Freebie Friday - Jan 18

 There are several ways free things find their way to my house. Sometimes I win them. Sometimes I ask for them, and sometimes I use coupons to acquire them. This week I got something each of these ways.

Not everything that I get for free comes in the mail. Some of it comes from the grocery store.  Two different kinds of cereal had coupons for freebies recently. One coupon was printed on the inside of the cereal box, while the other coupon was the kind that required me to buy the cereal in order to get the other item for free.  In fact, it was a freebie sample a couple of years ago that first introduced me to the Kashi line. I find their products in the natural food section of the grocery store, and I had a choice of crackers or chewy granola bars with the purchase of a box of their cereal.  I've had many of their products since that first free sample, and really like them, so for them it was a good investment.  I chose the Cherry Chocolate bars this time because I remember them to be a great treat.

As for the Yoplait yogurt tubes, well, I chose them from the other options because I thought my grandchildren might enjoy them if they come for a visit before I eat them all.  They are always looking for a snack when they are here. I had never tried these before, and now that I have, I doubt I'd let the little guy get his hands on one. He'd likely get it all over himself and the room rather than in his tummy.  They are creamy, but runnier than the usual yogurt I buy, so I didn't find them as filling either.

I saved $6.58  by not having to pay for these two items and though I did buy a box of cereal at full price, at least it was one I already know I will enjoy.

In the mail this week, I received a pendant that I won on a blog contest.  I've come to find that blogs are a great place to enter contests because there is not nearly as much competition.  I think I've won 3 or 4 such contests so far.  The pendant apparently has a lot of meaning behind it.  Check out Bonnie's blog to learn more.




 

And lastly, I got a pastel pencil from a company called Conte a Paris that offered a sample of  their brand.  I have never done much with pastels, but I may be inspired to try something now that I have a sample to test out along with the ones I have here.

Sometimes, as I said, all you have to do is ask for a sample, and you get it.

Freebie Friday - Jan 11

It happens every year.  Publishers all decide to compete for your attention by sending all kinds of deals to get you to subscribe to their magazines.  I try hard to resist, but I don't always succeed.

While e-mails with welcome back offers arrived for some, I got actual sample issues from both Prevention Magazine and Good Times.  Good times also included a bookmark, and promised a new watch if I subscribed, and a matching bracelet if I did it quickly.  I think I'll pass as I have plenty of reading material here as it is.

I also received my third and final free issue of Canadian Living.  The Sample Source people gave out free 3 month subscriptions a while back, and now that my last issue has arrive, so has a message offering me the final 9 months of a year's subscription for just $9.  They have a big round ball on the ad saying that's just $9 a copy.  Ha.  They aren't thinking straight.  That's $9 for the entire year, since I didn't have to pay for the first 3 issues at all.  Looking at it that way, it's only 75 cents an issue.  That's a deal that's hard to pass up.  I've been trying all week, but I do love to flip through magazines, and I know I'm never going to get another offer as cheap as that.

Have you looked at the price of magazines on the newsstand lately?  Actually, it's hard to find a price listed on most of them any more.  I think they are ashamed to print it.  You are darn lucky if you can find one as low as $4.99 these days.  A new one I really wanted to try last week cost $15.99, and that's before adding on another couple of bucks for taxes.   That does it.  While I really am trying to cut back on my magazines, I suddenly don't think I can afford to pass up the deal of 9 more months of Canadian Living for just $9....especially now that I've clicked though to the renewal and see that actually includes the taxes!.

Going Postal

Just before Christmas I won a pendant that has not arrived here yet. There's a reason for that.  It seems that the parcel got sent back to the sender because it was short seven cents in postage. The strange thing is that three such parcels were sent out, with the same amount of postage on them, all to Ontario addresses, and only the one that was meant for me got sent back.

The sender didn't get it back right away, and when she did, she notified me that she has now added more than the extra asked for, and it is once again on the way.  I think the parcel likely got all the way to my village before it ran into trouble. And I'm sure it cost the post office more than that seven cents to send it back.  Some people just have to exercise their authority, even if it doesn't make any sense. 

Freebie Friday

I mentioned I was going to try reporting on the free things I get in the mail.  I don't know how often I'll have something to report, so we'll just have to see how this goes.  For instance, this past week, I only received one free thing, and I'll tell you about that at the end, but for now, let me tell you about a couple of other things that have arrived recently.

