Yarn Wrapped Faux Fruit {Tutorial}

I was getting ready to throw away some old faux pears that I had since they had been treated roughly and beaten up by the kids.  The stems were missing and there were some nicks and dings in them, but it hurts me so much to throw something away.  I decided to figure out a way to make them lovely again.  This ended up being so easy!

You could do this with any type of faux fruit; just use the right color of yarn and follow these instructions.  I'm thinking this would look great with pumpkins in the fall!

Supplies needed:

Instructions:

1. Squirt some glue onto the top of the fruit.

2. Use your foam brush to spread it around.  Do not spread too thinly or too far down because it will dry quickly, and the yarn will not stick once it's dry.  If the yarn is not sticking, you need more glue.  Don't be afraid to add more than you think you need because it will dry clear and won't show up on your finished product. 

3. Starting at the very top, wrap the yarn in a spiral shape on top of the glue.  Once you've covered all the glue, add some more, spread it with your brush, and continue wrapping.  Keep wrapping until the entire piece of fruit is covered.

4. When the fruit is fully covered in yarn, cut your twig to the desired size, and attach to the top with a nice dollop of fabric glue.  Remember, don't worry – it will dry clear.

5.  You are done!  Enjoy this amazingly simple creation!

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Anti-Procrastination Update: Week 3

I am seriously loving my anti-procrastination challenge!

Before I started this challenge, my mindset was always that I do all the “regular” housework, and then I do anything extra like deep cleaning or organizing.  The problem was, that all the housework was never done!  There were always more meals to prepare, meaning the kitchen had to be cleaned yet again, or more laundry to wash, meaning that it also needed to be dried, folded, and put away.  I never seemed to have time to get around to those “extra” things.

I've made it a priority to get to one anti-procrastination task every single day.  Just something simple like pulling the shower curtain off and sending it through the wash has made an amazing difference!

Here are some ways it has affected our household:

1. It gives me a sense of accomplishment in a much more visible way than regularly-occurring chores do.  There's just something depressing about sweeping the floor only to see that it's dirty again 5 minutes later.  A clean shower curtain, however, gives me a visible reminder that I actually did accomplish something today.

2. A sense of accomplishment brightens my mood and actually helps me enjoy doing the “regular” chores.  It's energizing!

3. Little things like a dirty shower curtain, a disorganized pantry, crumbs in the silverware drawer, etc. were starting to pile up.  Unbeknownst to me, they were dampening my husband's mood when he came home from work.  After I'd been at this anti-procrastination challenge for a week or so, he thanked me for all the little things I was getting done, and told me how it was helping him enjoy our home more!  (By the way, I'm enjoying it more too!  You don't even realize sometimes how those little things can affect you until they're done and you realize how much happier you feel!)

4. My husband's mood and energy after coming home from work has perked up so much that he's started his own anti-procrastination challenge!  He has felt so motivated by the little things I've gotten done, that it has inspired him to start working on his own I-really-need-to-get-that-done projects.  Boy, that has really perked up our house!  My kitchen sink hasn't been draining properly for a while, which made it really annoying to do the dishes.  Now that is fixed!  My husband is also super-organized, so he's been cleaning out the house and re-organizing for me!  He has a whole list of things that he's been chipping away at!  This is great!

Have you been meeting your goals this year?  How has it affected you? 

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Anti-Procrastination Update: Week 2

I've gone two weeks straight without missing a day of Anti-Procrastination!  At least if I stink at meeting my weekly goals, I'm at least accomplishing something every day.

Sunday: I can't remember what this was; I didn't write it down.
Monday: Laminated some stuff for the kids' preschool.  I'm notorious for planning on doing the laminating later, and so far I've done…zilch.  I figured it would be best to start right where I am and laminate the stuff we used today.
Tuesday: Dry Cleaned some stuff that has been hanging in the laundry room forever.
Wednesday: Sewed a button that had come off the boys' hamper.  Removed the bumper from baby boy's crib – he's getting to roly poly for me to feel comfortable with it being on there anymore.  I actually put it all the way in the attic too!
Thursday: Cleaned the crumbs out of the silverware drawer.
Friday: Listed some things on ebay
Saturday: Finished listing things on ebay

So far I am loving the variety of this Anti-Procrastination thing.  It's helping me get something done without getting bored with doing the same old thing every day.  (Even though I still do that too – cooking, cleaning, changing diapers, the works.  It's all part of being a mom, and I wouldn't give it up for anything!)

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The Anti-Procrastination Challenge

I have challenged myself, not to a day, a week, or even a month; but to a full year of Anti-Procrastination!

I'd love to have you join me!

We are going to complete one task every day that would normally be put off until all of the “regular cleaning” is done.    If you go here, you can see all the challenges I've posted so far.

Be sure to subscribe to email updates or follow me on Facebook so you won't miss any of the challenges! 

The Great Chicken Debate: Which is Cheaper?

Have you ever felt like it will be so much cheaper to buy the bone-in chicken because it costs so much less per pound?  I know I have, but as I sit there de-boning it I always wonder if it's really worth it or whether I should be buying boneless, skinless breasts.

The other night, I decided to figure this out once and for all. [Side note: I normally try to wait until boneless, skinless chicken breasts are $1.99 or less per pound.  For bone-in chicken I try to buy it at $.99 per pound or less.] 

I had purchased 6 pounds of bone-in chicken breasts at $.99 per pound for a total of $5.94.  After I de-boned it I weighed the meat and had only 3 pounds of meat.  I could have purchased 3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts at $1.99 a pound for $5.97.  I saved a whopping 3 cents by doing all that work de-boning the chicken!

So, is bone-in chicken cheaper?  No!  I will be saving myself the trouble from here on out. 

Note: sometimes I get whole chickens or chicken thighs at $.59 or even $.49 per pound.  In that case, I would still buy the bone-in chicken.  It comes out better price-wise, plus I enjoy the taste of dark-meat and  homemade chicken broth for making soup. 

Anti-Procrastination Check-Up: Week One

Okay, I have successfully completed my first week of anti-procrastination!  Here's how it went:

Sunday: This one is really embarrassing, and revealed just how bad of a procrastinator I really am.  I threw away a half-eaten candy bar that had been sitting on a shelf for 3 days.  Yes, THREE DAYS.  There was no reason to save it because it belonged to my father-in-law who doesn't even live here – he was just stopping by and forgot to take his Twix bar with him.  Anyway, after 3 days I finally decided to throw it away.
 
Monday: Worked to get the crayon out of a load of clothes.  Fun stuff. 

Tuesday: Got some venison ground up that had been sitting in the fridge since hubby shot it.  I also went ahead and cooked all of it to make meal prep easier later on.

Wednesday: Got the rest of the venison portioned up, packaged and put into the freezer.

Thursday:  Cleaned off a tray that had been collecting papers, receipts, etc.

Friday: Bleached the dishes that had contained the raw venison.

 Saturday:  I know I did something here, but I didn't write it down, so I don't remember.  We did have a lot of fun playing outside most of the day in our wonderful 60+ degree January weather. 

How did you do last week?  I'm feeling rather unmotivated today, but I have at least started on my anti-procrastination task for today.  I guess I should get off the computer and finish…