ScribbitScribbitMotherhood in Alaska--how could I make this stuff up? Stories from the Last Frontier as chronicled by the mother of four active children. Stories, recipes, lists, reviews and plenty of humor, 
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Trendy Tadpole and Cuddly Books Giveaway
2008-09-27 10:00:00 Hope you came hungry because I've got some tasty treats so share--first there's Trendy Tadpole, a place for cutie kid clothing that has me giggling. Maybe my humor is not that sophisticated but I find their custom onesies too funny.Don't believe me? Go check out the Buddha Belly shirt, "These booties are made for walking" or my personal favorite: "All hands on the poop deck" (that last one had me clapping). With hip graphics and cool yoga pants to match (because every hipster baby needs pants that allow for a full range of motion and flexibility). Your baby will be proudly flaunting his or her trendy coolness."Poop deck!" Ha!But wait! There's more! Not only has the fabulous Trendy Tadpole offered a t-shirt of your choice to this weekend's winner but Cuddly Books , Inc. also has a great package for that same lucky reader.Casey is a Jack Russell Terrier, Bella is a Yorkie, and with the help of their creator, Jane Lovascio, they travel to all sorts of fun places having adventu... More About: Children
Someone I'd Like You to Meet: Marybeth Whalen from Cheaper by the Half-Doze
2008-09-26 10:00:00 This month's contest was judged by the very kind and charming Marybeth Whalen from Cheaper by the Half Dozen--a blogger that I've only recently come to know through her own entries in previous contests and who has been so kind to volunteer her time that I'm now officially in her debt.A southerner with six beautiful children Marybeth has been a professional speaker and writer who has written a book, The Write Reason, has contributed to other books AND has a new one coming out next year. She shares some helpful and concrete hints to help you break into offline publishing and maybe even write that book you've been thinking about.***How did you get your first start in professional writing? I was fortunate to get connected with a ministry called Proverbs 31 Ministries when it was in its infancy-- waaaay back in 1993! I called the editor at that time, prepared to beg her to let me write for the little home-produced newsletter (now a color magazine, we've come a long way, baby). Li... More About: Blogging , Meet
2008-2009 Winter Activities in Anchorage
2008-09-25 10:00:00 I frequently get emails from people planning trips to Anchorage asking what kinds of things there are to do--here's a list to answer that question. Hope you don't mind the cold! Unless otherwise stated these activities are free.1. Go ice fishing. The 21st Annual Ice Fishing Jamboree out at Jewel Lake is free with poles, warm-up tents and all equipment provided--perfect for kids and adults alike. My own children love it. The event is usually held in the middle of December though last winter it was pushed back to January from lack of ice. As of yet no 2008 date has been set, check this page for more details closer to December.2. Go snow tubing at Alyeska Resort. The Glacier Tubing Park offers sledding on Mt. Alyeska, $15 for adults and $10 for kids, in 1 1/2 hour sessions starting at 10:00am. Beware that children must be 42" to ride. Inner tubes are provided.3. Ice skate at Westchester Lagoon. Once the ice is declared thick enough it will be maintained for skating all winter... More About: Alaska , Winter , Activities
Forcing Bulbs Indoors
2008-09-24 10:00:00 Have you ever smelled paperwhites? I'm talking about the tiny little white daffodils that are also called paperwhite narcissus. They have such a lovely clean white scent that if you've smelled them once that's probably all I'd need to mention to get you to plant them.They're a bulb that's easy to "force" (or force to bloom) indoors and they're a winter bulb which is why I'm mentioning it now.If you buy a bag at the store (they should be popping up in stores about now) you can be guaranteed pretty little flowers in time for Christmas by following a few easy steps.1. Prepare ahead of time. The bulbs take approximately 8 weeks to bloom, give or take, so if you want a beautiful Christmas arrangement you need to be buying bulbs next month.2. Buy the bulbs--paperwhite narcissus or amaryllis are the easiest for the holidays. Those are my favorites for winter and the amaryllis can be very dramatic in pink, red, white or striped. I grew some last year you can see here.3. Plant... More About: Gardening , Bulbs
Readers' Panel: How to Protect Your Blog and Your Copyright
2008-09-23 10:00:00 Dear Michelle:How do you protect your copyrighted work? Are there ways to keep your posts from showing up on random sites? I believe the term is called "blog scraping" and I'd love to know how to stop it. Mommy K from The Great Walls of BaltimoreFirst you must know that anything you produce is automatically copyrighted. You don't need an attorney, you don't need a formal piece of paper or the fancy little C-circle on your page to make it yours and be protected under copyright law.Then what does a copyright symbol do?The reason people put the copyright symbol on their work is merely to give publicity to the fact that they do, in fact, recognize their intellectual property rights and are willing to protect their copyrighted content. Think of it as a "Beware of Dog" sign. If you have a home then it's automatically yours and no one can enter it or take your things without permission--but it doesn't hurt to have a big ol' rottweiler on the scene to make sure people remember th... More About: Readers , Blog , Panel , Plagiarism , Copyright
"Go Ahead! Arrest Me--I DARE You!"
