Setting up a Backyard Birdhouse

 Our grandson Bobby made this birdhouse in his school woodshop. This birdhouse was a Christmas gift for his mother. We finally set the birdhouse up in their backyard. Here is a review of how we did it.

Photo Credit Sam Monaco

Bobby had a good idea of how he wanted to set the birdhouse up. His thought was to cement a threaded pipe in the ground then, attach a flange to the bottom of the birdhouse and screw it together.

We looked up how high the birdhouse should be, and found the recommended height to be five feet off the ground. The problem was the hardware store did not have a pipe long enough to be able to cement at least 2 feet in the ground and give us five feet above the ground. Thus we would have needed a seven-foot pipe.

We finally decided on using a 4x4 treated lumber post and a 4x4 post anchor. So, we bought a six-foot 4x4 post and the post anchor along with four L-Brackets to attach the birdhouse to the post.

This is the post anchor, the one we purchased goes into the ground two feet. These post anchors are also great for setting up mailboxes

How we set up our Birdhouse:

First, we cut 12 inches off of the six-foot 4x4 post making it five feet the recommended height we needed.

Next, we used the 12 inches we cutoff to drive the post anchor into the ground with a sledgehammer. Bobby did the sledgehammering.

We inserted the post into the post anchor, and Bobby tightened the bolts at the bottom to secure the post.

We centered the birdhouse on top of the post. Tyler, our other grandson was in charge of the L-Brackets.

Tyler handed the brackets and screws to Bobby, while I held the birdhouse in place. Bobby screwed in all four brackets, and we were finished.

Here is the happy crew with a job well done. We set the birdhouse up in less than an hour. Now, we just need to wait for some birds to make their happy homes. 

COLEBA Bird Houses for Outside, Outdoor 5 Hole Bird House Room for 5 Bird Families Bluebird Finch Cardinals Hanging Birdhouse for Garden (Brown - Set of 1)Ashman Fence Post Anchor 30 Inches Tall, 3.25 x 3.25 Inches Wide, Ideal for securing Mailbox Posts, Deck Posts, Gazebo Posts, Street Lamps, and More, 1 Pack

 

Find more DIY projects on Review This here:

ReviewThisCrafts.com

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Can You Guess the Most Popular Color in the World?

Hey there, color enthusiasts and curious minds!

Today, we're diving into a topic that's as vibrant as a summer sunset and as intriguing as a mystery novel – what is the most popular color in the world?

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Drumroll Please......Did You Guess What the Most Globally Popular Color Is?

Alright, first things first – let's talk stats (not really - you can google that anytime!)

 According to a bunch of surveys and color-loving folks around the globe, the heavyweight champion of colors is none other than Blue! 

Yep, that soothing, sky-like hue has captured the hearts of folks from all walks of life. Seriously, it's like the Beyoncé of colors – universally loved and always in style.

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Which Colors Are the Popular Runner-Ups?

Don't worry; I've got the scoop on that too. Coming in second place is the energetic and fiery Red. It's like the color equivalent of a shot of espresso – bold, attention-grabbing, and impossible to ignore.

But wait, there's more! Grab your shades because Green is also strutting its stuff in the popularity parade. It's the color of nature, money, and envy (but we're not here to judge, right?). Green's that cool friend who's always down for an adventure – the Kermit to our colorful Muppet show.

Oh, and let's not forget about enigmatic Black. It's like the James Bond of colors – sleek, mysterious, and effortlessly stylish. Whether you're rocking a little black dress or decking out your phone in a noir-inspired case, black always adds a touch of class.

But here's a side note about black - from a science perspective, it's void of light and thus not considered a color! Hey, but the artistic world differs on this, and yes, they include it in the bucket of colors.

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Turns Out My Personal Favorites Are Not the Most Popular, But They Do Make the Cut

Some honorable mentions include the sunny optimism of Yellow, the royal and calming embrace of Purple, and the sunny-side-up vibes of Orange - these are my three favorite colors! And I love pink too :)

So, why is blue the undeniable champion of colors? 

