Monday 30 April 2012

Compare and Contrast


Guest Post

Sometimes I really wish there was a comprehensive guide out there to help me figure out which credit card is right for me. Then I realize, “Duh! That new fangled Internet has everything!” One quick little search and you can find a credit cards guide with ease. It's all laid out nice and simple for you! Here are the perks and/or rewards program for this card, here are some examples of the types of things you can earn, here is the interest rate, here is the signing bonus, here is the applicable fees, etc. etc. etc... I don't know what people did in the dark days before the internet, but I can't imagine making serious informed decisions without it! All of the information you need can be accessed with the click of a button at lighting speed (usually) and in a neat little chart that explains all the pro's and con's, similarities and differences. It would have taken me hours, maybe even days to compile all of that information about different banks and different cards just to make a simple decision about which card I want to apply for. I know its not the end of the world if I made a choice without being able to compare, BUT isn't it so much better that we have the option now to know for sure we are getting the best deal possible? Not every credit card is equal and depending on what kind of a spender you are and what you will be using the card for there is definitely some that will be a much better fit than others. For instance, I make it a point to pay off my statement balance in full every single month. Because of this, the interest rates are not at the forefront of my list of important things (if I continue on this track, I should never actually have to pay any interest!). However, the rewards program is probably one of the more important features of a card for me. If I owned a small business, or anticipated making a purchase I knew I would not be able to pay off right away, I might reconsider this line of thought.

Tuesday 24 April 2012

Soft toy storage... Хранение мягких игрушек

I think every mother with baby/ies or a toddler/s has soft toy problem-toomanydontknowwheretoputthem problem. So I've searched the NET and came up with this. Got myself a wall flower basket/planter, it is very light.
I had a colour tester pot of yellow paint from Wilko and I painted the planter with a sponge, two layers. Mounted it onto a bookcase. As I got the bookcase from freecycle and it was hugely chiped on one side, it's ok, can do anything with it without feeling sorry :)

But it does look lovely! You can have loads of these baskets all over the wall and make them any colour you want. But my advice would be to use spray paint if you have.
  What do you think? How do you store your child's soft toys?


Sunday 22 April 2012

Dummies Breastfeeding and... Dildos

Gosh! Some things we see and can't do or say anything about it to those who makes us cringe...
It's like every time when I see a mother shoving and forcing dummies on hunger/unhappy crying babie makes me cringe. And not because they do it, but the reason behind it. They breastfeed but often when the baby is distressed for any reason, some moms will have more important task at hand such as wash the dishes, cook or, love that one, in a shop choosing a new top for yourself. The baby is screaming and mom instead of giving the breast will shove the dummy.
So you ask, what does dildo has anything to do with that? Well, when i see things like that happening I can't but compare an imaginative situation. You are horny and telling your husband/partner that you want sex. Instead, he will shove you a dildo and say that he is too busy working or has a football match to watch.  Far fetched but similar point behind it.
Don't get me wrong, I am not against dummies, but how they are used in some cases...

Carrot Coconut Pineapple cake

Hi all! As requested by some, here is my recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of self-raising flower (Or you can use all-purpose flour+1 teaspoon baking soda)
  • I use 3/4 cup of brown sugar and 2tbl spoons of natural sweetener ( but original recipe is 2 cups of sugar which i think is too much)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
  • 2 cups finely grated carrots (about 3 to 4 medium carrots)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup of finely chopped and crushed pineapple(i use fresh)or 1 can (8 ounces) well drained crushed pineapple
  • 1 cup shredded coconut, i always use fresh but you can get a ready made one
  • 1 cup of sultanas (or/and 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans which I never add due my daughter nut allergy)

Preparation:

In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients; stir to blend. Add eggs, oil, shredded carrots, and vanilla; beat until well blended. Stir in pineapple, coconut, and sultanas (1/2 cup of the walnuts if you use them). Pour into a greased and floured 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Place cake in pan on a rack to cool. Frost the cooled cake with cream cheese frosting and again, if you use nuts, sprinkle with remaining chopped nuts, pressing into the frosting very lightly.
My little helper is always there to help and sample :)))
Helping mummy to mix the dry ingredients. But  also we like to hide the spoon in the bowl and look for it , and to eat flower too.

He was not lucky as Little V sprinkled  some flower onto him...

I always have to clean and great more carrots as my little helper likes to eat them :)



The butter tastes really yummy!!




That's how she likes to sample it, messy but yummy 
And off into the oven

And that was my dinner :)

Tuesday 17 April 2012

Recycled old t-shirt

Was sorting out the washing and had two t-shirts very worn and with quite a few tiny holes in them. Was about to throw them away, when I remembered seeing some tutorials on YouTube on how to recycle/upcycle them. And that's what came out. I cut the t's into yarn and using the largest knitting needles I had made this round rug. 2 t-shirts = 1 rug enough to put under my 20something cm flower pot.  And it took me only about 15 min to do all.