Earth Hour 2011Crafts

Watts Up Everyone?
Did you notice the Earth Hour button in my sidebar? -------------------------------------------------->
Anyone up for a challenge?  Alright then, save this date

~Saturday March 26, 2011 between 8:30pm-9:30pm~

Has anyone heard of the saying, "The lights are on but no one's home"?  No, I'm not talking about my intelligence!!  I hate to admit it, but our family is brutal at leaving unnecessary lights on!  

 

In honor of Earth Hour 2011, our family will be focusing on energy conservation this week.  One of the easiest ways to conserve energy is to turn off the lights.  As soon as a switch is turned off, energy stops flowing immediately.  Since our house is in a renovation stage, I thought it would be nice to focus on our light switch covers. Sapphire and Opal gladly helped me decorate a light switch cover for Pearl's new room.  Raise your hand if you've modge podged a light cover before?  I used spray adhesive to adhere the scrapbook paper to the light cover.  Then I applied a few thin coats of modge podge to protect it.  I like this striped paper because it was super easy to align the paper on the light cover.    

































I'm kinda hoping to take Earth Hour one step further by powering off completely.
I'll be honest, shutting down my computer for 60 minutes gives me mild anxiety!!!  Gahhhhh!
I'd actually have to pry myself away from sites like, Pinterest.  I totally loose myself on that site!
Way too many pretties to gawk at!


Here's a bright idea!!!  Why not make some light bulbs out of yellow balloons and play doh containers covered with construction paper.  It's a simple project but it gets kids engaged in the idea of turning out the lights.

I also picked up a bunch of these to encourage my kids to turn out the lights...

OK, so here's the real debate.  Do you think Earth Hour is a noble cause or just a colossal waste of time and energy?  Should we look beyond the hype and is it really that useful in tackling climate change!
Here's my take on it...If Pocoyo can pause to observe Earth Hour then so can I and so should you!

Today's Confessional-My Strange Addiction

So what's today's confession?  Well friends, I hate to say it but here I go,
I'm addicted to Cereal Box Games!!!!

Yep, sad but true!  My cereal selections are completely dependent on whether or not the box has a game on the side or back panel!  I can't seem to recall how this strange addiction came about! Likely an oppressed memory!  I wouldn't consider this addiction health hazardous, so at present I'm not overly alarmed. I mean, It's not like I'm eating toilet paper or sleeping with my hair dryer.
To be honest, one time I considered taking the Special K Diet just so I had an excuse to buy more cereal!
There's just something wonderful about the texture of a cereal box!  I love the smell of the recycled paper.  I get a total feeling of accomplishment after I finish each game!  


Wow, it's such a cathartic feeling to get these things off my very small chest!
I thank you for letting me vent!  It's all part of the purpose of owning my own blog!
Anyone else want to share their strange addictions?  This blog is an open forum!  We can work through our addictions together!
Don't worry, I won't nominate you for TLC's hit new show My Strange Addiction.

Guest Blogger Jen B is here to introduce us to Muffin Tin Monday

3 Jewels is excited to welcome back the fabulous Jen B as today's guest blogger. 

Today she is introducing us to the very popular concept, "Muffin Tin Monday" and I'm hoping to take away some pointers from this very informative post.    Take it away Jen....

For moms{and dads}everywhere, this one little question can cause a lot of stress! Whether you are at home, on the road or packing a lunch for a school or daycare, it’s an age old problem.

An ideal lunch is nutritious-but nowadays it has to be more than that.  Heck, everything nowadays has to be entertaining in order to get kids to comply.  

Here is an entertaining idea. Serve your meal in a muffin tin. 

Yes, a muffin tin.

1. It's fun!
2. You can separate food so it's not touching.
3. You can sneak in new foods; in small amounts.
4. Variety is the spice of life! It's like a little buffet.
5. It's portable. {You can stack them or make them on the fly}
6. Usually no utensils needed. Who doesn't love finger foods?
7. Fun for toddlers, kids and adults.
8. Only one dish to wash!
9.You can follow the themes...no need to think about what you are cooking for dinner!
10. Kids will love to eat it-- nutritional or not!

What more could you ask for? 

O.k., there are lots of photos and examples and places for inspiration if you scroll down.

My fondness with Muffin Tin Meals started about a year ago. I was attempting to win a contest. The challenge~"find an interesting and inexpensive way to spice up a summer day”.

Here is my winning submission!

After thinking of many craft ideas and searching blog after blog, I found Muffin Tin Mom 

I fell in love with the idea of presenting a meal in a muffin tin, even though my little one was not even old enough to eat solids yet!

What is better than a mini-buffet for your mini-me? A chance to try new things in a small portion, the food is appealing when it is presented in a fun way, your little one can eat in any order that his/her little heart desires, and it’s a nice variety. And yes, you can make these portable. You could make this into a weekly ritual. Have your kids help you think of things, shop {o.k. maybe not}and prepare the meal.

The possibilities are endless. In fact, you’ll find tons of ideas on several blogs. Muffin Tin Mom actually has a theme each week- this way, it’s a "no brainer". Just check out this week's theme for ideas.  Follow if you want~or get a bit more creative. There are lots of blog followers who have photos for you to peruse. You can use your old muffin tins or order some fancy new ones. 

There are some really clever ways to make food into art! 

Simply search for "Muffin Tin Meals" and you will come up with lots of ideas, tutorials and recipes.

Ok, enough writing already. Bring on the photos!

                                                                       Farm Theme:

                                                                    Ocean Theme:

Counting Numbers:

Hickory Dickory Dock:

Harvest Theme:

Shapes:

Five things that I carry in my purse that you should be carrying in yours!

 It's no secret that women LOVE purses!  I'm no exception to this rule.  Those who know me well would agree that I have a small obsession with handbags in general.  I love small ones, big ones, fancy ones and casual ones.   
I'll admit that purchasing a new purse triggers a physical reaction in my body and brain.  My heart races as blood is shunted away from my digestive tract.  My pupils dilate and my sight sharpens.  My perception of pain diminishes and I have an overwhelming feeling of euphoria.
Purses are truly a wonderful thing.  In particular big purses!  Some may perceive a women who carries a large purse as "high maintenance" but I personally think it signals someone who's down right practical.
In fact, I tend to carry everything except a small dog in my purse.  I'm not sure why but I have this uncontrollable urge to be prepared for any situation that arises.  In fact some of the odd things I carry in my purse have come in quite handy over time.

So...What are the five things I carry in my purse that you might want to keep in yours?

1.  Swiss Army Knife-As I count them, the tools include a (1) small knife blade; (2) a large knife blade; (3) metal saw with (4) metal file, (5) nail cleaner and (6) nail file; (7) wood saw; (8) fish scaler (9) fish hook (10) ruler (metric and English); (11) scissors; (12) pliers with (13) wire cutter and (14) wire crimping tool; (15) magnifying glass; (16) Phillips head screwdriver; (17) bottle opener with (18) large flat-head screwdriver and (19) wire stripper; (20) can opener with (21) small flat-head screwdriver; (22) reamer with (23) sewing eye; (24) hook; (25) fine flat-head screwdriver; (26) wood chisel; (27) corkscrew; (28) mini screwdriver; (29) tweezers; (30) plastic toothpick; (31) ballpoint pen; (32) key ring (lanyard ring)  It actually shocks me that someone hasn't marketed a female version of the Swiss Army Knife.  It really is the ultimate must have tool to keep in your purse! 

2.  Address Labels-What for you ask? I happened upon this tip some while back and it's come in handy several times.  Don't toss out those return address labels that we all tend to receive during the holiday season. Store a couple in your purse to ensure you never waste time filling out your mailing info ( ie-movie store, registration, draws/giveaways, clothing stores)    


3.  A 1 Quart Plastic Ziplock Bag-If your not a parent yet than trust me when I say "It'll come in handy"


4.  Set of Utensils-No for real, they've come in handy at the most unexpected of places.  Really though, which would you rather eat with-Plastic utensils vs Stainless Steel?  When your finished just store them in your plastic baggie!  Ah ha!  See, I told you the baggie would be put to use.  Plus, people will respect you for being environmentally friendly.

5.  A copy of any one of my blog posts-O.K I won't be so vain as to think that would be possible but maybe a Archie comic book instead.  You never know when you're going to need something to read to pass the time. 


Have I missed anything?  So, what are some other things you keep in your purse?  Besides the usual makeup, diapers, pacifier, USB card, pen/paper, stash of $20 bills?


Hurry out and purchase yourself one of these>

Iron clothes in half the time!

Lets face it, most everyone hates ironing clothes.  I'll admit I'm guilty of adding extra minutes to the dryer just to avoid having to iron wrinkled clothes.  Ironing clothes is one of life's chores that is extremely boring, yet sometimes necessary.  Like SEX for example!!! (Joking-but I know you smiled)
I bet you didn't know a sport exists that's called extreme ironing.  People actually participate in extreme activities, such as sky diving, all the while ironing clothes.  And here I thought ironing my clothes in just my bra and panties while dancing and singing to Katie Perry's latest hit was considered risky business!  Apparently not! T.M.I? Sorry about that visual for those who know me well!

So, as much as I try to avoid this mundane task, inevitably 10 minutes before we have to go somewhere, my husband meanders up to me with a dress shirt needing to be ironed.  I know what you're thinking.  Tell him to iron his own dang shirt.  My response to this would be, Pick your battles ladies!

So just to make your life that much easier I'm going to share with you a little tip about ironing clothes that actually works quite well.

Ready?

Tip#1
Just Don't

Tip#2
O.K., tip #1 doesn't count.


When ironing, put a piece of aluminum foil under the ironing board cover. The foil will reflect the heat from the iron so you can essentially iron both sides at once.

Yep, I just wrote a blog post about ironing clothes!  Just keeping it real ladies, not all my posts have to be about curing childhood constipation (believe it or not, this post actually receives the most traffic), what my husband got me for our 10 year anniversary, or how a salad spinner can save lives.
I hope this post was less boring to read than ironing your husbands dress shirt.  Maybe you could set up your ironing board in front of your pc screen and read some of my other posts.  (FYI-if your new to the blogosphere, click on any green word and it will link you to some of my favorite and most visited past posts)

Have a exciting weekend everyone! 3 more sleeps until school starts which means hopefully we'll be able to chat more frequently.  This means leaving me comments so that I can chat back!
Here's today's community question?
Which would do you consider most boring of the following list?

• ironing clothes
• peeling a bag of potatoes
• sitting through your child's entire Christmas concert even though your special little star has already performed
• watching reruns of PBS pledge programs 
• listening to chamber music while waiting for the telephone operator to return to the conversation

Junk Drawers

Me: Sweetie, have you seen the matches?  I need to light the barbeque 
My Husband:  Pretty sure they're in the Junk Drawer
Me: Which one?
My Husband:  The one closest to the fridge
Me:  Are you sure?  I don't see them
My Husband:  Check above the stove
Me:  Notta
My Husband:  Bathroom?
Me: Nope
My Husband:  Are you sure they're not in the Junk Drawer  I swear they were in there?
Me:  grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr


Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only person alive that has the most unique assortment of random items in my kitchen drawers. There really is no rhyme or reason to what goes into the bottomless pit that I like to refer to as my Junk Drawer. 
It's actually quite amuzing to see what ends up in the Junk Drawer after several months.
My curiosity is often sparked when I enter others' homes.  Often I wonder what I would find if I had the odacity to snoop in someone elses junk drawer.  Kind of like the temptation you get when you want to peek in someone's medicine cabinet.  I'm not sure what insight is gained by looking in someone else's Junk Drawer but the appeal of knowing others secrets definately fascinates me.
Today, I'm going to give you the opportunity to snoop through my kitchen drawers.  Have a good laugh because I did.
Let's see what could be hiding in my treasure chest Junk Drawers.

{click pic to enlarge}

What?  Doesn't everyone have a set of Rosary Beads in their kitchen drawer?  What about the copy of our homemade sex tape?  Bet you didn't expect that!  (I'm kidding, it's actually a Dora DVD)
What is the most unpredictable item currently in your Junk Drawer?  That is assuming you have a junk drawer like me!

Sally Centrifuge-The salad spinner that saves lives!

A couple months ago a good friend introduced me to a life changing kitchen tool gadget!{when I hear the word tool I think of my husband, I mean I think of something my husband would have in his garage.}  Oops love you honey!  Have you ever heard of this thingamajiggiy called a salad spinner?  I like to refer to it as the Gravitron.  What?  Tell me you've been on the Gravitron!   The amuzement park ride that looks like a space ship and spins nonstop until you hurl your cotton candy and raspberry snowcone.  Just speaking from experience.  Fine, I'll show you a pic so that you know what the heck I'm talking about!  

Ok, now that we have a visual of what a salad spinner looks like, I can move forwad with the actual point of this post.  Like I was saying, my friend introduced me to the gadget that makes your greens dizzy!  I think she purchased her salad spinner at Costco for $19.99.  Actually, I think I just made that price up in my head.  I have no idea what she paid for it.  I must be having adult ADD today because I can't seem to stay on topic.
After I had used my salad spinner a few times, I honestly couldn't bare the thought of living another day without it.{slight exaggeration}  Maybe I'm lacking in  the entertainment department lately but I really do think it's a lot more fun to spin my lettuce dry.  Yesterday, I actually said to Sapphire, "When I was your age we had to towel dry our lettuce.  It didn't come from a bag either.  It came from the ground.  Consider yourself privileged to have a salad spinner." 
Did you know that once you stop hand cranking the salad spinner it continues to revolve six more times?  I made that up too but I bet 20 bucks, actually $19.99, the next time you use your salad spinner you're going to check to see how many times it revolves after you stop hand cranking it!  Mark my word!

Ok Crystal, what is the point to this post?

Well, did you know that a salad spinner can save lives?  I didn't know that either until I came across {this} article that highlights two Rice University undergrads who turned a salad spinner into a rudimentary cetrifuge that separates blood.  This may not be intriguing to everyone but as a Nurse I find this fascinating.
You see, when a lab collects your blood into vials they put it into a crazy expensive machine and basically spin it so that the different parts of the blood separate into heavier red blood cells and lighter plasma.  The hematocrit, or ratio of red blood cells to the total volume can tell clinicians if a patient is anemic.
In many parts of the world these expensive machines just don't exist.
To quote the article, "The spinner has been turned, so to speak, into a rudimentary centrifuge that medical clinics in developing countries can use to separate blood without electricity. " This revolutionized salad spinner, named Sally Centrifuge, will be travelling to Ecuador and Swaziland this May/June.  The two students will be putting their invention to good use when they participate in the Beyond Traditional Borders health initiative. If underdeveloped countries have access to inexpensive tools (word of the day) that detect anemia, this will make a huge differnce in diagnosing malnutrition, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malaria.

I'd like to hear what you think of this story on Sally Centriufge.  Do you own a salad spinner and what do you think of it?  Do you use it or is it just another gadget taking up space in your cupboards? 

From Leeches to Lanyards- The Evolution Of The Nursing Profession

{I know this post looks a little longer than most of my posts but trust me it's worth the read! So grab your coffee or beverage of choice before you start. If you have to wait until the kids are in bed I don't mind.  I just hope that you can find 5 mins in your day to read this entire post as it has great significance to me!}

I often wonder if I were from a different era would I have chosen to become a Nurse.  To be honest, becoming a Nurse wasn't really on my radar while attending High School.  When it came time to apply to colleges and universities I was clueless as to which career path I wanted to take.  A good friend from High Shool had decided she was going to apply to Nursing school.  So I said to myself, " What the heck, I 'll apply too.  At least we could sit together if we both got accepted."   Fast forward 13 years and I've been a Registered Nurse for 9 years.  She dropped out after the first semester. (Nursing is definately not for everyone)

This morning I woke up and checked my Facebook account.  One of my nursing colleages had posted this to her status in honour of National Nurses Week.
♥Right now there is a nurse helping a woman become a mom, a nurse holding the hand of a dying man, a nurse inserting an IV in a child, a nurse listening to an alzheimers patient tell a story of long ago, a nurse missing their family while caring for yours. In the minute it took you to read this, nurses all over the world are touching lives. Thank a nurse! HAPPY NURSES WEEK May (6-12) to all my fellow nurses!!!♥
I consider it a privilege to be reponsible for all these different duties.  I take great interest in studying the different roles and duties of a Nurse over the last century.  Many people are not aware of the many advances in Nursing over the past 100 years.  From basic bedside care and applying leeches to a myriad of contributions.  Modern day Nurses are responsible for guiding patients through the complexities of the health care system, shaping policies that protect people from disease and promote health, advocating for patient safety and quality of care and driving important innovations in research.   

