Tipful Tuesday - Vinyl Tiles

Vinyl Tiles

Who knew vinyl tiles had sooooo many uses?  You will be baffled by the clever ways you can repurpose these peel-and-stick squares, with and without the paper backing.

Project against leaks....line the bottom of a cabinet under a sink to prevent water damage or cover one that's already been beat up...just be sure to fix the leak first.  J

Make a jig....a measured length of tile becomes a guide for drilling holes a consistent distance apart...when installing new cabinet knobs, for example

Pad your clamps....use tile scraps as barriers to keep metal clamp feet from denting your wood-working project

Clad a birdhouse roof....to create rainproof covering, use a utility knife to cut tiles into small rectangles, and layer the 'shingle' courses.  For long-term adhesion, dot the back of each piece with waterproof glue

Decorate a lampshade....cast a shadowy design by sticking small tile pieces, trimmed into shapes, to the inside of an inexpensive paper shade

Create plant coasters....for a no-ring solution under a potted plant, cut two tiles into matching circles and stick them back to back

Shim stuff....use cut strips to stabilize a leaning bookcase or a wobbly table, or to align a door during installation

Add a backsplash....cover the wall behind the washer and dryer or the utility sink of a hit of color and an easy wipe-clean surface

Scoop up messes....a tile makes a great in-a-pinch dustpan.  Press one edge flat to the floor; hold the other side up to make a snow-shovel-like curve against which to sweep your broom

Customize wood shutters...draw a shape on a tile and cur it out to make a template.  center the guide on the shutter's top panel, trace the shape, and use a jigsaw to cut the wood

I hope you found at least one helpful tip using your vinyl tiles.

I'm linking to some of these fabulous parties!

Happy Tuesday Friends

xoxo

Suit Up Swaggernauts!

There is a new set of collector bills in town....sports style!

Beginning Friday, July 27th at Midnight PDT we will be introducing Swag Sports: our newest edition of Collector’s Bills.  You have until August 12th at 11:59pm PDT to collect them all!

Not sure what Collector's Bills are?  They are Limited Edition Swag Bucks Bills that you can win by using Swagbucks Search.  Sometimes when you search during the time frame you will receive a limited edition bill other times you'll earn a normal Swag Buck Bill.  

Six of the collector bills have already been released; the last three will be released August 7th, August 8th and August 9th and you have until August 12th at 11:59 PM PST to collect them all.  

If you fortunate enough to collect all NINE you will receive a bonus of 15 swagbucks.  

Your not a member yet?  What are you waiting for?  

Go here to sign up and starting winning!

Happy searching and swaggin'

Quote of the Week

I believe I really need to read this one many many times.  ♥♥♥

Summer Reads

I love the read!  I wish I could read more than what I do; but I average a book a month.  I'm not a slow reader ♥♥♥ just don't have the time.  Here a few I've come across that I'm curious about.  

Not sure why, but I think they seem a little blurry.  L  

Have you read these books?  Do you know anyone who has? I'd love to have some feedback. 

I only wish these were free e-books. J

What's on your bookshelf?  Thanks for stopping by!

Daily Goal Meter with Swagbucks

There are still a few days left in the month for you to work on earning your July bonus; which will be added to your Swagbucks account by August 5th.  The Daily Goal Meter will RESET on August 1st at Midnight PDT, and you can then begin working on your August bonus. 

Every day that you visit Swagbucks, there is a set goal displayed on the Daily Goal Meter on the Swagbucks homepage.  There is also a bonus displayed that you can earn if you achieve the goal for the day.  Each day’s bonus is added up and applied as a TOTAL at the end of the month .

Here is what Wednesday’s meter looked like:

The goal was 120 Swag Bucks with a 15 Swag Buck bonus.  This means that if you earned at least 120 Swag Bucks on Wednesday, you also earned a 15 Swag Buck bonus that will be applied with the rest on August 5th.  Yesterday's goal was 80 Swag Bucks with an 8 Swag Buck bonus if you reach the goal.

If you hit the goal for 7 straight days, then you miss a couple of days, but return and hit the goal 7 straight days again.  You would earn 25 Swag Bucks, plus the daily bonus for each day that you hit the goal, for the first 7 days, and ANOTHER 25 Swag Bucks, plus the daily bonus for each day you hit the goal, for the second 7 days.  This means you would have earned 50 Swag Bucks in addition to the daily bonuses earned.  How cool is that?  

So far in July the daily bonuses add up to 215 Swagbucks.....just for doing things you do everyday!  So if you reached your goal every day until yesterday you would have earned an additional 215 swagbucks!!!!  I don't know about you, but I like the looks of that number added to my total.  And on top of that you'd would earn the extra bonuses!