2008-09-22 10:00:00 Grace needed a round of shots so she wouldn't get kicked out of school. I'm such a great mom that I put it off until the very last possible moment before finally dragging her down to the Health and Human Services building Friday afternoon, the day of the deadline.It's always busy there, if it's not the rush for kindergarten immunizations with a waiting room full of sneezing children then it's flu season with a bunch of old men waiting for their flu shots but when I walked in we were practically the only people in the place. It was spooky.I'd brought Grace, David and Lillian in with me but Spencer said he had homework to finish and stayed in the car. After checking Grace into the system we sat down to wait for our number to be called. We waited. And we waited. And we waited . . .An hour more into this lovely little adventure and the security guard sitting at his elevated desk by the entrance (I can only guess that there are a lot of people running into the clinic in broad... More About: Parenting , Arrest , Ahead , Dare
Cream Cheese Brownie Pie
2008-09-14 10:00:00 I had another picture of this dessert but half the frame was filled with Andrew's mouth about to chomp down on the slice of pie and he wouldn't let me use it.But it would have been appropriate because the photo really conveyed the intense longing this pie seemed to create around the table when I served it up.Not that it's really surprising--with brownies, pies, cream cheese and chocolate would you expect anything but success?Anyway, I got this recipe from the recent Pillsbury Easy Fabulous Pies Tart and More magazine I mentioned a few weeks back and changed it a bit to fit the ingredients I had on hand. I can firmly state that it was worth every penny and fulfilled every expectation of gastronomical delight. You might want to pick up your own copy--it's been a good buy.1 refrigerated pie crust1 8-ounce package of cream cheese3 tablespoons sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract3 eggs1 box chocolate cake mix1/4 cup vegetable oil2 tablespoons water1/2 cup chopped walnuts2 cups hot fudge... More About: Chocolate , Cheese , Cream , Brownie
Warm Biscuit Bedding Company Giveaway
2008-09-13 10:00:00 I met Vicki Mote Bodewell, founder of Warm Biscuit Bedding Company , at BlogHer last July but it wasn't until I started wandering around her website that I realized what a great online store she had.The story goes that her grandmother would say "It's time to crawl into your biscuit" when it was time for bed and that homey, comfortable, cozy metaphor is perfect for describing what Warm Biscuit Bedding Co. has going for it.There are of course lovely bedding products because you couldn't have a bedding company without them--the Paper Doll themed fabric and room decor is my favorite, it's just adorable--but it goes beyond that where they carry art supplies and kits, toys, jewelry, apparel and gobs more.I don't know if you're already thinking about holiday gifts but if I had a child on my list I would start with Warm Biscuit because there's got to be something there that a kid would love, the fairy castle pictured below is just what I would have wanted for Christmas 30 years ago. ... More About: Children
Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters
2008-09-12 10:00:00 I did a bit of whining last week while at the low-point for our home remodel. We were missing walls, had lost our heating, all our goods were piled in the living room covered with dusty plastic and then to top it off our hot water heater burst--all with a three day weekend to endure.Now maybe I was the last person on the planet to realize this but apparently hot water heaters don't last that long--ours came with our house which we bought seven years ago so I'm not even sure how old the tank actually is (though I've now learned that when you see water pouring out of the bottom that's a sign that things have probably gone past the expiration date).So it threw things into a bit of a mess here while we scrambled to clean up while finding a new tank and in the course of my complaining and whining to a neighbor they mentioned that if their tank should ever need replacing they'd be sure to get a tankless heater.Well that was something that needed some Googling ("Google Knows All" is ... More About: Water , Heaters
India through Alaskan Eyes
2008-09-11 10:00:00 My parents live in Bangalore, India where they're working as missionaries for three years and in the 14 months they've been there they've traveled to Nepal, Dehli, Mombai, Chennai, Vizak, Hyderabad, Goa, Sri Lanka, Coimbature, Rajahmundry and dozens of other places in between--they're hardly ever in one city for more than a few days. We talk regularly and exchange letters and they're always sending me pictures of the amazing things they see.Last week Dad sent me 59 pictures which I've whittled down to fifteen before presenting them to you along with descriptions in his own words (and one or two editorial comments of my own sneaked in here and there in brackets). So say hello to my Dad . . .***1. Snake Charmers. Yes there really are snake charmers in India. I hear they defang these cobras for safety purposes. I have no interest in getting close enough to a cobra to check if they still have fangs are not. Just like a gun, all cobras should be treated like they are loaded.2... More About: Travel , Eyes
Planting Fall Bulbs
2008-09-10 10:00:00 When it comes to planting fall bulbs not only do you get the benefits of gardening you get a mini life-lesson for free because if you prepare well, lay a good foundation and take some time to plan ahead you'll get the rewards down the line.Just when think you can't take any more winter and you're emerging from cold and darkness, up will pop these pretty little flowers and suddenly life is okay once again.I know very little about gardening in warm climates but if you live where the ground freezes I can guide you through the simple steps to guarantee some rewards for your labors.1. Start thinking now. Right now. In Anchorage if you want flowers in the spring you'll need to plant bulbs in the fall by the last week of September at the absolute latest. This is probably a little earlier than for places like Utah, Montana or Minnesota but it never hurts to plan ahead.2. Decide what you want to plant. This will of course be limited by your climate but even here in zone 2 we can get... More About: Flowers , Fall , Planting , Bulbs
Crime Beat
2008-09-09 10:00:00 I often have a hard time sleeping. I go through strange cycles where I'm up at 2 or 3 am and can't relax and the last few nights I've been restless. The house is ghostly in the windy fall nights with the protective visqueen flapping and big black holes where the windows should be gaping like eye sockets. We're rather open to the elements and anyone could walk right in if they had a ladder and some initiative and knowing this makes me anxious.Last night I tossed and turned as the wind picked up, whipping through the open plywood walls and through gaps in the plastic making an eerie whistling sound and flapping the edges in angry crunches. Several times I woke up swearing that I'd heard something drop on the hard main floor below (where the children were sleeping) but after the second time of getting up to investigate I finally decided I was crazy and paranoid and forced myself to ignore the noise so that the rest of the night I drifted in and out of vivid dreams.The alarm we... More About: Crime , Beat
When Good Popsicles Go Bad
2008-09-08 10:01:00 As the summer comes to an end it has me thinking of an earlier time when I had a sunny day and little kids in car seats. Here?s an entry from my journal back on June 24, 2001:***The weather was sunny and hot today and I?ve been busying ferrying the kids around town to various activities to keep them occupied, entertained and cool. Before heading to the library for our weekly round of books I passed out Popsicles to eat in the car and they each had one (red of course) to help beat the heat.But David (age 2) was eating his Popsicle soooooo slowly and as I was driving down Fireweed Lane I heard this pathetic little squeal start up from the back seat. His Popsicle was melting away before his eyes, literally running in tiny rivers down his chubby white arm into his armpit. He wasn?t appreciating the cold sticky sensation his was feeling so in his panic he held his Popsicle as high and as far away from him as he could.This strategy had turned out to be a very bad plan because it had onl... More About: Parenting , Good
Compassion International
