A New Fun App

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I learned about this app on a great website called Lavender Cottage.

(She also runs the Mosaic Monday link party)

The app is called Waterlogue and it turns your photos into watercolor paintings.

Some photos convert nicer than others.

I found that flowers and still life do the best but you can try all kinds of photos and see what you think.

As you can see I'm trying to think of warmer weather!!!

Think Spring . . . Think Summer!!!

Take a look at this beautiful site too.

Especially if you like to do mosaics.

http://www.lavendercottagegardening.com/

Shirley

Why I LOVE Coconut Oil

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It is fast becoming the new super food.  It always has been but everyone is noticing it now.

And that includes me!

I've been using it for a few months now and I keep reading and discovering new ways to use it.

I cook and bake with it instead of vegetable oil.
(Or I use part olive oil and part coconut oil)
I replaced margarine a long time ago with good ol' butter but now I'm sort of replacing butter with coconut oil.
I love the taste.
I love cinnamon bread so I toast it and spread coconut oil on top instead of butter.
Coconut oil melts at 76 degrees so that's faster than butter!
Love the taste.
One of my most favorite things is putting a teaspoon of coconut oil in my coffee.
Here's how I make a cup of coffee now.
I put a teaspoon of coconut oil in my cup with a little sweet butter. (Yes, butter)
Then I run my coffee from my Keurig into the cup.
I add a drop of vanilla and some cream plus a little stevia.
I whip it up with a whisk (but I have a milk frother coming!)
like this one:

Try this for your morning coffee.  It's heavenly!
If you feel any oil on your lips just rub it in because it's great for your lips and skin.
I always wipe a little on the back of my hands every time I open the jar!!
Now for the health benefits of coconut oil!!!
There's many, many, many!!

Here's some sites that talk more about the heath benefits.

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/oils/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html

http://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/

http://coconutoil.com/

And many ways to use it!!
http://wellnessmama.com/5734/101-uses-for-coconut-oil/

So try it and keep and open mind.
(It helps your mind too by the way!!)

Shirley

New Things in the Mail!

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New Chicken Book

Yesterday was a great, fun mail day!  I love getting packages.   

(even though I ordered them!)

I preordered this book quite awhile ago so I knew it was coming soon and yesterday was the day.

It is written by Lisa Steele who writes a blog that I've been following for a long time called 

Fresh Eggs Daily.

I hope to eventually raise my few hens as naturally as she does.  This book gives all that information to us chicken lovers.

It's a beautifully written and illustrated book with lots of photos.

I just started reading it and already have learned a lot.

(Like what's included in a good stocked first aid kit for your chickens . . . I have to do that!)

You can get her book on Amazon.

Tea Cozys

I recently ordered a couple tea pot cozys for my tea pots.  Every time I took my tea out on the deck, my tea in the pot would be cold before I could pour my second cup.

I like my tea HOT!

I went on eBay to see if I could find one and there where quite a few.

I eventually will crochet one but I needed one (or two) now!

This one is for my 6 cup pot.

They are insulated so should work really well.

This one is for my little 2 cupper.  Isn't it cute!

This is the lady that makes them all by hand.

They came really fast with free shipping.  (I love free shipping!!!)

Hmmm, now what can I order!!

Oh yes, I do have a fleece vest coming from the animal rescue place.

Oh Goody  : ))!

Shirley

  P.S.  I should start thinking about Christmas I guess.

I'd like to do all my shopping on line this year!

My Favorite Garden Gloves

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I've been meaning to write this little post so I'd better do it before decent weather is completely gone!

I got these at the beginning of the summer.  It's a good buy and I like them better than any glove I've had, (and I've tried a lot of them!)

I got mine on Amazon and they come 4 in a package; a real deal!

 They feel really good on; like a second skin and keep your hands clean and dry.

I love mine!!

Here's the Amazon site if you want:

http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Garden-Gloves-Assorted-Colors/dp/B001BVHZHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381539807&sr=8-1&keywords=atlas+nitrile+touch+gloves

This has been a "rave review"  : ))

Shirley

My Helpful Hint for the Week

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Every winter I get skin cracks beside my nail on my thumbs.  Especially my right hand that I have to use constantly.  They are so painful because everything you do, you keep breaking the little crack open. OUCH!

