Will Miss...

How to Make a Pencil Holder Using a Can

Hi everyone!  Today I'm sharing a tutorial on how to make your own pencil holder
with a recycled can.  Are you ready?  Here we go...
First you will need these items:


* A recycled soup or bean can (cleaned)
*Scrapbook paper, wall paper or gift wrap paper
* Scissors or other cutting device
* Spray adhesive or mod podge
*Clear tape
This is what I did...

I purchased scrapbook paper which runs about 50 to 60 cents a sheet.

I grabbed a soup sized can from the recycling bin.

I Removed the wrap from the can.
I Cleaned the can with soap and water and set it to air dry.

I measured the original can wrap against the scrapbook paper with a ruler.
Made marks with a pencil and erased later.

Once I had my measurements, started cutting the paper.

I Wrapped the paper around the can, to keep it sturdy,
I took a small piece of tape and taped down one end of the sheet of a paper on the can,
then wrapped the sheet of paper around the can and sealed it with clear tape, you can use mod podge.

Hello new pencil holder and it holds magnets too!!

Be creative!!  You can add extra decor by using buttons, ribbons and other decorative items.

These Magnets available here.

Now for my short collection of random musings, read on.

ONE

We are finally moving and I am so excited
that we will be together as a family.
I am also excited about our new home,
lots of before and after projects coming,
so don't wonder off too far and come back to check it out.

TWO

I found this great feature that blogger offers,
and that is to turn your blog into a book.
What a great idea!

Happy Crafting!

Glass Push Pins with Sparkles

New fun Glass Push Pins, at my shop.  Add sparkles to your space with these lovely fiber glitter, glass push pins!

Tracy Joy Camera Accessory Giveaway (Closed)

We have a Winner! 

# 17 Kate Elizabeth

"The Michael Miller Zinnia is my favorite set. :) Gorgeous and practical!"

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: 

Result:

17Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Congratulations Kate Elizabeth!  Thank you everyone for participating! :)

Tracy Joy makes beautiful custom, handmade camera accessories, in fun and funky colors and patterns with designer fabrics.

This Giveaway has Ended October 4, 2010 and is now closed.

Our Labor Day Activities

On this Labor Day weekend we decided to stroll along the outdoor mall, at our Town Center.

We love going there especially on a beautiful, bright sunny day, you're probably wondering why, but you should see this place, it's beautiful. There are lots of shops and restaurants not to mention a cute park in the center of it all.  Sometimes they have a live band for entertainment outdoors and it's great.

The kids enjoyed looking at fish and turtles in the pond.

 We enjoyed natures creatures, the birds, ducks and butterflies in the area.

We stopped for a bite to eat at California Pizza Kitchen.

As we waited for our yummy pizzas...

...our little one colored lovely butterflies! 

Four Seasons Pizza

Roasted Artichoke and Spinach Pizza with Grilled chicken, oh so good!

Dessert, yum!!! Tiramisu

After our bellies were full,  we hopped along to the book store for some fun reading and book hunting.  That was our  Labor Day and I loved it!   Thank you for stopping by!

Labor Day Weekend

Here is my collection of random musings to help make interesting the mundane.

1- Happy Labor Day everyone!  I am so thankful this weekend because I have been able to have my family united under the same roof for three days.  Yippee!!  My little boy couldn't be happier and quite frankly I am up there in joy land with him.  We look forward to the weekends, just so that we can spend that time together as a family.  Hopefully the long distance thing won't last for long, with God's divine assistance, we can finally be together by the end of the month.

2- This wonderful and blessed weekend, my Savior let me know that things were going to be okay, "Trust in him" is what I kept feeling in my heart, "Trust in him" and not on the things of this world, because nothing in this world is certain, but he is certainty.   Oh how wonderful.  Now I leave you with my loving husband.
  Me!

3- Isn't she sweet?!  As my wife has stated, I too am very happy for the long weekend and that by the end of the month we will be together again and not just on the weekends.

4- Labor Day!  Since it's called that, why are we off?  It should be the only day we do work in the entire year. :)  Hey, We'll take a day off even if they call it "pick your nose" day right?  

5-  Right now, I have my little tornado making play-doh characters of little R2-D2's from Star Wars, but not just any Star Wars. "THE ORIGINAL STAR WARS" from the late 70's early 80's.  He loves it and I love that he does.  I have to teach him "the way" if you get my drift. ;) We are watching part one of the original movie now.

6-  Speaking of things of the past, I've recently noticed the fashion trends coming back around full circle.  Just yesterday we saw some teenagers with a pair of Shell Top Adidas with the fat laces untied.  I used to wear those in Junior HS and I'm thirty-blah-blah years old.  Hey, I still rock the original canvas Converse Chuck Taylor high tops from time to time.  

7-  Growing up in NYC, we saw a lot of fashion trends come and go.  Now they have come back again and I can't help but to smile and accept the changes like our parents have done.   