I would love to share with you some of  many changes seen in the Nursing profession over the  past 100 years.  I think it will give you a better understanding as to how much the profession has evolved.


1900's Nursing Duties
At the turn of the century nurses would have spent much of their time sterilizing equipment and applying leeches.  She (I say "she" because the professsion at this time was exlusively women) had to make and stock thousands of sponges, wipes and bandages. She prepares all the water that would  be used by boiling and filtering it three times.  Then she bottled it; she sterilizes sutures and ligatures; keeps the instruments bright and clean; and is responsible for the perfect cleanliness of the operating room.  Her role revolved mainly around houskeeping duties.  Her wage was about $5/week-barely enough to live on. 
1920's Nursing Duties
A nurses duties evolved from mostly private homecare and housekeeping duties to caregiving responsiblities.  Giving baths, inserting catheters, administering enemas and medications, dressing wounds and sores, and generally monitoring patients’ appearance.
Even though the role of the nurse changed the wage was still very low, averaging about 50 cents/hour.
At this time hospitals were no longer being reserved for the indigent and dying but they were becoming mainstream institutes for the middle class to seek treatment and childbirth assistance.  This added to the need for additional nurses. 
World War II
This is a pivotal time in the nursing profession because as nurses joined the war effort they were taken out of hospitals and placed directly at the bedside of patients.  For the first time nurses were being allowed to make decisions based on their judgements and dealing with the consequences. 
After the war had ended  nurses returned armed not only with solid public support, but with new skills. The military had trained nurses in specialties such as anesthesia and psychiatric care, and offered valuable hands-on experience that would ultimately broaden the scope of the profession for future generations.
1960's and After
With the development of the ICU in the 60's once again the role of a nurse had evolved.  Cutting edge technology used to treat critically ill patients demanded a higher level of training.  This drove specialization within the nursing profession and advanced degrees were soon required.  At this time we begin to see nurses actually practicing medicine.  For the first time they were responsible for taking blood pressures, reading and interpreting heart monitors, monitoring and reporting on critically ill patients, and attending to high tech machines.
The average yearly wage for a nurse at this time was around $5,200/year.
Today
Between 1980-1990 nurses were no longer required to wear dressses, stockings and the iconic pillbox nursing hat.  Some nurses welcomed the much more user friendly scrub suit and disposable gloves and gowns.  Today the profession is no longer exlusively women. Today Nurses are responsible for taking on technologically challenging roles.  We even see some nurses taking over roles once reserved for physicians (ie Nurse practioners, Nurse Midwifes)
Above all else, one of the biggest changes in the profession is that today's Nurse is now respected as being part of the health care team responsible for delivering excellent patient care.
Today there are Nurses who work in speciality areas such as Geriatrics(elderly),OR (operating room) ,  Medical-Ssurgical , Labor and Delivery, Pediatric, ICU, ER and even Psychiatrics.  From the time modern day Nurses graduate until they retire they are responsible for ongoing education and increasing clinical experience and skills.

Despite all these changes, Nurses continue to be the heart and soul of medicine.

Each year between May 6-12 (ending on Florence Nightengale's birthday) we set aside a time to thank or pay tribute to the nurses across our country and around the world. 

