Writing Books - and Getting Published

 

On my nephew's wish list is a book kit where you write your own story and send it in and it comes back in published form. I recalled these small journals that Amy over at Angry Chicken makes for her family all the time and decided I had all the materials  to make two for him.

She even made one of her fabulous videos:

I used to do custom picture framing so for my outsides of the book, I used mat board but I think you could also use some cereal box cardboard (two sheets glued or taped together). I used my UPS box knife to cut the mat board just bigger than my paper.
For my book,  I used four sheets of paper, folded in half. I cut the mat board in half, applied the duct tape and stapled the papers in. I now have a long-arm stapler on my wish list.

When you use Amy's trick of opening up your small stapler and stapling into a rubber eraser, you have to push down the prongs before you can go onto the next staple. Tiresome.

This project took me about one hour to complete. It would have been less if I could have found my decorative tapes. I thought this would be the perfect  project to use them on but could I find them?   Twenty  minutes of pulling drawers out, pushing them back in, pulling them out again;  boxes rummaged through to no avail.
Along the way, I found some small envelopes to tape inside the back cover. For whatever.

Nearly everyone has duct tape, 1  ply cardboard (cereal boxes glued together make 2 ply. My mat board is 4-ply (heavier yet), computer paper, a pen and a rubber band.

After work tomorrow, I plan on driving to Michael's to see if they have one of those book kits. I researched amazon.com and saw this one. 

If the price range is near my budget, then I  will go ahead and get it. If it's not, then I can come up with something else to go with these handmade journals.

CAN YOU SEE THE FOG?

Pondering The Blog

I've been thinking about a blog post that Amy (from Angry Chicken) wrote pertaining to - if I can even summarize this -- to being okay with other people's successes. It was a rather profound concept and it dovetailed with coming off of the SewMamaSew giveaway week.

Like other crafters out there, I visited a few blogs (nowhere near the 550 giving things away) and checked out some other sewing blogs. Knitting  blogs, family blogs, crafty blogs. Sheep shearing blog.

Beyond being blown away by other people's creativity, I was also pondering blog design and why we blog at all.

So Amy's post was timely and while sorting mail (and instead of reading other people mail),  I revisited the reasons as to why I blog.

My obvious reasons: I like to write and have nearly forgotten how and I love taking photographs so the two work as a journal of sorts.
This journal is also, on purpose, a positive place for me to be. With work being so stressful and intense right now, it becomes doubly hard to turn off the negativity and be one with a positive outlook. You cannot create if you are mired down in stress, office politics, not to mention back-stabbing people. I try not to let those things come into my blog world. I like to keep mine along the lines of Zen and the art of blogging.

The less obvious reasons: Announcing to the world at large that I need recognition and applause. I think of myself as fairly humble so I hope my blog doesn't offend anyone with it's greatness. (lol)

Another reason that became apparent last year was my auto-immune disease messing with my memory - aka brain fog. I literally go back to some of my posts and cannot remember making that soup or even writing the post. Not to mention old age; but writing a journal is quite helpful for this problem.

Another reason is to document that I do something besides work all week (six days a week). It can be a big morale boost when I am not feeling good and I am tired from working to see that I manage to do quite a few things. I've always pushed myself. I like to stay busy and frequently juggle three things at once so when I slow down to one project occasionally - it can feel wrong.

I do tend towards projects for others - as gifts. Hand-made gifts are great  but I do recognize I need to give myself some of these finished projects - more than I do. Think Selfish Seamstress. So by blogging I am reaching for that goal of taking care of myself.

Repeat after me; We are all a work in progress.

Amy's point of not always being "Good for you" when someone has a success is true for anyone. That their success makes you less somehow and you need to hurry up and perform better is  - wow - I've felt that way.
She brings up a better response of "good for you"  for everyone who this can apply to and then leaving it alone.
I enjoy the process of creating something but by no means do I need to make it perfect and it frequently is not. I tend to stay clear of sewing bloggers who have to have all their quilt triangles perfect or their garments all finished inside with bias tape. Without stringing words together, those perfect bloggers 'intimidate' me a bit - on a sub-conscience level, of course. What Amy is saying is make it simple - just say "good for you" and move on. Take it up to a conscience level.

Short list of blogs (SMS giveaway)  I was not going to read further;
I saw some blogs that were so loaded down with advertising and award buttons  that I could not enjoy them. Let alone find the content.
Many just wanted their number of followers on Facebook to go up but were not really invested in those people.
This newish trend of headline blogging (no examples as I have none of them bookmarked and I certainly cannot find one under pressure)  is distracting as well. I've asked several people about them and no consensus was reached. I think they look commercial - somewhat like reading the USA today newspaper.

Part of the problem of a type-A personality is the amazing amount of stuff in your head so my other big reason to blog is to let the stuff out. Seriously, it's not healthy to keep it all festering inside.
So- I'm right back where I started. No changes on the horizon. Still rambling about whatever is in my head. My blog is still gonna be all about me.


There were sun breaks today when I got home from work so I took care of this corner of a path to the neighbors this afternoon when I got home from work.

I took out the hodge-podge of miscellany plants and put a curve to the plantings with some variegated boxwoods. I am keeping this pathway but need to rework my second brick step as it has sunk a bit. Some barkdust to be spread to keep columbine babies from taking over the corner. That bright light in the upper left-hand corner - ANOTHER SUN BREAK!!!

Since felling 18 large fir trees (small leaning problem) last Spring, I have tried to move on to my next gardening moment but when the shack appears in my photos, it all comes back (good for them - they put a new roof on). Since the sunlight hit this bed, I have been battling growth. The light pink things in the foreground are Azaleas smothered in Lamium. I have both purple and pink varieties and Lamium was such a thoughtful delight when the trees shaded everything but now it is matting over everything in it's path.

Lamium and my snail collection device. Need some? Lamium, I mean?

Two wheelbarrows full today. Lamium, Columbine, Sweet woodruff, hardy geranium, pinks, Asters, Valerian, Forget-me-nots, Cup & Saucer( Canterbury Bells).
Destined for the compost pile.

Brief sunshine caused an Iris to pop.

Nora Barlow Columbine. I still have 10,000 plants. Somebody needs to get some backbone.

 Still sunny but some serious sounding thunder happening to the south of us.

Hair Shampoo and Rinse

 I've been meaning to put together this post for months but now it seems to be a good time to maybe shake up your hair care for the new year. For the new decade. For the new you.

This is a post letting you know how to wash your hair with plain old baking soda and rinse with apple cider vinegar. Skip the commercial shampoos containing chemicals.
I've been using this concoction for over two years now. Back in 2007, I was diagnosed with severe food allergies and I have always had a problem with chemical reactions. Staying away from many of the food problems pretty much cured my chronic headaches. Soybeans being my number one allergen, it was distressing to find soy in not only food, but cosmetics, hair care products, you name it. Even Burt's Bee's which has enjoyed a good reputation as a careful manufacturer got sold and they now put the cheaper soybean oils in their products.

 I have long, wavy hair prone to the frizzies and tangling. Washing it often is not good as traditional shampoos and conditioners stress it out.

Why do I use Baking soda and apple cider vinegar in my hair?

1. My hairs curls more and for a longer time before the weight starts staightening it.
2. Way less frizz. Seriously.
3. Shinier.
4. Healthier.
5. Less tangles. Yes.
6. This is great after a work-out to de-sweat the hair. (Sweat left on dulls the hair).
7. My hair color/highlights stay longer without dulling.
8. Less chemicals coming in contact with my body.

It takes a while to get used to no foamy lather (none at all). Other than no lather, I've made this as easy to do as I could.   I even took my kit to Ireland when I traveled there last fall for a week. I washed my hair three times, easily.

I think this all started either with  reading Angry Chicken's blog or I wandered by myself over to this site.
Either way, I was researching the internet after reading shampoo bottles and getting mildly sick to my stomach at the amount of chemicals in direct contact with my skin.

This post really explains in detail why you should switch over and also troubleshoots some of the minor problems in application.

And, if you want to read about Amy's experiences, she has really wandered into Make-your-Own-Personal-Products Land. She has produced "Mail Order 11:   16 Recipes for Health & Beauty" that you can order from her.

Okay - this is how I do it:
I start the shower to get the water warm. I take my two containers out from under the sink and pour about 1 Tbsp. of Baking soda in the smaller (1 cup hummus) container and 2 Tbsp. of apple cider vinegar (splash) in the larger (2 cup butter) container.
I take these into the shower with me where I do have a shelf to place them on and wet my hair. Then I dilute the baking soda, stirring with my finger and pour carefully around my scalp at the base of my hair - all around.
I do some finger massaging and work the 'grittiness' through. Most of your excess oil and scuz is at the base of your hair.
I rinse the baking soda solution out and dilute the apple cider vinegar with water and pour that carefully around the base of my hair and cascade it down throughout.
Rinse.
Done.

Containers: I had these on hand. The post about the proportions suggested 1 Tbsp Baking soda to one cup of water. And for the rinse; 2 Tbsp of ACV to 2 cups of water. These containers were the right size. And I don't measure the baking soda or the ACV. It's a small dollop/splash.

I think the oddest item to get used to is the no foam and bubbles. The ACV isn't as creamy as a conditioner either. But it does slick down your hair.
If my hair gets past my shoulder blades and I start getting a rat's nest back there, occasionally, I might use a dollop of conditioner back there to help in detangling without ripping out one's hair.
I love that I am not exposing myself to numerous carcinogens anymore. And,  what's more, I love my hair. I love that is curls more (not vain here) and is way less frizzy.

How I took this to Ireland? Well, they let you on the airplane with 3 oz bottles. So I figured on 3 oz of ACV, utilizing 1 oz per shampoo. And I keep the baking soda in a Nancy's yogurt container (about 1 cup with tight-fitting lid) so I packed my four containers (two for mixing, 3oz bottle and yogurt container) in a ziploc. The containers stack within each other so they don't take up much space.

 Reason # 8; avoiding unnecessary chemicals was my main reason for doing this. It isn't much more difficult to change over and now my number one reason is the way my hair looks and feels.

I haven't reached the level of Amy's dedication but I may try her deodorant recipe this year.



February 2012 update: Still using this. The ACV really keeps the frizzies at bay and I usually run around with my hair past my shoulder blades now with very little tangling.

My hairdresser totally compliments me on the shape my hair is in.
I do use a curl reactant on my damp hair to help set the curl.

I am going to be 49 this year and my hair - for all of my auto-immune illness and terrible food sensitivities - continues to look lush and beautiful.

There are other natural shampoos out there if you still desire the foaming action - with less chemicals.
Angry Chicken has some great hair and facial oils that are all natural.


April 2013 update:  Still using this method.  I cut my hair above my shoulders in January and I have had to learn to use less baking soda and ACV. Really - less is more!
I occasionally get some white build-up on my scalp and I think it's because of too much baking soda and ACV. I will have to go back to original post and see if there is something else I can do. I went to Europe last summer for 2 1/2 weeks and also took my kit with me. Two 3 oz. bottles of ACV - which they hardly check at all as long as you bundle your liquids together at the airport. I did have a little airport fun with my yogurt container as I was stupid coming home and threw it in my carry-on. Yogurt containers were on the 'hit' list.
This shampoo method is not only less costly to your pocketbook but good for the environment.
Oh - and I still have not made Amy's deodorant.


February 2014 update:  Still using this method. Growing out my hair. Seeing if I have enough gray to go gray. I believe we use too many chemicals without thinking about where products come from. This method of washing my hair is part of my overall health regimen.
I understand no foam and bubbles is weird but please think about what you are putting on your skin and scalp.  Be mindful.