So, what are you waitin' for?  Christmas is only 6 months away.  

Happy Swaggin'

Tasteful Thursday - Banana Split Dessert

One of my favorite summertime desserts......

Yields:          15 servings

Prep Time:    25 minutes plus chilling

Ingredients:

• 2 cups reduced-fat graham cracker crumbs (about 10 whole crackers)
• 5 tablespoons reduced-fat margarine, melted
• 1 can (12 ounces) cold reduced-fat evaporated milk
• 3/4 cup cold fat-free milk
• 2 packages (1 ounce each) sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 medium firm bananas, sliced
• 1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed
• 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, optional
• 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
• 5 maraschino cherries, quartered

Directions:

• Combine cracker crumbs and margarine; press into a 13 x 9 inch dish coated with cooking spray
• In a large bowl, whisk the evaporated milk, fat free milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes (mixture will be thick)
• Spread pudding evenly over crust.  Layer with bananas, pineapple and whipped topping.  Sprinkle with nuts, drizzle with chocolate syrup.  Top with cherries.
• Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting

FYI.....I have made this before with regular ingredients and not reduced fat or fat free and it's just as delicious!

Linking to some of these wonderful parties.

Happy Thursday my friends!

Earn Swagbucks with your Mobile Phone

Swagbucks has now launched a mobile site for iPhone and Android.  Make the most of the mobile site and click here to watch the video tutorial.  

In honor of the mobile site launch, Swagbucks is offering extra Swagbucks for new members.  When you register simply enter the code SBISONTHEGO for a whoppin' additional 60 Swagbucks; normally you start with only 30.....you'll start with 90 if you join now.  

Here's how to get started.....

• Sign-up for Swagbucks with your name, email, password, zip code and birthdate ~ make sure to enter SBISONTHEGO when you join
• If you run into any problems, contact 'support' for help.
• Use Swagbucks as your search engine to earn more Swagbucks towards gift cards and EVEN cash via paypal!

So don't delay; the special code is only good until Friday, August 3rd at 11:59 PM PST.

Happy Swaggin'

Tipful Tuesday - Household Helpers

A few tips I found from multiple magazines, websites, books and everywhere in between that I wanted to share.

If you spill wine, juice, coffee, etc. on a carpet - pour regular table salt in a heap on top of the stain and it will absorb the liquid.  You simply have to vacuum it up.  

Wad up some newspaper, place it in the trash can, and sprinkle 1/2 cup baking soda on it. The baking soda and the newspaper will absorb odors and catch spills.

Get rid of pesky fruit flies - take a small glass fill it 1/2 way with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid and mix well.  You will find those pesky fruit flies drawn to the cup and gone forever.

Christmas Ornaments - Use egg cartons for storing small, delicate pieces. Use tissue paper saved from gifts to cushion them.

Organize your tupperware with CD racks

Use a lint roller to clean up glitter and tiny pieces of construction paper after craft time.....whoever thought of this is a genius!  ♥♥♥

Baby Oil as Paint Remover - Dab some baby oil on splatters to remove latex paint from skin

Olive Oil as Sap Remover - If dragging and decking out fresh spruce leaves you with sticky digits, pour a tablespoon of oil onto a cloth, then rub until clean. Bonus: The oil is a great moisturizer for dry winter skin.

Tape as Keyboard Cleaner - Remove dust and crumbs from a keyboard - slide a

short strip between the letters

Aluminum Foil as Glassware Scrubber - To get baked-on food off a glass pan or an oven rack, use dishwashing liquid and a ball of foil in place of a steel-wool soap pad, It's one way to recycle those used but perfectly good pieces of foil you hate to throw out.

I hope you found some useful tips!!!!

Linking to some of these wonderful parties!

Happy Tuesday Lovelies!!!!!!

Sunflower and Bee Wreath

I absolutely love fun fur.  I don't knit or crochet (although I used to) I love to create with it.  I have lots of this yarn at home and I wasn't sure what to make until I saw this ladybug wreath.  I fell in love with this wreath the instant I saw it and right away the creative juices started flowing.  

I started out with a 

• straw wreath
• sunflowers
• bees
• ribbon
• 2 skeins of black yarn and
• 2 skeins of salt and pepper yarn (I can't remember the correct name)

I used a skein of black and a skein of salt pepper at the same time and just started wrapping around the wreath.  I left the plastic on the wreath so it was easier to wrap.  At least I thought so.  J  I just keep wrapping until the entire wreath form was covered.

Sorry I don't have a picture of the sunflowers.  I found long stemmed sunflowers in the clearance section at the craft store years ago and knew I had to have them.  They finally came in handy.  ♥♥♥  I took the stems off and just hot glued them to the wreath and glued the bee to look like it was in the sunflowers.

