Classroom Helper Signs

 My daughter started her first year as a third grade teacher this year. When she started setting up her new classroom she asked me to help her create a few items for her classroom. I was overjoyed to help. One of the first things she asked for help with was designing some signs she could use to assign students to specific jobs each week. Each student has a clothes pin and at the beginning of each week she moves the clothes pins around so everyone has a new job each week.

If you are interested you can find this design in my etsy shop for download.

Town Square Tour - Heber Springs Arkansas

Date of Visit: Saturday, July 17, 2021

Weather: Cloudy and rain showers. Temp in the 80s

Highlight: Antique Shopping

This week's adventure was Heber Springs.  Heber Springs is a lake town in central Arkansas. It seems to be a gateway to Greers Ferry Lake. We saw lots of trucks pulling boats as we traveled into town. We drove in from the south via Conway so the drive was beautiful, rainy on the way there, but beautiful nonetheless. The mountain views with the rising fog was so pretty.

As we drove into the town square the first thing you notice is the beautiful courthouse with its majestic rounded tower atop. I stepped out of the vehicle just as the clock struck the hour and the bell did chime followed by a sweet melody. Despite the slight drizzle of rain I stood and took in the sight of calmness while the music sang. In the distance I could see the mountain tops with their bonnets of fog.

When the music stopped my husband and I, umbrella in hand, started our lazy walk around the square. We stopped in each and every antique flea market, thrift store and boutique.  

Certainly our favorite shop would have been the Peddler's Market. We were merrily greeted at the door and found so many beloved antiques and hand-crafted items. We walked out with arms full because there were too many items from which we just couldn't walk away.

A second favorite would be the She Shed. This shop, too, was filled with eye candy. We could have spent the entire day adoring trinkets in this shop alone.

This town square didn't have much to offer for lunch options. There was a "tea room" in the back of one of the shops and in hindsight I wish we had given it a try.  But we both had a craving for specialty pizza so we decided to look outside the square. According to trip advisory one of the best places to eat in Heber Springs is Pizza Pie-Zazz. Unfortunately, I do not agree with many of the reviewers. The restaurant setting was definitely nothing to see and the pizza quality was barely above that of your average chain delivery pizza. On future trips we will be looking to keep our dining within the square.

Heber Springs is one of those town squares that is showing signs of dying away. Many of the buildings stood empty. Hopefully we as a society will begin to appreciate these beauties and we will begin to see them revitalized.

Regardless, we very much enjoyed our visit and hope to return soon. When we return I hope to find more eateries, craft shops and maybe a candy store or bakery.

The most unique item I noticed in Heber Springs might be the delightful music that played after the clock bells rang.

To find more interesting things to do and visit in Heber Springs visit their website at https://www.heber-springs.com/.

I encourage you to visit this amazing little town you won't be disappointed.

Thanks for the hospitality Heber Springs!

Jessica

You can read about why we do these tours here.

Town Square Tours

Imagine a majestic courthouse with the clock tower chiming its bell above. Now slowly look left to right and notice the slow laid-back pace of the towns people frolicking along the sidewalks that surround, each with bags in hand as they enter and leave the small mom-and-pop shops on the town square. 

It's the setting of many Hallmark movies, right?  These places do exist across the United States!  My husband and I have vowed to visit as many as we can here in our home state of Arkansas. And maybe some day we can venture into other states. 

I am going to try to blog each of our adventures so you all can share in the charm of these sometimes forgotten jewels.

And please let me know if you have suggestions for our future trips.

Happy Trails,

Jessica

Every Step of the Way

I guess every mother has some special way of loving their children. For years now I have used the same saying to tell my kids I love them and always will. It's the way I end every note and all birthday cards.  Recently my daughter graduated from college and I was sure to remind her that I had loved her "every step of the way" and will love her for all the future steps.

I think they each know I'll love them every step of the way!!!

If you are interested in the downloadable svg you can find it here in my Etsy shop.

The Best Food Storage Containers

Rubbermaid EasyFindLids Food Storage Containers with SilverShield Antimicrobial Product Protection

Not all food storage containers are the same.  

This is hands down my favorite for short storage. These containers are made of hard clear plastic and have suction closing lids with fold-over snap locks.

The lids close so effortlessly and really seal the food in. No leaks ever!

To top it all off they are easy to store themselves with their easy to find lids.