February 2016 update: Still using this method. My hair remains curlier, less frizzy. I continue to keep it longer as there are less tangles.  My only problem is the white stuff on the scalp. I might be using too much baking soda and too much ACV - I need to re-visit the original post above troubleshooting this problem. I was thinking of trying a commercial no-poo shampoo but none have jumped into my vicinity - I also need to research these. I continue to monitor my auto-immune with a diagnosis in 2014 of SIBO - small Intestine bacteria overgrowth.

Holiday Baking

I'm a big fan of Amy Karol's blog, Angry Chicken. She lives here in Portland and her pre-holiday gift idea is worth borrowing.
She likes to come up with basic recipes and enhance them as she makes the item. One of her spice mixes caught my eye: Pumpkin Pie Spice. The blog entry is here.

 Cook's Vanilla is my favorite brand of vanilla. I started buying it at the grocery store  many years ago and then bit the bullet and now I order it once a year from the web site. I also like their lemon extract, peppermint extract and their vanilla powder. You can use the powder in Orange Julius's and in frosting. It's an off-white powder so it won't add color to whatever you are making.  

 

I thought how fun it would be to get some of this vanilla and make some pumpkin pie spice for friends and family who like to bake. Imagine how lovely it would be to get into the holiday baking spirit with a small package in the mailbox.

The most difficult part of making a quantity of pumpkin spice mix is converting tablespoons into cups, etc. Just to make sure, I hauled out my Betty Crocker cookbook with the cook's glossary. 4Tbsp. = 1/4 cup. Just so you know.

I had some little spice-type bottles but not enough. I finally found some on the bottom shelf at Fred Meyer's where they sell the kitchen gadgets. That was my biggest expense other than the vanilla. I bought the spices in bulk at Winco in their bulk foods department. They constantly turn over their stock so I feel assured of the quality.

For labels, I went very simple as  I really needed to post these to arrive before Thanksgiving. You can be as fancy as you need to be. I printed out these labels (after I changed out my color cartridge). I then hand-wrote the name of the spice, the year, a couple things you could do with the spice. Then I cut them out and glue-sticked them onto the jars.
---Here's another label idea from Martha.

  

Here's a sneak peek at what else I did this weekend.

About Nothing

Speaking of Top 10 Lists

From Angry Chicken: blog of January 04, 2010.
Amy writes: "I am getting off to a slow start for 2010, which I think is wonderful and I would like to continue the slowed down pace of the last 2 weeks. I have in mind to make a Not Done, Nor Am I Going To Do Today List, which will help me track on a daily basis what I am not doing. I am very excited by this. I tried to start doing less already, especially in the mornings when I seem to get on a cooking/house cleaning/laundry/pick-up-toys merry-go-round and realize I have not sat down for 4 hours."

I love the whole idea of a Not Done, Nor Am I Going To Do It Today List.

I've got the next two days off work to play and visit and take photos. It's been a bit dreary here with the January rains and even the outside lighting doesn't love the camera and your attitude can get dreary as well because none of the photos taken are worth sharing because they are so flat and say nothing at all.

Secret Cool place

I was reading Angry Chicken today and looking around her site and I found this gem at the right.
You have got to try communicating!
Totally efficient.

It's been incredibly cold here in the Willamette Valley.
Ten degrees for days on end at 5am. Almost warming up to 32' at noon.
At least, there is no moisture - so none of the usual Willamette Valley problems of ice, freezing rain, cars sliding...
Today, I crossed over  the Pudding River in two different spots. The Pudding is a very slow moving serpentine river that feeds eventually into the Molalla River.  Because it moves so slow, there is ice forming alongside its banks.

The first spot is where the ducks like to bask in the sun near Aurora, just past the bridge.
The ducks had flapped the water back where the ice was forming and I wish I had a camera - oh right - I'm on a highway here - not the best spot to stop either. But the sunlight hitting this bend, the ice flung up, the ducks keeping to the middle now where the current keeps the water free. It was a picture perfect moment.
The second spot is a horseshoe bend  by the paintball/racetrack place where the water doubles back on itself and catches large trees along the outer part of the horseshoe, again with the sunlight and the ice forming crystaline structures to make another gorgeous photo op.