Finally Friday Fun – Paper Craft Fun

I have been working on some new content for the site, I just haven’t organized myself quite enough yet to actually get the new content up and viewable.  I hope to remedy that this weekend.  I have been working on some natural recipes and sampling some new organic foods from my home state of Michigan that I will be highlighting in the weeks to come.

In the meantime, let me suggest this little paperstore for some really fun videos on how to beautify your home and life with easy to watch and copy video paper crafts.   If you are looking to a weekend with nothing planned yet, definitely stop by this site for some ideas.  I spent hours here putting together ideas for some ways to spruce up the house this spring.

Happy Birthday!

Shampoo and Conditioner Review

I am picky when it comes to my shampoo and conditioner. I like my shampoo to leave my hair feeling clean and clear, while I need my conditioner to leave my hair feeling soft and tangle-free. I have thik, curly, over-treated hair that tends to be a bit brittle and dry so while I will sometimes accept a less than perfect shampoo, I will not settle on my conditioners. I have always stuck to one or two brands that were recommended by my hair dresser until I decided to go all natural this past summer.

I have been through a ton of products, and have been mostly disappointed. Yes TO Carrots does stand out though, and has easily been my favorite product so far. I have pretty much stopped trying others, as the price is decent and I really like what it does for my hair. It does meet the minimum requirements from above and is also paraben-free and free of phthalates. I did try the Yes TO Tomatoes shampoo and conditioner first, and was not quite as happy with it.  I believe that Drugstore.com is running a sale right now on the entire line, but you should be able to find this product at most national drugstore chains and even at Target and Walmart.

Book Review – The Year of the Hangman by Gary Blackwood

As I was sitting in my office at work Friday afternoon, contemplating a weekend full of housework and errand running, I got a yucky gurgling feeling in my stomach and a dull ache began in my fingers.  By 5 pm, I was flat on my back with the flu, and feeling pretty darn miserable.  That was the only excuse I needed to put everything else on hold and have a mini reading marathon of my own.

One of the books I read this weekend was recommended to me by DD.  It was Gary Blackwood’s book which she had to read for her English class a few years back.  I had never read an alternate history book before (let alone heard of what the author called uchronia), but since I love historical fiction it seemed like a good choice.

The Year of the Hangman is a thought provoking book that dares to imagine how things may have progressed had the colonists not won the Revolutionary War.  George Washington is captured and most of the famous founding fathers are in hiding when the story opens.  There were many things I liked about this book, most of them where the characters.  I think for such a short book the author did a great job of creating characters that were real and that I cared for.  I especially liked both Ben Franklin and Benedict Arnold, but the fictional characters were also well done.  What I didn’t care for so much was the tone at the end of the book and the preachy feeling it took on.  I disagree with the author’s sentiment about war so I am sure that biased me a bit.

My favorite quote from the book is this:

I’ve learned that honor is not measured by words; it’s measured by deeds.

Overall, I did enjoy the book and read the whole thing in one sitting.  For those of you who are putting together lists for long challenges, I would recommend adding this one to that list.

Free Organization – DIY Style

I had forgotten about a site I used to regularly visit for all of my time managment/organization help.  But today I was in desperate need to find a quick, and FREE, way to track my daily tasks at work.  I know I can use Outlook, and I probably should, but it is boring, and to be honest, I really like to have paper in my hands for lists.

Anyway, a quick look at the D*I*Y Planner site quickly had me downloading forms like crazy.  I found a simple weekly to-do list that will work to keep my work tasks organized.  I then moved on to planners designed for busy moms.  I found one to organize my shopping and menu planning on one page, and another one that will let me copy our monthly calendar from our kitchen wall and keep with me all the time.

I am all about saving money and getting organized this year and I will be going back to this site time and again I think.  Hmmm. . .I do need something for keeping track of my vegetable garden . . .and my book challenges . . . and websites to link to . . .

Dewey’s Books Reading Challenge – List

I have spent a couple of days now going over the reviews at The Hidden Side of a Leaf and have my list set for the challenge.  I do however, reserve the right to change my mind at any moment for any reason.  Most likely, as I go back through the reviews I may just find other books that interest me more, but here is my first attempt at a list:

2003 – The Buffalo Soldier by Chris Bohjalian

2004 – The Inner Circle by T.C. Boyle but may change to The Lovely bones by Alice Sebold

2005 – Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood or Saturday by Ian McEwan

2006 – Outlander by Diana Gabaldon or March by Geraldine Brooks

2007 – The Pesthouse by Jim Crace

2008 -  How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff