Kickin' It On Saturday

My Darling is Recovering

The Guy is feeling better each day following his surgery.  He gets worn out by afternoon, but the pain has subsided a lot and the incisions are not even scabs any more.  We continue to be very grateful and joyful about his outcome.  Our bond is deeper as well, having gone through the not knowing, then the knowing, then the surgery, and now the great results and the recovery together.  And he has the best attitude of anyone I have ever known.  I am really blessed to be with someone who looks for the best in his experiences.  A lot of people out there act like they have good outlooks, faith, etc, but if you talk to them for 2 minutes, you know they are full of crap and do not practice what they say in any way.  Well, The Guy does practice what he believes, and that is so rare in today's world.

The big outing today was to go to the local Dollar Tree.  I needed onion powder, which they strangely did not have in stock today.  But that is okay, because they had packs of Wyler's Blueberry Lemonade drink mix that I can't wait to try, and I purchased some Wise Cheese Doodles in Jalapeno and Cheddar, my favorite combo.  I realize they probably are not that different from other puffed cheese balls on the market, but they are the original Cheese Doodles, which were made famous by the character Norm on the old television series, Cheers.  And this is the first time I have seen any products from Wise at a Dollar Tree in the Upper Midwest.  

I also splurged and purchased 5 books because they all looked so good.  I mostly find mysteries at Dollar Tree, and I have not been much of a mystery buff before, but I purchased two one day and really enjoyed both of them, so today I splurged.  I will get hours and hours of cheap entertainment, and I won't incur any late fees at the library.  Bonus.

Speaking of books, I am making good progress on my own book that I am writing.  Starting it out was not the most comfortable, but beginnings tend to be tough in most things.  Once I got over the beginning bumps, the process came along more easily.  It has been quite fun at times, and sometimes it is quite a purging experience.  It's a lot to say about many things that have happened.  It's the truth.

Wishing everyone a great remainder of your weekend.

Dollar Tree Show and Tell -- Items I Have Tried and Like -- Part 1

Today I am posting some photos for you of items I purchase at Dollar Tree.

If you have never been to Dollar Tree, or don't go often, or if you just enjoy shopping at Dollar Tree like I do, this is a post for you.

If you went to a dollar store over 10 years ago and did not like what you found, if the food items were expired or very near expiration or if the cans were mostly dented or damaged, then you need to know that Dollar Tree is not like those old sad dollar stores.  

You should be checking expiration dates on food items at any store, but here is the deal with Dollar Tree -- most of the food products that I find at Dollar Tree either expire in 1 to 2 years, or are at least months out from their expiration dates.  And the instances of finding dented cans has gone way down.  These days you might find a few dented cans, but not more than you find in just about any grocery store.

Dollar Tree might not always be your least expensive store on some items.  

Yes, one might be tempted to think Dollar Tree means rock-bottom savings.  This is not always the case.  But Dollar Tree offers some really great items for a price lower than you can get at regular stores.  Dollar Tree also offers convenience and an easier time shopping since you don't have to wander a huge store to find what you are looking for.  And Dollar Tree changes up their inventory a lot, so part of the fun is finding something you have never seen there before.  Sometimes Dollar Tree will acquire name brand items that you cannot even touch for a buck in the regular stores.

The short list of best items I have found at Dollar Tree:

1) Party supplies -- paper plates, napkins, gift bags, gift wrap, cards -- lots of variety, and fun.

2) Hair styling products -- headbands, head scarves, brushes, barrettes, pony-tail elastics, combs.

3) Nail polish and supplies -- I personally like LA Colors nail polish the best of any I have tried (including brands like Revlon and L'Oreal.  For me, that brand is the most long lasting and goes on nicely even with my clumsiness.  

4) Body wash and soap -- Lots of selection here.  Generally, DT carries a lot of Soft Soap products.  They have also been carrying Dial hand soap in the pump recently, and I like that a lot.  If you do purchase a product in a pump, test the pump first to ensure it will function.  I have run into some off brands that are good, but the pump does not work.

5) Hair care products -- Now, understand that great name brands like L'Oreal or Wen will not generally be available at DT.  But for the basic "get the job done" to get your hair clean and conditioned, there are several good choices.  VO5 is a common brand at DT, or White Rain shampoos and conditioners.  DT also carries Silkience products and more.

6)  Facial tissues, paper towels, and toilet paper -- Not all brands are equal, but I do like the Bounty 1-ply paper towels (44 count for a dollar).  You can get this same pack for 97 cents at Wal-Mart, but I don't generally enjoy going to Wal-Mart as it is just too big for me.  Scotties brand facial tissues are 120 count for a buck.  I always get a box or two when I go to DT.  They are soft enough to not bother my nose when I have a cold or my allergies are acting up.  And surprisingly, the Home Store brand toilet paper is not bad at all.  I place it a step up from Scott toilet paper and a step down from Northern.  I actually prefer it and pick up a pack when ever I am at DT.  There are 4 rolls in a pack for one dollar, and I have not paid that little for toilet paper since I was in college (a long time ago).

On to the photos --

Cleaning / Household Supplies:

1)  Good Sense Lawn and Leaf Bags -- In my opinion, the Good Sense brand has decent trash bags, both for the kitchen can and for the large garbage can.  I feel the same way about the lawn and leaf bags which I just use for garbage.  These are NOT heavy-duty bags, but they are good for normal use. Don't over-stuff them or stuff them full of heavy books or boxes with corners, and they will be okay. Do NOT buy the brand with the really thin bags -- the thin bags will break even as you are filling them.  Good Sense bags work much better.

2) Good & Clean Disinfectant Wipes for the bathroom or kitchen -- I personally find that these do the job just as well as any other similar wipes I have tried.   These are 24 wipes for a buck.

3)  White Distilled Vinegar -- I use this for cleaning windows, mirrors, and to clean the hard water scale off of the ends of faucets.  Works really well.  32 ounces for a buck, and it does not take up so much room like a gallon jug from a regular grocery store.  Those of use with limited space need to think about that stuff.

4)  Baby wipes -- I like these particular Sesame Street Baby Wipes, but DT carries several brands.  I use baby wipes all the time in making art projects and for cleaning small items where a rag is too thick.  This pack contains 72 wipes, and they do not shred apart or disintegrate when used.

5)  Brillo brand household gloves, great for protecting hands while you clean or work on projects.  I am able to re-use a pair at least 4 times.

That is it for my post today, All.

I will post Part 2 tomorrow, Monday, Feb. 20.  Part 2 will contain food items and a craft item.

So long for now.

Photos of My Christmas Wreath

I completed my Christmas wreath just a while ago.  

All the materials I used came from one of my favorite stores, the glorious Dollar Tree, with the exception of the ribbon used to hang it.  I had some ribbon from the Dollar Tree, but it was too wide to look good, so I had to improvise on that, using items I had in my ribbon drawer.

I chose the colors of silver and red mostly because by the time I went to pick up the items (and I went in November), the Christmas decor items were pretty well picked over.  

The really fun part of making this was taking some of the items apart and fashioning them to work in ways I needed.  Also, rather than using a wreath form as the base, I just used a Dollar Tree 15-foot garland and left it rolled up, using floral wire in a couple of places to keep it from unrolling.  I don't like using forms, so this was a good alternative for me.

Anyway, here are a couple of photos.  I did not take photos of it hanging on my door because the lighting is so dim in our hallway where I live, and it is so hard to get a good photo.  So you all are seeing it when it was still on my art desk.

To quote the old song by Neil Diamond, "Hello Again, Hello."

I am back to using Blogger for now.  My website was hacked, unfortunately, and I spent way too much time trying to decide if I should set up another website or if I should make use of my blog here again.  For now, I am going to be posting updates here.

My plan is to post photos of art projects I am working on, show progress, and to post recipes since I cannot seem to ignore my love of food and recipes.  I will also be letting you know of discounts / specials I run in my eBay and Etsy stores and unique / fun items I have listed.

I belong to a group of folks who love shopping at Dollar Tree and who have been recently making projects with craft items they have found at Dollar Tree, specifically, autumn wreaths.  I joined in the fun, and here is the wreath I made.  Mind you, I could not find my glue gun, so I had to use E-6000.  My fingers will be stuck together for the foreseeable future, and my home is a bit stinky from the adhesive even though I had the windows open.  I covered my home number with blue tape for the photo-taking. 

The wreath has a base of bent willow reeds and then is covered in various faux leaves, berries, flowers, and a little pumpkin item, all purchased at Dollar Tree.  The only part of this item I did not purchase at Dollar Tree was the glue.

So, I am glad to be back, and I look forward to a new start here on Blogger.  Thanks for visiting.

Here is my fall wreath: