Home Made Modgepodge and Etc.

Today I decided I wanted to be crafty. I had a project I'd been putting on hold due to not having any modgepodge. I found a recipe on pinterest for modgepodge, so I thought I'd give it a try.
The project . . . Name plate coasters. I am tired of having to run an extra batch of dishes because each of us used at least five cups during the day. Instead each coaster will have a name on it. Once someone has used a cup it will be put on their coaster. If it is on a coaster it doesn't get washed until the end of the day, and then I always know exactly which cup is mine, Todd's, or Kailey's.
The instructions are simple.
1) Buy some cheep coasters. We got ours from Walmart. You can find them at the dollar store, or any other store, or you can go and get small tiles. Be as creative as you want.
2) Make or buy some modgepodge. I keep leaving town without modgepodge so I made mine.
         There are two different kinds of home-made variations that I've found on pinterest.
        1) *Elmers glue
            * Water
        Take a jar and put one cup elmers glue and one cup water. Shake until it is mixed well.
       2) *1 1/2 Cups flour
           * 1/4 Cup sugar
           * 1 tsp oil (any kind)
           * 1 1/4 Cups water
        Slowly mix all the ingredients over low heat. Don't let boil. If it is too thick add water or oil. The thicker it is the more texture it will have. If you don't want texture add more water or oil.

I made the second one, and made it thick. I added more water/oil and make it thinner as I left the lid off while I was making them, so by the last two it was thicker then I wanted.

Hint: If you don't want texture I'd go with the first variation as the second one, (at least when thick) doesn't dry completely clear.
Here is a picture of the final project. It isn't completely dry at this point, but close to it. When it dried completely the whole name tag was the same color. (A lighter shade of red then I intended do to the modgepodge, but it still looks cute and works.)

So far it has worked great. We still have the same three cups at lunch that we had at breakfast. Yeah!

Welcome

The purpose of this blog is . . . well it has lots of purposes.

1) I want to be  able to increase my writing exposure. I thought getting on wikihow and then creating a blog would be a good start. I love writing in all forms, but what I enjoy more is editing. I love to take a red pin . . . or click on the editing tab and tear a paper apart. If you've ever had me edit a paper you know I mean that literally. For me the more red the better, and the best part is I use that theory on myself as well. I'm not the best writer. I make mistakes, especially when I'm typing. Sometimes what I say doesn't make sense, but when I'm able to take what I've written and tear it apart, then usually what I write turns out to be something worth reading.

2) I want to be able to use this blog as a sounding board for those who need it. Life is hard, but it can be easier if we know that others have similar struggles. No one has the exact same hurdles in their life but many are similar. There may be parents out there who like me have had to figure out how to get a child who refuses to sleep to go to bed, parents who have had a child who had a stroke, parents who have been told they can't or shouldn't have anymore children, parents who are looking at adoption. The list could continue for pages. I've had many struggles in my life, but I've also had many joys. Joy greater then I thought I ever could have. Joys that outnumber the struggles. I want this site to be a place to share the struggles with the joy, to give those struggling hope.

3)This will be a place to brag. I have the most wonderful family in the world and therefore have the right to brag about them. So yes, this site will include what awesome children I have and how amazing my husband is.

4) This will be a place of ideas. The more heads together the better ideas are, so as I find good ideas, recipes, crafts, pictures . . . pretty much anything I like I will be adding.

The basic purpose is for each person who visits to leave knowing that there is more to a person then what appears at first glance.

Here is what I have created on my blog so far:
*  I have a Writer's Corner. I'm going to try and give grammatical rules, writers tips, and information I find. I'll start with one or two a month depending on the time I have. Click on the picture of my daughter writing for the first time, and it will take you there. Under what I have written is a place for comments and questions. Feel free to leave them!
* Right under the main picture are sites that I like and pages that I've created. If you click on the name it will take you to the site or page.
At the bottom of the page is my brag column for my kids. Click on their picture to get their monthly updates.
* Each month I will also do a post. It will be on whatever I want, but if you have a question or requests feel free to comment under the previous months post and let me know. More will be coming in the future.

This site will be a constant evolving project, but for now welcome to my blog!