Work Conversation

It was almost time to go when a supervisor came in and we were started chatting. The lady from the Temporary service we use was there too.

 He asked if I've ever heard of Stinko De Mayo. I looked at him funny and asked him what it was. It's basically something a Radio Station did. Where you would bob for prizes in mayonnaise. He said it was so gross. People would throw up in it and and other people would still bob for prizes after they had...

The Temporary Lady said "My stomach just twinged".
I looked at her totally horrified at the though of bobbing for prizes after someone puked in it and blurted out "Your stomach just twinged? Mine just jumped and hid behind my uterus!"

Epiration Date of NEW Clothing

Have we all noticed the EXTREME decline in quality clothing?

So far no brand has been exempt. JMS (Just My Size), Wrangler, Faded Glory, Riders & Levi Strauss all have a basic life span of 6 months or less these days.

It's truly disgusting how badly we are being cheated by these companies. Not only have the prices gone up, but the quality has gone so far down, that none of them has quality you can trust. 
I recently bought a pair of JMS jean that literally wore out in 3 months. The pants were slightly to big to boot! I am distrustful of all these old trusted companies. Their lack of quality has sent even one I know looking for clearance and hugely discounted sales for clothing.

I am currently trying out the Costco brand 'Kirkland' and the brands running through their store in hopes that Costco standards have been enforced on these companies.

I bought a pair of Kirkland brand shoes (they were only $16) that has recently just past the 6 month expiration date that any other brand of shoes I have bought fall apart by.

I think some sort  of quality regulation should be enforced.
I am thoroughly disillusioned with all of them!

Someone give a name we can trust!

Change Your Path

In reality, there is no perfect life. No perfect relationship.
You have to assess the pro's and con's of your life, your relationships and your jobs.
Most things that are really worth it in life, are a long hard struggle. If it was easy, we couldn't appreciate it.
~
In your life there are things that you can and can not change.

You can't change the past. Deal with the wounds and move on as best you can.
Know that nothing heals instantly. Everything takes a little time.
Don't let something wound you so badly that you can't move past it. Living in the past can and will only harm your quality of life. I'm not saying forget your past, learn and grow from it.

You can change the path in your life. But no one said that that is easy.
If your life depresses you so drastically that it affect your health, your quality of life and the company of your good friends, perhaps it's time to change it. It's scary and its a hard thing to do, but change it. Even the smallest change for the better, can be in your benefit.
If your friends, partner and family love you, they will accept you've changed and love you all the more for it. Unfortunately, if they don't, it's part of what you may need to change in order to better yourself..... sometimes even to save yourself.
Harming others will not make you feel better. In fact it will make you unhappy with yourself. Or in some cases unhappier. ....

And I do swear, if you've changed things in your life for the better, life will occasionally remind you of what you chose to leave behind. Give you a glimpse of the improvement when you least expect it.
I've more than once in my life have had to say "I didn't realize how stressful my life was before until I had to deal with it again".. on several aspects of my past in fact.

Right now after my view again of what I could still be living with, I'm extremely grateful for the Man and the Son that I have.
The love and support of family and friends (you know who you are) who have been an asset and have stayed in my life through all my changes good and bad.

But right now, I'm extremely glad that I changed my path.....

Easy Peazy Lemon Squeezy

So yesterday at work they were trying to figure out how to put an allergen sticker on cream containers. Since we all know those gallon containers tend to get condensation on them the stickers wouldn't stick on them. I was out at my last break and could hear them paging me to receiving. Them I heard my boss call me to receiving. I finished my break and went into the office. Then I was told my boss wanted me in receiving. So I went strolling on up only to find they were trying to get an allergen label to stick to the jug. Then they were apparently looking for a color code marker to write on them. I laughed and said "watch this."..
I walked over wrapped the label around the handle and slapped on around the other side so that they suck to each other.
 

 Problem solved in under a minute. Apparently, they'd been working on it at least a half a hour. So I sent my boss this photo and wrote on it the following message "easy peazy lemon squeeze. Problem solved ". He never commented back... lol

"Its not my job!"

My boss comes in and says "Why didn't you tell me that you still have that? I could have had So and So do it"
This in regards to the lot trace data entry I've been doing for years...
"I've been doing it every day." I said Probably a little pissy. I've heard will have someone help or do this for several years now...
Then I looked at my boss and asked "Can I tell everyone it's not my job."
He looks at me and starts to say "yess.... Wait in regards to what?"
"I'm not the computer tech.... I'm.." I started to continue...but he cut me off. "Yes you can. But you are not ALLOWED to tell me it's not your job." He stated firmly then was looking at the Temp resource lady and asked me but a moment later "Are we out of large hairnets?"
I looked at him and said " I don't know. " and as quick as a wink while starting to laugh I said "IT"S NOT MY JOB!"
He started to say something then stopped and stated "You're right. It's not your job."
At this point I totally lost it laughing. For several minutes in fact. So hard that he kept looking back through the office windows as he walked away. ....... and several times on the way home I was laughing...... LOL cause "Its not my job!"

Christmas 2013

Just a taste of what my Holiday consisted of...

Santa was here!

Slippers

Skylander Shirt

Dragon

Our Dog with it's new Lamb Chop Toy

Dragon & Troll

Epic

Rolling in the aftermath!

Lounging in his new Big Joe Chair.

John Steiner ~ Author

Rolled Vanilla Cookies

Yes I'm that mom.. I decorated the cookies..