Well, psychologists have a theory. Apparently, blue's got this magical way of making us feel all calm and zen. It's like a visual spa day for our minds, which is why you'll find it splashed across everything from hospital walls to social media apps. Plus, let's not forget about that whole "blue sky thinking" thing – who knew color could be so motivational?

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In the end, whether you're a blue-loving beach bum, a red-hot firecracker, or a green machine ready to take on the world, the beauty of colors lies in their ability to evoke emotions, tell stories, and make life a little more exciting. 

So, the next time you're debating between a blue or a red shirt, just remember – you're not just picking a color; you're choosing a vibe!

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And there you have it, my colorful comrades – a crash course in the world's most popular color and its vibrant contenders. Until next time, keep living life in full color, and never be afraid to paint outside the lines! 

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Understanding the basics of color here.

So, what is your favorite color and why?

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.”

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Funny Amigurumi – A Crochet Craft Pattern Book Review

16 Creatures & Their Accessories to Crochet by Emilie Penou

Amigurumi is the Japanese craft of crocheting small stuffed animals and toys.

Funny Amigurumi Craft Book

This crochet craft book has 16 quirky creatures to create.  Each one has a cute accessory.

These characters are portable, collectible and very giftable.  They average about 4.5 inches tall, depending upon the yarn and the size crochet hook you choose to use. The author recommends a cotton yarn that is a sock/super fine weight 1 yarn used with a D hook  I prefer to work in a worsted weight 4 acrylic yarn and almost always use an F hook.

Therefore, my version of the hedgehog, for instance, turned out to be 8 inches tall, about twice what the pattern in the book states. Crochet crafters will understand what I mean by preference. :)

The List of Characters in Funny Amigurumi include:

1. Mini Bunny and Carrot
2. Mini Bug and Aphid
3. Mini Tiger and Bow tie
4. Mini Fox and Mask
5. Mini Chicken and Cape
6. Dragon and Surfboard
7. Unicorn and Cloud
8. Owl and Witch Hat
9. Reindeer and Scarf
10. Frog and Crown
11. Hedgehog and Hairbrush
12. Donkey and Hat
13. Wolf and Broccoli
14. Penguin and Floatie
15. Sheep and Fox Blankie
16. Squid and Book

These patterns are fairly quick to crochet and most are good for beginners with easy-to-follow instructions. Most can be made in a day or a weekend. They are small enough to be portable for creating on the go! 

Several of the characters/animals in this book are done in a similar style, with the body being sort of pear-shaped, such as the wolf and the unicorn. 

There are several pages of crochet lessons at the beginning of the book. I found the lessons well worth reading and very helpful. In fact, I learned something I'd never known, even after crocheting for over 40 years.

I also really liked the fact that the individual patterns each give you specific instructions on exactly where to place the arms, legs, ears and features. Having followed many a pattern over the years, I have to tell you that having the pattern author tell you to, for instance, insert the eyes between row 18 and 19, with 15 stitches in between is invaluable. Many times I have had to look at a picture and try and figure out how many rows down the eyes or ears are placed, which naturally can be time-consuming and frustrating. 

My Recent Creations from Funny Amigurumi

I loved the Hedgehog, one of my favorite animals to crochet.  I got a big kick out of the Hedgehog accessory. He comes with a hairbrush, which makes sense as he will need one to comb out his 'quills'.  

The quills are easy to make, but are a bit time-consuming as you cut strands of yarn, then insert the hook under a stitch, grab the middle of the yarn with the hook and pull it through the stitch. Then you grab the two tail strands of yarn and pull them through the loop on the hook. In my version, it took over 100 strands to create the quill look I wanted across the head and all the way down the back. Turned out really cute, though. :)

The Wolf was fun to make and turned out so nice. The picture in the pattern book looks like he is done in tan, but the pattern calls for gray yarn, which is what I used, since wolves are normally gray in color. The nose on the pattern appears to be embroidered in black yarn, but I have always had problems getting the embroidery to come out neatly when working on a yarn piece. Therefore, this time I came up with another idea. I simply crocheted a 6 stitch circle and sewed it onto the tip of the nose. Came out very neat, instead of the sloppy look my embroidery always gives me. LOL. 