Podcast Additions: Missing Richard Simmons

Podcast Title: Missing Richard Simmons
Genre: Investigative Journalism
Host: Dan Taberski
Producer:
Rating: This podcast is meant for those inquisitive minds.
Star Rating: 4 stars

I grew up in the 80's and 90's and often saw the eccentric Richard Simmon's on the tube promoting his work out videos. He always grabbed your attention with his bold, loud personality and that big hair. He seemed fun and full of life. If I were into working out in those days he would have likely been first on my list for aerobic videos. 

It wasn't until I stumbled upon this podcast that I realized he had fallen out of the public's eye. I started the first episode just simply out of curiosity. However, I found myself hooked. How could a personality that clearly fed on the public just walk away? 

The podcast, Missing Richard Simmons, is only 6 episodes long so it is a fairly quick listen and quite encapsulating. Dan dives into where and what Simmons has been doing since his exit but despite his investigation there is still a lot of mystery. 

The podcast is an Apple production so there are limitations as to where you can find the podcast. I listened to it using the podcast app on my iPhone but you can also find it online here. 

If you listen I would love to hear your opinion.

Happy listening,

Jessie

Podcast Addictions are my opinions on some of the podcasts to which I listen or have listened. I am in no way incentivized for these posts so you can be sure they are my true opinions.

Friday's Frets - Fire Ants

 HOW TO FIGHT FIRE ANTS

Last week I was complaining about chiggers this week it is the other little creature I encounter regularly that is causing me pain. FIRE ANTS! Their name is perfectly fitting as it feels like your skin is on fire when they release their venom.

These little guys are viscous. This year they have overtaken our yard. Ant hills everywhere! We have to be cautious about letting our granddaughter outside because when they bite they leave a stinging sensation that lasts for hours if not days. 

THIS IS HOW WE GOT RID OF THE FIRE ANTS IN OUR YARD.

In this war the weapon I have found to be most effective is Advion Fire Ant Bait. You sprinkle it on the mound and they will run to the top to get it and take it back inside. Within a few days no more fire ants.  Sounds mean but I must protect the ones I love and staying inside just to avoid nasty creature is no fair. I would also advice a good granular spread for the entire yard perimeter as well. 

This post does contain affiliate links. I may be compensated for purchase. However, I would not recommend a product I do not believe in.

 fret

  [fret] (noun): an irritated state of mind; annoyance; vexation.

Friday's Frets are my little rants about something that annoys me, most often without reason. We all have them, those little peeves that you may or may not notice.

Friday Frets: Chiggers

 fret

  [fret] (noun): an irritated state of mind; annoyance; vexation.

Friday's Frets are my little rants about something that annoys me, most often without reason. We all have them, those little peeves that you may or may not notice.

If you have done much exploring in the great outdoors you have no doubt encountered the almost invisible beasts that attach when you aren't looking. These little guys live on grass and bushes and all it takes is the slight encounter to be plagued for days with relentless itching.

Unlike mosquitoes they don't go for the easy to get to bare skin. They search out the most inconvenient areas and bring an army to make life miserable. 

For years my children and I have been attacked every summer. Well this year I have found the secret weapon to win this war.

There are other choices but this is the only one I have found that actually works. I've tried both home remedies and over-the-counter medicines. 

  

Finding a Perfect Crossbody Canvas Handbag

 For a while now I have been looking for the ideal cross body bag.  I don't carry much with me day-to-day so I don't want a large bag. Specifically I was looking for something light weight and stylish. If you have been reading my blog you know I'm a programmer meaning most often I have some sort of computer in tow. Therefore, I don't need much additional baggage. I was leaning toward vintage canvas because it feels right with my casual daily lifestyle. 

While my husband and I were on a weekend trip recently, we stopped in this quaint little shop and I found it. The perfect solution! But of course while I was examining the options he calls from across the store and beckons me to taste test a new coffee the shop is featuring. From there my one-track mind completely forgot the bags.  It wasn't until we were miles away that my thoughts landed again on my find. Although I would have preferred to have given my money the small shop I am now at the mercy of the vast internet.

These are some options I have found. Now to compare and make a solid decision.

Myra Bag: Unisex-Old Howard Rugged Canvas Cross Body Bag

These are the bags that spoke to me. Not an exact replica of the bags that I saw in that shop but very is close. They have that vintage look and are the perfect size. The first image is the one I think I will go with. You can find a whole line of Myra Bags online. There is a style to match most anyone's casual life. You can find this exact one here.

Friday's Frets: Uhh-ers & Umm-ers

fret
  [fret] (noun): an irritated state of mind; annoyance; vexation.

Friday's Frets are my little rants about something that annoys me, most often without reason. We all have them, those little peeves that you may or may not notice.

Silence is your friend!

I will be the first to admit that public speaking is not on my list of skills. As a matter of fact, personal speaking isn't a skill I excel at either. I say this as proof I have no right to critique anyone's speech but nonetheless I shall.

I am regularly punished with business meetings. There is rarely anything fun about them but probably the worst for me is if the leader of the meeting is an umm-er. In case you don't know what I'm talking about, an umm-er is someone that fears a silent break in speech so they fill it with ummmm or uhhhhh. Just let there be silence until you gather your thought. JUST LET THERE BE SILENCE!! It is most frustrating when the speaker isn't confident in the subject matter. In this case the um's and uh's flow freely often times to the point that the purpose of the speech is lost. Sometimes there are situations where the presenter is very familiar with the subject yet the uh's lead the audience to believe the opposite. It's my opinion that often these vocabulary destroyers don't even realize they fear silence.

Along the same subject, the more recent generations over use "like".  Every sentence you utter shouldn't contain this word and you definitely shouldn't use it more than once in the same sentence.

Another, don't end a sentence with "you know". If I knew then why are you telling me? 

Lastly, if the sentence is a question commit to the question. Don't start the sentence as a declaration and at the very last minute revert to a question. Example: 
NO: "Roses are always pink, correct?"
YES: "Are roses always pink?"

Welp that's my two cents.

Fretfully, Jessie

Podcast Addiction: S-Town

Podcast Addictions are my opinions on some of the podcasts to which I listen or have listened. I am in no way incentivized for these posts so you can be sure they are my true opinions.


Podcast Title: S-Town
Genre: Investigative Journalism
Host: Brian Reed
Producer:
Rating: This podcast is definitely meant for a mature audience. The subject matter is murder and there is foul language.
Star Rating: 5 stars

S-Town is probably one of the best serial podcasts I have experienced. It is a story of murder accusations made by an extremely colorful character, John B. McLemore. John shares his opinions of various scandals he feels are going on in his hometown (Woodstock, AL) with the host as they work together to investigate the possibilities.

Although the story of murder in a small town is interesting to me, I feel like this podcast gets it appeal from John McLemore. His personality is so very intriguing. I am especially drawn to his views because I have a son that battles similar eccentricities and life-threatening depression. It seems some with a very high IQ struggle to function in everyday life. As I listened to his interpretations of event and how he spends his free time, most of his characteristics I can relate back to my precious offspring. I'm fortunate my son's story doesn't end as Mr. McLemore's did but that is only due to a miracle.

Beware this podcast is one that is hard to pause. If you are one of those that can't put down a book once you start then you better be ready to invest some time before you start this podcast. There's a reason why it is a record breaking podcast!


What am I listening to now?

• My Favorite Murder
• Crawlspace

Expect some opinions on these very soon. 

Toodles,

Jessie

Podcast Addictions: Imagined Life

Podcast Addictions are my opinions on some of the podcasts to which I listen or have listened. I am in no way incentivized for these posts so you can be sure they are my true opinions.


For my very first "podcast addiction" post I chose a podcast I have listened to since its infancy and I have continued to find interesting. 

Imagined Life is a Wondery production. I have listened to many of the Wondery productions and they have never let me down. Wondery produces high-quality podcast. You won't fully appreciate the superiority until you have listened to a poor-quality podcast.


Imagined Life highlights the life events of someone famous in each podcast. This podcast series is made unique by the mystery factor. You aren’t told whose life you are learning about until the very end of the story.  Each broadcast is about an hour long with numerous clues. I enjoy the challenge of trying to figure out “who I am” before the end of the story. More often than not I don’t come up with the correct answer until it is divulged by the host.

Aside from the challenge I find many of these stories inspirational. It is nice to know that most everyone has struggled at some point in their life and many still have themselves very productive in society. The topic characters include authors, leaders, musicians, actors, inventors and a variety of others.

If you enjoy biographies and a challenge subscribe to Imagined Life. It will not disappoint.

If you want to find out a little more check out the Wondery website here.

Enjoy,
Jessie

Podcast Addiction: Introduction

I never would have guessed I would become one of those podcast loving people. BUT a few years back a coworker suggest I listen to a popular podcast. It was an interesting story and he was sure I would be intrigued. On average I spend at least an hour daily in my car so I thought...why not. What else am I going to do while I drive, concentrate on driving? 

