Reviewing Two Styles of Aprons Found on Etsy

I have had aprons on my wishlist for many years. But they are just one of those things that don't seem like a necessity - until I slop tomato sauce on a favorite shirt. Because I don't spend as much time in the kitchen as some people do, aprons definitely felt like a splurge. Now that I own two aprons, I'm not sure why I waited so long!  I did need them. I chose two different styles and I am very pleased with both. 

Old Fashioned CrossOver Apron by TheFortiesRevisited

The Apron:  I have wanted a crossover apron for years.  I prefer to slip something on and off over my head as opposed to messing with ties. The aprons in this shop caught my eye because of the retro style (I think it was the edging that made me think of older style aprons) and the beautiful choices in prints.  The word calico always makes me happy. 

The apron I chose was a cute, light colored, calico floral print with contrasting edging. I chose the style with the sections edged, giving the apron a somewhat geometric shape. The shop offers styles without so much edging. But the contrast on the apron I chose caught my eye. 

The online description is:

"This old fashioned Grandma full apron has subtle coral and blue flowers on a pale yellow background that has a tiny dot. It's trimmed in a dark green bias. The apron design is an 1940's vintage style to complete the look."

 The apron is handmade. The material is cotton.  It is machine washable. 

The Shop: Sally Hill is listed as the owner of TheFortiesRevisited. The shop is located in Worthington, Ohio, US. 

The store lists a variety of items including: full aprons, half aprons, clothes pin bags, smocks/cobbler aprons, children's aprons, and mother/daughter matching aprons. There is a large selection of premade items but if you don't see what you want special orders are accepted. Do you remember rick rack? She even offers aprons with rick rack! She also offers a wide variety of holiday prints. I had a hard time choosing which print I wanted because there were so many I liked.

The Mexican Apron by Orozocosshop

The Apron: While I went to Etsy to shop for a long, crossover apron, these Mexican aprons took me back in time to a neighborhood I lived in years ago. Many of the older Mexican women wore aprons in this style. I remember one abuela in particular who wore similar aprons every day. In fact, I'm not sure if I ever saw her without her apron.

I purchased the black and white check pattern apron because it was more my style than some of the floral embroidered styles offered on Etsy. Honestly, since it reminded me of that sweet woman it was an emotional purchase rather than a purchase with a plan of using the apron regularly. But, I now wear this apron daily!

The online description is: 

"A Mexican style two pocket apron made of lightweight check fabric poly/cotton with bias decoration, opened at the bottom back. Four pleats in front and four at the back.  30 inches long from the shoulder."

 

The apron is handmade. The material is cotton. I did not see that it is listed as machine washable but I am sure it is. However, I will hand-wash it because the material is a bit more thin and I already hand-wash many items.

The Shop: Gabriela is listed as the owner of the Ozorocosshop. The shop is located in Chicago, IL, US.

Comparing the Two Aprons

These aprons are different and I like each for different reasons.  The crossover apron is a thicker material so it will likely last longer. The Mexican apron is made from thinner cotton and will likely wear out sooner. BUT it will be more comfortable in the summer months. The Mexican apron is more full coverage around my torso and protects my entire shirt while the crossover apron is longer and protects most of my jeans. 

Frankly, the aprons have more similarities than you might expect. Both aprons have generous pockets (I've collected the chicken eggs using those pockets!).  And both aprons are very easy to get on and off by slipping them over my head; the crossover with it's straps and wide open backside and the Mexican apron with the very long slit in the back (I apologize that I could not get a good photo of the backside of that apron but if you look closely you can see the slit in the photo).

Now I know when I drop things with liquids, splash, or cook and splatter that my clothes are protected. Both aprons make me very happy and I'm pleased with these two purchases.

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Heaven is for Real - Movie Review

The other night I came across the movie Heaven is for Real (2014), which I had never seen.  The story-line synosis caught my attention, stating it was an inspirational tale of a young boy who suffers a near-death experience and claims to have visited heaven.

Heaven is for Real Movie Synosis

Available on Amazon

This movie is based on the true story of a 4-year-old boy (Colton, played by Connor Corum) who emerges from life-saving surgery with remarkable stories of his visit to heaven. The story is told by his father (often in Colton's own words). The father (played by Greg Kinnear) who is a pastor in a rural small-town Nebraska church and a volunteer firefighter, finds that Colton's experience has turned their once peaceful lives upside down. The astonished parents try to find meaning in the alleged miracle, but friends and parishioners are skeptic and dismiss his claims about what Colton experienced. 

Colton begins talking about people he has never met or heard about, such as his great grandfather who died 30 years before he was born.  Colton shares impossible-to-know details about these people he met in Heaven and about having looked down (from heaven) to see the doctor operating on him and how he saw his dad praying in the waiting room. He also talks about how Jesus takes him to meet these people, including a sister he never knew about. 

As townspeople ridicule these stories and school children tease the older sister, his parents try to find the courage and conviction to believe Colton and share his story.  

