Have you got your Mojo?

I've heard people on tv talk about getting their mojo back so I thought that would make a catchy title for this post. I sure hope it doesn't mean something crude ~ I would be so embarrassed.

While I was in Florida getting my parents settled for the winter, I was lucky to be invited for dinner at my cousin's house. His wife is an excellent cook. Actually, they both are. I wish I had taken pictures of the food, but I didn't even take my camera to Florida.

My cousins are so good to Mom and Dad. My first cousin and his wife as well as their son (my first cousin once removed ~ It took me so long to understand how that worked, so now I love to use that information whenever I can slip it into a conversation.) and his family live very close to my parents (who live in The Villages). They check on them and invite them to dinner often. It's great to know there is family close by.


Anyway, it was a Cuban meal with squash (that looked like sweet potatoes to me), saffron rice with black beans, and this delicious pork roast. Ernie and Tina told me they injected the roast with a mojo marinade. Imagine my surprise when I saw this bottle of mojo at Big Lots. Now I just have to thaw the pork roast I have in the freezer to recreate that delicious taste. (I hope.)

Have you ever tried this?

Thirty Lollipops

Did you think I was turning thirty?

That would make me a very young grammy.

I wanted to do something special for my daughter's 30th birthday.

 I had seen something like this on a blog ~ sorry I don't remember where ~

and started searching Goodwill for the materials.

 Can you believe that I found new skewers in the package

as well as floral foam and a black metal vase?

Next I bought suckers. 

I found the pink starfish, the flip flops, and the ducks at Dollar Tree.

I also bought the giant one that Cate calls a lollipop.

The others came from Big Lots, so this was not 

an expensive gift to make.

I started by putting the suckers on the skewers.

After  about four fourteen I realized there was a dull end and a

sharp end to them. Who knew?

Obviously they would go in better if I used the pointed end.

But then I realized that some of those would be too tall.

I started cutting the skewers in half. 

(Actually I broke the first one in half, but the big splinter scared me.)

Did you know that when you cut skewers in half, one of those halves

will always fall off the opposite side of the table where you're working?

You'll have to walk around the table, pick it up,
come back around to the opposide opposite side of the table,
and do it all over again.
I think opposide could be a new word, don't you?

After I artfully arranged the suckers, I realized the foam showed.
I found pink shred in my craft closet and
discovered it would have been easier to cover the foam
before inserting 30 skewers.

I then made the saying that goes with this gift.
Some of you may already know where this is going,
but I was raised very strictly.
Even today, there are some words I just can't say,
much less put in writing and photograph.

Thirty Sucks!

(Please don't tell my mother I wrote that.)

http://www.atthepicketfence.com/2011/08/welcome-to-inspiration-friday-no-26.html

Scrapbooking at Goodwill

I enjoy scrapbooking, but it can be an expensive hobby.

When I first decided I wanted to try this, every time I saw stickers, I would buy them.

Big Lots used to have a great selection. I bought stickers every time I shopped there.

I found dimensional stickers at Gabriel Brothers for a dollar.

I also bought lots of patterned paper.

Now that I have some time to devote to putting a scrapbook together,

I've learned that I don't need all of those supplies.

What I need are the actual scrapbooks.

If you aren't a regular shopper at Goodwill, this might surprise you.

Goodwill is where I've found most of them.

As you can see, this will be great for a vacation scrapbook.

I'm sorry for the picture quality, but I wanted you to see the little camera charm.

I haven't made a scrapbook about my granddaughter yet.

This has a purple satin cover with the dress inset.

You can still see the Big Lots price sticker on this one.

You may notice that I'm drawn to travel scrapbooks.
Dear hubby and I have taken several trips that I would like to document.
Plus I have lot planned for our future.

The bottom scrapbook has the pages included.
I don't usually like those, but I have used them in the past.

Now that I have all these scrapbooks, I need to scrapbook more.


I also need to work on my picture taking skills.