2008-09-08 10:00:00 Compassion International is an organization that works around the world to fight poverty, you may have heard of it last year when they organized a group of media people and bloggers to go to Uganda and write about the relief efforts they saw, one of whom was Shannon Lowe from Rocks in My Dryer who gave us wonderful stories of her time in Africa.Well they're doing it again and I wanted to mention that you can look forward to more stories as Compassion International takes another group of writers to the Dominican Republic November 2-7, 2008 to record what's happening there. I was asked to attend but through scheduling conflicts I had to decline so the least I can do is to put you wise as to what you can expect from the other bloggers attending. Who knows, maybe I can get lucky next year and get another invitation to join them then?The Pioneer Woman, 5 Minutes for Mom, Owlhaven and Big Mama are a few of the quality blogs that will be represented this time around which I'd encourage... More About: Poverty , Compassion
Pepperoni Pasta
2008-09-07 10:00:00 Has there ever been a recipe that included the word "pepperoni" that didn't get attention from my family? Probably not, they'd love anything with the stuff. In fact, one of my favorite salads is the Pizza Salad that my cousin Amber shared with us--tasty, very tasty.This pasta is heavy on the red peppers and tomatoes so there are plenty of vitamins along with the fatty pepperoni part--you might try substituting turkey pepperoni for a little less fat and whole wheat pasta for some extra healthy punch. The sauce is spicy and rich enough that it covers the whole wheat well so that if you don't tell them what you've done they'll never know.3 tablespoons olive oil1 onion, thinly diced1 tablespoon minced garlic1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced1 orange bell pepper, seeded and finely diced1 28-ounce can of pureed or finely diced tomatoes1 tablespoon of tomato paste1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped1 teaspoon paprika8 ounces of pepperoni cut in thin strips2 tablespoons choppe... More About: Pasta
Lana's Little Darlins Giveaway
2008-09-06 10:00:00 I don't know about you but I've never really outgrown having a favorite blanket. Mine is a green quilt that I keep at the foot of my bed for some extra protection against chilly Alaskan weather and each of my kids has a favorite flannel quilt of their own.Lana's Little Darlins has beautiful handmade blankets that are the kind that are sure to become a Favorite Blanket--the kind that gets dragged everywhere and loved to death. They're soft and comfy and some like the super soft pink minky have embossed stars and moons along with these beautiful ruffled edges. (My children used to absentmindedly play with the edges of their blankets as they sucked their fingers and drifted off to sleep at nap time so these blankets are making me rather nostalgic).Some of Lana Roerkohl's designs are in modern giant polka dots, some in nubby soft polka dots but they're all beautifully made and machine washable, ready for loving.Of course there are bibs, burbies and aprons as well, the store is ... More About: Children
Sarah Palin from an Inside View
2008-09-05 10:00:00 Last Friday I did my little nod to the minor news of John McCain's vice-presidential selection but I didn't really say much. I'm not a political blogger, not interested in stirring up the deep feelings that political posts can produce, but I have received so many emails--even telephone calls--over the past week asking what I thought about Sarah Palin, if I knew much about her, if I could hand out a quote that might give voters an idea of who they were dealing with that I'm having a hard time keeping quiet.First of all, it's a little strange to see Alaska and our governor as the center of national attention. I don't think we'd receive more attention if Japan decided to invade us up here--and the way the media are suddenly swarming over the town it's as if we have been invaded by Nikon.She's our governor and we're a pretty private people generally--why else does one move to Alaska? It's far enough away that we're a bit distant from the things that go on in the Lower 48 ... More About: Politics , View , Inside
Ten Simple Changes for a More Healthy Diet
2008-09-04 10:00:00 I don?t know about you but I?m not exactly the world?s healthiest cook. I do alright but being firmly of the belief that it?s the calories that make food taste good I?m not at the front of the line when it comes to low-fat dishes.However, there are quite a few little things you can do to improve your eating habits that take very little effort?some are just a matter of avoiding certain items at the grocery story others are as easy as buying one product over another. Here are my favorite healthy-cooking tricks that have helped us stay on the straight and narrow.If they're all surprises to you then maybe just take one or two to tackle and ease into things--just a little change here and a little change there and you'll be on your way to healthier eating in no time.1. Substitute whole wheat pasta for regular pasta. We eat a lot of noodles. A lot. Probably because pasta is my very favorite thing in the world but the regular old egg noodles, besides being a plain and decent carb, j... More About: Food , Diet , Simple , Healthy
Tiny Terrariums, Mini Gardens and Victorian Wardian Cases
2008-09-03 10:01:00 I'm switching from crafts temporarily (storing up energy for the fall-winter holiday season) and for the next month or so will be publishing all sorts of helpful indoor gardening tips to ease from the pleasures of growing things outside to the joy of growing something inside.I'm not sure what appeals to me so much about tiny things but it doesn't matter if we're talking about puppies or poppies small is cute.Not only are terrariums and miniature gardens the solution to small spaces and apartment living but they can be a beautiful addition to your interior design.You don't have to have a fancy antique Victorian Wardian case such as you see above, even a large vase, Mason jar or clear glass cookie jar works well. The key is to plan well.1. Choose your container. I like the Anchor Hocking brand of glass containers they often sell at Walmart because they're decorative and inexpensive but think of any glass container or even a piece of lava rock on a shallow dish is a beautiful ... More About: Mini , Gardens , Tiny , Cases , Miniatures
Update on the Write-Away Contest
2008-09-03 10:00:00 Wow, all I can say is "Wow!"There are some nice people out there who jumped right in and either sent me a new button or offered to put one together. I should send you all flowers!But maybe mentioning their names might be more helpful?This beautiful button was designed by Cally at Calico isn't it pretty?But not only does she deserve my thanks but Jordan at Mamablogga, Summer at Summer's Nook and Ames at Yay Pie! jumped in with their own kind offers of help and if I can convince you to visit their fine blogs (their very fine blogs) then I can in some small way repay their niceness.If you have been a past Write -Away winner or runner-up and would like the code for this updated, sleeker, sexier button then just shoot me an email and it'll be on the way.***I have a few other things to mention:First, Touchpoint is an annual event for women entrepreneurs hosted by Startup Princess. It's being held in Sandy, Utah (that's a suburb of Salt Lake City) on September 26th from 8am-5pm and S... More About: Contest , Contests , Update
You'll Never Find a More Wretched Hive of Scum and Villainy
2008-09-02 10:01:00 Yes, that would be an appropriate title for this post.You see I'm a natural neat freak. I've had people email me and say "Are those pictures you post of your home for real? It's always clean!" To which I shrug sheepishly and say "Yea, it's a thing with me--call it a character flaw--I have to have everything in its place or anxiety starts to creep in." Andrew and I are both weird that way.Well no more. I've officially reached my limit. We're three weeks into this remodel and all of our worldly goods are piled in our kitchen/living room so you can hardly move through the space. The kids are sleeping on the few empty spaces on the floor while the bedrooms are under construction, we have no family room while they're working down there and no heat upstairs. I've been feeling so messy and disorganized and dirty that I've caught myself throwing dirty washrags on the floor and leaving them. I've been leaving dishes in the sink. I've been ignoring the empty rolls of toilet p... More About: Find , Scum , Hive
September's Write-Away Contest
