Sometimes You Just Use What You've Got.

Can we be real for a few minutes?

So, here's the deal.

I bought an adorable Kindle sleeve on Etsy.

Which I will be sharing with you soon.  :)

But, it's a sleeve - not a stand. 

Which is fine if you are playing Angry Birds.

(Umm, I'm addicted and I totally rock if I do say so myself.  

Even the 14 year old is impressed.)

And, who needs a stand if you are
playing Draw Something with the aforementioned teenager. 

(Who just can't be turning 15 in a few days because that would be unreal.)

I sure don't need a stand if I'm playing Word Fued or even solitaire.

BUT...if I'm reading a great book, like 7 from Jen Hatmaker things are different. 

I read the entire holding the Kindle the entire time. 

Now I'm reading another of her books, called Interrupted and 

I've just started Unglued by Lysa Ter Keurst.

Bottom line.  I needed a stand.  Immediately.

So, I took inspiration from Amazopia and I used what I had.

Yeah, it's true.  

I'm sitting here reading books by great Christian authors...

On a stand made out of a Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy Box.

Just being real here :)

Now you know what I've been up to.

How about you?

Read any good books lately?

What are your favorite apps?

I'd love to hear.

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Swap-o-Matic! The Eco-Friendly Vending Machine!

An Eco-Friendly Vending Machine!

Seriously! OMG.

You can donate, retrieve, or swap all at once.

AND, you can even see whats in the machine on line.

Here's a simple vid...in case you're foggy on the concept.

Is that neat, or what?

Okay, so for all the deets...head to Swap-o-Matic.com. 

(Anyone remember The Automat?!
I loved getting stuff out of that!)

So, if you like the Swap-o-Matic...

Then be sure to enter your email and zip to request one in your neck o' the woods

What do you think? 

Would you use something like this? 

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My New Friend Basil (And What To Do with this 'Do?!)

Container Gardening...An update.

Today I re-potted my 2 remaining plants.

Meet Basil and Miss Oregano.  

(Can we all agree that if Miss Oregano doesn't do something with her hairdo...

she's never going to win herself a good Greek boy?)

If I give her a good trimming there just might be some homemade Parmesan herb bread in our future. Hubby would like that.

Can we be honest?
Hubby would like anything homemade at this point.

It's been a full week since I've cooked anything.  We've just got too much going on.  He might get lucky and get some cinnamon fruit bread on Sunday. I've been wanting something sweet lately.

Since I know you haven't been sleeping well since the day I planted our garden - here's the scoop. At first I was super excited when we had actual growth! But, then reality set in. In no time flat we lost 2 plants to buggy things. (That's the technical term we gardeners use.)

I'm pretty happy that the basil and oregano survived.  I've been adding fresh basil to pasta dishes and we had Caprese salad a few times.

The basil was actually doing really, really well.  Then we were gone for a couple of weekends and I think there might have been some under-watering going on. (And, if I can be honest, I think when hubby tried to help out we might have double-watered it, too. He's sweet for helping the poor things.)

Then I moved them from a super sunny spot to a filtered light spot and they really didn't like that.  So back to the west facing window they go!  Enjoy the sun, ladies!  (Oh, Basil, forgive me if you are a guy.)

I hear the tomatoes will be plen-TI-FUL this year due to heat.
(And, I'm kinda stoked...hoping folks pawn off their bounty on me!)

Did you plant anything this year?

Outdoors or in?

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Do You Over-Complicate?

Over-Complification.

Okay.

I made that up.

But, if there was an "addicted to detail" disorder...I might have it.

Now, we're not talking ADD or OCD.
Cuz if that were the case I'm sure that uneven twine in the photo above...and the box which is slightly askew...

Well, I guess I DID notice those.

Didn't I?

Anyways.  

Raise of hands if you find yourself over-complicating things.

I'm sort of an all or nothing gal.  

I can do simple projects.
I even have a How Simple category...

For example, our Pez Tree (with Santa Yoda Bobble-head!) was dang simple. Then there was Our Thankful Tree. Granted we took a hike to get there, but it's still just a tree branch. And, the perhaps the winner on the simplicity front would be 15 Minute Homemade Donuts...with only 2 ingredients.

Fine, I managed to not over complicate those. 

 But, woo - wee! 

This gal can make a multi=step project out of buttering toast! Did I tell you about the recipe folder I made my niece? No? Well, she just needed something to put her recipes in, right? Sooooooo 3 months later she gets a 3 ring binder, tabs for every possible subject. Pre-filled with recipes. Lots of blank pages to add. Oh, and family photos placed throughout so she gets (hopefully) a little love as she cooks. Seriously. She just needed a place to put index cards and I gave her the entire set of 22 volumes of F&W encyclopedias!

Er, I'm doing it again. 

Over-complicating things. 

I digress. 

When Kleenex asked me to tell you about their new hand towels, I really tried NOT to complicate this one. If your family is like mine, during the summer you're always coming and going. Visitors come through like a revolving door and all they really want is a comfy spot, something cold, and a little good conversation. Most are not looking to put you out. They do NOT want you to spend way too long cleaning, preparing, and prepping for their visit.

So, I thought, "Hmm. hand towels. They wold be "handy" (pardon the pun) right about here!" Next to the regular towel, which is an option. But, if a fresh disposible option is available, I think that's kinda neat.

Out came the craft bin. Twine. I love it. (Lots of rustic twine-y pics of inspiration on our pinterest page.) Twine is simple, inexpensive, and....quick.

(If I wanted it to be even quicker, the Kleenex hand towel box is designed to invert into your towel bar so you can just pull them straight down. Now, that's easy!)

This has got to be the simplest decorating ever. 

Unravel, wrap, tie, thread through. Hang. 

Done! DONE! (I love it!) 

So, tell me.

Are you and over-complicater?

When guests come to visit do you spend more time in preparing vs. visiting?

What is your MOST over-complicated project? 

Join the 14 million people who have already joined the Clean Hands campaign by using Kleenex Hand Towels, and click here for savings and more! 

I was selected for participation in this campaign as a member of Clever Girls Collective. 

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