It is a time to thank those men and women who sat holding your grandpa's hand as he took her last breath.
To acknowlege the nurse who placed your precious baby in your arms.   A time to honour the nurses who delivered chemotherapy treatment to your mom who has breast cancer.  A time to thank that nurse who helped your son breath during a middle of the night asthma attack.   A time to thank those nurses who went to work so bravely during the SARS crisis or H1N1 outbreak.
 I could go on forever because Nurses help so many people in so many ways.  
This week is a great opportunity to recognize Nurses but really we should be thanking the many nurses who care for us or our loved ones each and every time we come in contact with them. 
So, the next time you see a nurse out in the community or at a hospital take a second to say thanks.  Trust me, we don't hear it nearly enough!

Community Question: Would you be OK with your man wearing Spanx?

So, I was doing a little bit of online shopping and yes I was checking out the shapewear department! Well now, that cat is out of the bag!!
Yes, my name is Crystal and I wear the thigh to boobie crotchless shapewear contraption called Spanx! Please tell me you've heard of them! I'm not afraid to admit it! It's not something I feel the need to wear on a daily basis but for those special occassions they sure do come in handy!  Really though, who doesn't need a little assistance! I have been blessed with the "CuRvY" gene, add to this three pregnancies and of course I'm going to be using shapewear to control the oooooh so delicious "muffin top".
I bought my first pair after Pearl was born.  I was going to be a bridesmaid in my friend's wedding one month after she was born, therefore, I needed all the help I could get to look "flat and fab"(not flab)!
I remember the first time I let my husband see me put them on while I was getting ready! He didn't have to say anything, I could read his facial expression...."Whaaaat are those?"  When I finished getting ready he smiled at me and told me how lovely I looked!! Brownie points! That's the great thing about unconditional love!
Anyway, like I was saying, I was looking online for some new shapewear products and I stumbled upon Manx{spanx for men}. Basically, it's a undershirt developed by the Spanx company.  It is specifically for men to help banish their beer bellies.  Really?  Then I started thinking, if my man needed to wear a girdle/shapewear would I be as accepting of his new body as he is of mine?
Well, the answer is YES! {let me explain that my man has a very high metabolism.  Makes me sick!!! So, I guess I can answer this question quite easily because I'm not overly concerned about him gaining weight.}
Despite this, how can I expect him to love me with all my stretch marks, and dare I say it "rolls", if I can't show that unconditional love to him in return! As women we are always shouting, "Equality for the Sexes" well then, why wouldn't men want to level the playing field just like women do!  However, what I did find funny is the type of wording used to market the undershirt.  Quote "A T-shirt on steroids, Manx is a body-sculpting undershirt designed to support your core, shave inches off your belly and enhance your posture.” They can't just sell it as a girdle or shapewear, this garment has to have special superpowers maxed out on drugs!!!
Here's the difference in how they market Spanx to women. Quote "Spanx® is the name of the company that makes hosiery-inspired body shaping garments designed to give a smooth and toned appearance to a woman’s figure. Spanx are thin so they don’t add bulk." 
Completely different wording to sell the same piece of fabric!  Marketing!
So would you be ok if your better other half started wearing Manx?  Be honest!!!

My Most Coveted Possessions Are My Pajamas!

For some women it's jewellery, for others it's clothes. Nope, not me!
The one item I could not live without is my comfy pajamas.
I seriously have at least 10 pairs of flannels for the cold winter nights. A few cotton pairs for spring and summer but if I'm going to be completly honest then I have to tell you about my favorite pair of sweat pants. You know, the comfy kind that you've worn so often that there are holes forming in unmentionable places.
Yep, for the times when I feel fat, ugly and "poor me" self pity days I grab for my worn out sweat pants. Why do I love them so much and why can't I throw them out?
My husband hates them and has threatened to throw them out but I swear if he did I wouldn't talk to him for a week.
The first thing I do when I get home is jump into my pajamas. It really doesn't matter what time of day it is or what I'm doing. I would be most happy if I were wearing them. I've never worn them out in public like some college students do. Ok, so that is a lie! A few times when Pearl was really young I would throw a jacket over top and jump in the van to go get a coffee. However, I didn't get out of the vehicle and it was 6:30 am in the morning.
So am I lazy because I wear pajamas all day? I think not!! I'm actaully pretty productive in a nice pair of comfy pajamas.
So who is on my team? I swear if you don't do it yet then try it! Wear pajamas all day for one day and let me know how it feels!