2008-09-02 10:00:00 This month I'm introducing something a little new for the contest, don't worry it's nothing that will make CNN but it's new nonetheless. Keep reading . . .The topic for this month is "Colors" which could be a specific color or about colors in general, however you'd like to write this one up. I favor yellow myself--my bedroom walls are Gypsy Gold and it's my very favorite color in the world. At any rate, decide how you want to tackle this and write you wondrous post following the directions below:1. Write a post or find one in your archives on the topic, "Colors" and email your post's permalink to me at scribbit at gmail.com. The permalink is the URL of the individual post--not the URL of your blog--usually found by clicking on the post title or time stamp and copying the URL that appears in the address field. I will accept entries through Wednesday September 17th. If you fail to meet the September 17th deadline I will still happily publish your link with the list of entr... More About: Contest , Writing
Independence Mine Alaska: Independence Is the Right Word
2008-09-01 10:00:00 Today's Labor Day post is from my favorite writer in the whole world: my husband Andrew. Writing about how parenthood often isn't what you expected, not only was kind enough to take the kids on an overnight camping trip but to then write up the experience as a post for me. It must be true love because who else would do something so nice?***I think we all have those times when we imagine how something is going to turn out with our children, the picture is so clear. Whether it's a perfect camping trip, vacation, help with homework, or whatever the case may be our child is looking at us with those approving eyes telling is in clear terms that we're a great parent.Then the moment comes and it just doesn't happen with the feeling that, "Ugh, I'm just not a good parent."The weekend I took the kids up to Independence Mine was one of those moments for me. Spencer turned eleven this year and is now officially a Boy Scout which I'm pretty excited about because it means we get to ha... More About: Outdoors , Alaska , Word
Breakfast Cherry Baskets
2008-08-31 10:00:00 I was standing in the grocery check out line a couple weeks ago just before lunch time and I was starving. I saw one of those recipe magazines they put together from time to time claiming to have recipes for 75 different pies. SEVENTY FIVE. It was so beguiling I succumbed to temptation right there and took a copy home (I paid for it first, don't worry).And you fine readers will get the benefits of my purchase (along with my family who have been readily rejoicing in my newly found pie craze) because I've been making pies as fast as they can eat them here.These are tidy little packages to present to your hungry horde that are perfect for a fall breakfast and since it's made from prepared foods it goes together very easily.1 package of 8 refrigerated biscuits such as Pillsbury Grands1 can of cherry pie filling1/4 cup all-purpose flour1 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 cup packed brown sugar1/2 cup butter1/2 cup nutsUnroll the biscuits (I love popping those cans) and cut each in half crosswis... More About: Baskets , Breakfast , Cherry
Get Ready for Kindergarten Giveaway
2008-08-30 10:00:00 Cedar Valley Publishing is a company started by Stacey Kannenburg, an educator, author, speaker and mom was looking for books and curriculum to prepare children for their educational careers.The result is Cedar Valley Publishing and the Let's Get Ready for Kindergarten series (which includes Let's Get Ready for First Grade) and the soon-to-be-released Spanish editions of both books.The books are a little different because they're in an easy-to-read storybook type format rather than a workbook where children can practice saying letters, numbers, identifying shapes and colors and other early learning skills. According to the website they've won multiple awards and are in use in 350 schools around the country. To quote Kannenburg:Thirty-eight states are discussing all day 4 year-old Kindergarten because kids are not coming to school prepared. But where are the public service announcements telling parents the 7 things they need to know for Kindergarten testing: the alphabet all ... More About: Children
Sarah Palin--Sarah Who?