The Cast

Greg Kinnear does an excellent acting job of portraying Todd Burpo, the father in the movie.  The mom is played by Kelly Reilly and Colton by Connor Corum. The performances of this Christian film are notably thoughtful. 

Heaven is for Real – the Book

The movie is based on the best selling book of the same name. Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back (2010) is a memoir written by Todd Burpo, Colton's father, and Lynn Vincent The book was on the New York Times Bestseller list for a record setting 156 weeks. It is a Christian nonfiction story based on the true experience of the Burpo family. 

Summary

When asked what Heaven was like, Colton answers “Heaven is a lot like earth, except more colorful and more beautiful. “

This is a very sweet, well acted, movie with a Christian based theme. I enjoyed  it very much.

For more Movie Reviews, check out ReviewThisMovies.com

Written by (c) Wednesday Elf (8/1/2020)

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Stone Age Boulder Owls Review

What in the world is a Stone Age Boulder Owl?  Well, I'll tell you what it is. Today, I discovered an item that will delight owl lovers, gardeners, and carved stone collectors alike. Boulder Owls are one-of-a-kind garden ornaments carved from stone.  As I looked at their little faces today, I wanted to take each one home with me.  

Carved Stone Garden Ornaments

I enjoy nice garden ornaments and statues.  I don't want many. Just a few expressive, quality items. I am also quite fond of stone. Stone of all kinds. So naturally, these little carved stone owls immediately caught my eye.  The difficulty was not deciding that I wanted one, but rather, deciding which one I wanted. 

Since I was seeing them at Sun Nurseries, I could see and touch each one individually. These little owls were so simple, yet so expressive. And because they are made of natural stone, they are substantial. Even at their sizes ranging from 6" to 18" they would be solid additions to a garden.  Unlike many yard ornaments that are made from lightweight and flimsy materials.

A small portion of the Boulder Owls I saw today

Fairy and Miniature Garden Sized Owls

These owls are also offered in 2" sizes that are suitable for fairy gardens. I know precious little about these teeny gardens but have seen a few adorable examples.  These smallest boulder owls are perfectly sized for miniature gardening.  

Some reviewers report that the 2" owls are slightly less detailed. However, this makes sense to me due to their very small size.

Stone Age Creations, Ltd.

Once upon a time, there were two cousins who shared a passion for stone.  They made a few carved birdbaths and benches that were sold locally.  Since then, they quit their unrelated, full-time jobs and began earning a living doing what they love. They now manufacture and distribute their items to retailers (such as garden centers).  I had the privilege of seeing MANY of their products: benches, birdbaths, stone lanterns, garden accents, and animals. Every item was high quality and beautiful.

If you like quality stone items, you should take a peek at their photographs on the Stone Age Creations website.

Boulder Owl by Stone Age Creations

Note: When ordering online, because they are handcrafted, each one will be different. And will likely not be the owl pictured in the photo.

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Halloween Haven - Website Review

Halloween Haven's Safety Tips

Reviewing a website is always an interesting job for me. And the website Halloween Haven proved to be that and more. Since the site is so specific to a single day, I was delightfully surprised with the amount of information I found. Certainly costumes and party goodies for the ghoulish annual event, but plenty more ways to celebrate this event. Halloween Haven shows itself to be the place for everything Halloween.

Let the Fun of Halloween Begin

Certainly in the U.S., but in other parts of the world as well, Halloween is considered a holiday. Not one where everybody gets the day off work and the banks are closed. No, not that kind of holiday. Rather one that lets those who enjoy it, celebrate it.

Many, myself included, truly enjoy the event of Halloween. We start early planning:

• parties, 
• costumes,
• home decor,
• trick or treating.

So it was great news for me to wander around Halloween Haven and find all sorts of ideas and suggestions. It's never too early to start planning for Halloween.

Even Off-beat Ideas for Halloween

Halloween Haven

Halloween Haven caught me by surprise, I have to admit. Not just the usual stuff, but some good Halloween Puzzles. Now who would have thought that? If you are part of the crowd that greets trick or treaters, you know how much time you spend waiting for the knock on the door. As the author suggests, working through a jigsaw puzzle is a great way to pass the time.


And she found plenty of fun Halloween jigsaw puzzles to keep us happy. So let me add another suggestion. Set out one of those puzzles on a card table at your Halloween party. Some of your guests may have fun just fitting a few (or more) pieces together.

Halloween Jewelry for Some Added Costume Fun

One of the fun discoveries I made on the website Halloween Haven was a whole category for Halloween jewelry. I wandered through the world of poison rings (those nifty little devices where a deadly powder can be discretely poured into an enemy's drink), cobweb bracelets (with the spider wrapped around your finger), and ear-wrapping dragon earrings.

Granted this whole site is around Halloween, but I found some fascinating jewelry that works well for other events and lifestyles. Lace collar necklaces can work with many an interesting outfit, not to mention the joy of dressing goth-style.