The Bunny was such a delightful plush toy to create. He reminds me of the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. 

And I love the crochet carrot they included in the bunny rabbit pattern.

Such a cute accessory for a plush bunny! 

Summary

So, if you are looking for a cute collection of 'funny' and fun creatures to crochet, Funny Amigurumi is a good book to have in your craft library. 

Quick Links to More Craft Book Reviews:

• A Review of the Craft Book "Amigurumi Two"
• Easy Crochet Critters Craft Book Review
• Modern Amigurumi for the Home Craft Book Review
• Crobots - An Amigurumi Robots Crochet Craft Book Review

Note:

If you liked the crafty critters I have featured here, but do not crochet, the Hedgehog, the Wolf, and the Bunny & his carrot shown in this review are currently available for purchase in my Etsy Store, Coastal Crochet Crafts. More will be along soon as I am busy with my crochet hook! 

*Review of the Crochet Craft Book Funny Amigurumi was written by

~Wednesday Elf

For More Reviews in the world of crafts, check out
ReviewThisCrafts.com 
 

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.”

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Friend Request aka Chance at Romance (2014) Movie Review

Before the horror movie that bears the same name was filmed, this delightfully fun and uplifting movie was released in 2014.  

To make it more confusing, this movie has two different names.  If you watch it on the Hallmark channel, it is "Chance at Romance".  However, if you watch it on the PixL channel, like I did, it is "Friend Request", which was the original title.  

There are some slight editing differences in the the Hallmark version, but it is unlikely a viewer would notice, or even care about them.  

Erin Krakow and Ryan McPartlin are both well known current day actors which each have a huge fan base.  The movie name change could easily have your thinking you missed one, only to discover that you had previously seen the movie, just under a different name.

Regardless of the title, it is a great movie that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys romantic comedy movies.

Friend Request Synopsis

While walking home after another failed blind date, Samantha Hart (Erin Krakow) slips into an art show featuring the photographer, Heath Madson (Ryan McPartlin).  

 Friend RequestCheck PriceWhen Heath makes eye contact with Samantha during his short speech about seeing "something that just takes your breath away", she is immediately enamored with the man, as well as his photos.  Because she misses the opportunity to speak to Heath at the show, she decides to write to him through his contact link on his website.  When he answers, she is encouraged and continues to correspond with him.  After several emails, he offers to send her a ticket and book a hotel for his next show.  

When she arrives, his 12 year old son meets her at the train depot and takes her to their home.  When Heath arrives, there is a very awkward greeting between the two.  Heath has no idea who she is.

Can you guess who Sam has been communicating with, how she got a train ticket, and why Heath didn't recognize her even though everyone else around knows who she is?  

Things get really distressing for Sam when there is no hotel room available and her suitcase is stolen.  Then she meets "the woman" who already has designs on the photographer.

 Chance at Romance is one of the movies included on this DVDCheck Price

I watched "Friend Request" on the PixL channel on Frndly TV.  I no longer subscribe to the Hallmark channel, but "Chance at Romance" can sometimes be seen in their lineup of movies.  

It is not currently available on Amazon even though they do have the place holder for it (linked above) and you can add it to your watchlist.  

Hallmark has released a DVD which includes "Chance at Romance" as one of the three movies.  

I recommend searching both movie names in your own favorite streaming service to see if it is currently available.  Just be sure you click on the movie that stars Erin Krakow and Ryan McPartlin.  Otherwise, what you will see will not be funny, or romantic!