2008-08-29 17:21:00 So by now you've probably heard about Sarah Palin, our beloved rookie governor, being chosen as John McCain 's vice presidential candidate.The news has already made it's way around Twitter and there are already things being said about her capability as a mother (she had her fifth child in March, one born with Down's Syndrome) her political history (she was Mayor of the city of Wasilla) and some of the things she's been facing as governor (people are questioning her firing of Walt Monegan because he wouldn't fire her brother-in-law while he was in the midst of a divorce with her sister).In fact it's already been the talk of the house for a full 57 minutes. Andrew took Grace (age 14) to school and this is how the conversation went:"Dad, turn off the radio--I don't want to hear the news.""No, John McCain just picked his Vice Presidential running mate--guess who he chose?""Uh . . . I don't know . . . Obama?""NO!!! Sarah Palin!""Sarah Who?""Sarah Palin! The governor!""She's alr... More About: Alaska
Someone I'd Like You to Meet: Tracy from Dandelion Mama
2008-08-29 10:00:00 It wasn't until Tracy from Dandelion Mama sent me her picks for the Write-Away Contest that I had a chance to check in with her and learn of the tragedy that hit her family that weekend.I've ached for her--their family has had a tough year--and I don't know that there is much I could say to show how sorry I am for their loss. I spoke with Tracy yesterday and enjoyed taking a break from unloading groceries and folding laundry to hear her voice and send support first hand.I know you'll enjoy Dandelion Mama as much as I have, Tracy is amazingly creative. I gasped in amazement at the piano she refinished and I think her paintings are beautiful. She has her own Etsy shop where she has sold her work and besides all this she writes with depth and thoughtfulness. I could go on and on--she's one of the very first bloggers to give me any notice so I'm very loyal.Here are some of the questions I asked her, I'm keeping them in her own words because I couldn't improve on what she's ... More About: Blogging , Meet
Best Views of Anchorage
2008-08-28 10:00:00 This is the post where I play tour guide, taking you on a virtual tour of Anchorage and some of the things you could expect to see here.The only thing missing in the pictures are the bears. Did you hear? We've been overrun lately, with four attacks in the city this summer and last week someone hit a 700 pound grizzly with their car. On a four lane street downtown in front of Cal Worthington Ford. Crazy.1. Cuddy Park is in midtown Anchorage and here in the picture you can see a few of the buildings in the area--one of them is where Andrew used to work before he started his new job a year or so ago. Gosh I make it sound like he's working for the CIA or something. "There's an unnamed building which I can't point out where he used to work for an undisclosed corporation before transferring to another more discreet and unrevealed company." You'll never find him, never. Anyway, I love this new park that has gone in behind the Loussac library, there are trails and a bridge and d... More About: Views , Travel
Making Music with a Homemade Chime
2008-08-27 10:01:00 Years ago I used to do a bit of music instruction. Not so much anymore--I've turned my kids over to the professionals--but when the children were small we enjoyed playing musical games.Making a set of musical chimes is easy enough, the biggest obstacle is having access to a saw that can cut the pipe into the right lengths. Luckily I have a wonderful grandfather who has a shop full of equipment and he helped me to cut my pipe then drill little holes in the tops so I could string them up.Here's what to do:1. Buy a 12-foot piece of 9/16 inch diameter pipe (that's the measurement of the opening, the diameter of the pipe itself is 11/16 inch) and cut it into the following lengths:for E - 7 5/8 inchesfor D - 8 1/8 inchesfor C - 8 3/4 inchesfor B - 9 inchesfor B flat - 9 5/16 inchesfor A - 9 9/16 inchesfor G - 10 1/16 inchesfor F sharp - 10 5/16 inchesfor F - 10 5/8 inchesfor E - 11 inchesfor D - 11 3/4 inchesfor C - 12 5/16 inchesfor B - 12 7/8 inches2. Drill two small holes on eit... More About: Music , Crafts , Chime
Cork Ladders: The Hot Plate with Style
More articles from this author:2008-08-26 10:00:00 Do people still call these things trivets? Hot plates? Hot pads? I came across a designer who makes these brilliant thingies labeled as "Cork Ladders" and I've got to say that's the best name yet.Hetta, a Swedish company, takes lengths of cork and strings them together alternately with beads to create these long, beautiful, functional treats for the table and the minute I saw them I said "Wow!" Followed by "I can do that!"So instead of doing the easy thing and just buying one for myself I spent much more time than sanity permits to track down the supplies and put my own cork ladder together.First off, I could not find cork strips. Cork sheets, cork tiles, corks for bottles but no lengths of cork either in the stores here in Anchorage or on the internet which meant that I was forced to go to Plan B.I instead bought 1-inch by 1-inch balsa wood strips--much more readily available--at the craft store and cut them into eight-inch lengths. I figured that though regular craft wood was... More About: Kitchen , Style 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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