Start Your Planning on Halloween Haven

The website Halloween Haven is a place worth checking out as you start planning. It's well laid out, easy to navigate and comfortable to read. The visuals of the site are right in line with the holiday. I found myself getting excited to start my own planning.




Posted by: BuckHawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

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Funny, You Don't Look Autistic-A Book Review

April 1st, is that day that many of us dread.  Will we be tricked or will we impose a trick on someone else?

Now because of the current climate within our communities and world in general, the joke seems to be on us all.  There will be no pranks to play on anyone, if you are being socially responsible and socially distant from others and I hope you truly are.

So instead of doing a whole write up on practical jokes and such, I decided to go in the exact opposite direction.

Instead of bemoaning my isolation, I decided to learn something new!

It's fitting that it also falls in line with one of my New Year's Resolutions.  I promised myself that I would read more and at the same time look at many different genres that I might not have done before.  To that end, I picked up a book that really was entertaining and informative in so many ways.

Funny, You Don't Look Autistic, caught my eye.

It is an autobiography of a young man who early in his life (age 5)  was diagnosed with Autism.  What made this book catch my eye is that one of my granddaughters has been diagnosed with this disorder as well.  I wanted to understand it better so that I could have some meaningful conversations with her, her parents, and her siblings as well.  

Michael McCreary is the young man at the center of this book. He is very open about his life, family and what it means to be autistic.  

Now let's be clear, this is not a clinician's book, it is the story of a young man, who with the help of his family and a diagnosis of autism, is trying to find his way in the world.   Michael is very blessed in that his level of autism is high functioning in the ASD (autism spectrum disorder) scale.  The things he does are not things that all autistic children will be able to do.  His parents learn how to integrate Michael's abilities with his inabilities.  This makes for a very adaptable world for Michael.  Not all autistic children are that "lucky".   There are so many different levels of autism and we just don't understand all of it.  We are making great progress, but there is still much that we don't understand.

Most of you will remember the movie Rain Man (starring Dustin Hoffman), that was my first real glimpse at autism.  His level of autism is called Savant.  Savants are another whole level of Autism.  Yet it is so much more complicated and varied than what was presented here.

There are so many different levels of Autism

As I mentioned earlier Rain Man (a Savant) had a level of autism that allowed him to understand numbers to the point of being able to figure out a date, and being able to know it was a Monday or Tuesday....you get the picture. But autism has many different levels and with those levels people have certain abilities or lack thereof. 

Autism is here and with our growing understanding of the condition, children that are diagnosed with this can look forward to a better understanding from both parents and the educational system.

Sensory overload is a common trait in autistic children.  They either have too much or not enough sensory responses.  They may be bothered by the feel of clothes on their bodies, noises that we generally are able to push into the background , are like bells and whistles going off in their minds.  So their reactions to these stimulii is completely different than ours would be.  I know my granddaughter always has one leg of her pants rolled up to her knee, she just cannot handle the cloth rubbing on her leg.  One of my nephews needs headphones to block out sounds that are overpowering to his mind.  These are just some small examples of what having an autistic child can look like.  There are many and "Autism" is a misnomer.  The true way to speak of this disorder is to call it the Autism Spectrum.  Spectrum, lets us understand that there are just so many levels of this disorder in the general population.

Reading This Book Has Helped

Michael in this book has made me see what it is that can undo an autistic persons demeanor.  I did not understand sensory overload at all.  But reading about it through his eyes, it made more sense to me.

Autistic children, at least high functioning autistic children, usually have a gift of some sort.  Michael's was being on stage and making people laugh.  He fed off of the reactions to his "story" and made sense of his time with those reactions.  It also helped a lot of people who did not understand Autism to take a second look at what that means.  

If you want to learn more..........

I really recommend this book.  It is light-hearted, optimistic, funny, and yet opens some doors and windows into a disorder that has many parents, grandparents and the general public wondering.  I found it to be entertaining as well as informative and that to me is a double bonus.

If you are interested or want to delve into an Autistic life a little further, this book would make a really good read.  I'm glad I stopped to pick it up and I'm sure you will be entertained and learn something new at the same time.  It really is a winner in my books.

If you want to learn more about Autism there are many websites devoted to the subject and I offer a few here:

Autism Awareness

Autism Speaks

Now just in case you were wondering....April 2nd is World Autism Day.....Happy April Fools Day!

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Mrs Fix-it Mystery Series Reviewed

Cozy Mystery Series

Fix-it Tools courtesy of Pixabay.com

I have always loved a mystery and have become quite enamored with the Cozy Mystery books over the last few years. A few weeks ago I was searching for something new to read and stumbled upon a bundle deal for the Mrs.Fix-it series.  

There are several reasons that I enjoyed this series. The first being that I could purchase them all in a nice little bundle package. All neatly packaged and ready to read. 

The next thing that caught my eye was that the female sleuth was a handy-woman by trade. She goes around her community fixing things for her neighbors. I really liked that idea for an occupation for a woman. Growing up in a single parent household I learned that if something needed to be fixed that a girl could do most things just as easily as a boy could. My Mom taught me from an early age to be comfortable with the items found in our little toolbox. So, having a gal in the stories that could solve mysteries and be a Mrs. Fix-it was quite appealing. 

I wasn't disappointed! Belle Knudson did a wonderful job of creating a cast of characters that were believable and well thought out. Each mystery could stand alone but was even more enjoyable as I read through each book of the series. The recurring characters developed more as each story progressed. 

The author does a good job of keeping the reader guessing, too. There were several times that I thought to myself, "I didn't see that one coming." Ms. Knudson has also put a few sub-plots in each book, too. As with most Cozy Mysteries there is a love interest that grows but the author added even more to her books. For instance, it takes a few books to finally discover what happened to Kate's (Mrs. Fix-it) husband that disappeared several years before. 

Mrs. Fix It Mysteries

I really enjoyed each of the books in the series. There were several unique and interesting murders to be solved in each one. Cozy Mysteries are not known for a lot of violence at least the reader isn't shocked with a lot of gory details about the murder involved. Although a victim might have met their end with a violent act, the reader isn't bombarded with a descriptive narrative of what it looked like. That is one of the things that I love about the genre.

If you love a good mystery with a little romance thrown in, I highly recommend this series of books by Belle Knudson. She is creative with her plots and thinks a little outside of the box with her characters and sub-plots. I think you will enjoy them as much as I did. I was a little sad when I came to the last page of the 15th book. I miss the characters.... 

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The Secret to Happiness, What? Really? - A Personal Diary Entry

Is this really the secret to happiness? A Happiness Review

This quote from the Netflix movie "Full Count" has been on my mind since viewing it five days ago:

"The secret to happiness is to be content, no matter your situation"

 The Movie, Full Count, Caught Me Off Guard

The Netflix description, and preview, seemed to indicate that Full Count is your typical baseball hard life story. However, I was shocked by the direction the film takes.

The movie takes a spiritual turn. 

If you like films where it seems a happy ending is impossible, but with divine intervention, there it is, you'll enjoy this movie.

Could the Above Quote About the Secret to Happiness be Offensive to Some People?

After hearing the above quote narrated in the movie, my first thought was about those who rarely feel happy through no fault of their own or for medical reasons.

Don't get me wrong; the quote personally fits the core of my beliefs; however, my happy state of mind has been tested this past year.

Medical issues aside, I feel happiness will always be a personal choice. No matter the circumstances in this crazy life, I maintain that much-needed center and inner calm. I treat mental and spiritual training as a daily exercise with practice, practice, practice. 

Some days are a success at maintaining calm, and others not-so-much ... I just keep plugging away. I won't go through the laundry list of things recently faced, as I'm sure you've had your own life issues to conquer.

Do You Personally Agree With the Above Quote?

Can you relate to this quote? Have you been able to be the captain of your life's ship? 

For me, yes, after a great deal of thought, I do agree with the above quote. 

During the pits of hell, I've been able to keep a hold of the light, sometimes barely. It's never easy. Here's an example of a personal nightmare I faced over a decade ago. I wouldn't wish this on anyone!

Even through this less-than-perfect life, I've been able to maintain inner calm and thus some happiness. 

"Sometimes God calms the storm, and other times God calms the child who is in the storm"

I live by that quote about the storm.

Here's another quote from the movie Full Count. What do you think about it?

"Life isn't going to make you happy, but happiness is going to make your life"

Yes, I believe.

After multiple decades, the biggest life lesson I've so far learned is that our inner self, our soul, cannot be owned by anyone. It's the one thing that is truly ours. 

No matter what happens in this physical existence, in the end, our thoughts are something we can work to control; and for those who believe, guided by a higher power. For me, Free Will means protecting my soul, so I do.

Here's a video about love and light that I created one afternoon while visiting my amazing mother. She passed away three months ago. Knowing she was in her chair while I wrote this brings me unexpected added peace. I hope you enjoy viewing it, as much as I enjoyed writing it.

If you need a little more inspiration, I've authored a personal book of poetry based on fifty years of life experiences. You can find the book "We Will Have Morning Smiles" on Amazon.

May you know happiness, in some form, daily. Blessings.

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Crochet Plaid Blanket Pattern Reviewed

A Perfect Gift For His Man Cave

Crochet A Blanket For Him Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

Today, I'll be reviewing a crochet plaid blanket pattern that I plan to make for my son-in-law for Christmas. As I write this it is the 4th of July but now is the time to plan for making things like this to be sure that it is, in fact, finished before Christmas morning arrives.

I found this wonderful pattern at Yarnspirations.com. It is called the Buffalo Plaid Afghan and it is free to download and print. Actually, on the page it not only lets you get the pattern but you can purchase your yarn there, too; if you so desire. 

The pattern was created to celebrate the 150th birthday of our friends to the north, Canada. That is pretty neat in and of itself. What caught my eye was the manliness of the design. It is sometimes difficult to find things that we crocheters can do for the men in our lives. Oh, sure, we can do a scarf or a hat. We can hook up a pair of socks for them and we can even do other blankets. The options for a blanket are usually just picking a color scheme that might appeal to a guy, though. In my opinion a plaid blanket is perfect for a man. 

I've mentioned in other articles that I like to visit Mikey at The Crochet Crowd and watch his tutorials. Well, he has a tutorial on the blanket I want to make using this pattern!

The pattern and the video recommend that you use blanket yarn which is a thicker option of yarn. It is kind of bulky and works up pretty fast. You can choose any color combination that you want; it doesn't have to be in the red and black. Personally, I do not care to work with the bulkier yarns so when I start the one that I will make, I plan to substitute the yarn for a standard 4 ply yarn and use a smaller hook than is recommended in the pattern. That is the fun thing about crochet, you can usually adapt a pattern to suit your own tastes.

As you can see by the video this crochet plaid blanket will work up pretty quickly. It is just a matter of creating the mesh work and then doing the overlay crochet to finish it off. I love this pattern and I think that my son-in-law will love the blanket when I give it to him. If time allows, I may do one for my hubby, too.

For some additional ideas for things to create in crochet for the men in your lives, you might enjoy this set of patterns.

I know it is only July but if you plan to craft some gifts for the holidays; it is time to look for the patterns, get your supplies and start working on them. I love making things for gifts for my family. How about you? Do you craft items for gifts?

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Book Review of WIN by Harlan Coben

Best-selling author Harlan Coben has written 18 Non-series stand-alone suspense books, the latest of which is WIN. Coben is also well-known for his Myron Bolitar series. Throughout the Bolitar series, we follow the interaction between Myron and his best friend and 'side kick' in solving crimes, Windsor Horne Lockwood III - or Win. It wasn't until I began reading Coben's newest book WIN that I realized the story was about Myron's friend.

For the first time, we get the true inside story of Win. Myron Bolitar is not featured in this book, except for a few references about the two of them together.  Instead, for the first time, this book gives us the background on the Win we have known and loved throughout the Bolitar series.

Windsor Horne Lockwood III (Win) is an extremely wealthy man with impeccable taste and a personal approach to justice that too often lands him on the wrong side of the law.

Synopsis

When the FBI takes Win to a murder scene in the upper West Side apartment of a recluse, Win doesn't know why. Then he sees two objects there, a stolen Vermeer painting and a suitcase bearing the initials WHL3 - his initials. 

Win is baffled how his family heirlooms came to be in a dead man's apartment. All he knows is that they were stolen from Lockwood Manor over twenty years ago when his Uncle was murdered and his cousin Patricia was kidnapped. Even though Patricia escaped her captors, they were never apprehended, the murder of her father was never solved, and the stolen items were never recovered. 

Now the FBI reveals that the murder victim in the apartment was also the mastermind behind a notorious act of domestic terrorism. Win must figure out the connection between the two cases. 

Summary

WIN by Harlan Coben

A dead man's secrets lead our hero down a dangerous road in this thriller from the author of the Myron Bolitar series – where we first meet Win. Harlan Coben writes with wit and irony in each of his suspenseful outings . A master storyteller ~ always a delightful read.

Quick Links to more reviews of Harlan Coben:

• Book Review of CAUGHT by Wednesday Elf
• TV Series Review of THE STRANGER by Lou16 aka Louanne Cox
• Book Review of WIN by Wednesday Elf

*Book Review of WIN by Harlan Coben written by 

~Wednesday Elf

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Review Of Slim Non Slip Space Saving Clothes Hangers

 

I have used these slim, non-slip space saving clothes hangers for years in our wardrobes and find them a joy! I am not the best at organising clothes and these hangers really do help me to maintain a more organised and neater, more useable, pleasing space in the wardrobes. 

I used to have quite a mix of hangers in our wardrobes, anything from bulky yellow plastic and lovely thick wooden hangers which did the job but took up space themselves. I even used those that came with clothes bought from shops which were often black shiny plastic.

I disliked the clattering noise the black plastic hangers make and the way they all got caught up with each other often snapping in the process. All the hangers were different colours, clothes were difficult to find and get out of the wardrobe and the wardrobes themselves just looked messy.

 Also, my silkier clothes were always falling off the hangers onto the floor to my regular annoyance. They became creased and needed washing again, so could not be worn when I needed them. 

It may sound silly, but going into the wardrobes each day and facing that disorganization became a source of a sort of mild stress in my life I did not need! 

These slim, non slip, space saving clothes hangers have made a huge difference to the organisation of our wardrobes and made it a pleasure to pick out clothes to wear in the morning. 

