coffee and coffee drinks

For a while I was drinking coffee every day. This was fine except when I would take a day off and then I was plagued with a nasty headache. I cursed the little caffeine monkey on my back (damn you little monkey!) and one day decided it might be a good idea to give it up for a while. Since then, I’ve tried to limit it to a cup once or twice a week, and have been caffeine-headache free. Yay!

Until this last week. I haven’t been able to help myself!

I’ve always liked those little tins of coffee drink mix. You’ve probably seen them at the store. The cans are about the size of a can of spam and they cost a gazillion dollars. Ok not that much. But they *are* expensive for how tiny they are. So I rarely buy them. This is probably for the best because it’s such tasty stuff that I’d want to drink it all the time and back would come my little monkey!

Unfortunately, I found an alternative that tastes just as fabulous but costs a lot less! I’m sad! I’m excited! I don’t know what I am! I’m drinking more coffee, that’s for sure.

I love reading the Hillbilly Housewife. Good information, well presented, great site. Did you know she also has drink mix recipes??? Eep! I made the Rich Vanilla Coffee mix last weekend, not really because it was the one I wanted to try the most, but because I had all of the ingredients on hand. And it is so good. So good! I made my way through the first batch this week and just made a new batch today. I cannot wait to try some of the other recipes. If you have the ingredients for any of these on hand, I highly recommend you try them!

I plan to stock up on the ingredients and tuck drink mixes in my holiday goodie baskets and bags. It will be fabulous!

Make a decorative throw pillow (Part 1)

For Christmas this year, I’m going back to making things. I’m pretty excited about it actually. I decided to make today a lazy, no-sew day but I still wanted to be crafty and make something. So I dug out my bottle of Mighty Mendit and some fabric remnants from Jo-Ann’s.

Today I’m bringing you part one of this project, check back for part two. I’m splitting it up to allow for drying time with the Mighty Mendit, which calls for 2 hours before it’s wearable and 24 hours before it’s washable. I’ll play it safe and give it an extra long drying time.

Step 1: Pick out some fabric and get out your scissors, Mighty Mendit, measuring tape, and something to keep the cats out of your way. Muffin runs away from kisses. See if it works for you!

11/24/08 craft project

Step 2: Cut two pieces of equal size. I made squares. You can do squares too. Or maybe try rectangles, or circles! This is where your measuring tape comes in handy, to make sure your pieces are the same size!

Step 3: Place the two pieces face to face and put a thin line of glue Permanent Bonding Agent close to but not too close to the edge on one of the pieces. Carefully lay the other piece on top, making sure to line everything up as evenly as possible. Make sure to leave a gap where you don’t put any glue stuff so you can turn it inside out later.

11/24/08 craft project

Step 4: Put it somewhere safe, on something that you don’t mind potentially getting glue Permanent Bonding Agent on. For me this is a room where the kitties are not allowed.

Step 5: Wait. Give it a good long while to dry.

While we’re waiting, a note on Mighty Mendit: The information I’ve read on this stuff makes a point to note that it is NOT GLUE. It’s not glue, it’s just a sticky, liquid bonding agent that you can use to affix one thing to another. But it’s totally not glue. What?