valuable for seniors who take a lot of medication and aren't able to provide a list of their meds, or just don't have the memory to recall it.

It's also helpful for family members who often get asked what medications their loved ones are on and don't know.

Choose One for a Child

It's hard enough being a parent, but to have to worry about your child's medical condition each time they leave the house is something no parent should have to face.

Although it's just a bracelet, knowing that their USB has the critical medical info is a practical solution to reduce the worry.

Put your child's medications, allergies, contact info and other data that you feel is pertinent for their safety.

Note: Always be sure to check that the USB piece you select is compatible with your computer device - Windows 8, Windows 7 and so on.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

What Makes Olga Run Book Review

As a blogger and an eBay seller, I spend a fair bit of time sitting at my computer in my chair. Maybe you do, too. My mind and my body know that this is wrong and I do try to work fitness into my life by getting to the gym at least a couple of times a week and walking daily. That last element becomes difficult but not impossible in the deep cold, snow and ice of our Canadian winters.

At my gym class there is an older woman who puts me to shame. She gets to the gym at least four times a week and sometimes more often than that. When she told me that she was reading a book called What Makes Olga Run? The Mystery of the 90-Something Track Star, and What She Can Teach Us About Living Longer, Happier Lives by Bruce Grierson, I was intrigued.

By chance, the next time I was out shopping I stumbled across it. Because my friend had mentioned it, I opted to take it home. I carried it to my book club, which for whatever reason is populated by women of my age. I guess we could be called middle-aged though I am not sure of the definition of that age group. Most of us have raised families and are empty nesters. A couple still have teenagers at home. Some still work and others are retired. Physically I would say they are an active group of ladies. Whatever our similarities, we are definitely all interested in the process of aging and we took up Olga's story as our next book club assignment.

What Makes Olga Run? is the story of Olga Kotelko, a retired Canadian school teacher who went looking for something active to do. She started with baseball but did not like it when she was almost run down on the baseball diamond. She then found track and field and went on to became a 90-something year old super star.

As the book says on page 2, "Just how good is Olga?" Well, she holds 26 world records. She enters more events than others her age and than others much younger. She often does as many as six throwing events, three sprints and three jumps at one track and field meet. She beats records in her age group by leaps and bounds, pun intended. In 2009, she threw a javelin 20 feet farther than her nearest rival and her 100-meter dash time would have beat competitors two age brackets younger than she was.

Writer Bruce Grierson took up with admitted difficulty the job of following Olga around as she went through her days and as she allowed science to look at and into her body. The question that the book looks into is whether Olga is a superstar because of genetics, because of lifestyle choices or because of a combination of those factors? A subject that intrigues most of us.

The book looks at all of the pieces that we know and think go into healthy living from sleep and diet patterns to personality, exercise and genetics. It is 228 pages of easy-to-read information about Olga and what makes her tick. It closes with a summary called Nine Rules For Living. I will not list them here because I believe you need the explanation that comes with them that is included in the pages of this book. I will admit that I have work to do in numerous areas and I do intend to try to embrace some of the ideas in this book in order to live a bit better. They are not all, by the way, about fitness.

This book comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me, a 50-something year old empty nester though I believe that anyone who cares about their body and how and why we age will enjoy this book. I particularly appreciated the fact that the book was very readable. I think you will, too.

How about it? Are you curious about What Makes Olga Run?

Brenda
Treasures By Brenda

Quick Link:

Click here to buy your copy of What Makes Olga Run from Amazon.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Remote Control Helicopters are Great Gifts for Men

Reviewing My Husband's Remote Controlled Helicopter 

Over the years, I have given my husband several remote controlled airplanes, a remote control sailboat, a remote control tug boat, and I vaguely remember a remote controlled car.  Four years ago, I gave him a remote controlled helicopter and he is still flying it today.  I do believe it is his all time favorite.  He even flies it in the house.

It is true.  I wake up in the morning to the hum of the helicopter and I hear it late into the night.

I can be working online and all of the sudden a helicopter hovers over me.  It blows my papers every which way, but what can I say?  After all, I gave him the toy and he does love it!

It will never be said that I gave him a gift he did not want, appreciate or would never use.

Flying the Esky E500 Helicopter Indoors

I'll start here because the first thing the gift recipient wants to do the minute they open a remote control helicopter is to start flying it immediately, which would likely mean right there inside the home.

Flying any remote control aircraft inside the home requires a great deal of experience and real control of the rc aircraft.  It would be very easy to break a few things, so I highly recommend becoming familiar with the actual helicopter outside before bringing it inside to play.

Yes, you guessed it!   
This is a photo of my husbands Esky E500 helicopter and he is flying it in our home.

 

A Few Things to Remember When Purchasing a RC Aircraft

Let me tell you in advance, when learning to fly a remote controlled helicopter or plane, there will be crashes, repairs and perhaps even a few tears.   (Yes, men do cry over their toys being damaged!)

I will never forget the first radio controlled airplane I gave my husband.  We were so excited!  We loaded up the kids, the dogs, and the plane to go in search of a big, flat area suitable for flying a remote control aircraft.  We settled on our church parking lot.  After all, no other cars were in the parking lot and it was the perfect flat area.

The family jumped out of the car and my husband promptly set up his plane several feet away from us and the car.  Anticipation was great!  We all looked forward to a fabulous air show. 

The remote control airplane took off beautifully and then promptly flew right toward us.   Anything with feet moved out of the way, but our car was left unprotected.  The plane gracefully flew right into the side of our parked car and crashed with a heart-wrenching thud on the asphalt. 

I am not sure if the tears were over the plane or the car, but I do know it was sad.   It is a good thing that replacement parts are usually readily available online.

Recommendations for the Beginner RC Helicopter Pilot

Because you will most likely experience that heart-wrenching first crash, it would be wise to start off small and inexpensive. 

 Blade mCX2 RTF There are definitely skill levels in flying any remote control plane or helicopter.  I purchased my husband the Esky E500 after he had already owned and successfully flown several other remote control aircraft.  I would not recommend the Esky E500 radio control helicopter for the beginner, regardless of what the hobby store owner says.

After consulting with my "professional" pilot husband for his recommendations, I have featured a  helicopter on the right that would be perfect for learning. You can always make your man's day with the more advanced helicopter next year.

The Blade MCX2 RTF Helicopter

• Factory Assembled and Ready to Fly 
• Rechargeable Battery
• Everything Included! 
• Moderately Priced Comparatively Speaking

 

For Someone with Enough Experience to Fly Indoors

 

Still Flying Inside the House! 
In this photo, you can actually see his RC Sailboat in the background. 

It has become part of our home decor when not sailing

 

 

The Esky Big Lama E500

The Esky E500 remote control helicopter is his favorite because he can fly it inside. Therefore, regardless of the weather, my husband can play with his toys. I am sorry to say, I could not find the older, yellow Esky E500 like the one shown in the photos to feature.  Perhaps, with the name and model number, you will be able to find one for yourself.
I have yet to meet a male, young or old, who sees someone flying a remote control helicopter and doesn't want to grab the controls himself.  Therefore, I highly recommend purchasing a rc helicopter for the man on your gift list for that next gift giving occasion.

Helpful hint here though: If it is his first ever remote control aircraft, buy two.  The first one won't last long.

Oh!  And, stand out of the way!!!  You don't want to be whacked upside the head by a renegade rc helicopter.   If you must observe the first flight, perhaps a crash helmet would be the right "ounce of protection."

---

 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON: