Jar Openers

This isn't the type of post I will normally post, but it does involve passion in some ways. My grandfather makes these amazing jar openers. They mount under your cabinets by 2 very tiny screws(included), then you simply stick your jar up in it and twist. My grandmother who has horrible arthritis in her hands uses hers for everything. I am helping my grandpa sell them. They sell for $18.00+shipping. They make great gifts for newlyweds, graduates, new home, etc. My grandpa designed them when my grandma started having trouble with her hands and has since made more than he can count. He is always getting requests for more. My grandfather has a passion for woodworking. He is a major perfectionist when it comes to his wood. He sands until it is smooth as a baby's butt and then sands some more. He stains the openers and then adds his stamp to it. His passion shows in the quality of his work. The openers are made from quality wood, usually scraps he has left over from other projects. He inspires me to always go the extra step. When he was battling cancer a few years ago one thing he could not wait to be able to do was get back in his shop. As soon as he was feeling well enough he was back down in his shop, even if it meant simply picking stuff up and cleaning.




Works on most size jars from huge like pickle jars to small jars like olives and even smaller. Also works on 2ltr bottles, and bottles like soy sauce, vinegars, etc.

If interested in purchasing one, my email link is in the side bar.

Passion:a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm or desire for anything, according to dictionary.com. There are actually several definitions of passion, this one is just more what I think of when I think of passion.

I started this blog for myself and then spent some time thinking about what I wanted it to be about. I knew I wanted it to be about my passions, but I was struggling with the whole idea behind it still. Did I want it to be about scrapbooking, crafting, or what?? Then I read something my brother had posted as his status on his facebook page and for some reason what he posted, really spoke to me. He had "You've got to follow your passion. You've got to figure out what it is you love-who you really are. And have the courage to do that. I believe that the only courage anybody ever needs is the courage to follow your own dreams." I don't know if it's a quote he got from somewhere or if he came up with it himself, but it really made me think. In fact I spent a good part of the night thinking about it and then it hit me, this can be about whatever I feel passionate about. This is my blog so there is no right or wrong as to what it's about.

This won't be just about my passions, but other peoples as well and also finding your passions. I'm really excited about starting on this journey.

Found on WeHeartIt

Baseball is just one of many passions I have and as the season is just around the corner I'm sure I will be posting more about this passion soon.

One Word

So Ali Edwards started the "One Little Word" project a few years ago and I've tried to do it the last few years and failed miserably. This year I choose the word "Focus"(seems to go pretty good with the fact I've failed the last few years) for my word this year. In part with that I've decided that I'm going to "Focus" on another "one word" for each month. This will be an area I want to work on in our lives. For February my word is "simplify". We need to do some serious decluttering in our lives. We moved in November to a smaller place and did some decluttering at that time, but we still have a long ways to go. I want to simplify my computer as well. I have so much junk delivered to my email each day that I never read and need to just unsubscribe.

I'm also hoping to update this a little more this month. I'm busy preparing for a craft fair(my first ever!) so that will be my "focus" for this week.

Busy Busy Busy

So I started this blog and had great plans to update it regularly, here we are sitting at 1-26-10 and it hasn't been updated yet! I am busy working on getting stuff ready for a craft fair I will be doing in February. I'm really excited, but also pretty nervous. I've been told I should sell my stuff, but to actually put myself out there and sell stuff, it's a little scary for me. Other than that it's been PTA stuff and a book study that started last night. At my sons school they are using a program by the guy who wrote the "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" called "The Leader in Me" this year. We started a book study of the "7 Habits of Highly Effective Families" last night. I'm anxious to read through all of this book and start applying it to our life. For the most part my kids are good kids, but we do have our struggles in a few areas and I think it will help with them even more as they grow up.



These are one of the things I'm making for the craft fair. I'm off to get Audrey ready for school and then grocery shopping and hopefully some more crafting. I also need to do some online decluttering, my google reader is a bit insane and several of them I don't even read when the person updates, mostly because my interests have changed.

A blog for me

I've wanted to do a blog for me for a while. Once in a while kids will appear, but not like on my blog for family members to read. This one is about me and the things I enjoy, like photography, crafting, reading, decorating, and all the other crazy things I find on the road to my passions.

First on my list is the 33 things I will do before I turn 34. I decided to do this instead of New Year's Resolutions this year. Helps that my birthday is New Year's Day. I always do resolutions and feel if I haven't started on them by Feb 1 it's a bust. Well this way I'm giving myself all year long.

33 Things to before I turn 34:
1. Complete Couch to 5K(this will be a biggy for me. Want to run the Turkey Trot)
2. Learn to knit
3. Learn to applique
4. Learn all things blogger has
5. Improve PSE skills
6. Get my craft business up and going
7. Be Happy with myself
8. Project 365(I might put those pictures here as well)
9. Learn all about my Wacom Tablet
10. Read 6 Classics, including Little Women
11. Learn to embroider
12. Learn all about flicker
13. Be more green
14. Journal weekly(some here and some in a journal)
15. Make time to create daily
16. Get a mani and pedi(shocker, I've never had either)
17. Explore more with digital scrapping
18. Take better care of me
19. Take a Jessica Sprague class
20. Let go of things better
21. Take a photography class
22. Start a garden
23. Print pictures monthly
24. Do more sewing
25. Yoga
26. Be better with money
27. Start a blog for me(Yahoo! One complete, now to keep it up)
28. Explore more of my creative side
29. Send more "fun" cards
30. Learn more about movie maker
31. Make a book of me
32. Menu plan weekly(week 1 good)
33. Learn more about my copics and different coloring techniques

None of this is earth shattering, but it's all in pursuit of living my passions.

Holiday Happenings

It's getting to be that time of year. I've decided(like I do every year) I'm going to be more organized this year. I did have a Holiday binder in the past, but it was so bulky I only left it at home. Well this year I made a more compact one. I found the sheets for the inside from Organized Christmas. I used the pocket planner pages. The one I'm showing you here is actually a gift for my mom. I will get mine posted later.


This is the cover of the planner. I decided to stick with a fairly simple design since it was my first.



The inside. I decided pockets would make it easier on the in and out the sheets will endure. The pages inside can vary depending on your needs. I didn't need a section for menus in mine, but my mom will.

I'm hoping to get some of these made for an upcoming craft fair. They were so simple to make.

Thank You Cards

A great gift for the hard to buy for person is always greeting cards. I really think we should all start sending more snail mail. Think about how happy you would be to find a "Thinking about you" card in with all the bills and junk!














These are the cards I made for my cousin who recently got married. Of course any of the greetings could be changed for whatever your need might be.

Don't forget the special on Christmas tags.