I tied a zebra grossgrain ribbon around the top with a bow and you're done.  I made this wreath one night while watching TV with the family.  Hence the shortage of pictures.  

Linking up to some of these fabulous parties!

I hope you enjoy!  Thanks for stopping by!

Weekend Fun

My extended family and I spent the last four days resting, relaxing and enjoy the outdoors.

However, we don't use tents.....and our campsite looks a little better than this.  J

Happy Sunday....I have you are having a fabulous weekend!

Quote of the Week

Happy Sunday!!!!!

Mega Swagbucks Friday....

 On Fridays, your earning potential increases (but you need to join first).  Here's how to get started:

• Sign-up for Swagbucks with your name, email, password, zip code and birthdate.
• If you run into any problems, contact 'support' for help.
• Use Swagbucks as your search engine to earn more Swagbucks towards gift cards and EVEN cash via paypal!

Here are a few tips that I've found to help you earn an easy 45 Swagbucks a day....a $5 Amazon Gift Card is only 450 Swagbucks....in ten days you could have one too!

• Download the Swagbucks Toolbar - sign in everyday using the toolbar will give you 1 SB
• Answer the Daily Poll Question - 1 SB
• Ad Rewards - watch ads; enter the numbers you see - 1 SB per video
• Scroll through special offers for videos ranging from 1 -3 SB and any other offers you like; most are free; they have surveys
• Use the search engine....use it often; I normally get 8 - 10 SB a day for searching
• Watch TV - 3 SB for every 10 videos you watch (they are short)
• Play Games - 2 SB for every 2 games played (you can get 10 SB per day)
• Video Ads - 3 SB (normally sent to you via inbox)
• SwagCodes - watch for SwagCodes ranging from 5 - 8 Swagbucks
• Trusted Surveys - I normally don't qualify; but once in a while I will for 25 or 50 SB; for every survey you are not qualified for you'll earn 1 SB up to 5 SB a day
• NOSO (No Obligation Special Offers) easy 2 SB
• visit http://www.swagbucks.com
• click on 'Ways to Earn' then NOSO
• click 'starting earning now' - orange circle on left side of page
• SKIP through the offers until the end
• enter word verification
• Win when your friends win....you'll earn Swagbucks when they do and you'll see your earnings increase.

Have you joined yet?  At Swagbucks you are rewarded for searching the web.  I joined Swagbucks in December and have already received amazon gift cards and paypal cash!

You can earn many different gift cards and prizes; I prefer Amazon gift cards....it's like getting free presents...NO it is getting free presents.

Happy Friday and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Tasteful Thursday - Slow Cooker Pork

This is the EASIEST pork sandwich you will ever make.  You only need three ingredients.  Remember the Smoky-Sweet BBQ Rub from here; this is the recipe I attach to the jar with the gift.  

Ingredients:

• 1 (4 to 5 pound) bone in pork roast butt
• 1/4 cup Smokey - Sweet BBQ Rub (recipe can be found here)
• 1 1/4 cups bottled barbecue sauce

Directions:

• Cut butt pork roast in half and trim pork.  Rinse and pat dry
• Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Smoky-Sweet BBQ Rub; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes
• Place pork in lightly greased slow cooker, fat sides up. Cover and cook on LOW 7 hours or until meat is tender and shreds easily
• Transfer pork to cutting board, cool slightly and discarding liquid
• Shred pork with 2 forks - stir 1 1/4 cups barbecue sauce into pork
• Return pork mixture to slow cooker, cover and cook on HIGH 30 minutes or transfer pork mixture to a 2-qt baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes

My family loves when I make this when we are camping!  So easy and so delicious.  

Linky to these fabulous weekly parties!

Happy Thursday my friends!

WOW-O-WOWZA Wednesday {17}

Today my little munchkin turns 6....where has the time gone!!!! I feel like just yesterday she was a baby and I was still feeding her bottles!!!!

In honor of her birthday I thought I'd share some birthday party themes and party ideas.  ♥♥♥

Giant Helium Mylar Balloon - I know this isn't a party idea...put this balloon is adorable (at least in my opinion) J

I absolutely love this Strawberry Shortcake Party Pack

Hello Kitty Birthday Kit - another one of her favorites

What a fabulous idea for a PJ Craft Party?

Princess Garden Party 

Homemade Strawberry Shortcake Party

Strawberry Shortcake - I just ♥♥♥ the little pink hats on the containers

 

Balloon Wreath

Birthday Question and Answer Album

What party ideas and traditions do you have?  I'd love to hear!

Thanks for stopping by!