Slim non slip hanger for shirts, dresses and tops  Photo By Raintree Annie

Advantages And What I Love About The Slim Non-Slip Hangers

• Being so slim they make a huge difference in the number of clothes you can hang in a wardrobe space. The profile is so slim, really just a few millimeters, the only real width it takes up is the type of clothes you hang on it. 
• As they are covered with velvet or velvet like material, it crucially prevents clothes from slipping off onto the floor. It also keeps clothes looking nice without ugly hanging marks. 
• If you buy enough of one colour to hang all your clothes on it can make your wardrobe look quite beautifully designer colour coordinated and extremely organised without much effort. 
• Or you can colour coordinate your clothes for example shirts on one colour hanger, dresses on another colour and so on. 
• What we do is to have all my clothes on one colour hanger and my husband's clothes on a different colour.
• If you have children you can choose a different colour for each child or let them choose. 
• Even very silky or lightweight floaty clothes do not slip off these hangers which is a wonderful plus as I used to find my silky tops at the bottom of the wardrobe all the time, but now they remain firmly on the hanger. 
• All clothes are now hanging at the same level which looks pleasing to the eye and makes finding clothes much quicker.
• Clothes do not get crushed so easily and I find stay looking good for much longer even if you don't regularly wear them. 
• These slim hangers with velvet or velvet like material coverings are quiet, they do not clatter like the plastic ones and so are much calmer to use. 
• I find the hangers reasonably sturdy especially if you buy the heavy duty ones. Depending on what quality you buy they may not always last as long as good quality wooden ones but they are at a price point where it is not too much to replace any that do break after a few years. 
• You can hang shirts, dresses, cardigans, trousers, leggings, jeans, skirts and jackets to name a few on these hangers. You will need the hangers with a bar across to hang trousers and jeans. 

Slim Non Slip Hanger with bar for trousers and jeans Photo By Raintree Annie

• These hangers come in a wide range of lovely colours to suit different members of the family or different uses. A single colour of the Slim Hangers looks very chic and efficient in a wardrobe. You can buy them in white, black, grey, pastel colours and bold colours to suit everyone in the family and your wardrobe! 
• If you do not have a wardrobe and rely on a hanging space or freestanding hanger then having all the hangers in one colour and one type just makes the clothes hanging space look so organised and neat in a room. 
• Some of the hangers come with a small hook as in the photograph below. With these types of hangers, you can hang your clothes on them, then use the hooks to stack the hangers using the hook to make them even more space saving. I usually hang no more than two or three hangers together to achieve this as clearly it will make clothes hang lower in the wardrobe and puts more pressure on the top hook. However, especially for light shirts and tops, it is a wonderful space saving tip.

 

Slim Non Slip Hangers with hooks Photo By Raintree Annie

Disadvantages Of The Hangers

• The weak point I have found on pretty much all these hangers is where the metal hook meets the hanger. You do need to watch for signs of wear in that area. However, I have found ours do last many years and many have not shown any wear. 
• Never try to jam them into an overfilled wardrobe. If you do they may break. Rather make sure there is a clear space, which there now should be as these are so space saving!  
• I have found it is not good to pile many clothes on one hanger, for these hangers one normal clothing item or two light items is enough. Personally, I do not hang really heavy clothes like coats and heavy jackets on these types of hangers, I use thicker and broader hangers for these items. 
• I do not feel they are really suitable for hanging damp or wet clothes after washing. So we keep plastic or wooden hangers for laundry purposes and these slim non-slip ones for dry clothes.

The Joy Of An Organised Wardrobe Of Clothes!

Our wooden hangers and my special pretty padded hangers are still used for some heavier clothes or those that require a wide hanger or if they are on display, but they are reserved for these few items and do not form the majority of our wardrobe hangers.

Now the majority of our clothes are hung using slim, non slip, space saving hangers. We feel more organised and can find the clothes we are looking for so much more easily. 

There is certainly more space in our wardrobes, our clothes look better, and it all just feels so much clearer and neater. It is an altogether quieter, calmer and happier experience choosing clothes to wear in the morning!

We always try to clear out our clothes and wardrobes in late Winter or early Spring and it feels so good to have it all lovely and tidy with our clothes hung on these slim, non slip, space saving hangers.

The wardrobe looks organised, calm and tidy and in a sometimes chaotic and stressful world, this small change makes one aspect of daily life a bit easier. 

Read More Product Reviews Here 

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Reviewing The Benefits Of Weighted Blankets

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The Benefits Of Seatbelt Protectors Reviewed 

Review Of Wolf Garten Shears For The Garden

Review Of Wolf ByPass Secateurs

A Review Of Blackout Curtain Liners

Metal Wind Spinners For The Garden Reviewed

The Benefits Of Using A Bodyblade For Health And Fitness Reviewed

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Reviewing The Benefits and Drawbacks Of A Manual Lawn Mower

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Driving Miss Norma - Book Review

Miss Norma and Ringo

Life's defining moments often come when least expected and in ways that were never anticipated.  For Miss Norma, losing her husband of 67 years the very same week she was diagnosed with advanced cancer, meant the life she had known for 90 years was gone in two heartbeats.  Driving Miss Norma is not about loss, however.  It is a moving memoir about the joyful journey that emerges as a result of life-affirming choices that become Miss Norma's defining moments.  Over the course of a year spent on the road with her son, Tim, daughter-in-law, Ramie, and poodle, Ringo, Miss Norma and her family show us what happens when you open yourself up to the very life of life.