I have been using Neosporin and a bandaid to try to fix this.  It's great for at night but once you have your hands in and out of water, it doesn't work very well. 

My son, of all people, told me what he and his crew do for this.  (He's in construction and works in the cold a great deal of the time.)

He just said, ""Try Chapstick"!

 Now, anything like this, (Vaseline, Burt's Bees, Udder cream etc.) would work.  The trick is to constantly put it in the crack so it doesn't dry out and split open again.

The thing about Chapstick is that you can have it right in your pocket and reapply it often.

I've used it for about a week now and mine are about healed up.

That's my helpful hint  : ))

Shirley

Best Fudge!

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I discovered this a couple years ago at my local grocery store.  I hope you can get it at yours because it is the most like homemade fudge I've ever had.

YUM!

Shirley

I love this look!

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Traditional Kitchen design by Cincinnati Kitchen And Bath The Workshops of David T. Smith

I saw this on Houzz and I love that blue two piece cupboard to the left.  I need that at the end of my kitchen!!  I wonder if my carpenter that redid my kitchen could make that for me?

Chocolate!

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I've always loved chocolate.

I figure if it's chocolate its worth the calories.

Candy has to be chocolate and milk shakes always have to be chocolate!

Cake has to have chocolate frosting at least!

Well, here's my newest favorite ice cream.

It's heavenly!

Just sayin'

Shirley

A New Gadget

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Probably a lot of you have this already but it's new to me.  

I always seeing people use them on cooking shows and I ran across one at Marshalls so I got it.

It works like a charm for even little mounds of wonderful cookies!

No more greasy hands.  I love it!

I had such a taste for these today.  Of course chocolate chip are my most favorite.  I just use the toll house recipe on the Nestles chocolate chips but use half butter and half Crisco.  I think it makes them the perfect consistency.

I'm linking up with "Sundae Scoop"

http://www.iheartnaptime.net/

Shirley

A Great App.

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Actually my Equine Dentist told me about this app, so I have to thank him! (Oscar Suski)

If you're looking to buy a GPS, be sure to try this first if you have a smart phone.

I have an iPhone 4s and this app is amazing. My daughter paid a lot for her Garmen GPS and this is every bit as good. I haven't lost signal once with it. (Something that she complains about with her's)

It cost $2.99!!!!!!!!

You get free voice direction for 30 days and then it is $9.99/year.Well worth it, I'll tell you!

I got a holder for it for my dash on Amazon for $12.99 and I couldn't be happier!!

This App. is amazing!!!!!!!!

My carrier is At&T

Shirley

A Gadget That Worked!!

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I saw these furniture mover things on TV and decided to give them a try. I found then at Bed, Bath and Beyond. They usually carry a lot of things that are advertised on TV.

I have a huge leather couch that has to weigh at least 2 ton!!! No kidding, I cannot budge it an inch. I really didn't have a lot of faith that these "Sliders" would work like they showed on TV

I did have a heck of a time even getting them under the feet of the couch because the couch is really too heavy for me to pick up at all, but I managed. I was determined!!!

Let me tell you what. I gave that baby a push and slid it EASILY across the room!

I was so impressed!!

I rearranged the whole family room. I feel like I really accomplished something today!

Monk was a little confused at first but found his favorite love seat and settled in.

Shirley

Favorite Gadgets

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Since I'm having back problems today and shouldn't be sitting too long, I'm just going to write a quick post on one of my favorite gadgets. I don't even remember the name of this thing because it's got to be at least 10 years ago that I got it at a big home show where the guy stands up on a little stage and demonstrates the product by slicing and dicing everything in site.

I don't usually buy these things because they either don't work at all or you have to be some real talent like the demonstrator guy to make it do all those things! Well, I bought this and it works exactly as promised by turning the little handle which makes the razor sharp knives inside fly around like crazy. I've used it a lot on even tough things like celery and carrots and the knives seem just as sharp as when I got it. It only requires your own power.

You cut up things to about 2" X 3" and put the lid on and crank it. It will dice things as small as you want them. It's really great for onions!!!! No more tears and having your hands smell all oniony! I wish I could remember the name of it. It was probably like $14.99 and it is sure worth it!!

Well there you have it, probably my most favorite gadget. If you ever see it you should get yourself one!!!

Now I'm going to go lay flat!

Shirley