The first is pre-release copy of a book by Michael Moss called Salt, Sugar, Fat. Probably like most of you, I thought it would be about how these ingredients are not good for us, how to eliminate them from our diets, and perhaps a few recipes to get us started.  I was wrong. This book is far more fascinating than that. It's a well written, in depth look at the food industry, and how the products we all know came into being and developed over the years. It names companies like Kellogg's, Kraft, Campbell's and the soft drink giants that produce Coke, Pepsi, and even Dr Pepper, as well as other.

Did you know that the amount of sugar and cheese that we each eat today has tripled since 1970?  No wonder there is an obesity epidemic today. I was very interested in the story of how the US Government was responsible for the increase in cheese production, how the excess was stored, and how it finally made it's way into a lot of everyday foods as time went by. 

 There are stories about the science behind product development, and how advertising and product placement get our attention, and get us to buy more. One thing became very clear, and that is that processed foods could not exist without salt, sugar or fat.  Even some of the people who used to work for these companies now know that in order to avoid these substances, they also have to avoid the very foods those companies produce. While I do a lot of my own baking, and seldom buy convenience foods, I'm starting to think the cans and boxes that are currently in my house may be greatly reduced in the future. I will likely make more of my own soups and salad dressings and maybe even bread in the future.

I think this is an important piece of literature that will withstand the test of time, and will likely be a great reference book about the food industry for many years to come.  It's a thick book (over 400 pages) but not difficult reading.  It will be available for purchase March 12, 2013.  Look for it when the time comes.  I think everyone should read it.

The second thing I'll tell you about this week is Dawn Dish Detergent.  I got a couple of sample packs.  I seem to remember that this is the brand they used to advertise as being gentle enough to soak your fingers in, before a manicure.  I think they're right.  It does seem gentle. I have not felt the need to reach for the hand lotion immediately after washing dishes, as I often do with my regular brand.  Dawn also has a gentle, but pleasant scent.  That seems to be about where the gentleness ends though as even a little cleans my dishes to the point where they practically squeak.  Even the casserole dish I baked some scalloped potatoes in the other night came clean without using much of the usual elbow grease. Hubby commented that he liked the smell and that the bubbles seemed to last well too. Sometimes these little samples that companies send me cause me to switch brands. This may be one of those times.

And finally, the free thing I received this week was from Canadian Free Stuff.com.  I had previously received a free fridge magnet from them for posting 50 times.  This time I received a ring for posting 150 times.  While I've seen pictures of other rings they have sent out in the past that had more sparkles, this one was rather plain by comparison.  But free is free, and since it's a bit big for me anyway, it will make a great treasure to leave behind in some geocache come spring.

I won something from Canadian Free Stuff.com this week too, but I'll tell you more about that when it arrives.

Resolutions and Goals

This picture is one Mother Nature painted on my kitchen window.
Yes, it's frost.


 I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas, or whatever holiday season you celebrate.  I certainly did.

I got a very interesting gift this year. It's called a Buddha Board.  I had never heard of one of these before, but it is a flat panel that you paint on with plain water. The picture vanishes as it dries.  It's a fascinating thing, as sometimes, while it's drying, the wet bits suggest a different picture, and then you can connect the dots and come up with a new painting you had not originally planned on.  And as that one dries, it can happen again.  You have to work quickly as there really isn't any time to stop and think. It's really freeing, and already I'm learning that art does not have to be perfect to be interesting.  This may take me in entirely new directions.

The new year is fast approaching and some people like to make New Years Resolutions.  I used to do that, but usually, after getting off to a great start, the whole idea would just fade away. Last year, I thought of my resolution as more of a goal.  I had decided I wanted to advance my art.  I have succeeded in that.

First I started an art journal, where I could try out things, without worrying about how they turned out.  Nobody ever had to see what I'd done in there.  Amazingly, I've dug it out and shown all kinds of people various attempts throughout the year.  I tried a few different mediums, some with texture, some without. I saw progress as the book went on, and I have now bought a new one for next year. 

Then I started gathering with a couple of friends once a week. This was a good move as it forced us to have something new to show and discuss. None of us are the sort that would ever just say, "That's lovely."  While we do encourage each other, we all know we want to hear the truth, so nobody ever hesitates to make constructive suggestions.  We all appreciate that, and move forward in the directions we have been pointed in.