At the beginning of this book, Norma Bauerschmidt makes two enormous decisions that drive the stories within her story.  First, when faced with months of draining medical procedures for treatment of what is expected to be terminal uterine cancer, Miss Norma chooses not to undergo surgery, radiation, and chemo.  She decides to live out her life outside the confines of a hospital.  In conjunction with that courageous decision, Bauerschmidt accepts an invitation from Tim and Ramie to take to the road with them in their RV.  It is this coming together that will completely transform all of their lives.

Though the journey begins with the hopes of checking off some of Miss Norma's "Bucket List" items, it is her reluctance to compose such a list that makes for the possibility of a more fulfilling trip.  In the course of taking it one day at a time, one delightful encounter at a time, Miss Norma and her family discover beautiful new ways of communicating and connecting.

As their experiences are shared via social media and national news outlets, Miss Norma becomes an international sensation with over half a million followers on Facebook.  Her life becomes her message, inspiring countless others to truly embrace fullness of living.  Everywhere she goes, total strangers become caught up in wanting to enrich Miss Norma's days.  The lines begin to blur in terms of who is enriching whom.  All that really matters is that Miss Norma's growing sense of wonder creates an energy and magic that draws others in.  By choosing to say yes to life, Miss Norma and family start a powerful chain reaction.

I was drawn to Miss Norma's story by my own family circumstances.  When my mother was diagnosed with multiple cancers, I had this dream of going on the road with her in my RV.  I had a deep desire to be a part of something that might be meaningful for my mom during her season of dealing with mortality and end-of-life issues.  Sadly, I never got to take that trip with my mother.  Reading this book, and vicariously embarking on Miss Norma's journey, has touched my spirit in vital ways.  It has renewed my desire to be a person who makes it possible for these kinds of life-affirming journeys to take place.

We all have the opportunity to be the driver on the journey of life.  I encourage you to read Driving Miss Norma.  It is quite likely to inspire you to hit the road.  I hope to meet up with you along the way.

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Reviewing Knitting Handbooks

Learning To Knit: Will I master the needles?

I have been looking at Knitting Handbooks lately, because I have decided that 2016 will be the "year of the needles" for me. I want to learn to knit or at least become better with what little (very little) skills I have in this hobby. I can do the basic knit stitch and the basic purl stitch but I'm very slow and awkward with the needles and yarn. So, I plan to ask my family for a couple of books that can help me in this journey.

I know from my many years of crocheting that you need to practice, practice, practice in order become proficient in the craft. I am in no way a master in crochet but can hook my way around just about any pattern. In order to get started, I am working on a scarf using the knitting needles and some blue yarn. If it turns out looking good, it will be a Christmas present for my husband; if it turns out looking like a 5 year old did it I can always use it as a dusting cloth. I figure that I won't learn unless I just dive in and work on something. A scarf seems like a good project to start with and I liked this pretty simple waffle stitch since it will give me practice with both the knitting stitch and the purl stitch, counting and working with the needles and yarn. It won't be much different than crocheting a scarf in that you follow the pattern and remember when to do the knit stitch and when to do the purl stitch. I am finding it is a little harder to determine which row you are on unlike crochet where it seems more obvious but that may be a matter of training my eyes to look for certain stitches so that I will know. 

What books should I start with?

I am thinking that the best place to start is with a book or two that covers the basics along with moving on to more advanced knitting techniques. Sure, I could just ask for a book with patterns but until I understand the basics, I know I will just get frustrated. In my search for the right book, this one caught my eye. I liked the title but then I think the book would be very helpful, too.

Stitch 'n Bitch: The Knitters Handbook

Not only does the author cover the basics but she goes further in explaining more advanced knitting techniques and she does it with humor which I think I would enjoy. She also tells the reader how to fix mistakes (I'm sure I will make many) and that will be really helpful for my beginner skill level. I think I may be able to join the "chicks with sticks" (knitting needles) in the quest to make some fun and funky along with some traditional knitted items following Debbie Stoller's instructions.

I know when I was first learning to crochet, the terminology sometimes confused the daylights out of me. I might see something like FPDC and think what the devil does that mean? Well, now I know it means to do a front post double crochet stitch and I also know how to do that with my yarn and hook. I am guessing that knitting will be no different. There are going to be directions in a pattern that will at first glance make no sense to me at all. So, this book looks like a wise choice for a beginning knitter like myself.

Knitting in Plain English: The Only Book Any Knitter Will Ever Need

What I like about this knitting handbook is that it promises to teach in plain English and not in terms that I am going to have to go to a glossary to figure out. I like that idea! Learning the way to use my needles and yarn to make something neat without having a thesaurus next to me to determine just what she is telling me to do. The basics in basic terminology, that sounds pretty darned helpful.