 

Personal Note

In the movie, Heath's photography is referred to as "High Dynamic Range Photography".  He accomplished this technique by making computer enhancements to his photos.  

His technique reminded me of our own fellow contributor Mary Beth Granger, photographer mbgphoto, who has shown us how to enhance our own photos with Photoshop.  She has perfected the art of removing or adding to the photos, eliminating or changing unwanted backgrounds, plus shows us how to take photos with dramatic elements like rain drops, snow, or even adding an overlay of music scores over a musicians fingers on their instrument.

I can see proof of Mary Beth's training through her articles in my own photos.  She has encouraged me to step out of the "point and shot" mode and look more closely at focus, technique and editing.  

I believe my own interest in photography made this movie more relevant to me personally, especially when I kept thinking of my friend and co-contributor here on Review This Reviews.

 

Here are the links to mbgphoto's articles that I referenced above:

• Perspective in Photography
• Review of Texturing Technique in Photoshop
• Creative Photography- Combining Techniques 
• Editing Your Photos
• Photographing on a Rainy Day
• Review of Bird Photography in the Snow
• Creative Flower Photography
• Photographing Reflections
• Review of Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom Updates
• Reviewing New 2021 Updates in Lightroom 
• Review of Designing Collages and Composites in Photography

Check Out More Movie Reviews at
ReviewThisMovies.com

Friend Request aka Chance at Romance (2014) Movie Review by:

 

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National Bird Holidays and Awareness Days- 3rd Quarter

Bluebird of Happiness

 I love to explore designated bird holidays to find out more about these fascinating creatures that give pleasure to our lives.  For the third quarter of the year, I discovered three different holidays that I would like to write about in this post.

National Hummingbird Day

The first Saturday in September is designated as National Hummingbird Day.  These little birds have long fascinated people and as beautiful as they are, they are only found in the America's, especially North and South America.  The first recorded siting of a Hummingbird took place in 1557 in Brazil in by a French explorer.

Hummingbird at Feeder

Hummingbirds are very colorful little birds that are characterized by their ability to hover mid-air and rapidly flap their wings which make a "humming" sound. 

In my area of the country, we put out our hummingbird feeders in early April, hoping to attract these fascinating little birds as they migrate north.  

To find out more about hummingbirds and National Hummingbird Day check out this website. https://nationaltoday.com/national-hummingbird-day/

World Shorebirds Day

World Shorebirds Day is celebrated on September 6th and is a day to learn more about the birds that frequent our shores.  It is surrounded by a week where volunteers count the shorebirds in their area.

Blue Heron

Shorebird fishing on Rock

White Ibis

When we travel to the shore, I always enjoy seeing all the different shorebirds.  They are very different from the types of birds we see at home in the Midwest, and I enjoy trying to identify each bird.  The three photos above are shorebirds I photographed in Florida.

National Bluebird of Happiness Day

The bluebird is my favorite bird and I get very excited the few times each year when they visit my backyard.  I have my camera ready and delight in capturing these beautiful birds with my camera.

Bluebirds Enjoying a Drink

Bluebird of Happiness

There is much written about bluebirds, and you will find them on all types of cards and household decor.  On September 24th we celebrate National Bluebird of Happiness Day.  Here is a little history of the bluebird I found on the website. https://nationaltoday.com/bluebird-of-happiness-day/

For the longest time, it has been known that the bluebird is a harbinger of happiness. This notion was first held by the Chinese who saw the bird as immortal, a protector, and a symbol of the sun. Native Americans too were in deep awe of the bluebird. Navajos revered it as a spirit in animal form, and the Iroquois believed the bluebird’s song would make the harsh winters bearable. For the Russians, the bluebird represented hope.

Bluebird of Happiness Day will be a great time to spend some time learning more about these birds that bring happiness to so many people.

Reviews on Birds

Here are some reviews written on Review This about the birds listed in this review.

Bluebird Facts and Photography

Hummingbirds at Your Feeders 

Photographing Florida Birds

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.”

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