8-  My little padawan just finished his army of R2 droids and a remote control, I guess to control them.  I hope everyone has enjoyed their Labor Day weekend.  Please be safe and God Bless!

Mr. M

How to Make Homemade Lip Balm

Do you often get chapped or dry lips?
Don't reach for store-bought products containing parabens and petroleum.
Mineral oils and additives dry out sensitive skin,
they are temporarily soothing but, in the end,
dry out the skin, leaving you needing more and more of the product to keep lips moisturized.
Instead, mix up your own recipe at home.  It can also make a nice little gift.

I will share a basic balm recipe and you may customize it to meet your own needs.  This recipe makes about 2 oz. (8-- 1/4oz. containers)

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. (1 tablespoon) Coconut oil (solid)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of beeswax
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of Vitamin E  
• 1 1/2 teaspoon shea butter (solid)
• 4 drops or more of essential oils, orange or peppermint (do not use fragrance oils) I use Young Living.
• Lip Balm Containers or Metal Lip Balm Containers

You can find the ingredients online. Here are some links:
BEESWAX PELLETS YELLOW 2-LB

Now Foods COCONUT OIL PURE

Use a double boiler to melt wax & solid oils or use the microwave.
Do not melt Vitamin E with solids.

Remove from heat and add Vitamin E,
and add essential oil(s) and blend well.
Pour into lip balm containers.

You may refrigerate to solidify quicker.
Makes about 8- 1/4 oz. containers.

 Tip:

To add color to your balm, add a small piece of inexpensive lipstick to the mix.

Hope you enjoy your new lip balm!

I've Been Tagged

I have been tagged by Doris from "Organized Chaos" and she has listed a few questions for me to answer just to get to know me a little better.  The blogging world is fun and I love meeting new people.  My readers have great sites and I encourage many to go visit them.  Well here I go Doris:

What is one goal you’d like to accomplish during your lifetime?

My goal is a spiritual goal and that is to Live the life that God wants me to live.  He placed us in this world to love him and to serve him as his children.

"Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" -Matthew 5:48

"This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you".- John 15:12

What household chore do you hate the most?

Mopping, it hurts my back, don't like it.  Cleaning the bathroom, especially the shower.

If you had one extra hour of free time a day, how would you use it?

I would use it to soak in the wonders of nature, the outdoors especially by the sea.

When you were in grade school, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?

-I wanted to be a teacher (didn't have much patience for that)
-then an astronaut--did you know that when you go to outer space, your spine extends an inch longer? I wanted to get taller, weird me.  It goes back to normal once back on Earth though, (after learning all the tests that they have to under go, I changed my mind.)
-and a business owner, go figure. 

If you knew you could not fail, what would you do?

This is a tough one, there are many, many things I want to do. I'll share two, spread the Word of God like wild fire for all to return to their creator.  Second,  "I'll be a bit selfish here",  I would compete in the Snowboarding Olympics and WIN!!!! Gold!  "I can dream too".

What odd item do you keep in your purse? 

Small air freshener :-)

What is the weirdest gift you have ever received?

I don't think I've ever had a weird gift, I can't remember any.  If I remember I'll post it.

If you had to lose one of your five senses, which one of them would you prefer to lose and why.

Lets see, I don't want to lose any, but if I did, I would have to say smell.  I would miss out on many wonderful scents, but there are some I can do without.

That's all folks, hope you enjoyed my boring answers :-)
Here's a picture of my latest creations, not boring at all!

For more new items go Here!

How to Make a Tube Rocket

This summer my family & I went to watch the Space Shuttle launch at the Kennedy
Space Center.  We drove down to a town called Titusville and settled in a park to
watch the spectacular view.  Now keep in mind that we have seen several launches
from our own backyard and they have been awesome, but we wanted to have a closer view.
We waited, we saw and we heard the amazing sounds of the shuttle.  It was incredible!  

After that experience, my son has been fascinated with the space shuttle and astronomy.
He now has stars in his bedroom, the planets, a space shuttle model, a constellation lamp and so on.

For a fun activity, I asked him if he wanted to make his own space rocket and he loved the idea,
so this is what he made.

     To make a cool rocket with your child or children this is what they will need.

A string of yarn, glue,  toilet paper tube, construction paper, markers,
crayons, paint,  tape and scissors.

Allow your child to color or decorate the tube with crayons, markers, stickers or paint.
let them by the artist, you supervise.

Using construction paper, cut two triangles that are about 2 inches wide and
1 1/2 inch tall.  Fold the triangles in half, then rub the glue on the crease of the triangle
and paste it on the tube.  Take the construction paper and cut a circle about 4 inches in diameter,
 then cut it in half.

Turn the half circle into a cone and secure it with glue or tape.

Tape or glue the cone to the top of the rocket.

Cut the yarn into several strips and tape it to the inside  bottom of the rocket.

Now you have a rocket!

Hope you and your kids enjoy making your rockets!