And my friends that's all it took! After I finished that first podcast I was hooked. Surprisingly, I'm not addicted to a specific genre. There are several different genres to which I subscribe and listen to on a regular basis. Although I must admit I am drawn to the serial true crime podcasts. For those of you with little podcast exposure, a serial podcast is a series of chronological podcasts that tell a story. It's almost like reading a chapter book.

My iPhone connects to my car via bluetooth making listening so convenient. Because I am using my iPhone I am currently using the Apple podcast app. Any podcast I might suggest should be available there. I have, however, found that most podcasts are available on multiple streaming services. I currently have no opinion of which is better. I merely use what is available and convenient for me. 

Over the years I have listened to many different podcast and I find myself regularly looking for new options. So I was thinking I have an opinion! Why not share my opinion with my fellow bloggers, just in case you all are interested. The goal is to write a detailed post about a podcast I am listening to on a regular basis. I will receive nothing from any of these podcasters so the opinions will be true and raw.

By the way, that very first podcast that was suggested to me was S-Town. My coworker was correct, it is intriguing. Later I will do a more in-depth post about S-Town. For now if you are thinking of giving podcasts a try and you enjoy true crime check it out. But be aware you will likely become hooked.

Toodles,
Jessie

Friday's Frets: Computer Monitors

fret

  [fret] (noun): an irritated state of mind; annoyance; vexation.

Friday's Frets are my little rants about something that annoys me, most often without reason. We all have them, those little peeves that you may or may not notice.

From the time we start to read we are given literature that is on standard paper, 8.5 inches wide and 11 inches long.  We are educated using books that are portrait view.

So...someone tell me why are computer monitors landscape view!! Why are they always wider than taller?

Doesn't this have some sort of negative effect on our brains.  Many websites you visit actually have quite a bit of white space on either side of the primary view. 

I'm aware that I have settings I can change on my monitor that will allow me to set my monitor up as a portrait view but why doesn't it just come standard that way. Shouldn't that be the norm? Who made this decision to flip my world?

Fretfully,

Jess :)

A Simple Life

I've spent the last 20 years striving for the bigger and the better. I've worked hard building a career I can be proud of in the technology world.  My resume is full of certifications.  My husband and I have created a nice home for ourselves and our children. Wrong or right, we spent way too much of their childhood working to give them the things we thought they needed and wanted.

Recently I was faced with the probable loss of a child and I quickly realized how little all those things really meant to me. How quickly I would have traded them for a little more time with my son.

We were fortunate that we didn't have to face a true loss but the possibility, the nearness, was enough to make me reevaluate my wants, likely the only positive to come from the situation.  After much soul searching it turns out all I really want is the simple life in which I grew up.  I would like to magnify the time I spend with family and enjoy my surrounding.  Instead of guzzling my coffee during a mid-morning break, I would much rather sip it as I listen to the birds chirp. I don't think my wishes are insanely unique. I feel like most people would rather enjoy a simple life but we are programmed to believe we need lots of money, nice cars and big houses.  I have lost my programming. :)

Over the next few months I intend to find a way to restructure my personal life to better suit my wishes.  It can be done and I shall be successful. Watch and see!

Much love,
Jessie

Pinterest Group Board

I would love to have some of you DIYers join my new Pinterest group board. 

 DIY Together

If you are interested send me an email with your pinterest profile and blog address and I will happily get you an invite.

Sugar & Creamer Containers

Sugar & Creamer Containers

You would never guess I put these adorable sugar and creamer containers together for less than $3. Yep...$3!!!

I found the jars at Dollar Tree for $1 each. In case you can't tell from the picture they are about 3 inches tall. They are the perfect size for coffee condiments.

I added some vinyl labels that I cut using my Cricut and FINISHED. This was the easiest project I have done in a long time.



If your looking for an easy portable vinyl cutter I highly suggest this little guy. He's great for small jobs.

Shared at: Sincerely, Paula

Rocker Refresh

This gorgeous rocker belonged to my husband's grandmother. It was one of the jewels he was given after she passed. It was a bit weathered. 

I thought I had taken a picture of it before but I can't find it so I will do my best to describe and maybe you can imagine.

It was painted turquoise but at least 50% of the paint had chipped away.  It originally had a wooden weaved seat that was cracked and breaking away, so much so that sitting in it should only be done with caution.  When I pulled the seat away I found beds that mice had made.

Although I loved the rustic look, I decided it needed a face lift. I couldn't decide what to replace the seat with so I went to the queen of good ideas...my mother.  She had a couple suggestion but I fell in love with the denim idea.