It remains to be seen if I will learn to knit with the same confidence that I have for crocheting. I am determined, though. In the past the using of two needles instead of one hook just seemed to be beyond my capabilities but that was a mental block, I think. So, maybe I have passed the first hurdle...I CAN do this. It will take persistence and practice and I am willing to put in the hours to really learn to knit.

I have some time left before Christmas morning to find out if my family paid attention and got me at least one of these books. So, in the meantime I am working on my little scarf that may be under the tree for my hubby or it might be in the rag drawer, only time will tell. By the way, the color I chose will look good on my husband and it is the team color for the Indianapolis Colts which is his favorite football team. I figure he might actually wear it, at least on game day, if it doesn't look too amateurish. Here is what I have so far. It is working up very slowly but I don't mind being the turtle in the race, after all that rabbit never wins anyway! I will continue to work with the yarn and needles and keep a piece of paper next to me to mark down which one of the rows I am doing in the repeat of the pattern to make the waffle look and hopefully it will turn out to be something my husband will be proud to wear.

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Review of Photography Tips

Class Offers Helpful Tips

It is a good idea for every photographer to review some of the basic techniques for photography from time to time. I have taken many classes over the years and I always think I will remember the techniques I have learned and I do for a time. But then, I will find myself falling back into old habits or trying new techniques and forgetting to use some of the basics. 

For that reason, I think it is great to have a review of basics on a regular basis. In the nature photography class I am taking the instructor used the second session to go over some of the basic techniques. He reminded us of things like using a tripod, watching your vantage point, taking both vertical and horizontal shots and watching your background. 

 On this page I will be sharing some of the tips he gave us and showing you photos that I have taken using these techniques. 

 The first photo here is one I took of a bleeding heart flower. I set my aperture on a 5.6 and zoomed in to get a closeup. The resulting photo shows the flower in detail and a soft blurr for the background. 

 All photos on this page are my own-mbgphoto. 

Photographing Waterfalls 

I love photographing waterfalls. When I come to a waterfall i usually shoot it at a variety of speeds. It is a great way to learn how your camera works at various speeds. Here are the tips the instructor gave us get that smooth blurring look in the water.

• Set your camera to your lowest ISO
• Set your speed at 1/15 sec or slower
• Always use a tripod

The photo above is one I took of a waterfall at Missouri Botanical Garden.

 

Pop Up Reflectors are Great Tools

In this photo and the one below you can see the difference a reflector can make in a photo. I was with my friend photographing a garden when I came upon this old plow.

The first photo I took had a glare from the sun on the wheel. I kept moving around but could not get rid of the glare, so I asked my friend to help. She stepped just outside of my frame and held the black side of the reflector over the wheel to block the sunlight. 

It was amazing, as she lifted the reflector to block the sun I looked at my camera screen and it was if someone was drawing a dark line around the wheel. The light spot disappeared and you could clearly see the wheel.  The resulting photo is shown below.

Plow Using Reflector to Shade the Sun

The reflector below is the type I used for these photos.

Click here to View Amazon Link

Watch Your Background and Foreground - frame your photos

In our class the instructor spent quite a bit of time talking about backgrounds and framing your photo. So many times we get so caught up into getting the object we are photographing to look just right that we forget to look at what else might be in the photo. There is nothing more distracting than having an unwanted person or object behind our main subject. The instructor suggested that before you click the photo you should run your eyes around the perimeter of the photo to make sure you are only including what you want in the photo.

 
Foregrounds are also important and if you can find an object to frame your photo it can give your picture a very focused look. In the photo above I used falls leaves to frame the Split Rock lighthouse in the distance. In order to do this I climbed up on a rock and made sure the branches of the tree framed the outside perimeter of my photo.

Make Your own Background

Sometimes the best way to get the background you desire for your photo is to make your own background. In our class several different ways to make backgrounds were suggested. The instructor carries squares of fabrics in various colors in his camera bag. A black or a green piece of fabric draped behind a flower can give you a great backdrop. This way just the flower is in the photo and it gives you a dramatic look.

In this photo I used a velvet skirt and draped it over my kitchen chair. I then sat the plant on the chair to get this image.

 

Use a Polarizer - a must for the serious photographer

Our instructor suggested that if you were only getting one filter for your camera the one you should get is a polarizer. I completely agree. A polarizer will cut down on glare and really make the colors pop in your photo. It is like having sunglasses for your camera. A polarizer is particular useful when shooting foliage and fall colors. 

The items below are made from photographs I took of Split Rock Lighthouse in Minnesota.  I love taking photos of lighthouses from lots of different vantage points. 

Split Rock Lighthouse

by mbgphoto

I learn at lot from studying the tips found in photography books.  I highly recommend Scott Kelby's series on digital photography.  The book below is the first in the series.

Click on Photo to view book on Amazon