Recently I was in my first art show as a painter (I've been in several as a photographer before).  While I didn't have as much confidence this time, the hardest part was figuring out the pricing.  I had a great time at the show though, and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.  I even made a couple of new artist type friends that day.  One of them, Jayne Couch,  has since shown me a much better way to draw faces, and I truly appreciate that.  That may also take me in some new directions as time goes on.




Finally, over the past week, I got a phone call  from someone in BC who saw a photo taken on the day of the art show. She was all excited about my hibiscus my paintings and wants to buy it.  The deal has been struck and now I just have to get it shipped out to her.  I've had two other artists suggest I take my painting right to the UPS store, and have them package it up for me there.  As I don't have a clue how to do it properly, I will be following that advise.

So, now that I've succeeded in following that goal this past year, I think I will work a little harder at it this year.  I have a perfectly good spot designated to work on my art. The original idea was to be able to attack it anytime, without having to set up first. Over time that area has accumulated piles of stuff, both art related and not, and it is anything but a workable space at the moment.  I'll fix that, even if I have to reorganize a couple of rooms, to get the everything into a more logical and permanent spot. Then I'll try to divert some of my wasted computer time into doing something a bit more creative. That may be necessary anyway as the paint class I have been attending the past couple of years may be folding for the time being.  I have a couple of paintings underway at the moment, and several more in my head so I'll have to set aside some time to work on them at home.  Hopefully that will become more of a habit once I get my space cleaned up.

I want to put some of my paintings on an online shop this year too. Oh, I know that was one of my resolutions last year. At least I have a couple of places picked out, and will decide soon, which to pursue first. I think I know, but need to read all the fine print first. 

And on the blog, I think I may attempt something a bit new here too. I get lots of free things, and I'm thinking of adding Freebie Friday to tell you about those things.  I'll tell you what came in the mail through the week, and do a bit of a review on some of it.  We'll see how that goes. 

So, my usual New Years Resolution is to lose the Christmas weight gain, as always. With a few new art related goals in mind, I have more hope of moving forward in the coming year, just as I did in the past one.  I'd love to hear what you have planned for your coming year too.  Please share.

Refrigerator Cookies

I see an unusual number of people are coming to my page looking for Refrigerator Cookies for Christmas.  That may be because I once tested some for Chatelaine, and you can find that recipe if you go to their site and search for it there.  However, my family still prefers the ones I've always made, so, since so many people are looking for recipes, I guess I'll take a moment and share that with you.

Refrigerator Christmas Cookies

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
 2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup chopped candied fruit or glace cherries

Mix the ingredients together and chill for 1/2 hour.
Shape dough into 2 smooth rolls about 1 1/2 inch in diameter.
Wrap in wax paper and chill overnight or until firm.  (can also be frozen at this point)
Slice into 1/8 inch slices.

Bake on an ungreased sheet at 375F for 8-10 minutes

Makes about 10 dozen

Note:  These are actually easier to slice if frozen.

Enjoy, and Merry Christmas to each and every one of you.

Success

Some people do things just because they love them.  It's really not important to make a lot of money or become famous if you are doing something you enjoy.  We enjoy running a small karate club, and the students there seem to enjoy being part of it. They come for various reasons.  Some come for the exercise, some for the discipline and others come for the social aspects. Of course, there are some who become dedicated martial artists, who dream of someday becoming Black Belts themselves.

 Friday, December 14, two long time members, David Valcour (57) and David Burns (66),  were promoted to Sho-dan (first degree Black Belt).  That makes a total of 14 Black Belts for this club, promoted under Chief Instructor, Sensei Ron Wattie. (centre)

Merrickville Karate Club will soon be 29 years old, and has had a waiting list for well over 20 years. People have traveled from as far away as Nepean to take classes as they say they like the family atmosphere. It is, indeed, a family club, with both children and parents attending the same classes together. There have been as many as 5 members from the same family enrolled in this club, and that's possible because of the club does everything it can to keep the rates as low as possible, and had family rates for 3 or more from any one family unit. If everyone on the Spring session waiting list turns up for class this coming February, there is already no room for more, and the September list has already been established. 

Maybe you would like to do something you love too.  Nobody says you have to be the very best at what you choose to do, but until you try, you just never know how much success you will have, or if that even matters.  Maybe you'll just love the experience.