Firstly, I sanded off the chipping paint and then sprayed on a couple coats of bright red outdoor paint.  I used the outdoor paint because the chair's new home will be my front porch. The bright red is definitely bold but I love it.

After the paint was fully dry, it was time for the seat.  This is the time consuming part. I needed denim strips about an inch wide...a lot of them.  Of course you can purchase denim at the fabric store but because I am so thrifty I opted to use old jeans. I live with a house full of hard working young men and therefore they go through lots of jeans. I have been saving them for a while thinking I would make a blanket or perhaps a rug, never considered a chair seat but so shall it be.  

I cut 3 inch strips as long as I could get. I needed almost 90 feet of stripping for my chair seat. That is a lot of denim strips but so very worth it.

I sewed each strip together end to end until I had 90 feet of 3" wide denim. I folded the very long strip in half lengthwise. So now the strip is about a 1 1/2 inches wide. Then tucked the outer edges in so the cut edges weren't exposed and sewed the seam down the length of the strip. 

Shew! After all that sewing I had to weave it into the seat.  I know what you are thinking, easy breezy. Not at all.  Actually it wasn't hard just time consuming.  I used staples to make sure the denim didn't pull away at the beginning and ending of the weave.

If you are interested in a tutorial for the pillow in this rocking chair you can see that here.

Shared At: Show and Tell

Americana Pillow

In honor of Veterans Day and the 2016 history making Election Day, I thought I would share my quick and easy Americana pillow tutorial. You will be amazed at just how simple this pillow cover is to put together.  I only used items I already had so it cost me nothing. But even if you have to purchase a couple supplies it is still very inexpensive.

Supplies Used:

• Pillow Form (I actually used a small decorative pillow that no longer worked in my decor)
• Fabric to cover the pillow: this needs to be a sturdy fabric, drop cloth material works great.
• Fabric Paint:  Red, White & Blue ( I chose barn red, English navy, and bright white)
• Thread that matches your fabric
• Chalk

Tools Used:

• Sewing Machine
• Scissors
• Sponge Paint Brush
• Star shaped sponge
• Measuring Tape

Instructions:

1.  Measure the size of your pillow form (mine was 12" X 18"). Add 1" to both width and length to allow for a 1/2" seam on all sides. Cut fabric to cover both front and back of pillow.  To avoid a seam on one side and because I was using remnant fabric, I cut my fabric to 13" X 37".  This allowed me to fold the fabric length wise.
2. Sew 3 sides.  With the "pretty sides" of your fabric touching sew 3 sides of the fabric with a 1/2" seam.  Leave one side open so you can turn the cover inside out and stuff with the pillow form.  You should have a pillow case at this point.
3. With the cover turned seams inside, insert a piece of cardboard.  This will keep the paint from bleeding to the back of the cover.
4. I use chalk to roughly sketch the image I wanted on my pillow. Chalk works great because a stiff brush can be used to remove after painting is complete or if you make a mistake with your design. For my image I wanted half the pillow to be blue with stars and the other half to have large red stripes. Get creative. There is no wrong design.
5. When you are happy with the chalked image, start applying the paint.  I was looking for an aged look so I didn't do full coverage with the paint.  I used a sponge paint brush and limited the amount of paint I put on. I started by painting the blue half. Then painted the red stripes.  When I was finished with the red stripes the blue was dry so I could add the stars.
6. Stamping the stars.  You can purchase a foam star stamp at any craft store, which makes adding the stars very easy. Unfortunately for me I didn't have one so I improvised and cut a template from plastic and sponged the stars. I think my results
   
   were similar to what I would have gotten with a stamp.
7. Let the cover dry completely before stuffing with the pillow form and completing the remaining seam.

The last step is to find the perfect home for it. AND I DID!  On my front porch in my gorgeous red rocking chair.  If you are interested in seeing how I restored this old rocker, check it out here.

Shared At: Coastal Charm

Friday Frets - Sandwich Buns 8 Count?

fret

  [fret] (noun): an irritated state of mind; annoyance; vexation.

Friday's Frets are my little rants about something that annoys me, most often without reason. We all have them, those little peeves that you may or may not notice.




Who decided that sandwich buns should come in a count of 8? Why 8?  Why not 10 or 5? Or better yet 2? 

When I was feeding a family of five, 8 worked out okay. Sometimes there were a couple left over but most times not...teenage boys!  But now that most days I'm only feeding myself and my husband,  8 is too many.

We typically eat two and the other six are left to age. I just want to be able to buy the amount I need.  

The bakery, I guess that is my best option.