Ornament Craft Holiday Gift 2013

So last year I post my Holiday Craft. Making personalized ornaments. "Baby's first Christmas... Memory ornaments for Christmas.. ETC"
You can find it HERE (Ornament Holiday Craft Gift).
Now this year we gave it a little twist.
I couldn't find the pre-painted ornaments like last year. Have no idea why, but I was going to be dismayed over a simple thing like that.

Ornament Craft Holiday Gift 2013

I found clear glass Ornaments for $4.99 for a box of four at Micheals (3.97$ at walmart).
Fake Snow Flakes for $3.79. (The bag looks small but I haven't even made a dent in it. A little goes a long way)

FolkArt Multi Surface Paint

I bought permanent Paints $1.50-$2 a bottle. (I haven't even made a dent in these wither and I've made 8 ornaments so far). After it cures for 21 days it can no longer be removed (or they say you can bake it to make it permanent).
You DO NOT need to stick to this brand. Just make sure what ever paint you buy, will paint on glass effectively. I just found it appealing that it becomes permanent and then can  be ran through a dishwasher.... In other words, I can use it for other personalized gifts like plate or mugs...

I also found 3-D stickers $1.49 (Get the smallest ones to use on ornaments. and in retrospect I would take off the double sided sticky tape and attach with a glue gun if you have one. I didn't so used what was on them.  - I now have a glue gun coming. I may re- attach them with it if it gets here early enough).
I have paint brushes I use for my Cakes, but you DON'T want to mix food paint brushed with regular paint brushes. Once you use them for paint, they are no longer viable for food! So I bought more paint brushes.

Things you will need other than listed above.
Scissors
thread (string, fishing line, or some decorative threads -Your choice)
Glue - I was using elmers (tape if no glue available)
Paper - For your template and to make a throw away funnel to get you snow flakes in).
Pen or Pencil
Wallet Sized Photos (or photos you can cut out) .


 The first thing you want to do is make your template. So this time, I found a lid about the same size as  the circumference of my ornament and traces it out for a smooth circle.  Now I was smart. I rolled it up and dropped it in the ornament to make sure it fit. It was  a hair to big and I trimmed it down, but you see the point. Better to re-cut your template then to waist a photo.

 Next you'll want to place your 2 photos back to back.I put a little bit of glue on the back of the two photos I was using, smeared it around and put them together. Now you want to let them dry if you do it this way, so they wont move when you cut them out with the template. Make sure you don't do the entire surface. You're going to want to leave room to glue in your string at the top after you gut them out. So the bottom section of the back is enough. (If you're in a hurry, use tape.)

When your glue is dry;
center you template over the face on the picture (you could just use a picture that is beautiful and scenic too. Don't get stuck on specifics ) . You can use a larger photo and make it the size of the entire circumference, but I found I like the look of the straight edge on the sides when it's in the ornament. But you make prefer the full circle, use a larger photo.

 Next glue the thread/string at the top, between the two photos. So basically pry the top part (that I instructed you not to glue) open, put a small dab a glue in there, put the string on the glue, and press the photos back together. Catch and clean up any glue that might come out from in-between the two photos.

Now in order to get the photo in the ornament, you need to roll it to the size of the hole. Don't fold it. You'll ruin the photo and never get it to flatten out in the ornament. (Yes my other half  asked last year " and you folded it to get it in there"). I used the handle of my paint brush to reach in and flatten out the photos. It's not always as easy as it looks. You have to press the  pictures against the inside of the ornament to flatten out the rounded edges from rolling it up to get it in there.  Be patient and take your time, or you may end up folding the picture anyway and ruining it.



Right now you're wondering what the string is for. It's to keep the photo from twisting all around the ornament. I learned on the first one I made. They move!



You have the wire that's bent to make it springy, so when it's put in it won't fall out. The wire is put through two holes. You too are going to use these two holes. You have two ends of string. You'll put one through each hole so you can tie the photo to the top after it's put back on. This will keep it from rolling around and turning upside down. Cut the end short, but not so short it could slip the knot
(You can also put the top back on and weave it through the metal leaves rather than poking it through the hole, but unless you use thin thread it will be visible). See last yearsCLICK  HERE Ornament Holiday Craft Gift. Photos of these steps.

So your next step (and it can be done prior to putting your pictures in there, but let it dry completely before putting you photos in) is painting on your Chrismasy  decorations. I went the easy route. I painted the bottom white and wavy for snow (use two coats). I painted 3 round white circles  of three different sizes to make the snowman ( 2 coats). When that dried I painted the eyes, nose, mouth and arms in black on it. Then painted on a scarf. A few have painted little hats on them.

Hand Painted Snowman

I also chose to paint on snow covered trees. I looked at an ornament from last year and figured I could do it. let dry completely.

Hand Painted Trees

I also painted tiny white snowflakes on the outside  like this *.  If you click on the pictures and make them larger you can see them. I just put them randomly around it.

The 3-D stickers were for a different POP effect. See my snowflake above. These were put on after I painted them.

For my out new Babies this  year I put on these stickers.

3-D Stickers

3-D Stickers

I painted on their names and the year on them.

With a cute little picture  of them inside.

With this one of my Friends whole family I got crafty. See the Merry Christmas 2013  on the photo. I put that on there before I had it printed. I love Photoshop!.

 So there you have it. This Years Hand Crafted Personalized Gift Ornaments. Cute or what!